Title: A Committed Heart/ Topic: Obedience

Today’s Reading: Ezekiel 12; Ezekiel 13; Ezekiel 14; Revelation 5

Scripture: Ezekiel 12:7
7 So I did as I was commanded.

Observation: Ezekiel is the prophet I admire most. God told him to do the most bizarre things and this sentence sums up his response every time. He seemed to never struggle with worrying about his dignity or how he would be viewed by others. How his fellow man thought of him didn't concern him at all; he just wanted to obey God.

Application: I like Isaiah for his cerebral approach to prophecy and I personally relate to Jeremiah's emotional approach but I most want to be like Ezekiel. I have always had a struggle with what other people thought of me, what the Bible calls the "fear of man." I so admire Ezekiel's easy obedience to instructions that made him look absolutely insane to others. I need to take the example of his life and apply it to mine.

Prayer: Father, you have helped me to grow in overcoming my fear of man a lot over the years but I still have a long way to go. I want to obey you quickly and easily no matter what you ask of me. Help me to crucify my flesh and become completely submissive to you.
This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Title: A Heavenly View/ Topic: Our Awesome God

Today’s Reading: Ezekiel 8; Ezekiel 9; Ezekiel 10; Ezekiel 11; Revelation 4

Scripture: Revelation 4:6-11
In the center, around the throne, were four living creatures, and they were covered with eyes, in front and in back. 7 The first living creature was like a lion, the second was like an ox, the third had a face like a man, the fourth was like a flying eagle. 8 Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under his wings. Day and night they never stop saying: "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come." 9 Whenever the living creatures give glory, honor and thanks to him who sits on the throne and who lives for ever and ever, 10 the twenty-four elders fall down before him who sits on the throne, and worship him who lives for ever and ever. They lay their crowns before the throne and say: 11 "You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being."

Observation: Creatures with six wings, eyes covering their bodies, heads with four faces of different creatures. This sounds like stuff from a scary science fiction movie. And indeed, when Ezekiel first saw these creatures he fell down as though dead. He was afraid. These creatures are awe-inspiring. What do we find these awe-inspiring creatures doing in this view into heaven? Praising an even more awesome God. And along with them all the elders also prostrate themselves in worship to God. This is our God who loves us and wants intimate fellowship with us. Because God is our friend, I think we sometimes have too much of a "buddy-buddy" attitude toward Him and lose the sense of honor and respect we need to have. I think the lack of proper respect also leads us to hold back in worship. The twenty-four elders aren't concerned about being dignified in their worship; they fall down and cast their crowns at the feet of the Lord.

Application: I need to always make sure I keep God in the place of ultimate honor. I also need to be unconcerned about how I look to others when I'm worshipping God. My dignity doesn't need to be protected. The balance to that statement is that I need to love my fellow believers enough to make sure I'm not making such a spectacle of myself in public worship that I distract them from focusing on the Lord and cause them to focus on me.

Prayer: Father, thank you for giving me a glimpse into heaven. I need to see Your awesomeness, power and glory. You are worthy of all praise. May I give you my unfettered worship here on earth and may the whole church do the same. May we experience Your holy presence on a daily basis as we give You what is Your due.
This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Title: Warnings and Commendation/ Topic: Heeding Rebuke

Today’s Reading: Ezekiel 4; Ezekiel 5; Ezekiel 6; Ezekiel 7; Revelation 3

Scripture: Revelation 3:1-3; 8,9; 15-19
I know your deeds; you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead. 2 Wake up! Strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your deeds complete in the sight of my God. 3 Remember, therefore, what you have received and heard; obey it, and repent.

I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name. 9 I will make those who are of the synagogue of Satan, who claim to be Jews though they are not, but are liars—I will make them come and fall down at your feet and acknowledge that I have loved you.

15 I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! 16 So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. 17 You say, 'I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.' But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. 18 I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see. 19 Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline.

Observation: The words of Jesus to three churches are recorded here. The comparison of the three is interesting to me. The first and third get strong rebukes from Jesus and the issues seem to be similar. To the first He says, "Wake up!" and tells them their deeds (actions) are incomplete. Their deeds seem to give the people in the church the feeling that they are alive spiritually, but Jesus disagrees. They are asleep and spiritually lethargic. The third church is also complacent and dispassionate, yet they think they are just fine and don't have any need. The second church is commended by Jesus even though they "have little strength". They have endured hardship but apparently they have kept a strong love of the Lord even though their strength isn't strong. What's interesting to me is that Jesus doesn't tell them they need to get stronger, He just tells them to hang on to what they have and are promised great things.

Application: I must guard my heart against complacency --- God obviously hates it. It seems that he doesn't mind weakness. He is much more concerned about my passion than my strength. He is more concerned abvout my character than he is about my accomplishments, such as how many material blessings I've accumulated. I also must realize that I have a propensity toward spiritual blindness. Both the first and third churches thought they were doing fine. I need to be open to correction from human authority that God places in my life as well as to the rebukes of the Holy Spirit. If I do this I will keep myself under God's protection and safe in His arms.

Prayer: Father, let me see myself as You see me. Let no unclean thing remain covered in my life. I want to live in the light and to keep my passion for You alive.
This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Title: Love, Love Me Do / Topic: Priorities

Today’s Reading: Ezekiel 1; Ezekiel 2; Ezekiel 3; Revelation 2

Scripture: Revelation 2:2-5
2 I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked men, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false. 3 You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary. 4 Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love. 5 Remember the height from which you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place.

Observation: These words of Jesus are a wake-up call to every believer. He's speaking to a church; a whole group of believers that He commends for several good things. They are righteous and can discern truth from error very well. They are hard-working and unafraid of facing persecution for the Lord's sake. And they are tireless; they just keep going! But these qualities, though commended by Jesus, aren't enough to keep them from a stern rebuke. He tells them they have lost their first love. Amidst their steadfastness in standing up for truth and righteousness and being immovable in hardships they have lost their passion for God. They do the right things (their duty) but not in the right way (their motivation). In His words, Jesus makes it clear that our first priority needs to be our "romance" with Him.

Application: People who have been married a long time can stay in a relationship and stay loyal to each other without necessarily staying passionate in their love for one another. They don't play and laugh together, they just fulfill their responsibilities to one another. It can get to be that way in a mature relationship with Jesus too. The joy of the relationship can be lost even when there's a deep knowledge of and commitment to living by the truth. I have had times in my walk with Jesus that were like that. The good news is we all can repent and restore our passion for God. I have found that when I've lost the priority of passion, it's been when I have gone through a lot of hardship and pain with people coupled with not spending enough time with God in worship, prayer and the Word. Hard work for the Lord can wear us down if we don't spend time with the Lord, especially in worship (that is the time when we whisper the "sweet nothings" to Him; our "bedroom talk" with God). When I am in the midst of trials and stress I need even more time in worship than usual. God expects me to keep up my end of the romance.

Prayer: Father, I love you for creating this beautiful world for me and for giving me your Son. Jesus, I love you for giving me everything I need for life and godliness. I thank you Holy Spirit for leading me into all truth and guiding me into the Presence of God. It's amazing that your love for me makes you jealous for my affection. May I be responsive to you always! I want to be ready to fall into your arms of love at every opportunity instead of being so worried about making sure "my house is clean".
This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Title: A Strange Inheritance/Topic: God's Gifts

Today’s Reading: Jeremiah 52; Revelation 1; Psalm 143; Psalm 144

Scripture: Revelation 1:9
9 I, John, your brother and companion in the suffering and kingdom and patient endurance that are ours in Jesus, was on the island of Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus.

Observation: John says he is our companion and brother in 3 things that are ours as a result of belonging to Jesus. This verse stood out to me because these 3 things don't seem to go together and they aren't what I would pick as an inheritance from the Lord. 1) suffering – who wants that? But there are other verses that indicate that suffering increases our intimacy with Jesus, builds character, and purifies us (see 2Tim. 3:12; James 1:2,3; 1Pet. 4:1). These are worthy results that all of us should embrace. 2) a kingdom – Now this is more like it! I can rejoice in this kind of inheritance. And we don't just get to live in the kingdom we receive but we get to rule in it! (see Rev. 5:10). 3) patient endurance – This is another of our gifts from Jesus that doesn't sound completely appealing. I want to be patient and have endurance but I'm not sure I like the process of how I have to get there. But again, this is worth the cost (Rev. 2:26).

Application: Though I may not like all the elements of what we receive from Jesus (at least in my flesh), I need to embrace them with joy because they attain for me the deepest desires of my heart. Through them I will become perfect. It is good of the Lord to prepare us ahead of time that part of receiving a kingdom entails suffering and endurance. That way we will not be caught by surprise when it happens. And the other comfort is that I know others have gone before me in this process (like John) and that I have brothers and sisters to share the journey with now.

Prayer: Lord, I want to fully embrace your gifts to me. I want to echo the passion of Paul when he says in Phillipians, "That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead." My heart's desire truly is that I may be intimate with you forever, no matter what it takes to get there. It's the happiest place to be. And help my children, parents, grandchildren and everyone of the people you've given us to care for make it the journey with me.

Title: The Worst Sin / Topic: Arrogance

Today’s Reading: Jeremiah 50; Jeremiah 51; 3 John 1

Scripture: Jeremiah 50:32; 3 John 9, 10
Jeremiah 50:32 The arrogant one will stumble and fall and no one will help her up; I will kindle a fire in her towns that will consume all who are around her."

3 John 9 I wrote to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to be first, will have nothing to do with us. 10 So if I come, I will call attention to what he is doing, gossiping maliciously about us. Not satisfied with that, he refuses to welcome the brothers. He also stops those who want to do so and puts them out of the church.

Observation: The first verse pronounces God's judgment on Babylon for it's arrogance as a nation and the next passage describe the arrogance of a church leader. Arrogance in any form, be it as a society or as an individual, is the deadliest of sins. It is the one Lucifer (Satan) was kicked out of heaven for. It is the one sin that keeps us from God. Pride creates a self-sufficiency that deludes one into the belief that they don't need God or anyone else. The apostle John gives several clues to recognizing an arrogant person. Diotrephes loved attention, refused to submit to established and proven authority, bad-mouthed other leaders in order to isolate those who followed him from other leaders, was insecure (the reason he refused to welcome other brothers; that kept his group isolated but also kept them from comparing him unfavorably to anyone else), and he was extremely controlling. If others in his group didn't follow his direction he put them out of the church. It's strange that often the most arrogant people are also very insecure personally.

Application: I need to guard my heart against an arrogant, superior attitude. I need to watch for any of the component attitudes and behaviors of pride that Diotrephes displayed. I also need to be discerning about other people and stay away from others that have these attitudes.

Prayer: Keep me humble Lord. May I find my sense of value and identity in You so that I will understand that submission to others doesn't prove that I am "less than" anyone else; it means I'm part of Your team. Help me to also be discerning and to help lead others into Your truth.
This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Title: Does God Have a Split Personality?/ Topic: Love and Judgment

Today’s Reading: Jeremiah 37; Jeremiah 38; Jeremiah 39; Psalm 79; 2 John 1

Scripture: Jeremiah 38:20-23
20 "They will not hand you over," Jeremiah replied. "Obey the LORD by doing what I tell you. Then it will go well with you, and your life will be spared. 21 But if you refuse to surrender, this is what the LORD has revealed to me: 22 All the women left in the palace of the king of Judah will be brought out to the officials of the king of Babylon. Those women will say to you: " 'They misled you and overcame you— those trusted friends of yours. Your feet are sunk in the mud; your friends have deserted you.'
23 "All your wives and children will be brought out to the Babylonians. You yourself will not escape from their hands but will be captured by the king of Babylon; and this city will be burned down." (emphasis added)

Observation: I've heard many Christians ask, "How can a God who is supposed to be loving and forgiving judge people by killing them?". These verses contain a warning to Zedekiah that lays out this contrast. He is told that if he obeys God it will go well for him and his family but, if he does not, there will be harsh and disastrous consequences. We tend to think in absolutes; that love, forgiveness and mercy cannot coexist with judgment and harsh punishment. But they DO coexist in absolute righteousness in our God. Our heavenly Father disciplines us so that we will not continue in destructive behavior, just as we do with our children. And He always instructs and warns us first of the consequences of our choices.

Application: The balance in God's discipline is this: If I refuse to learn from His grace, then I will have to learn from His judgment. The choice of how I want to learn is mine. Just as Zedekiah's choice had consequences for himself as well as others, so will mine. His family suffered more from his poor choice than he did. Oh, let me learn from Your grace!

Prayer: Father, you are merciful, kind, and loving and you are also just and righteous. May I always learn the easy way instead of the hard way. Thank you for your mercy toward me and all others who accept it.
This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Title: He Cares / Topic: God's Love

Today’s Reading: Jeremiah 33; Jeremiah 34; Psalm 74; 1 John 5

Scripture: Jeremiah 34:4,5
4 " 'Yet hear the promise of the LORD, O Zedekiah king of Judah. This is what the LORD says concerning you: You will not die by the sword; 5 you will die peacefully. As people made a funeral fire in honor of your fathers, the former kings who preceded you, so they will make a fire in your honor and lament, "Alas, O master!" I myself make this promise, declares the LORD.' "

Observation: These two chapters in Jeremiah are all about God's heart to restore His people to intimate relationship with Him even when they have horribly rebelled and rejected Him. What struck me about the above verses was the great tenderness shown by God toward Zedekiah with these words. Every person, especially as they grow older and face the reality of their mortality, wants to be remembered with love, admiration and fondness by those left behind. God speaks to this concern of Zedekiah's and promises him that despite his stubborn disobedience to God, and even though he will suffer punishment for that, he will be honored by his people when he dies. God cares about the deepest longings of Zedekiah's heart.

Application: God cares about the deepest longings of my heart too. No matter what I do, God cares about what I care about. I may suffer correction when I stray but His heart is toward me --- always!

Prayer: You are amazing Lord! I'm so very grateful that I can count on Your steadfast love that will never fail. You are such a tender-hearted Father. Thank You for bringing me into Your family. I pray I will always bring honor to Your name and never shame You in any way.
This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Title: Two Tests of True Belief / Topic: Discernment

Today’s Reading: Jeremiah 31; Jeremiah 32; 1 John 4

Scripture: 1 John 4:1-3, 7-8
1 Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. 2 This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, 3 but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world.
7 Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.

Observation: Sometimes it is difficult to discern whether people are true believers or not. I noticed in these verses two distinct tests to determine what spirit is motivating a person. One test is doctrinal and the other is behavioral. This agrees with Paul when he instructs Timothy to "watch your life (behavior) and doctrine closely." The doctrinal test is pretty basic. Do they acknowledge that Jesus came in the flesh and is from God? Then they pass that test. The behavioral test has to do with love. Do they love others, with all that word implies? Love means treating others with kindness and respect but also with forgiveness when they wrong us. We tend to make the test of being a believer more complicated than this. We want them to pass a more rigorous doctrinal test. And for ourselves, we want to let ourselves off the hook if we don't pass the "love" test with everyone.

Application: God's box is a lot bigger than mine. If I meet someone who loves others and passes the very basic doctrinal test John gives here but isn't in my "box" of acceptable church groups, I'd better suspend my judgement of his/her faith. For myself, it's easier to focus on my doctrinal correctness than to make sure my behavior is passing muster with God. I need to work on truly loving my brothers and sisters (and even my enemies) as God says I must if I am truly going to be His witness in this world.

Prayer: Father, I want to "study to show myself approved, a workman that doesn't need to be ashamed" when handling the Word of God. I want my doctrine to be correct because I want to truly understand You better. But I also want to have Your love so shine in me that others will notice a distinct difference in the quality of my love for them than is typical in the world. I want them to know I am Your disciple because of my ability to love with the power of Your Spirit.
This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Title: The Real Thing/ Topic: Love

Today’s Reading: Jeremiah 28; Jeremiah 29; Jeremiah 30; 1 John 3

Scripture: 1John 3:14-15, 16, 18
14 We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love our brothers. Anyone who does not love remains in death. 15 Anyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life in him.
16 This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers.
18 Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.

Observation: "Anyone who does not love remains in death." Those are strong words that don't leave any "gray" area. What if we just don't care to be around a particular person? Does that mean I'm remaining in death, spiritually speaking? What is love exactly? Verses 16 & 18 elaborate further. We ought to be willing to lay down our lives for one another. We need to love with actions and in truth and not just with words. Other verses I didn't post here tell us that we can't hate and love also. So if I don't want to shop somewhere because "that's where all the Mexicans shop"(I've heard comments like this) or I am holding a grudge against someone, or if I'm nursing hurt feelings because someone has offended me, or if I just don't want to associate with someone because I feel intellectually superior to them or their personality irritates me, am I remaining in death? I think so. If I'm willing to lay down my life for someone even if I don't particularly care for their personality does that qualify as love? If I fellowship with a person like that and treat them with respect and kindness even though I would prefer the company of others, am I acting in love? I think so. But these questions are important to grapple with. We can't be glib about loving others. It's a serious subject to God.

Application: I need to as the Holy Spirit to reveal my heart to me. This chapter goes on to say that if I can truly say I don't have any hate in my heart toward anyone and if I've loved in deed as well as in word then I can have confidence with God because my conscience will be clear and that He will give me whatever I ask for in prayer. That is powerful motivation to make sure I am loving others as Jesus did.

Prayer: Father, love is not easy. Loving others means I have to forgive all who hurt me from my heart and be ready to re-establish relationship with them and be vulnerable to being hurt again. It means I can't harbor an attitude of superiority toward others. Give me a merciful heart like Yours. Purify me even as You are pure. See if there be any wicked way in me that I am not aware of and cleanse me from all unrighteousness. May I love as You did, in truth and in deed.
This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Title: Who Do You Love?/ Topic: Loving God

Today’s Reading: Jeremiah 21; Jeremiah 24; Jeremiah 27; Psalm 118; 1 John 2

Scripture: 1 John 2:15-17
15 Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For everything in the world—the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does—comes not from the Father but from the world. 17 The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever.

Observation: There is a lot to love in this world. If we believe in God and want to obey Him, how can we tell if we are "slipping" into loving the world and letting that love compete with our love of God? It's so easy to delude ourselves, especially if we have established good spiritual disciplines like regular church attendance and Bible reading, into thinking we love God when really, we love the world. I think we need to regularly check ourselves to see if we are loving the world more than God because John makes it clear that these two "loves" cannot co-exist.

Application: The best ways to do this are: 1) Stay in accountable relationships with spiritual people we trust and ask them to tell us if they see us slipping. Others can often see more clearly than we can what is happening in our relationship with God. 2) Examine what we think about most. Are the proponderance of our thoughts directed toward God, His will for us, and WWJD type questions? 3) What does our conversation consist of? If the majority of our conversation with others consists of talking about ourselves (v. 16 - boasting of what he has and does) or about eating, fashion, entertainment or other worldly pleasures, then we need to do some repenting. It's so easy to love the world more than God if we aren't vigilant in examining our hearts.

Prayer: Father, thank you for wanting to keep us out of danger and giving us these warnings and instructions to keep us strong. May they be more than words we read. Help us to be doers of the Word and not hearers only.
This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Title: Prospering to Spread the Word / Topic: Blessing & Evangelism

Today’s Reading: Jeremiah 48; Jeremiah 49; Psalm 67; 1 John 1

Scripture: Psalm 67:1-2, 7
1 May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face shine upon us, Selah
2 that your ways may be known on earth, your salvation among all nations.

7 God will bless us, and all the ends of the earth will fear him.

Observation: There is a clear connection made in these verses between the people of God being blessed by God and all the ends of the earth coming to know Him. I've never noticed this connection so clearly before. The psalmist is praying for God's blessing so that others will know God, His ways, and salvation. I take this to mean that we all have a responsibility to seek God's blessing as a means of evangelizing the world. It makes sense. Who would be attracted to people who were miserable and always suffering? The Word makes it clear that we will suffer, but we are supposed to press through it to victory with the Lord's help. Who wouldn't be attracted to a people who are obviously blessed and who, even when trials come, have a great positive attitude about it because of their trust in God?

Application: It's not wrong to seek to be blessed by God in every way; in fact we owe it to others to be blessed so that they will seek Him. If I'm not being blessed, I need to stop and ask myself why. Am I holding on to attitudes that are defeating me? Am I continuing in sin when I know I need to repent? Am I not worshipping God and thanking Him for His blessings? I must seek to be blessed by praying for it, by worshipping God and by obeying and submitting to Him. Others need me to be prospered by God so that they will seek His face.

Prayer: Bless me Lord! Pour out Your favor on me and on all the people who serve You. May we all have more than we need materially so that we may bless others. May Your anointing flow through us when we minister in prayer so that others are miraculously healed. May the fullness of Your gifts flow through us so that words of wisdom, knowledge, and discerning of spirits let all who don't know You come to fear You as Lord and submit their lives to You. Bless us so that we cannot possibly contain it all and it spills over for the benefit of the world.
This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Title: Tell the Old Stories / Topic: Foundations

Today’s Reading: Jeremiah 45; Jeremiah 46; Jeremiah 47; Psalm 105; John 21

Scripture: Psalm 105:1,2
1 Give thanks to the LORD, call on his name; make known among the nations what he has done.
2 Sing to him, sing praise to him; tell of all his wonderful acts.

Observation: Make known what God has done; tell of all his wonderful acts. This Psalm starts with this instruction and then proceeds to recount the many times God faithfully provided for and protected Israel. The Lord tells us in other passages of scripture the same thing. We are told to rehearse the kind acts and goodness of the Lord to each other, to our children and grandchildren and anyone else who will listen. Why such an emphasis on the retelling, over and over again, of these stories. I believe it's because we need to remember them when we go through times of struggle. They build a foundation of faith so that we will trust that the Lord will come through for us again as he has in the past.

Application: I need to retell stories of God's graciousness and miracle powers in my life to others; especially to my family. God has done many miracles for us that I assume that my kids remember because they were there. I forget that they were quite young when some of these things happened and they don't remember them all. These blogs and my journals will provide lasting references to my family of my journey with God, the things he has taught me and the miracles I've seen firsthand. It's the most precious gift I can give them. I must not forget to share them verbally with them too. I was with my grandaughter Lauren several months ago and related a story from my childhood when I was 11 years old and did something mean to another child. The look of horror on her face was palpable. How could her precious Nana do something so awful! But I then told her how God spoke to me about it and how I changed my life because of his word to me. That story will help her more when she has a failure than if I had said nothing and kept up my "perfect" image with her (by the way, she still loves me). So share your stories often. It builds foundations of faith for us and for others.

Prayer: I needed this reminder Lord. I often speak of just current happenings in my life and in the world but I need to remember to speak of your kind acts much more often than I do. Thank you for this reminder and for all your faithfulness to me.
This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Title: The Blessing of Honor / Topic: Respect

Today’s Reading: Jeremiah 26; Jeremiah 35; Jeremiah 36; John 20

Scripture: Jeremiah 35:6-10, 18-19
6 But they replied, "We do not drink wine, because our forefather Jonadab son of Recab gave us this command: 'Neither you nor your descendants must ever drink wine. 7 Also you must never build houses, sow seed or plant vineyards; you must never have any of these things, but must always live in tents. Then you will live a long time in the land where you are nomads.' 8 We have obeyed everything our forefather Jonadab son of Recab commanded us. Neither we nor our wives nor our sons and daughters have ever drunk wine 9 or built houses to live in or had vineyards, fields or crops. 10 We have lived in tents and have fully obeyed everything our forefather Jonadab commanded us.

18 Then Jeremiah said to the family of the Recabites, "This is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says: 'You have obeyed the command of your forefather Jonadab and have followed all his instructions and have done everything he ordered.' 19 Therefore, this is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says: 'Jonadab son of Recab will never fail to have a man to serve me.' "


Observation: I love this story of the Recabite clan. For generations they had venerated their ancestor by submitting to his instructions. In my opinion, they weren't even particularly good instructions (I don't think nomadic life is very desirable). But because he told them they would be blessed if they did what he said and because of their respect for him as head of their clan, they obeyed. And Father God uses them as an example of how His people should respond to Him. God then pronounces blessing on the Recabites because they have honored their father.

Application: I know many would read these words and bemoan the fact that so many young people today don't honor their parents as they ought to do. But that is not the point of this story. The point is to apply it to ourselves. Are we honoring our heavenly Father? Do we love and respect Him enough to obey what He tells us to do? I know I fall short of what I desire to do in this area, especially when it comes to my time management. I need to do much better when it comes to serving God with my time. I spend too much time caring about my desire for amusement than I should. I also need to make sure that I honor God by honoring the people He has put in my life. When we honor one another we honor Him who created us all.

Prayer: Father, I love You above all else (except maybe myself; at least at times). I desire to demonstrate my love by obeying every instruction You give me, for I know they are given so that I may be blessed and prosper. Help me to kill my selfish flesh and to do what I want to do in being an example that You will use for others as a model of honor, obedience and respect just as You did with the Recabites.
This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Title: Deceived Deceivers/ Topic: Deception

Today’s Reading: Jeremiah 23; Jeremiah 24; Jeremiah 25; John 19

Scripture: Jeremiah 23:11, 17-18
11 "Both prophet and priest are godless; even in my temple I find their wickedness," declares the LORD.
17 They keep saying to those who despise me, 'The LORD says: You will have peace.' And to all who follow the stubbornness of their hearts they say, 'No harm will come to you.'
18 But which of them has stood in the council of the LORD to see or to hear his word? Who has listened and heard his word?

Observation: This passage deals almost exclusively with the spiritual leaders of Judah. The Lord says that they are deceived and prophesy lies to the people out of their own imaginations. The scary thing about this passage is that these leaders believe they are right. They have continued to worship God while following the stubborness of their own hearts, being unsubmissive to Him. They were arrogant and believed they knew what was okay with God. They deceived themselves by compromising the truth so that it was something that accommodated the sin in which they wanted to engage and then led others to believe the same. I have seen many examples in my life of clever, intelligent people who get into the habit of lying to "get away" with whatever they wanted to do. They still came to church and worshipped with everyone else and thought themselves superior to those that they "fooled". The interesting thing was to watch over time and see that the deceiver was the one who became the most deceived. People like this pride themselves in being able to discern truth from error but the more they lie and hide the truth about their private lives the more spiritually deceived they become. They begin to find "new meaning" in God's Word and interpret it so as to justify their sin. Pretty soon they are leaving the church to find another with more "enlightened" ideas.

Application: I must never allow myself to engage in any deception. It is a bitter poison that fools the perpetrator into believing he/she is the most clever at discerning truth from error, all the while wrapping the person in a spiritual blindness that he/she cannot see. Lies and deception must be rooted out immediately before they have a chance to grow in our garden and obstruct our vision of the truth.

Prayer: Father, I want to live as a person of truth. That includes not exaggerating to embellish a story or leaving out certain facts to knowingly create a false impression. Satan is the father of lies and therefore the father of liars. May I have nothing to do with his work. I want to be like You, full of truth and light.
This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Title: The Deepest Cut / Topic: Betrayal

Today’s Reading: 2 Kings 24; Jeremiah 22; Psalm 112; John 18

Scripture: John 18:2,3
2 Now Judas, who betrayed him, knew the place, because Jesus had often met there with his disciples. 3 So Judas came to the grove, guiding a detachment of soldiers and some officials from the chief priests and Pharisees. They were carrying torches, lanterns and weapons.

Observation: Judas, one of the twelve people that had spent the most time with Jesus and who had been hand-picked by him, betrays him. Judas "knew the place" to find Jesus because he had been an intimate companion of Him. He had participated in being sent out by Jesus with power to cure diseases and cast demons from people so he certainly knew Jesus was holy. And Jesus loved Judas. The deepest cut is to be betrayed by someone who is intimate with you. Every husband or wife who's discovered their spouse in an affair knows this feeling. Every parent who has poured their life into their kids and had them rebel, reject their values, or treat them with contempt knows it too. Unfortunately, betrayal by a loved one isn't an uncommon experience. Love given to others isn't enough to keep them from succumbing to their sin nature and hurting those to whom they should be loyal. How, then, should we handle it when it happens to us? Jesus handled it by focusing his mind on his Father's love and purpose for him. He didn't spend time nursing his hurt feelings and asking "why?".

Application: Betrayal will happen to most of us. We can let the pain of it cause us to sink into depression or we can choose to bring our thoughts captive to Jesus. We can follow his example and focus on the Lord and continue to make ourselves vulnerable to others so that we can fulfill God's purpose for us to minister to them. I have done plenty of the "nursing the hurt" in my life and it just makes me miserable and also makes me useless to God and to others.

Prayer: Father, I'm so thankful that Jesus can relate to our pain and help us to know how to handle it. Help me to always be able to forgive those who betray me from my heart and then to forget it and go on. May I fulfill Your purpose for my life and never hold back my heart from others because of the pain caused by some who have abused my love and trust.
This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Title: The Limits of Freedom / Topic: God's Sovereignty, Our Choices

Today’s Reading: Jeremiah 18; Jeremiah 19; Jeremiah 20; Psalm 93; John 17

Scripture: Jeremiah 18:5-11
5 Then the word of the LORD came to me: 6 "O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter does?" declares the LORD. "Like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand, O house of Israel. 7 If at any time I announce that a nation or kingdom is to be uprooted, torn down and destroyed, 8 and if that nation I warned repents of its evil, then I will relent and not inflict on it the disaster I had planned. 9 And if at another time I announce that a nation or kingdom is to be built up and planted, 10 and if it does evil in my sight and does not obey me, then I will reconsider the good I had intended to do for it.
11 "Now therefore say to the people of Judah and those living in Jerusalem, 'This is what the LORD says: Look! I am preparing a disaster for you and devising a plan against you. So turn from your evil ways, each one of you, and reform your ways and your actions.' 12 But they will reply, 'It's no use. We will continue with our own plans; each of us will follow the stubbornness of his evil heart.' "

Observation: There is a tension in these verses between the freedom of choice that God gives man and His sovereign power. God asks permission to do with us as the potter does with his clay. He wants us to let Him shape us according to His plan. Yet in the following verses He makes it clear that He has complete power over our fate. He can bring prosperity or pain. But His decisions are largely controlled by our choices to obey Him or to rebel. God is totally sovereign, yet He has chosen to limit His power. From the beginning He limited His power to control man. He gave us free will to choose what we wanted to do. But the Father makes it clear He can control our environment and that ultimately He also is in control of judging each of us for the choices we make. He is forgiving; but there is a limit to His forgiveness and if we are wise we will choose not to offend His sense of justice. Truly, it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. (Hebrews 10:31)

Application: If we had good fathers here on earth, we both loved and feared them. The fear came from the fact that we knew they would punish us if we crossed the behavior lines they had set. But as long as we stayed within those lines there was the full enjoyment of our father's love and protection. It is the same with our Heavenly Father. I want to make the wise choices of keeping within the boundaries He has set for me. There is no such thing as completely unfettered freedom. Those who want that want anarchy, because that is what the sin nature of humans will lead them to every time there is no law or boundary. God's boundaries give me joy, peace and freedom to enjoy His fellowship with no guilt.

Prayer: Father, may we all learn this lesson for ourselves and also teach it well to our children. In a society that is pushing to break past all the boundaries You have set for us may they understand that there are severe consequences for choosing to live with no restrictions at all.
This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Title: So This Is Peace? / Topic: Persecution

Today’s Reading: Jeremiah 16; Jeremiah 17; Psalm 96; John 16

Scripture: John 16:1-4, 33
1 "All this I have told you so that you will not go astray. 2 They will put you out of the synagogue; in fact, a time is coming when anyone who kills you will think he is offering a service to God. 3 They will do such things because they have not known the Father or me. 4 I have told you this, so that when the time comes you will remember that I warned you. I did not tell you this at first because I was with you.

33 "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."

Observation: Jesus tells it like it is. This chapter opens with Jesus telling us that we will suffer persecution, possibly even to the point of death. The last verse of the chapter again mentions that we will have trouble but also has the amazing statement that everything He has said to them is so that we may have peace! This isn't exactly what I think of as news that brings inner peace! But it is always better to be prepared for what's coming than to be blind-sided. Knowing what we will face gives us a chance to pre-determine our responses and to pray for guidance and strength. There is another purpose that Jesus has for giving us this information. It's also so we won't go astray. He gives us the long-term view. He wins. We may suffer and even be put to death here but we will live forever with God in a place where we will never have any trouble again if we maintain our faith until the end. That is why we can have peace in the midst of trouble.

Application: I need to stay close to Jesus so that I have the determination to go through any persecution that I may suffer. I need to keep in mind that my Lord went through worse and conquered it and that He promises to be with me always. And I need to spread the message of this word of "peace" so that other Christians are prepared for what is coming.

Prayer: Father help all your people to stay close to You and to trust You through the hard times that are coming. Nothing is so important as our relationship with You. May we not be sidetracked by materialism, pleasure, fame or anything else. May we not be lulled into complacency by an easy life and the freedoms we enjoy now. Give us Your abiding peace. Thank You for ultimate victory.
This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Title: Return to Me / Topic: Restoration

Today’s Reading: Jeremiah 13; Jeremiah 14; Jeremiah 15; John 15

Scripture: Jeremiah 15:19
19 Therefore this is what the LORD says: "If you repent, I will restore you that you may serve me; if you utter worthy, not worthless, words, you will be my spokesman. Let this people turn to you, but you must not turn to them.

Observation: In the midst of a litany of judgments and punishments that the Lord is promising will come to His rebellious people is this verse that reveals so much of God's heart. Though His righteous wrath is coming to punish long years of disobedience His heart is to restore. He takes no joy in judgment. Rather, He says, " IF you will repent, I will restore". He's like a jilted lover pleading with his beloved, "Return to Me". What does repentance consist of? Worthy words and actions to match. Worthless words are "I'm sorry" with no admission of wrongdoing and no change of behavior. The last line indicates that the one repenting must not do what others are doing but must stand for the right things regardless of what "they" do. If we do this God says He will make us His spokesman; a place of usefulness and honor.

Application: It's so good to know that no matter how many times I blow it, God is always ready to resore me to relationship with Him and put me in a place of honor. I'm thankful for this grace He gives and must remember that it is incumbent upon me to extend the same grace to others. Like God, I'm called to not just forgive, but completely restore relationship with those who trespass against me when they repent and back up their words with actions. God doesn't hold back His heart and I must not hold back mine.

Prayer: Father, help me to appropriate Your grace when I need it. May I freely admit I'm wrong whenever I've disobeyed You and back that up by a change in behavior. Help me to have Your same level of grace with others who've done wrong to me. I am not as eager to restore to full relationship as You are. When I've been hurt I tend to guard my heart by resisting full restoration with the offender. I want to make myself as vulnerable as You do over and over again. I can only do that with the power of Your Holy Spirit within me. Make me like You.
This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Title: Questions for God/ Topic: Miracles

Today’s Reading: Jeremiah 10; Jeremiah 11; Jeremiah 12; John 14

Scripture: John 14:12-14
12 I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. 13 And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. 14 You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.

Observation: The promise of Jesus is clear: We can ask anything in his name (that phrase implies that the "anything" must be in line with his character) and he will do it. I love the promise. I trust the promise maker. But I have questions. Why do some of my prayers for miracles of healing or provision go unanswered even when I'm doing my best to be obedient? Is there some information I'm missing in order to see the fulfillment of this promise? Why do some people get their prayers answered when I know (and they know) that they are blatantly sinning against God? Why is it that sometimes when my faith is the strongest I don't get the answer I want and sometimes when I feel weak in my faith the answers come?

Application: I don't know the answers to my questions. I DO know that God has answered plenty of my prayers with miracles. It keeps me seeking, praying and believing. I've come to the conclusion that it is my job to pray in faith and obey as best I know how and His to do the miracles. I will continue to ask my questions and listen for the answers. Someday, maybe not until I'm in heaven, they will all be answered. I will also continue to rehearse the amazing answers to prayer that God has given me as reminders of God's goodness and love.

Prayer: Father, thank You for all the miracles You've done in answer to prayer and for such a precious promise as this. May we appropriate it often with gratitude and faith. Thank you for saving the life of baby Lawrence McDonald when the doctors gave no hope of that. Thank you that you healed that lady from her addiction when our church members prayed for her after church. I love You. I continue to pray for miracle healing for Carl, Toni, Debbie, myself and others. Provide miraculous finance in answer to the needs of our church body. And thank You for allowing me to ask my questions.
This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Title: The Confident Servant / Topic: Identity

Today’s Reading: Jeremiah 7; Jeremiah 8; Jeremiah 9; John 13

Scripture: John 13:3-5
Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; 4 so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. 5 After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples' feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.

Observation: The construction of these verses reveals a lot. Jesus knew who he was, where he was from and where he was going. His purpose and his identity were clear to him. Verse 3 makes this clear and is followed by the word SO. The so could be replaced by "because of this" he got up... and he served his disciples. Being secure in his identity is what allowed him to serve his fellow man with no sense of being demeaned or feeling inferior. It is also why he could be in perfect submission to his Father without feeling like a lackey. It is essential to know who we are in God if we want to serve the Church, His Body, without feeling "less than" someone else who may be called to serve in what we perceive to be a more important position. If we don't have a secure identity in God, we will find it almost impossible to submit to the human authorities God has placed in our lives and serve where He calls us to.

Application: I must seek to fully grasp and understand my worth and purpose in God. I am His creation and I must learn to rejoice in what He has created and say to my Creator, "Well done!". Only then will I feel honored to serve in any capacity and to submit to others without foolishly comparing myself to them.

Prayer: Father, there have certainly been times when I felt inferior to others in the Church and resented them "telling me what to do" as a result. Forgive me for that. I say to You that I am fearfully and wonderfully made. You did well. Help me to honor You by submitting to others in the Body and by serving in the areas You have gifted me in, without envying the call and gifting of others. May I fully apprehend my identity in You.
This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Title: What Did You Say? / Topic: Hearing God's Voice

Today’s Reading: Jeremiah 5; Jeremiah 6; John 12

Scripture: John 12:27-29
27 "Now my heart is troubled, and what shall I say? 'Father, save me from this hour'? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour. 28 Father, glorify your name!"
Then a voice came from heaven, "I have glorified it, and will glorify it again." 29 The crowd that was there and heard it said it had thundered; others said an angel had spoken to him.

Observation: I want to hear God's voice clearly all the time. These verses give an example of Father God speaking audibly to Jesus and his followers that were around him (I infer these were followers because they were a part of the crowd that had come out to worship and praise him as he entered Jerusalem) but having different levels of hearing God's voice. To some it just sounded like thunder. Though words were spoken by God, they were unintelligible to the people who heard it. Still others heard the words intelligibly enough that they knew it was a supernatural voice from heaven; they attributed it to an angel instead of Father God, but that was probasbly because it fit their paradigm better.

Application: I learn from these verses that I must grow in my ablity to hear God's voice. Sometimes there will be clarity; at other times communication that is unintelligible to me. What makes the difference? As I learn about God through reading His Word, I will understand the kinds of things He says and will be able to discern His voice better. As I pray and practice times of quieting my soul to listen to His Spirit, I will grow in my ability to hear His voice clearly. I must continue seeking to grow in this as I do other areas of spiritual growth. He desires to speak clearly to me. I must grow in the disciplines that will allow me to become one who hears with clarity and not as one who hears thunder.

Prayer: Father, in this world of noise and distraction it is so hard to embrace the discipline of solitude. Help me to learn to quiet my soul and my mind so that I may hear what You are saying. Your instruction and leading are more important to me than anything Lord. I so need Your help in this because I have such a short attention span and am so easily distracted. My heart is willing but my flesh is weak! Be my strength in this area of weakness as You promised in Your Word. Thank You.
This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Title: Forgiveness and Restoration/ Title: Relationship

Today’s Reading: Jeremiah 3; Jeremiah 4; John 11

Scripture: Jeremiah 3:11-13
11 The LORD said to me, "Faithless Israel is more righteous than unfaithful Judah. 12 Go, proclaim this message toward the north: " 'Return, faithless Israel,' declares the LORD, 'I will frown on you no longer, for I am merciful,' declares the LORD, 'I will not be angry forever.
13 Only acknowledge your guilt— you have rebelled against the LORD your God, you have scattered your favors to foreign gods under every spreading tree, and have not obeyed me,' " declares the LORD.

Observation: Forgiveness and restoration are two completely different things. God is our example in both. He tells us that we are responsible to forgive those who have wronged us. Period. There are no exceptions for those who don't apologize to us. We are to forgive simply because we've been forgiven when we didn't deserve it. Forgiveness keeps us from being bound to any negative emotion. Restoration, however, is a different subject. These verses instruct us on what needs to happen in order for a relationship to be restored. Forgiveness is the first step. The second is for the offending party to admit their fault and sin to the offended party. (See v. 13 – God wants to hear from His people an admission of guilt; He wants an apology). Many people, when they do wrong to others, just want to act as if nothing has happened. They wait awhile, put on a smile and try to pick up the relationship like it was before the offense. Especially if the party they offended has extended forgiveness to them. They don't want to take responsibility for their actions because dealing with their indescretions is unpleasant for them. This reaction is based in self-centeredness. One of the reasons the admission of guilt is so important is that it helps break the self-absorption of a person that causes them to sin in the first place. It's also necessary to help re-establish trust in the offended party.

Application: We all need to practice the skills of restoration. I need to learn to forgive from the heart. I also need to learn how important it is to admit guilt when I've wronged someone. Admitting guilt goes far beyond the typical "I'm sorry" apology. It acknowledges the hurt of the other person and lets them know that we understand the depth of and accept responsibility for our wrong behavior. It's important for us to teach these truths to our children as well as learn them for ourselves. "I'm sorry" is not the same as "I was wrong".

Prayer: Father teach us all to forgive from the heart so that we aren't bound by negative emotions. Teach us also to accept responsibility for the wrongs we commit against You and others, which begins the process of repentance. Also, help us to understand that we can't make restoration happen with others we care about. That takes both parties doing their part. Help us to do our part and not to worry about the aspects of relationship that are in the other person's control and out of ours. May we pray for those who despitefully use us as You taught us to. This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Title: Hurting Parents / Topic: Wayward Kids

This is an "extra" blog out of tomorrow's reading. It struck me because of my own personal parental trauma and I share it because I know we have many parents going through the same thing with their kids. If they only knew how much they affect us! Today's blog from today's reading is below this one.

Today’s Reading: Jeremiah 3; Jeremiah 4; John 11

Scripture: Jeremiah 3:19-20
19 "I myself said, " 'How gladly would I treat you like sons and give you a desirable land, the most beautiful inheritance of any nation.' I thought you would call me 'Father' and not turn away from following me.
20 But like a woman unfaithful to her husband, so you have been unfaithful to me, O house of Israel," declares the LORD.

Observation: Father God is expressing His grief at the betrayal and rejection of the dear, precious children He loves. He's cared for, provided for and loved them with His whole heart and did not expect that they would turn away from Him. Many of us who are parents have had one or more of our children reject our love and values--- the teachings we took time to so carefully inculcate in them for their own good--- and can relate fully to God's expression of pain. It is good to know that the God of all the universe can completely empathize with us. Because He understands as He does, He can comfort us in our pain over our kids like no one else can. We can also learn from His example. We forgive as He forgives. When it comes to punishment or judgment for their wrongs though, we need to be careful. We are not perfect as God is. He knows just how much pressure to bring to bear on our children to turn them back to Himself. We do not. So that part we must leave in His hands. Our responsibility is to pray and to NOT interefere with what God is doing. Sometimes we can "rescue" our children from consequences God is bringing to correct them out of a desire to not see our children suffer. At other times we don't show them grace when it is the right time to do so because we aren't wanting to shortchange their "reaping and sowing" process. Parenting is the hardest job you'll ever do.

Application: Receive God's comfort. Pray. Do your best to stay out of God's way as you place your wayward loved ones in His hands. Don't judge other parents for what they do with their kids in these situations. You can offer perspective if they ask for it, but it's hard to know exactly what's right for each child, and our emotions can make it harder for us to hear the Lord clearly. As parents, all we can do is pray and do what we think is best. Then we need to leave it in God's hands. I say this from my heart because of my own personal experiences.

Prayer: Oh Father, nothing in this world can break our hearts and make us crazy like problems with our children. It's hard to watch them make destructive choices. Comfort us and give us Your wisdom. Lead them in Your way Lord. And help us to not interfere with what You are doing, even if it means we have to watch them suffer so that they "hit bottom" and turn to You.
This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Title: Jewels from Jeremiah / Topic: Purpose

Today’s Reading: Jeremiah 1; Jeremiah 2; John 10

Scripture: Jeremiah 1:4-7
4 The word of the LORD came to me, saying,
5 "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations."
6 "Ah, Sovereign LORD," I said, "I do not know how to speak; I am only a child."
7 But the LORD said to me, "Do not say, 'I am only a child.' You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you. 8 Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you," declares the LORD.

Observation: This word of the Lord was to Jeremiah specifically, but there are several lessons for all of us in these verses. 1) God knows each of us before we are even born and creates a purpose for each of us to fulfill. 2) We are not to try to run from God's purpose or give Him excuses for why we cannot do it. Jeremiah tries to do this in verse 6 and God rebukes him for it in verse 7. 3) Verse 8 instructs us to not let fear control us or stop us from accomplishing the Lord's task for us. The Lord says to trust Him for our protection.

Application: I must believe God has created me for a specific purpose and it is my job to seek Him and find out what that is. He ways in which this purpose is revealed to me include prayer, studying the Word, paying attention to what I'm good at, and listening to the insight given to others (especially leaders) in the Body of Christ. I must also not allow myself to use any excuse for not doing what God has given me to do. I must believe God will protect me and never give in to fear, which is always a tool of the enemy of our souls.

Prayer: I'm 52 years old Lord. And I still struggle with these lessons. Forgive me for all the time I've wasted both in fear and in making excuses. I want my remaining years to count for something. I want to bring the "talents" You've given me back to You with interest, having invested them well. Help me to make my life count for something Lord. May I hear from You, "Well done, good and faithful servant". Nothing else matters to me but to please You.
This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Title: Tough and Tender / Topic: Judgment

Today’s Reading: Zephaniah 1; Zephaniah 2; Zephaniah 3; John 9

Scripture: Zephaniah 3:4-6
4 Her prophets are arrogant; they are treacherous men. Her priests profane the sanctuary and do violence to the law.
5 The LORD within her is righteous; he does no wrong. Morning by morning he dispenses his justice, and every new day he does not fail, yet the unrighteous know no shame.
6 "I have cut off nations; their strongholds are demolished. I have left their streets deserted, with no one passing through. Their cities are destroyed; no one will be left—no one at all.

Observation: These verses caught my attention because of the great contrast presented in them. In between verse 4, which discusses the guilt of arrogant spiritual leaders, and verse 6, which talks about the severe judgment of God, is a verse which declares the absolute rightness and pure motives of the Lord. How can a God who does no wrong be so harsh and destructive in judgment? It's a question I've been asked often. I must take by faith that God is love and that His love demands justice. I must also take by faith that because He is perfect He knows exactly what kind and amount of justice is right. I know that God is long-suffering and gracious by personal experience; He has been that way with me. I also know that He promised us a heaven that is a place of joy and peace where there will be no sorrow or tears. Even the best people I know have been selfish enough to hurt others at some point in their lives. If they are too arrogant to admit they need God's perfection, then God can't admit them to heaven and have it be a perfect environment for us. They would cause one of us pain at some point. If we are humble and admit we need God's forgiveness for our imperfections then He says there will come a day when He takes our sin nature from us and we will be made perfect and therefore ready for heaven. This, I believe, is why God must judge all people who refuse to humble themselves before Him. His judgment, though it seems harsh, is really an act of love so that He can provide us with the perfect heaven He promised.

Application: Stay humble! Arrogance is the only truly deadly sin if we persist in it; all others can be forgiven.

Prayer: Help me Lord to realize my complete need of You. Shine the light of Your Spirit in my heart to reveal any unperceived arrogance so I may repent of it. This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Title: What's Up Lord? / Topic: Prayer

Today’s Reading: Habakkuk 1; Habakkuk 2; Habakkuk 3; John 8

Scripture: Habakkuk 1:2-4
2 How long, O LORD, must I call for help, but you do not listen? Or cry out to you, "Violence!" but you do not save?
3 Why do you make me look at injustice? Why do you tolerate wrong? Destruction and violence are before me; there is strife, and conflict abounds.
4 Therefore the law is paralyzed, and justice never prevails. The wicked hem in the righteous, so that justice is perverted.

Observation: This prayer to the Lord is called Habakkuk's Complaint. He lets God know exactly what he's thinking with all the raw emotion that he feels. Habakkuk doesn't try to "pretty" up his language or make it sound more holy. He respects God but he doesn't understand why God is allowing injustice to go on and good people to suffer. He questions God and even sounds like he's accusing God of not caring about doing right.

Application: I'm so glad this is in the Bible. God responds to Habakkuk with a good answer and doesn't punish him for his honest questioning. This demonstrates two things: 1) We can be totally honest with God in prayer. We can bring to Him our raw emotions and questions without fear of reprisal. 2) God is secure and unthreatened by any questions we have. This knowledge should embolden us to come to God at all times; in confusion or hurt and anger as well as in times of gratitude and joy. He desires our fellowship at all times. It is He who desires to help us process our emotions and to teach us truth and give us a proper perspective on things. He can't do that if we try to process through everything before we come to Him. So let us approach His throne of grace with boldness, knowing that He will receive us and give us grace and help in our times of need.

Prayer: Father, I thank you for being so approachable. You aren't far off and You allow us to come to You with anything that's on our hearts. Lead us into all truth as we seek Your face. I love You Lord. You've been my Rock through all my very difficult times. Thank You for loving me and letting me "vent" with You when there are things I don't understand. I couldn't live my life without You. I love You so much, dear, dear Lord.
This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Title: Speak Up! / Topic: True Tolerance

Today’s Reading: 2 Kings 23; 2 Chronicles 35; John 7

Scripture: 2 Kings 23:24, 25
24 Furthermore, Josiah got rid of the mediums and spiritists, the household gods, the idols and all the other detestable things seen in Judah and Jerusalem. This he did to fulfill the requirements of the law written in the book that Hilkiah the priest had discovered in the temple of the LORD. 25 Neither before nor after Josiah was there a king like him who turned to the LORD as he did—with all his heart and with all his soul and with all his strength, in accordance with all the Law of Moses.

Observation: Judah wasn't a democracy and didn't necessarily allow it's people to practice freedom of religion. These verses struck me because they provide such a contrast to our society today. Josiah knew that the God of Israel was the only true God and kicked the practitioners of the false religions out of Judah. There was no concern about being "tolerant" of others' religions.

Application: One of the greatest watch words of our day is tolerance. And the definition of the word has changed over the last couple of decades. Tolerance used to mean that we didn't punish or cast out from our society those that held opposing beliefs to the majority of people, but that everyone still advocated for their own beliefs with vigor. Now it is more that tolerance means you let others practice their beliefs with no commentary at all. It is considered very bad manners to try to convince someone that their religion isn't correct. Those that would try to evangelize others by sharing their faith are considered to be bigots and zealots and are given the label of being "intolerant". We need to get back to the true definition of "tolerance". We need to speak the truth and share and defend our faith with passion while still having a loving attitude toward those who believe differently from us.

Prayer: Father, help us to share our faith and the truth of Your Word passionately. May we show Your love to all men whatever their beliefs may be. Let us speak up with the power of Your Spirit so that others may have the choice to be set free by Jesus. Thank you that we do have the freedom of religion in our country. Help us all to reject the lies of the enemy that would intimidate us from sharing our faith for fear of being labeled intolerant.
This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Title: Now THAT'S a Youth Ministry! / Topic: Spiritual Heritage

Today’s Reading: 2 Kings 22; 2 Chronicles 34; John 6

Scripture: 2 Chronicles 34:1-8
1 Josiah was eight years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem thirty-one years. 2 He did what was right in the eyes of the LORD and walked in the ways of his father David, not turning aside to the right or to the left.
3 In the eighth year of his reign, while he was still young, he began to seek the God of his father David. In his twelfth year he began to purge Judah and Jerusalem of high places, Asherah poles, carved idols and cast images. 4 Under his direction the altars of the Baals were torn down; he cut to pieces the incense altars that were above them, and smashed the Asherah poles, the idols and the images. These he broke to pieces and scattered over the graves of those who had sacrificed to them. 5 He burned the bones of the priests on their altars, and so he purged Judah and Jerusalem. 6 In the towns of Manasseh, Ephraim and Simeon, as far as Naphtali, and in the ruins around them, 7 he tore down the altars and the Asherah poles and crushed the idols to powder and cut to pieces all the incense altars throughout Israel. Then he went back to Jerusalem. 8 In the eighteenth year of Josiah's reign, to purify the land and the temple, he sent Shaphan son of Azaliah and Maaseiah the ruler of the city, with Joah son of Joahaz, the recorder, to repair the temple of the LORD his God.

Observation: Josiah started ruling the country at age 8! He was mentored by Hilkiah the priest and some other wise men who loved the Lord aand taught Josiah to do the same. But verse 3 tells us that while he was still young (age 16) he began to seek the Lord himself. What follows is a list of what he did as a leader, and what an awesome job he did! He led the entire nation away from idol worship, repaired the temple of the Lord, and led the nation in repenting of their sin. He held a meeting with all the leading men and had them publicly renew their commitment to obey God fully. Now that's a youth ministry! Oh that our young people today would see themselves as powerhouses for God.

Application: Our society fosters in our young people the idea that they aren't expected to be responsible and that they can't do too much leadership-wise. At the same time it tells them that they are the most important people on the planet and that they are free to follow their own whims. The result is disastrous. We need to mentor our young people in the fear and admonition of the Lord, instill in them respect for their elders, and also that they have the ability, indeed the responsibility, to lead powerfully. Young people have more strength, enthusiasm and energy than older people. They have more potential for changing the world positively than older people do. The best world would be one where young people led with confidence while listening to the wisdom of older people. As adults , we need to do our best to lead our young people to live and lead this way.

Prayer: Father, help us to take the time to pour ourselves into our young people. Let us instill great faith, confidence and respect in them. And help them to take up the mantle of leading us with greatness at very young ages , as did Josiah.
This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.

What is a Believer? / Topic: True Spiritual Life

Today’s Reading: Nahum 1; Nahum 2; Nahum 3; John 5

Scripture: John 5:36-40
36 "I have testimony weightier than that of John. For the very work that the Father has given me to finish, and which I am doing, testifies that the Father has sent me. 37 And the Father who sent me has himself testified concerning me. You have never heard his voice nor seen his form, 38 nor does his word dwell in you, for you do not believe the one he sent. 39 You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life. These are the Scriptures that testify about me, 40 yet you refuse to come to me to have life.

Observation: Jesus says that the works He does (his behavior or actions) testify that He comes from the Father. He goes on to tell the religious leaders of the day that they are not from God (see verse 37,38), nor do they know Him. This is extremely offensive to them because they consider themselves very holy and righteous. After all, they study the scriptures diligently (as even Jesus admits). But Jesus makes it clear that it takes more than a thorough knowledge of the scriptures to possess eternal life. True life happens when our actions line up with the truth of God's Word. Behavior is more important than correct doctrine or Biblical knowledge. Thinking that our knowledge of the Word is what saves us is delusional, lie-based thinking. It's when we allow the Word to affect our behavior that we experience communion with God and know the power of His life within us. There are many people who go to church regularly, tithe, and study the Word who are arrogant, judgmental, and unrepentant. Because they know the Word, they have an attitude of spiritual superiority toward others and go around arguing over true doctrine and "correcting" others while never humbling themselves before God and dealing with their own sinful tendencies. Avoid such people. Truly spiritual people have an evident humility. It's important that we study the Word, but knowing the Word isn't what saves us. Obeying the Word and having it mold our character and behavior is what produces life in us. Knowledge puffs up but love builds up.

Application: Let us be those who study the scriptures diligently for the purpose of aligning our actions with what God would do, not to have a weapon with which to judge others.

Prayer: Father, keep us from taking pride in our knowledge of Your Word. Help us to use it as a mirror to see where we need to change our behavior so that we are more like You. Show us where we have lie-based thinking so that we may rid ourselves of it. We want to honor You not only with our words but with our actions as well.
This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Consequences of Choice / Topic: Responsibility

Today’s Reading: 2 Kings 21, 2 Chronicles 33, John 4

Scripture: 2 Kings 21:1-6
1 Manasseh was twelve years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem fifty-five years. His mother's name was Hephzibah. 2 He did evil in the eyes of the LORD, following the detestable practices of the nations the LORD had driven out before the Israelites. 3 He rebuilt the high places his father Hezekiah had destroyed; he also erected altars to Baal and made an Asherah pole, as Ahab king of Israel had done. He bowed down to all the starry hosts and worshiped them. 4 He built altars in the temple of the LORD, of which the LORD had said, "In Jerusalem I will put my Name." 5 In both courts of the temple of the LORD, he built altars to all the starry hosts. 6 He sacrificed his own son in the fire, practiced sorcery and divination, and consulted mediums and spiritists. He did much evil in the eyes of the LORD, provoking him to anger.

Observation: Manasseh was one of the worst kings Judah had ever had. And he was fathered by one of the best kings in the history of Judah. Verse 3 indicates that Manasseh reinstated all the evil practices that his father had destroyed, even going so far as to sacrifice his son in the fire! How could a father do this to his own children, you may ask? The sacrificing of sons and daughters in the fire was done at "worship" services to fertility gods. And the screams of the dying children were covered by the sounds of the sexual orgies that the adults were engaging in while the human sacrifices were happening. What was paramount to the adult worshippers was their own sexual pleasure and other fleshly indulgences (drunkenness and feasting were also part of the idol worship). Whenever adults put their own interests above those of their children, all of society suffers. Society also suffers when children don't respect their parents (Manasseh is an example of that too; it often happens that people who don't respect their parents are also self-absorbed when they become parents). As an aside, Manasseh was punished by God and did repent and turn back to God in his later years, so his father's good example and teaching did bear fruit eventually. We need to remember that when our children choose the wrong paths.

Application: We must make every effort as parents to instill respect for us in our children. We must also evaluate ourselves and make sure we are repenting of any tendency we have toward being more concerned about ourselves than others. And we must pray for those who lead our society because we have our own modern day child sacrifices that we offer to the "gods of fertility". It's called abortion. We insist on the availability of abortion so that we don't have to bear the responsibilities of our sexual behavior and can "indulge" as we like. It is up to the Church to pray and repent for the wrongs done by our society as a whole. No one else will do it and God calls us to it (see 2 Chronicles 7:14).

Prayer: Father, heal our land. Forgive us for not speaking up more boldly and for not praying as we ought to. And LORD, help us to be a great model for our children and to be faithful in teaching them to respect You and us. When we teach them properly and they fail to continue in Your ways as an adult, help us to forgive them and continue to pray for them to return fully to You. Thank you for your faithfulness.
This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Light vs. Darkness / Topic: Accountability

Today’s Reading: Isaiah 65; Isaiah 66; Psalm 62; John 3


Scripture: John 3:16-21
16 "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son. 19 This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. 20 Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. 21 But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God."


Observation: This is one of the most well-known and best beloved passages of scripture in the Bible. Every time I read it I'm so grateful to God for the gift of His Son and also so grateful to know that His motivation is love and not condemnation. We condemn ourselves only if we don't receive His incredible gift. But what I want to focus on are verses 19-21. The message is very straightforward. If our actions are evil, we will avoid the light to keep our deeds from being exposed. If we live by the truth we will come to the light. Notice it doesn't say that a person who loves truth always has righteous actions. All of us have a sin nature that we sometimes succumb to, but if we have a desire to live by the truth, we will come into the light so that the changes that happen in our lives as a result of His sanctifying power will be evident to all and will bring glory to God.


Application: If we love the truth and want to live in it we need to embrace accountability. If we are in accountable relationships we are choosing to remain in the light. If we are uncomfortable with the idea of being in such a relationship it should be a huge red flag to us that we are choosing darkness rather than light. We are so good at deceiving ourselves and remaining in denial about what the true motivations of our hearts are that we need our brothers and sisters in Christ to help shine the light on us. Our culture is so individualistic that we tend to rebel against the idea of accountability. We use the need for privacy or shyness or self-sufficiency as excuses to avoid it. But if we truly want to live by the truth and show God's work of changing us "from glory to glory" we need to embrace the light by exposing our lives to others in the Body of Christ.



Prayer: Lord, help me to live always in the light by embracing accountability. I want You to work changes in me and I want the world to see that all the positive changes are due to Your Spirit working redemption into my life. May men see my good works and give glory to You because of what they see.
This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.