Saturday, May 19, 2007

Title: Hold That Line / Topic: Church Discipline

Today’s Reading: 1 Kings 4; 1 Kings 5; 2 Chronicles 2; Psalm 101; 2 Thessalonians 3

Scripture: 2 Thessalonians 3:14-15
14 If anyone does not obey our instruction in this letter, take special note of him. Do not associate with him, in order that he may feel ashamed. 15 Yet do not regard him as an enemy, but warn him as a brother.

Observation: I find this passage interesting. It tells us that we are to pay attention to how well the people in the church are following the word, and if someone is not obeying, to disassociate from that person. The purpose is to purify the church and create an atmosphere where disobedience is not ok.

Application: The church today has pretty much given up on this kind of church discipline. It seems to be "anything goes." I wonder what would happen if we would hold that line of holiness and high expectation and actually do what the passage says. What do you think?

Prayer: Lord, help us to figure out how to apply these principles in our church today. We need help.
This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Friday, May 18, 2007

Title: Miracles, Anyone? / Topic: Belief

Today’s Reading: 1 Kings 3; 2 Chronicles 1; Psalm 78; 2 Thessalonians 2

Scripture: 2 Thessalonians 2:10-12
10 ...They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. 11 For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie 12 and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness.

Observation: Mockers and skeptics are in abundance today. They refuse to believe the truth of the Gospel. They freely mock the miracles that believers claim. Today's airwaves are filled with deriding voices taking great pleasure in mocking Christ, Christians, and Christianity. But their unwillingness to accept the Gospel is not an unwillingness to have faith or to believe in the miraculous. These unbelievers eagerly and happily accept any theory or claim that comes along which they see as undercutting traditional faith. The Darwinian Evolutionary theory and Gorian Global Warming theory are examples of pseudo-science readily accepted by faith among the unbelievers. Socialist and marxist economic and political philosophy are gobbled up like candy among many. And the verses above tell us that God will actually allow Satan to produce miracle-like experiences that will be a "powerful delusion" drawing these skeptics to a greater faith the lies they have already believed.

Application: Keep speaking truth and believing in our supernatural God. Even the unbelievers believe in things that cannot be fully proved. But the proof of good and God is in the character of the followers. The mockers have a nasty and calloused character that evidences to me the flaw of their belief system. I choose to follow a loving and sacrificing God who calls on be to be the same.

Prayer: Lord, make me in your image. I want to believe and declare your amazing mighty miraculous works.
This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Thursday, May 17, 2007

Title: Three Short Subjects / Topic: Christian Life

Today’s Reading: 1 Kings 2; 1 Chronicles 29; Psalm 95; 2 Thessalonians 1

#1 Scripture: 1 Chronicles 29:5-6
5 for the gold work and the silver work, and for all the work to be done by the craftsmen. Now, who is willing to consecrate himself today to the LORD ?"
6 Then the leaders of families, the officers of the tribes of Israel, the commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds, and the officials in charge of the king's work gave willingly.

#1 Observation/Application: The challenge from David to the people regarding the building of the temple resonates with me. David is passionate about the temple and has set the example by amassing huge supplies of gold, silver, and all the materials needed. Then he gives this challenge: "Now, who is willing to consecrate himself today to the Lord?" And people responded. And they responded gladly. Listen to the challenge from the Lord and respond.
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#2 Scripture: Psalm 95:6-7
6 Come, let us bow down in worship,
let us kneel before the LORD our Maker;
7 for he is our God
and we are the people of his pasture...

#2 Observation/Application: This is the only correct response to God, once we understand that he is our maker (i.e. the creator). We must bow and worship and kneel before him. We must submit ourselves to him. Worship is the natural response to a correct understanding of God.
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#3 Scripture: 2 Thessalonians 1:3-4, 11
3 We ought always to thank God for you, brothers, and rightly so, because your faith is growing more and more, and the love every one of you has for each other is increasing. 4 Therefore, among God's churches we boast about your perseverance and faith in all the persecutions and trials you are enduring.
11 With this in mind, we constantly pray for you, that our God may count you worthy of his calling, and that by his power he may fulfill every good purpose of yours and every act prompted by your faith.

#3 Observation/Application: I just love the description of a growing, healthy, vibrant church family. They are growing in every way, in spite of (or maybe because of) persecutions and trials. And I thought verse 11 was interesting that God would fulfill our every purpose and act, provided they are prompted by faith.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for the great calling that you have given to your people. May we walk in your ways and experience your fullness.
This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Wednesday, May 16, 2007

Title: Here We Go Again / Topic: Inattentive Leadership

Today’s Reading: 1 Kings 1; 1 Chronicles 28; Psalm 91; 1 Thessalonians 5

Scripture: 1 Kings 1:65-6
5 Now Adonijah, whose mother was Haggith, put himself forward and said, "I will be king." So he got chariots and horses ready, with fifty men to run ahead of him. 6 (His father had never interfered with him by asking, "Why do you behave as you do?" He was also very handsome and was born next after Absalom.)

Observation: David, for all his great strengths, has one glaring weakness: he has a blind spot when it comes to his sons. Here is Adonijah pulling an Absalom. And David does nothing (once again). And once again great tragedy for David's family will result.

Application: The confusion we see in this story is the result of a lack of strong, attentive, decisive leadership. It is not ok to ignore festering problems, either hoping they go away or unaware that they are there. There is an explicit responsibility of leadership to know what's going on. Solomon wrote, "Be sure you know the condition of your flocks, give careful attention to your herds; for riches do not endure forever, and a crown is not secure for all generations." (Proverbs 27:23-24) Perhaps he had the shortcomings of his father in mind when he wrote these words. The bottom line for leaders is that we must be attentive to the responsibilities that the Lord has given us. This includes employing others to help be our eyes and ears to assist us in this regard.

Prayer: Lord, help me to pay attention to the areas of my stewardship. Give me wisdom to act in good time to avert problems before they become significant. May I be a wonderful leader, like You.
This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Tuesday, May 15, 2007

Title: Sold Out / Topic: Life Purpose

Today’s Reading: 1 Chronicles 22; 1 Chronicles 23; 1 Chronicles 24; 1 Thessalonians 3

Scripture: 1 Chronicles 22:1, 5, 17, 19
1 Then David said, "The house of the LORD God is to be here, and also the altar of burnt offering for Israel."...
5 David said, "My son Solomon is young and inexperienced, and the house to be built for the LORD should be of great magnificence and fame and splendor in the sight of all the nations. Therefore I will make preparations for it." So David made extensive preparations before his death...
17 Then David ordered all the leaders of Israel to help his son Solomon...
19 "Now devote your heart and soul to seeking the LORD your God. Begin to build the sanctuary of the LORD God, so that you may bring the ark of the covenant of the LORD and the sacred articles belonging to God into the temple that will be built for the Name of the LORD."

Observation: What caught my attention is David -- he is in the grip of this task: preparing for the temple construction. He wanted to build it himself but God said no. Instead Solomon will build it. But David has this vision of a great and wonderful edifice to honor God. So he dedicates himself and goes to great lengths to do all he can to make sure Solomon has every opportunity to succeed. David is doing so much to prepare for something he will never see or experience. He is a dedicated man.

Application: This level of dedication is challenging to me. Am I so gripped with the call of God and with a great purpose that I would spend my life and my treasure to promote the success of something that would not be accomplished in my lifetime. I think that each person who belongs to God must have a sense of call and destiny that exceeds his lifetime.

Prayer: Lord, I want to be in the grip of Your dream for me. Whether or not it is fulfilled in my lifetime or afterward. I choose to be sold out for You and Your purpose in my life. Strengthen me in this purpose.
This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.