Title: From Victory To Tragedy / Topic: Presumption

Today’s Reading: Leviticus 10; Leviticus 11; Leviticus 12; Acts 16

Scripture: Leviticus 10:1-3
1 Aaron's sons Nadab and Abihu took their censers, put fire in them and added incense; and they offered unauthorized fire before the LORD, contrary to his command. 2 So fire came out from the presence of the LORD and consumed them, and they died before the LORD. 3 Moses then said to Aaron, "This is what the LORD spoke of when he said:
" 'Among those who approach me
I will show myself holy;
in the sight of all the people
I will be honored.' "
Aaron remained silent.

Observation: This is how the first day of Aaron's ministry ended: with the death of his two eldest sons consumed by fire "from the presence of the Lord." Just moments before this catastrophe, the Lord had sent down fire and consumed the offering from the altar, which had this result: "When all the people saw it, they shouted for joy and fell facedown." (Lev. 10:24) It is at this moment that Aaron's sons, Nadab and Abihu, made a fateful decision to do some "freestyle or improvisational" worship. They grabbed their censers (incense containers) and threw some incense in and, lighting it, offered this before the Lord. Whether they were just caught up in the moment and wanting to worship God, or whether they were just grandstanding, we don't know. But what is clear is that this act was contrary to what they had been instructed to do and because of it, they died.

Application: I think of Aaron going in mere moments from the pinnacle of ecstasy as God shows up in power to validate his ministry to the pit of agony at God shows up in power to kill his sons for their departure from the protocol. This is a truly devastating emotional hit! What is the lesson of this sobering incident? It is that there is no place for presumption on the part of those who represent God. We are not freelancers, exercising our own tastes. We are ambassadors conveying the directives of the King.

Prayer: Lord, help us to honor you and never to approach ministry with casual or carefree attitudes. Remind us, Lord, that while we can be joyful and jubilant, we must remain reverent and respectful for you, our God, are an awesome God.
This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Title: God Showed Up / Topic: Confirmation

Today’s Reading: Leviticus 7; Leviticus 8; Leviticus 9; Acts 15

Scripture: Leviticus 9:22-24
22 Then Aaron lifted his hands toward the people and blessed them. And having sacrificed the sin offering, the burnt offering and the fellowship offering, he stepped down.
23 Moses and Aaron then went into the Tent of Meeting. When they came out, they blessed the people; and the glory of the LORD appeared to all the people. 24 Fire came out from the presence of the LORD and consumed the burnt offering and the fat portions on the altar. And when all the people saw it, they shouted for joy and fell facedown.

Observation: This is the first day upon which Aaron and his sons have performed the sacrifices as Moses instructed them. As I read the account of all the details of the sacrificing, I wondered how Aaron and his sons felt about all of this -- the strange outfits, the odd and bloody ritual -- what were they thinking? And the people, how did this all play out to the rank and file of Israel. Then, at the end, "the glory of the Lord" shows up! "And when all the people say it, they shouted for joy and fell facedown."

Application: As a pastor, this is what I always hope for: God shows up and validates my ministry. Sometimes even when you do your best to bring the word that God has given you, it can leave you feeling a little flat and wondering, did I miss it today? But when God shows up with a strong sense of his presence, that makes all the difference! I am so sure that Moses and Aaron and the people were grateful for this tangible demonstration of God's approval and blessing. The people shouted for joy! I always want to function in such a way that the tangible sense of God's blessing is a regular, if not constant, part of the experience. I know that we must walk by faith, not by sight, but I also know that God delights to bless his people and to confirm his word to them.

Prayer: Lord, I so desire to know your glory in my daily life and especially in my ministry. May I so walk as to give you cause to confirm your work through me with signs following, as you will.
This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Title: What A Mess! / Topic: Sin

Today’s Reading: Leviticus 4; Leviticus 5; Leviticus 6; Acts 14

Scripture: Leviticus 4:27-31
27 " 'If a member of the community sins unintentionally and does what is forbidden in any of the LORD's commands, he is guilty. 28 When he is made aware of the sin he committed, he must bring as his offering for the sin he committed a female goat without defect. 29 He is to lay his hand on the head of the sin offering and slaughter it at the place of the burnt offering. 30 Then the priest is to take some of the blood with his finger and put it on the horns of the altar of burnt offering and pour out the rest of the blood at the base of the altar. 31 He shall remove all the fat, just as the fat is removed from the fellowship offering, and the priest shall burn it on the altar as an aroma pleasing to the LORD. In this way the priest will make atonement for him, and he will be forgiven.

Observation: The regulations regarding sin offerings are given in this chapter. As I was reading, I thought of the mess and the expense of this. Think about it. If I sin, I must take a female goat without defect. I am to lay my hand on its head and slaughter it. It's a bloody mess -- quite revolting! And the cost of this goat that is sacrificed would be a hit on the finances of the family.

Application: Thank God that this system is not in effect today. "If we confess our sin, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sin and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9) The downside of this is that it can tend to cause us to minimize sin -- to think little or nothing of the impact that it has. The old system brought home the seriousness of sin in very real ways.

Prayer: Lord, thank you that Jesus took my sin upon himself and died for me. I want to walk in your grace and forgiveness and in your empowerment to live a righteous life. May I take sin very seriously and may I stay far away from sin in my life.
This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Title: Even God Can't Please Everybody / Topic: Doing What's Right

Today’s Reading: Leviticus 1; Leviticus 2; Leviticus 3; Acts 13

Scripture: Acts 13:48-50
48 When the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and honored the word of the Lord; and all who were appointed for eternal life believed.
49 The word of the Lord spread through the whole region. 50 But the Jews incited the God-fearing women of high standing and the leading men of the city. They stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them from their region.

Observation: Paul and Barnabas had been preaching in the synagogue in Pisidian Antioch but some of the Jews very jealous of their success and spoke against them abusively. At that point, Paul and Barnabas state their intention to leave the synagogue and go out to preach to the Gentiles. The Gentiles were happy to hear that and they responded. And "all who were appointed for eternal life believed." And yet there was open opposition to Paul and Barnabas and they were forced to leave.

Application: I see Paul and Barnabas doing everything within their power to respect the Jews and only turn to the Gentiles after the Jews turn them away. But with the success that they had with the Gentiles, the Jews didn't like it at all and "stirred up persecution" against them. What I get out of this is that you can do everything right and still have people mad at you. You can dot every i and cross every t and still have people who will turn on you and persecute you. If even Paul and Barnabas couldn't please everyone, I should not be surprised when people don't like me or what I am doing in Jesus name.

Prayer: Lord, help me to concentrate on you -- pleasing and following you. And help me not to worry about what others might say. I want to follow you no matter what the opposition. Help me, Lord.
This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Title: The Faithless Prayer / Topic: God's Goodness

Today’s Reading: Exodus 39; Exodus 40; Psalm 15; Acts 12

Scripture: Acts 12:5, 7, 9, 12-16
5 So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him... 7 Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him up. "Quick, get up!" he said, and the chains fell off Peter's wrists... 9 Peter followed him out of the prison, but he had no idea that what the angel was doing was really happening; he thought he was seeing a vision. 12 ...he went to the house of Mary the mother of John, also called Mark, where many people had gathered and were praying. 13 Peter knocked at the outer entrance, and a servant girl named Rhoda came to answer the door. 14 When she recognized Peter's voice, she was so overjoyed she ran back without opening it and exclaimed, "Peter is at the door!" 15 "You're out of your mind," they told her. When she kept insisting that it was so, they said, "It must be his angel." 16 But Peter kept on knocking, and when they opened the door and saw him, they were astonished.

Observation: The church was praying for Peter, but when he was set free by the angel, they didn't believe it, in fact they were totally shocked that Peter was there. This clearly shows that though they were praying, they did not have faith that God would actually save Peter. Their's was a faithless prayer, but God answered it anyway.

Application: I have heard Christians give formulas for getting God to answer prayer. Everything from getting two people to agree, to laying on of hands; saying certain phrases like, "in the name of Jesus," and even reminding God that what is being prayed for is assured in the Bible. The truth is, approaching prayer that way reduces those things to gimmicks. But here we see an answered prayer where even those who prayed it did not expect it to be answered. Wow! What this says to me is that God is faithful to answer any prayer that will bring about his perfect will, and, of course, we don't really know just what that might be at any given moment. So just pray and ask God. He might just give you an answer that you don't expect.

Prayer: Thank you, Lord that you are good and that you take good care of us. Help us to continue to pray, and leave the rest up to you.
This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Title: No Good Deed Goes Unpunished / Topic: Criticism

Today’s Reading: Exodus 37; Exodus 38; Psalm 19; Acts 11

Author's Note: Today's reading is rich and I would like to point out some items to look for as your read. Notice the detailed instructions for the tabernacle and its furnishings. Beautiful wood, gold, silver, bronze, are used -- all with carvings and intricate detail. And note the incredible amount of weight in gold, silver, and bronze (see chapter 38 footnotes) -- over seven tons in all! -- and this weight doesn't include the fabrics, skins, and woods used. That's a lot of weight for a "portable" system. They had to do church as a team. Enjoy Psalm 19 -- it's one of my favorites -- so many beautiful truths there.

Scripture: Acts 11:1-3
1 The apostles and the brothers throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God. 2 So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcised believers criticized him 3 and said, "You went into the house of uncircumcised men and ate with them."

Observation: The Gentiles have become saved for the first time! Hallelujah! Right? Wrong. There are people complaining. And Peter is called on the carpet to explain and defend his actions.

Application: It always amazes me when I get to this part of Acts. And yet, I shouldn't be surprised. Even when people are getting saved, there are those in the church who will complain. They will find fault with something for some reason. There is nothing good that you can do in the church without meeting some resistance from somebody. As my title says, No Good Deed Goes Unpunished.

Bottom Line: I must decide not to worry about critics, knowing they will always be there and that they will always make their whining voices heard. That is not to say that all criticism is bad -- not at all. But those who chronically complain and never lift a finger to help are not worth listening to. I will listen to those who are next to me in the battle, but those who stay away from the fray and send their barbs after the fact, I choose to ignore.

Prayer: Lord, help me to play for you, my audience of one. May I please you and not worry about pleasing men. And keep the spirit of criticism away from our church. May we be grateful and happy and supportive.
This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Title: The Compelling Vision / Topic: Leadership

Today’s Reading: Exodus 35; Exodus 36; Acts 10

Scripture: Exodus 36:1-7
1 So Bezalel, Oholiab and every skilled person to whom the LORD has given skill and ability to know how to carry out all the work of constructing the sanctuary are to do the work just as the LORD has commanded."
2 Then Moses summoned Bezalel and Oholiab and every skilled person to whom the LORD had given ability and who was willing to come and do the work. 3 They received from Moses all the offerings the Israelites had brought to carry out the work of constructing the sanctuary. And the people continued to bring freewill offerings morning after morning. 4 So all the skilled craftsmen who were doing all the work on the sanctuary left their work 5 and said to Moses, "The people are bringing more than enough for doing the work the LORD commanded to be done."
6 Then Moses gave an order and they sent this word throughout the camp: "No man or woman is to make anything else as an offering for the sanctuary." And so the people were restrained from bringing more, 7 because what they already had was more than enough to do all the work.

Observation: Here we clearly see Doing Church As A Team in action. We have all the skilled craftsman headed by Bezalel and Oholiab who are using their skills to create all the parts needed for the tabernacle, furnishings, garments, etc. And we have all the people bringing offerings for what they were building. In fact, they brought so much that the workmen complained to Moses and told them to stop!

Application: I absolutely love this and regard it as one of the most successful examples of vision casting I have ever heard of. Because the vision was successfully communicated, the craftsman took up the job and the people gave. And we see that this was not isolated to a few. No, all the skilled craftsman worked and all the people gave. For me is this a great inspiration and challenge. Moses did a fantastic job getting the message across to the point where all the people bought in to the vision and invested their talent and treasure.

Prayer: Lord, I want to be this kind of effective communicator -- sharing the vision and seeing people eager and excited to be a part of it. Help me to have clarity, passion, integrity, and your empowerment as I share what you have called me to do. May I lead with power and declare such a vivid vision that the only problems we have are too much giving, too many servants, too much excitement and enthusiasm. This is the kind of leader I want to be. Help me Lord.
This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Title: The Ultimate / Topic: God As Source

Today’s Reading: Exodus 33; Exodus 34; Psalm 16; Acts 9

Scripture: Psalm 16:2 I said to the LORD, "You are my Lord;
apart from you I have no good thing."

Observation: David gets it right here. Anything that we have that is good comes from the Lord and apart from him, we have no good thing.

Application: All the things of this world that we seek after are ultimately empty. Why do we devote so much energy to material things, to fame, to power, to pleasure? Only what the Lord brings into our lives is truly satisfying. Only those things will truly endure.

Prayer: Lord, I thank you for your servant David and for his clarity in bringing this truth to me. I ask you to awaken my senses to this truth so that all other things fade in comparison to you. I love you, Lord, and I am so grateful that you have called me to know you. Thank you, dear Lord.
This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Title: How The Church Grows / Topic: God's Ways

Today’s Reading: Exodus 30; Exodus 31; Exodus 32; Acts 8

Scripture: Acts 8:4-6
4 Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went. 5 Philip went down to a city in Samaria and proclaimed the Christ there. 6 When the crowds heard Philip and saw the miraculous signs he did, they all paid close attention to what he said.

Observation: "Those who had been scattered..." What caused the scattering? The believers scattered because of a "great persecution" against the church at Jerusalem that began with the stoning of Stephen. We read that "all but the Apostles" were scattered. And because of this scattering, new ministry is birthed. Here Philip goes to Samaria and preaches. Wait a minute, who is this Philip that he should be a preacher? Isn't he one of the seven who were supposed to "wait on tables" and make sure the Grecian widows got food? Yet here he is preaching and performing miraculous signs. What gives?

Application: It struck me that because of the problem with the Grecian widows, new, fresh leadership was created. (Actually it was there before the problem surfaced but was not recognized.) And this emerging leadership released a whole new wave of ministry in the church which was not limited to the problem or area that had brought them forth in the first place. First, Stephen ministers so powerfully that he evokes a reaction from the Jewish leaders reminiscent of how they reacted to Jesus himself. Stephen's strong word of exhortation to these leaders, causes them to "gnash their teeth", rush upon him with an out-of-control scream, and stone him to death. And here we see Philip bringing salvation to a whole new region and ethnic group, the Samaritans. So we see a pattern of problems that result in new leadership, which produces new ministry and the resulting growth. It could be diagrammed like this:

PROBLEM -> NEW LEADERS EMERGE -> NEW MINISTRY -> GROWTH

And guess what will come next? If you guess problems, you are right. And that will bring about the pattern we see above. This is how the church grows.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for the privilege of being a part of your love-in-action here on this earth. And thank you for the way you enable us to participate in what you are doing here. I count it such an honor to be your servant. Help me to always be part of the solution and bring about your kingdom on earth as it is in heaven.
This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Title: Believe, Perceive, Receive / Topic: The Heart

Today’s Reading: Exodus 28; Exodus 29; Acts 7

Scripture: Acts 7:35, 39
35 "This is the same Moses whom they had rejected with the words, 'Who made you ruler and judge?' He was sent to be their ruler and deliverer by God himself, through the angel who appeared to him in the bush... 39 "But our fathers refused to obey him. Instead, they rejected him and in their hearts turned back to Egypt.

Observation: The Israelites rejected Moses. He was even verbally rebuffed with the words, "Who made you ruler and judge?" But notice that it tells us that God himself sent Moses to be their "ruler and deliverer."

Application: When people choose not to accept the good that God has provided for them, their perception of it is perverted and they cannot see it for the good that it is. They could not see Moses as their ruler and deliverer. They were only able to see him as their ruler and judge. Indeed, Moses was their judge, but first and foremost, he was their deliverer (much like Jesus is to us). Why could they not perceive the good of this? It was because of a heart problem. Verse 39 makes it clear: "in their hearts [they] turned back to Egypt." They may have been out of Egypt on the outside, but inside they were still enslaved.

Bottom line: It all goes back to the heart. If my heart is open and right before God, I can perceive correctly the good that God has for me. And once I correctly perceive, I can believe. And once I believe, I can receive. But those who set their will against God, turn their hearts away and turn the good to bad. Because they make themselves unable to correctly perceive, they cannot believe and are unable to receive.

Prayer: Lord, keep my heart right before you. I want to see you as you really are, and to see all the good that you have for me for what it is. Help me to correctly perceive that I may believe and receive all that you have for me.
This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Title: Lift Up The True Jesus / Topic: The Body Of Christ

Today’s Reading: Exodus 25; Exodus 26; Exodus 27; Acts 6

Scripture: Acts 6:7 So the word of God spread...

Observation: What was it that resulted in this growth in the church? An evangelistic outreach or media campaign? An increase in staffing or a new facility? Actually this growth was the correcting of an injustice in the church which had resulted from ethnic prejudice. By addressing this problem, which stemmed from the most basic of human foibles, the early church leaders did an early course correction. This had the effect of removing from the church a misrepresentation of what the church is to be.

Application: God is not a racist. Because racism had been manifested in the early church, it, as the Body of Christ, had been misrepresenting Christ as racist. That is, when those who claim to represent God by being a part of his body act out any behavior, good or bad, they are telling the world, "This is what God is like." So when the Church allows ethnic resentments to have a place in it, they are saying one of two things. Either "God is OK with this" or worse, "God has these tendencies himself." Ouch! So when the church corrected these prejudicial practices, they distanced themselves and God from such hurtful (and evil) ideas. This course correction resulted in outsiders seeing God as he really is and wanting to be a part of his true church.

Bottom line: We have a solemn duty to represent Christ to the world as he really is. It is so important to be seeking to rid the Church (universal) and the church (local) of anything that is not of Christ, as everything that is of human origin will corrupt the image. This, of course, means that the lives of those who claim membership in the Church must change to conform to the image and likeness and fullness of Jesus Christ. If we hold onto anything that emanates from our own sinfulness, we act out in such a way that misrepresents Christ and pushes people away. This is why a church full of people authentically in the process of true repentance and intentional transformation will have the effect of increased evangelism. Jesus said, "If I be lifted up, I will draw all men unto myself." When we lift up the true Jesus, rather than some distorted human caricature of him, the true beauty of his character is attractive to anyone seeking God. This is the true challenge of the church: to be so like Jesus that his life and character are unmistakable through the lives of his people.

Prayer: Lord, forgive us for misrepresenting you to the world. Assist and enable us to do better. Show us where we are missing the mark and help us to repent, making the course corrections that will put us on the path of holiness and true righteousness. May we truly lift up Jesus through our own lives in such a way that all people are drawn to your true Church.
This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Title: Unafraid And Unashamed / Topic: A Life Of True Faith

Today’s Reading: Exodus 23; Exodus 24; Psalm 14; Acts 5

Scripture: Acts 5:40-42
40 ...They called the apostles in and had them flogged. Then they ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. 41 The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name. 42 Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Christ.

Observation: These were amazing men -- brave and faithful. They are flogged (which is mentioned in the text so casually -- almost as an aside) which is a serious and painful punishment, and yet they rejoice for being "counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name [of Jesus]!" Amazing! They are threatened and ordered not to speak anymore in the name of Jesus, yet the text says that they did not stop. And they continued "in the temple courts," the very place where it had gotten them into this trouble in the first place.

Application: What an encouragement and challenge this is to each of us who desire to be a faithful witness of the message of Jesus. These men endure and even rejoiced in truly painful consequences and they continued to preach despite threats and actual physical harm. This is quite convicting to me as I often find myself struggling with whether or not to share Jesus out of fear of the possibility of offending someone, or receiving someone's disapproval. These apostles demonstrate a level of passion that I so long to have. Lord, help me.

Prayer: Lord, I thank you that I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me and I ask you to empower and embolden me to be unafraid and unashamed in sharing the wonderful truth of your love for people. I want to be like these brave and faithful men.
This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Title: The Mockers / Topic: Negative Spirit

Today’s Reading: Exodus 14; Exodus 16; Acts 2

Scripture: Acts 2:11-13
11 "...we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!" 12 Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, "What does this mean?"
13 Some, however, made fun of them and said, "They have had too much wine."

Observation: This is the moment of the birth of the Church. The Holy Spirit has fallen at Pentecost and a large crowd has gathered as they witness the miracle of being able to hear God's praise in their own language and dialect. People are "amazed and perplexed." Yet at this moment, there are the mockers, those ever-present, sacracsm-filled individuals who feel it their duty to use negative humor to put down others. They possess a negative spirit and inflict it upon others.

Application: Mockers are everywhere, and even more today. The spirit of our culture has nurtured cynicism, which is one of the seeds of mocking. So much of today's humor is negative, ugly, attack humor, even among friends. We must be aware of the mockers, but please, let's not join them. Steer clear of negative humor and cynicism. As Paul said, "Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. (Ephesians 4:29)

Prayer: Lord, keep me far from mockers. I want to be an encourager of people.
This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Title: I Have To Do What? / Topic: Assimilation

Today’s Reading: Exodus 12; Exodus 13; Psalm 21; Acts 1

Scripture: Exodus 12:48-49
48 "An alien living among you who wants to celebrate the LORD's Passover must have all the males in his household circumcised; then he may take part like one born in the land. No uncircumcised male may eat of it. 49 The same law applies to the native-born and to the alien living among you."

Observation: God has just led the Israelites out of Egypt and they have celebrated the original Passover as God killed all the firstborn of the Egyptians but passed over those who put the blood of the lamb on their door posts. Here God gives the rules regarding non-Israelites who live among them. I love the fact that God makes a way for the aliens to participate in the Passover. But notice that they cannot just participate. They must become Israelites -- adopted into the Jewish nation. This process is called assimilation and here God gives the sign of circumcision as the requirement. In other words, "if you are not part of us and want to become part of us, it will cost you!" The cost is serious and personal and comprehensive. It is serious because circumcision is a medical procedure. It is personal because circumcision involves a very personal part of the body. It is comprehensive because all the males of the household must be circumcised.

Application: I see three applications: one that is personal, one that relates to church, and one that relates to America.
• The personal application is that coming to the Lord may be a gift from God, but it comes with a high personal cost. Often, we cheapen the Gospel and even misrepresent it by not communicating the high cost of following Jesus.
• The church application is that there is a necessary assimilation that people must undergo when coming in to the church. We must understand and adequately communicate the changes required to become a part of the household of God. (1 Tim. 3:14-15) Too often, people come into the church and we do not communicate the appropriate expectations of belonging to the church. Maybe we don't want to offend people so we hope they just get it on their own. We, as a church family, need to give some thought and attention to this.
• The application for America is that there must be some cost and changes required for aliens to be a part of our nation. Anytime outsiders can come in and be a part of our nation without adopting our language or any of our culture, they will not have adequate buy-in and the fabric of our union will be weakened.

Prayer: Lord, help us to draw outsiders into your family and help us to instruct and assist them into becoming fully assimilated into our family so that they can fully participate in the blessings of your family.
This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Title: Divine Help Required / Topic: Understanding

Today’s Reading: Exodus 9; Exodus 10; Exodus 11; Luke 24

Scripture: Luke 24:45 Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures.

Observation: The resurrected Jesus appears to his startled and frightened disciples. They are completely in the dark as to what is happening and why. Jesus tries to explain it to them but they aren't getting it. Then he "opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures."

Application: Without the help of God, we would be powerless to understand God's word. Like the disciples, we could read the words but the deeper spiritual meaning would elude us. Here, even though the disciples had spent over three years being taught by Jesus himself, and even though they are seeing him resurrected with their own eyes, they are unable to put it together. Jesus has to "open their minds" in order for them to be enabled to get it. Paul explains it like this: "The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned." (1 Cor. 2:14)

Bottom line: We are dependent upon the Lord to know the Lord. So I must keep seeking his face. All spiritual progress is dependent upon his favor and enablement.

Prayer: Thank you, Lord, for enlightening us with understanding so that we can know how to know you. I am so grateful that you did not leave us on our own to try to figure it out in our darkness, but you brought us light that we may know and love you. Help us to walk and live in your light always.
This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Title: Faith Required / Topic: Discouragement

Today’s Reading: Exodus 6; Exodus 7; Exodus 8; Luke 23

Scripture: Exodus 6:6, 9
6 "Therefore, say to the Israelites: 'I am the LORD, and I will bring you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians. I will free you from being slaves to them, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with mighty acts of judgment...
9 Moses reported this to the Israelites, but they did not listen to him because of their discouragement and cruel bondage.

Observation: Moses has offered his bitter complaint to the Lord and the Lord responds with assurances that deliverance is indeed coming. When Moses reports this to the Israelites, they don't listen and they don't believe him.

Application: They are too discouraged to even hope that what Moses is saying is true. His previous statements have only resulted in the situation growing worse, so his credibility is shot. But God is faithful and it is so important to not lose faith in him. Even when things do not appear to support God's reliability, God is still reliable. But faith is required. Don't get discouraged. God will come through. Trust God, not the circumstances.

Prayer: Lord, I thank you that you are always reliable and faithful no matter what. Help us to keep your promises in mind and not allow negative circumstances to overcome our faith in you.
This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Title: The Path Of Trouble / Topic: How God Works

Today’s Reading: Exodus 3; Exodus 4; Exodus 5; Luke 22

Scripture: Exodus 5:19-23
19 The Israelite foremen realized they were in trouble when they were told, "You are not to reduce the number of bricks required of you for each day." 20 When they left Pharaoh, they found Moses and Aaron waiting to meet them, 21 and they said, "May the LORD look upon you and judge you! You have made us a stench to Pharaoh and his officials and have put a sword in their hand to kill us."
22 Moses returned to the LORD and said, "O Lord, why have you brought trouble upon this people? Is this why you sent me? 23 Ever since I went to Pharaoh to speak in your name, he has brought trouble upon this people, and you have not rescued your people at all."

Observation: God has sent Moses to deliver Israel from Egypt. But the process is very different from what Moses and the Israelites anticipated, to say the least. Instead of things getting better, they get much worse. The path ahead is full of trouble, even hopeless. The Israelite foremen are caught in the middle and they are feeling the pinch. They go to Moses and let him have it! And Moses doesn't know what to say so he goes back to God and bitterly complains: "Why have you brought trouble upon this people? ... You have not rescued your people at all!"

Application: The process of getting God's best is not a straight line. It is not predictable. It is not easy. In fact, when it seems as though things cannot get any worse, things get worse! And we come to God and complain, "What are you doing, God? I thought you were going to save me. My situation has deteriorated since you got involved! What's going on?"

Bottom line: If you say you want to trust God with your life, hang on! It's likely to be a wild ride. And there may be many times when everything will look and feel wrong. And though it is hard, keep trusting God. He knows what he is doing and things will turn out right in the end.

Prayer: Thank you, Lord, for your wisdom and power and love. I thank you that you are always working things out for my best, even when it seems the opposite. Help me to always walk with faith and trust in you.
This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Title: Five Short Subjects / Topic: Wisdom

Today’s Reading: Exodus 1; Exodus 2; Psalm 88; Luke 21

I couldn't narrow it to one passage so I wrote briefly on five that caught my eye. I hope you will leave a comment on one or more. Thanks. I hope you enjoy today's post.

#1 Title: God Bless The Liars / Topic: God's Ways

#1 Scripture: Exodus 1:15-21
15 The king of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives, whose names were Shiphrah and Puah, 16 "When you help the Hebrew women in childbirth and observe them on the delivery stool, if it is a boy, kill him; but if it is a girl, let her live." 17 The midwives, however, feared God and did not do what the king of Egypt had told them to do; they let the boys live. 18 Then the king of Egypt summoned the midwives and asked them, "Why have you done this? Why have you let the boys live?"
19 The midwives answered Pharaoh, "Hebrew women are not like Egyptian women; they are vigorous and give birth before the midwives arrive."
20 So God was kind to the midwives and the people increased and became even more numerous. 21 And because the midwives feared God, he gave them families of their own.

#1 Observation/Application: The Hebrew midwives did not kill the babies as Pharoah had commanded them. Then, when called before Pharoah, they lied about it. But God blessed them anyway. In fact, the way it is written makes is sound as though God blessed them because they lied! This is just a reminder that God does not think the way we do. He has a much deeper basis of judgment than you and me. This should help to keep us humble before him. As the scripture says, "now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror" 1 Cor. 13 PMS Version*

~~~

#2 Title: Duh! / Topic: No Secrets

#2 Scripture: Exodus 2:11-14
11 ... [Moses] saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, one of his own people. 12 Glancing this way and that and seeing no one, he killed the Egyptian and hid him in the sand. 13 The next day he went out and saw two Hebrews fighting. He asked the one in the wrong, "Why are you hitting your fellow Hebrew?"
14 The man said, "Who made you ruler and judge over us? Are you thinking of killing me as you killed the Egyptian?" Then Moses was afraid and thought, "What I did must have become known." Duh! ("Duh!" is not in the original)

#2 Observation/Application: Moses kills an Egyptian who is beating a Hebrew. And, brilliant guy that he is, he thinks that it will be a secret. (Sarcasm alert.) Of course, this is stupid because there was a witness to the murder, the Hebrew guy who was being beaten. How many people do you know who could keep their mouths shut after being saved from a beating by a prince who killed your attacker? Exactly ZERO. So is the word going to get out? Duh! The lesson here is that if you don't want people to know a secret, keep it to yourself. If your "secret" is shared by even one other person, it will get out. So put a sock in it!

~~~

#3 Title: The Pit Of Despair / Topic: Depression

#3 Scripture: Psalm 88:6-9
6 You have put me in the lowest pit,
in the darkest depths.
7 Your wrath lies heavily upon me;
you have overwhelmed me with all your waves.
Selah
8 You have taken from me my closest friends
and have made me repulsive to them.
I am confined and cannot escape;
9 my eyes are dim with grief.
I call to you, O LORD, every day;
I spread out my hands to you.

#3 Observation/Application: Psalm 88 is a real downer. The writer is clearly not having a good day. He is in a real pit as it says in verse 6. And he blames God as the above verses clearly show. But what I liked about this is, even though he is down, and even though he blames God, he still continues to seek God: "I call to you, O LORD, every day; I spread out my hands to you." This is an awesome lesson for us all: Keep seeking God -- never stop no matter what.

~~~

#4 Title: God's Economy (Clueless Disciples) / Topic: God's Ways

#4 Scripture: Luke 21:1-5
1 As he looked up, Jesus saw the rich putting their gifts into the temple treasury. 2 He also saw a poor widow put in two very small copper coins. 3 "I tell you the truth," he said, "this poor widow has put in more than all the others. 4 All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on." 5 Some of his disciples were remarking about how the temple was adorned with beautiful stones and with gifts dedicated to God...

#4 Observation/Application: Jesus sees the poor widow putting a few pennies into the offering. He says, this is more than anyone else put in. But that is far from what we think. Because we look at the amount of the gift. God looks at the heart of the giver. I want to be able to see things like God does. "Lord, help me to have your vision and heart." (I also noticed in verse 5 that the disciples missed the point altogether as they quickly change the subject to the beautiful material things. These clueless disciples demonstrate how our thoughts are far from God's thoughts.)

~~~

#5 Title: Vigilance Required / Topic: Living Wisely

#5 Scripture: Luke 21:34 36
34 "Be careful, or your hearts will be weighed down with dissipation, drunkenness and the anxieties of life, and that day will close on you unexpectedly like a trap. 35 For it will come upon all those who live on the face of the whole earth. 36 Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man."

#5 Observation/Application: Jesus starts this instruction with the words "be careful." This speaks to me that I must never get casual or lazy or complacent or relaxed about my daily walk. Jesus spoke elsewhere about the narrow path that we are to walk. Here he says that troubles are coming to everyone on the planet. So "be always of the watch..." These days, many Christians seem to be quite unaware of this principle, treating their spiritual lives as an afterthought. My life in God, my relationship with Jesus must remain on the front burner, at the top of my priority list, and I must be very intentional about it if I am to become all that God wants me to be.

~~~

Prayer: Lord, thank you for the wonderful things that we learn from your word. Help us to be intentional about implementing your ways and character into our daily living.
This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.
(*PMS = Pastor Mike Stipech Version)

Title: No Thanks / Topic: Boundaries

Today’s Reading: Genesis 49; Genesis 50; Psalm 8; Luke 20

Scripture: Luke 20:1-8
1 One day as he was teaching the people in the temple courts and preaching the gospel, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, together with the elders, came up to him. 2 "Tell us by what authority you are doing these things," they said. "Who gave you this authority?"
3 He replied, "I will also ask you a question. Tell me, 4 John's baptism—was it from heaven, or from men?"
5 They discussed it among themselves and said, "If we say, 'From heaven,' he will ask, 'Why didn't you believe him?' 6 But if we say, 'From men,' all the people will stone us, because they are persuaded that John was a prophet."
7 So they answered, "We don't know where it was from."
8 Jesus said, "Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things."

Observation: Jesus is confronted by some of the stick-in-the-mud religious leaders playing a little game to try and protect their turf. Jesus is becoming way too popular and they need to put on the brakes, so they decide to challenge the basis of his authority. But Jesus wants no part of it and he turns it back at them with a game of his own. His question puts them in a bit of a jam and so they pass. This allows Jesus a way to just say "no" to them as well.

Application: Jesus is a great example here of not getting involved in a pointless controversy with stubborn or hardheaded people. He says, "no thanks" and sets a boundary for himself. I have learned that just because someone wants to have a certain discussion with me or challenge me on an issue, that doesn't mean I have to participate. Many times the wisest thing is to say, "no thanks."

Prayer: Lord, give me wisdom to know when to answer the objections and arguments of others and when to steer clear. I don't want to cast my pearls before swine. And, Lord, help me just steer clear of swine in general.
This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Title: The Prayer That Speaks To Me / Topic: Humility

Today’s Reading: Genesis 44; Genesis 45; Genesis 46; Luke 18

Scripture: Luke 18:9-14
9 To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everybody else, Jesus told this parable: 10 "Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself: 'God, I thank you that I am not like other men—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.'
13 "But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, 'God, have mercy on me, a sinner.'
14 "I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."

Observation: "God, have mercy on me, a sinner." This is one the prayer in the Bible that I most identify with.

Application: There are Pharisees, those who take pride in their religious adherence or their spirituality, and there are tax collectors, those who know they far fall short of God's expectations. As a believer, I have always leaned more toward the latter, even though I have lived a relatively clean-cut lifestyle. I thank God that he made me with a built-in awareness that I need him desperately.

Prayer: Father, I thank you that you have mercy on me and that you are saving me daily. Help me to make full proof of all that you have graced me with. I love you, Lord.
This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Title: The Dead Body / Topic: Last Days

Today’s Reading: Genesis 42; Genesis 43; Psalm 5; Luke 17

Scripture: Luke 17:37 [Jesus] replied, "Where there is a dead body, there the vultures will gather."

Observation: I have often wondered about this verse. The context, as I have understood it is that Jesus is speaking to his disciples about his second coming, one person will be taken and the other left, and so forth. But then, when his disciples ask "where, Lord?" he makes this strange reply: "Where there is a dead body, there the vultures will gather." He could have simply said, "heaven," or "to be with my Father," or some such thing, but instead he speaks of dead bodies and vultures. What is it all about?

Application: As I pondered, I thought, "What does a dead body have to do with what else Jesus is saying?" This whole section is in response to a question asked by the Pharisees "when the kingdom of God would come." Jesus replied, "The kingdom of God does not come with your careful observation, nor will people say, 'Here it is,' or 'There it is,' because the kingdom of God is within you." (vss. 20-21). Jesus then turns to his disciples and says, "The time is coming when you will long to see one of the days of the Son of Man, but you will not see it." (vs. 22). He compares this time to the "days of Noah" and the "days of Lot" where people just continued to live as if nothing was wrong even to the moment of God's terrible judgment. "People were eating, drinking, marrying and being given in marriage... buying and selling, planting and building." Life went on as if the people were in some kind of trance. And then judgment -- people are taken away. The disciples ask, "Where, Lord?" And Jesus gave this strange answer: "Where there is a dead body, there the vultures will gather."
I think Jesus is talking about the church. That is the dead body. (The saddest thing about a "dead body" church is that the people there are usually happy with it the way it is.) At the time of judgment, many people will be doing church as if everything is OK, but it will be a dead body, attracting vultures rather than sheep. His true disciples "will long to see one of the days of the Son of Man," but they "will not see it." But the dead church and its vultures will continue to play church. Jesus predicted that the love of most will grow cold but he who endures to the end will be saved. This is the same situation here.

Bottom line: Don't play church. Get close to Jesus. Stay humble and constantly repentant. I want to be a part of a living church filled with God's thriving flock, not a dead body attracting vultures.

Prayer: Lord, thank you that you always call people to a real and true living relationship with you. Lord, help me to keep it real. Keep me on the grow with you. And Lord, if I should ever slip into "doing church" same-o same-o, slap me or kick me or something to snap me out of it.
This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Title: God Sees / Topic: Personal Responsibility

Today’s Reading: Genesis 39; Genesis 40; Genesis 41; Luke 16

Scripture: Genesis 39:6-10
6 ...Now Joseph was well-built and handsome, 7 and after a while his master's wife took notice of Joseph and said, "Come to bed with me!"...
9 "...How then could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God?" 10 And though she spoke to Joseph day after day, he refused to go to bed with her or even be with her.

Observation: Joseph is alone, sold by his brothers as a slave, he is an alien in a foreign land. But Joseph does not act forsaken. He knows that God is still with him and that he still bears the responsibility to do the right thing before God. Joseph knows that even though his father and family and people are far away, and don't even know he is alive, God is with him and God sees what he does.

Application: This is the root of Joseph's personal responsibility. He has the deep conviction that his life is lived with God as a witness. He must do the right thing because God sees. That is one of the reasons that our culture is in trouble. We have gotten rid of the idea of God and therefore, people think that no one is watching them. So, who cares what I do? People behave better (and have better lives) when there is a strong culture belief in an all-seeing God.

Prayer: Lord, I know that you see me I am grateful that you are there. Help me to walk in a way that pleases you always.
This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Title: Lost And Found Celebrations / Topic: God's Nature

Today’s Reading: Genesis 37; Genesis 38; Psalm 7; Luke 15

Scripture: Luke 15 (selected verses)
1 Now the tax collectors and "sinners" were all gathering around to hear him. 2 But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, "This man welcomes sinners and eats with them."

6 "...he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, 'Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.' 7 I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.

9 ...she calls her friends and neighbors together and says, 'Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin.' 10 In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.

23 Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let's have a feast and celebrate. 24 For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.' So they began to celebrate...
32 ...we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.'"

Observation: The contrast between Jesus and the "Pharisees and teachers of the law" is stark. They, with all their pomp and seriousness and self-aggrandizement, are grouchily muttering against Jesus' habit of hanging out with the wrong crowd. Jesus responds with three parables -- stories that make a point. And the point of all three stories is that God is nothing like these stick-in-the-mud, so-called leaders. The stories have a common theme: Lost and Found. And at the end of each of the stories (when the lost has been found), there is a celebration. Friends are called and they share in the party, rejoicing over the restoration of that which was lost. Jesus is teaching, "God is all about seeking and finding the lost. He doesn't care a bit for tradition -- his heart of love compels him to search for the lost. And once he finds them, God's nature is to celebrate!" I love what the prodigal's father says, "we had to celebrate and be glad..." In other words, God can't help himself! When the lost is found, a celebration is going to happen. It is his nature.

Application: If we are to be like our Father, we will be happy and celebrate. This doesn't mean that there won't be a time for seriousness, or sadness, or even mourning. But what characterizes us must be joy. Those who claim to represent God with nothing but seriousness and somberness are misrepresenting him. The Pharisees and their ilk are clueless as to how God really is. They might think that they are representing him, but they are living a lie. True children of the Father will be joyful and happy.

Prayer: Lord, I want to convey your joy with my words, actions, and attitudes. Help me to represent you faithfully, and help me to always be about seeking and finding the lost, and rejoicing when they are found.
This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Title: Unwise Associations / Topic: Choices

Today’s Reading: Genesis 34; Genesis 35; Genesis 36; Luke 14

Scripture: Genesis 34:1-2
1 Now Dinah, the daughter Leah had borne to Jacob, went out to visit the women of the land. 2 When Shechem son of Hamor the Hivite, the ruler of that area, saw her, he took her and violated her.

Observation: Dinah decides to make some new friends so she goes outside of her family circle and into the society of the pagan peoples that lived around them. I'm sure this seemed harmless to her and maybe even a benevolent kind of outreach. But the result is that Dinah is raped.

Application: Dinah put herself in a dangerous situation. By going outside of her clans, into a culture that she was unfamiliar with, and among people that she did not know, she was vulnerable. There was not protection for her and, apparently, the men in authority could take whatever liberties they desired. And so Dinah was helpless to stop the assault against her.

Bottom line: It is common for people, young people especially, to make unwise associations with others who seem exciting and counterculture. So often, however, these associations result in great harm to those who engage in them. The choices we make in selecting our friends have much more to do with our destiny than we think. Choose friends who are solid in their commitment to Jesus. And when you move outside of that circle, have others around to protect you from harm.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for illustrations that can teach us how to stay safe. I pray for all our young people -- that they will have godly friends and that they will stay away from unsavory and questionable individuals. Lord, keep us and those we care for safely in your protection.
This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Title: The Plea Of The Schemer / Topic: Prayer

Today’s Reading: Genesis 31; Genesis 32; Genesis 33; Luke 13

Scripture: Genesis 32:9-12
9 Then Jacob prayed, "O God of my father Abraham, God of my father Isaac, O LORD, who said to me, 'Go back to your country and your relatives, and I will make you prosper,' 10 I am unworthy of all the kindness and faithfulness you have shown your servant. I had only my staff when I crossed this Jordan, but now I have become two groups. 11 Save me, I pray, from the hand of my brother Esau, for I am afraid he will come and attack me, and also the mothers with their children. 12 But you have said, 'I will surely make you prosper and will make your descendants like the sand of the sea, which cannot be counted.'"

Observation: I just love this prayer. Jacob is humble, "I am unworthy...", he is honest and open, "I am afraid [of Esau]", and he reminds God of the promises he has given to him, "But you have said."

Application: This is a smart prayer. It's always a good idea to quote God to God! It's like appealing to a parent, "remember what you said..." I think God liked this prayer too. [It is interesting to note that after praying this prayer asking God to save him, Jacob schemes and plots various scenarios to save himself. But God saves Jacob anyway.]

Prayer: Lord, thank you for hearing our prayers, even when we have a bit (or a lot) of inner dissonance. Lord, I believe. Help me in my unbelief.
This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Title: Just Say No / Topic: Boundaries

Today’s Reading: Genesis 29; Genesis 30; Luke 12

Scripture: Luke 12:13-14
13 Someone in the crowd said to him, "Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me."
14 Jesus replied, "Man, who appointed me a judge or an arbiter between you?"

Observation: Jesus, who obviously could have given advice or even proclaimed a judgment about this matter, says no. He doesn't allow himself to be drawn into something that is outside of his calling and responsibility.

Application: The word that comes to mind is boundaries. And here Jesus demonstrates for us one important concept: "saying no." It is vital to not be distracted from my own calling and priorities.

Prayer: Lord, help me to stay focused and directed to the things that you have called me to do.
This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Title: Keep Out! / Topic: Lousy Leaders

Today’s Reading: Genesis 27; Genesis 28; Psalm 4; Luke 11

Scripture: Luke 11:52 "Woe to you experts in the law, because you have taken away the key to knowledge. You yourselves have not entered, and you have hindered those who were entering."

Observation: Jesus is holding nothing back as he verbally assaults the Jewish leaders. The Pharisees and teachers of the law held themselves up as models of perfection and virtue -- and looked down on the "common people." In addition, they didn't like Jesus and he returned the favor. Here Jesus issues an indictment that is a little scary. These so called religious leaders "have taken away the key to knowledge." They have effectively locked the door which leads to God, keeping themselves out and making it difficult for others from entering.

Application: I don't think there is a much more serious charge against a spiritual leader than this: leading others astray and keeping them away from God. Unfortunately, I have seen it in many pastors, and other so called Christian leaders I have known. And even worse, I have probably been guilty of this myself at times.

The key is for leaders to keep away from pride, because pride leads down a deadly road for both the leader and his followers. If you are a leader, check your motivation. Do you want people to look up to you and think highly of you because of your position or your spirituality? If so, watch out. Jesus gave his leaders and the rest of us warnings about this once when they "had argued about who was the greatest." Jesus told them, "If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, and the servant of all." (Mark 9:34-35) And "He called a little child and had him stand among them. And he said: "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 18:2-4)

Prayer: Lord, help me to be and to lead others into a path of leadership that mirrors the attitudes of Jesus himself. May we serve others with an eye to their betterment and blessing and not consider our own standing or reputation or fame. May we lead like Jesus did.
This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Title: Stop The Flow / Topic: Destructive Attitude

Today’s Reading: Genesis 25; Genesis 26; Psalm 6; Luke 10

Scripture: Genesis 26:12-15
12 Isaac planted crops in that land and the same year reaped a hundredfold, because the LORD blessed him. 13 The man became rich, and his wealth continued to grow until he became very wealthy. 14 He had so many flocks and herds and servants that the Philistines envied him. 15 So all the wells that his father's servants had dug in the time of his father Abraham, the Philistines stopped up, filling them with earth.

Observation: Isaac is blessed of God and it is reflected in his income. The Philistines see Isaac's wealth grow and grow and they become envious and resentful. They decide to exert their energies into filling the wells up with dirt, to stop the flow of water.

Application: Envy, hate, resentment -- these are destructive attitudes. The Philistines could have admired Isaac and used his success as an inspiration to succeed themselves. But they saw themselves as victims and Isaac as someone to focus their negativity toward. So the outflow of all that venom was to exert themselves in destructive activity. What is so sad is that they stopped up all the wells that Abraham had dug, which includes many which belonged to the Philistines themselves! They stopped the flow of water not only to Isaac but to themselves too! And this illustrates an important truth: negative attitudes toward others are more damaging to the person who holds them than to anyone else. Make no mistake, they are hurtful to others. But the primary victim of hate, spite, resentment and unforgiveness is the one who holds these destructive attitudes in his heart.

Bottom line: Stay sweet. Let go of offenses and walk in forgiveness and grace. Ask God to help you. Stay sweet and live will be sweeter.

Prayer: Lord, keep me far away from destructive attitudes. I want to keep the flow of grace and love and forgiveness going in my life.
This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Title: It's Gonna Cost You / Topic: Discipleship

Today’s Reading: Genesis 23; Genesis 24; Luke 9

Scripture: Luke 9:57-62
57 As they were walking along the road, a man said to him, "I will follow you wherever you go."
58 Jesus replied, "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head."
59 He said to another man, "Follow me."
But the man replied, "Lord, first let me go and bury my father."
60 Jesus said to him, "Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God."
61 Still another said, "I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say good-by to my family."
62 Jesus replied, "No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God."

Observation: I love the fact that Jesus doesn't mince words here. He doesn't soft-sell the requirements of true discipleship. He says if you want to follow me, it's gonna cost you.

Application: So often we are so desperate to get workers or volunteers or converts that we minimize the costs or avoid the subject altogether. Jesus is a great example of front-loading the discussion with the true costs of discipleship. Earlier in this same chapter he had plainly said this to his disciples, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me." (vs. 26). We need to take a cue from Jesus. So many of those who we win without really disclosing the cost end up bailing out when the going gets tough.

Prayer: Lord, give us courage to speak the truth and faith to trust you to provide disciples willing to take up the challenge. Lord, give us the people we need. Give us the words to lead them to true discipleship.
This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Title: Good Soil = Good Character / Topic: Fruitfulness

Today’s Reading: Genesis 20; Genesis 21; Genesis 22; Luke 8

Scripture: Luke 8 (excerpts - good soil accented)
8 Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up and yielded a crop, a hundred times more than was sown."
When he said this, he called out, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear."
...10 He said, "The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of God has been given to you, but to others I speak in parables, so that,
" 'though seeing, they may not see;
though hearing, they may not understand.'
11 "This is the meaning of the parable: The seed is the word of God. 12 Those along the path are the ones who hear, and then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved. 13 Those on the rock are the ones who receive the word with joy when they hear it, but they have no root. They believe for a while, but in the time of testing they fall away. 14 The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life's worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature. 15 But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop.
...18 Therefore consider carefully how you listen. Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what he thinks he has will be taken from him."
...21 He replied, "My mother and brothers are those who hear God's word and put it into practice."

Observation: Jesus speaks quite a bit here about people who actually believe and implement the word, not just hearing it, but putting it into practice. This is a practical definition of "good soil." The seed is good, and has the potential to produce a rich crop, but it cannot produce a crop by itself. It requires receptive, good soil to do that. Notice that even two of the unproductive soils take the seed in and show some results. But they lack the qualities to actually produce a crop. The problem relates to character. The character of the soils is infertile. That is, they don't possess the qualities necessary to sustain the growth of the plant.

Application: How does character affect fruitfulness? I think that character is the foundation of fruitfulness. Jesus says that the "good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart." This speaks of character. And the result is that they "hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop." It is their character, which they have cultivated that enables this process to advance to fruition. Even the fact that they persevere demonstrates some character qualities such as determination, dedication, and consistency.

Bottom line: Character counts. People who compromise in life thinking that it won't affect them later are deceiving themselves and forfeiting their future for some present pleasure. Those who stick to righteousness are laying a foundation for a future harvest that will prove their efforts to be ultimately very worthwhile.

Prayer: Lord, I want to be a man of fruitfulness and I want to help produce fruitful people. Help me to keep cultivating Godly character in my own life and to inspire it in others. I pray for a great harvest.
This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.