I Shall Yet Praise Him

Why are you cast down, O my soul?  And why are you disquieted within me?  Hope in God; for I shall yet praise Him, the help of my countenance and my God.

--Psalm 42:11  (NKJV)

From the daily Bible reading on February 28, 2013 of Psalm 42; Acts 10:24-48; Leviticus 19:30-21.

Psalm 42 is one of the many psalms written by the "sons of Korah", but the words could easily have been spoken by David.  The author is surrounded by his enemies.  They tease him, taunt him, chide him by asking, "Where is your God now?", as they move in on him and there seems to be nothing that can save him.  He longs to hear God's voice again, "as a deer pants for the water brooks" (vs. 1).  Yet he has not given up hope.  He tells himself, his very soul, to hope in God.  He knows without a doubt there will still come a time when he will praise God for His help, for His salvation, even against these seemingly insurmountable odds.

This is God's message for us today.  No matter how bleak and dismal our situation may be, we must still trust in the Lord and know in our hearts the He is our salvation.  Jesus knew this, as He suffered and breathed His last upon that cruel cross.  No matter how dire our circumstance, we should praise the Lord because we know He will deliver us.  He is our help regardless of what assails us.  He is our God, and with Him at our side nothing can stand against us.  Nothing is ever truly hopeless as long as we keep our trust in God for He is our hope.  Jesus already fought the battle.  The victory is secure.  Praise the Lord, for He is our help and our God.  Amen.

Strong and faithful God, You never abandon us.  Thank You for always standing by our side, fighting off our enemies, saving us when all seems lost, being our true hope in hopeless times.  Please guide us through perilous times onto the path that Jesus prepared for us.  In the name of Jesus we pray.  Amen.

What God Has Cleansed

And a voice spoke to him again the second time, "What God has cleansed you must not call common."

--Acts 10:15  (NKJV)

From the daily Bible reading on February 27, 2013 of Psalm 41; Acts 10:1-23; Leviticus 18-19:29.

In Christ's name, Peter brought a woman of Joppa, a disciple named Dorcas, back to life.  He stayed there in Joppa with the tanner named Simon for a few days.  While there, after praying for a time and awaiting a meal to be prepared, he fell into a trance and saw a great sheet being lowered from heaven bearing all kinds of animals and birds and bugs.  A voice spoke, telling him to kill and eat something from the sheet spread out before him.  Peter replied he would not do so, for he had never eaten anything common or unclean.  The voice responded with today's verse, that what had had cleansed is not common.

In my version of the Bible, the voice's words are printed in red, indicating it was really Jesus who spoke them.  This was the risen Jesus trying to get stubborn, opinionated Peter to put aside the old way of looking at things, the old laws, and embrace everyone, Jew and Gentile alike, into the fellowship of Christ.  While He still walked this earth, Jesus constantly expanded the community of faith, outward from Jerusalem both physically and symbolically, first into Samaria and then on into the lands of the Gentiles.  After His resurrection and ascension, He appointed and spiritually anointed Paul to carry the Gospel to the Gentiles, to us.  Jesus wanted Peter to rid himself of his prejudices and to understand that this was a whole new day, in Jesus, a new way of looking at things.  In God, in Christ, all things, all people, are clean.  We are not to judge others, especially not based on old ways of thinking.  We are to love them all, just as Jesus loves us all.  Amen.

Loving Father, loving Jesus, thank You for being patient with us as You were with Peter.  Thank You for the reminders that You love all of us and we should love each other too.  Forgive us, please Lord, when we judge others as inferior or common, just because they are different from us.  In the name of Jesus we pray.  Amen.

Playing the Harlot

"They shall no more offer their sacrifices to demons, after whom they have played the harlot.  This shall be a statute forever for them throughout their generations."

--Leviticus 17:7  (NKJV)

From the daily Bible reading on February 26, 2013 of Psalm 40; Acts 9:32-43; Leviticus 16-17.

Throughout their history, especially when held in captivity by foreign rulers or when traveling through the lands of other peoples, the descendants of Abraham were prone to worship those other peoples' gods.  They "played the harlot" by giving themselves up to whichever idol they thought could help them at the time, by not remaining faithful in the least to any of these gods, and especially not to the one true God.  God commanded this practice to end, now and forevermore.  No more sacrifices to demons, no more giving of themselves to false idols, no more ignoring God when convenient.

While this commandment was issued to the children of Israel, it was intended for us today as well, just as the entire Bible is for our edification.  We sin by playing the harlot to false gods.  What we treasure above all others becomes our god.  What we spend our time and money on becomes our object of worship, our idol.  What we freely give ourselves to for the convenience or pleasure of the moment becomes our demon, consuming us.  Daily we offer our sacrifices - of time, of money, of worship - to many demons and false idols.  We must preserve ourselves for the one true God and for Jesus His Son.  We must dedicate our time, resources, and lives to the advancement of His kingdom, now and forevermore.  Amen.

Ever forgiving Father, thank You for chastening us through Your commandment to the children of Israel, for cautioning us about the dangers of giving ourselves to false gods.  Please forgive us when we place other interests above You for our time and attention.  May we never forget the many blessings You give us each and every day.  In the name of Jesus we pray.  Amen.

What Are We Waiting For?

And now, Lord, what do I wait for?  My hope is in You.

--Psalm 39:7  (NKJV)

From the daily Bible reading on February 25, 2013 of Psalm 39; Acts 9:1-31; Leviticus 14:33-15.

In this Psalm, David first holds his tongue while surrounded by his enemies lest he say something sinful in the eyes of God.  But then he opens his mouth and, talking with God, he ponders just how short and frail a man's life really is.  He compares us to a vapor: here but a moment and then vanish into thin air.  He makes this comparison twice, to emphasize how he has finally concluded our lives are but a blink of God's eyes.  David wonders why we spend so much of this too short time busying ourselves in vain, heaping up earthly riches that no one will gather, that we can't spend on heavenly rewards.  Thinking on all this, on how short our life is and how worthless our worldly treasures really are, he asks God the question, "What do I wait for?  If all I do in this life passes in a flash and is worth nothing, what could possibly be left for me?  What kind of dreams and hopes for tomorrow can I realistically have?"

Then David answers the question for us: our only true hope is in the Lord.  Anything else is futile.  Anything we amass, even our own brief life, is nothing more that a puff of steam drifting off in all too short a time.  Unless we put all our hope, all our faith, in the one true and eternal God and Jesus His Son, we are nothing and we will amount to nothing.  Trust in the Lord.  He is our one hope.  Only in Him do we have an everlasting tomorrow.  Amen.

Gracious Lord, we realize our life is short and we have nothing to hope for unless we place all our hope and faith in You and Your redemption through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.  Thank You for Your promise of an eternal tomorrow with You if we only believe in Your Son Jesus.  In that beautiful name we pray.  Amen.

On the Run

Therefore those who were scattered went everywhere preaching the word.

--Acts 8:4  (NKJV)

From the daily Bible reading on February 24, 2013 of Psalm 38:13-22; Acts 8:4-40; Leviticus 13:24-14:32.

The young Pharisee Saul was going after these new Christians with a vengeance.  Accompanied by armed temple guards, he broke into homes and had men and women thrown into chains and arrested.  Fear and likely a certain amount of despair settled in among the disciples and followers of Jesus.  The disciples scattered and fled from Jerusalem, all except the apostles, who stayed behind to keep the church centered and alive in Jerusalem.  These were dire and dangerous times in the developing life of this new church, this growing family of Christ.  It could easily have been snuffed out like a fragile candle before ever burning brightly, and Saul was trying his best to do just that, to destroy this new Way before it could even get started.

But verse four tells us of what will become a wondrous turn of events.  While the disciples were fleeing, as they scattered and dispersed throughout the land, many probably running in fear of their very lives, they preached the word of God, the Good News about Jesus, everywhere they went.  They brought new believers to Christ with every stop they made, at every village and town, in homes and city squares.  They made more new converts than were being arrested and martyred.  Instead of stomping out the church in its infancy, Saul's rabid attacks on the church caused it to spread and grow far more widely and far quicker that it ever could have without that impetus!  And it also began what Saul would eventually continue after becoming Paul.  As the disciples scattered and preached, the word began reaching the Gentiles, and they also came to Christ.  The vast majority of Christians today owe our very faith to the actions of Saul and the plan of God, in scattering the disciples and them preaching the Gospel as they ran.  Praise be to God!  Amen.

Heavenly Father, You had a plan all along that the entire world, Jew and Gentile alike, be invited to the great feast Jesus promised.  You took these horrible actions by Saul, having innocent people arrested, beaten, and killed, and turned it into the greatest of good, allowing all the earth to know the Good News of Jesus Christ.  Thank You dear Lord for offering us eternal salvation.  In Jesus' beautiful name we pray.  Amen.

Consecrate Ourselves

"For I am the Lord your God.  You shall therefore consecrate yourselves, and you shall be holy; for I am holy."

--Leviticus 11:44a  (NKJV)

From the daily Bible reading on February 23, 2013 of Psalm 38:1-12; Acts 7:30-8:3; Leviticus 11:20-13:23.

While they traveled in the wilderness, God, through Moses, gave the children of Israel very specific and detailed instructions for how they should live their lives from then on, what and how to sacrifice for the atonement of which sins, how to view diseases and illnesses, what to eat and what not to eat, how to be "clean" and avoid being made "unclean".  He reminded them that He is the Lord, their God, who delivered them out of their bondage in Egypt and will give to them a land of great richness.  He did all this just to be their one and only God.  He emphasizes to them to be holy because He is holy.

One definition of "holy" is to be spiritually pure, saintly, devout.  Now we know that man can never be completely pure until we are rejoined with God, because we are born into sin, live in sin, and will die in sin.  But we can certainly try our best to be be, we can emulate the saints and be devout in our every day practices.  We are sinners but can strive toward holiness in our walk through life.  We must consecrate ourselves, set ourselves apart and dedicate ourselves to the service of God and Jesus our Lord.  Amen.

Dear God You are the Lord our God.  We want to please You, to be right with You, to be holy for You because You are holy, holy, holy.  We admit our flawed and sinful nature.  Please stand by our side as we try to set ourselves apart from the world and dedicate our very lives to Your service.  In Jesus' name we pray.  Amen.

Speak Wisdom

The mouth of the righteous speaks wisdom, and his tongue talks of justice.  The law of his God is in his heart; none of his steps shall slide.

--Psalm 37:30-31  (NKJV)

From the daily Bible reading on February 22, 2013 of Psalm 37:29-40; Acts 7:1-29; Leviticus 9:7-11:19.

Psalm 111:10 tells us, "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom;" (NKJV), so the righteous must fear the Lord.  Not fear as in being afraid, but in truly respecting.  One way to define righteous is being right with God, doing what is right in God's eyes.  So one who is right with God respects Him and honors His laws, and is wise in doing so.  We know that the tongue can be a powerful weapon, and can be used for good or for evil.  The righteous one uses his for good, seeking justice.  And not only man's justice, but that of God as well.  It is not our place to judge others, but we can strive to ensure all are treated justly, especially those who may not be able to defend themselves or may not be in a position to seek justice for themselves.  It is right and pleasing in the eyes of God that we stand for them.

As long as we stay right with God, respect Him and honor His laws, He will secure our every footfall lest we slide in the loose gravel Satan throws across our way and lose our footing and slip off the path Jesus laid for us to follow.  Be righteous, be wise, and use your tongue for good.  Amen.

Lord God, thank You for the words of the psalmist that offer comfort and the promise of Your help if You find us pleasing in Your eyes.  Help us to always strive to see another's actions or words in light of the life they have lived, keeping in mind what they may have endured to this point.  Help us seek justice for others, and to use our tongues only to do good.  In Jesus' name we pray.  Amen.

As God Commanded

So Aaron and his sons did all the things that the Lord had commanded by the hand of Moses.

--Leviticus 8:36  (NKJV)

From the daily Bible reading on February 21, 2013 of Psalm 37:21-28; Acts 6; Leviticus 7:28-9:6.

In Leviticus, basically a manual for the priests and Israelites, Moses records how God gave His chosen people specific and precise instructions for the proper way they could atone for their sins and be forgiven.  Different payments and/or sacrifices for the different offenses and sins are clearly defined by God and described by Moses in this account.  Included are the sacrifices and rituals to install Aaron and his sons, of the house of Levi (as is Moses), into the priesthood, and the rituals and sacrifices they are to perform for the children of Israel from then on.  No one but Moses, who was an old man of over 80 years at this point, heard God, yet all the people, including his brother Aaron and his sons, were willing to follow what God commanded through Moses, by his hand.

God made the ultimate sacrifice on all our behalf by giving up the perfect, spotless Lamb, His only Son, Jesus, to atone for our sins that we may be forgiven.  No one heard God's words by Jesus, who commanded us only to believe, and to love one another.  Aaron and his sons and all the children of Israel believed Moses.  Why do we find so much difficulty believing Jesus?  Forgive us, Lord!  Amen.

Heavenly Father, thank You for offering up the perfect sacrifice on our behalf, to atone for our sins.  Thank You for giving us the one true Way to salvation, through Your Son, Jesus.  Forgive us when we have trouble believing Him, when we fail to follow the path He laid, when we disobey His great commandment.  In the name of Jesus we pray.  Amen.

It Is of God

"And now I say to you, keep away from these men and let them alone; for if this plan or this work is of men, it will come to nothing; but if it is of God, you cannot overthrow it -- lest you even be found to fight against God."

--Acts 5:38-39  (NKJV)

From the daily Bible reading on February 20, 2013 of Psalm 37:10-20; Acts 5:12-42; Leviticus 6-7:27.

Again Peter and the Apostles were teaching and healing in the name of Jesus, and again the chief priests, the Sadducees and the Pharisees, were enraged by it and had the disciples imprisoned.  But an angel of the Lord freed them and they returned to the temple to continue teaching and preaching the Gospel.  The chief priests gathered and discussed how to kill Peter and the others.  Gamaliel, a Pharisee and renowned teacher of the law (whom Saul/Paul studied under), cautioned them to leave the disciples alone, that this new movement would soon die out without its leader, Jesus.  Otherwise, if this indeed was the work of God, then nothing they could do could stop it.

Now, over two thousand years later, we know the answer to this choice.  Christianity has not died off, the followers of Jesus have not gone away or dispersed.  Now matter how hard the religious leadership and ruling powers made life for the early church, now matter how much they have persecuted the church over the generations, it still exists and flourishes to this day.  This is definitely a work of God, and nothing can stop it.  Praise the Lord!  Amen.

Dear Father, thank You for the sacrifice and suffering the early church endured on our behalf so the Your Son's Church would stand the test of time and the trials of man and remain to this day.  Thank You for the encouraging words we find in the Acts of the Apostles.  In the beautiful name of Jesus we pray.  Amen.

Separation Anxiety

For evildoers shall be cut off; but those who wait on the Lord, they shall inherit the earth.

--Psalm 37:9  (NKJV)

From the daily Bible reading on February 19, 2013 of Psalm 37:1-9; Acts 4:32-5:11; Leviticus 4-5.

People often fail to realize just how prophetic David was.  This verse could easily have been taken from the Revelation of Christ as given to the Apostle John.  The evildoers being cut off mentioned here could be those falling before the sharp scythes wielded by the angels of death reaping the harvest during the Great Tribulation, or they could be the goats separated (or cut off) by Jesus unto His left hand from the lambs to His right hand when He has come again and defeated the evil one.  Those inheriting the earth could well be the ones on Jesus' right hand who get to dwell with Him forever on the newly transformed earth.  The meek that Jesus describes as inheriting the earth could very well be defined as "those who wait on the Lord".  And isn't that a wonderful description of a person, one we could welcome and cherish.

David knew these future events would unfold because he had insight and inspiration from the Lord.  And it helps form the basis of all our hope, just as Jesus promised.  Those who follow the evil one will be separated, cut off.  Those who follow Jesus will live with Him forever.  All glory to the Lord!  Amen.

All compassionate Jesus, thank You for Your promise of our eternal life with You.  Thank You for paying the price for us, a price so dear we could never pay it on our own.  Thank You for judging those who cause so much evil, hardship, and heartbreak in our worldly lives and Your assurance of our heavenly lives being without suffering and pain but filled with the greatest joys beyond imagining.  In Your name, sweet Jesus, we pray.  Amen.

This Jesus Christ

"[L]et it be known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, by Him this man stands here before you whole."

--Acts 4:10  (NKJV)

From the daily Bible reading on February 18, 2013 of Psalm 36; Acts 4:1-31; Leviticus 1-3.

Peter and John healed a man at the temple gate who had been lame since birth.  They performed this healing in the name of Jesus, and in so doing invoked the ire of the priests, the captain of the temple, and the Sadducees, the Jewish leadership, which took them into custody to question and threaten them.  Peter freely confessed that he and John acted in the name of Jesus, and made it quite clear which Jesus they meant: the One from Nazareth, the One they crucified, the One God raised from the dead.  By that Jesus was this lame man healed and made whole.

Like Paul would later declare in his letter to the church in Rome (please see Romans 1:16), Peter and John were certainly not ashamed of the Gospel, the Good News, of Jesus Christ.  They wanted to make that well known to all the Jewish leaders gathered there against them and to all the children of Israel across the land.  What a great risk they took for Jesus, in that He had just recently been put to death by these same leaders; what a great stand they made for our Lord.  Would we be willing to take the same risk, the same stand?  Would we be willing to act in the name of Jesus and make it known to all the world?  Or do we fear public persecution or humiliation?  Peter and John didn't even fear torture or death, when they stood for Jesus.  I pray we would be as strong in our faith as they.   Amen.

Lord Jesus, please forgive us when we fail to take a stand in Your name.  We are reserved and timid.  We fear what others may say or how they may treat us if we declare Your glory out loud.  Please give us the strength of faith and the conviction of our belief to go out in Your name, no matter the earthly consequence, assured in our heavenly reward.  In Your name, Jesus, we pray.  Amen.

Uncompleted Tasks

Thus all the work of the tabernacle of the tent of meeting was finished.  And the children of Israel did according to all that the Lord had commanded Moses; so they did.

--Exodus 39:32  (NKJV)

From the daily Bible reading on February 17, 2013 of Psalm 35:19-28; Acts 3; Exodus 39:32-40.

God gave Moses an incredible construction plan for what would be a mobile temple for use in the wilderness.  Moses had to then convey all the intricate and complex details that God had given him to those who would gather the resources and do the work.  The materials were freely given by the people, to overfilling the need, based solely on the request from God as relayed by Moses.  God did not speak to them or the workers directly, but through another, through Moses.  And God endowed chosen individuals with the special skills to carry out the tasks.  In the end, it was all completed, right down to the clothes Aaron and his sons would wear and their washing and anointing, just as God had commanded, and God blessed it with His presence.

Although we may not directly hear the voice of God as Moses did, God has tasks for us to complete as well.  And He equips us for these tasks so that we may serve Him.  He has chosen us and endowed us with the special skills we need just for the part of His great plan He has for us to complete.  Tending His sheep, feeding His hungry, seeing to the needs of His orphans and windows, visiting His children in prison, spreading His Gospel throughout our community and into all the world, singing His praises, and so many more tasks have been relayed to us by Jesus and saved for us in God's Holy Word.  Choose one or two or many, and complete them, just as our Lord has commanded.  Amen.

Heavenly Father, may we have the faith and obedience that your chosen children displayed when they took Moses at his word and completed the complex plans you gave them for Your tabernacle.  May we understand that the instructions given by Jesus Your Son apply to all of us, not just some select few.  You have chosen all of us to complete some task, some portion of Your grand plan.  May we do so to Your satisfaction and may You bless us with Your presence for our efforts.  In Jesus' name we pray.  Amen.

The Gift

Then Peter said to them, "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit."

--Acts 2:38  (NKJV)

From the daily Bible reading on February 16, 2013 of Psalm 35:11-18; Acts 2:22-47; Exodus 38-39:31.

At Pentecost, Peter responded to those who had legitimate questions and the doubters alike.  He testified to Jesus and His promise to send the Holy Spirit after He ascended into heaven.  Some who were truly interested asked how they could also receive what Peter and the other disciples had been given.  Peter responded to them and encouraged them, and all those present, to turn completely away from their sinful ways and be baptized in the name of Jesus, and then the Holy Spirit would enter them as well.  In this account, Luke tells us about three thousand souls joined the ranks of the believers that day!

Baptism, especially by immersion, represents dying in this world and being resurrected and reborn in Christ.  When we do so of our own free will and in His name, we are confessing our belief in Jesus for all to hear and see.  By doing so, and truly repenting of our sins, the Holy Spirit will descend from heaven and enter us and indwell within us.  Peter likens this to a gift, and indeed it is a gift, a wonderful gift.  One Person of the Triune God comes down to live just within us!  What greater gift, when taken in addition to our eternal salvation, could we ever receive?!  Thank You, God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit!   Amen.

Dearest Jesus, thank You for sending the Holy Spirit to dwell within us and be with us through everything we go through.  Thank You for this great and wonderful gift, the same gift You gave Your disciples so long ago.  Thank You, Jesus!  In Your beautiful name we pray.  Amen.

Deliver Me

All my bones shall say, "Lord, who is like You, delivering the poor from him who is too strong for him, yes, the poor and the needy from him who plunders him?"

--Psalm 35:10  (NKJV)

From the daily Bible reading on February 15, 2013 of Psalm 35:1-10; Acts 2:1-21; Exodus 36:8-37.

While it may be difficult to think of King David as being poor, there were times when he was running from King Saul that he had nothing but the clothes on his back and his wits.  But God smiled on him and showed him favor and ultimately delivered him from his stronger enemies.  We know that in the natural world, the poor, the needy, the weak too often fall prey to those who are stronger, more confident, in control.  Too often those who have little are forced to relinquish even that to those who have much and want more.  We also know that justice may not be served in this life but we are promised it will be in the next.  Sometimes, though, as in the case of David, we do see man working with God and the poor are delivered from those who would plunder them.

But I'm not sure David didn't have something less tangible in mind than earthly treasures and riches.  Through much of his turmoil, his heart faltered, his spirit flagged.  During these times he turned to the Lord and found strength.  So unlike the poor in resources, who may not find justice now, the poor in spirit, however, can indeed find deliverance from him who would take their very souls, from Satan, merely by turning to Jesus.  David knew this, when his spirit was poor and needy.  And now we know it too.  Praise Jesus!  Amen.

Father God, thank You for fighting on our behalf so that ultimately Your divine justice will be served.  Savior Jesus, thank You for standing at our side and offering to deliver us from the Evil One today and forever.  May all mankind know and accept You as Lord.  In the name of Jesus we pray.  Amen.

Empowered

"But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth."

--Acts 1:8  (NKJV)

From the daily Bible reading on February 14, 2013 of Psalm 34:11-22; Acts 1; Exodus 34:29-36:7.

Before Jesus ascended into heaven, He told His disciples to wait in Jerusalem and they would be baptized with the Holy Spirit.  Further on in Acts we'll read what happens on the day of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit descends like tongues of fire and touches and fills each of Jesus' followers.  Indeed they were given power and traveled throughout the land healing and baptizing and preaching, all in the name of the Lord.  And Paul extended their mission into the cities and the hearts of the Gentiles.  When we accept Jesus Christ as the resurrected and risen Son of God and our personal Savior, the Holy Spirit descends on us as well, and fills us and lives within us and empowers us to do great and wondrous things in the name of Jesus.  We may not necessarily have the power to heal, but we do have the power to aid and comfort those in need of healing.  We may not be able to competently and successfully preach God's word, but we can witness to the love He shows us.  The Holy Spirit empowers us.  All praise to the Father!  Amen.

Loving Jesus, thank you for sending the Holy Spirit to be our faithful Companion, our guide, and our empowering, indwelling person of God.  Through Him we can carry out Your great commission, by going into all the world, declaring Your glory, and witnessing to You even to the end of the earth.  Thank You, Jesus!  In Your glorious name we pray.  Amen.

He Walks With Me

So the Lord spoke to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend.

--Exodus 33:11a  (NKJV)

From the daily Bible reading on February 11, 2013 of Psalm 34:1-10; Matthew 28; Exodus 33-34:28.

This is how God intended the relationship between Himself and His creation, man: as friends, meeting face to face.  We read in Genesis where God walked through the Garden of Eden "in the cool of the day" and called out to Adam and Eve, and of how they talked together.  An attempt was made to reestablish this relationship when Jesus came to dwell among us.  Our original sin separated man from God, ending the face to face relationship we enjoyed in the Garden.  Jesus' ascension into heaven after His resurrection brought an end to our second chance at trying to maintain a close friendship with the Person of God.  Now, when we want or need to talk with God, with Jesus, we can only humbly go before Him in prayer.  We can only lift our loved ones up to Him in prayer.  We can only see His face in prayer.  But that form of personal communication, that relationship which can be so intense, has graciously not been denied us and we can always be with Him any time we desire in prayer.  And one day, some sweet day, if we remain faithful to the end, we will again see Him and talk to Him face to face, as friends.  Until that day.  Amen.

Gracious Lord, please forgive us of our sin that has kept us from You for so very long.  Forgive us, please, our treatment of You very Son, Jesus the Christ.  We so long to see His face again, to walk with You and talk with You in the cool of the day.  We pray that we remain faithful to You so that in that day Jesus will stand at our side when we once again see You.  In Jesus' name we pray.  Amen.

God Bless America

Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people He has chosen as His own inheritance.

--Psalm 33:12  (NKJV)

From the daily Bible reading on February 12, 2013 of Psalm 33:12-22; Matthew 27:45-66; Exodus 31-32.

The foundations of American society and government were laid by men and women of great faith and a great love of God.  The Pilgrims made a perilous journey just to be able to worship Him freely.  The Declaration signers pledged to God and put everything on the line - their lives, their possessions, everything - trusting in God to deliver them from tyranny.  George Washington, our first hero leader, was a strong, devout, and admitted Christian.  And our nation prospered.  Sure, we had hard times here and there.  But overall we were blessed.  In wars, we defeated foes who should have routed us, as long as we depended on God for our protection.  In science and medicine we excelled and brought great wonders to all mankind.  Our farms helped feed the world, our forests provided it wood.  Our abundance overflowed all across the earth.    Slowly, over the years, our faith waned, our belief faded.  We became more assured of our own capabilities and less dependent on God.  Our own greatness overshadowed God's.  God began to pale in importance in our lives as new gods competed for our attention.  New people with different ideas and different gods became our neighbors, converting us rather than us converting them.  Now God takes a minor role in our lives.  Gratuitous sex and immorality and violence fill our entertainment and media.  There are wars and rumors of wars.  Brother killing brother, father killing son.  Surely the rebirth of Babylon is not far off now.  We need true revival, now.  God, please help us!  Please do not turn Your glorious face from us just yet!  There are still righteous men and women here.  We need You now!  Amen.

Merciful Father, You promised Abraham you would spare the region of Sodom and Gomorrah if only ten righteous people could be found there.  Father, surely more than ten can be found here today.  Please spare us!  Please help us!  In the name of Jesus we pray.  Amen.

They Shall Know

"And they shall know that I am the Lord their God, who brought them out of the land of Egypt, that I may dwell among them.  I am the Lord their God."

--Exodus 29:46  (NKJV)

From the daily Bible reading on February 11, 2013 of Psalm 33:1-11; Matthew 27:27-44; Exodus 29:29-30.

God committed Himself to Moses and all the children of Israel to be their God forever, to live with them and dwell among them forever.  Just as He made a covenant with Abraham, He made one with all his descendants.  He kept His promise to deliver them from the hands of Pharaoh, and He would keep His promise to be their God.  This means He would look after them, care for them, see to their needs both physical and spiritual.  It also means He would teach them right from wrong, and even punish them when necessary.  And it was necessary, time after time.  But God always kept His promise to be their God.  He always brought them back into their own even if many generations passed while they learned what they had to be taught.  And just as God sent Moses to free them from slavery in Egypt, He sent His only Son to free them from the far worse slavery of sin and eternal death.  Moses showed signs, as directed and performed by God, and Pharaoh eventually let the people of God go.  Jesus also showed signs, as God Himself, but the people refused to accept Him and offered Him up as the ultimate sacrifice, the unblemished Lamb, so that all who believe in Him will be saved and enjoy eternal life with Him.  Although His people did, God never forgot His promise.  Thank You, God, our Father!  Thank You, Jesus, our Brother!  Amen.

Ever faithful Lord, please let us never forget the promise You made to us, the New Covenant You forged with us, through the death and resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!  May we always remember and cherish the sacrifice You made on our behalf, for without it we would never be able to redeem ourselves but would perish from our sin.  In Jesus' name we ask and we pray.  Amen.

King of the Jews

Now Jesus stood before the governor.  And the governor asked Him, saying, "Are You the King of the Jews?" Jesus said to him, "It is as you say."

--Matthew 27:11  (NKJV)

From the daily Bible reading on February 10, 2013 of Psalm 32; Matthew 27:1-26; Exodus 28:6-29:28.

Judas betrayed Jesus, and Peter denied Him.  His disciples scattered and hid.  He was carried off to be questioned and accused by the chief priests and elders. There, He said nothing in His own defense, only admitting that He was indeed the Son of God, as they said.  He was taken before Pilate, the Roman governor of the region, the only person with the authority to order Jesus' execution.  Pilate knew Jesus was innocent of the charges brought against Him, but thought Him to be only a man, not God.  His wife even warned him to have nothing to do with this "man", or these proceedings.  He tried to have Jesus freed, at the very worst getting Him off with a beating for "punishment" to appease the Jews.  But Jesus would not open His mouth in defense, only admitting to that with which He had been charged.  Pilate asked if Jesus considered Himself to be the king of the Jews, thinking in mortal terms, as a mere man who might wish to rule over his brethren.  Jesus, though, answered in spiritual terms, as the immortal Son of God who rules over all mankind and indeed over all creation.  Jesus answered the question asked, but in far broader and deeper terms than Pilate or the chief priests or the elders could ever have imagined.  He gave no defense, so as to fulfill scripture and the Father's will.  But He left no doubt, at least to us, of His true identity, His true and complete role in all of creation.  Thank You, Jesus!  Amen.

Blessed Jesus, thank You for Your sacrifice.  Thank You for remaining silent so that our Father's will could be accomplished as planned.  Thank You for taking a horrible beating and dying a terrible death, and then defeating death just so we might be freed from its clutches forever and find eternal life with You and the Father.  In Your sweet name, dear Jesus, we pray.  Amen.

Hope in the Lord

Be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart, all you who hope in the Lord.

--Psalm 31:24  (NKJV)

From the daily Bible reading on February 9, 2013 of Psalm 31:14-24; Matthew 26:57-75; Exodus 26-28:5.

David had to face many enemies that wanted to kill him, even from within his own family, from among his sons.  But he trusted in God to keep delivering him from those who meant him harm.  He could stay strong and be brave because of that trust.  He tells us that if we put our trust and our hope in the Lord, He will not fail us but will strengthen our hearts, and will give us the internal fortitude to press on against all odds.  In this life, we find ourselves faced with many difficulties.  Paul tells us that our true enemies are not of flesh and blood, but we battle against the rulers of darkness, the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places (Ephesians 6:12).  Since our true enemy is supernatural, we need a supernatural superhero on our side.  God is our superhero, Jesus is our ally.  He gives us the strength to go on.  He encourages us to bear up under any burden.  He is our one true hope in any situation.  With Him at our side, we are never alone.  He has never failed us.  Praise God!  Amen.

God of all, thank You for always standing by our side.  Thank you for being our one best hope.  Thank you for strengthening us and encouraging us and for giving us the will to continue even in the face of daunting foes.  In the name of Jesus we pray.  Amen.

Sharing Faith

Therefore when the Lord knew that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus was making and baptizing more disciples than John (although Jesus Himself was not baptizing, but His disciples were), He left Judea and went away again into Galilee.  And He had to pass through Samaria.  So He came to a city of Samaria called Sychar, near the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph; and Jacob’s well was there. So Jesus, being wearied from His journey, was sitting thus by the well. It was about the sixth hour.

There came a woman of Samaria to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give Me a drink.”  For His disciples had gone away into the city to buy food.  Therefore the Samaritan woman said to Him, “How is it that You, being a Jew, ask me for a drink since I am a Samaritan woman?” (For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.)  Jesus answered and said to her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, ‘Give Me a drink,’ you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.”  She said to Him, “Sir, You have nothing to draw with and the well is deep; where then do You get that living water?  You are not greater than our father Jacob, are You, who gave us the well, and drank of it himself and his sons and his cattle?”  Jesus answered and said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will thirst again; but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never thirst; but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life.”

The woman said to Him, “Sir, give me this water, so I will not be thirsty nor come all the way here to draw.”  He said to her, “Go, call your husband and come here.”  The woman answered and said, “I have no husband.” Jesus said to her, “You have correctly said, ‘I have no husband’; for you have had five husbands, and the one whom you now have is not your husband; this you have said truly.”  The woman said to Him, “Sir, I perceive that You are a prophet.  Our fathers worshiped in this mountain, and you people say that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship.”  Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe Me, an hour is coming when neither in this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father.  You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews.  But an hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers.  God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”  The woman said to Him, “I know that Messiah is coming (He who is called Christ); when that One comes, He will declare all things to us.”  Jesus said to her, “I who speak to you am He.”

--John 4:1-26  (NASB)

[The following is from my sermon delivered on Sunday, February 10th, 2013, at St. James Reformed Church in Mt. Pleasant, NC.  This is transcribed from my notes and memory.]

To avoid the Pharisees who planned to harm Him before the appointed time, Jesus took the route through Samaria, a place good Jews avoided.  They came to a small village with a well, where Jesus rested while His disciples went off to buy food for their noon meal.  A woman came to draw water from the well.  This was very unusual, because the women of the village would draw their water early in the morning while it was still cool, enough to last the day.  This woman came at noon when she could be pretty much assured no one else would be around.

Jesus spoke to her, asking for a drink of water from the well.  This also was very unusual, for a male Jew to speak to any Samaritan, let alone a female Samaritan.  And since He had no cup or other vessel to hold the water, He would have to drink from whatever she might have, which is yet another unusual occurrence, for a good Jew would consider a Samaritan's cup as being unclean and therefore he would not drink from it.

So now the stage is set for something we've never before seen.

Why did she go to the well at midday instead of in the morning with all the other women?  Because she was ashamed and didn't want to face the scorn and looks and remarks of the others.  She was shunned by the village.  By Jewish law, she could have been allowed one or two, maybe even three divorces, but she'd had five.  And now she was living with someone she was not married to.  In those times, this just wasn't done.

The woman didn't really understand what Jesus was trying to offer her.  She thought He could supply all her water needs so she would no longer have to come to the well at all, no longer have to worry about what the other women might say or do.  She knew she had a need, and Jesus kept trying to tell her that He could fill that need, but she had a little trouble figuring it out.  She got hung up on her little need and almost missed having her greater, eternal need taken care of.

Do you remember the story of sisters Martha and Mary?  Luke tells of us how Martha almost missed a divine encounter too..

Now as they were traveling along, He entered a village; and a woman named Martha welcomed Him into her home.  She had a sister called Mary, who was seated at the Lord’s feet, listening to His word.  But Martha was distracted with all her preparations; and she came up to Him and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to do all the serving alone? Then tell her to help me.”  But the Lord answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and bothered about so many things; but only one thing is necessary, for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her.”

--Luke 10:38-42  (NASB)

Martha was so caught up in all the little details - preparing the meal, setting the table, carrying food back and forth, seeing to the needs of her guests - that she almost missed the opportunity to really be with her Lord while He was in her house.  But just as He was with Martha, Christ was patient with the Samaritan woman and kept making the offer.  He put no conditions on the offer; He didn't ask that she give up anything or change.  He knew if her heart changed, she would change her life.  Even though she had no clue what was happening, Jesus came to save her.  This reminds us of what Isaiah prophesied for God...

“I permitted Myself to be sought by those who did not ask for Me; I permitted Myself to be found by those who did not seek Me.  I said, ‘Here am I, here am I,’ to a nation which did not call on My name."

--Isaiah 65:1  (NASB)

Did you notice that the Samaritan woman acknowledged that she does indeed believe in and await the coming Messiah?  She mentions that her people worship God at their temple there on Mount Gerizim, which was the equivalent to the Samaritans in importance to the temple in Jerusalem to the Jews.  The woman believes that when the Messiah comes, He will make all things known to His people.  Then, at the end of our message scripture, Jesus confirms with His own mouth that He is that Messiah.  If we found it nowhere else in the Bible, Jesus tells us with His own words that He is indeed the Christ, the Messiah, the One promised from God.

Jesus told the woman all about her life even though, as far as she was concerned, He didn't know her.  Then He threw the throttle wide open and told her He was the long awaited Messiah.  How did she respond?

So the woman left her waterpot, and went into the city and said to the men, “Come, see a man who told me all the things that I have done; this is not the Christ, is it?”  They went out of the city, and were coming to Him.

--John 4:28-30  (NASB)

Here was this woman who went to the well during the heat of the midday to fetch her water because she was so concerned about what the rest of the villagers might say about and to her.  She had obviously been doing this for a long time, trying her best to avoid everyone else, probably not so much to save face rather than to just not be hurt further by their mean words and accusations.

But in a flash all this was forgotten.  All cares about what others may say evaporated just like a drop of water in the noon sun.  She did not hesitate even a moment, leaving her waterpot behind, empty, but went into the village seeking out the men to tell them what just happened.  "Could this really be the Christ?", she asked.  Can't you just imagine how excited and incredulous she must have been.  Is this really the One we've been waiting for?  If He knew everything about her, what else must He be able to tell us?  The woman's excitement spread and the men went to check out her story.

John gives us a very interesting little side-story here.  When the disciples returned with food, they tried to give some to Jesus and encourage Him to eat.  But He responded that He had already been fed...

Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to accomplish His work.  Do you not say, ‘There are yet four months, and then comes the harvest’? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look on the fields, that they are white for harvest.  Already he who reaps is receiving wages and is gathering fruit for life eternal; so that he who sows and he who reaps may rejoice together."

--John 4:34-36  (NASB)

Jesus was doing the Father's will, saving lost souls.  His "food" was in the salvation of this Samaritan woman and all in the village who would believe in Him.  Just as in a parable told elsewhere, He notes that the harvest is ready for reaping, the true fruit being eternal life.  Some may sow the seed that others reap, but both sower and reaper can rejoice when the harvest is brought in.  Saving these people is the harvest.

Now the men of the village, and most likely they were accompanied by the women and children who would be milling about in curiosity, came out to see this man who told the woman all about her life, who knew her so well...

From that city many of the Samaritans believed in Him because of the word of the woman who testified, “He told me all the things that I have done.”  So when the Samaritans came to Jesus, they were asking Him to stay with them; and He stayed there two days.  Many more believed because of His word; and they were saying to the woman, “It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves and know that this One is indeed the Savior of the world

--John 4:39-42  (NASB)

They asked Him to stay with them a while, and we're told He stayed two days.  We can only surmise that He talked with them during that stay, showing them signs and wonders, maybe performing some acts of healing.  In the end, many were saved by His word and acknowledged Jesus as the Savior.  And it was all because of one woman, one scorned and shunned woman who feared to even show her face to the rest.  This woman was willing to take the risk of speaking to the others and sharing what she had just heard.  She shared her faith and many were saved.

Are we willing to take a risk and share our faith with others?  Chances are that we will not truly be scorned or shunned because of it, although we may be treated as mentally unbalanced or just plain silly by those who think they don't need a Savior.  But that is the chance Jesus encourages us to take.  He wants us to be like this Samaritan woman, to drop everything and go tell others this wonderful Good News about Jesus the Christ.  In his letter to the church in Rome, Paul tells us...

But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” — that is, the word of faith which we are preaching, that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.

--Romans 10:8-10  (NASB)

Not only is it good for others that we share our faith with them so that they might also be saved, but it is vital for us as well.  It isn't enough that we believe in our very hearts that Jesus Christ is Lord.  We need to open our mouths and speak those very words.  We need to let others know without a doubt that we believe, just like Jesus let us know in these verses, without a doubt, that He is the Christ, the Messiah, the Savior of all the world.  Don't make others guess how you feel and what you believe.  Tell them.  Come right out and say it.  Engage them in conversation and say "Oh, by the way, Jesus Christ is my Lord and my personal Savior."  Share your faith with others so that they might be saved.  Plant that little seed, so that they may become part of the great harvest.  Confess with your mouth so that the result will be salvation.

Amen.

Stay Awake

"Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation.  The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak."

--Matthew 26:41  (NKJV)

From the daily Bible reading on February 8, 2013 of Psalm 31:1-13; Matthew 26:31-56; Exodus 24-25.

The hour was just about upon Him.  At this point, Judas was heading out with an armed guard behind him to betray Jesus and have Him arrested.  Jesus knew this was coming and felt weary and more than a little depressed.  So He did what many of us do, and all of us should do, when sad and depressed: He went off to pray.  He took Peter and John and James and asked them to wait while He went off a little further alone.  He returned to find them sleeping and woke them with the words of today's scripture verse.  This admonition was not intended just for these three disciples, but for all of us.  Sometimes we tend to go through this life almost as if we are asleep, nearly oblivious to what goes on around us, unaware even of what we ourselves may be doing.  In that state, it is very easy for Satan to slip in a little temptation here and there, slowly luring us away from Jesus without our realizing it until eventually we are completely lost.  Our hearts, our spirits, might be firmly fixed on Christ our Savior, but our bodies, our lust for things of the flesh and earthly pleasures provide a foothold for Satan.  So stay awake, watch and pray constantly, so we are not tempted and drawn away from the One we love.

Blessed Jesus, thank you for providing us with a wake-up call and a warning to be ever alert.  Satan prowls like a lion, just looking for easy prey.  Help us stay awake, teach us to pray, that we may not fall under the evil one's temptations.  In the name of Jesus I ask and pray.  Amen.

Jesus Sang

And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.

--Matthew 26:30  (NKJV)

From the daily Bible reading on February 7, 2013 of Psalm 30; Matthew 26:6-30; Exodus 22-23.

This is one of my favorite verses in the Bible.  I love to sing (or at least make a joyful noise) and have been doing so for as long as I can remember.  (My earliest memory of me belting out a tune is of me standing before all my relatives at a family reunion and giving forth a rousing rendition of that old classic, "I'm a Little Teapot, Short and Stout".  I couldn't have been much more than three at the time.)    And I especially love to sing praises to our God and our Lord and Savior Jesus.  Sometimes the tunes are very upbeat, happy and joyful.  Sometimes they are sad, sullen and sorrowful.  But they are all for the Lord's glory and they are all a very important part of my personal worship.  So I am heartened to read  where Matthew says that Jesus and His disciples sang a hymn after eating what would be their last meal together.  Jesus knew this would be the last hours He would be spending with His followers, His friends.  At dinner He told them about the horrible events to soon unfold, about how one of His friends would betray Him and another would deny Him.  He washed their feet and reminded them how they must serve just as He served, even unto death so the many could be set free.  The atmosphere was sad, solemn, but yet they sang.  Jesus sang!  I can just see Him standing there with His friends, with His arms on the shoulders of two beside Him, singing praises to God even as He was about to be put to death!  We don't know if it was a happy song or a sad song.  It is enough for me that Jesus sang.  Praise be to God!  Amen.

Wonderful Savior, blessed Jesus, thank you so very much for the image of You and Your disciples singing a hymn after dinner.  And not just any supper, but the last time you would be gathered with Your friends before Your great sacrifice on the cross.  By Your example, I know that no matter what circumstance or situation I may find myself in, I can still sing praises to You and our heavenly Father.  Thank You, Jesus!  In the name of Jesus I give thanks and pray.  Amen.

What Do We Put First?

"You shall have no other gods before me."

--Exodus 20:3  (NKJV)

From the daily Bible reading on February 6, 2013 of Psalm 29; Matthew 25:31-26:5; Exodus 20-21.

On a mountain, with all the children of Israel gathered below, in a cloud of darkness with lightning flashing and thundering all around, God gave Moses His Laws, the Ten Commandments.  The first of these served as the basis of the response Jesus gave to the Pharisee lawyer who asked which is the great commandment: "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind." (Matthew 22:34-37).  God's commandment continued with the main gist being that we should put no other "god", nothing, before Him.  There is but one God and He is God.  If we truly love God as Jesus instructs us, it would be easy to obey this command.  But do we?  How often do we prioritize our lives to where church and worship slip down the list from where they should be at number one, even on Sundays?  We can make "gods" of any objects, real and imagined, solid or intangible.  Our idol doesn't have to be cast from gold or silver.  It may be our favorite football team.  If a race or a ball game or a crafts sale or a home goods show or a day trip to the mountains or anything else is more important to us than worshiping the God of all creation, then we are not following the great commandment, we do not fully love God.  Anything that we put before Him, anything that we devote our time and money and energy too instead of to Him becomes our false god.  This isn't to say that we can't love these things and enjoy doing them or shouldn't devote any time to them, just not to the exclusion of giving even more to God.  They should not become first, God should.  Even if we legitimately cannot honor the Sabbath and keep it holy, due to work or illness or family needs or the like, we can still find some way to honor our heavenly Father and put Him first.  All honor and glory to God, for ever and ever.  Amen.

Ever forgiving Father, please have mercy on us when we place something else before You, when we forget just how important You are to our very lives, now and throughout eternity.  Forgive us when we fail to worship You and give you the glory.  Thank you, Lord, for Your grace and Your dominion over our lives.  In Jesus' name I ask and I pray.  Amen.

Of Answered Prayer

Blessed be the Lord, because He has heard the voice of my supplications!

--Psalm 28:6  (NKJV)

From the daily Bible reading on February 5, 2013 of Psalm 28; Matthew 25:1-30; Exodus 17-19.

Prayer was very important to David and his psalms were mostly prayers, supplications, lifted to God.  When he saw that God had answered his pleadings, he was very grateful and exalted the Lord for His generosity.  God still answers prayers.  I see it almost daily and many times very specifically.  I have seen one freed from the slavery of prescription drug addiction that was destroying their life and soul and returned to their chosen profession over the course of a few years.  And I have seen peace immediately descend upon one over whom prayer was lifted that the turmoil of his heart be stilled.  God still answers our prayers, even if not within our expected time frame or with the answer we would prefer.  But we can trust that His timing will be perfect and His answer will be for our good.  We can trust in Him because He has always been faithful.  Blessed be the Lord!  Amen.

God of all creation, thank You so much for hearing our pleadings and answering our prayers.  You listen to our supplications, whether we lift others up to You or have concerns of our very own we need You help with, You consider them and provide for our needs.  I pray that we should remain as faithful to You as You are to us.  In the name of Jesus I pray.  Amen.

In Good Times and Bad

The Lord is my strength and song, and He has become my salvation; He is my God, and I will praise Him; my father's God, and I will exalt Him.

--Exodus 15:2  (NKJV)

From the daily Bible reading on February 4, 2013 of Psalm 27; Matthew 24:29-51; Exodus 15-16.

God used Moses and Aaron to lead the children of Israel out of Egypt.  Then He destroyed their pursuing enemy, delivering them to salvation across dry land in the midst of the Red Sea.  Once on the other side they celebrated, singing songs of praise to the Lord for saving them, for freeing them from their oppressors.  But just a few days later, when these memories should have still been fresh in their minds, they began to complain, accusing Moses and Aaron of bringing them into the wilderness to die of hunger.  Moses reminded them that they were really complaining against God, since Moses had done nothing without His hand, but the Lord gave them another miracle and provided food for them there in the desert.  This cycle repeated throughout their forty year wanderings through the wilderness: they praised God when He provided for them and gave them a miracle, they complained when He didn't.  We tend to do the same thing today, praising God during the good times, when He has done something good for us, but complaining during the bad times, questioning Him and blaming Him when things don't go the way we want them to.  Paul tells us to give thanks in all things and we should.  No matter the circumstance, no matter what befalls us, we can find something to give God thanks for.  We must remember He has never turned His back on us, has always been by our side, especially during the bad times, when He often carries us.  He is our God, let us praise Him.

Loving and merciful Father, forgive us when we take Your daily blessings for granted.  Forgive us when we forget to thank you for all You do for us, in good times and bad.  Thank you, O Lord, for our salvation.  In the name of Jesus I pray.  Amen.

Passing the Test

Examine me, O Lord, and prove me; try my mind and my heart.

--Psalm 26:2  (NKJV)

From the daily Bible reading on February 3, 2013 of Psalm 26; Matthew 24:1-28; Exodus 12:43-14.

The term "accountability partner" comes to mind when reading this passage.  The concept is to have a trusted friend or acquaintance that will personally hold you accountable for the things you do.  While they may do so with love, they will hold you responsible for your actions.  But David is asking the very God of all creation to look into his life and his heart for any wrongdoing, any flaw, any bad behavior or thought.  God can see anything we think, anything we do, anything we feel within us.  Not many of us, if any, could bear this level of scrutiny and pass a full examination by God.  Not even David.  But David had faith in God's forgiveness and knew that by that alone could he find favor with God.  The One who could indeed withstand God's intense scrutiny has promised to stand by us when we face God.  Jesus, the unblemished Lamb, will once again take on our sins so that God may see Jesus in us, in our minds and our hearts, that we might be proven and gain salvation.  Thank You, Sweet Jesus!

Lord Jesus, thank You so much for loving us, for taking the punishment we deserve, for bearing all our sins upon Your sinless soul.  Thank You especially for being willing to stand by us when that most intimidating time comes, that we bow before the throne of the King to be judged.  In the name of Jesus I pray.  Amen.

Blocking Off Heaven

"But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!  For you shut up the kingdom of heaven against men; for you neither go in yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in."    

--Matthew 23:13  (NKJV)

From the daily Bible reading on February 2, 2013 of Psalm 25:12-22; Matthew 23; Exodus 10:21-12:42.

In his twenty-third chapter, Matthew recorded a scolding Jesus gave the scribes and the Pharisees - a lot of "woe to you" condemnations.  These were the religious leaders, the keepers of the law of Moses, the ones who should have been setting a proper example.  But Jesus warns us to do what they say and not what they do, for they ask of others far more than they are willing to give of themselves and everything they do is for show, to elevate themselves in the eyes of man rather than those of God.  Unfortunately, that sort of behavior didn't die off with the Pharisees.  We still see it today.  Politicians and celebrities who only do good works when there are cameras around.  People treasuring their possessions more than spending time with Christ.  Even preachers in the pulpit speaking the words of God but doing the works of Satan.  Hypocrites all, trying their best to block the kingdom of heaven.  Beware!

Omnipotent Lord, You know what goes on in the hearts and minds of man.  You know our true intentions with each word we utter and each act we perform.  Thank You, Jesus, for warning us about those who would want us to think they serve what is right when evil is their intent.  Thank You for warning us not to follow their example.  We pray that You will touch their hearts and soften them to Your word and Your will.  Thank You, loving Father.  Amen.

Loving Lord

"And the second is like it: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'"    

--Matthew 22:39  (NKJV)

From the daily Bible reading on February 1, 2013 of Psalm 25:1-11; Matthew 22:15-46; Exodus 9-10:20.

When questioned by the Pharisees as to which is the great commandment, Jesus responded "to love the Lord your God with all your heart", then quoted from Leviticus 19:18, "to love your neighbor as yourself".  Jesus put loving each other second only to loving our heavenly Father as our most important responsibilities.  With His words and His actions and His deeds, He showed us how to love, what love really means.  The true heart of servitude comes from love, for when we truly love someone, we happily serve them.  Jesus wants us to serve others, just as He served, so He wants us to love others, just as He loved.  All of His works on earth - the feedings, the teachings, the healing, the raising from the dead - all these were from love, for love.  Notice He doesn't require us to like everyone or even to associate with everyone, only to love everyone.  If we do love others, we will want only what is best for them, in this life and the next.  Love even those with bad hearts, and pray that God touch and soften them.

God loves us all so much He sent us His only Son, that whoever will believe in Him will not perish forever but have everlasting life with Him.  Jesus loves us so much that He suffered and died for us, took all our sins upon Himself and carried them to the cross and to the grave, leaving them there and washing us clean with His blood.  In return, He only asks us to love each other, truly love them, in our hearts and our deeds.

Merciful Lord, You have given so much to and for us, and ask so little in return - only that we believe in Your Son and love You and love others.  Yet it seems we too often have difficulty fulfilling that last part.  We can never repay You, no matter what we do.  We should be able to love one another, but we fail even at that more times than we'd like to admit.  Please open our eyes to what others may be going through, and open our hearts to love them as You love us.  Thank you, loving Father.  Amen.