Judge Ourselves

For if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged.  But when we are judged, we are chastened by the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the world.

--1 Corinthians 11:31-32  (NKJV)

From the daily Bible reading on May 31, 2013 of Psalm 103:11-22; 1 Corinthians 11:2-34; 2 Samuel 17-18.

In the latter part of the eleventh chapter of his first letter to the church in Corinth, Paul wishes to refresh the members' memories of how he taught them to observe the Lord's Supper.  The early Christians would often gather for a fellowship meal in connection with Holy Communion, during which communications with other churches would be shared and a love offering for the widows and orphans would be collected.  Apparently some of the wealthier of the church family in Corinth had taken to eating greedily and not sharing with those who were poorer when they arrived.  Paul said it would be better if they ate and drank their fill at home first, and not defile the Lord's Supper with their greed and gluttony (please see verses 20-22).

And then Paul once again gives evidence of that very special link he has with Jesus as he accurately describes the events of the Last Supper, held on the night Christ was betrayed.  He tells the church that what he received from the Lord he delivered to them (verse 23).  The information that Christ imparted to Paul over that dedicated communications channel Paul in turn taught to the church; how Jesus gave thanks for the bread and then broke it (verse 24), the very words that Jesus spoke as He shared the bread and the cup (verses 24-25).  And while he addressed the church family in Corinth, his message to them also serves to remind us that every time we observe this ritual, we should be reflecting back on the life and death of Christ while looking forward to His second coming (verse 26).  This is not just a meal, but a remembrance of the great sacrifice Jesus made for all of us.

Finally, Paul warns that anyone who eats the bread of Christ's body or drinks from the cup of His blood while still harboring unconfessed sin will be just as "guilty of the body and the blood" of Christ as those who had Him nailed to the cross (verse 27)!  Partaking of the Lord's Supper, of Holy Communion, should be taken very seriously.  It is a time for us to search out our souls, sift through our hearts, look for any impurity we need to rid ourselves of, any sin for which we need to seek forgiveness, any ill will we hold for another.  If we don't do this, then we risk going before our Lord and being judged by Him (verse 29).  At the extreme, this could cause us physical sickness or even death (verse 30).  So as Paul tells us in today's focus verses, it will be much easier for us if we judge ourselves first, getting rid of what we find, before Christ judges us.  In this way we can avoid the severe punishment that the world will receive.  We will be forgiven if we honestly examine ourselves, realize our sin, and seek Christ's forgiveness.  Amen.

Dearest Jesus, we know You will be our judge when that day comes for us to face up to how we lived our lives.  But now we also realize that You look into us every day to see the sin that remains in our hearts.  When we carry that sin to Your holy table to share Your elements in remembrance of You, You will judge  us for that sin.  Forgive us, please Lord, for our failure to judge ourselves.  In Your blessed name, Lord Jesus we pray.  Amen.

Bless the Lord!

He has not dealt with us according to our sins, nor punished us according to our iniquities.

--Psalm 103:10  (NKJV)

From the daily Bible reading on May 30, 2013 of Psalm 103:1-10; 1 Corinthians 10:14-11:1; 2 Samuel 15:13-16.

While we may not be sure exactly what date or under what circumstances David wrote the 103rd Psalm, we can guess that it likely was written as the Ark of the Covenant was moved to Jerusalem.  This was a time of great shouting and music and joy as King David himself led the procession, a very appropriate setting for a hymn of praise to God.  King Saul was dead.  David had been anointed and established as king over all Israel and all Judah.  The Philistines had been defeated.  And the beloved and revered Ark was being moved to a more permanent home in the royal city.  (Please reference 1 Chronicles 12-15.)  Such a time would call for a great celebration, and such a celebration would demand a beautiful song of praise, just like the 103rd.

David opens this magnificent hymn by first praising God using striking imagery.  "Bless the Lord, O my soul; all that is within me, bless His holy name!"  (Please see verse 1.)  With all his heart and being, David wants to bless and praise the Lord.  Then he gives the reasons why, starting with His personal blessings on David himself, such as forgiving his sins, for healing his illnesses (verse 3), for saving him from destruction and showering him with love and mercy (verse 4), even restoring his strength and vigor as if he were young again (verse 5).  David had lived a pretty tough life to this point - on the run for his life, hiding from Saul and his men, forced to live with the enemy, losing his best and most beloved friend Jonathan.  Yet God had seen him through all this and then anointed him as king over His people.  Bless His holy name indeed!  David even notes how God had blessed the nation of Israel in times past, delivering righteousness and justice across the land and saving them when oppressed (verse 6).  He gave the law through Moses and made Himself known to all the children of Israel through His mighty acts (verse 7).

And then David speaks of God's eternal and forgiving love.  God blesses us with His mercy and His grace (verse 8).  Our Lord is slow to anger and even then doesn't stay angry with us very long (verses 8 and 9).  And as today's focus verse so eloquently points out, God has never punished us as severely as we have so rightly deserved.

Our Father, in His infinite mercy and grace and love, has never given us what we deserve; He gives us what we need.  He forgives us, He loves us unconditionally.  We have never completely obeyed Him, yet He has always been faithful to us.  We have done enough against God for all mankind to deserve to be wiped from the face of the earth.  Instead, God our heavenly Father sacrificed His only Son to the world so that the world through Him might be saved.  That is love.  Bless the Lord, O my soul!  With all that is in me, bless His holy name!  Amen.

Loving Father, thank You for not dealing with us according to our sins, for not punishing us as we so rightly deserve to be punished.  Thank You for instead giving us a way to salvation through Your Son and the sacrifice He made on the cross on our behalf.  Forgive us, please Father, our many sins against You.  In the glorious name of Jesus we pray.  Amen.

Our City of Refuge

"For we will surely die and become like water spilled on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again.  Yet God does not take away a life; but He devises means, so that His banished ones are not expelled from Him."

--2 Samuel 14:14  (NKJV)

From the daily Bible reading on May 29, 2013 of Psalm 102:23-28; 1 Corinthians 9:24-10:13; 2 Samuel 13:23-15:12.

David's son Amnon lusted after his brother Absalom's sister Tamar and eventually forced himself upon her.  When he found out what Amnon had done, Absalom was filled with rage against his brother.  For two years this hatred boiled until Absalom came up with a plan to avenge Tamar.  He invited Amnon and the rest of his brothers to Baal Hazor where he had gathered sheep shearers to tend to the flocks.  Once there, Absalom ordered his servants to rise up and kill Amnon.  The rest of the brothers fled back to Jerusalem.  Absalom himself, fearing his father's wrath, fled to Geshur where he lived for three years.  As those years passed, David eventually reconciled himself to Amnon's death and began to miss Absalom.

Joab, David's second in command, sensed the king's growing dismay and devised a scheme to allow for Absalom's return.  He recruited a wise woman of Tekoa to tell David a story of woe seeking his help and judgement over those who would take and kill her only surviving son, who himself had slain his only brother. David granted that her son should live and ordered no one should touch him.  Then the woman turned the table and showed David how he was the one wishing harm and banishment to the son who had killed his own brother, he was the one who would not allow Absalom to return home.  David saw the truth in this and sent for Absalom to come home, but would not let him see his face or even be in the king's presence.  All of this internal strife, and much more to come, was in fulfillment of God's judgement over David for his sin with Bathsheeba (please reference 2 Samuel 12:1-12).

The most striking point of the wise woman's argument is that God does not take away our life, He does not want us to suffer, He does not want us to be driven away.  So He devises the means by which we can be reunited with Him.  Yes, we will all die; it is mankind's fate to pass from this life, "like water spilled on the ground", and it cannot be avoided.  But it is not God's hand that takes our life.  Instead, He provides a way for us to continue living if we only take advantage of it.  In Old Testament days, when the children of Israel were taking possession of the Promised Land, God provided for cities of refuge to where someone could flee and live unmolested if they had accidentally killed another.  For us today, our Father provided His Son Jesus as our place of refuge, even if our sin was willful.  Through His sacrifice we can avoid being expelled from God's presence.  Through Him we can have eternal life after we pass from this earth.  Praise God for His provision!  Praise Jesus for His sacrifice!  Amen.

Heavenly Father, thank You so much for providing a means for us to avoid the second death, to escape from exile and return to Your wondrous mansion, to enjoy eternal life with You in heaven.  Thank You for the sacrifice of Your Son, and thank You Jesus for taking all our sins upon Your shoulders and leaving them in the grave.  You, Lord Jesus, are our place of refuge and You we will glorify!  In Your marvelous name, Christ Jesus we pray.  Amen.

Woe Is Me If I Do Not Preach

For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast of, for necessity is laid upon me; yes, woe is me if I do not preach the gospel!

--1 Corinthians 9:16  (NKJV)

From the daily Bible reading on May 28, 2013 of Psalm 102:13-22; 1 Corinthians 9:1-23; 2 Samuel 12-13:22.

Paul never asked for nor received payment from any church he served, although he certainly upheld that ministers should be paid for their efforts.  He backed up this belief with logic, in that other workers are compensated for their labors, and with scripture, such as when Moses ordered, "You shall not muzzle an ox while it treads out the grain."  (Please see Deuteronomy 25:4 as cited in verse 9.)  But while he made these claims for others that tended the Lord's flocks, that their needs be seen to accordingly by those they served, Paul didn't want anyone, and apparently especially not the church in Corinth, to think he was asking for any payment of any kind.  For himself, he thought it would be like he was boasting, and that he simply did not want.

And that leads to the crux of today's focus verse.  Paul did not want anyone to think he was boasting in any manner about his service to Christ Jesus because from his viewpoint he had no choice in the matter.  He had to preach the Gospel!  The compulsion to do so was so great and pervasive he could not escape it.  To preach was an absolute necessity, as critical to his survival as breathing and probably more so than eating.  "Woe is me", he added for emphasis, "if I do not preach the gospel!"  He goes on to say (in verse 17) that if he serves willingly, he will be richly rewarded for his efforts.  But even if he does so unwillingly, he has still been entrusted by God with the responsibility of spreading the Gospel.  So either way, he has no choice.  He must preach, so there's no need to pay or even praise him for his efforts.

There are many aspects of Paul's life and walk that I can closely relate to.  For years he actively persecuted the church and worked against Christ and His teachings.  I may not have had anyone tossed into prison, but I sure teased many and made fun of their belief in Jesus.  After his conversion, Paul realized the enormous weight of his sins and called himself the greatest sinner of them all.  He could only say that because he never met me, truly the greatest sinner that ever lived and walked this earth.  Yet here I stand, forgiven by the glorious grace of God our Father and the selfless sacrifice on the cross of Jesus His Son.  But what makes me feel closest to Paul is contained right there in verse 16.  I have to preach the Gospel!  I must preach the Gospel!  I have no choice whatsoever but to preach the Gospel!  Since even before my ordination, nothing has been more important to me or of greater urgency than to preach and witness to the Good News of Christ Jesus our Lord and Savior.  I pray that each of us who believe should feel this overwhelming need to witness for Jesus and spread the Good News throughout the land.  Amen.

Dearest Lord Jesus, You removed the scales from in front of my eyes and allowed me to see again, to see Your truth, the true life.  You poured out the old person I was and filled me with a burning desire to share all the goodness You have done in and for me with everyone I see.  Please, dear Jesus, touch everyone of Your  church the way You touched Paul and me, that they might feel Your glory and share in this wonderful delight of teaching the world of Your true story.  In Your beautiful name, O Jesus I pray.  Amen.

The Food We Eat

But food does not commend us to God; for neither if we eat are we the better, nor if we do not eat are we the worse.

--1 Corinthians 8:8  (NKJV)

From the daily Bible reading on May 27, 2013 of Psalm 102:1-12; 1 Corinthians 8; 2 Samuel 9-11.

In the eighth chapter of his first letter to the church in Corinth, Paul addresses their concerns about food, specifically whether they should obey the law as handed down by Moses that forbids the eating of anything previously given as an offering to a false god, any food placed before an idol to appease it.  Paul assures them that even if there are other gods, there is only one true God and only one Jesus Christ.  Any other god or idol is empty, nothing, and anything offered up to it is merely wasted food otherwise, so eating it is no sin. Paul notes that simply eating food, no matter the source, does not make us better or worse in the eyes of God.

In this context, Paul echos the words Jesus used when addressing the accusatory questions leveled by the scribes and Pharisees who asked why He allowed His disciples to break from tradition by not ritually washing their hands before eating.  His disciples, as usual, did not fully understand His reply so He explained that it is not what enters a person by their mouth that defiles them, but what comes out of their mouth.  Jesus further clarified that what goes into the mouth enters the stomach and is eventually eliminated.  But whatever comes out of the mouth, specifically our words, originate from the heart, and it is from the heart that evil thoughts proceed, such as of murder, theft, adulteries, lies, blasphemies.  These are the things that defile a person, that displease God, not the things we might eat.  (Please reference Matthew 15:1-20.)

But Paul asks us to consider what we eat not so much for ourselves, we who believe in Christ Jesus and have the benefit of knowing His teachings such as in the preceding paragraph.  Paul's concern is for those who may be weaker in their faith, or even non-believers entirely, that might see us eating and take note of what we consume.  They might not understand that food and drink are only fuels for the body and may still think certain things to be forbidden.  Seeing us consume these supposedly taboo things could encourage them to do likewise, but because they don't have the knowledge and understanding that we possess, they could think they're getting away with sinning, which would displease God.  In other words, we, strong in our faith, could cause someone weaker in their faith to stumble in their walk with God.  The Lord would not be pleased with us if we did that, so we should be careful lest our actions, while innocent in and of themselves, make someone else trip up and fall.  Amen.

Lord God, please forgive us when something we do, even though innocent in our knowledge and in Your eyes, causes someone else to trip up and stumble.  Please help us to always realize that others watch us, some to see if we fail but others who want to be like us and have what we have, our deep faith in You.  Please help us always to be good role models in everything we say and the example we set with how we live our life.  In the name of Jesus we pray.  Amen.

Standards of Ethics

My eyes shall be on the faithful of the land, that they may dwell with me; he who walks in a perfect way, he shall serve me.

--Psalm 101:6  (NKJV)

From the daily Bible reading on May 26, 2013 of Psalm 101; 1 Corinthians 7; 2 Samuel 7-8.

Psalm 101 is one of those in a smaller group sometimes referred to as the "royal" or "enthronement" psalms, so called because they focus primarily on the position of king, either an earthly king or God Himself as King. Here we have David, anointed by God to rule over His people, setting ethical standards for himself and for his administration.  Of course, the standards he wanted to set are so high, only Jesus will be able to perfectly meet them when He returns to establish His kingdom on the new earth.  And we know that David failed to live up to his own expectations, most notoriously by sinning with Bathsheba.  But his intentions are noteworthy for a number of reasons, and were likely very heartfelt at the time he made these promises.

After first giving praise and glory to God, David pledges to try to live ("give heed to") a blameless life, to be a man of great integrity, to keep the kingdom of God as his top priority and not to obsess on worthless things of the world.  He vows to stay away from those who do not obey the Lord and to not have anything to do with them, their actions, or any of their works.  He even says he will act against evildoers, going so far as to claim he will destroy them.But then he promises to hold in high esteem those who are faithful and do follow God.  While he may try to rid his kingdom and especially his administration of the bad people, the good ones he will allow to stay and dwell with him.  He finishes by making it clear that his intent is to remove from his presence and his rule all those who do iniquity, who do not follow the Lord.

Although David may have failed a little in their execution, his ideas and his ideals are very good even today.  We should adopt some of his standards and apply them to our own daily life.  First, we should be careful how we associate with non-believers, especially those who blatantly and openly sin.  Granted, we cannot positively impact a non-believer if we don't interact with them and witness to them.  Nor can we completely isolate ourselves from the world.  We must carry the Gospel to those who need to hear it.  But we want to influence them and not allow them to influence us.  Next, we need to put less importance on the things that the world can provide and more emphasis on maturing our faith and expanding the kingdom of God.  And finally, as much as possible, we should surround ourselves with other believers of good faith.  In this way we can support and teach and uphold each other.  This is what God would have us do, as He instructed through the vows of David.  Amen.

Dear Father in heaven, thank You for giving us guidance through the pledge made by one You anointed as king so very long ago.  The standards he tried to set for himself are those we need to follow ourselves in our daily walk.  With Your help, Father, and the guidance of Your Holy Spirit, we can avoid the traps Satan would set for us by the hands of those who do his bidding.  In the name of Jesus, our Good Shepherd, we pray.  Amen.

Sanctified and Justified

And such were some of you.  But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.  All things are lawful for me, but all things are not helpful.  All things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.

--1 Corinthians 6:11-12  (NKJV)

From the daily Bible reading on May 25, 2013 of Psalm 100; 1 Corinthians 6; 2 Samuel 5-6.

In writing this first letter to the church in Corinth, Paul addresses some of the spiritual and moral problems being experienced there.  Chapter 6 begins with the issue of believers within the church allowing non-believers of the world to judge and settle non-criminal disputes among themselves.  Today's focus verses warn against moral laxity within the church family.

Remember first that the church was literally set down in the middle of a very immoral society (please see "Being Saved").  That culture began to seep through the walls of the church and into its members.  Paul prefaces his warning with a long list of acts, sins, lifestyles that disqualify a person from entry into heaven (please see verses 9 and 10).  He reminds the church family that they themselves indulged in such activity at one time, that they were active participants in that very worldly and carnal culture.  But then Jesus died on the cross for them and they were washed clean of their sins by His blood.  They accepted Him into their hearts and their lives and were sanctified, set apart from the rest of the world for use by God.  And by His death and resurrection and the indwelling Holy Spirit they are justified to stand beside Jesus before God on their day of judgement.  But by being sanctified, they should make every effort to stay apart from the culture in which they must live, so that God can make the best use of them for His purposes.

The trouble is, the church had fallen into the trap of thinking that since they had been saved, since they were justified, they could return to their more sinful ways without fear of condemnation.  They seemed to be ignoring the sanctification part, of staying separate from the ways of the world, and were using their newly gained Christian freedom to justify their renewed immorality, to permit their sins.  Paul is telling them they not only need to consider the letter of the law (so to speak, using today's terminology), but the intent of the law as well.  While it may be perfectly legal to do some act, does it necessarily follow that it is right to do so, that it is the correct thing to do?  Paul says no, that even though some behavior may be permissible, it should also be helpful, to themselves and to God.  And it should never become all-consuming, enslaving them to that behavioral pattern.  Our behavior should reflect both our justification and our sanctification.

We need to keep these two conditions at the forefront of our decision-making.  Is what I am about to do helpful to myself, to my fellow man, to God?  Will it consume me and control my behavior?  Does it serve our heavenly Father and advance His kingdom?  We have been sanctified as well as justified.  We must keep ourselves set apart from the world for God's use.  Amen.

Lord God, too often we find ourselves in the place of those early Christians, tempted by Satan, confused about what is right and what is allowed, too willing to allow ourselves more moral leeway than we allow others.  Help us follow Paul's exhortation, dear Father, to live apart from the world even while living in it, to be in the world but not of it.  In the name of Jesus we seek Your help and we pray.  Amen.

Choices

"May God do so to Abner, and more also, if I do not do for David as the Lord has sworn to him - to transfer the kingdom from the house of Saul, and set up the throne of David over Israel and over Judah, from Dan to Beersheba."

--2 Samuel 3:9-10  (NKJV)

From the daily Bible reading on May 24, 2013 of Psalm 99; 1 Corinthians 5; 2 Samuel 3-4.

Abner served as the commander of the army of Israel under King Saul.  With the king's death and the defeat of the army by the Philistines, Abner basically became the leader of the bodyguard for Saul's only surviving son, Ishbosheth.  David had control of all Judah while Ishbosheth and Abner, the remnant of the house of Saul, still held sway over Israel.  But then Ishbosheth greatly angered Abner by accusing him of sleeping with the king's concubine.  Maybe this incident just woke Abner up so he could see what so many others were beginning to grasp and call out for.  Whatever the reason, Abner, who had sent countless men out to track and try to kill David and who himself had fought against David's lieutenants, this Abner who had for so long been loyal to Saul, was now beginning to understand that it was God's will that David be king over all of the house of Jacob.  It should have been evident to even the most casual observer that Saul had lost God's favor and that the Lord's grace now shone upon David.  Abner finally understood that this transfer of power must take place, for God willed it and what God wills can not be stopped and should not be impeded by man.  With his words to Ishbosheth in today's focus verses, Abner swore his loyalty to David and to the fulfillment of God's plan.

God gave mankind free will so that we can make choices whenever we are faced with more than one path we can follow.  We can choose to obey God, or to stand against Him.  We can choose to believe in and follow Jesus, or we can ignore Him.  Abner could have chosen to continue serving the house of Saul, but instead chose to serve God by honoring David and helping him establish his kingdom over all of Israel and all of Judah, from the city of Dan in the far north to that of Beersheba in the south.  Abner recognized this to be God's plan, one he could not try to block but instead should help along any way and every way he could.

God intends only good for those who love Him and are called to His purpose (please see Romans 8:28).  Abner was called to God's purpose and answered that call.  Though he was murdered on earth, David sang his praises and he would reap God's reward in heaven.  Just as Abner, we are often faced with difficult choices.  The correct path to take may not appear very clear to us.  We need to ask Jesus to light our way and guide our decisions.  We need to pray to the Father to make His will plain before our eyes.  Then we need to follow the plan He shows us.  And, like Abner, we need to be prepared to change directions when we see we've made a mistake.  Seek the Lord's will, and follow it.  Amen.

Father in heaven, so many times we find ourselves faced with difficult situations where the right choice to make is just not clear to us.  We cannot see far enough ahead to know which path leads to the foot of the cross and to Jesus.  We worry that we might stray off course and become lost.  Please, Father, show us enough of Your will for us that we might choose wisely in all things.  Please, Jesus, be a lamp unto our feet and guide our every step.  In Jesus' name we pray.  Amen.

Sing a New Song

Oh, sing to the Lord a new song!  For He has done marvelous things; His right hand and His holy arm have gained Him the victory.

--Psalm 98:1  (NKJV)

From the daily Bible reading on May 23, 2013 of Psalm 98; 1 Corinthians 4; 2 Samuel 1-2.

According to my quick count, there are four psalms that begin by compelling us to "sing to the Lord", three of which urge us to sing a "new song".  Interestingly, we do not know the authors of any of these so all four psalms remain anonymous.  Nonetheless, they all invoke a sense of beauty and of worship.  We should sing to the Lord; not just talk or pray or humbly beseech, but sing!  Lift our heads and our hands and our voices and let the music of joyful praises flow from our mouth loud enough and strong enough and long enough to reach up to His throne in heaven.  Let our song be one the angels will rush to join in on, adding "Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, Who was and is and is to come!" as a chorus!

And let us not sing any old song, one we've known and sung forever, one for which we no longer feel any emotion over, one that God would find boring because it bores us as we just mechanically drone out the words.  (Sound familiar?  Think of how the Lord's Prayer or the Apostles Creed usually sound when recited corporately.)  No, let us sing a new song, one fresh on our lips and our hearts.  Jesus creates in us a new person when we accept Him as our Lord and Master, so let us create in ourselves new songs to praise and worship our Lord.  Sing new songs that will refresh and revive our souls within us, that will rekindle our emotional response to our Savior and even to each other, that will delight and please our God.

And let us sing these new songs to God on high because He has done and continues to do marvelous things. He put the stars in the sky and holds them there.  He gave us this beautiful garden to be our temporary home.  He came to us when we were dead in sin and made us new and gave us new life in Jesus Christ, paid by His holy sacrifice on the cross.  Death did not stop Jesus for our Father raised Him from the grave and seated Him at His right hand.  And that Right Hand and His holy arm have already secured the great victory over the evil one and his forces, a victory we will see and join in on when Christ Jesus returns to take His church home!

So let us lift up our heads, lift up our eyes, put a big smile on our faces and sing out with all the joy within us!  He is worthy of our praise and our worship.  Our God does marvelous things!  Sing a new song!

O Father, we lift our hearts and voices to heaven as we sing a new song of worship and glory to You!  May the song coming from our heart, the song we sing by the very way we live our life, be pleasing to You and worthy of Your praise.  In the marvelous name of Jesus Christ we pray.  Amen.

Working the Field

Now he who plants and he who waters are one, and each one will receive his own reward according to his own labor.  For we are God's fellow workers; you are God's field, you are God's building.

--1 Corinthians 3:8-9  (NKJV)

From the daily Bible reading on May 22, 2013 of Psalm 97; 1 Corinthians 3; 1 Samuel 30-31.

In the third chapter of his first letter to the church in Corinth, Paul addresses the divisions that exist and are growing in the church.  He warns that by allowing this contention to continue, they risk their spiritual growth being stunted and even the loss of future rewards in heaven.  To make his point more understandable to the people, he takes a page from Jesus' lesson plan and uses two allegories folks should be familiar with:  that of farmers growing crops and of master builders raising a structure.

Part of the division that existed in the church in Corinth came about because of its members choosing sides.  Some would say they followed the teachings of Paul, while others that of Apollos.  Now Apollos was a learned and eloquent Jew, originally from Alexandria in Egypt, who became a very influential leader in the early church.  A former disciple of John the Baptist, he was well-versed in the Old Testament scripture and "spoke and taught accurately the things of the Lord" (please see Acts 18:25).  Paul started the church in Corinth, and Apollos later served there.  This led Paul to say that while he had planted the seed (begun the church), Apollos came along afterwards and watered it (continued preaching and teaching the things of the Lord) (verse 6).  But, Paul notes, it is God alone who causes the growth of the seed, or in this case the spiritual growth in His children (verse 7).  Paul and Apollos are one, united in their goal of spreading the Gospel and bringing people to Christ, and each of them will be rewarded in heaven based on their individual efforts toward achieving that goal (verse 8).  Both are God's workers, as are all preachers and church leaders today.  The people, God's children, are God's field, where the seed of the Good News of Christ Jesus is to be planted, watered, and nourished (verse 9).

Jesus more than once used the analogy of sowing seed, even noting that, "the good seed is the Son of Man, and the field is the world" (please reference Matthew 13:37-38).  Jesus also tells us that, "the harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few" (reference Luke 10:2).  We need more folk like Paul and Apollos, men and women willing to till God's field, to plant the seed of the Gospel, to water and nourish that seed by continuing to teach the word of God, to watch over it as God makes that seed grow and flourish within our hearts.  The petty divisions we allow to creep into our church family keep us from the more important business at hand.  Leave the bickering behind, and get back in the field.  There's much more work to be done before our harvest reward.  Amen.

O Lord of the harvest, we pray that we are up to the task of planting and watering Your seed.  Please forgive us when we allow our differences to distract us and keep us from the real work.  Help us remember our promise to Jesus when we accepted Him into our heart, so that His seed might continue to grow within us and spread out into all the world.  In the glorious name of our Lord Jesus we pray.  Amen.

A Costly Mistake

"Moreover the Lord will also deliver Israel with you into the hand of the Philistines.  And tomorrow you and your sons will be with me.  The Lord will also deliver the army of Israel into the hand of the Philistines."

--1 Samuel 28:19  (NKJV)

From the daily Bible reading on May 21, 2013 of Psalm 96; 1 Corinthians 2; 1 Samuel 27-29.

Samuel was dead and buried.  The Philistines amassed their forces and encamped at Shunem, ready to do battle with Israel in the plains of Jezreel where their more sophisticated weapons would give them an even greater advantage.  In obedience to the law, Saul had exiled all the mediums and those who purported to communicate with spirits.  And now God had gone silent and would not speak with Saul either in his dreams or through his priests or any of the prophets.  In a near-panic, the king had nowhere left to turn so he told his trusted servants to find someone who could conjure up the spirits of the dead.  As it happens, one medium, a woman, had managed to hide from the purge.  In disguise, Saul and his men went to her and asked her to bring forth Samuel.  From the scripture describing her reaction as screaming (please see verse 12), apparently the medium surprised herself by the actual spirit of Samuel coming forth rather than her usual parlor tricks.  (God allowed Samuel to deliver His message to Saul.  It just seems more fitting that way, since Samuel, at the Lord's bidding, had anointed Saul as king over Israel that he should now pronounce God's condemnation over him as well.)  The once proud and mighty king fell face down to the ground as he explained the dire situation to Samuel's spirit and sought his counsel.  Samuel was perturbed, to say the least.

In effect, Samuel replied to Saul saying, "What did you expect?  I told you and all the children of Israel that having a king rule over you, rather than trusting in the Lord our God, would only work as long as you obey the voice of the Lord our God.  Disobey, and He will take His favor from you.  And disobey you did.  You thought your decision making to be better than His and you refused to deal with the Amalekites as He ordered, and the people blindly followed you, just happy to have a king all their very own.  Now you will all pay the price.  You and your sons will soon be dead, with me.  Your army will be defeated and routed.  And God will make David, whom you tried your best to kill, king over all Israel.  I warned you this could happen, and now it is."  And indeed it did.

Saul and the people of Israel paid a huge price for disobeying God.  Saul thought he knew better than God, that he could get away with second-guessing the Lord of all creation.  Too often we're guilty of the same thing.  We think our ideas are better than what God has planned.  We try to order Him to do our bidding, offer Him deals if He'll do things our way.  We only tithe or worship or love Him and one another when it is convenient or serves our purposes.  We expect God to answer us just because we call the name of His Son. We've been warned.  Samuel sounded the alarm and told us exactly what can happen.  We must obey the Lord and listen to His voice.  Otherwise we may make a very costly mistake.  Obey the Lord.  Amen.

Heavenly Father, Lord of all, Holy Holy Holy be Your name in all creation!  Forgive us, merciful Father, for not obeying You, for not heeding Your word, for not following Your instructions.  Please remind us to always pause before making a decision so that we might seek Your counsel, and listen for Your voice in our lives.  Please do not take Your favor from us but continue to pour out Your many blessings upon us.  In the gracious name of Jesus we beg You and we pray.  Amen.

Being Saved

For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of no effect.  For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

--1 Corinthians 1:17-18  (NKJV)

From the daily Bible reading on May 20, 2013 of Psalm 95; 1 Corinthians 1; 1 Samuel 24:14-26.

Corinth was a large and important port city in the day, boasting all the amenities of a cultural center, including idol worship, heavy drinking, and institutionalized prostitution.  The immoral condition of Corinth was well known, and the city became synonymous with everything sinful.  Into this environment Paul planted a church while on his second missionary journey.  Very probably due to cultural influence, the church experienced many problems such as divisions within the church itself, pervasive immorality, and questions about such things as marriage, food, worship, and the resurrection.  A wide array of beliefs and practices could be found within the church.  Paul sought to provide them with guidance and leadership with this letter.

It is interesting to note at the beginning of today's focus verses that Paul saw his calling to be to preach the Gospel, not to baptize.  While he did practice the ritual for some, it should be clear from this statement that he did not consider baptism to be necessary for salvation.  This is backed up by Jesus Himself, when He told His disciples, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.  He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned."  (Please see Mark 16:15-16.)  Belief in the Gospel of Jesus the Christ is what is absolutely required for salvation.  And belief in the Gospel can only occur if the Gospel is first taught (please reference Romans 10:14).  So Paul sees it to be far more critical that he preach and spread the Gospel.  He also shows it very important not to be too clever in our speech when preaching the Gospel, not to use overly fancy eloquence or to make ultra-persuasive argumentation, but to let the Good News speak for itself.  Otherwise we might diminish or distract from what Christ accomplished on the cross, from what God is telling us.

And that message of the cross, Paul tells us, will appear meaningless to those who refuse to hear and accept it.  But to those who do believe, who are being saved, the message God delivered through Christ Jesus on His cross is one of His mighty power at work in the lives of man.  Our cross is empty.  Jesus died, yet lives.  That is the powerful message of the cross.  Mighty God brought Jesus back from death and gave Him life, just as He will do for us if we but believe.

But it takes more than a message, it takes more than baptism.  Paul uses the words "being saved" for a reason.  Through our belief in the Gospel we are being saved, we are actively seeking and receiving salvation.  Jesus is actively at work in us, our faith is active within us.  Nothing is standing still.  Be active for Jesus.  Spread His Good News throughout all the world.  Amen.

Blessed Jesus, thank You for being active in our lives.  Thank You for the sacrifice You made and for the glorious message Your story provides.  May we help spread Your wonderful Gospel to everyone we see, being witnesses to Your eternal faithfulness and to You being alive within us.  In Your treasured name, Christ Jesus we pray.  Amen.

No Cast-offs

For the Lord will not cast off His people, nor will He forsake His inheritance.

--Psalm 94:14  (NKJV)

From the daily Bible reading on May 19, 2013 of Psalm 94:12-23; Mark 16; 1 Samuel 23:7-24:13.

The 94th Psalm laments that wickedness exists in the world, accuses the wicked for their evil deeds and ways, and warns them that there will come a day when they will be judged and held accountable by God, for God knows what they are doing and even what they are thinking (please see verses 1-11).  Then the psalmist turns more hopeful, expressing confidence in God's justice.  The psalmist notes that the Lord often teaches us life lessons by chastening us and having us bear up under adversity.  In this way we grow stronger and purer, and in doing so may be spared some future tribulations (verses 12 and 13).  Of course, the wicked and others who refuse to learn what God would teach are fated to be cast into the pit, as we see happens to Satan in the book of Revelation (Revelation 19:20-20:3).

The psalmist follows this with words of comfort, by assuring us that God will not abandon His people, echoing the sentiments Samuel used to console the people after reminding them that they had done evil in God's eyes for wanting a king over them (1 Samuel 12:22).  The Apostle Paul, in his letter to the church in Rome, also assures us that God will not cast us aside and provides scripture from the prophets to support his argument (Romans 11:1-5).  For his part, Samuel  backs up his assertion that God won't leave us alone simply because God is God, the very reputation of His name indicates He would never abandon us.  Besides, Samuel says, it pleased the Lord to have created us, so why dump us?

And then the psalmist declares that God will not forsake His inheritance.  That's us, God's inheritance.  That's also Jesus.  In yesterday's devotion (please see "The Greatest Pain"), we saw how Jesus cried out, "My God, why have You forsaken Me?"  (Mark 15:34.)  But God hadn't really abandoned His Son, it just seemed like it at that moment to Jesus.  And God doesn't really forsake us or cast us away, even those times when it seems like it to us.  He simply won't do that.  He can't do that, for His own sake!  It is not in God's nature or His will to abandon us.  The psalmist, Samuel, and Paul all took efforts to make sure we understand that we can rest assured of God's steadfast presence and faithfulness.  If we feel He's turned from us, all we have to do is humbly pray and He will make His presence known.

One last measure of blessed assurance comes from Jesus Himself, when He promises, "And lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age."  (Matthew 28:20.)  What greater comfort can we take than to know our Lord and Savior is with us always?  He will never abandon us, nor forsake us.  Amen.

Loving Father, You are ever faithful.  So many times in Your Holy Word You tell us of Your love and that You could never forsake us nor leave us.  Thank You so much for this assurance, dear Lord, and forgive us when we have those moments of nagging doubt.  Thank You, Lord Jesus, for being with us always.  In Your blessed name, sweet Jesus we pray.  Amen.

The Greatest Pain

And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?" which is translated, "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?"

--Mark 15:34  (NKJV)

From the daily Bible reading on May 18, 2013 of Psalm 94:1-11; Mark 15:21-47; 1 Samuel 20:35-23:6.

Jesus, when He walked among us, was God in human form.  He was fully man, and He was fully God.  From the very beginning He knew how it would all end.  He knew exactly what must be done and why.  He was completely aware of what He had to do and what would happen to Him for God's will to be carried out.  Yet even forearmed with all this knowledge and divine power, Jesus still felt deeply distressed about what would befall Him, even to the point of asking the Father to change His plan (please reference Mark 14:33-36).  Even with all this knowledge, even being God, Jesus was taken aback by the extreme depth of pain He suffered on that cross and shouted out, "My God, why have You forsaken Me?"

It wasn't the physical pain that Jesus endured being nailed to that tree or while hanging there that made Him cry out like that.  Yes, crucifixion was a terrible means of execution meant to send a clear message to any potential enemies of the state.  Death came slowly and painfully, usually dragging out two or three days.  But that is not why Jesus cried out.  He had already endured being beaten with rods by the Jewish Temple guards, getting slapped around by His Roman guards, and finally lashed with a whip that shreds flesh from the body.  All this He withstood silently, without uttering a word or a whelp.  Nor did the mental anguish make our Lord scream from indignation or humiliation.  He had already been spat on, ridiculed, pushed around, paraded in front of those who just recently had worshiped Him, stripped of His clothing, had a murderer freed in His place, stood by as the people He came to save cast Him off.  And all of this He again took without making a sound.

So what was the source of Jesus' great pain?  What had caused Him so much distress earlier, just thinking about what would happen, that He told God that if there was any other way He'd rather not go through with this?  What could bring God as Man to the very lowest depths of despair?  Jesus, on that cross, took all of the sins of the world once and for all.  What a horrible, tremendous burden He bore, all the sins of every person that ever lived, that was alive, and that ever would live laid directly on His shoulders.  And all for our sake.  (Please reference 2 Corinthians 5:21.)  Is there any wonder why He would feel abandoned, why He would cry out to God, His Father?

We tend to think God has forsaken us just because things aren't going our way.  We accuse Him of abandoning us when even the most minor affliction befalls us.  We wonder if He hasn't turned His back to us when our prayers aren't immediately answered.  We would never be able to stand the great suffering Jesus endured on our behalf, pain He did not deserve.  So we can't hold it against Him that He for just a moment felt all alone and forgotten.  But the thing is, God did not forsake Him.  God brought Jesus back from death and into heaven to sit at His right hand.  Nor has our Father in heaven abandoned us.  He has great rewards in store for us as well.  God knows what must be done and why.  And it is all for our ultimate good.  No matter how it feels at the time, God loves us and is working all things to the good of those who love Him and are called to His purpose (please see Romans 8:28).  Praise God.  Amen.

Dear Father in heaven, please forgive us when we doubt You, when we feel like You've forgotten us even though You have never broken any promise You ever made.  Blessed Jesus, thank You for taking our sins upon Yourself so that we might be saved.  Please forgive us when we add to that terrible burden by sinning against our Father and You.  We want to do what is right in Your eyes, but we too often fall to the temptations of the evil one.  Help us, O Lord, be truer to You.  In Jesus' name we pray.  Amen.

Among the Prophets

Then Saul sent messengers to take David.  And when they saw the group of prophets prophesying, and Samuel standing as leader over them, the Spirit of God came upon the messengers of Saul, and they also prophesied.

--1 Samuel 19:20  (NKJV)

From the daily Bible reading on May 17, 2013 of Psalm 93; Mark 15:1-20; 1 Samuel 19-20:34.

As commander of a thousand men (please see verse 18:13), David was showing himself to be a very capable military leader, a mighty warrior, and a man of great valor.  He and his men returned victorious every time they went out to battle the Philistines.  The people held him in high esteem, and the women began to sing songs about him, giving him credit for being a fiercer fighter than even the King.  The more successful David proved himself, and the more his popularity grew, the more resentful Saul became.  The King's jealousy finally drove him to the point of having David killed.  With his wife Michal's help, David managed to escape.

David fled to Ramah, to seek Samuel's help and advice.  Samuel took David to Naioth, a community within Ramah where a school of the prophets was located, perhaps to ask the counsel of the Holy Spirit or to be surrounded by and protected by men of God.  When word came to Saul that David could be found in Naioth, he sent men to take David captive and bring him back to the King, most likely to be executed.  When Saul's messengers arrived, they saw David in the company of the prophets, with Samuel at their center, and all prophesying.  And then an amazing thing happened.  The Spirit of God washed over Saul's armed guard and they began prophesying too.  To prophesy is to speak for God, to let Him use an other's voice to share His message with His children, to indicate His divine will for all mankind on earth and later in heaven.  The only thing special or different about a prophet is the presence of God's Holy Spirit within them speaking through them.  This tableau repeated itself two more times with the same result.  Three sets of armed guards sent out to do Saul's will, and all turned by the Holy Spirit to do God's will, to speak His word.  Saul himself traveled to Naioth to take David prisoner, and he also was overcome by God's Spirit and began speaking His message.  Unfortunately, the Spirit didn't stay with Saul and the raging jealousy soon returned, forcing David to flee for his life once more.

In this short tale we see a beautiful and succinct example of how God can take an act meant for evil and make good come from it.  Saul's men, and even Saul himself, meant to carry David off to his death.  Instead, God poured His Holy Spirit over them and used them to speak His word, to deliver His message to any who were within earshot, leading the people to wonder if Saul was now one of the prophets (please see verse 24).  A second lesson we can take from this is that any of us may be filled by the Holy Spirit at any time in order that God might speak through us.  His message may come through the words leaving our mouth, or by how we live our life.  Be a good and willing prophet.  Amen.

Heavenly Father, may Your Holy Spirit wash over us and fill us to overflowing, that we might better serve You and be Your prophets.  May the words of our mouths and the way we live our lives be for Your sake and pleasing to You.  In Jesus' dearest name we pray.  Amen.

Coming with the Clouds of Heaven

But He kept silent and answered nothing.  Again the High Priest asked Him, saying to Him, "Are You the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?"  Jesus said, "I am.  And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven."

--Mark 14:61-62  (NKJV)

From the daily Bible reading on May 16, 2013 of Psalm 92; Mark 14:53-72; 1 Samuel 17:38-18.

The religious leadership in Jerusalem ordered that Jesus be taken prisoner and brought to them.  They considered Him blasphemous, His message a threat to their way of life.  They wanted Him dead but lacked the authority to have Him executed.  They didn't even have any real charges to levy against Him, so they paraded men before Him, men willing to lie, who gave false testimony against Him.  Through it all Jesus said nothing.  Defense at this point probably seemed irrelevant to Him, since He knew the outcome.  So the High Priest, maybe frustrated and trying to get to the root of the matter, sought to get what would be in their eyes the ultimate blasphemy from Jesus.  "Are You the promised Messiah", he asked Jesus, "the Son of God?"  "Yes, I am", Jesus quietly answered.  His fate, long ago known and assured, was now sealed.

Just to make sure the High Priest and all those with him fully understood who they were dealing with and the implications of their actions, Jesus added that they would one day see the Son of Man seated at God's right hand.  This is the judgement seat, and Christ's warning to the religious leaders that He would sit in judgement over all of mankind.  "Son of Man" was Jesus' favorite designation for Himself, one He used often.  It links Him to the world and His mission to save mankind.  It emphasizes how He came to us in lowliness and humility.  It denotes His humanity but points to His future reign as King of kings.  And this name, along with the next phrase Jesus spoke to the High Priest, is based on a passage from the book of Daniel (please reference Daniel 7:13-14.)  In his vision of the four beasts (please see Daniel 7:1-12), he watches as the vision continues to unfold.  "And behold, One like the Son of Man coming with the clouds of heaven!  He came to the Ancient of Days."  One way to consider Jesus is that the Son of Man walked the earth and the Son of God reigns in heaven.  So "One like the Son of Man"  can be taken as the Son of God after He ascended to heaven.  Jesus will fulfill this prophesy when He returns.  The Apostle John affirms this, using nearly the same words, in what Christ revealed to him of the end of days.  "Then I looked, and behold, a white cloud, and on the cloud sat One like the Son of Man."  (Please see Revelation 14:14.)

Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah, the Son of Man and the Son of God.  He tells us so Himself.  And God confirms it by its conclusion within the pages of His Holy Word, our Bible.  We can take great comfort in this knowledge, and in knowing the outcome of the final battle, when Jesus comes with the clouds of heaven to defeat the evil one and take His church home.  Praise the Lord.  Amen.

Dearest Lord Jesus, You stood there while those You came to save lied about You, spat on You, beat You.  And You said nothing in Your defense.  Instead You testified to the truth, that You are indeed the Christ, the Son of Man and the Son of God.  Lord, we anxiously await Your return, with the clouds of heaven, when You take us home to live with You forever.  Help us remain faithful, dear Lord, until that beautiful day.  In Your most precious name, Jesus we pray.  Amen.

From God's Perspective

But the Lord said to Samuel, "Do not look at His appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him.  For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart." 

--1 Samuel 16:7  (NKJV)

From the daily Bible reading on May 15, 2013 of Psalm 91; Mark 14:27-52; 1 Samuel 16-17:37.

Because Saul disobeyed God's command to completely destroy the Amalekites, he lost pleasure in the Lord's sight.  God turned from Saul and found another to give His blessings to.  So He sent Samuel to Bethlehem in Judah, to the house of Jesse.  The Lord had instructed Samuel to anoint the one He would point out, but had given Samuel no name.  So Jesse paraded his eight sons before Samuel one at a time, starting with the oldest.  When Samuel was introduced to Eliab, Jesse's firstborn, he thought that surely this must be the Lord's chosen.  But God told him, "No.  You look at his physical height and stature and think him a king.  But I look at his heart and know him not to be."  After Samuel had seen seven of Jesse's sons and had not yet met the one chosen by God, the youngest, David, was brought in from the fields where he had been keeping his father's sheep.  God spoke to Samuel again, saying, "This is the one."

Here we see an excellent study in the contrast of perspectives.  On the one hand we view how man looks at others, slanted by what he deems important in himself, tinged by the lusts of his flesh.  On the other hand we have God's inspection of His creation, colored solely by His grace, His mercy, and His love.  We look at others and see their physical attributes because we look with our eyes.  God looks at us and sees our heart because He looks with His heart.  Sometimes, knowing how we size up each other, God will make someone more or less attractive to us so as to meet His task, to accomplish His will.  Sometimes, knowing our weakness for the hungers of the flesh, Satan will present someone more or less attractive to us so as to tempt us, to draw us away.  If we rely solely on our eyes and the reactions of our bodies, we may not be able to tell the difference, we may be pulled away from God's plan rather than toward meeting it.  We need to practice God's approach more often.  We need to look more closely into each other's hearts, including our own, and prayerfully try to determine the true intentions on both sides.  We need to view each other through the same glasses Jesus uses: through grace and mercy and love.  Before we act based on our human perception of another, we need to try our hand at viewing them using the Lord's divine perception.  We need to examine our own heart as to whether our action would be pleasing in God's sight.  Jesus stands between us and the Father so that God might see us through His eyes.  May we be as gracious when viewing others.  Amen.

Heavenly Father, Your ways are not our ways.  Your thoughts are not our thoughts.  And Your perspective is not our perspective.  Lord, please help us to see others more clearly and closely through Your eyes rather than ours.  Tinge our perspective with Your love and allow us to see their and our own hearts.  Help us be more like Your Son and our Master, Jesus.  In the name of Jesus we beseech You.  Amen.

From Everlasting to Everlasting

Lord, You have been our dwelling place in all generations.  Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever You had formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God.

--Psalm 90:1-2  (NKJV)

From the daily Bible reading on May 14, 2013 of Psalm 90; Mark 14:1-26; 1 Samuel 14:36-15.

Psalm 90 is the oldest of all the psalms and the only one written by Moses (although some believe he may have written the 91st also).  When we treat all the psalms as comprising five books of the Bible, the 90th Psalm opens the fourth book, which mostly parallels the book of Numbers.  In a sense, it exemplifies the human history of victory alternating with defeat, the cycle the early Israelis knew all too well.  God heard the cry of the children of Israel in captivity and delivered them from Egypt.  He led them through the wilderness, seeing to all their needs, feeding them with manna from heaven and splitting the very stones of the desert to draw forth water to slake their thirst.  But then they complain and doubt and turn from God and suffer defeat once again, a spiritual defeat.  The forth book of the Psalms writes this story in songs and poems.

For his part, Moses opens his psalm by recognizing and acknowledging God's eternal constancy, and His role in the affairs of humankind throughout time.  Moses knows that nothing would have been or ever could be accomplished without God, a fact he proclaims with the simple statement that God has "been our dwelling place in all generations".  We may think we live on the face of the earth or in our fancy houses and lavish apartments, but nothing we construct will last.  Nothing we erect can withstand the ravages of time but will wear away in a blink of God's eye.  Yet what God has made can stand forever if He so wills it to.  More to the point, He Himself will stand forever, and it is in Him that we truly dwell.  Out of  His goodness we live.  Through His mercy we abide.  By His grace and great sacrifice we may be saved.  He is our mighty fortress, in whom we can find safety.  He is our Rock, a firm Foundation that will never crumble, upon which we can place all our hopes and build our lives.

Before He scooped out the valleys or formed the mountains on the face of the earth, before He even created the world to begin with, God was.  God existed.  And He was God.  He always has been, He always is, and He always will be.  God is eternal.  God is constant, unchanging, ever the same.  In a time of swirling confusing turmoil, God is our oasis.  We can be sure of Him, know what to expect of Him, for He is the same today as He was when Moses lived, as He will be when Jesus returns to take His church home.  Our Lord is perfect, dependable, constant, and from everlasting to everlasting, He is God.  Amen.

Eternal God, we acknowledge You are eternal, and eternally loving.  You have provided us with a safe and strong dwelling place for all our generations.  Lord, we thank You for Your great generosity and kindness, and for Your unmerited grace.  We know our words could never adequately express our thanks, so please may our actions and our service be pleasing in Your sight.  In the name of Jesus we pray.  Amen.

By Many or By Few

Then Jonathan said to the young man who bore his armor, "Come, let us go over to the garrison of these uncircumcised; it may be that the Lord will work for us.  For nothing restrains the Lord from saving by many or by few."

--1 Samuel 14:6  (NKJV)

From the daily Bible reading on May 13, 2013 of Psalm 89:46-52; Mark 13; 1 Samuel 13-14:35.

Saul had reigned for two years as king over Israel, and the people still suffered at the hands of the Philistines.  Saul established an army of 3000 men, mostly unarmed for the Philistine overseers would not allow the people to have their own blacksmiths.  Saul led 2000 of the men and gave 1000 over to the command of his son Jonathan.  For reasons not given in the scripture, Jonathan led his forces against the Philistine garrison in Geba.  As would be expected, this stirred up a hornet's nest on both sides.  The Philistines, in their anger, amassed their forces in three locations in preparation to attack and punish Israel.  The people, for their part, feared the coming retribution and took to the hills and hid anywhere they could.  As the anticipated onslaught neared, the only true weapons of war on Israel's side were in the possession of Saul and Jonathan.

Again Jonathan took matters into his own hands.  Perhaps he was a little impetuous, as we could surmise from his earlier foray against the enemy.  Maybe he remembered how Gideon and his 300 men faced off against and defeated a mighty army.  Definitely he trusted in God, for he knew if the Lord willed it, any odds could be overcome.  So he set off with only one other man at his side, his young armor bearer, and set in motion the events that would end up routing a better armed and superior force.  All because he trusted in God, believed in His unlimited, unrestrained power that could bring about victory whether many men fought for the cause or a few or even just one or two.  Jonathan believed in and trusted the Lord, and interestingly, his young armor bearer believed in and trusted him (please see verse 7).

How many times, I wonder, have we faced an issue and thought there's no way we can prevail, where the odds are just too overwhelming, where we doubt anyone else even cares?  After all, what can one person do about global hunger, or the lack of clean drinking water in much of the world, or the horrors caused by land mines and improvised explosive devices left by defending armies, or the number of children left orphaned by war?  Problems on a grand scale can indeed be daunting.  But what about those on a smaller, more local scale?  What about the widow down the street struggling to survive?  What about the conflict threatening to split the local church?  What about the gangs of youth moving into town spreading violence and destruction?  What about the TV show that makes a mockery of the Christian faith?  Can we find the courage of Jonathan to lead the attack?  Can we dig up the loyalty of his armor bearer to follow and support and serve and help another as together we stand up to the issue?  Even if we are few in number, God can use us to fight for His cause as He secures the victory.  He's only waiting for us to make the first move.  Nothing restrains the Lord.  Amen.

Mighty God, forgive us when we fail to trust in Your strength and power.  Forgive us when we hide in fear and confusion rather than press the battle forward.  Help us, please Father, to be more like Jonathan in trusting You to win the war and secure the victory.  Even if we act a little impulsively, we know that if it is within Your will our actions will be successful.  In the strong name of Jesus we pray.  Amen.

Faithful Dependence

"For they all put in out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all that she had, her whole livelihood."

--Mark 12:44  (NKJV)

From the daily Bible reading on May 12, 2013 of Psalm 89:38-45; Mark 12:18-44; 1 Samuel 10:9-12.

After His triumphal entry into Jerusalem, Jesus spent a good bit of His time in the temple, teaching and answering the many questions from the Pharisees, Sadducees, and scribes as they tried to trap Him so they could at the very least discredit Him.  This particular day, Tuesday, would prove to be a busy one for our Lord and His disciples.  But for now He simply sat and observed all around Him as the temple-goers put their offerings of money into the treasury (a chest for collecting coins).  He watched as many rich folk dropped in large sums.  Then a poor woman comes along, who Mark identifies as a widow.  She digs through her very meager belongings and finds two small copper coins, each worth less than a penny, and deposits them into the treasury.  Jesus calls His disciples to His side and tells them that this poor widow, in her poverty, had given more than any of these rich people, in their abundance (please see verse 43).

In the times when Jesus walked among us as a Man, a widow would have no means of support other than what little her family or the church might be able to provide.  Rather than simply call her poor, Mark could have more accurately described the widow as destitute, probably barely surviving without a husband to see to her needs.  Still, having so little, next to nothing, she gave all she had to the Lord.  Compare her commitment, dedication, and generosity to that of the people of great means.  Even though they may have dropped large sums into the collection box, their donation was likely but a minor share of what they possessed.  The poor woman gave all she had, the well-to-do gave some small fraction.  Her generosity far surpassed theirs.

Even more telling, though, than her generosity being evident in the extent of her donation is the level of trust she clearly shows she places in God.  By giving all she had, not just some lesser percentage, she displayed her complete trust in and dependence upon God to see to her daily needs.  She knew in her heart that God would provide.

We should have as much faith and trust as this poor widow in a generous and loving heavenly Father.  Our tithes, if we are among the few who do tithe, are but a small percentage of all the many blessings God pours out on us.  How deep are we willing to dig to serve Him?  Just how much faith and trust do we really have in Him?  How broad is our reliance upon Him for meeting our needs?  We must be like this widow and trust in the Lord.  Amen.

Dear God, forgive us, when we horde all the blessings You have poured out on us for ourselves.  We see the need all around us, I pray we respond to that need in a way that is pleasing to You.  Please Father, forgive us when we fail to put our complete trust in You.  We are so afraid of failure, of hunger, of not having enough for ourselves that we too often don't understand that You will provide.  Help us, please Father, to rely more dearly on You.  In the name of Jesus we pray.  Amen.

King of Kings

Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah, and said to him, "Look, you are old, and your sons do not walk in your ways.  Now make us a king to judge us like all the nations."

--1 Samuel 8:4-5  (NKJV)

From the daily Bible reading on May 11, 2013 of Psalm 89:30-37; Mark 11:27-12:17; 1 Samuel 8-10:8.

Samuel lived at the end of the time when the judges ruled Israel.  In fact, he ended the period when he anointed Saul as king.  Before that act, though, Samuel had appointed his own two sons as judges.  But they failed to behave as proper, responsible leaders of the people, even stooping so low as to accept bribes and pervert justice, all for personal gain (please see verse 3).  Understandably upset, the elders of the children of Israel came to Samuel and pleaded with him.  They wanted a king.  Samuel was not too thrilled with the idea as he thought that God should be their King and He is sufficient.  So he talked it over with the Lord, and to his surprise God encouraged him to do as the people asked.  So Samuel set Saul up as the first king of Israel, a striking young man who God Himself had chosen to lead His people.

Now God had made allowances for the appointment of a king back during the days of Moses and establishment of the law (please reference Deuteronomy 17:14-20).  And the elders gave seemingly logical and legitimate reasons for wanting a king.  Samuel was old and would soon be to infirm to continue as a judge, to rule over them in matters both civil and martial.  His sons were not carrying on the tradition of judges, were not judging justly and could not be trusted to do the right thing.  The people needed a new, competent military commander, one who would lead their armed men and fight their battles for them (please see a little later on, in verse 20).  But perhaps dearer to their hearts, they wanted a king because everyone else had one.  All the countries and nations around Israel were ruled by kings so they wanted a king of their own.  They rejected God as their true King, preferring a man to hold rule over them.  God said OK, but it would be the man of His choosing.

Americans don't serve under kings, nor recognize their authority to reign over us.  Indeed, we rebelled from them and won our independence to rule ourselves.  But too many have forgotten that God is still our King and Him do we serve.  Moreover, the Apostle Paul tells us that no matter what form of government we live under nor who rules over us, no authority exists except that which comes from God and those that do exist are appointed by God (Romans 13:1).  The elders failed to recognize this; another lesson the people had to learn the hard way.  We need to be wiser than they and not forget or deny Who we really serve, lest we be taught the same lesson.  Jesus is the King of kings (1 Timothy 6:15; Revelation 17:14, 19:16).  Serve Him.  Amen.

Lord God, may we never forget that all authority exists at Your allowance, that You see to the appointment of all authorities.  Forgive us, please Father, when we deny Your sovereign rule over us and over all creation.  May we forever and always acknowledge that Jesus Christ our Savior is King of all kings and Lord of all lords.  In the name of Jesus we pray.  Amen.

Believe and Receive

"Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them."

--Mark 11:24  (NKJV)

From the daily Bible reading on May 10, 2013 of Psalm 89:19-29; Mark 11:1-26; 1 Samuel 5-7.

Jesus made what we call His triumphal entry into Jerusalem on Sunday, humbly riding in on a colt to the shouts of "Hosanna!", lifted up by the same people who would soon desert Him.  That evening He and His followers returned to Bethany for the night.  The next day they arose and headed back to Jerusalem.  Jesus was hungry, and spotting a fig tree in leaf, He thought He could get something to break His fast.  But the fig tree bore no fruit so He cursed it.  That evening, returning once again to Bethany, they came upon the same fig tree, but now it was withered and dead.  The disciples are incredulous, but Jesus tells them, "Have faith in God" (please see verse 22).  He assures them that real faith can move a mountain as long as they truly believe (verse 23).  So anything they ask God for in prayer, they need to believe that they have already received it, and it will be theirs (verse 24).

This declaration is similar to many incidents we read about in the Old Testament when the children of Israel were fighting against their enemies in the Promised Land, especially during the period of the judges.  For example, when Gideon and his 300 men were about to face off against over 100,000 Midians, God told him, "Arise, go down against the camp, for I have given it into your hands."  (Please see Judges 7:9b.)  Even though the battle had not yet been fought in Gideon's time, it had already been won in God's time.  All Gideon had to do was believe that he had received the victory and God made it happen.  Jesus tells us the same thing.  We only need to believe, truly and fully believe without any doubt, that what we are asking for has been given to us, and it will be ours.  Perhaps too many times we hope for something rather than truly believe we already have it.  When we do so, we place limits on God, on His power and goodness and mercy.  If we hope it will happen instead of believing it has already happened, we may be sending God the message that we don't think He is capable of making it happen or we don't trust Him to make it happen.

Jesus does put one condition on this assurance, though.  First and foremost, no matter what we ask for nor how much we believe it has already been given, it must be what God wills to happen and fall within His time frame.  It must be in God's will, not ours; within God's time, not ours.  (Please reference, for example, Matthew 6:10 and Mark 14:36, among others.)  But have faith, and God will move mountains for us.  Trust in Him, for God is capable of all things.  Amen.

Kind and generous Father, thank You so much for giving us what we need, if not always what we ask for.  You know what is best for us and we trust in You.  Forgive us when we doubt, when we place human limits on Your infinite power and capability.  In the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ we pray.  Amen.

A Sure Foundation

The heavens are Yours, the earth also is Yours; the world and all its fullness, You have founded them.  Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne; mercy and truth go before Your face.

--Psalm 89:11, 14  (NKJV)

From the daily Bible reading on May 9, 2013 of Psalm 89:9-18; Mark 10:32-52; 1 Samuel 2:27-4.

This royal psalm may have been written at some point after the reign of King David but it celebrates the covenant between him and the Lord, praising God for His blessings and singing of His character.  Attributed to Ethan, who may have been a musician appointed during David's time (please see 1 Chronicles 15:17-19), it uses poetic form to recount God's covenant with David and the king's humiliating defeat.  It recognizes God as the Lord of creation and asks Him to remember His covenant and not forsake His children.  This is the only Psalm attributed to Ethan.

In today's focus verses, the psalmist praises God for His mighty works, particularly for His creation of the world, of the entire universe and all that is in it.  Our author rightly places ownership of all creation in the Lord's hands.  "The heavens are Yours", he declares, and "the earth also".  God built the earth and all that is on it, the world and all that is within it.  And not only did He simply make the world, by forming some huge lump of dirt into a rough ball and tossing it into space alongside the other balls.  He founded them.  He set everything in motion.  He established life and the means for life to be able to continue, to renew itself.  He gave His creation breath, to live.  He gave it seasons, times of rest, times of harvest, times of renewal.  And He gave His dearest creation, mankind, the freedom to choose as they please, whether to follow and obey Him or not.  The Lord brought it all into being.  He founded all of creation.

And the psalmist notes that the very foundation of all creation, the base structure that firmly anchors all of creation in place and holds it up, is formed of the righteousness and justice of God.  All of creation is the Lord's throne, and it sits firmly on His righteousness and from it justice will prevail.  Justice issues from God's hand as He rules from His throne, and nothing but truth comes from His mouth.  Everything He has ever said has proven true; every promise He ever made He has kept.  And even though God is just and judges justly, we who are sinners can take great comfort in knowing that God dispenses justice but with mercy.  Mercy goes before His face, it comes out first.  If not for His mercy, we would be doomed to eternal damnation and separation from His Majesty and Presence, but because of His wonderful grace we can find salvation through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Praise God.  Praise Jesus.  Amen.

Merciful and just Lord, we acknowledge You are the sovereign Ruler over all creation.  You founded all upon which our very life is based on Your righteousness and truth.  We thank You for tempering Your justice with mercy.  For without Your grace and the sacrifice of the Spotless Lamb, we would surely be doomed forever.  Instead, the blood of Jesus washes us clean and we are saved.  Thank You, Father.  Thank You, Jesus.  In the perfect name of Jesus we pray.  Amen.

Like a Child

"Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it."

--Mark 10:15  (NKJV)

From the daily Bible reading on May 8, 2013 of Psalm 89:1-8; Mark 10:1-31; 1 Samuel 1-2:26.

Jesus went into the region of Judea and beyond the Jordan River.  As usual, the crowds quickly gathered around Him.  And also as usual, He immediately began to teach them and share God's word with them.  And  as had sadly also become usual, the Pharisees came up questioning Jesus, testing Him, trying to catch Him in some misstep.  Yet again He confounded the Pharisees and confused His disciples a little with His answers.  Once in the house where they were staying, Jesus explained what He had told the Pharisees.

At this time the people started trying to bring their small children to Jesus, hoping He might just touch them, and by doing so bless them.  But the disciples blocked their way and fussed at them, probably for wasting the Master's time.  Little children weren't too high on the social scale in those days, and the disciples intended to keep them away from Jesus so that He could tend to more important matters.  Jesus noticed what was going on and was "greatly displeased", as Mark puts it in the NKJV (please see verse 14).  The New American Standard Bible (NASB) version has Mark reporting that Jesus became indignant.  According to my dictionary, this means that Jesus felt strong displeasure at what He considered to be unjust, offensive, or insulting.  In His eyes, the disciples were guilty of an injustice by denying the children access to Him.  So He tells the disciples to let the children come to Him, not to hinder them from doing so.  And then He delivers a crucial piece of information:  "for of such is the kingdom of God" (verse 14).

Jesus doesn't say that God's kingdom belongs to children or is only intended for children, but for those who are like children.  He clarifies this in today's focus verse by adding that the only ones who can enter heaven are those who receive God's kingdom as a child would.  To better understand this, we need to think about the child-like qualities Jesus would consider vital.  Children have a special innocence.  They have not yet become jaded by the world.  They are trusting of others, not always suspicious.  They can love unconditionally, without expecting anything in return, without preconceived stereotypes or prejudices or biases.  They are carefree, looking to others for strength, guidance, and support.  They have faith because it has yet to be shaken.  They are meek, and they are vulnerable.  This is how Jesus wants us to approach life: to remain innocent and trusting, to love others unconditionally, to be meek and humble and seek always to serve, to remain faithful and obedient to God our Father.  We have been washed in the blood of Jesus, cleansed of our sins and made innocent in the sight of God.  We are God's children.  Maybe we need to be more child-like in His eyes.  Amen.

Gracious Jesus, if we remain child-like then You will make sure our access to You is always open.  Help us to remain innocent, trusting, faithful, and loving children of our heavenly Father, so that we might live with You forever.  In Your glorious name, dearest Jesus we pray.  Amen.

Devotion

"Entreat me not to leave you, or to turn back from following after you; for wherever you go, I will go; and wherever you lodge, I will lodge; your people shall be my people, and your God my God.  Where you die, I will die, and there will I be buried.  The Lord do so to me, and more also, if anything but death parts you and me."

--Ruth 1:16-17  (NKJV)

From the daily Bible reading on May 7, 2013 of Psalm 88; Mark 9:33-50; Ruth 1-4.

Elimelech took his wife, Naomi, and his two sons from Bethlehem in Judah, because of the harsh famine there, to make a new home in Moab.  After some period of time there, Elimelech died, leaving Naomi with their two sons, Mahlon and Chilion.  Because this was their new home, the sons took wives of the women of Moab, Orpah and Ruth.  About ten years passed and then both Mahlon and Chilion also died, leaving Naomi, Orpah, and Ruth completely alone.  In those days, a woman could not survive long without a husband or close family nearby.  Since the famine in Judah had passed, Naomi decided to return home to seek help from her and her husband's families.  She told Orpah and Ruth that they should also return to the homes of their fathers and begin a new life of their own.  Orpah did so, after bidding a tearful goodbye.  But Ruth refused to leave Naomi's side, instead pledging her commitment to her mother-in-law that we see in today's focus verses.  Together they returned to Bethlehem, where Ruth eventually became the wife of Boaz, a rich man and a relative of her late father-in-law.

These beautiful words that Ruth spoke to her mother-in-law are often repeated today by soon-to-be husband and wife during their marriage vows as they pledge their love and devotion to one another, just as Ruth expressed her love and devotion to Naomi.  We could also repeat the first of these words, each of us that follow Christ, to Jesus as a pledge of our commitment, our love, and our devotion to our Lord and Savior.  We should show the same devotion to Jesus as Ruth showed Naomi.  The roles may be reversed - Naomi needed Ruth yet Ruth was devoted to Naomi, whereas we need Jesus and should be devoted to Him - but our commitment should be just as great, if not greater.  Daily, we should renew our vows of devotion to our Lord.

One of the more interesting aspects of today's study is what comes at the end of the book of Ruth.  We learn that the union of Boaz and Ruth produced a son who was named Obed.  Obed bore a son named Jesse.  And Jesse bore a son named David, who became a king.  (Please see Ruth 4:13-22.)  So our Lord Jesus, who worked so hard to expand the community of faith and the kingdom of God by carrying the word and His message to the Gentiles, and to us, came from the earthly lineage of a Gentile.  For His earthly father, Joseph, was of the house of David and hailed from Bethlehem, where he and Mary traveled for the census, where Jesus was born into this world.  God our Father works in wonderful and awesome ways to offer us all His grace and salvation.  Amen.

Dearest Jesus, may we never leave You, or ever turn back from following after You.  Wherever You go, may we go.  Wherever You are, may we be.  Your people are our people, and Your Father is our Father.  And when we pass from this earthly life, may we live with You forever in the house of our Father, at Your side always.  In Your wonderful name, O Jesus we pray.  Amen.