Profit and Gain

My son, if sinners entice you, do not consent. So are the ways of everyone who is greedy for gain; it takes away the life of its owners.

 --Proverbs 1:10, 19  (NKJV)

From the daily Bible reading on August 31, 2013 of Proverbs 1:8-19; Luke 24:13-53; Job 21-22.

Solomon authored most of the Book of Proverbs, which is fitting since he was so wise and, according to scripture, he spoke 3000 proverbs during his life (please see 1 Kings 4:32). Only two chapters in the book were penned by other writers, Agur (chapter 30) and Lemuel (chapter 31), about whom we know nothing today. Five of the chapters (25 through 29) are attributed to Solomon as having been copied into the book by King Hezekiah's men. So just about all of these pearls of wisdom came from Solomon, whose short statements about life and human nature are intended to make God's truth more accessible to all people so that they might strive to live as He wills.

Today's focus verses serve as bookends to a set of instructions informing us how to react when tempted to sin. Solomon may caution that sinners might try to entice us, but we know it is Satan who provides the temptations. Solomon points out that while the promises of sinners may seem attractive, that way leads to destruction in the end. Do not consent, he says, to those who would try to drag you down with them. Don't go along with them when they lie in wait to steal or shed blood, when they secretly lurk after the innocent to do them harm. Don't be a party to taking the possessions of others, no matter how precious they may seem. Stay clear of the path that leads to ill-gotten gains or violence, for those who travel that way will end up losing everything.

Stay off this path, Solomon warns, for this is the way of the greedy who look only for gain and profit for themselves at any cost to others. In the end they trap themselves and never enjoy what they so greedily sought. All the swag and booty they so lusted after is worthless when they lose their soul in the process. These sinners may think as Job describes in another section of today's scripture reading when he speaks for them and says, "Who is the Almighty, that we should serve Him? And what profit do we have if we pray to Him?" (Job 21:15.) Profit, questionable gains, material possessions, pleasures of the flesh - these consume the hearts of sinners. What does it profit them, or us, to serve God? Jesus looks at that question from a different angle when He asks, "For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?" (Mark 8:36.)  The Apostle Paul reinforces this when he adds, "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 6:23.)

Solomon warns us to beware of sinners who try to influence us. Job shows how they might try to reason with us. And Paul and Jesus makes it clear just what the ultimate price of sin truly is. Stay away from sin. Don't obsess over material or earthly gain. Believe in and follow Jesus to gain what truly matters, eternal life in paradise. Amen.

Dearest Lord Jesus, You took all the sin of the world upon Yourself and carried it to the grave so that we might be seen as righteous in the Father's eyes. Yet we seem unable to rid ourselves of sin, even after being washed clean by Your blood. Please help us resist the temptations of Satan, the enticements of sinners. We long for the gift of eternal life in You, our Strength and our Redeemer. In Your beautiful name, O Jesus our Savior we pray. Amen.

My Redeemer Lives

"For I know that my Redeemer lives, and He shall stand at last on the earth; and after my skin is destroyed, this I know, that in my flesh I shall see God, whom I shall see for myself, and my eyes shall behold, and not another. How my heart yearns within me!"

 --Job 19:25-27  (NKJV)

From the daily Bible reading on August 30, 2013 of Proverbs 1:1-7; Luke 23:44-24:12; Job 19-20.

Job's three friends (who by now bring to mind the old saying, "With friends like these, who needs enemies?") continue to hammer away at him to confess sins he claims he did not commit. They refuse to believe his profession of innocence no matter what he might say, and indeed accuse him of just making wind with his many words, trying to put off the inevitable. Job seems near to the end of his patience with these men as he rebukes them for their heartless treatment, for tormenting and verbally attacking him. He says they should have pity on him instead, for the hand of God has struck him this terrible blow.

But then Job reaches the turning point that marks a change in his attitude and perspective. Today's focus verses contain a remarkable exclamation and evidence of this change. When Job declares that his Redeemer lives, he acknowledges his belief in a living God who will exonerate him even after his death, who he will see with his own eyes, in his own flesh, even after his skin is destroyed and his body has perished. In this Job paints a picture of Jesus Christ, our Savior and our Redeemer, and the wonderful promise of our resurrection body that He will give us.

This clearly marks a change in Job's perspective, for he turns from looking at what has happened to suddenly realize what lies ahead. Instead of dwelling on all he has lost, he casts his mind's eye ahead to what will come after the death of his physical body. And in this future he sees how his current suffering is vindicated, how he receives redemption for all that was lost and taken. He no longer views God as the one who inflicts all this current pain on him, but as his Redeemer for his entire life.

Job looks ahead and sees what the Apostle Paul describes for us as one of the many great gifts from God, given after Christ's return, when God again stands at last on the earth: a new body, chosen by God just for us, in the image of Jesus, being heavenly and imperishable, a body made to last for all eternity (please reference 1 Corinthians 15:35-58). It is as if Job already knows what will happen "in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed." (1 Corinthians 15:52.) Job sees that his unwavering faith in God is the key to his future redemption. Paul reinforces this assurance to us when he adds, "Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord." (1 Corinthians 15:58.) Job maintained an unshakable faith in God. So must our faith in Christ be, steadfast and unmovable. Our Redeemer lives, and His name is Jesus. Amen.

Loving Father, You showed Job a vision of his redemption through his faith in You. He saw himself in a new body, the same as You promise us when You again stand on this earth as the returned and triumphant Jesus. Thank You, Lord, for all the glorious gifts You give us each day and all that You have in store for us when we rejoin You in paradise, reconciled to You by the blood sacrifice of Your beloved Son and our dear Savior, Jesus Christ our Lord. In the most holy and glorious name of Jesus our Redeemer we pray. Amen.

Praise the Lord!

Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord!

 --Psalm 150:6  (NKJV)

From the daily Bible reading on August 29, 2013 of Psalm 150; Luke 23:13-43; Job 16-18.

Psalm 150 serves as a glorious doxology to the Book of Psalms, this beautiful hymnal. Coming at the end - following psalms about wisdom, history, nature, and the Messiah, songs giving testimony to all God has done, asking for judgment over the wicked, sorrowing over sin, and crying out for help - the 150th does nothing but sing praises to our Lord. It asks nothing of God, seeks nothing from Him. It merely glorifies Him, lifts His name on high, pays homage to Him with all that is within us.

The psalmist opens with a call to praise the Lord in His sanctuary, in His mighty firmament, in heaven. This clearly establishes how much higher God is over man. No mere mortal structure could ever house Him. Even the vast expanse of heaven cannot fully contain Him for He is in and over all of creation. Nonetheless we lift our song of praise on high, directing our voices to heaven that He might better hear us. We glorify God because His acts are mighty and His greatness is excellent, beyond our poor ability to adequately describe. Our psalmist implores us to not only lift our voices in praise but also to raise a joyful noise with trumpet, lute, and harp, with timbrels and stringed instruments and flutes, with loud and clashing cymbals. Yet there is one more element our psalmist would have us add to the celebration of and to God. Along with our worshipful singing and loud rhythmic music playing, he would have us dance. David gave a wonderful example of glorifying God in every way possible - by singing, by playing music, even by letting the Spirit move our bodies as we worship the Lord.

And this brings us to the point of today's focus verse. Let everything that breathes praise God, man and animals, all of creation. Birds do a great job of this, lifting their beautiful song all through the day. But man is best suited, and has more reason, for this as we have more capabilities to express ourselves and our innermost thoughts and feelings. The rest of creation worships in its own unique way, but man has a variety of means at his disposal, each a gift from God. So we should praise Him in any and every way possible, and with every breath we take. Just as the 150th begins and ends with "Praise the Lord!", so should our day. From the moment we first open our eyes in the morning until we close them again at night we should be praising our Lord God and Savior Jesus, and with the emphasis that exclamation mark implies. Whether simply with words whispered silently from our heart or sung at the top of our lungs, whether by the music we play or whatever dance the Spirit leads us in, as long as we draw breath let us praise the Lord! Amen.

God in heaven, we lift our song of praise to You! We know that even our best efforts are meager and lowly compared to Your righteousness, but may they be pleasing, O Lord, to Your ears. May we never be ashamed to lift our praises to You in song, in music, or even in dance. With every breath we take, may we ever glorify You. In holy and glorious name of Jesus Christ our Lord we pray. Amen.

Disbelief

As soon as it was day, the elders of the people, both chief priests and scribes, came together and led Him into their council, saying, "If You are the Christ, tell us." But He said to them, "If I tell you, you will by no means believe."

 --Luke 22:66-67  (NKJV)

From the daily Bible reading on August 28, 2013 of Psalm 149; Luke 22:54-23:12; Job 14-15.

Everything Jesus said would happen indeed came to pass. He was betrayed by one of the twelve and arrested. Peter, the steadfast disciple, the rock upon whom Christ would build His church, had denied even knowing Him three times before sunrise. In custody He was questioned, mocked, and beaten. Taken prisoner under the cloak of darkness, Jesus is brought before the Sanhedrin in the harsh light of day. It all came about just as Jesus knew it would, all to fulfill God's plan as foretold by the prophets in scripture.

"Are You the Christ?", the chief priests and scribes ask. This won't be the last time Jesus will hear this question, phrased in one form or another. This first time, standing there in front of the religious leadership in Jerusalem, the high priests over all the children of Israel, Jesus knew what the reaction would be to His response to this and all future repetitions. So maybe in frustration of this foreknowledge, He simply replied, "If I told you, you wouldn't believe it." Perhaps the words of Jeremiah echoed in His head, when the prophet said, "Hear this now, O foolish people, without understanding, who have eyes and see not, and who have ears and hear not." (Please see Jeremiah 5:21.) Of course the hand of God was at work here, assuring His plan is carried out, even if it requires He fulfills Isaiah's prophesy where, "They do not know or understand; for He has shut their eyes, so that they cannot see, and their hearts, so that they cannot understand." (Isaiah 44:18.)

No, the priests and scribes would not believe Jesus, no matter what He told them. Their minds were already made up, their eyes and hearts closed to the truth. They were jealous of Jesus, and wanted Him stopped. They hated Him, and wanted Him dead. This also was foretold in scripture and again by Isaiah when he spoke the message concerning God's Son, saying, "He is despised and rejected by men, a Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him." (Isaiah 53:3.)

The Sanhedrin would not believe Jesus because they turned their faces from Him, hiding from the truth. They could not believe Him for God had shut their eyes and hearts. Everything happened as foretold in scripture, as God willed it. And Jesus saw it all coming yet He never wavered. But unlike the high priests, our eyes have not been shut, so we can still see. Our hearts remain open to understanding. Our ears can still hear the Word of God and the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We have a choice the Sanhedrin lacked. Believe in Jesus, and live. Amen.

Lord Jesus, It is difficult for us to imagine how You could have known everything that would happen to You and still go through with it all without a complaint, without begging our Father to call it all off, without calling down Your great army from heaven and freeing You from Your tormentors. In our weakness, we marvel at Your strength. It is only by Your strength, O Lord, that we are able to get through each day. And it is only by Your selfless sacrifice that we might be saved.  Thank You so very much, dearest Jesus! In Your most beautiful and holy name, sweet Jesus we pray. Amen.

Sifting Wheat

And the Lord said, "Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail."

 --Luke 22:31-32a  (NKJV)

From the daily Bible reading on August 27, 2013 of Psalm 148; Luke 22:31-53; Job 12-13.

The Feast of Unleavened Bread was upon them when Jesus and His disciples observed the Passover meal, their last supper together. As they ate, our Lord passed the bread and the wine around to His followers, His friends, leading them in what we now commemorate as Holy Communion. Jesus used these elements as representing His body and His blood, to seal His new covenant with all those who will believe and follow Him. And then He dropped a bombshell: the one who would betray Him that very night was sitting there at the table with them, was among His closest friends, one of the twelve.

This news caused an immediate uproar, with each person present trying to figure out who would do such a thing. As they argued who among them might be this worst person, the dispute changed as to which of them might be considered the greatest, as in contrast to the betrayer. Apparently Jesus didn't listen to very much of this foolishness (Luke gave the entire argument only two verses in his account, verses 23 and 24) before explaining that the one who might be regarded as greatest is the one who serves most. He assures them each will be amply rewarded in heaven.

And then Jesus perhaps somewhat emotionally utters today's focus verses. Although He calls out Simon by name, He is addressing all His disciples with what can be considered both a statement and a warning, to them and to us: Satan is after Jesus' followers. He wants to sift them like wheat, separating the good from the chaff. The devil sees those that follow Jesus as highly valued prizes, then and now, second only to Jesus Himself. The more closely we try to live as our Lord wants us to, the more fervently Satan will tempt us, attack us, trying to turn us from the Way. Satan might want to sift us, but Jesus promises He will separate the wheat from the chaff when He returns to judge the earth, and the chaff will be tossed in the fire along with Satan (please see Luke 3:17 and Matthew 3:12).

Jesus also promises to intercede on our behalf, just as He did for His disciples. He prayed for them, that their faith should not fail. This is His prayer for us to the Father, that our faith remain strong, that we not fall prey to Satan's temptations, so that we can be saved through Him. This exemplifies the intercession He makes on our behalf as illustrated in Hebrews 7:25. How wonderful and glorious it is to have Jesus pray for us. Amen.

Precious Jesus, You know how vulnerable we are to Satan's constant attacks, so You pray to our heavenly Father on our behalf, that our faith may stay steadfast through all the devil's temptations. Like those who walked with You during Your time on earth, we need Your intercession in our lives. Thank You, Jesus, for Your prayers, for holding us up when we grow weary. We want to be Your wheat, Lord. In Your glorious name Lord Jesus we pray. Amen.

Mystery and Grace

"But oh, that God would speak, and open His lips against you, that He would show you the secrets of wisdom! For they would double your prudence. Know therefore that God exacts from you less than your iniquity deserves. Can you search out the deep things of God? Can  you find out the limits of the Almighty? They are higher than heaven -- what can you do? Deeper than Sheol -- what can you know?"

 --Job 11:5-8  (NKJV)

From the daily Bible reading on August 26, 2013 of Psalm 147:12-20; Luke 22:1-30; Job 10-11.

Job's third friend Zophar puts in his two cents worth. Like the others, he believes Job suffers as a result of his sin. But his condemnation is harsher, saying that Job isn't getting all he deserves and accusing Job of doing wrong by even trying to understand God's ways. But in doing so, as highlighted in today's focus verses, Zophar touches on two very critical aspects of our relationship with God. Let's look at the second point first. Can we search out the deep things of God, can we plumb His depths? God answers this one Himself when He finally responds to Job. He does so with a series of questions aimed at the defendant Job, beginning with, "Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell Me, if you have understanding." (Please see Job 38:4.) God's message is that neither Job nor any other mortal man could ever do all the things God can do, could ever understand all that God knows. God repeats this word to us through His prophet Isaiah, who recorded, "'For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,' says the Lord." (Isaiah 55:8.) We could never understand why God does everything He does, nor are we meant to. If we knew all He knows, there would be no need for us to have faith in Him. It is our faith that allows us to accept the things we do not understand and still trust in God. On that day when we are reunited with our Father in heaven, He will make all things clear to us. Until then, we just have to trust in Him, in His sovereignty, and His promise through Jesus Christ.

The other point Zophar makes for us is also true, and painfully so. We do not get anywhere near what we deserve. Our sin, in God's eyes, is so immense as to forever separate us from Him. In His righteousness, even our thoughts are horribly sinful, let alone those we act on. How many of us always keep the Sabbath? How many always love one another? How many are willing to give up everything dear to us in order to truly follow Jesus? The truth is, rather than lash us with the punishments we so rightly deserve, God, in His unsurpassable mercy and grace, caresses us with bountiful blessings. And the greatest of these is His gift of the means of our salvation and reconciliation with God, the blood sacrifice of Jesus, made on our behalf and for our benefit. And all He asks in return is that we believe and follow Jesus. It's a good thing we don't get what we deserve. Amen.

Loving Father, You could strike us down at any time as punishment for our sins against You. Yet instead You show Your steadfast love for Your children by extending Your grace and mercy over us, by giving Your Son as a sacrifice on our behalf. Thank You, Father, for providing us a way back to You. In the wonderful name of Jesus our Christ we pray. Amen.

Wanted: A Mediator

"If I am condemned, why then do I labor in vain? For He is not a man, as I am, that I may answer Him, and that we should go to court together. Nor is there any mediator between us, who may lay his hand on us both."

 --Job 9:29, 32-33  (NKJV)

From the daily Bible reading on August 25, 2013 of Psalm 147:1-11; Luke 21:5-38; Job 8-9.

Job's friend Bildad has taken a more direct and accusatory approach to the argument Eliphaz raised as to the cause behind all the bad things that happened to Job. In Bildad's opinion, there could be no other reason than that Job had sinned grievously before God, and the sooner he admitted it, the sooner the healing and restoration could begin. Bildad almost sounds like a present day prosecutor in this regard, as if saying, "If you go ahead and confess to this crime now, we'll cut you a good deal; otherwise you'll have to face a judge and jury and it may not go so well for you." But Job continued to profess his innocence. He insisted he had done nothing to incur God's wrath. In today's focus verses, his frustration and distress leads him to wonder why he even tries to show himself blameless, either in the eyes of God or of his friends. Job feels God, as his ultimate judge, is not a man that he can simply go to court against and take his chances. There is no one who can mediate between him and God, who can stand up for him in that courtroom.

This isn't the only time Job longs for a go-between. Later, as he is speaking his mind to God, he expresses his desire: "If there is a messenger for him, a mediator, one among a thousand, to show man His uprightness, then He is gracious to him, and says, 'Deliver him from going down to the Pit; I have found a ransom.'" (Please reference Job 33:23-24.) Job wished there were someone, anyone, who could stand with him, who could save him from damnation.

Job's wish was eventually fulfilled, but not until a much later time. Unlike Job, we today are fortunate enough to have the Mediator Job longed for. Of course, neither luck nor good fortune have anything to do with it. God, in His infinite mercy and grace, sent His only and beloved Son Jesus to us, that by His blood sacrifice He would willingly serve as our Defender and Mediator when we stand in the presence of God our Father. The Apostle Paul assures us of this in his first letter to his young protege' Timothy: "For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time." (1 Timothy 2:5-6.) Jesus paid the ransom Job sought, and not just for Job but for all mankind. Jesus took all the sins of the world upon Himself, carried them to the grave, and left them there so we could stand clean before God, with our Mediator Christ Jesus at our side. Like Job, all we have to do is remain faithful through it all, and believe in Jesus as our Lord and Master. The ransom has been paid. Amen.

Father, You see the plight and  sorry state of man, and still You send Your only Son so that whoever believes in Him might be saved. He didn't come to punish us or destroy us, but to save us. Thank You, dear Father, for loving Your wayward children so much. Thank You, precious Jesus, for making the sacrifice to become our true and trusted Mediator. In the holy name of Jesus we pray. Amen.

Happy is He

Happy is he who has the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the Lord his God, who made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them; who keeps truth forever.

 --Psalm 146:5-6  (NKJV)

From the daily Bible reading on August 24, 2013 of Psalm 146; Luke 20:20-21:4; Job 6-7.

The 146th Psalm is the first of five joyous praise hymns that close out the Book of Psalms. We do not know their author, or authors, but each of the five share the distinction of opening and closing with the declaration, "Praise the Lord!" (or "Hallelujah!" in Hebrew). The 146th begins with a call to praise God and then proceeds to list many reasons why.

One very interesting admonition in this psalm is contained in verse 3: "Do not put your trust in princes, nor in a son of man, in whom there is no help." The psalmist is saying that we should not look to mortal man for our salvation, not even to princes or others of great wealth and influence. No man of his own resources or efforts can provide for his own salvation nor that of any other person. So mortal man is not where we should place our trust or our faith. This, then, is a truthful statement. But what is interesting is the use of the term "son of man". Jesus' favorite thing to call Himself (considering how many times He did so) was the Son of Man, always written with a capital "S" and a capital "M" and preceded by the definite article "the", denoting Him as the one and only Son of Man.  Obviously the Son of Man is indeed our source of help and our only means of redemption. But our psalmist speaks of "a" son of man, just some man born of man, any mortal man. In them there is no help.

Today's focus verses declare that they whose help is the God of Israel, whose hope is in the Lord, are happy. When we look to God for our help, our strength, we are blessed. When we put our faith in Him and trust in Him as the promise of all our hope, He will reward us. This is God, who made heaven and the earth and the sea, and everything that is in them. He brought all of creation into being with just His breath and a few words. We can put all our hope and trust in Him because He keeps truth forever. Everything He has ever promised has come to pass. He is sovereign and supreme. Nothing is beyond His capability. He is eternally just. His justice works for the good to all those who love Him and obey His voice, yet frustrates the wicked who practice iniquities. God will reign forever, with Jesus right there at His side. And if we believe and remain faithful, some day we will stand in His presence, washed clean by the blood of Jesus Christ, and be allowed by our Lord's great grace to live with Him in paradise for all time. Praise the Lord! Amen.

O God in heaven, may we never cease to praise You and the holy name of Jesus Christ our Lord! Your goodness is great and endures forever. Your faithfulness to us has no end. In You we are blessed. You are our only hope, the promise of our salvation through Jesus our Savior. Praise the Lord! In the beautiful name of Jesus we pray. Amen.

Sometimes We Can't Help Ourselves

"Surely you have instructed many, and you have strengthened weak hands. Your words have upheld him who was stumbling, and you have strengthened the feeble knees; but now it comes upon you, and you are weary; it touches you, and you are troubled."

 --Job 4:3-5  (NKJV)

From the daily Bible reading on August 23, 2013 of Psalm 145:8-21; Luke 20:1-19; Job 4-5.

Job is described as blameless and upright, a man who feared God and shunned evil. He served as priest for his family and observed rituals and offerings in his service to God. Satan wanted to use him to prove to God that the only reason this mortal remained faithful was because God treated him so well. The man was blessed with many strong and good children and a wealth of livestock. If all this were taken from him, Satan reasoned, and even his health impacted, then he would turn and curse God. So God allowed Satan to have his way with Job, just to show him wrong. Everything was taken from Job - his livestock, his servants, even his children were killed and destroyed - but still his faith did not waver. Then Satan inflicted him with boils from head to foot. This had the effect closer to what Satan desired, seemingly the last straw.

As Job commiserates his current state, he is joined by three dear friends who came from afar to comfort him. They sit together, these four men, on the ground for seven days with no one speaking a word. Finally Job opens his mouth and curses the day he was born. He doesn't exactly come out and blame God for his woes, but he certainly questions how all that had befallen him had come about. Clearly Job would have liked to have ended it all right then and there.

Sympathizing with Job's plight, his friend Eliphaz tries to encourage him by noting that in times past Job himself had counseled and helped others who had suffered similar troubles. He had given courage and strength to the weak, had helped restore and renew their faith in God those who had grown doubtful. But now, when horrible calamity strikes him, he can take no comfort from his own counsel. He is at a loss and doesn't know what to do. The priest is not able to minister to his own needs.

While Eliphaz's subsequent analysis and advice were far off the mark, in this sentiment he was very much correct. No matter how strong we may be for others in their trials, no matter how much we may be able to help them, we may not be able to cope when it happens to us. When Satan breaks down our defenses with his constant attacks, we lose perspective and are of little use to ourselves. After a long and bitter enough assault, we get to the point where we just want it all to end, even if we have to take our own life to make it stop. Job had arrived at that point, as have many people since, perhaps even some of our friends. But suicide is never the solution. Eliphaz reasoned that Job must have sinned and was being punished, but that isn't always the case. Sometimes bad things just happen to good people. The sun shines on both the good and the evil, the rain falls on the just and the unjust alike (please reference Matthew 5:45). Job never lost faith, and neither should we. Eventually he turned to God in prayer and his questions were answered. God is in control, and although we may have to suffer now, we will be more than compensated in the future if we only remain true and faithful. Trust in the Lord, for He is the answer to all our woes. Amen.

Heavenly Father, We know You are in complete control, and we know that in the end You will make all things right. But sometimes, Lord, when life just keeps beating us down to where we can't even stand up and we wonder if the pain and suffering will ever end, we wonder why it is all happening, how You could allow evil to exist in Your creation. Father, help us bear up to these times and not falter, but remain steadfast and true to You and Jesus. We look to You for our hope and our salvation. In Jesus' holy name we pray. Amen.

Like a Rock

And some of the Pharisees called to Him from the crowd, "Teacher, rebuke Your disciples." But He answered and said to them, "I tell you that if these should keep silent, the stones would immediately cry out."

 --Luke 19:39-40  (NKJV)

From the daily Bible reading on August 22, 2013 of Psalm 145:1-7; Luke 19:28-48; Job 1-3.

It was Sunday of what would be our Lord's last week before His crucifixion. As Jesus and His disciples came to the towns of Bethphage and Bethany, near Mount Olivet, He sent two of His followers to go and fetch a colt they would find in the village, one that had never been ridden. They did as commanded and brought the colt to Jesus, laid their coats on it and sat the Lord upon its back, something the colt accepted without incident even though it was unbroken to riders. Many spread their coats on the roadway for the colt to walk on, to soften its steps and not jostle their Lord. As they approached Jerusalem, what Luke describes as "the whole multitude of the disciples" (please see verse 37) began to praise Jesus and shouted, "Blessed be the King who comes in the name of the Lord" (verse 38), a very near quote of Psalm 118:26. It is as if they were overcome with joy by what they thought was soon to come. Even though Jesus tried to tell them otherwise, they thought that as the long awaited Messiah He would free them from Roman tyranny. If they only truly knew.

The Pharisees, ever resentful of Jesus' power, authority, and popularity, objected to this celebration, to Jesus being treated like royalty and called a king. They effectively ordered Him to chastise His followers for what they considered an affront to themselves and to God. They wanted Him to silence His disciples, to stop this revelry in the streets, to maintain proper decorum. Jesus replied that even if the people were forced to be quiet, if they were made mute and could not shout His praises, then the very stones around them would cry out in glory to the Lord!

Jesus may have been thinking of Habakkuk 2:11 when He said this. The prophet spoke for God when telling of how the stones of the wall would cry out against the man who sells his house for evil gain. The man may lie and deceive, but the stones will shout the truth. The Pharisees, serving as tools for Satan, spun their webs of deception and lies trying to trap Jesus and put a halt to this new Way. But even had His disciples been struck silent, the stones would have cried out the truth of Jesus to the world.

Are we the Pharisees, using lies and deception to serve our own purposes? Are we the disciples, singing praises to the Lord without fully understanding why and maybe for the wrong reasons? Or are we the stones, ready to shout out to all who might hear the truth of our Lord and Savior, eager to spread the Gospel, the Good News of Jesus Christ, throughout all the world? Be solid, like a rock. Amen.

Master and Savior, help us stand ready to loudly proclaim Your beautiful Gospel so that the whole world might know Your truth. If we sing Your praises but perhaps for the wrong reasons, please touch our minds and enlighten us. May the Holy Spirit guide our every action and lift our hearts in song and worship to You. In Your glorious name, dearest Jesus we pray. Amen.

Trained for War

Blessed be the Lord my Rock, who trains my hands for war, and my fingers for battle.

 --Psalm 144:1  (NKJV)

From the daily Bible reading on August 21, 2013 of Psalm 144; Luke 19:1-27; Esther 9-10.

David opens the 144th Psalm proclaiming that God is his Rock and is to be blessed. In this royal psalm (so called for being written by or about a member of the royalty), David praises God and thanks Him for His hand in David's past victories, asks Him for deliverance from his current enemies and woes, and gives an image of a hoped for future that his faith might bring. This last, a picture of peace and prosperity, includes strong sons, dependable daughters, full barns, and bountiful herds - all great blessings in an agrarian society.

David prays that God rescue him "out of great waters" (please see verse 7). We can surely sympathize with this plea, as we often describe ourselves as barely being able to keep our head above water. We might feel ourselves as drowning in a sea of troubles, bobbing around in the middle of the ocean, lost and overwhelmed by wave after wave of problems that keep coming without a break. When this sense of dread hits, we should follow David's example and ask God to pluck us up out of the waters and rescue us.

David describes his enemies "whose mouth speaks lying words, and whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood" (verse 8) when he seeks God's deliverance. This is a rather poetic way of saying they are devious and deceptive. They lie, without hesitation and without conscience. They may smile and say nice things to his face but then turn and stab him in the back. They might hold out their right hand in friendship, and then use it in acts of treachery. Sound familiar? Sadly, we all know folks like David describes. We've all been hurt at one time or another by someone who has their own agenda, who doesn't care what it takes or who gets hurt as long as they get what they want. If we examine this type of behavior closely, we can see it bears the fingerprints of Satan all over it. These people are doing his work, whether wittingly or naively, tempted by his promises of earthly delights and rewards, or deluded by his lies. While these people may be acting as his agents, Satan is our true enemy and not them.

This is why in today's focus verse that David praises God for training his hands for war and his fingers for battle. The Lord equips us for war as well. We face the wiliest of enemies, the craftiest of foes. We need an advantage and Jesus provides that edge. He girds us with armor and sword. He fits us to do battle. He strengthens our body and our will to stand when others try to drag us down, to resist the lures of the great deceiver. All we have to do is have faith and pray, and Jesus will help us fight. He trains our hands for war, and our fingers for battle. Amen.

Lord Jesus, thank You for always standing by our side when we face our true adversary. Thank You for equipping us to do battle against a foe who we cannot not defeat on our own. And on that day when You return, we will share in Your great victory. Thank You, O Lord! In Your beautiful and powerful name, sweet Jesus we pray. Amen.

Delighted

So Haman took the robe and the horse, arrayed Mordecai and led him on horseback through the city square, and proclaimed before him, "Thus shall it be done to the man whom the king delights to honor."

 --Esther 6:11  (NKJV)

From the daily Bible reading on August 20, 2013 of Psalm 143; Luke 18:15-43; Esther 6-8.

Haman was made a very powerful man in the realm of King Ahasuerus (more commonly identified as Xerxes) by the king himself. Everywhere he went, the people all deferred to him and bowed down before him. Everyone but Mordecai, that is, who refused to pay such homage to a man. Mordecai was the older first cousin of Esther, who pleased the king and was chosen by him to be his queen. Mordecai had raised Esther from her childhood as she had lost both her parents, so she followed his command when he told her not to disclose their relationship to the king. So Haman was unaware of exactly who Mordecai was, only that he was likely a Jew and that he showed disrespect to Haman in front of others. In his rage and rather than single out Mordecai alone, Haman talked the king into ordering the killing of all Jews throughout the kingdom. Mordecai managed to get word to Esther of Haman's plot and encouraged her to approach the king, for the sake of her people and as her duty to God, even if the king did not call for her and she could be put to death as a result. She needed to convince the king to countermand his order.

In the meantime, Haman had an excessively tall gallows built on which to hang Mordecai, nearly reaching the top of the wall, high enough for all the city to see. But much earlier, before Haman rose to such prominence, Mordecai had warned the king of a plot against his life, thus averting the plan and saving the king. The king realized nothing had been done to reward Mordecai, so he asked Haman, who just happened to enter the king's courtyard at that exact time, what should be done to honor a man who delighted the king. Haman assumed the king was talking about him, thinking no one else was deserving of an honor like this, so he answered that such a man should be given one of the king's robes and set upon one of the king's horses and paraded and proclaimed through the city square for all to see. Of course the king was thinking of Mordecai, so Haman was forced to honor the man he hated and would have hung and killed. In the end, Haman's plot was made clear to the king by Esther and he was executed on the very gallows he had erected for Mordecai.

Mordecai and Esther were faithful to God, even in all that had befallen them and the children of Israel. In turn, God favored them and used them to foil the plans of a very powerful yet vain and sinful man, and to save His chosen people in exile. In the same manner, if we remain faithful and true to Jesus, He will use us to help save His church, to find and return His sheep lost and exiled in sin, to further the kingdom of God. And our reward in heaven will be far greater than Mordecai received on earth. The King of kings will delight to honor us. Amen.

Savior Jesus, we thank You for being ever faithful to us and for allowing us to serve You by serving others. Thank You for providing us with the way to salvation, for only through You can we come to our Father in heaven. We want to faithfully serve You, Lord, so that You will delight in honoring us before God. In Your wonderful and holy name, Lord Jesus we pray. Amen.

A Picture of Humbleness

"The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, 'God, I thank You that I am not like other men -- extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.' And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me a sinner!'"

 --Luke 18:11-13  (NKJV)

From the daily Bible reading on August 19, 2013 of Psalm 142; Luke 17:20-18:14; Esther 3-5.

In the opening to today's focus verses, Luke notes that Jesus "spoke this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others" (please see verse 9). These are what we might call the self-righteous, who feel certain they are doing right in the eyes of God yet they don't follow some of His most basic commands like loving one another. This pretty much describes the vast majority of the Jewish religious leadership at the time when Jesus walked this earth, and indeed he even uses a Pharisee as the antagonist in this tale. In His parable Jesus compares the prayers of a Pharisee and a tax collector who both go into the Temple to pray.

The Pharisee opens his prayer and immediately puts himself above others. He thanks God that he is not like the more common men. Now in all fairness, those he lists are kind of nasty and sinful. Even the tax collector, who in those days was despised and considered almost as traitors to the Jewish people for serving the Roman occupiers. Sometimes we use the phrase, "There but for the grace of God", when comparing ourselves to others, often due to some misfortune they endure but sadly as often if not more so when we consider ourselves better than they. And the Pharisee followed the rules and tithed from all he owned, not just based on his earnings. As far as Pharisees go, this one would have been among the best of the bunch. But he still ran counter to what Jesus taught, to how we should relate to others and to God. He exalted himself. Rather than putting others first, in the role of a servant, he put himself above others. He let his dislike for others taint his view of them. And he had no love for them, seeing in them only their sin rather than separating the person from the sin. Jesus teaches to hate the sin while loving the sinner. The Pharisee trusted in himself and his works to justify his salvation.

The tax collector, on the other hand, knows he is a sinner, knows he has done wrong. He stands far off, as if afraid to get too close to the altar lest God punish him right there on the spot. He berates himself and asks for mercy, readily acknowledging his sinful nature. Everything about him speaks "humble", and that is exactly how he approaches God. He doesn't think that he deserves anything or is worthy of anything, nor does he give God a list of all his good works. No, he has faith in God's mercy and trust in His grace when he humbly begs forgiveness.

Jesus concludes the parable with His moral. The Pharisee who exalted himself in prayer to God will be humbled when he stands in God's presence on his day of judgment, and it won't be pretty. The tax collector, because he humbled himself before God, will be exalted and justified by our Lord Jesus Christ to his salvation. We can choose whether we want to be like the Pharisee or the tax collector, whether we want to be exalted by man and humbled by God or humble before man and exalted before God. Choose wisely. Amen.

Heavenly Father, too often we fit the image of the Pharisee more than the tax collector. We think we are doing what You would have us do. We obey the rules and give charitably, we sit in church each Sunday and sing Your praises. But our heart isn't always in the right place. Sometimes we want to be highly esteemed by our fellow men than serve them and be seen in a lower light. Forgive us Lord when we fail to follow the example Your Son set for us, that of a humble servant. Help us be humble now so that we might be exalted and justified by our Savior when we stand in Your presence. In the most blessed name of our Savior Jesus we pray. Amen.

Set a Guard

Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth; keep watch over the door of my lips. Do not incline my heart to any evil thing, to practice wicked works with men who work iniquity; and do not let me eat of their delicacies.

 --Psalm 141:3-4  (NKJV)

From the daily Bible reading on August 18, 2013 of Psalm 141; Luke 17:1-19; Esther 1-2.

The 141st Psalm is one of David's laments in which he seeks deliverance from his enemies. But in the 141st he also asks God to help him not do wrong himself. He knows it would be easy for him to become like those he despises just because he has to face them every day. We've seen this ourselves, how easy it is to take up the ways of those we interact with all the time, and too often it proves easier to take on the ways of the world and the popular culture, even though we know we shouldn't, than those who try hardest to follow Christ. David prayed that the Lord help him resist this particular kind of temptation, and so should we. We don't want to become the devil to fight the devil.

David's primary concern for his own behavior, and ours, can be summed up by today's focus verses. First, we need to carefully weigh our words before we let them escape from our mouth. Jeremiah calls the tongue "an arrow shot out" (please see Jeremiah 9:8), something that cannot be stopped in flight and can cause great harm on impact. James, the brother of Jesus, tells us that "no man can tame the tongue" (James 3:8), so we need to ask God for His help in doing so. The Apostle Paul warns us to "let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth" (Ephesians 4:29). Even thinking such words, without uttering them, will be seen by our Father as inappropriate. The point is that words once spoken are impossible to take back. Once loosed, any damage or harm they might possibly inflict will be done. We should take a moment to consider what we are about to say before we give it voice. Are our words hurtful? Are they something we would want to hear spoken to us or those dearest to us? Is this the kind of speech the world would use, or more like what Jesus taught us? Sometimes we need God's help to respond in a more righteous manner.

The second concern David presents goes hand in hand with the first. The more we accept and adopt the ways of the world, the more we become just like it. Without realizing it, our heart can become inclined to allow us to do evil things. If we associate too much with wicked people and slowly become more like them rather than standing apart, even while among them, and trying to help them become more like us, then we are more at risk of working iniquity ourselves. David warns us this can happen and we should heed his warning. James states the stark fact that we just can't always do this on our own. But we can succeed with God's help. We can do anything if we call upon Jesus who strengthens us (Philippians 4:13). Christ will help us set a guard on our mouth and our heart to keep us from doing any wicked work. Thank You, Lord! Amen.

Precious Lord Jesus, without Your help we can do very little. Without Your strength upholding us we would surely fall. Set a guard, O Lord, over our mouth that we might not hurt others or ourselves with our words.  Set a sentry, blessed Jesus, over our heart that we might not be tempted by Satan and his world to do his bidding. Help us, please Lord, do what is right in the eyes of our Father in heaven. In Your most holy name, dear Jesus we pray. Amen.

Forgiven and Forgotten

Remember me, O my God, concerning this, and do not wipe out my good deeds that I have done for the house of my God, and for its services! Remember me, O my God, for good!

 --Nehemiah 13:14, 31b  (NKJV)

From the daily Bible reading on August 17, 2013 of Psalm 140; Luke 16; Nehemiah 12:27-13.

Since returning to Jerusalem from captivity, Nehemiah made very good use of the authority given him by King Artaxerxes of Persia. After inspecting the sorry state of the walls and gates around Jerusalem, he led the efforts to rebuild them involving all the people both great and small, a task accomplished in an amazing 52 days, and all the while providing the strategy and leadership for the people to defend themselves against their enemies who wanted the reconstruction disrupted and halted. He ordered a record be made of all the children of Israel now living in Jerusalem. Under his direction, all the people were gathered into a square where the priest Ezra read to the the Book of the Law of Moses and prayed over them. Nehemiah used this opportunity to reestablish the covenant between God and His chosen people. He had all the Levites and singers and other Temple servants moved back into the city and the house of God. Chapter 13 alone tells of how he had the people separate themselves from those who had mingled with other nations and were not of pure Jewish blood as disallowed by the law. He made sure the Levites and priests were receiving their proper portions of the offerings from the people. He put an end to the selling and trading of goods and wares on the Sabbath, even barring the merchants from the city the entire day. And he constantly reminded the people not to repeat the sins and ways of their fathers that had resulted in God exercising His mighty wrath over them and delivering them into the hands of foreign nations.

What we read of Nehemiah's life in our Bible shows a man of great faith who always strove to serve God and to lead the people to do likewise and to obey all of God's commandments and the law as handed down through Moses. Yet his simple prayer in today's focus verse indicates his concern that God may see something in him, something he had done or failed to do, that might erase all the good he had accomplished. We have the advantage of knowing what Nehemiah must have sensed, that works alone, no matter how good nor how many, are not sufficient to get us into heaven. Like Abraham before him, Nehemiah's great faith in God and God's redeeming grace would be his salvation. But his prayer does serve to remind us that God may remember all the bad things we've done as well as the good.

Fortunately, God provides us the remedy for that problem. God gave us His Son, Jesus. The author of the book of Hebrews reminds us of the words of God spoken through His prophet Jeremiah in which God will make a new covenant with His people. With this new covenant in place, God promises, "Their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more." (Please reference Hebrews 8:12 and 10:16-18, and Jeremiah 31:31-34. This point is so important, God wanted to be sure we see it three times, contained in both the Old and the New Testaments.) The author of Hebrews tells us Jesus is this New Covenant God made with man. Through His great sacrifice and our belief in Him as the Son of God, our personal Savior, and the Master of our life, we no longer have to worry as Nehemiah did. Our good deeds will be remembered and will earn us rewards in paradise to which our belief grants us entry. But our sins will be forgotten, on purpose, by God. Through God's boundless mercy and endless grace and Jesus' sacrifice on our behalf, our sins are forgiven and remembered no more. Amen.

Loving Father, You sent Your Son to us to forge a new and lasting covenant with us, the sacrifice of the Spotless Lamb for once and for all. By Your grace alone are we forgiven, by Your tender mercy are our sins forgotten. Thank You, Lord, for giving us one last chance to be redeemed! In the glorious name of our Lord and Savior Jesus we pray. Amen.

Which Son are We?

"And the son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, and am no longer worthy to be called your son.'"

 --Luke 15:21  (NKJV)

From the daily Bible reading on August 16, 2013 of Psalm 139:13-24; Luke 15:11-32; Nehemiah 11:15-12:26.

We've all heard the story of the Prodigal Son, the parable told by Jesus as recorded only in the Gospel according to Luke. In this tale a father has two sons. The younger grows impatient and asks for his inheritance now, before his father dies. The father rather unwisely agrees to this most unusual request and the son takes his share of his father's wealth and sets off, drawn by the lures of foreign lands. There, in what Luke calls prodigal living, characterized by profuse and wasteful spending, the young son quickly runs out of money and is forced to hire himself out feeding swine, a very lowly and humiliating job for a Jew. He finally realizes that even his father's servants are better off than he, so he swallows his pride and heads home. Seeing his son approaching, the father runs out to welcome him home and orders a great feast. The older son, who stayed home and worked the whole time, is angry over the treatment his brother receives. The father responds that, yes, the older son had been there all along, and so had been fed well all that time and everything the father owned had been available to him. But the younger son had been gone and is now returned, he was as if lost but now is found.

There are so many points that Jesus is trying to get us to see in this parable that it is hard to look at just one. Today's focus verse illustrates the necessary first step toward reconciliation, whether with God or with man. This concept is so important Jesus actually mentions it twice, the first time in verse 18 when the younger son says it to himself. Before anything else, before we can be reunited with family or friends or God, we must admit when we have done wrong. We must take personal responsibility for our actions. And then, like the young man, we must be willing to humble ourselves, ask forgiveness, and face whatever consequences may come. If we do this and truly repent of our sin, as the younger son did, our Father in heaven will welcome us with open arms, just as the father received his prodigal son. The feast is already prepared and awaiting us.

The behavior of the older son is also important to note. He was angry and resentful that his brother was receiving such special treatment while he, in his own way of thinking, was being slighted. His father had to remind him that he had enjoyed easy access to all the family wealth during this time, everything had been at his disposal. Jesus used this point to describe the Pharisees in attendance, who were jealous of Jesus' popularity with the people, who felt He treated sinners better than He treated the righteous (them), who didn't know what they had the whole time Jesus was with them.

One last aspect Jesus chose to emphasize by repeating is how the father viewed his wayward son's return. To him, while the son was gone he had been as if dead, separated from him by a great distance, but now he was alive again, with him again. He wandered lost in far off lands, but found his way home. This is how our Father in heaven sees us when we have been born again. We were dead in sin, separated from God by a vast chasm, but now are alive again in Christ, the gap bridged by His cross. We were lost, but now are found. Through Jesus we are forgiven and welcomed home. Amen.

Heavenly Father, we have sinned against You and are unworthy of being called Your children. We have squandered and wasted the great wealth You have given us, by Your blessings and through the greatest gift of Your Son. Only by Your merciful grace, dear Lord, and by the sacrifice of our Savior Jesus are we forgiven and saved, made alive again and redeemed. Thank You, Father, for welcoming us home and preparing a feast just for us! In the beautiful name of our Lord and Master Jesus Christ we pray. Amen.

God Knows

O Lord, You have searched me and known me.

 --Psalm 139:1  (NKJV)

From the daily Bible reading on August 15, 2013 of Psalm 139:1-12; Luke 14:25-15:10; Nehemiah 10-11:14.

Psalm 139 is usually listed among the imprecatory psalms, in which the author seeks judgment or vengeance over his enemies. And indeed David does so in the latter part of this song. But the far more interesting and prominent aspect David provides in the 139th is in displaying four of God's great attributes: His knowledge of all things, His inescapable presence everywhere, His power over all of creation and particularly in the formation of man, and His holiness when dealing with man.

Today's focus verse looks at one of these attributes, God's omniscience, His all-knowing ability. David shows his clear insight as to God's character in the first quarter of his psalm when he speaks of just how well God knows him. He understands that God knows everything about him. And of course this applies to us as well. God has searched us, has dug through us and poked into every nook and cranny, has explored and mapped out every thought and feeling and emotion. God knows us better than we know ourselves. Even before the word can form itself on our tongue, God knows what we are about to say. We can't sit down or stand up, go out or come in without God knowing it. We are hedged in by God's ever-present knowledge. No matter where we go or what we do, God's omniscience enfolds us, encloses us, protects us by knowing what happens next.

There is nowhere we can go that God is not there. We cannot escape His presence. While this may be a scary thought to some, believers can take great comfort in knowing that His Spirit is always with us, always watching over us, always there for us. We are never alone and will never be alone. At home or at work, asleep or awake, driving in heavy traffic or sitting in an easy chair, God is always with us. And when we die and stand in judgment, God will definitely be there, in the person of Jesus, to welcome us with open arms into paradise or to send us off to the lake of fire.

That choice is ours, to make while we still draw breath. We can choose to obey God's voice and follow His commandments, to believe in Jesus Christ as His Son and our Master, to love one another and spread the Gospel throughout all the world. Or we can turn our back on God and think all this Christianity stuff to be merely a myth based on a book of myths. God gave us the freedom to make that choice. God knows what we truly believe, for He has searched us. We must be sure of our belief, for God knows our choice. We can lie to other men, we can even lie to ourselves, but we cannot lie to God, for He already knows the truth. For God knows us. Amen.

O Lord, You have searched us and know us to our core.  You know the very heart of us.  Inspect us, please Lord, and show us every blemish You find and help us wipe it clean.  Thank You, dear Father, for always being with us. Guide us, Lord, that we might follow the example Your Son set for us. In that beautiful name that the angels sing, the glorious name of Jesus we pray. Amen.

A Prayer of Repentance

However You are just in all that has befallen us; for You have dealt faithfully, but we have done wickedly.

 --Nehemiah 9:33  (NKJV)

From the daily Bible reading on August 14, 2013 of Psalm 138; Luke 14:1-24; Nehemiah 8-9.

Once the wall around Jerusalem had been completed and a census taken of all those who had returned from captivity and were living in the city, Nehemiah the governor asked Ezra, described both as priest and scribe, to read the Book of the Law of Moses before an assembly of all the people. A platform was constructed in the open square in front of the Water Gate, a stage large enough and strong enough to support Ezra and 13 others, and actually the first platform built for this specific purpose, effectively for preaching, mentioned in the Bible. There Ezra stood, from morning until midday, reading from the Book of the Law. And all the people stood before him, listening attentively, oftentimes weeping in remorse for their sins. While Ezra was reading, others on the podium would offer explanations of what was read, even translating into the Aramaic for those gathered there who were born and raised in captivity and knew no other language.

And then Ezra prayed. His intent throughout this entire exercise was to renew the covenant between God and His people, the covenant that the children of Israel were guilty of breaking, not God. So Ezra's prayer sought repentance of the people and atonement for their sins. The repentance started two days after the Feast of Booths concluded, when the people began to acknowledge their sins against God, wearing sackcloth and heaping dust upon their heads. And then Ezra lifted up this amazing, emotional prayer filled with praise, history, and admission. The first was addressed to God, perhaps as a form of apology, saying they finally realize He is the one true God. The second spoke to the people, reminding them of all God had done for them throughout their history. And the third is to God from all of us, then and now.

Once we have recognized that we have sinned, the first step to forgiveness is to admit that we have done wrong. God already knows, but our confession to Him brings it home to us. It is important for us to understand that we did wrong, not God. We were unfaithful to God, while He has always been faithful to us. This is what Ezra was trying to get across. We must realize we have sinned, we must confess our sin to God and ask forgiveness, we must stop doing the sin and turn from it (repent of the sin), and we must acknowledge that only we are to blame. Even when we act wickedly, God always deals faithfully with us. Amen.

Heavenly Father, we are sinners. We are born into sin and sin is in our very nature. Your Son had to die on the cross so He could carry all the sin of the world to the grave and leave it there, so that we might be forgiven if we admit our guilt, repent, and acknowledge fault.  You, O Lord, have ever been faithful and merciful to us, just in all that befalls us. We have done wrong, not You, and we now realize and admit that. Forgive us, Father, and thank You for always being true. In the name of Your glorious Son Jesus we pray. Amen.

Will Jesus Know You?

"Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I say to you, will seek to enter and will not be able. When once the Master of the house has risen up and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and knock at the door, saying, 'Lord, Lord, open for us,' and He will answer and say to you, 'I do not know you, where you are from,' then you will begin to say, 'We ate and drank in Your presence, and You taught in our streets.' But He will say, 'I tell you I do not know you, where you are from. Depart from Me, all your workers of iniquity.'"

 --Luke 13:24-27  (NKJV)

From the daily Bible reading on August 13, 2013 of Psalm 137; Luke 13:22-35; Nehemiah 7:4-73.

Luke tells us that Jesus and His disciples were "passing through from one city and village to another" as they headed to Jerusalem (please see verse 22). He was still leaving instructions as they traveled on how we should react to our Lord being repudiated and resented by man (please see Where is Our Treasure?). At this point in Luke's journal, Jesus tries to explain His role as regards the kingdom of God and how it impacts us. He begins by painting two short word pictures to relate what heaven is like in terms easier to grasp. Along the way He is asked if only a few souls would be admitted into heaven. Rather than answer the question with a simple yes or no, Jesus' reply, partly captured in today's focus verses, provides a direction for us to take and a very serious warning we should heed.

Jesus tells us to work our way toward the narrow gate. Of course, Jesus is that entrance, the straight and narrow path, the only way to the Father (John 14:6). Matthew also recorded this exchange (Matthew 7:13-14), so we know it is something important for us to understand. The rest of this verse after this brief instruction very clearly tells us why we should strive for that narrow gate, because many will seek heaven but not all will be able to enter. What follows should serve as a red alert for us, for these words will break the hearts of many.

In Luke's chronicle, Jesus provides His caution in the form of a parable about the Master (God) of the house (heaven) denying entry to some who claim they were with Him earlier. He replies He doesn't know them nor even where they're from and refuses to open the door (the gates to heaven). Matthew records a very similar parable Jesus used when describing the kingdom of God. In this instance Jesus spoke of foolish virgins waiting for the wedding feast (heaven) who had to leave to go purchase oil just before the Bridegroom (Jesus) arrived. When they returned, He would not let them in, saying He did not know them (Matthew 25:1-13). In both cases, the warning is clear. Many will try to enter heaven, but Jesus will deny them entry because He does not know them, or more accurately they don't truly know Him. Matthew recorded Jesus stating this very concisely. He warns that not everyone who bows their knee and calls Jesus Lord on the Day of Judgment will enter the kingdom of heaven. Many will call Him Lord and claim they acted in His name. But He will not know them and will send them away (Matthew 7:21-23).

So how can we be sure Jesus will know us when it comes time to be judged? Jesus already told us: by striving for the narrow gate. For Jesus to know us, we must know Him. For Him to recognize us, we need to have a close relationship with Him. We start by surrendering to Him and accepting Him into our life as our Lord and Master. We believe in Him as the Son of the one true God. We thank Him for redeeming us. We study His life and His teachings by reading our Bibles. And we pray to Him, giving thanks in all things. Lastly, we follow His example by loving and serving one another. Enter in by the narrow gate and be saved. Amen.

Dearest Jesus, we pray that come Judgment Day when we call You Lord that You will recognize our voice and know our name. To that end may we grow closer to You each day. Help us understand what You tell us when we read of Your life and teachings.  Help us follow Your instructions and commandments. We love You, Lord, and want a dearer relationship with You. In Your most holy name Lord Jesus we pray. Amen.

God of Mercy

Who gives food to all flesh, for His mercy endures forever. Oh, give thanks to the God of heaven! For His mercy endures forever.

 --Psalm 136:25-26  (NKJV)

From the daily Bible reading on August 12, 2013 of Psalm 136:16-26; Luke 13:1-21; Nehemiah 5-7:3.

Our anonymous psalmist punctuates the 136th Psalm with a repeating refrain attesting to God's steadfast love and faithfulness. He opens with a call to praise the Lord because of His mighty works in nature, then moves to the grace He showed the people of Israel throughout their history, and closes by again calling upon us to praise our God. And each and every verse bears the common chorus explaining why we should do so: "for His mercy endures forever".

This psalm brings to mind a kind of liturgy practiced in many churches today, often referred to as congregational response or responsive reading. In this, the pastor intones one line and the congregation in unison responds with the next. The pastor speaks another line and the people read the next. And so on until the liturgy passage is finished. The 136th Psalm could easily be used for this purpose, with the pastor opening with "Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good!", and the congregation answering "For His mercy endures forever." But this psalm may be a tad long for this exercise, and the people may too soon get bored saying the same thing over and over, and so completely miss the point God and our psalmist are trying to impart. Even though they keep saying the same words, they may easily miss the message that the Lord's mercy indeed lasts forever and knows no end.

Today's focus verses encourage us to give thanks to God for, among the many other reasons, His provision of what we and all His creatures need to sustain our lives. The obvious aspect of giving "food to all flesh" is that God makes available all that we need to physically nourish our bodies, the food we eat. As believers, we understand that all things come from God, in one way or another. We may plant the seed and work the field, but He provides the soil, the water, the sun, and even the seed in the first place, as well as the health, strength, and endurance to do the work. God gives us everything we need to eat and live.

But there is another "food" each of us needs, and which the Lord also gives. We need our daily bread, our staff of life, our living water. We need God's word and we need God's Word. When we pray, "Give us this day our daily bread", we are not only asking for what sustains our body but also for what sustains our soul. We need God's Word, we need Jesus, and we need His Holy Spirit living in us. And the great thing is that God provides all of this for us, each and every day, if we only believe. Why? Because His mercy endures forever. Amen.

O God of heaven, we give You thanks for You are good and Your love and mercy endure forever! You are eternally faithful to us even when we turn from You, Your tender mercy endures even our misguided ways. Thank You for Your countless blessings, O Lord! In the glorious name of our Lord and Savior Jesus we pray. Amen.

Working Together

Next to him Uzziel the son of Harhaiah, one of the goldsmiths, made repairs. Also next to him Hananiah, one of the performers, made repairs; and they fortified Jerusalem as far as the Broad Wall. And next to them Rephaiah the son of Hur, leader of half the district of Jerusalem, made repairs.

 --Nehemiah 3:8-9  (NKJV)

From the daily Bible reading on August 11, 2013 of Psalm 136:1-15; Luke 12:41-59; Nehemiah 3-4.

Nehemiah served in captivity (please see "Discerning God's Will") as the cupbearer to King Artaxerxes, a position of responsibility (protecting the king from drinking poison) and some influence (he often had the king's ear simply because of his service). He was quite sad and wept when told that although the Temple had been restored, the holy city's walls still lay in disrepair, not yet rebuilt from their destruction, leaving the city and its inhabitants vulnerable to attack from their enemies. When the king expressed concern for his servant's apparent distress, Nehemiah requested and was granted permission to return to Jerusalem to lead the effort of repairing its walls.

Chapter three of Nehemiah's account chronicles the beginning of the construction of the walls and gates. Work crews gathered and the areas of their concentration were established, perhaps more by circumstance and consensus than by assignment. Some crews took on long stretches of repair, with one noted as rebuilding a gate and 1500 feet of the wall (the length of five football fields)! Some, maybe comprised of an individual or two, only made repairs to the section of wall directly opposite their houses. But maybe the most interesting thing we read is that all manner of people participated in the effort. The first name mentioned was that of the high priest, Eliashib, who along with his brother priests rebuilt the gate by which animals were brought in for sacrifice and the wall itself for a good distance to the west. All classes of people from all walks of life pitched in. Today's focus verses record the names of three men and their quite different stations in life. A goldsmith, likely very skilled in his craft, a performer, perhaps a Temple singer or musician, and a leader of half the city, all doing the coarse, rough, physical labor of cutting stones and hewing lumber and stacking them all up and fitting everything together to reform the walls and gates around their city. Even women joined the effort, as the daughters of another leader are specifically listed among the crews. And these people not only were tasked with the hard manual labor, but were also called upon to bear arms in defense of the people and their work, as recorded in chapter four. Only the nobles of the Tekoites failed to support and participate in this great effort.

The wall was finished to one-half its original height within fifty-two days, with all gaps filled in. In fifty-two days, without the benefit of modern tools or machinery, these dedicated people completed a daunting task. Through Nehemiah, God shows us just how much we can accomplish if we all work together. If we can only put aside our personal differences and forget about our position in life and our supposed rank within society and focus on a common goal, then we can do what might seem impossible, for God will bless our efforts and do wondrous things through our hands. Loving each other and working together is what our Lord wants us to do. Let's give Him what He wants. Amen.

Heavenly Father, we know from Your word and our own experiences that we can get more done when we work together than when we try doing things on our own. But sometimes we think ourselves too good or too important to join a common effort, like the nobles of the Tekoites. Please forgive us, Lord, when we put ourselves above others, when we refuse to serve as Your Son instructed us to do and as He did by example. Help us work together toward the advancement of Your kingdom. In the wonderful name of Christ Jesus we pray. Amen.

Where is Our Treasure?

"For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also"

 --Luke 12:34  (NKJV)

From the daily Bible reading on August 10, 2013 of Psalm 135:15-21; Luke 12:22-40; Nehemiah 1-2.

Jesus was fairly well into His ministry and pretty much upsetting the religious leadership, comprised mainly of the Pharisees and Sadducees and their lackeys the scribes. Everywhere He went Jesus performed miracles, whether healing the sick, driving out evil spirits, feeding thousands with very little food, or even bring people back from the dead. And everywhere He went the people flocked to Jesus, gathering around Him in multitudes numbering in the hundreds and thousands. This had to rankle the self-righteous leadership, this Jesus from a podunk town in Galilee getting so much attention, drawing such large crowds. Jesus threatened their very foundations, which had become so far skewed from God's way that He could not let them continue. The Pharisees and Sadducees repudiated Jesus at every step, and tried to get the masses to do likewise. But still the crowds grew, and so did the count of His followers.

Jesus knew many would turn against Him. After all, that was part of the Father's plan. He knew the leadership would turn on Him and reject Him. But He also knew that many of the people, even of His close followers, did not completely understand all that was going on. So He instructed His disciples and those within earshot on how to deal with this rejection and what to do so as to remain faithful. His instruction tool of choice was the parable, giving people word pictures so they could better grasp complex and divine ideas. Today's focus verse concludes one such lesson, this one concerning covetousness. He tells us not to dwell on things of this earthly life, nor on what the world thinks important. We shouldn't worry about what we have to eat or drink or wear. God will take care of us. In fact, we shouldn't worry or fret or be anxious over anything, for worrying won't improve our lot one bit.

He tells us to give what we can to the poor, even if it means selling our material goods to get the money to give. But our focus verse gives us the crux of these instructions. Jesus doesn't want us to sell everything we have and give it all to the poor, for then we would be poor too, unless all those things have become too dear and precious to us. No, what He wants is that we divest ourselves of any of our earthly possessions if they have become a treasure to us, if we are obsessed with them, if we have made them our gods. Our treasure is stored up for us in heaven. Jesus is our ultimate and best treasure, and that is where our heart should be. Amen.

Lord Jesus, forgive us when we place too great an importance on the things of this world, when all the glitz of bright shiny things blinds us to what really matters, and that is keeping our focus entirely on You. Lord, sometimes we tend to worry about things over which we have absolutely no control. Please help us remember that our Father is in complete charge of everything and will take care of us. In Your most glorious name, Christ Jesus we pray. Amen.

His Compassion Endures Forever

Your name, O Lord, endures forever, Your fame, O Lord, throughout all generations. For the Lord will judge His people, and He will have compassion on His servants.

 --Psalm 135:13-14  (NKJV)

From the daily Bible reading on August 9, 2013 of Psalm 135:1-14; Luke 12:1-21; Ezra 10.

The 135th Psalm is the epitome of a praise psalm, if by no other measure than that the word "praise" is used five times in the first three verses alone. Our unnamed psalmist opens by urging his listeners to praise God because He is good and because He chose Israel as His people. We are told of God's greatness as the Lord over all creation and for His role in the history of His people. And he closes his song the way he began it, by renewing his call to praise the Lord.

The first of today's focus verses speaks of God's name and His fame. The name of God - Yahweh, Adonai, Jehovah, the Great I Am - has been known by man since the beginning of time. God was the first man's sole companion until He created Eve to be his mate. While there have been many gods created or imagined by man throughout history, the only one still called upon on a daily basis is God, the one true God. His name is cried out every day by those seeking Him or His help, by the desperate and the thankful alike. And we call on Him because of His fame, for all the great things He has done through all time, because of His great power and infinite love, for His faithfulness that knows no bounds and has no end.

In the second of our focus verses, the word "judge" might be more meaningful to us if we replace it with "vindicate", and it is appropriate to do so. Jesus shows us in His Revelation to the Apostle John that near the end of days the martyred saints will cry out to God that they be vindicated. "How long must we wait?", they ask (please see Revelation 6:9-11). And indeed they, and we, are vindicated in the end, when Jesus returns and strikes down the forces of the evil one and sentences him and his servants to the lake of fire. God will vindicate His people. We have His promise on that and He has never broken a promise. We hear these words not only from our psalmist, but also from Moses, almost word for word (see Deuteronomy 32:36).

Our Lord's name endures forever, especially the name of Jesus. His fame is known and spreads throughout the world as His Gospel story is told and retold. And in the end of days He will come again and vindicate us, meting out justice long overdue. But the most beautiful part of today's verses is the promise of His compassion for us, His servants and His believers. By His compassion and grace we are saved. Praise God, for His name, His fame, and His compassion are everlasting. Amen.

O Lord, Your name is known across the world and throughout time. You are renowned by all of mankind. When Your appointed time comes, You will send Your Son back to man, this time to judge all humanity and vindicate Your people. Thank You, Lord, for Your everlasting love and compassion. In the wonderful name of Jesus Christ our Lord we pray. Amen.

Discerning God's Will

Then I proclaimed a fast there at the river of Ahava, that we might humble ourselves before our God, to seek from Him the right way for us and our little ones and our possessions.

 --Ezra 8:21  (NKJV)

From the daily Bible reading on August 8, 2013 of Psalm 134; Luke 11:37-54; Ezra 8-9.

Ezra, a direct descendant of Aaron the priest and brother of Moses, served as a scribe while in captivity in Babylon, skilled in the Mosaic Law which God had given him.  God smiled on him and all he did, and the king of Persia (by this time, Persia had defeated Babylon and basically inherited the captive children of Israel) granted all he requested (please reference Ezra 7:1-6).  In about 458 BC, the seventh year of the reign of King Artaxerxes, Ezra led a second wave of the house of Jacob from captivity to Jerusalem.  The Temple of God had been rebuilt, but much work remained, including rebuilding the city walls.  The king offered Ezra and his company safe passage through the lands as well as silver and gold to fund their efforts.  They were also allowed to collect freewill offerings from the people and take those funds for the reconstruction effort.  In all of this God greatly blessed Ezra.

While still on the journey to Jerusalem, Ezra paused by the river that flows to Ahava, a location lost over the centuries but the "river" was likely a tributary of the Euphrates.  They camped there for three days while he took stock of their situation.  He found that there were no Levites among them, those separated to God who served the priests and had responsibility over the holy articles and implements.  For some reason, very few of the sons of Levi chose to return to Jerusalem, possibly because of the long journey or the harsh conditions in the destroyed city.  So Ezra sent his leaders to Casiphia (exactly where this might be is also unknown now, but many Levites and Nethinim (Temple servants) must have dwelt there), to recruit those willing to serve.  His call was answered as 38 Levites and 220 Temple servants joined them.  Now Ezra could have asked King Artaxerxes for an armed escort for the long trek, but chose instead to trust in God for His protection, telling the king that "the hand of God is upon all those for good who seek Him, but His power and His wrath are against all those who forsake Him" (verse 22).  God indeed protected them, seeing them safely past ambushes and through the lands.

Today's focus verse carries the key to all of Ezra's successes, why God favored him and smiled on everything he did, why He saw the entire company safely through the long, arduous journey to Jerusalem.  Ezra humbled himself before God, and led all those who followed him to do the same.  They fasted and prayed there by the river.  They still had a long way to go before reaching their destination and a lot of work ahead of them once they got there, yet they paused for three days simply to seek from God what He would have them do.  This is our lesson for the current age.  No matter how rushed we are, no matter how the busyness of life overtakes us, we need to humble ourselves before our Lord, stop what we are doing and pray for His guidance, and in the silence discern His will for us.  Be still, and know He is God.  Amen.

Almighty God, You show great favor to all those who seek Your voice, who follow Your commands, who believe in Your Son as Lord and Master.  Forgive us, please Father, when we fail to humble ourselves and come to You for guidance, when we refuse to discern Your will for us.  Forgive us our pride when we think we can do things on our own.  Only through You, Lord God, can we accomplish great things.  Only by seeking You will Your hand be upon us, guiding us in the right way.  Thank You, Father, for being ever faithful.  In the precious name of Jesus we pray.  Amen.