Background Passage: Jeremiah 30 and 31
Focal Passage: Jeremiah 31:31, 33
What is the newest thing you have experienced lately? Do you remember the first time you did something or experienced something brand new? I remember the first brand new car Terri and I bought (and we are almost finished paying it off, yeah!). We were amazed that it only had 14 miles on the odometer. It had that new car smell, we didn't even have to buy the "new car" deodorizer, it naturally smelled that way. Last year, when we were moving our son into his college dorm room, Terri and I relived the first time we moved out on our own. We experienced for the first time what it was like to have a new place to live. Going to a new location or visiting a town you have never been, learning the way around the area, and meeting people for the very first time. Experiencing these new things can be exciting and nerve racking all at the same time.
In the focal passage, Jeremiah 31:31, God informs Jeremiah and the people that He will make a new covenant with His people. This covenant is different. One of the major characteristics of this new covenant is that God's law would no longer be on stone tablets but be written on the hearts of His people. He would enter into a relationship with His people through the perfect atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ. The comforting promise that He gave in this passage is that He will not only forgive ours sins but He remembers them no more. This new covenant has an ongoing characteristic to it. Because this new covenant is relationship based, the greater we get to know our Lord, the more time we spend with Him, the sweeter the relationship grows. It is as though we always are riding in a new vehicle.
What is the newest thing you have experienced lately? What new things has God taught you about who He is in your life? Share your comments.
Monday, August 16, 2010
Monday, August 9, 2010
To Pray or Not To Pray...That is the Question.
Daily Reading: Jeremiah 7-9
Focal Passage: Jeremiah 7:16-24
Did God ever instruct "not to pray"? Think about that question for awhile before you answer it. Am I giving you a trick question? Why would God ever instruct His follower, "not to pray"? I will give you a hint about the answer to this "tricky" question: the answer is found in the focal passage. God actually told Jeremiah to quit praying for His people (Jeremiah 7:16). More than likely, this is a private word from God to the prophet of God's people. It is a rare occasion in Scripture, but it shows God's desperation and disgust with His people's actions.
What is my point? Read on in the focal passage and examine verse 24 carefully. Read the indictment of God's people. What is their problem? Time and time again God has spoken to His people about their sin and they have consistently done four things: 1)didn't listen to Him and didn't pay attention to Him 2) followed their own advice 3)were stubborn 4)continued to move backward instead of forward.
Do you have any of those habits in your life? Do you effectively listen to what God says to you or do you quickly dismiss it and justify why you didn't "hear God clearly or correctly" or why God "couldn't have said that"? Do you give God the opportunity to speak to you or are you simply too busy to read His Word or too busy to be still and quiet so you can hear Him? Do you find yourself solving your own problems and looking for worldly solutions to your problems instead of turning and trusting in God? Do you lean upon your own experiences, education, and wisdom to discern what is right and wrong? Do you simply like things your way and are stubborn when it comes to getting things done your way in your timing? Are you moving closer to God, are you learning more of who He is and wants to be in your life? When was the last time God clearly revealed Himself to you?
Will you agree with God today that you have some of the same problems that His people did back in Jeremiah's day? Will you confess your adulteress heart that has wandered from God? Come back to Him today! I don't know about you, but I don't want the same said about me that God said in Jeremiah 9:26. God, I want my heart to be in agreement with yours! I want to follow You, remove my stubborness, give me Your wisdom, open my ears and heart to hear from you, and help me to move closer to You rather than drifting slowly away from You! Will you pray that prayer with me today!
Focal Passage: Jeremiah 7:16-24
Did God ever instruct "not to pray"? Think about that question for awhile before you answer it. Am I giving you a trick question? Why would God ever instruct His follower, "not to pray"? I will give you a hint about the answer to this "tricky" question: the answer is found in the focal passage. God actually told Jeremiah to quit praying for His people (Jeremiah 7:16). More than likely, this is a private word from God to the prophet of God's people. It is a rare occasion in Scripture, but it shows God's desperation and disgust with His people's actions.
What is my point? Read on in the focal passage and examine verse 24 carefully. Read the indictment of God's people. What is their problem? Time and time again God has spoken to His people about their sin and they have consistently done four things: 1)didn't listen to Him and didn't pay attention to Him 2) followed their own advice 3)were stubborn 4)continued to move backward instead of forward.
Do you have any of those habits in your life? Do you effectively listen to what God says to you or do you quickly dismiss it and justify why you didn't "hear God clearly or correctly" or why God "couldn't have said that"? Do you give God the opportunity to speak to you or are you simply too busy to read His Word or too busy to be still and quiet so you can hear Him? Do you find yourself solving your own problems and looking for worldly solutions to your problems instead of turning and trusting in God? Do you lean upon your own experiences, education, and wisdom to discern what is right and wrong? Do you simply like things your way and are stubborn when it comes to getting things done your way in your timing? Are you moving closer to God, are you learning more of who He is and wants to be in your life? When was the last time God clearly revealed Himself to you?
Will you agree with God today that you have some of the same problems that His people did back in Jeremiah's day? Will you confess your adulteress heart that has wandered from God? Come back to Him today! I don't know about you, but I don't want the same said about me that God said in Jeremiah 9:26. God, I want my heart to be in agreement with yours! I want to follow You, remove my stubborness, give me Your wisdom, open my ears and heart to hear from you, and help me to move closer to You rather than drifting slowly away from You! Will you pray that prayer with me today!
Monday, June 21, 2010
Distractions, distractions
Scripture Reading: I Kings 10, 11, and II Chronicles 9
Focal Passage: I Kings 11:4-6
Have you ever gotten distracted from your task at hand? Perhaps you started a project at work, and then got interrupted by phone calls or more pressing, immediate needs and the project got pushed aside. Before you knew it, days went by before you got back to the project. Maybe you are like me and your wife gives you a list at the grocery store and the meat aisle distracts you for a few minutes (I always have to see if they have any good deals on steaks or shrimp). In my basketball coaching days, my teams would sometimes run a full-court pressure defense to try to distract players from their normal routine of bringing the ball up the court. We hoped they would feel the pressure and make mistakes by throwing the ball away to our team. Distractions are a part of life and coping with those distractions is often the difference between a self-disciplined person and one that simply "goes with the flow".
King Solomon went from a blessed hero in I Kings 10 to a man that was being overrun by his enemies and dies in I Kings 11. What a difference a chapter makes! This huge difference in these two chapters is summed up in the focal passage. Solomon was distracted by his wives (no jokes here about women). His wives seduced (convinced) him to follow after their gods. His heart was not completely faithful to the Lord. One of the gods, Ashtoreth, was a god we read about yesterday in Sunday School (I Samuel 7:3,4). This god was a female deity worshiped as a god of fertility and war. She was also one of the main gods in Canaanite religion. Solomon went from a man that had great wisdom given to him by God, to a man that served other gods and even built places of worship to these other gods. He was distracted and his loyatly and faithfulness to God waivered.
Before we judge Solomon too harshly, let's ask ourselves a question: have I been distracted away from God? Do you need to confess a time in which you have been distracted and your attention and faithfulness to your relationship with God has waivered? It could be school, work, family, church, technology, addictions, cares of this life, vacation, hurt....the list goes on and on. The possibilities are as endless as the choices in a grocery store! Pray this for me and I will do the same for you if you would like for me to: God, help me not to be distracted from You, or Your purposes for my life. Help me to live what Paul wrote in Philippians 3:8. Help me to see everything else besides Christ as simple distractions!
Focal Passage: I Kings 11:4-6
Have you ever gotten distracted from your task at hand? Perhaps you started a project at work, and then got interrupted by phone calls or more pressing, immediate needs and the project got pushed aside. Before you knew it, days went by before you got back to the project. Maybe you are like me and your wife gives you a list at the grocery store and the meat aisle distracts you for a few minutes (I always have to see if they have any good deals on steaks or shrimp). In my basketball coaching days, my teams would sometimes run a full-court pressure defense to try to distract players from their normal routine of bringing the ball up the court. We hoped they would feel the pressure and make mistakes by throwing the ball away to our team. Distractions are a part of life and coping with those distractions is often the difference between a self-disciplined person and one that simply "goes with the flow".
King Solomon went from a blessed hero in I Kings 10 to a man that was being overrun by his enemies and dies in I Kings 11. What a difference a chapter makes! This huge difference in these two chapters is summed up in the focal passage. Solomon was distracted by his wives (no jokes here about women). His wives seduced (convinced) him to follow after their gods. His heart was not completely faithful to the Lord. One of the gods, Ashtoreth, was a god we read about yesterday in Sunday School (I Samuel 7:3,4). This god was a female deity worshiped as a god of fertility and war. She was also one of the main gods in Canaanite religion. Solomon went from a man that had great wisdom given to him by God, to a man that served other gods and even built places of worship to these other gods. He was distracted and his loyatly and faithfulness to God waivered.
Before we judge Solomon too harshly, let's ask ourselves a question: have I been distracted away from God? Do you need to confess a time in which you have been distracted and your attention and faithfulness to your relationship with God has waivered? It could be school, work, family, church, technology, addictions, cares of this life, vacation, hurt....the list goes on and on. The possibilities are as endless as the choices in a grocery store! Pray this for me and I will do the same for you if you would like for me to: God, help me not to be distracted from You, or Your purposes for my life. Help me to live what Paul wrote in Philippians 3:8. Help me to see everything else besides Christ as simple distractions!
Thursday, June 3, 2010
Building Project
Focal Passage: I Corinthians 3:10-17
My dad and oldest brother have a gift or a skill that I wish I could duplicate. This skill allows them to look at something that may need some work and envision what it will look like when they are all finished. I may be able to talk about what I would like for it to look like and may even find some pictures that illustrate what I want, but I lack the skill to accomplish the task. This morning I walked over to the house that our church is remodeling just to see the progress that is being made. It is exciting to see something gradually being built or changed to look new and fresh. It is amazing what new tile, new paint, new bathroom, and just up-to-date construction can do to an old home. The reality is that no matter what you do to change the appearance on the outside, the house has to have a strong foundation for that remodeling to make any substantial difference. Another way of putting it is: if the walls can't stand, what's the point of painting them?
In I Corinthians 3:10-11 Paul reminds the church at Corinth the most significant thing about working in God's church is to never get away from the foundation that has been laid. Quite simply: the gospel of Jesus Christ. The church may involve itself in many different discussions and ministries (may do remodeling) from time to time, however, it must never get away from the basic message of salvation is found in Christ and Christ alone. In today's American church culture, the church is always trying to find the next best movement to attract people into its doors (the seeker friendly church, the purpose driven church, the simple church, and now the transformational church). All of these movements, strategies, models can have their place in ministry settings if the church does not change the foundation from which it was founded.
The church (the people of God) is the bride of Christ. Christ is the head of the church. Christ ought to lead, guide, direct His people to fulfill the Great Commission, by living out the Great Commandment, and bringing unchurched people to a saving knowledge of the Great Confession. With all the printed materials we read, all the opinions we have about what the church should do and be, we (as God's people) must never forget what Paul reminded the church at Corinth of so long ago: NO ONE can lay any other foundation than what has already been laid - that is Jesus Christ.
What are you doing within your church to build upon the foundation of Christ and Christ alone? What does your church do to fulfill the Great Commission, live out the Great Commandment? When was the last time you witnessed someone express the Great Confession, much like Peter did? Share your answers to these questions in the comment section of the blog.
My dad and oldest brother have a gift or a skill that I wish I could duplicate. This skill allows them to look at something that may need some work and envision what it will look like when they are all finished. I may be able to talk about what I would like for it to look like and may even find some pictures that illustrate what I want, but I lack the skill to accomplish the task. This morning I walked over to the house that our church is remodeling just to see the progress that is being made. It is exciting to see something gradually being built or changed to look new and fresh. It is amazing what new tile, new paint, new bathroom, and just up-to-date construction can do to an old home. The reality is that no matter what you do to change the appearance on the outside, the house has to have a strong foundation for that remodeling to make any substantial difference. Another way of putting it is: if the walls can't stand, what's the point of painting them?
In I Corinthians 3:10-11 Paul reminds the church at Corinth the most significant thing about working in God's church is to never get away from the foundation that has been laid. Quite simply: the gospel of Jesus Christ. The church may involve itself in many different discussions and ministries (may do remodeling) from time to time, however, it must never get away from the basic message of salvation is found in Christ and Christ alone. In today's American church culture, the church is always trying to find the next best movement to attract people into its doors (the seeker friendly church, the purpose driven church, the simple church, and now the transformational church). All of these movements, strategies, models can have their place in ministry settings if the church does not change the foundation from which it was founded.
The church (the people of God) is the bride of Christ. Christ is the head of the church. Christ ought to lead, guide, direct His people to fulfill the Great Commission, by living out the Great Commandment, and bringing unchurched people to a saving knowledge of the Great Confession. With all the printed materials we read, all the opinions we have about what the church should do and be, we (as God's people) must never forget what Paul reminded the church at Corinth of so long ago: NO ONE can lay any other foundation than what has already been laid - that is Jesus Christ.
What are you doing within your church to build upon the foundation of Christ and Christ alone? What does your church do to fulfill the Great Commission, live out the Great Commandment? When was the last time you witnessed someone express the Great Confession, much like Peter did? Share your answers to these questions in the comment section of the blog.
Saturday, May 22, 2010
The Rock in the River
A couple of hours outside of San Antonio there is an encampment in which the Frio River runs right through the middle of the camp. Groups have to drive their vehicles into the river to get to the campsites. I don't mean just drive through the river. The road to get to the campsites is the riverbed! It is really fun to experience. Our former church had a camp every year called the Family of God camp. Our former pastor had a ritual he always performed at this camp. He would take a group of children on a hike, and during this hike they would all stop at this one rock. This rock was huge! This was the highlight of the hike, because the challenge would be given to try to fit as many kids on the top of that rock as possible. The rock's size was so impressive, but so was its location. It was in the middle of this river. This rock was immovable. This rock was enormous. This rock had plenty of room for everyone to stand on top of it.
David wrote a Psalm that talks about the Lord being his rock. It is recorded in Psalm 18 and II Samuel 22. David spoke the words of this song: "The Lord is my Rock, my Fortress, and my Deliverer." What circumstance have you live through or are presently going through that you have a need for a Fortress or a Deliverer? What about all the decisions that you face and simply need a standard or a guide to direct you? What do you stand upon in the tornado-like winds of this world? David's relationship with God was his answer to all three of those questions. Today, our relationship with God through Jesus Christ gives us a Rock to stand on, a Fortress to dwell in and know God's safety and provision, and a Deliverer that can rescue us from the penalty, power and presence of sin!
Thank God today for Him being our Rock, Fortress, and Deliverer. Spend some time in prayer worshipping Him! Announce to Him your expressions of how God has been your Rock, Fortress, and Deliverer.
I know it has been a long time, but do this for me: Post your comments on here! Let the focus of your comments be to share with the world how God has revealed Himself to you as the Rock, Fortress, and Deliverer in your life. Post away!!!!
David wrote a Psalm that talks about the Lord being his rock. It is recorded in Psalm 18 and II Samuel 22. David spoke the words of this song: "The Lord is my Rock, my Fortress, and my Deliverer." What circumstance have you live through or are presently going through that you have a need for a Fortress or a Deliverer? What about all the decisions that you face and simply need a standard or a guide to direct you? What do you stand upon in the tornado-like winds of this world? David's relationship with God was his answer to all three of those questions. Today, our relationship with God through Jesus Christ gives us a Rock to stand on, a Fortress to dwell in and know God's safety and provision, and a Deliverer that can rescue us from the penalty, power and presence of sin!
Thank God today for Him being our Rock, Fortress, and Deliverer. Spend some time in prayer worshipping Him! Announce to Him your expressions of how God has been your Rock, Fortress, and Deliverer.
I know it has been a long time, but do this for me: Post your comments on here! Let the focus of your comments be to share with the world how God has revealed Himself to you as the Rock, Fortress, and Deliverer in your life. Post away!!!!
Saturday, April 10, 2010
Fear the SAW
Daily Scripture Reading: I Samuel 4-8
Focal Passage: I Samuel 6:20
My father owned and operated a construction business and lumber yard when I was younger. I can remember spending many hours in the back of that lumber yard playing and working on different projects. However, there was one central tool in the middle of the warehouse that no one played around with. It was the huge saw that we used to cut lumber. This saw was fast, sharp, loud, and scary. When I was old enough to start using it, my dad gave me very specific instructions as to where to keep my fingers and how to avoid them getting caught by the saw. The saw was powerful and fast and could do many amazing things, but I always had a healthy respect (or in Biblical terms, fear) of the saw because I valued what it could do to my fingers if I wasn't careful and paying attention.
In the focal passage today, the Philistines had an interesting encounter with one of God's tools. The Ark of the Covenant was captured by them and every time it went into one of their Philistine towns the entire town would have things happen to them. This pattern that the Philistines observed convinced them to fear or respect God, and they decided to return the Ark of the Covenant back to its rightful owners: God's people, the Israelites. Even God's own people did not respect it the way that they should. In I Samuel 6:20 the men of Bethshemesh asked, "Who is able to stand in the presence of this holy Lord God?" They recognized that there was a huge difference between God and themselves.
We have lost the fear (respect) for God that we should have. The fear of God in the Bible is talking about a reverance, respect, honor or recognition of who God is (His holiness, His judgment, His power) in compared to who we are. We struggle with trying to be the best in our careers, have the best stuff we can possibly afford, with the highest education we can attain so that we can achieve for ourselves. We spend so much time building ourselves up, that we forget to acknowledge in our everyday lives that God is greater than all of us and He is ultimately in control of everything. Perhaps what we need is more people being stricken dead as soon as they disobey God (like in the Old Testament). Personally, I think I take in so much sin in my life that I become oblivious to God's presence in the world and in my life. I accept the things of the world and forget to have a hunger and thirst for the things of God. What do you think? Tell me about your healthy or unhealthy respect (fear) of the Lord.
Lord, help me to fear you today. Help me to hunger and thirst for your righteousness and allow me to seek first the kingdom of God!
Focal Passage: I Samuel 6:20
My father owned and operated a construction business and lumber yard when I was younger. I can remember spending many hours in the back of that lumber yard playing and working on different projects. However, there was one central tool in the middle of the warehouse that no one played around with. It was the huge saw that we used to cut lumber. This saw was fast, sharp, loud, and scary. When I was old enough to start using it, my dad gave me very specific instructions as to where to keep my fingers and how to avoid them getting caught by the saw. The saw was powerful and fast and could do many amazing things, but I always had a healthy respect (or in Biblical terms, fear) of the saw because I valued what it could do to my fingers if I wasn't careful and paying attention.
In the focal passage today, the Philistines had an interesting encounter with one of God's tools. The Ark of the Covenant was captured by them and every time it went into one of their Philistine towns the entire town would have things happen to them. This pattern that the Philistines observed convinced them to fear or respect God, and they decided to return the Ark of the Covenant back to its rightful owners: God's people, the Israelites. Even God's own people did not respect it the way that they should. In I Samuel 6:20 the men of Bethshemesh asked, "Who is able to stand in the presence of this holy Lord God?" They recognized that there was a huge difference between God and themselves.
We have lost the fear (respect) for God that we should have. The fear of God in the Bible is talking about a reverance, respect, honor or recognition of who God is (His holiness, His judgment, His power) in compared to who we are. We struggle with trying to be the best in our careers, have the best stuff we can possibly afford, with the highest education we can attain so that we can achieve for ourselves. We spend so much time building ourselves up, that we forget to acknowledge in our everyday lives that God is greater than all of us and He is ultimately in control of everything. Perhaps what we need is more people being stricken dead as soon as they disobey God (like in the Old Testament). Personally, I think I take in so much sin in my life that I become oblivious to God's presence in the world and in my life. I accept the things of the world and forget to have a hunger and thirst for the things of God. What do you think? Tell me about your healthy or unhealthy respect (fear) of the Lord.
Lord, help me to fear you today. Help me to hunger and thirst for your righteousness and allow me to seek first the kingdom of God!
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Give me MEAT or give me death
Daily Scripture Reading: Judges 16-18
Focal Passage: Exodus 16:2-3
We have this ongoing debate in my home. Terri and I disagree about the necessary ingredients that are required for a meal time. I am no vegetarian, never had any desire to be, nor do I understand people that claim to be. A meal must come with some type of meat, preferably beef (like a 12 ounce New York Strip steak) in order for it to be classified as officially dinner. You might get by with a baked potato or salad or soup for lunch but for dinner it must have some type of meat in it! This is even Scriptural. Seriously. I will prove it to you.
Today I was studying for a Bible study I am teaching Wednesday night and I was reminded that even God's people complained about not having meat to eat. They were in the wilderness and grew tired of the daily routine of water and water only. Then God rained down bread from heaven, but God's people complained again...bread and water alone is really not a meal. Then in Exodus 16:12, God told His people He would send them meat (quail) every evening.
Ok...let me be honest with you. This passage of Scripture is really not about whether or not every dinner has to have meat with it. However, it does remind us of our human tendency, to grumble. Grumbling constitutes a dominant theme all throughout the Israelites' wilderness wanderings and it describes not only the Israelites' typical attitude when faced with difficulty, but ours as well. The lack of food affected the entire Israelite community and the grumbling and complaining led to angry accusations against human leaders and God.
God had only shown care and love for His people. Moses had led the people out of bondage and slavery to freedom. When faced with difficult times, however, the people had forgotten all of the ways both God and his leader had provided for them. Instead of remaining loyal to God and trusting Him to see them through the difficult time, they blamed Him. We have a tendency to do the same thing today. God can use difficult times or circumstances to strengthen our faith and commitment in Him. We need to trust Him and depend on Him in every situation.
When do you have difficulty trusting in God? How have your life experiences helped you grow more devoted to Him in good and difficult times?
Focal Passage: Exodus 16:2-3
We have this ongoing debate in my home. Terri and I disagree about the necessary ingredients that are required for a meal time. I am no vegetarian, never had any desire to be, nor do I understand people that claim to be. A meal must come with some type of meat, preferably beef (like a 12 ounce New York Strip steak) in order for it to be classified as officially dinner. You might get by with a baked potato or salad or soup for lunch but for dinner it must have some type of meat in it! This is even Scriptural. Seriously. I will prove it to you.
Today I was studying for a Bible study I am teaching Wednesday night and I was reminded that even God's people complained about not having meat to eat. They were in the wilderness and grew tired of the daily routine of water and water only. Then God rained down bread from heaven, but God's people complained again...bread and water alone is really not a meal. Then in Exodus 16:12, God told His people He would send them meat (quail) every evening.
Ok...let me be honest with you. This passage of Scripture is really not about whether or not every dinner has to have meat with it. However, it does remind us of our human tendency, to grumble. Grumbling constitutes a dominant theme all throughout the Israelites' wilderness wanderings and it describes not only the Israelites' typical attitude when faced with difficulty, but ours as well. The lack of food affected the entire Israelite community and the grumbling and complaining led to angry accusations against human leaders and God.
God had only shown care and love for His people. Moses had led the people out of bondage and slavery to freedom. When faced with difficult times, however, the people had forgotten all of the ways both God and his leader had provided for them. Instead of remaining loyal to God and trusting Him to see them through the difficult time, they blamed Him. We have a tendency to do the same thing today. God can use difficult times or circumstances to strengthen our faith and commitment in Him. We need to trust Him and depend on Him in every situation.
When do you have difficulty trusting in God? How have your life experiences helped you grow more devoted to Him in good and difficult times?
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