January 14, 2010- It’s Hard to be Humble

Scripture to read today:
Genesis 34; Genesis 35; Genesis 36; Luke 14
Scripture that spoke to me:
Luke 14:8-9
“When you are invited by anyone to a wedding feast, do not sit down in the best place, lest one more honorable than you be invited by him; and he who invited you and him come and say to you, ‘Give place to this man,’ and then you begin with shame to take the lowest place.

Observation:
It is better to put yourself in a lowly position and have someone pick you up than to think highly of yourself and have someone knock you down. God wants us to be humble so that He can exalt us. It is when we realize that we have no power or ability without Him that His work shines through.

Application:
We’ve been talking in children’s worship about “upside down” thinking. This is a great example! The world tells us to get ahead- put our best foot forward- to climb the ladder of success. This is really hard to practice because we’re conditioned to get ahead. I think the best way to start is just to say:

Prayer:
God, I realize that I am nothing without You. Help me to remain humble so that Your work will shine through me. Amen.

November 11, 2009- All for His Glory

Scripture to read today:

Psalm 122; 1 Corinthians 9; 1 Corinthians 10; 1 Corinthians 11

Scripture that spoke to me:
1 Corinthians 10:31
So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.

Observation:
Eat for God- drink for God- do everything for the glory of God.

Application:
I say grace before most every meal. I am thankful to God for all that He has blessed me with. But I’ve never thought about eating to honor Him. Drinking for the glory of God. I’m usually eating and drinking for my pleasure, or nourishment, or contentment….. I wonder how things are if you eat for God’s glory? Drive a car for God’s glory (bet you’d drive a lot differently!)? Wash dishes for God’s glory? I’m going to hold this verse close this week and see what becomes of it.

Prayer:
Lord, I don’t know that I understand how to eat and drink for You. I know that we are supposed to worship You always, but I’ve never thought about the mundane things we do in our day- bathing, washing dishes, eating- help me do everything for You, Dear Lord. Amen.

Seotember 17, 2009- Kiss the Messenger

Scripture to read today:

Ezekiel 42; Ezekiel 43; Ezekiel 44; Revelation 22

Scripture that spoke to me:
Revelation 22: 8-9
I, John, am the one who heard and saw all these things. And when I heard and saw them, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who showed them to me. But he said, “No, don’t worship me. I am a servant of God, just like you and your brothers the prophets, as well as all who obey what is written in this book. Worship only God!”

Observation:
In this last chapter of Revelation, John is telling us how he heard and saw all these things. An angel, sent from Jesus, gave him this message. And he was so in awe, he fell at the angel’s feet. But the angel reminded John that he was only the messenger- the praise belongs to the Lord.

Application:
I want to look at this as the messenger. We are all sent to spread the Good News- be the messenger. But how many times do we get the praise when something goes right? Do we remember to deflect that praise on to God? Or do we absorb the praise for ourselves?  Especially with music, I struggle with the fact that I want to sing well- I want people to like what I’m singing- and I want the praise that comes with a job well done. But my motives need to be right. The praise is fine as long as I understand that the praise belongs to God, who gave me the gift I use to glorify Him.

Prayer:
Lord, this is hard. It is hard to not be prideful when a job is well done. Help me to balance that pride with worship and thanksgiving for the good things You give me. Help me to do a good job of showing You to other people through these gifts. Amen.

September 7, 2009- God Wins!

Scripture to read today:

2 Kings 25; 2 Chronicles 36; Jeremiah 40; Jeremiah 41; Revelation 12

Scripture that spoke to me:
Revelation 12:17 And the dragon was angry at the woman and declared war against the rest of her children—all who keep God’s commandments and maintain their testimony for Jesus.

Observation:
Paul tells us in Ephesians 6:12 that “weare not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.” The devil and his forces are at work trying to win people away from the Lord. And those who have declared their love for Jesus are at the center of the target.

Application:
I’ve noticed that whenever something really good is about to happen, it seems like there is a force working against it. We’re getting ready to begin our children’s worship program again this fall and already there are obstacles to overcome. Mom and I went on a retreat last weekend that we thought may not happen because of some other things going on. But I do know this- the devil may get his little victories here and there, but he will not win. Because God is greater than all the evil forces, and the Lord will not be defeated.

Prayer:
Lord, You are mighty! You will reign over all- the good and the bad- and wipe the wicked from the earth. I believe in Your power, Your might, and Your grace. Amen.

September 6, 2009- Praise Him in the Storms

Scripture to read today:

Ezekiel 29; Ezekiel 30; Ezekiel 31; Ezekiel 32; Revelation 11

Scripture that spoke to me:
Revelation 11:13
At the same time there was a terrible earthquake that destroyed a tenth of the city. Seven thousand people died in that earthquake, and everyone else was terrified and gave glory to the God of heaven.

Observation:
This is a prophecy of the end times. The seventh trumpet is blown and the end of the world is near. Here there is an earthquake that caused a lot of destruction, but the people gave glory to God in heaven. This seems oxymoronic, but we can praise God and give Him glory at all times!

Application:
I’ve heard people say “why did God let this happen” many times when something goes wrong. This verse reminds me that God isn’t here just to make our lives easy and happy. He is here to fulfill His promises and see His plans completed. That may mean that we have some earthquakes in our lives… shaking so violent that all we can do is drop to our knees and praise God. That doesn’t mean His plans call for destruction. If you’ve ever made bread, you know that you have to knead the dough and pound it with your fist in order to make it rise right. If all you focus on is the beating (and not the fact that you end up with risen dough) then you aren’t looking at the right thing. Look for the end result- because if God is there, you can bet it will be good.

Prayer:
Lord, help us look for Your purpose in all things, and be ready to give You glory, even in the worst of storms. Amen.

August 7, 2009- It isn’t too late

Scripture to read today:

Zephaniah 1; Zephaniah 2; Zephaniah 3; John 9

Scripture that spoke to me:
Zephaniah 2:3
Seek the Lord, all who are humble,
and follow his commands.
Seek to do what is right
and to live humbly.
Perhaps even yet the Lord will protect you—
protect you from his anger on that day of destruction.

Observation:
Zephaniah was warning the people of Judah that the entire nation would be lost if they refused to return to the Lord. This is during the reign of Josiah, who was trying to “clean up” the temple and return the people to the Lord.

Application:
It is never too late to turn back to God. In fact, that is all God wants from His people. For them to seek Him. Some people think being a Christian means giving up something, when in fact, it means getting more! I know people who think that living a Christian life will be boring- no parties, no fun. But nothing could be further from the truth! I smile all the way through life, and it isn’t because I have had it easy. It is because I know who my Savior is, and He fills my soul. There isn’t much room for the darkness to creep in!

Prayer:
Lord, thank You for always taking us back- no matter how many times we turn away. Keep our focus on You and don’t let us be of this earth, for things of this earth perish and we want the eternal life that You have promised Your people. Help us know what it means to be Your people- what we’re supposed to do, and say, and go. Amen.

August 1, 2009- Working for God?

Scripture to read today:

Isaiah 65; Isaiah 66; Psalm 62; John 3

Scripture that spoke to me:
Isaiah 66:1
This is what the LORD says:
“Heaven is my throne,
and the earth is my footstool.
Where is the house you will build for me?
Where will my resting place be?

Observation:
The heavens and the earth belong to the Creator. God made everything we see; He gave us everything that we have. What can we do for Him? The Lord can have anything the way He wants it. He could move a mountain, change a sea. So what can we really do for Him? All our work is useless to Him unless it glorifies Him. If it allows more people to see who He is and what He does, then it is good work for Him.

Application:
This is a hard thing to reconcile sometimes. Steve is leaving for Mexico to build houses; Jaki is leaving for Africa next Saturday on a medical mission; I went to Cherokee and Savannah went to Gatlinburg; a host of church members have been places like Nicaragua, Honduras, Peru, Israel… for what? To help people, of course, but why? Is it for us, to make us feel like we’re helping, or for God? I believe it is for God. Yes, we were helping, but doing it in His name passes on the love and caring that Jesus showed. And Jesus said to feed the hungry, clothe the poor. And that’s what we’re doing.

Prayer:
Lord, forgive us if our work isn’t the best- or our motives totally pure. We do want to work for You and we realize that there isn’t really anything we can do FOR You- only to help Your people live a little easier, and hopefully come to see Your love through our actions. Amen.

July 23, 2009- God is Almighty

Scripture to read today:
2 Kings 20; Isaiah 38-39; Psalm 75; 1 Peter 2

Scripture that spoke to me:
1 Peter 2:11-12
Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul.  Live such good lives among the pagans that, thought they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.

Observation:
We are aliens in the world, for we are not meant to live on earth for long. We are only visiting here for our lifetime and will move on to the heavens above. Therefore, we should try to stay away from the worldly desires. Show the people of this world what it means to live a good life, no matter what they may say about you, so that they may decide that God is almighty in the end.

Application:
I’ve enjoyed reading an interesting blog from my new friend Patrick, who recently found out some online friends were Wiccan. He has had a problem with this, and so have they, as they have tried to understand each other’s point of view. The Wiccans have tried to defend their position with things that are not Biblical (of course) and Patrick has tried to stay grounded in the scripture. He may not win anyone over to Christ, especially in an argumentative blog, but hopefully they will all remain friends and see that he is a good man who follows an awesome God. Then maybe one day they’ll want what he has! That is what I hope happens with these journal posts every day, too.

Prayer:
Lord, let me know the right things to say so that people see Your greatness. Amen.

June 16, 2009- God of the Everyday

Scripture to read today:

1 Kings 17; 1 Kings 18; 1 Kings 19; Colossians 2

Scripture that spoke to me:
1 Kings 19:11-12
The LORD said, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the LORD, for the LORD is about to pass by.”
Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper.

Observation:
The Lord was not in the wind or the fire or the earthquake, but in the gentle whisper. Often we will find the Lord in a unique place, and usually only if we are looking for Him, waiting for Him as Elijah was.

Application:
How many times do we look to see God in something spectacular, when He is mostly found in the ordinary? We are a bit like Naaman in 2 Kings, where he was told his leprosy would be cured if he washed in the Jordan river (which was really dirty!) He was hoping for something showy and miraculous. But God doesn’t always work that way. He works through ordinary people in normal circumstances, so you have to listen closely and pay attention to see how He is moving.

Prayer:
Lord, keep my eyes open to Your great works- especially those found in everyday things. Amen.

May 22, 2009- True or False

Scripture to read today:

1 Kings 8; 2 Chronicles 5; Psalm 99; Romans 3

Scripture that spoke to me:
Romans 3:7
Someone might argue, “If my falsehood enhances God’s truthfulness and so increases his glory, why am I still condemned as a sinner?”

Observation:
Remember, this is the early church, and in Rome, the Roman gods looked after the people. If good came from something evil, then it couldn’t have been that bad, right? Paul is saying “wrong.” Even if you sin, and something good comes from it, you’re still a sinner. We can’t make God look good by being bad! God is so pure and perfect and holy anyway! It isn’t our job to make Him look good- it is our job to love and worship Him in all that we do.

Application:
Have you ever tried to make someone look good? It isn’t really easy if they aren’t that good. Maybe it is a friend you’re recommending for a job. If they can’t do the job, can you do it worse so that they look better? No! And why would you want to? We should all be doing the best job that we can. We cannot elevate someone by lowering ourselves. Likewise, we can’t elevate ourselves by bringing someone else down. And certainly, God doesn’t need our help to look good!

Prayer:
Lord, let me remember that You are awesome! You alone have the strength, the purity, and the power to shine. Let me reflect the rays of Your light to those around me. Amen.