Scripture to read today:
Matthew 14; Matthew 15; Matthew 16
Scripture that spoke to me:
Matthew 16:27
For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what he has done.
Observation:
Jesus gets the good job- handing out rewards for those who have done well. This verse says that our actions do count- what we do matters. It isn’t just enough to believe, but we have to do well.
Application:
I know you can’t “earn” your way into heaven. But I believe you can earn your way out of heaven! There is something about trying, worshiping, giving, and leading that does gain favor with God. This is one of the biggest contradictions I see in faith- you don’t have to earn it- you can’t earn grace and forgiveness- but you do have to try to do the best you can. And you see that throughout Paul’s writings as he cautions the people not to go do what they want and then ask for forgiveness- over and over again!
Prayer:
Lord, show me the way to go. Let me live for you in all that I say and all that I do. And when I fail to do that, please forgive me. Amen.
Scripture to read today:
Psalm 149; 1 Corinthians 15; 1 Corinthians 16
Scripture that spoke to me:
1 Corinthians 15:33
Do not be misled: “Bad company corrupts good character.”
Observation:
Paul says this to the people of Corinth to have them take notice of their actions. Many felt that, since Jesus forgives, they could do whatever they wanted as long as they asked forgiveness for it.
Application:
It isn’t enough just to run to Jesus for forgiveness. If He is truly in your heart, you’ll live each day for Him- at least with an effort to be the best you can be. That doesn’t mean that you’ll never sin, but you’ll not plan to sin just to ask forgiveness for it later. That includes letting people into your life who may help you stray off the path. It is so tempting to think that you’ll change them into someone good, but more often that not, one small thing will lead to something larger.
Prayer:
Lord, help me to know who I need in my life. I do want to help others, lead them to You. But let me be strong enough to withstand coming across someone who may try to lead me away from You. Amen.
Scripture to read today:
Job 34; 1 Corinthians 4; 1 Corinthians 5; 1 Corinthians 6
Scripture that spoke to me:
1 Corinthians 6:9-10
Don’t you realize that those who do wrong will not inherit the Kingdom of God? Don’t fool yourselves. Those who indulge in sexual sin, or who worship idols, or commit adultery, or are male prostitutes, or practice homosexuality, or are thieves, or greedy people, or drunkards, or are abusive, or cheat people—none of these will inherit the Kingdom of God.
Observation:
Paul is right- no one who lives for this world will pass through to the next. But what you’re not seeing in these verses is grace- the grace of God that cleanses us from these earthly sins. That doesn’t mean you can go back to them time and time again, but with the help of God can move past these desires and desire Christ more.
Application:
I’ve seen too many of these things destroy families. Some of them destroyed mine. So it isn’t just for one person’s sake that God take you away from these… it can affect way more than that. I know that He gives me the strength to overcome the things that have affected me- and the strength to stay away from these things as well.
Prayer:
Dear Lord, thank You for grace. It really is amazing! Forgive me for turning to the ways of the world and help me stay focused on Christ. Amen.
Scripture to read today:
Ezekiel 22; Ezekiel 23; Ezekiel 24; Revelation 9
Scripture that spoke to me:
Revelation 9:4
They were told not to harm the grass or plants or trees, but only the people who did not have the seal of God on their foreheads.
Observation:
Revelation is full of imagery and symbols. Here, locusts are let loose on the earth to sting like scorpions. They are to leave the people marked by God alone.
Application:
Are you marked by God? How would anyone know? Take a step back and look at your life. Would someone looking in from the outside know that you follow the Lord? I know that following God means that your life will be different from those around you. It may mean that you don’t participate in some things. It may mean that you are laughed at and left out. But it does mean that you are full of love and compassion for others, not hate and greed and gossip. We are marked by God with a peaceful smile….
Prayer:
Lord, bring me Your peace, Your love, Your grace so that others can see You through me. Amen.
Scripture to read today:
Jeremiah 21; Jeremiah 24; Jeremiah 27; Psalm 118; 1 John 2
Scripture that spoke to me:
Jeremiah 21:14
I will punish you as your deeds deserve,
declares the LORD.
I will kindle a fire in your forests
that will consume everything around you.’
Observation:
The Lord has had it with the children of Israel- running to Him when things are bad, pushing Him away when things are better- serving other gods and making idols. Now they have to see how serious things are by being punished- much like a father who has let his son get away with way too much and now has to tighten the reigns.
Application:
Can I just say I’m so glad that we live under the new covenant? Jesus forgives our sins, and doesn’t give us what we deserve. I’m not saying that He doesn’t punish us, but we don’t have to earn our salvation, either. Prevenient grace is an amazing thing indeed! Nothing we do, or don’t do, can take away the love that God has for us. I’m also not saying that we don’t need to do good deeds- because if you love someone you want to do things for them- I’m just saying that we aren’t judged by our deeds- only our love. That is sanctifying grace- the sustaining grace that propels us to serve out our beliefs.
Prayer:
Lord, thank You for loving us and for sending Your Son to die for us, no deeds required. Amen.
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.
Scripture to read today:
Joel 1; Joel 2; Joel 3; 2 Timothy 1
Scripture that spoke to me:
Joel 2:12
“Even now,” declares the LORD,
“return to me with all your heart,
with fasting and weeping and mourning.”
Observation:
Even now…. scholars don’t agree on the time frame of Joel- we know that it is later than 400BC- the Babylonian Exile- but don’t know exactly what was going on at the time, other than Israel has turned away from the Lord. And times are tough.
Application:
Even in tough times, even when you have moved so far away from God that He seems to be on another planet, He still wants you to return to HIm. It is NEVER too late to return to God. This says with “fasting, weeping, and mourning.” Trust me, if you do, He will turn your anguish into a joyful celebration. Bring Him your problems- bring Him your mourning- and watch Him hold you and love you and fill you with Joy.
Prayer:
Lord, You are an awesome God. When we don’t deserve it, You collect us to You and hold us and soothe our grief. When we don’t deserve it, You take us back into the fold and care for us and love us. We never deserve it, and we thank You for being a God of grace and mercy. Amen.
Scripture to read today:
Proverbs 1; Proverbs 2; Proverbs 3; Romans 7
Scripture that spoke to me:
Romans 7:15-19
I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing.
Observation:
Paul is trying to explain about the nature of sin and the law. The law doesn’t create sinners- it is our evil nature that does that. Here, he is saying that it is very hard to control that sinful part of yourself, no matter how hard you try.
Application:
Paul actually makes me feel a little better. Because I know I sin- I don’t do the things I should and do some things I know I shouldn’t- and it is nearly out of my control at times. I do desire to do good but fall short. Reading the Bible, I see that most people in here (ok, everyone but Jesus!) had sinful things in their life. And God used them for His purposes anyway! I don’t have to be perfect- just forgiven.
Prayer:
Lord, thank You for loving and forgiving me. Help me to conquer the evil that lives within me and live a better life for You and for my children. Amen.
Scripture to read today:
2 Chronicles 6; 2 Chronicles 7; Psalm 135; Romans 4
Scripture that spoke to me:
2 Chronicles 7:2
The priests could not enter the temple of the LORD because the glory of the LORD filled it.
Observation:
I have read this several times through scripture. Moses couldn’t enter the tabernacle because the cloud that the Lord was in filled it. The awesome power of the Lord is more than we can imagine.
Application:
These times in the Bible where people encounter God face to face (or at least presence to face) remind me of just how powerful our God is. I have been places that give me the creeps- something is spooky and I just want to get out of there. This must be somewhat like that, but in a good way. The power that comes from God is such a force that no one can get near it. I think of the transfiguration, how Jesus was shining so brightly that the disciples couldn’t look at him. This powerful God is the one who loves us, protects us, cares for us, and asks us only to worship Him. Thank goodness He is on my side!
Prayer:
Lord, You are so incredibly powerful that we cannot begin to comprehend all that You can do. But in Your power and strength, there is also compassion and love for Your people. Thank You for caring about us, for loving us, and for understanding us, even when we do not treat You with the respect and awe that we should. Forgive our shortcomings, and continue to extend to us Your grace. Amen.
Scripture to read today:
1 Kings 7; 2 Chronicles 4; Psalm 98; Romans 2
Scripture that spoke to me:
Romans 2:1
You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge the other, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things.
Observation:
It is true that the things we hate the most in other people are the things we hate about ourselves. When we judge them for something that we see as wrong (or bad, or at least not ideal) then we should also judge ourselves, for we have the same affliction in us. I think it is what we most closely monitor in ourselves that gets monitored in others, too.
Application:
I see this very clearly- I see a fat person and go ewwww (but I don’t like the fatness in myself!) People who are unorganized drive me crazy! But I am unorganized- actually, I fight to keep myself mostly organized most of the time. I have a friend who likes to say “pot…kettle” anytime I say something to her that also applies to me! Because I work on my weight, I work on organization… so I’m thinking about those things a lot, and they’re usually some of the first things I notice about others, too.
Prayer:
Lord, help me be kinder in judging myself and others- let me look more for the wonderful things and learn to ignore the weaknesses. Amen.
