Scripture to read today:
Matthew 20; Matthew 21; Matthew 22
Scripture that spoke to me:
Matthew 20: 26b-28
Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave— just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
Observation:
Really great people help others. They don’t take things for themselves, consuming all without producing. Great people produce things- goods, services, or just good feelings in others.
Application:
I had a lot of leadership training in college. Working for the awesome Dr. Tim (Lautzenheiser) I learned a lot about becoming a good leader. Good leaders are willing to do anything that they would ask someone following them to do. Good leaders are the first to arrive and the last to leave. Good leaders offer to take each other’s plates to the kitchen, to stay and help the host with the dishes, to offer themselves for the most mundane tasks. And in Jesus’ case, to give his own life so that other lives may be better.
Prayer:
Lord, help me remember what it is to be a good leader and help me lead others closer to You. Amen.
Scripture to read today:
Ezekiel 36; Ezekiel 37; Psalm 110; Revelation 19
Scripture that spoke to me:
Ezekiel 36:9
See, I care about you, and I will pay attention to you. Your ground will be plowed and your crops planted.
Application:
The Lord is promising to bring the children of Israel home. He isn’t banishing them forever. They will be a prosperous people again. The Lord cares for His people.
Observation:
If you care for someone, you pay attention to them. You help them when they are in trouble. That is why love and service go hand in hand- why James says that faith without deeds is dead. Because loving means wanting to make life better for someone else. It means paying attention to them and to their needs.
Prayer:
Dear Lord, help me to love more people. Help us all to love each other and put hands to that love. I imagine a world where our goal is to help each other. What a wonderful world that would be, full of the love You have for us. Help me to do my part. Amen.
Scripture to read today:
Jeremiah 5; Jeremiah 6; John 12
Scripture that spoke to me:
John 12:42-43
Many people did believe in him, however, including some of the Jewish leaders. But they wouldn’t admit it for fear that the Pharisees would expel them from the synagogue. For they loved human praise more than the praise of God.
Observation:
Jesus is nearing the end of his ministry, and danger to him and those around him is increasingly great. Men who might openly believe are intimidated into silence by the Pharisees. These are people who care what others think- care about their standing in the community and in the church.
Application:
Have you ever kept quiet about something because you think your view isn’t the popular one? (And I’m not necessarily talking about religion, although that and politics can set people against each other fairly quickly.) I was blog surfing this morning and came across one where people wanted to point out “errors” in the Bible. I do realize that there are inconsistencies in the Bible. This book was written over 4000 years, so I’d imagine some things changed during that time! But these people wanted to leave out a fact here and point out a fact there. I have to wonder, from most of the comments, if anyone was thinking for themselves or just taking what was written as fact. I wavered a minute, but then decided to point out the 2 biggest left-out facts. I wonder if that will make a difference, but I didn’t want to be like the people who kept quiet in this verse above.
Prayer:
Lord, let me be more concerned about You than about others. Help me know what to say, and when to say it, so that others may see Your goodness and greatness. Amen.
Scripture to read today:
Jeremiah 1; Jeremiah 2; John 10
Scripture that spoke to me:
Jeremiah 2:13
“For my people have done two evil things:
They have abandoned me—
the fountain of living water.
And they have dug for themselves cracked cisterns
that can hold no water at all!”
Observation:
The children of Israel have forsaken their God for other that are not as worthy. The Lord points out that other nations hold on to their gods, but not the Jews! They abandon the true God for things that do not have any power at all. I love the imagery in this verse- they have forsaken the fountain of living water, only to build vessels for themselves that cannot hold any water.
Application:
I’m guilty of it- we all are. God has such good things planned for us but we go try to do things our own way- many times with not near as good a results. I heard a preacher say once that we all want to serve God- but many of us just want to serve as advisors! We are cracked pots (tee hee, some of us in more ways than others) that can’t hold water. But do things God’s way, and He’ll not only mend the cracks but pour out blessings on us so much that we will overflow!
Prayer:
Dear Lord, forgive me for going my own way- for not trusting in You more- for being scared that the way You want to do things is not the way I would do them. I do trust in You; I do love you. Love me and guide me down Your path. Amen.
Scripture to read today:
Isaiah 1; Isaiah 2; Isaiah 3; Titus 3
Scripture that spoke to me:
Titus 3: 3-5
At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit.
Observation:
Once, we lived with malice, envy and hatred- captivated with passions and pleasures, but then Jesus saved us.
Application:
What caught my eye was “Enslaved by passions and pleasures.” I’ve felt that- you want something or someone so much that it is like an addiction- and you do things that you know ae wrong just to try to have it. Jesus came to save us from that, too- sot that we yearn for Him, not something on the earth. But there is a definite pull in both directions- and often, the world seems to win.
Prayer:
Jesus, I yearn for You. Help release me from my earthly addictions that separate me from you. Amen.
Scripture to read today:
1 Kings 15; 2 Chronicles 13; 2 Chronicles 14; Philippians 4
Scripture that spoke to me:
Philippians 4: 12
I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.
Observation:
Paul went through a lot in his life. He was rich, a Pharisee who condemned Christians until he met Christ himself; then he gave everything up to further the kingdom. He lost it all to gain it all. In prison, his possessions were meager. He knew hunger, he knew bounty, and he learned the secret to being happy in everything- Christ.
Application:
I’d make a horrible divorce counselor. I have had the opportunity on occasion to talk to newly separated women about their situation. But I can’t get to the places they are, in many cases, because I was never there. I was never in that pit of despair. Oh, I was plenty sad and scared and worried, but Christ was there beside me telling me that everything was ok. I want to give that to these women, who look at me like I have two heads or something. I don’t think you can just tell others about Christ, you have to show Him to them. And most often, they see Him in you.
Prayer:
Lord, let me be a reflection of Christ to others. Amen.
Scripture to read today:
1 Kings 13; 1 Kings 14; 2 Chronicles 12; Philippians 3
Scripture that spoke to me:
Philippians 3:14
I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
Observation:
Paul compares his life to a race- with the end as heaven. He is not going to stop running (or as he tells Timothy, fight the good fight) until he takes his last breath.
Application:
Some days I feel as if I’m running a race- probably a NASCAR race and I’m just going full steam in circles! But car races only have one goal- to get to the finish line first. Or, just to get to the finish line! I want to get to the finish line of my life having kept my eyes on the goal- on the prize- of heaven. But so often I get distracted that I wonder when the last time I noticed that there was a goal? I’ve been on my racetrack going around in circles again.
Prayer:
Lord, help me focus on what is important, not just run around in circles, exhausting myself, and forget about your glorious prize! Amen.
Scripture to read today:
1 Kings 12; 2 Chronicles 10; 2 Chronicles 11; Philippians 2
Scripture that spoke to me:
Philippians 2:5-8
Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:
Who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,
but made himself nothing,
taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
and became obedient to death—
even death on a cross!
Observation:
Jesus came to earth to show us the way- to give us an example of the way we should be living. He didn’t come as God’s equal. He didn’t come as a king to be served, but as a servant to all.
Application:
A lot of people run around with WWJD on their keyrings, or bracelets, but really, what would Jesus do? He would love; He would show compassion; He would invite people to dinner that no one else would invite to dinner! Is that really what we would do? Oh, I think I have compassion for others, but I still view them from some lofty pedestal, glad that their problems aren’t touching me. I am nice to everyone I meet, but I don’t know about having dinner with some of them. WWJD? A lot better than I’m doing. I just need to keep the example of Jesus in my mind each day and strive to imitate Him a little better.
Prayer:
Lord, thank You for sending Jesus to us so that we would know how to live forever. Amen.
Scripture to read today:
Ecclesiastes 4; Ecclesiastes 5; Ecclesiastes 6; Psalm 18; Ephesians 3
Scripture that spoke to me:
Ecclesiastes 5:15
Naked a man comes from his mother’s womb,
and as he comes, so he departs.
He takes nothing from his labor
that he can carry in his hand.
Observation:
If you leave this world the same way you enter it, what good is life? It has to be everything you do in between those two times. Jesus said “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matt. 6:19-21)
Application:
I heard a sermon once titled “The Dash.” The preacher said that when a person dies, they put his birth date and death date separated by a dash- and that dash summed up his life. So what will my dash say about me? Did I leave my part of the world a better place than I found it? Did I store my treasures in heaven so that I have a furnished room waiting for me? That is my goal- my biggest prayer.
Prayer:
Lord, store my treasures for me in heaven. Let what I do here with my life have a good effect on those to come. Use me to further Your purpose. Amen.
Scripture to read today:
1 Kings 4; 1 Kings 5; 2 Chronicles 2; Psalm 101; 2 Thessalonians 3
Scripture that spoke to me:
2 Thessalonians 3:6-10
In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, we command you, brothers, to keep away from every brother who is idle and does not live according to the teaching you received from us. For you yourselves know how you ought to follow our example. We were not idle when we were with you, nor did we eat anyone’s food without paying for it. On the contrary, we worked night and day, laboring and toiling so that we would not be a burden to any of you. We did this, not because we do not have the right to such help, but in order to make ourselves a model for you to follow. For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: “If a man will not work, he shall not eat.”
Observation:
Paul knew the problems that came from idleness. Idle people have a lot of time on their hands and lend that time toward gossip. They also are not productive, and rely on someone else to produce for them. Idleness breeds more idleness- I call it inertia (a body at rest stays at rest!) Paul saw the wickedness in this and strongly encouraged the people to stay away from idle people.
Application:
I’ve felt idle lately. I just don’t want to do anything. I think it is because it has rained so much, and rain just does something that makes me want to sleep But I have- I mowed the grass yesterday, and I’ve done my walking, and it feels better to get up and move than it does to give in to the idleness (although I did sneak a small nap on Sunday!) But I’m not an idle person. I work. I don’t depend on the government or anyone else to buy me food. I don’t have a lot of time to be lazy and take naps and things. There’s too much going on. I’m busy. But sometimes in that busyness, I have to find time to rest. I also have to caution against being so busy that I don’t get anything done for God.
Prayer:
Lord, help me to not be idle. Also, help me balance work with time to rest. And let me see the difference between working for You and just being busy. Amen.
