Scripture to read today:
Nehemiah 1; Nehemiah 2; Psalm 133; Luke 22
Scripture that spoke to me:
Psalm 133:1
How wonderful and pleasant it is
when brothers live together in harmony!
Observation:
This sounds a little like an old 60’s folk song, but things are peaceful when everyone gets along. I am reminded, though, that harmony is not unison. If you’re singing in harmony, you’re not necessarily singing the melody but something that fits with it. Since I’m a music person, I love breaking this down into musical ideas. If you’re singing the melody, you have the main part of the song. Harmony is the other notes in the chord that fit around the melody. They enhance the melody. But you can have 4 or 5 singers singing together but none are singing the same thing.
Application:
I think our biggest problem today is that everyone wants to sing the melody- and if you’re not singing the melody, you think you’re worthless. We all have a song to sing, and mine may be different than yours, but that doesn’t mean our voices can’t blend together. It also doesn’t mean that you’re more important or more special that I am, or vice versa. If we all lived together in harmony, we would realize that our lives just make others’ lives a little bit better.
Prayer:
Lord, let me learn to live in harmony with others, enhancing their lives and blending them with my own. Amen.
Scripture to read today:
2 Kings 24; Jeremiah 22; Psalm 112; John 18
Scripture that spoke to me:
John 18:37-38a
“You are a king, then!” said Pilate.
Jesus answered, “You are right in saying I am a king. In fact, for this reason I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.”
“What is truth?” Pilate asked.
Observation:
What is truth? Dictionary.com has these definitions:
1. the true or actual state of a matter: .
| 2. |
conformity with fact or reality; verity: the truth of a statement. |
| 3. |
a verified or indisputable fact, proposition, principle
|
So Jesus says “I am the way, the truth, and the life.” He means He is the indisputable fact. He is the Son of God. Truth is filled with goodness- there can be nothing false in it. Just like there is nothing false in Jesus.
Application:
Remember true/false tests in school? Where you put a T with a small little line in the middle and tried to fool the teacher? We bend the truth so much that anymore, it is hard to tell the difference between true and false. “Little white lies” are ok. Answers that contain the truth but may not be the whole truth must be fine because they’re not lies, right? No wonder we don’t recognize the truth when we see it. We’re so used to believing lies.
Prayer:
Lord, let me learn to love the truth again, not believe lies. Let me learn to follow the Truth. Amen.
Scripture to read today:
Jeremiah 16; Jeremiah 17; Psalm 96; John 16
Scripture that spoke to me:
Jeremiah 17:9
The heart is deceitful above all things
and beyond cure.
Who can understand it?
Observation:
The things we like seem to change regularly. We have friends that come and go. We like a particular food, or a certain song, only to tire of it after a while. Our heart can’t be trusted to lead us in the right way to go. Our feelings are fickle.
Application:
This is what I told Chris when he got married- his marriage can’t be based on his feelings. Because there are days you feel good and days you don’t. You’ll have sad times; bad times, happy times, mad times… and your relationship can’t be based on your feelings. Likewise our relationship with God can’t be based on how we feel. It has to be much deeper than that. And that deep relationship requires love, trust, and forgiveness to overcome our deceitful heart.
Prayer:
Lord, let me love you always, no matter how I feel. Let our relationship be based on something much deeper than feelings. Amen.
Scripture to read today:
2 Kings 22; 2 Chronicles 34; John 6
Scripture that spoke to me:
John 6:19-21
They had rowed three or four miles when suddenly they saw Jesus walking on the water toward the boat. They were terrified, but he called out to them, “Don’t be afraid. I am here” Then they were eager to let him in the boat, and immediately they arrived at their destination!
Observation:
This accounting of the story is different from the story in Mark, where the storm is calmed as soon as He enters the boat and again from Matthew, where Peter joins Jesus out on the sea. But in every story, the disciples are asked to “fear not” and trust in Jesus. But “fear not” doesn’t mean you’re not going to get hurt, or wet, or cold, or whatever; it means that whatever happens won’t be nearly as horrible with God by your side. I rece
Application:
I’m often in a situation where I’m scared, but I’ve never managed to “fear not!” It may help to know that Jesus is there, and it does make things less frightening, but I don’t know that the anxiety ever goes away. I experienced this first hand two weeks ago when I had to have a breast biopsy. The fact that my mammogram showed a calcification that could possibly have been (but thank God, wasn’t) malignant wasn’t as scary as the actual thought of the biopsy. Call me a wimp, but I’m not that into pain, and the fact that you didn’t get any loopy meds or painkillers was even more threatening. I don’t think I have ever been as close to Jesus as through that procedure- He told me to “fear not” and I focused on him instead of on the doctors and nurses. So it can be done- it sure wasn’t as scary as it could have been- but there was still plenty of fear there.
Prayer:
Lord, forgive me when I don’t trust You enough to stop the fear. I know that You will never let anything happen to me (eternally) and that if I have to endure some pain, You will be there with me. Thank you for giving me comfort and holding my hand. Amen.
Scripture to read today:
Isaiah 25; Isaiah 26; Isaiah 27; Isaiah 28; Hebrews 13
Scripture that spoke to me:
Isaiah 25:9
In that day the people will proclaim,
“This is our God!
We trusted in him, and he saved us!
This is the Lord, in whom we trusted.
Let us rejoice in the salvation he brings!”
Observation:
Put your trust and hope in God. He is the one who offers salvation to all who come to him with an open heart. He is the Savior, and He will save.
Application:
I was reading Susan’s blog this morning and she asked the question ” Doesn’t ANYONE realize that the government DOES NOT help you?” So many people are looking toward our government for answers- for relief- for health care- and money- and support. This verse stuck out at me today because they’re looking in the wrong place! You can’t place your hope in men (good or bad), your hope belongs with the Lord! He is the only one who can make things better!
Prayer:
Lord, thank you for being a refuge, a rock, and my Savior. Thank you for always being there as a hope in times of trouble, as a Redeemer, and as all we need. Amen.
Scripture to read today:
Jonah 1; Jonah 2; Jonah 3; Jonah 4; 2 Timothy 2
Scripture that spoke to me:
Jonah 4:2
He prayed to the LORD, “O LORD, is this not what I said when I was still at home? That is why I was so quick to flee to Tarshish. I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity
Observation:
Jonah was told to go to Nineveh and preach to the people there. When he did, the city turned from its evil ways and God had mercy on them. Now, Jonah is upset because God didn’t smite them all! This wasn’t the way he wanted things to turn out.
Application:
This is probably my biggest fault. I know how I want things. I don’t always know how God wants them, though. I try to order my world so that I’m pleased with it. I don’t leave things for God because He might not do things the way I want them. I recognize this, and try hard to change it so that God’s will is done, not my own. I try to see the big picture, but it isn’t always easy.
Prayer:
Dear Lord, forgive me for not trusting in You. Forgive me for not laying everything at Your feet and giving over to your will. I know that You work through everything for good- help me to be able to give it all to You. Amen.
Scripture to read today:
1 Kings 20; 1 Kings 21; 2 Chronicles 17; Colossians 3
Scripture that spoke to me:
Colossians 3: 5-6, 12
Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming… Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.
Observation:
Paul’s words are easy, but in practice they’re a seemingly insurmountable mountain. Turning away our own nature is, well, unnatural. But Jesus cane to show us that is can be done. He set an example for us to follow, even if we fall short.
Application:
I had a conversation with a friend today about giving everything to God and not taking it back. Why is our nature so hard to overcome? I want to do it all myself, on my own strength. I want to make the plans, set them in motion, and see them through. Oh, I say I trust God, but I want Him to do things my way! To do something that goes against my most innate desire, even if it is the right thing to do, is so very hard. But that is what sets us apart as Christians- we don’t live for this world. We understand that the things we gain in this life aren’t gained forever- it is what we store up in heaven that remains.
Prayer:
Dear Lord, help me get over myself sometimes. Help me get out of my own way and on to what You have planned. Amen
Scripture to read today:
Ecclesiastes 10; Ecclesiastes 11; Ecclesiastes 12; Psalm 94; Ephesians 5
Scripture that spoke to me:
Ecclesiastes 11:5
As you do not know the path of the wind,
or how the body is formed in a mother’s womb,
so you cannot understand the work of God,
the Maker of all things.
Observation:
Scientists work hard to understand how God made things and how they work. Solomon points out that there are some things we just cannot understand. We are not our own Creator, and we do not have the knowledge of all He knows.
Application:
I try to remember this when something happens that I don’t like. God has a plan- He is in control. And I don’t have the big picture. I have to trust that what He has set about will be good in the end. Some of you know our cat died this week (I closed it in the garage door- freak accident.) My heartbroken but wise daughter said “Mom, I wonder what good is going to come from this? Whenever something bad happens, something good usually happens, too.” How smart she is!
Prayer:
Lord, let me always be able to see the good, even looking back on it, that comes from everything around me. Amen.
Scripture to read today:
Proverbs 4; Proverbs 5; Proverbs 6; Romans 8
Scripture that spoke to me:
Romans 8:31
What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us?
Observation:
God is the omnipotent, all-powerful, mighty Lord! Yet He cares for each of us as His own children. We are blessed to have such a wonderful, caring Father. Yet we struggle to get more, we worry needlessly, we turn away from the Father to lead our own lives.
Application:
I needed this reminder today. I played the “If, then” game with myself last night. “If I lose my mother, then God will comfort me.” “If Scott leaves my life, then God must have someone even better in mind.” “If Brandon goes off to college and never comes home, then I have done my job.” Things like that. I went on and on- but it comes down to the fact that I know God is in control, and He has better plans than I could ever have! So I don’t need to worry, I just need to pray and listen and find what He has planned for me.
Prayer:
Lord, thank You for loving me and wanting what is best for me. I know that if I follow Your ways, that I need not worry, because You have the plan already. Please continue to bless me and my family. Amen.
Scripture to read today:
1 Samuel 25; 1 Samuel 26; Psalm 63; Matthew 9
Scripture that spoke to me:
Matthew 9: 27-29
As Jesus went on from there, who blind men followed him, calling out, “Have mercy on us, Son of David!” When he had gone indoors, the blind men came to him and he asked them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?”
“Yes, Lord,” they replied.
Then he touched their eyes and said, “According to your faith will it be done to you.”
Observation:
These blind men had total trust that Jesus could heal them. They believed- they KNEW it. But look what Jesus says when he heals them- “according to your faith…” This tells me that is they had only slightly believed, or been skeptical, that the healing would not have occurred, or may have only been partial. Their faith is what made them well. (Just like we see with the bleeding woman earlier in this chapter.)
Application:
Would we be healed today? I think so much of the time I know He can do something but I don’t believe that He wants to. I will ask for things but prepare myself to never receive them. Reading this was eye-opening this morning. I need to totally trust Him, not just try to understand or second-guess Him. God is mighty and He can do anything!
Prayer:
Lord, help me to trust you with my whole heart and not try to guard the part of me that is afraid of hurting. Amen.
