Up a Tree
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Posted:May 22, 2018 1:38 am
Last Updated:May 22, 2018 3:36 pm 19556 Views
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Read: Jonah 2:1–10
Bible in a Year: 1 Chronicles 16–18; John 7:28–53
In my distress I called to the Lord, and he answered me. Jonah 2:2
My mother discovered my kitten Velvet atop the kitchen counter, devouring homemade bread. With a huff of frustration, she scooted her out the door. Hours later, we searched our yard for the missing cat without success. A faint meow whistled on the wind, and I looked up to the peak of a poplar tree where a black smudge tilted a branch.
In her haste to flee my mother’s frustration over her behavior, Velvet chose a more precarious predicament. Is it possible that we sometimes do something similar—running from our errors and putting ourselves in danger? And even then God comes to our rescue.
Oh the heights--and in the depths--God goes to in rescuing us with His redeeming love!
The prophet Jonah fled in disobedience from God’s call to preach to Nineveh, and was swallowed up by a great fish. “From inside the fish Jonah prayed to the Lord his God. He said: ‘In my distress I called to the Lord, and he answered me’ ” (Jonah 2:1–2). God heard Jonah’s plea and, “commanded the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land” (v. 10). Then God gave Jonah another chance (3:1).
After exhausting our efforts to woo Velvet down, we summoned the local fire department. With the longest ladder fully extended, a kind man climbed high, plucked my kitten from her perch, and returned to place her safely in my arms.
Oh the heights—and the depths—God goes to in rescuing us from our disobedience with His redeeming love!
Dear God, how we need Your rescue today!
Jesus’s death on the cross rescued us from our sins.
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A prayer of forgiveness
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Posted:May 21, 2018 3:21 am
Last Updated:May 21, 2018 8:24 am 22189 Views
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Read: Luke 6: 27-36
The Bible in one year: 1 Chronicles 13-15; John 7: 1-27
... Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you; bless those who curse you, and pray for those who slander you (verses 27-28.
In 1960, Ruby Bridges, six years old, was the first African-American girl to enter a public elementary school of white students in the southern United States. Every day, for months, the federal police escorted her to a crowd of angry parents who insulted and threatened her. Once inside, already safe, she sat alone in a classroom with Barbara Henry, the only teacher willing to teach her.
The prominent psychologist Robert Coles met with Ruby for several months to help her cope with the fear and stress she experienced. He was amazed at the 's prayer every time he went to school and returned home: "God, please forgive them because they do not know what they are doing" (see Luke 23:34).
The words of Jesus from the cross, in the most agonizing hour of his life, demonstrated the radical response he taught his followers: "Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you; bless those who curse you, and pray for those who slander you. Be ye therefore merciful, even as your Father is merciful "(Luke 6: 27-28, 36).
This admirable approach is only possible if we consider the powerful love that Jesus has given us; Love stronger than deeper hatred.
Lord, help me today to forgive those who hurt me, as you forgave me.
Bless those who curse you and pray for those who mistreat you.
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EVEN IF
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Posted:May 19, 2018 4:55 am
Last Updated:May 20, 2018 4:19 pm 25137 Views
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Read: Daniel 3:8–18 | Bible in a Year: 1 Chronicles 7–9; John 6:22–44
The God we serve is able to deliver us from [the fire] . . . . But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods. Daniel 3:17–18
Sometimes life deals us a tremendous blow. Other times the miraculous happens.
Three young men, captives in Babylon, stood in front of the fearsome king of that land and boldly proclaimed that under no circumstances would they worship the giant image of gold towering above them. Together they declared: “If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and he will deliver us from Your Majesty’s hand. But even if he does not, we want you to know . . . we will not . . . worship the image” (Daniel 3:17–18.
God is able to give us strength and hope for each day--no matter the circumstance.
These three men—Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego—were hurled into the fiery furnace; and God miraculously delivered them so that not a hair of their head was singed and their clothing was smoke-free (vv. 19–27). They had been prepared to die but their trust in God was unwavering—“even if” He had not saved them.
God desires that we cling to Him—even if our loved one isn’t healed, even if we lose our job, even if we are persecuted. Sometimes God rescues us from danger in this life, and sometimes He doesn’t. But the truth we can hold firmly is this: “The God we serve is able,” loves us, and is with us in every fiery trial, every even if.
Dear Lord, we love You! Please give us unwavering faith—and strength and hope for each day—no matter the circumstance.
God is able.
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Overflowing
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Posted:May 18, 2018 1:18 am
Last Updated:May 19, 2018 6:02 am 25482 Views
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Read: Romans 15:4–13
Bible in a Year: 1 Chronicles 4–6; John 6:1–21
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him.
Romans 15:13
“No! No! No! NO!” I screamed. It didn’t help. Not one bit. My brilliant solution for our plugged problem—flushing again—accomplished exactly the opposite of what I’d intended. I knew I had made a mistake the second I pushed the lever down. And I stood helplessly as water overflowed.
How many times have our tried to pour milk and misjudged the process, with white liquid flowing everywhere. Or maybe we failed to remember that a two-liter bottle of soda just rolled around in the trunk . . . with explosively startling results.
The Father gave us the Spirit to make us like the .
No, spills are almost never a good thing. But there might be one exception. The apostle Paul uses that image of overflowing to describe a people so full of God’s Spirit that what naturally spills out of them is hope (Romans 15:13). I love that picture of being filled to the brim with joy, peace, and faith because of His powerful presence in our lives. So much so, in fact, that we can’t help but exude and express winsome confidence in our heavenly Father. That might be during the beautiful, sunny seasons of our lives. Or when the proverbial cup of our lives gets jostled. Either way, what sloshes out over the top is life-giving hope to those around us who are “drenched” by it.
Lord, spills happen in life. But when they do, help us to be so full of Your Spirit that what pours out of us is the kind of hope that others can’t help but notice and be blessed by.
The Father gave us the Spirit to make us like the .
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Praising God’s Goodness
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Posted:May 17, 2018 2:01 am
Last Updated:May 19, 2018 6:03 am 25473 Views
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Read: Psalm 136:1-15
Bible in a Year: 1 Chronicles 1–3; John 5:25–47
Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good. His love endures forever. Psalm 136:1
Someone in our Bible-study group suggested, “Let’s write our own psalms!” Initially, some protested that they didn’t have the flair for writing, but after some encouragement everyone wrote a moving poetic song narrating how God had been working in their lives. Out of trials, protection, provision, and even pain and tears came enduring messages that gave our psalms fascinating themes. Like Psalm 136, each psalm revealed the truth that God’s love endures forever.
We all have a story to tell about God’s love—whether we write or sing or tell it. For some, our experiences may be dramatic or intense—like the writer of Psalm 136 who recounted how God delivered His people from captivity and conquered His enemies (vv. 10–15). Others may simply describe God’s marvelous creation: “who by his understanding made the heavens . . . spread out the earth upon the waters . . . made the great lights— . . . the sun to govern the day . . . the moon and stars to govern the night” (vv. 5–9).
Lord, thank You for the world You made and for the blessings on my life.
Remembering who God is and what He has done brings out praise and thanksgiving that glorifies Him. We can then “[speak] to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit” (Ephesians 5:19) about the goodness of the Lord whose love endures forever! Turn your experience of God’s love into a praise song of your own and enjoy an overflow of His never-ending goodness.
Lord, thank You for the world You made and for the blessings on my life. Fill my heart with gratitude and put words in my mouth to acknowledge and appreciate You.
For all eternity, God’s love endures forever.
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Free to Follow
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Posted:May 16, 2018 4:05 am
Last Updated:May 17, 2024 2:16 am 25809 Views
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Read: Matthew 11:25–30
Bible in a Year: 2 Kings 24–25; John 5:1–24
Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. Matthew 11:29
My high school cross-country coach once advised me before a race, “Don’t try to be in the lead. The leaders almost always burn out too quickly.” Instead, he suggested I stay close behind the fastest runners. By letting them set the pace, I could conserve the mental and physical strength I’d need to finish the race well.
Leading can be exhausting; following can be freeing. Knowing this improved my running, but it took me a lot longer to realize how this applies to Christian discipleship. In my own life, I was prone to think being a believer in Jesus meant trying really hard. By pursuing my own exhausting expectations for what a Christian should be, I was inadvertently missing the joy and freedom found in simply following Him (John 8:32, 36).
Lord, I'm so thankful I don't have to be in charge of my own life. Help me rest in You.
But we weren’t meant to direct our own lives, and Jesus didn’t start a self-improvement program. Instead, He promised that in seeking Him we will find the rest we long for (Matthew 11:25–28. Unlike many other religious teachers’ emphasis on rigorous study of Scripture or an elaborate set of rules, Jesus taught that it’s simply through knowing Him that we know God (v. 27). In seeking Him, we find our heavy burdens lifted (vv. 28–30) and our lives transformed.
Because following Him, our gentle and humble Leader (v. 29), is never burdensome—it’s the way of hope and healing. Resting in His love, we are free.
Lord, I’m so thankful I don’t have to be in charge of my own life. Help me rest in You.
True freedom is found in following Christ.
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God at Work
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Posted:May 15, 2018 12:47 pm
Last Updated:May 16, 2018 4:05 am 26545 Views
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Read: Hebrews 13:20–21
Bible in a Year: 2 Kings 22–23; John 4:31–54
May he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ. Hebrews 13:21
“How have you seen God at work lately?” I asked some friends. One replied, “I see Him at work as I read the Scriptures each morning; I see Him at work as He helps me face each new day; I see Him at work when I know that He has been with me every step of the way—I realize how He has helped me to face challenges while giving me joy.” I love his answer because it reflects how through God’s Word and the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit, God stays near to, and works in, those who love Him.
God working in His followers is a wonderful mystery that the writer to the Hebrews refers to as he draws his letter to a close in what’s known as a benediction: “. . . and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ” (Hebrews 13:21). With this conclusion, the writer reinforces the essential message of his letter—that God will equip His people to follow Him and that God will work in and through them for His glory.
May he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ. Hebrews 13:21
The gift of God working in us can take us by surprise; perhaps we forgive someone who wrongs us or show patience to someone we find difficult. Our “God of peace” (v. 20) spreads His love and peace in and through us. How have you seen God at work lately?
Lord Jesus Christ, You equip me to do Your works for Your glory. Open my eyes today, that I might understand how You are calling me to follow You.
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God works in and through His followers.
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Not What It Seems
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Posted:May 14, 2018 4:17 am
Last Updated:May 17, 2024 2:16 am 26733 Views
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Read: 2 Kings 19:29–37
Bible in a Year: 2 Kings 19–21; John 4:1–30
Do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God. 1 John 4:1
“Listen!” my wife said to me over the phone. “There’s a monkey in our yard!” She held up the phone so I could hear. And yes, it sounded just like a monkey. Which is weird, because the nearest wild monkey was 2,000 miles away.
Later, my father-in-law burst our bubble. “That’s a barred owl,” he explained. Reality was not what it had seemed.
His hand is on those who follow Him, and He will never abandon us.
When King Sennacherib’s armies had Judah’s King Hezekiah trapped inside Jerusalem’s walls, the Assyrians thought victory was theirs. Reality proved different. Although the Assyrian field commander used smooth words and pretended to speak for God, the Lord had His hand on His people.
“Have I come to attack and destroy this place without word from the Lord?” the commander asked (2 Kings 18:25). As he tried to entice Jerusalem to surrender, he even said, “Choose life and not death!” (v. 32).
That sounds like something God would say. But the prophet Isaiah told the Israelites the true words of the Lord. “[Sennacherib] will not enter this city or shoot an arrow here,” God said. “I will defend this city and save it” (19:32–34; Isaiah 37:35). That very night “the angel of the Lord” destroyed the Assyrians
(v. 35).
From time to time, we’ll encounter smooth-talking people who “advise” us while denying God’s power. That isn’t God’s voice. He speaks to us through His Word. He guides us with His Spirit. His hand is on those who follow Him, and He will never abandon us.
Teach us to discern Your voice, Lord.
God is always trustworthy.
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Treasure in Heaven
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Posted:May 13, 2018 6:35 am
Last Updated:May 13, 2018 5:37 pm 25740 Views
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Read: Matthew 6:19–21
Bible in a Year: 2 Kings 17–18; John 3:19–36
For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Matthew 6:21
When I was growing up, my two sisters and I liked to sit side-by-side on top of my mother’s large cedar-lined chest. My mom kept our wool sweaters in it and handiwork that was embroidered or crocheted by my grandmother. She valued the contents of the chest and relied on the pungent odor of the cedar wood to discourage moths from destroying what was inside.
Most earthly possessions can easily be destroyed by insects or rust, or can even be stolen. Matthew 6 encourages us to place a special focus—not on things that have a limited lifespan but on those that have eternal value. When my mom died at fifty-seven, she had not accumulated a lot of earthly possessions, but I like to think about the treasure she stored up in heaven (vv. 19–20).
Dear Father, help me to choose to invest my life in things that are eternal.
I recall how much she loved God and served Him in quiet ways: caring faithfully for her family, teaching in Sunday school, befriending a woman abandoned by her husband, comforting a young mother who had lost her baby. And she prayed. . . . Even after she lost her sight and became confined to a wheelchair, she continued to love and pray for others.
Our real treasure isn’t measured in what we accumulate—but in what or whom we invest our time and our passions. What “treasures” are we storing up in heaven by serving and following Jesus?
Dear Father, help me to choose to invest my life in things that are eternal.
Our real wealth is what we invest for eternity.
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PERSEVERING WITH PEACE
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Posted:May 11, 2018 4:22 am
Last Updated:May 13, 2018 6:35 am 21868 Views
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Read: Psalm 3 | Bible in a Year: 2 Kings 13–14; John 2
I lie down and sleep; I wake again, because the Lord sustains me. Psalm 3:5
As I continue trusting God through my struggles with chronic pain, even the simplest setback can feel like a fierce enemy attacker. Problem One jabs me from the right. Problem Two shoves me from behind. Problem Three punches me square in the nose. During these times, when my strength wanes and immediate relief evades me, running and hiding can seem like a good idea. But since I can’t escape my pain, change my circumstances, or ignore my emotions, I’m learning slowly to rely on God to carry me through.
When I need encouragement, comfort, and courage, I prayerfully read through the songs of the psalmists, who honestly bring their situations to God. In one of my favorite psalms, King David flees from Absalom, his who wanted to kill him and take his kingdom. Though David lamented his painful situation (Psalm 3:1–2), he trusted God’s protection and expected Him to answer his prayers
(vv. 3–4). The king didn’t lose sleep worrying or fearing what could happen, because he trusted God to sustain and save him (vv. 5–8.
God offers us peace as He holds us up and carries us through every trial.
Physical and emotional pain can often feel like aggressive adversaries. We may be tempted to give up or wish we could escape when we’re weary and can’t see the end of our current battle. But, like David, we can learn to trust that God will hold us up and help us rest in His constant and loving presence.
Lord, thanks for giving us rest in the peace of Your constant presence and assuring us of the victory You’ve already won.
God offers us peace as He holds us up and carries us through every trial.
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