OUR PRAYERS, GOD TIMING
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Posted:Nov 6, 2017 3:43 am
Last Updated:Nov 7, 2017 3:45 am 21180 Views
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Read: Luke 1:5–17
Bible in a Year: Jeremiah 37-39; Hebrews 3
Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us. Ephesians 3:20
Sometimes God takes His time in answering our prayers, and that isn’t always easy for us to understand.
That was the situation for Zechariah, a priest whom the angel Gabriel appeared to one day near an altar in the temple in Jerusalem. Gabriel told him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a , and you are to call him John” (Luke 1:13, italics added).
When we cannot see God’s hand at work, we can still trust His heart.
But Zechariah had probably asked God for a years before, and he struggled with Gabriel’s message because Elizabeth was now well beyond the expected age for childbirth. Still, God answered his prayer.
God’s memory is perfect. He is able to remember our prayers not only for years but also for generations beyond our lifetime. He never forgets them and may move in response long after we first brought our requests to Him. Sometimes His answer is “no,” other times it is “wait”—but His response is always measured with love. God’s ways are beyond us, but we can trust that they are good.
Zechariah learned this. He asked for a , but God gave him even more. His John would grow up to be the very prophet who would announce the arrival of the Messiah.
Zechariah’s experience demonstrates a vital truth that should also encourage us as we pray: God’s timing is rarely our own, but it is always worth waiting for.
What are you praying for today?
When we cannot see God’s hand at work, we can still trust His heart.
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POWERFUL-BABY
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Posted:Nov 3, 2017 4:59 am
Last Updated:Nov 6, 2017 3:43 am 22346 Views
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Read: Psalm 13
Bible in a Year: Jeremiah 30–31; Philemon
How long, Lord? Will you forget me forever? . . . But I trust in your unfailing love. Psalm 13:1, 5
The first time I saw him, I cried. He looked like a perfect newborn asleep in his crib. But we knew he would never wake up. Not until he was in the arms of Jesus.
He clung to life for several months. Then his mother told us of his death in a heart-wrenching email. She wrote of “that deep, deep pain that groans inside you.” Then she said, “How deeply God carved His work of love into our hearts through that little life! What a powerful life it was!”
God can do the most with what we think is least.
Powerful? How could she say that?
This family’s precious little boy showed them—and us—that we must depend on God for everything. Especially when things go horribly wrong! The hard yet comforting truth is that God meets us in our pain. He knows the grief of losing a .
In our deepest pain, we turn to the songs of David because he writes out of his own grief. “How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and day after day have sorrow in my heart?” he asked (Ps. 13:2). “Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep in death” (v. 3). Yet David could give his biggest questions to God. “But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation” (v. 5).
Only God can bring ultimate significance to our most tragic events.
Where do I turn when a crisis hits me? Do I ever get angry with God when facing grief and loss? Am I afraid to share my true emotions with Him? Have I ever asked God for His peace?
God can do the most with what we think is least.
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LIVING ANONYMOUSLY
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Posted:Nov 2, 2017 4:50 am
Last Updated:May 2, 2024 12:35 pm 22256 Views
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Read: Romans 12:1–13
Bible in a Year: Jeremiah 27–29; Titus 3
Let us have real warm affection for one another as between [family]. Romans 12:10
My well-worn and often-read copy of Jane Yolen’s essay “Working Up to Anon” (Anonymous) was clipped from The Writer magazine many years ago. “The best writers,” she says, “are the ones who really, in their heart of hearts, aspire to the byline Anon. The story told is important, not the storyteller.”
The story we tell is about Jesus, the Savior, who gave His life for us. Together with other believers we live for Him and share His love with others.
“He must become greater; I must become less.” (John 3:30)
Romans 12:3–21 describes the attitude of humility and love that should permeate our relationships with each other as followers of Jesus. “Don’t cherish exaggerated ideas of yourself or your importance, but try to have a sane estimate of your capabilities by the light of the faith that God has given to you all. . . . Let us have real warm affection for one another as between [family], and a willingness to let the other [person] have the credit” (vv. 3, 10
Pride in our past accomplishments can blind us to the gifts of others. Arrogance can poison the future.
John the Baptist, whose mission was to pave the way for Jesus, said, “He must become greater; I must become less” (John 3:30).
That’s a good motto for us all.
I admit, Lord, that I have a lot to learn about humility. Help me to see You for who You are so You and others have their rightful place in my life.
Always be humble before God and allow Him to be your all in all.
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WHO IS THIS?
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Posted:Nov 1, 2017 1:00 am
Last Updated:May 2, 2024 12:35 pm 22138 Views
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Read: Mark 4:35–41
Bible in a Year: Jeremiah 24–26; Titus 2
They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!” Mark 4:41
“Remove everything from your desks, take out a piece of paper and pencil.” When I was a student these dreaded words announced that “test time” had come.
In Mark 4, we read that Jesus’s day, which started with teaching by the seaside (v. 1), ended with a time of testing on the sea (v. 35). The boat that had been used as a teaching platform was used to transport Jesus and a handful of His followers to the other side of the sea. During the journey (while an exhausted Jesus slept in the back of the boat), they encountered a swirling storm (v. 37). Drenched disciples woke Jesus with the words, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?” (v. 38. Then it happened. The One who had exhorted the crowds to “Listen!” earlier in the day (v. 3), uttered a simple, powerful command to the winds of nature—“Quiet! Be still!”
(v. 39).
Jesus, please help me to listen to You and to trust that You are in control.
The wind obeyed and the wonder of fear-filled disciples was displayed with the words, “Who is this?” (v. 41). The question was a good one but it would take them a while to honestly and correctly conclude that Jesus was God’s . Sincere, honest, open-hearted questions and experience lead people to the same conclusion today. He is more than a teacher to listen to; He is the God to be worshiped.
Father, thank You for Your Word that helps us to see Jesus as Your . Please help me to listen to You and to trust that You are in control.
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“Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.” Matthew
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RUTH´S STORY
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Posted:Oct 31, 2017 5:46 am
Last Updated:Nov 6, 2017 3:44 am 22210 Views
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Read: Romans 10:1–13
Bible in a Year: Jeremiah 22–23; Titus 1
Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. Romans 10:13
Ruth cannot tell her story without tears. In her mid-eighties and unable to get around much anymore, Ruth may not appear to be a central figure in our church’s life. She depends on others for rides, and because she lives alone she doesn’t have a huge circle of influence.
But when she tells us her story of salvation—as she does often—Ruth stands out as a remarkable example of God’s grace. Back when she was in her thirties, a friend invited her to go to a meeting one night. Ruth didn’t know she was going to hear a preacher. “I wouldn’t have gone if I knew,” she says. She already had “religion,” and it wasn’t doing her any good. But go she did. And she heard the good news about Jesus that night.
Jesus redeems, transforms, and gives us new life.
Now, more than fifty years later, she cries tears of joy when she talks of how Jesus transformed her life. That evening, she became a of God. Her story never grows old.
It doesn’t matter if our story is similar to Ruth’s or not. What does matter is that we take the simple step of putting our faith in Jesus and His death and resurrection. The apostle Paul said, “If you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved” (Rom. 10:9).
That’s what Ruth did. You can do that too. Jesus redeems, transforms, and gives us new life.
To learn about having a relationship with Jesus, read Following Jesus.
Belonging to Christ is not rehabilitation; it’s re-creation.
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UNRAVELING THE MYSTERIES
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Posted:Oct 30, 2017 5:43 am
Last Updated:Oct 30, 2017 5:44 am 22060 Views
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Read: Psalm 119:97–104
Bible in a Year: Jeremiah 20–21; 2 Timothy 4
I gain understanding from your precepts; therefore I hate every wrong path.
Psalm 119:104
I have always enjoyed the wit and insight of Peanuts creator, Charles Schulz. One of my favorite cartoons drawn by him appeared in a book about young people in the church. It shows a young man holding a Bible as he tells a friend on the phone, “I think I’ve made one of the first steps toward unraveling the mysteries of the Old Testament . . . I’m starting to read it!” (-Ager Is Not a Disease).
Psalm 119 overflows with the writer’s hunger to understand and experience the power of God’s Word each day. “Oh, how I love your law! I meditate on it all day long” (v. 97). This eager pursuit leads to growing wisdom, understanding, and obedience to the Lord (vv. 98–100).
Lord, thank You for the Bible, which gives us wisdom and understanding.
The Bible doesn’t contain a magic formula for “unraveling the mysteries” in its pages. The process is more than mental and requires a response to what we read. While some passages may remain puzzling to us, we can embrace those truths we clearly understand, and say to the Lord, “How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth! I gain understanding from your precepts; therefore I hate every wrong path” (vv. 103–104).
A wonderful journey of discovery awaits us in God’s Word.
Lord, thank You for the Bible, which gives us wisdom and understanding to follow Your pathway of life today.
A commitment to read and follow God’s Word begins a daily journey of discovering His love and power.
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GOD PROVIDES
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Posted:Oct 27, 2017 3:38 am
Last Updated:Nov 6, 2017 3:44 am 21978 Views
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Read: Deuteronomy 24:19–22
Bible in a Year: Jeremiah 12–14; 2 Timothy 1
Those who work their land will have abundant food. Proverbs 12:11
Outside my office window, the squirrels are in a race against winter to bury their acorns in a safe, accessible place. Their commotion amuses me. An entire herd of deer can go through our back yard and not make a sound, but one squirrel sounds like an invasion.
The two creatures are different in another way as well. Deer do not prepare for winter. When the snow comes they eat whatever they can find along the way (including ornamental shrubs in our yard). But squirrels would starve if they followed that example. They would be unable to find suitable food.
Our needs will never exhaust God’s supply.
The deer and the squirrel represent ways that God cares for us. He enables us to work and save for the future, and He meets our need when resources are scarce. As the wisdom literature teaches, God gives us seasons of plenty so that we can prepare for seasons of need (Prov. 12:11). And as Psalm 23 says, the Lord leads us through perilous places to pleasant pastures.
Another way that God provides is by instructing those with plenty to share with those in need (Deut. 24:19). So when it comes to provision, the message of the Bible is this: Work while we can, save what we can, share what we can, and trust God to meet our needs.
Thank You, Lord, for the promise that You will meet our needs. Help us not to fear or doubt. We’re grateful that You’re watching over us and that our cries for help reach Your ear.
Our needs will never exhaust God’s supply.
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SURVIVING THE WILDERNESS
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Posted:Oct 25, 2017 5:51 am
Last Updated:Oct 27, 2017 3:38 am 22340 Views
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Read: Exodus 17:1–7
Bible in a Year: Jeremiah 6–8; 1 Timothy 5
The message they heard was of no value to them, because they did not share the faith of those who obeyed. Hebrews 4:2
In the 1960s, the Kingston Trio released a song called “Desert Pete.” The ballad tells of a thirsty cowboy who is crossing the desert and finds a hand pump. Next to it, Desert Pete has left a note urging the reader not to drink the water in the jar left there but to use its contents to prime the pump.
The cowboy resists the temptation to drink and uses the water as the note instructs. In reward for his obedience, he receives an abundance of cold, satisfying water. Had he not acted in faith, he would have had only a jar of unsatisfying, warm water to drink.
Help us to place our trust in You, Lord. You are what our heart thirsts after.
This reminds me of Israel’s journey through the wilderness. When their thirst became overwhelming (Ex. 17:1–7), Moses sought the Lord. He was told to strike the rock of Horeb with his staff. Moses believed and obeyed, and water gushed from the stone.
Sadly, Israel would not consistently follow Moses’s example of faith. Ultimately, “the message they heard was of no value to them, because they did not share the faith of those who obeyed”
(Heb. 4:2).
Sometimes life can seem like an arid desert. But God can quench our spiritual thirst in the most unlikely circumstances. When by faith we believe the promises of God’s Word, we can experience rivers of living water and grace for our daily needs.
Help us to place our trust in You, Lord. You are what our heart thirsts after.
Only Jesus, the Living Water, can satisfy our thirst for God.
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Jesus In Disguise
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Posted:Oct 24, 2017 2:56 am
Last Updated:Oct 25, 2017 5:52 am 22170 Views
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Read: Matthew 25:31–40
Bible in a Year: Jeremiah 3–5; 1 Timothy 4
Whatever you did for one of the least of these . . . you did for me. Matthew 25:40
When a friend cared for her housebound mother-in-law, she asked her what she longed for the most. Her mother-in-law said, “For my feet to be washed.” My friend admitted, “How I hated that job! Each time she asked me to do it I was resentful, and would ask God to hide my feelings from her.”
But one day her grumbling attitude changed in a flash. As she got out the bowl and towel and knelt at her mother-in-law’s feet, she said, “I looked up, and for a moment I felt like I was washing the feet of Jesus Himself. She was Jesus in disguise!” After that, she felt honored to wash her mother-in-law’s feet.
Jesus, help me to love others in Your name.
When I heard this moving account, I thought of Jesus’s story about the end of time that He taught on the slopes of the Mount of Olives. The King welcomes into His kingdom His sons and daughters, saying that when they visited the sick or fed the hungry, “Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me” (Matt. 25:40). We too serve Jesus Himself when we visit those in prison or give clothes to the needy.
Today, might you echo my friend, who now wonders when she meets someone new, “Are you Jesus in disguise?”
Lord Jesus Christ, You can transform the most mundane of tasks. Help me to love others in Your name.
When we serve others, we serve Jesus
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BROTHER TO BROTHER
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Posted:Oct 23, 2017 5:22 am
Last Updated:Oct 27, 2017 3:41 am 21612 Views
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Read: Genesis 33:1–11
Bible in a Year: Jeremiah 1–2; 1 Timothy 3
A new command I give you: Love one another. John 13:34
My brother and I, less than a year apart in age, were quite “competitive” growing up (translation: we fought!). Dad understood. He had brothers. Mom? Not so much.
Our story could have fit in the book of Genesis, which might well be subtitled A Brief History of Sibling Rivalry. Cain and Abel (Gen. 4); Isaac and Ishmael (21:8–10); Joseph and everyone not named Benjamin (ch. 37). But for brother-to-brother animosity, it’s hard to beat Jacob and Esau.
A new command I give you: Love one another. John 13:34
Esau’s twin brother had cheated him twice, so he wanted to kill Jacob (27:41). Decades later Jacob and Esau would reconcile (ch. 33). But the rivalry continued on in their descendants, who became the nations of Edom and Israel. When the people of Israel prepared to enter the Promised Land, Edom met them with threats and an army (Num. 20:14–21). Much later, as Jerusalem’s citizens fled invading forces, Edom slaughtered the refugees (Obad. 1:10–14).
Happily for us, the Bible contains not just the sad account of our brokenness but the story of God’s redemption as well. Jesus changed everything, telling His disciples, “A new command I give you: Love one another” (John 13:34). Then He showed us what that means by dying for us.
As my brother and I got older, we became close. That’s the thing with God. When we respond to the forgiveness He offers, His grace can transform our sibling rivalries into brotherly love.
Lord, we invite You to transform our relationships with Your healing love.
Sibling rivalry is natural. God’s love is supernatural
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