FITTING IN
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Posted:Jan 12, 2018 4:13 am
Last Updated:May 6, 2024 11:42 am 11064 Views
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Read: Malachi 3:13–18
Bible in a Year: Genesis 29–30; Matthew 9:1–17
Then those who feared the Lord talked with each other, and the Lord listened and heard. Malachi 3:16
Lee is a diligent and reliable bank employee. Yet he often finds himself sticking out like a sore thumb for living out his faith. This reveals itself in practical ways, such as when he leaves the break room during an inappropriate conversation. At a Bible study, he shared with his friends, “I fear that I’m losing promotion opportunities for not fitting in.”
Believers during the prophet Malachi’s time faced a similar challenge. They had returned from exile and the temple had been rebuilt, but there was skepticism about God’s plan for their future. Some of the Israelites were saying, “It is futile to serve God. What do we gain by carrying out his requirements . . . ? But now we call the arrogant blessed. Certainly evildoers prosper, and even when they put God to the test, they get away with it” (Malachi 3:14–15).
Lord, help us to keep on encouraging one another to stay faithful to You in this faithless world.
How can we stand firm for God in a culture that tells us we will lose out if we don’t blend in? The faithful in Malachi’s time responded to that challenge by meeting with like-minded believers to encourage each other. Malachi shares this important detail with us: “The Lord listened and heard” (v. 16).
God notices and cares for all who fear and honor Him. He doesn’t call us to “fit in” but to draw closer to Him each day as we encourage each other. Let’s stay faithful!
Lord, help us to keep on encouraging one another to stay faithful to You in this faithless world.
Our faith may be tested so that we may trust God’s faithfulness.
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WHAT´S INSIDE?
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Posted:Jan 11, 2018 6:09 am
Last Updated:Jan 11, 2018 6:09 am 11057 Views
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Read: 2 Corinthians 4.7–18
Bible in a Year: Genesis 27–28; Matthew 8:18–34
But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. 2 Corinthians 4.7
“Do you want to see what’s inside?” my friend asked. I had just complimented her on the old-fashioned rag doll her held in her small arms. Instantly curious, I replied that yes, I very much wanted to see what was inside. She turned the doll face down and pulled open a discreet zipper sewn into its back. From within the cloth body, Emily gently removed a treasure: the rag doll she’d held and loved throughout the years of her own childhood more than two decades prior. The “outer” doll was merely a shell without this inner core to give it strength and form.
Paul describes the truth of Jesus’s life, death, and resurrection as a treasure, carried about in the frail humanity of God’s people. That treasure enables those who trust in Him to bear up under unthinkable adversity and continue in their service. When they do, His light—His life—shines brightly through the “cracks” of their humanness. Paul encourages us all not to “lose heart” (2 Corinthians 4:16) because God strengthens us to do His work.
When God’s strength shines through us, it invites others to ask, “What’s inside?”
Like the “inner” doll, the gospel-treasure within us lends both purpose and fortitude to our lives. When God’s strength shines through us, it invites others to ask, “What’s inside?” We can then unzip our hearts and reveal the life-giving promise of salvation in Christ.
Thank You, Lord, for saving me. Please shine Your light brightly through my broken life so others will be invited to know You too.
The gospel of truth shines through the brokenness of God’s people.
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GROWING A SERVANT´S HEART
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Posted:Jan 10, 2018 4:24 am
Last Updated:Jan 12, 2018 4:13 am 11157 Views
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Read: Luke 22:24–30
Bible in a Year: Genesis 25–26;
Matthew 8:1–17
I am among you as one who serves. Luke 22:27
It was a long day at work. But when I got home, it was time to start my “other” job: being a good dad. Greetings from my wife and soon became, “Dad, what’s for dinner?” “Dad, can you get me some water?” “Dad, can we play soccer?”
I just wanted to sit down. And even though part of me really wanted to be a good dad, I didn’t feel like serving my family’s needs. That’s when I saw it: a thank-you card my wife had received from someone at church. It pictured a bowl of water, a towel, and dirty sandals. Across the bottom were these words from Luke 22:27: “I am among you as one who serves.”
Lord, help us to become more like You.
That statement of Jesus’s mission, to serve those He came to seek and save (Luke 19:10), was exactly what I needed. If Jesus was willing to do the dirtiest of jobs for His followers—like scrubbing His followers’ no doubt filthy feet (John 13:1–17)—I could get my a cup of water without grumbling about it. In that moment, I was reminded that my family’s requests to serve them weren’t merely an obligation, but an opportunity to reflect Jesus’s servant heart and His love to them. When requests are made of us, they are chances to become more like the One who served His followers by laying down His life for us.
Lord, sometimes it’s hard to serve others’ needs. Help us to become more like You, willing to express Your love in the many opportunities we have to serve those around us each day.
God’s love for us empowers us to serve others.
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STONES OF REMEMBRANCE
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Posted:Jan 9, 2018 5:34 am
Last Updated:Jan 10, 2018 4:24 am 11238 Views
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Read: Joshua 3:14–4.7
Bible in a Year: Genesis 23–24; Matthew 6
Remember the wonders he has done, his miracles, and the judgments he pronounced. Psalm 105:5
Some mornings when I go online, Facebook shows me “memories”—things I’ve posted on that day in previous years. These memories, such as photos from my brother’s wedding or a video of my playing with my grandmother, usually make me smile. But sometimes they have a more profound emotional effect. When I see a note about a visit to my brother-in-law during his chemotherapy or a picture of the staples across my mother’s scalp after her brain surgery three years ago, I am reminded of God’s faithful presence during difficult circumstances. These Facebook memories nudge me towards prayer and gratitude.
All of us are prone to forget the things God has done for us. We need reminders. When Joshua led God’s people towards their new home, they had to cross the Jordan River (Joshua 3:15–16). God parted the waters, and His people walked through on dry land (v. 17). To create a memorial of this miracle, they took twelve stones from the middle of the riverbed and stacked them on the other side (4:3, 6–7). When others asked what the stones meant, God’s people would tell the story of what God had done that day.
God, help me to trust You with both the present and the future.
Physical reminders of God’s faithfulness in the past can remind us to trust Him in the present—and with the future.
God, thank You for Your faithfulness to me over many years! Help me to trust You with the present and the future as well.
How can you create physical, daily reminders of God’s faithfulness to you?
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JUST LIKE MY FATHER
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Posted:Jan 5, 2018 5:58 am
Last Updated:Jan 9, 2018 5:34 am 11168 Views
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Read: 1 Peter 5:8–12
Bible in a Year: Genesis 13–15; Matthew 5:1–26
It is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.” 1 Peter 1:16
My father’s dusty, heeled-over, cowboy boots rest on the floor of my study, daily reminders of the kind of man he was.
Among other things, he raised and trained cutting horses—equine athletes that move like quicksilver. I loved to watch him at work, marveling that he could stay astride.
Father God, we want to be just like You. Help us to grow more and more like You each day!
As a boy, growing up, I wanted to be just like him. I’m in my eighties, and his boots are still too large for me to fill.
My father’s in heaven now, but I have another Father to emulate. I want to be just like Him—filled with His goodness, fragrant with His love. I’m not there and never will be in this life; His boots are much too large for me to fill.
But the apostle Peter said this: “The God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ . . . will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast” (1 Peter 5:10). He has the wisdom and power to do that, you know (v. 11).
Our lack of likeness to our heavenly Father will not last forever. God has called us to share the beauty of character that is His. In this life we reflect Him poorly, but in heaven our sin and sorrow will be no more and we’ll reflect Him more fully! This is the “true grace of God” (v. 12).
Father God, we want to be just like You. Help us to grow more and more like You each day!
Through the cross, believers are made perfect in His sight
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WHAT DO THE EXPERTS SAY?
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Posted:Jan 4, 2018 3:48 am
Last Updated:May 6, 2024 11:42 am 11397 Views
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Read: John 5:31–40
Bible in a Year: Genesis 10–12; Matthew 4
These are the very Scriptures that testify about me, yet you refuse to come to me to have life. John 5:39–40
Boston Globe columnist Jeff Jacoby writes of the “uncanny ability of experts to get things hopelessly, cataclysmically wrong.” A quick glance at recent history shows he’s right. The great inventor Thomas Edison, for instance, once declared that talking movies would never replace silent films. And in 1928, Henry Ford declared, “People are becoming too intelligent ever to have another war.” Countless other predictions by “experts” have missed the mark badly. Genius obviously has its limits.
Only one Person is completely reliable, and He had strong words for some so-called experts. The religious leaders of Jesus’s day claimed to have the truth. These scholars and theologians thought they knew what the promised Messiah would be like when He arrived.
Knowing the future is uncertain; knowing the One who holds the future is a sure thing.
Jesus cautioned them, “You study the Scriptures diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life.” Then He pointed out how they were missing the heart of the matter. “These are the very Scriptures that testify about me, yet you refuse to come to me to have life” (John 5:39–40).
As another new year gets underway, we’ll hear predictions ranging from the terrifying to the wildly optimistic. Many of them will be stated with a great deal of confidence and authority. Don’t be alarmed. Our confidence remains in the One at the very heart of the Scriptures. He has a firm grip on us and on our future.
Father, whenever we are troubled or alarmed, help us to seek You. We commit this coming year and all it holds to You.
Knowing the future is uncertain; knowing the One who holds the future is a sure thing.
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BREATHTAKING GLORY
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Posted:Jan 3, 2018 5:36 am
Last Updated:May 6, 2024 11:42 am 11725 Views
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Read: 1 Chronicles 29:10–13
Bible in a Year: Genesis 7–9; Matthew 3
Yours, Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor. 1 Chronicles 29:11
One of the pleasures of a trip to Europe is visiting the grand cathedrals that dot the landscape. They are breathtakingly beautiful as they soar toward the heavens. The architecture, art, and symbolism found in these amazing buildings present a spellbinding experience of wonder and magnificence.
As I thought about the fact that these structures were built to reflect God’s magnificence and His all-surpassing splendor, I wondered how we could possibly recapture in our hearts and minds a similar feeling of God’s grandeur and be reminded again of His greatness.
God alone is worthy of our worship.
One way we can do that is to look beyond man’s grand, regal structures and contemplate the greatness of what God Himself has created. Take one look at a starry night sky and think of God’s power as He spoke the universe into existence. Hold a newborn baby in your arms and thank God for the miracle of life itself. Look at the snow-covered mountains of Alaska or the majestic Atlantic Ocean teeming with millions of God-designed creatures and imagine the power that makes that ecosystem work.
Mankind is not wrong to reach for the sky with structures that are intended to point us to God. But our truest admiration should be reserved for God Himself as we say to Him, “Yours, Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor” (1 Chronicles 29:11).
Lord, You do take our breath away with Your greatness. Thank You for reminding us of Your grandeur in Your world and in Your Word.
God alone is worthy of our worship.
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PRESSING ON
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Posted:Jan 2, 2018 5:23 am
Last Updated:May 6, 2024 11:42 am 11464 Views
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Read: Philippians 3.7–14
Bible in a Year: Genesis 4–6; Matthew 2
I press on toward the goal to win the prize. Philippians 3:14
As I walked past an outside wall of the office building where I work, I was amazed to see a beautiful flower growing up through a crack between concrete slabs covering the ground. Despite its deprived circumstance, the plant had found a foothold, rooted itself in the dry crevice, and was flourishing. Later, I noticed that an air-conditioning unit located directly above the plant dropped water on it throughout the day. While its surroundings were hostile, the plant received the help it needed from the water above.
Growing in the Christian life can sometimes be difficult, but when we persevere with Christ, barriers are surmountable. Our circumstances may be unfavorable and discouragement may seem like an obstacle. Yet if we press on in our relationship with the Lord, we can flourish like that lone plant. This was the experience of the apostle Paul. Despite the severe hardships and challenges he faced (2 Corinthians 11:23–27), he wouldn’t give up. “I . . . take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me,” he wrote. “I press on toward the goal to win the prize”
(Philippians 3:12, 14).
This is a day that You have made, Father. Thank You that You’ll be near me in whatever I face today.
Paul realized he could do all things through the Lord who strengthened him (4:13), and so can we as we press on with the help of One who gives us strength.
This is a day that You have made, Father. Thank You that You’ll be near me in whatever I face today.
God provides the strength we need to persevere and grow.
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BEGINNING AGAIN
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Posted:Jan 1, 2018 5:56 am
Last Updated:Jan 2, 2018 5:26 am 11324 Views
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Read: Ezra 1:1–11
Bible in a Year: Genesis 1–3; Matthew 7
Everyone whose heart God had moved—prepared to go up and build the house of the Lord in Jerusalem. Ezra 1:5
After Christmas festivities conclude at the end of December, my thoughts often turn to the coming year. While my are out of school and our daily rhythms are slow, I reflect on where the last year has brought me and where I hope the next will take me. Those reflections sometimes come with pain and regret over the mistakes I’ve made. Yet the prospect of starting a new year fills me with hope and expectancy. I feel I have the opportunity to begin again with a fresh start, no matter what the last year held.
My anticipation of a fresh start pales in comparison to the sense of hope the Israelites must have felt when Cyrus, the king of Persia, released them to return to their homeland in Judah after seventy long years of captivity in Babylon. The previous king, Nebuchadnezzar, had deported the Israelites from their homeland. But the Lord prompted Cyrus to send the captives home to Jerusalem to rebuild God’s temple (Ezra 1:2–3). Cyrus also returned to them treasures that had been taken from the temple. Their lives as God’s chosen people, in the land God had appointed to them, began afresh after a long season of hardship in Babylon as a consequence for their sin.
Lord, thank You for Your grace and forgiveness and new beginnings.
No matter what lies in our past, when we confess our sin, God forgives us and gives us a fresh start. What great cause for hope!
What can you do to grow closer to God this year?
God’s grace offers us fresh starts.
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SILENT NOGHT OF THE SOUL
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Posted:Dec 22, 2017 4:47 am
Last Updated:Jun 14, 2018 6:09 am 11121 Views
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Read: 2 Corinthians 5:14–21
Bible in a Year: Micah 6–7; Revelation 13
If anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone; the new is here! 2 Corinthians 5:17
Long before Joseph Mohr and Franz Gruber created the familiar carol “Silent Night,” Angelus Silesius had written:
Lo! in the silent night a to God is born,
And all is brought again that ere was lost or lorn.
Could but thy soul, O man, become a silent night
God would be born in thee and set all things aright.
Jesus, thank You for being born into this dark world so that we might be born again into Your life & light.
Silesius, a Polish monk, published the poem in 1657 in The Cherubic Pilgrim. During our church’s annual Christmas Eve service, the choir sang a beautiful rendition of the song titled “Could but Thy Soul Become a Silent Night.”
The twofold mystery of Christmas is that God became one of us so that we might become one with Him. Jesus suffered everything that was wrong so that we could be made right. That’s why the apostle Paul could write, “If anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone; the new is here! All this is from God who reconciled us to himself through Christ” (2 Cor. 5:17–18.
Whether our Christmas is filled with family and friends or empty of all we long for, we know that Jesus came to be born in us.
Ah, would thy heart but be a manger for the birth,
God would once more become a on earth.
Lord Jesus, thank You for being born into this dark world so that we might be born again into Your life and light.
God became one of us so that we might become one with Him.
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