DRIVEN BY GOD
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Posted:Jun 19, 2017 5:26 am
Last Updated:Jun 19, 2017 5:26 am 12585 Views
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Read: 1 Kings 8.54–63
Bible in a Year: Nehemiah 12–13; Acts 4:23–37
May he turn our hearts to him, to walk in obedience to him. 1 Kings 8.58
A few months ago I received an email inviting me to join a community of
“driven people.” I decided to look up the word driven, and I learned that a driven person is someone highly motivated to succeed and who will work hard to achieve his goals.
Is it good to be a driven person? There is a test that never fails: “Do it all for the glory of God” (1 Cor. 10:31). Many times we do things for self-glory. After the flood in Noah’s day, a group of people decided to build a tower in order to “make a name” for themselves (Gen. 11:4). They wanted to be famous and avoid being scattered all over the world. Because they were not doing it for God's glory, though, they were erroneously driven.
Father, give me the desire to obey You and do everything for Your glory.
In contrast, when King Solomon dedicated the ark of the covenant and the newly constructed temple, he said, “I have built the temple for the Name of the Lord”
(1 Kings 8.20). Then he prayed, “May he turn our hearts to him, to walk in obedience to him and keep the commands” v. 58.
When our greatest desire is to bring glory to God and walk in obedience, we become driven people who seek to love and serve Jesus in the power of the Spirit. Let our prayer echo Solomon’s. May our “hearts be fully committed to the Lord our God, to live by his decrees and obey his commands” (v. 61).
Father, give me the desire to obey You and do everything for Your glory.
Do everything for the glory of God.
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MADE ALIVE
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Posted:Jun 16, 2017 4:03 am
Last Updated:Jun 16, 2017 4:03 am 12732 Views
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Read: Ephesians 2:1–10
Bible in a Year: Nehemiah 4–6; Acts 2:22–47
You were dead in your transgressions and sins. Ephesians 2:1
As a young man, my dad was traveling with a group of friends to an out-of-town sporting event when the tires of their car slipped on the rain-soaked roads. They had an accident—a bad accident. One of his friends was paralyzed and another was killed. My dad was declared dead and taken to the morgue. His shocked and grief-stricken parents came to identify him. But my dad revived from what turned out to be a deep coma. Their mourning turned to joy.
In Ephesians 2, the apostle Paul reminds us that apart from Christ we are “dead in [our] transgressions and sins” (v. 1). But because of His great love for us, “God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions” (vv. 4–5). Through Christ we have been brought from death to life.
Thank You, Father, for love that conquers sin, life that conquers death, and grace that has conquered my heart
So in every sense, we all owe our life to the Father in heaven. Through His great love, He has made it possible for those of us who were dead in sin to have life and purpose through His .
Thank You, Father, for love that conquers sin, life that conquers death, and grace that has conquered my heart. May my life be a sweet aroma of praise to You.
We owed a debt we could not pay, but Jesus paid the debt He did not owe.
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THE BOND OF PEACE
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Posted:Jun 15, 2017 5:52 am
Last Updated:Jun 15, 2017 5:53 am 12628 Views
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Read: Ephesians 4:1–6
Bible in a Year: Nehemiah 1–3; Acts 2:1–21
Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. Ephesians 4:3
After I confronted my friend by email over a matter on which we had differed, she didn’t respond. Had I overstepped? I didn’t want to worsen the situation by pestering her, but neither did I want to leave things unresolved before she went on a trip overseas. As she popped into my mind throughout the following days, I prayed for her, unsure of the way forward. Then one morning I went for a walk in our local park and saw her, pain etched on her face as she glimpsed me. “Thank You, Lord, that I can talk to her,” I breathed as I approached her with a welcoming smile. We talked openly and were able to resolve matters.
Sometimes when hurt or silence intrudes on our relationships, mending them seems out of our control. But as the apostle Paul says in his letter to the church at Ephesus, we are called to work for peace and unity through God’s Spirit, donning the garments of gentleness, humility, and patience as we seek God’s healing in our relationships. The Lord yearns for us to be united, and through His Spirit He can bring His people together—even unexpectedly when we go walking in the park.
God desires unity among believers.
Have you experienced an unexpected encounter that revealed God working in a situation? How might you work toward peace and unity today?
God desires unity among believers.
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Rhythms Of Grace
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Posted:Jun 14, 2017 4:57 am
Last Updated:Jun 14, 2017 4:57 am 12537 Views
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Read: Matthew 11:25–30
Bible in a Year: Ezra 9–10; Acts 1
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
A friend and his wife, now in their early nineties and married for sixty-six years, wrote their family history for their , grandchildren, and generations to come. The final chapter, “A Letter from Mom and Dad,” contains important life-lessons they’ve learned. One caused me to pause and take inventory of my own life: “If you find that Christianity exhausts you, draining you of your energy, then you are practicing religion rather than enjoying a relationship with Jesus Christ. Your walk with the Lord will not make you weary; it will invigorate you, restore your strength, and energize your life” (Matt. 11:28–29).
Eugene Peterson’s paraphrase of Jesus’s invitation in this passage begins, “Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? . . . Walk with me and work with me. . . . Learn the unforced rhythms of grace” (The Message).
Lord Jesus, I come to You today to exchange my frenzied work for Your pathway of grace.
When I think that serving God is all up to me, I’ve begun working for Him instead of walking with Him. There is a vital difference. If I’m not walking with Christ, my spirit becomes dry and brittle. People are annoyances, not fellow humans created in God’s image. Nothing seems right.
When I sense that I’m practicing religion instead of enjoying a relationship with Jesus, it’s time to lay the burden down and walk with Him in His “unforced rhythms of grace.”
Lord Jesus, I come to You today to exchange my frenzied work for Your pathway of grace.
Jesus wants us to walk with Him.
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CONSIDER THE CLOUDS
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Posted:Jun 13, 2017 5:41 am
Last Updated:Jun 13, 2017 5:42 am 12404 Views
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Read: Job 37:1–16
Bible in a Year: Ezra 6–8; John 21
Do you know how the clouds hang poised? Job 37:16
One day many years ago my boys and I were lying on our backs in the yard watching the clouds drift by. “Dad,” one asked, “why do clouds float?” “Well, ,” I began, intending to give him the benefit of my vast knowledge, but then I lapsed into silence. “I don’t know,” I admitted, “but I’ll find out for you.”
The answer, I discovered, is that condensed moisture, descending by gravity, meets warmer temperatures rising from the land. That moisture then changes into vapor and ascends back into the air. That’s a natural explanation for the phenomenon.
We are amazed at You, wonderful Creator, as we look at Your world. We praise you!
But natural explanations are not final answers. Clouds float because God in His wisdom has ordered the natural laws in such a way that they reveal the “wonders of him who has perfect knowledge” (Job 37:16). Clouds then can be thought of as a symbol—an outward and visible sign of God’s goodness and grace in creation.
So someday when you’re taking some time to see what images you can imagine in the clouds, remember this: The One who made all things beautiful makes the clouds float through the air. He does so to call us to wonder and adoration. The heavens—even the cumulus, stratus, and cirrus clouds—declare the glory of God.
We are amazed at You, wonderful Creator, as we look at Your world. You deserve all the praise our hearts can give and so much more!
Creation is filled with signs that point to the Creator.
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NOTHING IS USELESS
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Posted:Jun 12, 2017 4:04 am
Last Updated:Jun 12, 2017 4:05 am 12480 Views
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Read: 1 Corinthians 15:42–58
Bible in a Year: Ezra 3–5; John 20
Nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless. 1 Corinthians 15:58
In my third year battling discouragement and depression caused by limited mobility and chronic pain, I confided to a friend, “My body’s falling apart. I feel like I have nothing of value to offer God or anyone else.”
Her hand rested on mine. “Would you say it doesn’t make a difference when I greet you with a smile or listen to you? Would you tell me it’s worthless when I pray for you or offer a kind word?”
Do what you can with what you have and leave the results to God.
I settled into my recliner. “Of course not.”
She frowned. “Then why are you telling yourself those lies? You do all those things for me and for others.”
I thanked God for reminding me that nothing we do for Him is useless.
In 1 Corinthians 15, Paul assures us that our bodies may be weak now but they will be “raised in power” (v. 43). Because God promises we’ll be resurrected through Christ, we can trust Him to use every offering, every small effort done for Him, to make a difference in His kingdom (v. 58.
Even when we’re physically limited, a smile, a word of encouragement, a prayer, or a display of faith during our trial can be used to minister to the diverse and interdependent body of Christ. When we serve the Lord, no job or act of love is too menial to matter.
Jesus, thank You for valuing us and using us to build up others.
Do what you can with what you have and leave the results to God.
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A REASON TO SING
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Posted:Jun 9, 2017 4:34 am
Last Updated:Jun 9, 2017 4:36 am 12399 Views
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Bible in a Year: 2 Chronicles 32–33; John 18:19–40
Sing praises to God, sing praises; sing praises to our King, sing praises. Psalm 47.6
Singing changes the brain! Some studies show that when we sing, our bodies release hormones that relieve anxiety and stress. Other research indicates that when a group of people sings together, their heartbeats actually synchronize with each other.
The apostle Paul’s writing encourages the church to speak to one another with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs (Eph. 5:19). And the Bible repeats, “Sing praise” more than fifty times.
Praising God has power to change our thoughts, our hearts, and our lives.
In 2 Chronicles 20, we read a story of God’s people demonstrating their trust in God by singing as they marched into battle. Enemies were heading toward the people of Judah. Alarmed, King Jehoshaphat called everyone together. He led the community in intense prayer. They didn’t eat or drink, but only prayed, “We don’t know what to do, but our eyes are on you” (v. 12). The next day, they set out. They weren’t led by their fiercest warriors, but by their choir. They believed God’s promise that they would be delivered without having to fight at all (v. 17).
While they sang and walked toward the conflict, their enemies fought each other! By the time God’s people reached the battlefield, the fighting had ended. God saved His people as they marched by faith toward the unknown, singing His praises.
God encourages us to praise Him for good reasons. Whether or not we are marching into battle, praising God has power to change our thoughts, our hearts, and our lives.
God, we praise Your everlasting love and faithfulness! You protect and guide us, and we trust You with our lives.
Hearts in tune with God sing His praises.
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RINGS AND GRACE
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Posted:Jun 8, 2017 2:14 am
Last Updated:Jun 8, 2017 2:15 am 12349 Views
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Read: Hebrews 8:6–13
Bible in a Year: 2 Chronicles 30–31; John 18:1–18
will remember their sins no more. Hebrews 8.12
When I look at my hands, I am reminded that I lost my wedding and engagement rings. I was multitasking as I packed for a trip, and I still have no idea where they ended up.
I dreaded telling my husband about my careless mistake—worried how the news would affect him. But he responded with more compassion and care for me than concern over the rings. However, there are times when I still want to do something to earn his grace! He, on the contrary, doesn’t hold this episode against me.
Grace and forgiveness are unearned gifts.
So many times we remember our sins and feel we must do something to earn God’s forgiveness. But God has said it is by grace, not by works, that we are saved
(Eph. 2.8–9). Speaking of a new covenant, God promised Israel, “I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more” (Jer. 31:34). We have a God who forgives and no longer calls to mind the wrongs we have done.
We may still feel sad about our past, but we need to trust His promise and believe His grace and forgiveness is real through faith in Jesus Christ. This news should lead us to thankfulness and the assurance faith brings. When God forgives, He forgets.
Dear Lord, thank You for Your grace and Your offer of salvation and forgiveness through Christ. Thank You for this free gift that is not based on anything I can do.
Grace and forgiveness are unearned gifts.
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GOD CALLING
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Posted:Jun 7, 2017 2:04 am
Last Updated:Jun 7, 2017 2:05 am 12543 Views
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Read: Genesis 3:1–10
Bible in a Year: 2 Chronicles 28–29; John 17
This is how God showed his love . . . : He sent his one and only into the world.
1 John 4:9
One morning my gave her eleven-month-old her cell phone for a moment to entertain him. Less than a minute later my phone rang, and as I picked it up I heard his little voice. He had somehow hit the “speed dial” to my number, and what followed was a “conversation” I will long remember. My grandson can only say a few words, but he knows my voice and responds to it. So I talked to him and told him how much I love him.
The joy I felt at the sound of my grandson’s voice was a reminder to me of God’s deep desire for a relationship with us. From the very beginning, the Bible shows God actively pursuing us. After Adam and Eve sinned by disobeying God and then hid from Him in the garden, “the Lord God called” to Adam (Gen. 3:9).
God's love for us is revealed through Jesus.
God continued to pursue humanity through Jesus. Because God desires a relationship with us, He sent Jesus to earth to pay the penalty for our sin by His death on the cross. “This is how God showed his love . . . . He sent his as a sacrifice to clear away our sins and the damage they’ve done to our relationship with God” (1 John 4:9–10 ).
How good it is to know that God loves us and wants us to respond to His love through Jesus. Even when we don't quite know what to say, our Father longs to hear from us!
Heavenly Father, thank You for loving me and pursuing a relationship with me. Help me to be a joy to You by drawing near to You.
God’s love for us is revealed through Jesus.
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FIFTEEN - MINUTE CHALLENGE
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Posted:Jun 6, 2017 5:06 am
Last Updated:Jun 6, 2017 5:13 am 12521 Views
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Read: Psalm 119:33–40
Bible in a Year: 2 Chronicles 25–27; John 16
Turn my heart toward your statutes. Psalm 119:36
Dr. Charles W. Eliot, longtime president of Harvard University, believed that ordinary people who read consistently from the world’s great literature for even a few minutes a day could gain a valuable education. In 1910, he compiled selections from books of history, science, philosophy, and fine art into fifty volumes called The Harvard Classics. Each set of books included Dr. Eliot’s Reading Guide titled “Fifteen Minutes A Day” containing recommended selections of eight to ten pages for each day of the year.
What if we spent fifteen minutes a day reading God’s Word? We could say with the psalmist, “Turn my heart toward your statutes and not toward selfish gain. Turn my eyes away from worthless things; preserve my life according to your word” (Ps. 119:36–37).
“Teach me, Lord, the way of your decrees, that I may follow it to the end.
” (Psalm 119:33)
Fifteen minutes a day adds up to ninety-one hours a year. But for whatever amount of time we decide to read the Bible each day, consistency is the secret and the key ingredient is not perfection but persistence. If we miss a day or a week, we can start reading again. As the Holy Spirit teaches us, God’s Word moves from our minds to our hearts, then to our hands and feet—taking us beyond education to transformation.
“Teach me, Lord, the way of your decrees, that I may follow it to the end” (v. 33).
I turn to You, the Author, to teach me as I read Your Word today. I want to hear from You, to know You, and to grow closer to You.
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The Bible is the only Book whose Author is always present when it is read.
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