FLOWING PEACE
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Posted:May 27, 2016 4:12 am
Last Updated:May 27, 2016 4:13 am 12219 Views
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Read: John 14:16-27
Bible in a Year: 2 Chronicles 1–3; John 10:1-23
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. John 14:27
“I’m not surprised you lead retreats,” said an acquaintance in my exercise class. “You have a good aura.” I was jolted but pleased by her comment, because I realized that what she saw as an “aura” in me, I understood to be the peace of Christ. As we follow Jesus, He gives us the peace that transcends understanding (Phil. 4.7 and radiates from within—though we may not even be aware of it.
Jesus promised His followers this peace when, after their last supper together, He prepared them for His death and resurrection. He told them that though they would have trouble in the world, the Father would send them the Spirit of truth to live with them and be in them (John 14:16-17). The Spirit would teach them, bringing to mind His truths; the Spirit would comfort them, bestowing on them His peace. Though soon they would face trials—including fierce opposition from the religious leaders and seeing Jesus executed—He told them not to be afraid. The Holy Spirit’s presence would never leave them.
God’s peace can be His witness to everyone we meet.
Although as God’s we experience hardship, we too have His Spirit living within and flowing out of us. God’s peace can be His witness to everyone we meet—whether at a local market, at school or work, or in the gym.
Father, , and Holy Spirit, thank You for welcoming me into Your circle of love. May I share Your peace with someone in my community today.
When we keep our mind on God, His Spirit keeps our mind at peace.
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LIKE SHEEP
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Posted:May 26, 2016 4:23 am
Last Updated:May 27, 2016 4:12 am 15157 Views
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Read: Isaiah 53:1-6 |
Bible in a Year: 1 Chronicles 28–29; John 9:24-41
We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way. Isaiah 53:6
One of my daily chores when I lived with my grandfather in northern Ghana was taking care of sheep. Each morning I took them out to pasture and returned by evening. That was when I first noticed how stubborn sheep can be. Whenever they saw a farm, for instance, their instinct drove them right into it, getting me in trouble with the farmers on a number of occasions.
Sometimes when I was tired from the heat and resting under a tree, I observed the sheep dispersing into the bushes and heading for the hills, causing me to chase after them and scratching my skinny legs in the shrubs. I had a hard time directing the animals away from danger and trouble, especially when robbers sometimes raided the field and stole stray sheep.
As our shepherd, He calls us back to safe pasture.
So I quite understand when Isaiah says, "We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way" (53:6). We stray in many ways: desiring and doing what displeases our Lord, hurting other people by our conduct, and being distracted from spending time with God and His Word because we are too busy or lack interest. We behave like sheep in the field.
Fortunately for us, we have the Good Shepherd who laid down His life for us (John 10:11) and who carries our sorrows and our sins (Isa. 53:4-6). And as our shepherd, He calls us back to safe pasture that we might follow Him more closely.
Shepherd of my soul, I do wander at times. I’m grateful that You’re always seeking me to bring me back to Your side.
If you want God to lead you, be willing to follow.
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WHEN THE WOODS WAKE UP
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Posted:May 25, 2016 3:41 am
Last Updated:May 26, 2016 4:49 pm 18014 Views
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Read: John 11:14-27
Bible in a Year: 1 Chronicles 25–27; John 9:1-23
I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die. John 11:25
Through cold, snowy winters, the hope of spring sustains those of us who live in Michigan. May is the month when that hope is rewarded. The transformation is remarkable. Limbs that look lifeless on May 1 turn into branches that wave green leafy greetings by month’s end. Although the change each day is imperceptible, by the end of the month the woods in my yard have changed from gray to green.
God has built into creation a cycle of rest and renewal. What looks like death to us is rest to God. And just as rest is preparation for renewal, death is preparation for resurrection.
I love watching the woods awaken every spring, for it reminds me that death is a temporary condition and that its purpose is to prepare for new life, a new beginning, for something even better. “Unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds” (John 12:24).
While pollen is a springtime nuisance when it coats my furniture and makes people sneeze, it reminds me that God is in the business of keeping things alive. And after the pain of death, He promises a glorious resurrection for those who believe in His .
Read these encouraging verses that remind us of the hope of resurrection: 1 Corinthians 15:35-58.
Every new leaf of springtime is a reminder of our promised resurrection.
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NO WORRIES
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Posted:May 24, 2016 4:20 am
Last Updated:May 24, 2016 4:20 am 19590 Views
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Read: Mark 4:35–5:1
Bible in a Year: 1 Chronicles 22–24; John 8:28-58
Let us go over to the other side. Mark 4:35
A comfortable plane ride was about to get bumpy. The voice of the captain interrupted in-flight beverage service and asked passengers to make sure their seatbelts were fastened. Soon the plane began to roll and pitch like a ship on a wind-whipped ocean. While the rest of the passengers were doing their best to deal with the turbulence, a little girl sat through it all reading her book. After the plane landed, she was asked why she had been able to be so calm. She responded, “My daddy is the pilot and he’s taking me home.”
Though Jesus’ disciples were seasoned fishermen, they were terrified the day a storm threatened to swamp their boat. They were following Jesus’ instructions. Why was this happening? (Mark 4:35-38. He was with them but He was asleep at the stern of the craft. They learned that day that it is not true that when we do as our Lord says there will be no storms in our lives. Yet because He was with them, they also learned that storms don’t stop us from getting to where our Lord wants us to go (5:1).
Storms don’t stop us from getting to where our Lord wants us to go.
Whether the storm we encounter today is the result of a tragic accident, a loss of employment, or some other trial, we can be confident that all is not lost. Our Pilot can handle the storm. He will get us home.
What storms are you encountering today? Perhaps you have lost a loved one or are facing a serious illness. Perhaps you are having difficulty finding a job. Ask the Lord to strengthen your faith and take you safely through the storm to the other side.
We don't need to fear the storm with Jesus as our anchor.
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WHY ME?
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Posted:May 23, 2016 3:59 am
Last Updated:May 24, 2016 4:20 am 20343 Views
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Read: Ruth 2:1-11
Bible in a Year: 1 Chronicles 19–21; John 8:1-27
Why have I found such favor in your eyes? Ruth 2:10
Ruth was a foreigner. She was a widow. She was poor. In many parts of the world today she would be considered a nobody—someone whose future doesn’t hold any hope.
However, Ruth found favor in the eyes of a relative of her deceased husband, a rich man and the owner of the fields where she chose to ask for permission to glean grain. In response to his kindness, Ruth asked, “What have I done to deserve such kindness? . . . I am only a foreigner” (Ruth 2:10 ).
When we come to Him in salvation, we are under His protective wings.
Boaz, the good man who showed Ruth such compassion, answered her truthfully. He had heard about her good deeds toward her mother-in-law, Naomi, and how she chose to leave her country and follow Naomi’s God. Boaz prayed that God, "under whose wings" she had come for refuge, would bless her (1:16; 2:11-12; see Ps. 91:4). As her kinsman redeemer (Ruth 3:9), when Boaz married Ruth he became her protector and part of the answer to his prayer.
Like Ruth, we were foreigners and far from God. We may wonder why God would choose to love us when we are so undeserving. The answer is not in us, but in Him. “God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners” (Rom. 5:8 ). Christ has become our Redeemer. When we come to Him in salvation, we are under His protective wings.
Dear Lord, I don’t know why You love me, but I don’t doubt Your love. I thank You and worship You!
Gratefulness is the heart's response to God's undeserved love.
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CHILI PEPPERS
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Posted:May 20, 2016 4:17 am
Last Updated:May 20, 2016 4:18 am 20622 Views
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Read: James 1:22–27
Bible in a Year: 1 Chronicles 10–12; John 6:45-71
Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress. James 1:27
“My mother gave us chili peppers before we went to bed,” said Samuel, recalling his difficult childhood in sub-Saharan Africa. “We drank water to cool our mouths, and then we would feel full.” He added, “It did not work well.”
Government upheaval had forced Samuel’s father to flee for his life, leaving their mother as the family’s sole provider. Then his brother contracted sickle cell anemia, and they couldn’t afford medical care. Their mother took them to church, but it didn’t mean much to Sam. How could God allow our family to suffer like this? he wondered.
Sometimes the best witness is kindness.
Then one day a man learned about their plight. He got the essential medicine and brought it to them. “On Sunday we will go to this man’s church,” his mother announced. Right away Sam sensed something different about this church. They celebrated their relationship with Jesus by living His love.
That was three decades ago. Today in this part of the world, Sam has started more than 20 churches, a large school, and a home for orphans. He’s continuing the legacy of true religion taught by James, the brother of Jesus, who urged us not to “merely listen to the word” but to “do what it says” (James 1:22). “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress” (v. 27).
There’s no telling what a simple act of kindness done in Jesus’ name can do.
Sometimes the best witness is kindness.
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GREAT LITERATURE
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Posted:May 19, 2016 3:55 am
Last Updated:May 19, 2016 3:56 am 20454 Views
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Read: Psalm 119:97-104
Bible in a Year: 1 Chronicles 7–9; John 6:22-44
How sweet are your words . . . , sweeter than honey to my mouth!
Psalm 119:103
Recently I came across an article describing what constitutes great literature. The author suggested that great literature “changes you. When you are done reading, you’re a different person.”
In that light, the Word of God will always be classified as great literature. Reading the Bible challenges us to be better. Stories of biblical heroes inspire us to be courageous and persevering. The wisdom and prophetic books warn of the danger of living by our fallen instincts. God spoke through various writers to pen life-changing psalms for our benefit. The teachings of Jesus shape our character to become more like Him. The writings of Paul orient our minds and lives to holy living. As the Holy Spirit brings these Scriptures to our minds, they become powerful agents for change in our lives.
Lord, thank You for Your Word and its powerful influence in my life.
The writer of Psalm 119 loved God’s Word for its transforming influence in his life. He recognized that the ancient Scriptures handed down from Moses made him wise and more understanding than his teachers (v. 99). It kept him from evil (v. 101). No wonder he exclaimed, “Oh, how I love your law! I meditate on it all day long,” and “How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!” (vv. 97, 103).
Welcome to the joy of loving great literature, especially the life-changing power of God’s Word!
Lord, thank You for Your Word and its powerful influence in my life. Help me learn to put its truth into practice.
The Spirit of God uses the Word of God to change the people of God.
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THE BREAD THAT SATISFIES
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Posted:May 18, 2016 5:42 am
Last Updated:May 18, 2016 5:43 am 19600 Views
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Read: Luke 10:38-11:4
Bible in a Year: 1 Chronicles 4–6; John 6:1-21
Give us each day our daily bread. Luke 11:3
I learned to recite the Lord's Prayer as a boy in primary school. Every time I said the line, "Give us today our daily bread" (Matt. 6:11), I couldn't help but think about the bread that we got only occasionally at home. Only when my father returned from his trip into town did we have a loaf of bread. So asking God to give us our daily bread was a relevant prayer to me.
How curious I was when years later I discovered the booklet Our Daily Bread. I knew the title came from the Lord’s Prayer, but I also knew it couldn’t be talking about the loaf of bread from the baker’s shop. I discovered as I read the booklet regularly that this "bread," full of Scripture portions and helpful notes, was spiritual food for the soul.
He is the Bread that satisfies.
It was spiritual food that Mary chose when she sat at the feet of Jesus and listened attentively to His words (Luke 10:39). While Martha wearied herself with concern about physical food, Mary was taking time to be near their guest, the Lord Jesus, and to listen to Him. May we take that time as well. He is the Bread of Life (John 6:35), and He feeds our hearts with spiritual food. He is the Bread that satisfies.
I sit before You now, Lord, and want to learn from You. My heart is open to hear from You in Your Word. Teach me. Feed me.
“I am the bread of life.” Jesus
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TIME TO GROW
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Posted:May 17, 2016 4:16 am
Last Updated:May 18, 2016 8:37 am 16786 Views
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Read: Galatians 6:1-10
Bible in a Year: 1 Chronicles 1–3; John 5:25-47
At the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.
Galatians 6:9
In Debbie’s new home, she discovered an abandoned plant in a dark corner of the kitchen. The dusty and ragged leaves looked like those of a moth orchid, and she imagined how pretty the plant would look once it had sent up new bloom-bearing stems. She moved the pot into a spot by the window, cut off the dead leaves, and watered it thoroughly. She bought plant food and applied it to the roots. Week after week she inspected the plant, but no new shoots appeared. “I’ll give it another month,” she told her husband, “and if nothing has happened by then, out it goes.”
When decision day came, she could hardly believe her eyes. Two small stems were poking out from among the leaves! The plant she’d almost given up on was still alive.
Please give me patience, dear Lord, with myself and with others.
Do you ever get discouraged by your apparent lack of spiritual growth? Perhaps you frequently lose your temper or enjoy that spicy piece of gossip you just can’t resist passing on. Or perhaps you get up too late to pray and read your Bible, in spite of resolving to set the alarm earlier.
Why not tell a trusted friend about the areas of your life in which you want to grow spiritually and ask that person to pray for and encourage you to be accountable? Be patient. You will grow as you allow the Holy Spirit to work in you.
Please give me patience, dear Lord, with myself and with others. Help me to cooperate with the Holy Spirit as He shapes my desires and helps me to grow.
Each small step of faith is a giant step of growth.
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IS HE GOOD?
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Posted:May 16, 2016 4:39 am
Last Updated:May 17, 2016 4:17 am 16118 Views
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Read: Genesis 3:1-8
Bible in a Year: 2 Kings 24–25; John 5:1-24
He said to the woman, “Did God really say .?” Genesis 3:1
“I don’t think God is good,” my friend told me. She had been praying for years about some difficult issues, but nothing had improved. Her anger and bitterness over God’s silence grew. Knowing her well, I sensed that deep down she believed God is good, but the continual pain in her heart and God’s seeming lack of interest caused her to doubt. It was easier for her to get angry than to bear the sadness.
Doubting God’s goodness is as old as Adam and Eve (Gen. 3). The serpent put that thought in Eve’s mind when he suggested that God was withholding the fruit from her because “God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil” (v. 5). In pride, Adam and Eve thought they, rather than God, should determine what was good for them.
Let's help each other see the truth that God is good.
Years after losing a in death, James Bryan Smith found he was able to affirm God’s goodness. In his book The Good and Beautiful God, Smith wrote, "God's goodness is not something I get to decide upon.
I am a human being with limited understanding." Smith’s amazing comment isn’t naïve; it arises out of years of processing his grief and seeking God’s heart.
In times of discouragement, let’s listen well to each other and help each other see the truth that God is good.
Lord, we will praise You in our difficult times like the psalmist did. You know us, and we turn to You because we know You are good.
The Lord is good to all; he has compassion on all he has made.
Psalm 145:9
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