Monday, February 27, 2012

Week 9: Rules that Give Life

The Bible reading plan for this week is as follows:

*Sunday: Leviticus 19:1-20:21; Mark 8:11-38; Psalm 42:1-11; Proverbs 10:17
*Monday: Leviticus 20:22-22:16; Mark 9:1-29; Psalm 43:1-5; Proverbs 10:18
*Tuesday: Leviticus 22:17-23:44; Mark 9:30-10:12; Psalm 44:1-8; Proverbs 10:19
*Wednesday: The One-Year Reading plan does not have a reading for a Leap Year. Enjoy the reading of your choice!
*Thursday: Leviticus 24:1-25:46; Mark 10:13-31; Psalm 44:9-26; Proverbs 10:20-21
*Friday: Leviticus 25:47-27:13; Mark 10:32-52; Psalm 45:1-17; Proverbs 10:22
*Saturday: Leviticus 27:14-Numbers 1:54; Mark 11:1-26; Psalm 46:1-11; Proverbs 10:23

Our S.O.A.P. for this week is from Leviticus 19:37

Scripture: Leviticus 19:37
You must be careful to obey all of my laws and regulations, for I am the LORD.

Observation:
When reading through all the laws and regulations, it's easy to get tangled up in questions like "why did God ask his people to follow all these rules"? Or questions like: "do these rules have any meaning for us Christians who live in the era of grace"? "If so, how does it apply to my life, and if not, why am I even reading them?"

I've asked these questions myself many times. There was a time in my life where I was trying to live by these rules, then there was a time where I argued fervently against these rules by claiming we are free Christians, free from the law, living by God's grace.

I've come to a point where I really appreciate reading through these laws and regulations. I know I am a free Christian, that Christ paid for my sins, and that he fulfilled the law by dying on a cross for me. He was the ultimate sacrifice that validated and superseded all sacrifices made under the old covenant. I also know that the law is a "tutor" (Galatians 3:24). Without the law, we wouldn't know what is right or wrong.

But there is more to it. Our SOAP verse keeps coming back in the book of Leviticus. We saw it last week in Leviticus 18:3-5. The secret to understanding the meaning behind the laws and regulations is found in verse 5 of that chapter: "If you obey my laws and regulations, you will find life through them. I am the LORD".

Application
See, that's the key to understanding the meaning of the laws and regulations: they give life! We will find life through them if we obey the essence of them. We don't have to obey them to the letter, like the Pharisees did, but we have to uncover God's meaning behind these laws. We have to ask ourselves the question: why did God give this particular law or regulation? Ultimately He did it so that we can find life. Leviticus 19 is a wonderful example of regulations that give life! Look at a snapshot of some of the regulations:

* show respect for your mother and father (v3)
* observe my day of rest (v3)
* do not put your trust in idols (v4)
* do not go to the extreme in harvesting your crop, but leave some for the poor (v9 & 10)
* do not steal, cheat, or lie (v11)
* treat your employees fairly (v13)
* treat your neighbor fairly (v15)
* do not gossip (v16)
* never seek revenge (v18)

Do you see how this world would be a better place if only everyone lived by these rules?! And this is only a snapshot. The LORD really had the best in mind for us when he gave us these rules. He wanted to make sure we help the weak and poor, and show love and respect to all. That's ultimately what these laws and regulations are all about. It's not that I have to follow them, but rather that I want to follow them, because they bring life the way God intended it.

Prayer
Dear Heavenly Father, I thank you for your laws and regulations. You truly intended life for us when you gave them. Forgive me when I do not follow these rules, when I do not show love to my neighbor. I want to become more like your Son Jesus Christ, who showed us the true meaning of all this. In His Name we pray, Amen.

Have a great week!

Dick

Sunday, February 19, 2012

Week 8: Listening to Jesus

This week's Bible reading is as follows:

*Sunday: Leviticus 7:28-9:6; Mark 3:31-4:25; Psalm 37:12-29; Proverbs 10:5
*Monday: Leviticus 9:7-10:20; Mark 4:26-5:20; Psalm 37:30-40; Proverbs 10:6-7
*Tuesday: Leviticus 11:1-12:8; Mark 5:21-43; Psalm 38:1-22; Proverbs 10:8-9
*Wednesday: Leviticus 13:1-59; Mark 6:1-29; Psalm 39:1-13; Proverbs 10:10
*Thursday: Leviticus 14:1-57; Mark 6:30-56; Psalm 40:1-10; Proverbs 10:11-12
*Friday: Leviticus 15:1-16:28; Mark 7:1-23; Psalm 40:11-17; Proverbs 10:13-14
*Saturday: Leviticus 16:29-18:30; Mark 7:24-8:10; Psalm 41:1-13; Proverbs 10:15-16

This week's S.O.A.P. comes from Mark 4:

Scripture: Mark 4:24, 25
"Then he added, 'Pay close attention to what you hear. The closer you listen, the more understanding you will be given—and you will receive even more. To those who listen to my teaching, more understanding will be given. But for those who are not listening, even what little understanding they have will be taken away from them.'"

Observation:
I wanted to pause and reflect on Jesus' explanation of the Parable of the Farmer Scattering Seed in Mark 4:14-20 because I saw something that had never occurred to me before. For a long time I have understood the seed that grew amid the thorns to be Christians whose lives were rendered less fruitful because of the cares and worries of the world and the desire to get rich. The New Living Translation, which I am reading this year, brings out the meaning more clearly.

In verse 19 it says that such people produce no fruit. The New International Version uses the less-clear term, "unfruitful." So I had to see what this says in the Greek. The term is, akarpos, which, according to my Greek dictionary, means barren, useless. Yikes! Jesus is not talking about "less fruitful Christians." He's saying that those who make worldly pursuits their priority end up missing the boat entirely.

Another thing struck me as well. Those who are planted in the good soil (i.e., those who hear and accept God's word and produce a harvest) are not all equally fruitful. They all produce fruit, but some people produce more than others, which makes me wonder why that is the case. And that's what led me to focus on Mark 4:24 and 25.

Again, I appreciate the way the NLT renders this passage. Jesus said that it is important to pay attention to his teaching because when we do, our capacity to understand more and more truth will continue to expand. The more we listen, the more understanding we get.

That helps to answer the question above. While some difference in fruitfulness is due to our varying abilities (as we see in the Parable of the Three Servants – Matthew 25:15), some variation may be due to the fact that we don't always listen to Jesus as well as we should.

Application:
I confess that I have experienced seasons of spiritual barrenness in my life...and I can attest that without exception these seasons come because I stop listening to Jesus. I stop reading the Bible. My prayer life is reduced to the perfunctory "grace" before meals. I become, in a word, miserable. I am miserable inside and I am basically miserable to be around. During such times I am still engaged in Christian service because of my profession. But my heart is not in it.

I can also attest that when I read God's word on a daily basis and spend time in prayer, I come alive spiritually. I am able to weather the storms of life with an inner peace that makes no human sense...all I can say is that it is real. Those around me can tell the difference too.

Jesus' words in today's reading reinforce my commitment to keep on keeping on in my daily devotions. I want to produce whatever fruit I'm capable of producing...and so I hereby resolve to keep listening to Jesus in hopes of understanding more and more and more and more....

Prayer:
Heavenly Father, thank you for not giving up on me when I turn a deaf ear to you, your Blessed Son, and the Holy Spirit. Thank you for the grace and renewal that come into my life when I listen to Jesus. I want to bear all the fruit that you have given me the ability to produce. Please let it be so for Jesus' sake. Amen!

Have a blessed week!

Faithfully,
Chuck

Sunday, February 12, 2012

Week 7: What's on Your Face?

This week's Bible reading is as follows:

*Sunday: Exodus 34:1-35:9; Matthew 27:15-31; Psalm 33:12-2; Proverbs 9:1-6
*Monday: Exodus 35:10-36:38; Matthew 27:32-66; Psalm 34:1-10; Proverbs 9:7-8
*Tuesday: Exodus 37:1-38:31; Matthew 28:1-20; Psalm 34:11-22; Proverbs 9:9-10
*Wednesday: Exodus 39:1-40:38; Mark 1:1-28; Psalm 35:1-16; Proverbs 9:11-12
*Thursday: Leviticus 1:1-3:17; Mark 1:29-2:12; Psalm 35:17-28; Proverbs 9:13-18
*Friday: Leviticus 4:1-5:19; Mark 2:13-3:6; Psalm 36:1-12; Proverbs 10:1-2
*Saturday: Leviticus 6:1-7:27; Mark 3:7-30; Psalm 37:1-11; Proverbs 10:3-4

This week's S.O.A.P. comes from Exodus 34:

Scripture: Exodus 34:29-35
"When Moses came down Mount Sinai carrying the two stone tablets inscribed with the terms of the covenant, he wasn’t aware that his face had become radiant because he had spoken to the LORD. So when Aaron and the people of Israel saw the radiance of Moses’ face, they were afraid to come near him.
"But Moses called out to them and asked Aaron and all the leaders of the community to come over, and he talked with them. Then all the people of Israel approached him, and Moses gave them all the instructions the LORD had given him on Mount Sinai. When Moses finished speaking with them, he covered his face with a veil. But whenever he went into the Tent of Meeting to speak with the LORD, he would remove the veil until he came out again. Then he would give the people whatever instructions the LORD had given him, and the people of Israel would see the radiant glow of his face. So he would put the veil over his face until he returned to speak with the LORD."

Observation:
Moses’ face was glowing because of his close encounter with the Living God. When Moses asked to see God, God allowed Moses to see as much of him as possible. God shielded Moses with his hand as he passed by so that Moses would not see his face and die. When Moses descended from Mount Sinai, had no idea that his face was shining.

Two observations strike me as I read this passage today. The first is that the people were afraid to come close to Moses unless he covered his face with the veil. The second is that Moses did not cover his face when he first shared all the instructions God had given him on the mountain, but did so afterwards...every time he came out of the Tent of Meeting with further instruction.

Moses’ face was reflecting God’s glory, which must have been a wonderful thing to behold. Why wouldn’t the people want to see it? Moses was obviously alive and well. And the veil appears to have symbolic significance. The text is clear that the veil was off then Moses presented the first round of instruction – the instruction he received on the mountain. But after that, he wore the veil every time he spoke to the people. They were hearing the words but they weren’t seeing God’s glory.

Application:
The Apostle Paul helps. He talks about Moses’ shinning face and the veil in 2 Corinthians 3:12-18. The veil points to the peoples’ hardened minds. Old Testament Scripture speaks of Jesus. When people read it and cannot see that fact, it is because the veil stands between them and the truth. When we believe in Jesus, the veil comes off and we become the reflectors of God’s glory. Our faces shine like Moses’ face!

So I come away from today’s reading with two takeaways: (1) I want to avoid the veil! I want as much of God as I can get. I don’t want to back away from God and God’s truth. I don’t ever want to be the victim of my own prejudices and presuppositions. I want to see as much of God as is humanly possible. (2) I want people to see God shining on my face. I want to reflect God’s glorious image rather than the stresses that the day brings. It occurs to me that when I allow the cares and worries of the world to weigh me down, I’m putting on the veil, which renders me incapable of either understanding God’s truth and peace in that moment or being the witness that God wants me to be.

I want to keep the right thing on my face: the veil off...and the glory on!

Prayer:
Heavenly Father, for Jesus’ sake I pray that your glory would shine brightly on my face. I want as much of you as I can get! I want people to see by the very glow of my persona that I spend time with you. Please draw close to me...and help me draw close to you, now and always! Amen.

Have a great week!

Faithfully,
Chuck

Sunday, February 5, 2012

Week 6: Words that remain forever

This week's Bible reading is as follows:

*Sunday: Exodus 21:22-23:13; Matthew 24:1-28; Psalm 29:1-11; Proverbs 7:6-23
*Monday: Exodus 23:14-25:40; Matthew 24:29-51; Psalm 30:1-12; Proverbs 7:24-27
*Tuesday: Exodus 26:1-27:21; Matthew 25:1-30; Psalm 31:1-8; Proverbs 8:1-11
*Wednesday: Exodus 28:1-43; Matthew 25:31-26:13; Psalm 31:9-18; Proverbs 8:12-13
*Thursday: Exodus 29:1-30:10; Matthew 26:14-46; Psalm 31:19-24; Proverbs 8:14-26
*Friday: Exodus 30:11-31:18; Matthew 26:47-68; Psalm 32:1-11; Proverbs 8:27-32
*Saturday: Exodus 32:1-33:23; Matthew 26:69-27:14; Psalm 33:1-11; Proverbs 8:33-36

Our S.O.A.P. for this week is from Matthew 24:

Scripture: Matthew 24:35
Heaven and earth will disappear, but my words will remain forever.

Observation
In Matthew 24, Jesus talks about the end-times, when he will return to earth for the 2nd time, to bring judgment on the people who oppose him, and to bring justice to the earth once and for all. Many of the things that are mentioned in Matthew 24 we find back in the book of Revelation, and that's a study in itself.

What struck me in this passage is that part of Matthew 24 and/or the book of Revelation actually talks about the disappearance of heaven and earth (like v29), but Jesus says something profound here in that regard, namely that His words will remain forever. The words that he has spoken and taught, will survive the judgment, and will remain forever.

No wonder that in the Old Testament, God the Father also puts so much emphasis on listening to his word, and obeying it. The scriptures for this week in Exodus, all talk about rules (words) that God gave to Moses, and Moses wrote it down so the people could live by it (Exodus 24:3-4). Those words of God and of Jesus will remain forever.

When we get to heaven, we will continue to hear those words. God has revealed himself to us through those words. By his words we know him, and we know his heart.

Application
What a great encouragement for us to read God's word on a daily basis. These words remain forever, and we better put some effort in to read them and learn from them. They show us God's heart for us. The words in Exodus in this week's reading are all about how God uses rules to protect his people. It shows his heart of justice, and his heart of mercy. If only we took it to heart and lived by it every day! That is where the Holy Spirit comes in to guide us and direct us.

Prayer
Heavenly Father, Lord Jesus, we thank you for your words who remain forever. Guide us through the Holy Spirit to take these words to heart and to live by them every day. Instill them in us, Lord. There is nothing more we desire than to really get to know you. In Jesus Name. Amen.

Have a great week!

In Him,

Dick