Monday, May 28, 2012

Week 22: Being One

This week's Bible reading plan is as follows:

* Sunday: 2 Samuel 12:1-31; John 16:1-33; Psalm 119:65-80; Proverbs 16:4-5
* Monday: 2 Samuel 13:1-39; John 17:1-26; Psalm 119:81-96; Proverbs 16:6-7
* Tuesday: 2 Samuel 14:1-15:22; John 18:1-24; Psalm 119:97-112; Proverbs 16:8-9
* Wednesday: 2 Samuel 15:23-16:23; John 18:25-19:22; Psalm 119:113-128; Proverbs 16:10-11
* Thursday: 2 Samuel 17:1-29; John 19:23-42; Psalm 119:129-152; Proverbs 16:12-13
* Friday: 2 Samuel 18:1-19:10; John 20:1-31; Psalm 119:153-176; Proverbs 16:14-15
* Saturday: 2 Samuel 19:11-20:13; John 21:1-25; Psalm 120:1-7; Proverbs 16:16-17

Today we celebrate Memorial Day. This morning as I was reflecting on the men and women, who laid down their life on the altar of freedom, it occurred to me that Jesus laid down his life on the altar to give us eternal freedom. Freedom from bondage to sin and eternal condemnation. What a wonderful Savior we have!

This week's SOAP scripture is from the gospel of John:

Scripture: John 17:20-21
20 "I am praying not only for these disciples but also for all who will ever believe in me because of their testimony. 21 My prayer for all of them is that they will be one, just as you and I are one, Father -- that just as you are in me and I am in you, so they will be in us, and the world will believe you sent me."

Observation:
Chapter 17 of the gospel of John is a beautiful chapter that records Jesus' prayer to his Father, right before his death. It's the prayer of Jesus, the high priest, interceding for his disciples. In verse 20, Jesus prays not just for the eleven disciples, but for all who will ever believe in him because of the testimony of these 11 disciples. That includes you and me. Jesus is prayer here for us, which is totally amazing! His prayer is that we will all be one just as He and the Father are one.

Application:
In the past days, we've seen Jesus talking to his disciples in a different way than he did early on in his ministry. He talks like someone who has very little time left, yet still has so much to say. Knowing that he is only hours away of being captured, he brings things down to their bottom line: abide in me! How? By obeying my commandments. What are my commandments? Love one another. Be one, just as Jesus and the Father are one.

Wow, that's it? Yes, pretty much. The truth is, though, that "loving one another" and "being one" seem to be some of the most difficult commands for us. At least they are for me... I can "love another person" and "be one" for a little bit, but it doesn't take long before something or someone gets in the way of it, and I have to be reminded again. But I also trust and believe that as I get older, I'm getting better at it. It will probably take a lifetime to perfect it, but when it does happen, it is one of the most rewarding things.

Prayer:
Dear Lord Jesus, what is there to say after reading your prayer in John 17? Lord I echo all you are saying, and I pray that you help me to love others the way you loved them. Give me your eyes, your hands, your feet, and your heart to love them, and to strive to be one. You promise that whatever we ask in your name, you will give to us. I trust and believe you will answer this prayer. In Your Holy Name I pray. Amen.

Have a wonderful week.

In Him,

Dick

Sunday, May 20, 2012

Week 21: Low Self-Esteem

This week's Bible reading plan is as follows:

* Sunday: 1 Samuel 26:1-28:25; John 11:1-54; Psalm 117:1-2; Proverbs 15:22-23
* Monday: 1 Samuel 29:1-31:13; John 11:55-12:19; Psalm 118:1-18; Proverbs 15:24-26
* Tuesday: 2 Samuel 1:1-2:11; John 12:20-50; Psalm 118:19-29; Proverbs 15:27-28
* Wednesday: 2 Samuel 2:12-3:39; John 13:1-30; Psalm 119:1-16; Proverbs 15:29-30
* Thursday: 2 Samuel 4:1-6:23; John 13:31-14:14; Psalm 119:17-32; Proverbs 15:31-32
* Friday: 2 Samuel 7:1-8:18; John 14:15-31; Psalm 119:33-48; Proverbs 15:33
* Saturday: 2 Samuel 9:1-11:27; John 15:1-27; Psalm 119:49-64; Proverbs 16:1-3

Scripture: 1 Samuel 28:15
"Why have you disturbed me by calling me back?" Samuel asked. "Because I am in deep trouble," Saul replied. "The Philistines are at war with us, and God has left me and won't reply by prophets or dreams. So I have called for you to tell me what to do."

Observation:
This passage in scripture is somewhat obscure, mainly because Saul, who is desperate, commits evil by calling up the spirit of the deceased prophet Samuel through a medium. You might argue whether or not it is even possible to consult someone who has died, but the truth is that God warns not to do these things in Deuteronomy 18:11. Apparently these things did happen, and judging from the response of the particular woman (medium) in this story, I believe she did call forth the spirit of Samuel.

Samuel asks Saul why he has called him back, and Saul tells him he is in deep trouble. Saul rightly concludes that God has left him, and Samuel reiterates this is indeed the case because Saul did not obey the Lord (vs. 18). He also tells Saul that he and his sons will die the next day, and they will be where he is. This news drains every last bit of energy out of Saul.

Application
When reading through the passages in 1 Samuel in the past week, it struck me that Saul most likely had a very low self-esteem. When Samuel tells Saul he will be king, he replies: "But I'm only from Benjamin, the smallest tribe in Israel, and my family is the least important of all the families of that tribe! Why are you talking like this to me?" (1 Samuel 9:21). Then later, when he is anointed as king, some men despised him and refused to bring him gifts, saying "How can this man save us?" Saul ignores them.

Saul felt lowly of himself, and I believe that continued to hunt him throughout his life. When David defeats the giant and later on defeats every Philistine army he encounters, Saul becomes jealous of David, because the women are singing "Saul defeats his thousands, but David his tens thousands". (18:7). Instead of rejoicing over David's success, which would have been a more godly response, he becomes jealous. He measures his self-worth against the success of others instead of relying on the fact that his worth is found in God alone.

The only person Saul trusted was Samuel. When Samuel dies, he has no one to rely on. Instead of humbling himself in the sight of the Lord, admitting his guilt and asking for forgiveness, he falls back on his own inadequacies, and even adds to his guilt by calling up Samuel from the dead. As a result, his life is cut off the very next day.

I'm reminded that I should not measure my self-worth against the success of others. When others have success, I need to (and will) rejoice with them. If God gives me the "thousands" and someone else the "ten thousands", my response is to thank the Lord for that other person, and to thank Him for what He has given me.

Prayer:
Dear Lord, I thank you for the fact that you know my innermost being. I thank you that in your eyes I'm worth so much that you would lay down your life just for me. Thank you Lord Jesus for paying that price on our behalf. Help me to always maintain an attitude of gratefulness and thanksgiving, and help me to rejoice with others for their successes. In Jesus Name. Amen.

Have a great week.

Dick

Monday, May 14, 2012

Week 20: Avoiding Snap Judgments

This week's Bible reading plan is as follows:

* Sunday: 1 Samuel 14:1-52; John 7:31-53; Psalm 109:1-31; Proverbs 15:5-7
* Monday: 1 Samuel 15:1-16:23; John 8:1-20; Psalm 110:1-7; Proverbs 15:8-10
* Tuesday: 1 Samuel 17:1-18:4; John 8:21-30; Psalm 111:1-10; Proverbs 15:11
* Wednesday: 1 Samuel 18:5-19:24; John 8:31-59; Psalm 112:1-10; Proverbs 15:12-14
* Thursday: 1 Samuel 20:1-21:15; John 9:1-41; Psalm 113:1-114:8; Proverbs 15:15-17
* Friday: 1 Samuel 22:1-23:29; John 10:1-21; Psalm 115:1-18; Proverbs 15:18-19
* Saturday: 1 Samuel 24:1-25:44; John 10:22-42; Psalm 116:1-19; Proverbs 15:20-21


Scripture: John 7:50-52
"Then Nicodemus, the leader who had met with Jesus earlier, spoke up. 'Is it legal to convict a man before he is given a hearing?' he asked.
"They replied,'Are you from Galilee, too? Search the Scriptures and see for yourself—no prophet ever comes from Galilee!'"

Observation:
The religious leaders rejected Jesus, partially at least, because they were ignorant of his place of birth. They failed to recognize the fact that Jesus was born in Bethlehem, in fulfillment of Micah 5:2.

Application:
It's so easy to make snap judgments without having all the facts. I need to be quick to listen and slow to speak. I have learned the hard way that whenever I jump to conclusions, I am usually wrong. This week I will make a point of slowing down and taking my time whenever I feel the tickle of a snap judgment coming on!

Prayer:
Heavenly Father, please help me not be so quick to judge. I know it grieves your Spirit when I do so. Please forgive me for Jesus’ sake and help me be more circumspect in my attitudes and actions. Amen!

Have a great week!

Faithfully,
Chuck

Sunday, May 6, 2012

Week 19: Faithfulness Matters

This week's Bible reading plan is as follows:

* Sunday: Ruth 2:1-4:22; John 4:43-54;Psalm 105:16-36; Proverbs 14:26-27
* Monday: 1 Samuel 1:1-2:21; John 5:1-23; Psalm 105:37-45; Proverbs 14:28-29
* Tuesday: 1 Samuel 2:22-4:22; John 5:24-47; Psalm 106:1-12; Proverbs 14:30-31
* Wednesday: 1 Samuel 5:1-7:17; John 6:1-21; Psalm 106:13-31; Proverbs 14:32-33
* Thursday: 1 Samuel 8:1-9:27; John 6:22-42; Psalm 106:32-48; Proverbs 14:34-35
* Friday: 1 Samuel 10:1-11:15; John 6:43-71; Psalm 107:1-43; Proverbs 15:1-3
* Saturday: 1 Samuel 12:1-13:23; John 7:1-30; Psalm 108:1-13; Proverbs 15:4

Scripture: Ruth 4:13-15
"So Boaz took Ruth into his home, and she became his wife. When he slept with her, the Lord enabled her to become pregnant, and she gave birth to a son. Then the women of the town said to Naomi, 'Praise the Lord, who has now provided a redeemer for your family! May this child be famous in Israel. May he restore your youth and care for you in your old age. For he is the son of your daughter-in-law who loves you and has been better to you than seven sons!'"

Observation:
The book of Ruth comes right after the book of Judges. The events that Ruth depicts occurred during the period of the Judges, but the contrast between Judges and Ruth is stunning. While Judges recounts one set of moral and spiritual failures after another, Ruth tells the story of one woman's faithfulness and its impact on the entire story of salvation from that point forward. And the woman was a non-Israelite no less! Ruth stuck by her mother-in-law, Naomi, long after Ruth’s husband died. When it came time for Naomi to return home, Ruth left everything behind to follow her, saying, "Don't ask me to leave you and turn back. Wherever you go, I will go; wherever you live, I will live. Your people will be my people, and your God will be my God. Wherever you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. May the Lord punish me severely if I allow anything but death to separate us" (Ruth 1:16, 17). Because of Ruth's faithfulness, God opened the way for her to marry Boaz, and in so doing, he made Ruth, a Moabite woman who otherwise would have had no claim in God's inheritance, the great-grandmother of King David, and descendent of Jesus Christ! (See Matthew 1:5; Luke 3:32.)

Application:
One person's faithfulness, carried out in utter obscurity, has the potential to change the world! Ruth had no intention of becoming the great-grandmother of the greatest king in Israel's history or an elite member of Israel's messianic lineage. She was simply doing the right thing in her own time and place. That's all I can do. It's all any of us can do. What God does with our faithfulness is a matter of his own designs. My takeaway from this reflection is that faithfulness matters. I therefore want to be attentive to the ways God would have me be faithful right now, on this day, in this moment, to his glory.

Prayer:
Heavenly Father, thank you for Ruth's example of faithfulness. You blessed her in ways that she could never have imagined. What strikes me is that she had absolutely no aspirations of greatness in mind. She did what she did because it was the right thing to do. Period. I want to follow her example in my life. I want to go wherever you want to take me. I want to live in your presence. I want to love your people and call them my own. I want to be faithful all the days of my life and dwell in your everlasting Kingdom forever. I pray in Jesus' name. Amen!