The Bible in 1 Year

Week 4: Seizing the Opportunities of the Day

2012-01-23T07:19:00.000-08:00

This week's Bible reading unfolds like this:

*Sunday: Genesis 44:1-45:28; Matthew 14:13-36; Psalm 18:37-50; Proverbs 4:11-13
*Monday: Genesis 46:1-47:31; Matthew 15:1-28; Psalm 19:1-14; Proverbs 4:14-19
*Tuesday: Genesis 48:1-49:33; Matthew 15:29-16:12; Psalm 20:1-9; Proverbs 4:20-27
*Wednesday: Genesis 50:1-Exodus 2:10; Matthew 16:13-17:9; Psalm 21:1-13; Proverbs 5:1-6
*Thursday: Exodus 2:11-3:22; Matthew 17:10-27; Psalm 22:1-18; Proverbs 5:7-14
*Friday: Exodus 4:1-5:21; Matthew 18:1-20; Psalm 22:19-31; Proverbs 5:15-21
*Saturday: Exodus 5:22-7:25; Matthew 18:21-19:12; Psalm 23:1-6; Proverbs 5:22-23

Scripture: Genesis 45:5-8
"But don’t be upset, and don’t be angry with yourselves for selling me to this place. It was God who sent me here ahead of you to preserve your lives. This famine that has ravaged the land for two years will last five more years, and there will be neither plowing nor harvesting. God has sent me ahead of you to keep you and your families alive and to preserve many survivors. So it was God who sent me here, not you! And he is the one who made me an adviser to Pharaoh – the manager of his entire palace and the governor of all Egypt."

Observation:
The account of Joseph’s revealing himself to his brothers is for me one of the most touching moments in biblical history. When I read this today, I felt myself standing in the room with Joseph and his brothers. I could see the grim despair on the brothers’ faces. I could hear the anguish in Judah’s voice as he pled to take Benjamin’s place as Joseph’s slave. I could feel the emotion building in Joseph’s chest as the moment of truth approached – when he could no longer keep his identity from his brothers. I can hear his loud, heaving sobs echo off the palace walls as the words broke out in his native tongue, which he hadn’t spoken out loud for years: "I AM JOSEPH!"

I wonder at what point Joseph realized that God was the one who sent him to Egypt. It could not have been when he was falsely accused by Potiphar’s wife and left languishing in prison for years. Joseph, it seems, always landed on his feet. The same gifts that elevated him in Potiphar’s house helped him succeed in prison. After he interpreted the cupbearer’s dream and asked him for help to gain clemency, he may have thought his time of release had finally come. Alas, it wasn't so.

How did Joseph pray during that season of his life? How did he feel about his circumstances? What did he think about in the quiet of the night? At that point could Joseph have imagined what God had in store for him? Perhaps he did. Joseph did not become someone else when he was elevated to Egypt's second in command. He was in every situation simply, authentically, himself. Joseph didn’t know how...or when...but even in the darkest hours his life revealed hope and faith. He seemed always to be, in a word, centered.

Application:
I’m not Joseph, but I am the recipient of the promise that God will never leave or forsake me. I want to be like Joseph in the sense of being simply, authentically, myself. I want bloom where I’m planted and take full advantage of the opportunities that each day hands me. Like Joseph, I want to position myself to be ready for "whatever is next" by faithfully attending to the things that God puts on my plate today. So today my goal is to take full advantage of...today!

Prayer:
O Lord, this is a day that you have made, and it is something unique and wonderful. There will never be another one exactly like it. I want to rejoice and be glad in it. I want to be faithful to the opportunities you bring to me and cherish every moment for the gift that it is. Please open my eyes to see your beauty. Open my mind to see the opportunities you’ve placed right in front of me...and quicken my reflexes so I can take full advantage of them before they pass like a fleeting vapor. Please slow me down when I’m going too fast and speed me up when I’m going too slowly. Please go before me and behind me. Please be on my left and on my right. Be above me and below me. Help me feel you all around me...every moment of today...for Jesus’ sake. Amen.

Have a great week of SOAPing!

Faithfully,
Chuck

Week 3: Dying to Live

2012-01-16T11:54:00.000-08:00

This week's Bible reading unfolds like this:

*Sunday: Genesis 31:17-32:12; Matthew 10:24-11:6; Psalm 13:1-6;
Proverbs 3:16-18
*Monday: Genesis 32:13-34:31; Matthew 11:7-30; Psalm 14:1-7;
Proverbs 3:19-20
*Tuesday: Genesis 35:1-36:43; Matthew 12:1-21; Psalm 15:1-5;
Proverbs 3:21-26
*Wednesday: Genesis 37:1-38:30; Matthew 12:22-45; Psalm 16:1-11;
Proverbs 3:27-32
*Thursday: Genesis 39:1-41:16; Matthew 12:46-13:23; Psalm 17:1-15;
Proverbs 3:33-35
*Friday: Genesis 41:17-42:17; Matthew 13:24-46; Psalm 18:1-15;
Proverbs 4:1-6
*Saturday: Genesis 42:18-43:34; Matthew 13:47-14:12; Psalm 18:16-36; Proverbs 4:7-10

Scripture: Matthew 10:38, 39
"If you refuse to take up your cross and follow me, you are not worthy of being mine. If you cling to your life, you will lose it; but if you give up your life for me, you will find it."

Observation:
The way of Jesus Christ is antithetical to the way of the world. The world teaches that it is virtuous to succeed. The world encourages upward mobility. Crosses are for losers! If you give up your life for anything except yourself and your dreams, you are a fool.

Jesus exposes this fatally flawed "wisdom." You will lose your life if you cling to it. You will only find the elusive prize the world longs for by doing exactly the opposite of what the world teaches. We find life by surrendering it to Jesus Christ. Crosses are for Saviors...and for those who wish to be saved.

Application:
When I read this passage, it made me reflect on how I might be clinging to my life...and what I might have to do to surrender my life for Jesus. I’m sure I default to clinginess when I’m not looking. I am deeply grateful for my job, for my colleagues, for my students, for all the exciting opportunities I have to serve Jesus, for my family, for my wife, and for my belongings.

But I cannot be clingy. In fact, Jesus says that I must give up my life. But how? By adopting a "non-clingy" attitude toward everything that is my life? By holding it all with "open hands?" How do I sustain a spirit of relinquishment without becoming indifferent, passionless, and ungrateful? Is Jesus asking me to walk away from everything...to follow him away from my life? He does not say that I have to be willing to give up my life. He says that I must give up my life. It is not enough to say, "I would if I could."

The account of Abraham’s sacrifice of Isaac, which we read last week, comes to mind. Isaac was Abraham’s life. Everything was riding on Isaac. God’s promises...Abraham’s legacy...everything lived or died with Isaac. Abraham died the moment God told him to offer his son. As Abraham made his way toward the place of sacrifice, Isaac was already as good as dead. The writer of Hebrews says that Abraham believed that God would raise Isaac from the dead to fulfill his promises. Abraham never doubted that God would keep his promises. Abraham sacrificed his life to God because he knew that God would give it back to him. Isaac would live.

So it is with us! In a real sense we give up our lives...knowing that by doing so...only by doing so, will we truly live. We give up our lives to God because it is the only way to truly keep our lives. This is the mystery of our salvation: we die to live!

Prayer:
Heavenly Father, we died with Jesus Christ in baptism, and in him we die daily. With the Apostle Paul we declare that it is no longer we who live but Christ who lives in us. And the life that we live, we live by faith in your only Son, who loved us and gave himself for us. All praise, glory, and honor be to you, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, now and forever...amen!

Have a great week!

Faithfully,
Chuck

Week 2: In charge of God's possession

2012-01-08T20:04:00.000-08:00

Well, I've talked to a number of you who have taken a copy of the new reading plan and have committed to read the Bible in 1 year. That is absolutely FANTASTIC!! Getting started is 50% of the grade. Following through on your commitment by reading every day is the other 50%!

Please look at Week 1 for the schedule. You can follow along on-line at www.oneyearbibleonline.com, or grab a hardcopy at the church. We can send you pdf files with the schedule as well if you are interested. Just shoot us an e-mail.

This week's SOAP is from Psalm 8:

Scripture
1 LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens. 2 Through the praise of children and infants you have established a stronghold against your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger. 3 When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, 4 what are mere mortals that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them? 5 You have made them a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned them with glory and honor. 6 You made them rulers over the works of your hands; you put everything under their feet: 7 all flocks and herds, and the animals of the wild, 8 the birds in the sky, and the fish in the sea, all that swim the paths of the seas. 9 LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!

Observation
In this Psalm, David sings praises to God for the wonders of creation. And he praises human beings for being the crown of God's creation. First he marvels at the fact that God even is mindful of mere mortals (v4), but then he proclaims that human beings are almost equal to heavenly beings ("gods" in some translations). It is then that he mentions that human beings are made rulers over the works of God's hands, and that everything in creation is put under their feet. David ends the Psalm the way he started it: "LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!"

Application
It is mind boggling to think that God made us almost equal to the heavenly beings. We are made in His image, which means we look like Him in many ways. Not just that, but He also put us in control of creation. We do not always realize that, but this Psalm says that we are in charge of God's property... his creation. We are not the owners, but God is. We better be very careful with his possessions. That includes forests, seas, animals, AND... other people! All of this is God's property, and we are leasing it for a little while. I don't know about you, but that feels to me like a big responsibility. The good thing is that God has given us his wisdom as well, so we can execute this task the way He likes to see it.

Prayer
Dear Heavenly Father, we thank you for your creation. We thank you for creating us into your image. It is almost too hard to fathom, yet it is true that you have put us in charge of this wonderful place. Help us to take good care of this world, and of its people that you have entrusted us with. LORD our Lord, how majestic is your name, and the name of your son, Jesus, in all the earth! Amen.

Have a great week.

In Him,

Dick

Week 1: A new year, a new plan...

2012-01-01T21:08:00.000-08:00

Welcome to 2012! Congratulations to those of you who finished last year's reading plan. It is very satisfactory to completely finish reading the Bible in exactly 1 year!! Well done!!

As we have done every year so far, we'll tweak the reading plan somewhat to keep it interesting for all. This year we will read from the "One Year Bible" daily reading plan:

http://www.oneyearbibleonline.com/

If you have a mobile phone that allows downloading apps, you can download the free 'Holy Bible' app, and follow this exact same reading plan along on your phone. Simply go to

http://www.youversion.com/mobile

and download the app that goes with your phone. If your phone isn't smart enough (like mine!), you can still follow along on-line on your computer. The reading plan for the month of January can be found here:

http://www.oneyearbibleonline.com/january.asp?version=51&startmmdd=0101

For those attending Woodhaven Community Church, we also have hard-copies of the current month on the back table. Because it's the first week, you will also find the readings at the bottom of this blog :)

I pray you will have a blessed year 2012, and that your relationship with the LORD will grow deeper and deeper as you dig into his word on a daily basis. The Bible is so rich. It will transform your life if you come expectantly and humbly every day. If you do your part in terms of reading, the Holy Spirit will do his work in terms of life transformation. It is a guarantee from God himself!

In Him,

Dick

Sun, Jan. 1
Genesis 1:1-2:25
Matthew 1:1-2:12
Psalm 1:1-6
Proverbs 1:1-6

Mon - Jan. 2
Genesis 3:1-4:26
Matthew 2:13-3:6
Psalm 2:1-12
Proverbs 1:7-9

Tue - Jan. 3
Genesis 5:1-7:24
Matthew 3:7-4:11
Psalm 3:1-8
Proverbs 1:10-1

Wed - Jan. 4
Genesis 8:1-10:32
Matthew 4:12-25
Psalm 4:1-8
Proverbs 1:20-23

Thu - Jan. 5
Genesis 11:1-13:4
Matthew 5:1-26
Psalm 5:1-12
Proverbs 1:24-28

Fri - Jan. 6
Genesis 13:5-15:21
Matthew 5:27-48
Psalm 6:1-10
Proverbs 1:29-33

Sat - Jan. 7
Genesis 16:1-18:15
Matthew 6:1-24
Psalm 7:1-17
Proverbs 2:1-5

Week 52: The Journey Ends...?

2011-12-29T12:27:00.000-08:00

Here is the reading plan for the final week of the reading plan- congratulations on reading the entire Bible!!!

Sunday (Epistles): Jude
Monday (The Law): Deuteronomy 32-34
Tuesday (History): Esther 6-10
Wednesday (Psalms): Psalms 149-150
Thursday (Poetry): Song of Songs 7-8
Friday (Prophecy): Revelation 18-22
Saturday (Gospels): Acts 27-28

Starting next week there will be a new plan to follow and your facilitators in 2012 will be Dick de Roover and Dr. Chuck Conniry. A different reading plan will be in place and there are some plans in progress to intertwine this reading plan into the Woodhaven website.

Discipline with regards to reading the Bible a regular basis has been a primary focus at Woodhaven this past year- here is to more of the same in 2012 and have a Happy New Year!

In Him,

Mike

Week 51: Living in the truth like Gaius

2011-12-18T21:00:00.000-08:00

This week's reading plan is as follows:

* Sunday (epistles): 3 John
* Monday (the Law): Deuteronomy 29-31
* Tuesday (history): Esther 1-5
* Wednesday (psalms): Psalms 146-148
* Thursday (poetry): Song 5-6
* Friday (prophecy): Revelation 12-17
* Saturday (gospels): Acts 25-26

We're nearing the end of another year of reading through the Bible! I hope you've stuck with us as we diligently read through the pages of scripture. And I hope you're ready to continue in the New Year! As far as I'm concerned, I will continue to read through the Bible every year for as long as I live. Each year, God reveals new insights and draws us closer to Him.

This week's SOAP is from the 3rd book of John:

Scripture
3 John 4: "I could have no greater joy than to hear that my children live in the truth".

Observation
John writes this letter to Gaius, his dear friend. Gaius is helping out in the church by taking care of the needs of "traveling teachers" [New Living Translation], even though they are strangers to him. These "traveling teachers", are "brothers" who are traveling, probably missionaries sent by the mother church. This helping of Gaius is opposite of what Diotrephes, another church leader, is doing. Diotrephes discourages people in his church to help these missionaries, and even throws people out of his church who help them (verse 10). The apostle John will deal with him personally when he will come to visit.

It is in the above context that John writes verse 4. He is very pleased with all that Gaius is doing, and John "has no greater joy than to hear that Gaius (his faith child) is living in the truth.

Application
In a similar way, it brings me no greater joy than to see my own children "get it" and starting to live in the truth. Or my brothers and sisters at the church "get it". Baptisms that are happening, bible studies that are starting up, men mentoring men, women mentoring women, people doing their daily SOAP exercises. It's a wonderful thing when people "live in the truth" by obeying God's commands.

Prayer
Heavenly Father, what a rich blessing to see our children live in truth. I pray they will all become strong warriors for you, just like Gaius. In Jesus Name. Amen.

Have a great week. Merry Christmas to all!

In Him,

Dick

Week 50: Bringing Eternity into the Present

2011-12-09T13:05:00.000-08:00

This week's reading unfolds like this:

* Sunday (Epistles): 2 John
* Monday (The Law): Deuteronomy 26-28
* Tuesday (History): Ezra 6-10
* Wednesday (Psalms): Psalms 143-145
* Thursday (Poetry): Song of Solomon 3-4
* Friday (Prophecy): Revelation 7-11
* Saturday (Gospels): Acts 23-24

Scripture: Revelation 7:9-11
"After this I saw a vast crowd, too great to count, from every nation and tribe and people and language, standing in front of the throne and before the Lamb. They were clothed in white robes and held palm branches in their hands. And they were shouting with a mighty shout,
“'Salvation comes from our God who sits on the throne
and from the Lamb!'

"And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living beings. And they fell before the throne with their faces to the ground and worshiped God. They sang,

“'Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom
and thanksgiving and honor
and power and strength belong to our God
forever and ever! Amen.'”

Observation:
Revelation is a hard book to understand...and it seems that the less clear a passage is, the more adamantly people assert their interpretations. The Book of Revelation, perhaps more than any other book in the Bible, has been the subject of endless controversies and misinterpretations.

The message of Revelation is really very simple. In a word it is, WE WIN!

And this passage presents a beautiful picture of our victory.

Just before these verses, John mentions 144,000 who were sealed from all the tribes of Israel. Problem is, the tribe of Dan is missing. The same group of people is mentioned again in chapter 14, but there, if we take the passage literally, we see that the group consists only of men (those who have not defiled themselves with women).

Here's my best guess at what all this means...

John uses numbers in the Book of Revelation to represent certain things. The number 12 (and its multiples) signify God's people (like the 12 tribes of Israel and the people of the 12 Apostles). The number 10 and its multiples represent wholeness or completeness. When John adds or multiplies the number 12, he is alluding to God's people in both the old and new covenants (the 24 elders that cast their crowns before the throne, for example, are representatives of the 12 tribes of Israel and the people of the 12 Apostles). Here (and in chapter 14), John uses the following equation: 12 x 12 x 1,000 = 144,000.

Bottom line: the 144,000, and the innumerable crowd mentioned in these verses, is one and the same. The totality of God's chosen, saved people...which includes you and me!

And look at what they are singing. Do you recognize the words? We sing this song at Woodhaven.

Application:
Every time we sing this song, we are leaning into our future as God's chosen and saved people. Next time we sing this, let's remember that!

Prayer:
O Lord, thank you for giving us a glimpse of heaven in this passage. Help to stay focused on the fact that we are your people...and that every time we sing praises to you, we help to bring eternity into the present. Praise and glory be to you! In Jesus' name. Amen!

Have a blessed week!

Faithfully,
Chuck

Week 49: Loving God Through Loving Others

2011-12-05T22:08:00.000-08:00

This week's reading:

Sunday (Epistles): 1 John 4-5
Monday (Law): Deuteronomy 23-25
Tuesday (History): Nehemiah 5-9
Wednesday (Psalms): Psalms 140-142
Thursday (Poetry): Song of Solomon 1-2
Friday (Prophecy): Revelation 1-6
Saturday (Gospels): Acts 21-22

Many folks hold dear to prejudices and contempt for others as they proclaim their love for God. Are you one?

Scripture: 1 John 4:20-21
"If anyone boasts, "I love God," and goes right on hating his brother or sister, thinking nothing of it, he is a liar. If he won't love the person he can see, how can he love the God he can't see? The command we have from Christ is blunt: Loving God includes loving people. You've got to love both.

Observation: The culture of this country is divisive- it thrives on drama and anger. Take a news channel for a spin some time to see what I am talking about. Many of these commentators on the news claim to follow a path of faith, but their path is aligned with a political agenda that is divisive and stirs some very negative emotions with their viewers. Closer to home, how do you feel about the guy across the street? Yes, the one who fires up his unmuffled Harley at 6am on a Sunday? Or the guy who cut you off as you were pulling onto the freeway? How about your child who needs help (again!) with that math problem?

Application: Loving God means loving His creations- all of them. Temperance and a holding of the tongue may be how we love some of the "unlovable." Others may need to be invited to church. Some may just need a smile at the store in passing. Extra time for our kids and our spouses so we can listen to them. Taking time to rest and get energized will help us love ourselves. I don't consider myself a liar, but this passage definitely convicts me on certain occasions and I must become more integrated with God to better love God.

Prayer: Lord, please guide me on my path, especially as it crosses other people's paths. My desire is for my wake to not be disruptive for others and actually be a source of encouragement- reflecting and modeling how You love us. Thank you for your love. Thank you for your son Jesus Christ who modeled that love. Thank you for the gift of your creation(s) so we can learn to love them as you already do in a perfect way. I pray this in your name, Amen!

Have a great week!

-Mike

Week 48: Cursed on a Tree

2011-11-27T17:17:00.000-08:00

This week's reading plan is as follows:

* Sunday (epistles): 1 John 1-3
* Monday (the Law): Deuteronomy 20-22
* Tuesday (history): Nehemiah 1-4
* Wednesday (psalms): Psalms 137-139
* Thursday (poetry): Ecclesiastes 11-12
* Friday (prophecy): Malachi
* Saturday (gospels): Acts 19-20

So many good passages this week! The book of 1 John is all about loving each other and walking in the light. Not just talk the talk, but walk the walk by forgiving one another and loving one another. The book of Nehemiah is very actual. There are so many passages that deal with real-life situations and give practical advice. I love the little 'silent prayers' that Nehemiah send up to God, like Neh. 2:4 or 4:4.

Malachi is the last of the 'minor prophets' and officially closes out the Old Testament. There's a great chapter on 'tithing', and the blessing it holds for honoring God with the first fruits of your income.

Our SOAP this week, however, will be from the book of Deuteronomy:

Scripture
Deuteronomy 21:22-23 "If someone has committed a crime worthy of death and is executed and then hanged on a tree, the body must never remain on the tree overnight. You must bury the body that same day, for anyone hanging on a tree is cursed of God. Do not defile the land the LORD your God is giving you as a special possession."

Observation
Moses gives instructions here for criminals who have committed a severe crime that deserved death by hanging on a tree. The header above these verses in my Bible says "Various Regulations", and it almost seems like these two verses are somewhat lost in the entire chapter. Yet, when you give these verses a second thought, you might make a link to Jesus.

The first time I came across these verses was on Easter several years ago, when we read through the Bible with a number of people starting on 3p.m. on Good Friday, all the way through 6a.m. Easter Sunday. We rotated new people in every hour. I sat in a group of 3 guys during the last hour on Easter Sunday, as we closed our time. We had read through the entire New Testament, and we had started in the books of Moses with Genesis. Without planning this, our last chapter was this chapter of Deuteronomy, and the above verses were our last verses. This was truly amazing... The entire reading event was done to honor our Lord Jesus on Easter, and to end on these verses was just incredible!

These verses tell us that someone hanging from a tree is cursed of God. Jesus, hanging on a tree, was cursed of God. This is symbolized in the fact that the person hanging on the tree is 'lifted' above the earth, which basically says... you are not good enough for this earth nor good enough for heaven. You are hanging between heaven and earth.

Application
Verse 22 starts with... If someone has committed a crime worthy of death... Jesus did not commit any crime, yet he was found worthy of death. He took the punishment for us. He took the curse for us, as it says... someone hanging on a tree is cursed of God. This seems to be the only punishment in the Bible that is mentioned as a curse of God. That is why Jesus had to die this way. He had to take the curse upon him, so we could be free from that curse, and have eternal life with him. There's a lot more to say about this, but the book of 1 John is full of that message, so take some time to read that this week.

Prayer
Dear Heavenly Father, we thank you for your incredible love for us, that you sent your one and only son to die for us on a tree. He took the curse for us, and we cannot thank you enough. Thank you Lord Jesus for taking that penalty. We are eternally grateful and want to live our life for you Lord. In your name we pray. Amen.

Have a great week, and in preparation for Christmas, reflect on what Jesus has done for you, on that tree, 2000 years ago.

In Him,

Dick

Week 47: Keeping our Faith Alive and Growing

2011-11-18T17:43:00.000-08:00

This week's Bible reading unfolds as follows:

* Sunday (Epistles): 2 Peter
* Monday (The Law): Deuteronomy 16-19
* Tuesday (History): Ezra 6-10
* Wednesday (Psalms): Psalms 134-136
* Thursday (Poetry): Ecclesiastes 9-10
* Friday (Prophecy): Zechariah 8-14
* Saturday (Gospels): Acts 17-18

We cover a lot of great biblical material this week, from 2 Peter to Acts...and many good readings in between! There are a few verses in the first chapter of 2 Peter, however, that capture the essence of what it means to be a disciple of Jesus Christ. It's one of those precious texts that causes one to say, "If I could only get my life to line up with this passage, I would have it made as a follower of Jesus Christ!"

Scripture: 2 Peter 1:5-8
"In view of all this, make every effort to respond to God’s promises. Supplement your faith with a generous provision of moral excellence, and moral excellence with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with patient endurance, and patient endurance with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love for everyone.

"The more you grow like this, the more productive and useful you will be in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But those who fail to develop in this way are shortsighted or blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their old sins."

Observation:
The first observation to make is that faith (or belief) was never intended to exist by itself. It is "supplemented" with a rich set of virtues: moral excellence, knowledge, self-control, patient endurance, godliness, brotherly (and sisterly) affection, and love for everyone. Our faith is fortified and deepened when we take up these attitudes and actions.

It is also interesting to note that Peter lists seven virtues - a number in Scripture that signifies the wholeness and completeness of the created order. As members of Christ's "new creation," we become whole and complete when we make these virtues a part of our lives.

Another takeaway from this passage is the concept of ongoing spiritual growth. "The more you grow like this," Peter says, "the more productive and useful you will be...." Our growth, productivity, and usefulness are givens. In fact, when a Christ-follower isn't becoming more productive and useful in his or her knowledge of Jesus Christ, it signals a problem - namely, spiritual shortsightedness or even blindness, which keeps them from remembering their cleansing from past sins. It is essential to remember that we are a forgiven people, because that is what instills gratitude...and gratitude inspires our desire to practice these virtues...which in turn deepens our faith and keeps us growing spiritually.

It's all connected!

Application:
Applying this passage begins with a spiritual gut check. Are we growing in Christ the way we should be? If not, why not? We can start by asking ourselves whether it may be due to shortsightedness (or, at worst, blindness) regarding the forgiveness of our former sins. When we forget that we are the recipients of God's unconditional love and forgiveness, it's easy to become spiritually indifferent, pallid.

There are two ways to reverse this condition: (1) by practicing the discipline of remembrance and (2) by engaging the seven virtues that Peter lists in this passage.

Refocusing on that wondrous moment when we first realized that God had forgiven all our past sins inspires deep gratitude and reorients us to God's economy of grace. Everything we do in the Christian life is an outgrowth of grace. We do not work for our salvation, for it was freely given to us at the outset of our lives in Christ.

Now on to the seven virtues...

We do not acquire the virtue of moral excellence in one fell swoop. It comes through a lifetime of good choices. And while no human being except Jesus will ever get through life making perfect moral choices all the time, we build moral fiber by every upright choice we make. When we opt to tell the truth instead of "a white lie," or dismiss lustful thoughts when they enter our consciousness, or make complete stops at stop signs, or use words that build up rather than tear down, we enrich our moral character.

Knowledge as well comes piece by piece. The point is we never stop learning. And it matters what we choose to study. The knowledge that Scripture envisions is the knowledge of relationship. It's not a matter of learning facts. It's about knowing a person...in this case, God. We come to know God better through prayer, Bible reading, fellowship with other believers, and sound teaching.

"Self-control" is the only real control we have. We cannot control our circumstances...and we cannot control what other people do. We can only control how we respond to the outside world. Viktor Frankl, in his famous book, Man's Search for Meaning, reflected on the prisoners of Germany's concentration camps. He noted a fundamental difference between those who survived those torturous circumstances and those who did not: the attitude they chose to have. He wrote, “The one thing you can’t take away from me is the way I choose to respond to what you do to me. The last of one’s freedoms is to choose one’s attitude in any given circumstance.” That, in a word, is self-control! And one key byproduct is the next virtue: patient endurance.

Moral excellence, knowledge of God, self-control, and patient endurance yield, collectively, the fifth virtue on the list - namely, godliness. Godly people are known precisely by their patience, self-control, knowledge, and moral excellence! And the more God-like we are, the easier it is to love both Christians and non-Christians, hence practicing virtues six and seven!

Prayer:
O Lord, please keep us ever mindful of the cleansing of our past sins, which keeps our gratitude, and thus our faith, alive. And by your grace, enable us to keep growing in productivity and usefulness, as we pursue the virtues that characterize your new creation: moral excellence, knowledge, self-control, patient endurance, godliness, brotherly love, and love for everyone. For Jesus' sake. Amen!

Have a great week!

Faithfully,
Chuck

Week 45: Respecting those in Authority

2011-11-04T08:02:00.000-07:00

This week's Bible reading unfolds as follows:

* Sunday (Epistles): 1 Peter 1-3
* Monday (The Law): Deuteronomy 10-12
* Tuesday (History): 2 Chronicles 33-36
* Wednesday (Psalms): Psalms 128-130
* Thursday (Poetry): Ecclesiastes 5-6
* Friday (Prophecy): Haggai
* Saturday (Gospels): Acts 13-14

Scripture:
Peter's first epistle is filled with much practical wisdom. One of the passages that stands out is 1 Peter 2:13-14a: "For the Lord’s sake, respect all human authority — whether the king as head of state, or the officials he has appointed."

Observation:
Criticizing "human authority" is routine practice these days. We don't have a king in this nation. The equivalent is the President of the United States. "Appointed officials" include members of the Executive Branch, the president's cabinet, the Legislative Branch, which includes the Congress and Senate House, and the Judicial Branch, which includes the Supreme Court, US Court of Appeals, US District Courts, and Territorial Courts. Beyond that there are the US Armed Forces and state and local authorities.

A day does not go by without the media criticizing or demeaning one of these officials.

Ours is a culture of criticism.

God's word calls followers of Jesus Christ to be countercultural!

Instead of getting on the bandwagon of political pundits and talk-show hosts, God asks us to respect those in governmental authority. The "king" in Peter's day was the infamous emperor, Nero, who brutally murdered Christians. If followers of Christ were to respect Nero, we have no room for excuses when it comes to respecting the governmental authorities in our nation.

Application:
I find it so easy to be drawn in by this culture of criticism. It takes conscious effort not to be! So this week, I will make an extra effort to pray for those in authority...from the President of the United states to the Sherwood police officers that protect our safety here in town.

Prayer:
Heavenly Father, please forgive me for my critical spirit. Purify my heart and mind so that I can respect the people you've placed in authority. Please be with President Obama, the members of his cabinet, and all those who serve in federal, state, and local governments. Please protect those who serve in our nation's Armed Forces as well as those who serve in uniform to protect us locally. And help me be a model citizen that is known for words of grace rather than criticism. For Jesus' sake. Amen!

Have a great week!

Faithfully,
Chuck

Week 44: Grumbling or Grace

2011-10-30T22:49:00.000-07:00

This week's reading plan is as follows:

* Sunday (epistles): James 4-5
* Monday (the Law): Deuteronomy 7-9
* Tuesday (history): II Chronicles 29-32
* Wednesday (psalms): Psalms 125-127
* Thursday (poetry): Ecclesiastes 3-4
* Friday (prophecy): Zephaniah
* Saturday (gospels): Acts 11-12

The book of James is so packed full of wisdom. Almost every verse has something you could SOAP on. Verse 9 is one that convicts me:

Scripture
James 5:9: "Don't grumble against one another, brothers and sisters, or you will be judged. The Judge is standing at the door!"

Observation
James, the brother of Jesus, makes it very clear in this verse that we should not grumble against one another. If we do so, we will be judged by God, the Judge with capital J.

Application
Wow, what a conviction that is! How many times do I grumble against someone else in the church, at work, in the store, or in my own family! Way too many times. Think about doing ministry at the church. Wouldn't ministry be wonderful if it was done by just you and 10 perfect assistants who did everything you asked them to do, in just the exact way you wanted it! That's how all ministries at Woodhaven Community Church operate, right? Wrong! The opposite is true. We do ministry with real people who have real quirks and characters that are opposite of ours. At times it's a real struggle to get anything off the ground because of personal conflicts. And yet...

And yet, this is how God WANTS us to do ministry. With real people who are opposite in character. People that God places in our path, so we can love them just the way they are, just as Jesus loves us, just the way we are. By default, my old natural self grumbles against others, when things don't go the way I want it or like it. I grumble either directly at that person, or I grumble later on when I come home. James says: this should not be so my brothers and sisters. Don't grumble against each other. If you do, you will be judged! That is pretty strong language, and a reminder for all of us to let go of the grumbling, and to embrace each other's strength, and give grace where it concerns each other's weaknesses. Embrace and give grace!

Prayer
Dear heavenly Father, we thank you that you love us for who we are, with all our odd behaviors, and opposite characteristics. Thank you Jesus, that you came down to embrace us, and to give grace to us abundantly. We thank you for all you have done. Help us to not grumble against each other, but to love one another, the way you love us. In your name we pray. Amen.

Have a great week.

Dick

Week 43- Satisfaction!

2011-10-23T16:15:00.000-07:00

The reading plan for this week:

Sunday (Epistles): James 1-3
Monday (The Law): Deuteronomy 4-6
Tuesday (History): 2 Chronicles 25-28
Wednesday (Psalms): Psalms 122-124
Thursday (Poetry): Ecclesiastes 1-2
Friday (Prophecy): Habakkuk, entire book
Saturday (Gospels): Acts 9-10

Two of my favorite books are started this week- James & Ecclesiastes. James is a true treatise on faith and how to put your faith in action. Many SOAPing opportunities will be found as you read this book... The SOAP for this week, however will come from Ecclesiastes. This book, written by King Solomon, really puts into perspective how important (or not) many things in life really are...

Scripture: Ecclesiastes 2:24-25 "people can do nothing better than to eat and drink and find satisfaction in their toil. This too, I see, is from the hand of God, for without him, who can eat or find enjoyment?"

Observation: King Solomon has a better way to find satisfaction than Mick Jagger. An honest day's work with some good food and drink at the end of the day- all with a heart of thanksgiving to God for his provision- is how to get some... With God in our lives, the food tastes better, the drink goes down smoother and work becomes enjoyable. From these basics the rest of life falls into place.

Application: How many times do I become distracted in life by politics, sports, traffic, money, news and what else? Any or all of these take my eye off the ball if I allow them to. When I lose focus on God and fail to express my thanks for his provision, things have a way of unraveling in my life. To honor my wife, my family and my boss, I need to work hard on the basics that lead to satisfaction and joy.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, I yield my heart to You to soften. I please need your wisdom to apply "blinders" to the things that distract me and rob me of joy. Thank You for Your Word, Your Son and all that you have given me the energy to do in Your Name. Amen.

Have a great week and God Bless!

-Mike

Week 42: By Faith...

2011-10-15T10:45:00.000-07:00

This week's reading plan is as follows:

* Sunday (epistles): Hebrews 11-13
* Monday (the Law): Deuteronomy 1-3
* Tuesday (history): II Chronicles 21-24
* Wednesday (psalms): Psalms 120-121
* Thursday (poetry): Proverbs 31
* Friday (prophecy): Nahum
* Saturday (gospels): Acts 7-8

This week we'll make a beginning with the last book of the law, Deuteronomy. The name Deuteronomy comes from the Greek word 'Deuteronomium', which means 'second law': This book contains a reformulation of many of the laws that were given in the books of Exodus, Numbers and Leviticus. Also on the menu this week is the book of Nahum, the 7th of the 12 minor prophets who prophesied against Nineveh, the capital of the Assyrians, probably in the 7th century B.C.

Proverbs 31 is a noteworthy read as well. That chapter sings praises to the Christian woman who manages her household. As you'll see, she runs her household, takes care of the family, and does business all at the same time. Her secret? She fears the LORD (v.30).

Our SOAP for this week, however, is from the book of Hebrews. Hebrews 11 is one of those key chapters in the Bible that define the Christian faith. The chapter recounts the 'faith giants' of the Old Testament, and the writer of Hebrews uses them as examples for our faith.

Scripture
Hebrews 11:1: "What is faith? It is the confident assurance that what we hope for is going to happen. It is the evidence of things we cannot yet see."

Observation
What an amazing verse! Faith is the confident assurance that what we hope for is going to happen, and the evidence of things we cannot yet see. How contrary to the beliefs of modern man! In this era of 'naturalism' or 'realism', we don't believe anything anymore unless we see it on TV or can Google it... We look at things that have happened and that we have observed, and based on those facts, we make predictions about the future. Typically, God is not part of that. If we cannot explain something logically, it either hasn't happened or we dismiss it. Physicists like Cambridge professor Stephen Hawking have made it their life goal to explain everything we see today from laws of physics. In his recent book 'The Grand Design' he asserts that 'finally, there is no need for a creator to explain the existence of the universe'.

What a stark contrast with Hebrews 11:3, which says: "By faith we understand that the entire universe was formed at God's command, that what we now see did not come from anything that can be seen." This is a totally different mindset from the naturalist perspective above, which claims that everything we now see can only come from anything that can be seen.

The writer of Hebrews understood that God is not bound by laws of physics. Jesus was not bound by laws of physics: he was perfectly capable of walking on water, defying Newton's laws of gravity (actually, these are God's laws of gravity; Newton simply discovered them!).

Application
I know I have to be careful to not take Hebrews 11:1 for granted. My thinking is very much influenced by the naturalist/realist perspective. I can't tell you how many times I quenched my own faith by 'not believing' because I was 'not seeing'. I simply didn't have the faith to believe that what I hoped for was going to happen. I was wavering, and first wanted to see before I believed. God wants us to live the other way around, to first have faith, so we can glorify Him. Verse 6 tells us: "it is impossible to please God without faith." See, God enjoys it most when we step out in faith, and fully trust that He will come through with his promises. Nothing pleases Him more than to grant a wish to one of his children, something the child could only hope for.

Prayer
Dear Heavenly Father, please forgive us for all the times we have fallen short in simply believing you at your word. Lord, we so often only trust in things we can see, not the things you promise. Help us to overcome our lack of faith, and trust you no matter what. You are worthy of all our praise, and our heart's desire is to please you. Thank you for your Son, who is an example to us when it comes in trusting you.

Have a great week.

In Him,

Dick

Week 41: We are People of the "New Covenant"

2011-10-07T20:07:00.000-07:00

This week's Bible reading unfolds like this:

* Sunday (Epistles): Hebrews 8-10
* Monday (Law): Numbers 33-36
* Tuesday (History): 2 Chronicles 16-20
* Wednesday (Psalms): Psalms 119
* Thursday (Poetry): Proverbs 29-30
* Friday (Prophecy): Micah
* Saturday (Gospels): Acts 5-6

While we cover a rich variety of reading this week, allow me to focus on one of the most important theological concepts that followers of Jesus Christ should understand...the new covenant.

Scripture
"If the first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no need for a second covenant to replace it. But when God found fault with the people, he said:

"'The day is coming, says the Lord,
when I will make a new covenant
with the people of Israel and Judah.

'This covenant will not be like the one
I made with their ancestors
when I took them by the hand
and led them out of the land of Egypt.
They did not remain faithful to my covenant,
so I turned my back on them, says the Lord.

'But this is the new covenant I will make
with the people of Israel on that day, says the Lord:
I will put my laws in their minds,
and I will write them on their hearts.
I will be their God,
and they will be my people'" (Hebrews 8:7-10).

Observation
The inspired author of Hebrews makes the revolutionary claim that we are people of the "new covenant." The so-called "old covenant," is what constitutes the first 39 books of the Bible, called the Old Testament. The new covenant that the writer of Hebrews refers to here is embodied in the last 27 books, called the New Testament (starting with Matthew and ending with Revelation).

The writer of Hebrews begins this section by observing that if there had been nothing wrong with the first covenant, there would have been no need for God to institute another. But there was something wrong with it - namely, "the people." It's not that the first covenant was fatally flawed in its own right. The problem was (and has always been) humanity's failure to obey God's commands.

The first covenant made no legal provision for grace and forgiveness. Its primary purpose was to lay out God's perfect and pleasing will. The Ten Commandments (part of the first covenant) lay out the dos and don'ts for us clearly enough. But the sacrificial system that the first covenant instituted only provided forgiveness for the sins we committed innocently (i.e. accidentally). The first covenant made no provision for the forgiveness of willful sin. There was no sacrifice or ritual to forgive the sins people committed on purpose. For willful offenses the first covenant called for either excommunication or death.

It's not that God never forgave people for willful sin during the first covenant. He did. For example, God forgave David when he sinned willfully against Bathsheba and her husband, Uriah. But every time he did, it pointed to the need for a new covenant in which the conditions of God's unconditional love and forgiveness were spelled out specifically.

According to this passage, we are related to God by means of the new covenant, which is based on the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. When Jesus instituted the Lord's Supper, for example, he said that his body was broken (killed) for us and his blood, "the blood of the new covenant," was shed for the forgiveness of our sins. And when Jesus broke the bars of death by rising from the dead, he did so not just for himself. He did it for all who by faith have entered into the new covenant of God's grace.

Application
This realization opens our minds to a number of helpful insights. For starters, it helps us understand that some of the severe judgments pronounced against certain sins that we may commit today will not be visited on us as members of the new covenant. It helps us understand why we no longer have to sacrifice bulls and goats. For, as the writer of Hebrews says elsewhere, Jesus Christ is God's once-for-all-time sacrifice for the sins of humanity. It also helps us understand the role of the Holy Spirit, who directly infuses our hearts with a sense of divine knowing. As Jeremiah, whom the writer of Hebrews quotes in this passage, says:
"I will put my laws in their minds,
and I will write them on their hearts."

But perhaps the best takeaway we can glean from this passage is that through the new covenant we have the closest, most intimate relationship any human beings can have with their Maker. The writer invokes the most intimate covenantal language: "I will be their God...and they will be my people."

God is ours and we are his.

This is simple, mysterious, and wonderful.

The covenant relationship we have with God is one of tenderness, closeness, peace, and joy.

So the point of application is this: becoming the people we already are.

New covenant people can't get enough of God. They want to talk with him, walk with him, learn from him, and please him. Not because they've got to, but because they get to. Not out of fear of impending doom, but out of overflowing gratitude for the gift of everlasting life...a life that began the moment we became new-covenant people.

Prayer
O Lord, forgive us for our distractedness. Forgive us for carrying fear and guilt, the burdens you already lifted from us when we became yours as new-covenant people. You have given us unspeakable hope and joy. Help us understand that if we are citizens of the new covenant, we are yours and you are ours. For Jesus' sake, amen.

Have a great week!

Faithfully,
Chuck

Week 39: Alive and Active

2011-09-26T22:51:00.000-07:00

This week's reading plan is as follows:

* Sunday (epistles): Hebrews 1-4
* Monday (the Law): Numbers 25-28
* Tuesday (history): II Chronicles 6-10
* Wednesday (psalms): Psalms 114-116
* Thursday (poetry): Proverbs 26-27
* Friday (prophecy): Obadiah
* Saturday (gospels): Acts 1-2

This week we start with the book of Hebrews. This probably is one of the most 'theological' books in the New Testament, and perhaps the entire Bible. There is soooo much good theology in that book about the importance of the salvation work of Jesus Christ, and how his sacrifice on the cross relates to the animal sacrifices of the Old Testament.

Our SOAP for this week is from this book, and it is hard to single out one verse...

Scripture
Hebrews 4:12-13: "For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account."

Observation
This verse comes right after a section where the writer of Hebrews talks about the disobedience of the people of Israel in the dessert, and how we are not to follow their example of disobedience. He tells us that God's word is alive and active in our lives, if we let it... It is like a sword that sifts through our thoughts and determines which thoughts are right, and which ones are not. There is nothing we can hide before God, not even our thoughts. All is laid bare before his eyes, and we have to give an account of all of our thoughts.

Application
At first sight, this is a scary passage! God knows all our thoughts, and there is nothing we can hide from him. Like Adam and Eve, we often like to hide from God when we sin. We think He doesn't see, and we hide in the bushes when we hear him approach.

When you give it a second thought though, this passage is actually really comforting. We don't have to hide from God, and we can't even if we wanted to. For me, personally, confessing my sin is the hardest part. I'm afraid what the other person is going to say or think about me. The fact that God already knows my sin, is actually comforting, how strange that may sound. I can just freely approach Him and tell Him: "Yes, Father, I screwed up again, and You know it! Please forgive me once again..."

This passage also tells me that God's word is the plumb line that I can use to examine my thoughts. His word is alive and active, if you let it be alive and active! If you come with an open mind and heart, and ask God to reveal Himself to you through his word, He will do so! You might not like the response at first, but if you let his word be alive and active, a beautiful change is going to happen, and your life will be transformed. It says so in this passage. God's word will uncover all your 'not-so-holy' thoughts, and replace them with righteous thoughts that honor Him.

Prayer
Dear Heavenly Father. We thank you for your word that is alive and active, even and maybe especially today. We pray Lord that you uncover our thoughts, and lay bare all our thoughts that are not of you. Replace them with thoughts that are inspired by your Holy Spirit. In Jesus Name we pray. Amen.

Have a great week, and let God's word penetrate your heart.

In Him,

Dick

Week 38: Taking God at his Word

2011-09-18T16:20:00.000-07:00

Here's the Bible reading for the week of September 18-24, 2011:

* Sunday (Epistles): Philemon
* Monday (Law): Numbers 21-24
* Tuesday (History): 2 Chronicles 1-5
* Wednesday (Psalms): Psalms 111-113
* Thursday (Poetry): Proverbs 25
* Friday (Prophecy): Amos 5-9
* Saturday (Gospels): John 19-21

Scripture

Numbers 22:21-31. In this passage of Scripture, Balaam's donkey sees what the prophet could not see...the Angel of the Lord with his sword drawn, ready to take Balaam's life. Balaam, not knowing that the donkey is privy to divine truth that he is not, beats the animal. Then God gave the donkey the ability to speak...and finally opened Balaam's eyes to see the angel.

Observation
This is one of the most fascinating passages in the Bible for a couple of reasons. First, it is remarkable that Balaam did not bolt off his animal when it spoke to him. Instead, Balaam entered into conversation with the donkey as though it were the most normal thing in the world. Second, it is fascinating that the Angel of the Lord met Balaam on his way to Balak, king of Moab. Why was God so angry? It is because God had already told Balaam not to go to Moab and prophesy against the Israelites (which is why Balak wanted Balaam to come!). When more prestigious leaders showed up on Balaam's front porch, he decided to inquire of the Lord a second time...even though God had already given him clear instructions not to go with Balak's men.

Application
The moral of the story is that situations may change, but the Lord's will does not. Whenever we allow the attractiveness of a certain temptation to cause us to "rethink" the morality of a given behavior...even though God has given us clear guidance in his word, we run the risk of committing the sin of Balaam. In the end, Balaam could not violate God's command not to curse the Israelites. But instead...and in order to please Balak, who had paid him a handsome sum to do his bidding...Balaam counseled Moab's king to induce the Israelites into moral compromise.

Bottom line: we can't bargain with evil. It will get the best of us every time. God's moral standards do not change...even when society's attitude toward God's decrees does.

Prayer
O Lord, please give us the faith to take you at your word. We live in a world of moral compromise. Help us to remember that neither you nor your word changes like shifting shadows. And give us the inner strength to stand with you and your ways...even when it is not popular to do so. For Jesus sake, amen!

Have a great week!

Faithfully,
Chuck

Week 36: Do not rebel against the LORD

2011-09-05T21:32:00.000-07:00

Now that summer vacation is over, it's a good time to renew your commitment to read the Bible, and to get into the habit of having a daily Bible reading routine. This week's reading plan is as follows:

* Sunday (epistles): II Timothy 3-4
* Monday (the Law): Numbers 13-16
* Tuesday (history): I Chronicles 20-24
* Wednesday (psalms): Psalms 105-107
* Thursday (poetry): Proverbs 22
* Friday (prophecy): Joel
* Saturday (gospels): John 13-15

This week's SOAP is from Numbers 14:

Scripture
"The land we passed through is exceedingly good. If the LORD is pleased with us, he will lead us into that land, a land flowing with milk and honey, and will give it to us. Only do not rebel against the LORD." [Numbers 14:7b-9a]

Observation
This passage in the book of Numbers always strikes me. The people of Israel are on the verge of entering the Promised Land. They send out 12 explorers to explore the land. The land is good, flowing with milk and honey as the passage says. They bring back huge grapes, and a good report about the bounties of the land. But 10 of the 12 explorers also bring back a bad report about the inhabitants of the land and their fortified cities. They see 'lions and bears' on the road to the Promised Land, and they don't believe in the power of the LORD, to defeat their enemies and give them the land, even though he promised to give it to them, and despite all the miracles they have already witnessed in the desert.

Only Caleb and Joshua believe in the strength and the promises of the LORD. They plea with the people to not believe the bad report: "Do not rebel against the LORD!" But 10 against 2 is a tough situation, and the people do rebel against God. They believe the 10, and even want to stone Joshua and Caleb. Then the LORD appears in all His glory, and protects these two men who believed in Him. You have to read the remainder for yourself to see what God does, and how the story ends.

Application
We are all on our way to the Promised Land, eternity with Jesus Christ and God the Father, through the power of the Holy Spirit. What do we do when we get closer to the Promised Land? (and every day we live, we get a little closer!) Do we believe and cling to God's promises, or do we rebel against God, and make it hard on ourselves and the people around us? I know for myself that there have been times I have rebelled. Or there have been times (and still are sometime), when I don't believe in the power of God, and I only see the 'perceived problems' on the way to the Promised Land: the 'fortified cities' of the enemy (the devil), and his helpers who try to keep me away from the Promised Land. When that happens, I have to realize that God is in control, that his promises will never fail, and that he has the power to bring us safely into the Promised Land, regardless of my situation.

Prayer
Dear Heavenly Father, help me to focus on you, on your power. To not rebel against You, but to trust your promises and lean on them, day after day. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

Have a great week.

Dick

Week 35: God's Tenderness and Compassion

2011-08-26T14:11:00.000-07:00

Here's our Bible reading for the week of August 28th through September 3rd:

* Sunday (Epistles): 2 Timothy 1-2
* Monday (Law): Numbers 9-12
* Tuesday (History): 1 Chronicles 15-19
* Wednesday (Psalms): Psalms 102-104
* Thursday (Poetry): Proverbs 20-21
* Friday (Prophecy): Hosea 8-14
* Saturday (Gospels): John 10-12

Scripture
Psalm 103:10-14:
10 He does not punish us for all our sins;
he does not deal harshly with us, as we deserve.
11 For his unfailing love toward those who fear him
is as great as the height of the heavens above the earth.
12 He has removed our sins as far from us
as the east is from the west.
13 The LORD is like a father to his children,
tender and compassionate to those who fear him.
14 For he knows how weak we are;
he remembers we are only dust.

Observation
In this psalm of praise, King David extols the Lord for his mercy and compassion. Although we deserve to be treated harshly because of our many sins, God, says David, treats us tenderly. Even though we fail, God's love toward us is unfailing. His forgiveness is complete and absolute. God is tender and compassionate toward us...remembering that we are frail creatures.

Application
The most powerful motivating force in the universe is not guilt; it is grace. The message in this passage of Scripture is that when we fail, we can always turn back to God and know that he receives us back into his loving embrace. He knows us better than we know ourselves...and he loves us unconditionally.

We need to remember that our relationship with God is not based on how well we do, but on how much God loves us. God wants us to keep turning back to him when we stray. He welcomes us with open arms. If you feel you don't deserve God's grace, you are probably in the best place to receive God's grace!

Prayer
O Lord, thank you for not punishing us as we deserve. Thank you for lavishing us with a love that is higher than the heavens above the earth. Thank you for removing our sins as far from us as the east is from the west. Thank you for being tender and compassionate toward us, as a father is to his children. Thank you most of all for Jesus, whose life, death, and resurrection have sealed our hope and secured for us an eternal inheritance with you in glory. Amen.

Have a great week!

Faithfully,
Chuck

Week 34: Shout for Joy!

2011-08-22T17:37:00.000-07:00

Here is this week's reading:

Sunday (Epistles): 1 Timothy 4-6
Monday (Law): Numbers 5-8
Tuesday (History): 1 Chronicles 10-14
Wednesday (Psalms): Psalms 99-101
Thursday (Poetry): Proverbs 19
Friday (Prophecy): Hosea 1-7
Saturday (Gospels): John 7-9

Soap:

Scripture: Psalm 100

Observation: Sometimes we just need to be reminded of why we are here and Who we worship and how we can do so!

Application: No matter what season of life I am in I need to remember this Psalm and its promise.

Prayer: Lord, thanks for your creation, you Son and for the Spirit that moves us. My prayer is that I will keep you as #1 in my life and that I have the strength to lead others to that reality as well. Amen.

Have a great week!

-Mike

Week 33: Our Behavior in God's House

2011-08-14T21:18:00.000-07:00

This week's reading plan is as follows:

* Sunday (epistles): I Timothy 1-3
* Monday (the Law): Numbers 1-4
* Tuesday (history): I Chronicles 5-9
* Wednesday (psalms): Psalms 96-98
* Thursday (poetry): Proverbs 17-18
* Friday (prophecy): Daniel 7-12
* Saturday (gospels): John 5-6

You've probably figured out by now that there is a lot of reading going on on Tuesdays (history) and Fridays (prophecy). That is because proportionally, there is more history and prophecy in the Bible than any of the other genres. If you want to spread the reading out more evenly, you can save some history reading for Wednesday, as the Psalms are usually a light read, and you can start early on your prophecy reading on Thursdays, which is also a light read.

This week's SOAP exercise is from I Timothy:

Scripture
14 Although I hope to come to you soon, I am writing you these instructions so that, 15 if I am delayed, you will know how people ought to conduct themselves in God's household, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth.

Observation
The letters from Paul to Timothy and also Titus are called the 'pastoral letters', because Paul gives many 'pastoral instructions' to his companions Timothy and Titus. He instructs them on the 'appropriate behavior' in God's house, and in the verse above he explains why: "So you will know how people ought to conduct themselves in God's household...". When the church started to expand, many different people joined the church, both Jewish people as well as 'Gentiles', non-Jewish people who were saved by God's grace. That combination of different people provided for an interesting mix in social and cultural behavior, that could sometimes lead to friction within the church.

Paul gives practical instructions about how to use the law (1 Tim.1:8-11), how to pray (1 Tim.2:1-8), how to clothe oneself (1 Tim.2:9-10), instructions for elders (1 Tim.3:1-7), and for deacons (1 Tim.3:8-13), just to name a few. He gives these instructions so that the church is well organized. The reason why he does this becomes clear in the second part of our verse today: the church is not just a gathering place where Christians socialize, but it is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth!

Application
It is good to be reminded that the church is the residence of the living God. He is the one who is present when we come together. How many times have we come to church to either be fed, or to try to feed or please other people when we serve. How many Sundays do we come to the church in full realization that it is the house of the living God. Not just that, it is also the pillar and foundation of the truth. It is the one place where we find the real truth. If we fully realize that, our behavior in God's house will be appropriate and be dictated by the fruits of the Holy Spirit, and God will be honored in his own house.

Prayer
Heavenly Father, we thank you for the mystery of the gospel, for the mystery of bringing together different cultures from all over the world, into one house, your church. Lord, help us to adapt our behavior, so that we conduct ourselves according to your will and your truth, and so that your church becomes a lighthouse in a dark world. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

Have a blessed week.

Dick

Week 32

2011-08-14T20:37:00.000-07:00

This week the reading plan is as follows:

* Sunday (epistles): II Thessalonians
* Monday (the Law): Leviticus 25-27
* Tuesday (history): I Chronicles 1-4
* Wednesday (psalms): Psalms 93-95
* Thursday (poetry): Proverbs 16
* Friday (prophecy): Daniel 1-6
* Saturday (gospels): John 3-4

Week 31

2011-08-14T20:35:00.000-07:00

This week the reading plan is as follows:

* Sunday (epistles): I Thessalonians 4-5
* Monday (the Law): Leviticus 22-24
* Tuesday (history): II Kings 21-25
* Wednesday (psalms): Psalms 90-92
* Thursday (poetry): Proverbs 14-15
* Friday (prophecy): Ezekiel 43-48
* Saturday (gospels): John 1-2

Week 30: The Very Word of God

2011-07-25T20:52:00.000-07:00

This week the reading plan is as follows:

* Sunday (epistles): I Thessalonians 1-3
* Monday (the Law): Leviticus 19-21
* Tuesday (history): II Kings 16-20
* Wednesday (psalms): Psalms 87-89
* Thursday (poetry): Proverbs 13
* Friday (prophecy): Ezekiel 37-42
* Saturday (gospels): Luke 23-24

Our SOAP scripture this week is from the letter of Paul, Silas & Timothy to the church in Thessalonica:

Scripture
"You accepted what we said as the very word of God -- which, of course, it was. And this word continues to work in you who believe." [I Thessalonians 1:13b]

Observation
The Thessalonians listened to Paul, Silas and Timothy as if they listened to God. They accepted their words as if they came from God himself. Paul affirms that indeed these words are from God himself (note the use of the words 'of course'). This is not arrogance on Paul's side, but rather confidence, see also verse 4: "For we speak as messengers who have been approved by God to be entrusted with the Good News."

Application
This is a great example for us. We have to ask ourselves: "do we accept the things that our leaders/pastors say as if they speak words that are the very word of God?" Oftentimes we are skeptical and criticize the words we hear. If we don't like what we hear, we reject the words spoken, and sometimes even the one who speaks. This should not be so. Our pastor, for example, also is a "messenger approved by God", and the words he speaks are words of God himself.

The Thessalonians believed, and they accepted the words spoken to them by ordinary man as words from God himself. As a result, the word continued to work in them. We, who believe, should use these believers from the 1st century as an example for our own life. When we do, God's word will continue to work in us as well. Through the interpretation of the Holy Spirit, we can apply every message to our own life, and use it to grow closer into the image of God's Son.

Prayer
Dear Heavenly Father, please forgive us for the times we criticized those who spoke your very words. Help us to discern your word in the words spoken by our leaders, and help us to follow in your footsteps. In Jesus Name. Amen.

Have a great week.

Dick

Week 29: Heavenly Minded...Earthly Good!

2011-07-18T01:45:00.000-07:00

This week's Bible reading unfolds like this:

Sunday (Epistles): Colossians 3-4
Monday (Law): Leviticus 16-18
Tuesday (History): 2 Kings 11-15
Wednesday (Psalms): Psalms 84-86
Thursday (Poetry): Proverbs 11-12
Friday (Prophecy): Ezekiel 31-36
Saturday (Gospels): Luke 21-22

Scripture
In Colossians 3:1-4, Paul writes, "Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand. Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth. For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God. And when Christ, who is your life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all his glory."

Observation
In a number of Christian circles these days there's a lot of to-do about the need for Christ-followers to focus more on issues of social justice than on the hope of heaven. They sometimes refer to the remark that Oliver Wendell Holmes made more than a century ago: "Some people are so heavenly minded that they are no earthly good."

This passage, however, suggests that if we are not heavenly minded enough, we are no earthly good at all.

The problem is this: when we make any earthly thing the center of our lives and the primary goal of our existence, we lose sight of One who is the very reason for our existence. There are many good and noble causes that we can pursue. And it may be that Jesus Christ wants us to take up some of these. But if we end up serving the cause, we end up serving the wrong master.

When Jesus came to earth, he did not serve the world on behalf of the Father...for that would have made the world his master. Paul elsewhere reminds us that we become slaves of whatever we choose to obey (Rom. 6:16). And Jesus declares that we cannot serve more than one master (Matt. 6:24).

Jesus engaged in acts of service to the world, but every time he did so it was to serve the Father. Jesus made this abundantly clear in John 5:30: "I can do nothing on my own. I judge as God tells me. Therefore, my judgment is just, because I carry out the will of the one who sent me, not my own will." In other words, Jesus didn't serve the world on behalf of the Father, he served the Father on behalf of the world.

Jesus was effective in carrying out his earthly ministry precisely because he was so heavenly minded...and Paul in Colossians 3 bids us to do likewise.

Application
I get to do a lot of good things as a follower of Jesus Christ. In fact, I get a lot of personal satisfaction from these activities. But I've discovered, mostly in retrospect after I've hit the wall of burnout, that when I lower my gaze onto the good things themselves...and take my eyes off the One for whom I do all these things...I lose my way.

This passage reminds me that I NEED to be heavenly minded. My spiritual survival depends on it!

Prayer
O Lord, this week as I spend time communing with you in your word, help me to set my sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at your right hand. Help me to do a better job thinking more about the things of heaven than the things of earth. Help me live into the truth that in Christ I died to this life, and that my life is now hidden with Christ...in you! And help me lay claim to the hope that when Christ is revealed to the whole world, we who are his in this life will share in all his glory forever. For Jesus' sake...amen!

Let's be heavenly minded so that we can be earthly good!

Faithfully,
Chuck

Week 28: The Spiritual Battle

2011-07-11T05:43:00.000-07:00

The reading plan for this week:

Sunday (Epistles): Colossians 1-2
Monday (Law): Leviticus 13-15
Tuesday (History): 2 Kings 6-10
Wednesday (Psalms): Psalms 81-83
Thursday (Poetry): Proverbs 10
Friday (Prophecy): Ezekiel 25-30
Saturday (Gospels): Luke 19-20

Scripture: 2 Kings 6:8-22

Observation: The prophet Elisha is surrounded by an Aramean force set to capture him and deliver him to the king of Aram. Elisha's servant is panicked at the sight of this force and begs Elisha for his advice. Elisha calmly replies "Don't be afraid" and prays that the servant's eyes are opened to the reality that exists around them. The servant's eyes behold an army of horses and chariots of fire surrounding them. Through more prayer, the Aramean force is crippled and captured and delivered to the king of Israel.

Application: When it comes to picking and choosing the battles I fight, most of the time I tend to rely on my own abilities to wages these battles (whether I am right or wrong in these battles). I tend to go it alone many times in work and even in leading my family. This story reminds me that I am not alone in my struggles- if I wish to ask for help, an army stands ready to assist; and most likely is engaged in battle when I am least likely aware of it. The key here is to not be afraid and to lean on God for assistance and trust Him that he is in control and he stands ready for the times I am willing to ask for His help.

Prayer: Lord, I sincerely need your help- I cannot do it all on my own and only You can assist me in my fight against the Evil One. Please open my eyes to the reality of Your existence in this world and that I am not alone- and therefore do not need to go it alone. Please guide my steps as I walk with you each day so that I may not only walk the narrow path, but also lead my family and others under my influence along that same path. Thank you for always being there. In Your Name, Amen.

Have a great week!

-Mike

Week 27: Holy Fire

2011-07-04T12:33:00.000-07:00

This week's reading plan is as follows:

* Sunday (epistles): Philippians 3-4
* Monday (the Law): Leviticus 10-12
* Tuesday (history): II Kings 1-5
* Wednesday (psalms): Psalms 78-80
* Thursday (poetry): Proverbs 8-9
* Friday (prophecy): Ezekiel 19-24
* Saturday (gospels): Luke 17-18

In many of this week's passage, we see 'fire' play some sort of role. In Leviticus 10 we read the sad story of Nadab and Abihu, 2 of Aarons sons who offered 'unauthorized' fire before the LORD. As a result, fire came out from the presence of the LORD and consumed them. You may wonder why this harsh punishment? Moses gives the answer in verse 3: the punishment was that severe to prove God's holiness. See, Aaron and his sons were being dedicated to become priests, role models, who show God's people what is right and what not. By going off on their own and not following the LORD's instructions, they set a bad example, and God does not tolerate that at such a critical moment in the history of his people.

In II Kings we see Elijah taken up to heaven by a chariot of fire and horses of fire. Fire in this story also represents 'holiness'. Elijah does not die, but is taken up to Heaven, just like Enoch, who 'walked with God', see Genesis 5:24. Elisha takes over Elijah's duties, and we see his first miracles in those first chapters of II Kings.

In Psalm 78, Asaph recounts the mighty deeds of God. In verse 14 he talks about God guiding his people with the cloud by day, and with light from the fire all night. God showed himself as a pillar of fire to his people.

In chapter 17 of Luke, we see Jesus talking about the coming of the Son of Man. He compares his second coming with the situation of the flood, and the situation in Sodom and Gomorra, where sulphur and fire rained down from heaven unexpectedly. Just like the flood destroyed the world in the ancient days, so a fire will destroy and cleanse the world when Jesus will return. Although not mentioned explicitly in the chapters in Ezekiel, we see God's wrath on the wickedness of Jerusalem displayed in great detail. From other parts, we know Jerusalem will later be destroyed by fire.

In all these stories, we see the importance of fire: it cleanses and purifies, it brings punishment and judgment, and most importantly, it displays the holiness of our LORD.

At Woodhaven, we sing this song 'Holy Fire', which goes like this:

Holy Fire, burn away
my desire, for anything
that is not of You, but is of me
I want more of You, and less of me

Empty me, Empty me
Fill me, with You, with You.

That is my prayer this week for you, that you will be filled with Holy Fire from God, to carry out and display His passion for you and for his people. A fire that cleanses you from within, and spills over into the world.

In Him,

Dick

Week 26: Living Faithfully

2011-06-25T16:40:00.000-07:00

Here's this week's Bible reading:

* Philippians 1-2
* Leviticus 7-9
* 1 Kings 19-22
* Psalms 75-77
* Proverbs 7
* Ezekiel 13-18
* Luke 15-16

From beginning to end, this week's reading underscores the importance of living faithfully. While the reading in Leviticus provides detailed instructions regarding sacrifices and the priesthood, the balance of the week's reading describes in one way or another how the Israelites strayed from God...and what happened as a result. The reading ends with the Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus, in which Jesus condemns the religious leaders of his day for rejecting their Messiah. Jesus quotes Abraham as saying, "If they won't listen to Moses and the prophets, they won't listen even if someone rises from the dead."

Scripture
The passage that speaks most directly about living faithfully is Philippians 1:27: "Above all, you must live as citizens of heaven, conducting yourselves in a manner worthy of the Good News about Christ. Then, whether I come and see you again or only hear about you, I will know that you are standing together with one spirit and one purpose, fighting together for the faith, which is the Good News."

Observation
Paul wrote these words to the citizens of Philippi, which was a Roman Colony. As such, all native Philippians were automatically Roman citizens. In that day, non-Romans paid huge sums of money (often in the form of bribes) to gain Roman citizenship. The Philippians were very proud of the fact that they were citizens of the Great Empire.

That background information helps us understand why Paul's words carried such force: "Above all, you must live as citizens of heaven." Paul repeats that again in 3:20: "But we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives."

Paul in essence is pushing back their "pride of Roman citizenry" by emphasizing that their new "heavenly citizenship" trumps their Roman citizenship...hands down!

Application
Faithful living is all about our allegiance to Christ above all other allegiances. It's about living in a manner worthy of the Good News...the message that Jesus died and rose again to open the way for us to become citizens of heaven. Our lives are to reflect the reality of this gift. When we truly internalize what Jesus has done for us, our lives will become completely consumed with love and gratitude. And this is a reality that we recognize in each other...and the love and gratitude we have for Jesus extends as a matter of course horizontally...toward each other. That's why Paul says when we are living in a manner worthy of the Good News, we are "standing together with one spirit and one purpose, fighting together for the faith...."

Prayer
O Lord, it is so easy to be distracted by the allegiances that matter to the world. Help us live as citizens of heaven, recognizing all that Jesus has done for us. And may the realization of his incredible gift inspire us to be all that you've called us to be for you...and for each other. For Jesus' sake. Amen!

Have a blessed week!

Faithfully,
Chuck

Week 24: The Wisdom of Spiritual Focus

2011-06-10T16:15:00.000-07:00

This week's reading unfolds as follows:

* Ephesians 1-3
* Leviticus 1-3
* 1 Kings 10-13
* Psalms 69-71
* Proverbs 4
* Ezekiel 1-6
* Luke 11-12

One unifying theme in this week's Bible readings is that of wisdom. Paul in Ephesians prayed that we would have it. The Queen of Sheba in 1 Kings witnessed it in Solomon. The Psalmist demonstrated it by turning to the Lord in times of distress. The writer of Proverbs urged his disciples to pursue it as the most precious of treasures. God gave it to the prophet Ezekiel and Jesus chastised the religious leaders for their lack of it.

Scripture
The one passage that brings the theme of wisdom into crystal-clear view is Proverbs 4:20-27:

20 My child, pay attention to what I say.
Listen carefully to my words.
21 Don’t lose sight of them.
Let them penetrate deep into your heart,
22 for they bring life to those who find them,
and healing to their whole body.
23 Guard your heart above all else,
for it determines the course of your life.
24 Avoid all perverse talk;
stay away from corrupt speech.
25 Look straight ahead,
and fix your eyes on what lies before you.
26 Mark out a straight path for your feet;
stay on the safe path.
27 Don’t get sidetracked;
keep your feet from following evil.

Observation
Verses 20-22 offer a compelling rationale for paying attention and internalizing what the sage author of Proverbs is saying: wisdom brings life and healing to those who have it.

Versus 23-27 show us the practical steps by which we obtain wisdom. We get wisdom by (1) guarding our hearts, (2) avoiding perverse talk, (3) staying on track with our faith, and (4) steering clear of evil.

Application
I suggest we consider the key concept that lies at the heart of these practices, which is, in a word, focus.

We are surrounded by countless distractions that come in many forms. Take, for example, "smart phones." They text, tweet, Facebook (used here as a verb), email (verb), Google (verb), YouTube (verb), iTune (verb), and...yes...they can even be used as phones! Go to any public place and you'll find people of all ages glued to that little square device...they are there; yet somewhere else.

There's soccer practice, softball tryouts, bowling leagues, music recitals, dance class, and piano lessons.

There's friend time, family time, and fun time.

There are demands at work, school, and home.

Distractions everywhere!

So how in this world of distractions do we find wisdom?

By following the sage writer's advice:

"Look straight ahead,
and fix your eyes on what lies before you" (v. 25).

Often what we call "multitasking" is little more than juggling distractions.

Instead, the writer of Proverbs urges us to practice the spiritual discipline of single-mindedness.

When we are present to what's present, what's right in front of us...whether it's a son or daughter asking a question, an activity like gardening, mowing the lawn, or taking out the trash, or just spending time alone, there is wisdom to be had in being fully present to that moment.

Only when we are fully present to the moment can we be fully present to God's presence. While God is master of all things past and future, we experience God in the now. And if we're always "off somewhere else" in the now, we will miss the sacredness of that moment.

God occupies the ordinary, mundane space of time called "now."

To be present to the present is to be present to God's presence.

Prayer
O Lord, we confess...we are so easily distracted. Please open our eyes and our ears and our hearts to the present. Let us find you in the always-now of life...in Jesus' name. Amen.

May your week be filled with many God-present NOWS!

Faithfully,
Chuck

Week 23: New Promises Each Day

2011-06-05T21:52:00.000-07:00

This week's reading plan is as follows:

* Sunday (epistles): Galatians 4-6
* Monday (the Law): Exodus 37-40
* Tuesday (history): I Kings 5-9
* Wednesday (psalms): Psalms 66-68
* Thursday (poetry): Proverbs 2-3
* Friday (prophecy): Lamentations
* Saturday (gospels): Luke 9-10

In the letter to the Galatians, the apostle Paul uses some 'tough love' to steer the Galatians back to the roots of the gospel. In chapter 5 verse 1, he says: "So Christ has really set us free. Now make sure that you stay free, and don't get tied up again in slavery to the law!" It's a warning that holds for all of us. We have freedom in Christ, but too many times, we allow something or someone else to put a yoke on our neck again, and tie us down in slavery. We shouldn't do that, but live in true freedom through Jesus Christ.

The book of Lamentations is one of its kind. As the title mentions, the book is full of sadness. It is sadness about the fall of Jerusalem in the year 586 B.C. by Nebuchadnezzar, the Babylonian king. The people of Judah were taken into captivity to Babylon, and the city and its temple were destroyed. A desperate situation for the people of Judah. Yet the book contains one of the most beautiful verses of the entire Bible, which we will SOAP on today:

Scripture
Lamentations 3:23: "Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each day."

Observation
This verse talks about the unending lover and faithfulness of our Lord. His mercies, also translated as 'promises', begin afresh each day. This verse means that each day is a new day where we can expect God to show up in a big way. No matter what has happened in the past, how bad the situation was yesterday, every single day, his promises are new and fresh. We can lean on them and expect great things from Him.

Application
It is a great reminder to all of us that God's promises are new each day. Too often, we let our current situation control our emotions, or even our outlook on life and on God. This verse tells us that God's love for us and his mercy is unshakable. We can lean on Him every single day, and expect great things from him. It ties in with the verse in Galatians 5:1: Living in freedom means, trusting and leaning on God's promises everyday. Not trusting Him or his promises, oftentimes leads to living in slavery to our worries, our stress, our addictions, our dependence on money, etc.

We are "freedom children" who are indwelled by the Spirit of God's son, through whom we cry out Abba, Father [Galatians 4:6]. Freedom children are expectant, and they lean on God's promises, who are afresh each day.

Prayer
Dear Heavenly Father, how awesome it is to be your child, to be able to call you our Father. We know you want the best for us, Lord. Even when we go through the valley of death, through a darkness that never seems to end, there is always a new day that holds new promises from You. Thank you for all that you have done for us, most of all for giving us true freedom in your son, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

In His Name, we thank You and praise You. Amen.

Have a great week, and be expectant to find God's promises as you discover them in His word every day.

In Him,

Dick

Week 22

2011-06-05T21:27:00.000-07:00

This week, the reading plan is as follows:

* Sunday (epistles): Galatians 1-3
* Monday (the Law): Exodus 33-36
* Tuesday (history): I Kings 1-4
* Wednesday (psalms): Psalms 63-65
* Thursday (poetry): Proverbs 1
* Friday (prophecy): Jeremiah 47-52
* Saturday (gospels): Luke 7-8

Week 21: Seeing or hearing?

2011-05-22T20:47:00.000-07:00

This week, the reading plan is as follows:

* Sunday (epistles): II Corinthians 11-13
* Monday (the Law): Exodus 29-32
* Tuesday (history): II Samuel 20-24
* Wednesday (psalms): Psalms 60-62
* Thursday (poetry): Job 41-42
* Friday (prophecy): Jeremiah 42-46
* Saturday (gospels): Luke 5-6

There are many interesting passages this week, including the sinning of the Israelites with the 'golden calf' in the book of Exodus, the injustice against the Gibeonits in II Samuel 21, the last words of David in II Samuel 23, and the ending of the story of Job. This week's SOAP is from the latter passage in Job 42, where Job answers God:

Scripture
Job 42:5-6: "I had heard about you before, but now I have seen you with my own eyes. I take back everything I said, and I sit in dust and ashes to show my repentance."

Observation
In this passage, Job comes to a turning point in his life. With all the life experience he had, both the ultimate good and the ultimate bad, he still 'had only heard about God', but not seen him. What Job describes here is a 'life-changing encounter' with Almighty God. Job knew all about God. He had lived a godly life, obeying all God's commands, and living blameless in His sight and in sight of the people. Yet he had not 'experienced' God, the way he experienced him now. God had broken him, to the point of despair. When Job was at his lowest point, that's when God 'showed up', to give him a life-changing encounter that would forever change Job's view of God. That is when he says 'I had only heard about you, but now I've seen you'!

Application
What about you? Have you had your life-changing encounter with God yet? Has God allowed you to slip to the bottom of the pit, and when you got there, you found God waiting there for you to forever change your life? I have not had many of those experiences, but the ones that got close to that, I did end up at the bottom and cried out to Him in despair. And I knew God was waiting there for me. Sometimes it takes some time for God to answer, but He always does. He waits till your heart is broken, and till you realize that you need Him to heal it. When you have a broken heart like that, God always shows up to mend it. And when He does, all you can say is what Job said: "I had heard about you before, but now I have seen you with my own eyes."

Prayer
Dear Heavenly Father, we thank you for showing up in our lives when we need it most: in our brokenness. Thank you Lord, for breaking us, for helping us realize that we need You in all we do. We can't do it on our own Lord. Please forgive us for the times we thought we could do it ourselves, and help us to always rely on You. We want to see you, Lord, not just 'hear about you'. In Jesus Name. Amen

It's my prayer that you will see and experience the Lord in a special way this week.

In Him,

Dick

Week 20: Steering Clear of Jesus' Hometown

2011-05-13T16:53:00.000-07:00

This week's reading unfolds as follows:

Sunday (Epistles): 2 Corinthians 9-10
Monday (The Law): Exodus 25-28
Tuesday (History): 2 Samuel 15-19
Wednesday (Psalms): Psalms 57-59
Thursday (Poetry): Job 39-40
Friday (Prophecy): Jeremiah 37-41
Saturday (Gospels): Luke 3-4

Scripture
While this week's readings are wide and varied, as usual, I would like to focus on one of the most interesting passages in the New Testament, taken from our reading in the Gospels.

It's Luke 4:14-30, the key statement of which is v 24: "Truly I tell you...no prophet is accepted in his hometown."

Observation
Luke's account of Jesus' visit to his hometown of Nazareth is striking for a number of reasons. The first of which is where Luke locates this in the narrative...right at the outset of Jesus' ministry...on the heels of the 40-day wilderness temptation after his baptism. Matthew and Mark, the other Gospel writers to speak of Jesus' visit to Nazareth, locate the story later on, well after he chose the 12 disciples.

Luke does this for emphasis. When Jesus began his earthly ministry after his baptism and temptation, he made a whole new start. He made a decisive break from all the people and things that his life had been bound to...which leads to the second unique characteristic of Luke's account.

Neither Matthew nor Mark include what Jesus actually taught when he visited the synagogue in Nazareth...or how his hometown Nazarenes responded.

Jesus read Isaiah 61:1-2, rolled up the scroll, handed it to the attendant, and then said, "Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing." It was a prophecy about Jesus' ministry "to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, [and] to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor."

Luke shows that Jesus perceived the skepticism behind their question, "Isn't this Joseph's son?" (v 22). (Matthew and Mark include more than Luke does: "Isn't this the carpenter's son? Isn't his mother's name Mary, and aren't his brothers James, Joseph, Simon and Judas? Aren't all his sisters with us?" And they took offense at him" [Matt. 13:55-57; Mark 6:3].)

Jesus went on to say that in Elijah's day, God showed favor to two Gentiles while withholding favor from his own people due to their unrepentant hearts.

Jesus' fellow Nazarenes were so infuriated by this comparison that they drove him out of town to the brow of a hill. They indented to kill him! But, strangely (miraculously?), Luke says, "he walked right through the crowd and went on his way" (v. 30).

Thus begins the ministry of Jesus Christ!

Application
There are more than a couple of applications we could make from this story.

Following Luke's lead, we could underscore the need to make a decisive break from our past when we take up new life in Christ. This appears to be at least one reason that Luke placed the story at the beginning of the Gospel narrative and included the details he did.

We could compare Jesus' rejection by his townsfolk to ourselves when, after embracing Jesus as our Savior, we experience the rejection of those closest to us. What was true of Jesus can be no less true for us!

We can also use this story to make the point that "those who know us best may help us least" when we attempt to make a major life change...like going back to school, taking up a new hobby, losing weight, or answering God's call to ministry.

All of these represent legitimate applications of this passage, but I would like to consider another...

Is it possible that I might become Jesus' "hometown?"

They thought they knew him...they DID know him! But they didn't know the most important things about him. And that rendered what they did know completely errant.

I know Jesus too...but do I know him as well as I think I do? How often do my assumptions about Jesus keep me from really knowing him?

When he came to set them free, they rejected him on the assumption that he simply couldn't deliver what he promised.

This reminds me of Nathanael's incredulous remark when posed with the idea that the Messiah was from Nazareth: "Can any good thing come from Nazareth?" (John 1:46).

The Hebrew word for "branch" is netzer (plural netzerim) and may have been the word from which Nazareth was derived: "branch town," "the sticks," "the boonies."

Maybe the citizens of Nazareth believed that the town's reputation was true. "Jesus is just like the rest of us...a nobody! He can't be who he says he is because...after all...he's one of us!"

How often do I unconsciously fashion Jesus into my own image? I reduce him to a friend, a celestial chum. I lose sight of his lordship, his divinity.

And whenever I get that snuggly with the Lord of the universe, I become a de facto unbeliever.

He's a buddy I confide in and occasionally consult on important decisions...but he's not "my Lord and my God."

Mind you, I would never say that Jesus is not the Lord of my life, but I end up functioning that way when I envision him as "one of my peeps."

I want constantly to bear in mind the Bible's admonition: "Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our 'God is a consuming fire'" (Heb. 12:28-29, quoting Deut. 4:24).

Prayer
Jesus, you are my Lord and my God! You are a consuming fire!

I take off my shoes before you and feel the heat of your holy ground with my bare feet.

I fall on my face and declare, "Jesus, you're not 'mine'...I am YOURS!"

Make me the temple of your life-giving Spirit.

Let me be as close to you as is divinely and humanly possible.

But never let me become your hometown. Amen!

Have a blessed week as you read God's Word...

Faithfully,
Chuck

Week 19: Sexual Immorality

2011-05-09T10:43:00.000-07:00

The reading for this week:

Sunday (Epistles): 2 Corinthians 6-8
Monday (The Law): Exodus 21-24
Tuesday (History): 2 Samuel 10-14
Wednesday (Psalms): Psalms 54-56
Thursday (Poetry): Job 37-38
Friday (Prophecy): Jeremiah 32-36
Saturday (Gospels): Luke 1-2

There is a lot to gather from the History part of the reading this week. The stories of David & Bathsheba as well as Amnon & Tamar are both very strong examples of what sexual immorality looks like and the pain that it causes.

David was "browsing" one day and let his eyes rest on a beautiful woman bathing in his sight (unbeknownst to her). Knowing who she was (a married woman) after inquiring of her, he sent for her, slept with her and they conceived. Through a series of bad choices, David ends up murdering Bathsheba's husband.

Amnon (David's son) fell in love with his half-sister Tamar. She was unmarried and chose to save herself for marriage (as the Law commands). Amnon faked an illness and requested of David that Tamar come to him and care for him. Tamar obeyed the king and cared for her brother. Having her all to himself, Amnon forced himself sexually upon Tamar, and despite her pleas and reasoning (even offering herself in marriage!) to stop, he raped her.

Scripture: 2 Samuel 13:15-16 "Then Amnon hated her with intense hatred. In fact, he hated her more than he had loved her. Amnon said to her "Get up and get out!" "No!" she said to him. "Sending me away would be a greater wrong than what you have already done to me."

Observation: There are just so many things wrong with this situation (and the Bathsheba situation) that it would be impossible to break down in this forum. But the focus today is on the selfishness that is sexual immorality. Both David and Amnon had a strong desire to do the wrong thing, and their wants for immediate gratification took full precedence over common sense and justice. David used his power and influence to woo Bathsheba. Amnon used deception, his familial connections and physical strength to take Tamar's innocence. Having been caught in their sins, both men resort to more vile behavior. The immediate 180 degree turn from love to hate really reflects the hearts of all who seek sexual gratification and then throw away the other person after the physical act is completed.

Application: "How dangerous is one look?" Our eyes can be deceived by what we think we know, and in many cases wanting is much more passionate and fun than having. When we look, we are only taking into consideration a very small part of a very big picture. Everyone has a story- we all have dreams, pain, experiences, hopes and more- the essence of who we are. Using people in such a narrow minded and intimate fashion for selfish purposes means short term (but false) gains for us- and intense pain for those we have used. Whether we view an image on the internet or engage in a full blown affair, the core purpose is selfish- and it can very well lead to extreme results such as the ones in these two stories.

Prayer: Father we ask for the wisdom to see your Creation as you designed it to be. What the eyes see is great as it all has been created by You, but what may be in our hearts can distort that beauty. We ask for the strength to fight the temptation of immediate gratification and the discernment to see the path we are on with regards to our actions. May the Spirit guide us back to the path that leads to You. Amen.

This week is a little more heavy than usual, but the weight of these stories as they pertain to the struggles of people today hopefully helps you as it helps me.

Have a great week and God Bless!

-Mike

Week 18: The blessing of affirmation

2011-05-03T08:24:00.000-07:00

This week, the reading plan is as follows:

* Sunday (epistles): II Corinthians 4-5
* Monday (the Law): Exodus 17-20
* Tuesday (history): II Samuel 5-9
* Wednesday (psalms): Psalms 51-53
* Thursday (poetry): Job 35-36
* Friday (prophecy): Jeremiah 27-31
* Saturday (gospels): Mark 15-16

This week's S.O.A.P. is from II Samuel:

Scripture
10. And David became more and more powerful, because the LORD God Almighty was with him. 11. Then King Hiram of Tyre sent messengers to David, along with carpenters and stone-masons to build him a palace. Hiram also sent many cedar logs for lumber. 12. And David realized that the LORD had made him king over Israel and had made his kingdom great for the sake of his people Israel. [II Samuel 5:10-12]

Observation
We can draw several observations from this passage:
a) There is a direct connection between David becoming more and more powerful, and the LORD being with him - verse 10.
b) Because David became more powerful, other powerful people -- like king Hiram of Tyre -- connect with him, and bless him with material blessings - verse 11.
c) When David sees the material blessings, he realizes that the LORD has confirmed him as king over Israel - verse 12.

Application
Oftentimes in my own life, it takes a while for me to realize that the LORD is with me in all that I do. I'm waiting for some sort of blessing to occur, kind of as an affirmation from God that He does support what I'm doing. Even though we know the LORD is always with us, and will never leave us or forsake us because of His promises, as human beings we are sometimes uncertain, and we need affirmation and confirmation from our Heavenly Father.

The good thing is: God knows our weakness, and our desire for affirmation, and He gives it to us, just like He gave it to David. I've experienced this blessing many times myself. There have been a couple life-changing events in my life, where I was uncertain whether or not I had made the right decision. Each time, I was waiting for the LORD to bless and affirm my decision, and each He did! We have an amazing God, who affirms and blesses his children beyond measure.

Prayer
Heavenly Father, I thank you for your blessings, and for your affirmation in times when I am uncertain. Please help me to trust you more and more, even if the affirmation comes later or in different ways I did not anticipate. I thank you for who you are and all that you do in my life. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

Have a blessed week.

Dick

Week 17: Becoming "God-Confident"

2011-04-23T17:16:00.000-07:00

This week we finish the first third of 2011...and that means by the end of this week we will have read nearly a third the Bible.

This week's reading unfolds like this:

* 2 Corinthians 1-3
* Exodus 13-16
* 2 Samuel 1-4
* Psalms 48-50
* Job 33-34
* Jeremiah 22-26
* Mark 13-14

As we've come to expect, we cover a lot of diverse territory in our daily Scripture texts. But one overarching theme comes out again and again: namely, that we are to trust God in all our ways.

Scripture
"Such confidence we have through Christ before God. Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God" (2 Corinthians 3:4-5).

Observation
Paul learned through experience that the deliverances he experienced during his missionary journeys and the successes he realized were not of his own making. They were the result of God's work in his life.

Moses and Israel learned the same lesson when God parted the waters so they could pass through the Red Sea on dry ground.

David learned this when he waited on God to receive his kingdom rather than taking matters into his own hands after King Saul turned on him and drove him into the wilderness.

The Psalmist rightly declared:
"People, despite their wealth, do not endure;
they are like the beasts that perish.
"This is the fate of those who trust in themselves,
and of their followers, who approve their sayings" (Psalm 49:12-13).

Job lost everything and learned this through his sufferings.

The people in Jeremiah's day, who refused to learn this lesson, were told they would become exiles in a foreign land for 70 years.

And Jesus promised his disciples that they need not worry beforehand about what to say to their persecutors, "Just say whatever is given you at the time, for it is not you speaking, but the Holy Spirit" (Mark 13:11).

Application
I admit that I am most overwhelmed by the stresses of life when I try to deal with them by myself. This past week I was in San Diego, tending to my parents' estate. As trustee, I've been shouldering the responsibility to make everything go as smoothly as possible. While I was there, I learned that the people buying my parents' home had an inspection done that revealed several major problems with the 43-year-old house, which made it uncertain whether they would continue with the escrow.

My brother-in-law, a faithful Christian man, said, "Just remember who's in charge." When he said that, the first thing I thought was, "Yes...I know who is in charge...I AM!" But then I realized he was assuring me that God was in control and I need not worry.

That brief exchange made me realize just how much of that burden I had taken on myself rather than prayerfully relinquishing it to the One who is sufficient for all things!

As I write this blog, it is still uncertain whether escrow will close. But God is in control. No matter the outcome, God will help everything work out the way HE wants it to work out. And that's what matters.

What burdens are you carrying? In what ways are you trusting in yourself instead of God?

This week's Scripture reading calls us back to one central imperative of the Christian life: we must trust God in all things...great and small!

Prayer
O Lord, help me be quicker to unload my burdens on you rather than trying to carry them myself. Forgive me for my lack of trust...and help me to trust you completely! In Jesus' name, amen.

Have a blessed week!

Faithfully,
Chuck

Week 16: Holy Week

2011-04-21T11:19:00.000-07:00

Here is the reading material for this week:

Sunday (Epistles): ! Corinthians 15-16
Monday (Law): Exodus 9-12
Tuesday (History): 1 Samuel 26-31
Wednesday (Psalms): Psalms 45-47
Thursday (Poetry): Job 31-32
Friday (Prophecy): Jeremiah 17-21
Saturday (Gospels): Mark 13-14

This week means a lot to two faiths: Christianity & Judaism.

For Christians, this week marks the triumphant entrance of Jesus into Jerusalem as well as his betrayal and swift execution at the hands of the Pharisees. Christian faith is really based on the events of this week and the following Sunday (Easter). This is the week Christians proclaim that Jesus Christ was the Son of the One Living God, He died for the sins of all people past, present and future, and He rose from the dead.

For Jews, this week marks the Passover. This is the celebration of God's release of Israel from the bondage of the Egyptians. This is the time the nation of Israel took its first steps together as a true nation and began to establish itself as promised by God to Abraham. The Exodus readings last week and this week cover the Passover, some regulations of the Passover as well as the crossing of the Red Sea.

This Friday evening at Woodhaven Community Church @6:30pm is an opportunity to gather as a church body to remember the sacrifice God made for the sake of His children: Us. We hope to see you there.

Have a great week- next week will be some really Good News!!!

-Mike

Week 15: Dialogue with God

2011-04-10T22:34:00.000-07:00

This week, the reading plan is as follows:

* Sunday (epistles): I Corinthians 13-14
* Monday (the Law): Exodus 5-8
* Tuesday (history): I Samuel 21-25
* Wednesday (psalms): Psalms 42-44
* Thursday (poetry): Job 29-30
* Friday (prophecy): Jeremiah 12-16
* Saturday (gospels): Mark 9-10

These passages contain a lot of dialogue / arguing with God. In Exodus 5-8, we see Moses arguing with God (see for example Ex.5:22 & 6:12). In I Samuel 23:11, we see David plead with the Lord to answer him on some practical issues. In Job 29-30, we see Job make his final case to defend his innocence before the Lord. In Jeremiah 12, we see Jeremiah complaining to God. In I Corinthians 14, we see Paul give instructions on speaking in tongues - which is speaking to God directly (1 Cor.14:2).

When you read these passages, at first it might seem somewhat disturbing to see so many different people talking with God in so many different ways, sometimes even calling Him out because they don't agree with what He does. But you know what... God actually likes to have this dialogue with us, because He cares deeply about us. He is our Father, and we are His children, and He wants his children to talk to him.

Prayer
Heavenly Father, we thank you that we can call you Abba, Father. We thank you that we are your children, and that we can talk to you just like we can talk to our earthly fathers and mothers and family and friends. When we are upset, you want us to share that with you. When we are sad, you are there to listen and comfort us. And when we have praises, Lord we want to bring them all to you, for you are worthy of all our praise. In Jesus Name, Amen.

Wishing you many meaningful dialogues with Him this week.

Dick

Week 14: The Ultimate Paradox

2011-04-02T16:48:00.000-07:00

This week's reading takes us into deep and rich spiritual water. It unfolds like this:

*Sunday: 1 Corinthians 11-12
*Monday: Exodus 1-4
*Tuesday: 1 Samuel 16-20
*Wednesday: Psalms 39-41
*Thursday: Job 27-28
*Friday: Jeremiah 7-11
*Saturday: Mark 7-8

We learn in 1 Corinthians that though we are many and diverse, we are called and gifted by the Holy Spirit to form one body, the church.

In Exodus we see God calling a reluctant Moses into a ministry of deliverance that would forever change the world.

In 1 Samuel we see the prophet anointing David, who appears to be the most unlikely of candidates to serve as Israel's next king. And in the Psalms we read the writings of a spiritually mature David, and realize why he was God's choice.

In Job we see the most righteous of all human beings alive at that time enduring the most strenuous of suffering.

In Jeremiah we see people who know what's right refusing to do what's right.

In Mark we hear Jesus telling us that the road to the cross is the way to life.

In other words, we are presented in this week's readings with several stunning paradoxes:

*Unity is realized amid diversity
*Fear and reluctance precede heroism and victory
*The most insignificant people in the eyes of human beings are the greatest in God's
*The most upright of God's people endure the grimmest of suffering
*There's often a disconnect between knowing truth and living truth

These are all challenging paradoxes to be sure, but the ultimate paradox occurs in our reading from Mark...

*Whoever loses their life gains it, but whoever gains it loses it

Scripture
“Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it. What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul?" (Mark 8:34-36).

Observation
This is nothing less than revolutionary teaching! It makes no earthly sense. Our world teaches us to watch out for number one, to seize the day, to be the masters of our destinies. In a word, we are taught to "gain the whole world" (or whatever part of it we can).

The way of Jesus is counterintuitive...paradoxical. It's not the way we naturally lean. To obey this teaching, we have to act in a manner contrary to every self-preserving, self-promoting, self-aggrandizing instinct.

Application
This teaching should give each of us a spiritual gut check. Am I living for Christ or am I living for myself? Am I seeking to magnify the name of Christ with my life or am I trying to make a name for myself (to try and do both is to work at cross purposes with the gospel!)? Am I taking up the cross of submission or the crest of success?

Prayer
Show me, Lord, my life’s end
and the number of my days;
let me know how fleeting my life is.
You have made my days a mere handbreadth;
the span of my years is as nothing before you.
Everyone is but a breath,
even those who seem secure.
Surely everyone goes around like a mere phantom;
in vain they rush about, heaping up wealth
without knowing whose it will finally be.
But now, Lord, what do I look for?
My hope is in you. (Psalm 39:4-7)

Have a blessed week!

Faithfully,
Chuck

Week 13: Freedom...

2011-03-28T20:14:00.000-07:00

Here is the schedule for this week:

Sunday (Epistles): 1 Corinthians 9-10
Monday (Law): Genesis 48-50
Tuesday (History): 1 Samuel 11-15
Wednesday (Psalms): Psalms 36-38
Thursday (Poetry): Job 25-26
Friday (Prophecy): Jeremiah 1-6
Saturday (Gospels): Mark 5-6

Here is my SOAP for the week:

Scripture: I Corinthians 10:23 "Everything is permissible"- but not everything is beneficial. "Everything is permissible"- but not everything is constructive.

Observation: What a wonderful country we live in. We are pretty much free to do whatever we want. We are free to go for the American Dream, free to worship in our own manner and free to speak our minds. We are also free to make mistakes, free to make a fool out of ourselves and also free to be wasteful and sinful. What this verse is saying to me is "Just because you can do something does not mean that you should do it." What are the consequences of our actions, our words and our thoughts?

Application: I tend to sometimes get caught up in the "culture wars" in America. Issues like abortion and homosexuality tend to get caught up in this maelstrom of emotion where two opposing sides volley venom back and forth in an effort to "win" their battle. I have to remind myself in the heat of these discussions that there are real people out there who struggle with these issues in their lives. Society tells them that these issues are "permissible," and therefore good. What I cannot do is judge people based on issues like these, nor can I engage in a meaningful discussion with them by pounding them over the head with Scripture. As much as I see their need for a Savior, I must take the log out of my own eye so I can see MY OWN need for a Savior. We are all on the same team. And because of that we need to work through this thing called life together if we are all to experience indescribable freedom in Heaven.

Prayer: Heavenly Father I just want to thank you for your Word. I want to thank you for the simple verses, the ones that may take only ten seconds to hear but much longer to digest. I am in need of your grace today and will need it tomorrow. I ask in Your Name that grace is given to others who may not know you, that they will know you and be saved. I also ask in Your Name that grace is also given to those who do know you, but have a hard time focusing on You. The gift of freedom is a great gift, but I am asking for the wisdom to use this gift for how it was intended. Thank you for being a great and loving God, and I pray all of this in Your Name. Amen.

Have a great week!

In Him,

Mike

Week 12: A Bright Future Ahead...

2011-03-20T12:10:00.000-07:00

The reading plan for this week is as follows:

* Sunday (epistles): I Corinthians 7-8
* Monday (the Law): Genesis 44-47
* Tuesday (history): I Samuel 6-10
* Wednesday (psalms): Psalms 33-35
* Thursday (poetry): Job 23-24
* Friday (prophecy): Isaiah 62-66
* Saturday (gospels): Mark 3-4

From time to time, the apostle Paul makes statements that go against some of our preconceived notions of how we should live. In 1 Corinthians 7:29-31 we read:

Scripture
What I mean, brothers, is that the time is short. From now on those who have wives should live as if they had none; those who mourn, as if they did not; those who are happy, as if they were not; those who buy something, as if it were not theirs to keep; those who use the things of the world, as if not engrossed in them. For this world in its present form is passing away.

Observation
At first glance, Paul makes some radical statements here that go against our ideas of 'happy marriage', 'caring for/mourning with those who mourn', 'being happy and celebrate with those who are happy', 'enjoying the blessings that God gives us here on earth', etc. The last verse, however, makes it clear what Paul is trying to say here: we should not be consumed by this world, the actions of this world, the emotions of this world, or the possessions of this world. Instead, our focus should be on the New World, that is coming when Jesus returns.

Application
This week's scripture reading shows us some aspects of the New World in the closing chapters of Isaiah. In Isaiah 65:17, the LORD himself claims: "Behold, I will create new heavens and a new earth. The former things will not be remembered nor will they come to mind." Paul's statement in the letter to the Corinthians reflects this strong belief, that God has something so much better for us in mind. In the middle of our daily worries, emotions and struggles, we have to keep our eyes fixed on the new world that lies ahead of us.

We can't always see God's immediate purpose of the things that bother us on this earth. That's when we have to remember what Joseph said in Genesis 45:7-8: "But God sent me ahead of you to preserve for you a remnant on earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance. So then, it was not you who sent me here, but God." See, at the time, Joseph didn't know why his brothers sold him into slavery, or why he ended up in an Egyptian jail for many many years. But in hindsight, God had a plan to save millions of his people through the hand of Joseph.

In the same way, God will save us through all we're going through. All we need to do is remain faithful, and keep our eyes on the future, when He will return.

Prayer
Heavenly Father, we thank you for your provision, for the strength you give us from day to day, and for the hope that you provide for our future. Help us to keep our eyes focused on that glorious future that you have in store for us. We look forward to meeting you face to face. Help us to reflect your radiance in this dark world. In Jesus name, Amen.

Have a great week, and let your light shine bright, that other people may know the hope you have for the future (Mark 4:21).

In Him,

Dick

Week 11: Being Transparent Before the Lord

2011-03-13T14:15:00.000-07:00

This week's Scripture readings unfold like this:

* Sunday (Epistles): 1 Corinthians 5-6
* Monday (The Law): Genesis 40-43
* Tuesday (History): 1 Samuel 1-5
* Wednesday (Psalms): Psalms 30-32
* Thursday (Poetry): Job 21-22
* Friday (Prophecy): Isaiah 56-61
* Saturday (Gospels): Mark 1-2

We cover a lot of ground here! Yet one unifying theme that stands at the heart of this week's readings is Psalm 32, which occurs right in the middle of the week. It speaks to the relational complexities between friends and family members, as seen in the readings from the epistles, the law, and poetry...and the alienation that stands between human beings and God, as seen in readings from history, Psalms, prophecy, and the Gospels.

Scripture
Psalm 32 begins with the soul-freeing declaration:
Blessed is the one
whose transgressions are forgiven,
whose sins are covered.
Blessed is the one
whose sin the LORD does not count against them
and in whose spirit is no deceit.

But as we see next, this joyous sense of fellowship with God came only after a bitter struggle to hide from God:
When I kept silent,
my bones wasted away
through my groaning all day long.
For day and night
your hand was heavy on me;
my strength was sapped
as in the heat of summer.

In other words, David recounts the heaviness he felt before he confessed his sins to God.

Scripture attests elsewhere that "when we confess our sins, God is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:9).

That's exactly what happened to David when he finally gave in to God:
Then I acknowledged my sin to you
and did not cover up my iniquity.
I said, “I will confess
my transgressions to the LORD.”
And you forgave
the guilt of my sin.

Observation
We human beings tend to run from God during the times in which we should be drawing ever closer to him. It happened in the Garden of Eden when the first man and woman disobeyed God and discovered that they were naked. They felt shame and hid from God when they heard him approaching.

It's that same sense of shame that induces us to run from God when we need his help the most. But what we see in Psalm 32 is that God is quick to forgive us when we open up to him.

Application
As we work through the assorted Scripture readings this week, we will encounter human brokenness in a variety of forms. As we do so, let's ask ourselves what things may be at work in our own lives that are keeping us from enjoying the fullness of a relationship with God and each other. Then, let's resist the temptation to hide from God. As David wrote, "...let all the faithful pray to you while you may be found" (Psalm 32:6).

Prayer
O Lord, you've promised to draw near to us when we draw near to you. You've given us your assurances that you will never leave us or forsake us. You have done everything to atone for our sins. And now, Lord Jesus, you are in heaven interceding for our every transgression. Still, in light of all that, we let shame get the best of us. We run and hide from you like our primordial parents did. Embolden us to seek you when every instinct tells us to flee. Strengthen us by your Spirit to draw near to you in our time of need. And, like David, put your song of forgiveness and joy in our hearts. Amen!

Have a great week!

Faithfully,
Chuck

Week 10: Grace

2011-03-11T17:51:00.000-08:00

Begging forgiveness for the late post- I apologize for holding you up on your reading. For the sake of brevity this week, here is the reading plan:

Sunday (Epistles): 1 Corinthians 3-4
Monday (The Law): Genesis 36-39
Tuesday (History): Ruth
Wednesday (Psalms): Psalms 27-29
Thursday (Poetry): Job 19-20
Friday (Prophecy): Isaiah 51-55
Saturday (Gospels): Matthew 26-28

Blessings this week- remember to wash with SOAP!

In Him,

Mike

Week 9: God stays with us, wherever we go.

2011-02-28T09:51:00.000-08:00

The reading plan for this week is as follows:

* Sunday (epistles): I Corinthians 1-2
* Monday (the Law): Genesis 32-35
* Tuesday (history): Judges 17-21
* Wednesday (psalms): Psalms 24-26
* Thursday (poetry): Job 17-18
* Friday (prophecy): Isaiah 45-50
* Saturday (gospels): Matthew 23-25

There are some tough parts of scripture this week, especially the description of two "rapes", one of the concubine of a Levite in the last chapters of the book of Judges - which in my opinion is probably one of the darkest part of scripture, if not the darkest part. And the other rape concerns Dina, Jacob's daughter, and the revenge by her brothers, another dark part in the history of God's people. The Bible is honest about this, and does not cover up these dark stories, but uses them as life lessons for us to teach us wrong from right.

For this week's soap analysis we look at Jacob's encounter with God in Genesis 35:

Scripture
Genesis 35:3: "We are now going to Bethel where I will build an altar to the God who answered my prayers when I was in distress. He has stayed with me wherever I have gone."

Observation
In this chapter of the book of Genesis, we see Jacob return to Bethel -- which means "House of God" -- where he had his first encounter with God, over 20 years ago. At that time, he was on the run for his brother Esau who wanted to kill him because Jacob had betrayed him. He ran away from his elderly home to his uncle Laban with just a staff in his hand and clothes on his body.

Now, more than 20 years later, he has established himself as a patriarch: Father of 12 sons and at least 1 daughter, and grandfather of many. Owner of a huge livestock. Wealthy. God had given him rest and brought him back to the Promised Land. God had answered all his prayers, and had delivered him from the distress he was in. Most recently, in Chapter 33, God had delivered him from the wrath of Esau. Jacob was still under the impression that Esau wanted to kill him, even after 20 years. Jacob cries out to God in Gen. 32:11: "Oh God, please rescue me from my brother Esau..." And God answers this prayer as well. Chapter 33 always touches me, when Jacob and Esau reconcile, and the two brothers show "real love" for one another, probably for the first time in their life.

Then comes chapter 35. In verse 1, God instructs Jacob to go back to Bethel to settle there, to build him an altar, and to worship him. Jacob responds right away, because he remembers his vow to the Lord in Gen. 28:20-22 all to well: "If God will be with me and protect me on this journey and give me food and clothing, and if he will bring me back safely to my father, then I will make the LORD my God. This memorial pillar will become a place of worshiping God, and I will give God a tenth of everything he gives me."

God gives him a "friendly reminder" that now is the time to fulfill that promise, and Jacob responds in 35:3. I just love that verse: "... the God who answered my prayers when I was in distress. He has stayed with me wherever I have gone."

Application
God is a God who keeps his promises, no matter what. He stays with us, wherever we go. And he answers our prayers, especially when we are in distress. Many times I forget who God is and His power to deliver me when I'm in distress, but even so many times, God will give me a "friendly reminder" of who he is, and how he is there to deliver me from whatever situation I'm in. I hope you can relate and that you can tell your own stories of the times God has answered your prayers. In response, we worship him for all he has done, just like Jacob did at Bethel.

Prayer
Heavenly Father, we thank you for answering our prayers when we are in distress. We thank you for your friendly reminders in the good times, to not forget who you are, and to continue to worship you. Help us to never forget. You are worthy of all our praise. In Jesus' name - Amen.

Have a great week.
In Him,

Dick

Week 8: Accepting Each Other as Christ Accepts Us

2011-02-23T08:18:00.000-08:00

This week's Scripture reading unfolds like this:

Sunday: Romans 15-16
Monday: Genesis 28-31
Tuesday: Judges 12-16
Wednesday Psalms 21-23
Thursday: Job 15-16
Friday: Isaiah 40-44
Saturday: Matthew 20-22

Scripture
This week's readings bring us back to one theme repeatedly: the challenges associated with relating to other human beings.

In Genesis we read of the difficulties that Jacob had relating to his father-in-law, Laban. In Judges we see how much trouble Samson had in dealing with the Philistines (and the Philistines with Samson!). In Psalm 22 we see a poignant messianic prophecy in which Jesus is hanging on the cross, listening to those who are mocking him: "Everyone who sees me mocks me. They sneer and shake their heads, saying, 'Is this the one who relies on the LORD? Then let the LORD save him! If the LORD loves him so much, let the LORD rescue him!'"

After getting more lame advice from his friends, Job exclaims, "What miserable comforters you are! Won’t you ever stop blowing hot air? What makes you keep on talking?" (Job 16:2). And Jesus, in Matthew 20, talks about the jealousy a group of day-laborers felt when they saw the foreman pay the same amount to others who worked only an hour.

The key to these relational challenges is found in Romans 15 where the Apostle Paul says this:

"We who are strong must be considerate of those who are sensitive about things like this. We must not just please ourselves. We should help others do what is right and build them up in the Lord. For even Christ didn’t live to please himself....

"May God, who gives this patience and encouragement, help you live in complete harmony with each other, as is fitting for followers of Christ Jesus. Then all of you can join together with one voice, giving praise and glory to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ." (vv. 1-3, 5-6)

Observation
It's easy to theorize and theologize about seeking to please others over ourselves. It's another thing entirely to live it out! This week's Scripture readings recount several concrete situations in which the difficulties associated with getting along with each other present themselves.

Application
As you engage in this week's readings, prayerfully consider the ways in which the various scenarios in the Bible are playing themselves out in your life. Try to identify by name the people who are currently presenting the greatest "relational challenges." Narrow your thinking to one person with whom you will seek to sweeten your relationship by "helping them do what is right and building them up in the Lord" (Rom. 15:2).

Prayer
O Lord, we want to do your will in getting along with everyone in our lives. And we confess that sometimes we simply do not have the wisdom to know how best to handle some of these relationships. You also know that in some cases, we've tried to make things right...but the person won't reciprocate. Please give us the wisdom to discern the difference between "reconcilable" and "irreconcilable" relationships...and, by your grace, help us accept one another the way Christ accepts us. We pray in his name. Amen.

Have a great week!

Faithfully,
Chuck

Week 7: Keeping Your Word

2011-02-16T16:17:00.000-08:00

Sunday: Romans 13-14 (Epistles)
Monday: Genesis 24-27 (Law)
Tuesday: Judges 7-11 (History)
Wednesday: Psalms 18-20 (Psalms)
Thursday: Job 13-14 (Poetry)
Friday: Isaiah 34-39 (Prophecy)
Saturday: Matthew 17-19 (Gospels)

In this week's reading the following story is told that always wrecks me: The promise of Jephthah to the Lord in Judges Ch. 11:29-40.

In this passage Jephthah makes a vow to the Lord in return for success- the heartbreaker is that his vow will cost him his only daughter... The amazing part of the story is how the daughter exhibits faith and wisdom beyond her years knowing full well her life has been made forfeit as a result of her father's promise.

In my life I take away two things from this passage:

1) Making a promise to the Lord is not something to be taken lightly. Most times these promises are empty as they are made under duress and/or under the strong influence of emotion. How many times have I promised God something and then not lived up to it? Too many times to count.

2) The wisdom of children is a beautiful thing. It's too bad we grow up and take life too seriously. Children "get it." I am too busy and wrapped up in myself sometimes that I totally miss what life is really about. Jephthah's daughter exhibits total maturity and faith while knowing her life is forfeit to the Lord. She is granted two months to mourn and lived those months with high integrity, not even giving in to earthly pleasures.

My prayer for this week is have the wisdom and courage to make my "Yes" a true "Yes" and my "No" to be likewise.

Be of good cheer and faith this week!

In Him,

Mike

Week 6: Living by the Guidance of the Holy Spirit

2011-02-07T08:53:00.000-08:00

The reading plan for this week is as follows:

* Sunday (epistles): Romans 11-12
* Monday (the Law): Genesis 20-23
* Tuesday (history): Judges 1-6
* Wednesday (psalms): Psalms 15-17
* Thursday (poetry): Job 11-12
* Friday (prophecy): Isaiah 29-33
* Saturday (gospels): Matthew 14-16

To truly understand what Paul is saying in Romans 11 (and the preceding chapters 9 & 10 as well), we have to read Abraham's account in Genesis 21 (and Gen.15 & 17). Abraham was the founding father of the nation of Israel. God had promised Abraham the land of Israel, and descendents. We've seen the promise of receiving the land being fulfilled 400 years after Abraham, in the account of Joshua that we finished last week.

The promise of receiving descendents we see fulfilled in Genesis 20, where Isaac is born. Isaac became the father of Jacob (whom God gave the name 'Israel'), who became the father of 12 sons -- who became the 12 tribes of Israel. God always keeps his promises! And that's why in Romans 11 we read that He will keep his promise with Israel. He's not done with them yet. There will come a day when the nation of Israel will accept Jesus as their Messiah. They too will receive the Holy Spirit to guide them at that point.

In the book Judges -- which we start this week -- we see what happens when the spirit is not their to guide the people of Israel.

Scripture
Judges 2:10-11: "After that generation died, another generation grew up who did not acknowledge the LORD or remember the mighty things he had done for Israel. Then the Israelites did what was evil in the LORD's sight and worshipped the images of Baal."

Observation
The people of Israel obeyed God under the leadership of Joshua and the elders who had seen God's miracles when leading them out of Egypt and through the dessert for 40 years. When this generation passed away, the new generation did not stand up and take spiritual leadership. Instead, they reverted to their evil ways, disobeying the LORD, and worshipping the idols of the land.

Application
This passage is a great warning for me personally, but really for all of us. We need to let the Holy Spirit guide us in our daily lives. We can do that through the leadership of elders in our church and/or other mature Christians who deeply know and love the LORD. We can do that through reading of the scriptures. And we can do that through prayer. If we don't do this, we will become like the Israelites and revert back to our old nature, oftentimes worshipping the idols of our culture. Idols such as money, self-centeredness, comfort, addictions, entitlement, etc. If, on the other hand, we release control to God, and let His spirit guide us, we are focused on his will for our lives, and we're focused on others and building them up.

Prayer
Heavenly Father, please forgive us when we fall short by not letting your Holy Spirit guide and empower us. Please fill us with your spirit each day and each hour of each day, to live fruitful lives for you. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Read Romans 12 several times this week, to hear Paul's instruction of what it truly means to live a life guided by the Holy Spirit.

Have a great week.
In Him,

Dick

Week 5: Resting in God's Mercy

2011-01-28T17:43:00.000-08:00

This week's Bible readings unfold as follows:

* Romans 9-10 (epistles)
* Genesis 16-19 (the Law)
* Joshua 21-24 (history)
* Psalm 12-14 (psalms)
* Job 9-10 (poetry)
* Isaiah 23-28 (prophecy)
* Matthew 11-13 (gospels)

Scripture
The passage that ties this week's Bible readings together comes from our gospel selection (Matthew 11-13) in which Jesus says to us, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 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. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light" (11:28-30).

Observation
The readings this week cover a variety of people, places, and times. But there's a unifying theme that runs through most of what we read.

We see it in Paul's reflection on God's sovereignty and human salvation (Romans 9-10).

It appears again in Genesis 16-19 in which we see God's merciful deliverance of Lot and his family before destroying Sodom and Gomorrah.

It is evident in God's renewing of his covenant with Israel (Joshua 21-24).

This unifying theme is underscored again in the words of the Psalmist:
I trust in your unfailing love;
my heart rejoices in your salvation.
I will sing to the Lord
for he has been good to me.
Psalm 13:5-6

In the midst of his suffering, Job cries out for it:

If only there were someone to arbitrate
between us,
to lay his hand upon us both.
someone to remove God's rod from me,
so that his terror would frighten me
no more.
Then I would speak up without fear of
him
but as it now stands with me, I
cannot.
Job 9:33-35

And Isaiah, speaking directly to God, describes it this way:
You will keep in perfect peace
those whose minds are steadfast,
because they trust in you.
Trust in the Lord forever,
for the Lord, the Lord, is the Rock
eternal.
Isaiah 26:3-4

The theme is trusting and thereby resting in God's unfailing mercy.

Jesus is our mediator, our arbiter, as Job put it. Because of Jesus we can "approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need" (Hebrews 4:16).

Application
As we read these beautiful sections of Scripture this week, let's make a point of trusting that God is with us every single moment...whether we are awake or asleep; whether we are thinking about this fact or not. But let's strive to be more conscious of the fact that we are yoked to Jesus. We are forever connected. When we trust in this truth, we find rest for our souls...and the stress of life will simply not have the power to keep its stranglehold on us.

Prayer
O Lord, thank you for your unfailing love that keeps us steadfast in your presence. Thank you for Jesus with whom through your grace we are yoked and for whose sake we live eternal life even now. Amen.

Have a blessed week!

Faithfully,
Chuck

Week 4: Taking the initiative...

2011-01-26T08:52:00.000-08:00

The reading plan for week 4 is as follows:

* Sunday (epistles): Romans 7-8
* Monday (the Law): Genesis 12-15
* Tuesday (history): Joshua 16-20
* Wednesday (psalms): Psalms 9-11
* Thursday (poetry): Job 7-8
* Friday (prophecy): Isaiah 18-22
* Saturday (gospels): Matthew 8-10

Some great passages this week, including Genesis 15 where Abram unconditionally trusts God, and God therefore calls him 'righteous'. Also included are two great chapters from Romans, where Paul acknowledges his own weakness and his need for a savior.

This week's SOAP exercise, however, is taken from lesser-known book of Joshua:

Scripture: Joshua 18:1-3
Now that the land was under Israelite control, the entire Israelite assembly gathered at Shiloh and set up the Tabernacle. But there remained seven tribes who had not yet been allotted their inheritance. Then Joshua asked them, "How long are you going to wait before taking possession of the remaining land the LORD, the God of your ancestors, has given to you?"

Observation:
In this passage we see that Israel had taken control of the land of Canaan. However, 'taking control' merely meant 'occupied'. They had not yet casted out all the inhabitants of the land and possess it for themselves, to live and thrive there, the way God had commanded. Seven of the 12 tribes were still waiting on something. From this text it appears that they did not take initiative themselves. They were just waiting for Joshua to give them orders, kind of like children who don't do their chores unless they are told/forced by their parents.

We know from chapter 13:1 that Joshua was already an old man. He had seen and experienced it all... including God's miracles. You can see his irritation and sarcasm when he asks: "How long are you going to wait..."?

Application:
From time to time I find myself in a similar situation, where I'm spiritually passive, almost lethargic. I know God has commanded me to take some action (like the Israelites were commanded to take ownership of the land), but I wait for something else to happen or someone else to encourage or force me to do it. This is not good. I need to be pro-active and take ownership and control of the things God wants me to do.

Prayer:
Heavenly Father, I know I'm weak and oftentimes wait on others to take initiative to build your kingdom. Help me to discern your will for my life, the tasks you have laid before me, and give me the strength and will-power to execute it to your honor and glory. In Jesus name. Amen.

Have a great week.

Week 3: Serving the right Master

2011-01-16T15:13:00.000-08:00

This week the reading plan is as follows:

* Sunday (epistles): Romans 5-6
* Monday (the Law): Genesis 8-11
* Tuesday (history): Joshua 11-15
* Wednesday (psalms): Psalms 6-8
* Thursday (poetry): Job 5-6
* Friday (prophecy): Isaiah 12-17
* Saturday (gospels): Matthew 5-7

Several times in the past months we've talked about the S.O.A.P. method for journaling. SOAP stands for: Scripture, Observation, Application and Prayer. As you read your bible daily, we encourage you to use the SOAP method to journal:

1) select one verse (or section) that really grabs your attention that day;
2) make some simple observations about the text (for example by asking yourself questions like 'Why', 'Who', 'When', 'Where', 'What', 'How', etc.)
3) make an application for yourself, based on the observations you made
4) close your time with a simple prayer, such as asking God to help you follow through on your application

Here's a SOAP example based on this week's reading.

Scriptures:

Romans 6:16
"Don't you realize that whatever you choose to obey becomes your master? You can choose sin, which leads to death, or you can choose to obey God and receive his approval. ... 18.Now you are free from sin, your old master, and you have become slaves to your new master, righteousness."

Matthew 6:24
"No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money."

Observation:
These verses from the letter of Paul to the Romans, and the words of Jesus in Matthew 6:24 stood out to me today. They are both linked together. Paul is saying that before we knew Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, we were servants (slaves) to this master called "sin". Basically, without fully knowing it, we were slaves of sin, trapped in a destructive lifestyle that would ultimately lead to eternal death. But when we accepted Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, we no longer were slaves to sin, but rather slaves (servants) of Jesus Christ, and a lifestyle of righteousness that comes with that.

Jesus is saying similar things in Matthew 5-7, his famous sermon on Mt. of Olives, also known as the 'beatitudes'. He is calling everyone to obey God and serve Him. Do away with your old sinful lifestyle, and give your life to Him. In Matthew 6:24 Jesus makes it very clear that we cannot choose both: once we serve God in our new lifestyle, we cannot hold on to our old sinful lifestyle. We cannot serve two masters. Instead we have to CHOOSE.

The apostle Paul also emphasizes that we have to choose: choose sin which leads to death, or choose to obey God. It's a choice that we have to make.

Application:
If I look at my own life, too often I find myself trying to serve two (or more) masters. I try to serve God, but I also try to please many of the other masters in my life, like people, money, sinful behavior. These words from both Paul and Jesus himself are a call to action for me, to get rid of the other masters, which means to not SERVE them like a slave, but only be committed to Jesus Christ as the only master in my life.

Prayer:
Heavenly Father, I acknowledge that too often I try to serve too many masters. You know that it is not my intent, but rather a left-over of my old selfish lifestyle. I pray that you help me to become more and more committed to you alone, and make your son Jesus Christ the only master in my life. In his name I pray, amen.

Have a great week as you serve our Lord.

In Him,
Dick

Week 2: God's Faithfulness

2011-01-07T17:04:00.000-08:00

Now that the Christmas tree is out of the house, and ornaments, lights, and assorted decorations are stowed neatly in their places, the New Year is starting to feel "normal." And we hope that "normal" includes daily Bible readings as you make your way through 2011.

This time around, to keep things interesting, we will be jumping each day to different sections of Scripture. Scholars often construe the Bible along the lines of seven distinct literary genres: (1) epistles, (2) the Law, (3) history, (4) psalms, (5) poetry, (6) prophecy, and (7) gospels.

The readings each week will follow the same order, starting with a reading from the epistles on Sunday and ending with a gospel reading on Saturday.

This week's readings are as follows:

*Sunday (epistles): Romans 3-4
*Monday (the Law): Genesis 4-7
*Tuesday (history): Joshua 6-10
*Wednesday (psalms): Psalms 3-5
*Thursday (poetry): Job 3-4
*Friday (prophecy): Isaiah 7-11
*Saturday (gospels): Matthew 3-4

One key theme that appears in this week's readings is the faithfulness of God.

Though none of us is without sin (Rom. 3:23), God faithfully and freely justifies us "by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus" (3:24).

When human sin reached the point of no return, God faithfully devised a way to preserve the human race through Noah and his offspring (Gen. 4-7).

When the Israelites entered the Promised Land, God faithfully went before them, toppling the walls of Jericho (Josh. 6).

No matter how many foes stood against him, David could proclaim, "You are a shield around me, O Lord; you bestow glory on me and lift up my head. To the Lord I cry aloud, and he answers me from his holy hill" (Psa. 3:3-4).

Job is at the front end of his sufferings in this week's readings. But when we get to the end of the story, we will see a faithful God restoring Job's estate.

Isaiah promises a deliverer: "The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel" (7:14). We know who that is!

And in our Gospel reading, we see Jesus faithfully enduring temptation after 40 days of fasting in the wilderness (Matt. 4:1-11).

What these readings show us is that God loves us unendingly. He wants us to trust him with every part of our lives...even those parts that require his grace and forgiveness (especially those parts!).

As you read through these sections of Scripture, remember that God is the same, yesterday, today, and forever. God is in the saving, healing, forgiving, and loving business. And you are the object of his greatest affection!

O Lord, thank you for being faithful to us...even when we falter. Thank you for making us your children through the saving work of Jesus Christ. Thank you for sending Christ to face temptation and endure the cross...all to give us the gift we could never deserve: the gift of everlasting life with you. Amen.

Have a great week!

Faithfully,
Chuck

Week One- Beginnings!

2011-01-05T16:36:00.000-08:00

Sorry for the late post- we have been investigating different ways to approcah this "Read ther Bible in One Year" concept. The web has so many different plans to do this, but we found one that intrigued us and would like to get going on this immediately. This is a 52 week plan as opposed to a calendar year plan- each day is a reading from a different aspect of the Bible (listed in parenthesis). We are a couple of days behind, so there is a little catch up, so here goes...

Sunday (Epistles): Romans 1-2
Monday (The Law): Genesis 1-3
Tuesday (History): Joshua 1-5
Wednesday (Psalms): Psalms 1-2
Thursday (Poetry): Job 1-2
Friday (Prophecy): Isaiah 1-6
Saturday (Gospels): Matthew 1-2

This will help keep the reading fresh each day...

The highlights for this week are the Creation in Genesis, the march of Israel into the Promised Land, and the birth of Jesus.

While these events seem to be un-correlated, each of them represents a beginning of some sort: the beginning of the Earth, the beginning of the nation of Israel as a sovereign nation and the beginning of our salvation through Jesus Christ.

Please post yout thoughts or comments accordingly so we can either answer questions or jump in on the conversation!

In Him,

Mike, Dick & Chuck

Week 52: Revelation!

2010-12-27T20:36:00.000-08:00

Can't believe it, but week 52 is already here! First, I'd like to commend all of you who have followed this blog one way or another. If you have finished all reading: Congratulations, you have read the entire Bible in 1 year!!! This is a big accomplishment, you stuck to it, and you finished it. Well done. If you have not finished all reading, but are now reading your Bible regularly, I’d like to congratulate you as well. I’d say this is even more important than finishing in 1 year. Reading God’s word on a daily basis is one of the most important habits you can develop as a follower of Christ, and it is life changing. Don’t worry about the fact that you haven’t finished the entire Bible in 1 year. I didn’t finish it the first time I’ve tried to read it in 1 year, but you know what… it gets easier every time you try it. Well done!! If you tried, but gave up after a while because you couldn’t keep up, I understand. I would urge you though, to pick it back up. Continue to stick your nose into the only book that can bring about true life transformation. One hint for next year: it’s ok to skip a section if you fall behind for one reason or another. Simply pick up the reading of the current day.

This last week we’ll tackle one of the most intriguing, yet one of the most difficult to understand books of the Bible: the book of Revelation:

• Weekend: Revelation 1 – 3
• Monday: Revelation 4 – 7
• Tuesday: Revelation 8 – 11
• Wednesday: Revelation 12 – 16
• Thursday: Revelation 17 – 20
• Friday: Revelation 21 – 22

There was a time in my life when all I read and studied was the book of Revelation and related prophetic scriptures such as the book of Daniel, Matthew 24, 1 & 2 Thessalonians, etc. In studying this book of the Bible, I have found the following wisdom: there are probably as many different explanations of the book as there are people trying to understand it. And every time someone thinks they understand Revelation, a book is written about it, claiming that the truth about it is now ‘unlocked’. The truth is: the book of Revelation contains a lot of symbolism that was probably well understood by the first recipients of the book in the 1st century A.D., but that is significantly more difficult to understand for a 20th century westerner.

Still, I know many of you have no clue what the book is all about, so I’d like to give you some more information than just saying that the book of Revelation displays an epic battle between ‘good’ and ‘bad’, and that the ‘good’ side wins in the end. But the only claim I will make, is that this is my interpretation of what the book is about. By no means is this a complete expository of all the different views and interpretations, such as pre-millennial or post-millennial, pre-, mid- or post tribulation, etc. This simply is a brief summary of my personal view. If you are interested in this topic, I encourage you to read many different books and commentaries about it, and then form your own view, or find one that makes most sense to you.

To better understand the book, it’s good to divide it into sub-sections that belong to each other. There are many different ways to do this, but one of the main keys to divide it is given in the book itself in Chapter 1 verse 19: “Write, therefore, what you have seen, what is now and what will take place later.” This verse provides a natural division of the book into the following five parts:

1) Prologue (1:1-8)
2) “What you have seen” (1:9-20)
3) “What is now” (2:1 – 5:14)
4) “What will take place later” (6:1 – 22:9)
5) Epilogue (22:10-21)

The Prologue tells us who the writer of Revelation is: Jesus Christ himself (verse 1). Jesus had received this revelation from God the Father, and had passed it on to the apostle John, writer of the gospel of John and the 3 letters of John, who wrote it down in this book. In his turn, John sent this book to seven churches in Asia (current-day Turkey). As you will find out, the number 7 plays an important symbolic role in the book of Revelation, and many scholars belief that those 7 churches represent the entire church of the New Testament, over all places and all times.

“What you have seen” refers to the vision of Jesus that John saw. At his first coming, Jesus came as a ‘baby in a manger’. At his second coming, he will come as the Son of Man to judge the world with eyes like blazing fire and a sword in his mouth.

“What is now” refers to the seven churches, and the spiritual state they are in. As mentioned before, these passages can be applied to the church of all places and all times. As such, these passages contain warnings for us, and encouragement for persevering and staying the course. The passage to the church in Laodicea always speaks to me personally: we don’t want to be lukewarm in our faith, but on fire for the Lord. When Jesus stands at the door and knocks, we better hear his voice and let him in.

Chapters 4 and 5 take us into heaven, to the throne of God. We see a beautiful picture of God sitting on the throne, and all of heaven and earth worshipping him, and worshipping the Lamb of God (Jesus), who alone is worthy to open the scroll with its seven seals (5:9). Chapter 5 verse 13 shows us what this book of Revelation is ultimately all about: Every creature on heaven and earth will say: “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever!”

Chapter 6 verse 1 to Chapter 22 verse 9 covers the “What will take place later” part of the book. This is the part that’s confusing to many people because of its wealth of symbolism, and the many different explanations that go around. Without going into too much detail, I’d like to give you a birds-eye view of this section. In a nutshell, we see three sevenfold numbered series:

1) Seven seals (Chapter 6)
2) Seven trumpets (Chapters 8 & 9)
3) Seven bowls (Chapter 16)

Many books about Revelation will state that each of these three series of seven contain some sort of judgment of the world. I think that’s definitely true about the seven trumpets and seven bowls, however, in my opinion, the scroll and its seven seals represent a picture of world history during the end-times. I don’t think the white horse in 6:1 is Jesus, as some say, but rather the anti-christ, who is out to conquer the world. I believe that the first 5 seals all talk about the great tribulation that will take place during the reign of the anti-christ. Seals 6 and 7 announce the 2nd coming of Jesus, who will wage war and judgment against the anti-christ.

After the intermezzo of Chapter 7 about the 144.000 sealed from the nation of Israel, Chapters 8 and 9 show us that the 7th seal ‘unlocks’ the 7 angels with the 7 trumpets. These angels with their trumpets hold judgment against the world and the kingdom of the anti-christ. What is striking to me is the response of ‘mankind’ who were not killed by the plagues from the trumpets: “they still did not repent of the work of their hands; they did not stop worshipping demons…”. Unbelievable how hard someone’s heart can be after seeing all these judgments!

Before the 7th trumpet gets blown in Chapter 11:15, there is first another intermezzo about the angel and the little scroll, and about the two witnesses in Jerusalem. This latter passage contains the time-frame 42 months and 1260 days, which both equal 3 and a half years, which many scholars explain to be the 2nd half of the last ‘year week’ (=7 years), as prophesied in Daniel 9:27.

I believe that the 7th trumpet concludes the judgment, and that the description of the 7 bowls in Revelation 15 & 16 are a detailed description of this last judgment of the 7th trumpet. In other words, chronologically, Chapters 15 and 16 continue where Chapter 11 leaves off.

Chapters 12 to 14 therefore form another intermezzo that depict the world history from a different angle, namely that of the dragon (=devil), the beast of the sea (=anti-christ), and the beast of the earth (= false prophet). One reason that I think justifies the thought that the chronology is temporarily broken in these 3 chapters, is that Chapter 12 shows us the birth of Jesus: I believe that the woman in 12:1 is a picture of the nation of Israel, from whom the Messiah was born. (12:5 is an unmistakable reference to the birth of Christ) Verse 5b then talks about the ascension of Jesus to heaven.

Ok, take a deep deep breath here. I never tried to summarize the book of Revelation in a few pages, and I feel hopelessly flawed in trying to do so. Stick with me though, as we continue this ‘birds-eye view’ of the book.

After the final judgment of Chapters 15 and 16, Chapters 17 and 18 contain another intermezzo about the ‘woman on the beast’, or ‘Babylon the great’. Several explanations exist for this ‘woman’. The most common one is that this woman represents the (non-christian) ‘world religion’ that is followed during the reign of the anti-christ. The woman also represents a city, ‘Babylon’. Many scholars belief that this was a reference to ‘Rome’ (7 hills, see 17:9) and its emperors in the 1st century A.D.. Dependent on how you explain, the 8th king of 17:11 is then either Nero (54-68A.D), or Domitianus (81-96A.D). Without a doubt, the readers in the 1st century A.D. would have made this connection, and I belief part of this scripture is fulfilled in these emperors. However, history has shown us many different ‘anti-christs’, such as Antiochus Epiphanes, Nero, or Hitler for that matter. Whenever evil raises its head on a large scale, an anti-christ appears and the devil (dragon) gives his power away to destroy. I belief we still have to expect (at least) one more anti-christ who will fulfill all these scriptures, and who will be the personification of the devil on earth.

Chapter 19 shows us who will ultimately conquer the anti-christ: Jesus Christ and his army of saints (19:14). He is King of Kings and Lord of Lords, and the beast (=anti-christ) and false prophet are thrown into the lake of fire, which is a picture of hell.

Chapter 20:1-6 is one of the shortest sections of scripture that has caused great controversy in terms of how to explain it. It talks about the 1000 year reign of Christ, also called the ‘millennium’. Many scholars belief that many of the old-testament prophesies about the restoration of Israel’s kingdom (the day of the Lord), and prophesies from Isaiah about the lion and lamb being together, etc., will take place during these 1000 years. Because of all that’s written about this subject, I will not go into detail here . Let’s just take the text for what it is: after judgment of the anti-christ, Jesus will reign on earth for an extended period of time, together with all the believers who will be resurrected (20:5-6). The devil, who had given his power to the anti-christ, will not be able to do anything for these 1000 years. After those 1000 years, he will have one more chance to wreak havoc, but he too will be thrown into the pit of hell (20:10).

After judgment of Satan, the final judgment will take place before the white throne. I believe this is the judgment of the non-believers, everyone who has willfully denied Christ as their savior. Note how this judgment is called the ‘second death’ (20:14), in contrast to the ‘first resurrection’ of the believers (20:5-6).

Chapters 21 and 22 conclude with a beautiful picture of the new heaven and new earth, and the new Jerusalem coming down from heaven. A lot can be said about these two chapters alone, but suffice it to say that the main thing we take away from this is that heaven and earth will become one. God will tabernacle (=reside) among the people, and we will see his face, and that of the Lamb (=Jesus) day and night, and worship him before his throne. Chapter 21:22 says: “I did not see a temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple”. And the glory of God will be its light and the Lamb is its lamp (nice play of words…).

Chapter 22:1-5 contain some of the most encouraging and comforting verses of the entire Bible. This is our hope and future, folks. Hang in there if you are going through a tough time right now. This life is temporary, but the life described in verses 1-5 is eternal!!

The book closes with an epilogue, and a warning for those who read it (22:18-19): we are not to add nor take away from the words of this book. I’m not sure, but I’m afraid many have not taken this warning to heart. I encourage you to see it as an exhortation to take the words of this book very seriously. And not just this book, but the entire Bible.

I hope this 50,000 feet view of the book of Revelation was useful to you. Let me state again that many of the things said here, represents my personal view of the subject. The more you read this book, the more you will shape your own view and thoughts. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to ask them on the blog or in person. Thank you for your faithfulness in sticking with the reading program. We will do it all again next year. And the year after that and after that… until Jesus will come back to establish his kingdom here on earth.

The Spirit and the bride (=we, the church) say, “Come!” And let him who hears say, “Come!” Whoever is thirsty, let him come; and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life”. Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!

In Him,
Dick

Week 51: James through Jude

2010-12-20T07:16:00.000-08:00

Less than two weeks to go before this year's journey through the Bible comes to a close. We trust that it has been a rewarding effort...and it takes effort to stick with a commitment like this for the whole year.

Perhaps you missed some reading along the way.

Not to worry!

There's always next year.

For now, we still have some great material in front of us before the year draws to a close. Here's how this week's reading unfolds:

* Weekend: James 1-5
* Monday: 1 Peter 1-5
* Tuesday: 2 Peter 1-3
* Wednesday: 1 John 1-5
* Thursday: 2 John (extra short reading...good for last-minute Christmas shopping)
* Friday: 3 John and Jude (another light reading day)

Even though we have a light reading load this week, it is rich with content. It contains some of the most practical advice that we find in the New Testament. James teaches us how to put trials and tribulations into the right perspective. He helps us "put feet" on our faith by insisting that what we believe is evidenced by how we live (novel concept, eh?). James teaches us how to "tame the tongue." He contrasts the so-called wisdom of the world and the "wisdom that comes from heaven." He helps us put our ambitions for success into perspective and he encourages us to hang in there during tough times.

Peter's two letters are equally helpful...as are the letters of John and Jude. But enough commentary...

It's time to get into the Word!

Happy reading...

Faithfully,
Chuck

Week 50: Titus through Hebrews

2010-12-12T18:52:00.000-08:00

Here is this week's scheduled reading plan:

Weekend: Titus & Philemon
Monday: Hebrews 1-3
Tuesday: Hebrews 4-6
Wednesday: Hebrews 7-9
Thursday: Hebrews 10-11
Friday: Hebrews 12-13

Since WCC just completed a series on Hebrews this last Spring, I will not go into this book for the purposes of this post.

Rather, I would like to ask you to focus on the weekend reading material- the letters of Paul to Titus and Philemon.

In the letter to Titus, Paul is charging Titus with the task of appointing elders in the church. Pay attention to the qualities of the elders as per Paul. Verses 5-10 basically lay out what a leader in the church (and in the family) ought to look like. Chapter 2 raises the stakes for wives, young men and slaves as well as the men. Pay attention...

In the letter to Philemon, Paul is asking for Philemon to treat his runaway slave Onesimus as an equal as he is returning to his house. Onesimus has accepted the Lord and Paul is pleading for Philemon to look upon him as an equal going forward. To boot, Paul is saying to Philemon "Hey, if this guy owes you anything or has hurt you in any way- take it up with me to settle it. I'll cover the damages." Paul is puttting his money and life where his mouth is... knowing full well that Philemon owes much to Paul for leading him to Christ in the first place...

Here's hoping you are having a great Christmas season and I look forward to touching bases with you again when we start reading all over again!!!

Mike

Week 49: Philippians to 2 Timothy

2010-12-05T10:32:00.000-08:00

The last 2 days of week 48 and all of our current week 49, we will read one of Paul's letters each day:

* Weekend: Philippians
* Monday: Colossians
* Tuesday: 1 Thessalonians
* Wednesday: 2 Thessalonians
* Thursday: 1 Timothy
* Friday: 2 Timothy

Reading an entire bible book in one day is a great opportunity to really understand some of the issues discussed in that book at a deeper level. It gives you a higher-level understanding of the issues that the writer addresses and tried to convey to his readers.

If you've been following our weekly series "Living to die & dying to live" at Woodhaven Community Church, you should know a lot about the book of Philippians by now. If you've missed it, you can always go on-line to listen to sermons on this letter:

http://sc.fhview.com/sc_customplayer/seriesitems/1/119313

The letter to the Colossian church is addressed to mostly non-Jewish believers. The church is commended and thanked for its solid faith. However, Paul does warn against false teachers and he calls the church to not be misguided by them, but remain steady in the faith the way it was taught. Paul emphasizes the message of God's grace, received in Jesus Christ.

Thessalonica was the capital of the Roman province of Macedonia, the northern part of present-day Greece. Paul likely wrote this letter during his stay in Corinth. This letter is dated around 50 A.D. and is assumed to be the oldest document in the New Testament. Again, Paul thanks this church for its faith and their good reputation. He also calls them to remain faithful in times of persecution. The first and second letter to the Thessalonians contain a lot of valuable information regarding the end-times, the so-called anti-christ, and the corresponding second return of Jesus Christ. As a matter of fact, the last verses of each chapter in 1 Thessalonians contain some information about this subject, and 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 into Chapter 5 contain a revelation that Paul received through the Holy Spirit.

The second chapter in 2 Thessalonians talks all about the person of the anti-christ. The reason Paul is writing this, is because the church believed that Jesus Christ could return any day now, and therefore they had quit working and neglecting their daily responsibilities. This is a good warning for us as well. We need to be ready for Christ's return at any time, however, we can't use that as an excuse to neglect our daily responsibilities.

Finally, the two letters of Paul to Timothy are personal letters from Paul to his beloved 'son in the faith' and partner in ministry, Timothy. These two letters, together with Paul's letter to Titus, are called the 'pastoral' letters, because like a pastor, Paul instructs, exhorts, and encourages, two of his key partners in the ministry. These letters have instructions for how church leaders should conduct themselves, which still are used as guidelines for appointing elders/leaders in today's church.

These instructions and letters have stood the test of time, and will continue to do so until Jesus will come back to take his bride with him. We encourage you to be ready for his return, by staying true to Him, and by faithfully staying in His word that brings life.

In Him,

Dick

Week 48: 1 Corinthians 15 - Ephesians 6

2010-11-27T10:07:00.000-08:00

This week's reading covers the balance of 1 Corinthians and three of the Apostle Paul's other books: 2 Corinthians, Galatians, and Ephesians.

The Apostle Paul is associated with 13 Bible books - just under half of the total number of New Testament books (27). In some cases, he dictated his letters to a scribe, who wrote down his words (see Romans 16:22). In other instances, he appears to have shared the authorship with others (see Philippians 1:1; Colossians 1:1; 1 & 2 Thessalonians 1:1). And in some cases, he wrote the books by his own hand (see Galatians 6:11).

What's interesting is that while Luke's work covers 28 percent of the New Testament in just two books (the Gospel of Luke and the book of Acts), Paul's 13 books cover only slightly more than that: 31.5 percent. The reason for this is obvious: Luke wrote 2 lengthy books and Paul wrote 13 short books by comparison. But these statistics tell only half the story.

The New Testament consists of 4 basic literary types: (1) Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John), (2) historical narrative (Acts), (3) letters (everything from Acts to Revelation), and (4) apocalyptic (Revelation).

Before we started into Romans, our reading of the New Testament brought us into contact with 2 literary types: Gospels and historical narrative. Beginning with Romans we encountered the New Testament's third type of literature: letters. From now until we get to Revelation we will be spending our time in this "third type."

Paul wrote his letters to individuals and groups of people (churches). Romans, 1 & 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and 1 & 2 Thessalonians are addressed to specific churches (and groups of churches, as is the case with Galatians - see Gal. 1:2, "...to the churches in Galatia"). His letters to Timothy, Titus, and Philemon speak directly to individuals.

Paul's letters are personal, situational, and timely.

In terms of the personal nature of his letters, Paul often addressed people by name. He prayed in his writing for the people to whom he was writing. When you read Paul's letters, you sometimes get the feeling that he is speaking directly to you. You can feel his passion, his concern for your soul, and his desire to see you succeed in your faith. You also feel his anger and frustration when he is writing to those who are messing up in one way or another. Paul asks the people to whom he is writing to pray for him. He is very specific in his prayer requests. He freely shares his struggles as well as what he is learning from them.

Paul also addressed specific issues that individuals and churches were facing at the time...and in that sense his letters were always situational and timely. When we read Paul's letters, therefore, we are essentially listening in on his conversations...like listening to someone talking on their cell phone (though less annoying). :)

As we listen in on these conversations, we sometimes discover that the situations that Paul's readers were facing at the time are strikingly similar to the challenges we are facing in the moment. There are times, in fact, when it feels like these portions of Scripture are alive with meaning...that's because they are!

Enjoy this week's reading!

* Weekend: 1 Corinthians 15-16
* Monday: 2 Corinthians 1-5
* Tuesday: 2 Corinthians 6-9
* Wednesday: 2 Corinthians 10-13
* Thursday: Galatians
* Friday: Ephesians

Faithfully,
Chuck

Week 47: Romans 6 to 1st Corinthians 14

2010-11-21T20:59:00.000-08:00

Here is the reading plan for this week:

* Weekend: Romans 6-8
* Monday: Romans 9-11
* Tuesday: Romans 12-16
* Wednesday: 1st Corinthians 1-6
* Thursday: 1st Corinthians 7-10
* Friday: 1st Corinthians 11-14

Last week we read about the activities of the apostles as they spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ through the land. This week we pick up the reading in Romans, the first of the letters of instruction that serve as the balance of the New Testament.

Romans is a particularly special book- in this, not only does Paul seek to teach, but he also puts himself up for an example of how the everyday Christian struggles in this world. Struggles such as sin, rebellion and pride are tempered by Paul with instructions regarding spiritual transformation, love and submitting to authority.

The next letter to the Corinthian church is a response to what Paul is hearing about this church. There has been infighting in the church and reports that immorality of certain types abound. Restoration of this church is very important- and getting back to the basics is what Paul prescribes for them. The last chapter of the reading this week will sound very familiar as this is the text used at WCC when we celebrate Communion together.

As an aside, this week kicks off what is called "The Holiday Season." Our culture has spent a considerable amount of time and energy to marginalize what really this time of year is about. Please continue to keep reading and taking the time daily to be quiet with God- it can be very easy to lose focus this time of year... have a Happy Thanksgiving and a great week overall!!!

In Him,

Mike

Week 46: Acts 19 - Romans 5

2010-11-14T20:16:00.000-08:00

This week we'll finish the book of Acts and start the book of Romans:

* Weekend: Acts 19 - 20
* Monday: Acts 21 - 23
* Tuesday: Acts 24 - 26
* Wednesday: Acts 27 - 28
* Thursday: Romans 1 - 3
* Friday: Romans 4 - 5

In chapters 19 to 21, we witness the last part of Paul's 3rd missionary journey. We see how the gospel of Jesus Christ -- also called "The Way" in Acts 19:23 -- causes a riot in the city of Ephesus, because a silversmith by the name of Demetrius feels that his business of making silver shrines for the goddess Artemis is threatened by it -- and it is! We see how the gospel is powerful and spreading in the countries of Turkey and Greece, and churches pop up everywhere.

Later on in chapter 20, we witness the emotional farewell words of Paul to the elders of Ephesus. Paul knows he will not see them again, which leaves everyone saddened. Sometimes, that's how the Lord works. He brings people like Paul into our lives for a period of time, people that instruct and equip us, and mentor us. Look how Paul has mentored the elders of Ephesus in Acts 20:31 "Remember that for 3 years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears". Paul's love for them was such that he mentored them night and day for 3 years. Now it's time for them to stand on their own feet and take on the responsibility of mentoring the flock that God entrusted to them.

The final chapters of Acts show us Paul's last missionary journey -- as a prisoner. First he is arrested in Jerusalem by zealous Jews who want to kill him. Next he testifies before the Sanhedrin (the Jewish religious leaders). Then he testifies before several Roman governors, Felix and Festus, and he also testifies before the Jewish King Agrippa and his wife. Paul could have obtained his freedom, but because he had appealed to Caesar because of his Roman citizenship, he now has to go to Rome to testify one more time: before the Roman emperor himself. Paul sacrificed himself in order to proclaim the gospel at the highest stage possible, the court of Caesar.

The book of Acts ends open-ended. We know Paul arrives in Rome safely (after a shipwreck adventure, see Acts 27), but he goes in house-arrest for several years, where he continues to proclaim the gospel. We know from Paul's letters that he did testify before the Caesar, likely several times (see 2 Timothy 4:16-17). And he did get his wish granted of finally meeting the church of Rome (see Romans 15:23). The Bible doesn't tell us how and when he died, but according to Christian tradition he was beheaded in Rome during the reign of Nero around A.D. 64.

Paul fought the good fight, and finished the race that the Lord had set out before him. He mentored many during his lifetime, but billions more through his letters that have been recorded in the Bible. One of his most precious letters is his letter to the Christians in Rome, which lays a clear foundation for the doctrine of salvation by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. More on that letter next week!!

Have a great week of reading. Let Paul's life and suffering inspire you to offer your life as a living sacrifice to Jesus Christ, every day.

Dick

Week 45: Acts 1-18

2010-11-05T15:18:00.000-07:00

This week's reading encompasses about two-thirds of the book of Acts. In the original language, the title is "Acts of [the] Apostles." Interestingly, the book focuses mainly on the acts of just three Apostles: Peter, John, and Paul. In fact, more than half the book is dedicated to Paul's conversion and ministry. Another principal player in the drama of Acts is the Holy Spirit. No other New Testament book highlights the work of the Spirit as much as Acts. This has prompted some Bible commentators to suggest that the book should have been named "Acts of the Holy Spirit."

The other Apostles, however, do make several key appearances. They are present and accounted for in the opening of the book, as Jesus gives his final instructions before ascending to heaven. They are together when they choose Judas' replacement (1:12-26). Together they receive the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost (2:1-4). They were an integral part of the conversion of 3,000 people and the beginning of the early church (2:41-47). The Apostles were thrown in jail, freed by an angel of the Lord, and told to stand in the temple courts and preach the good news of Jesus...to the chagrin of the religious leaders who locked them up (5:12-42). They appointed seven key leaders to address a divisive issue, one of whom was Stephen, the church's first martyr (6:1-7:60). And they were present at the famous Jerusalem Council, which decided the fate of every non-Jewish Christ follower from then until now (15:1-35). So in the end, "Acts of the Apostles" is a fitting title.

We've pointed out that Acts is Luke's Volume 2. The Gospel of Luke is Volume 1. This is a book about new beginnings and the struggles associated with them. One important point to notice is that when people do God's will, those who don't won't like it.

Our Bible reading for the week unfolds like this:

* Weekend: Acts 1-2
* Monday: Acts 3-7
* Tuesday: Acts 8-9
* Wednesday: Acts 10-12
* Thursday: Acts 13-14
* Friday: Acts 15-18

As you make your way through this exciting portion of Scripture, prayerfully consider the ways that God is calling you to carry out his will...and ask for God's help to deal gracefully with those who might not like it when you do.

Faithfully,
Chuck

Week 44: John 1 - 21

2010-11-01T22:12:00.000-07:00

One gospel per week! This week the book of John:

* Weekend: John 1 - 3
* Monday: John 4 - 6
* Tuesday: John 7 - 9
* Wednesday: John 10 - 12
* Thursday: John 13 - 17
* Friday: John 18 - 21

The gospel according to John is different from the first 3 gospels of Matthew, Mark & Luke, also called the synoptic gospels (syn=equal, optic=seen -> these gospels share a similar view and are clearly linked). The gospel of John is written by the apostle John, who can be regarded as one of Jesus' best friends, if not THE best friend. That John was very close to Jesus is clear from this gospel, where John several times talks about himself as "the disciple whom Jesus loved". The gospel of John also talks a lot about Jesus' love for his disciples and for us, and has a number of intimate passages that are nowhere else found in the Bible. Jesus' prayer in John 17 is such a passage.

The gospel according to John gives us a unique insight in God's love for mankind through His son, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. The opening verses are some of the most famous verses in the Bible that show this perspective:

"1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of all people. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it."

It is our prayer that you may find light and life in Him by reading through this marvelous and inspiring gospel account.

Have a great week.

Week 43: Luke 7 - 24

2010-10-23T19:40:00.000-07:00

This week we'll finish the Gospel according to Luke, with an easy-to-remember '3 chapters per day' reading schedule:

* Weekend: Luke 7 - 9
* Monday: Luke 10 - 12
* Tuesday: Luke 13 - 15
* Wednesday: Luke 16 - 18
* Thursday: Luke 19 - 21
* Friday: Luke 22 - 24

As Chuck already mentioned last week, the gospel according to Luke is part 1 of a 2-part series, the book of Acts being part 2. Luke was a physician and, as such, his writings are very detailed. In chapter 1 verse 3 he mentions: "Therefore, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, it seemed good also to me to write an orderly account for you...". Note the words 'carefully investigated' and 'orderly'. Luke had investigated for himself that the accounts concerning Jesus were true and trustworthy. This is tremendous evidence for the Christian faith. These stories are not fabricated fables or nicely constructed novels, but trustworthy eyewitness accounts.

When you read these accounts, I encourage you to take God's advice in Luke 9:35 to heart: "This is my Son, whom I have chosen; listen to him." We have to listen to Jesus when speaks to us through his word. In your Bible, underline Jesus' sayings that speak to you. Here are a number of versus that speak to me:

"If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me" [9:23]

"See to it, then, that the light within in you is not darkness. Therefore, if your whole body is full of light, and no part of it dark, it will be completely lighted, as when the light of a lamp shines on you." [11:35,36]

"Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions." [12:15]

"But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well." [12:31]

"Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to." [13:24]

"I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent." [15:7]

In the gospels, we often see Jesus as a teacher. He taught his disciples, and he still teaches us today through the accurate accounts written down by Luke and other gospel writers. Take his teachings to heart. Meditate on them and let them transform your life.

Dick

Week 42: Mark 4 - Luke 6

2010-10-15T15:21:00.000-07:00

This week's reading takes us into the middle of the Synoptic Tradition. The Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke share many similarities because each of these writers drew from the same oral and written sources.

The Gospel accounts that we have in our Bibles were compiled and written between AD 65 and 85, which means that the first generation of Jesus' followers relied on a robust oral tradition and short written stories. (In fact, the first New Testament book, James, did not come into existence until about AD 50.) The Synoptic Tradition drew together these oral and written stories, which came from eyewitness accounts of the Apostles and others closely associated with Jesus.

The early church fathers were united in their conviction that Matthew, a former tax collector and one of the twelve Apostles, was the author of the Gospel that occurs first in the New Testament. Interestingly, Matthew drew much of his material from the Gospel of Mark, which was written by Barnabas' cousin, John Mark, around AD 65.

New Testament scholars are in general agreement that Mark's Gospel was the first of the three synoptic Gospels and that both Matthew (written in the 70s) and Luke (also written in the 70s) drew liberally from Mark's material. That Matthew, himself an eyewitness of Jesus' life and ministry, would rely so heavily on Mark's account has caused some scholars to question whether Matthew actually wrote the Gospel bearing his name. One answer is that Matthew agreed with Mark's account and, while adding his own unique touches, sought to present a united apostolic witness. Luke was not an eyewitness, so no scholars question whether he wrote his Gospel on the basis of his reliance on other sources.

Matthew developed his Gospel for a Jewish audience. His main goal was to demonstrate that Jesus was their long-awaited Messiah. He did this by (1) highlighting Jesus' family ties with Israel's greatest King and messianic archetype, King David, and (2) showing how many key events in Jesus' life were prefigured and prophesied in the Old Testament.

Mark was in Rome when he produced his Gospel. He sought to comfort his fellow Christians in Rome during a period of severe persecution, which went from AD 64 to 67. He emphasized that suffering was an integral part of Jesus' life and plays a key role in forging true faithfulness in the lives of Jesus' followers. References to suffering and discipleship occur throughout this Gospel (see 1:12, 13; 3:22, 30; 8:34-38;10:30, 33, 34, 45; 13:8, 11-13). Bishop Papias, an early church leader who wrote in the first half of the second century, quoted an earlier source, possibly the Apostle John, saying that Mark relied heavily on the Apostle Peter as he compiled his Gospel.

Luke wrote his Gospel for one man, Theophilus, whose name means "lover of God." He calls him, "Most excellent Theophilus" (1:3), which likely indicates that he was a person of wealth and prominence or perhaps a high-ranking Roman official. However, even though the book is addressed to a single individual, Luke clearly developed his Gospel with a wider audience in mind. He uniquely underscored such key themes as salvation's being available to Gentiles as well as Jews, the important role that women played in Jesus' life, the work and influence of the Holy Spirit, Jesus' practice of prayer, his concern for the poor, his affection for sinners, and his frequent use of the title, "Son of Man." Luke's Gospel is Volume One of a two-volume series. The book of Acts is his Volume Two.

This week's reading is as follows:
* Weekend: Mark 4-7
* Monday: Mark 8-10
* Tuesday: Mark 11-13
* Wednesday: Mark 14-16
* Thursday: Luke 1-2
* Friday: Luke 3-6

Some of Jesus' teachings are difficult to understand, so don't get frustrated if you aren't able to grasp everything he says. When you come upon a hard saying, relax, keep reading, and know that God will meet you in his word and give you what you need to know that day.

Seasoned readers of Scripture are forever delighted at what new things God reveals each time they read the Bible, knowing that the book they hold in their hands is a gift that the first generation of Christ followers lived without.

Have a great week!

Faithfully,
Chuck

Week 41- Matthew 11 through Mark 3

2010-10-11T11:44:00.000-07:00

Here is the reading plan for the week:

*Weekend: Matthew 11-13
*Monday: Matthew 14-18
*Tuesday: Matthew 19-23
*Wednesday: Matthew 24-25
*Thursday: Matthew 26-28
*Friday: Mark 1-3

There is a saying that the Bible is the story of salvation. The Old Testament details how flawed we are as people and how we are in need of a Savior. The New Testament is the coming of that Savior, His atonement for the sins of all human beings- past, present and future- and the reward for living in faith.

If you participated in the New Testament Challenge last fall, you are no doubt very familiar with the readings from here on through the end of the year. But please continue to be diligent in your reading. God has something to say to us each time we open our Bibles. That passage you dismissed last year as just another sentence may be the passage that you need to hear today to get through a certain obstacle.

Jesus has many things to say this week on a variety of topics: Why we should follow Him (11:28-30), divorce (19:1-12), the importance of money (19:16-30) and paying taxes ((22:15-22) among others.

It is extremely difficult to unpack this book in a short blog posting, so I will wrap it up here with this: Chapter 22, verses 34-40 sum up how we as Christians should live. Life is about relationships- not rules- and these specifics are about as clear as they could ever be...

Have a great week reading!!!

-Mike

Week 40: Zechariah 12 to Mathew 10

2010-10-01T23:48:00.000-07:00

Believe it or not, but this week we will finish the Old Testament (OT) and start the New Testament (NT)!! This is a major accomplishment, not only because the OT is more than 3 times as long as the NT, but also because parts of the OT are less familiar for most of us.

This week's reading plan is as follows:

* Weekend: Zechariah 12 - 14
* Monday: Malachi 1 - 2
* Tuesday: Malachi 3
* Wednesday: Matthew 1 - 4
* Thursday: Matthew 5 - 7
* Friday: Matthew 8 - 10

The last few chapters of Zechariah contain a number of interesting prophesies regarding both Jesus, as well as the end-times, when the Day of the LORD will come. Many of the prophesies in Revelation are related to these prophesies here at the end of Zechariah, which emphasizes once again the unity of OT and NT.

The book of Malachi is the last book of the so-called Minor Prophets, and it is also the last book of the Old Testament. Parts of this book form an interesting dialogue with rhetorical questions, see for example Chapter 1:7, 2:17, 3-14. The central theme of the book is God's covenant with the priests and the people. God accuses his people of doubting the covenant, and He calls for repentance. Chapter 3 versus 6-12 contain a challenge for all of us regarding our money and faithfully giving a portion back to Him of what He has so faithfully given us.

The last couple versus talk about the return of Elijah. Jesus later interprets that by saying those verses refer to John the Baptist, who was a prophet in the spirit of Elijah.

After the book of Malachi was written, God was silent for about 400 years, i.e., He didn't speak through any prophets for a long period of time. This is sometimes referred to as the 'silent time', almost like the 'dark ages' of the Old Testament. God was silent for a long time, but He didn't sit still... He was preparing the world for the coming of the promised Messiah, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

The New Testament tells us all about this Messiah, starting with Matthew. More on that next week!

In Him,

Dick

Week 39: Zephaniah, Haggai, and Zechariah

2010-09-25T10:51:00.000-07:00

This week we cover the writings of three so-called minor prophets. Like Mike said last week, these books are "minor" only in the sense that they are shorter than the likes of Jeremiah, Isaiah, Ezekiel and Daniel. They are, however, just as important...and power packed!

This week's reading unfolds like this:

* Weekend: Zephaniah 1-3
* Monday: Haggai 1-2
* Tuesday: Zechariah 1-2
* Wednesday: Zechariah 3-6
* Thursday: Zechariah 7-8
* Friday: Zechariah 9-11

The prophet Zephaniah lived and preached during the reign of King Josiah. His contemporaries included Jeremiah, Nahum, and Habakkuk. Not surprisingly, Zephaniah's message was similar to that of his contemporaries. Jerusalem had lost its way spiritually and would soon fall into the hands of Nebuchadnezzar and the Babylonian army. The main theme of Zephaniah's writings is "the day of the Lord," which was not a good thing for the ungodly inhabitants of Jerusalem!

The prophets Haggai and Zechariah, on the other hand, served some 80 to 100 years later, when Jerusalem was being rebuilt by those who had returned from Babylonian exile. The two prophets were contemporaries. They engaged in a sort of tag-team ministry. Both prophets focused on the rebuilding of God's temple. While the people had built for themselves nice, paneled houses, the Lord's temple still lay in ruins (Hag. 1:2-3). God's message through Haggai and Zechariah was, "put me back in the center of your lives!"

Zechariah was both a prophet and a priest. His ministry paralleled that of Haggai, but he was much younger than Haggai, so he continued his work long after Haggai's death. The book of Zechariah is one of the longest of the Minor Prophets, roughly the same length as Hosea (both in terms of word count and number of chapters - 14).

What distinguishes Zechariah from Hosea is the number of messianic prophesies. Zechariah predicted that the Messiah would be humble and lowly (6:12; 13:7), making his triumphal entry on a donkey (9:9). He would be betrayed for 30 pieces of silver (11:12-13), crucified ("struck down," 13:7), and seated on the throne of glory (6:12-13). Accordingly, he would rule the earth and be worshiped by people of all nations (14:9, 16).

As you read this wonderful material, pray that God would speak to you and impress upon your heart the ways he is calling you to make him the center of your life. "Lord, I want to be wholly yours. Open the eyes of my heart to see the ways I can put you first in my life for Jesus' sake. Amen!"

Have a great week!

Faithfully,
Chuck

Week 38: Jonah, Micah, Nahum & Habakkuk

2010-09-17T17:08:00.000-07:00

Here is the reading schedule for this week:

* Weekend: Jonah
* Monday: Micah 1-2
* Tuesday: Micah 3-5
* Wednesday: Micah 6-7
* Thursday: Nahum
* Friday: Habakkuk

We will knock out 4 books this week! Like it has been described earlier, we are in the middle of reading the books of the Minor Prophets, but if you have been keeping up with the reading, these books are anything but minor. How are the books speaking to you personally?

This week we start with Jonah- one of my personal favorites! This is a story of a prophet who disobeys God when given a direct order. Jonah is afraid to prophesy to the people of Nineveh because he fears for his life as he thinks he will be killed or hurt very badly when they reject God's word. He takes the long route to achieving his objective and eventually succeeds. What lesson can you pull from his story?

Micah displays the power of prophecy, especially in chapter 5. Hmmm... who do you think he is describing???

Nahum is about another prophecy to Nineveh, this time about 150 years after Jonah fulfilled his mission. Nineveh has fallen away from God again and this time God is determined to demonstrate His judgment as opposed to the mercy He showed in Jonah's day...

Habakkuk is a cool read- it is partly a dialogue with God about why evil is allowed to "prosper" in the world... sound kinda familiar? Well, God answers that He is truly in control and that He will act and react according to His will. The main thing we all need to realize is that we must live in faith- faith that God is good and that He will care for those who choose to have a relationship with Him.

We really hope you are keeping up and are finding enjoyment and/or fulfillment in the Word. Keep on reading and please let us know what you are thinking if you like!

Have a great week!!!

-Mike

Week 37: Joel, Amos & Obadiah

2010-09-10T09:45:00.000-07:00

This week we read Prophets 2, 3 & 4 out of the series of 12 minor prophets:

* Weekend: Joel
* Monday: Amos 1 - 2
* Tuesday: Amos 3 - 5
* Wednesday: Amos 6 - 7
* Thursday: Amos 8 - 9
* Friday: Obadiah

Joel is the 2nd prophet from the collection of minor prophets. There is very little known about the prophet himself. Because of his concern for Judah and Jerusalem, it is generally accepted that that's the area he lived and prophesied. Dating the book is difficult too because of lack of historical references, but most scholars date the book in the 6th century BC, either right before the Babylonian captivity or afterward (586BC).

Joel prophesies about the "great and dreadful day of the LORD" (2:31). The massive locust plague and severe drought devastating Judah are all signs of that day. Confronted with crisis, he calls on everyone to repent: old and young (1:2-3), drunkards (1:5), farmers (1:11) and priests (1:13). The locusts are described as the LORD's army and he sees in their coming a reminder that the day of the LORD is near.

Chapter 3 is famous because the apostle Peter quotes it in one of the most famous sermons of the Bible in Acts chapter 2:14-47 (apart from Jesus' sermons). This chapter in Acts shows an interesting aspect about prophesies, namely that many prophesies are partly fulfilled at some point in time, but still wait for their complete fulfillment at a later point in time. In this particular case, the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, as prophesied by Joel 600 years earlier (!), had its fulfillment in Acts chapter 2, however, the 'blood and fire and billows of smoke, the sun turning to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and dreadful (or glorious) day of the LORD' has not been completely fulfilled yet. The great day of the LORD that brings judgment over all who rejected God, is still coming, and vividly described in the book of Revelation. The prophet Joel saw it all in one vision, and laid it out for us in one paragraph, but the actual fulfillment is happening at different moments in time.

Amos was a shepherd in Tekoa, a small town about 6 miles south of Bethlehem. He was not from the elite of Israel (like Isaiah who was a man of the court, or Jeremiah who was a priest). He earned his living from the flock and the sycamore-fig grove (1:1, 7:14-15). He probably ministered for the most part at Bethel (7:10-13), Israel's main religious sanctuary. His prophesies are well organized, however, it is hard to find a chronological order in his prophesies. He prophesied during the reigns of Uzziah over Judah (792-740BC) and Jerobeam II over Israel (793-753).

The main theme of the book of Amos is probably captured in chapter 5:24:

"But let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream!"

Whereas Hosea emphasized God's love, grace, mercy and forgiveness, Amos was a vigorous spokesman for God's justice and righteousness. Amos declared that God was going to judge his unfaithful, disobedient, covenant-breaking people. And we need to hear both messages too! We need to fully grasp God's love, grace and mercy, but then we also need to understand God's justice and righteousness, not just for ourselves, but also to stir in us a compassion for all those who are still lost and need to hear God's message of love, grace and mercy, lest they will not come under His judgment.

The book of Obadiah is just one chapter! His name means "servant (or worshipper) of the LORD". The prophesy is about Edom (Edom are the offspring from Esau, Jacob's (=Israel's) brother. God is upset with Edom because they gloated over Israel's devastation. Because of their family relationship, God is even more upset with Edom than other nations who show hostility toward Israel. The recurring theme of "the day of the LORD" is also in this book (verse 15-21).

I apologize for the long post this week, but wanted to give a bit of background on 3 different bible books. I hope you still enjoy reading through the Bible. This week is a good week to catch up, as the reading is very light. Joel and Obadiah are 1 day each, but you can almost read Amos in day as well, which gives you a couple days extra to catch up or get ahead.

Have a great week!

Dick

Week 36: Daniel 10-12; Hosea 1-14

2010-09-03T15:18:00.000-07:00

This week's reading completes the book of Daniel and moves into a new section of Scripture, which some have called "The Book of the Twelve" and others have called the Minor Prophets. The books of Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi are called "minor" only because of their length. Compared to Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Daniel, the works of the Minor Prophets are comparatively brief. However, the messages they share are as power packed as the larger prophetic works. In the next few weeks, we will sometimes be covering two or three books per week...in stark contrast to the long stretches in Isaiah and Jeremiah.

This week's reading comes together like this:

* Weekend: Daniel 10-12
* Monday: Hosea 1-3
* Tuesday: Hosea 4-6
* Wednesday: Hosea 7-8
* Thursday: Hosea 9-11
* Friday: Hosea 12-14

The book of Hosea, the first Minor Prophet in The Book of the Twelve, is unique in a couple of ways. It is the only book written by a prophet from the northern territory of Israel (referred to simply as Israel after Solomon's day, when the kingdom was divided between "Judah," which lay to the south and was ruled by descendants of King David, and "Israel," the northern territory, which was ruled by an assortment of wicked kings).

The book of Hosea is also unique because all the dating references are linked to the kings of Judah (rather than Israel - even though he prophesied to Israel). Some scholars take this to mean that scribes in Judah compiled the prophet's writings after the northern territory was taken over by Assyria, which deported the Israelites and replaced them with people it had taken from other lands.

The prophet Hosea had the grim task of prophesying Israel's doom and deportation. Even though God loved Israel and wanted nothing but its redemption and salvation, Israel for its part was bent on rebellion and disobedience. Israel wanted nothing more than to do its own thing...without God.

Hosea's marriage to an unfaithful woman - and his love and forgiveness of her - powerfully illustrates God's unending love for Israel. That notwithstanding, however, Israel, like Hosea's wife, would have none of it.

The message of Hosea is sobering. It shows us that it is possible for us to reach a point of no return, so to speak, in our resolve to do our own thing and have nothing to do with God.

Scripture is clear about the fact that when we are saved by Christ, we are safe from the enemy's attempts to snatch us from God's hands (see John 10:28-30). But God loves us too much to compel us to be his disciples. Jesus invites us to come to him and take his yoke upon ourselves (see Matthew 11:28-30). But if we're unwilling to follow Jesus because we are either too attached to earthly things (see Matthew 19:16-26) or because we desire to please others more than we desire to please God (see Luke 9:59-62), God will sadly leave us to our own devices.

Hosea teaches us that we can will ourselves out of God's will by insisting on living life according to our desires instead of God's desires.

Let's make this prayer of relinquishment, which Richard Foster so eloquently expressed, our prayer at the beginning of each day this week:

Today, O Lord, I yield myself to You.
May Your will be my delight today.
May You have perfect sway in me.
May your love be the pattern of my living.
I surrender to You my hopes, my dreams, my ambitions.
Do with them what You will, when You will, as You will.
I place into Your loving care my family, my friends, my future.
Care for them with a care that I can never give.
I release into Your hands my need to control, my craving for status, my fear of obscurity.
Eradicate the evil, purify the good, and establish Your Kingdom on earth.
For Jesus’ sake, Amen.

Have a blessed week!
Chuck

Week 35: Ezekiel 37-48, Daniel 1-9

2010-08-27T23:29:00.000-07:00

This week we'll finish reading the book of Ezekiel, and make a start with the prophet Daniel:

* Weekend: Ezekiel 37-39
* Monday: Ezekiel 40-43
* Tuesday: Ezekiel 44-48
* Wednesday: Daniel 1-3
* Thursday: Daniel 4-6
* Friday: Daniel 7-9

Ezekiel Chapter 37 is a story that has haunted me since I was a kid- probably a reason why I like spooky films these days... As an adult I can appreciate the imagery and how this story rounds out the end of Ezekiel's book. For me, sometimes I feel down and out of it when I lose focus on the important things in life and pretty much turn into one of those bodies that exist but have no breath... but I know that God does not make junk and that I (and all of us) have a purpose. And when that purpose is "breathed" back in to us and we are ALIVE again, it can be as powerful as an army...

As the Nation of Israel is destined to return to the land, Ezekiel has the details of how that will look and lays them out in his writings... The attention to detail is amazing to read...

Daniel is one of the most powerful books of the Old Testament. From "cover to cover" this book does not quit. Chapter 1 details the story of how Daniel and his companions come into the service of the Babylonian King. There is a great case made for eating a proper diet!

Chapter 2 relays the story of the King's dream and the interpretation of that dream- can you identify what kingdoms the different metals/substances represent?

Chapter 3 is familiar to Veggie Tales fans (The Bunny...!). God reveals Himself as the real deal to the King when he saves the three men from the furnace...

Chapters 5 & 6 are also very familiar... the lion's den and the origin of the term "the writing on the wall..."

In Chapter 7 the tone of the book switches from storytelling to the dreams, visions and prophecies of Daniel. More on this next week, but this is some really cool reading if you ever harbored doubts about the accuracy of prophecy...!

Have a great week reading!

-Mike

Week 34: Ezekiel 12 - 36

2010-08-20T08:04:00.000-07:00

This week it's all Ezekiel in the reading plan:

* Weekend: Ezekiel 12 - 15
* Monday: Ezekiel 16 - 19
* Tuesday: Ezekiel 20 - 24
* Wednesday: Ezekiel 25 - 28
* Thursday: Ezekiel 29 - 32
* Friday: Ezekiel 33 - 36

Ezekiel is one of the most remarkable prophets, if not THE most remarkable prophet, and the book of Ezekiel is one the most remarkable books in the Bible. It is probably also one of the lesser-known prophets. For me personally, the prophet and the book had to "grow" on me over time. Isaiah is known and read for its many prophesies regarding the Messiah. Jeremiah is known for prophesying and lamenting the fall of Jerusalem (in the Netherlands we even have a verb "jeremiering", which means as much as "wining"). Daniel is another famous prophet because of its famous stories of the lion's den, the fiery oven, etc. But who in the world is Ezekiel??

Well, as you have already read this past week, Ezekiel is an incredibly faithful servant. In chapter 4, God asked him to bear the sin of the people of Israel, one day for every year the people have sinned for a total of 390 days. Ezekiel has to lay down on his left side for 390 days, bearing the sin of the people!! After he's done with that, he has to lay down on his other side for 40 days, to bear the sin of the tribe of Judah. Not just laying down, but tied down with ropes, to symbolize the siege of Jerusalem. And if that is not all, God gives him only bread to eat and water to drink, and He asks them to bake the bread on human faeces!!!!! Can you believe that???!!! Ezekiel pleas with the Lord to prevent him from defiling himself, and so the Lord grants him to bake the bread on a cow pie instead of human excrements... Wow...

When I read that, I'm first of all stunned by the things that God is asking of Ezekiel, and secondly, I'm stunned by how faithful Ezekiel responds and executes the things God asks of him. Who of us would do this if the Lord would ask something like this today?? No, He won't ask these specific things, but what if He asks you to go through a time of trial that lasts more than a couple days, a couple weeks, a couple months or a couple of years? Maybe you feel like you have been 'tied down with a rope' for a long time.

Read a little further, and we see God's outrage against the sin of Israel and Judah, symbolized in the story of two sisters who commit adultery. God passionately loved them, but they rejected him time and time again (chapter 23). In this chapter, God uses some very explicit language to describe the situation, so be warned (reader discretion advised!). It is obvious that God is very upset, and does not dance around the subject.

And then... God asks an even more unbelievable thing from Ezekiel in chapter 24. God says: "With one blow I am about to take away from you the delight of your eyes. Yet do not lament or weep or shed any tears." (24:15,16). And then we read in verse 18: "So I spoke to the people in the morning, and in the evening my wife died. The next morning I did as I had been commanded."

When I read that, tears come to my eyes. I cannot believe God is asking that from someone who has been so faithful to him. I think of my own wife and family, and secretly hope God will never ever ask such a sacrifice from me. But I also know people who have experienced this, maybe not quite like Ezekiel, but most definitely a sacrifice that was hard to understand why God would allow that to happen. And I have experienced my own hardships with losses of dear people as well, some of them very untimely it seemed.

Yet... as we read the Bible more and more, we get to understand the heart of God better and better. We do not understand everything, but we do get a glimpse of the bigger picture God has in mind. We see His vision in chapter 18 verse 23:

"Do I take any pleasure in the death of the wicked? declares the Sovereign LORD. Rather, am I not pleased when they turn from their ways and live?"

and in 18:32:

"For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the LORD. Repent and live!"

That is what God wants for each us, and not just each of us, but for the entire world! That is why Ezekiel had to do what he did, to bring a message of repentance and hope to an entire nation. That's why we sometimes have to go through the dark times in life... so that God can accomplish the big picture, not just for us, but for the entire world.

I encourage you to appreciate reading the book of Ezekiel. It's not easy to read, but so rewarding if you catch the big picture as well.

In Him,

Dick

Week 33: Jeremiah 30-45; Lamentations; Ezekiel 1-11

2010-08-13T11:18:00.000-07:00

Here's this week's reading plan as we make our way through the books of Jeremiah, Lamentations, and Ezekiel:

Weekend: Jeremiah 37-39
Monday: Jeremiah 40-45
Tuesday: Jeremiah 46-52
Wednesday: Lamentations (entire book)
Thursday: Ezekiel 1-6
Friday: Ezekiel 7-11

If you are starting to feel that you've been reading the book of Jeremiah for a long time now, it's because you have. Jeremiah is the longest book in the Bible, even though other books, like Isaiah and Psalms, have more chapter divisions.

The books of Jeremiah and Ezekiel have some interesting similarities and differences. Like Jeremiah, the prophet Ezekiel lived and prophesied during one of Jerusalem's darkest periods. The year 586 BC marks the Holy City's worst catastrophe up to that point in time...its total destruction by Nebuchadnezzar and the Babylonian army. The city walls were breached and reduced to rubble. The temple was looted and burned to the ground. Homes and business were demolished. The majority of Jerusalem's population was exiled to Babylon, where the people remained for decades.

Jeremiah and Ezekiel (along with Isaiah and Zephaniah) followed the same basic sequence in writing their books. They began with a series of oracles against Israel, then moved to a set of oracles against the surrounding nations, and came full circle with oracles consoling Israel, which promised restoration and future blessing after God's judgments had run their course. While Ezekiel arranged his oracles chronologically, however, Jeremiah did not.

Ezekiel and Jeremiah ministered to many of the same people, but those people were in very different circumstances when they encountered the two prophets. Jeremiah prophesied to the inhabitants of Jerusalem before they were carried off into captivity. Ezekiel was "a missionary prophet" of sorts. He lived among the people after their exile to Babylon and instructed them on how they should conduct themselves among their captors.

The message for us is that God meets us where we're at...regardless of our circumstances in life. He instructs us on how we should live, and leaves the choice (along with the blessings and consequences of those choices) up to us. Yet, even after we've messed up in the worst possible ways, we can trust that God will never leave us or forsake us. He will deliver us and infuse us afresh with hope and joy.

A passage in Lamentations, the book that lies between Jeremiah and Ezekiel, is particularly instructive. As the early morning sun broke over Jerusalem's eastern horizon, it illuminated brown and yellowish hues of smoke, which wafted slowly heavenward from the Holy City's smoldering ashes. Jeremiah stood motionless and wept softly as he wrung these words from his lonely soul, speaking as if one with the city whose destruction he had predicted for some 40 years:

Like a bear lying in wait,
like a lion in hiding,
he dragged me from the path and mangled me
and left me without help.
He drew his bow
and made me the target for his arrows.
He pierced my heart with arrows from his quiver.
I became the laughingstock of all my people;
they mock me in song all day long.
He has filled me with bitter herbs
and sated me with gall.
He has broken my teeth with gravel;
he has trampled me in the dust.
I have been deprived of peace;
I have forgotten what prosperity is.
So I say, "My splendor is gone
and all that I had hoped from the Lord."

But then the Spirit whispered to the worn-and-weary prophet and his face brightened.

He continued...lament giving way to consolation:

I remember my affliction and my wandering,
the bitterness and the gall.
I well remember them,
and my soul is downcast within me.
Yet this I call to mind
and therefore I have hope:
Because of the Lord's great love we
are not consumed,
for his compassions never fail.
They are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.
I say to myself, "The Lord is my portion;
therefore I will hope in him."
The Lord is good to those whose hope
is in him,
to the one who seeks him;
it is good to wait quietly
for the salvation of the Lord.
(Lamentations 3:10-26)

Jeremiah made the faithful acclamation: "The Lord is my portion; therefore I will hope in him."

Whatever circumstances we find ourselves facing in the coming week, let's make this common commitment: "Come what may, the Lord is our portion; therefore we will hope in him!"

Chuck

Week 32: Jeremiah 11-36

2010-08-11T12:47:00.000-07:00

Here is this week's reading plan- all from the Book of Jeremiah:

Weekend: Ch. 11-15
Monday: Ch. 16-20
Tuesday: Ch. 21-25
Wednesday: Ch. 26-29
Thursday: Ch. 30-33
Friday: Ch. 34-36

Jeremiah was a prophet who began his ministry when a righteous king (Josiah) sat on the throne. The Book of the Law was re-discovered during the time of Josiah's reign and as king he made sweeping changes in Judah to rid the country of idols and other things that enabled the people to sin against God. Jeremiah pretty much was brought on board while the going was good...

But...

Josiah's death in battle ushered in the bad habits that led to the destruction of Israel...

In my line of work in sales, it is said that my job truly begins when I hear the answer "No." Well, for Jeremiah, his job really began when Judah's king decided to lead them back into sin. He is the messenger of bad news (truth, really) to folks who do not want to change bad habits...

As we read together the story of Jeremiah, please note that all along as people abandon him and increasingly mistreat him, that he still holds fast to his mission and ministry...

-Mike

Week 31: Isaiah 49 to Jeremiah 10

2010-07-31T08:13:00.000-07:00

This week we'll finish reading the book of Isaiah and starting with the book of the prophet Jeremiah:

* Weekend: Isaiah 49 - 52
* Monday: Isaiah 53 - 57
* Tuesday: Isaiah 58 - 62
* Wednesday: Isaiah 63 - 66
* Thursday: Jeremiah 1 - 6
* Friday : Jeremiah 7 - 10

As you finish reading Isaiah, continue to look for prophesies regarding the "Servant of the Lord", which are all pointing to Jesus. In addtion, these last chapters contain many prophesies regarding the restoration of Israel and regarding the end-times when Jesus will come back and establish His kingdom of peace. Some prophesies even refer to the very end, when God will establish a 'New heaven and new earth' (Isaiah 65). 'New' does not necessarily mean 'completely created from scratch', but rather 'restored', 'remodeled'. God is not going to let down his first creation, but rather restore it and make it whole and perfect.

The prophet Jeremiah is a very interesting book as it describes the personal life and struggles of Jeremiah in greater depth and detail than any other old-testament prophet. More on him next week!

Let us know how you are doing with the reading. Is it a struggle to keep up? I know it is for me from time to time. It is not easy to consistently read every day for 20 minutes or so. If you miss a day, you have to do 40 minutes the next day, etc. Let us know where you're at, either through the blog or by e-mail.

In His service,

Dick

Week 30: Isaiah 28 - 48

2010-07-24T14:14:00.000-07:00

This week we'll continue with the prophet Isaiah:

* Weekend: Isaiah 28 - 30
* Monday: Isaiah 31 - 35
* Tuesday: Isaiah 36 - 39
* Wednesday: Isaiah 40 - 42
* Thursday: Isaiah 43 - 45
* Friday: Isaiah 46 - 48

As Mike mentioned last week, some big things are about to happen in the book Isaiah. Chapters 28 to 35 continue to describe prophesies regarding the nations surrounding Israel, and regarding the liberation of Jerusalem. The key message over and over: not the powerful nations will bring liberation, but God alone! (Chapters 30,31,33,35).

When you read these prophesies, don't skip over them as not being relevant anymore. Be on the alert for prophesies that foreshadow the coming of Jesus, both his first and second coming. Sometimes, all of a sudden you find these 'pearls' that are hidden in the text, such as Isaiah 28:16, which is a clear prediction of the coming of Jesus.

In Chapters 36 to 39, the writer shifts from recording prophesies to recording some actual history. Jerusalem is under siege by king Sennacherib from Assyria with his mighty army (at least 185,000 troops!). The Jewish king Hezekiah and his men are desperate and put on sackcloth because of the distress. They know for sure that they cannot win this battle, unless... the Lord helps them (37:4). I especially like verse 20 of Chapter 37: "Now, O LORD our God, deliver us from his hand, so that all kingdoms on earth may know that you alone, O LORD, are God." You have to read all of chapter 37 to see if God hears Hezekiah's prayer or not.

Then, Chapter 38 is one of those other remarkable chapters in the book of Isaiah, and in the entire Bible for that matter. Hezekiah becomes terminally ill. Through the prophet Isaiah, God even tells him he will die. But... Hezekiah prays earnestly to the Lord for an extension of his life, and... God answers his prayer! He gets another 15 years to live!! That must have felt like more than a 2nd chance to life for him. That's how some of us feel when we come to know Jesus, after being 'spiritually dead' for so many years. What a gratefulness we have when we do get that second chance to life. Hezekiah shows his gratefulness in a wonderful prayer at the end of Chapter 38.

And you would think he would live the rest of his life in gratitude and trying hard to serve the LORD, just like we would do, right?! Well, the very next chapter records a costly mistake of Hezekiah that has far-reaching consequences for the kingdom of Judah.

Chapters 40 to 48 are kind of like a whole new section in the book of Isaiah. Because of its literary style and its different contents, it is generally assumed that this is written by someone other than Isaiah. This prophet is generally called 'Deutero Isaiah', or 'the second Isaiah'. This part of the book is famous for its many prophesies regarding the coming of Jesus, especially his suffering on the cross. It's stunningly amazing how accurately these prophesies describe what happened to Jesus many centuries later. More about that next week!

Dick

Week 29: Song of Solomon 5-8; Isaiah 1-27

2010-07-18T21:53:00.000-07:00

Here is the reading plan for this week:

* Weekend: Song of Solomon 5-8
* Monday: Isaiah 1-3
* Tuesday: Isaiah 4-7
* Wednesday: Isaiah 8-12
* Thursday: Isaiah 13-20
* Friday: Isaiah 21-27

Welcome to Week #29 in our quest to read the Bible in one year! This week the focus is on the balance of Song of Solomon and the first third and change of the Book of Isaiah.

Dr. Chuck covered the synopsis and purpose of the Song of Solomon in last week's posting, so this week we will focus on getting to know the Old Testament prophet Isaiah.

Isaiah came to promninence at a time in history where the kingdom of Israel had already been divided into two kingdoms- Isaiah resided in the kingdom of Judah.

Now Judah had some good kings and some not-so-good kings. Isaiah served under the rule of four kings. The first two kings, Azariah (Uzziah) and Jotham, did the right thing for the Lord in their own house (2 Kings 15:1-7, 32-38), but failed to lead the people towards the Lord by allowing them to worship any god they chose. The third king, Ahaz, was not so good and he got into all sorts of trouble (2 Kings 16). This trouble carried forward to Hezekiah, who did right by the Lord and led the people towards the Lord (2 Kings 18-20).

The message Isaiah sent was one of judgement and and also comfort, as the Journey Bible outlines. Because Judah continually marginalized God, especially through the leadership of their kings, God's judgement was coming.

The people and kings of Judah worshipped "by-the-book." They sacrificed, prayed and went through the motions of the Law. But their hearts were not in it. This lukewarm religion was the key to how much they took their rights as God's chosen for granted. Well, if they are not on board fully with God when times are good, then it is time for things to turn bad.

This book is a record of the message Isaiah preached to the kings and the kingdom during this time.

To make it personal this week, consider what Isaiah might say to you if he were in your living room today. Would you be considered outright rebellious, a Sodom or Gomorrah? Would you be considered lukewarm, going through the motions but not really living in faith? Or would you be considered to be on fire for the Lord- living your faith in all aspects of your life, whether you are in public or in private? If you fall under any of the first two categories, do not despair- you are not alone. But maybe the time is right in your life to allow Isaiah to speak truth to you. But please don't stop until you have read the entire book- I won't steal the thunder from next week, but some remarkable things happen in the book that are very cool and point out the fact that no matter where we are the Lord will provide if we choose to place our faith and trust in Him.

God Bless and Happy Reading!

-Mike

Week 28: Proverbs 22 - Song of Solomon 4

2010-07-11T22:54:00.000-07:00

This week we get to read in 3 books that are generally (completely or partially) associated with King Solomon:

* Weekend: Proverbs 22 - 24
* Monday: Proverbs 25 - 29
* Tuesday: Proverbs 30 - 31
* Wednesday: Ecclesiastes 1 - 6
* Thursday: Ecclesiastes 7 - 12
* Friday: Song of Solomon 1 - 4

We end the book of Proverbs, then we read the book of Ecclesiastes in 2 days, and make a start with the book of Solomon on Friday.

Like the book of Proverbs, the book of Ecclesiastes is also part of the "Wisdom literature", as Chuck so nicely explained last week. Although no time period or writer's name is mentioned in the book, several passages strongly suggest that King Solomon is the author (e.g. 1:1,12,16). Some bible scholars think Solomon might have written this toward the end of his life, after the period during which his love for his many wives led him astray in his devotion to God (1 Kings 11).

The book of Ecclesiastes is reflecting on life in its entirety, from birth to death. The author tells us that life not centered on God is purposeless and meaningless. Without Him, nothing else can satisfy (2:25). With Him, all of life and his other good gifts are to be gratefully received and enjoyed to the full (2:26, 11:8). The book contains the philosophical and theological reflections of an old man (12:1-7), most of whose life was meaningless because he had not himself relied on God as he should have.

The Song of Solomon, in the Hebrew text called "Solomon's Song of Songs", is first and foremost a love song. The classic interpretation of this book is that it describes the love relationship and desire between a woman ("beloved") and a shepherd boy ("lover"), and the back-and-forth love dialogue between the two. The love between the two is challenged by king Solomon, who desires to have the woman added to his harem. In the end, the love between the woman and shepherd boy prevails (8:6-14).

Other interpretations of the text tell us that this book is an allegory of the love relationship between God and Israel, and later between Christ and the church. Regardless of which interpretation is true, the Bible speaks of both wisdom and love as gifts of God, to be received with gratitude and celebration. That is the main theme of the book, and of the Bible as a whole.

Enjoy the continued reading in the "books of wisdom".

Dick

Week 27: Psalm 145 – Proverbs 21

2010-07-02T14:00:00.001-07:00

The Hebrew people divided (Old-Testament) Scripture into three primary sections: the Law, the Prophets, and the Writings. The third division, the Writings, include such books as Job, Psalms, Proverbs, and Ecclesiastes.

This week, as we complete our reading of the Psalms and move into Proverbs, we stay within the Writings…but move into a very different literary tradition, which we call Wisdom Literature.

This week’s readings are as follows:
• Weekend: Psalms 145-150
• Monday: Proverbs 1-5
• Tuesday: Proverbs 6-9
• Wednesday: Proverbs 10-13
• Thursday: Proverbs 14-17
• Friday: Proverbs 18-21

King Solomon wrote most of the Proverbs. According to 1 Kings 4:32, Solomon spoke over 3,000 proverbs. Many of these proverbs were no doubt recorded and included in the Book of Proverbs.

Other sage writers contributed to the Book of Proverbs as well. Proverbs 22:17 and 24:23, for example, speak of the “sayings of the wise.” Other contributors appear by name. Chapter 30 ascribes authorship to Agur, son of Jakeh, and 31:1-9 attributes its content to King Lemuel. Neither of these writers appears again in Scripture.

The Book of Proverbs displays several notable literary characteristics. Many proverbs are short, two-line sayings that are cast in contrasts. Biblical scholars call this type of Hebrew poetry “antithetical parallelism.” Proverbs 10:19, for example, says, “When words are many, sin is not absent, but those who hold their tongues are wise.” Proverbs makes liberal use of simile and metaphor. Eleven similes occur in chapter 25 alone!

One important feature to note is that the Book of Proverbs contains practical wisdom…which is to say wisdom that is generally (though not always) true. It is often the case, for example, that the just and unjust “receive their due on earth” (11:31)…but not always. A person’s rewards or punishments will be reckoned in eternity, irrespective of what happens on earth (cf. 2 Corinthians 5:10).

When we read these proverbs, we must be careful not to interpret them as absolute promises or surefire prophecies that will always be realized. They are offered up as “instruction to the wise”…“for attaining wisdom and discipline; for understanding words of insight; for acquiring a disciplined and prudent life, doing what is right and just and fair; for giving prudence to the simple, knowledge and discretion to the young... (Proverbs 1:2-4).

Read with a pen in hand and mark the proverbs that speak to your soul this week. You’ll be the wiser for having read this section of God’s word!

Faithfully,
Chuck

Week 26: Psalms 112-144

2010-06-30T13:43:00.000-07:00

The book of Psalms continues this week with the following plan:

* Weekend: Psalms 112-118
* Monday: Psalms 119
* Tuesday: Psalms 120-127
* Wednesday: Psalms 128-135
* Thursday: Psalms 136-139
* Friday: Psalms 140-144

This is the last full week of reading the Psalms. Last week, Dick shared some examples of how this book plays an integral part of his and his family's spiritual health. The instruction Dick gave was "to make the Psalms your own." This means that different Psalms will resonate more with you based on where you are in your spiritual walk. There are Psalms of praise, of pain and of repentance among others. As you read the Psalms and if one really grabs you, please print it out or write it out and post it in a prominent place.

Two Psalms stand out for me: Psalm 25 and Psalm 119. The first Psalm is a prayer for forgiveness. This is posted above my desk in my work office. It is my reminder to live a life with integrity, yet still humble myself to know that I sin repeatedly and am in constant need of forgiveness. A reminder that I cannot do life without God.

The second Psalm is more about a verse as opposed to the whole chapter. Psalm 119:105 is the first memory verse I was taught in church as a kid. I remember it in the King James version and I suppose that is always how I will remember it: "Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path."

Have you found a Psalm to own?

Have a great week- sorry for the late posting!

-Mike

Week 25: Psalms 78 - 111

2010-06-19T09:21:00.000-07:00

This week we'll continue in the book of Psalms:

Weekend: Psalms 78 - 82
Monday: Psalms 83 - 89
Tuesday: Psalms 90 - 97
Wednesday: Psalms 98 - 103
Thursday: Psalms 104 - 106
Friday: Psalms 107 - 111

Over time, certain Psalms can become very personal and bring back strong memories. For me (Dick), Psalm 90 is such an example. When I grew up, every year on New Year's Eve we would gather with family and play games and eat Dutch dumplings all evening. But five minutes before midnight, we would stop all festivities. My uncle, the oldest brother on my mom's side, would get out his Bible and read this Psalm with his low voice. Then we would pray, usually interrupted by the fireworks that would burst out at 12a.m. Psalm 90 is one of those Psalms that shows the 'transitoriness' of mankind, his weakness and mortality. But it also shows his dependence on an eternal, immortal God.

Psalm 92 is another one of those memorable Psalms for me. On Sunday morning before church, we would all have breakfast together as a family. After breakfast, my dad would get out his Bible and read either Psalm 92 or Psalm 122. Both are Psalms of worship that exalt God and tell us how good it is to worship God in his temple. Very appropriate to read that before you go to church. As kids, we'd sometimes jokingly recite the whole Psalm to imitate my dad -- that's how familiar it had become to us.

Psalm 103 is a beautiful psalm about God's mercy and forgiveness. Jesus' work on the cross almost jumps off the pages if you read that. In the church I grew up in, we used to read that every single time after we had communion. Parts of Psalm 105 were read when we had baptisms as it talks about God's faithfulness with his people.

I encourage you to make the Psalms your own. They are expressions of all kinds of emotions, but most of all, they are expressions of worship of our great and awesome God. He is worthy of all our praise.

Dick

Week 24: Psalms 42-77

2010-06-11T12:09:00.000-07:00

Welcome to week 24...just two weeks shy of the year's halfway mark, which means that we've read almost half the Bible!

If you've missed some reading, don't despair. Jump right in here and resolve to finish the balance of the year on a strong note. God has a way of speaking to us in timely ways whenever we open his word.

Here's our reading schedule for the week:

Weekend: Psalms 42-47
Monday: Psalms 48-53
Tuesday: Psalms 54-59
Wednesday: Psalms 60-66
Thursday: Psalms 67-72
Friday: Psalms 73-77

Students of Scripture call the Book of Psalms the "most New-Testament Old Testament book." The Psalms are prayers, praises, petitions, reflections, and even complaints...voiced by people who are trying to sort out life in relationship with Yahweh, the God of Israel.

Old Testament scholar, Walter Brueggemann, says that the writers of the Psalms alternate between periods of "orientation," "disorientation," and "new orientation" (see his superb commentary, The Message of the Psalms).

This is our spiritual journey. There are times in our lives when all is right with the world. Songs and praises flow easily. There are other times, however, in which dark clouds darken our days. We are in a state of disorientation. The Psalms help us through these periods by giving us vocabulary by which to articulate praise and thanksgiving during times of "orientation," and examples of how to express dismay, confusion, and even anger amid the periods of "disorientation."

The silver lining that the Book of Psalms reflects is that periods of disorientation are followed by seasons of "new orientation." God will never leave or forsake us. "God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging." God says, "Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth" (Psalm 46:1-2, 10).

Week 23: Psalms 7 - 41

2010-06-07T16:43:00.000-07:00

Happy Monday! Hope you all are enjoying the Spring as much as possible! Since the rain is keeping us a little more indoors these days, hopefully you are able to keep up on the reading plan a little better...

Here is the plan for this week:

* Weekend: Psalms 7-12
* Monday: Psalms 13-18
* Tuesday: Psalms 19-24
* Wednesday: Psalms 25-30
* Thursday: Psalms 31-36
* Friday: Psalms 37-41

Tuesday we will read the 23rd Psalm, probably the most known passage in the entire Bible. How does this Psalm apply to your life? Please post your thoughts if you would like and maybe even post how this reading plan has been a catalyst in your life (we hope it has been!).

Have a great week!!!

Mike

Week 22: Job 29 to Psalm 6

2010-05-29T23:27:00.000-07:00

This week's reading entails:

Weekend: Job 29 - 31
Monday: Job 32 - 34
Tuesday: Job 35 - 37
Wednesday: Job 38 - 39
Thursday: Job 40 - 42
Friday: Psalm 1 - 6

This week we'll end the book of Job. We read Job's last words to his friends. He maintains his innocence before them and before God. For some reason, this attitude keeps infuriating his friends. They cannot understand why he maintains his innocence before God. To them it is very clear: God's curse is upon Job, so that must be a consequence of his sin. Sometimes it is... but we can never take the position of The Judge when it comes to things like this. Job's youngest friend, Elihu, most definitely takes this stand in chapters 32 to 37. Then in Chapters 38 to 41 we have a couple remarkable chapters where God Himself speaks. He speaks of all the miracles in creation and His mighty deeds. When Job hears all this, all he can say is "I'm unworthy, how can I reply to you? I spoke once, but I have no answer, twice but I will say no more." Job's attitude is one we can learn from ... a lot! It's no wonder that God loved him so much. He was a remarkable man with a remarkable faith in the Almighty. God blesses him after all this, and the end of Job's life is even better than how it started. God is faithful.

After finishing the book of Job, we will make a start with the book of Psalms on Friday. Psalm 1 is a wonderful praise to the upright person, who meditate on God's law. You, who have committed to reading the Bible in 1 year, are such a person. You are blessed, and you are like "a tree planted by streams of water".

Have a great week.
Dick

Week 21: Job 11—28

2010-05-21T13:42:00.001-07:00

Reading schedule for this week:
·      Weekend: Job 11-14
·      Monday: Job 15-17
·      Tuesday: Job 18-19
·      Wednesday: Job 20-21
·      Thursday: Job 22-24
·      Friday: Job 25-28

This week continues our reading of the book of Job. This is one of the oldest biblical books in Scripture…and it can be a bit confusing to first-time readers. Therefore it might help to stop and take a birds-eye view to get a feel for how the book is structured:
·      The Prolog (chapters 1-2), tracks Job’s upright character, his blessings, the divine-demonic drama that gives rise to Job’s sufferings, and an accounting of Job’s losses and state of suffering in isolation from all that he held near and dear.
·      The section of Dialog and Dispute, encompasses the largest single section of the book (Chapters 3-31). It starts with Job’s lamenting his state of suffering (ch. 3). This is followed by three cycles of dialog between Job and his friends, Eliphas, Bildad, and Zophar (chs. 4-31) – all of whom were convinced (wrongly) that the reason behind Job’s suffering was some secret, unconfessed sin.
The cycles follow the same pattern for the most part. Each one starts with Eliphaz’s comments (chs. 4-5, 15, 22), followed by Job’s reply (chs 6-7, 16-17, and 26), followed by Bildad’s interjections (chs 8, 18, 25), then Job’s reply to Bildad (chs. 9-10, 19, and 26-31), and Zophar’s comments, which appear in only the first two cycles (apparently Job wore him out!) (chs. 11, 20), and Job’s reply to Zophar (chs 12-14 and 21).
·      The next section features, Elihu, a person who had been a silent observer to the dialog between Job and his friends to that point. His speech encompasses chapters 32-37.
·      At that point, God shows up to speak directly to Job (chs. 38:1 – 42:6).
·      The book concludes with an Epilog (42:7-17), which gives us the final account of Job’s (restored) life.

As you read this week, you will be completing the conversations of the first cycle of dialog , all of the second cycle, and most of the third. Bear in mind that the main mistake that Job’s friends made along the way was trying to speak for God in explaining why Job was going through his suffering.

We too can end up making a similar mistake whenever we try to “comfort” someone by offering up the “reason why God allowed” a terrible thing to occur in one’s life. Only God is qualified to speak for himself on such matters. Our job as friends is to sit alongside our suffering companions, put our arm around them, and say, “I am here for you.”

Week 20: Esther 3 - Job 10

2010-05-16T10:47:00.000-07:00

Reading schedule for this week:

Weekend: Esther 3 - 4
Monday: Esther 5 - 7
Tuesday: Esther 8 - 10
Wednesday: Job 1- 3
Thursday: Job 4- 7
Friday: Job 8 - 10

We're about 1/3 of the way through the reading calendar and we hope you are still energized and making time to read on a daily basis. Even if you may be behind, no worries- please stick with the daily reading the best that you can and sneak in some extra reading time during lunches or breaks if you can to get a little caught up. And as always, please take the time to post on here any questions or comments you may have regarding the reading- your thoughts are very important and we do listen!

This week we complete the book of Esther and begin the book of Job. Both are stories of courage- the courage to stand up against a foreign regent when a massive injustice is to take place as we read in Esther, and the courage to remain faithful to God even when it appears God has turned His back on you.

Before there was Hitler, before there was Nero, there was Haman. Haman was so insulted by one Jew refusing to honor him that he set out to destroy the entire captive Jewish population. It was a planned extermination, to be carried out on a single day. As the story unfolds, it comes down to one woman, Esther, to save the Jewish people...

"Why does God allow people to suffer?" This is one of the toughest questions that people ask and in times of crisis it can be even tougher to understand the answer. The book of Job is a story that revolves around this theme. The main character, Job, is made to suffer unimaginable loss and personal tragedy- all tests of his character and integrity and his faith in the goodness of God. Job's wife and buddies seek to comfort him, but also harbor doubt and anger and uncertainty about why such disasters should come upon such a noble and faithful man of God. When pressed by such pressure, Job summons the courage to remain faithful to God, even if he does not understand whay God would allow such things to happen.

The answer to the tough question: "Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?" (Ch.2 v.10)

God bless you this week in your reading!

-Mike

Week 19: Nehemiah - Esther 2

2010-05-08T09:25:00.000-07:00

Reading schedule for this week:

Weekend: Nehemiah 1 - 2
Monday: Nehemiah 3 - 4
Tuesday: Nehemiah 5 - 7
Wednesday: Nehemiah 8 - 10
Thursday: Nehemiah 11 - 13
Friday: Esther 1 - 2

This week the reading continues with the book of Nehemiah. The books of Ezrah and Nehemiah really are 1 book - split in two - that deals with the return of the remnant of Israel to Jerusalem after the Babylonian captivity. The book of Nehemiah consists of 3 parts. Chapters 1-7 covers Nehemiah's activities as governor. He gets approval from the Persian king Artaxerxes to return to Jerusalem and rebuild it. Despite opposition, he is able to rebuild Jerusalem's city walls in a stunning 52 days! Nehemiah also implements rules against social injustice (Chapter 5). What I love about the book of Nehemiah is that he wrote down his inner thoughts, which gives us a great picture of how he interacted with God, see for example the little prayers in 2:4 and 4:4.

Chapters 8-10 focuses on the renewing of the remnants spiritual/church life. The priest Ezra reads from the law of Moses, and the people understand and respond. Note the parallel between Nehemiah 8:12 and the book Acts 2:43-45. When a church understands the true meaning of God's word, beautiful things happen in the way the church body interacts with each other.

The last part 11-13 consists of lists of people who return, as well as a description of the consecration of the temple and some reform measures.

Finally, we'll make a start with the book of Esther this week, which is written in between Ezrah and Nehemiah, and tells the story of the exiled Jewish girl who became Queen to the King of Persia. More on that next week.

We're hoping you're still enjoying reading through the Bible. It isn't always easy to make time, but it certainly is rewarding to continue. An pdf file of the complete reading schedule is now available. It is a one page that you can keep in your Bible with a summary that allows you to mark off each day when you finish it. Make sure you get one at the church or send an e-mail to wccbible@gmail.com. Keep up the hard work!

Dick

Week 18: 2 Chronicles 29 to Ezra 10

2010-04-30T23:18:00.000-07:00

This week's reading schedule is:

Weekend: 2 Chronicles 29 - 32
Monday: 2 Chronicles 33 - 36
Tuesday: Ezra 1 - 3
Wednesday: Ezra 4 - 6
Thursday: Ezra 7 - 8
Friday: Ezra 9 - 10

We'll finish the 2nd book of Chronicles with the kings Hezekiah (good), Manasseh (bad), Amon (bad), Josiah (good), and then in rapid succession until the Babylonian siege: Jehoahaz, Jehoiakim, Jehoiachinand Zedekiah, under whom Jerusalem falls and the people of Judah taken captive. 2 Chronicles 36:21 always intrigues me: "The land enjoyed its sabbath rests; all the time of its desolation it rested, until the seventy years were completed in fulfillment of the word of the LORD spoken by Jeremiah." The writer of Chronicles, whose vantage point was after the exile, was able to look back to the exile not only as judgment (different from the writer of Samuel and Kings), but also as containing hope for the future. For him the purified remnant had returned to a purified land (verse 22 & 23), and a new age was beginning. The exile was not judgment alone, but also a blessing, for it allowed the land to catch up on its sabbath rests (Lev. 26:40-45, 1 year for every 7 years, so a total of 490 years of not observing the sabbath rests). But God had remembered his covenant (Lev. 26:45) and restored his people to the land.

It is a reminder that God is in control of the big picture of world history, and the small details of our lives as well. The book of Ezra is all about this new hope and restoration, and the challenges that it brings. The beginning of Ezra is identical to the end of 2 Chronicles, showing the continuity of Israel's history. Both Ezra and Nehemiah are great examples of church leadership, and the challenges of building up and maintaining a healthy church, God's people.

Dick

Week 17: 2 Chronicles 6 - 28

2010-04-24T22:31:00.000-07:00

Reading material for this week:

Weekend: 2 Chronicles 6 - 8
Monday: 2 Chronicles 9 - 12
Tuesday: 2 Chronicles 13 - 16
Wednesday: 2 Chronicles 17 - 20
Thursday: 2 Chronicles 21 - 25
Friday: 2 Chronicles 26 - 28

This week’s reading encompasses sixty-four percent of 2 Chronicles (23 of 36 chapters). You will see King Solomon at the zenith of his reign, consecrating Israel's new temple with a prayer of dedication that culminated in one of the most dramatic displays of God’s glory recorded in Scripture. Solomon was “greater in riches and wisdom than all the other kings of the earth” (9:22). He “made silver as common in Jerusalem as stones, and cedar as plentiful as sycamore-fig trees in the foothills” (9:28).

In the readings later this week, however, you will encounter a series of kingly successors that illustrate the importance of finishing well. Rehoboam, Solomon’s son, abandoned the wise counsel of his father’s advisors, which led to Israel’s fracture. From that point on, Israel was a divided kingdom. Kings that consistently rebelled against the Lord governed Israel’s ten tribes to the north, and David’s successors – some good, some not so good, and others wholeheartedly wicked – governed the two tribes to the south, Judah and Benjamin. Scripture refers to the northern territory as Israel and to the southern territory as Judah.

Throughout this week’s reading and beyond, you will encounter a number of chronological notes that the writer of Chronicles inserts into the narrative, which are not included in 1 or 2 Kings. Here’s a list for your convenience: 11:17; 15:10, 19; 16:1, 12-13; 17;7; 21:20; 24:15, 17, 23; 26:16; 27:5, 8; 29:3; 34:3; 36:21.

The writer uses these chronological references to introduce cycles of obedience and blessing and disobedience and punishment.

As you read this week, prayerfully consider the importance of maintaining an intimate relationship with God throughout your entire life. Several of these kings started well, but turned their backs on God as their lives drew to a close. Let’s remember that God’s desire for us is to finish the good work he began in our lives (see Philippians 1:3-6).

Have a great week!
Chuck

Week 16: 1 Chron. 1 - 2 Chron. 5

2010-04-16T22:34:00.000-07:00

Reading material for this week:

Weekend: 1 Chronicles 1 - 7
Monday: 1 Chronicles 8 - 12
Tuesday: 1 Chronicles 13 - 18
Wednesday: 1 Chronicles 19 - 25
Thursday: 1 Chronicles 26 - 29
Friday: 2 Chronicles 1 - 5

The material for this week serves a great purpose. As much as we find where we are going to be of great importance, it also helps to take a look at the rearview mirror. The Israelites lost their way under the direction of some poor leadership and were removed from the Promised Land accordingly. Time spent in captivity also diluted their sense of who they were as a people. The Chronicles were written by the prophet Ezra to recap the history of the Israelite people as they began the process of returning to their land.

Outside of the geneologies listed, the focus of the reading this week is on the reign of King David, filling in some more of his story that we did not get in the books of Samuel. We wrap up the week with the beginning of Solomon's reign and the constuction of the temple- a very significant event in the history of the Jewish people that we will unpack more when we read the stories of Ezra and Nehemiah.

We look forward to your comments and hope you are still enjoying the reading!

-Mike

Week 15: 2 Kings 1 - 25

2010-04-13T20:04:00.000-07:00

The reading plan for this week is:

Weekend: 2 Kings 1 - 3
Monday: 2 Kings 4 - 8
Tuesday: 2 Kings 9 - 12
Wednesday: 2 Kings 13 - 17
Thursday: 2 Kings 18 - 21
Friday: 2 Kings 22 - 25

This week we'll finish the 2nd book of Kings. The 2nd book of Kings is a continuation of the 1st book of Kings, and describes the history of the kingdoms of Israel and the kingdom of Juda after their division. In the first 8 chapters, the prophetic ministries of Elijah and then Elisha are prominent. Second Kings also gives the account of the Assyrian invasion and subsequent captivity of the northern kingdom of Israel. After the Assyrian captivity all that remains is Judah. Would the people of Judah learn from the mistakes of their 'brothers' in the North and survive the Babylonian sieges? Find out as we enjoy another week of great scripture.

Dick

Week 14: 1 Kings 1 - 22

2010-04-02T22:07:00.000-07:00

The reading plan for this week is:

Weekend: 1 Kings 1 - 4
Monday: 1 Kings 5 - 8
Tuesday: 1 Kings 9 - 11
Wednesday: 1 Kings 12 - 16
Thursday: 1 Kings 17 - 19
Friday: 1 Kings 20 - 22

The book of 1 Kings continues where 2 Samuel left off: the end of king David's reign, and the beginning of Solomon's. David has subdued all his enemies and has brought an era of peace for the nation of Israel. He leaves this kingdom to Solomon, son of David and Bathsheba. Under Solomon's reign the nation of Israel reaches its pinnacle in fame and wealth. 1 Kings 10 describes all Solomon's splendor - "Nothing was made of silver, because silver was considered of little value in Solomon's days". Can you imagine...

Solomon's wisdom is what made him so famous. In the beginning of his reign, he did the right thing by asking God for wisdom instead of wealth. But as God granted his wish and was pleased with him, later on in his life, the fame and wisdom led to narcissistic and sinful behavior. Everyone wanted to see and listen to Solomon, and everyone brought gifts... and women, I suppose. The poor man ends up with 700 wives and 300 concubines!! Can you imagine that! Despite God's warning that women from foreign religions would lead his people astray, the Bible tells us: "Nevertheless, Solomon held fast to them in love". And as Solomon grew old, these women lead him astray with their idols, and his heart was not fully devoted to God anymore.

As ridiculous as that story may sound, and as stupid as we may think Solomon is by doing this, this story might be closer to home than you think. How many of us take our wealth for granted, and how many times has it led you astray from God? I cannot count my own mistakes on two hands any longer...

Solomon's sin ultimately leads to the division of the nation of Israel into two parts, the tribe of Judah for Solomon's descendents, and one tribe for Jeroboam and his descendents, one of Solomon's adversaries. We read about all the kings that reign either part, both good kings and bad kings. One bad king in particular, Ahab and his interactions with the prophet Elijah are described in detail.

Enjoy the reading, as we celebrate the Lord's death and resurrection this weekend as well. Because of Him, we have found grace and mercy in God's eyes, and even our worst mistakes are washed clean by His blood. What an amazing God and Lord and Savior we have!

Dick

Week 13: 2 Samuel 5 - 24

2010-03-27T09:01:00.000-07:00

Weekend: 2 Sam. 5 - 7
Monday: 2 Sam. 8 - 10
Tuesday: 2 Sam. 11 - 14
Wednesday: 2 Sam. 15 - 18
Thursday: 2 Sam. 19 - 20
Friday: 2 Sam. 21 - 24

This portion of Scripture gives us the most detailed account of David's life. David is described as a man after God's heart. Indeed he was! However, this account also demonstrates that David was a flawed human being. 2 Samuel 5 - 24 shows us David's victories and defeats, his virtues and vices, and his wisdom and foolishness.

As you enjoy this week's readings, pray that God would help you experience his grace amid the moral victories and defeats that characterize your life.

If we're willing to admit it...there's a lot of David in all of us!

Week 12: 1 Samuel 13 - 2 Samuel 4

2010-03-22T09:00:00.000-07:00

Happy Spring Break! As you can tell, I took the weekend off from updating the reading guide... so here it is:

* Weekend:       1 Samuel 13 - 15
* Monday:         1 Samuel 16-19
* Tuesday:         1 Samuel 20-23
* Wednesday:    1 Samuel 24- 26
* Thursday:       1 Samuel 27- 31
* Friday:           2 Samuel 1-4

We kick this whole week off with what is probably the best known Bible event short of the birth of Jesus and His resurrection: David & Goliath! This week if you have been paying attention to the NCAA basketball tourney, you may have seen some games that pit some small schools versus some traditional powerhouses. Well, if you are a fan of Cornell or Northern Iowa, you know that the little guy can prevail against overwhelming odds.

What this story really is about is a young man who takes it upon his shoulders to defend the name of God and the nation of Israel mano a mano with the champion fighter of the Philistine army. This is Thunderdome...!

Corny references aside, this is a testament to the fact that God will help those who call on Him for that help. Yesterday the sermon referenced the fact that God will give us more than we can handle, as long as we put our trust in Him.

There is too much to pack in here to do a proper recap, but pay close attention to the relationship between David and Jonathan. Each of these men has a claim to the throne of Israel- Jonathan by blood and David by God's anointing. Yet both have put that fact aside and live as brothers. Our culture today seems to want to pit each of us against each other in various ways (jobs, money, sex, politics, etc.) and lead us to believe that we are entitled to many things in this life. The only thing we are entitled to in this life is the knowledge that we can have eternal life through Christ if we believe in Him and put Him at the center of our lives. David and Jonathan knew there was more to life than the events that surrounded them.

Have a great week reading and please post your thoughts accordingly- we love to dialogue as we read His word together!

In Him,

Mike

Week 11: Judges 13 - 1 Samuel 12

2010-03-13T08:31:00.000-08:00

Here is the reading plan for this week:

* Weekend:      Judges 13-16
* Monday:        Judges 17-21
* Tuesday:        Ruth
* Wednesday: 1 Samuel 1-3
* Thursday:      1 Samuel 4-8
* Friday:          1 Samuel 9-12

This should be a very enjoyable week of reading! We start with the very familiar story of Samson, the strongest man in the world. Samson uses his strength to achieve many great feats, but he also uses his strength to push his own personal agenda, which comes at a great cost...

The nation of Israel has no king...

The story of Ruth is a story of love, but it is also a story of commitment, of compassion and of honor. These qualities are the legacy of the family that will one day rule the nation of Israel, as Ruth is the Great Grandmother of King David.

The nation of Israel has no king...

As we begin reading 1 Samuel, the themes of commitment and honor continue. The spiritual state of affairs in Israel are corrupt, and the people are desperate for a king to lead them. A king is not the solution, but another symptom of the nation wanting to rely on men rather than God to be the leader in their lives. God raises up Saul, Samuel anoints him, and the nation of Israel follows...

The nation of Israel has a king!

Have a great week of reading, remember to set your clocks forward tonight and we look forward to your comments!

-Mike

Week 10: Joshua 13 - Judges 12

2010-03-06T08:35:00.000-08:00

The reading plan for this week is:

Weekend: Joshua 13 - 17
Monday: Joshua 18 - 21
Tuesday: Joshua 22 - 24
Wednesday: Judges 1 - 5
Thursday: Judges 6 - 8
Friday: Judges 9 - 12

This week we'll finish up Joshua and start in the book of Judges. Joshua can be distinguished in 3 parts: Chapters 1 - 12 that we read last week, describes the conquering of the land of Canaan with God's help and ends with the 'trophy list' in Chapter 12. The 2nd part, Chapters 13 to 21 describes the division of the land among the tribes of Israel. The 3rd and last part, Chapters 22-24, refers back to the first part as it describes how the tribes east of the Jordan go back to their land. Also in that part we see Joshua saying goodbye to the people of Israel, and encouraging them to not sin and to cling to God's promises. He fulfilled His part of the promise by giving them the Promised Land, now they have to keep their part by following the rules given by Moses.

Joshua 24:15 is one of my favorite verses in the Bible: "But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve,...... But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD." Joshua makes this powerful statement at the end of his life, and he warns the people about the gravity of entering into a commitment of serving the Lord (vs. 19 & 20). In effect he's saying: it's better to NOT serve the LORD, then to commit to serve Him and not follow through. I think that is still true today. It doesn't mean we are not allowed to sin, but it does mean we can't continue to willfully sin if we know something is wrong.

The people respond with determination: "No! We will serve the LORD." (v21). But then the book of Judges starts.... and Chapter 2 vs 6 -15 is strikingly painful: The people served the LORD throughout the lifetime of Joshua and of the elders who outlived him and who had seen all the great things the LORD had done for Israel.(v7) After that generation had been gathered to their fathers, another generation grew up, who knew neither the LORD nor what he had done for Israel. (v10). In my opinion, the book of Judges is one of the darkest books of the Bible, and it goes back to the fact that "everyone did what was right in their own eyes." and the fact that they had forgotten all the great things the LORD had done.

It is a great example and warning for us: Remember all the great things God has done in your life. Pass it on to the next generation, and make it your mantra: "As for me and my household, we will serve the LORD!"

Bible reading can accomplish all of the above (remembering, passing it on, serving), especially if you include your siblings in that, for example by reading the Bible at the dinner table. I commend you for continuing to read the Bible in 1 year.

Dick

Week 9: Deuteronomy 26 - Joshua 12

2010-02-26T22:25:00.000-08:00

This week's reading plan covers:

Weekend: Deuteronomy 26 - 29
Monday: Deuteronomy 30 - 32
Tuesday: Deuteronomy 33 - 34
Wednesday: Joshua 1 - 5
Thursday: Joshua 6 - 8
Friday: Joshua 9 - 12

This week’s reading is about transition…in which the Israelites cross the Jordan River and take possession of the Promised Land.

Deuteronomy closes with a series of blessings and curses, which anticipate the unfolding history of God’s people – from the conquest of the land of Canaan…to the scattering of Israel among the nations in the wake of the people’s rebellion…to the restoration of God’s remnant people after Babylonian captivity. The first twelve chapters of Joshua record Israel’s “moving in.”

Throughout the week, you will encounter a number of stories that underscore the need to trust and obey. Enjoy!

Week 8: Deuteronomy Chapters 1 - 25

2010-02-19T19:30:00.000-08:00

Four books down and 59 to go!!!

When you have a moment, please drop a line to the blog letting us know how your reading experience is going- is the plan going well or are you having a hard time keeping up? Are you understanding the material or so you have a pressing question? Once again, the purpose of this blog is to allow us to read the Bible together, so please feel free to join in the discussion at any point- there are no bad posts!

So, we are beginning Deuteronomy this week- this is a very important book in the Bible as this is Moses' last message to the Israelites before they enter the Promised Land. As you may remember, Moses will not be allowed to enter the land due to his failure to follow instructions at Meribah (Numbers 20: 2-13). But rather than be embittered, Moses takes this opportunity to reiterate to Israel the laws that God has designed for the Hebrew nation to follow. Also, Moses is passing the torch to Israel's new leaders as they begin the task of moving the people into the Promised Land.

The reading plan for this week is this:

* Weekend: Deuteronomy 1-4
* Monday: Deuteronomy 5-7
* Tuesday: Deuteronomy 8-11
* Wednesday: Deuteronomy 12-16
* Thursday: Deuteronomy 17-20
* Friday: Deuteronomy 21-25

The Ten Commandments are restated in Chapter 5 and in Chapter 6, verses 4-9, Moses tells the Hebrew nation (and us!) why we follow His commands. This passage is called the "Shema" in traditional Jewish worship, and it a very important part of Jewish prayer life.

If it seems like a lot of this material is familiar, it is because we have already read much of this in the previous three books. But please do not skim. There is some great material here and may help fill in some gaps of understanding or maybe this material will spark some new questions.

Have a great week reading and we look forward to hearing from you!

Mike

Week 7: Numbers 13 - 36

2010-02-12T22:45:00.000-08:00

First off, let me tell you how excited I am that so many people are following along. I hope you still enjoy the reading. I'm sure by now you've noticed that it's not hard IF you keep up daily. It's about 15 to 20 min. a day, so if you miss a day, the next day it's 30 to 40 min. of reading! That can easily add up. If you fall behind, don't get discouraged. You can either pick it up on the current week and come back later, or try to catch up. Weekends are good to catch up. The reading is about the same as any other day, but it's spread out over 2 days, so there's some extra time.

This week we'll finish the book of Numbers:

Weekend: Numbers 13 - 16
Monday: Numbers 17 - 20
Tuesday: Numbers 21 - 25
Wednesday: Numbers 26 - 30
Thursday: Numbers 31 - 33
Friday: Numbers 34 - 36

The people of Israel arrive at the border of the Promised Land. But their faith has been tested, and they haven't done well on the tests... When the 12 explorers come back from exploring Canaan, they bring back good news and 'bad' news. The good news is that the Promised Land is indeed what God had promised: a land of milk and honey. The bad news is that the land is inhibited by seemingly mighty people and giants. Apparently, they have forgotten how mighty their God is, and that He was the one who fought for them against the Egyptians and the Amalekites. Again their faith is lacking.

How are you doing when your faith is tested? Do you believe that Almighty God has power to overcome any obstacles in your life? I hope you do.

The Israelites don't and the result is disastrous. Read for yourself in Numbers 14. All this is not easy on Moses, the mediator between God and the people. Moses faces some serious opposition from the people, and even from his own brother and sister. Must have been a very lonely position for him from time to time.

And there is the story of Balaam and the talking donkey. Again a week full of interesting and detailed stories. What an amazing book the Bible is!!

Dick

Week 6: Leviticus 16 - Numbers 12

2010-02-06T11:10:00.000-08:00

The reading plan for this week is:

Weekend: Leviticus 16 - 20
Monday: Leviticus 21 - 23
Tuesday: Leviticus 24 - 27
Wednesday: Numbers 1 - 4
Thursday: Numbers 5 - 8
Friday: Numbers 9 - 12

We are more than halfway through the Pentateuch (the first five books of the Old Testament)…and well into some of the most technical material in Scripture.

The Bible, in its entirety, is God’s word. Even the most technical (and seemingly irrelevant) portions of Scripture are valuable to Christ-followers. The Apostle Paul writes, “All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work” (2 Tim. 3:16-17, New Living Translation).

What can we glean from this section of God’s word? Much indeed!

In Leviticus 16, we see that God provided the Day of Atonement as the means by which to absolve the sins of the Israelites (v. 34). The Day of Atonement prefigured Jesus’ atoning sacrifice on the cross. Hebrews chapter 9 provides a helpful theological explanation of the once-for-all atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ and how Jesus’ death on the cross supersedes the first covenant and the sacrificial system associated with it. The writer of Hebrews says that the tabernacle that God had Moses build in the wilderness was a mere copy of heavenly reality. And the sacrifices were but a foreshadowing of the ultimate sacrifice of God’s Son:

"For Christ did not enter into a holy place made with human hands, which was only a copy of the true one in heaven. He entered into heaven itself to appear now before God on our behalf. And he did not enter heaven to offer himself again and again, like the high priest here on earth who enters the Most Holy Place year after year with the blood of an animal. If that had been necessary, Christ would have had to die again and again, ever since the world began. But now, once for all time, he has appeared at the end of the age to remove sin by his own death as a sacrifice" (Heb. 9:24-28).

The balance of Leviticus underscores the need for God’s people to be “holy,” which means “set apart” as uniquely belonging to God. While God provides the means of forgiveness through atonement, God also calls on his people to be holy, as he is holy (19:2). This includes sexual purity (ch. 18), respect for our parents (19:3), undivided devotion to the one true God (v. 4), care for the poor (vv. 9-10), honesty (vv. 11-12), fairness (v. 13), care for the physically challenged (v. 14), justice that is impartial, (v. 15), avoidance of gossip and slander (v. 16), regard for our neighbor’s safety (v. 17), and love for others as for ourselves (v. 18).

The book of Numbers highlights the mediatory role of Moses as God’s spokesperson. A distinguishing feature of this book, which sets Numbers apart from the other books of the Pentateuch, is the statement that the Lord spoke to Moses…who in turn spoke to the people. Phrases to this effect occur more than 150 times and in more than 20 different ways. Moses’ role as mediator and spokesperson prefigures Jesus Christ (compare Deut. 18:18 and Acts 3:19-23).

This is a small sampling of what’s in store for you this week. There is much to learn from this portion of God’s word!

Enjoy this week’s readings!

Week 5: Exodus 36 to Leviticus 15

2010-01-29T17:43:00.000-08:00

Here is this week's reading plan:

* Weekend: Exodus 36-40
* Monday: Leviticus 1-3
* Tuesday: Leviticus 4-6
* Wednesday: Leviticus 7-9
* Thursday: Leviticus 10-12
* Friday: Leviticus 13-15

In the New Testament, John 14:15 quotes Jesus: "If you love me, obey my commandmants."

God expects obedience, and He expects us to pay attention to the details of His commands.

As we read together this week, think about how our laws and application of our laws today compares and contrasts to the laws passed down to the Hebrews in these books.

Looking very much forward to some great discussions this week!!!

God Bless,

Mike