Week 52: "By My Spirit"

This week's Bible reading plan is as follows:

• Sunday: Zechariah 4:1-5:11; Revelation 14:1-20; Psalm 142:1-7; Proverbs 30:21-23
• Monday: Zechariah 6:1-7:14; Revelation 15:1-8; Psalm 143:1-12; Proverbs 30:24-28
• Tuesday: Zechariah 8:1-23; Revelation 16:1-21; Psalm 144:1-15; Proverbs 30:29-31
• Wednesday: Zechariah 9:1-17; Revelation 17:1-18; Psalm 145:1-21; Proverbs 30:32
• Thursday: Zechariah 10:1-11:17; Revelation 18:1-24; Psalm 146:1-10; Proverbs 30:33
• Friday: Zechariah 12:1-13:9; Revelation 19:1-21; Psalm 147:1-20; Proverbs 31:1-7
• Saturday: Zechariah 14:1-21; Revelation 20:1-15; Psalm 148:1-14; Proverbs 31:8-9

Our S.O.A.P. this week is from the book of Zechariah: 

Scripture: Zechariah 4:6
"Then he said to me, 'This is what the Lord says to Zerubbabel: It is not by force nor by strength, but by my Spirit, says the Lord of Heaven's Armies.'"

Observation:
In the context of this passage, the Lord is assuring Zechariah that he will fulfill his promise to rebuild the Temple. But this was not to be accomplished by human ingenuity or effort; it would be accomplished by God's Spirit.

This is one of the most oft-quoted Old Testament verses because of the underlying principle: namely, the principle that God accomplishes everything he promises through his Spirit; not by human wit or strength. This universal truth brings a lot of comfort! It relieves us of the burden of fulfilling God's will in our lives and in the world by means of our own strength or will power.

God uses us to be sure, but he accomplishes his purposes with us, not because of us. In other words, to the extent that we are willing and able, God lets us participate with him in the realization of his divine purposes in the world. He uses us to the fullest extent possible, but his ultimate will is not thwarted if and when we fail. In fact, God sometimes uses our failures to accomplish his will!

Application:
The practical implications of this passage are profound. When we internalize the truth of this passage, we can, with the Psalmist, be still and know (experientially) that God is God (see Psalm 46:10).

I came across a sermon recently whose title captures perfectly the point I'm trying to make: "The Gospel Depends on a God Who does not Depend on You."

Some preach a very toxic gospel, which says, in essence, that God's purposes in the world, including the salvation of people's souls, depend on us...and that when we drop the ball or miss the mark, God's will goes unrealized. But God's word strikes a very careful balance between the existence of human "free will" and God's "sovereign will." In God's economy, both types of "will" fully exist without impinging on each other. How precisely this is the case is a matter of a much longer theological discussion.

For now, suffice it to say that the Christmas story is nothing less than the Gospel – the "Good News" of fulfilled promise in which God accomplishes for us what we could not accomplish for ourselves so that from here on out we would depend not on our own effort or ability but on the finished work of Christ. Because of him, and in light of our imperfect-yet-willing selves, we are the glad and happy recipients of the greatest gift known to humankind: the gift of everlasting life!

"Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God!
"How unsearchable his judgments,
"and his paths beyond tracing out!" (Romans 11:33)

Prayer:
O Lord, thank you for accomplishing for us what we could never have accomplished for ourselves. Amid all the glitter and clutter of this "holiday," which for many is anything but the "Holy Day" it deserves to be, please awaken us by your Spirit and enable us to feast on the truth of your Incarnation: "God is born; God is born indeed!" Amen.

Have a blessed Christmas!

Faithfully,
Chuck

Week 51: Bethlehem's Hope

This week's Bible reading plan is as follows: 

• Sunday: Micah 5:1-7:20; Revelation 7:1-17; Psalm 135:1-21; Proverbs 30:5-6
• Monday: Nahum 1:1-3:19; Revelation 8:1-13; Psalm 136:1-26; Proverbs 30:7-9
• Tuesday: Habakkuk 1:1-3:19; Revelation 9:1-21; Psalm 137:1-9; Proverbs 30:10
• Wednesday: Zephaniah 1:1-3:20; Revelation 10:1-11; Psalm 138:1-8; Proverbs 30:11-14
• Thursday: Haggai 1:1-2:23; Revelation 11:1-19; Psalm 139:1-24; Proverbs 30:15-16
• Friday: Zechariah 1:1-21; Revelation 12:1-17; Psalm 140:1-13; Proverbs 30:17
• Saturday: Zechariah 2:1-3:10; Revelation 13:1-18; Psalm 141:1-10; Proverbs 30:18-20

Our S.O.A.P. this week is from the book of Micah:

Scripture: Micah 5:2-5
But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah,
are only a small village among all the people of Judah.
Yet a ruler of Israel will come from you,
one whose origins are from the distant past.
The people of Israel will be abandoned to their enemies
until the woman in labor gives birth.
Then at last his fellow countrymen
will return from exile to their own land.
And he will stand to lead his flock with the Lord's strength,
in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God.
Then his people will live there undisturbed,
for he will be highly honored around the world.
And he will be the source of peace.

Observation:
People today equate the word "prophecy" with "prediction." So they are surprised to learn that only about 2 percent of all biblical prophecy is predictive. Most prophecy is proclamatory, which means that it is the proclamation of God's timely message to a situation that is happening at the time. God called prophets mainly to preach to the people in their own day. In fact, that's what Micah was doing. Most of the time in his book, when Micah talked about future events, he was speaking about the judgment that would befall Israel if the people did not repent. His message was about turning to God in repentance right away.

What we see in Micah 5:2-5 is a rare phenomenon in biblical prophecy. This passage is an instance of pure prediction. Verse 2 calls to mind the old Christmas hymn, O Little Town of Bethlehem.

Bethlehem was God's chosen place for the Savior's birth.

In Hebrew the word Bethlehem means literally "house of bread." It was a small city and one of the oldest in Israel. It is first mentioned in Genesis 48:7 as the place where Rachel died. Ruth lived there. It was also King David's home at one point...and Joseph was a descendant of David, which is why he had to go there to register for the census that Augustus Caesar decreed.

But why did God choose Bethlehem as the birthplace of the Messiah? Why not Jerusalem, the most famous city in Israel? We can't say for sure. What we can know, however, is that more than 800 years before Jesus' birth, God predicted through the prophet Micah that the Savior of the world would be born there.

Application:
When one thinks of the circumstances that led to Jesus' birth in Bethlehem, and that his specific birthplace was predicted so long before it happened, one cannot help but be blown away.

It makes us realize that God is in charge of this world in ways that go far beyond our powers of perception. It makes us realize that if God can take the self-serving impulses of a power-hungry Roman emperor and use them for (or at least incorporate them into) his divine plan to bring the King of kings and Lord of lords into the world in a certain place, he can also lead us through the dark and uncertain days brought on by the senseless acts of violence in Clackamas, Oregon, and Newtown, Connecticut.

What Micah's predictive prophecy about Jesus' birth proves, among other things, is that God is in control, even when we are caught off guard by the unthinkable things human beings sometimes do.

The senseless and brutal murders of these people were not part of some "bigger plan" for God to be glorified through incomprehensible suffering. If the story of Jesus' standing at the graveside of his dear friend, Lazarus, proves anything at all about God's feeling towards death, it is that he comes to us in our grief and joins us in our mourning, even though in the end he will vanquish death and wipe every tear from our eyes (Revelation 7:17).

The prediction of Jesus' coming into the world proves that God is not caught off guard by human caprice and malice. And the fact of Jesus’ coming proves that there is life after death and therefore joy and consolation after such incalculable loss. But in the present, there is God with us, Immanuel, sharing in this journey of pain and entering fully into our grief.

Prayer:
O Lord, the One who Is and Was and Is to Come, the Great I Am, we lean into your embrace in this strange and paradoxical period of loss and unrealized hope, knowing that because of your Incarnation Love, we are not alone with our pain. Please be our ever-present Strength in this season of anguish and grief. Tarry with us now in this pain and lead us in the Way Everlasting. We pray in Jesus' name. Amen.

May this last week of Advent bring you hope and peace.

Faithfully, Chuck

Week 50: God's Word: Feast or Famine?

This week's Bible reading plan is as follows:

• Sunday: Joel 1:1-3:21, Revelation 1:1-20, Psalm 128:1-6, Proverbs 29:18
• Monday: Amos 1:1-3:15, Revelation 2:1-17, Psalm 129:1-8, Proverbs 29:19-20
• Tuesday: Amos 4:1-6:14, Revelation 2:18-3:6, Psalm 130:1-8, Proverbs 29:21-22
• Wednesday: Amos 7:1-9:15, Revelation 3:7-22, Psalm 131:1-3, Proverbs 29:23
• Thursday: Obadiah 1:1-21, Revelation 4:1-11, Psalm 132:1-18, Proverbs 29:24-25
• Friday: Jonah 1:1-4-11, Revelation 5:1-14, Psalm 133:1-3, Proverbs 29:26-27
• Saturday: Micah 1:1-4:13, Revelation 6:1-17, Psalm 134:1-3, Proverbs 30:1-4

Our S.O.A.P. this week is from the book of Amos:

 

Scripture: Amos 8:11

    "The time is surely coming," says the Sovereign LORD, "when I will send a famine on the land -- not a famine of bread or water but of hearing the words of the LORD.

Observation:
Through the prophet Amos, the God was warning the people of Israel that there would come a time when the 'words of the LORD' would be scarce. This will be a time when it will be difficult to find a place where you can hear God's word.

Application:
We are fortunate that we can still here the words of the LORD on a weekly basis in church, and on a daily basis by reading the Bible. Even today there are places where Christians are persecuted and/or have to read God's word in secret. There may come a day where the hearing of God's word will be difficult for Christ-followers as well. The book of Revelation that you will start reading this week, talks about that. Let's take advantage of the bounty of God's word we have today!

Prayer:
Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for your word, and the bounty of it we have today. Help us to read it regularly, understand it, and apply it to our lives. In Jesus Name. Amen.

Have a great week feasting on God's word!

In Christ,

Dick

Week 49: Love over Sacrifice

This week's Bible reading plan is as follows:

• Sunday: Daniel 9:1-11:1, 1 John 2:18-3:6, Psalm 121:1-8, Proverbs 28:27-28
• Monday: Daniel 11:2-35, 1 John 3:7-24, Psalm 122:1-9, Proverbs 29:1
• Tuesday: Daniel 11:36-12:13, 1 John 4:1-21, Psalm 123:1-4, Proverbs 29:2-4
• Wednesday: Hosea 1:1-3:5, 1 John 5:1-21, Psalm 124:1-8, Proverbs 29:5-8
• Thursday: Hosea 4:1-5:15, 2 John 1:1-13, Psalm 125:1-5, Proverbs 29:9-11
• Friday: Hosea 6:1-9:17, 3 John 1:1-14, Psalm 126:1-6, Proverbs 29:12-14
• Saturday: Hosea 10:1-14:9, Jude 1:1-25, Psalm 127:1-5, Proverbs 29:15-17

Our S.O.A.P. this week is from the book of Hosea:

Scripture: Hosea 6:6

For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings.

Observation:
Hosea is the first book of a series of 12 books that we call the minor prophets. These prophets are called 'minor prophets', only because the length of these books is rather small compared to the books of the 'major' prophets like Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel and Daniel. I think the verse above (verse 6 of chapter 6) was one of Jesus' favorite Bible verses, as he quoted it on several occasions, see for example Matthew 9:13, or Matthew 12:7. Jesus uses this verse in the context of saving sinners, people who have been written off by the so-called religious leaders. He tells these leaders (and us!) that God is more interested in us being merciful, rather than us being religious by bringing our 'sacrifices'.

Application:
The Hebrew word for mercy (Checed), can also be translated as 'lovingkindness', in other words... 'showing love'. Acknowledgment of God, means 'to know God'. So what Hosea is saying is this: to really know God, means to be merciful, or to show love to those who do not deserve it. There have been enough times in my life when I had a really difficult time with that. Times when I felt all 'self righteous' in condemning others. Rather than being merciful, I was only interested in 'being right' and not showing love where I needed to. This verse is a great reminder that God is only interested in my love for others, not my sacrifices. Our Lord Jesus was an example to us, who showed the real meaning of love. Hebrews 10 verse 5 to 7 (which is a quotation of Psalm 40:6-8) says:

5 Therefore, when Christ came into the world, he said: "Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you prepared for me; 6 with burnt offerings and sin offerings you were not pleased. 7 Then I said, 'Here I am--it is written about me in the scroll-- I have come to do your will, my God.' "

Prayer:
Dear Heavenly Father, I pray that you stir my heart and help me to develop an attitude the same that Christ Jesus had. Help me to be more concerned with my love for others, than to be concerned with my 'righteous sacrifices'. In Jesus Name. Amen.

Have a great week. Enjoy the Bible reading. Stick to your plan!

In Christ,

Dick

Week 48

This week's Bible reading plan is as follows:

• Sunday: Daniel 1:1-2:23; 1 Peter 3:8-4:6; Psalm 119:65-80; Proverbs 28:14
• Monday: Daniel 2:24-3:30; 1 Peter 4:7-5:14; Psalm 119:81-96; Proverbs 28:15-16
• Tuesday: Daniel 4:1-37; 2 Peter 1:1-21; Psalm 119:97-112; Proverbs 28:17-18
• Wednesday: Daniel 5:1-31; 2 Peter 2:1-22; Psalm 119:113-128; Proverbs 28:19-20
• Thursday: Daniel 6:1-28; 2 Peter 3:1-18; Psalm 119:129-152; Proverbs 28:21-22
• Friday: Daniel 7:1-28; 1 John 1:1-10; Psalm 119:153-176; Proverbs 28:23-24
• Saturday: Daniel 8:1-27; 1 John 2:1-17; Psalm 120:1-7; Proverbs 28:25-26

Our S.O.A.P. this week is from the book of 1 Peter:

Scripture: 1 Peter 3:15-17
"Instead, you must worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if someone asks about your Christian hope, always be ready to explain it. But do this in a gentle and respectful way. Keep your conscience clear. Then if people speak against you, they will be ashamed when they see what a good life you live because you belong to Christ. Remember, it is better to suffer for doing good, if that is what God wants, than to suffer for doing wrong!"

Observation:
Followers of Jesus Christ are different. They stand out among those who do not know Jesus. This passage calls us as Christ-followers to be transparent yet grace filled about our convictions. Note that when we worship Christ as Lord, people will take notice. Some will ask us about our hope in Jesus. Peter says that when we give our answer, we should to so in a gentle and respectful way.

That last point cannot be stressed enough! Someone once said, "Jesus commands us to let our light shine – but there's a difference between shining and glaring." Being effective witnesses for Jesus is not about winning arguments; it's about winning souls. Remember the old saying: "Convince a man against his will and he is of the same opinion still."

Faithful living always brings critics. There will be those who speak against us because of our faith in Jesus. That's why it is so important to attend to the way we live. One of the biggest criticisms people level against Christians is that they are hypocrites. So the key for us is to make sure that our practice of faith matches our profession of faith. Nobody is perfect, but the more our actions align with our words, the stronger our witness will be to those who are searching for the "real thing."

Application:
At Woodhaven Community Church we talk about worshiping God, loving each other, and serving the world. In a word, we're talking about upreach, inreach, and outreach. We live most effectively when we reach up to God in worship, reach in to one another as a community of faith, and reach out to the world in faithful witness and service. That's what this passage is all about!

It makes a huge difference in our lives when we worship every day through Bible reading, prayer, and discernment. That's the main reason we emphasize the daily devotional practice we call SOAP. When we are engaged in this daily spiritual exercise, we are better equipped to engage an unbelieving world with grace and wisdom. The more consistently we SOAP, the better prepared we are to be Jesus' faithful witnesses in word and deed.

Prayer:
Heavenly Father, we want to be faithful and effective as your followers. We humbly acknowledge that we cannot do this without your support and guidance. So please help us to orient ourselves in you by beginning each day in worship and adoration...and give us the right words to share when people ask us about our faith in you. We also realize that our words mean very little without the actions that match them, so please help us to be faithful to you in both word and deed, for Jesus' sake. Amen!

Have a great week!

Faithfully,
Chuck

Week 47

This week's Bible reading plan is as follows:

• Sunday: Ezekiel 37:1-38:23; James 1:19-2:17; Psalm 117:1-2; Proverbs 28:1
• Monday: Ezekiel 39:1-40:27; James 2:18-3:18; Psalm 118:1-18; Proverbs 28:2
• Tuesday: Ezekiel 40:28-41:26; James 4:1-17; Psalm 118:19-29; Proverbs 28:3-5
• Wednesday: Ezekiel 42:1-43:27; James 5:1-20; Psalm 119:1-16; Proverbs 28:6-7
• Thursday: Ezekiel 44:1-45:12; 1 Peter 1:1-12; Psalm 119:17-32; Proverbs 28:8-10
• Friday: Ezekiel 45:13-46:24; 1 Peter 1:13-2:10; Psalm 119:33-48; Proverbs 28:11
• Saturday: Ezekiel 47:1-48:35; 1 Peter 2:11-3:7; Psalm 119:49-64; Proverbs 28:12-13

Our S.O.A.P. this week is from the book of Ezekiel:

Scripture: Ezekiel 37:4-6
"Then he said to me, 'Speak a prophetic message to these bones and say, "Dry bones, listen to the word of the Lord! This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Look! I am going to put breath into you and make you live again! I will put flesh and muscles on you and cover you with skin. I will put breath into you, and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the Lord."'"

Observation:
This is a message of hope and restoration. The dry and scattered bones symbolized God's people that were captives in many foreign lands. The Assyrians invaded the 10 northern tribes more than 150 years before Ezekiel's prophetic ministry. The Assyrian king led the Israelites into captivity, dispersing them throughout his vast kingdom. He then repopulated the land with foreigners, whom he had taken captive from other countries. Then in Ezekiel's more recent past, the Babylonians led the rest of God’s people into captivity. Israel lay in ruins. Only a few of Israel’s poorest were left behind to tend the land. Everything looked hopeless. But what appeared to be dead and gone by all human reckoning was about to come back life! God would bring his people back to life, as it were, restoring them to their land and ultimately bringing Jesus Christ into their midst, who would not only deliver them, but would also bring life to all other peoples.

Application:
We serve a God who can resurrect dry bones in our lives too! As long as we are alive, we have the chance to surrender to Christ and let his Spirit breathe new life into our situation – whatever it may be! We sometimes do an amazing job turning everything in our lives into a valley of dry bones. In other words, we can make a mess of things! But God is in the business of restoration and new life. Today I want to take inventory of my life and ask God bring restoration and new life wherever it is needed.

Prayer:
Heavenly Father, thank you for giving me new life in Jesus Christ! I live only because you brought hope and restoration to me personally. Yet there are dry bones strewn throughout my life that also need your healing breath, mainly because of my own doing! Please, for Jesus' sake, let your healing grace abound! Amen.

Have a great week!






Faithfully,


Chuck

Week 46: A New Way to Convey an Old Message

This week's Bible reading plan is as follows:

• Sunday: Ezekiel 23:1-49, Hebrews 10:18-39, Psalm 109:1-31, Proverbs 27:13
• Monday: Ezekiel 24:1-26:21, Hebrews 11:1-16, Psalm 110:1-7, Proverbs 27:14
• Tuesday: Ezekiel 27:1-28:26, Hebrews 11:17-31, Psalm 111:1-10, Proverbs 27:15-16
• Wednesday: Ezekiel 29:1-30:26, Hebrews 11:32-12:13, Psalm 112:1-10, Proverbs 27:17
• Thursday: Ezekiel 31:1-32:32, Hebrews 12:14-29, Psalm 113:1-114:8, Proverbs 27:18-20
• Friday: Ezekiel 33:1-34:31, Hebrews 13:1-25, Psalm 115:1-18, Proverbs 27:21-22
• Saturday: Ezekiel 35:1-36:38, James 1:1-18, Psalm 116:1-19, Proverbs 27:23-27

Our S.O.A.P. this week is from the book of Hebrews:

Scripture: Hebrews 8:10

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 so they will understand them, and I will write them on their hearts so they will obey them. I will be their God, and they will be my people.

Observation:
This is one of those amazing verses that is a quotation from the Old Testament. We find it in Jeremiah 31:31-34, but also in this week's reading of Ezekiel 36:26-27:

25 "Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean. Your filth will be washed away, and you will no longer worship idols. 26 And I will give you a new heart with new and right desires, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony heart of sin and give you a new, obedient heart. ^a 27 And I will put my Spirit in you so you will obey my laws and do whatever I command.

God realized that the old covenant fell short: it was based on obedience of the rules (the law), with the intent to give the people life -- if only they lived by those rules. But God's people in the Old Testament (the people of Israel) did not understand that, nor were they able to obey those rules. So God came up with a new covenant so they would understand: he put his rules (the law) in their mind and in their heart. He did that by pouring out his Holy Spirit, who gives us understanding. (John 14:26)

Application:
What struck me in this passage is that God didn't change his laws. The laws and rules that God gave all boil down to the ultimate law of loving Him and loving others (Matthew 22:37-40). That was the same in the Old Testament as it is in the New Testament! What changed in the New Testament is that God simply found a new way of conveying his laws of love. By pouring out the Holy Spirit, He poured out a little bit of Himself on each one of us. How amazing!!

Prayer:
Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for showing mercy on us, by meeting us in our shortcomings. Thank you for giving your Son, and thank you for your Spirit who guides us and teaches us. Thank you for softening our stony hearts, and turning them into hearts of flesh that can show compassion and love to others. Help us never forget that. In Jesus Name. Amen.

Have a great and purposeful week.

In Christ,

Dick