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Post by Les on Apr 27, 2020 21:42:03 GMT
Through the Waters By: Winn Collier
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When you pass through the waters, I will be with you. Isaiah 43:2
Today's Scripture & Insight:
Isaiah 43:1–7 The movie The Free State of Jones tells the US Civil War story of Newton Knight and some Confederate deserters and slaves who aided the Union Army and then resisted slaveholders after the war. Many herald Knight as the hero, but two slaves first saved his life after his desertion. They carried him deep into a secluded swampland and tended a leg wound he suffered while fleeing Confederate forces. If they’d abandoned him, he would have died.
The people of Judah were wounded and desperate, facing enemies and feeling helpless. Israel had been overtaken by Assyria, and Isaiah prophesied that one day they (Judah) would also be overcome by an enemy—Babylonia. Judah needed a God who would help, who would rescue and not forsake them. Imagine, then, the surging hope when the people heard God’s assurance: “Do not be afraid, for I am with you” (Isaiah 43:5). Whatever calamity they faced or trouble they would endure, He would be with them. He would “pass through the waters” with them, leading them to safety (v. 2). He would “walk through the fire” with them, helping them through the scorching flames (v. 2).
Throughout Scripture, God promises to be with His people, to care for us, guide us, and never abandon us—whether in life or death. Even when you find yourself in difficult places, God is with you. He’ll help you pass through the waters.
Reflect & Pray What deep waters are you facing? How does God’s promise to pass through them with you strengthen your heart today?
God, the water is deep, and I don’t see how I’m going to make it through. Thank You for promising to be with me and to carry me through!
SCRIPTURE INSIGHT Against the backdrop of the present Assyrian invasion (Isaiah 10:3-6) and the future Babylonian destruction and exile (39:6-7), God assured the people of Judah saying, “Do not fear!” (43:1). God reminded them that they were His chosen people and had a special personal relationship with Him: “I have summoned you by name; you are mine” (v. 1). God also gave them many assurances of His love and protection: He revealed Himself as their Creator, Redeemer, Owner, and Protector (vv. 1-4) and declared, “For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior” (v. 3). God’s people didn’t need to fear the Assyrians or the Babylonians because they were greatly loved by God (v. 4). But it’d be foolish for them to depend on anything other than God for deliverance (31:1). Isaiah called them to repent and to “turn to the Lord . . . for he will freely pardon” (55:7). K. T. Sim
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Post by Les on Apr 28, 2020 21:00:31 GMT
Let Us Praise! By: Xochitl Dixon
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May the nations be glad and sing for joy. Psalm 67:4
Today's Scripture & Insight:
Psalm 67 When the alarm on Shelley’s phone goes off every day at 3:16 in the afternoon, she takes a praise break. She thanks God and acknowledges His goodness. Although she communicates with God throughout the day, Shelley loves to take this break because it helps her celebrate her intimate relationship with Him.
Inspired by her joyful devotion, I decided to set a specific time each day to thank Christ for His sacrifice on the cross and to pray for those who have yet to be saved. I wonder what it would be like if all believers in Jesus stopped to praise Him in their own way and pray for others every day.
The image of a beautiful wave of worship rolling to the ends of the earth resounds in the words of Psalm 67. The psalmist pleads for God’s grace, proclaiming his desire to make His name great in all the nations (vv. 1–2). He sings, “May the peoples praise you, God; may all the peoples praise you” (v. 3). He celebrates His sovereign rule and faithful guidance (v. 4). As a living testimony of God’s great love and abundant blessings, the psalmist leads God’s people into jubilant praise (vv. 5–6).
God’s continued faithfulness toward His beloved children inspires us to acknowledge Him. As we do, others can join us in trusting Him, revering Him, following Him, and acclaiming Him as Lord.
Reflect & Pray When can you take a few minutes today to praise God? What do you have to be thankful for?
God, You are worthy of all our praise!
SCRIPTURE INSIGHT Psalm 67 is a prayer that draws from God’s blessing to Abraham in Genesis 12:1-3 as well as the Aaronic blessing in Numbers 6:24-27 (“the Lord bless you and keep you . . .”). Because it emphasizes crops as a sign of God’s blessing (Psalm 67:6), this psalm might have been composed for use during harvest celebrations like the Festival of Tabernacles.
Typically, in the Old Testament the word translated “people” (Hebrew ‘am) refers primarily to the nation of Israel; however, Psalm 67 suggests that God’s blessing on “the people” extends beyond Israel to “the nations” (v. 4) and strongly emphasizes the universal scope of God’s goodness. Through God’s goodness to His people, He becomes known and revered throughout the earth (v. 2), just as God promised Abraham. Monica La Rose
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Post by Les on Apr 29, 2020 21:03:39 GMT
Right Beside You By: Sheridan Voysey
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The Lord our God is near us whenever we pray to him. Deuteronomy 4:7
Today's Scripture & Insight:
Deuteronomy 4:5–8 Each day at a post office in Jerusalem, workers sort through piles of undeliverable letters in an attempt to guide each to its recipient. Many end up in a specially marked box labeled “Letters to God.”
About a thousand such letters reach Jerusalem each year, addressed simply to God or Jesus. Puzzled by what to do with them, one worker began taking the letters to Jerusalem’s Western Wall to have them placed between its stone blocks with other written prayers. Most of the letters ask for a job, a spouse, or good health. Some request forgiveness, others just offer thanks. One man asked God if his deceased wife could appear in his dreams because he longed to see her again. Each sender believed God would listen, if only He could be reached.
The Israelites learned much as they journeyed through the wilderness. One lesson was that their God wasn’t like the other gods known at the time—distant, deaf, geographically bound, reached only by lengthy pilgrimage or international mail. No, “the Lord our God is near us whenever we pray to him” (Deuteronomy 4:7). What other people could claim that? This was revolutionary news!
God doesn’t live in Jerusalem. He’s close by us, wherever we are. Some still need to discover this radical truth. If only each of those letters could be sent the reply: God is right beside you. Just talk to Him.
Reflect & Pray God’s accessibility to us is a profound gift. How can you avoid taking it for granted? Who in your life needs to know of God’s readiness to hear their prayer?
God, You are bigger than the universe yet closer than a breath. Thank You for being so interested in us, attending to every prayer.
SCRIPTURE INSIGHT Deuteronomy 4:5-8 comes just after Moses has recounted the greatest disappointment of his long life. God prevented Moses from entering the Promised Land because of how he mishandled his anger with the people (3:23-27; also Numbers 20:1-13). Despite his grief, Moses continued to serve God by advising His people even as he transitioned power to Joshua. Here Moses emphasizes the distinctiveness of Israel. “What other nation is so great?” he asks rhetorically (Deuteronomy 4:7-8). After all, God had chosen this nation to be His treasured possession (see Exodus 19:5; Deuteronomy 14:2; 26:18).
Those who follow Jesus are also treasured by God and set apart for Him. Peter reminds us, “You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession” (1 Peter 2:9). Tim Gustafson
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Post by Les on Apr 30, 2020 20:58:13 GMT
Free Indeed By: Arthur Jackson
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If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. John 8:36
Today's Scripture & Insight:
John 8:31–36 The film Amistad tells the story of West African slaves in 1839 taking over the boat that was transporting them and killing the captain and some of the crew. Eventually they were recaptured, imprisoned, and taken to trial. An unforgettable courtroom scene features Cinqué, leader of the slaves, passionately pleading for freedom. Three simple words—repeated with increasing force by a shackled man with broken English—eventually silenced the courtroom, “Give us free!” Justice was served and the men were freed.
Most people today aren’t in danger of being physically bound, yet true liberation from the spiritual bondage of sin remains elusive. The words of Jesus in John 8:36 offer sweet relief: “So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” Jesus pointed to Himself as the source of true emancipation because He offers forgiveness to anyone who believes in Him. Though some in Christ’s audience claimed freedom (v. 33), their words, attitudes, and actions regarding Jesus betrayed their claim.
Jesus longs to hear those who would echo Cinqué’s plea and say, “Give me freedom!” With compassion He awaits the cries of those who are shackled by unbelief or fear or failure. Freedom is a matter of the heart. Such liberty is reserved for those who believe that Jesus is God’s Son who was sent into the world to break the power of sin’s hold on us through His death and resurrection.
Reflect & Pray How has Jesus set you free? What can you share with others about God’s liberating power?
Jesus, help me to believe that You can set me free.
SCRIPTURE INSIGHT The debate that started in John 7:25-27 over Jesus’ identity and whether He was the Messiah intensified in chapter 8. The people asked Him, “Who are you?” (v. 25). John tells us that “many believed in him” (v. 30). Then Jesus clarified the identity of His true disciples: those who not only know Jesus, but also obey Him (v. 31). Jesus also cautioned the Jews that their privileged status as God’s chosen people and their heritage standing as descendants of Abraham had blinded them. They refused to see that they too were slaves to sin (vv. 31-36). Only when they accepted and believed the truth that Jesus is their Messiah—that He’s “the way and the truth and the life” (14:6)—would they be truly set free. “If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed” (8:36). K. T. Sim
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Post by Les on May 1, 2020 20:43:07 GMT
Living in the Branches By: Monica La Rose
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Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. Ephesians 3:17 nlt
Today's Scripture & Insight:
Ephesians 4:14–24 As I shared with my counselor my roller-coaster of emotions after a stress-filled week, she listened thoughtfully. Then she invited me to look out the window at the trees, lush with autumnal oranges and golds, the branches swaying in the wind.
Pointing out that the trunks weren’t moving at all in the wind, my counselor explained, “We’re a bit like that. When life is blowing at us from every direction, of course our emotions will go up and down and all around. But sometimes we live as if we only have branches. Our goal is to help you find your own trunk. That way, even when life is pulling from all sides, you won’t be living in your branches. You’ll still be secure and stable.”
It’s an image that’s stuck with me, and it’s similar to the image Paul offered new believers in Ephesians. Reminding them of God’s incredible gift—a new life of tremendous purpose and value (Ephesians 2:6–10), Paul shared his longing that they’d become deeply “rooted and established” in Christ’s love (3:17), no longer “blown here and there by every wind of teaching” (4:14).
On our own, it’s easy to feel insecure and fragile, pummeled by our fears and insecurities. But as we grow in our true identity in Christ (vv. 22–24), we can experience deep peace with God and each other (v. 3), nourished and sustained by Christ’s power and beauty (vv. 15–16).
Reflect & Pray When do you feel most “blown here and there” by life’s challenges? How might remembering your identity in Jesus encourage and strengthen you?
Jesus, thank You for the overwhelmingly good news that the strength needed to withstand life’s challenges isn’t our own. Help us to grow ever-deeper roots in Your love and our place in Your family.
SCRIPTURE INSIGHT The church at Ephesus faced tremendous challenges in their home city. One was the fanatical devotion of the Ephesian people to the goddess Artemis, whose temple there was one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Additionally, Ephesus was a center of the dark arts—magic and the occult. In Acts 19:19, some of the people who trusted Christ displayed their spiritual commitment by destroying the scrolls used in the practice of sorcery—scrolls valued at 50,000 drachmas (a drachma was a day’s wage). With challenges like these, Ephesus was a difficult place to live for Christ. Bill Crowder
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Post by Les on May 2, 2020 20:42:06 GMT
Community Memory By: Bill Crowder
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He took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body given for you.” Luke 22:19
Today's Scripture & Insight:
Luke 22:14–23 In his book Restless Faith, theologian Richard Mouw talks about the importance of remembering the lessons of the past. He quotes sociologist Robert Bellah, who said that “healthy nations must be ‘communities of memory.’ ” Bellah extended that principle to other societal bonds such as families. Remembering is an important part of living in community.
The Scriptures teach the value of community memory as well. The Israelites were given the Passover feast to remind them of what God had done to rescue them from slavery in Egypt (see Exodus 12:1–30). Still today, Jewish people around the world revisit that rich community memory every spring.
Passover holds great meaning for followers of Christ too, for Passover has always pointed to the work of the Messiah on the cross. It was during Passover, the night before the cross, that Jesus established His own memorial table. Luke 22:19 records, “He took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, ‘This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.’”
Every time we gather at the Lord’s Table to celebrate Communion, we remember that Christ rescued us from slavery to sin and provided us with eternal life. May the rescuing love of Jesus remind us that His cross is worth remembering—together.
Reflect & Pray Why is it valuable to take Communion with other believers in Jesus? How does the shared event remind you of Jesus’ sacrificial love?
Thank You, Father, for the gift of Your Son. Thank You also that He has given us a tangible way to remember His sacrifice whenever we gather at the Table.
SCRIPTURE INSIGHT Communion refers to our celebration of the Lord’s Supper commemorating the last Passover meal Jesus had with His disciples before He was crucified. At this meal He instituted and explained the new covenant He was making with His followers. The bread represents His body, and the wine represents His blood. In Luke 22:15 Jesus says, “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer.” Other translations render this phrase “earnestly desired” (nasb), “with desire I have desired” (kjv), and “fervent desire” (nkjv). The Greek word is epithumia and is sometimes translated “lust” (see James 1:14-15; 2 Peter 1:4; 2:10; 1 John 2:16-17). While the word lust is often used negatively, in this instance it refers to Jesus’ consuming desire for this meal and its result: instating the new covenant that would define the relationship between God and people. J.R. Hudberg
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Post by Les on May 3, 2020 20:12:47 GMT
The One Who Sees By: James Banks
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You may be sure that your sin will find you out. Numbers 32:23
Today's Scripture & Insight:
Numbers 32:16–24 “Oh no!” My wife’s voice rang out when she stepped into the kitchen. The moment she did, our ninety-pound Labrador retriever “Max” bolted from the room.
Gone was the leg of lamb that had been sitting too close to the edge of the counter. Max had consumed it, leaving only an empty pan. He tried to hide under a bed. But only his head and shoulders fit. His uncovered rump and tail betrayed his whereabouts when I went to track him down.
“Oh, Max,” I murmured, “Your ‘sin’ will find you out.” The phrase was borrowed from Moses, when he admonished two tribes of Israel to be obedient to God and keep their promises. He told them: “But if you fail to do this, you will be sinning against the Lord; and you may be sure that your sin will find you out” (Numbers 32:23).
Sin may feel good for a moment, but it causes the ultimate pain of separation from God. Moses was reminding his people that God misses nothing. As one biblical writer put it, “Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account” (Hebrews 4:13).
Though seeing all, our holy God lovingly draws us to confess our sin, repent of it (turn from it), and walk rightly with Him (1 John 1:9). May we follow Him in love today.
Reflect & Pray How does the truth that God sees everything we do and still loves us encourage you to turn from sin? In what practical ways can you respond to His love today?
Thank You for being “the God who sees me” (Genesis 16:13). I praise You that though You see both good and bad, You sent Your Son to save and set me free. Help me to walk in loving obedience.
SCRIPTURE INSIGHT The words sinning and sin in Numbers 32:23 both come from the same Hebrew root chata’. Meanings of the word include “to lose the path,” “miss,” or “miss the mark.” Though this word is used extensively in the Old Testament, it’s one of several terms used to denote sin and evil. The first occurrence of the word sin in the Bible (Genesis 4:7) is translated from this Hebrew word: “But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door.” Arthur Jackson
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Post by Les on May 4, 2020 21:12:36 GMT
Eclipse By: Lisa M. Samra
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I will restore David’s fallen shelter— I will repair its broken walls and restore its ruins—and will rebuild it as it used to be. Amos 9:11
Today's Scripture & Insight:
Amos 8:9–12; 9:11–12 I was prepared with eye protection, an ideal viewing location, and homemade moon pie desserts. Along with millions of people in the US, my family watched the rare occurrence of a total solar eclipse—the moon covering the entire disk of the sun.
The eclipse caused an unusual darkness to come over the typically bright summer afternoon. Although for us this eclipse was a fun celebration and a reminder of God’s incredible power over creation (Psalm 135:6–7), throughout history darkness during the day has been seen as abnormal and foreboding (Exodus 10:21; Matthew 27:45), a sign that everything is not as it should be.
This is what darkness signified for Amos, a prophet during the time of the divided monarchy in ancient Israel. Amos warned the Northern Kingdom that destruction would come if they continued to turn away from God. As a sign, God would “make the sun go down at noon and darken the earth in broad daylight” (Amos 8:9).
But God’s ultimate desire and purpose was—and is—to make all things right. Even when the people were taken into exile, God promised to one day bring a remnant back to Jerusalem and “repair its broken walls and restore its ruins” (9:11).
Even when life is at its darkest, like Israel, we can find comfort in knowing God is at work to bring light and hope back—to all people (Acts 15:14–18).
Reflect & Pray When was a time you chose to reject or disobey God? How did God provide rescue and bring light into your dark situation?
Jesus, as we read in Revelation 21:23, thank You that You shine brighter than the sun and turn back the darkness.
SCRIPTURE INSIGHT Amos prophesied during the days when Uzziah ruled Judah and Jeroboam II ruled Israel (about 760-750 bc). Yet Amos claimed to be not a prophet but “one of the shepherds of Tekoa” (Amos 1:1). Tekoa is about five miles south of Bethlehem in Judah. And when commanded by Amaziah the priest of Bethel to stop prophesying, he answered, “I was neither a prophet nor the son of a prophet, but I was a shepherd, and I also took care of sycamore-fig trees. But the Lord took me from tending the flock and said to me, ‘Go, prophesy to my people Israel.’” God called Amos to drop everything to warn Israel’s people and leaders of God’s impending judgment (7:14-17). Although the people prospered, they were unjust, immoral, and mistreated the poor (2:6-8; 3:10; 5:11); and the judges were corrupt (5:12). Judgment was imminent (8:11-12), but a remnant would be preserved (9:11-12). Alyson Kieda
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Post by Les on May 5, 2020 20:20:59 GMT
Strength for the Journey By: Amy Boucher Pye
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All at once an angel touched him and said, “Get up and eat.” 1 Kings 19:5
Today's Scripture & Insight:
1 Kings 19:1–9 One summer, I faced what seemed an impossible task—a big writing project with a looming deadline. Having spent day after day on my own, endeavoring to get the words onto the page, I felt exhausted and discouraged, and I wanted to give up. A wise friend asked me, “When’s the last time you felt refreshed? Maybe you need to allow yourself to rest and to enjoy a good meal.”
I knew immediately that she was right. Her advice made me think of Elijah and the terrifying message he received from Jezebel (1 Kings 19:2)—although, of course, my writing project wasn’t anywhere near the cosmic scale of the prophet’s experience. After Elijah triumphed over the false prophets on Mount Carmel, Jezebel sent word that she would capture and kill him, and he despaired, longing to die. But then he enjoyed a good sleep and was twice visited by an angel who gave him food to eat. After God renewed his physical strength, he was able to continue with his journey.
When the “journey is too much” for us (v. 7), we might need to rest and enjoy a healthy and satisfying meal. For when we are exhausted or hungry, we can easily succumb to disappointment or fear. But when God meets our physical needs through His resources, as much as possible in this fallen world, we can take the next step in serving Him.
Reflect & Pray Looking back, when have you needed to slow down and receive sustenance before pressing on? How can you look for signs of burnout as you serve God?
Creator God, You formed us as Your people. Thank You for our limitations, which remind us that You’re God and we’re not. Help us to serve You with gladness and joy.
Following Israel’s dramatic return to the God of their fathers on Mount Carmel, Queen Jezebel’s threats against Elijah’s life (1 Kings 19:1-2) drove him to Mount Horeb (v. 8), where he encountered God. Horeb is also known as Mount Sinai—where Moses had encountered God many years before (Exodus 19ff.). This is one of several connections between these two Old Testament giants, but those connections aren’t limited to the Old Testament. In the New Testament, Elijah and Moses were united on another mountain—the Mount of Transfiguration—where they discussed with Jesus His coming departure from Jerusalem (Luke 9:28-31). Bill Crowder
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Post by Les on May 6, 2020 20:51:04 GMT
Impossible Forgiveness By: Winn Collier
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Father, forgive them. Luke 23:34
Today's Scripture & Insight:
Luke 23:32–43 Liberators found the following prayer crumpled among the remains of the Ravensbruck concentration camp where Nazis exterminated nearly 50,000 women: O Lord, remember not only the men and women of goodwill, but also those of ill will. But do not remember the suffering they have inflicted upon us. Remember the fruits we brought thanks to this suffering—our comradeship, our loyalty, our humility, the courage, the generosity, the greatness of heart which has grown out of this. And when they come to judgment, let all the fruits that we have borne be their forgiveness.
I can’t imagine the fear and pain inflicted on the terrorized woman who wrote this prayer. I can’t imagine what kind of inexplicable grace these words required of her. She did the unthinkable: she sought God’s forgiveness for her oppressors.
This prayer echoes Christ’s prayer. After being wrongly accused, mocked, beaten, and humiliated before the people, Jesus was “crucified . . . along with [two] criminals” (Luke 23:33). Hanging, with mutilated body and gasping for breath, from a rough-hewn cross, I would expect Jesus to pronounce judgment on His tormentors, to seek retribution or divine justice. However, Jesus uttered a prayer contradicting every human impulse: “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing” (v. 34).
The forgiveness Jesus offers seems impossible, but He offers it to us. In His divine grace, impossible forgiveness spills free.
By: Winn Collier
Reflect & Pray How has God’s impossible forgiveness changed you? How can we help others experience true forgiveness in Him?
God, Your forgiveness is a strange, impossible thing. In our pain, it’s hard to imagine this possibility. Help us. Teach us Your love.
SCRIPTURE INSIGHT In Psalm 22:17-18, crucifixion was prophetically described some 600 years before it was invented: “All my bones are on display; people stare and gloat over me. They divide my clothes among them and cast lots for my garment.”
In the first century, the common attire for a Jewish man included five pieces of clothing—shoes, turban, belt, loincloth, and outer tunic. The soldiers stripped Jesus naked and after crucifying Him divided His garments as their spoils for performing the task. Then they gambled for the tunic (John 19:23-24). Bill Crowder
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Post by Les on May 7, 2020 20:49:29 GMT
Go-Between Prayer By: Jennifer Benson Schuldt
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The Spirit intercedes for God’s people. Romans 8:27
Today's Scripture & Insight:
Romans 8:26–34 Late one Saturday afternoon, my family and I stopped at a local restaurant for lunch. As the waiter set crispy fries and thick burgers on our table, my husband glanced up and asked his name. Then he said, “We pray as a family before we eat. Is there something we can pray for you today?” Allen, whose name we now knew, looked at us with a mixture of surprise and anxiety. A short silence followed before he told us that he was sleeping on his friend’s couch each night, his car had just quit working, and he was broke.
As my husband quietly asked God to provide for Allen and show him His love, I thought about how our go-between prayer was similar to what happens when the Holy Spirit takes up our cause and connects us with God. In our moments of greatest need—when we realize we’re no match to handle life on our own, when we don’t know what to say to God, “The Spirit intercedes for God’s people” (Romans 8:27). What the Spirit says is a mystery, but we’re assured that it always fits with God’s will for our lives.
The next time you pray for God’s guidance, provision, and protection in someone else’s life, let that act of kindness remind you that your spiritual needs are also being lifted to God who knows your name and cares about your problems.
Reflect & Pray Is there anyone you can pray for today? How might you respond to temptation differently if you knew that the Holy Spirit was praying for you during the struggle?
Jesus, I thank You that temptation has no power to separate me from You. Please give me victory today through the power of Your resurrection from the dead.
SCRIPTURE INSIGHT The terminology Paul uses in Romans 8:31-35 are legal terms used in court. Words such as charge, justify, and condemn fit well into the passage where Paul discusses legalities, giving readers the image of a heavenly courtroom. Additionally, Paul explains that no one condemns believers in Christ (building on his statement in verse 1) because Jesus died for them and is now interceding on their behalf (v. 34). The word interceding has the idea of someone approaching a ruler in court on behalf of someone else, making petitions for them. It’s interesting to note that both Christ and the Holy Spirit do this for us (vv. 26-29, 34). Jesus, the one who could condemn believers, instead died and is now seated at the right hand of God on our behalf. Julie Schwab
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Post by Les on May 8, 2020 20:51:05 GMT
The Man Who Couldn’t Talk By: Dave Branon
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Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise. Psalm 96:4
Today's Scripture & Insight:
Psalm 96 Sitting in his wheelchair at a senior citizens home in Belize, a man joyfully listened as a group of American high school teenagers sang about Jesus. Later, as some of the teens tried to communicate with him, they discovered he couldn’t talk. A stroke had robbed him of his ability to speak.
Since they couldn’t carry on a conversation with the man, the teens decided to sing to him. As they began to sing, something amazing happened. The man who couldn’t talk began to sing. With enthusiasm, he belted out “How Great Thou Art” right along with his new friends.
It was a remarkable moment for everyone. This man’s love for God broke through the barriers and poured out in audible worship—heartfelt, joyous worship.
We all have worship barriers from time to time. Maybe it’s a relationship conflict or a money problem. Or it could be a heart that’s grown a bit cold in its relationship to God.
Our non-talking friend reminds us that the greatness and majesty of our almighty God can overcome any barrier. “O Lord, my God—when I in awesome wonder, consider all the worlds Thy hands have made!”
Struggling in your worship? Reflect on how great our God is by reading a passage such as Psalm 96, and you too may find your obstacles and objections replaced by praise.
Reflect & Pray As you read Psalm 96, what stands out about our great God? What barriers to worship sometimes halt you? How can you grow from silence to praise?
Our great God, I do hold You in awesome wonder. How great Thou art!
To learn more about who God is, visit christianuniversity.org/CA310.
SCRIPTURE INSIGHT God chose Abraham as the father of His chosen people. Yet God never intended salvation to be the exclusive claim of the Hebrew nation. From start to finish of this majestic psalm of praise, we see God’s gracious inclusion of everyone who will believe. The psalm begins, “Sing to the Lord, all the earth” (v. 1). Verse 3 charges God’s people to “declare his glory among the nations.” Verse 7 calls on “all you families of nations” to praise God. The psalm concludes, “He will judge the world in righteousness and the peoples in his faithfulness” (v. 13). God’s plan was for His chosen people to bring the good news of His love to the entire human race. Tim Gustafson
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Post by Les on May 9, 2020 20:30:14 GMT
Doubt and Faith By: Poh Fang Chia
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The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised. Job 1:21
Today's Scripture & Insight:
Job 1:20–22; 2:7–10 MingTeck woke up with a severe headache and thought it was another migraine. But when he got out of bed, he collapsed onto the floor. He was admitted to the hospital where the doctors informed him he’d had a stroke. After four months of rehabilitation, he recovered his ability to think and talk but still walks with a painful limp. He often struggles with despair, but he finds great comfort from the book of Job.
Job lost all his wealth and his children overnight. Despite the harrowing news, he at first looked to God in hope and praised Him for being the source of everything. He acknowledged God’s sovereign hand even in times of calamity (Job 1:21). We marvel at his strong faith, but Job also struggled with despair. After he lost his health too (2:7), he cursed the day he was born (3:1). He was honest with his friends and God about his pain. Eventually, however, he came to accept that both good and bad come from God’s hand (13:15; 19:25–27).
In our sufferings, we too may find ourselves vacillating between despair and hope, doubt and faith. God doesn’t require us to be dauntless in the face of adversity but instead invites us to come to Him with our questions. Though our faith may fail at times, we can trust God to always be faithful.
Reflect & Pray What doubts and questions do you need to bring before God today? How can you use Job 1:21 to guide you in your prayers?
Dear Father, when doubts and fears overwhelm me, help me remember I’m precious in Your sight. You’re always in control, and You care for me.
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Post by Les on May 10, 2020 19:37:36 GMT
Forever Love By: Xochitl Dixon
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And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. 1 John 4:16
Today's Scripture & Insight:
Psalm 136:1–9 Years ago, my four-year-old son gave me a framed wooden heart mounted on a metal plate with the word forever painted in its center. “I love you forever, Mommy,” he said.
I thanked him with a hug. “I love you more.”
That priceless gift still assures me of my son’s never-ending love. On tough days, God uses that sweet present to comfort and encourage me as He affirms I’m deeply loved.
The frame also reminds me of the gift of God’s everlasting love, as expressed throughout His Word and confirmed by His Spirit. We can trust God’s unchanging goodness and sing grateful praises that confirm His enduring love, as the psalmist does (Psalm 136:1). We can exalt the Lord as greater than and above all (vv. 2–3), as we reflect on His endless wonders and unlimited understanding (vv. 4–5). The God who loves us forever is the conscious and caring Maker of the heavens and earth, who maintains control of time itself (vv. 6–9).
We can rejoice because the everlasting love the psalmist sang about is the same continuing love our all-powerful Creator and Sustainer pours into the lives of His children today. No matter what we’re facing, the One who made us and remains with us strengthens us by asserting He loves us unconditionally and completely. Thank You, God, for the countless reminders of Your endless and life-transforming love!
Reflect & Pray How has God assured you of His love? How has He strengthened your faith?
God, please help us to love You and others, as we become more confident in Your never-ending love for us.
SCRIPTURE INSIGHT Psalm 136 is structured around the refrain “His love endures forever,” which is repeated each second measure. This clause seems to have been used often in Israel’s liturgies (see 1 Chronicles 16:34; 2 Chronicles 5:13; 7:3; 20:21; Ezra 3:11; Psalm 100:5; 106:1; 107:1).
The word in this refrain that the New International Version translates “love” is the Hebrew word hesed, a central theological term in both this psalm and in the Old Testament. Hesed, sometimes translated “steadfast love,” refers to a love that’s reliable and faithful. Hesed is a love towards another shown not just in emotion or words but in action, through dependably working for the good of the one loved.
Psalm 136, echoing the description of creation in Genesis 1:5-9, describes hesed as the defining quality of God. For all of time, God has been working for the good of not only His people but all of creation. Monica La Rose
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Post by Les on May 11, 2020 20:27:24 GMT
Learning from Little Ones By: Arthur Jackson
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From the lips of children and infants you, Lord, have called forth your praise. Matthew 21:16
Today's Scripture & Insight:
Matthew 21:8–16 When a friend and I rode into one of the slums in Nairobi, Kenya, our hearts were deeply humbled by the poverty we witnessed. In that same setting, however, different emotions—like fresh waters—were stirred in us as we witnessed young children running and shouting, “Mchungaji, Mchungaji!” (Swahili for “pastor”). Such was their joy-filled response upon seeing their spiritual leader in the vehicle with us. With these tender shouts, the little ones welcomed the one known for his care and concern for them.
As Jesus arrived in Jerusalem riding on a donkey, joyful children were among those who celebrated Him. “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! . . . Hosanna to the Son of David” (Matthew 21:9, 15). But praises for Jesus were not the only sounds in the air. One can imagine the noisiness of scurrying, money-making merchants who were put to flight by Jesus (vv. 12–13). Furthermore, religious leaders who had witnessed His kindness in action “were indignant” (vv. 14–15). They voiced their displeasure with the children’s praises (v. 16) and thereby exposed the poverty of their own hearts.
We can learn from the faith of children of God of all ages and places who recognize Jesus as the Savior of the world. He’s the One who hears our praises and cries, and He cares for and rescues us when we come to Him with childlike trust.
Reflect & Pray How have your views of Jesus changed over the years? What things get in the way of seeing Him as the Son of God who has come to save you?
Jesus, help me to see You for who You are—my Lord and Savior.
SCRIPTURE INSIGHT In what’s called the triumphal entry, Jesus rides a colt into Jerusalem just prior to the Passover celebration (Matthew 21:5-7; Mark 11:1-7; Luke 19:30-36). This act is in fulfillment of the prophecy in Zechariah 9:9: “Your king comes to you, righteous and victorious, lowly and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.” In ancient times, when a king came on a donkey, it signified that he was coming in peace (as opposed to in war). In response, the people celebrated and shouted, “Hosanna” (Matthew 21:9), which means “God delivers.” The delivering King was coming to His people in peace. J.R. Hudberg
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