OH, BE CAREFUL

Today's reading: Proverbs 7

"So she seduced him with her pretty speech. With her flattery she enticed him." Proverbs 7:21 NLT

Do you remember the kids' song that goes like this...

Oh, be careful little ears what you hear.

Oh, be careful little ears what you hear.

For the Father up above is looking down with love.

Oh, be careful little ears what you hear.

Simple words. Elementary message. Timeless advice.

We must be careful as to what we hear--and even more careful about what we believe of what we hear.

We must know Truth so intimately that anything but it is counterfeit to our ears.

And knowing that Truth requires we keep our noses in the Word.

It's important! 

 RECALLING

Today's reading: Psalm 75-77

"I recall all you have done, O Lord; I remember your wonderful deeds of long ago. They are constantly in my thoughts. I cannot stop thinking about them." Psalm 77:11-12 NLT

Are you in need of a brain-retraining? A system re-set? An upgrade to godliness?

Most of us are, due to the fact that we too often focus on what God needs to do rather than all He is and all He has done.

How would it change our outlook if we focused on God's attributes?

How would it effect our stress levels if we made the effort to remember His track record of faithfulness?

How would it up-end our thoughts and words if we were to recall exactly who He is?

We can be people living with hope, full of joy and reduced of burdens if we only recall His greatness.

Let's do it together!

GUIDELINES
Today's reading: 1 Kings 19-22

"But Micaiah replied, As surely as the Lord lives, I will say only what the Lord tells me to say." 1 Kings 22:14 NLT

Are you anything like me in that you spend a whole lot of time apologizing for what you've said, wishing you hadn't said anything at all OR regretting not saying what you should have said?

If you have any of those tendencies, then this verse is for you, too.

What a challenge! What a goal! What a set of godly parameters to set for ourselves!

To say ONLY what the Lord tells us to say.

For some of us, it will be speaking up in ways we never did before. For others, well for the rest of us--it might mean grabbing a roll of duct tape and applying it like lipstick! 

 BEING MADE HOLY
Today's reading: Leviticus 7-9

"Next Moses took some of the anointing oil and some of the blood that was on the altar, and he sprinkled them on Aaron and his clothing and on his sons and their clothing. In this way, he made Aaron and his sons and their clothing holy." Leviticus 8:30 NLT

I don't think I would have been the only one standing in that ordination crowd that day who would have cringed as oil and blood were sprinkled upon the newly made robes of the priests.

I'd have considered the time and effort required to make the clothing.

I'd have thought about all the painstaking stitches made to adorn the robes.

I'd have considered the skill needed to make it to the exact specifications God gave Moses.

And then...and then, to watch Moses sprinkle it with blood and oil.

But being made holy isn't always a pretty process.

Being shaped into God's image hurts.

Having sinful desires removed makes us cramp up.

Replacing old habits with godly disciplines require 'blood, sweat and tears'.

But in the end? In the end, to have God's stamp of approval on our efforts, on our progress, on our lives--will be oh, so worth it.

No matter how messy the process!

 HIS DISCIPLE

Today's reading: Luke 13-14

"So no one can become my disciple without giving up everything for me." Luke 14:33 NLT

Maybe you've given up everything to follow Jesus. Your heart. Your soul. Your sins. Your old habits.

Maybe, just maybe, you're still hanging on to some things.

You've given Him everything, but...

And except for...

And, well, there's that...

And there is that--but you were wanting to clean it up a bit before handing it over...

Or, well, or that which you think He couldn't possibly want--or need--or ever do anything with...

Have you give it all up for Him?

A MARK

Today's reading: Ezekiel 7-12

"He said to him, Walk through the streets of Jerusalem and put a mark on the foreheads of all those who weep and sigh because of the sins they see around them." Ezekiel 9:4 NLT

If you had lived in Ezekiel's time, in Ezekiel's land, in Ezekiel's city--would you have been marked?

Would the degrading of the Temple had turned your stomach?

Would the worship of idols had made you mad?

Would the downfall of the religious right brought sadness to your heart?

God's messenger was sent to 'mark the foreheads' of those who were sickened by sin...and if they were sickened of sin, it probably meant they chose to stay away from it, not be a part of it, to take a stand against it, to do whatever it took not to be taken in by it.

We're not in Ezekiel's time, land or city--but would we bear the mark today of one set apart? No matter what is going on in our land. No matter what 'everyone else was doing'?

 

 LAZYBONES
Today's reading: Proverbs 5-6

"But you, lazybones, how long will you sleep? When will you wake up?.." Proverbs 6:9 NLT

Solomon is asking us to take note of the ants. To notice their workmanship, their hard working traits. Then he asks us to take note of our own choices.

Are we putting off things of God?

Are we offering excuses instead of obedience?

Are we aware of the time of the Lord's return--it's closer now than it's ever been?

Are we concerned about the souls of our lost loved ones and friends?

I don't know if you are a procrastinator--but it's not a godly trait.

 HE IS MINE

Today's reading: Psalm 72-74

"My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak, but God remains the strength of my heart; he is mine forever." Psalm 73:26 NLT

No matter what...

No matter how hard...

No matter how long the wait...

No matter how little progress or how few answers I see...

No matter the depths my faith must follow...

No matter how little I have or how much I am asked to give...

God remains the strength of my heart!

 SUBSTITUTES

Today's reading: 1 Kings 14-18

"In the fifth year of King Rehoboam's reign, King Shishak of Egypt came up and attacked Jerusalem. He ransacked the Temple of the Lord and the royal palace and stole everything, including all the gold shields Solomon had made. Afterward Rehoboam made bronze shields as substitutes..." 1 Kings 14:25-27 NLT

As I think of how sad the grand Temple must have looked after being razed by invading armies, I think it must have been even sadder to see the substitutionary bronze shields.

A dull, brassy tone compared to a glimmering, hurt your eyes shine.

A lower quality compared to top-notch workmanship.

A cheaper product compared to the opulence of the original.

Made me wonder, if in our own churches, if we aren't putting out sad substitutes.

Programs instead of prayer meetings. And by prayer meetings, I mean meetings where people pray. Not give advice. Not spout politics. Not attempt to impress. But pray.

Or ministries instead of messages from God. Words straight from God, not from the latest newspaper headline or social media feed. But from the Word of God.

Entertainment instead of evangelism. Ouch! Are our kids receiving the Gospel or are they just being baby-sat? Are we attempting to impress with the sound systems, the lighting and the bands, or are we reaching the lost souls placed in our sphere of influence?

What substitutions are we making?

Where are we allowing ourselves to fall short of honoring God with our attempts? Where are we letting ease and popularity replace 'thus saith the Word of the Lord?

 MORNING WALK

Today's reading: Leviticus 4-6

I've read my morning Bible selection and am in awe that God chose Jesus to be our sacrificial Lamb. That He allowed His only Son to be offered up, once and for all, for our sins. Because in reading the Levitical laws, I am overwhelmed with the procedures, the protocols and the preciseness of what we would need to do on our own--or have a priest do for us.

Reading the instructions given to the Israelites in regards to the Temple and its offerings, I am reminded of how good God is to love us as much as He does!

LIKE DADDY

Today's reading: Ephesians 4-6

"Follow God's example in everything you do, because you are His dear children." Ephesians 5:1 NLT

 Have you watched a little fella stumble and wobble as he attempts to wear his daddy's work boot?

Or seen a toddler put on a too big hat that dad just took off?

Or heard their lispy toothless lips say, I wanna be just like Daddy!?

Child of God, have you done the same?

 FOR HIM OR AGAINST HIM?

Today's reading: Luke 11-12

"Anyone who isn't helping me opposes me, and anyone who isn't working with me is actually working against me." Luke 11:23 NLT

These words are written in red.

Spoken by Jesus.

Recorded for history.

As a goal, or a mark to achieve towards.

So?

Are you helping expand His kingdom?

Are you working with Him in your home, church, neighborhood?

Are you for Him or against Him?

 FIRST

Today's reading: Ezekiel 1-3

"Then he added, Son of man, let all my words sink down deep into your own heart first. Listen to them carefully yourself. Then go to your people..." Ezekiel 3:10-11 NLT

As Christians, we want the world changed, one soul at a time.

We want all corners of the world evangelized.

We want our neighbors reached with the Gospel.

We want our loved ones saved and headed to heaven.

We want evil eradicated from our country.

We want...we want...we want...but do we do what He asks first?

Are we allowing His words to sink down deep into our hearts? Are we listening to Him carefully?

It starts with us.

 FATHER SAYS

Today's reading: Proverbs 4

"My father told me, Take my words to heart. Follow my instructions and you will live." Proverbs 4:4 NLT

Did you play Simon Says as a child?

I remember it required intense listening and even more intense obedience--or you were 'out'.

Listening to our Heavenly Father requires much the same.

I need to listen closely. I need to make sure I'm hearing His voice, and not the voice of the world.

I need to follow His instructions precisely, or I'm 'out'. Not out of heaven. Not out of the family. Not even out of His love. But I'll be missing out on blessings. 

Let's listen more closely to what our Father has to tell us.

 MORE AND MORE

Today's reading: Psalm 69-71

"But I will keep on hoping for you to help me; I will praise you more and more." Psalm 71:14 NLT

No matter how long my prayer request list seems to be, I have found a way to turn it into a molehill instead of the anxiety producing mountain it could easily become.

It doesn't begin with tell Him all my needs.

It doesn't start with handing Him my 'wish list'.

It doesn't commence with a list of why He should based upon any attempt at a good thing I've done.

My prayer request list is quickly brought down to size when I begin to praise Him.

For who He is...

For His character traits...

For how He remains...

When I think about Who it is I'm asking of, I quickly realize NOTHING is too hard for Him!

 MARRIED

Today's reading: 1 Kings 10-13

"The Lord had clearly instructed his people not to intermarry with these nations, because the women they married would lead them to worship their gods. Yet Solomon insisted on loving them anyway. He had seven hundred wives and three hundred concubines. And sure enough they led his heart away from the Lord." 1 Kings 11:2-3 NLT

Here's the thing, had Solomon only had one wife and had she been from one of the ungodly nations, Solomon's heart would have been led astray.

It had nothing to do with having 700 of them, or 1,000 if you count the mistresses.

It had everything to do with his disobedience to the Lord.

His heart went astray before he ever proposed to the first gal.

A lesson for us? We have to be very, very careful and very, very prayerful in regards to who/what we marry ourselves to.

Anything can steal our hearts away from God. Any one, even another Christian, can become an idol in our heart that pushes God out.

So be careful. Be very careful.

 HOLY

Today's reading: Leviticus 1-3

I'll be the first to admit, Leviticus is a hard read.

Maybe not hard, but certainly intense. Slightly morbid. Completely foreign to my thinking.

Until I read the commentary in my Bible in regards to this book...

"The Israelites have arrived safely at the foot of Mount Sinai, and the Tabernacle has been completed. The people will spend a great deal of time here as God shows them a new way of life with clear instructions on how sinful people can relate to a holy God. These instructions help us avoid taking our relationship with the same holy God too lightly."

In reading the first few chapter of Leviticus and this portion of an author's thoughts, I've come to this conclusion: We have it easy.

Maybe, too easy.

We have been given the opportunity to approach God Most High boldly and in expectation. We have been allowed to call him Friend and Counselor. We have been granted forgiveness and access to our Perfect Savior through the shed blood of His Son.

But do we forget His holiness?

Do we remember how vile, small, insignificant, servile, unworthy we are when we think of Him?

Oh, don't think for a moment I do not appreciate and have the deepest heartfelt gratitude for my salvation-I do! But there are days when His holiness escapes my thoughts or His holiness is the farthest thing from my mind as I make another request of Him. 

Leviticus has brought me to the point at which I believe I need to spend some time pondering my Holy God--reverently, fearfully, sincerely and respectfully.

PRIVILEGE

Today's reading: Ephesians 1-3

"By God's special favor and mighty power, I have been given the wonderful privilege of serving him by spreading the Good News." Ephesians 3:7 NLT

When you don't see it as a command.

Or a charge.

Or a requirement.

Or an order.

But you see it as a response to how graciously you have been saved and forgiven and set apart, your desire to spread the Good News changes.

It's no longer a job. Or a task to complete. It's not an item to check off your list or a prerequisite for entering heaven.

It's praise. Sharing the Gospel is praise. 

 LEFTOVERS
Today's reading: Luke 9-10

"They all ate as much as they wanted, and they picked up twelve baskets of leftovers!" Luke 9:17 NLT

This Bible account always tickles me.

It's not the unbelief of the disciples that catches my eye.

It's not the willingness of the little boy that gets my attention.

It's not even the miracle of feeding 5,000 with two small fishes and five loaves.

It's the leftovers!

What a humorous, loving, over-the-top, attention grabbing God we serve!

Leftovers? In an instance when a miracle was needed. In a time when just enough would have been sufficient. Leftovers!

 WHAT WE ARE KEPT FROM

Today's reading: Lamentations

"The unfailing love of the Lord never ends! By His mercies we have been kept from complete destruction." Lamentations 3:22 NLT

Have your praises and thanks ever focused upon what God has kept you from?

The diagnosis that was delivered to the exam room just beside yours...

The midnight police visit to the family across town...

The car wreck you were not in because you were running a few minutes late...

The audit you avoided because of the last digit of your Social Security number...

The storm that changed course within miles of your home...

God is so good, His ways are so good, His love for us is so good.

Do we ever stop and consider His ways and His means? For what we receive...and what we don't.

 TUNING OUR EARS

Today's reading: Proverbs 2-3

"Tune your ears to wisdom, and concentrate on understanding." Proverbs 2:2 NLT

Remember seeing the metal tuning forks? They are also known as acoustic resonators. They help musicians find perfect pitch when tuning their instruments.

I think of them each and every time I read this verse.

I think the Bible is our tuning fork for all we hear, all we think and all we say.

When I hear a word spoken, I should compare it to what the Word of God says.

When a thought comes to my mind, I should compares it to what is true in my Bible.

When I say something, anything, it should ring in perfect tune with the Scriptures.

 MY COUNTENANCE

Today's reading: Psalm 66-68

"But let the godly rejoice. Let them be glad in God's presence. Let them be filled with joy." Psalm 68:3 NLT

Do people know you are a Christian by the smile on your face? The joy in your personality? The hope twinkling in your eyes? 

In the harshest seasons and in the middle of the darkest storms, I want folks to see my faith on my face.

I don't want to greet anyone with a furrowed brow, a heavy heart or a solemn look.

I want them to see the hope I say I have in my face. At all times. Where ever they see me.

Oh, not just at church on Sunday...

But as I'm scooting along the country road on my way to work bright and early of the morning.

Or as I'm waiting patiently in line at the little grocery store in our hometown.

Or as I'm mowing the lawn on a hot day and they drive past.

Or as I'm carrying the burdens of my heart...especially then.

I want to always be rejoicing. Always be glad. Always be filled with joy.

Not because I have nothing to murmur about or because life is rosy or because all my prayers are answered--but because of God. His greatness. Our relationship. The hope He offers me.

Oh, that my countenance would show that. 

 BEING UNCOMMON

Today's reading: 1 Kings 5-9

"So Solomon finished building the Temple. The entire inside, from floor to ceiling, was paneled with wood..." 1 Kings 6:14-15 NLT

The common-ness of wood in the Temple has caught my heart this morning.

I guess if the verse had said Solomon had covered the inside of the Temple with gold, it might not have surprised me--but wood?

Something very common. Something relatively inexpensive. Something useful. Something practical.

But what's common here where I live, is most uncommon in Jerusalem.

There are no trees in the Holy Lands. Well, there are a few, but they are shrubby, scrappy looking things. And all told? Probably not enough of them to panel the inside of a small closet.

What I believe God speaks to me this morning is this: our common-ness, in His service, makes us uncommon. It makes the ho-hum a priceless commodity. 

A believer in an unbelieving family.

A believer in an unbelieving workplace.

A believer in an unbelieving school.

A believer in an unbelieving world.

Maybe you feel like a piece of wood in a palace of glittering gold. A lump of coal in a jewelry case display. A piece of gravel thrown into a pile of diamonds.

God has you there for a reason! Maybe it will be your everyday-ness that He will use to touch a heart and change a life.

 DOING YOUR PART

Today's reading: Exodus 37-40

"So the people of Israel followed all of the Lord's instructions to Moses. Moses inspected their work and blessed them because it had been done as the Lord commanded him." Exodus 39:42-43 NLT

Every one did their 'thing'.

The construction crew built.

The sewers sewed.

The incense makers made.

The goldsmiths gilded.

The weavers wove.

I think of all those jobs as I read these chapters in Exodus this morning. But the practical side of my mind allows me to wander through others parts of the Israelite camp...

To the homes of the gals who baked extra lunches for the workers so they could keep working.

To the grassy areas where folks who couldn't did--in helping watch children, in tending to flocks, in bringing drinks to the thirsty and tired.

To the encouragers who shouted high praise to those working on the Lord's Tent.

To the ones who brought all they had and gave it to the Lord.

Maybe it's the portion of Scripture, maybe it's that I've had a week of leaning into the parable of the talents, maybe it's the Lord--but I'm seeing the Word come alive today and walking with me as I do what I can with what I have for who I meet in just the way He enabled me to do it.

 FRUIT BEARERS

Today's reading: Galatians 4-6

"But when the Holy Spirit controls our lives, he will produce this kind of fruit in us: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness and self-control..." Galatians 5:22-23 NLT

Our women's Sunday School class has been studying the fruit of the Spirit this entire year, fruit by fruit.

Some of them seem easy enough given our personalities and attitudes--some of them are far-reaching for us to produce without God's hand of guidance. Some fruit we display daily and some we muster up when required by circumstances.

Just this week, 35 weeks into our study, I was led to relate the verses in Galatians to a verse I recall memorizing years ago...

"They are like trees planted along a riverbank, bearing fruit each season without fail..." Psalm 1:3 NLT

To live like Jesus is to bear, or wear, this fruit at all times. In all seasons.

In the seasons we thoroughly enjoy and wouldn't mind camping out in.

In the seasons we all must visit at some point in our lives.

In the seasons we didn't sign up for, want or wouldn't wish on our worst enemies.

We must be fruit bearers for the Lord. We must shine His qualities out to the dark world. We must invest our time and efforts and hearts into being trees planted along riverbanks, bearing fruit each season without fail.

 WHO IS THIS?

Today's reading: Luke 7-8

"...And they were filled with awe and amazement. They said to one another, Who is this man, that even the winds and waves obey him?" Luke 8:25 NLT

These men, who had walked with Jesus, talked with Jesus, eaten with Jesus, watched as Jesus healed, learned under Jesus' teaching--and still were amazed as this whole new facet of His power emerged.

Let's be those kind of disciples.

Still amazed to find out one more thing about our Lord and Savior.

Still awed by His works.

Still impressed with His willingness to stoop down to our level and touch our lives.

Still gob-smacked by His love.

May we live in a way that causes us to question every day...Just Who is this!

 ASHAMED

Today's reading: Jeremiah 47-52

"At last Moab will be ashamed of her idol Chemosh, as Israel was ashamed of her gold calf at Bethel." Jeremiah 48:13 NLT

If you live long enough, you will probably have something you are ashamed of.

Something you did--and shouldn't have OR something you should have done--and didn't.

In the case of Moab and the children of Israel, it was trusting in gods, or idols, instead of the One True God.

We're all guilty of that.

Either we lean towards what we can do on our own, we make ourselves comfortable with the pillow-y bank account we have amassed or we stack up accolades of jobs 'well-done' as walls of defense in our lives.

All of which, at one point in time, will leave us ashamed.

Empty and ashamed.

Wiser, empty and ashamed.

My prayer this morning is that we will come to terms with our idolatry sooner rather than later. That we will notice the tugs of gods on our heart and lives. That we will realize without embarrassment that they will leave us high and dry--no matter what they're promising us today. That we will turn completely, whole heartedly and entirely to God for everything we need and want.

 MAKE YOUR MOVE

Today's reading: Proverbs 1

"My child, if sinners entice you, turn your back on them!" Proverbs 1:10 NLT

Christian brothers and sisters, it's time we start making a move to walk more closely to the Lord.

In our homes. In our work places. In our markets.

Among our friends.

It's time we begin to take a stand for what is right, not what is tolerant or open-minded or bordering in the gray area.

We must turn our backs on sinners--in an effort to take a stand for the Lord.

It could be that at a later time, God approved, we will have the opportunity to talk to them about the Lord--bur for now, we must guard our own defenses, remember what we know to be true, walk in godliness.

 INSPIRED JOY

Today's reading: Psalm 63-65

"...From where the sun rises to where it sets, you inspire shouts of joy." Psalm 65:8 NLT

We have a prime location on our little prairie.

Each morning, the sun and all its glorious colors, greets us at our backdoor, spilling through the doorway and on to the kitchen floor inch by inch. Oranges, yellows, whites and sometimes red.

And every evening, out the front door we watch as the Lord places His colors brilliantly into a sunset that stuns and amazes. Some of the same hues of the morning palette--and some evenings we catch glimpses of purples and blues as the sun sets over the hill.

From the back door to the front door, His ways greet me and wish me 'Good night'.

From the morning to the evening, His power amazes me and reminds me of His abilities.

From the moment that I wake up until I lay down to sleep, His love overwhelms me and draws me ever closer to Him.

And when I notice those colors, the magnificence of the sun's comings and goings, when I pause to ponder His love for me--it inspires shouts of joy from my heart.