KEEPING A PROTECTIVE EYE

Today's reading: Psalm 99-101

"I will keep a protective eye on the godly, so they may dwell with me in safety..." Psalm 101:6 NLT

The Lord's Day has rolled around and with it the challenge David gives us in Psalm 101:6...keeping an eye on the godly.

As you enter your sanctuary today, pause and look for those pillars of godliness that worship beside you.

Take note of their countenance.

Make an effort to listen to their responses to, How are you?

Watch for signs that they are carrying a load, bearing a burden or are weighted down with the weight of the world.

Keep an eye on the godly.

Does that mean we should walk right past those who don't-know-the-Lord yet? No!

Does that mean we shouldn't meet and greet the new-to-church? No!

It simply means we should keep our eyes open to the needs of the godly that God has placed around us.

Hold them up. Pray for them. Encourage them. Support them. 

CIRCLE OF ADVISERS
Today's reading: 1 Chronicles 10-14

"David consulted with all his officials, including the generals and captains of his army. Then he addressed the entire assembly of Israel as follows: If you approve and if it is the will of the Lord our God, let us send messages to all the Israelites throughout the land, including the priests and Levites in their tons and pasturelands, Let us invite them to come and join us. It is time to bring back the Ark of our God, for we neglected it during the reign of Saul." 1 Chronicles 13:1-3 NLT

David, not king, had some important spiritual matters to attend to before he took on any of the political challenges facing the nation of Israel.

He knew what a monumentous task it was--and called together a circle of advisers to help him seek the will of God.

An important move for a military powerhouse like David was.

He could have made the decision on his own, he had the right to as king.

He could have determined that his ways were best, he had the authority.

He could have made everyone else bow to his whims, he had the power behind his throne.

But he asked for their input, their advice, their prayers.

What an example for us today!

Any tough challenge, any life-changing decision, any consideration we are faced with--wouldn't it be best that we take it before the Lord and our circle of godly advisers? 

NAZIRITE VOWS

Today's reading: Numbers 5-8

"Then the Lord said to Moses, Speak to the people of Israel and given them these instructions: If some of the people, either men or women, take the special vow of a Nazirite, setting themselves apart to the Lord in a special way, . .This applies as long as they are set apart to the Lord." Numbers 6:1-8 NLT

You might be acquainted with Nazirite vows if you have read about the life of Samson--a man set apart for God's service and who abstained from cutting his hair or eating/drinking anything from the grape vine or touching a dead body.

This vow is a fast of sorts. But more than a fast, too. It was a vow you might take for yourself OR your parents might take it for you, as in Samson's instance. They determined that by the Nazirite vow Samson would live his life--even before he was born!

It was in Moses's day, much like today, important when you said something--but it meant more when you followed through and did what you said.

I'm not so sure, as believers, a minority 'race' in this upside-down world, that there shouldn't be more of us taking vows to be set apart for the Lord.

To abstain from entertainment that promotes what God detests.

To refuse to give our hard earned money to organizations that do not promote godliness.

To allow anything on our calendars that pushes us away from worship.

To instill rules in our lives that promote Bible reading and prayer before anything else is done in our day.

Setting ourselves apart for the Lord in a special way places us in a very blessing-producing position. It shows God our heart's desire to draw closer to Him and it shows the world how important God is.

Nazirite-type vows are something we need to consider in our walks with the Lord--even today!

GOING TO THE EFFORT

Today's reading: 1 Timothy 4-6

"We work hard and suffer much in order that people will believe the truth, for our hope is in the living God, who is the Savior of all people , and particularly of those who believe." 1 Timothy 4:10 NLT

I think of Paul as he wrote this letter to Timothy.

He wanted to encourage his young student to remain strong in his faith, but he also wanted this new disciple to know it wouldn't be easy.

Paul tried to explain to Timothy that living for the Lord would be hard, sharing his faith would be hard, remaining Christ-focused would be hard.

But attempting to live life without God, that would be harder.

We don't like doing hard things.

We don't want to inconvenience ourselves.

We are perfectly content to remain in our soft, cushy comfort zones.

And in doing that, in living for Christ inside those 'easy' boundaries?

Well, it shows we have little to no concern for the souls of those around us.

Paul knew how hard it was to spread the Gospel, but he also knew every ounce of effort he made would be grandly, richly, eternally rewarded by the Lord!

It's worth our effort, too.

BELIEVE
Today's reading: John 5-6

"They replied, What does God want us to do? Jesus told them, This is what God wants you to do: Believe in the one he has sent." John 6:28-29 NLT

Of all the things we can do to help ourselves, to help others, to help the world in which we live--believing in Jesus is what God desires of us.

Believe Jesus was born from a virgin.

Believe Jesus lived a sinless life.

Believe Jesus died on the cross for our sins.

Believe Jesus rose from the grave.

Believe.

Believe that believing in Jesus for salvation is the chief end of all humans God created.

Charitable work is nice.

Ministering is helpful.

Doing for others is kind.

But believing? Believing is what God has asked us to do.

All else advances from that single foundational command.

FORGETTING WHO HE IS

Today's reading: Daniel 7-12

"...Millions of angels ministered to him, and a hundred million stood to attend him..." Daniel 7:10 NLT

In Daniel's vision, he saw the Ancient One seated on the throne of heaven, ready to judge the world.

As I read Daniel's recollection of that sight, I'm reminded of the sovereignty, majesty, awe and splendor of my God.

Millions and a hundred million angels serve Him.

Not merely a royal entourage.

Not just a Secret Service attachment.

Not only a body guard and a few underlings.

Millions and millions of angels stand beside God at all times in order to minister to Him.

Did you need that reminder today? Did you need to reset your mind's eye on the Lord's awe-inspiring loftiness? Do you need a refresh on just Who it is you serve as a child of the King?

I did.

LAZINESS

Today's reading: Proverbs 17-18

"A lazy person is as bad as  someone who destroys things." Proverbs 18:9 NLT

I have to admit, this proverb, or wise saying, is a hard one to swallow.

Solomon has penned the words, but the Holy Spirit caused me to pause and consider the meaning behind the verse.

It's a verse that works to examine one's self. It, if applied correctly, allows a personal audit of habits and practices. It is a starting point for a personal inventory.

What am I putting off, and in turn destroying?

My health?

Tending to my home?

Friendships that I have let wither away?

Projects that I continually put off?

Or might it be reaching out to those lost in sin?

My laziness might very well be causing destruction in those areas.

Destruction that I cannot repair, that time cannot fix, that eternity will denote to my laziness.

SING TO THE LORD

Today's reading: Psalm 96-98

"Sing to the Lord; bless his name..." Psalm 96:2 NLT

Sing TO the Lord, this verse from Psalm 96 tells us.

TO the Lord, not about the Lord.

TO the Lord, not just at Him.

TO the Lord, not merely in His house.

Sing TO the Lord...

Will you do that today as you gather to worship?

Will you do that today as you proclaim His goodness on a week day?

Will you do that today as you are instructed by the Bible?

Sing TO the Lord; bless His name! 

TRUSTING IN GOD

Today's reading: 1 Chronicles 5-9

"There were 44,760 skilled warriors in the armies of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh. They were all skilled in combat and armed with shields, swords, and bows. They waged war against the Hagrites, the Jeturites, the Naphishites, and the Nodabites. They cried out to God during the battle, and he answered their prayer because they trusted in him..." 1 Chronicles 5:18-20 NLT

These fellas had skills. They had manpower. They had weapons.

One might be led to believe these soldiers won the battles they waged...but that's not true.

God won the wars for them.

By His strength.

In His might.

With His power.

All because these mighty men trusted in Him.

Makes me pause and assess all the things I'm attempting to do on my own. 

What about you? 

SERVING AS A MERARITE
Today's reading: Numbers 1-4

"Now take a census of the clans and families of the Merarite division of the Levite tribe. Count all the men between the ages of thirty and fifty who are eligible to serve in the Tabernacle. Their duties at the Tabernacle will consist of carrying loads. They will be required to carry the frames of the Tabernacle, the crossbars, the pillars with their bases, the posts for the courtyard walls with their bases, pegs, cords, accessories and everything else related to their use. You must assign the various loads to each man by name." Numbers 4:29-32 NLT

I'm thinking this morning about the enormous privilege God has placed on the shoulders of His children to be 'load carriers' for each other.

To be selected to help another with their burdens.

To be allowed the honor of speaking to God on behalf of the heart need of another.

It goes beyond, way beyond, just knowing a person's business.

It goes deeper, much deeper, than just being aware of a brother or sister's prayer requests.

It goes farther, way farther, than just to the ears of our Heavenly Father.

These 'loads' we carry for each other intertwine our lives and our faith to the point that a tightly woven community of hearts function, thrive and grow.

We should cherish each and every prayer need shared with us by another believer. We should take these desires directly to the Lord for His way and will. We should be ready to celebrate God's moving in the needs of our church family.

We should all serve as Merarites in our body of believers!

PREPARING FOR SUNDAY

Today's reading: 1 Timothy 1-3

"So wherever you assemble, I want men to pray with holy hands lifted up to God, free from anger and controversy." 1 Timothy 2:8 NLT

Let's get ready for Sunday.

Yes, on Thursday.

Let's prepare to assemble with fellow believers, fellow sons and daughters of God.

In that preparation, we will get rid of any and all anger and controversy we might hold against another in our body of believers.

-past sins

-current character flaws

-annoying behaviors

-previous moments of unkindness 

-translation differences

Get rid of anything and everything that might distract you from coming together with the sole intent of worshiping the Lord.

Mindless chatter going on in your head.

Unnecessary lists and grievances.

Unkind thoughts and attitudes.

Whenever, and wherever, we assemble for the purpose of glorifying God, let that be the only thing on our hearts and minds!

MY RESPONSE

Today's reading: John 3-4

"Then Jesus told her, I am the Messiah!" John 4:26 NLT

The scene is this...

The woman has met a man at the well, one who offers Living Water, one who knows her--inside and out.

In her attempt at small talk, and to quite possibly distract from the 'husband issue' he has brought up, she discusses religion and the anticipation of the long awaited Messiah.

Then Jesus tells her, I am the one you've been looking for. Your whole life.

The One who will fill the empty places in her heart.

The One who will accept her just as she is and help her become more.

The One who will never leave her.

The One who will release her from the bondage of sin.

And she believes him. She believes him so entirely that she leaves her water jug and goes to tell the whole town.

Jesus is the Messiah. The Savior. The King. The Lord. The One for whom your soul has been seeking.

What's your response? 

WHAT DO THEY HEAR ABOUT ME?

Today's reading: Daniel 1-6

"So Daniel was brought in before the king. The king asked him, Are you Daniel, who was exiled from Judah by my predecessor, King Nebuchadnezzar? I have heard that you have the spirit of the gods within you and that you are filled with insight, understanding and wisdom." Daniel 5:13-14 NLT 

Just what is it people are hearing about me?

That I grumble and groan about commitments I have made...

That I fuss and mumble about slow drivers in front of me...

That I am controlling...

That I sometimes lose my temper...

Or that I am filled with God.

Imperfect, but filled with God.

Lead by the Spirit, guided by the Word, a part of the Church, willing to share the Good News?

That I serve because of a grateful heart, desire to honor God in all I do, allow Jesus to be seen in me?

What do people hear about you?

GATHERING OUR THOUGHTS
Today's reading: Proverbs 16

"We can gather our thoughts, but the Lord gives the right answer." Proverbs 16:1 NLT

Today I'm planning on presenting to the Lord all the thoughts, opinions, reactions and remarks I accumulate throughout the day.

I intend on putting them all together and giving them to Him.

To sort out.

To disregard the inappropriate ones.

To correct the wrong ones.

To apply His filter to any and all that aren't honoring to Him or needful in my interactions with others.

I will spend more time gathering these thoughts than I will giving them wings.

I will be more mindful of them before I unleash them.

I will be more careful in applying love to them before I brandish them like weapons.

I can busy myself gathering these thoughts and prayerfully laying them at His feet.

I can intentionally wait for His response and on each and every one! 

 LISTEN TO HIS VOICE

Today's reading: Psalm 93-95

"...Oh, that you would listen to his voice today!" Psalm 95:7 NLT

From the perspective that God has created us, and all that surrounds us, shouldn't we be listening to His voice?

Considering He loved us enough to send His Son to die on the cross for our sins so that we might spend eternity with Him, shouldn't we be listening to His voice?

Given the track record each of us has when we go about doing things on our own in comparison to His wisdom and scope, shouldn't we be listening to His voice?

Oh, that we would all listen to His voice today!

BUT DESPITE ALL THIS

Today's reading: Leviticus 25-27

"But despite all this, I will not utterly reject or despise them while they are in exile in the land of their enemies. I will not cancel my covenant with them by wiping them out. I, the Lord, am their God." Leviticus 26:44 NLT

We can break God's laws.

We can crush His heart with our disobedient ways.

We can turn our backs on Him and all that He has to offer us.

But despite all this...

Despite all this, He will not turn His back on us!

He may very well punish us.

He will undoubtedly chastise us.

He will not, in the middle of our wayward ways, make things easy on us.

But He will not forget us or how very much He loves us.

God's love for us does not change due to our behavior.

 

MISSION AND MISSIONARY

Today's reading: 2 Thessalonians

"Finally, dear brothers and sisters, I ask you to pray for us. Pray first that the Lord's message will spread rapidly and be honored wherever it goes, just as when it came to you. Pray, too, that we will be saved from wicked and evil people, for not everyone believes in the Lord." 2 Thessalonians 3:1-2 NLT

Paul, Silas and Timothy were out and about doing the Lord's work.

They traveled from town to town, telling the Good News of the resurrected Savior.

As they moved from house-church to house-church, they asked for the folks in each body of believers to pray for them, this time the church at Thessalonica.

But what I notice about the prayer is the order...

Firstly, Paul asks that the Lord's message be spread.

Secondly, Paul asks that they be kept safe as they spread that important message.

What an example for us!

If each and every morning I were to ask God to--

1. Use me to spread the Good News about Him to the world.

2. Keep me safe from the struggles and trials of spreading that word.

To be honest, I usually get the two needs in reverse...I'm more concerned with my comfort, safety and acceptance than I am about the message reaching the mission field He has set me on.

That changes today.

Use, me Lord, to tell the world about You. And then, only then, keep me safe as I do it.

It's a matter of what's more important, you see...the mission or the missionary!

NOT THE LIGHT

Today's reading: John 1-2

"John himself was not the light; he was only a witness to the light." John 1:8 NLT

I'm here this morning to remove a whole lot of pressure off you as a believer.

To take a load off your heart, head and shoulders.

To clear up a very common misconception.

You are the not the light the world needs to see.

Nope. Not at all.

It's not up to you to shine convicting power on every unsaved soul you come in contact with.

It's not up to you to 'draw all men' unto you for teaching and correcting.

It's not up to you to shine with a brilliance that comes from hours-a-day Bible study.

It's up to you to tell about the Light you know, have been saved by and are walking in.

Aah, what a relief!

They, the world in general, do not need to see us. They need to see God shining through us.

We aren't the Light, we are mirrors reflecting the Light to the world!

WHAT'S YOURS IS YOURS

Today's reading: Ezekiel 43-48

"This is what the Sovereign Lord says: If the prince gives a gift of land to one of his sons, it will belong to him and his descendants forever. But if he gives a gift of land to one of his servants, the servant may keep it only until the Year of Jubilee, which comes every fiftieth year..." Ezekiel 46:16-17 NLT

Some of us have forgotten that, as saved, born again believers in Jesus Christ, we are now God's children.

Children of the Most High God.

Kids of the King of Kings.

Royalty. Princes and princesses.

Heirs of the Creator.

As such, we must remember that what He has given us, no one can take away.

No poor choice.

No moment of disobedience.

No enemy attack.

No failed attempt at resisting temptation.

Our gift of salvation remains our gift of salvation--given to us by God!

So, if you've forgotten--

Or if you're prone to doubt--

Or if you are being told by unlikely sources that you have lost all right to the God of your salvation--

Remember, He gave it to you and it remains yours because of His decree!

FEAR OF THE LORD

Today's reading: Proverbs 14-15

"Fear of the Lord is a life-giving fountain; it offers escape from the snares of death." Proverbs 14:27 NLT

Do you fear the Lord?

Not His ability to strike you down with lightning bolts or snap His fingers and make you back into dust.

But do you fear Him?

Revere Him?

Stand in awe of Him?

Have a firm grasp on just who He is, and who you are not?

Fearing the Lord is having an honest evaluation of His might, magnitude and mercy.

It's being amazed by His scope, His depth, His love.

It's living in wonderment of Him, His abilities and how deserving He is of you living a life that honors Him in every way.

Do you fear the Lord?

 

 IN THE SHADOW OF THE ALMIGHTY

Today's reading: Psalm 90-92

"Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty." Psalm 91:1 NLT

One needs be pretty close in proximity to someone in order to stand in their shadow.

To have the outline of their very being shading you.

So close, one might say, that every time they turn, they bump right into you.

God invites us into a walk with Him that calls for that level of closeness, intimacy, relationship.

Is that how closely you are walking with the Lord? Living with the Lord? Following after the Lord? Are you finding the rest that only comes from being in His shadow?

 THANKFUL FOR MY BIBLE

Today's reading: 2 Kings 21-25

"...We have not been doing what this scroll says we must do." 2 Kings 22:13 NLT

I'm ever so thankful for my Bible.

It directed me to the Lord as my Savior.

It brings comfort.

It gives me examples of godly living.

It instills peace.

It also tells me what I'm not doing right.

It points out where my attitude stinks. It highlights areas where I am allowing sin to squat on my heart's property. It pricks my heart when I've caved to tempting opportunities. It reminds me of what holiness looks like as I gaze into its mirror-like pages.

I'm thankful for my Bible...even and especially the pages where I am convicted!