Pour Out a Blessing

February 11. Love is Not Irritable or Resentful

2012-02-12T10:37:00.001-06:00

February 11. Love is Not Irritable or Resentful

There are two words – even sometimes combined and translated as ‘easily angered.’ The first word – paroxyno – is an internal emotion, a passionate feeling; the arousal of the spirit to anger or grief, an urge or sense of provocation to irritation. The second phrase – logizetai to kakon – has more to do with the mind. Logezetai means to calculate, to consider, to think about something, to classify. Kakon means bad / evil. Say that word out loud. Kah – kon. Those consonants have come down in our vernacular as well. Kaka is a slang term for vomit.

This sentence reminds the readers that passionate negative emotions come from both the heart and the mind. Our hearts react when they are aroused to anger; our minds use strategy to express that anger.

My father refused to allow us to accuse him of being mad. He’d acquiesce to the word ‘angry,’ but never mad. In his mind, he associated that word correctly – with madness – a certain level of insanity and he never wanted his emotions to be that out of control.

When he was still in high school, he was hired at the Iowa home for the criminally insane in his hometown. He knows they should never have hired him, but his calm demeanor and incredible strength were a bonus and they needed him. He watched madness encompass patients and had to hold them while electroshock treatments (of the 50s, no less) were applied. He saw too many minds destroy people from the inside out. These people had no control over their passions and ended up there because they had lost control in some hideous way.

Madness frightened him and he didn’t want to ever admit to allowing any of that to touch him.

Anger that is fueled by passion and then released in a calculated means in order to hurt others is in opposition to love.

Love will not allow these types of negative emotions to reign in the heart or in the mind.

February 10. Love is Not Self-seeking

2012-02-11T20:50:00.001-06:00

February 10. Love is Not Self-seeking

What is more important - to be right or to be in a relationship?

We live in a world of one-upmanship, where it is so difficult for us to settle back and allow another to be at the top of the heap. If they make an error, we must point it out to them, if they sin we must ensure that they know we caught it and will never forget. If they Great errors, mistakes, sins, must be punished publicly so that we can all feel better about the things that we hide from the world.

It is much more important to set ourselves forward than it is to take a second or third or even a fourth position in obscurity so as to lift another up.

Who do you know that needs encouragement and needs to be given strength and support. Who are you competing with that might need you to back off so they can finally get a win in their life? Who is it that needs you to set everything aside and give them the stage? Who simply needs you to leave all that you feel behind and open your heart in love and prayer?

February 9. Love is Not Rude

2012-02-09T11:43:00.001-06:00

February 9. Love is Not Rude

The Greek word here is aschemoneo (ah skay moh neh’ oh) – to behave disgracefully.

How is it that rude behavior is seen by everyone else as disgraceful, but the person acting poorly rarely understands that what they are doing is so awful?

My mother insisted that we three kids learn good table manners. Over and over and over, she worked on things such as chewing with our mouth closed, putting the napkin in our lap, not talking with our mouth full, keeping one hand in our lap while using a utensil with the other; the list goes on and on. Anything other than proper behavior at the table was rude.

We also learned that, as children, we had the right to be heard, but interrupting while others were speaking or bursting into a room without good reason was rude and unacceptable. In a pastor’s home, there were always people coming and going, and it did not matter whether they were the president of the local bank or a transient family in need of a meal; we were never rude.

She spent a lot of time with us helping us to understand the difference between good and bad behavior. Rudeness was completely unacceptable in any situation. It was disgraceful and in our family there was no worse punishment than hearing either Mom or Dad tell us they were disappointed in us.

When I was a senior in high school, by the second semester I was done. As most of us did, we thought we were much too big for the high school any longer and senioritis was in full swing. The last period of the day was phys-ed and I hated it. I hated it. So, a friend and I began leaving early. We’d head to her house and listen to music or chat until school was out, then head back for whatever activities were on tap.

I must have been a complete idiot. The high school principal sang in choir at church with us and mom was on the school board. They were rather good friends. He called her one afternoon to ask if everything was ok with me and of course, she was surprised by the call, but assured him she knew exactly where I was and would take care of the situation immediately. My friend and I were upstairs at her house when the knock came on the front door. I looked out the window and there was our car. I couldn’t avoid the confrontation with mom, she’d caught me.

What is interesting, though, is how she handled it. She didn’t ground me – I was involved in too many things at school and was necessary to their success. She didn’t yell at me – that would have justified an argument between us. She simply told me that I had been rude. I had shown disrespect to my teacher, to the school and to my family. The greatest punishment lay in front of me. I had to go back into the school, apologize to the principal and to the teacher and plead with them to give me a second chance.

Rudeness wins no battles. Respect and right behavior will always win. I learned a lesson that day that has stuck with me for 35 years. I am never greater than anyone else and will never have the right to belittle anyone by my disrespectful actions. If I do so, I am responsible for setting things right. If I love … I will not be rude, I will be respectful. And since love is of more importance to me than anything else, rude behavior is unacceptable in any situation.

February 8. Love is Not Proud

2012-02-08T19:30:00.000-06:00

February 8. Love is Not Proud

The word physioo (foo-see-ah-oh) is used here. Let’s see what we can do with this word. Literally it means to blow up – to inflate. But, it’s all about having an exaggerated image of one self. Older translations might have said ‘puffed up.’ Conceited, one who puts on airs. Do you have a picture now of what Paul means?

When I was in elementary school, I was less than nothing. I was in a class of 23 kids and had joined them as we entered second grade. The girls weren’t really prepared to accept me. In the five years we lived in that little town, I never once felt as if I were part of the top clique of 3 or 4 girls in my grade. I never could understand what they saw in each other – those girls weren’t that bright, they didn’t do anything really fun. Sure, they spent time flirting with the boys, but at least I got out and did things with the boys and competed with them academically. They didn’t have much going for them at all, but they puffed themselves and each other up so far, they blew around the school as if they ran the place. Teachers didn’t particularly care about them – the only people that cared whether they were important were the girls themselves.

Their conceit and arrogance ran deep. And what a terrible time in a young girl’s development to have this type of antipathy aimed at her. You see, I recognized right away that they were filled with nothing but hot air and though I would have loved to have been invited to all of their parties and sleepovers, they had absolutely nothing to offer me. My innocent recognition of that might have contributed to their disdain of me, but I didn’t know any other way to live. Just at the time we were starting to develop physically, they declared (in essence) that being undeveloped was the best way to live. One poor little girl in our class was constantly harassed by them for having done exactly the opposite – even though she really had no option. She spent a lot of days after phys-ed in tears because of their bullying techniques.

Being puffed up about oneself is truly useless. We fill ourselves with so much empty air that those around us do recognize the fallacy in our personality. Paul calls us to be honest about who we are. With that type of honesty, we have no need to wound those around us as we recognize the incredible relationships that exist.

February 7. Love is Not Boastful

2012-02-08T14:09:00.002-06:00

February 7. Love is Not Boastful

This word – perpereuomai – means braggart, heaping praise on oneself, behave as a windbag.

All of a sudden, I saw caricatures of politicians in my mind’s eye and realized that we have become quite comfortable with this person in our society. In fact, we are so comfortable with them, it is almost as if they are the jester in the court. They speak and speak and speak – and soon, the things that they say become so much a part of our existence that we no longer question them or their purpose for being in our lives.

In today’s culture, one of the basic foundations of Christianity – humility – is ridiculed and set aside. No one really expects us to remain quiet about the good things we do. We are expected to shout it to the world. Oh, we might find ourselves being falsely humble, but we like receiving accolades for the things that we do, the smart things we say, etc. Facebook publishes the number of friends that we have and we’re always working to make that number grow. We want people to see our pictures, our achievements, we want to roar and be heard. We want people to pay attention to our likes and dislikes, to agree with us and if they disagree to be heard loudly and clearly as we challenge their beliefs. We want to declare our beliefs and have the world see what we have to say – no matter that we might hurt friends and acquaintances with our insensitive presentation.

We are the best, the brightest and the most amazing people on earth. We root for the best teams, vote for the best people, raise the best kids. We wear the best clothes and drive the best cars. We ridicule countries, opposing political parties, belittle immigrants and those who make less money than we do, those who don’t save everything or can’t seem to come out of a mess that has been created. We spell correctly, use proper grammar. We listen to the best music and read the best books. We have the best marriages, only hang out with the best friends and go to the best churches.

We present to the world our best face and challenge anyone to say something different. We are afraid to be thought of as less than the best, because then we would all have to face the fact that we simply are nothing in relationship to the entirety of the world.

We don’t do humility well. We do boast quite well, though.

And if, for a moment, you think this is an attack on Facebook or any other social network, think again. This is about our need, as individuals in a culture that promotes itself, to do everything to be better than any other person; whether it is possible or not.

February 6. Love is Not Envious

2012-02-06T19:14:00.001-06:00

February 6. Love is Not Envious

Greek – zeloo (zay-lah-oh). To have intense negative feelings over another’s achievements or success.

This is just one of those things that drives most of us insane. We can’t help the feelings of envy that crop up, no matter what. We are envious of so many things – wealth, fancy material items, healthy children when ours are sick, nice car – or even a drivable car. Another person is doing what they love to do while we are stuck in a job we despise, two of our friends seem to have a great relationship and don’t involve us, someone has success in a field we work so hard to even get something done in, their church doesn’t have nearly the number of problems that we have – or maybe their pastor is better at relating to the people.

Every day we face a million things that cross our path intent on creating envy in our hearts. Advertisements and media set us up to feel like we are missing something unless we compete with others for the very best. We are told that we can’t be the best unless we are wealthy, look a certain way, shop at the right stores, drive the right cars, get the right education, spend our money (or save our money) in a specific manner. And if we don’t live up to the world’s values in these areas while others seem to, our hearts are destroyed and we begin a cycle of attempting to live like the Joneses.

Because of envy, we destroy relationships. Rather than support and encourage those who are out there going after their dreams, we do our best to hurt them … sometimes in insidious, hateful ways. How many of us have found ourselves bad mouthing a friend who was doing something because we felt we should be doing it instead. Rather than giving them our full support, we are angry that they didn’t give us their support.

Envy is such an ugly, ugly emotion. There is never a time that it is healthy. We don’t always see it for what it is, because we are so caught up in our own messy self-confidence – or lack thereof.

How do we stop envy from getting in the middle of our relationships with each other and with God? What steps can we take to lessen its impact in our lives? How would it change our relationships if we could begin to eliminate envy from daily interactions? And when you consider these questions, how quickly do you think of someone else’s problem with envy and how it would help your relationship if they would just get over it?

February 5. Love is Kind

2012-02-05T20:28:00.001-06:00

February 5. Love is Kind

One of the Greek Lexicons (BDAG) tells us that this word (chresteuomai) for kindness is only found in Christian writings. This type of kindness comes from love and mercy offered to someone else.

The phrase ‘random acts of kindness’ was coined by Anne Herbert in 1982, then ten years later, a book was published with the thought that the world could be changed if everyone did one kind thing on a daily basis.

Random Acts of Kindness are really simple, but we don’t often think of doing them and when we do, we can easily justify reasons not to do anything at all. It’s ok to think about paying for coffee for the person behind you in the drive through lane, but what if there isn’t a car there at that moment; would you trust the cashier to not just pocket the money? It’s hard enough to manage shoveling your own walk after a winter’s snow; why spend any more time outside when there are healthy kids next door. They can shovel their own walk. You’d best not give money to strangers who have a hand out, it is documented that some of these panhandlers have made this their career and probably make more money than you – it’s better to give to an organization who will manage this. Why should I bother taking shopping carts to the storefront, they pay kids to do that. That stranger will think I’m nuts if I tell her that her smile is beautiful – she’ll probably call the police or something. I don’t have enough money to pay for this person’s meal … just because. I’ll try to do it another day.

It’s so easy to talk ourselves out of doing small acts of kindness. It can be just as easy to talk ourselves into them.

Imagine how your small act of kindness could change a day for someone. Is it too difficult to offer a smile to a checkout clerk who has just dealt with a nasty customer? What about simply writing a thank you note … even if it is ten years later? What about writing a thank you note for good service you received just yesterday? When I owned a business, it wasn’t unheard of for people to call me to complain about the service they received from one of my employees – it happened several times. However, when I got the call to compliment the service a customer had received, it transformed the entire shop that day. Make that call to a supervisor.

There are so many ways that we can extend kindness to each other. It doesn’t have to be a big deal, it might only take a moment. But, every time that we do something kind for someone else, we show love and mercy to that person.

What kind of things can you imagine doing to show kindness?

February 4. Love is Patient

2012-02-04T15:39:00.001-06:00

February 4. Love is Patient

I was only fourteen years old, but I recognized that patience wasn’t something easily acquired. So, I asked God to help me have patience one evening while in prayer. That was the beginning of a 35+ year struggle of wills. My impatient nature against that which I had asked God to teach me.

In so many ways, He has won the struggle; yet it seems as if I continually find new ways to beat at the walls of a patient life. I suspect that with age comes a better understanding of the passage of time and I comprehend the need to allow some things to just play out in their own time. With myself and my failings, my need to understand and learn, my desire to accomplish goals, on and on … I have limited patience. I want to be at a certain point and am not terribly understanding of the passage of time while I get there.

The Greek word here is ‘makrothymeo.’ Its definitions will not make you feel any better about yourself if you think you’re an impatient person.

1. To remain tranquil while waiting. When we were kids, mom would come into our room after we had fallen asleep on Christmas Eve with a stocking stuffed to the brim and lay it at the foot of our beds. She knew there would be no tranquility on Christmas morning for anyone until we could get to the foot of the tree, but she bought an extra hour or so for her and for Dad. We weren’t allowed to come out of our rooms until they were up and moving, so the stockings kept us busy.

2. To bear up under provocation without complaint. I don’t know of too many people who will put up with something without complaint. I immediately think of the number of churches I’ve belonged to … the complainers are loud and noisy. Too many things get done just to keep them happy and out of everyone’s hair. It only reinforces a bad behavior and it is hard to believe that we prefer to get things done with negative behavior, but we do.

3. Delay. A third definition entry finds that this word is used when describing God’s purposeful delay in activity on earth. It is never easy to understand why God doesn’t jump in and fix things when we think He should, but our patience and trust in His omnipotence will always enrich the relationship we have with Him.

Patience is a difficult lesson. Have I gotten better at having it over the years. I certainly have, but it seems as if there is a never ending series of circumstances that will bring me to my knees with impatience.

February 3. I Gain Nothing.

2012-02-03T16:26:00.001-06:00

February 3. I Gain Nothing.

If I give away all my possessions, and if I hand over my body so that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing. (1 Corinthians 13:3)

There’s an episode of Friends in which Phoebe tries to do something completely selflessly. It occurs to her that everything she does for someone else will gain her some accolade or some benefit.

We like to be recognized for the good things we do. In fact, because we like it so much, universities and hospitals, non-profit groups and even some churches feed our desire to be recognized by putting names on buildings and rooms in buildings, even theater seats and pews in churches might have the name of someone who donated money. We buy bricks with our name on it so that down through the years people will recognize that we donated a small amount of money and might be impressed with that action.

We work awfully hard to impress the world around us.

It is nearly impossible for us to do things without recognition – even if it just one other person knows what we’ve done, it satisfies our need to be appreciated and maybe to boast a little bit about how terrific it was.

What is it that we should gain? Is it the appreciation of humanity?

No, though for many that is all that matters. If all we are looking for is a few pats on the back, that is all we will ever gain. If that is all we desire, love is not part of the transaction. We will gain nothing.

Mother Teresa did not sacrifice herself for pats on the back, though she received many. She held in her heart a strong love for humanity and for the Lord whom she served. Knowing that those accolades could help her raise funds to continue her work allowed her to continue to accept the praise and honor that came her way, but it didn’t change her base desire. All she wanted to do was to serve others out of love that poured from within her.

It’s all about our heart, isn’t it! No matter what we do, whether others feel it is incredible or not enough to warrant a second glance, if what we do is an outgrowth of the love we have for each other and for God, we will gain everything.

February 2. I Am Nothing.

2012-02-02T14:52:00.001-06:00

February 2. I Am Nothing.

And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. (1 Corinthians 13:2)

Prophetic powers, understanding mysteries, having all knowledge, having all faith.

These are things that make up the best science fiction and fantasy stories. A seer who can discern the great mysteries of life; jacking into a system that will allow you to access knowledge regarding anything you desire; a prophet who can proclaim the truth of what tomorrow will bring; great faith that will bring God’s hand to bear on any situation we encounter.

Which of these might tempt you?

When I first saw the movie “The Matrix,” I was overwhelmed by the power of the story and the impact of the special effects. It didn’t take long for me to see it again and again. Would I be against someone inserting a jack into my brainstem so I could immediately access and use the knowledge of the world? Absolutely not. I’d do that in a heartbeat. Neo learned martial arts and how to fly a helicopter. There were training programs for riding motorcycles. All of these things came with immediacy and once learned, it is assumed the knowledge remained.

I would love to have that kind of immediacy to understanding mysteries and gaining knowledge. In the movie trilogy, Neo ends up sacrificing himself over and over to save the world. We understood the power of what he did because of the love that he had. It was a basic motivator for him.

There were other characters in the movies that had access to the same immediacy and amount of knowledge. Their purpose for gaining access to all of that was selfish; whether to build fortunes or power. No one could understand why Linus Torvald wanted to release the power of Linux to the world. He could have made millions had he kept it and built a private company. Corporations today thrive on the privacy of the knowledge they acquire. Power and wealth are great motivators and it seems that most of the time they are greater motivators than love.

Our public school system today comes from early Sunday Schools in England in 1780. Street children were stuck in mills six days a week and on Sundays they were released to the streets, terrorizing people. One man decided to fill their minds with knowledge of God’s love and with food. He opened the first public Sunday school in a home and soon the idea spread. John Wesley incorporated the idea into his Wesleyan groups. The Queen of England caught on to the idea and helped with fund-raising. In just seven years, more than 250,000 children were involved in Sunday schools around the country and over the next fifty years, more than 1 ½ million children were being taught around the world.

When love provides a foundation for knowledge and understanding mysteries, for prophecy and faith, lives are changed.

For me personally, no matter how much knowledge I gain, I am absolutely nothing without love as my foundation.

February 1. Clanging Cymbals

2012-02-01T20:42:00.002-06:00

February 1. Clanging Cymbals

If I speak in the tongues of mortals and of angels, but do not have love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. (1 Corinthians 13:1)

The years of the smarmy tele-evangelists have pretty much come and gone, but they did a lot to destroy the way people looked at the church. They were wonderful speakers and could con people out of their money faster than any Nigerian email scam. How could you not send your money to them when they were offering you a chance to connect to God?

The worst of it is, that when they began preaching or teaching or whatever else it was they were doing, they loved the Lord and loved the people they were preaching to. After a while, though, their love of self far outweighed anything else.

Before we go too far down the judgmental path, we need to be sure that our words are heard and not shrugged off because we are simply a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.

Are they surrounded with action? Are our words supported by our lives? If we talk about God’s love, do we show it when in the stands at a high school basketball game or wrestling match?

My mother (a minister's wife in a small town) went to a lot of high school football games because she loved watching her youth group kids play on the field, in the band, on the sidelines. She was there because she loved it. One Friday night, she and a few friends were watching the game when from behind her the foulest language came out of a woman’s mouth as she screamed at the boys on the field, boys from her own team. She cursed them until she ran out of breath. Mom knew that voice. She heard it every Sunday from a Sunday school room and sang with the woman in the church choir. It broke her heart.

She did manage to stand up, turn around and greet the woman by name, telling her that she looked forward to singing with her again on Sunday morning. Then, mom sat down. The woman couldn’t stand it. She left the stands; in fact, she left the game that evening and the next Friday evening, made sure she knew where mom was sitting before finding her own seat in the bleachers.

We accept a lot of bad behavior from each other and from ourselves when we are outside the church walls. We gossip, speak crassly, judge each other out loud, whine about our problems without paying any attention to those around us. We are self-centered and rude much of the time when we are in public.

Are we a noisy gong or clanging cymbal? Will people see God’s love in us through the words we speak each day?

January 31 - Daniel

2012-01-31T22:53:00.001-06:00

January 31 - Daniel

I feel a little schizophrenic about Daniel and I don’t think I’m alone. There are two Daniel’s that stand out in my mind – the young man who was taken into exile and stood up for His God against an imposing king and the older man who had visions of the end of the world.

The stories of the young Daniel and his three friends, Shadrach, Mesach and Abednego, were told to me over and over again when I was a child in Sunday school. He and his friends refused to eat unclean food and grew stronger because of it. He faced down a lion in its den (Daniel 6) and his friends came out of a fiery furnace unscathed. In fact, those who could look into the fire saw them in there with one other being – an angel of the Lord.

While these stories were meant to encourage the Israelites who were in exile to hold on to their faith, the same thing worked for me. If God would stand with these young people, he would surely stand with me no matter the furnace or horrific beast I might face.

The second portion of Daniel follows his interpretations of dreams and visions regarding changing world empires (Daniel 7) and we see in his apocalyptic imagery a foretaste of that seen by John in his visions found in the Revelation, “one like a son of man” coming on the clouds (7:13). We see the four beasts in that vision and a ram and goat in Daniel 8. Daniel 10-11 finish the book and at the conclusion, Daniel receives instruction from an angel which gives straightforward information on resurrection and life after death, followed by instruction to seal up the words until the proper time.

With Daniel’s visions, we find a strong link between Old Testament apocalyptic thought and New Testament thought of John’s recounting of the Revelation given to him by Jesus Christ. There will be an end to this world and God is in control of it all. It is to Him we give glory. It is to Him we are obedient. It is to Him we surrender our will so that we can be in relationship with the Creator of the Universe and our Savior.

January 30 - Ezekiel

2012-01-31T10:03:00.001-06:00

January 30 - Ezekiel

Ezekiel was another son of a priest – Buzi. He was among the Jews who were in exile with King Jehoiachin to Babylon in 597 B.C.E. Three years later, he was called to be a prophet. We know that he was married, because we find a notice of his wife’s death in Ezekiel 24:15-24. He prophesied during the same time as Jeremiah, but neither mentions the other. He spent his time in Babylon and his words are filled with hope.

Ezekiel is one of those misunderstood prophets by those of us today. His book is filled with apocalyptic imagery and vivid symbolism. The four visions that he has from God aren’t easy to understand without some time spent digging into them. Things that we can have no hope of comprehending happen to Ezekiel. Who among us would consider baking bread on coals made of human waste – only to have it made a little better by God allowing the use of animal dung. (Ezekiel 4:12-15) He burns one third of his hair, chops another third with a sword and scatters the final third to represent the impact of life on people when Jerusalem falls. Symbolism regarding the remnant of the Israelites centers around a few hairs bound into the hem of his garment.

In the vision of Ezekiel 8-11, he is transported to Jerusalem to see what is happening in the temple, to see executioners moving through the city murdering people of every age. Those who mourn the loss of the city are given a mark by a priest and then are spared.

He speaks oracles against seven nations in Ezekiel 25-32 – which are in essence words of judgment against Israel combined with words of hope for Israel.

After all of the horrors, Ezekiel ends with words of hope. When we see the land of dry bones in Ezekiel 37:1-14, we are made to understand that Israel’s future is grounded only in God’s power. Only through a relationship with Yahweh, will Israel be delivered.

Ezekiel’s final verse (Ezekiel 48:35) brings to a conclusion the judgment and hope for Israel. “The name of the city from that time on shall be, ‘The Lord is There.’”

Where the Lord is, there will be peace.

February Posts - Love!

2012-01-31T09:47:00.004-06:00

LOVE!

During the month of February, I will dig deeply into two of my favorite scripture passages on love – 1 Corinthians 13 and 1 John 4:7-12.

When I was growing up, it seemed the easiest way for me to learn scripture was through song. I was able to learn the entirety of 1 Corinthians 13 because of a song that sprang from the Jesus Movement. “If I have not charity, if love doesn’t flow from me, I am nothing. Jesus reduce me to love.”

Jesus reduce me to love. We can avoid sin, we can go to church every day of the week, we can speak in tongues, we can do it all, but if we do these things without true love which springs from our relationship with Jesus, we are nothing.

It is always all about love. It will always be about love. God so loved the world that he gave his only Son. It is only about love.

Jesus reduce me to love.

1. 1 Corinthians 1:1
2. 1 Corinthians 1:2
3. 1 Corinthians 1:3
4. 1 Corinthians 1:4 - Patient
5. 1 Corinthians 1:4 - Kind
6. 1 Corinthians 1:4 - No Envy
7. 1 Corinthians 1:4 - No boast
8. 1 Corinthians 1:4 - No Pride
9. 1 Corinthians 1:5 - Not Rude
10. 1 Corinthians 1:5 - Not self-seeking
11. 1 Corinthians 1:5 - Not easily angered
12. 1 Corinthians 1:5 - Keeps no record of wrongs
13. 1 Corinthians 1:6 - Does not delight in evil, but rejoices in the truth.
14. 1 Corinthians 1:7 - Always protects
15. 1 Corinthians 1:7 - Always trusts
16. 1 Corinthians 1:7 - Always hopes
17. 1 Corinthians 1:7 - Always perseveres
18. 1 Corinthians 1:8
19. 1 Corinthians 1:9-10
20. 1 Corinthians 1:11
21. 1 Corinthians 1:12
22. 1 Corinthians 1:13 - Faith
23. 1 Corinthians 1:13 - Hope
24. 1 Corinthians 1:13 - Love
25. 1 John 4:7-8
26. 1 John 4:9
27. 1 John 4:10
28. 1 John 4:11
29. 1 John 4:12

January 29 - Jeremiah

2012-01-31T09:10:00.001-06:00

January 29 - Jeremiah

His name means ‘exalted of God,’ a man who knew that from the moment he was conceived in mother’s womb, God had a plan for his life. (Jeremiah 1:4). He was the son of Hilkiah, a priest; and when he was still young, God called Jeremiah to be a prophet. He went to Jerusalem in the thirteenth year of King Josiah, helping him to reform the nation of Israel. When Josiah died, Jeremiah cried out in lament (2 Chronicles 35:25). During the reign of Jehoahaz, we read nothing of him, but when Jehoiakim came into power, Jeremiah was not a well loved man and according to Jeremiah 36:5, was kept from entering the temple. Jeremiah was not accepted by the king and when his words were destroyed by Jehoiakim, he wrote them again. No one listened to his words of warning.

Then, Nebuchadnezzar came to town and took over the city. A rumor began that the Egyptians were coming to help the Israelites, so Nebuchadnezzar took off for a while. The Jews thought they were saved. When Jeremiah was told by God that Nebuchadnezzar would return and burn the city, people were infuriated and tossed into prison (Jeremiah 37:15-38:13). He was still hanging out in there when the Chaldeans showed up. They let him go and told him that he could choose where he wanted to live. He moved on to Judea. Gedaliah, the governor of Judea was fine, but his successor – Johanan – wasn’t going to have anything to do with Jeremiah. He went to Egypt and took Jeremiah with him (along with Jeremiah’s friend, Baruch). From there, the prophet continued to try to draw the people of Israel back to the Lord until the end of his life.

The man whom God exalted, watched his people live apart from the Lord who had done so much for them. He prophesied the coming of the Messiah (Jeremiah 23:1-8; 31:31-40; 33:14-26) and his words encompassed approximately thirty years. When he was alone, it was the Lord who was with him, but he never forgot his people and always hoped for them to return to the one who loved them.

January 28 - Isaiah

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January 28 - Isaiah

I can not imagine having the experiences that Isaiah had. How do you approach a normal day after having an experience where you can say, “I saw the Lord, seated on a throne, high and exalted, and the train of his robe filled the temple. Above him were seraphs, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. And they were calling to one another: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almight; the whole earth is full of his glory.” (Isaiah 6:1-3)

That is a lifetime of experience in one small minute, but Isaiah’s life was filled with those experiences.

Isaiah acted as prophet during the reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah … approximately sixty-four years. We know very little of his life. He was the son of Amoz (Isaiah 1:1), his wife is identified as “the prophetess” (Isaiah 8:3), and their sons are named symbolically Shear-jashub (“A remnant shall return”; Isaiah 7:3) and Maher-shalal-hash-baz (“The spoil speeds, the prey hastes”; Isaiah 8:3, 18).

From the moment that he told the Lord he was ready to be sent forth as God’s messenger, he spoke without fear and with great boldness to the kings and the people of Israel. His message also held great reverence for the Lord.

Many beautiful words were spoken by Isaiah. His prophecies regarding the coming Messiah are incredible. His name means ‘salvation of the Lord’ and he came to proclaim that salvation to the world.

January 27 - Nathan

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January 27 - Nathan

I really don’t like having to confront people about their mistakes. I’d much rather encourage them into good behavior. Consequently, management is not something that I excel at. It only took a little bit of study into Old Testament prophets to decide that I would have been terrible at that as well.

Nathan was there to approve of David’s plan to build the temple. However, then he heard from the Lord that David would not be the one to build the temple, that would fall to David’s son, a man of peace. Nathan had to deliver those words to David, but was also able to deliver the prophecy that David’s reign (through his descendants) would last forever (2 Samuel 7).

Then came David’s poor decision making regarding Bathsheba. He saw a gorgeous woman, wanted her and gave no thought to the sin he committed when he had her, then had her husband, Uriah, killed. Nathan had to deal with his king because his God wouldn’t let this pass.

He told David a story about a rich man who stole the only lamb of a poor man. The king ordered that the rich man be put to death and Nathan identified the king himself as that thief. David figured it out and repented and wrote an extraordinarily beautiful Psalm (Psalm 51) to God pleading for mercy and repenting of his sin.

We see Nathan again when David is dying. David’s son, Adonijah was plotting to become king. Nathan and Bathsheba went before the king to remind him of his promise to his son (by Bathsheba), Solomon. David declared that Solomon would succeed him (1 Kings 1).

January 26 – Elisha

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January 26 – Elisha

Elisha was a farmer (I Kings 19:16-21) and he was bald (2 Kings 2:23). He was plowing with twelve pairs of oxen when Elijah met him. His name means ‘my God saves’ and he became a disciple of Elijah’s until his master ascended into heaven.

He traveled and engaged with groups of prophets who collected themselves into guilds, we see them in 2 Kings 2:1-5 and possibly in some of his other travels to Gilgal, Mt. Carmel and Samaria (2 Kings 2:25; 4:25, 38). He performed miracles in order to support these disciples so they could continue in their work. These miracles demonstrated God’s power over everything, something that the people of Israel needed to see and understand.

Elisha followed Elijah’s footsteps in the political realm as well. He warned the king of enemy plans, helped in dealing with the Moabites, then the Syrians. He cared for the king’s army when it was thirsty in the desert by asking God to fill a wadi with water for the men and animals (2 Kings 3:4-20).

This man of God worked to bring the Israelite kings back into a relationship with God and demonstrated that every part of life is subject to God’s will and His control.

January 25 - Elijah

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January 25 - Elijah

Elijah served as a prophet during the reign of King Ahab … the 9th century BCE. Ahab was a great ruler of the northern kingdom. However, Ahab had married Jezebel, a princess of Tyre, who worshiped Baal. Elijah came from Gilead, east of the Jordan river, from a place where Israelites remained separate from those around them and was appalled by the intermarriage and interplay between the Israelites and the cultures around them.

Ahab ‘served Baal a little’ (2 Kgs 10:18), but mostly wanted to be tolerant of his wife’s religion … much like Solomon. This was unacceptable to God and one day Elijah showed up in Ahab’s court announcing a terrible drought. The prophets of Baal believed that their god possessed the power over life and fertility. They soon discovered that wasn’t so and famine destroyed the country.

God told Elijah to go back to Ahab and confront the prophets of Baal, which led to the contest between one prophet of Yahweh and 450 prophets of Baal on Mt. Carmel. (1 Kings 18:1-46) Nothing happened (of course) to the sacrifice that the prophets of Baal prepared, but the one that Elijah prepared was devoured by fire, as well as the water that had drenched the firewood. Not only that, but at the end of the story, God pours out water upon the land proving His control and gaining the trust of His people.

Jezebel was quite unhappy with the outcome and threatened Elijah’s life (1 Kings 19:1-2). He fled and was comforted by Yahweh with food. He goes on to Horeb (the sacred mountain where Moses met earthquake, wind and fire, then God’s revelation (Exodus 19) and finds that while earthquake, wind and fire accompany Yahweh, He is not in the violence of those things, but in a still, small voice. Yahweh is not like the storm-god Baal, whose nature is made of those elements, but Yahweh is above it all and controls it all. Yahweh can only be heard by those who will listen to Him.

There are many other stories found in 1 Kings 17-19, 21 and 2 Kings 1:1-2:18. He was a man of great faith who wandered throughout the land, showing up when needed to remind the people of Israel of their God. He was taken up into heaven by fiery horses and a chariot and was expected to return to humanity as the prophet who would introduce the Messiah. He appeared at Jesus’ transfiguration (Mark 9:4; Matt. 17:3; Luke 9:30) along with Moses and is expected to come forth to restore the tribes of Jacob (Sirach 48:10).

January 24 - Balaam

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January 24 - Balaam

My Kindergarten Sunday School teacher was amazing. It was from her that I learned most of my Bible stories. We were so entranced with her stories, that I’m not sure if we really identified their source. When I was older there were a few that surprised me by showing up in my Bible. However, there was one story that I never heard and I was greatly surprised by a question one day in an adult class regarding Balaam’s ass. I had absolutely no idea what they were talking about, so I had to dig. I guess that this might have been a little too shocking to bring up to the minister’s daughter. Sunday School teachers avoided using the word ‘ass’ as much as possible and in the King James version, that’s all they would have been able to come up with.

Balaam was not an Israelite, but was a prophet all the same.

The Israelites were threatening the land of Moab and its king, Balak sent men to Balaam requesting that he curse the Israelites. (Numbers 22:1-6) Balaam, interestingly enough, told them that he had to consult Yahweh. He refused to go to Moab with these men, but received permission from God to go with the second group, but only if they came to him and asked him to go.

Well, Balaam got up and went with them – without the summons. God wasn’t happy, especially since He had told Balaam to obey Him implicitly. The angel of the Lord stood in the middle of the road – only the donkey could see. He tried once to go into the field next to the road, Balaam struck him and got him back on the road. Then, it ran Balaam into a wall, and he struck the animal, then, the donkey just lay down in the road. Balaam struck the donkey and the Lord opened the animal’s mouth to ask, “What have I done, that you strike me?” Balaam had a conversation with the animal until the Lord opened his eyes and he saw the angel.

At this point, he fully understood the necessity of obedience to the Lord. He would go forth and only speak the word of the Lord to Balak.

When Balaam got to Moab, Balak asked him to curse Israel again. Balaam answered that he could only speak the words given to Him by God. He blessed Israel three times, finally stating that Israel would rule over Moab.

January 23 - Sarah

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January 23 - Sarah

As Christians, we don’t think as much about Sarah as Jews and Muslims do, but she is the mother of our faith. As Abraham’s companion and wife, she travels with him when God calls him out of Ur. When they arrive in Canaan, the land that God promised to Abraham, a famine threatens them and they move on to Egypt. Abram tells the Pharaoh that this beautiful woman is not his wife, thinking that will keep them alive. God is not pleased and the Pharaoh soon sends them on their way with additional riches, back to Canaan.

Her name, when we first meet her, is Sarai (Genesis 11:29). Her name was changed to Sarah (which means princess) when she was promised that she would have a son and would become the mother of nations and kings (Genesis 17:15-16).

How could Abraham’s covenant with God be fulfilled without a son? Because Sarah wanted to honor that covenant, she allowed Abraham to have our maidservant – Hagar. A child was born and named Ishmael. God promised that Ishmael would be the father of a nation, but not the child of the promise.

Then, by only the hand of God at work in their lives, at the age of 90 she bears a son and names him, by God’s order, Isaac. This occurred 25 years after the original promise was made to Abraham.

This is actually the last we see of Sarah. We don’t see her around when Abraham takes Isaac to offer him as a sacrifice to God. She died at the age of 127 and was buried in a cave which Abraham purchased from a Hittite. (Genesis 23)

Sarah followed her husband and obeyed her Lord. She was startled by the announcement that at the age of 90 she would give birth to a child and laughed when she thought no one was listening. But, God is always listening. God can do amazing things in our lives. He did so in her life and she became the mother of an incredible nation and her ancestors, both by blood and by faith, continue to fill the earth.

January 22 - Ruth

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January 22 - Ruth

Naomi and her husband and two sons are from Bethlehem. They travel to Moab because of a famine and end up living there for ten years. The sons do what boys do; meet, fall in love and then marry a couple of local girls – Ruth and Orpah. Something happens to the men of this family and they die. Naomi loves her daughters in law, but really wants to return to her home, especially since she has found out that there is food there again. The three women begin traveling together, but Naomi wants the girls to have full lives, not be stuck as widows in a foreign land, so she tells them to return to their own homes.

At first both refuse – they love Naomi. Their adult lives have probably been spent with this woman. Finally she persuades Orpah to return, but Ruth offers words that have transcended time.

Entreat me not to leave you or to return from following you. For where you go, I will go and where you rest, I will rest. Your people will be my people and your God, my God. (Ruth 1:16)

They make it back to Bethlehem just at the beginning of the barley harvest. One of Naomi’s husband’s relatives was named Boaz. Ruth, in order to care for her mother-in-law, offered to go into the fields and glean grain after the harvesters had been through the fields. She did so and Boaz saw her and asked about her. Then he told her to stay near his women, reaping after them and that she was under his protection.

It made absolutely no sense to her. She was a foreigner and had no legal rights in Israel. But, he knew what she had done for Naomi and that was enough. Then, he invited her to eat with him and his workers and told the workers to leave plenty for her in the fields. She was able to make enough to take money home to Naomi as well as food from the meal she had shared. She stayed close to Boaz’s young women until the end of both the barley and wheat harvests, living with Naomi throughout. (Ruth 2:23)

Naomi finally convinces Ruth to make things a little more serious with Boaz. As an honorable man, he ends up taking her as his wife and she bears a son for him. Naomi became the child’s nurse and he was named Obed. This child grew up to be the father of Jesse, who was then, in turn, the father of David, the ruler of Israel.

A foreign woman who loved her mother-in-law more than her own life became another great woman in the history of Jesus Christ. Sometimes sacrifice brings great rewards.

January 21 - Rebekah

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January 21 - Rebekah

Rebekah was Isaac’s wife. She was also the sister to Laban – remember him? He was the man who made Rebekah’s son, Jacob work for 14 years before he could marry the woman that he loved. I guess family issues have always been stressful. You can’t even trust your uncle or the father of your bride – even when they’re one and the same, can you!

Rebekah was a beautiful woman and Abraham’s servant found her when he returned to their home to find a wife for Isaac. Genesis 24:58 tells us that she chose to leave with the servant (not that she was sent by her father and brother) to go back to Isaac.

The story of Isaac’s first look at her is found in Genesis 24:62-67. He went out one evening to walk in a field and saw camels approaching. Rebekah saw him, slipped off her camel and inquired of the servant who had come for her, who he might be. When the servant told her that it was his master (implying Isaac), she covered herself with her veil. The servant then told Isaac everything about her. Isaac took Rebekah into his mother, Sarah’s, tent. Sarah had died and Isaac was still mourning her loss. But, that night, Rebekah became his wife and he loved her.

When they discovered that she couldn’t have children, Isaac prayed and she conceived. When the pregnancy was difficult, she prayed and was told by God that she would give birth to two sons – two separate nations. He also told her that the elder (Esau) would serve the younger (Jacob).

As the boys were growing up, she loved Jacob much more than Esau while Isaac was more fond of his oldest son. One day she heard Isaac telling Esau that he was going to give him a blessing, which would give Esau a great deal of power. She and Jacob conspired to trick Isaac into giving him the blessing, infuriating Esau. She sent Jacob to her brother Laban.

This is the last we see of Rebekah in the story and we don’t read anything of her death. We do know that in Genesis 49:31 she was buried with Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Jacob and Leah.

Rebekah was quite brilliant; she was conniving and understood people. While we might consider these things to be evil, they did insure that the Lord’s word, given to her during her pregnancy was fulfilled.

January 20 - Rahab

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January 20 - Rahab

How many of you choose to tell stories of prostitutes in your life history … even if they were reformed? Most of us would choose to hide that information, not wanting anyone to think less of us or our family.

Jesus, on the other hand, finds this prostitute in his lineage and does not disregard her.

When Joshua and Caleb were spying in Canaan, they ended up in Jericho. The king found out they were there and with murder in mind, sent guards looking for them. Rahab hid them on her roof under stalks of flax. Her house was part of Jericho’s outer wall, so when things were safe, they were able to escape.

For her trust, they told her that when the battle came, she should tie a crimson cord in the window through which they were planning to leave and tell no one they had been there.

Prostitutes are ignored by most, but not by two men who trusted her with their lives. When they brought the battle to Jericho, Rahab and her family escaped before the city was destroyed and became a part of tribe of Israel for the rest of their lives (Joshua 6:25).

Because she took these men into her home and protected them, then sending them on their way, she is remembered by the author of Hebrews as someone who had great faith. She is also mentioned in Jesus’ lineage in Matthew 1:5 as the mother of Boaz, the future husband of Ruth. Her life was changed the day that she chose to obey the Lord God.

January 19 - Rachel

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January 19 - Rachel

Rachel was a lucky woman. She was beautiful and Jacob wanted her enough to work fourteen years for her father so that he could have her hand in marriage. She was one of several women who bore children that would become the foundation for the Israelite tribes.

Though they spent many years waiting, Rachel was barren. She watched her older sister Leah have children with the man she loved, Leah’s handmaiden and Rachel’s own handmaiden. Finally, she gave birth to Joseph and then later to Benjamin.

After Joseph was born, Jacob decided it was time to leave his father-in-law’s home. Rachel took with her one of her father’s idols. When he chased them down, Jacob promised death for whoever took it. Rachel’s deceit continued as she claimed that it was her menstrual period and she couldn’t move, while she sat on top of the idol.

Jacob went on to Bethel and it was when he got there that she conceived another child. While they were traveling to Bethlehem, she gave birth to Benjamin, dying in childbirth.

Jacob loved her greatly. He buried her on the road between Bethel and Bethlehem, marking the spot with a pillar. She is remembered in the book of Ruth, along with her sister Leah, as one who built up the house of Israel (Ruth 4:11).

January 18 - Solomon

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January 18 - Solomon

The name Solomon means ‘peaceful.’ That seems appropriate, since it was a man of peace that God wanted to build His temple. Historians think that he was between sixteen and eighteen years old when he came to the throne of Israel. He was the first king to be born into succession. The prophet Nathan called him Jedidiah – beloved of the Lord (2 Sam. 12:24,25). He became king before David died, because his elder brother Adonijah was pressing for the reign. David, Nathan and Bathsheba wanted Solomon to be king because this was what the Lord wanted.

Solomon reigned for forty years and during his early years on the throne, Israel lived in its most glorious time. They traded extensively with foreign countries, bringing in vast amounts of wealth and produce (1 Kings 9:26-28; 10:11, 12; 2 Chr. 8:17, 18; 9:21). No one could match the glory and splendor of Solomon’s court. He had seven hundred wives and three hundred concubines. Not only was this a time of great material prosperity, but Solomon led his people into great intellectual growth. He wrote proverbs and taught the people about things that came from other lands. People from all over came to hear of Solomon’s wisdom.

His wisdom he received in great measure because of his humility before the Lord. God granted Him one desire and though he could have asked for wealth or good health, he asked for wisdom. This so pleased the Lord, that He gave Solomon great discernment, that none could match him in understanding right from wrong. (1 Kings 3:5-15).

As Solomon grew older, he no longer loved the Lord with all that he had; he loved his women and his wealth. He brought in foreign wives and fell in love with their ways. He continued to believe in God and offered sacrifices, but he set up worship of other gods and allowed his people to worship publicly.

At this, the Lord’s support left and enemies came after Israel. He had raised up a great and powerful nation, but at the end, it deteriorated to one that was weak and worthless, a disgrace because of Solomon’s pride.

January 17 - David

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January 17 - David

Have you put it together that King David was a redhead? Yup … That’s not something we generally think of when we imagine the Semitic races (Arabs, Jews, etc.). But, 1 Samuel 16:12 says, “Now he was ruddy (red-haired) and had beautiful eyes, and was handsome.” When he went up against Goliath, the Philistine wasn’t terribly threatened, for “When the Philistine looked and saw David, he disdained him, for he was only a youth, ruddy and handsome in appearance.” (1 Samuel 17:42)

There is no way to tell the entirety of David's story in a few short words. He was given much and the promise that from his throne would come salvation for Israel was fulfilled in Jesus Christ.

David was a shepherd and when Samuel came to see Jesse so as to find the next King of Israel, he was out working, rather than waiting to see the prophet. David was a musician and played his lyre and sang for King Saul when his spirit was troubled. Saul loved David and David became best friend’s with Jonathan, Saul’s son. After David killed Goliath, though, Saul grew jealous … murderously jealous and David had to finally leave, running back to Samuel.

When Saul finally died (along with Jonathan), David became king over Judah at the age of thirty and later king over all of Israel. With this, he decided to move from Hebron to Jerusalem. He brought the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem, erected a new tent … tabernacle and set all in order for the worship of God to happen in Jerusalem. (1 Chr. 16).

David went to war and greatly extended his kingdom (2 Sam. 8). But, at his greatest height, he had his greatest fall … adultery, murder, lies … and through that, he grew close to God in his penitence. His son, Solomon, was born and peace came to the land.

David wanted to build a temple for the Ark, but because he had been a man of war, God would not allow it. That opportunity would be given to his son.

Then came the rebellion of his eldest son, Absalom, wounding David terribly, but with his death, peace returned to the kingdom. David died at the age of 70, after having reigned 40 ½ years. His last words (2 Sam. 23:1-7) show his faith in God and confidence in God’s promises.

David’s power rose and fell, but he remained close to the Lord he loved.

January 16 - Saul

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January 16 - Saul

The stories of Saul’s failures are quite familiar to most of us. He lost his connection with God and everything fell apart for him. There was nothing he could do on his own to regain that connection – he became bitter and angry, poisonous and even murderous. He lost everything in the end … everything he had ever loved. There was a point when he made the decision that being anointed as the King of Israel was because he was something special, not because he was chosen by God. We do well to never forget that it is God who chooses us, not the other way around.

Before he lost his way, there was a much, better story. The story of a young man whom God chose from nothing to become king over everything.

Saul’s father was named Kish. He was of the tribe of Benjamin, the smallest of all the tribes. His clan was the least of all the clans within the tribe of Benjamin. Saul was called an impressive young man, a head taller than any of the others around him (1 Sam. 9:2).

One day, Kish’s donkeys got lost, so Saul and a servant went out to look for them. They spent enough time away from his father, that Saul decided they might want to return; his father would now be more worried about them than the donkeys. The servant recognized that there was a famous seer in the town they had come upon. He might be able to help them find their way to the donkeys.

The seer was Samuel and the Lord had just told Samuel that he would encounter a young man whom the Lord had chosen to lead His people. The two men met on the road and Samuel told Saul that the donkeys were safe and after they had gone to the high place (a place of worship), he would let Saul go and tell him all that was in his heart … and oh, by the way, the donkeys had been found.

Saul wasn’t prepared for any of this. Remember, he was the least of the least, according to the ways of the tribes of Israel.

The next morning, Saul and Samuel started out with Saul’s servant. Samuel sent the servant ahead and then anointed Saul with oil, naming him as the leader of the Israelites. He gave him several signs to watch for in his travels home. These signs all happened and Saul began to believe that maybe it was true. The Lord had called him to be the leader of the Israelites.

As much as the people wanted a king, it seems there would be no one fully appropriate for the position. Even after Samuel, who was respected among all the people as a spiritual leader, blessed Saul and made him king, there were several who decided to make trouble. They ‘despised him and brought him no gifts.’ (1 Samuel 10:27b)

Saul rescued the city of Jabesh and after that glorious victory, those who had tried to make trouble were brought before Saul to be executed. In the manner of a King under the power of the Lord, he proclaimed, “No one shall be put to death today, for this day the Lord has rescued Israel” (1 Sam. 11:13).

Samuel and Saul, along with all the people, went to Gilgal. They confirmed Saul as king in the presence of the Lord and then sacrificed fellowship offerings and held a great celebration.

The beginning of Israel’s time of kings had come. The man was chosen by God and placed into a position of power. Though we saw the end of his reign and the awfulness that selfish intentions brought, he was king of Israel for 42 years.

January 15 - Samuel

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January 15 - Samuel

One of the greatest things Eli taught Samuel was how to listen to the Lord. This wasn’t an easy lesson because, “In those days the word of the Lord was rare; there were not many visions.” (1 Samuel 3:1b).

Samuel heard his name being called at night and went running to Eli because who else would be calling out to him? It took three times for it to finally register with Eli that the Lord was calling. He taught Samuel how to listen, “…if he calls you, say, ‘Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.’” (1 Samuel 3:9)

When Samuel responded to the call, the Lord was able to tell him that He was about to do something that would make the ears of everyone who hears it tingle. (1 Sam. 3:11) The Lord can do amazing things through His people … we just need to respond as His servants!

Samuel remained close to the Lord.

“The Lord was with Samuel as he grew up, and he let none of his words fall to the ground. And all Israel from Dan to Beersheba recognized that Samuel was attested as a prophet of the Lord.” (1 Samuel 3:19-20)

One man presented himself as a willing servant. That’s all it took.

Samuel was the one, who though unhappy with the idea of Israel setting a king in place because he felt that the Lord should be their only ruler, told the Lord what the people wanted and then, with the Lord’s permission, anointed Saul as the first king of Israel.

It was also Samuel, who, when the Lord rejected Saul as king because of his sin and weakness, then found David. He was sent by the Lord to Bethlehem to a man named Jesse. The Lord told him that one of Jesse’s sons was to be king, but left it to Saul to discover which.

The lesson that day was that appearance and height did not matter to the Lord, “The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” (1 Samuel 16: 7)

None of the seven sons of Jesse passed Samuel’s (and the Lord’s) muster. The youngest was with the sheep and when Jesse finally sent for him, the Lord told Samuel that this young boy was to be anointed. He would be the new king of Israel.

Samuel may have begun the first school for prophets (1 Samuel 19:20) “…they saw a group of prophets prophesying, with Samuel standing there as their leader …” and when he died, all Israel mourned his death. (1 Samuel 25:1)

A man dedicated to the Lord as an infant by his mother, raised to hear and respond as a servant of the Lord. He offered the entirety of His life as he worked to draw Israel into a relationship with God. His name means ‘heard of God.’ He heard God and God listened to him as well because he came before the Lord as a servant, ready to respond.

January 14 - Eli

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January 14 - Eli

Eli is well-known for the young men in his life. He is the high priest to whom Hannah brought her son, Samuel, dedicating him to the service of the Lord.

He is also the father of Hophni and Phinehas.

“Eli’s sons were wicked men; they had no regard for the Lord.” (1 Samuel 2:12)

These two young men were thieves – stealing the food of the sacrifice, there was sexual immorality and no matter what Eli said to them, they refused to change their ways. Finally, Eli was told that they would die on the same day and that the promised priesthood for his lineage was coming to an end.

All of this evil in Eli’s life was contrasted with the growth of Samuel.

“This sin of the young men (Hophni and Phinehas) was very great in the Lord’s sight, for they were treating the Lord’s offering with contempt. But Samuel was ministering before the Lord – a boy wearing a linen ephod (in other words, no finery … very simple). Each year his mother made him a little robe and took it to him when she went up with her husband to offer the annual sacrifice.” (1 Samuel 2:17-19)

The Philistines captured the Ark of the Covenant during a battle with the Israelites. Hophni and Phinehas were there with the Ark when it was brought out from Shiloh to offer strength to the Israelites. But, the Philistines were too much for them and the defeated the Israelites, the ark was captured and Hophni and Phinehas died.

Word was brought to Eli that his sons had died and the ark had been captured. It was the last bit of news that caused him to fall out of his chair, break his neck and die. Phinehas’ wife was pregnant and at the same time, died giving birth to a son whom she named Ichabod, meaning ‘The glory has departed from Israel’ since the ark had been captured.

January 13 - Samson

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January 13 - Samson

“Again the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the Lord, sothe Lord delivered them into the hands of the Philistines for forty years”(Judges 13:1).

Sound familiar? Wecan judge the Israelites all we want, but the reality of the situation is thatwe are just as guilty of doing our own thing and rebelling against God as theyever were. Fortunately for us, therecords of our wrongdoings aren’t captured for posterity. And as well, fortunately for us as it was forthem, God places people into our lives to get us over the bumps and draw uscloser to Him again.

A man named Manoah and his wife were childless. The Lord told her that she would bear achild, but they needed to raise the boy as a Nazirite, set apart for God fromthe day he was born. His hair couldnever be cut, he could drink no alcoholic beverage or eat anythingunclean.

Samson was born, raised for the Lord and then fell in lovewith a Philistine woman. She was no good for him, but they got married anywayand before long was given to a friend of Samson’s who had attended him at theirwedding. Samson was furious and went after the Philistines of her village witha vengeance. When leaders asked what hadhappened and found out, they burned her (this was not a good place to live). That made things worse and Samson slaughteredmany Philistines.

After several encounters with the Philistines, Samson becamethe leader of the Israelites for twenty years.

Judges 16 opens with: “One day Samson went to Gaza, where hesaw a prostitute. He went in to spend the night with her.”

This can’t be a good way to begin a story. The Philistines attempted to capture and killhim, but his strength allowed him to escape. When he met Delilah, he fell in love again. Obviously, for this man of God, women werehis downfall. The Philistine leadersfigured out that Samson had no control when it came to women he loved and askedDelilah to discover the secret of his strength. He tricked her, but she naggedhim until he finally told her that his hair had never been cut.

He had seven braids (Judges 16:19) and falling asleep withhis head in her lap, she called a man to shave his head. The Lord left him … his Nazirite vow had beenbroken.

The Philistines shackled him and gouged out his eyes,setting him in prison. When he wasbrought out for entertainment, he prayed one last time for God’s power and withall his might, he pulled down the temple on the rulers, the people and himself.

His life was over as was his rule.

Samson was a man with a mighty mission. He had beencommitted to the Lord since before he was born … before he was even conceived.But, his life was filled with struggle and torment. It was never easy. He loved the wrong womenand made terrible mistakes in trusting those who never deserved his trust. When his eyes were set on the Lord, He was amighty warrior. When his eyes were seton his own needs, he was destroyed.

January 12 - Jephthah

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January 12 - Jephthah

Though Jephthah was the son of Gilead, his mother was a prostitute. Gilead’s wife had sons who drove Jephthah away, taunting and alienating him. He settled away from them and managed to become a respected leader of a group of adventurers.

The Ammonites showed up and went to war against Israel.

Funny thing, the Gileadites decided that now they needed Jephthah to be their leader. “Why do you come to me when you’re in trouble?” (Judges 11:7b)

They promised that if he fought against the Ammonites, they would make him head over the tribe. They promised in front of the Lord that they would do this and Jephthah agreed. At that point, he sent a message to the Ammonite king who ignored it.

So … Jephthah, accompanied by the Spirit of the Lord went up against the Ammonites. Then, came the vow that is so difficult for us to understand. He promised that if the Lord gave the Ammonites into his hands, when he returned, the first thing to come out of his house to greet him at home will be sacrificed as a burnt offering. I’m guessing he was used to animals coming out of the door.

But, when he arrived home, it was his daughter, his only child. She asked for two months to roam and weep with her friends, and when she returned, he did as he vowed.

Jephthah was a mighty warrior, who believed in the Lord and when he made a promise to God, he followed through, no matter the sacrifice. He was considered a man of valor and judged the Israelites for six years.

January 11 - Gideon

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January 11 - Gideon

“Again the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the Lord and for seven years he gave them into the hands of the Midianites” (Judges 6:1).

I believe that one of the things scripture points out to us is the extreme lengths God will go to in order to have a relationship with us. Once again, the Israelites began worshiping other gods and once again they angered God so much that he turned them over to the Midianites, who crossed the Jordan each year for seven years simply to plunder and desolate the land.

God called on Gideon to finally deliver the land from these invaders when yet again, the Israelites called out to Him for help.

Getting Gideon to undertake the task was not easy for the Lord. Gideon wasn’t ready to just acquiesce. He had questions. Tough questions.

“If the Lord is with us, why has all this happened to us? Where are all his wonders that our fathers told us about? … But now the Lord has abandoned us and put us into the hand of the Midian.” (Judges 6:13)

Much like His conversation with Moses, when He asked Moses to deliver the Israelites from Egypt, the Lord didn’t respond to the questions, but promised He would have strength to save Israel. Gideon reminded Him that his clan was the weakest and he himself was the least in his family. The Lord told Gideon he would be with him.

Gideon then asked one more favor of the Lord, to please remain until he could return with an offering. I love these next words from God: “I will wait until you return.” (Judges 6:18b).

God will wait for us when what we want to do is worship Him.

Gideon began tearing down altars to Baal and Asherah poles. The Midianites joined together with the Amalekites and others to battle Gideon, who then called out to the tribes of Israel to join him in battle.

At this point, Gideon set one more test before the Lord. He put out a dry wool fleece. If there was dew on it – he knew the Lord would be with him. There was. That wasn’t enough. He asked for one more thing. He put another fleece out – asking that the fleece be dry and the ground surrounding it wet with dew. It was. Gideon’s confidence was full.

The next part of the story tested Gideon’s faith. He had 32,000 men ready to do battle and the Lord told him to send away those who were fearful so that Israel wouldn’t boast in their own strength. 22,000 men left. The Lord then asked Gideon to take the remainder to the water. Those who lapped at the water with their hands were separated from those who knelt to drink. This left 300 men.

With these 300 men, God conquered the Midianites.

The Lord listened to the fear of a man who was willing to walk with Him. He offered strength to a man who felt unworthy and gave confidence to a man who was ready to be the Lord’s mighty warrior.

January 10 - Deborah

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January 10 - Deborah

Judges 4:1, “And the people of Israel again did what was evil in the sight of the Lord …”

This will be a familiar theme for the Israelites. However, this time, Deborah was judging Israel. She was not only their leader, but a prophetess. Judges 4:5 says that she used to sit under a palm tree and the people of Israel would come to her there for judgment.

The Israelites had been sold by the Lord to Jabin, king of Canaan. His commander was Sisera. He had been oppressing the people of Israel cruelly for twenty years (Judges 4:3).

Deborah summoned Barak and reminded him that the Lord had commanded him to take 10,000 men from the tribes of Zebulun and Naphtali and battle Sisera. Barak replied that he wasn’t going without her. With her there, he would be glad to go. She agreed, he gathered the 10,000 men and off they went off to Mount Tabor to do battle.

She encouraged Barak, telling him that the Lord would go before them and with those words, the army attacked and killed every member of Sisera’s army. Then, they went after Jabin and destroyed him as well.

There is a song in Judges 5 of Deborah and Barak. While there is great praise for those who engaged in battle, Judges 5:16-23 names those of the tribes who stood by doing nothing. “They did not come to the help of the Lord, to the help of the Lord against the mighty.” (Judges 5:23)

“And the land had rest for forty years” (Judges 5:31).

Women in the Old Testament may have been seen as property and not given a lot of respect, but those whom the Lord called to do His will were given great power and honor.

Deborah heard the Lord and through her, Israel walked again with the Lord and found peace.

January 9 - Othniel

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January 9 - Othniel

Who is Othniel? The first judge of the Israelites. The judges attempted to lead the children of Israel after Joshua died, and after their failure to do so because of the insistence of the people that they be allowed to worship other gods and their subsequent turning away from the Lord, they called for a king when Samuel (January 15th blog) was in place as their leader.

The pattern that is followed in the book of Judges is that 1) the people turned away from the Lord, 2) the Lord punished them by bringing in a foreign power to oppress them, 3) the people cried out to the Lord, 4) God raised up a deliverer … a judge for them.

Othniel, the lion of God, was the first of these judges.

We first meet him in Judges 1. The Israelites are fighting against the Canaanites. Caleb (the friend of Joshua’s who traveled into Canaan and brought back a good report, but who wasn’t believed, offered his daughter’s hand in marriage to the one who would attack and capture Kiriath-sepher. Othniel did just that. So, he received Achsah as his wife and when she met him, she told him to ask her father for a field. Caleb gave her the land of the Negeb and the upper and lower springs of water (remember, water was very important to these desert nomads). (Judges 1:11-16)

Then, a group of them settled that area.

Not surprisingly, by the time we get to Judges 2, Israel is disobedient and unfaithful. They did what was evil in the sight of the Lord and served the Baals. And they abandoned, the Lord, the God of their fathers, who had brought them out of the land of Egypt (Judges 2:11-12).

The Lord gave them over to plunderers and sold them into the hand of the enemies.

…And they were in terrible distress (Judges 2:15b).

He sold them into the hand of Cushan-rishathaim, king of Mesopotamia. And the people served him for eight years. But when the people cried out to them, he raised up a deliverer. Othniel was that first deliverer.

The Spirit of the Lord was upon him. He went into battle and prevailed. For the next forty years, the Israelites were at peace. Then, Othniel died. (Judges 3:7-11)

Fortunately for the people of Israel, there were men and women who loved the Lord and refused to turn away from Him. Since this will become a pattern for them … they’re going to need these people.

January 8 - Joshua

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January 8 - Joshua

We all know he ‘fit the battle of Jericho,’ right? Of course.

Joshua was born in Egypt – and it is assumed he was about forty years old when the Exodus occurred. When the Israelites battled Amalek (Exodus 17:8-13), it was Joshua who led the battle while Moses held the God-given rod up to heaven.

It was he and Caleb who had gone into Canaan and returned with an encouraging report. Because everyone else came back with doom and gloom and the people believed them instead, they ended up wandering for forty additional years.

His name means, ‘Jehovah is his help.’ With all of his responsibilities after succeeding Moses as leader of the Israelites, he was going to need God’s help.

He took his people across the Jordan river and was their leader as they marched around Jericho and brought the walls down. It was under his leadership that the Israelites fought wars bringing down six nations and thirty-one kings. He trusted the Lord to lead the people in battle and that trust allowed God to win those battles for them.

It was Joshua who split the land among the twelve tribes and after he delivered his final address to the people (Joshua 24:1-28), he died.

The final verses of Joshua (Joshua 24:31), tell us that his leadership among the Israelites allowed them to serve the Lord while he was alive and then while the elders who outlived him were alive. These men reminded the Israelites what it was that the Lord had done for them.

Joshua knew that his help came from the Lord.

“Be strong and courageous; do not be frightened or dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:9)

January 7 - Moses

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January 7 - Moses

Moses was named by the Pharoah’s daughter who lifted him from the water. His name means ‘rescuer from the water’ in Hebrew (she knew he was a Hebrew child). Many of the stories about Moses are familiar. He killed an Egyptian overseer and ends up fleeing because of it. When he arrives in Midian, he marries Zipporah and has two sons. This should be more than enough for the story of one man’s life, but Moses has hardly begun.

Moses encounters God in a burning bush and after great discussion, returns to Egypt to bring the Israelites out of slavery and to the land that was promised to them. Through this conversation, we learn the true name of God – Yahweh. Moses confronts Pharaoh, pronounces the plagues on Egypt when Pharaoh refuses to release the people and finally leads Israel through the Red Sea as they escape slavery.

Nearly a year into their trek across the desert, they camp at Sinai and the covenant that was set forth with Abraham and affirmed in Isaac is now set forth in a formal covenant. Israel’s obligation goes beyond circumcision to following and obeying God’s Law as given to Moses.

Aaron, Moses’ brother, builds a golden calf … the people need to worship something and God is furious! He threatens to wipe out all of Israel and begin again with Moses. Moses doesn’t want that, smashes the tablets of the covenant, orders the idolaters killed and starts all over with God.

The tabernacle is designed and built, so that Yahweh can travel with the people and the set out once again.

Whining, complaining and rebellion seems to describe the Israelites who can not seem to comprehend the incredible gifts they have been given – freedom, food to eat, water to drink and the opportunity to settle in a land where they will prosper. They frustrate Moses and they frustrate God and when it seems that they should be at the end of their journey, they have created so much havoc that God declares those who were rebellious will not see the promised land and so they wander forty years.

Moses appoints Joshua to lead the people into the Promised Land, delivers a final address (basically the entirety of Deuteronomy – a rather long final address), dies and is buried by Yahweh.

Moses is seen as one of the greatest leaders in Jewish history, but he was as flawed as anyone. His faith wavers, he is never consistent in his obedience to God and he really doesn’t want to lead the people of Israel.

But, Yahweh called him and gave him the tools by which to set forth with His children.

Moses walked with God.

January 6 - Joseph

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January 6 - Joseph

When Joseph was born, his father realized that God was no longer angry with him. So, his name means ‘remover’ because God removed his reproach. It also means ‘increaser’ because God had given him another son. Joseph liked the naming process!

Joseph might have been a bit spoiled by his parents. The first born son of his father’s favorite wife? Oh yah … spoiled. So, he taunted his brothers. Made them crazy! His dreams were prophecies of his leadership, but he didn’t have the maturity to recognize how holding that information over his brother’s heads might make them angry. First chance they got, they sold him off to a group of Ishmaelite merchants. They let their father think he was dead and figured they had gotten away with something.

Joseph’s life continued to get interesting. He was sold as a slave to an Egyptian and it wasn’t so bad, until Potiphar’s wife decided to put the moves on the young man. When he rejected her, she accused him anyway and he ended up in prison. He interpreted some dreams for a couple of people, then when needed by Potiphar, they brought him out. His amazing relationship to God, gave him insight into the coming years. Seven years of plenty followed by seven years of famine.

During the famine, his brothers ended up in front of him looking for some assistance. He played a few games with them, but finally asked them to bring his father and the entire family to Egypt. The reunion was awesome.

Joseph extracted a promise that when he died, he would be returned to the land of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. He was embalmed and placed in a coffin (Gen. 50:26). Those bones were still around when the time of the Exodus came and carried by the Israelites for forty years until at last, he was buried in Schechem, in a plot of ground that Jacob had purchased (Joshua 24:32, Genesis 33:19).

January 5 - Jacob

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January 5 - Jacob

There’s a lot to know about Jacob. He was the second of the twin sons to be born, so his name means ‘one who follows on another’s heels.’ He was a shepherd, his brother Esau, a hunter. He plotted with his mother to get his brother’s birthright, which gave him a double portion of his father’s inheritance – and it would be through him, not Esau, that the nations of the earth would be blessed. That was a big deal!

A little guilt showed up after he got the birthright, so since he was afraid of Esau, he went to stay with some cousins. He ended up with Laban and met Rachel. He had to work for seven years to get her hand in marriage, but was ok with that – he was still young. Turn about seems to be fair play, right? Laban deceived him and he ended up married to the elder sister, Leah. Seven more years of service to Laban entitled him to marry Rachel. I wonder if he peeked under the bridal veil that time!

He returned to his family, but on the road, he hears about Esau coming with a group of 400 men. Jacob is sure that this is going to be bad, so he prays and prays and prays, then sends gifts to Esau ahead of the traveling band. Spending one more night in prayer, a man showed up and the two wrestled. Jacob won the contest and in so doing, his name was changed to Israel, which means ‘wrestled with God.’ He rejoined his family who had traveled ahead and met up with Esau. There was no anger, the two were friends and stayed that way throughout their lives.

During these years, Rachel and Leah, as well as their handmaids, gave birth to twelve sons. While they were traveling Rachel died when giving birth to Benjamin. Jacob arrived at his father’s home in time to be there at Isaac’s death.

More trouble came to Jacob (Israel) when his sons managed to get rid of Joseph. A famine came and after several trips to Egypt to buy corn, he met his son, Joseph once again.

Jacob had twelve sons – Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Zebulun, Issachar, Dan, Gad, Asher, Naphtali, Joseph, Benjamin. He blessed each of them in Genesis 49 and then died.

The twelve tribes of Israel come together again under Moses, but begin here with a man who stole his birthright, ran from guilt, served because of love, prayed, then wrestled with God.

Jacob may not have started his life walking with God, but when God showed up, he recognized him and served him.

January 4 - Isaac

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January 4 - Isaac

When Sarah had gotten quite old, one day she overheard the Lord tell her husband that they were going to have a child and she laughed. (Genesis 18:9-15). I don’t know about the rest of you, but I’m afraid that laughter would be the least of my responses to that statement. But, when the Lord declares that something will happen, there is nothing that can change the fact that it will happen.

When Isaac was born (Genesis 21:5-7), her laughter was different. She rejoiced in her son and named him Isaac, which means ‘he laughs.’ Sarah told everyone that God had brought laughter back into her life with the birth of this child. After years and years of sadness due to the fact that she could bear no children for her husband, Abraham, everything about this child was joyous.

This child is to be the one through whom the covenant with God is kept. He is the first to be circumcised at the correct age of eight days old. God reinforces and renews the promise that had been made to Abraham of blessings upon him and his descendants (Genesis 26:3-5).

To Isaac and his wife, Rebekah, two sons – Jacob and Esau are born.

If you read through Genesis 26, you realize that water was of extreme importance to the area. Abraham had dug wells and the Philistines had stopped them up after his death. Isaac dug them up again. Other nomads in the area demanded that those wells be given over to them – they lay claim to the water. So, Isaac’s people dug another – there was another quarrel. Isaac’s people dug yet another and when no one argued about it, Isaac knew they would be fruitful.

Without water, herds could not be cared for, crops could not be planted, people could not live.

When God met Isaac in Beer-sheba (Genesis 26:24), not only did Isaac build an altar for him there, his servants dug a well.

Isaac is not quite as prominent as his father, Abraham before him or his son, Jacob after him in the story of God’s work among humanity. While it was through him that Abraham was tested and it was his blessing of Jacob that led to the next part of the story, he was the child of promise (Romans 9:7, 10; Gal. 4:28; Heb. 11:18, through whom we all are tied to the covenant.

January 3 - Abraham

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January 3 - Abraham

The three major religions in the world trace their ancestry to Abraham - Jews through his son, Isaac; Muslims through his son, Ishmael and Christians through faith (Galatians 3:6-7, 29).

Abram was born to Terah 290 years after the flood. Lifespans had grown quite a bit shorter and children were born around 30 years to each of the nine men between Shem (Noah’s son) and Abram.

Think about how short a period of time 290 years is. That’s 1752 if you look back from this year. In 1752, Benjamin Franklin proved that lightning is electricity. It had been 132 years since the Pilgrims had set foot on North American soil. Things change quickly in short periods of time, yet we can look back on that amount of history and grasp the changes.

The world had repopulated after the flood in 290 years. People had migrated to better lands and expanded the population centers.

In Ur of the Chaldeans (Gen. 11:28), Terah lived with three sons – Haran, Abram and Nahor.

Terah took off with Abram, Sarai and Terah’s grandson, Lot, who was the son of Haran. Haran had died already. They were headed to Canaan. Remember that the land of Canaan was that of the descendants of Ham, the son that Noah cursed. Terah decided to settle before they got there and ended up dying there. Abram, however, heard from the Lord that he should leave and go where the Lord would send him.

The great covenant of the people of Abraham was begun in Genesis 12:1-3 (and set forth in Genesis 15:13-18, Genesis 17:9-14), “Go … I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”

Did you read that last phrase? While we find that Abraham’s descendants finally become the Israelites through Isaac and then Jacob; we also discover that through these people the entirety of the earth will be blessed.

Abraham was blessed and his descendants became as numerous as the stars in the sky. Through him the covenant action of circumcision was introduced, claiming that these people belonged to God. He had two sons – Ishmael and Isaac, he trusted God when told to sacrifice his son, he buried his wife and married another (Keturah – Genesis 25:1). He lived a long life (175 years) and when he died, his two sons, Isaac and Ishmael, came together and buried him with Sarah.

God had committed to a relationship with the descendants of Abraham. The covenant was in place. History was being written.

January 2 - Noah

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January 2 - Noah

I’m sure most of us are familiar with the story of Noah and the Ark, as well as the rainbow that cemented the covenant between God and Noah – that never again would God destroy the earth by flood. That’s an amazing story.

Noah was born to Lamech who would have been about 50 years old when Adam died. One hundred thirty years later, he gave birth to Noah and said, “Out of the ground that the LORD has cursed, this one shall bring us relief from our work and from the painful toil of our hands.” (Genesis 5:29).

Noah’s name means ‘rest.’

Many see this prophecy regarding Noah as a precursor to Christ. Matthew 11:28 says, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest."

Both men would offer rest and relief to those who trusted in God.

Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his generation. Noah walked with God. (Genesis 6:9)

Before God had to deal with unbelieving Israelites who followed Moses out of Egypt or evil kings of Judah and Israel, the descendants of Cain and Seth began to intermarry and all of a sudden there was a race of people who were known for their ungodliness. Less than fifteen hundred years into this beautiful creation and God was ready to wipe it clean and begin again.

Then there was Noah. A man who was righteous … blameless … and who walked with God. A man in whom God could trust that a covenant would be fulfilled. Isn’t it amazing that even with the incredible trust placed in Him by God, Noah couldn’t withstand sin. Genesis 9:21 tells us how he got drunk and lay naked in his tent – this wasn’t righteous behavior … this was a man who had lost control and had turned from God.

But, that wasn’t the end of the story. Noah was remembered, not as a sinner, but as a righteous man (Hebrews 11:7). His sons Shem and Japheth protected him and he blessed them. His son, Ham, the father of Canaan, was cursed and we see throughout the OT that the Canaanites were always in opposition to the Israelites.

Noah listened when God told him to build an ark, even though it sounded like the craziest proposition he would ever encounter. He trusted God when he was ridiculed.

Noah was righteous and blameless.

Noah walked with God.

January 1 - Enoch

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January 1 - Enoch

What do we know about Enoch? If you do a quick search, you will find that Adam’s son, Cain, had a son named Enoch (Genesis 4:17) and Cain then named a city after that son.

But, the Enoch who seems a bit more interesting is the ‘seventh’ from Adam, a descendant of Adam’s son, Seth. According to Genesis 5, we find that this line is Adam, Seth, Enosh, Kenan, Mahalel, Jared, Enoch. His son, Methuselah, is recorded as the longest living man at 969 years. In Luke 3:37, we discover that this is the also line from which Jesus was born.

The name ‘Enoch’ means dedicated and this is confirmed in Genesis.

“When Enoch had lived 65 years, he became the father of Methuselah. And after he became the father of Methuselah, Enoch walked with God 300 years and had other sons and daughters. Altogether, Enoch lived 365 years. Enoch walked with God; then he was no more, because God took him away.” (Genesis 5:22-24)

Genesis 5 gives a synopsis of the lives of the men between Adam and Noah. Each man lived, fathered a significant son, lived longer and then died. Enoch’s historical synopsis in Genesis 5 tells us that he lived, fathered Methuselah, had other children, lived a bit longer and then the story veers away from the pattern. Enoch walked with God, then God took him away.

We have no other information regarding this man, but his relationship with God was important enough that his life was recorded a bit differently than any other life in that history lesson.

Hebrews 11:5-6 tells us that Enoch pleased God and without faith it is impossible to please God because ‘anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.’

Enoch pleased God.

The last bit of information we uncover from Scripture is found in Jude 14 where we are told that Enoch was a prophet who prophesied regarding godless men in the last days when thousands upon thousands of God’s holy ones would come to judge everyone and to convict all the ungodly.

While there isn’t a lot of information regarding this man, we begin this series by looking at a man who pleased God, who walked with God, and who knew God well enough to know that He would send judgment upon the godless and who didn’t die, but was taken into heaven by God.

Enoch walked with God.

Starting a New Year!

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Starting a New Year!

Join me at the beginning of this new year as I first look at some leading Old Testament characters. Each day we will uncover tidbits of information from scripture about a man or woman who had a relationship with God and did their best to serve Him.

The Old Testament is filled with exciting stories of colorful men and women, both saints and sinners. God saw their hearts as He sees ours. He yearns for a relationship with us – not as a master and puppet, but as a friend and participant in that relationship. He offered His covenant to humanity, knowing that we would never be able to meet Him in His perfection, yet He continues to find ways to meet us as we are.

A new year comes with hope and anticipation for things to be better. Every one of these stories reminds us that hope and anticipation when walking with God are part of the story.

Here’s who I will write about during the month of January.

Patriarchs
1 - Enoch
2 - Noah
3 - Abraham
4 - Isaac
5 - Jacob

Leaders
6 - Joseph
7 - Moses
8 - Joshua

Judges
9 - Othniel
10 - Deborah
11 - Gideon
12 - Jephthah
13 - Samson
14 - Eli
15 - Samuel

Kings
16 - Saul
17 - David
18 - Solomon

Women
19 - Rachel
20 - Rahab
21 - Rebekah
22 - Ruth
23 - Sarah

Prophets
24 - Balaam
25 - Elijah
26 - Elisha
27 - Nathan
28 - Isaiah
29 - Jeremiah
30 - Ezekiel
31 - Daniel

December 31 – Luke 2:36-39. Thanks Be to God.

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December 31 – Luke 2:36-39. Thanks Be to God.

There was also a prophet, Anna, the daughter of Penuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was very old; she had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, and then was a widow until she was eighty-four. She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying. Coming up to them at that very moment, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem.

When Joseph and Mary had done everything required by the Law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee to their own town of Nazareth.

Anna told everyone about the child who would redeem Jerusalem. Did she have any idea that He would redeem the entire world, that He would also die for the sins of those who would be born two thousand years later?

Anna’s response to seeing the child was to give thanks to God and spread word of His greatness.

As we close out an old year and approach a new year, may our response to Jesus be the same. May we give thanks for meeting Him and then tell the world about Him.

He has come to redeem the world, let us ensure that the world recognizes Him through us!

December 30 – Luke 2:33-35. Good News. Bad News.

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December 30 – Luke 2:33-35. Good News. Bad News.

The child’s father and mother marveled at what was said about him. Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother: “This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too.”

This is what life does to us, isn’t it! One moment you hear great news and within a heartbeat, that news is replaced by something that is difficult to hear. It doesn’t diminish the greatness of the original news, but our hearts are rarely strong enough to remain excited after we hear something awful.

We don’t get a chance to know Joseph and Mary’s reaction to Simeon’s follow-up, but most of us can imagine it in great detail.

Jesus didn’t let that part of the story affect Him as He began His ministry, though. He didn’t worry that His work would hurt His mother or that people wouldn’t accept Him. He wasn’t concerned that there would be those who spoke out against Him or that He might be rejected because He exposed the hearts of people.

Jesus walked in confidence, knowing that He was doing the work of His father.

While we don’t know for sure what happened to Joseph, we do know that Mary remained a part of Jesus’ ministry through His resurrection and there are stories that she lived with the apostle John in Ephesus as Jesus’ ministry on earth was extended through Him.

Her soul may have been pierced at the physical loss of her son, but she didn’t allow that to change the awe and wonder that had been hers from the moment the angel announced to her that she would bear God’s Son.

Jesus was to bring forth the salvation of the world. There will never be enough bad news to deflate the excitement that news brings to us.

December 29 – Luke 2:25-32. Simeon Saw Salvation.

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December 29 – Luke 2:25-32. Simeon Saw Salvation.

Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was on him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required, Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying:

“Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you may now dismiss your servant in peace. For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all nations: a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of your people Israel.”

Isn’t it interesting that Simeon didn’t hear from an angel, but from the Holy Spirit. He spent so much time walking with God that the presence of the Holy Spirit was with him. What a glorious gift to bring to a man who had lived his life as a righteous and devout man – the assurance that he would see the Messiah.

What a moment this was for Simeon. The revelation from the Holy Spirit had been fulfilled. He held the Son of God, the Messiah, the Savior of the world in his arms.

I had a very dear friend, a man who walked with the Lord, who daily did the work of the Lord and to whom I am eternally grateful for his teaching. He felt that God had told him Christ would return before his death and he lived his life with that assurance. He listened so closely to the Spirit that one day when he was driving, he heard the Lord telling him to pull over and walk up to a house. He had no idea why, but he did so. When a young woman answered the door, he simply told her that God had sent him and he wasn’t sure why. She began to weep. She had served the last of the food to her children that morning and had eaten nothing herself for several days. Her family was about to starve and she could do nothing to change the outcome. Tommy recognized immediately that he stopped so that he could be God’s hands in this situation. He fed them a meal, stocked groceries for them and then helped the young woman find a job with child care. He walked with God because he expected God to use him.

Well, Tommy died several years ago and I found myself wondering at his absolute trust in God and that he heard God telling him Jesus would return while Tommy still lived. I spent a lot of time thinking about his words and have yet to fully understand the entire story. I doubt that I ever will while still here.

Simeon, though, saw the promise fulfilled in the eyes of a child. One day we will all see the promise of Christ’s return – whether we are still living or when we meet Him in heaven. I am confident that Tommy is in the presence of God and has seen the fulfillment of Christ’s return.

Simeon saw salvation that day. The greatest gift any of us can ever know.

December 28 – Luke 2:21-24. Bound to the Law.

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December 28 – Luke 2:21-24. Bound to the Law.

On the eighth day, when it was time to circumcise the child, he was named Jesus, the name the angel had given him before he was conceived.

When the time came for the purification rites required by the Law of Moses, Joseph and Mary took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every firstborn male is to be consecrated to the Lord”), and to offer a sacrifice in keeping with what is said in the Law of the Lord: “a pair of doves or two young pigeons.”

In Matthew 5:17, Jesus says, ““Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.”

The only problem for many of us is that we miss the fine details of Jesus’ ministry and paint it with such broad strokes that we don’t see how God fulfilled the Law through Jesus. We only see a great divide between His interpretation of the Law and humanity’s method of wielding God’s law.

Joseph and Mary were responsible to care for the Son of God. They obeyed the angel when naming the child and then followed the letter of the Law when it came to presenting the child and purifying themselves.

The Law that the Lord had given to Moses and to the Israelites was the guiding light for them as they strove to maintain a relationship with God throughout the centuries. Even though it had become a duty rather than a joy, obedience to God’s Law was still necessary – especially when raising the Son of God.

With a flick of the finger, the child could have set all that aside, but God’s commitment to humanity and to His chosen people was so great when He bound Himself to the limits of being human, He also bound Himself to His own law. He never set Himself above it.

December 27 – Matthew 2:19-23. Conversation With An Angel.

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December 27 – Matthew 2:19-23. Conversation With An Angel.

After Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt and said, “Get up, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who were trying to take the child’s life are dead.”

So he got up, took the child and his mother and went to the land of Israel. But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning in Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. Having been warned in a dream, he withdrew to the district of Galilee, and he went and lived in a town called Nazareth. So was fulfilled what was said through the prophets, that he would be called a Nazarene.

Do you think you would ever get used to angels showing up to keep you informed of what you should do to raise your child?

Would Joseph have missed his conversations with the angel? Would he have begun to wonder when the next time was that the angel would show up to give him some direction?

I don’t know how it is in your family, but we seem to always talk a lot more just prior to getting together. Before a holiday or a vacation, we call, email and text each other … as if we can hardly wait to see each other and hope to extend that relationship as long as possible. The anticipation is so great that we stay in pretty close contact. After the holiday is over, we drop back into our normal patterns and call each other when something is going on … but not for a random conversation.

The angels have had a great deal to prepare for. The child was finally here, but he isn’t settled yet. This child is here to draw together the people of the world and reintroduce them into a relationship with God.

We don’t hear about any other conversations Joseph or Mary have with angels … maybe they stay in pretty close contact with the heavenly host … maybe this is the end of it. But the child will soon be safe and settled into his home. Things can go on as if all were normal.

The angels become less and Jesus becomes greater. He will now be the voice of God among humanity.

Jesus is here now. Joseph has a daily connection to God.

Jesus is here now. We have a daily connection to God.

December 26 – Matthew 2:13-18. God’s Protection.

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December 26 – Matthew 2:13-18. God’s Protection.

When they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up,” he said, “take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.”

So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt, where he stayed until the death of Herod. And so was fulfilled what the Lord had said through the prophet: “Out of Egypt I called my son.”

When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi. Then what was said through the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled:

“A voice is heard in Ramah, weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted, because they are no more.”

Herod was furious! People simply didn’t ignore his commands, especially when those commands were so desperately important to his reign.

In his rage, he ordered the deaths of young boys in the region where the wise men had landed. In his eyes, it was better to be safe than sorry.

While there are historical questions regarding this massacre of the innocents (there is no public record of it), the simple fact is that in that area surrounding Bethlehem, it was very rural and there may have been as few as twenty children killed. While it would have been traumatic for the families and the community, it would not have registered in the annals of his reign.

God’s grace and mercy are greater than humanity’s rage. Before the words were uttered by Herod, God sent an angel to Joseph to command him to leave with Mary and the child and flee to Egypt. Once more they were traveling, but this time it was to safety.

God prepared the world for the coming of His Son and He continued to care for His Son offering protection and safety when danger approached. As God’s adopted children through Jesus Christ, we can hold on to the promise that God will also protect us, if only we listen for His voice and obey Him.

December 25 – Isaiah 9:2-3, 6-7. Be His Light!

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December 25 – Isaiah 9:2-3, 6-7. Be His Light!

The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned. You have enlarged the nation and increased their joy; they rejoice before you as people rejoice at the harvest, as warriors rejoice when dividing the plunder.

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the LORD Almighty will accomplish this.

Today we celebrate the entrance of light into a darkened world. In a world filled with sin and sorrow, the Savior comes to release humanity from the chains that bind us to that world.

We rejoice because we are free. We rejoice because darkness has been set aside and light prevails.

The light of Christ fills the world … through us. We take His light to those around us. Be that light today and tomorrow and every day.

December 24 – Matthew 2:9-12. Choose Joy.

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December 24 – Matthew 2:9-12. Choose Joy.

After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.

When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. When they saw the child … they bowed down and worshiped him.

Pretty soon the Christmas season will pass and the New Year will be upon us. We hope to hold on to the feelings of joy and anticipation that surround us at Christmas, but when the realities of life settle in – sometimes it gets awfully difficult.

I wonder if life isn’t a little like King Herod. The world wants to rob us of our joy. Sometimes circumstances rule our emotions to the point that we can’t be happy unless life is good. Herod didn’t want the world to see the Messiah. He wanted the wise men to give him intelligence regarding the location of the Messiah so he could just rid himself of the annoyance and remain in control of his little world.

The wise men chose to go their own way. As they searched for the Messiah and found Him, they found joy and worshiped him. They chose not to go the way of King Herod, which would bring destruction and death.

When Christmas is over, we can choose to follow the path of the wise men. We don’t have to be ruled by circumstances. We don’t have to fear the coming of the Messiah into our lives.

We can choose to be overjoyed in the moment to moment discovery of Jesus’ love.

Choose joy. Bow down and worship Christ – not our daily circumstances.

December 23 – Matthew 2:1-8. Peace on Earth?

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December 23 – Matthew 2:1-8. Peace on Earth?

After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”

When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Messiah was to be born. “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written:

“ ‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.’”

Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.”

There is an interesting difference between the Luke and Matthew story – beyond the fact that one tells us of the shepherds and the other of the wise men.

Luke’s story tells us how the angels promised peace on earth because of the Savior’s birth.

Matthew’s story tells us that not only was King Herod upset at the possibility of the birth of the Messiah, but all of Jerusalem was also disturbed along with their King.

This doesn’t bode well for the beginning of the story of our Messiah. Before He can even speak, people are frightened of what He might say and do!

Herod sent the wise men to search for the Messiah … just in case the prophecies might be true. He wanted to deal with this little problem all by himself before it could upset his reign as the king of the Jews.

Peace on Earth? Not while Jesus walked on the earth as a man this time. That’s far, far away and just in case we didn’t understand that truth, we are introduced right away to just a little bit of the stress that Jesus would encounter throughout His lifetime and Christians would continually encounter throughout history.

December 22 – Luke 2:15-20. Amazed by His Story.

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December 22 – Luke 2:15-20. Amazed by His Story.

When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”

So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger.

When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

Looking upon the face of the Savior is all about seeing God’s love.

The only thing that the shepherds could think to do after being in the presence of Jesus was to spread the word about everything they had seen.

Those who heard what the shepherds told them were amazed.

We have an amazing Savior and have experienced His presence in our lives.

The only thing that we should do is spread the word about what we know.

The world needs to hear about our relationship with Jesus Christ.

The world needs to be amazed by His story.

December 21 – Luke 2:8-14. The Face of Love.

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December 21 – Luke 2:8-14. The Face of Love.

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,

“Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

We all think that (most) babies are absolutely adorable. When my first nephew was born, it occurred to me one of the reasons we believe so is that in their little faces, we see everyone we have ever loved.

When Jesus was born, what would the shepherds have seen when they looked at His face? Can you even imagine?

They looked upon the face of God. The Creator of the Universe who came to earth to save humanity from itself. The Lord God Almighty whose love fills the earth, whose compassion for those He loves is beyond bounds.

They saw love beyond measure.

The angels knew what the shepherds would see when they looked at that tiny baby in a manger and all they could do was sing “Glory to God in the highest heaven.”

Today as we prepare to remember His arrival on earth, remember that one day we will look into the face of Jesus and sing “Glory to God in the highest” because we will see love.

December 20 – Luke 2:1-7. King of Kings.

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December 20 – Luke 2:1-7. King of Kings.

In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to their own town to register.

So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.

I can’t read these words without feeling a flutter of excitement well up from deep within me. Every time these words are read – it is in preparation for one of the most exciting times of the church year for me.

That Caesar Augustus and Quirinius are marked as being involved in this powerful event offers a timeline for us. We know that it didn’t happen 50 or 500 years ago, but a couple of thousand years ago when Caesar Augustus was emperor of Rome.

Joseph took a very pregnant Mary to Bethlehem. It was expected that he would do so as a citizen of the Roman Empire. Sometimes the world around Jesus seems so small. Born in Bethlehem, grew up in Nazareth, died in Jerusalem. But, with these words, Jesus is placed within the Roman Empire, even though He was a Jew who lived under Herod’s rule.

From the beginning of His life, He was obedient to the laws of the land. It wasn’t yet time to upset the nations and kings.

Jesus will be known as King of Kings and Lord of Lords (Rev. 19:16) and when He reigns in heaven with God, “the glory of God gives the city (New Jerusalem) light, and the Lamb (Jesus) is its lamp. The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their splendor into it” (Rev. 21:23b-24).

It was possible for God to allow the kings of earth to rule over His Son because the day was coming in which Jesus would be seated on the throne above all things.

December 19 – Matthew 1:22-25. God With Us.

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December 19 – Matthew 1:22-25. God With Us.

All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”).

When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. But he did not consummate their marriage until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus.

The prophesies regarding Jesus fill the pages of the Old Testament. They tell of preparation for his coming, of his birth, his life, his death and his return to draw us all unto himself.

Joseph and Mary were part of this amazing prophecy. They were essential in the telling of this story. God had planned for the day they would come together and raise His Son. He had prepared their lineage, their parents and their lives.

God was with them from the moment that He created the world. He was with each of their ancestors and from the moment of their conception He was with them. He was with them as they pledged themselves to each other and when it came time to tell them what their place in the story would be … He was not only with them, but He sent His angel to help them understand the power of His will and to give some explanation for this extraordinary event. He was always with them.

Immanuel – God With Us.

God is with each of us. He has been preparing us for the lives that we can live in Him. He has brought each of us to this time and place.

He may not ask us to raise His Son, He may not send an angel to help us understand His plan, but He has a plan for each of us and wants us to know that He is With Us.

He sent His Son so that we could know for certain that He is with each one of us.

December 18 – Matthew 1:18-21. The Honor of Joseph.

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December 18 – Matthew 1:18-21. The Honor of Joseph.

This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.

But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”

Gabriel had already told Mary she was to be the mother of the Son of God. While she was processing on the wonder of it all with Elizabeth, Joseph had no idea what was happening. Most men I know wouldn’t be terribly surprised that he had been left out of the planning. But, when he needed to know, it wasn’t Mary who told him what had happened, but Gabriel. I can’t imagine the conversation that would have occurred if it had been up to her. How do you explain to someone who thinks you’ve betrayed them that God was in the middle of the entire episode.

Mary and Joseph had been pledged in marriage … a contract that was as strong as marriage. He was willing to let her out of the contract quietly and not expose her. He was honorable in all things. Her honor was more important to him than a contract.

When Gabriel spoke with Joseph, all of a sudden the story changed. He was not only going to fulfill the contract with Mary, but he was responsible for raising God’s son … for keeping him safe as he grew to be a man, to love him and give him a human childhood so that this young man could save the earth.

It wasn’t going to be easy, yet Joseph was still honorable. What God asked him to do, he would do.

December 17 – Luke 3:23-37. Adoption into the Lineage.

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December 17 – Luke 3:23-37. Adoption into the Lineage.

Now Jesus himself was about thirty years old when he began his ministry. He was the son, so it was thought, of Joseph, the son of Heli, the son of Matthat, the son of Levi, the son of Melki, the son of Jannai, the son of Joseph,
the son of Mattathias, the son of Amos, the son of Nahum, the son of Esli, the son of Naggai, the son of Maath, the son of Mattathias, the son of Semein, the son of Josek, the son of Joda,
the son of Joanan, the son of Rhesa, the son of Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, the son of Neri, the son of Melki, the son of Addi, the son of Cosam, the son of Elmadam, the son of Er,
the son of Joshua, the son of Eliezer, the son of Jorim, the son of Matthat, the son of Levi, the son of Simeon, the son of Judah, the son of Joseph, the son of Jonam, the son of Eliakim,
the son of Melea, the son of Menna, the son of Mattatha, the son of Nathan, the son of David, the son of Jesse, the son of Obed, the son of Boaz, the son of Salmon, the son of Nahshon,
the son of Amminadab, the son of Ram, the son of Hezron, the son of Perez, the son of Judah, the son of Jacob, the son of Isaac, the son of Abraham, the son of Terah, the son of Nahor,
the son of Serug, the son of Reu, the son of Peleg, the son of Eber, the son of Shelah, the son of Cainan, the son of Arphaxad, the son of Shem, the son of Noah, the son of Lamech,
the son of Methuselah, the son of Enoch, the son of Jared, the son of Mahalalel, the son of Kenan, the son of Enosh, the son of Seth, the son of Adam, the son of God.

Luke was very interested in presenting things as accurately as possible. Genealogies were used in ancient times to establish the identity of a person. While the genealogy in Matthew begins with Abraham, Luke reverses the order, beginning with Jesus and leading back to Adam … the original creation … the original son of God. Then, he does something phenomenal and traces Jesus’ lineage straight to God.

He identifies Jesus strongly as the Son of God. There can be no question as to who this man is.

Now why do these genealogies differ so much? There are a lot of solutions given, but one that has a great deal of support is that Mary had no brothers. Her father – Eli (Heli in this translation) adopted Joseph as his own son. Matthew gives Joseph’s ancestry by birth – Luke by adoption.

This is profound for our understanding of our relationship with God. Just as Joseph was adopted into the lineage (even though he also had his own lineage), so are we adopted into the Kingdom of God.

Jesus has come. No matter how you trace his genealogy, he is the Son of God … he is descended from the patriarchs, the men and women blessed by God to lead their people into His presence. Jesus will complete this mission.

December 16 – Matthew 1:1-17. Glory and Sin. A Genealogy.

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December 16 – Matthew 1:1-17. Glory and Sin. A Genealogy.

This is the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah the son of David, the son of Abraham:

Abraham was the father of Isaac, Isaac the father of Jacob, Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers, Judah the father of Perez and Zerah, whose mother was Tamar, Perez the father of Hezron, Hezron the father of Ram, Ram the father of Amminadab, Amminadab the father of Nahshon, Nahshon the father of Salmon, Salmon the father of Boaz, whose mother was Rahab, Boaz the father of Obed, whose mother was Ruth, Obed the father of Jesse, and Jesse the father of King David.

David was the father of Solomon, whose mother had been Uriah’s wife, Solomon the father of Rehoboam, Rehoboam the father of Abijah, Abijah the father of Asa, Asa the father of Jehoshaphat, Jehoshaphat the father of Jehoram, Jehoram the father of Uzziah, Uzziah the father of Jotham, Jotham the father of Ahaz, Ahaz the father of Hezekiah, Hezekiah the father of Manasseh, Manasseh the father of Amon, Amon the father of Josiah, and Josiah the father of Jeconiah and his brothers at the time of the exile to Babylon.

After the exile to Babylon:
Jeconiah was the father of Shealtiel, Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel, Zerubbabel the father of Abihud, Abihud the father of Eliakim, Eliakim the father of Azor, Azor the father of Zadok, Zadok the father of Akim, Akim the father of Elihud, Elihud the father of Eleazar, Eleazar the father of Matthan, Matthan the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary, and Mary was the mother of Jesus who is called the Messiah.

Thus there were fourteen generations in all from Abraham to David, fourteen from David to the exile to Babylon, and fourteen from the exile to the Messiah.

In Matthew’s Gospel, the story of Jesus begins with his genealogy. This wasn’t done to bore those of us who aren’t impressed with lists to death, but to establish Jesus’ place in the history of the Jews.

He is descended from Abraham, the first man with whom God established a covenant.

He is descended from David, to whom God promised that his throne would always exist. In Jesus, it will always exist.

In his line are several women – sinners, in fact. There is Rahab, a prostitute and the author blatantly states that Solomon’s mother had been Uriah’s wife, until David’s great sin destroyed him. Another woman, Ruth, is a Gentile. The last woman to be mentioned is Jesus’ mother, Mary. This lineage would have offended a great many Israelites because of these women, but Jesus came to save everyone and He never denied women a place in salvation in history.

There are some great kings in this line – Uzziah and Hezekiah. There are some awful kings. There is the story of the great exile. There is glory and destruction, beauty and sin.

This is the world that Jesus entered over two thousand years ago. This is the world in which we live today. He is the same yesterday, today and He will be the same tomorrow. The world will never change. There will always be glory and destruction, beauty and sin. But, neither will Jesus change. He will always be here as our salvation.

December 15 – Luke 1:67-80. The Child – A Prophet.

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December 15 – Luke 1:67-80. The Child – A Prophet.

His father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied:

“Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has come to his people and redeemed them. He has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David (as he said through his holy prophets of long ago), salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us— to show mercy to our ancestors and to remember his holy covenant, the oath he swore to our father Abraham: to rescue us from the hand of our enemies, and to enable us to serve him without fear in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.

And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High; for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him, to give his people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins, because of the tender mercy of our God, by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven to shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace.”

And the child grew and became strong in spirit; and he lived in the wilderness until he appeared publicly to Israel.

I read these words and can barely get through them without emotion. To know that the Lord is coming to earth, that this small boy will proclaim His coming, to understand that John will call the people of Israel to repentance in preparation for the Lord and to believe that these signs will bring peace.

Zechariah was given a prophecy that would be fulfilled in his son’s lifetime – by that very son.

I know that many of you, as parents, pray for your children. While I know my parents prayed for me, I remember a specific time when I was in the hospital and they expected me to die and if I lived, to have such a weakened heart, I wouldn’t be able to function. They spent a great deal of time beside my hospital bed in prayer.

Zechariah and Elizabeth had a charge for their son from God. Their prayers were constant and they brought him up to understand the will of God and how he fit within it. It began with a message from an angel and now … a prophecy from God. John grew in the spirit from the moment he was conceived. Zechariah and Elizabeth dedicated themselves to the Lord’s will, for themselves and for their son. This boy would proclaim the coming of the Lord!

December 14 – Luke 1:57-66. What’s In A Name?

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December 14 – Luke 1:57-66. What’s In A Name?

When it was time for Elizabeth to have her baby, she gave birth to a son. Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown her great mercy, and they shared her joy.

On the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to name him after his father Zechariah, but his mother spoke up and said, “No! He is to be called John.”

They said to her, “There is no one among your relatives who has that name.”
Then they made signs to his father, to find out what he would like to name the child. He asked for a writing tablet, and to everyone’s astonishment he wrote, “His name is John.”

Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue set free, and he began to speak, praising God. All the neighbors were filled with awe, and throughout the hill country of Judea people were talking about all these things. Everyone who heard this wondered about it, asking, “What then is this child going to be?” For the Lord’s hand was with him.

When you were choosing names for your children (or if you will be, or when your parents did), what were the things you looked for in a name? I have absolutely no idea why my parents came up with Diane. Mom said it was just a name she liked. My middle name doesn’t come from family … but, as to this story … it works nicely since my middle name is Elizabeth.

Carol got a unique name for the family, but her middle name is the same as my mother’s. My brother’s first name came from my mother’s father and from my father’s brother. Dad’s middle name was Lester, the same as his father’s, and he couldn’t imagine saddling his son with that name.

Names still tend to be handed down from family member to family member. A Jewish friend of mine told me that they couldn’t name their children after a living family member because it brought bad fortune on both, but to name the child after someone who had died was a great honor.

The baby was born and about to be circumcised and named. When Elizabeth named the child John, no one could believe it. After they had waited all these years to have a child, the least they could do was give it a family name.

But, God had a plan for this child and wanted his name to be John. As soon as Zechariah declared that it was so, his voice returned. Luke tells us that his first words were those of praise.

A child given a name outside of family tradition. A father who begins to speak again after the naming. No wonder the people of Judea were curious about what would come of this child!

December 13 – Luke 1:46-56. My Soul Glorifies God!

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December 13 – Luke 1:46-56. My Soul Glorifies God!

And Mary said:
“My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed, for the Mighty One has done great things for me— holy is his name.

His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation. He has performed mighty deeds with his arm; he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.

He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble. He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty. He has helped his servant Israel, remembering to be merciful to Abraham and his descendants forever, just as he promised our ancestors.”

Mary stayed with Elizabeth for about three months and then returned home.

Those first words of Mary’s, “My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior” have always been special to me.

We say thank you to God for things He has done for us. We praise Him for His creation and things that he has done in our lives. With our words we praise His name.

Sometimes in the depths of ourselves, the part of us that expresses itself in something deeper than words reaches beyond us to the deepest part of God, making contact with His glory and we know we are dwelling in His will.

It is at that point that our soul and our spirit affirm everything that Scripture has told us and we know for certain that God loves us and that He would do anything to bring us close to Him, including coming to earth in the form of an infant to a young girl. All we have to do is respond.

December 12 – Luke 1:39-45. The Lord Fulfills Promises!

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December 12 – Luke 1:39-45. The Lord Fulfills Promises!

At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea, where she entered Zechariah’s home and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. In a loud voice she exclaimed: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!”

I like thinking about the impact of this young woman’s decision. She heard from the Lord and responded by saying, “Yes.”

Elizabeth said, “Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!”

Do you believe that God will fulfill His promises to you?

Oh, please do … He’s been doing so since before the beginning of time!

December 11 –Luke 1:26-38. When an Angel Shows Up.

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December 11 –Luke 1:26-38. When an Angel Shows Up.

In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”

Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.”

“How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?”

The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month. For no word from God will ever fail.”

“I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her.

I think what we should learn from some of these stories is that when an angel shows up, we don’t question the words that come out of his mouth. If he tells you, as an old man, that you are going to have a son … believe him. If he tells you that, as a virgin, you are going to conceive a Son … believe him.

The other thing I notice from these stories is the simple thing that both Zechariah and Mary focused on. The angel delivered a whole lot of information and she heard one thing. She heard that she was going to have a baby – and she was still a virgin.

She didn’t focus on the fact she would bear the Son of God … the holy one or that God would give him the throne of David … a kingdom with no end.

She focused on one thing. The one thing that would impact her.

It’s so easy to miss the impact of the big picture by the one thing that upsets the quiet of our own little world.

Mary finally heard his words and realized that doing what God called her to do was more important than her own worries.

December 10 – Luke 1:21-25. Zechariah’s Silence.

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December 10 – Luke 1:21-25. Zechariah’s Silence.

Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah and wondering why he stayed so long in the temple. When he came out, he could not speak to them. They realized he had seen a vision in the temple, for he kept making signs to them but remained unable to speak.

When his time of service was completed, he returned home. After this his wife Elizabeth became pregnant and for five months remained in seclusion. “The Lord has done this for me,” she said. “In these days he has shown his favor and taken away my disgrace among the people.”

We had a young man work for us at Insty-Prints who was deaf. Since we wanted to be able to communicate, we hired a young woman to teach us sign language. One evening I drove him home and he invited me to meet his roommates – both of whom were also deaf. I walked in with him and though I could get through a conversation with him because he was very helpful and went slowly, when the three of them began communicating I couldn’t understand anything. It was awful. I felt like the outsider.

During those months that he worked for us, I gained a new perspective on someone who has difficulty communicating with the world.

Zechariah had absolutely no one with whom he could communicate. He made signs and they got the basic gist of his encounter with the angel, but he was alone.

He went home and Elizabeth conceived a child. Zechariah was probably communicating in basic ways with his family and the people in his community, but his thoughts and feelings were more than likely trapped within his own mind.

When Zechariah finally gets a chance to speak out loud again, he will have plenty to say.

December 9 – Luke 1:16-20. Please Believe the Angel.

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December 9 – Luke 1:16-20. Please Believe the Angel.

He will bring back many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God. And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the parents to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”

Zechariah asked the angel, “How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well along in years.”

The angel said to him, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news. And now you will be silent and not able to speak until the day this happens, because you did not believe my words, which will come true at their appointed time.”

I hate to admit how much I have missed in Scripture. Every time I read it, I discover something new. That’s one of the reasons I like to break passages up differently when I study. The beginning of today’s passage startled me.

Gabriel told Zechariah that his son, who had yet to be even conceived, would bring back many of the people of Israel to God. What a glorious responsibility!

The Israelites had moved far from God and they didn’t know how to return to him. Gabriel told Zechariah exactly how John would live out his ministry. He would prepare God’s people for His presence. What an exciting promise!

Zechariah just makes me laugh. An angel shows up and gives him some incredible news and the one thing he can’t believe is that he’s going to be a father.

Imagine an angel showing up out of the blue to give you some news. I can’t imagine questioning the news before I questioned his presence!

Gabriel simply identified himself and his task. Then he told Zechariah that his unbelief would cause his silence.

I guess the moral of the story is that if an angel shows up and tells you some news that seems unbelievable, it would be best to believe him.

December 8 – Luke 1:11-15. Your Prayer Has Been Heard.

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December 8 – Luke 1:11-15. Your Prayer Has Been Heard.

Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear. But the angel said to him: “Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to call him John. He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth, for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even before he is born.

We’d certainly like to think we would be prepared for God to actually show up, but the truth of the matter is, we’d be startled and gripped with fear.

Zechariah had entered the temple to do his duty in the past and nothing out of the ordinary had ever happened. He knew that he was supposed to expect God to respond, but he was an old man and experience had taught him that life was what it was. He would receive his glory from God when he saw Him in heaven. Right?

Wrong.

Years and years of prayers had gone up to no avail. But, now all of a sudden, Zechariah has an angel standing before him telling him that his prayers had actually been heard.

He was going to be a father to a son that would be a joy and a delight. People would rejoice at John’s birth and before he was even born, the Holy Spirit would fill him.

That’s pretty amazing news.

But, that was only the beginning.

December 7 – Luke 1:8-10. The Worshipers Prayed.

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December 7 – Luke 1:8-10. The Worshipers Prayed.

Once when Zechariah’s division was on duty and he was serving as priest before God, he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to go into the temple of the Lord and burn incense. And when the time for the burning of incense came, all the assembled worshipers were praying outside.

Imagine as the pastor of a church getting up to preach on a Sunday morning, knowing that everyone in the congregation was praying with you.

When I was growing up, Dad always went to the altar as the organist was playing the prelude. He’d kneel in prayer for several minutes before everything began. After he began doing this and months progressed, soon more and more people would join him at the altar. Sometimes they were praying for their own needs, but more often than not, they were praying for the worship service. Others were still gathering in the foyer, some were chatting quietly with each other in the pews, but before the service had even begun, prayers were being lifted up.

Zechariah had come in to the temple from his home out in the country. The priest of Abijah’s division was chosen by lot to enter the temple and burn incense – an offering to God. As the priest of Abijah, it fell to him.

There had to be some sense of anticipation every time a priest went into the temple while people were praying outside. This time God was going to send an angel to give Zechariah some unexpected news.

What if you were to pray before and during worship every Sunday with an expectation that God was going to deliver some unexpected news? How would that change your worship experience?

December 6 – Luke 1:5-7. Zechariah and Elizabeth.

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December 6 – Luke 1:5-7. Zechariah and Elizabeth.

In the time of Herod king of Judea there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly division of Abijah; his wife Elizabeth was also a descendant of Aaron. Both of them were righteous in the sight of God, observing all the Lord’s commands and decrees blamelessly. But they were childless because Elizabeth was not able to conceive, and they were both very old.

In 1 Chronicles 24, we find David dividing up the sons of Aaron (the Levitical priests) for service. This was the order in which they would enter the Tabernacle for service. Abijah was the eighth name – not terribly special, just one of those who served.

Zechariah was not a high priest, he was a simple temple priest, living according to God’s laws and doing what was right. It wasn’t necessarily a requirement that a priest’s wife also belong to the tribe of Levi, she only needed to be Jewish, but Elizabeth was also from the line of Aaron. Their child would be of the priestly line.

It’s so interesting to see how God prepared His people for the coming of Jesus. God set up the original plan for the priesthood which would care for His people and now, when He was about to introduce His Son to the world, that introduction would come from a man who grew up in the home of a righteous and blameless priest.

Zechariah and Elizabeth’s case reminds us of the story of Abraham and Sarah. When they were old, they conceived a child that was the beginning of God’s response to the covenant He made with Abraham. Abraham had been promised that His descendants would be greater than the grains of sand, the stars in the sky.

Now, this older couple would conceive a child who was the one to point the way to the New Covenant.

December 5 – John 1:19-28. Change Will Come.

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December 5 – John 1:19-28. Change Will Come.

Now this was John’s testimony when the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to ask him who he was. He did not fail to confess, but confessed freely, “I am not the Messiah.”

They asked him, “Then who are you? Are you Elijah?”
He said, “I am not.”
“Are you the Prophet?”
He answered, “No.”
Finally they said, “Who are you? Give us an answer to take back to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?”

John replied in the words of Isaiah the prophet, “I am the voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way for the Lord.’ ”

Now the Pharisees who had been sent questioned him, “Why then do you baptize if you are not the Messiah, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?”

“I baptize with water,” John replied, “but among you stands one you do not know. He is the one who comes after me, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.”

This all happened at Bethany on the other side of the Jordan, where John was baptizing.

We are rarely ready for changes that come into our lives. Parents aren’t ready for their first baby (no matter how hard they try), I wasn’t ready to have a little kitten show up at my back door, you can’t prepare to lose your job or have your home blown away in a tornado or fields flooded by spring rains.

The world wasn’t ready for Jesus. He was born 30 years before He began His ministry. His cousin, John spent time calling for preparedness. Prophets had spoken of Him for centuries. Creation was groaning in anticipation.

The world wasn’t ready.

We want to be ready. We want our hearts to be prepared for the entrance of God’s Son, but we never are. When He comes into our lives – everything changes. Not only does it change in that moment, but the rest of our lives will be filled with change as He transforms us into the person we can be.

Make straight the way for the Lord. Be prepared for change. Be ready.

December 4 – John 1:14-18. Jesus Was (Is) Real.

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December 4 – John 1:14-18. Jesus Was (Is) Real.

The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

(John testified concerning him. He cried out, saying, “This is the one I spoke about when I said, ‘He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’ ”) Out of his fullness we have all received grace in place of grace already given. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known.

The Jews lived for centuries faithful to God. They knew that Moses had seen Him, that Abraham had walked with Him, that Joseph had wrestled with Him, that the high priest each year entered his presence in the holy of Holies. They remembered the stories of those who traveled through the desert with God among them as either a cloud or a pillar of fire. God’s presence was real and had been made manifest to them.

Those stories are so far from our time period that sometimes they seem like stories told ‘round a campfire.

But, then … there is Jesus. We are able to read the testimonies of those who walked with Jesus in the flesh. They prayed with Him, ate with Him, celebrated with Him, hid with Him. They saw miracles and people being healed. Jesus was real and tangible to enough people that we have their stories and memories written down.

Jesus was a real person. He was seen by many.

John testifies to seeing Jesus. He reminds us that Jesus Christ came from God. He was with God. He was (is) God. He has returned to God. We don’t have to see God because we have seen the Son.

He transformed the memories of the early Israelites. He transformed the Law and brought God’s Law to us in grace and truth. He makes the relationship between God and his people – all people on earth a reality, a personal reality.

Through Him we receive God’s grace.

December 3 – John 1:10-13. Believe in His Name.

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December 3 – John 1:10-13. Believe in His Name.

He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.

It’s difficult to imagine we live in a world that refuses to recognize its creator. It really doesn’t matter what God does to show Himself to us, we still find ways to question whether or not He exists, don’t we!

We want to believe in Him, we pray for our faith to be strengthened, yet it sometimes seems easier to just believe we’ll handle things on our own rather than trust He’s got it.

Jesus Christ came on the scene and no matter what He did or said, people refused to believe that He was God. It was as if they wore blinders. He did amazing miracles in their midst and still they couldn’t seem to accept that He was God.

But there were those whose lives had been changed by Him, who saw Him clearly from the moment He crossed their paths. Some became His disciples, others simply accepted the miracle of His presence and had their faith renewed.

Today there are some who see Him clearly at the moment He is introduced to Him. Some accept that He is who He is and never question it. Others fight with their faith until He makes Himself known to them.

Whoever it is that believes in Him – in all that He is revealed to be – become children of God. They are adopted into the Kingdom.

Today is the day to accept Jesus Christ, to believe in His name.

December 2 – John 1:1-9. Logos.

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December 2 – John 1:1-9. Logos.

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

There was a man sent from God whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe. He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.

The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world.

Each of the Gospel writers had something different to say about the beginning of Jesus’ life and ministry. Matthew began his gospel with Jesus’ lineage tracing back to Abraham … the beginning of God’s covenant relationship with His people. Mark begins with Isaiah’s words regarding the preparation of the world through John the Baptist. Luke tells the birth stories of both John and Jesus, affirming those stories with prophecies and prayers. His lineage traces Jesus back to God, through Adam.

Then, there is John. The most important thing in John’s Gospel is to show that Jesus is God. Jesus was the LOGOS – the Word. The word ‘logos’ is defined as (read this carefully – it’s beautiful) ‘a communication whereby the mind finds expression.’

Read that again. ‘a communication whereby the mind finds expression.’

When God thought about something – it was expressed through Logos – through the Word – through Jesus Christ. That is a concept that destroys me every time I think about it. It overwhelms my senses and generally drives me to tears.

Jesus was with God – Jesus was God. He was with God in the beginning. It was through Him – God’s imagination found expression. Without Him nothing was made. When God imagined life – it was given expression through Jesus Christ. In Him was life. A light to all humanity. It shine in the darkness.

Jesus came to earth as an infant. But, the first time He saw earth was when God’s imagination created it and expressed it through Logos … the Word … Jesus Christ.

December 1 – Isaiah 11:1-9. A Shoot from the Stump.

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December 1 – Isaiah 11:1-9. A Shoot from the Stump.

A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit.

The Spirit of the LORD will rest on him— the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of might, the Spirit of the knowledge and fear of the LORD— and he will delight in the fear of the LORD.

He will not judge by what he sees with his eyes, or decide by what he hears with his ears; but with righteousness he will judge the needy, with justice he will give decisions for the poor of the earth. He will strike the earth with the rod of his mouth; with the breath of his lips he will slay the wicked. Righteousness will be his belt and faithfulness the sash around his waist.

The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling together; and a little child will lead them. The cow will feed with the bear, their young will lie down together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox. The infant will play near the cobra’s den, the young child will put its hand into the viper’s nest. They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain, for the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the sea.

I probably could have stopped quoting scripture before the last paragraph, but it is one of my favorites, so at the beginning of December, it seemed like a good thing to do.

When you begin reading this passage, more than likely you recognize that Jesse is David’s father and these are prophetic words regarding the Messiah. But, why would Isaiah speak of David’s father rather than David himself?

With David’s arrival on the scene of history, things really changed. No longer were the Israelites a tribe of nomads, they were an organized group of people. David built a palace and brought the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem to reside. He created plans for God’s temple and his son, Solomon, built the temple and placed the Ark in the Holy of Holies. The Israelites had a stable home.

But, the shoot (Jesus) didn’t come just from King David, it came from Jesse, whose lineage looked back to the time of the Tabernacle, whose ancestors were among those who left Egypt and crossed the Red Sea. The ‘shoot’ was not set as a plant in new, fresh ground, but came from one who had been part of the original recipients of the covenant. As a ‘shoot’ of Jesse, Jesus revived that which had been old and dying, He breathed new life into the people of Israel.

The Spirit was with Him and through Jesus Christ, ultimate peace will be found.

November 30 – Hebrews 13:20-25. Equipped to Do His Work.

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November 30 – Hebrews 13:20-25. Equipped to Do His Work.

Now may the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

Brothers and sisters, I urge you to bear with my word of exhortation, for in fact I have written to you quite briefly. I want you to know that our brother Timothy has been released. If he arrives soon, I will come with him to see you. Greet all your leaders and all the Lord’s people. Those from Italy send you their greetings. Grace be with you all.

I only have a couple of weeks left in my fall semester. Soon, Hebrews Exegesis will be behind me. But, I have learned a lot about an amazing book in the New Testament (and it has only taken me 3 ½ months!).

It is a difficult book to plow through without some assistance. The author and audience continue to be a mystery to us, but we know that the readers of this letter were in danger of crossing a line that would move them far from God. Faith is difficult sometimes, but the author of Hebrews offers many reasons why we should hold on to our faith, not the least of which is what Jesus Christ did for us on the cross.

Not only did He offer himself as the ultimate sacrifice, but he did so as the Son of God, superior to all of creation.

Just like so many in history, we face trouble and persecution from within and without – but faith is what helped them take each step and faith will help us as we continue our journey.

The covenant that God made with the Israelites in the Old Testament was transformed into the covenant He made with us through Jesus Christ. The author pleads with His readers to follow after God, so that he can ‘equip us with everything good for doing his work and work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ.’

November 29 – Hebrews 13:7-19. Pray for Leaders.

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November 29 – Hebrews 13:7-19. Pray for Leaders.

Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.

Do not be carried away by all kinds of strange teachings. It is good for our hearts to be strengthened by grace, not by eating ceremonial foods, which is of no benefit to those who do so. We have an altar from which those who minister at the tabernacle have no right to eat.
The high priest carries the blood of animals into the Most Holy Place as a sin offering, but the bodies are burned outside the camp. And so Jesus also suffered outside the city gate to make the people holy through his own blood. Let us, then, go to him outside the camp, bearing the disgrace he bore. For here we do not have an enduring city, but we are looking for the city that is to come.

Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that openly profess his name. And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.

Have confidence in your leaders and submit to their authority, because they keep watch over you as those who must give an account. Do this so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no benefit to you.

Pray for us. We are sure that we have a clear conscience and desire to live honorably in every way. I particularly urge you to pray so that I may be restored to you soon.

Remember your leaders and pray for them.

While this letter is asking for prayers for the author himself and those that work with him, it is not something we should take lightly.

When scandals hit – and they do all too often, we seem to take a certain amount of pleasure in a leader being brought down. We might try to hide it and speak with pitying words, but we quickly justify our words with the behavior that brought them to this point, whether or not it has been proven. We are absolutely certain that they deserve what has happened to them.

It happens with pastors, priests, political leaders, coaches, teachers … everyone. It happens to us.

In high school, someone’s downfall might mean that we become more popular. We might be proven right on an issue, but generally our stock goes up when someone else is destroyed.

In church or in the workplace, it is hideous to see, but the same type of thing happens. We respond when someone’s awful stuff is exposed – they are destroyed and we quietly hide in the corner grinning because they will no longer be able to hold the power or prestige that had followed them.

We don’t often identify with the one whom God calls to be a servant. We preach those words, but we want to ensure that everyone else is ready to be a servant so that we can be in power.

In God’s kingdom, though … we are each called to support and pray for those who are in leadership. Now that doesn’t mean we only support and pray for those who are in leadership in our small group – it does mean that we do so for everyone, no matter who they are. We are to care for, pray for, support and extend our confidence to those in authority – rather than wait for them to be exposed for a mistake or a sin.

Pray now.

November 28 – Hebrews 13:1-6. Love One Another.

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November 28 – Hebrews 13:1-6. Love One Another.

Keep on loving one another as brothers and sisters. Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it. Continue to remember those in prison as if you were together with them in prison, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering.

Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral. Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said,
“Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”

So we say with confidence,
“The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?”

The last chapter of Hebrews is filled with the author’s closing words. It seems he has a lot to say before he goes. Those for whom the letter was intended are in danger of turning away from a relationship with God found in Jesus Christ and moving back to something that they can control – a sacrificial system whereby they simply take an animal to the temple and call it good. They don’t want to work on their relationship, it might just be too much trouble.

He has moved back and forth from encouragement to harsh words. In the end, he just wants them to remember what God has called them to do.

Love each other. Take care of each other. Take care of those who need you. Be content. Trust God.

These are things we still need to do today for the world to see that Christianity is a good thing. They don’t need to hear us delivering morality lectures and see us living lives with hidden ugliness. They see through all of that. The look to find chinks in our armor when we set ourselves up as the holder of all morality. We’re human. They will find it every single time.

What the world needs to see is that we love … unconditionally. No matter who a person is, what they look like, how they live, who they love, who they vote for or whether they hold down a job. We are called to love them with no strings attached.

Those who need us to care for them need that and that alone. They don’t need lectures about how they should live or reminders of the things they screwed up that got them to this place. They need us to care for them.

Keep on loving one another.

November 27 – Hebrews 12:22-29. Unshakeable Kingdom.

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November 27 – Hebrews 12:22-29. Unshakeable Kingdom.

But you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem. You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly, to the church of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven. You have come to God, the Judge of all, to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.

See to it that you do not refuse him who speaks. If they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, how much less will we, if we turn away from him who warns us from heaven? At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, “Once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.” The words “once more” indicate the removing of what can be shaken—that is, created things—so that what cannot be shaken may remain.

Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our “God is a consuming fire.”

God calls us no longer to the foot of Mt. Sinai, where we stand trembling in fear before Him, but we are called to Mount Zion – the city of the living God – the heavenly Jerusalem. There we will join the angels in joyful worship.

The day is coming when God will judge the earth. There is not a single book in Scripture that denies that. The earth will shake and all will be judged. The author of Hebrews begs his readers to never turn from Jesus.

We know what the earth looks like when it is shaken. We know the damage that can occur. We’ve seen the countless lives that are lost and property that is destroyed. We understand the long-term effects of this kind of terrible destruction. The early readers of this letter understood those things as well.

After all of the natural catastrophes that have occurred throughout our lifetimes, can you imagine living in a place that will never be shaken? Nothing will disturb the peace that comes from living within God’s kingdom.

I worship God now with reverence and awe for the things He has done and the unshakeable kingdom that will be.

November 26 – Hebrews 12:18-21. Terror at a Mountain.

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November 26 – Hebrews 12:18-21. Terror at a Mountain.

You have not come to a mountain that can be touched and that is burning with fire; to darkness, gloom and storm; to a trumpet blast or to such a voice speaking words that those who heard it begged that no further word be spoken to them, because they could not bear what was commanded: “If even an animal touches the mountain, it must be stoned to death.” The sight was so terrifying that Moses said, “I am trembling with fear.”

Throughout Hebrews, the author has reminded his readers of the experiences of the early Israelites of the first covenant … in the desert, building the Tabernacle. He has called his readers to be smarter than the Israelites and to live as Christians because of the incredible sacrifice of Jesus Christ.

These verses remind them once again of the experience of those Israelites at the foot of Mt. Sinai. They were frightened, knowing that the power of God was so great it even had Moses trembling with fear.

The Israelites were terrified of what the Lord might say to them from Mt. Sinai. They were fully aware of what He could do with His voice.

I am thankful that we no longer have to be afraid of that mountain burning with fire.

November 25 – Hebrews 12:14-17. Make Peace.

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November 25 – Hebrews 12:14-17. Make Peace.

Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord. See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many. See that no one is sexually immoral, or is godless like Esau, who for a single meal sold his inheritance rights as the oldest son. Afterward, as you know, when he wanted to inherit this blessing, he was rejected. Even though he sought the blessing with tears, he could not change what he had done.

At least the author of Hebrews knew that it would be difficult for us to live in peace with everyone and to be holy. He didn’t tell us that it was do so or die, he simply said, “Make every effort …” and so we must.

What are some ways that you make every effort to live in peace?

My mother abhorred outward violence. I suspect that part of her reason for hating it so much was her realization that it rarely brought about anything but more violence and destruction. She’d grown up as an only child and hadn’t experienced anything like a normal family. Her children were NOT going to ever strike each other. She and Dad did spank us from time to time, but we weren’t allowed to react in violence to each other.

I think one of her defining moments was early in her marriage. None of us were old enough to have witnessed it, but I have the rocking chair she threw across the room at Dad when she was furious with him. The only thing that happened was she broke the chair. I suspect Dad laughed at her ineffective attempt at hurting him. She had also tried to throw a toaster at him, but it was plugged in and dangled in the air harmlessly as she realized what foolish decisions she was making. She had to fix the chair and apologize to Dad for her anger. She had to clean the toast crumbs up off the floor and apologize to him again. That was the last of her violence. Dad just wasn’t going to put up with it.

Living in peace isn’t easy. Surprisingly enough, as much as we want to live in peace with each other, we tend to make things difficult ourselves. I’ve been known to provoke an argument or two in my life just for the heck of it.

As much as God wants us to be in relationship with Him, He wants us to be in relationship with each other. We should treat each other with grace, we should live in peace. It’s not an easy task, but sometimes God calls us to do difficult things.

November 24 – Hebrews 12:4-13. Discipline.

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November 24 – Hebrews 12:4-13. Discipline.

In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. And have you completely forgotten this word of encouragement that addresses you as a father addresses his son? It says,

“My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and he chastens everyone he accepts as his son.”

Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father? If you are not disciplined—and everyone undergoes discipline—then you are not legitimate, not true sons and daughters at all. Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of spirits and live! They disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in his holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.

Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees. “Make level paths for your feet,” so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed.

When I was a kid, there were a few words I really despised. Discipline was one of those words. When Dad spanked me because I had been bad, he told me that when I was older, I would love him for disciplining me. When he forced me to stay on the piano bench until I could play a piece 5 times in a row perfectly, he told me that I was learning discipline. In both of those cases, I would have much rather been off doing something else rather than submitting to discipline of any sort.

Dad always told me that it was for my own good and though I knew he was rarely wrong, I didn’t want to have that thrust onto my young life. Fortunately, he was the dad and I was the kid.

God works the same way with us. He brings things into our lives that make us grow – even when they’re painful. He disciplines us when we move too far from His will for our lives.

Discipline is never an easy word to have to live with, but fortunately … He is God and we are not. He sees the big picture for our lives and for the universe and works to bring us all in line with it.

Dad saw a bigger picture for my life than I did when I was young and knew what would be important as I grew older.

God sees the bigger picture for me as well. I still don’t much like the word, but I’m old enough to understand its importance.

November 23 – Hebrews 12:1-3. A Great Race.

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November 23 – Hebrews 12:1-3. A Great Race.

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

We are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses. Chapter 11 lists many who lived their lives by faith. They are among that cloud of witnesses. They persevered through many things.

I am surrounded by a great number of people that have gone before me. They persevered through many things and are among that cloud of witnesses.

We are called to run with perseverance a race marked out for us.

I’m not a runner. I tried several times in my life to enjoy running. It didn’t happen. But, I do know that race courses are marked and laid out to challenge runners. No one offers a marathoner and easy run – if there were no challenge, the run wouldn’t be worth it. When coming to the end of a race, a marathoner hopes to find those he or she loves cheering and encouraging. It’s always better to end a challenging race surrounded by people who think you are the best runner out there.

The race we are running, though, has been marked out by Jesus Christ. He is always before us, encouraging us. He’s already run the race. He’s made sure that the course is perfect for us. It isn’t necessarily going to be easy. It will be a challenge. Our lives are worth it.

At the end, when we have persevered through it and we are panting from a race well-run, Jesus will be at the right hand of the throne of God. It is there that we will finally see Him face to face and He will say, “Well done.”

November 22 – Hebrews 11:32-40. Sacrificial Faith.

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November 22 – Hebrews 11:32-40. Sacrificial Faith.

And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson and Jephthah, about David and Samuel and the prophets, who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies. Women received back their dead, raised to life again. There were others who were tortured, refusing to be released so that they might gain an even better resurrection. Some faced jeers and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were put to death by stoning; they were sawed in two; they were killed by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated—the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, living in caves and in holes in the ground.

These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised, since God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect.

When I used to teach sixth grade Sunday School class, I was fond of telling the kids that they would never read a story so wild as the things they would discover in the Old Testament. I still stand by that and I’m a huge science fiction fan.

These people lived through incredible events and faced them with courage because of their faith in God.

The funny thing is – sometimes we think our lives are difficult. Then, we look at those around us who live in more difficult situations than we face and think that it isn’t all that bad. But, there were those in the OT who lived through unimaginable times and they did it without the saving grace of Jesus Christ. They did it simply because God called them to their faith and they believed in the relationship with Him so much they could do nothing else.

It occurs to me, though, that when we think our lives are difficult, things are only difficult because of our expectations of life, not because we are sacrificing something for our faith.

When someone cuts you off in traffic and you end up with a fender bender – it’s a trying situation, but it really doesn’t have anything to do with sacrificial faith. When you stress about paying bills, putting a kid through college or worry about whether to purchase a new washing machine because the old one has died; it’s not about sacrificial faith.

When you are upset because someone has gossiped about you – it’s because your name was besmirched … not God’s.

When was the last time you had to sacrifice for your faith?

November 21 – Hebrews 11:17-31. Faith = Action.

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November 21 – Hebrews 11:17-31. Faith = Action.

By faith Abraham, when God tested him, offered Isaac as a sacrifice. He who had embraced the promises was about to sacrifice his one and only son, 18 even though God had said to him, “It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned.” 19 Abraham reasoned that God could even raise the dead, and so in a manner of speaking he did receive Isaac back from death.

By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau in regard to their future.

By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of Joseph’s sons, and worshiped as he leaned on the top of his staff.

By faith Joseph, when his end was near, spoke about the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt and gave instructions concerning the burial of his bones.

By faith Moses’ parents hid him for three months after he was born, because they saw he was no ordinary child, and they were not afraid of the king’s edict.

By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward. By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the king’s anger; he persevered because he saw him who is invisible. By faith he kept the Passover and the application of blood, so that the destroyer of the firstborn would not touch the firstborn of Israel.

By faith the people passed through the Red Sea as on dry land; but when the Egyptians tried to do so, they were drowned.

By faith the walls of Jericho fell, after the army had marched around them for seven days.

By faith the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies, was not killed with those who were disobedient.

Have you noticed yet that each of these events is an active event?

By faith, someone did something.

They didn’t sit still; they offered, blessed, worshiped, spoke, hid, chose, left, persevered, passed through, marched, welcomed … action.

Faith takes us beyond what we are comfortable with and calls us to action.

What is God calling you to do by faith?

November 20 – Hebrews 11:13-16. Faith in Change.

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November 20 – Hebrews 11:13-16. Faith in Change.

All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance, admitting that they were foreigners and strangers on earth. People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.

One thing you learn when growing up in a pastor’s family is how to move. I learned how to pack a house, how to say goodbye and how to walk into a new situation and meet new people.

Moving away from friends was never easy, but one thing I learned was that you can’t go back – it’s never the same. If you end up back in the same place, it had better be because you continue to move forward in your life, not because you are running backwards.

I always thought moving was exciting … there were new things to learn, new places to see, new friends to meet, new chances at life. The thing I began learning as I grew older was that God was there before we arrived.

God prepared us and prepared a place for us within the community.

He goes ahead of us no matter what He calls us to do – to prepare a place for us. Living by faith means that we count on this and can look forward to the transitions and changes in our life rather than fearing those things.

What is God calling you to do next?

November 19 – Hebrews 11:4-12. Heritage of Faith

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November 19 – Hebrews 11:4-12. Heritage of Faith

By faith Abel brought God a better offering than Cain did. By faith he was commended as righteous, when God spoke well of his offerings. And by faith Abel still speaks, even though he is dead.

By faith Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not experience death: “He could not be found, because God had taken him away.” For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God. And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.

By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that is in keeping with faith.

By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going. By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God. And by faith even Sarah, who was past childbearing age, was enabled to bear children because she considered him faithful who had made the promise. And so from this one man, and he as good as dead, came descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sand on the seashore.

The author of Hebrews takes us into the great Hall of Faith.

Even though these first men have died, notice how their faith continues.

Abel died, but he still speaks to us.

Enoch was taken away, but he believes that God exists and will reward those who earnestly seek him.

Noah became heir of the righteousness.

Abraham produced descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sand on the seashore.

How will your faith continue?

I look back through my father’s genealogy and find a heritage of faith. His father was a pastor his mother was an incredible Christian woman. There was no one more loving and forgiving than that woman and she had a lot of children to love and a lot of hurt in her life that she quietly forgave.

She was so forgiving that it drove her children crazy, but she refused to live with anger in her life. Her faith in God’s hand on her life was greater than anything else in this world and that faith was what supported her in everything she did.

Her parents were strong people of faith and that faith went back through the generations.

Even if you can’t look back through generations of faith in your family – what are you teaching your children and grandchildren? Will they be able to look at you and mark events that changed your lives due to your faith?

November 18 – Hebrews 11:1-3. Confidence. Assurance.

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November 18 – Hebrews 11:1-3. Confidence. Assurance.

Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for.

By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.

It really is fun to dig into the minutiae of scripture sometimes. In the case of Hebrews, the author was quite bright and had an amazing grasp of vocabulary and language. He used words that we don’t see in any other book of the New Testament.

But, in these two verses we see him do something a bit subtle.

In the first verse he describes faith as having assurance in what we do not see. This is a commendable thing.

He continues the concept of seeing and not seeing throughout the third verse. God made something visible out of the invisible. There was absolutely nothing to see when God was ready to create the universe because nothing existed.

God couldn’t see anything … yet He created the universe. We can’t see God … yet we must have faith in Him and have assurance that He exists.

This concept is important.

The Greek word for ‘world’ or ‘universe’ is generally ‘kosmos.’ Of course you recognize that word. But, in Hebrews, the author uses a different word (aeon) – or one that we would recognize as ‘eon.’ It means ‘through the ages.’

The author used it both in this instance and at the beginning of Hebrews (Hebrews 1:2), in writing of the entirety of the universe – in both space and time. Interestingly enough, He considers God to be continuing His creation … it encompasses all of space and time.

This author loves language, the study of using language, rhetoric and has an amazing vocabulary. It would have been fun to get to know him personally … he challenged his readers to step outside their regular world and understand God in a big way.

November 17 – Hebrews 10:35-39. Live by Faith.

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November 17 – Hebrews 10:35-39. Live by Faith.

So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised. For,
“In just a little while, he who is coming will come and will not delay.”
And,
“But my righteous one will live by faith. And I take no pleasure in the one who shrinks back.”

But we do not belong to those who shrink back and are destroyed, but to those who have faith and are saved.

Stepping out in faith or not ‘shrinking back’ doesn’t necessarily mean walking up to the biggest bully on the playground and challenging him/her to a fight. We don’t have to wear our Christianity as a challenge to the world.

Living in faith… living by faith is a much more intimate thing and something that we do daily when we choose to walk in a relationship with God.

Living by faith means that when we are faced with more month than salary, we trust that God will give us a way to get through it rather than spending nights poring over our budget and panicking.

Living by faith means that when our children don’t act correctly or get poor grades or are just in the middle of adolescence, we pray constantly for them, do our best to understand them and continue to discipline and hold high expectations for them with consistency, knowing that God called us to do this.

Living by faith means that when it seems as if the world is tearing us apart, we refuse to believe that we will fall apart – God’s got it even when we don’t. The sun will rise every day and God will love us and support us and help us make the best decision regarding our situation.

We don’t shrink back from this relationship with God because it seems too difficult or alien according to the ways of the world. We choose to walk with God.

November 16 – Hebrews 10:32-34. Me? Suffer?

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November 16 – Hebrews 10:32-34. Me? Suffer?

Remember those earlier days after you had received the light, when you endured in a great conflict full of suffering. Sometimes you were publicly exposed to insult and persecution; at other times you stood side by side with those who were so treated. You suffered along with those in prison and joyfully accepted the confiscation of your property, because you knew that you yourselves had better and lasting possessions.

When I first became a Christian, it seemed as if everyone around me was also a Christian. I’m pretty sure that I was blind to the fact that many of my friends weren’t. In fact, I know that I missed a lot of that. However, the world was pretty tolerant of all us crazy people carrying our Bibles and being ready at a moment’s notice to tell people how we met Jesus and how He was changing our life.

There wasn’t a great deal of insult and persecution. In fact, people seemed to be a lot more polite in those days about nearly everything. They didn’t feel as if they had the right to step into another person’s life and inform them of all the things they were doing wrong.

Then came the day when I told my husband that I no longer felt as if I was accepted as a Christian because I didn’t have the same political beliefs as those who stood up and proclaimed their faith loudly to gain support from others of faith. I didn’t agree with them and in essence, I was told that my faith didn’t count for much.

I was persecuted by those who proclaimed their Christianity loudly and with much banging of Bibles against podiums.

We claim persecution comes from all around us – it’s especially growing in the media and on television shows. No longer is the bad guy a cult member or a mentally unstable psychopath – no we find that He (or she) bases his terrible behavior on Christian beliefs. Christians are ridiculed on sitcoms as well.

In the first century, Christians faced persecution because they believed in Jesus Christ and that went against everything the Roman government stood for. Today … I’m afraid we have brought a great deal of this persecution on ourselves. As Christians, we are more apt to throw the first stone and publicly denounce sins of everyone around us; we call ourselves Christians on Sunday and act like demons in our workplace, at the ballparks, with our neighbors, in our children’s lives (school, ballgames, activities, etc.,). There’s a whole lot of moralistic righteousness and not a lot of Jesus’ love in us. We don’t suffer much because we just plain won’t allow that kind of behavior.

November 15 – Hebrews 10:26-31. Living God.

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November 15 – Hebrews 10:26-31. Living God.

If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God. Anyone who rejected the law of Moses died without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. How much more severely do you think someone deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified them, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace? For we know him who said, “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” and again, “The Lord will judge his people.” It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

Do you believe in God? Do you believe that He is the Creator of the Universe?

Religions all over the earth believe in Supreme Beings … Christians believe in a living God. He is alive and active in our lives, in the lives of our friends and families, in the lives of those we don’t care for so much, in the entirety of the world.

In 1966, TIME magazine published an issue with a very bold cover that asked, “Is God Dead?” Nietzsche’s philosophy was behind the God is Dead movement. He said that the self-centeredness of humanity had killed God.

If you look around, it might actually seem as if we are fighting a losing battle. Some of my favorite television shows seem to have a recurring theme – all of the evil in the world right now is perpetrated by those who call themselves Christians. How can God live when the world perceives Christians as liars and horrendous people?

The thing Nietzsche didn’t understand was that God’s life isn’t like Tinkerbell … He doesn’t require the participation of humanity to be alive. We don’t have to clap for Him to give Him life. He simply is.

God is alive. It would be terrifying to come before a living God were it not for the fact that we have a mediator – a Savior – one who stands before God in our favor.

God is alive. We have a Savior.

November 14 – Hebrews 10:25. Encourage One Another.

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November 14 – Hebrews 10:25. Encourage One Another.

Let us not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

I have a couple of friends who are glad to tell me that they missed me in church on Sunday. It never sounds like they really missed me – it actually sounds like they are chiding me for not being there. I don’t actually feel encouraged, I feel like I’m in trouble. Is that how you approach people?

The author of Hebrews calls on us to be practical in our love for the Christian community in which we participate – whether it is local, regional or worldwide.

Several weeks ago, I was appalled at the lack of Christian response to a true call for help. I was far enough away from the situation, there was nothing I could do practically, I could only watch in shock.

A young mom was completely at her wits’ end. Two small children had been sick, she didn’t feel well, her husband wasn’t well. She hadn’t been able to get groceries, she had a first birthday party to plan for and she felt like her house was a mess. She posted this all on Facebook and it didn’t fail. Every single person responded that they would pray for her.

What? That wasn’t nearly enough. Who was going to step out of their own world to offer to pick up groceries, help her clean for the party, watch a sick child while she worked? Finally one woman my age told her she was bringing a meal the next night. Whew!

What has happened to us that we offer to pray, but offer no practical help? That’s like walking past a starving man, patting him on the head and offering to pray. I understand that one or two people may not be able to do anything, due to other things going on … but the list of prayer offerings was enormous, with only one offering of help.

As part of a community, we have to do more than just pray for each other, if there is something more that is needed. We have to actively participate in the community and build it up … encourage each other. We have to!

November 13 – Hebrews 10:19-24. Hold Unswervingly to Hope.

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November 13 – Hebrews 10:19-24. Hold Unswervingly to Hope.

Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.

“Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.”

Now that’s a statement. One can really mess with us if we think about it.

We profess a lot of hope, don’t we! But, we don’t always act as if we believed that Jesus really is faithful.

We say that we trust Him, but work ourselves into insanity trying to make sure that there will be plenty of money for generations to come. We say that He is Lord, but forget about communicating with Him the minute we get to work (unless we in desperate need of a quick fix for something stupid we’ve done). We say that we believe He saved us, but we don’t actually share our faith with people – either friends or strangers – because everyone gets to believe whatever makes them happy, right?

We hope that we will make it to heaven when we die, but we are absolutely terrified of dying and go through all sorts of machinations to hold it off as long as possible.

We profess hope, but we don’t hold to it unswervingly. We swerve a lot. That says quite a bit about our trust in a faithful Lord. It’s much easier to trust in our own competence and our own strong, right arm.

What ways can you choose to hold unswervingly to hope offered to you by the One who is faithful this week?

November 12 – Hebrews 10:15-18. No More Sacrifice.

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November 12 – Hebrews 10:15-18. No More Sacrifice.

The Holy Spirit also testifies to us about this. First he says:
“This is the covenant I will make with them after that time, says the Lord. I will put my laws in their hearts, and I will write them on their minds.”

Then he adds:
“Their sins and lawless acts I will remember no more.”

And where these have been forgiven, sacrifice for sin is no longer necessary.

When God made the first covenant with Abraham, he promised to make Abraham’s descendants as many as stars that fill the sky. When He renewed the covenant under Moses, He set the Law down for the entirety of the people of Israel. The priests who came from the tribe of Levi were responsible for helping the people to remember the Law, for accepting the sacrifices and for bringing the atonement sacrifice before God once a year. For the most part, the people of Israel were part of the community and had little personal responsibility to God. They had a responsibility to the community, but not a relationship with God Himself.

As you read the history of Israel, you find that the kings had a lot to do with the fortunes or misfortunes of the people. The king was the one who led the people – whether it was worshiping other idols or living righteous lives. Individuals stepped out, but it seems as if Israel was a single entity.

The new covenant, spoken of in Jeremiah, would change all that. God intended to write His laws on the minds of the individual and place it in a person’s heart. No longer could a person claim that they were part of a singular entity such as the people of Israel, a person was responsible for his or her own relationship with God.

But with this new covenant, the sacrificial system needed to be radically transformed. Each individual couldn’t approach the Holy of Holies. Too many people, too little space and besides, the Law required there be specific purification rituals so as to not offend God.

We needed Jesus. With one sacrifice, He set the old system aside. We no longer need to offer sacrifices for our sins. We simply need to accept Him as our Lord and Savior … the perfect sacrifice.

November 11 – Hebrews 10:11-14. Are You Perfect?

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November 11 – Hebrews 10:11-14. Are You Perfect?

Day after day every priest stands and performs his religious duties; again and again he offers the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, and since that time he waits for his enemies to be made his footstool. For by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy.

What is your image of perfection? Is it a glorious mountain view, or an undisturbed beach? Do you need to have a perfectly groomed lawn or insist on your children looking like your standards of perfection? Do you find perfection in mathematics or the written word?

How do you handle imperfections? Do they drive you crazy and you feel as if you need to comment on them to show that you’ve got it right?

Do imperfect people infuriate you?

What does the word perfect mean to you?

Our lives have gotten so out of control – we are busy with everything and never have time to relax or slow down. We run from one thing to another and sometimes the only way to manage ourselves is to insist that there is a level of perfection in the people and things surrounding us – we gain some sense of control over life that way.

What would you do if all that imperfection was gone? Even those things within ourselves that are so error-filled, or messed up we can hardly function if we think about them for too long.

I think we just need to relax. Jesus has got it. While we work toward perfection, He’s absolutely certain we will never attain it in this life. If we could, we wouldn’t need Him.

But, He does promise us that someday His perfection will be ours.

Relax. Release. Jesus has got it.

November 10 – Hebrews 10:8-10. How to be Holy.

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November 10 – Hebrews 10:8-10. How to be Holy.

First he said, “Sacrifices and offerings, burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not desire, nor were you pleased with them”—though they were offered in accordance with the law. Then he said, “Here I am, I have come to do your will.” He sets aside the first to establish the second. And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

How hard do you work at being holy?

Sometimes I think we get it all twisted up – that it is our job to be holy, that we have to work at it and that we have to prove to God that we’ve done everything in our power to be holy.

Peter says “Be holy in all you do.” (1 Peter 1:15), but he goes on to explain that our purification comes from obeying the truth. We are purified because we obey Jesus Christ, not because we do anything by ourselves.

He made us holy by His sacrifice. We don’t make ourselves holy by our actions.

November 9 – Hebrews 10:5-7. Jesus Pleased God.

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November 9 – Hebrews 10:5-7. Jesus Pleased God.

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

God was tired of the manner in which the people of Israel offered sacrifices. They did it out of a sense of duty, not because they desired to please God or simply be in relationship with Him. Sacrifices were only offered to stave off punishment – it was all about maintaining the letter of the law rather than the spirit of the law.

We know exactly what that looks like.

How many Sundays have you dragged yourself and your family out of bed, argued the entire morning and then show up to church because you know if you aren’t there, someone will notice and might make a comment. If there are more of these Sunday mornings than you care to acknowledge, you are offering sacrifices God is not pleased with.

How many times have you let the offering plate go past you, hoping no one notices that you don’t much anything in – or maybe you put a pittance in – because you are trying to pay off bills for things you didn’t really need. You are offering sacrifices God is not pleased with.

There are so many more examples of this in our lives today, but fortunately we have a Savior who stepped into the middle of all of this and said, “Here I am … I have come to do your will, my God.”

This is finally the offering that God was pleased with and we are the recipients of the grace that comes with that sacrifice.

Our sins are just as great as the Israelites when it comes to true worship of God. We can’t set that aside, but Jesus can and He did.

November 8 – Hebrews 10:1-4. Good Things are Coming.

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November 8 – Hebrews 10:1-4. Good Things are Coming.

The law is only a shadow of the good things that are coming—not the realities themselves. For this reason it can never, by the same sacrifices repeated endlessly year after year, make perfect those who draw near to worship. Otherwise, would they not have stopped being offered? For the worshipers would have been cleansed once for all, and would no longer have felt guilty for their sins. But those sacrifices are an annual reminder of sins. It is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.

Do you really believe that it is going to get better than this? Do you truly believe that there is a heaven and that it is going to be greater than anything you know on earth? Some of you will say, “I definitely hope so!” But, I want to know if you believe that YES it really is!

When Mom was dying, I remember curling up on her hospital bed beside her and holding on one evening. We were all alone in the room and I asked her if she believed she was going to heaven. Without hesitation, she said yes. Then, she said with a chuckle, “But if there is no heaven, I’ll never know, so it’s better for me to believe.”

I think that we all have that hesitating question in the back of our minds. Will we end up where there is no more sorrow or pain, where death no longer exists and we can be in the presence of God?

This is one of the promises that the Bible never stops repeating. This is the reason that Jesus Christ came to earth and offered His life. He wants us to know for certain that there is a place for us in the temple of God. He told us that He was preparing that place as a groom prepares a home for his bride.

This life is only a shadow of the good things that are coming – this is not the good stuff.

November 7 – Hebrews 9:25-28. One Death.

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November 7 – Hebrews 9:25-28. One Death.

Nor did he enter heaven to offer himself again and again, the way the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood that is not his own. Otherwise Christ would have had to suffer many times since the creation of the world. But he has appeared once for all at the culmination of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself. Just as people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.

Christ died, once for all. With the population crossing the seven billion mark, it is a good thing he doesn’t have to suffer every time one of us screws up – that wouldn’t be sacrifice, that would simply be torture.

When Jesus became like us – human, he took on flesh and chose to exist as a human being. Since we only die once, it would only be right that Jesus would die just one time. He was given one opportunity to offer his life for the sins of every person who ever lived. That was all it took. He needed no more than that to deal with sin and death.

The next time he returns it will be to bring salvation.

November 6 – Hebrews 9:23-24. Jesus Offered.

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November 6 – Hebrews 9:23-24. Jesus Offered.

It was necessary, then, for the copies of the heavenly things to be purified with these sacrifices, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. For Christ did not enter a sanctuary made with human hands that was only a copy of the true one; he entered heaven itself, now to appear for us in God’s presence.

The tabernacle and the temple were purified by sacrifices made with animal blood … the animal’s life was poured out over the items that God had asked Moses to create as representative of what could be found in heaven.

Isn’t it interesting that God had given humanity dominion over the earth and everything that existed within it at the time of creation and then, when sin had transformed God’s creation, rather than asking the sinners to sacrifice their own lives to atone for sin, He ensured there would be something else that was acceptable.

When God asked Abraham to sacrifice Isaac, testing Abraham’s commitment to the relationship, God provided a ram instead. He would never take the life of one of His own children as a sacrifice, would he!

No, He never would.

Jesus offered His life in sacrifice for the sins of the entire world. This was no testing of Jesus’ commitment, this was no command from God. God didn’t take Jesus’ life, Jesus offered it. A willing sacrifice for the sins of anyone who would ever live.

Because of this, no one else would be asked to sacrifice for sin. We don’t have to sacrifice any part of God’s creation, we don’t have to sacrifice ourselves.

Jesus did it all.