087 Judges 4 – 6; Mark 7
When will they ever learn?! Have you ever asked that question of someone you know or have you ever personalized it? The opening line for our reading from three days ago--oops--says, The people of Israel kept right on doing evil in God's sight. Insane? Yes and totally unconscionable. God's people cry out to God--here comes the pattern—and He sends someone to help them. God sends a woman by the name of Deborah. Deborah is a judge over Israel who has a message for Barak from God. Barak is to prepare for battle to liberate the Jews. Barak did not want to go without Deborah and she lets Barak know he won't receive the glory that he could have if she attends the party. Barak is more concerned with victory than glory and she goes along. God gives them victory and perhaps the first duet is recorded in Scripture when Barak and Deborah sang together. When you have a victory please sing or listen to a song that lifts up Christ Jesus.
What a rich passage ‘for now we have Gideon.’ God uses a man who has lots of questions. God uses a man who is from a small insignificant tribe. God can use you even if you have lots of questions. By the way, God used Deborah and Gideon because they obeyed God.
They make a big show of saying the right thing, but their heart isn't in it. This is Jesus rubbing it in the faces of the Pharisees about their "righteousness." It was so hard for the Pharisees to see that what they had been doing for years was wrong. Change or die.
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Friday, March 27, 2009
086 Friday, March 27, 2009
086 Judges 1 – 3; Mark 6.30 – 6.56
A mess, a complete mess is what we will be reading in the account given to us in the book of Judges. Things were so good under the great leadership of Joshua. Things go so sour under so many different leaders or would be leaders. The key you will find is right in chapter two where an angel of the Lord has been sent to give Israel a message. The angel says, "Tear down their altars! But you haven't obeyed me! What's this you are doing?" This is a great question. It is a great question to ask yourself anytime of the day or night. What's this you are doing? God had sent the angel to the Israelites to point out their disobedience to them. The pattern found in the book of Judges is that of disobedience, God's discipline, repentance of the people, restoration, and then them being used of God. This pattern should be avoided at all costs.
How many in your dinner party? We have approximately 5000 and could we have our seating arrangements together? No problem sir, right this way. The disciples wanted to send the people home but Jesus had other plans. The people were fed. After supper Jesus dismissed the disciples and the dinner party so he could go off to a mountain and pray. Later in the evening the disciples were in trouble on the lake. Jesus comes to them walking on the water. The first words Christ speaks is that of identifying Himself and to have courage. Are you in trouble right now Christ is speaking of who He is and that He wants you to have courage.
You have a great day in Jesus.
A mess, a complete mess is what we will be reading in the account given to us in the book of Judges. Things were so good under the great leadership of Joshua. Things go so sour under so many different leaders or would be leaders. The key you will find is right in chapter two where an angel of the Lord has been sent to give Israel a message. The angel says, "Tear down their altars! But you haven't obeyed me! What's this you are doing?" This is a great question. It is a great question to ask yourself anytime of the day or night. What's this you are doing? God had sent the angel to the Israelites to point out their disobedience to them. The pattern found in the book of Judges is that of disobedience, God's discipline, repentance of the people, restoration, and then them being used of God. This pattern should be avoided at all costs.
How many in your dinner party? We have approximately 5000 and could we have our seating arrangements together? No problem sir, right this way. The disciples wanted to send the people home but Jesus had other plans. The people were fed. After supper Jesus dismissed the disciples and the dinner party so he could go off to a mountain and pray. Later in the evening the disciples were in trouble on the lake. Jesus comes to them walking on the water. The first words Christ speaks is that of identifying Himself and to have courage. Are you in trouble right now Christ is speaking of who He is and that He wants you to have courage.
You have a great day in Jesus.
Thursday, March 26, 2009
085 Thursday, March 26, 2009
085 Joshua 22 – 24; Mark 6.1 – 6.29
What do you have as a reminder for your children that God is God is and was King of your life? Not a bad idea. This is what the tribes of the Reubenites, Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh somewhat had in mind. They had to explain this altar to the priest Phinehas and he approved. The best thing you can build is…you in this day and age of grace. Build ‘you’ as an altar of what God is doing now in this world and especially how God is ruling in your life.
If you decide that it's a bad thing to worship God, then choose a god you'd rather serve--and do it today. Then Joshua made one of most famous statements ever recorded in Scripture, "As for me and my family we'll worship God." I can serve God and worship Him but to bring my family along is another thing. To reach those beyond my family is another challenge. However this whole process starts with me and it starts with you.
Start today if you strayed in anyway. Even say it out loud with Joshua that this day you and your family will worship God and God alone.
What do you have as a reminder for your children that God is God is and was King of your life? Not a bad idea. This is what the tribes of the Reubenites, Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh somewhat had in mind. They had to explain this altar to the priest Phinehas and he approved. The best thing you can build is…you in this day and age of grace. Build ‘you’ as an altar of what God is doing now in this world and especially how God is ruling in your life.
If you decide that it's a bad thing to worship God, then choose a god you'd rather serve--and do it today. Then Joshua made one of most famous statements ever recorded in Scripture, "As for me and my family we'll worship God." I can serve God and worship Him but to bring my family along is another thing. To reach those beyond my family is another challenge. However this whole process starts with me and it starts with you.
Start today if you strayed in anyway. Even say it out loud with Joshua that this day you and your family will worship God and God alone.
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
083 Tuesday, March 24, 2009
083 Joshua 19 – 21; Mark 4
Safe haven are powerful words, especially if you are being chased. Fair trail are also dynamic words that can warm a person's heart, especially if they are not guilty. I took a class on the O.T. and I still remember reading about the asylum cities and thinking how cool that concept is. I think some of my thinking it was cool had to do with old westerns I had seen on T.V. Someone would accidentally kill a person and they knew the family would come to hang them and so they would seek out a safe haven.
There is another way to apply this concept in our time. A pastor I knew had been wounded deeply by a church he was pastoring in the Northwest. It was in this time of pain that he had a vision of starting a ministry called Safe Haven for ministers, missionaries, and lay people who had been wounded while in ministry. Even though Charles Shepson has passed away you can still visit a thriving ministry in the hills of Tennessee. Where do you go to feel safe? Where do you go when the fingers are pointing at you? First run to Christ and let this Jesus protect you. He is your chief Shepherd.
What do you do with a crazy man? Jesus delivered him from the demons that lived inside of him. Then this man became a force for the kingdom of God. Changing lives was what Jesus was about on this earth. Christ is still about transforming lives on this earth that is full of gravity and sin. ‘Come unto me all who are broken and weighed down’ is the message of Christ.
Safe haven are powerful words, especially if you are being chased. Fair trail are also dynamic words that can warm a person's heart, especially if they are not guilty. I took a class on the O.T. and I still remember reading about the asylum cities and thinking how cool that concept is. I think some of my thinking it was cool had to do with old westerns I had seen on T.V. Someone would accidentally kill a person and they knew the family would come to hang them and so they would seek out a safe haven.
There is another way to apply this concept in our time. A pastor I knew had been wounded deeply by a church he was pastoring in the Northwest. It was in this time of pain that he had a vision of starting a ministry called Safe Haven for ministers, missionaries, and lay people who had been wounded while in ministry. Even though Charles Shepson has passed away you can still visit a thriving ministry in the hills of Tennessee. Where do you go to feel safe? Where do you go when the fingers are pointing at you? First run to Christ and let this Jesus protect you. He is your chief Shepherd.
What do you do with a crazy man? Jesus delivered him from the demons that lived inside of him. Then this man became a force for the kingdom of God. Changing lives was what Jesus was about on this earth. Christ is still about transforming lives on this earth that is full of gravity and sin. ‘Come unto me all who are broken and weighed down’ is the message of Christ.
Monday, March 23, 2009
082 Monday, March 23, 2009
082 Joshua 16 – 18; Mark 4
The land and who gets what has Joshua right in the middle of it. Why? The O.T. is about the land. God is giving them the land promised in Genesis 12:1-3. To be blessed was to have much. When you read the O.T. please listen closely to the language of being blessed. The language of being blessed in the O.T. and the N.T is as different as a puddle and the ocean. Joshua was the leader and had to be involved in the details of giving out the land because it was a spiritual issue. The land was part of their salvation!
Write out what you think are the signs of living a blessed life in our times of the N.T.. Then ask yourself are you living the blessed life? If not, then why are you not enjoying the supreme blessings bought by our Savoir, Jesus Christ?
If you share your faith then this passage is very important to you. Anyone who tries to engage darkness will get discouraged. Jesus teaches the principle of good heart and the good seed. When the good seed hits the good heart there will be fruit. Pray that you meet up with hearts that are prepared for the Gospel message. Pray for your family and friends that God would be preparing their hearts for this wonderful message. Have you noticed that you don't have to pray for better seed--the Gospel? There is nothing wrong with the message of Jesus Christ.
One famous evangelist has even been so bold to imply that people are much more willing to receive the message of Jesus Christ than we are willing to share it. May it not be said of us.
The land and who gets what has Joshua right in the middle of it. Why? The O.T. is about the land. God is giving them the land promised in Genesis 12:1-3. To be blessed was to have much. When you read the O.T. please listen closely to the language of being blessed. The language of being blessed in the O.T. and the N.T is as different as a puddle and the ocean. Joshua was the leader and had to be involved in the details of giving out the land because it was a spiritual issue. The land was part of their salvation!
Write out what you think are the signs of living a blessed life in our times of the N.T.. Then ask yourself are you living the blessed life? If not, then why are you not enjoying the supreme blessings bought by our Savoir, Jesus Christ?
If you share your faith then this passage is very important to you. Anyone who tries to engage darkness will get discouraged. Jesus teaches the principle of good heart and the good seed. When the good seed hits the good heart there will be fruit. Pray that you meet up with hearts that are prepared for the Gospel message. Pray for your family and friends that God would be preparing their hearts for this wonderful message. Have you noticed that you don't have to pray for better seed--the Gospel? There is nothing wrong with the message of Jesus Christ.
One famous evangelist has even been so bold to imply that people are much more willing to receive the message of Jesus Christ than we are willing to share it. May it not be said of us.
Sunday, March 22, 2009
081 Sunday, March 22, 2009
081 Joshua 13 – 15; Mark 3
"And the land had rest from war." is almost an unbelievable statement. If anyone knows the history of this land it is known that war is the rule not peace. Come to think of it, there has not been much peace in many of the lands of the world. One day peace will come to the Middle East and it will come through Jesus Christ. Peace will come because Jesus will impose His will on the world; that is the only way that it will ever be achieved.
Okay, take out a piece of paper and name the twelve apostles. No, it is not an open book test. Think about it just for a moment because these are the guys that changed the world forever. Can you name them?
Jesus called them first to be with Him. It is after they are with Him that He is to send them out to preach. I met a completed Hebrew this past week and I asked him what clicked for him to come to Christ? He said, "When I finally understood it was a relationship with Christ and not some religion." Christ called the apostles to Himself. Jesus has called you to Himself so spend some time with Him.
"And the land had rest from war." is almost an unbelievable statement. If anyone knows the history of this land it is known that war is the rule not peace. Come to think of it, there has not been much peace in many of the lands of the world. One day peace will come to the Middle East and it will come through Jesus Christ. Peace will come because Jesus will impose His will on the world; that is the only way that it will ever be achieved.
Okay, take out a piece of paper and name the twelve apostles. No, it is not an open book test. Think about it just for a moment because these are the guys that changed the world forever. Can you name them?
Jesus called them first to be with Him. It is after they are with Him that He is to send them out to preach. I met a completed Hebrew this past week and I asked him what clicked for him to come to Christ? He said, "When I finally understood it was a relationship with Christ and not some religion." Christ called the apostles to Himself. Jesus has called you to Himself so spend some time with Him.
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