May 29-June 4
IMMERSION in GOD’S WORD
May 29-June 4 MONDAY For people who take God and His Word seriously, life becomes far more than eating, sleeping, working and playing. Life is considered a calling, so that whatever one ends up doing (including the eating, sleeping, working, and playing along the way), he or she does so for God, who calls us to live in Him and for Him -- and as we see in today's verse -- belong to Him. I call on you to think to immerse yourself into a reflective conversation with God about your individual and collective “calling” from Him. You are called to… belong to Jesus Christ
Romans 1:6
To live life without God is not ‘life’ at all (John 17:3) – not in the sense God intended; to live without belonging to Jesus is to miss what God created you for in the first place. God calls us to belong to Jesus; the more centered we are on Him, the more are where we belong. Lord, help me to end up where I belong – centered on you – day in and day out. Amen. We step into this week celebrating You, Father, who calls us to belong to You, we celebrate You, Jesus, who calls us to follow You; and we celebrate You, Holy Spirit, who calls and gathers the entire people of God through the Gospel; In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, Amen.
TUESDAY You did not choose me, but I chose you...
John 15:16
As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so
that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. This is my command: Love each other. How does this Gospel reading speak to you about your calling to live out your life in relation to God (Jesus)?
WEDNESDAY You are called to…be free
Galatians 5:13
We are called to be free from the burden of trying to earn God’s favor (see Gal. 5); Instead of worrying about whether God is upset with us (over sin), Paul reminds us that we are under God’s favor through Jesus’ name. Are you still trying to earn God’s pleasure and favor in life? You have been called to simply accept that God looks kindly upon you solely because Jesus opened that door through sacrifice. Lord God, help me to accept this calling that I am free through Jesus – and to live appropriately.
THURSDAY You are called to…be holy
1 Corinthians 1:2
Prayer only today: Lord God, humble me; I want to be struck with awe over your holiness, the kind that makes angels bow down and avert their eyes. Make me wholly aware of the unholy nature of my sin. Build in me a strong distaste for the sinfulness that I have too easily
grown accustomed to in my life; repeat for me afresh the call by You to be holy. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
FRIDAY You are called to…be saints
Romans 1:7
Saints of God are often mis-understood as opposites of sinners. The truth is that a Christian is both a sinner and a saint at the same time. We are sinners by our own right (or ‘wrong’) and saints by God’s right to call us such – through faith in Jesus. While we might struggle in that we remain sinners, we are not called to be sinners; rather we are called to live like the saints God has made us to be in Jesus Christ His Son our Lord. Oh Lord, you say that in baptism I have died to sin. Let that truth be evident in me through and through so that I can live for you!
SATURDAY You are called to…peace
Colossians 3:15
God sent Jesus to sacrifice himself in order to bring peace between God and mankind, and encourages his followers to do everything possible to be at peace with others in our lives (Heb 12:14). Christians are called to be at peace with Him and with others. As you move into a time of prayer, ponder whom you are currently not at peace with and then share with your Heavenly Father: Lord, help me to be at peace with...(person)… Show me how to proceed as you desire. Amen.
SUNDAY You are called to…one hope
Ephesians 4:4
With all the varied hopes in the world, can there really be ‘one hope’ that we are all called to? Don’t you see? We hope for so many different things in life (health, contentment, prosperity, etc), but God’s hope is that we live with him now
– and for all eternity. So we are all called into this one hope that God makes for us through Jesus. Lord, how can I better share this hope with others around me?
IMMERSION in GOD’S WORD
June 5-11 MONDAY As human desires go in the church, they get a pretty bad rap: they are seen as evil, selfish, sinful; but desires can also be godly: Love, righteousness, goodness. The key revolves around which desires are ‘ruling the roost’ you might say – the sinful desires or the godly ones. Let’s slow down and consider what desires are getting hold of us. The Apostle Paul tells Timothy to “Flee the evil desires of youth and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.” (2 Tim 2:22) Evil desires in youth? There are many – even in old age, I imagine! But there also exists the potential for godly desires flowing from a pure heart (one made pure by God’s grace through Jesus Christ!) Lord God, deepen my desires for righteousness, faith, love and peace. We step into this week celebrating You, Father, who gives us a righteousness that comes through faith in Jesus; we celebrate You, Jesus, who took on our unrighteousness so that we could become righteous; and we celebrate You, Holy Spirit, who enables us to become righteous by faith in Jesus Christ; In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, Amen.
TUESDAY
Mark 7:5-23
The Pharisees and teachers of the law asked Jesus, “Why don’t your disciples live according to the tradition of the elders instead of eating their food with defiled hands?” He
replied, “Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites; as it is written: “‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are merely human rules.’ You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to human traditions.” And he continued, “You have a fine way of setting aside the commands of God in order to observe your own traditions! For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and mother,’ and, ‘Anyone who curses their father or mother is to be put to death.’ But you say that if anyone declares that what might have been used to help their father or mother is Corban (that is, devoted to God)— then you no longer let them do anything for their father or mother. Thus you nullify the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down. And you do many things like that.” Again Jesus called the crowd to him and said, “Listen to me, everyone, and understand this. Nothing outside a person can defile them by going into them. Rather, it is what comes out of a person that defiles them.” After he had left the crowd and entered the house, his disciples asked him about this parable. “Are you so dull?” he asked. “Don’t you see that nothing that enters a person from the outside can defile them? For it doesn’t go into their heart but into their stomach, and then out of the body.” (In saying this, Jesus declared all foods clean.) He went on: “What comes out of a person is what defiles them. For it is from within, out of a person’s heart, that evil thoughts come— sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. All these evils come from inside and defile a person.” What jumps out at you about this reading? Ask God why and respond as is appropriate
WEDNESDAY The worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the Word, making it unfruitful. Mark 4:19
Any desire that effectively chokes God or His Word out of first priority in our lives has risen to the level of sinful. Even desires for quietness, peace, or love can become ungodly when they start trespassing God’s will for us. Lord, I want to pursue righteousness; may all my desires pertaining to this world always take a back seat to my faithfulness toward You, my pursuit of Your righteousness, ensuring that Your Word always remains fruitful in me. Amen.
THURSDAY Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart. Psalm 37:4 People have desires in many areas of life, from youth to old age: Physical, spiritual, emotional, financial, etc. While some desires are wrong in any situation, other desires can be healthy – even blessed by God. Take a moment to ask God himself to be the object of your desire (so that you may delight in him) and that any fulfilling of other desires is subject to His approval. I desire to delight first and foremost in you, Lord!
FRIDAY Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires… (Gal. 5:24) put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires… (Eph. 4:22) The Apostle Paul gives us a great image to use when fighting sin-driven passions and desires: Crucify them – see them up on a cross. One can’t easily imagine a cross without remembering Jesus’ own death for our sins, thus creating a strong persuasive image to boost our spirit’s desires to live for God instead. He shares a second great image in Ephesians: Envision your sinful desires as dirt-stained clothing to be taken off and replaced by new, unstained clothes. The kicker here is that, according to grammar rules, the act of ‘putting off’ your clothes here is a continual rather
than a one-time event. In other words, we are in regular need of changing our clothes because of sin, so for those who like to change clothes often, this is a great illustration. Lord, I crucify my sinful passions and desires so that I may live for you rather than for myself. Dress me with your righteous clothing. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
SATURDAY Those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. Romans 8:5 Oh, to be focused on what God desires and have those things become my desires! Wouldn’t that be nice? Paul encourages us to find this by living according to God’s Spirit. This is the Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead, created faith in us, and lives within us. Time to draw on His expertise and influence in such passionate areas as our desires: Spirit, help me to set my mind on Christ and His will, to get aligned with your desires for me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
SUNDAY Live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. Galatians 5:16 Skip analogies for today and see the truth directly. If we live by the Spirit, our sinful desires won’t get gratified; instead the spiritual desires will rise to the fore and receive attention. This is who you want to be, correct? Lord enable me to live by your Spirit that I may satisfy my godly desires – to your glory!
IMMERSION in GOD’S WORD
June 12-18 MONDAY This week the focus is to pursue godliness. Of course it would help to know God in order to become like Him. To help us, we turn to one rarely visited bible passage: Deuteronomy 17:18-20. May God use it to speak to us as we read God’s instruction to leaders of God’s people (in this case, the king). Though not kings ourselves, we can greatly benefit from following God’s directives here. When [the king] takes the throne of his kingdom, he is to write for himself on a scroll a copy of this law, taken from that of the priests, who are Levites. It is to be with him, and he is to read it all the days of his life so that he may learn to revere the LORD his God and follow carefully all the words of this law and these decrees and not consider himself better than his brothers and turn from the law to the right or to the left. Then he and his descendants will reign a long time over his kingdom in Israel. We step into this week celebrating You, Father, whom we desire to revere above all things; we celebrate You, Jesus, who is the true King of kings and Lord of lords; and we celebrate You, Holy Spirit, who rules in our hearts with the Father and the Son as one God now and forever. In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, Amen.
TUESDAY Task #1: Write for himself on a scroll a copy of this law (v.18) Don’t miss that first task: Write a copy of the law. God’s first instruction for the king was to make a personal copy of God’s Word. Do you have a personal copy of His Word? Did you know that there are journal bibles made today that leave
lots of rooms to write out God’s Word in your own hands? The priests helped the king by providing God’s Word for him to copy (one couldn’t just go to the local bookstore ). Who put your first copy of God’s Word in your hands? Maybe you still need someone to do that (BTW, any thrift store usually has them…). Father God, I thank you that I have a personal copy of your Word. May it become well-worn from use. May I learn to write it on paper while you are busy writing it on my heart.
WEDNESDAY Task #2: It (God’s Word) is to be with him (v.19) Sounds pretty clear: The Word of God is to accompany the king wherever he goes. If God laid out this instruction for you, what would your gut reaction be? Would you embrace it or chafe at it? See it as a challenge to rise to or an annoyance to deal with? Yes, Jesus (Word-Made-Flesh) is with us wherever we go, but how is that bible travelling? Novel Idea #1: kind of like a flat-Stanley project, start a photo album of you and your bible’s travels.
THURSDAY Task #3: he is to read it all the days of his life so that he may learn to revere the LORD (v.19) Now we get down to dastardly details. Maybe one would assume that if you own a copy of God’s Word and carry it around, you are also reading it. Let’s hope so, because owning and carrying a bible does little good if you don’t read from it. That was likely the intent God had when he commissioned a personal copy for the king in the first place – but why every day? Well, for starters, it keeps the king’s attitude toward the Lord in proper perspective (reverence) – and we could all use that kind of read-the-bible benefit in our
lives! ‘Fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom’ says that Word (Prov. 9:10). Not-so-novel idea #2. Read from your bible all the days of your life – and reflect on its meaning for you. Lord, let the reading of Your Word build within me a proper reverence for you.
FRIDAY Task #4: he is to read it all the days of his life so that he may… follow carefully all the words of this law and these decrees Why else is God having the king read from His Word daily? The king is not just to show a reverence for God Himself, but to live out his kingship personally and publically under direction of that Word of God. No mere lip-service here. Does God’s Word (His will) influence and change your actions? God desires us too to live out our lives personally and publicly under the direction of His instruction.
SATURDAY Task #5: he is to read it all the days of his life so that he may…not consider himself better than his brother (v.20) Reading the bible daily effects the way that we treat one another in both attitude and action, as evident by God’s remark here. If for no other reason than this, we should be motivated enough to be serious about daily digging into God’s Word. Lord, shape my relationships through time in Your Word.
SUNDAY Task #6: he is to read it all the days of his life so that he may…not turn from the law to the right or to the left. (v.20) Finally, reading God’s Word daily would keep the king on the path God intends for the leader of His people. ‘Thy Word is a Lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path’ (Psalm 119:105). You know where this is going, don’t you… Lord, let my reading of Your Word keep me on the path You intend for me.
IMMERSION in GOD’S WORD
June 19-25 MONDAY You know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.
James 1:3
“Pursue faith” Paul encourages Timothy; desire faith in your life. Faith is belief in what you cannot see (Hebrews 11:1). Oftentimes that faith can be tested when, in times of struggle, God may seem absent. As we work with the concept of faith this week, we highlight some of the greatest comebacks in the world of sports. These comebacks exhibited a “faith” in self or team when most people considered it ‘game over’. But as you will see, seemingly hopeless and really hopeless are not the same thing! Tennis: Wimbledon semi-final June 30th, 1927 Talk about perseverance: Frenchman Henri Cochet comes back from two sets down and a 1-5 deficit in the third (one game from elimination!). Amazingly, Cochet would win the match, 2-6 4-6 7-5 6-4 6-3. Spectators were 'too spellbound to applaud' said the referee. Lord, help me to persevere in tough times, and to be an encourager toward others also.
We step into this week celebrating You, Father, who gives us the gift of faith; we celebrate You, Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith; and we celebrate You, Holy Spirit, who enlightens our faith with deep truths of Scripture. In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, Amen.
TUESDAY “
When the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?" Luke 18:8 Who honestly believed this could happen? It never had before! Baseball’s 2004 AL Championship: The Red Sox trailed the NY Yankees 3 games to 0 (best of 7) – and were losing in the last inning of game 4. But a ninth inning rally and three amazing games later, Boston became the first baseball team ever to come back from 0-3 to win a 7-game series. Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. He said: “In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared what people thought. And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, ‘Grant me justice against my adversary.’ For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, ‘Even though I don’t fear God or care what people think, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won’t eventually come and attack me!’” And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?” (Luke 18:1-8) Prayer: Lord, don’t let my faith slip when I feel like I am losing, that things and situations and even people are against me. I know that you are for me and that is all that matters…
WEDNESDAY Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith Hebrews 12:2 Eye on the prize: Olympics 1972: When runner Lasse Viren slips and falls near the halfway mark of the 10,000 meter final, his chance of victory seems to slip away as well. But Viren calmly gets to his feet, runs his way back into contention and eventually overtakes even the leader – not only winning the gold, but setting a world record in the process.
THURSDAY Jesus said to the woman, "Your faith has saved you; go in peace." Luke 7:50 Football: NFL playoff game Jan 3rd, 1999. Trailing 353, back-up quarterback Frank Reich masterminds a Buffalo Bill’s comeback against Houston. Steve Christie's 32yard overtime field goal seals a stunning victory for the Bills – with a back-up quarterback!! Whether anybody else believed, apparently Frank Reich did – and saved the game! Thought: Your faith in Jesus is powerful because of God’s faithfulness.
FRIDAY I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. Luke 22:32 Ever heard of “willing” a team to victory? Basketball, December 11, 2004: Orlando Magic player Tracy McGrady scores 13 points in 35 seconds, erasing a 10-point lead in the final minute of a Rockets-Spurs game. Unparalleled achievement! Jesus “willed” for Peter’s victory – even prayed for it! While Peter failed that night, he won the battle by finding forgiveness, moving forward and honoring God with later obedience that was amazing – like Jesus had “willed” it into him. Who could you be praying for that could use a infusion of hope? Now pray for them and consider how else you might be of service to them along with praying.
SATURDAY ...that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other's faith. Romans 1:12 Soccer: 1957, London: With host Charlton a man down and Huddersfield enjoying a 5-1 lead after 70 minutes, Charlton seemed dead and buried. Many fans left early and missed the final, frenetic 20 minutes. Those who stayed saw the home team score a final goal as time was expiring, winning 7-6 in spectacular comeback fashion. The Ap. Paul wanted dearly to get to Rome and share some spiritual blessings, that both parties would end up encouraged. Think about how you can do the same for others in your world. How badly do you want to bless others as an instrument of God? Plan to encourage others while attending worship at your chosen time!
SUNDAY It is by grace you have been saved, through faith
Eph. 2:8
Hardly a sport – and not at all a game, but still the greatest comeback in history: Jerusalem ~30 A.D. Jesus not only seemed dead and buried – he was dead and buried. His fans left heartbroken, and only a faithful few (not expecting him to win), came back to even see what happened in the end. What they found was an unexpected comeback victory and the celebration has not stopped since that moment of resurrection. With God, it ain’t over – even when the fat lady sings!
May 29-June 4 MONDAY For people who take God and His Word seriously, life becomes far more than eating, sleeping, working and playing. Life is considered a calling, so that whatever one ends up doing (including the eating, sleeping, working, and playing along the way), he or she does so for God, who calls us to live in Him and for Him -- and as we see in today's verse -- belong to Him. I call on you to think to immerse yourself into a reflective conversation with God about your individual and collective “calling” from Him. You are called to… belong to Jesus Christ
Romans 1:6
To live life without God is not ‘life’ at all (John 17:3) – not in the sense God intended; to live without belonging to Jesus is to miss what God created you for in the first place. God calls us to belong to Jesus; the more centered we are on Him, the more are where we belong. Lord, help me to end up where I belong – centered on you – day in and day out. Amen. We step into this week celebrating You, Father, who calls us to belong to You, we celebrate You, Jesus, who calls us to follow You; and we celebrate You, Holy Spirit, who calls and gathers the entire people of God through the Gospel; In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, Amen.
TUESDAY You did not choose me, but I chose you...
John 15:16
As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so
that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. This is my command: Love each other. How does this Gospel reading speak to you about your calling to live out your life in relation to God (Jesus)?
WEDNESDAY You are called to…be free
Galatians 5:13
We are called to be free from the burden of trying to earn God’s favor (see Gal. 5); Instead of worrying about whether God is upset with us (over sin), Paul reminds us that we are under God’s favor through Jesus’ name. Are you still trying to earn God’s pleasure and favor in life? You have been called to simply accept that God looks kindly upon you solely because Jesus opened that door through sacrifice. Lord God, help me to accept this calling that I am free through Jesus – and to live appropriately.
THURSDAY You are called to…be holy
1 Corinthians 1:2
Prayer only today: Lord God, humble me; I want to be struck with awe over your holiness, the kind that makes angels bow down and avert their eyes. Make me wholly aware of the unholy nature of my sin. Build in me a strong distaste for the sinfulness that I have too easily
grown accustomed to in my life; repeat for me afresh the call by You to be holy. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
FRIDAY You are called to…be saints
Romans 1:7
Saints of God are often mis-understood as opposites of sinners. The truth is that a Christian is both a sinner and a saint at the same time. We are sinners by our own right (or ‘wrong’) and saints by God’s right to call us such – through faith in Jesus. While we might struggle in that we remain sinners, we are not called to be sinners; rather we are called to live like the saints God has made us to be in Jesus Christ His Son our Lord. Oh Lord, you say that in baptism I have died to sin. Let that truth be evident in me through and through so that I can live for you!
SATURDAY You are called to…peace
Colossians 3:15
God sent Jesus to sacrifice himself in order to bring peace between God and mankind, and encourages his followers to do everything possible to be at peace with others in our lives (Heb 12:14). Christians are called to be at peace with Him and with others. As you move into a time of prayer, ponder whom you are currently not at peace with and then share with your Heavenly Father: Lord, help me to be at peace with...(person)… Show me how to proceed as you desire. Amen.
SUNDAY You are called to…one hope
Ephesians 4:4
With all the varied hopes in the world, can there really be ‘one hope’ that we are all called to? Don’t you see? We hope for so many different things in life (health, contentment, prosperity, etc), but God’s hope is that we live with him now
– and for all eternity. So we are all called into this one hope that God makes for us through Jesus. Lord, how can I better share this hope with others around me?
IMMERSION in GOD’S WORD
June 5-11 MONDAY As human desires go in the church, they get a pretty bad rap: they are seen as evil, selfish, sinful; but desires can also be godly: Love, righteousness, goodness. The key revolves around which desires are ‘ruling the roost’ you might say – the sinful desires or the godly ones. Let’s slow down and consider what desires are getting hold of us. The Apostle Paul tells Timothy to “Flee the evil desires of youth and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.” (2 Tim 2:22) Evil desires in youth? There are many – even in old age, I imagine! But there also exists the potential for godly desires flowing from a pure heart (one made pure by God’s grace through Jesus Christ!) Lord God, deepen my desires for righteousness, faith, love and peace. We step into this week celebrating You, Father, who gives us a righteousness that comes through faith in Jesus; we celebrate You, Jesus, who took on our unrighteousness so that we could become righteous; and we celebrate You, Holy Spirit, who enables us to become righteous by faith in Jesus Christ; In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, Amen.
TUESDAY
Mark 7:5-23
The Pharisees and teachers of the law asked Jesus, “Why don’t your disciples live according to the tradition of the elders instead of eating their food with defiled hands?” He
replied, “Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites; as it is written: “‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are merely human rules.’ You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to human traditions.” And he continued, “You have a fine way of setting aside the commands of God in order to observe your own traditions! For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and mother,’ and, ‘Anyone who curses their father or mother is to be put to death.’ But you say that if anyone declares that what might have been used to help their father or mother is Corban (that is, devoted to God)— then you no longer let them do anything for their father or mother. Thus you nullify the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down. And you do many things like that.” Again Jesus called the crowd to him and said, “Listen to me, everyone, and understand this. Nothing outside a person can defile them by going into them. Rather, it is what comes out of a person that defiles them.” After he had left the crowd and entered the house, his disciples asked him about this parable. “Are you so dull?” he asked. “Don’t you see that nothing that enters a person from the outside can defile them? For it doesn’t go into their heart but into their stomach, and then out of the body.” (In saying this, Jesus declared all foods clean.) He went on: “What comes out of a person is what defiles them. For it is from within, out of a person’s heart, that evil thoughts come— sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. All these evils come from inside and defile a person.” What jumps out at you about this reading? Ask God why and respond as is appropriate
WEDNESDAY The worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the Word, making it unfruitful. Mark 4:19
Any desire that effectively chokes God or His Word out of first priority in our lives has risen to the level of sinful. Even desires for quietness, peace, or love can become ungodly when they start trespassing God’s will for us. Lord, I want to pursue righteousness; may all my desires pertaining to this world always take a back seat to my faithfulness toward You, my pursuit of Your righteousness, ensuring that Your Word always remains fruitful in me. Amen.
THURSDAY Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart. Psalm 37:4 People have desires in many areas of life, from youth to old age: Physical, spiritual, emotional, financial, etc. While some desires are wrong in any situation, other desires can be healthy – even blessed by God. Take a moment to ask God himself to be the object of your desire (so that you may delight in him) and that any fulfilling of other desires is subject to His approval. I desire to delight first and foremost in you, Lord!
FRIDAY Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires… (Gal. 5:24) put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires… (Eph. 4:22) The Apostle Paul gives us a great image to use when fighting sin-driven passions and desires: Crucify them – see them up on a cross. One can’t easily imagine a cross without remembering Jesus’ own death for our sins, thus creating a strong persuasive image to boost our spirit’s desires to live for God instead. He shares a second great image in Ephesians: Envision your sinful desires as dirt-stained clothing to be taken off and replaced by new, unstained clothes. The kicker here is that, according to grammar rules, the act of ‘putting off’ your clothes here is a continual rather
than a one-time event. In other words, we are in regular need of changing our clothes because of sin, so for those who like to change clothes often, this is a great illustration. Lord, I crucify my sinful passions and desires so that I may live for you rather than for myself. Dress me with your righteous clothing. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
SATURDAY Those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. Romans 8:5 Oh, to be focused on what God desires and have those things become my desires! Wouldn’t that be nice? Paul encourages us to find this by living according to God’s Spirit. This is the Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead, created faith in us, and lives within us. Time to draw on His expertise and influence in such passionate areas as our desires: Spirit, help me to set my mind on Christ and His will, to get aligned with your desires for me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
SUNDAY Live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. Galatians 5:16 Skip analogies for today and see the truth directly. If we live by the Spirit, our sinful desires won’t get gratified; instead the spiritual desires will rise to the fore and receive attention. This is who you want to be, correct? Lord enable me to live by your Spirit that I may satisfy my godly desires – to your glory!
IMMERSION in GOD’S WORD
June 12-18 MONDAY This week the focus is to pursue godliness. Of course it would help to know God in order to become like Him. To help us, we turn to one rarely visited bible passage: Deuteronomy 17:18-20. May God use it to speak to us as we read God’s instruction to leaders of God’s people (in this case, the king). Though not kings ourselves, we can greatly benefit from following God’s directives here. When [the king] takes the throne of his kingdom, he is to write for himself on a scroll a copy of this law, taken from that of the priests, who are Levites. It is to be with him, and he is to read it all the days of his life so that he may learn to revere the LORD his God and follow carefully all the words of this law and these decrees and not consider himself better than his brothers and turn from the law to the right or to the left. Then he and his descendants will reign a long time over his kingdom in Israel. We step into this week celebrating You, Father, whom we desire to revere above all things; we celebrate You, Jesus, who is the true King of kings and Lord of lords; and we celebrate You, Holy Spirit, who rules in our hearts with the Father and the Son as one God now and forever. In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, Amen.
TUESDAY Task #1: Write for himself on a scroll a copy of this law (v.18) Don’t miss that first task: Write a copy of the law. God’s first instruction for the king was to make a personal copy of God’s Word. Do you have a personal copy of His Word? Did you know that there are journal bibles made today that leave
lots of rooms to write out God’s Word in your own hands? The priests helped the king by providing God’s Word for him to copy (one couldn’t just go to the local bookstore ). Who put your first copy of God’s Word in your hands? Maybe you still need someone to do that (BTW, any thrift store usually has them…). Father God, I thank you that I have a personal copy of your Word. May it become well-worn from use. May I learn to write it on paper while you are busy writing it on my heart.
WEDNESDAY Task #2: It (God’s Word) is to be with him (v.19) Sounds pretty clear: The Word of God is to accompany the king wherever he goes. If God laid out this instruction for you, what would your gut reaction be? Would you embrace it or chafe at it? See it as a challenge to rise to or an annoyance to deal with? Yes, Jesus (Word-Made-Flesh) is with us wherever we go, but how is that bible travelling? Novel Idea #1: kind of like a flat-Stanley project, start a photo album of you and your bible’s travels.
THURSDAY Task #3: he is to read it all the days of his life so that he may learn to revere the LORD (v.19) Now we get down to dastardly details. Maybe one would assume that if you own a copy of God’s Word and carry it around, you are also reading it. Let’s hope so, because owning and carrying a bible does little good if you don’t read from it. That was likely the intent God had when he commissioned a personal copy for the king in the first place – but why every day? Well, for starters, it keeps the king’s attitude toward the Lord in proper perspective (reverence) – and we could all use that kind of read-the-bible benefit in our
lives! ‘Fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom’ says that Word (Prov. 9:10). Not-so-novel idea #2. Read from your bible all the days of your life – and reflect on its meaning for you. Lord, let the reading of Your Word build within me a proper reverence for you.
FRIDAY Task #4: he is to read it all the days of his life so that he may… follow carefully all the words of this law and these decrees Why else is God having the king read from His Word daily? The king is not just to show a reverence for God Himself, but to live out his kingship personally and publically under direction of that Word of God. No mere lip-service here. Does God’s Word (His will) influence and change your actions? God desires us too to live out our lives personally and publicly under the direction of His instruction.
SATURDAY Task #5: he is to read it all the days of his life so that he may…not consider himself better than his brother (v.20) Reading the bible daily effects the way that we treat one another in both attitude and action, as evident by God’s remark here. If for no other reason than this, we should be motivated enough to be serious about daily digging into God’s Word. Lord, shape my relationships through time in Your Word.
SUNDAY Task #6: he is to read it all the days of his life so that he may…not turn from the law to the right or to the left. (v.20) Finally, reading God’s Word daily would keep the king on the path God intends for the leader of His people. ‘Thy Word is a Lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path’ (Psalm 119:105). You know where this is going, don’t you… Lord, let my reading of Your Word keep me on the path You intend for me.
IMMERSION in GOD’S WORD
June 19-25 MONDAY You know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.
James 1:3
“Pursue faith” Paul encourages Timothy; desire faith in your life. Faith is belief in what you cannot see (Hebrews 11:1). Oftentimes that faith can be tested when, in times of struggle, God may seem absent. As we work with the concept of faith this week, we highlight some of the greatest comebacks in the world of sports. These comebacks exhibited a “faith” in self or team when most people considered it ‘game over’. But as you will see, seemingly hopeless and really hopeless are not the same thing! Tennis: Wimbledon semi-final June 30th, 1927 Talk about perseverance: Frenchman Henri Cochet comes back from two sets down and a 1-5 deficit in the third (one game from elimination!). Amazingly, Cochet would win the match, 2-6 4-6 7-5 6-4 6-3. Spectators were 'too spellbound to applaud' said the referee. Lord, help me to persevere in tough times, and to be an encourager toward others also.
We step into this week celebrating You, Father, who gives us the gift of faith; we celebrate You, Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith; and we celebrate You, Holy Spirit, who enlightens our faith with deep truths of Scripture. In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, Amen.
TUESDAY “
When the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?" Luke 18:8 Who honestly believed this could happen? It never had before! Baseball’s 2004 AL Championship: The Red Sox trailed the NY Yankees 3 games to 0 (best of 7) – and were losing in the last inning of game 4. But a ninth inning rally and three amazing games later, Boston became the first baseball team ever to come back from 0-3 to win a 7-game series. Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. He said: “In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared what people thought. And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, ‘Grant me justice against my adversary.’ For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, ‘Even though I don’t fear God or care what people think, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won’t eventually come and attack me!’” And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?” (Luke 18:1-8) Prayer: Lord, don’t let my faith slip when I feel like I am losing, that things and situations and even people are against me. I know that you are for me and that is all that matters…
WEDNESDAY Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith Hebrews 12:2 Eye on the prize: Olympics 1972: When runner Lasse Viren slips and falls near the halfway mark of the 10,000 meter final, his chance of victory seems to slip away as well. But Viren calmly gets to his feet, runs his way back into contention and eventually overtakes even the leader – not only winning the gold, but setting a world record in the process.
THURSDAY Jesus said to the woman, "Your faith has saved you; go in peace." Luke 7:50 Football: NFL playoff game Jan 3rd, 1999. Trailing 353, back-up quarterback Frank Reich masterminds a Buffalo Bill’s comeback against Houston. Steve Christie's 32yard overtime field goal seals a stunning victory for the Bills – with a back-up quarterback!! Whether anybody else believed, apparently Frank Reich did – and saved the game! Thought: Your faith in Jesus is powerful because of God’s faithfulness.
FRIDAY I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. Luke 22:32 Ever heard of “willing” a team to victory? Basketball, December 11, 2004: Orlando Magic player Tracy McGrady scores 13 points in 35 seconds, erasing a 10-point lead in the final minute of a Rockets-Spurs game. Unparalleled achievement! Jesus “willed” for Peter’s victory – even prayed for it! While Peter failed that night, he won the battle by finding forgiveness, moving forward and honoring God with later obedience that was amazing – like Jesus had “willed” it into him. Who could you be praying for that could use a infusion of hope? Now pray for them and consider how else you might be of service to them along with praying.
SATURDAY ...that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other's faith. Romans 1:12 Soccer: 1957, London: With host Charlton a man down and Huddersfield enjoying a 5-1 lead after 70 minutes, Charlton seemed dead and buried. Many fans left early and missed the final, frenetic 20 minutes. Those who stayed saw the home team score a final goal as time was expiring, winning 7-6 in spectacular comeback fashion. The Ap. Paul wanted dearly to get to Rome and share some spiritual blessings, that both parties would end up encouraged. Think about how you can do the same for others in your world. How badly do you want to bless others as an instrument of God? Plan to encourage others while attending worship at your chosen time!
SUNDAY It is by grace you have been saved, through faith
Eph. 2:8
Hardly a sport – and not at all a game, but still the greatest comeback in history: Jerusalem ~30 A.D. Jesus not only seemed dead and buried – he was dead and buried. His fans left heartbroken, and only a faithful few (not expecting him to win), came back to even see what happened in the end. What they found was an unexpected comeback victory and the celebration has not stopped since that moment of resurrection. With God, it ain’t over – even when the fat lady sings!
