Genesis opens with the creation story.  We learn that God was in the beginning and that He made all that has been made.  Genesis 1:3 opens with these words, “And God said.” That is a powerful statement.  The means of creation was God’s spoken word.  That is to say God spoke everything that presently exists into existence.  Once there was nothing. Zero!  Before God spoke there was nothing.  But when God spoke, everything changed and the creation began to take shape and form.  That’s a staggering thought!  For those who might advocate for a “big bang” origin of the universe, these three words, “And God said,” counter that theory.  Creation did not emerge from nothing.  Indeed, God was and is, if you will, “the big bang.”  He, and He alone, is the agent behind creation and the existence of earth, life on earth and all that stars and planets that we can see and even beyond what we can see.  Again, that is a staggering thought.
            When you read Genesis 1, you find the same refrain echoing through this chapter, “And God said.”  God commanded the creation to come into existence.  God did not say “bang” and then allow everything to rush forward like a runaway train.  God created carefully by design, with purpose and for His glory.  We learn that God carefully created human life in His own image.  Genesis 1:27 says, “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.”  Long before this earth and life on this earth came into existence, the eternal and infinite God we worship was there.  He was present—Father, Son and Holy Spirit.  But God did not remain silent.  He spoke.  He commanded that the creation He designed come into being simply by the declaration of His Word.
            We give thanks today that God continued to speak long past the initial moments of creation where things began to take shape.  Today, we possess God’s Word.  His Word shows us His ways and His standards for how we are to live.  God is the creator: He alone was present in the beginning.  So, this truth teaches us that God decides what is good or bad and right or wrong.  We take our values not from culture, influencers, trends or whatever we may wish was true.  We take our values from God—what He has deemed to be good or bad.  Vance Havner, the late Baptist preacher, once humorously but wisely said that we may have our own ideas how the universe ought to be run.  But the problem is we do not have our own universe to run.  We live in the universe made by the Lord who made us.  God owns the universe—not us.  And His ownership gives Him the fiat right to declare how it should exist.
            When you read the Bible, take some time to consider all the occasions where the Bible says that “God said” or “the LORD said.”  He has not left us adrift and aimless about how to live in this world.  Do we routinely listen to what God has said in His Word or do we try to apply our wisdom to situations that we face?  Does Scripture shape the way we think and live?  Is Scripture simply an afterthought—or something we deploy as a way of backing up what we have already chosen to believe?  Good theology and lasting values always begin with God.  Why?  Because only God was in the beginning.  Just as His spoken Word produced the creation out of nothing, He continues to form, shape and direct His people by His Word today—the Word that we know as Scripture.  As you read the Bible, breathe into your mind and heart what God has said.  God’s written Word remains timeless for us as the lasting authority for all that we believe and cherish.  We hear God in His Word today—clearly, graciously and providentially.  Give thanks today that God has spoken.  And live out of your life what He has said and declared to be right, true and good.  Have a great Monday!

           We can use the word “build” in a variety of ways.  It can mean construction of a home or business.  Build can refer to developing physical perseverance or endurance through exercise.  We can speak of building our faith as well.  Psalm 127:1a says, “Unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labor in vain.”  This verse is often seen as a backdrop for Solomon’s work to build the first temple for the Lord.  And rightly so.  You may recall that David wanted to build the temple but God chose Solomon to build it instead of David.  I have seen this verse quoted a number of times at disaster rebuilding projects and places. This verse is often written on studs, beams and drywall as new homes take shape.  And certainly, we want our homes to be places where the Lord is honored and exalted.  It makes sense to attach God’s Word to our homes as a way of remembering His goodness and many provisions and our weakness apart from Him.
            We can also think of the Lord building a temple of faith within us.  Those who have come to faith and trust in Jesus are the dwelling place of the Holy Spirit—not buildings and palaces.  The Bible says, “Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own” (1 Corinthians 6:19).  The Holy Spirit is the Lord living in us and with us.  That’s pretty amazing isn’t it? What is the Holy Spirit building in believers where He dwells?  There are at least a few things we can name.
            First, the Holy Spirit is building our faith in Jesus.  He is developing a bedrock, unshakable, everlasting faith in the sufficiency of Jesus and His death and resurrection.  He is at work to help us walk with Christ more faithfully each day and to cast our cares upon Him. He is good and sufficient always and at all times.  The Spirit helps to cast out our doubts and worries as we see the goodness and holiness of God more and more.  The Spirit continues to remind us of the power of the gospel and the sufficiency of the gospel to save and keep us.    
            Second, the Holy Spirit is producing His fruit in us—fruit like love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness and self-control (see Galatians 5:22-23).  The fruit that He produces in us is to be lived out by us.  This fruit is to season our relationships with others and our service to Him.  These fruits cannot be produced by us—no matter how hard we may try.  There is no vitamin to take or class to take.  Only the Lord can make and produce this fruit—if we try in our strength, we simply labor in vain.
            Third, the Holy Spirit gives us His gifts for serving the Lord and building up the Church of Jesus Christ.  Spiritual gifts are not talents.  They are special gifts or endowments that the Spirit chooses to place within us so we can serve the cause of the gospel with our lives.  Every believer has a gift (or possibly gifts) to use.  The only question is whether we will take time to discover those gifts and then put them into practice.  The Holy Spirit has not left us alone to figure out ways to serve Christ.  He has equipped us with what we need to bless others and to serve Him.  The Lord does not limit His call and ministry to those who have it all together.  He equips and qualifies those whom He chooses to call. 
            Fourth, the Holy Spirit helps us to understand Scripture.  He builds within us a knowledge of God’s Word and a love for that Word.  He helps us to understand the Bible and to live out God’s ways.  The Spirit helps us to pray.  The Bible says, “In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans” (Romans 8:26).  When we struggle with even how to pray for something, the Spirit goes to work to translate our groans into petitions to the Father. 
            When we think about the message of Psalm 127:1a, we see the totality of what God has done for us.  He has saved us through His Son’s death and resurrection.  He equips and provides for us each day through the presence of His Holy Spirit.  He never abandons us or forsakes us.  He has written a beautiful story for His people that brings glory to Him as we live by faith and trust in Him.  Consider today what the Lord might wish to build in you. See where the Lord might be stirring a need in you to trust Him and to lean into Him.  Trust the Lord to build an enduring house of faith in your life—a house that lives as a legacy for your family, friends and future generations to see.  Have a great Thursday!

           At creation, God declared everything that He had made to be good. Not okay. Not acceptable. But good. Soon, everything would change. Adam and Eve would be tempted by the serpent and disobey God. Sadly, they trusted their eyes and ears more than they trusted God. Genesis 3:6-7 says, “When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so, they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.” This disobedience by Adam and Eve permanently changed the once good and perfect creation made by God. Sin would quickly take hold and even lead to the great flood as an act of God’s judgment upon the world and its sinfulness. Sin and the scourge of sin remain in our world today.
         Still today, we feel the lingering effects of the fall and the disobedience of Adam and Eve. But God has promised a new day. And we know by faith and the authority of the Bible that a new creation is coming. But for now, we live in a world that is fallen and is fading away. The Bible says, “For this world in its present form is passing away” (1 Corinthians 7:31b). That sentence reads as a conclusion. There is not much room for debate or interpretation. We believe God’s Word is true so we also believe this conclusion is true. However, there are some life lessons for us to be found in this verse. These life lessons teach us how to live in a world that is fading while we anticipate a world that is soon coming.
         First, this world belongs to God. He made it. This world is His to do with as He pleases. The great preacher Vance Havner once noted that we might think we have good ideas about how to run the universe. But the problem is we do not have our own universe. We do not have our own world to manage either. God is free to do as He chooses with this world. He will usher in the end of time in a way and time of His choosing. Second, we are not to become too attached to this world or the things of this world. Nothing we possess will last forever (short of God’s Word and the soul He made within us). We are to set our hearts and minds on the things above (Colossians 3:1-2). We are to know the Lord and walk with Him in dependence and obedience each day. Our mission in life is not to accumulate all we can as quickly as we can. Our mission is to live for Him. Each day and breath bring us closer to seeing and knowing Him face to face.
        Third, a new world is coming. This new world will not be marred by sin, sickness, death and a slow, decaying demise. God will make a new world where He will forever dwell with His people. And we will dwell with Him free from the burdens and brokenness of this life. Jesus encouraged His disciples with this good news just hours before going to the cross. Jesus said, “My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me so that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going” (John 14:1-3). We live in anticipation of this day and this coming new place. For those who belong to Christ, we have no reason to fear death or the passing away of this world. There is a better one on the way that will last forever.
         Fourth, we trust the details of this new world to the Lord. It will be far, far better than anything we could design or even imagine. The Bible says that no eye has seen, no ear has heard and no human mind has ever conceived of the things God has prepared for those who love him (1 Corinthians 2:9). Take your best thoughts and highest hopes and multiply them by a billion and you will still not be able to imagine what God will prepare for the world and life to come. If we are discouraged by many daily events, we need to lift our eyes and hearts to what is coming. Speak of your faith and the new world to come to those you know who need to know the Lord and need a church home. Have a great Thursday!

           Racing is a popular sport.  When we hear the word racing, we think of cars, athletes, horses, cycling, marathons, sprints and sailing boats.  Racing is also an illustration of the Christian life and walk.  Paul wrote about “finishing the race” of faith that had been entrusted to Him or to us.  Hebrews 12:1 says, “And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith” (Hebrews 12:1b-2a).  That one passage in Hebrews has some important lessons for how we live out our faith today. 
            First, the Bible says, “us” as in “let us run.”  The Christian life is designed to be lived out in community with other believers.  We are not really called to live as solo followers of Jesus.  Simply put, we need other believers—brothers and sisters in Christ who can stand with us and beside us in times of celebration and sorrow.  And even stand beside us in those times where we are just pushing through the ordinary challenges of life.  We can pray for each other and even disciple each other.  The Christian life can be challenging to live even with a community of believers standing with us and cheering us on.  It can be doubly hard if we are trying to navigate our way through life alone.
            Second, the Bible uses the word “run.”  We are moving as followers of Jesus.  Indeed, to be a follower of Jesus suggests movement.  We are walking with and behind Him.  We often sing the hymn “Footsteps of Jesus.”  To be a Christian today means we are in consistent movement for the gospel and to serve the Lord wherever He might direct us to go.  We have not been saved by Christ and saved from sin simply to sit down and stay stationary.  We have been saved to serve the Lord.  And if we serve the Lord well, we will be moving.  We will run with great joy and excitement for His glory.    
            Third, we run with perseverance.  Another word for perseverance can be endurance.  To persevere means we do not give up at the first sign of trouble or failure.  We make a commitment to run for the long haul.  The Christian life is more precisely described as a marathon as opposed to a sprint.  We are to run for distance more than speed.  To run with perseverance means we have to develop some thick skin—some armor that protects us from the enemy and His attacks and ways.  The enemy does not play fairly.  Satan is a liar, a thief, a murderer and a destroyer.  We have to know that he will do any number of things to frustrate us in our daily race.  But God has graciously given us the armor of God to wear as we run the race of a follower of Jesus.  The armor is named for us in Ephesians 6:13-18.
            Fourth, we are to run the race marked out for us.  We are not in a competition with other believers or other churches.  God has a distinct and determined race that He wants us to run for His glory.  The expression “stay in your lane” is appropriate in this context.  We do not all run the same race.  For example, a single mom committed to Christ might be running a very different race than an empty-nest couple with no children at home.  A recent retiree might be facing a very different race than a college freshman is called by God to run. God, in His providence and wisdom, has marked out a race for us to run as we glorify Him with the life and breath entrusted to us.  Hebrews 12:2 tells us to set or fix “our eyes on Jesus—the author and perfecter of our faith.”  Seeing Jesus each day inspires us to run, with passion and urgency, the race that He has marked out for us. We run with the confidence that one day we will wake up in His arms and spend forever with Him.  Like the first disciples, we drop our nets and follow Him.    
            Hebrews 11 is often called “the hall of faith.”  That title is a play on words with the many halls of fame that we have represented around us for different sports or vocations. Hebrews 11 contains the names of many inspirational biblical figures who all shared at least one important trait—they possessed great faith in God to sustain them and to provide for them in whatever circumstances they found themselves.  By faith, we look to the Lord to provide the grace we need to run any race, to serve any place and to become anything He calls us to be.  Run well today with faith in the author of your race—the very One who has laid out the course and who accompanies you on each step you take.  Have a great Monday!          
   

           We often think of Romans as a book that is heavy on theology and doctrine.  And rightfully so.  It does address important matters like salvation, justification, sin, repentance, the role of Israel (past and future) and the sovereignty of God.  But Romans is also a book that gives us plenty of good practical guidance and direction.  For example, Romans 12:9 says, “hate what is evil; cling to what is good.”  Only nine words long but this command sets the tone for a good life. These nine words deserve our reflection and time.  We are to hate and reject anything that is evil and wicked.  We are to renounce it and discard it from our lives.  Plain enough for all to understand.  Paul reminds us in Ephesians 6 that we do not fight against flesh and blood.  Rather, our battle is spiritual in nature against the enemy himself.  We fight the enemy by wearing the armor of God and standing firm in God’s ways, Word and truth.  If we are going to hate evil, we must be fully prepared to do that—using what God has already provided.  
            Jesus reminded us that we cannot serve two masters.  The Lord said, “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money” (Matthew 6:24).   We cannot serve God and anything else—whether money, power, fame or evil.  God does not share His glory with anyone.  He does call us to make Him one more thing in our lives. He is our life!  To serve and love God means we make no place for evil and do not even entertain evil in our lives.  We follow the command of Romans 12 and decide to hate evil. We consciously choose to turn away from all evil.
            The other side of the Romans 12:9 command is to cling to what is good.  How do we understand good?  Well, goodness begins with God.  Indeed, Jesus said, “’Why do you call me good?’ Jesus answered. ‘No one is good—except God alone’” (Mark 10:18).  God is good.  So, we cling to God.  We cling to God in our battles against temptation and sin.  We cling to God when the enemy assaults us or deceives us.  The Bible consistently teaches us that God, and Him alone, is our rock, fortress and refuge.  Psalm 18:2 says, “The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.”  God always acts in ways that are good and good for us—both now and with eternity in mind. 
            We also understand “good” or “goodness” to be a fruit of the Holy Spirit (see Galatians 5:22-23 for a full accounting of all nine fruits of the Spirit).  When described as a fruit of the Spirit, goodness is something we want our lives to bear and produce.  We are not able to do this by ourselves or in our strength.  But the Holy Spirit can produce goodness in and through lives that are submitted to Him.  He can help us decide what is the good path to follow in any situation.  He can empower us to yield the fruit of goodness when we may be tempted to settle for something far less. 
            To “cling” to what is good means we hang on as tightly as possible.  The image might be hanging on to a limb or rock to protect ourselves from going over a cliff or ledge. The Bible is commanding us to cling to what is good because Satan can so easily deceive us into something that slips and slides into evil.  Remember how Satan deceived Adam and Eve in the middle of a paradise called the Garden of Eden.  Sadly, it can be easy for us to turn our eyes and hearts away from what is good and toward what is evil.        David was deceived by his eyes in his ordeal with Bathsheba.  Lot was deceived by his eyes when he chose to move to the land of Sodom.  When standing face to face with Jesus, the rich young ruler could not get past all that he had and the riches he possessed so he could faithfully follow Jesus.  He saw his wealth more than he saw Jesus and what Jesus offered to him.  We are not to make light of evil or the enemy because he can deceptively turn our attention away from what is good and toward what is evil.  Cling to God.  Cling to His Word. Cling to prayer.  Cling to a few good brothers or sisters who are always in your corner and lifting you up with friendship, prayer and encouragement.  Have a great Thursday!
   

            Psalm 75 is a song.  We usually read it today but it could just as well be sung by Christians and churches everywhere.  Indeed, it was sung by ancient Israel as a worship song to the Lord centuries ago.  This psalm is only ten verses long but there is a curious word that we find in it more than once.  That word is “horns.”  We might think of an animal with horns or a car horn.  Neither one of those interpretations is right in this part of the Bible.  In Psalm 75, “horns” meant strength—specifically human strength.  In verses 4-5 we read, “To the arrogant I say, ‘Boast no more,’ and to the wicked, ‘Do not lift up your horns.  Do not lift your horns against heaven; do not speak so defiantly.’”  The message is do not flaunt your strength before the Lord in pride or arrogance.  We are not to make more of ourselves than we should.  We are not to think we are bigger and stronger than we really are.  When compared to the Lord, the One who created all things and parted the Red Sea, we are incredibly weak and frail.  We are to lean into humility and meekness—not pride, arrogance or our own strength.  We are to lean into the strength of the Lord as we seek to serve and honor Him. 
            Unfortunately, sin has been a reality in the world since the days of Adam and Eve and the early pages of the Bible.  We are sinners—you and me—and we need a Savior.  Our sinful state is one reason we are not to lift up our horns against heaven.  We come before the Lord in humility and repentance—seeking to be remade, redeemed and made new.  The Lord gave a final warning in the last verse of Psalm 75, “I will cut off the horns of all the wicked, but the horns of the righteous will be lifted up” (verse 10).  The strength (horns) and deeds of the righteous will be lifted up and will endure.  This verse seems to be saying that God will multiply the strength of the humble.  He will amplify the strength of those who come to Him in contrition and gentleness. 
            Psalm 75 seems to present us with a choice.  We can be strong in our own eyes or we can be strong in the Lord’s eyes.  We can brag about our power and might or we can lean into God’s ways.  It can be hard to sing praises to God or to give thanks to God if we are consumed with elevating ourselves or pleading our case.  We often miss God if we are focused too narrowly or too tightly upon ourselves.  Only God belongs on the throne of the universe or the throne of your heart or mine. 
            You may remember that Satan’s fall from heaven originated in his pride and his selfish ambition to rise above the throne of God.  The prophet Isaiah recorded Satan’s fall in these words, “You said in your heart, ‘I will ascend to the heavens; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights of Mount Zaphon. I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.’  But you are brought down to the realm of the dead, to the depths of the pit” (Isaiah 14:13-15). 
            God does not delight in the proud or puffed up.  But He does delight in those who exalt Him and make much of His glory and ways.  Rather than showing off our horns, or strength, may we come before the Lord with empty hands and an empty heart to receive from the rich, bottomless well of His strength.  May we see ourselves as sheep in need of the Good Shepherd, as orphans in need of the loving Father and as sinners in need of the Savior. God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.  May we daily go to the Lord to draw from His strength and boundless might.  May we pray and live by the words of Psalm 139:23-24, “Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.  See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”  To those who seek Him and His ways, the Lord makes this promise, “May the Lord give you the desire of your heart and make all your plans succeed” (Psalm 20:4).  We enjoy this success when we allow our desires and plans to take second place to what the Lord has for us.  May our desires and plans increasingly give way to what He has for us.  Have a great Monday!  
 

           Jesus taught the Lord’s Prayer in Matthew 6:9-13.  Almost in the middle of this model prayer, Jesus said, “Give us this day our daily bread” (Matthew 6:11).  If you have ever thought about memorizing Scripture, this simple verse is a good place to start. While only seven words long, this verse teaches us some important lessons about the faithfulness of God and our need to lean into His faithfulness every day.  At first glance and reading, we might conclude that this verse is a prayer for food—our daily bread.  We might think it is a prayer whereby we ask God to give us the food we need to do the work of the day and to complete the tasks of the day.  Such an initial conclusion or interpretation is not wrong.  Not at all.  But it might be incomplete.  And it might be at risk of selling this verse a little short or underestimating all that this verse has to say to us.  It may be good to zoom out to take a broader look at the truth that Jesus was trying to teach us in these seven words.
            First, this verse reminds us that God is more than able to meet ALL needs—not just the need for food each day.  Every need can be met by the Lord.  Nothing is too great for Him to do.  This verse teaches us the truth that Peter wrote later in the New Testament.  We are to cast all our cares (hunger and all others) on the Lord because He cares for us (1 Peter 5:7).  Our God is able.  His grace is sufficient for us.  This verse is the voice of our Creator and Savior speaking to us and calling us to call upon His name for the daily bread and daily blessings that we need.
            Second, this verse teaches us to trust whatever God grants and supplies to us.  We can note that Jesus’ teaching did not give us a specific kind of bread, or a specific quantity of bread or the times when we would like the bread to be delivered.  Jesus did not get bogged down in the details because there was no need to do so.  Too many details lead to the risk of missing what Jesus was trying to teach us.  God is able to do exceedingly and abundantly more than all we could ever ask or imagine (see Ephesians 3:20).  God does not have to ration bread or just provide a small bite here and there.  His warehouse of daily blessings is infinitely full—much bigger than all the world’s bakeries and bread houses combined.  Even more than all the Amazons of the world.  The Lord even knows what we need before we ask Him to supply that need (Matthew 6:8). 
            Third, we do not have to sweat the deadlines or trials that we face.  God has what we need when we need it.  He is not too late or too early in sending the daily gifts of bread, grace, strength or forgiveness.  Our view of God is often too small.  Our brains can easily lock into one way of seeing God but it never does justice to His power and might.  God spoke the vast universe into existence.  God has ordered and planned history in a way that brings glory to Him.  Surely our daily needs are not too big for Him to satisfy.
            Fourth, this verse from Jesus teaches us to approach the Lord daily—not on occasion or a whim.  Daily.  We may have to wait on an appointment with a doctor or for
a haircut but we never have to wait in line to talk with God or be received by Him.  We can always go boldly and immediately to His throne of grace (see Hebrews 4:16).  You can also return to the Lord’s throne as many times as you like on any day.  God’s throne is more like a buffet than a drive through.  We can delight in His goodness and grace throughout the day.  Some may never pray or even approach God apart from Sundays.  But God is no less accessible the other six days of the week either.  God taught Israel to seek Him daily through the gift of manna.  Manna was not to be gathered in advance (with the exception of the Sabbath) or stored up for future use.  By inviting people to gather their manna, their daily bread, each day at a time, the Lord was teaching Israel a lesson about His goodness and faithfulness.  Memorize the seven words that make up Matthew 6:11. Let these seven simple words capture your mind and heart to see and know God in greater ways!  Have a great Thursday!

          Forgetfulness can be a problem.  Some forms of forgetfulness are little more than an aggravation.  Other forms can be costly or consequential.  In Psalm 106:13, the Bible says, “but soon they forgot what He had done.”  The word “they” speaks of Israel.  The pronoun “He” speaks of the Lord.  Putting these words together, this verse is telling us that Israel forgot the Lord.  And this verse tells us Israel forgot the Lord “soon.”  They had a short memory of the how God had delivered them from slavery and captivity in Egypt and opened the waters of the Red Sea so they could safely pass on dry ground to the other side—safely ahead of the onrushing Egyptian army.
         We would think that such a thing would be remembered forever!  How could anyone forget God parting the waters of the Red Sea or subsequently closing the same water on top of the Egyptians in pursuit?  Yet, Israel did forget.  In this context, we could speak of forgetfulness as living as though God did not exist.  We might call this functional atheism—though professing a belief in God, one can often live as if God did not exist.  Deuteronomy 6:12 issued a warning, “be careful that you do not forget the Lord.”  If you are reading these words, then it is probably fair to say that you do not want to forget the Lord.  But are good intentions enough?  We need to take some actions to ensure that we do not forget the Lord in our days.
         First, be mindful of your blessings.  Intentionally look at all the ways God has blessed you and what specifically He has done for you.   Psalm 103:2 says, “Praise the LORD, my soul, and forget not all his benefits.”  When we look for blessings, we are more inclined to remember the Lord who is the maker and giver of all blessings.  When we remember God’s blessings, we remember Him.  Second, speak with God.  It is not easy to forget those we speak with every day.  If too much time passes in your conversations with the Lord, your heart can easily grow cold and your mind forgetful toward Him.  Pray as often as you can. Talking with the Lord keeps you connected to and walking with Him.
         Third, keep some favorite Bible verses handy so you can remember the Lord.  You might post these on your refrigerator or the screen of your phone.  You might choose to post these on your social media accounts so you are reminded of the Lord when you read these words. Write them on a calendar or put them on a desk.  Keeping God’s Word visible and before you will help you to remember the God of the Word.  Fourth, be quick to seek God’s forgiveness.  Perhaps nothing leads us to forget about the Lord more than disobedience to Him.  We can get consumed by sin and disobedience to the point that we think little of God anymore if at all.  Israel often had moments in time where the nation slipped into idolatry and false religion.  They forgot about God and chose their ways above His.
         Finally, Psalm 63:6 says, “On my bed I remember you; I think of you through the watches of the night.”  If you find yourself struggling to fall asleep or even waking frequently through the night, use those occasions to think about the Lord.  Redeem that time.  Do not just roll restlessly in your bed, think about the Lord.  Talk with Him.  God works the night shift. There is never a time when God will push us away if we call upon His Name and choose to remember His many acts of goodness toward us.  A man or woman who remembers the Lord is usually a thankful person.  A grateful heart can remind us of the gift we have in knowing and walking with the Lord at all times and in all ways. Psalm 107:9 promises that God can satisfy the thirsty and fill the hungry with good things.  May we remember Him and return quickly when we have forgotten Him.  Have a great Monday!

            Most of us would agree that exercise is a good idea and a healthy habit to practice.  There are plenty of ways you can exercise and develop a healthy lifestyle.  The Bible speaks about training—but a different kind of training than physical exercise.  Paul wrote in 1 Timothy 4:7 to “train yourself to be godly.”  Paul was writing to a young man named Timothy—a man who was much like a son to Paul and a man whom Paul was mentoring and discipling in the faith.  The message is to take intentional and regular action to get more of Christ in your mind and life.  Paul wrote in Romans 15:18, “I will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me.”  Paul was committed to developing His faith by saturating His heart and mind with Christ.
            David Mathis, in his book Habits of Grace, writes that there are three principles we must remember and practice if we are to train ourselves for godliness.  Those three principles concern hearing God’s voice (the Bible), having God’s ear (praying) and belonging to His body (worshipping and growing with other believers).  These principles do not happen automatically or by accident.  We choose to bring these spiritual disciplines into our lives.  And when we introduce these practices into our lives, we begin to see the good results.  We begin to grow in godliness and soon our walk with Christ produces good and abundant fruit (think of the fruit of the Spirit found in Galatians 5:22-23).
            We lean on God’s grace to develop these disciplines.  The Lord is the God of all grace (1 Peter 5:10).  It is by His grace, that He shows us how to live and how to train ourselves for godliness.  By coming to saving faith in Jesus, Christians believe that the ways of Christ are superior to the ways of the world.  Christ can transform any heart or mind that is open to Him and drawn to Him by the convicting power of the Holy Spirit.  In John 4, Jesus told the Samaritan woman at the well that anyone who drinks the water He offers will never thirst again.  Christ, and Christ alone, can satisfy our deepest hunger, thirst and needs.
            Develop a lifestyle of reading the Bible.  Let God’s voice speak to you through His written Word.  God will always speak to us in ways that conform to His Word.  When we read the Bible, we can be confident that we are ingesting the wisdom and truth of God alone.  Cultivate a life of prayer.  Your prayer life may look like a time where you formally talk with God about your life and the lives of others—times where you praise Him and ask Him to be at work in you, in others or in situations.  But we are also reminded to pray without ceasing and to pray continuously (1 Thessalonians 5:17).  We can pray throughout the day and maintain a dialogue with God like you might maintain with a family member or a close friend.  When we belong to the body of Christ, the church, we have opportunities to worship and grow with other believers who desire the same things.  Scripture teaches us to come together to worship, to study, to serve and to share life with other Christians.  We are not to neglect these paramount things.
            God can supply the grace we need to read His Word regularly, to pray frequently
and to gather with other believers devotedly.  His grace is able to supply all of our needs and that includes training for godliness and living a life that is pleasing to Him.   God can grant to us a passion for His Word, time in prayer and growing alongside other believers who prioritize their spiritual health.  In a world that is increasingly confusing and chaotic, we can thrive when we are pursuing godliness and living for Christ.  John Piper suggests that we should preach the gospel to ourselves every day.  May we always remember what Christ won for us at the cross so we can live boldly and unashamedly for Him each day! Have a great Thursday!

           Psalm 78 is a little past halfway through Psalms. We believe it was written as a musical offering of praise to the Lord.  It reads as a chapter that could have easily been sung in worship to the Lord.  When we read this Psalm, we learn some important lessons about God’s compassion and forgiveness. For example, Psalm 78:38-39 says, “Yet He was merciful; He forgave their iniquities and did not destroy them. Time after time He restrained his anger and did not stir up His full wrath. He remembered that they were but flesh, a passing breeze that does not return.” It is comforting to know that God is gracious, kind and forgiving when we come to Him in contrition and humility.  A few important truths stand out in these two verses for us to see.
            First, we read the word “yet.” God sees and knows our sins, yet He offers us forgiveness when we turn to Him. Our sins do not have the last word. We do not have to remain saddled with the guilt and shame of our sins. God has a solution. God has a
perfect “yet” or way to respond to anything we confess. God is not surprised by our sins. He already knows what we have done. We are already guilty. Yet, the cross has the power to cancel and cover our sins—and not just for a moment but for eternity.  Second, we read “He was merciful” and “He forgave.” Only God has the ability and right to forgive sins. We cannot forgive ourselves. No church can forgive us. We cannot offset our sins
with a pile of good deeds. God is gracious in that he gives us what we have not deserved.  And He is merciful in that He has withheld what we do deserve.  When God forgives, He scatters our sins as far as the east is from the west (Psalm 103:12). The Bible says that “He does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us for our iniquities” (Psalm 103:10). If you are guilty or ashamed today, bow your head before the Lord now, confess your sins and ask for His mercy and forgiveness. He will hear you and pardon your sins!
            Third, God restrains His anger today. He would be perfectly justified in condemning us and destroying us here and now for how we have lived. We have chosen our ways above His ways and loved ourselves much more than we have loved Him. But now is the time of God’s grace and favor. Now is the time when the Lord beckons us to come to Him and accept His free grace.  God unleashed His wrath and anger at the cross—Christ took that penalty in our place and for us. He gave His life so we might be free from the penalty and burden of sin now and, more importantly, for eternity.
            Fourth, God remembers that we are “but flesh.” He knows our weaknesses and limitations. He knows our failures and frailties. He remembers we are flesh and that our flesh is weak. Jesus said to His disciples, when they fell asleep in the Garden of
Gethsemane, “The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” Psalm 103:14 says, “for He knows how we are formed, He remembers that we are dust.” God sees us as we are—sinful, failures and brokenness. Yet, He does love us and has done everything necessary and imaginable to redeem us from sin and set us free. When others frustrate us, we should remember that they are “but flesh,” just as we are “but flesh” too. One day this flesh will give way to spirit and God will make all things new. But for now, He remembers we are “but flesh.” We can be thankful that God’s love for us is never conditional upon anything we have done or not done or anything we may be or fail to be. God’s love is anchored in His unchanging character and grace.  And for that, we rejoice.  Have a great Monday—and spend some time in the encouraging words of Psalm 78!

           Isaiah is one of the major prophets.  His words spread over sixty-six chapters.  He is the prophet who foretells us of Jesus’ birth through a virgin, the names of Jesus that we remember and honor at Christmas and Jesus’ suffering at the cross for our forgiveness and redemption.  Isaiah gives us many promises about God and His ways that we can cherish today.  One such promise is Isaiah 12:2 which says, “Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid.  The Lord, the Lord himself, is my strength and my defense; he has become my salvation.”  A few important truths stand out about God for us to apply to our lives today.
            First, Isaiah used the word “behold.”  That’s a powerful word that serves as a revelation.  It grabs our attention.  Isaiah seemed to convey a sense of urgency that he wants his hearers and readers to take note of what is about to follow.  Any time we find the word “behold” in the Bible we need to pay attention to what follows.  It is a powerful introduction.  In Isaiah 12, “behold” serves to grab our attention and to sit us down so we can take in what is going to come next. 
            Second, Isaiah wrote, “God is.”  That is a present tense declaration.  God is.  God’s existence, power and influence do not run out or wane.  We could insert a number of words or phrases after the declaration “God is.”  You may remember at the burning bush that God revealed His name to be “I AM.”  God is Lord over all time and existence.  We can trust anything and everything to Him.  In John’s gospel, Jesus invoked the name “I AM” seven different times in declaring His identity (for example...I AM...the light of the world, the bread of life, the good shepherd).  It is a joy to wake up each morning and simply declare that God is.
            Third, Isaiah continued by saying “God is my salvation.”  The prophet personalized salvation by using the personal pronoun “my.”  God is the one who saves.  He saves us from sin, death and an eternity apart from Him.  God is the answer to my (or your) questions.  God is the one who delivers us from situations and moments that overwhelm or frighten us.  God does for us what we are powerless to do ourselves.  God does what human institutions cannot accomplish.  He alone is “my salvation.”
            Fourth, Isaiah follows up this declaration by stating two outcomes.  Isaiah said, “I will trust.” We can trust God.  We can trust our future to Him.  We can trust every heartbeat to Him.  In those times where we cannot see ahead or around the corner, we can confidently say “I will trust.”  Much of the Christian life is about trusting God and entrusting ourselves to Him.  Jesus bids us to lay up treasures in heaven (Matthew 6:19-21).  The gift of “trust” is a treasure.  We may not have many people or things where we can place full trust but we have the Lord.  The second outcome is we will “not be afraid.”  We do not fear the things that might ordinarily cause us fear.  We do not have to fear death or disease—they will not ultimately claim us.  We do not have to fear the words or innuendoes of others—God is our shield and defender.  Isaiah’s statement “not be afraid” is broad and inclusive of almost anything we might imagine or experience that would create fear within us.  It has been said that we “faith” our fears.  That sentence sounds awkward and might not well pass a grammar test or screening but it is really good theology.  We can “faith” our fears because the Lord invites us not to be afraid.  God reminded Israel at the shoreline of the Red Sea just to stand still; they did not have to do anything because the Lord would fight for them and deliver them.  We can rest and remain in Him today—and throughout our lives.  He is good.  All fears are defeated by His power and promises.  Peter (1 Peter 5:7) invites us to cast all our cares upon Him—and that includes the fears we might face or harbor. 
            The simple verses in the Bible pack great power for our faith.  The message of Isaiah 12:2, though written centuries ago in a place far, far away, is a bedrock promise for us today.  We can return to it daily (or even hourly) as needed.  We can recite and remember these promises that are for our good.  Perhaps you could commit this verse to memory and say it to yourself when you are in need of peace and God’s many assurances.  Faith comes by hearing the Word of God.  Let yourself hear these words from Isaiah.  Have a great Monday!

         David is thought to be the author of Psalm 27. Some suggest that he might have written this Psalm when he was on the run from Saul and trying to escape Saul’s threats and violent anger. He began Psalm 27 with a declaration of fearlessness. He wrote, “The Lord is my light and my salvation—whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life—of whom shall I be afraid?” David was not fearless because of his power or cleverness. He was fearless because of the Lord and his solemn trust in the Lord. In a word, David knew the Lord. Often in the Psalms, David wrote of God being his refuge and strength (see Psalm 7:1 and 7:10). Turning to the Lord is the right choice when we find ourselves in a struggle or facing a situation that could easily overwhelm us.
          In many situations in life, we can live in fear or confidence. We can fear others. We can fear what we cannot control. We can fear situations. We can fear the unknown. But in all four of these examples, the Lord is still greater than any of them. The Lord is without equal or counterpart. We would do well to remember that the Lord is the LORD in anything we might face or encounter. David had this confidence when he wrote, “Though my father and mother forsake me, the LORD will receive me” (Psalm 27:10). Imagine that confidence—though even my own flesh and blood turn from me, the LORD will still receive me and keep watch over me.
         Our highest confidence is never in ourselves, others or situations. Any one of these can fail or change rapidly. Our confidence is always in the Lord. He does not change. “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever” (Hebrews 13:8). This high degree of confidence allows us to do what David wrote at the end of Psalm 27. “Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD” (Psalm 27:14). Our waiting on the Lord is not in vain or a waste of time. God will provide and grant answers in His perfect timing and ways.
         How do we build confidence in the Lord? First, we trust Him with our lives. We trust Him as our Savior and Lord—the One who has done everything necessary for us to be forgiven and made right in our relationship with Him. Coming to know the Lord personally is a crucial first step. Second, we read His Word. We make Bible reading a daily part of our lives. We discover promises we can commit to memory. We see ways that God has performed in the past. We find His ways and answers to a host of situations we may well face in life. Third, we remember where God has worked in the past. We remember His blessings. We remember what He has done for us. The Lord’s faithfulness in the past is a wonderful prologue to His faithfulness in the present and the future.
         Fourth, we cast our cares upon the Lord. We routinely cast on Him, as we are invited to do, the cares that weigh us down and burden us. We hand these things to Him to manage and direct. God invites us to come boldly before His throne because our access to Him has been won and secured for us through His Son Jesus. Listen to the stories of Christians whom you admire and trust—stories of how and when they have cast their cares and burdens on the Lord.
          In life, we really have three strategies we can employ. The first strategy is we can live a pessimistic and defeated life where we live indifferently and apathetically about most things. We can resign ourselves to just floating along with whatever comes our way. The second strategy is that we can live with self-confidence. We can pride ourselves on being self-made and self-sufficient. We can convince ourselves that we can handle anything that happens. That works until it doesn’t. Inevitably, we learn just how limited we are and that the lies we have told ourselves do not work. Life can be a cruel teacher. The third strategy, and the best strategy, is to be confident in Christ. He is our victor and Savior. Confidence in Christ is never misplaced. We remain convinced that He is able and that He will get us to where He wants us to be. We learn to be confident in Christ when we can say that this is the day that the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it! Have a great Thursday!

          In the Bible, David is famous for many moments and achievements.  One of his most memorable moments came before he was king over Israel.  That moment was his battle with Goliath the Philistine giant.  Goliath was nine feet and nine inches tall—almost the size of a basketball goal.  Can you imagine how much money he would make playing basketball today!  No one in Israel wanted to fight this giant.  1 Samuel 17:11 says that “Saul and all the Israelites were dismayed and terrified.”  The Bible says that for forty days, morning and evening, Goliath came to the frontlines to taunt Saul and Israel and to take an imposing stand of defiance.  No one rose up to fight him—probably because no one had a death wish.  But also, there is no mention of Israel ever praying to the LORD about Goliath and what to do.  In human strength alone, a lot of giants and enemies look imposing and threatening.
            But then David chose to fight Goliath.  He said, “Let no one lose heart on account of this Philistine; your servant will go and fight him” (1 Samuel 17:32).  So, David approached Goliath with only a sling and five smooth stones chosen from a stream bed.  When Saul tried to talk David out of fighting this battle, he responded with a powerful statement of faith.  He said, “The LORD who rescued me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will rescue me from the hand of this Philistine” (1 Samuel 17:37).  This faith statement offers some important truths that might speak to us when we face life’s battles and giants today. 
            First, David spoke of the LORD.  No battle can be faithfully fought and righteously won apart from the Lord’s help.  Simply, we need the Lord.  Left to ourselves, we will probably choose the wrong ways and things.  We may still fight battles, but we may likely fight them in ways that are earthly, sinful and carnal.  Winning at all costs or any cost is not a strategy that honors God or brings good things to us.  We first begin by inviting the Lord to be Lord over the battles and giants that we face.  Commit the battle to the Lord.  David said, “for the battle is the LORD’s” (1 Samuel 17:47b). 
            Second, David remembered God’s faithfulness in past times.  He could recall times when God had rescued him from lions and bears and other ordeals.  When we face battles today, we want to remember the goodness of God and the faithfulness of God in the past.  Our memories serve as good prologues and encouragements for today’s battles.  The memories of where and how God has worked can calm our raging pulse, soothe our rapid breathing and steady a racing mind.  Take a deep breath and remember who God is and what He has done for you.
            Third, David was confident in the Lord in the present.  He declared that God “will rescue me from the hand of this Philistine.”  He did not waver.  He did not worry.  We can be confident that God works all things together for our good and His glory (consider Romans 8:28).  God is our rock and refuge.  A quick look at many of the Psalms remind us of God’s majesty and might.  There are no battles or giants too great for the Lord to defeat and prevail over. 
            And finally, David was forward looking.  He eagerly anticipated this battle and how God would work through it to deliver both him and Israel.  He did not postpone it or try to talk Goliath into some alternative to settle things.  We can always look forward to what God has in store for us.  We can always anticipate blessings and God-sightings of where our Lord has faithfully provided and been at work.  We can wake up in the midst of battles and trials and gladly look to where God might be at work and what He is doing next.  We can also stay dedicated to whatever work that God has given us to do.  We can do what God has called us to do and be what God has called us to be while we look forward to what He does next.  Have a great Monday!    

             I’m currently reading in 1 Samuel each day.  There is a tragic story found in I Samuel 4.  To summarize the setting, Israel is defeated in battle by the Philistines.  And subsequently, the Philistines capture the Ark of God.  Eli, the high priest at the time, and his sons, Hophni and Phineas (also priests) die in the aftermath of this military defeat.  In 1 Samuel 4:22 the Bible says, “The glory has departed from Israel, for the Ark of God has been captured.”  Such a sobering summary and painful verdict to hear.  Now, the Ark was not Noah’s Ark.  This Ark represented the presence of God with Israel.  It had been taken into battle by Israel and treated as a sort of “good luck charm.”  It was misused and dishonored by what Israel did.  Though the Ark symbolized God’s presence, it did not guarantee that His favor would rest upon Israel at any time and anywhere and for any reason.  And God permitted Israel to suffer a devastating battlefield defeat.  It was a costly and painful lesson. 
            The expression “the glory of the Lord has departed” is haunting.  We live for the glory of God.  Indeed, the chief goal of humanity is to know the Lord and to bring Him glory forever.  But, let’s be honest, there are times when we fail to glorify God.  There are times when His glory is far from our minds and hearts.  We fail to bring glory to God when we sin and choose our ways above His ways.  We need a Savior, Jesus, because we have sinned and made light of God’s ways and Word.  We have disobeyed Him.  We fail to bring glory to God when we are indifferent toward His Word—by failing to read His Word and being hearers only rather than hearers and doers of His Word. 
            We rob God of His glory when we fail to worship Him.  We can easily find ourselves awash in a host of other things that compete for our time and attention, so we aren’t worshipping God weekly with other believers and individually each day.  We can put distance between the Lord and ourselves.  One of Satan’s most effective tactics is to keep us busy and tied down with many things—and they may be good things.  But these things just enable us to slip away from the Lord slowly and gradually.  We can rob God of His glory when we fail to express our thanksgiving and gratitude to Him.  Psalm 136:1 says, “Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good.”  Psalm 100:4a says, “Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise.”  God delights in hearing our thankfulness and gratitude expressed to Him.  We can be grateful for the host of simple things we enjoy every day—sleep, rest, water, friends, family, food and freedom to worship.
            We can rob God of His glory when we live impulsively and selfishly.  We can live in jealousy.  We can speak badly of others behind their backs.  We can peddle and pass along half-truths, rumors and resentment.  We can easily turn our whims and wishes into what we think is God’s ways and will.  God is not glorified by any of this.  His glory quickly departs from such places and times.  If we find ourselves having robbed God of His glory, it is time to repent and to do so immediately.  We should confess our wickedness to God and ask for His grace.  We should pray that His Holy Spirit would guide us not to do such things again and that we would possess the wisdom to hear and understand that guidance. 
            Sadly, much of the Old Testament is the story of Israel stubbornly and consistently defying and disobeying God.  And Israel failed to learn from their defeats and losses.  Psalm 90:12 says, “Teach us to number our days so that we may gain a heart of wisdom.”  We must realize that life is brief—like a vapor or a morning fog.  And the days graciously given to us are to be lived for HIS glory.  May we make it our ambition to bring glory to Him and to live in conscious awareness of what our words, motivations and actions are doing.  Are we bringing glory to Him or to ourselves?  Repent from the times where you have robbed God of His glory.  Remember what it means to live for Him and His glory.  And return quickly to those times.  Have a great Thursday!

           In Luke 22, Jesus gathered His disciples for the Passover meal—what Christians would come to know as the Last Supper.  We know that Peter denied Jesus three times after the meal and before the cross.  Jesus warned His fisherman-turned-disciple that he was vulnerable to Satan’s tactics and temptations.  The Bible says, “Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift all of you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers” (Luke 22:31-32).  Peter responded to Jesus by insisting that he was ready and willing for anything—come what may—including even prison and death.  Yet, just hours later, Peter folded under pressure and denied even knowing Jesus.  Our mouths often write checks that our actions cannot cash. 
            But before the denials, Jesus issued two more warnings to Peter (and the other disciples).  Jesus said, “Pray that you will not fall into temptation” (Luke 22:40b).  And again, “’Why are you sleeping?’ he asked them. ‘Get up and pray so that you will not fall into temptation’” (Luke 22:46).  We learn some important lessons about faith and times of testing from Peter and his Maundy Thursday experiences.  First, we should always assume that Satan is working against us.  He is the enemy of God and God’s people in Christ.  The Bible warns, “Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8).  He prowls, roars and seeks to devour.  Vivid language that shows us just how stark, severe and sustained the enemy’s attacks can be.  Each day, we should be mindful of Satan’s schemes and ways.  We do not live in fear of Satan because greater is He who is in us than he who is in the world (1 John 4:4).  But we want to be on watch, on sentry duty, for Satan’s attacks and schemes that are launched against us.  May we be forewarned so we are forearmed for these attacks by the evil one.
            Second, we need to expect times of testing.  NO one has a perfect and battle-free life.  No one!  So, we need to expect times of adversity and testing to come.  We can commit those times to the Lord and trust Him to provide.  We can intensify our prayers and invite others to pray for us too.  We can dig deeper into the Bible for truths and promises to sustain us.  Twice, Jesus commanded His disciples to pray through this time of great testing for Him and them.  If Jesus prayed in His Garden of Gethsemane, then how much more do we need to pray too.  We cannot predict the exact moment when a temptation may come but can be confident that such times will come.
            Third, stay humble during times of temptation.  Do not rely on your strength or wits to sustain you.  Lean into the Lord.  Ephesians 6:11 says, “Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.”  The armor of God works best when it is put on in totality.  Each day as you wake up you can mentally put the armor of God on your life—from your head to your feet.  Paul emphasized humility in the face of temptation, “So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall!” (1 Corinthians 10:12).  We are not to think that we are invulnerable and untouchable enough that we can stand alone.  We need the Lord and the power He has provided to us.
            And fourth, pray diligently and daily in advance.  We can often find ourselves praying only when times of testing have come upon us.  A better strategy is to pray consistently so we are prepared when those times come.  We are smarter and better if we build our faith daily and steadily rather than trying to scramble when a crisis hits.  A doctor studies and prepares to practice medicine rather than running to Google or WebMD for answers when a patient is in crisis.  Likewise, we are to build our faith daily so that we are prepared for temptations, tests and trials when they inevitably come.  Jesus compared this daily faith building to two builders in Matthew 7.  One builder was haphazard and lazy and built his house on the wrong foundation only to see it collapse when the storms came.  But the second builder was much wiser.  Jesus said, “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock” (Matthew 7:24-25). 
            On this Maundy Thursday, remember and meditate on the events that are coming into full focus—the Last Supper, Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane, the betrayal by Judas, the arrest of Jesus and Peter’s denials.  The weight of a sin-stained and sin-weary world rested on Jesus.  May we remember the burden Jesus bore for us.  Have a thoughtful and reflective Thursday!  The cross is coming!

             Palm Sunday is a significant day in the life of Christians.  This day is the beginning of Holy Week—a walk through the last days of Jesus’ life before the cross on Good Friday.  Of course, Good Friday is preceded by Maundy Thursday.  The names of these three days are important and teach us some important truths about these days.  The names of these can be faith-building opportunities in us.  For example, Palm Sunday reminds us that many people in the crowd that welcomed Jesus to Jerusalem placed branches on the road upon which Jesus traveled.  These branches were a way of honoring Jesus.  This practice was often performed to honor dignitaries or royalty as they entered a city.  The crowd that lined the street into Jerusalem wisely and properly honored Jesus as King.  Christ is the King of kings.  Their actions teach us today the importance of declaring Christ as our King—today and always. 
            Jesus is the only one worthy to sit on the throne of the universe and the only one who should sit upon the throne of your heart or mine.  Reading the story of Jesus’ Palm Sunday entrance into Jerusalem should cause us to examine our hearts to see if the throne belongs to Christ or something lesser than him.  We can easily enthrone our feelings, opinions, ideas and biases while thinking we have put Christ on the throne.  It can be easy to confuse our thoughts and ways with His.  But His thoughts and ways are not yours or mine by nature.  Coming to Christ, when we are drawn by the Holy Spirit, means we are trading our ways for His.
            Maundy Thursday reminds us of a great mandate or dictum.  We are commanded or mandated by Christ to remember the cross and His death.  We often use the Lord’s Supper as a way to do this.  The bread and cup remind us of Jesus’ body and blood—broken and shed for us.  In addition, we remember the cross when we read the Bible or pray.  Worship takes us to the cross to remember the tremendous price that was paid for our salvation. Maundy Thursday also shows us that we need a Savior to die for us and to give us His righteousness.  Apart from this gracious gift, we are hopelessly lost and dead in our sins.
            Good Friday may seem like a misnomer given what happened on that day.  Let’s be clear and honest, WE are responsible for the death of Jesus.  Our sins led to His cross.  We can blame the Romans or the religious leaders of Israel but the suspects most responsible for Jesus’ death on the cross are the people we see in the mirror—YOU and ME.  That’s had to believe and accept.  It hurts.  But the good we received on that Friday came from Jesus doing everything He needed to do to save us and set us right with the Father.  Jesus died the death we should have died and paid a debt we should have paid.  We received forgiveness and new life and a new heart while He gave His life on the cross.  It is GOOD that Jesus did this for us. 
            As you work your way through the days of Holy Week, let the names themselves remind you of what they mean and the blessings we receive from these days.  Isaiah the prophet wrote hundreds of years before Jesus died, “Surely, he took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered him punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted.  But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.  We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all” (Isaiah 53:4-6).  May the Lord give us eyes to see, ears to hear and hearts to receive what He has done.  Have a good Monday!      
 
         

           The Bible teaches us that Joshua was Moses’ successor as the leader of Israel.  Joshua took the mantle of authority from Moses to lead Israel into the Promised Land.  God made it clear that He would be “with Joshua.”  We read in Joshua 1:5, “No one will be able to stand against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you.”  This promise from God had to be a comfort to this new leader with responsibilities for an entire nation and a campaign to take the land that God had chosen for Israel to settle.  Joshua would never face any foe without the assurance of God’s presence and power.  The only exception would be when Israel disobeyed God or tried to do things its own way. 
            A little later in Joshua 6:27 we read, “So the LORD was with Joshua, and his fame spread throughout the land.”  Again, the presence and favor of the Lord rested upon Joshua.  Joshua’s fame spread because of the Lord’s power and presence.  God elevated the stature of Joshua so others would know the Lord’s favor rested upon this man.  The presence of God with us today is an incredible promise and blessing that we dare not take for granted or overlook.  Jesus reminded His disciples (and us) that He would remain with us always—even to the end of the age (see Matthew 28:20).  God’s presence with us means at least four good things as we live each day.
            First, we realize we are not alone.  God abides with us.  He knows us.  He knows our thoughts, feelings, fears and frustrations.  We do not carry the weight and burdens of life by ourselves.  His presence sustains us—just as He sustained Joshua during the days of conquest and settling new land.  When God draws us or leads us to serve Him, we can be comforted by his promise not to abandon or forsake us.  Psalm 23 reminds us that even in the valley of the shadow of death, the Lord remains with us and sustains us.  In a difficult moment during any day, we can pause to remind ourselves that God is with us.
            Second, we have what we need.  God reminded Paul that His grace would be sufficient for everything that Paul faced or feared.  As you read these words, you can likely look around and see evidence of God providing for your needs.  You have food and shelter. You have friends and family.  You have His Word to read and remember.  You have forgiveness and new life in Christ if you have surrendered yourself to Him.  When Israel wandered in the wilderness (because of its disobedience), God provided manna for Israel. God does not leave His people stranded and adrift.  He meets our needs.
            Third, God will fulfill His plans for us.  God can get us to the finish line of life.  God will help us grow into His ways and will.  God famously said to Jeremiah, “’For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future’” (Jeremiah 29:11).  God has neither created nor saved us to leave us roaming through life aimlessly and without purpose.  He has made us to serve Him and to declare His greatness and glory.  If we are willing to submit to Him, He will accomplish the plans He has for us.
            And fourth, God uses us to declare His saving power and glory to others.  We can be witnesses for Christ each day.  We can boldly share with others what He has done for us. We can speak about Jesus and His power to forgive and turn old lives into new ones. When we remember that God is with us, we can be strong in speaking for Him and standing for Him each day.  God gave Paul the words to speak in Acts.  God can give us words to speak that make a difference in the lives of others if we trust Him enough to be His voices.  We can influence others by speaking about how God has provided for us and changed us by His loving grace and power.  The early chapters of Joshua stand as a compelling testimony of what God was able to do through one man completely devoted to Him.  Imagine what God could do through you or me when we desire His glory more than our own.  Remember to trust the presence of God each day!  Have a great Thursday!  

        Moses was denied entry into the Promised Land by God.  This denial came because of Moses’ disobedience at Meribah when he hit a rock instead of speaking to it, as God had instructed him.  We might be tempted to think of such a thing as being trivial or inconsequential.  God did not and does not.  There is no such thing as minor league disobedience.  God described Moses’ disobedience in this way, “This is because both of you broke faith with me in the presence of the Israelites at the waters of Meribah Kadesh in the Desert of Zin and because you did not uphold my holiness among the Israelites. Therefore, you will see the land only from a distance; you will not enter the land I am giving to the people of Israel” (Deuteronomy 32:51-52).
         It has been said that sin will take you further than you want to go, cost you more than you want to pay and keep you longer than you had planned to stay.  Moses learned this lesson.  As we approach Good Friday in less than two weeks, it can be helpful to remember the importance of obedience and walking faithfully with the Lord each day.  The cross reminds us of the consequences of our disobedience.  We are forgiven only because of the cross where Jesus paid the price for our sins and suffered the justice of God that was intended for us.  Disobedience does not occur in a vacuum.  Any time we may be inclined to think of our disobedience as being a trivial matter, we should remember the cross where our sins were judged and executed.
         To practice obedience, we need several important truths to keep in mind.  First, we need to know God’s Word so we can keep it.  It is easier to sin or to make light of our sins when we do not know God’s Word.  We can easily settle for “white lies,” “everybody does it,” or “nobody’s perfect.”  These common excuses are our attempt to water down our disobedience to make it a bit more palatable.  Make Bible reading an everyday priority. Second, be quick to confess your sins to the Lord and acknowledge where you have fallen short.  There are times where we speak, act or think wrongly.  Rather than forgetting or dismissing those times, confess them to the Lord and receive His healing grace. Repentance and confession make us more sensitive to sin and less tolerant of it in our lives.
         Third, spend some time with the Lord each day thanking Him and praising Him for the blessings of your life.  When we recognize just how incredibly good and generous that God has been to us, we tend to resist the temptations of the enemy more eagerly and successfully.  Satan often tries to convince us that his way leads to what we want or need and that God’s ways are designed to do nothing more than frustrate us and hold us back from the things we really need or want the most.  But God is good, faithful, gracious and patient.  The more we learn about the heart and character of God, the better we will become at rejecting sin and embracing Him and His ways.
         And fourth, ask God to open your eyes and ears to the traps and snares that the enemy places before you.  Satan’s temptations can be subtle and sly.  We can easily find our way of escape blocked because he has done such an enticing job to draw us into sin and doing things his way.  We need discernment.  We need the armor of God.  Put on the helmet of salvation...let God rule your mind and take every thought captive to Christ.  Put on the breastplate of righteousness...let serving the Lord be the light of your days.  Secure the belt of truth...know God’s Word and ways.  Let His ways fill your heart.  Wear the shoes of the gospel of peace so you can flee Satan’s temptations.  Take up the shield of faith and trust God when the enemy is tempting you. Hold on to the truth that God’s ways are better—always and forever.  And take up the sword of the Spirit—resist Satan the same way Jesus did by knowing and quoting Scripture to the enemy.
         Disobedience is a big deal.  It is not a joking matter.  God will grant us the grace and help we need to live the way He calls us to live.  Remember the words of Deuteronomy 32:27, “The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms. He will drive out your enemies before you, saying, ‘Destroy them!’”  Have a great Monday!

           Anger can be dangerous.  If left unchecked and unattended, it can quickly escalate into something that is out of control and even reckless.  While these are some occasions where anger might be righteous in its expression (for example Jesus’ cleansing the temple or anger today that leads to seeking justice and action about horrible things like child abuse, hunger and human trafficking), quite often human anger is sinful and expressed in sinful ways. The Bible does address anger—on numerous occasions.  One such place is Ephesians 4:26-27.  We read, “’In your anger do not sin:’ Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold.”  These two verses provide some excellent practical guidance for us to follow each day.  Let’s take a look at the truth God has for us to see.
            First, we read the words “your anger.”  We have to own the anger we may feel.  We can easily blame others or circumstances.  But anger is the reaction or response that we choose.  We can sin in response to our anger or we can act in ways that are healthy, good and even constructive.  Anger is a choice.  If we say that we react without thinking or that anger comes automatically more often than not, then we might have to explore how and why that happens.  It has been said that we cannot always choose our circumstances, but we can choose how we respond and live in them.  If anger has become a problem for us, then we have to own it and acknowledge it.
            Second, we can choose not to sin when we are angry.  The Bible commands us “do not sin.”  Jesus did not sin when he was angry about the moneychangers in the temple or the many times that Israel’s religious leaders tried to trap him.  Anger is a God-made emotion, so it is not inherently wrong or evil.  It becomes sinful when we respond by saying, thinking or doing things that are wrong.  To redeem anger, turn that energy or emotion into something good.  Let your anger inspire you to serve the Lord or others...to look for solutions and work for better outcomes.  Be on guard that anger does not lead you to lash out verbally or physically in regrettable ways.
            Third, we should be careful not to hold on to anger.  The Bible commands us to get over and to let go of our anger before the sun goes down.  Holding on to anger can give rise to bitterness, vengeance and some really destructive and dark behavior.  Resentment grows in the garden of prolonged anger.  The longer that anger simmers and lingers, the worse it becomes.  We should control our anger and deal with it quickly to prevent Satan from gaining any ground in our hearts. A good benchmark for dealing with anger is before the “sun goes down.”  Do not go to sleep angry so you will not wake up angry and, likely, lose a night of restful sleep too.
            Fourth, we need to realize that anger can often give the enemy a foothold or stronghold in our lives.  Satan gladly takes whatever part of our lives that we want to cede to him.  However, he is not content to take just that.  He looks to expand and weave his way into our hearts, minds and lives.  Greed can lead to stealing.  Anger can lead to violent actions.  Gossip can lead to maligning others.  We should never willingly do things that allow Satan to gain greater influence against us.  Anger can be like an incubator that Satan uses to bring about things that are far worse and longer lasting.  Take the Bible’s directives to heart and deal with anger before it leads you further than you wish to go and costs you more than you wish to pay.  Psalm 37:8 says, “Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret—it leads only to evil.”  Let Christ be Lord over your emotions and your responses. Choose to deal with anger before it leads to evil.  Have a great Thursday!
  
          
               

           Deuteronomy is the fifth book of the Bible.  The name means “second law.”  The law was expounded and proclaimed to the people one more time before they would enter into the Promised Land that God had chosen to give them.  We can consider it one more reminder that God graciously gave to the people so they would remember both Him and His standards.  God knew that Israel would face two big challenges as they entered the new land.  The first challenge was their memory of Egypt—the idols, false gods and false religion of Egypt.  The second challenge would be the paganism and wickedness of the nations and people that occupied the land that God was giving Israel—the culture, corruption and idolatry of Canaan.  God gave them an important warning that still speaks to us today.  In Deuteronomy 11:16, the Bible says, “Be careful, or you will be enticed to turn away and worship other gods and bow down to them.”  A few important lessons stand out for us to see.  We can be thankful when these reminders pop up for us today.
            First, there is the warning to “be careful.”  We proceed with caution in life because we all have an enemy.  We have an enemy named Satan.  He lives to make war against us.  We fight not against flesh and blood but against Him (Ephesians 6:12).  He presents us with deceptive temptations to yield to Him and to take his word above God’s Word.  Paul gave a similar warning, “So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall!” (1 Corinthians 10:12).  The best way to guard ourselves against Satan is to be aware that he is real and that he does seek to tempt us and draw us away from the Lord.  We are born with a sin-nature so our natural inclination is to turn away from the Lord.  We are not to live paranoid but we are to live with our eyes and minds wide open so that the enemy does not deceive us.
            Second, the Bible says we can “be enticed to turn away.”  In the Garden of Eden, the serpent enticed Adam and Eve to distrust God and to sample the forbidden fruit.  Satan often presents us with choices that appeal to the natural desires and wishes we already have.  We are born with many normal and healthy desires—attention, love, approval, success, etc.  But Satan tempts us to satisfy those desires in ways that are wrong and sinful.  Satan will often try to cast doubt on God’s Word and character.  He employed that same strategy with the first temptation in the Garden of Eden.  He replayed that strategy in the wilderness when he tempted Jesus three times in the wilderness following our Lord’s baptism.  We must be consciously aware each day of the enemy’s efforts to entice us to turn from the Lord.
            Third, the Bible warns us against “other gods and bowing down to them.”  We might not be inclined to make an idol out of stone or metal and worship it in the backyard or basement.  But we can often make idols out of money, possessions, habits, lifestyles and practically anything that draws us away from the Lord.  An idol is little more than anything we choose to love, serve, follow and lean on more than the Lord.  An idol comes between God and us.  Technology can become an idol and so too can be the things that drain and draw our time away from the Lord.  Time often devoted to temporary and trivial pursuits could be redirected toward time with the Lord.  We face the same challenges today that ancient Israel faced—the tendency to lose sight of the Lord and replace Him with something else.
            One of the first steps toward sin is a dusty Bible.  We want to know and invest in God’s Word consistently and intentionally.  Sunday may be a highlight day for our time in God’s Word but it should not be the only time.  We want to cover the other six days with God’s Word as well.  We take Jesus’ warning in the Garden of Gethsemane to heart and pray faithfully so that we do not fall into temptation.  Israel needed to have some important truths and lessons repeated to them.  We do too.  We never want to lose sight of what God has done for us in Christ and His call for us to love and serve Him through all our days.  Choose the Lord every day and in every situation.  Lean upon Him and let Him be your strength and shield.  Have a great Monday!   
         

          There’s a sober lesson about obedience that we find in Numbers 20.  Most of us would agree that obedience to God is both good and important.  A failure to obey God is called sin.  And sin, or disobedience, has landed us in the mess that we are in when left to ourselves—mired in sin, sin’s penalty and often sin’s consequences.  We can easily find ourselves trying to justify certain behaviors and actions as being almost obedient or at least the “old college try” at doing what God commands.  However, the reality is there is disobedience and everything else.  If we find ourselves trying to explain how “technically” we were obedient, then we already have a problem.  Obedience is clear to see and rather easy to explain. 
            In Numbers 20, Israel was complaining again.  This time they were complaining about a lack of water to drink.  In the middle of their complaining, they again looked back at Egypt with longing and sentimental hearts and eyes.  God spoke to Moses and told him how to secure water for the people.  God said, “Take the staff, and you and your brother Aaron gather the assembly together. Speak to that rock before their eyes and it will pour out its water. You will bring water out of the rock for the community so they and their livestock can drink” (Numbers 20:8).  God was clear in His instructions to Moses—speak to the rock.  Speak!  Consider Moses’ response, “Then Moses raised his arm and struck the rock twice with his staff. Water gushed out, and the community and their livestock drank” (Numbers 20:11).  Moses did not speak to the rock.  He struck it.  And there was a consequence for what he did.  The Bible says, “But the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, ‘Because you did not trust in me enough to honor me as holy in the sight of the Israelites, you will not bring this community into the land I give them’” (Numbers 20:11).  Disobedience carries consequences.  We might be inclined to dismiss Moses’ actions as “no big deal.”  Is disobedience to God not a big deal?  Are we that quick to write off our rejection of what God has said? 
            The reason we need a Savior, Jesus, is because we have disobeyed God.  Because of our sins, we deserve the wrath and judgment of God.  But Jesus accepted that punishment in our place.  This story in Numbers tells us some important truths about disobedience.  First, disobedience is not a matter of not knowing what to do.  God has given us His Word.  God has given us His Holy Spirit to guide us.  Even the human conscience bears witness against us when we disobey (or in some cases consider disobeying).  God’s standards are as clear today as they were in Moses’ day when God told him simply what to do at Meribah but Moses disregarded the direction. 
            Second, disobedience is not a matter of “keeping the spirit of the law” but ignoring “the letter of the law.”  We walk an awfully fine line between obedience and disobedience when we have to justify what we have done.  And that line can take us to the wrong place.  More often than not, disobedience is just plain old defiance and choosing our ways above God’s ways. We may try to soothe ourselves by thinking we have kept the spirit of obedience or at least tried to do the right thing.  When we see that we have sinned against God, we need to confess that sin and turn from doing it again.  We want to be sure that we do not “dumb down” our disobedience and try to make excuses for it.  We never want to be at home in our sins and excuses.
            Third, disobedience can often result from misplaced anger or letting our emotions guide our decisions.  Moses was likely angry or frustrated with Israel.  They had been grumbling for a long time.  In the fog of anger, he made a rash and emotional decision to strike the rock at Meribah instead of speaking to it.  Perhaps he was venting.  Maybe he had bottled up his anger for as long as he could.  Still, the decision was wrong because he let the emotion of anger or frustration or aggravation lead him to a bad decision.  We often have to be careful not to let emotional responses like anger or venting override our minds.  Emotions are good, God-given parts of our being.  But emotions have to be guided by our mind and faith.   
            Finally, disobedience is often the failure to trust God enough to listen to Him.  Disobedience can be seen as trying to take matters into our own hands.  The Bible warns us not to add to it or take from Scripture (Revelation 22:18-19).  We obey God’s Word and guidance as they are given to us.  And let’s remember that God never leads us in ways that conflict with Scripture.  If we act contrary to God’s Word, we are disobedient.  Obedience often demands that we trust God when we cannot see the future.  Israel’s grumbling and complaining revealed a memory problem.  They had forgotten how God had orchestrated their Exodus and safely protected them from Pharaoh’s army.  Remember where God has been faithful and good to you in the past.  And let that memory encourage and compel you to trust and to obey God here and now.  Have a great Thursday!           
               

             There are two dangerous words that can find their way into our thinking and conversations.  Those words are “if only.”  Those words usually signify some regret or some unfulfilled longing.  If you have punctuated your conversations or thinking with those words, you are not alone.  Many people have done and continue to do so.  Indeed, “if only” thinking has become a way of life for some people.  You may be surprised to know those words can be found in the Bible.  For example, in Numbers 14:2b-3, Israel pondered what would have happened “if only” they had stayed in Egypt instead of leaving in the Exodus. We read, “If only we had died in Egypt! Or in this wilderness! Why is the Lord bringing us to this land only to let us fall by the sword? Our wives and children will be taken as plunder. Wouldn’t it be better for us to go back to Egypt?”  Consider the magnitude of that mindset! The people were openly questioning whether slavery, captivity and the harshness of Egypt were preferable to freedom.  It seems striking that with all the promises and power of God surrounding them that the people openly and realistically opined about going back to Egypt.
            We may not think about returning to slavery and captivity in 2026 but “if only” thinking does raise some questions.  First, “if only” thinking can lead us to doubt God’s power and promises.  We can become persuaded that God does not act in ways that are good and gracious.  The enemy would love to plant that seed of discontent in our mind and heart.  Remember the Garden of Eden.  The serpent never really commanded or directed Adam and Eve to eat the forbidden fruit.  He simply raised doubts about God’s character and God’s intentions—leading them to believe that God was somehow denying them better things and blessings.
            Second, “if only” thinking can easily lead to discouragement and despair.  We get ourselves trapped into thinking that just a little more of this or that will make everything perfect.  And it is usually something just beyond our grasp or gain.  We can begin to compare our situations to other people—spawning jealousy and envy in the process.  We can mistakenly convince ourselves that others have life much better or have many more blessings that we do and that God is holding out on us.  We might even convince ourselves that there is no hope or no possibility for things to get better.  We paint and despair our way into a corner.  At the worst end, depression and addictions can start to take hold of us.
            Third, “if only” thinking can devalue God.  We begin to think that everything rests upon us—our skills, intelligence and creativity.  We can make ourselves into lone rangers who neither look to nor trust the help of God or others.  We begin to see others as threats or competitors rather than people who can do and share life with us.  Consider how much better life works when we do not box ourselves into “if only” thinking.  Paul was encouraged by Barnabas and Timothy.  Peter had James and John.  David was blessed by the friendship of Jonathan.  When we open our lives to others, then life becomes better and our vision is much bigger.
            In the example of Israel in Numbers, their “if only” thinking did not lead to good results.  The people were punished by God to roam the wilderness for forty years before gaining access to the land that God had promised them.  Their faulty thinking simply denied them what God had promised and planned for them.  Usually, when we reduce our thinking to ourselves and the small space that we occupy, little good comes from it.  When you are tempted by or drawn to “if only” thinking, remember the encouraging words of Paul in Ephesians 3:20, “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.”  Wow!  God is much bigger and better than anything and everything we can imagine!  Trust God and leave “if only” thinking behind!  Have a good Monday!

          Goliath.  The name alone conjures up some fear and anxiousness.  Just the sound of Goliath sounds intimidating and threatening.  This Philistine strongman stood over nine feet tall.  The shaft of his spear weighed about fifteen pounds.  He would have easily defeated anybody at Wrestlemania and would have won the WWE Royal Rumble.  Nobody in Israel’s army wanted to face him on the battlefield. Nobody wanted anything to do with him.  Ever! The Bible says, “Goliath stood and shouted to the ranks of Israel, ‘Why do you come out and line up for battle? Am I not a Philistine, and are you not the servants of Saul? Choose a man and have him come down to me. If he is able to fight and kill me, we will become your subjects; but if I overcome him and kill him, you will become our subjects and serve us.’ Then the Philistine said, ‘This day I defy the armies of Israel! Give me a man and let us fight each other’” (1 Samuel 17:8-10).  And Goliath continued this taunting and trash-talking every morning and evening for forty, long days.  No one in Israel answered the challenge.
            And then along came David.  He volunteered to fight Goliath.  He was not the most likely choice.  He was young and inexperienced.  No one would have drafted him to fight for the honor of Israel.  But David was surprisingly wise for his years and knew something crucially important.  He knew the battle belonged to the Lord.  He was confident that God would provide for him during that battle with Goliath.  He knew God would sustain him and grant him victory.  David said, “The Lord who rescued me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will rescue me from the hand of this Philistine” (1 Samuel 17:37).  David gave the battle to the Lord and trusted God with the outcome.  He was confident because God had taken care of him in the past and he knew God would remain faithful in the battle against Goliath.  It can be a blessing for us to remember where we have experienced the goodness and power of God in the past.  Those memories can often help us remember that God can bless us in the present times as well and the new battles that we face.  Our past encounters with God become sources of strength for the present and future battles that we face. 
            We can experience giants in life too.  There are times when we are staring at a Goliath that seems so big, so opposing and so invincible.  In those times, we remember what David knew to be true.  The battle is the Lord’s.  He will provide.  “David said to the Philistine, ‘You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied’” (1 Samuel 17:45).  We face the pressures and giants of life the same way today. We have an unflinching faith that God will provide.  God will show us the pathway to follow.  God will make a way for us.  The God we love and serve is ABLE.  He is able to forgive our sins, to change our hearts and to give us new life.  He is able to sustain us by the promises we find in the Bible.  He is able to place a hedge of protection over us and against the enemy.
            The blessings that the Lord gives us as we face giants in life are far greater than the usual weapons of this world.  We possess His Word, the presence of the Holy Spirit living within us, His many promises never to forsake us, the power of prayer and the confidence that all things work together for the good of those who know and love the Lord (Romans 8:28).  When David fought Goliath, he was a shepherd boy.  But he was wise enough to know that he had a Shepherd too—the Good Shepherd who is the Lord Himself.  We should follow the example of David and remind ourselves that God will take care of us.  If we are part of God’s family through our faith in God’s Son, we will be taken care of and provided for in those daily battles that we experience.  We can be confident of this.  Keep three words in your mind and heart—God is able.  Have a great Thursday!
               

          Numbers is a book of the Bible that people read infrequently.  You might read it when you are on a mission to read through the Bible in a year.  Or you might read it when you are cross referencing other biblical passages.  Not many people see Numbers as their “go-to” book in the Bible.  But there is a real treat for us to see in Numbers 3.  This chapter concerns the Levites—those men in Israel chosen by God to serve as priests to represent the people to God and to represent God to the people.  The Levites were the priestly tribe and received no allocation of land like the other tribes.  As we read Numbers 3, there is an interesting and compelling repetition of a critical phrase.  We need to pay attention to this phrase because it speaks to us as clearly as it spoke to ancient Israel.  The phrase is “they were responsible for” (see Numbers 3:25, 28, 31, 38).  God had entrusted certain responsibilities to certain people for the good of the nation as a whole.  Every Levite had a role to play for the nation’s good and God’s glory.
            The lesson for us today is this—what has the Lord entrusted to you?  What responsibilities has God entrusted to you?  God may have entrusted some areas of service and ministry to you.  He may have called you to teach, to sing, to care for children, to pray, to give or to do the things others tend to overlook or neglect.  These different things are not to be forgotten or overlooked.  They are by no means inconsequential if the Lord has entrusted them to us.  Later in the Bible, in 1 Corinthians 12, Paul compared the Church to the human body.  He wrote, “Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ” (12:12).  The body, yours and mine, is made up of many different parts—including parts that we cannot see.  These parts each do the job that God assigned to them in His divine design and creation.  No one part has to do the full job of the human body.
            Likewise, the work of Christ gets done when the whole church or family of God does what God has asked it to do.  Everyone serves as he or she has been gifted and equipped. As Paul wrote, “Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. And God has placed in the church first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, of helping, of guidance, and of different kinds of tongues” (1 Corinthians 12:27-28). As the Levites did in Numbers, the work of Christ is accomplished when everyone knows and carries the responsibilities that God has placed upon them.
            Take inventory of how you serve the Lord today.  The average Christian has basically three open doors for serving.  First, we can serve in the local church.  Most believers are members of churches where the lion’s share of God’s work is carried out.  To borrow a football analogy, the local church is the offensive line of the gospel—pushing and moving forward so God’s Word, the gospel and the good news of forgiveness can advance. Second, we can serve through the local church.  Most churches have ministries beyond themselves where people can mobilize and activate to serve the state, national or global cause of Christ.  Churches are often portals or pathways for people to serve in broader ways.  Think of a mission trip or disaster relief work in areas hit hard by hurricanes, storms and tragedies (natural or manmade).  Third, the average Christian can serve beyond the church.  Think of volunteering at a school, coaching and shaping a youth sports team or supporting a chronically sick neighbor.  These things are done outside the church and not necessarily through the sponsorship of a church.  But these opportunities are occasions to be the light of Christ in an often dark and bleak world.
            Where has God made you responsible?  What has God placed in your life?  What has God given you that can be used for Him and His glory?  Take some time each day to look at your life and where you can go to serve the Lord.  Be faithful with the occasions that God has given you to serve Him.  The Lord reminds us that if we are faithful in the small and simple ways then we are often entrusted with greater opportunities (Luke 16:10).  Have a great Monday and remember what the Lord has given you to do!  

         Most of us have been guilty of grumbling.  No surprise, but grumbling is found in the Bible too.  Some Bibles refer to it as “murmuring.”  Philippians 2:14 commands us to do everything without grumbling or arguing.  In the Bible, grumbling can reflect a lack of confidence in God’s ability to provide or to work out things for our good and His glory.  One of the most memorable places where we find grumbling is in the camp of Israel not long after the Exodus and freedom from both slavery and Egypt.  We would think that Israel would have been thrilled beyond words to be free—free from bondage, slavery, captivity and the harsh moods and whims of Pharaoh.  But Israel grumbled.  They complained about the journey, the food, water to drink, the likelihood of dying and how much they missed Egyptian ways and culture.  They even grumbled against Moses’ leadership.  The Bible says, “In the desert the whole community grumbled against Moses and Aaron.  The Israelites said to them, ‘If only we had died by the Lord’s hand in Egypt! There we sat around pots of meat and ate all the food we wanted, but you have brought us out into this desert to starve this entire assembly to death’” (Exodus 16:2-3). 
            The height of grumbling probably came when Israel openly considered just going back to Egypt and the old life they had as slaves (Numbers 14:3-4).  Imagine, grumbling and complaining so much that you are willing to return to slavery!  We live in times where we see a lot of grumbling, discord and division.  We can easily find ourselves complaining about any number of things.  Consistent complaining and gratuitous grumbling can be strategies that the enemy uses to create division and discontent.  Complaining can easily go viral.  Often, just listening to someone else complain can create a desire within us to join in and pile on—no matter the subject.  We often have to pray for endurance and patience not to participate or to allow resentment and bitterness to build up within our hearts.
            We may need a moment to vent or a safe place to get something troubling off our chests.  God can often bless us with friends and colleagues who can listen patiently and allow us to release some discord or disappointment that has built up in us from work, family, marriage, health or finances.  You may be able to serve someone else by being a listening set of ears and a closed mouth.  Allow someone to vent safely with you while refraining from repeating or sharing what you have heard.  Galatians 6:2 says, “Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.”  Listening can be a gift we give to others.  We can be a blessing if we allow someone to unload their burdens in a safe and constructive way. 
            But what about the times when we grumble or complain?  How do we respond?  First, ask yourself if the complaining is a legitimate issue or injustice.  Is there a reason to be discontented and disappointed?  Sometimes we can act petty.  Sometimes we may just be looking for attention in an unhealthy way. But occasionally, there can be something that has hurt us or shaken us.  Ask God to help you discern the reason for the complaining. Second, turn to someone you can trust.  Ask someone to join you for lunch, coffee or a walk and share where you are hurting.  Ask a good friend just to give you a chance to vent some burdens or pains you may be carrying.  Select someone you can trust to listen with open ears, an open heart and a closed mouth.  Ask that trusted person to pray for you and to keep in touch with you.  Third, pray about the source of your grumbling.  You can ask God to change the situation or to change yourself or to change yourself through the situation.  God has a limitless number of ways that He can work for good.  Galatians 5 warns us against living in the flesh—that is to do what the world would do in a similar situation—things like revenge, gossip, rumors, creating strife and living selfishly.  Rather, we pray that the Spirit uses our situations to produce good fruit—fruit that comes only from Him—like peace, patience, goodness, self-control and faithfulness.  Take comfort in Galatians 6:9, “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”  Never allow grumbling or complaining to deny you the chance to see and enjoy the harvest that may be just around the corner.  Have a great Thursday!