Category: worship

Where God Lives

Old Testament: 2 Chronicles 20

Poetry: Psalm 99

New Testament: 1 Timothy 3

Did you go on vacation this summer?  Where did you go?  Perhaps you’re planning a late summer getaway before the arrival of Labor Day.

Whether you travel to a new destination or a familiar cabin on a lake, it is good to get away and take a break from work and school.  Time away can be refreshing and often you gain a new perspective on life.

But, vacations don’t last forever.  All too quickly, it’s time to come home.  The closer you get, the faster you want to arrive.  Finally, your home appears.  Carrying suitcases, backpacks, and bags of “stuff”, you walk through the door.  Big exhale!  You’re home!  Oh, it’s so good to be home.

Hopefully, when you think of your home, you think of comfort, security, safety, enjoyment.  It’s where you can be yourself, where you can relax.

Does God feel that way about His home?  Yes, He is in heaven, and yes, someday He will dwell with man on earth.  (Revelation 21:1-3) But, the Bible mentions another HOME for our Father God.  PRAISE.  God is “at home” in our praises. 

Psalm 22:3 KJV says, “But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel.”  The NASB version says simply, “Yet You are holy, O You are enthroned upon the praises of Israel.”

Jack R. Taylor says this in The Hallelujah Factor— “Praise is where God lives.  It is his permanent address.  While God is everywhere, he is not everywhere manifested.  He is at home in praise and, being at home, he manifests himself best as God!  When you or I choose to make God at home through praise, we invite him to act ‘at home.’  He is enthroned and liberated to act mightily in praise.”

One of the best examples of this in Scripture is our OT reading for today, II Chronicles 20. 

The sons of Moab and Ammon came to make war against Jehoshaphat, King of Judah.  Jehoshaphat was afraid, and he proclaimed a fast throughout Judah.  Then all of Judah gathered as Jehoshaphat addressed the Lord.  He recounted God’s power and previous protection.  Then Jehoshaphat stated the current problem, (vs 10-11), the powerlessness of the people, (vs 12a), and their concentration on God—“our eyes are on you.”  (vs. 12b)

The Spirit of God, through Jahaziel, gave God’s answer to Jehoshaphat and the people of Judah.  “Don’t fear, the battle is not yours but God’s.  You need not fight.  Stand and see the salvation of the Lord.”

The next morning, singers went out before the army, singing, “Give thanks to the Lord, for his lovingkindness is everlasting.”  WHEN they began singing and praising, the enemy was ambushed by one another.  No one escaped.  Jehoshaphat and his people found goods and garments among the enemies, and it took them 3 days to retrieve it all. 

The people’s praise prompted God to act.  No other recorded military battle compares to the miracle that happened that day. 

Psalm 8:2 says, “Through the praise of children and infants you have established a stronghold against your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger.”

How marvelous is our God.  He hears us.  He fights for us.  He rewards us.

Did you start your morning in praise to God?  What a difference it can make.  God desires to move in your life, to guide you, to comfort you, to defend and protect you. 

Allow Him to reside each day in your praises.  And discover the joy He has planned for your life.

-Paula Kirkpatrick

Reflection Questions

  1. Is praise a regular part of your prayer life?
  2. Meditate on this phrase from II Chronicles 20:12b—“We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on You.”
  3. When things seem insurmountable in your life, will you begin your appeal to God with praise?
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Rules for Life

Old Testament: 2 Chronicles 19

Poetry: Psalm 98

New Testament: 1 Timothy 2

Have you ever felt like you don’t know what to do in life? You feel like you need a book of instructions to take with you everywhere you go? Well, there may not be any instruction manuals available, but the Bible as our guide is. In 1 Timothy chapter 2, Paul lists these sets of rules that we should live by, either through worship, or living through daily life.

In 1 Timothy 2, it states: “8 Therefore I want the men everywhere to pray, lifting up holy hands without anger or disputing. 9 I also want the women to dress modestly, with decency and propriety, adorning themselves, not with elaborate hairstyles or gold or pearls or expensive clothes, 10 but with good deeds, appropriate for women who profess to worship God.”

Paul says that God wants us to live peaceably with all people, making prayer and petitions, and thanksgiving amongst everyone, as it pleases Him. He also mentions that God doesn’t want people to be flashy in their worship to Him. In verse 9 he states that he wants women to dress modestly and adorn themselves with good deeds rather than gold or pearls. When we dress for worship, we should dress with good intentions and be pleasing in God’s sight. Also in worship, we should pray for each other. Our family, our friends, church friends, even the people you dislike the most. The point is, even if you feel that you think you’re not going to have an easy life, just remember that you have an incredible book of life to guide you through the tough times, and that these simple rules are things that we should live by. Praying for people and dressing modestly may seem difficult at times, but with God, anything is possible. 

-Hannah Bormes

Reflection Questions

  1. What rules for life do you find in 1 Timothy 2 that you want to live by better and better?
  2. Can you think of a time of anger and disputing when it would have been better to lift up holy hands in prayer? How can you use this method next time?
  3. Why do you think Paul addressed modesty? Do you think it should be addressed today – if so, how?
  4. Who will you pray for today?
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Give Credit

Old Testament: 2 Chronicles 15 & 16

Poetry: Psalm 96

New Testament: 2 Thessalonians 3

Have you ever heard of the saying, “Give credit where credit is due?”  It is thought the expression was coined by Samuel Adams in a letter dated Oct. 29th, 1777!  That was quite a while ago!  Now, almost two and a half centuries later, “giving credit” has become a whole new ballgame.

Today’s generation has always had easy internet access.  And with that access, has been seemingly limitless information. But, can a person easily find the original source of an idea, trend, or promoted “fact” on social media platforms, where it can be shared multiple times and morph into a whole different idea or supposed “truth”? 

According to a recent survey, only 8% of students always give credit to original creators, 35% of students sometimes do, while 30% never give credit to original trendsetters.  (And who knows if this survey is correct—I found it on the internet!)

The Bible tells us there is only One who is due credit for all the world around us, the beauty, and majesty of His Creation. 

“Ascribe to the Lord, all you families of nations,
    ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.
8 Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name;
    bring an offering and come into his courts.
9 Worship the Lord in the splendor of his holiness;
    tremble before him, all the earth.”  Psalm 96: 7-9

Ascribe is an interesting word.  It means acknowledge, attribute, or GIVE CREDIT.  All of the earth trembles before Him as all people consider His mighty strength and unmatched splendor. 

Our praise leads to this acknowledgement of God’s greatness.  In verses 1-3 we are told to sing, proclaim, and tell about His salvation, glory and wonderful deeds. 

As our outward praise is heard and shared, it leads to an inward attitude of worship, basking in the Lord’s presence.  We adore God for who He is.

Not just His people, but ALL of His Creation sings God’s praises.  In verses 11-13, we see this. Have you walked along an ocean beach and HEARD the water’s roar? Have you gazed upon a field of Texas bluebells, multi-colored tulips, or bright yellow sunflowers, their BEAUTY GLORIFYING God’s presence?  Have you wandered through a forest of pine trees, and HEARD their joyful song in the breeze? If you have done one or more of these things, lift up your praise in harmony to Creation’s melodies. 

Acknowledge His presence in your every waking moment.  Savor His warmth and love.  Live a life of worship each day.  Give credit—ALL CREDIT—where credit is due—to the Lord God Almighty. 

-Paula Kirkpatrick

Reflection Questions

  1.  Do you dwell in God’s presence each day?  How better could you do that?
  2. Are praise and thanksgiving a regular part of your prayer life?
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For the Majestic God

Old Testament: 2 Chronicles 5 & 6

Poetry: Psalm 93 (and/or 92)

New Testament: 1 Thessalonians 3

“The LORD reigns, He is clothed with majesty” Psalm 93:1a

We have a great and majestic God. The Psalm from today’s reading is short and straight to the point: God reigns forever. He reigns over the world and our lives. Chaos may seem to have a tight hold on the world today, but ultimately God still reigns and His plan for the future Kingdom will unfold. What is the attitude that we have as we await the kingdom?

Do you recognize the work of God in your own life? It’s easy to fall into a mundane routine of our lives, living each day the same and simply going with the flow of life. In these moments of routine, we are likely to miss God’s mighty hand working within our lives. When life is peaceful and easy, we tend to forget to lift our eyes to God in praise and thanksgiving. 

A family favorite film in my household growing up was the movie Miracle. This movie tells the true story of the U.S. hockey team that participated in the 1980 winter Olympics. It was a ragtag team of college students who didn’t always get along with one another and some of them weren’t the most talented hockey players that the coach could have chosen for his team. The movie recounts the events of Team USA being demolished by the Russia hockey team, who were known as the best hockey team in the world, before the Olympic games even began. The Russia team was confident in their own individual skill and didn’t see Team USA as a threat. However, with training and dedication, this team of college students was able to miraculously have victory over the Russia team during the Olympic games because they relied not on their own skills but on the skills of the team and the guidance of the coach. When we have a lot of success in our life or our life is simply going peacefully, we tend to become confident in our own abilities like Team Russia. We think that by sheer skill we can conquer anything on our own. This is not the case. Our success in life is from God and the peace we feel in good times is a precious gift not to be wasted by relaxing into the good times. King Solomon was seeing a lot of success as king. In the Old Testament passage from today, he had finally completed the temple and instead of praising his own ability and focusing on his own skill like Team Russia, he praised God. He recognized the building of the temple was not something done by himself alone. It was accomplished through the work of man following the instructions and will of God much like Team USA following the instructions of their coach. 

“He said, “O LORD, the God of Israel, there is no god like You in heaven or on earth, keeping covenant and showing lovingkindness to Your servants who walk before You with all their heart; who has kept with Your servant David, my father, that which You have promised him; indeed You have spoken with Your mouth and have fulfilled it with Your hand, as it is this day.’” – 2 Chronicles 6:14-15

King Solomon recognized the goodness and provision of God in the work of the temple. Take a moment to note the different descriptive terms Solomon uses to describe God and what He has done for the people. How have you seen these things in your own life?

-Makenna Landry

Reflection Questions

  1. What is the attitude that we have as we await the kingdom?
  2. Do you recognize the work of God in your own life?
  3. Take a moment to note the different descriptive terms Solomon uses to describe God and what He has done for the people. How have you seen these things in your own life?
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Working for the Lord

Old Testament: 1 Chronicles 25-26

Poetry: Psalm 90

New Testament: Colossians 3:18-4:1

Scripture:
“David and the chiefs of the service also set apart for the service the sons of Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun, who prophesied with lyres, with harps, and with cymbals.” — 1 Chronicles 25:1 (LEB)


“Whatever you do, work at it with your whole being, for the Lord and not for people, because you know that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. Serve the Lord Christ.” — Colossians 3:23-24 (LEB)


“Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting! Amen and Amen.” — Psalm 90:2 (LEB)


In 1 Chronicles 25, David and the leaders set apart the sons of Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun to prophesy with musical instruments. Their dedication to worship through music is a powerful example of using one’s talents for the glory of God. This act of worship was not just about playing instruments; it was about prophesying and communicating God’s messages through music. Through music, they made Him known!


1 Chronicles 26 outlines the responsibilities of the gatekeepers. Their role was crucial for maintaining the sanctity and order of the temple. These gatekeepers demonstrate that every role in God’s house, whether seen or unseen, is significant and valuable. These chapters highlight the importance of worship and service in the life of God’s people. They remind us that every task, whether musical, administrative, or protective, no matter how menial or mundane, is an act of worship when done for the Lord.


Colossians 3:23-24 continues this message as it encourages us to work heartily for the Lord, not for human masters. This perspective transforms our daily tasks into acts of worship. Whether we are serving in the church, at home, or in our workplaces, doing our work for the Lord gives it eternal significance.


Psalm 90 reminds us of God’s eternal nature: “Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting! Amen and Amen.” In our worship and service, we acknowledge the everlasting nature of God and our place in His eternal plan.


The organization of musicians and gatekeepers in 1 Chronicles shows that both worship and practical service are vital in God’s kingdom. Every role, whether public or behind the scenes, is important. Colossians 3:23-24 reminds us to do everything wholeheartedly for the Lord. This attitude turns everyday tasks into meaningful acts of worship. Psalm 90’s focus on God’s eternal nature encourages us to see our service and worship in light of eternity. Our actions have lasting value when done for God.


These are great examples of dedication and service to God. Through them, perhaps, we will all be more inclined to use our talents for His glory and to see every task as an act of worship, to live with an eternal perspective, acknowledging His everlasting nature. 

-Jeff Ransom


Reflection Questions:

  1. How can you use your talents and skills to worship and serve God in your daily life?
  2. In what ways can you adopt an eternal perspective in your work and service?
  3. How does understanding that you are working for the Lord, not just for human recognition, change your attitude toward your daily tasks?
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Excited about Church

Old Testament: Micah 5

Poetry: Psalm 84 (day 2)

New Testament: Luke 18:9-14

How excited are you about going to church?  You might think church is boring, the singing doesn’t inspire you, the sermon puts you to sleep, the building is nothing to write home about, etc.  If you think like this, you are probably also thinking, “Why even bother going to church when there are so many more exciting things I could be doing?”

If you think church is bad now, just imagine how bad it was when they used a tent as a church (called the Tabernacle), and slaughtered animals to cover sins.  How well would you have liked going to church then?!  (Can you imagine the smell?)

Our reading today is from Psalm 84, which starts out, “How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord Almighty!”  The writer wasn’t talking about the throne room of God in heaven, he was talking about the Tabernacle (tent) where he went to worship God.

Psalm 84 continues, “My soul yearns, even faints, for the courts of the Lord; my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God.”

The writer wasn’t getting excited about visiting a tent, he was getting excited about being able to be in the presence of God.  He was yearning, fainting, crying out to be near God.

Verse 4 goes on to say, “Blessed are those who dwell in your house; they are ever praising you.”

I’m guessing the writer is referring to the singers whose job was to stay at church and sing praises to God all day long. He was envious they didn’t even have to leave there to go to work (they were at work) – they were so lucky!  They got to be near God all the time.

Verse 10 says, “Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere; I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of the wicked.”

You may dread going to church.  The writer of Psalm 84 dreaded having to leave church.  He’d rather spend one day at church than almost 3 years anywhere else.  He’d rather be a doorstop at church than party all the time with his wicked friends.

Why did the author crave going to church so much?  The answer is: because he loved God, and he associated being at church with being in God’s presence – so he couldn’t get enough of it.  

Today, as a result of Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross, we have far greater access to God than the people in the Old Testament (including the writer of Psalm 84) had.  We’re told in Hebrews 4:16, “Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”

God didn’t just send Jesus to die for our sins, God also wants to adopt us as His children.  And there’s an inheritance involved – the Kingdom of God.

1 Corinthians 2:9 says, “… No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him.”

I don’t know about you, but I have a pretty vivid imagination, and can imagine some amazing things.  But, according to this verse, I can’t imagine how great the Kingdom will be.  Start with no more death or mourning or crying or pain, add in a little euphoria in the presence of God forever, and you’re just scratching the surface for what God has prepared for those who love him.

I want that!

God wants to adopt us as His children, but there’s a catch.  He will only adopt us if we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savor, are baptized, and live our lives for Him.  Only then will we get to live with Him forever.

Maybe, our level of excitement in going to church is related to our level of excitement for God.  Once we recognize how much God has already done for us, and what He has planned for those who love him, we’ll get more excited about God.  And once we do, I suspect we’ll get more excited about going to church too. 

-Steve Mattison

Reflection Questions

  1. What are your thoughts and feelings right now about going to church? Where do you think they come from?
  2. How excited for God are you? What has He done for you already? What do you know about – and what can you imagine – about being in the Kingdom of God? Have you already been adopted into God’s family? Are there steps you need to do in this adoption process?
  3. Is there anything about your perception and understanding about going to church that you think God wants you to change?
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Two Kings among the Sheep

Old Testament: 1 Samuel 15 & 16

Poetry: Psalm 68 (day 1 of 4)

New Testament: 2 Corinthians 12

We read it yesterday: “If you had obeyed…” 

Saul committed disobedience. But was the kingdom taken from Saul because of one act of disobedience? 

In 1 Samuel 15, God commands Saul, through Samuel, to kill and destroy everything of King Amalek. That is gruesome, but it is the command of God; you will kill all the people and destroy all their stuff. In warfare of the ancient world, after an enemy army was defeated you would take their survivors as slaves, their flocks as property, and their land as your own. To win a war was to become wealthy. But that is not the reason God desires the Israelites to go to war; they go to war because they are listening to the Lord, because he is creating a people for himself, not for their gain and profit. 

Saul disobeys God because he spares a man and the best animals. What our world, our culture might consider “mercy” is considered an act of disobedience. Samuel comes to Saul at Gilgal, and after the Lord told Saul to explicitly kill the sheep, the bleating carries across the hills of the region. After the Lord told Saul to explicitly kill the oxen, their lowing can be heard. Saul had set up a monument for himself (15:12) and even declares that he had completed the will of the Lord! Samuel has to clue him in that in declaring that he intended to sacrifice these animals, he was in fact disobeying God’s direct orders.  

To obey is better than sacrifice. 

To heed is better than the fat of rams. 

The Lord regretted he had made Saul king over Israel. 

However, in the town of Bethlehem, a young boy, ruddy, beautiful, and handsome, also stands among sheep. A young boy who has been slinging stones at predators, not knowing he would need to fell giants. A young boy who is learning obedience, learning hearing and obeying the word of the Lord. A boy, a man, after God’s own heart. 

David. 

Imagine you are Samuel. The last time you smelled lanolin, you had a king crying at your feet, ripping your robes, and it breaks your heart. You had anointed this tall man while he was chasing donkeys, through the desert, but he never truly learned how to be king, how to follow the commands of God. And you grieve.

And now, the boy covered in the smell of sheep walks in through the front door and the Lord speaks to your spirit “Arise, anoint him; for this is he.”

With a sense of irony you realize that you have seen the Lord change the times and the ages. 

He took the kingdom of a king, and he gave the kingdom to another. 

Two Kings among the sheep…

-Jake Ballard

Reflection Questions

  1. Worship and Obedience: Because it is Sunday, there is just one difficult question for you. Today will be or was a day of worship. In Christ, our sacrifice is our heart and our praise to God. (Romans 12, Hebrews 13) However, have you been obedient to God? Have you done all that he has commanded? Are there any broken relationships that need to be mended? Are there any hurts for which you should ask for forgiveness? How can you be obedient to the prompting of the spirit, or to the commands of scripture? Or are you simply “worshipping” God, content that you are giving him something subpar, something less than the obedience he demands? 
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A Living Sacrifice

Old Testament Reading:  Deuteronomy 32

Poetry Reading:  Psalm 42

*New Testament Reading:  Romans 12

“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind…”   -Romans 12:2a (ESV)

Pleeeeease!  Can you hear a child begging their parents for something.  Maybe for a treat, or a toy, or to stay up later? 

Romans 12 begins with Paul begging us to follow his advice.  Different versions use appeal, request, plead, urge, or beseech.  These words all tell us one thing:  that it is our choice.

So, who is Paul begging and what is he asking of them?   He is speaking to his brothers in Christ, and that includes all Christians then and now.  He is asking us to live a life worthy of claiming the name of Jesus Christ.  He asks us to “present our bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God”.  Then he tells us this is our “spiritual worship”, or our “spiritual service of worship”, or our “true and proper worship”, or our “reasonable service”.  In other words, it is reasonable for us to live as God desires us to because He has done so much for us (“by the mercies of God…”).  True worship involves all of us – our heart, soul, strength, and mind (Luke 10:27). 

One of my frequently used phrases is, “What does that look like?”.    Well, fortunately, Paul tells us in the very next verse, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind”.  Conform means to be in agreement with, or to adopt the form of those around you.  Transform means to change in character or to change the appearance of.   Both are verbs – action words.  Both of them require us to change.  This is what Paul is pleading with us about – we will either be conformed by the world or we will be transformed to be holy and acceptable to God.  Our world was created perfect but sin corrupted it.  Until Jesus returns to restore it to perfection, we must live in it.  We are warned several times in Scripture not to love the world, become like the world, think like the world. 

It sounds like an easy choice, and it is.  The hard part is choosing it every minute of every day.  Choosing to live it with our whole body – heart, soul, strength, and mind.  Every time we make a choice about our attitudes, actions, words, thoughts, etc.  This requires humility and being humble requires us to let go of our pride, arrogance, and egos.  Not so easy. 

Paul then goes on to warn us not to think of ourselves more highly than we ought.  Sounds like more humility. 

This chapter is full of godly advice; here are just some pieces of that advice.  Believe God has given you a gift, figure out what yours is, use it.  A healthy body (church) needs every member to be using their gifts.  Genuinely love one another.  Be constant in prayer.  Hate evil.  Contribute to the needs of the body.  Show hospitality.  Live in harmony with one another.  Do not be haughty.  If possible, live peaceably with all.  Never avenge yourself. 

Chapter 12 concludes with this, “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”.  This brings us full circle.  The world is evil; if we are conformed to the world, we will be overcome by evil.  If we choose to be transformed, we will be able to overcome evil with good. 

Amy Blanchard


Reflection Questions

  1. What of the world draws you toward conforming?  Maybe it’s always wanting your way, viewing yourself as right all the time, or not determining what is evil so you can detest it.  Maybe it’s good things like family, showing hospitality, or volunteering.  Be aware of what messages are out there trying to turn your attention away from God.  Family, showing hospitality, and volunteering are good; but the place you give them shouldn’t be ahead of God.
  2. Transformation begins in your mind.  Paul says that it happens by the renewal of our minds.  What changes do you need to make to renew your mind?  It is our will to make the choice to be transformed, but God does the transforming.  We need to humble ourselves and let Him.  We are told that then we will be able to know God’s will.                
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Save Us!

Old Testament: Deuteronomy 2

Poetry: Job 26

New Testament: Mark 11

As we just celebrated the triumphal entry it got me thinking about 1 aspect of Palm Sunday. The hosannas that the people yelled out to Jesus. What does that mean?

Hosanna is a word used in some songs of praise, especially on Palm Sunday. It is of Hebrew origin: “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest heaven!” (Mark 11).

Hosanna is often thought of as a declaration of praise, similar to hallelujah, but it is actually a plea for salvation. The Hebrew root words are found in Psalm 118:25, which says, “Save us, we pray, O LORD!”. The Hebrew words yasha (“deliver, save”) and anna (“beg, beseech”) combine to form the word that, in English, is “hosanna.” Hosanna means “I beg you to save!” or “please deliver us!”

So, as Jesus rode the donkey into Jerusalem, the crowds were perfectly right to shout “Hosanna!” They were acknowledging Jesus as their Messiah, as shown in their address “Son of David.” Theirs was a cry for salvation and a recognition that Jesus is able to save.

When is the last time that you have yelled out to Jesus to save you? It’s an important question, and one that needs to be on our lips all the time.

There is nothing more satisfying in all the world than to be followers of a king like Jesus. Picture him riding toward Jerusalem, the rebellious city. A multitude praising him: “Hosanna, blessed, is the king who comes in the name of the Lord.” He knows the praise is shallow. In a few days it will fade away. But does he rebuke them? No. He defends them against the criticism of the Pharisees: “‘Teacher, rebuke your disciples!’ . . . ‘I tell you, if these were silent, the very stones would cry out.'” He knew his days were numbered. He knew their cries were not completely sincere.

The praise the people gave was not because they recognized Him as their Savior from sin. They welcomed Him out of their desire for a messianic deliverer, someone who would lead them in a revolt against Rome. These are the ones who hailed Him as King with their many hosannas, recognizing Him as the Son of David who came in the name of the Lord. But when He failed their expectations, when He refused to lead them in a massive revolt against Rome, the crowds quickly turned on Him.

Within just a few days, their hosannas would change to  Crucify Him.

Those who hailed Him as a hero would soon reject and abandon Him.

The story of the triumphal entry is one of contrasts, and those contrasts contain applications to us. It is the story of the King who came as a:

servant on a donkey, not on a white horse.

not in royal robes, but on the clothes of the poor and humble.

Jesus Christ comes not to conquer by force but by love, grace, mercy, and His own sacrifice for His people.

 His is not a kingdom of armies and splendor but of lowliness and servanthood.

He doesn’t conquer nations but hearts and minds. His message is one of peace with God.

If Jesus has made a triumphal entry into our hearts, He reigns there in peace and love. As His followers, we exhibit those same qualities, and the world sees the true King living and reigning in triumph in us.

If he lives in us today, we sing Hosanna. With a true and right heart. We don’t crucify him again and again with our sin.

We cry out to save us, not we can save ourselves. What do you cry out to Jesus for? Is it sincere? Is it true? Ask God to give you a sincere heart, so that your worship to God through Jesus is a saving worship. 

-Andy Cisneros

Reflection Questions

  1. What can you learn from the King who came on a donkey?
  2. Where else in Scripture do you find humility honored? Are you more known for your humility or pride?
  3. In what ways, at what times, have you tried saving yourself? When have you cried out for Jesus to save you?
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Homemade Idols

*Old Testament: Exodus 31 & 32

Poetry: Psalm 32

New Testament: Matthew 27

I grew up on a farm and was around cows a lot. Never once did I find qualities to be worshipped in our cows. Sure, sometimes they did something cute or funny, but to lift a calf into idol worship seems ridiculous to me. Yet many ancient cultures worshipped the bull. Apparently, the Hebrew people were aware of this practice, too. So while Moses is receiving the Law of the Lord on the mountain, Aaron is left in charge. The people told him to make them gods who would go before them. And amazingly he does it. He creates the idol from their jewelry. Aaron goes on to build an altar in front of it. He announces that they will have a festival to the Lord with burnt offerings and fellowship offerings. The LORD is writing instructions for Moses of who He is and how they can worship Him, but they decide to create their own idol and practice their own form of worship. Along with these bad decisions, they eat, drink and indulge in revelry.

The golden calf should illustrate the ridiculousness of placing anything or anyone in a position of worship. The LORD is the only One who should be there.

I wonder if we had our modern-day idols put out on public display with altars in front of them, what would we find? Things that represent power, relationships, careers, educational degrees, wealth, fame…What offerings are being given for these idols? Are we offering most of our energy, time, focus or money?

Even good things can become idols when we make someone or something else the highest priority in our lives. Material possessions can be viewed as blessings from the LORD. We can thank Him for them and use them to help others. When we do this, we are using God’s blessings for good, but if we become consumed in our material possessions, they become an obstacle to fully loving and serving the LORD.

We should ask ourselves, “Does anything or anyone hold a higher priority in my life than the LORD?”  In Colossians 3:5 we are told to “Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry”.
So we see here that evil things need to be eliminated from our life before we find that they have become idols.

The Hebrews show us the seriousness of putting idols in the place of the LORD. They made themselves a laughingstock to the other nations and they broke a blood covenant with the LORD. (Ex. 24:7-8) How much better it would have been if Aaron had refused? Even when leadership falters, we should stand for the LORD. Let’s move out any idols and make the LORD the center of our world by loving Him with all our heart, soul, mind and strength.

-Rebecca Dauksas

Reflection Questions

  1. Does anything or anyone hold a higher priority in your life than the LORD? What or who? 
  2. What offerings are being given for these idols? Are you offering most of your energy, time, focus or money to anything or anyone who is not the LORD God?
  3. What will you do to put God first (either again, or for the first time in your life)? What changes need to be made? What habits need to be broken? What habits need to be started? What will you do today to make it so? 
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