Tag: Amy Blanchard

Choose Life

*Old Testament Reading:  Deuteronomy 29-30 

*Poetry Reading:  Job 42

New Testament Reading:  Romans 10

 “Therefore choose life, that you and your offspring may live” – Deuteronomy 30:19b (ESV)

In chapter 42, Job again responds to God.  He is humble, accepting that he cannot understand God nor His ways.  He repents for speaking about what he doesn’t understand.  He responds just as God wanted him to, in humility. 

Job’s friends first made their appearance in Job 2.  They “made an appointment together to come show him sympathy and comfort him” (Job 2:11b).  The first thing they did was an outward display of sharing his pain (wept, tore their robes, sprinkled dust on their heads).  Then they just sat with him.  In silence.  For seven days. 

If you’ve been reading along in Job, you have heard their advice.  Much of it sounds good.  Much of it would likely be great advice in a different situation.  Their focus was on what Job had done wrong to incur God’s wrath.  They couldn’t see any alternative to Job’s suffering.  Yet they gave up their silence and tried.  They did their best, but it turns out, they were wrong.  And God wasn’t about to let them get away with it. 

We’ve all been there….sitting (in person, via text, on social media, over the phone, etc.) with a suffering friend not knowing what to say.  Eventually, the silence drives us to speak.  Our desire to help is strong and pushes us to try to solve the problem, to figure out the “why” so they can fix it, or at least understand it.  Our hearts are in the right place.  I think Job’s friend’s hearts were in the right place, too.  They wanted to help. 

God says that His anger burns against them and that they haven’t spoken of Him what is right.  I don’t want to be in that place with God.  While He does offer them a way out – a way to repent – it is humbling, and likely even humiliating.  They thought they were offering good advice to their friend and now they have to humble themselves and ask him to pray for their misspeaking. 

What can we learn from this exchange?  First, reaching out to a friend who is suffering is good.  Sitting in silence is good, too.  But what I take away from this is that we need to seek God before we respond on His behalf.  Before we tell someone what God would have them do, we should ask God.  That can be in prayer or in reading His Word.  Someone once said that God will never contradict His Word, so whatever you “hear” him saying, cross-check it in the Bible. 

And a quick dip into Deuteronomy for some great thoughts to meditate on today…

Deuteronomy 29:18b-19a says, “Beware lest there be among you a root bearing poisonous and bitter fruit, one who, when he hears the words of this sworn covenant, blesses himself in his heart, saying, ‘I shall be safe, though I walk in the stubbornness of my heart.”

Deuteronomy 30:19-20 says, “I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Therefore choose life, that you and your offspring may live, loving the Lord your God, obeying his voice and holding fast to him, for he is your life and length of days, that you may dwell in the land that the Lord swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them.”

I think Job chose life.  Even though he didn’t do anything really big to sin, God called him out on his attitude and words.  He didn’t bear poisonous and bitter fruit and he didn’t hold on to his stubborn heart.  He humbled himself. 

Amy Blanchard

Reflection Questions

  1. Do you know a friend who is suffering?  What can you do to help them?  Remember to start with asking God.
  2. Do you have a stubborn heart that thinks you’ll be safe from God’s wrath?  Consider what choice you are making – life or death, blessing or curse.  Remember that your choice not only determines if you will dwell in the land of God’s promise, it also affects those following you – don’t make it harder for them to choose life and blessing.
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Overtaken!

*Old Testament Reading:  Deuteronomy 27-28

*Poetry Reading:  Job 41

New Testament Reading:  Romans 9

To keep up with our reading in Job, starting back in chapter 38, God began His rebuttal to Job.  God is still giving Job examples of his greatness and Job’s lowliness.  He’s still responding in chapter 41.  God could go on so much longer with His “Were you there when…”, “Who determined…”, “Do you know…”, “Can you….” questions.  After a brief allowance for Job to respond in chapter 40, God jumps right back in with his proclamations.  It certainly explains why God told Job to put on his big boy pants before he began (“Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge?  Dress for action like a man; I will question you, and you make it known to me.” Job 38:2-3)!  More to come tomorrow….

Back in Deuteronomy 11, God tells the Israelites about the events that are now taking place in chapters 27 & 28.  Deut. 11:29: “And when the Lord your God brings you into the land that you are entering to take possession of it, you shall set the blessing on Mount Gerizim and the curse on Mount Ebal.”  Can you imagine?  Two groups of men standing on different mountains shouting the blessings and curses which God will send based on their choices?  Clearly God takes accountability seriously! 

After reading the curses in 27:6 (and there are some pretty odd and icky ones), it wraps up with a very broad umbrella, “Cursed be anyone who does not confirm the words of this law by doing them”.  God wasn’t going to allow any loopholes here!

Chapter 28 begins with the blessings they will receive IF they “faithfully obey the voice of the Lord”.  These are really nice.  This is where we want to pause and feel good about our loving God.  28:2 says, “And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, if you obey the voice of the Lord your God.”

Sadly, we don’t get to sit with this image of a loving, blessing-giving God for long.  They jump right back into more curses.  And in verse 45 he uses the same phrasing, “All these curses shall come upon you and pursue you and overtake you till you are destroyed, because you did not obey the voice of the Lord…”.   

Remember, the Levites are proclaiming these loudly from facing mountains.  Participating in the yelling or just listening to it, I imagine you would feel like the matter of us choosing to obey God or not is very important to God.  They were obviously making a big deal out of it.  Our choices matter. 

Deuteronomy 27:9-10 says, Then Moses and the Levitical priests said to all Israel, “Keep silence and hear, O Israel: this day you have become the people of the Lord your God. 10 You shall therefore obey the voice of the Lord your God, keeping his commandments and his statutes, which I command you today.”  Moses commands the Israelites to obey.  We have a choice – God gave us a free will to choose to obey or not.  Moses simply tells the Israelites that since they are God’s people, they shall obey Him.  If it were only that simple to do!  But, isn’t it?  Well, it should be. 

Amy Blanchard

Reflection Questions

  1. I read this beautiful definition of being overtaken by blessings, “the blessings of the Lord will be so abundant, that they will chase us down.”  Have you ever felt overtaken by blessings? 
  2. Listening to the voice of the Lord your God will change you – your thoughts and behaviors and attitudes.  If you are not seeing that change, first honestly look at if you are really listening to God’s voice.  Read the curses.  Read the blessings.  And make your choice.
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Why NOT Me?

Old Testament Reading: Deuteronomy 23 & 24

*Poetry Reading:  Job 39

New Testament Reading:  Romans 7

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If you’ve been reading along in Job you have watched terrible tragedy come upon Job time after time.  You have seen his friends come to be with him.   You have heard those same friends accuse Job of sinning; all of their advice coming from the perspective that he needs to repent in order for God to end his punishment.  You have also heard Job defend himself, holding fast to his innocence.  He boldly tells his friends what he would do if God would answer him. 

  • 23:4-7:  I would lay my case before him and fill my mouth with arguments. I would know what he would answer me and understand what he would say to me.  Would he contend with me in the greatness of his power?   No; he would pay attention to me. There an upright man could argue with him, and I would be acquitted forever by my judge.
  • 31:35-37:  Oh, that I had one to hear me!  (Here is my signature! Let the Almighty answer me!)
        Oh, that I had the indictment written by my adversary!   Surely I would carry it on my shoulder;
        I would bind it on me as a crown; I would give him an account of all my steps; like a prince I would approach him.

Job 39 is part of a “rant” by God that puts Job in his place.  God first joins in the conversation between Job and his friends in Job 38:3, “Dress for action like a man; I will question you, and you make it known to me.”  God repeats this in Job 40:7, “Dress for action like a man; I will question you, and you make it known to me.” 

We will look at God’s reply and Job’s response in a couple of days.  Today, I want to focus on a few other thoughts. 

First, God is BIG and we are small. 

  • Omniscient – God is all-knowing – we are ignorant
  • Omnipotent – God is all-powerful – we are weak
  • Omnipresent – God is everywhere, all the time – we are limited

We need to keep these differences in mind at all times.  This is what allows us to fully trust in God and His plan for our lives. 

Second, we need to have a proper perspective of our lives on this earth. 

  •  2 Timothy 3:12a:  “Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted”
  • John 16:33:  “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

Both of these verses are directed to those who are in Christ.  The Bible’s perspective is that we will face trials and persecution.  It is much more difficult to face those trials when we have the perspective that it shouldn’t happen to us.  Sin, evil, suffering – these are normal for this life.  They should be expected.  If we are in Christ, our perspective and expectations should be that these things should happen to us.

Having the right perspective of who we are compared to God and what expectations we should have regarding life in this age will help us trust God as we face whatever circumstances come our way. 

Amy Blanchard

Reflection Questions

  1. Do you accept that you are ignorant, weak, and limited….at least in comparison with God?  He wants us to depend on Him, to trust in Him, and to let His power be seen in us (2 Corinthians 12:7-10).  To do this, we need to begin to see how great God is.
  2. I desire to live a godly life.  I am in Christ.  I still don’t want to be persecuted.  However, I am trying to accept that if I am living a godly life, I will face persecution.  Are you trusting God to bring you peace in your troubles? 
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The Ultimate Rescue

*New Testament Reading:  Mark 13

Psalms Reading:  82

Old Testament Reading:  Isaiah 47-48 

“And then they will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory.”   – Mark 13:26 (ESV)

Remember the rescue scene from yesterday’s questions (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4pFUP0HZwWM)? 

Well, here is the biggest rescue scene ever!  Mark 13:24-27, “But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will be falling from heaven, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken.”  

Can you picture it?  The utter despair and hopelessness that the world will experience? 

Well, thankfully there’s more.  “And then they will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory.  And then he will send out the angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven.” 

Does that give you chills?  Just when everything appears to be doomed and evil is going to win,  God steps in and sends Jesus back.  For us. 

Verses 19-20 say, “For in those days there will be such tribulation as has not been from the beginning of the creation that God created until now, and never will be. And if the Lord had not cut short the days, no human being would be saved. But for the sake of the elect, whom he chose, he shortened the days.”

It isn’t going to be fun, in those last days, for believers.  Those who follow Jesus Christ will be persecuted; sadly, some to the point of breaking.  This is why we need each other – to be encouraged to stand firm.  Verses 32-33 say, “But concerning that day or that hour, no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. 33 Be on guard, keep awake.[a] For you do not know when the time will come.”  

But we do know that it WILL come. 

Amy Blanchard

Reflection Questions

  1. We must encourage one another to be on guard, to stay awake, and to stand firm.  We must see one another to do this, build genuine relationships, and be available to serve one another.  Hebrews 10:25 tells us to not neglect meeting together.  If you do not have a church you call home, please reach out to someone to help you find one.  If you do, are you involved in ways that encourage others, serve others, support others? 
  2. Trusting God’s promise of being rescued can be hard.  What are some ways He has come through for you already?  Keep reminding yourself of the times He has shown Himself faithful to you.
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Thus Says the Lord

New Testament Reading:  Mark 12

Psalms Reading:  81

*Old Testament Reading:  Isaiah 45-46

“For thus says the Lord, who created the heavens (he is God!), who formed the earth and made it (he established it; he did not create it empty, he formed it to be inhabited!): “I am the Lord, and there is no other.”  –Isaiah 45:18 (ESV)

Isaiah 45 begins, “Thus says the LORD…”.  This is repeated in verses 11, 14, & 18.  This phrase speaks of confidence and certainty; God has spoken and He only says what is true.  In verses 6, 18, 21, & 22 God says, “I am the LORD, and there is no other”.  In this chapter of Isaiah God speaks and He tells us how all-powerful He is and that there is none like Him. 

In chapter 46, verse 5 God asks the question, “To whom will you liken me and make me equal, and compare me, that we may be alike?  He speaks of the worthlessness of idols and then says, in verses 8-11, Remember this and stand firm… for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me… declaring the end from the beginning… My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose… I have spoken, and I will bring it to pass; I have purposed, and I will do it. 

There just aren’t words big enough to describe our awe of God.  I checked the thesaurus:  awesome, incredible, spectacular, astonishing, stunning, amazing, magnificent, wondrous, majestic.  Our God, my God, your God, speaks to us and will accomplish what He says he will do.  He has a purpose and He will complete it.  We can rely on that without doubt.  I encourage you to take some time and read some of God’s promises and bask in the fact that each one already has or will happen.  You can start with Isaiah 45:22-23 “Turn to me and be saved, all the ends of the earth!  For I am God, and there is no other.  By myself I have sworn; from my mouth has gone out in righteousness a word that shall not return: ‘To me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear allegiance”

These chapters fill me with hope and confidence in our almighty God.  Let me leave you with a beautiful image from Isaiah 45:8 “Shower, O heavens, from above, and let the clouds rain down righteousness; let the earth open, that salvation and righteousness may bear fruit; let the earth cause them both to sprout; I the Lord have created it.” 

Amy Blanchard

  1. Since there aren’t any words that can adequately describe God – His power, His supremeness, how absolutely we can trust him – sit for a minute (preferably longer) and feel.  I know that sounds odd, but try it. 
  2. God speaking for two chapters on how He is the greatest and only perfect One and how He WILL succeed gives me chills.  I like action movies – you know, the ones where the good guys win (American movies).  There is always a specific moment, whether it’s a line, a visual cue, or the background music changes when you know “it’s done”, the good guys are going to win.  Picture the “cavalry coming over the hill” scene in so many movies.  One is in Avengers:  Endgame (spoiler alert).  Just when Captain America is about to be defeated and overtaken by a huge army The Avengers assemble.  They rescue him and save the world. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4pFUP0HZwWM)  When these scenes happen, you feel something – relief, power, joy.  What do you feel when you read some of the passages from today’s chapters in Isaiah?   (And just for fun – what are some of the differences between the Avengers scene and this passage in Isaiah?)
  3. God created all of our emotions.  Thank Him for them.  What are you feeling today?
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Everyone Who is Called by His Name

New Testament Reading:  Mark 11 

Psalms Reading:  80

*Old Testament Reading:  Isaiah 43-44 

This summer our church spent some time looking at the Enneagram.  It is kind of like a personality test, but more in depth.  It is a tool used to help us look at ourselves honestly, among other things.  What I learned about myself (the good, bad and the ugly) has made me think about my motivations – the why I do what I do, or don’t do.  I am a 2W1 (type 2, wing 1).  My core longing is to feel that I am wanted, loved, needed, chosen, etc. 

I love how Isaiah 43 speaks to my core longing**.    Verses 1, 4a, 10a:    “But now thus says the Lord, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine….you are precious in my eyes, and honored, and I love you…..“You are my witnesses,” declares the Lord, “and my servant whom I have chosen,…”.  These verses tell me that I don’t need to fear, I am redeemed, God calls me by name (I am known), I am His, I am precious, honored, loved and chosen.   Wow!  That’s a lot right there! 

Verse 3 says, “For I am the Lord your God the Holy One of Israel, Your Savior.”  And verse 15 says, “I am the Lord, your Holy One, the Creator of Israel, your King.”  These verses speak to a relationship; to how we view God in our lives.  They are personal, which is what God wants them to be.  He wants to be our Savior and our King.  In verses 3-7 God tells us we matter and we are worth much to Him.  He says he will gather the Israelites from the end of the earth – everyone who is called by His name, whom He created for His glory, whom He formed and made.  That includes us.  That includes you, wherever you are in your faith journey; you are called by His name.  Romans 5:8 says “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” God chose you before you existed; God chooses you while you’re still a sinner.  He wants you to choose to be in a relationship with Him – He calls you by name, You are precious, honored, loved and chosen by Him.  YOU were created for His glory.

Whatever personality type you are, it is good to be known and loved by your Creator! 

** In this passage, God shifts from calling the Israelites out on their failure to listen to Him in chapter 42 to telling them how much He loves them in chapter 43.  These verses were not directed at us today, however, they reveal God’s character and relationship to His followers.  In that regard, they can be applied to us as children of God.

Amy Blanchard

Reflection Questions

  1. Relationships take time, intentionality, and sacrifice.  We see in God’s word that God directs those toward us.  How are you doing at reciprocating?
  2. We see in today’s reading that God is our creator, redeemer, protector, helper, and king.  He forgives us and he loves us.  Which of these resonates with your heart today? 
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God Made Them Male and Female

*New Testament Reading:  Mark 10

Psalms Reading:  79

Old Testament Reading:  Isaiah 41-42 

The Pharisees ask Jesus about divorce to test him.  Rather than just answer their question, Jesus directs them to God’s original design for marriage…vs 6- 9 “But from the beginning of creation, ‘God made them male and female.’ ‘Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.’ So they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.” There are several days’ worth of material in just that short passage.

Today, however, I want to focus on the phrase “God made them male and female”.   This is a quote from Genesis 1:27, “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.”   Psalm 139:13-16 says of God, “For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb….My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths …”.  Malachi 3:6a tells us, “For I the Lord do not change…”

When you put these thoughts together, you can see that God designed each one of us.  Individually, specifically, intentionally, purposefully.  He chose YOUR personality, eye color, height, if you like spicy foods or not, how you will process good and bad news, what will motivate you, and what sex/gender you are.  We can color our hair or learn to like certain foods, but we cannot change what we are at the core of who God made us to be.  HE CHOSE your gender.  HE CHOSE your gender because HE WANTED YOU.

How we bring glory to God is to be the best version we can of who He made us to be.  There are lots of gray areas up for interpretation in the Bible.  However, God is very black and white on the issue of gender.  He created them male and female.  That’s it.  No other options. 

Since that was so short, I feel like I have space to tackle one more piece from today’s reading.  Let’s look at God’s view of marriage and sex (another area where God is very black and white in His design).  In Mark 10 we read, ”…and the two shall become one flesh.  So they are no longer two but one flesh.  What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.”   God’s plan and desire for marriage is that one man and one woman get married and stay married until death separates them (yes, there are a few specific exceptions to this, and I’m not digging into that here, but please talk to your pastor or an elder or trusted godly person if you have questions on this.).  God’s plan for sex is that it is a wonderful gift for pleasure and for procreation, only to be experienced within the boundaries of marriage as stated above.

The world today says that anything goes.  The Bible says differently.  It matters to God what we do with our bodies.  If you have already stepped outside of the boundaries that God has set for His children, know that He will forgive you and that He will remove your sin from you as far as the east is from the west (Psalm 103:12).  You need only ask Him.  I know because I was there.  He will not only forgive you, but help you to forgive yourself, too.

I will leave you with 1 Corinthians 6:18-20.  “Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body.  Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.”

Amy Blanchard

Reflection Questions

  1. Your body becomes a temple of the Holy Spirit when you choose to follow God’s plan for salvation.  In short, it is belief, repentance, baptism.  If you have not made that commitment, please consider speaking to someone who can help guide you there.  Are you treating your body as God’s temple?  If not, why not?
  2. Repentance is an acknowledgement that what we did was wrong and a turning away from that action, attitude, inaction, etc.  Since we all sin, we all need to repent.  Is there anything in your life that you need to repent of today? 
  3. It is a struggle to go against what the world is telling you is good.  God expects us to stand firm in our knowledge of His design.  What else did these passages reveal to you about God’s character?
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Lift Up Your Eyes

New Testament Reading:  Mark 9

Psalms Reading:  78

*Old Testament Reading:  Isaiah 39-40

Do you not know? Do you not hear?  Has it not been told you from the beginning?  Have you not understood from the foundations of the earth?   – Isaiah 40:21 (ESV)

Since we are covering a couple of chapters at a time in the Old Testament, there is a lot of information to consider every day.  Today, chapter 39 tells of a good man doing a bad thing.  King Hezekiah shows all his wealth to the king of Babylon.  King Hezekiah was trying to impress the envoys from Babylon.  He was enjoying the recognition, honor, flattery, and praise from men.  It seems that Hezekiah’s pride made him unable to see the destruction that could come from doing such a thing.  Isaiah tells him plainly in verses 6-7, Behold, the days are coming, when all that is in your house, and that which your fathers have stored up till this day, shall be carried to Babylon. Nothing shall be left, says the Lord. And some of your own sons, who will come from you, whom you will father, shall be taken away, and they shall be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.” 

Hezekiah started out as a godly king.  He was given a gift of an additional 15 years of life (see Isaiah 38).  Sadly, he did not use those extra years wisely.   Instead, he became proud and focused on himself.  Something to take from this chapter is that it is how we use our time that matters in the end. 

Beginning in chapter 40, the rest of Isaiah is largely a message of comfort.  Isaiah prophesies about John the Baptist, Jesus, and the reward he will bring.   Isaiah reminds us that God is our Creator and that His creation makes Him evident.  Verses 25-26a say, “To whom then will you compare me, that I should be like him? says the Holy One.  Lift up your eyes on high and see:  who created these?”  We need only “look up”; to consider there is a God who designed and created everything.  We are told he is mighty, strong in power, everlasting, and does not faint or grow weary. We need to know that about God.  This is also sound advice in general.  To “look up” is to take our eyes off of ourselves.  When we “look up” at God and what He created (this includes other people) we put ourselves in a position to see how God can use us. 

Then Isaiah turns the message a bit, from telling us how powerful God is to telling us that God will give us power and strength.  To whom does he offer these?  To those who “wait for the Lord” (verse 31).  I am not a scholar; I haven’t taken Hebrew or Greek.  I don’t usually get caught up in words, but in studying this passage, I found this word study very interesting.  The word wait in the English language is passive.  Apparently, the Hebrew language has about 25 words for wait.  The one used in Isaiah 40:31 is qavah (kaw-vaw).  Qavah means to wait actively with anticipation or to look eagerly for.  It is sometimes translated as hope.  It is impossible to wait on the Lord without hope. 

Amy Blanchard

Reflection Questions

  1. What does “to wait actively with anticipation” look like for you at this stage of your life?  What are you waiting (hoping) for?
  2. Lift up your eyes; look for God in everything around you.  What/Who do you see? 
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Day of Trouble

New Testament Reading:  Mark 8

*Psalms Reading:  77

Old Testament Reading:  Isaiah 37-38

Have you ever felt so troubled that you couldn’t speak?    Your heart is so heavy, nothing you try brings comfort, you can’t sleep, you question God’s love and promises…..you are miserable.  Psalm 77 begins, “I cry aloud to God, aloud to God, and he will hear me.  In the day of my trouble I seek the Lord”. 

The Psalmist suggests that, in these times of trouble, we could remember the deeds of the Lord, ponder God’s work, and meditate on His mighty deeds.  Sometimes that is not enough.  Sometimes we don’t see God moving in our life.  Sometimes we don’t hear him guiding us.  Sometimes we don’t feel his presence.  Sometimes we need more than just remembering and meditating. 

Verses 16-19 describe when God parted the Red Sea for the Israelites as they fled Egypt.  Verses 19-20 say, “Your way was through the sea, your path through the great waters; yet your footprints were unseen.  You led your people like a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron.”

God himself wasn’t seen.  BUT, He led the Israelites by the hand of Moses and Aaron.  I think He does that today.  He often uses people to help lead us. 

I have been there.  Troubled.  Unable to see or hear God.  Thankfully, I did have people in my life whom God used to lead me out of that darkness.  Some were friends and family.  Some were professional counselors.  Some were on the radio, singing or talking.  Some were authors.  Some were people in Scripture.  God sent help.  Let me say to you, “God WILL send help”.  Your job, in those troubled times, is to accept the help He sends. 

Your next job is to be that help for someone else.  2 Corinthians 1:3-5 tells us that God comforts us so that we may comfort others.

Amy Blanchard

Reflection Questions

  1. Have you ever experienced God sending someone to help in your troubles?  If so, share your experience with someone.  Maybe your story will give them encouragement, strength, and comfort. 
  2. If you are in a “day of trouble” right now and aren’t seeing or hearing God, don’t give up hope.  Look around you for people He is sending to help you.  Can you see anyone?
  3. Remembering God’s deeds is a good tool for strengthening our faith and our trust in Him.  Think about your life; which of God’s mighty deeds can you meditate on today?
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Defiled…or Not

*New Testament Reading:  Mark 7

Psalms Reading:  76

Old Testament Reading:  Isaiah 35-36 

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There is nothing outside a person that by going into him can defile him, but the things that come out of a person are what defile him. – Mark 10:14 (ESV)

“Goodness Gracious!”  “Jiminy!”  “Good Golly!”  And, occasionally, “Uffda”.  Laugh if you want, but these are actually phrases that come out of my mouth when surprised or startled.  I have many issues and sins that I struggle with in my life (just ask my family), but bad language isn’t one of them.  Why not?  Likely because I don’t put that into my mind.  It bothers me to watch movies with a lot of bad language and I don’t surround myself with people who talk that way (at least they don’t in front of me). 

In Mark 7:14-15 we read:  And he [Jesus] called the people to him again and said to them, “Hear me, all of you, and understand: There is nothing outside a person that by going into him can defile him, but the things that come out of a person are what defile him.” And Mark 7:20-23 gets more specific:  And he said, “What comes out of a person is what defiles him. For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.”

There are two parts of this that need to be addressed.  First, what does it mean to defile yourself?  Here are some definitions I found for defile:  to spoil; to make dirty; to corrupt; to take away the purity, honor, or goodness of.  Second, for something to come out, it must be in, right?  So, how does that list of what comes out of the heart get into the heart? 

Think of the song O Be Careful Little Eyes. 

O be careful little eyes what you see
O be careful little eyes what you see
For the Father up above
Is looking down in love
So, be careful little eyes what you see

The other verses are O be careful little ears what you hear, little tongue what you say, hands what you do, feet where you go, heart whom you trust, and mind what you think.   All of these put ideas/thoughts into our minds.  Once there, we use our minds to decide what to do with the thought.  Are we going to take it captive and make it obedient to Christ (2 Corinthians 10:50)?  Are we going to let it conform us to the world or transform us to be renewed to know God’s will (Romans 12:2)? 

Other verses can give us more clarity and direction. 

1 Corinthians 15:33:  Do not be deceived: “Bad company ruins good morals.” Or, “corrupts good character” (NIV)

Psalm 119:11:  I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.

What you put in (read, watch, listen to, etc.) and who you surround yourself with (face-to-face, groups online, etc.) WILL come out.   God goes so far as to warn us not to be deceived about such things.  Luke 6:45 says, “For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.” And it’s not just the words from our mouths.  It’s our actions, inactions, attitudes, etc.  Be aware that what comes out reveals our hearts – as clean or unclean.  The choice is up to us.

Amy Blanchard

Reflection Questions

  1. What are you putting into your mind? 
  2. What comes out of you – your actions, words, and attitudes?  What do they reflect is in your heart? 
  3. God reveals himself through His Son, Jesus.  Jesus gives us a list of evil things that defile us.  What does this list reveal about God’s character to you?
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