Tag: daily devotion

True Riches

A collection of gold coins in a stack with text overlay quoting Luke 16:13: 'No one can serve 2 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.'

Jeremiah 46-47

Psalm 133

*Luke 16

-Devotion by Jeremy Martin (TN)

Jesus taught a lot in parables.  ALL of them make you think a little bit, and while most of them I understand pretty well (I think), to be honest some of them have always confused me a little bit.  The reading for today and tomorrow have the 2 in them that always confused me the most.  Today we’ll focus on the first one (this one has the header “The Parable of the Unrighteous Steward” in my Bible), and tomorrow we’ll look at the other (with the header “The Rich Man and Lazarus”).

Matthew 13:34-35 says, specifically: “Jesus spoke all these things in parables to the crowds, and he did not speak to them without using a parable, so that what was spoken through the prophet was fulfilled, saying, I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things hidden from the foundation of the world.” (REV* translation used). Which prophet are they quoting here**? Why does he always use parables? I think it’s because it makes you think, and that you can also get layers and layers from them sometimes, revealing more than just a simple concept.

As a kid, I never got the “Parable of the Unrighteous Steward”.  I mean, we have this guy who’s running the house, he’s about to get fired, and then he cheats his master.  How is being a cheater good?  Is the Bible advocating cheating here?  These are things that stick in a young kid’s mind and make them wonder.  What’s even more mind boggling was that his master praised him for his cunningness, after he was cheated!  I never got it, it seemed to be antithetical to all the things the Bible was teaching.

I think I get it a little better now, particularly because I’ve learned how to dissect word problems to find the real things that they’re asking (or, in this case, telling us).  The key bit of information here is found in Luke 16:4, “I know what I will do so that when I am removed from management, people will receive me into their houses.’ ”  The guy knows he’s about to get kicked out, he’s already said (in v3) that he’s not really qualified to do other jobs, and he’s trying to set himself up so he’s not homeless out in the streets.  To do this, he uses his master’s wealth, and lets some of the folks who owe his master money to shave off some (quite a bit if you look at the numbers) of their debt, so that they’ll now be indebted to him.  Then, despite being robbed (in a sense), the master commended him for being cunning.

So let’s apply this to real life.  Look around you.  Some people are richer than others, some people are in authority over others, some people have advantages over others.  It’s just the way it is.  We also know from scripture (Ps 24:1 being my favorite example) that GOD OWNS EVERYTHING.  This means that you are just a steward.  Probably an unrighteous one, if you’re being honest with yourself (see Romans 3:23).  So why not, like this unrighteous steward, use your master’s wealth to your own advantage?

If you have been given much or little is irrelevant, because everything belongs to God anyway.  The question is: how are you using that wealth?  How are you using that authority?  How are you using whatever advantages you have?  If you are cunning and wise, you will use them to make sure you’re not kicked out and homeless in the kingdom, when it comes. 

Is this about the kingdom though? It absolutely is: check out v9: “And I myself say to you, make friends for yourselves by means of unrighteous wealth, so that when it fails they will receive you into their tents in the age to come. ”  Any time we see the phrase “age to come” it’s talking about after the return, in the kingdom of God.  You know, the Kingdom, that thing we’re supposed to be seeking first?

The moral of this story is: use your wealth, use your authority, use whatever advantages in this life you may possess to try to win friends and enter in to the kingdom of God.  Jesus tells us very clearly in v13: “No servant is able to serve two masters, because he will either hate one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and think little of the other. You are not able to serve God and Wealth.”  Please don’t get me wrong, having money is not bad in and of itself.  The love of money is, though.  It’s simply a matter of where we are putting our priorities.  We are to love God, with all our hearts, with all our minds, and with all our strength.

This means that if we have much or if we have little, we use what we have to glorify God.  If you have wealth, buy the groceries of that lady behind you in line at the supermarket.  Buy a homeless person a hamburger.  Support people who are less fortunate than you, and don’t take credit for any of it, but give God the glory.  Support ministries as you can.  Love your neighbor as yourself in other words, and every now and again when you are taking care of yourself (which we all seem to be really good at), take care of your neighbor as well.

If you don’t have wealth, well, use whatever you have.  If you have authority, use it to help the servants of God.  If you have your health, go mow the lawn of the widow who goes to your church.  Give some extra clothes to the homeless.  Visit the imprisoned and give them hope.  Feed the hungry.  Use whatever you have to benefit your neighbor, and it is to the glory of God.  If someone you’re helping tells you “thanks!”, you tell them “don’t thank me, thank God!”.  Remember that this current evil age that we live in is not our final destination, and that we are striving for a place in the age to come, a place in the kingdom.  Use the Master’s wealth that He has given you to secure your own advantage in the age to come.

REFLECTION QUESTIONS

  1. What gifts have you been given, and how can you best utilize those to secure your own entry in the kingdom, in the age to come?
  2. Do you currently view your own personal wealth as the goal, or the tool which may help you to reach your goal?
  3. How can we shift our thinking to be more cunning and wise, and plan for the kingdom? What specific things can you do that may help you?

PRAYER

Father God, thank you.  You have given me so much, please give me also wisdom to use it well.  You have given life, breath, and all things.  Help me to use discernment, and to remember not the blessings, but the hand from which all these blessings have come.  Help me to glorify you in all things.  Thank you, in Jesus name, Amen.

* Some of you may have noticed that recently I’ve been using the REV version of the Bible in almost all of my Bible quotes.  I am going to give it a shameless plug here, because it’s probably one of, if not the, most honest translations I’ve come across and it uses the name of God (YHWH, or “Yahweh”) where the name of God is written.  This is a huge deal for me. The REV bible is available for free here: https://revbible.com/bcuk online, put forth by “Spirit and Truth” (https://stfi.org/).  Check it out.

** David, that’s found in Psalms 78:2 (a lot of times we forget that David was a prophet but he absolutely was).

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One Lost Little Coin

An arrangement of silver coins with the text from Luke 15:8 NASB overlaying the image.

Jeremiah 43-45

Psalm 133

Luke 15

-Devotion by Whitney Myers (AZ)

“I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” (Luke 15:10)

Luke 15 is Jesus telling three parables about a person losing something or someone valuable to them and finding them again.

One of these parables is about a woman losing one of her ten silver coins. Forgive me if you don’t like history but I’m going to give a little lecture. Originally when you hear about losing a silver coin you’d probably think “oh no that’s a lot of money back in the biblical days. Poor lady.”, but it’s actually a way bigger deal than that. I’m 15 so obviously I haven’t been married yet but allow me to try to connect to you married folk. Back in Jesus’s day when a woman got married she would wear a veil that had ten silver coins sewn into it. These coins served as what a modern day wedding ring or band is now. So basically this woman lost a diamond on her wedding ring if I were to connect to modern day traditions.

My grandpa tells this story: when he was in his 20’s right after he got married to my grandma he was working on painting a house and he took off his wedding band to clean his hands. He put his ring on the bumper of his truck and drove off and later realized he left his ring there. He started scrambling to find it and drove back to retrace his steps and found it lying in the street.

For the woman and my grandpa to lose something so valuable it must’ve been pretty rewarding and relieving to have found what they had lost.

Now imagine how God feels when one of his children repents to him. It’s as though what He had lost had found Him again. Just as the woman rejoices with her neighbors and my grandpa celebrated with his wife, God’s angels jubilate when a child of God repents.

Reflection Questions

  1. Is there any way in which you have been hiding from God?
  2. What is the connection between being unrepentant and being lost? What is the connection between repentance and being found? Which causes the other?
  3. What do you think it can feel like to be lost and unrepentant? What is the true problem with being lost – whether the lost item/sheep/person knows it or not?
  4. Do you recognize the worth and value in what is currently lost? In what ways can you seek the lost? What do you think God would say is the most loving way to approach the lost? What do they need more than anything?

Prayer

Dear God, Thank you for hearing and accepting our true repentance and for your forgiveness. Thank you for welcoming the lost who have been found into your fold. Help me know the importance of repentance and the value of the lost. Give me wisdom, love and persistence in the way I seek the lost and in the words I speak. May I be like the woman who lights her lamp, sweeps her house and searches carefully until she finds it – and then gets to rejoice with the repentant.

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Two Sons

Jeremiah 41-42

Psalm 132

Luke 15

-Devotion by Whitney Myers (AZ)

“And when he [the shepherd] finds it [his lost sheep], he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home.” (Luke 15:5)

Sometimes followers of Christ tend to stray away from the good path that we as believers try to always follow. We consider ourselves lost and almost forgotten. We feel as though we don’t have a purpose and there’s no sense in trying because we’re just going to fail and even if we do succeed nobody will notice or care. However, that is not true.

Take the saying “one man’s trash is another man’s treasure.” Your worth is something that cannot be taken away. What one person may see as impractical may be another’s most prized possession. For example, when you were a child you probably had a favorite stuffed animal. Mine was this brown bear with a little Christmas hat and a scarf with two pom poms on the end and his name was Belkey. I was only 10 months old when I received him but we were inseparable. I brought Belkey everywhere. I actually remember one day I lost one of the pom poms on the end of his scarf and held a private funeral for it. I cried for about a day. I told my mom and obviously she was sympathetic about it but she wasn’t crying on the floor making a fuss about it like I was. I was so disappointed that I lost something so valuable to me and even though my mom didn’t feel the same level of letdown she was still very sad for me because she knew how much I loved that bear.

This parable in Luke 15 gives three examples. One of a shepherd losing one of his one hundred sheep, one of a woman losing one of her ten silver coins, and one of a father losing one of his two sons. For the silver coin, the woman probably misplaced it but the sheep and the son could have run away. Now, a sheep is an animal and doesn’t have many feelings but we can imply that the sheep did not know its surroundings and was lost until his shepherd found him. However, the son ran away on purpose. He left to live a lavish life of spending and partying. Eventually, he ran out of money and the country he set off to had begun to experience a severe famine. He then “went and hired himself to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs.” (Luke 15:15). At this point he was regretting his decision of running away and he felt truly lost. He didn’t know who he was anymore and felt as though he didn’t have a purpose. I mean, he literally went from living lavishly with so much money to feeding filthy animals. He concluded he should probably do something about this. He went home to his father and accepted the truth that he had sinned and voluntarily said he would be his own father’s slave. The moment his father saw his son returning back to him he was “filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.” (Luke 15:20). The father immediately suggested they have a feast and celebrate because his son “was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.” (Luke 15:32) The son was ashamed of his sins and rightfully so but the father was so grateful to have him back. The father’s other son however was not. He resented the father for being so welcoming while the whole time he’d been working for him and didn’t get any recognition. Even though the son’s brother didn’t appreciate his return, the father did which solidifies that the son’s worth never changed. The son just went through a rough moment in time and had to open his eyes and realize that his actions were the problem.

Everyone wasn’t as happy as the father was when the son arrived back home (like how sad I was when I lost my bear’s pom pom) but that didn’t make the son any less of a person. All of us are just as valuable as the other and when one of us wavers away in our faith, God yearns for us to return. When we return, it’s a par-tay!!!! “I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.” (Luke 15:7). The sooner we can recognize that the feeling of being lost and unwanted is all in our head and we make a move to return back to God, the sooner we can enjoy being in His presence rejoicing with Him.

Reflection Questions

  1. What do you think gives you worth? What do you think God says gives you worth? Who is right?
  2. When or in what ways have you run from God? Did you have a wake-up moment like the son did? What did that look like? What did you experience when you returned to God?
  3. If you have been more like the faithful, but bitter, son, what advice would Jesus who gave this parable have for you?

Prayer

Dear God, I thank You for Your love and faithfulness! Thank you for Your love for the faithful and for the lost. Help me to have that same love and longing and welcoming arms. Give us wisdom to know how good we have it being Your child. Keep me, and Your church, from all foolishness and rebellion.

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I Go to Prove Out my Oxen

Jeremiah 39-40            

Psalm 132        

Luke 14

-Devotion by Tom Siderius (MI)

When we read the Parable of the Great Feast in Luke chapter 14 it does not have the same points in our culture that it did in the Jewish culture of that time.  Read together from the NLT version.  There are 3 excuses that Jesus shows us in the parable where people excuse themselves from the invitation of the great feast.

Luke 14:15-24(NLT) Parable of the Great Feast
15 Hearing this, a man sitting at the table with Jesus exclaimed, “What a blessing it will be to attend a banquet in the Kingdom of God!”
16 Jesus replied with this story: “A man prepared a great feast and sent out many invitations. 17 When the banquet was ready, he sent his servant to tell the guests, ‘Come, the banquet is ready.’

When we read this section, it is in the overall context of Jesus’ conflict with the leaders there they refuse to tell him whether healing someone on the Sabbath day is godly or sinful.  They are judging Jesus to accuse him of not following their law to diminish his influence on the people and raise up their standing as the religious leaders.  The excuses that are brought to the parable are all religious in nature and are not what God intends but traditions of the Jews had set up.

18 But they all began making excuses. One said, ‘I have just bought a field and must inspect it. Please excuse me.’

In Leviticus 27 we find a whole series of instructions about how to dedicate a field or property when it is transferred from owner to owner, and when the Jubilee returns it to the original family.  The implication that Jesus gives in this excuse is that the man cannot come to the feast of the master because he is doing something very religious and good.

19 Another said, ‘I have just bought five pairs of oxen, and I want to try them out. Please excuse me.’

You would think that this man could just go try out his new oxen anytime or would have done it before he bought them. And that this would not interfere with his going to a great supper feast.  It isn’t that he is going to see if the oxen are any good, but rather the Jews had set up an elaborate system of dedicating animals to the special purpose of honoring God.  Especially oxen which were the tractors of their day. The man was planning to go out and dedicate these animals to be a blessing of strength with God watching over them.  Very religious but not a good excuse to miss the feast.

20 Another said, ‘I just got married, so I can’t come.’

Another religious excuse comes from the year after being married being dedicated to making the new wife happy and settled.  Traditionally they would not take any invitations to dinner or events outside of their family. Read from Deuteronomy 24:5.

Deuteronomy 24:5(NLT) A newly married man must not be drafted into the army or be given any other official responsibilities. He must be free to spend one year at home, bringing happiness to the wife he has married.

Another great religious excuse but not for the invitation of God to come to a great spiritual feast in the Kingdom.

21 “The servant returned and told his master what they had said. His master was furious and said, ‘Go quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and invite the poor, the crippled, the blind, and the lame.’ 22 After the servant had done this, he reported, ‘There is still room for more.’ 23 So his master said, ‘Go out into the country lanes and behind the hedges and urge anyone you find to come, so that the house will be full. 24 For none of those I first invited will get even the smallest taste of my banquet.’”

We then read who comes to this great feast in the Kingdom of God in the future.  God calls those that lame, blind, deaf, or poor in spirit, the outcasts of the religious society that the Pharisee and Sadducees had constructed.  Thei religion was a construct of man based maybe originally on good purpose, but where the regulations they imposed were not truly Godly.  God cares for all those that will turn to Him and accept His Son as the Messiah.  God is the author of salvation He has decided to this for us.  Jesus Christ is the way that God give us as the pathway to Him.  Not religious regulation but the true relationships of faith with our Father God and His Son.

REflection Questions

So, what are the lessons for us today to help us in our walks of believing?

Why is religion always so against the true purposes of God?

What deceives us to make religious regulations instead of the compassion of God for people?

Prayer

Our great Father God, we praise You for Your great mercy and kindness to call us to Your purposes.  Help us this day to find Your path and walk it with You and Your Son.  Thank you for the care that You give to us in every situation of life.  Father, we look so forward to the great banquets of the Kingdom of God to come.  Give us today the bread of our need so that we are able to do Your will.  We pray in the wonderful name of Jesus Christ this day.

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Asking Good Questions

Jeremiah 37-38

Psalm 131

Luke 14

-Devotion by Jeffrey Seiders (MN)

Key verse: Jeremiah 37:9, Psalm 131:3, Luke 14:34

The most talented educators can communicate complex ideas/thoughts in simple words and have a unique ability to let their students fail gracefully (which allows them to learn from their mistakes). It is normal to have roughly 14.1 years of education for adults aged 25-54, and even we (because I’m included in that range now) still struggle to listen and follow the directions of our best educators. I encourage everyone to ask questions when they don’t UNDERSTAND the direction they’re given. However, that’s not usually why we ask questions.

A failure to LISTEN and FOLLOW directions is a problem we, as God’s creation, have almost always struggled with. The classic “what did you just say” or “sorry, can you repeat that, I wasn’t listening” questions come to mind. The first scriptural account that comes to mind is the “fall of mankind” found in Genesis 3, where Adam and Eve do the one thing they were explicitly told not to do (eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil). Fortunately for us, God knew this would happen and set a plan in place for those who can’t/don’t listen very well (John 3:16-17).

The “right” words to speak are often convicting and few. In Jeremiah 37:9-10, God speaks to Jeremiah the prophet and tells him to inform the king of Judah that they should “not deceive themselves” for the army of Chaldeans “would rise up and burn this city with fire.” Jeremiah’s job wasn’t easy, and his gift of prophecy might seem more like a curse to many of us. Imagine telling your boss, leader, and/or president (insert those in authority over you) that something bad is going to happen (and they aren’t going to listen to you). Doesn’t sound very fun, enjoyable, or convenient, right?

Of course, what happens to Jeremiah as he shares God’s words with His people (vv.15, 38:6, 15-16) isn’t likely to happen to us, but the fear/anxiety we allow to plague our minds might lead us to think it is bound to happen. Maybe it will, maybe it won’t. Regardless of that, we should not fix our minds, eyes, and hearts on what might happen (anxiety) or has already happened (depression). David had a similar yet different experience with persecution, and yet he wrote and lived out Psalm 131 (to the best of his ability). Go ahead – read those short three verses. Imagine if we all aspired to live a Psalm 131 life. I’m sure it would be torture for lots of people in my community alone.

In Luke 14:26-35, Jesus teaches the true cost of following him, and if you thought living a Psalm 131 life was hard, Jesus wants us to go above and beyond that. If you love your father, mother, wife, children, brothers, sisters, or your own life more than you love the LORD, you can’t be Jesus’ disciple (v.26). If you don’t take up your own cross (or aren’t willing to suffer), you can’t be Jesus’ disciple (v.27). If we don’t orient our lives around God and His will (v.33), we can’t be Jesus’ disciple. God has spoken to us and given us His son, but are we willing to listen and obey His words?

REFLECTION Q’s

  1. Jeremiah was given some harsh words to speak to God’s people. What has God spoken to you? How can they be implemented (used) in your church, life, school, and/or work?
  2. Psalm 131:1-2 lists a few characteristics about David (ex: my heart is not proud, my eyes are not haughty, I don’t concern myself with great matters or things too wonderful, I calmed and quieted myself, I am content). Which one do you struggle with the most? How can you work on your weakness? Which one do you do well? How can you bless others through that?
  3. Jesus teaches many intriguing things in Luke 14. Pick one idea/concept/phrase you like and dig deeper into what that idea/concept means in Scripture. For example: “Anyone who has ears to hear had better listen” (Luke 14:35), also found in Mark 4:9 and Matthew 11:15, is often used to warn listeners that what is said is very important. How can your research help you explain your chosen idea/concept/phrase better?

Prayer

Dear God Almighty – Thank you for being a great God of truth, righteousness and love. Help me to not be deceived. Show me how to live my life in accordance with Your Word and Your way. Help me listen well to You and the things You want me to learn – and then boldly speak what You want me to speak. In the name of Your Son Jesus I pray.

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The Narrow Door

*Jeremiah 35-36

Psalm 131

*Luke 13

-Devotion by Jeremy Martin (TN)

There are some verses in scripture that make me really nervous, and in our reading of Luke 13 today is one that’s right up at the top of my list.  I would even venture to say that if there aren’t any scriptures that concern you, or make you want to do better, then that should in and of itself be extremely concerning because we have all fallen short.

Before we get there though, I did want to touch lightly on the Jeremiah 35-36 portion of our reading today, because there’s one of those “one-off” stories that I like so much hidden in there, because it reveals something to me that I didn’t previously understand or give much thought to.

The Story of the Rechabites (Jeremiah 35)

God told Jeremiah to go invite all of the house of the Rechabites into the temple in one of the rooms, and give them wine to drink.  They all declined, and cited the words of an ancestor, saying “Our father told us we were told never to drink wine, or build a house, or sow seeds, or plant a vineyard, but that we were to live in tents like an alien in the land where we rest”.  So, an entire generation (or more) of this family had obeyed, never drinking, never owning a house, never farming, just dwelling in tents and herding animals, presumably.  This seems like a pretty big ask, but it’s what their ancestor had told them, and they’d listened and obeyed faithfully.

God knew about these guys, and had them summoned.  God tested them, to see if they were remaining true.  When they passed this test, the reward is staggering, I don’t know if you’ve thought much about it.  This statment: “…Because you have obeyed the commandment of Jonadab your father and kept all his precepts, and done according to all that he commanded you, therefore this is what Yahweh of Armies, the God of Israel, says: Jonadab the son of Rechab will not lack a man to stand before me forever.” (Jer 35: 18-19, REV).  God is upset with Israel because they have not kept the commandments that were given to them from God, but as a result of the house of Rechab’s faithfulness, they “will not lack a man to stand before” God, forever.  Consider the statement of Gabriel, when he introduced himself to Zechariah: “I am Gabriel, and I stand before God.” This is one of the highest honors imaginable.

Moving on to the Luke 13 reading today.  The examples of “accidents happen” in Luke 13:1-5 are somewhat eye opening, but don’t in and of itself make me especially nervous, except for the repeated “repent or perish!” statements.  The parable of the barren fig tree in v6-9 is a little more concerning to me because while I feel like I’ve repented pretty good, how much fruit am I bearing?  I don’t always see the fruit that I’m bearing, so I’m always concerned a bit about “meeting performance standards”, as it were.   This one should make us all pay a little closer attention, because it’s clearly laid out to us that we are expected to bear fruit, that steps will be taken to assist, but if we don’t then we’ll be cut down.

The story of the infirm woman in v10-17 is pretty important to me because: I believe in keeping the Sabbath.  This is one of the verses that was shown to me in my youth as a proof text that we didn’t need to, but I note that Jesus never said that it was an option, he only clarified that it was OK to do good deeds during it.  He still kept the Sabbath, just as it was intended, and since he did it, I’ll do it (without standing in judgment on whatever anyone else decides to do, that’s above my pay grade).  Is a servant greater than his master? Not me, I’m not even fit to be a servant, but God is merciful.  This isn’t the bit that worries me though, and makes me lay awake at night.

Here’s the part that scares me.  In Luke 13:22-30, Jesus tells us of “The Narrow Door”.  When asked by someone in one of the many cities and towns he was passing through, “Lord, will just a few be saved?” Jesus replied with the following (in v24-28): “Exert yourself intensely to enter in by the narrow door, for I say to you, that many will seek to enter in and will not succeed. When once the head of the house has risen and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and to knock on the door, saying, ‘Lord, open to us.’ Then he, answering, will say to you, ‘I do not know where you are from.’ Then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank in your presence, and you taught in our streets,’ and he will say, ‘I tell you, I do not know where you are from. Depart from me, all you who practice unrighteousness.’ There will be sobbing and gnashing of teeth, when you will see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God, but yourselves cast out.“

That’s the part that keeps me up sometimes at night, because I’ve got a painful and deep understanding of my impurities, of all the terrible things I’ve done in the past, of all the improper things my innermost being thinks at times, and of the times when I don’t discipline my eyes enough to not gaze upon things that displease my God.  I’m really trying to be the servant that pleases his master, but I know of the thousand thousand ways in which I fall short.  I thought at one point after my repentance that I was becoming holy, but God has revealed to me my innermost failings, and although many of my sins have been removed from me, I still fail daily.  I try daily to do better, but I know in my heart when I’ve fallen short.  Every time I am impatient, every time I gaze twice in a direction my eyes shouldn’t be pointed in, every time I am ungracious in my heart to another one of the people God has created here, I am poignantly aware that I am falling short.  I am still trying, and I would rather try and fail than to give up.  To God be the glory, no matter what.

There are myriads upon myriads of people who have lived far better than I have, who have from their youth been loyal servants to the living God, who are just better people than I’ve been.  If some of these people will be told ” …I do not know where you are from. Depart from me…” what possible chance do I have, to enter into the kingdom, to pass through the narrow door?  It terrifies me, as it should terrify us all. Not everyone who thinks they are going to make it into the kingdom is going to. 

Here is one of the realizations that I have come to: it’s not about me.  It’s about God.  I’m going to do the best that I can in the time that I have left in this life to honor God.  Not because anything I could ever do would make me worthy of entry into the kingdom, but because I want to please God.  He saved me, literally.  Why me?  No clue, I certainly wasn’t worthy of the effort, but He did.  I really want to enter through the narrow door.  I want to see you there.  We all need to exert ourselves intensely, to constantly strive to improve, to be holy, to seek righteousness, and to humbly confess that even if we are allowed to enter through that narrow door: it is solely because God is merciful, and not because any among us deserve it.  To God be the glory.

REFLECTION QUESTIONS

  1. Are there any other verses that come to mind that make you a little concerned when you consider them?
  2. What does reading this chapter in Luke make you want to do differently in your life?
  3. Do you think that your salvation is already assured?  Why, or why not?

PRAYER

Father God, you have been gracious to me beyond my deserving, merciful to me beyond my understanding, and shown me more grace than I can put into words.  Thank you.  Please continue the good work that you have begun within me, be faithful to complete it, and help me enter into the narrow door if it is your will.  In Jesus name, amen.

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Great and Hidden Things

*Jeremiah 33-34

Psalm 130

Luke 13

-Devotion by Jeremy Martin (TN)

“This is what Yahweh who made the earth, Yahweh who formed it to establish it, says—Yahweh is his name: Call to me and I will answer you, and will show you great and hidden things that you do not know.” (Jeremiah 33:2-3, REV).

Isn’t it amazing how you can come across just a small passage in the bible and it reveals deep truths with layers upon layers?  To me, this is one of those scriptures.  First: God lays out his credentials.  Hey, this isn’t just some random person of no status speaking, this is Yahweh (our God), who made the earth, Yahweh who formed it to be established, Yahweh is his name.

Did you notice something very important there, in that first listed verse?  The name of God is spoken 3 times.  Is that important? Absolutely.  You see this replicated in other places too, when there is a great emphasis being placed on something.  In Numbers 6, the Aaronic blessing speaks the name of God (YHWH) 3 times over the people.  In Deut 6:4,5 again the name of God is spoken 3 times over the people, in “the Shema” which confirms indisputably that their God is one being, God alone. 

So why is this important?  I’ve heard some modern day apologists speculate that this implies a confirmation of some of the later theories that are made in the traditional “orthodox” church about the nature of God, but that’s just not correct.  That is a speculation that no one living in ancient Israel would have made, because it was very well understood that God, Yahweh, is one.  There was absolutely no confusion about this, ever, until much later.

So here is the real reason why that’s important, and this is why it’s important to understand the cultural references of the thing you’re studying in the cultural context in which it was written.  In Jewish culture and Hebrew Scripture, repeating something three times signifies permanence, completeness, and superlative emphasis. This concept, known as Chazakah (yes, they actually have a word for it), establishes that an act or statement is definitive and binding, effectively transforming a temporary event into a permanent reality.  Who made the earth? Yahweh.  Who formed it to be established? Yahweh.  What’s his name? Yahweh.  The threefold repetition shows that this is permanent, complete, and places a big exclamation point at the end of the statement, in the Jewish culture.

In Jewish law, an action performed three times creates a Chazakah (presumptive status), meaning the state of affairs is considered established and irreversible.   Hebrew lacks grammatical comparatives or superlatives; therefore, repetition is used to denote extreme degree. While two repetitions indicate emphasis, three repetitions represent the highest possible intensity or “super-superlative,” as seen in the seraphim’s cry of “Holy, Holy, Holy” in Isaiah 6:3.  If you would have told any of the ancient Jews that what it really meant was to redefine the nature of God and imply a cooperative effort in creation they’d have looked at you sideways, and then picked up a rock.  It’s important to understand the cultural context when reading scripture, the threefold repetition is absolutely important but probably not for the reasons that you’ve been told.

A threefold repetition in Hebrew means placing a permanent and irreplaceable exclamation point on the statement, translating across to English.  It’s not quite apples to apples when translating from one language to the other, which is why it’s important for everyone to dig a little sometimes.  Verse 2 in this chapter just lets us know: HEY, it was YHWH who formed the earth!  Irreversible, forever, unchangeable.  The Father.  There are other verses that say “Yahweh alone”. (Is 44:24).  I know people who have confused this simple understanding, but it’s very plain in scripture.

Most of us here already understand and accept this simple truth that it was Yahweh God, The Father, who created the heavens and the earth, Yahweh alone.  To me, the really juicy bit comes in verse 3, when God (after revealing once again who He is) says very simply:  “Call to me and I will answer you, and will show you great and hidden things”.  This is a very exciting statement.

I know a person who once told me, “I don’t think God is listening to me, none of my prayers are ever answered.”.  Ok, so first off, are you listening to God?  Because the promise isn’t “Call on me, and I’ll handle your laundry list of wants…”, the promise is: “call on me, and I will answer, and I will tell YOU of great and hidden things.”

I promise you, whatever God is trying to tell you will be a billion times more important and relevant than what you are trying to tell God (who already knows what you want).  Have you ever met that 3 year old who keeps interrupting an adult conversation about things they don’t  understand because they have something to say?  It’s cute to a point, because oh look, they’re using their words.  After that though, it’s just silly because I’m sorry, a 3 year old doesn’t have the experiential depth to contribute to a technical conversation between adults, they just don’t have enough perspective yet to give a good insight on most things.  So, don’t be that kid when you’re talking to God: it behooves us at times to listen.  When we listen, our ears are open and our mouths are shut. 

God reminded me forcefully of this recently, and revealed this verse to me: “Know this, my beloved brothers and sisters: every person is to be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger“ (James 1:19, REV).  I do not say that God revealed this to me lightly or offhandedly, there is a deep story there, but just trust me when I say that God revealed it to me.  Our problem is, we tend to chatter so much at God that we don’t always stop to listen. 

Hannibal Buress, a comedian, once said “I said some things, then he said some things, then I said some more things: you guys know how a conversation works…”.  Do we though?  After we talk, are we taking time to listen as well?  How else do we expect to hear what God is saying?  A conversation in which we never listen is extremely one-sided.

The thing is, God is constantly trying to speak to us.  To reveal to us deep and hidden things.  To show us the way to life.  Sometimes it’s in scripture.  Sometimes it’s in dreams.  Sometimes, if you are really listening, it’s in a small still voice, almost like a whisper.  The thing to remember though is that we have a promise: if we call to Him, then He will answer.  When He does answer, and He will, make sure you’re not talking over Him or you won’t hear the deep and hidden things he’s trying to tell you.

REFLECTION QUESTIONS

  1. How can we listen better?  What steps could we take when communicating with God to ensure that we’re spending as much or more time listening to God than He is listening to us?
  2. Has God ever told you a secret, or revealed something hidden to you?  Think about the circumstances and what it was and what purpose it served for a moment.
  3. When was the last time that you listened as much as you talked, when you had a conversation or prayer with God?

PRAYER

Father God, Yahweh my creator, I call out to you.  Please speak to me, reveal to me the things that you want me to know, restore me Father and guide me in to your purpose and kingdom.  Thank you for all of the blessings that you have already given, please continue to uphold me and lead me in whatever way you would have me to go.  In Jesus name, amen.

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Yahweh You Are Our Only Hope

my soul waits for the Lord

Jeremiah 31-32            

Psalm 130

Luke 12

-Devotion by Tom Siderius (MI)

Read today together the song from Psalm 130 where the pilgrims going up from Jericho to Jerusalem for celebrations there sing as they walk and climb up the hills.

Psalms 130(ESV)  A SONG OF ASCENTS.
​1 Out of the depths I cry to you, O LORD!
2 O Lord, hear my voice!
Let your ears be attentive
to the voice of my pleas for mercy!
3 If you, O LORD, should mark iniquities,
O Lord, who could stand?
4 But with you there is forgiveness,
that you may be feared.
5 I wait for the LORD, my soul waits,
and in his word I hope;
6 my soul waits for the Lord
more than watchmen for the morning,
more than watchmen for the morning.
7 O Israel, hope in the LORD!
For with the LORD there is steadfast love,
and with him is plentiful redemption.
8 And he will redeem Israel
from all his iniquities.

Out of the depth of our despairs we cry out to You our God.  Please Yahweh hear my voice as I call to You for the mercy that I need.  There are no other ears that hear my heart.

I see my own heart in this cry of despair as I read.  If God would mark down my iniquities I would be immediately condemned to death.  The word in the Hebrew for iniquity here is the word “avon” or “aon”.  This word is not just a sin against God where we make a mistake but goes to our bent nature or the perversity of our hearts.  We have a rebellious nature that is at the root of our lives that can only be addressed by the ministration of our God by the application of a new heart that we receive when we accept Jesus as Lord.

In God’s Word do I hope.  I have only a future and a hope of life to come if I trust in the Word of God which He has spoken.  I may not remember all that I have learned immediately, but I am confident every day that God has forgiven me and given me life today and in the future. 

What is the sin that we cannot atone for ourselves?

I look for Your help O LORD as the watchman of the night looks for the dawn to come.  It is repeated for emphasis, give me hope for my heart, my God, who sees me as I am.  Let me see the details of the world around me so that I can walk with Your guidance.

What is the spiritual nature of all that I see at the dawning of understanding?

Only in Yahweh is there lovingkindness (hesed) where God loves us unconditionally if we turn our hearts to Him.  Only in our God is there any chance of forgiveness, which is only from His desire to save us and bless us.  God is the only source of redemption which is the purchase of us back from the life of perversity we cannot root out ourselves.

How do we come to complete dependence on God for our lives?

Jeremiah 31:3-6(NLT) Long ago the LORD said to Israel:
“I have loved you, my people, with an everlasting love.
With unfailing love I have drawn you to myself.
4 I will rebuild you, my virgin Israel.
You will again be happy
and dance merrily with your tambourines.
5 Again you will plant your vineyards on the mountains of Samaria
and eat from your own gardens there.
6 The day will come when watchmen will shout
from the hill country of Ephraim,
‘Come, let us go up to Jerusalem
to worship the LORD our God.’”

Prayer

Our Father God, give us the lovingkindness of Your nature to comfort our bent lives.  Bring us into Your presence by the intervention of Your Son and give us the intercession that we need to forgive us.  Thank you Father for the life You have given us and the hope of a future to come.  Help us O LORD as we call out to You the Father of us all.  We pray for Your help in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ our Savior.

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You Must Die!

*Jeremiah 25-26

Psalm 128

*Luke 11

-Devotion by Jeremy Martin (TN)

Jeremiah had a pretty tough go of it.  His prophecies spanned 5 kings, and occurred from about 627BC to 586BC.  In chapter 25, verse 1 gives us a very solid understanding of exactly when this bit is occurring during that span.  The thing that I find really poignant about Jeremiah’s entire ministry is that almost all of the people that he’s trying passionately to save reject him.  Every now and then you’ll see an ally come out of the woodwork, but for the most part he’s spurned, ridiculed, and ignored, beaten and jailed, even though he is constantly pleading on God’s behalf for a return to God.

In Jeremiah 25:2-7 you can almost hear the pleading in his voice as he begs the nation to repent and return to God, but they continue to ignore him and “do their own thing”.  As a result, he tells them of the punishment that is about to be inflicted upon them (The Exile), and actually tells them how long it’s going to last (when Daniel is reading the scripture in Daniel 9:2, Jeremiah 25:12 and Jeremiah 29:10-13 are likely the verses from which he discerns that the allotted time is up and starts praying to God about it).  Once again, they don’t listen.

Moving on to Jeremiah 26 in verse 3, we see again a heartfelt pleading from both Jeremiah and God: “It may be they will listen, and every one turn from his evil way. Then I will change my mind about the evil that I am planning to do to them because of the evil of what they are doing. “(REV)   So then, the people finally listened and…

No, just kidding.  They absolutely did not listen.  Instead, in Jeremiah 26:8: “Now when Jeremiah had made an end of speaking everything that Yahweh had commanded him to speak to all the people, the priests and the prophets and all the people laid hold on him, saying, “You must die, yes, die. ” (REV).  Man, talk about ungrateful.  Thanks fellas.  This is a guy who has put his own life on hold in order to obediently do what Yahweh God has commanded him, to try and redeem this nation, and his reward?  They all grab him and talk about murdering him, and later they probably do.

There were a number of relevant historical events that occurred during this timespan of Jeremiah’s ministry, as follows:

  • King Josiah rediscovers the Book of the Law (621BC), and does extensive religious reforms across the land (good).
  • The Battle of Carchemish (605BC) was a decisive win for the Babylonians against the Egyptians,  establishing Babylonian dominance in the region.
  • Three major Babylonian deportations: the first in 605 BC (including Daniel), the second in 597 BC (including Ezekiel), and the third following the final siege.
  • The destruction of Jerusalem and Solomon’s Temple by Nebuchadnezzar’s forces in 586 BC after a prolonged siege.  (THE DESTRUCTION OF THE TEMPLE!!!!)
  • The assassination of Governor Gedaliah and the subsequent forced flight of the remaining Judeans to Egypt, where Jeremiah likely died around 570 BC.

Now here is an interesting bit about that last bullet point.  It doesn’t say in the Bible when and how Jeremiah died specifically, but strong Jewish and Christian tradition asserts that he was stoned to death in Egypt around 570 BC.  According to these extrabiblical sources, such as the writings of Tertullian and the Lives of the Prophets, Jeremiah was forcibly taken to Egypt by Jewish rebels who disobeyed his warnings. Enraged by his continued rebukes of their idolatry and rebellion, his fellow countrymen martyred him in Daphne (identified as Tahpanhes in Hebrew). This tradition is often linked to the reference in Hebrews 11:37 regarding saints who “died by stoning.”  It’s not in scripture though, so that’s all speculative and based on tradition (and I view most tradition in the church very, very warily, and with good reason).

In Luke 11, we see a disturbing similarity, a historical repetition.  Jesus has come to the nation of Israel, to turn the hearts of the children back to the Father, and is met with a similar response by the religious and political authorities of that time.  This chapter has a couple important bits in it before we get to the Pharisees: notably, in verses 1-4 we have another account of the Lord’s Prayer, and in verse 28 he reiterates that it’s not who you know (even if it’s Jesus) that makes you blessed, but “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it.”

In Luke 11:37-52, Jesus really lays in to the Pharisees.  He talks about being clean, and the law, and pride, and what’s important, and just really points out a couple of fatal shortcomings on their part.  Now, keep in mind: Jesus says only the things that God told him to say (John 12:49), so when he’s chastising these authorities and warning them about their behavior, it’s just like Jeremiah, it’s for a reason: to change their actions and return them to good favor with God.  They’ve gotten a little off track, have been going in that direction for centuries, and he’s just trying to get them back on course because these are the things that God commanded him to speak.  How do they respond?

Luke 11: 53-54: “And when he had come out from there, the experts in the law and the Pharisees began to press upon him vehemently, and to provoke him to speak of many things, laying in wait for him in order to catch something that he might say.” (REV).  We know how this turns out later.  “He must die!”…sound familiar?

If Jesus had come in smiling benevolently and saying “God loves you!”(true), “and God is love!” (also true) “and you guys are doing great!”  (not true at all) they would have welcomed him with open arms.  Much like we love to hear similar things from our religious figures.  Everyone likes to be flattered, and to have their ears tickled.  When people tell us pretty lies, we love it.  Nom nom nom, we just eat it up.

We’ve gotten a little off track too.  So why is it that we tend to scorn and despise anyone who tells us that we need to change our behavior?  Why do we wish bodily harm on anyone who is offering constructive criticism, or pointing out an error in our thinking?  I mean seriously, it’s a huge character flaw, in all of us.  This isn’t just ancient days stuff, even today I don’t know anyone who just absolutely yearns for correction…but we should.  David, a man after God’s own heart prays to God and asks in Psalm 139:23-24: “Search me, O God, and know my heart. Examine me and know my anxious thoughts. Yes, see if there is any idolatrous way in me, then lead me in the everlasting way!”  Search me.  Check me.  Correct me when needed, and lead me…in the everlasting way.

REFLECTION QUESTIONS

  1. How do you react when told that you aren’t meeting expectations in “X” area?
  2. How do you react when told you’re amazing in “X” area, even though you know you’re not?
  3. Which is truly more loving: pointing out a flaw for potential correction, or ignoring flaws and using flattery?
  4. Isn’t it ironic that on the above question, our perceptions of which is more loving are flip-flopped with the reality most of the time?
  5. Why do you think that is, and how can we change it?

PRAYER

Father God, Please search my innermost parts and help me to know my own shortcomings.  Show me how I can do better.  Please help me and guide me, forgive me when I fall short, and discipline me.  Please mold me into the person you want me to be.  Help me to listen more, and to speak less.  In Jesus name, Amen.

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Bad Shepherds

*Jeremiah 23-24

*Psalm 127

Luke 10

-Devotion by Jeremy Martin (TN)

      “1“Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture!” says Yahweh.” (Jer 23:1, REV).  Jeremiah isn’t called the “weeping prophet” for no reason, he is not only torn and anguished by the compounded sins of his people, but he’s distressed because there are prophets who are telling the people lies (See Jeremiah 14:14), bad shepherds.  We see in that chapter that not only are the “prophets” lying in God’s name, but the people who are listening to these lying prophets instead of God are going to be penalized (See Jer 14:16).  He is constantly and faithfully relaying the word of Yahweh to the people, a word of warning and a call to repentance, and the lying prophets are saying “there will be peace.”  Of course he’s frustrated to the point of tears, these are his people, and God is speaking to them but they’re just not hearing it.

            So while there is a woe that will befall the bad shepherds (this is also brought up in a few other places: see Eze 34:2 and Zech 11:17 for a couple other references to this theme), it should be very sharply understood by the sheep that if they choose to ignore God and have their ears tickled instead, it won’t end well for them either.  For us.  We are the sheep.  So how do we know if we’re doing right, and following the right shepherd?  How do we know we’re not galloping en masse toward the edge of a cliff, or about to be eaten by wolves?  We, as sheep, need to take some responsibility for our own well being: because it’s our lives that are at stake.

            Here are just a few suggestions:

  1. Scripturational Awareness:  “Turn to the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, it is because there is no light of dawn in them. ” (Isa 8:20, REV).  Situational awareness is very important, but scripturational awareness (yes, I know it’s a made up word, but it works so shh!) is even more important.  Know your scripture.  It is SUPER easy to believe something a charismatic smiling guy is telling you with a look of sincere conviction, even if the only reason he believes it is that at some other time some other smiling charismatic guy told him the same thing with a look of sincere conviction.  Don’t fall for it.  The scripture is our ruler, our standard.  Not tradition, not guys in suits, not any specific denomination, but God’s word, and God’s word alone.  I don’t need a  guy in a suit telling me something that sounds beautiful if he has no dawn, I want to see the dawn.
  • Situational Awareness: “…You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you are not able to interpret the signs of the times. ” (Jesus, Matt 16:3, REV).  I have watched someone I love happily and obliviously counting out a stack of money onto their lap while a street gang looked on with intensely growing interest behind her.  Acknowledging your situation can save your life.  Ok, look around you.  Be honest.  Does it look like we, as a people, are listening to the voice of God and humbly and obediently following His will?  If not (spoiler alert, the answer is no) you should be reeeeeeeaaaally careful to not listen to anyone saying “peace, peace, tomorrow will be just like today, only better” because at least according to scripture (the testimony and the law), that’s just not how God operates.  Read the room, because like it or not, this is the room that you’re standing in.  Maybe clean out your corner of it before Dad comes home.
  • Relational Awareness: “The earth is Yahweh’s, and all it contains; the world, and those who dwell in it. ” (Ps 24:1).  Since the beginning of time, when man was created in the image of God, man has taken that authority and ran with it.  Sometimes a little too far and a little too fast.  Yes, we were created in the image of God, but we were also created by God.  So is everything else here on the earth.  It’s all created by God, even us, and it all belongs to Him.  We are all under the authority of God, but most of us have either forgotten or chosen to ignore this very simple foundational understanding that brings life: there is a God, and you are not Him.  Know your role, and humbly seek to obey your creator.  Pray, fast, humble yourself, and seek God.

            This is all very concerning, for those who are paying attention, but there’s hope.  Jer 23:4-5 says “I will set up shepherds over them who will feed them, and they will fear no more, nor be dismayed, nor will any be missing, says Yahweh.  Behold, the days are coming, says Yahweh, that I will raise for David a righteous Branch, and he will reign as king and deal wisely, and will execute justice and righteousness in the land.” (REV).  We believe that this righteous branch has come and will come again, our Messiah, the king, Jesus.  Please also note that the word that is translated as righteous/ness here is (once again) “tzedakah”, do a search (just type in “tzedakah” in the search bar on this website) to get a fuller understanding of what that means and implies.  It’s important.

            This is of the utmost importance.  In a world with thousands of shepherds, each herding their sheep in a different direction, we need to ensure that we’re listening to the Good Shepherd, the man God sent, our Messiah.  Yesterday’s devotion touched on this a little as well.  We need to listen to Jesus.  There’s an ancient book called “The Didache” that deals extensively with the workings of the (very) early church.  In it, one of the methods offered by which to discern a false apostle or bad shepherd was “do they ask for money? If they do, they’re a false apostle.”.  Jesus never asked for any money, just saying.  All I remember Jesus saying about money is that one cannot serve both God and money (Matt 6:24).  Hrmm, interesting.

            That means that even if someone else has a very melodious voice, even if they’re very handsome and charismatic, even if they preach at a mega-church (which are in and of themselves all fine things), even if they have thousands and thousands of followers: if they say anything other than exactly what Jesus was saying, it’s because they have no dawn.  They won’t see the morning when the morning comes.  The people who are following them blindly won’t either.  Let that sink in.

            We have a God that loves us intensely, whom we have grieved over and over with our disregard and misplaced priorities.  Yes, God is love.  He sent us Jesus as a way for us be be reconciled, to once again dwell with our God: we have one good shepherd that will lead us back to our God, and a thousand bad shepherds that will lead us to destruction.  We only need to listen to the one that God sent.

            “If Yahweh does not build a house, those who built it labored in vain. If Yahweh does not watch over a city, the watchman keeps awake in vain. ” (Ps 127:1, REV).  Please, be careful.  Examine yourself daily, speak to God regularly, ask Him to reveal to you your own hidden faults, and seek His wisdom in correcting them.  Act generously towards your fellow creation, and seek to the best of your ability to fulfill the tasks that we as servants of the living God have been given.  Listen to Jesus, follow the only Good Shepherd, the one God sent.

REFLECTION QUESTIONS

  1. Why do you think there are such a large number of bad shepherds in the world, and why do you think they are thriving?
  2. If I gave you $100 for every bible verse you memorized, would you memorize more verses? 
  3. Why? (It’s a deep question.  Think about it.)

PRAYER

Father God, Thank you for life.  Please guide me, there are so many distractions here, so many things and theories that are not from you, please grant me discernment and wisdom and help me to follow Jesus alone, to your glory.  Thank you Father, in Jesus name, Amen.

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