Day 306: Somebodies

1 Peter 2; Jeremiah 33-34; Psalm 135

This chapter in Peter is like a self-esteem booster. First it talks about how we are God's chosen people, a holy nation, royal priests, his people. We were once a nobody, not capable of making a big difference anywhere, trapped by our sins, tripping and falling over our own mistakes. But when Christ came and saved us and we believed, God's Holy Spirit made us somebodies. So what does this mean? It means that we need to live and act like somebodies, chosen people, a holy nation. He says that we should always try to the the right thing, even when it is hard or we suffer for it. We are to follow in Christ's footsteps because that is what it means to be God's people and royal priests. We may suffer for it, but we know that God will bless us for doing what we know is right, and so we hang on to that hope.

In these passages in Jeremiah, God reveals his plan to have a king from the family of David sit on the throne and rule forever--Jesus. He goes on to say that "there will be more descendants of David and of the priests from the Levi tribe than start in the sky or grains of sand on the beach." After reading the passage from 1 Peter, I wonder if WE are those people he is referring to. Sure, over in Israel and throughout the world, there are probably blood descendants of that family, but it makes me think that God means us, followers of his ultimate King.

Day 305: Hope

1 Peter 1; Jeremiah 31-32; Psalm 134

Peter talks a lot about hope. We get our hope from Jesus, because he was raised to life and has something glorious for us when he returns. We are to put all our hope in "how kind God will be" when Christ appears. Despite our sufferings we have hope because what awaits us and our faith is so much more valuable than gold. I truly believe that real hope, steadfast hope, unshakable hope, is what sets apart followers of The Lord from those that do not. Besides being washed clean and saved by God's grace, an attitude of all-conquering hope is available to believers that non-believers cannot imagine. It is this hope and faith that cause them to think we are crazy, but of course they do, how do you explain it to someone who has not been transformed by it?

A lot of what Jeremiah is, is a promise that one day God will restore his people, give them land, prosperity, and joy. It's about hope. God tells them not to lose hope even though he is punishing them now, even though they are captives at this time, even though they have been so disobedient as to be taken prisoners. The Lord doesn't abandon them or leave them hanging; he gives them hope that he will one day rescue and restore them.

Day 304: Make the Best

James 5; Jeremiah 29-30; Psalm 133

Life doesn't always go smoothly. James tells his readers to be patient, even in suffering. He says to pray if you are having trouble. He reminds us that God listens to the prayers of those that have faith. Even physical sicknesses will be healed and sins forgiven if innocent and believing people ask The Lord. On the flip side of this, he gives a small reminder that if things are going well, we should sing praises. It's easy to see that when disaster strikes, the masses turn back to faith. But when things are going to smoothly, people tend to forget about God or don't feel the need for faith. James reveals that no matter what, even in prosperous times, we need to remember God and praise him.

God promises the people of Judah that they are going to be carried off to Babylonia. What are they supposed to do there and how long will they have to suffer at the hands of their enemies? God tells them to build homes, plant gardens, have children, and make Babylonia prosper. What?! They are supposed to make the best of their situation, despite the fact that they are struggling in the hands of their enemies. The Lord tells them to "Pray for peace in Babylonia and work hard to make it prosperous. The more successful that nation is, the better off you will be." In the next chapter, he promises to save them, even though it make take more than 70 years. Their struggles will last a long time, they will face their enemies for several generations, but they are to make the best of it and God promises he will rescue them when the time is right and then help them to prosper again in their own land. God may do the same with us: he may lead us to a place that is difficult, where we struggle for a long time. Are we to lie down and be a victim? Not according to this story. We are to make the best of it, spending time in prayer, and trusting in God to save us. Why? Because God will show us his power and save us when the time is right.

This psalm says that "it is truly wonderful when relatives live together in peace." It's hard, sometimes our relatives are the people that are toughest to get along with. It doesn't mean that we can't do things to show God's love to them. It also doesn't say anything about overlooking faults or trusting completely, simply that it is awesome when families get along. I've been blessed with a wonderful family, but I can see why this psalm takes the time to point this out. If you struggle with your relatives and those relationships, I pray that God will make a way for healing and goodness.

Day 303: Come Near

James 4; Jeremiah 27-28; Psalm 132

This chapter in James continues talking about how we use our words. It talks about not condemning others or saying cruel things about them. It points out the dangers of bragging and planning out our lives before God. And it reveals how dangerous it is to argue and fight for things. All this stuff I've been guilty of time and time again. How do we overcome these things that seem to easy to fall into? James offers a solution to that too: "Surrender to God! Resist the devil, and he will run from you. Come near to God, and he will come near to you." The closer and more surrendered to The Lord we are, the less room our selfish nature and Satan have to work. If we can learn to let life, love, grace, beauty, and faith flow from our lips, then we have learned to do one of the most difficult acts of following Jesus there is.

God tells the people of Israel that if they want to live, they will obey the Babylonians, but if they refuse to trust God and obey them, they will die of war, disease, and famine. What is weird about this is that the Babylonians were "wicked" or "evil" and were not God's people. So why would he tell Israel to obey them? Well, Israel had been extremely disobedient to God, they had served other gods, worshiped idols, and refused to surrender to God alone. So God decided he was tired of it, and I guess because he loved them enough, he wanted to (still) give them an opportunity to make things right and live. So he gives them the option to completely humble themselves and trust in a command of God that seems so contradictory, or to continue to be blind and stubborn and suffer the consequences for their disobedience. It would be a hard decision for sure because it seems so backwards. Nonetheless, this was God's command. Other prophets wanted to spread peace and prosperity messages instead, and while that would be a more welcome message, it isn't necessarily true. I pray that we learn to accept the truth of The Lord, and not shy away from something that sounds good.

Day 302: God's Patience

James 3; Jeremiah 25-26; Psalm 131

"But if you are able to control your tongue, you are mature and able to control your whole body." The implications of what this passage says are incredible. Our words can be the most life-giving thing we have, and they can also be the most deadly. Watching what we say is harder to do than taming all sorts of animals, than steering a giant ship, than saving a forest from a fire. It's serious business what we say. I may not use curse words, but I know that I am guilty of gossip, belittling, and selfishness with my words. I think sometimes we forget just how powerful what we say can be. People have destroyed themselves, their lives, and others' lives because of what someone has said. People have crossed oceans, gone into space, and conquered nations because of something someone said. I pray we become more aware of what we are saying and how we are saying it, so that our words build up and not tear down, heal and not harm, give life instead of death.

God has some serious patience. He had warned the people over and over and over again, sent them prophet after prophet and they weren't changing their ways. And even in all of that, he still tells them that there is a way out, despite their complete disregard for him and his messangers. Why would God give them so many chances? I suppose, it's for the same reason he gives us so many chances--he loves us.

This psalm has an interesting line: "But I have learned to feel safe and satisfied." What this line is referring to is that he doesn't seek selfish gain or desire impossible circumstances. People have always wanted more and better. So many aren't happy with their lot in life, and while it is ok to want something better, people spend their time chasing things that either aren't important or aren't possible. For instance, I'm never going to have flawless skin, so to spend hundreds of dollars on products or procedures is pointless (not really something I care that much about anyway). Instead, I should be thankful that I have a body that carries me around where I need to go. With our focus on God, and not on ourselves, I think it is possible to learn to be safe and satisfied with what God has given us and not be searching for more stuff that won't last.

Day 301: Spiritual Leaders

James 2; Jeremiah 23-24; Psalm 130

James points out how powerful our actions are. He says that to treat one person a certain way and another a different way, shows favoritism. This goes against God's love for all people. If we keep our faith to ourselves and do nothing to help others, we have not really been transformed by Jesus. If our faith is real, it should move us to act. It wouldn't have meant anything if Abraham had been told by God to sacrifice his son and Abraham responded, "God, do I really need to do that? I have faith in you, but can't I just tell you about it?" He became an example of active faith, obedience, and his example is still powerful today. I feel more alive, more in love with God, deeper in my faith now that I am doing things for others through a youth ministry and teaching. Because God's heart is for rescuing people, we do that through our actions, not just our words.

In Jeremiah, it's a big deal to God that his priests and prophets mislead the people. These leaders should be like shepherds, guiding the flock in the right direction, towards God and doing right. Instead, God is furious because they allow people to go on sinning, as if it is no big deal, they preach a message that is not from God, and they lead people away from The Lord. I think it is so important to have leaders, mentors, counselors in our lives who teach us about The Lord. But it is so important that we choose carefully those that we listen to. Just because a message sounds good or sounds holy, doesn't mean it is. God goes on to say that we need to check with others if the message we are hearing is truth or not, not just assume that it is. May we all be willing to examine the teachings of our spiritual leaders, to get input from others, to ensure that they are indeed preaching a message of The Lord.

The psalmist cries out from a sea of troubles and believes in the power and mercy of God to save him. May we learn to trust in The Lord and lean on him for our rescue. He is good and will not abandon us!

Day 300: True Religion

James 1; Jeremiah 21-22; Psalm 129

A lot of what James talks about in this first chapter is facing trials and experiencing the testing of our faith. He says that this testing helps us to learn to endure, it develops maturity, it earns us a crown of glory. God may test our faith but it is important, according to James, that we understand the difference between that and being tempted. Temptations come from our own human nature, testing is meant for good and comes from God.

The other thing that really stands out to me in this chapter is how we should pray. I was always taught to pray what was on my heart and finish with, "your will be done." Jesus said it. Here James says that we are to pray without doubt. I sometimes wonder if the phrase "your will be done," gives room for God to not answer or at least not answer according to what I want. But is that a cop out? It is interesting to hear people pray, some pray the way I was raised, and others pray with conviction that God WILL heal or do or provide whatever they are asking. Which is right? I'm not even going to pretend I know. I think if we pray in truth and with honest hearts, God will hear us.

And finally, because this verse truly opened my eyes a long time ago about what I was supposed to be doing: "Religion that pleases God the Father must be pure and spotless. You must help needy orphans and widows and not let this world make you evil." Religion isn't really about rituals, rules, personal gain. It's actually about God and others.

One of the reasons God is mad in Jeremiah is that the people are unjust. They don't care about the poor, the needy, those treated unfairly. Several times in these two chapters, God commands that justice be done, and to rescue those who suffer. He even talks about king Josiah, who did this and God says "That's what it means to truly know me." Wow, to fight for justice and rescue those suffering from injustice, that's what it means to know God. That's a pretty powerful statement. When we serve others, thinking of their needs above our own, we experience who God is, he cares about his children with an incredible love, greater than we can understand.

Day 299: Gentle Friendship

Philemon; Jeremiah 19-20; Psalm 128

This letter to Philemon seems very personal, like Paul and him were very close. Paul emphasizes that though he is telling Philemon what he should do, Paul doesn't want him to do it because he's been asked, but out of the love and goodness in his heart. Because he knows it is the right thing. Paul, though in jail, removes any obstacles for Philemon's kindness, and though he is telling him something he doesn't want to hear, Paul does it in a way that is gentle and respectful. What a wonderful example of friendship and love.

Jeremiah struggles. He hurts because of the burden he carries for God. He has to deliver messages of destruction, pain, and death and he receives all kinds of insults and threats because of it. This chapter reveals that he is human, that he doesn't like not being liked. That despite the power of God within him, he still experiences weakness. And yet, despite God's calling on his life, he says, "But you, Lord, are a mighty soldier, standing at my side. Those troublemakers wil fall down and fall--terribly embarrassed, forever ashamed." He trusts God to stand by his side and that his enemies will not overcome him. He praises God despite the dire circumstances. This reminds me of Paul, and how in prison he would still be praising God. That's a powerful concept.

This psalm talks about blessings from God if we respect him and obey his laws. We don't live under the Old Testament laws anymore, but our obedience to God is just as important. I think we need to read this psalm carefully, however, because it talks about blessings of prosperity. I think this might be the case too, but to say that by simply respecting God our lives will be filled with good things and money is dangerous. Maybe blessings will come in the form of peace and hope. However, God chooses to bless us in this life, it does not compare to what awaits us in heaven with him.

Day 298: Don't Wear Yourself Out

Titus 3; Jeremiah 17-18; Psalm 127

It's an interesting contrast: God didn't save us because of our good works, but we must always be ready to do good things and be helpful. God loved us before we were saved, before we did helpful things, before we avoided evil. And once we become believers, followers of Jesus, we must learn to "always be ready to do something helpful" and "all who have faith in God will be sure to do good deeds." Our actions before our new life do nothing to help us, but our actions after we've been given that new life, demonstrate that we indeed have been washed clean. I know I often miss opportunities to be helpful and do good things because I'm more focused on my needs and wants. I need to work harder at being selfish and eager to help others.

One thing that is interesting is the picture God paints of those that trust him and those that don't. Those that don't will "dry up like a bush in salty desert soil." Those that trust in The Lord "will be like trees growing beside a stream--trees with roots that reach down to the water, and with leaves that are always green. They bear fruit every year and are never worried by a lack of rain." What a simple, yet powerful picture. If we trust in Jesus, our roots go deep, we are solid and nothing will be able to uproot us. If we trust in Jesus, our lives will always be healthy and produce good things. If we trust in Jesus, we don't have to worry about droughts of circumstances because we always have access to the life-giving water.

Then, God warns the people to keep the Sabbath day sacred. Why is that such a big deal? I think I've written about this before, but it is an important concept that we Americans often don't follow. He basically is saying don't be greedy or wear yourself out by working on the Sabbath. Trust that God will provide, spend time honoring The Lord, don't seek more stuff or wealth, and take time to rest. All very valuable things (and hard to do in our go go go, crazy busy world).

This psalm also talks about working: "it is useless to get up early and stay up late in order to earn a living. God takes care of his own, even while they sleep." This doesn't mean we can just sit around and do nothing and expect God to give us everything we need. But it does mean that we don't have to wear ourselves out trying to earn more money. God will provide for our needs, maybe not our wants, but he definitely will not leave us high and dry. He's at work even when we are not, and we can trust him to do good things.

Day 297: Be Eager

Titus 2; Jeremiah 15-16; Psalm 126

Titus 2 is awesome. I love when scripture is so clear on how to live and why we should live that way. It talks about always being a good example, sincere and not criticizing. Why? So that our "enemies will be too ashamed to say anything against" us. Then, there is this dynamite passage all about how kind God is and why he did what he did:
God has shown us how kind he is by coming to save all people. He taught us to give up our wicked ways and our worldly desires and to live decent and honest lives in this world. We are filled with hope as we wait for the glorious return of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ. He gave himself to rescue us from everything that is evil and to make our hearts pure. He wanted us to be his own people and to be eager to do right.
This passage touches my heart because I cannot deny that God wants to save us all. Not just the people I like, or can stand. Everyone. It also explains what we are to do as a result of his great kindness: live decent and honest lives, remaining pure and doing right. Jesus died to rescue us from "everything that is evil." We need to live our lives away from the evil that can be so tempting, not wasting the incredible gift we have been given.

Jeremiah is having a rough time. He feels worthless, broken, and depressed because God is too mad to change his mind and enemies are swarming him. He makes an interesting comment thought: "When you spoke to me, I was glad to obey, because I belong to you, The Lord All-Powerful." What if I, if we, took this perspective when hearing from God? If I heard his prompting in my heart, and simply obeyed because I knew I belonged to him. So often, I wonder if it's really something I should do, if I can actually do it because of time, skills, money, etc. I wonder what the consequences might be, what people might think...the excuses go on and on. Instead, I need to trust that when God guides me, he has an incredible purpose, and I can trust his judgment. So, just do it. Obey. God is good and following his direction is the best thing we can do, not only for ourselves, but for others.

This psalm talks about how they cried on the way to plant the crops, but celebrated at the harvest. We sometimes go kicking and screaming into situations God has called us to, thinking things won't work out, or they are too hard, etc. But without the effort of planting the crops, we would never get to experience a harvest. Without putting in some hard work up front, we would never get to celebrate the miracles and works of God.

Day 296: Thinking of God

Titus 1;  Jeremiah 13-14; Psalm 125

Paul compares and contrasts the type of people that should be leaders of the church and those that shouldn't. Part of what he talks about is their belief the truth and adherence to teaching it. He says that they must stick to the true message so they can correct and instruct. Paul says that some people are spreading a different message, something they made up, because they want money. Could this be similar to the "prosperity gospel" that is spreading so rampantly in our nation? Perhaps. But nonetheless, may we be careful to choose and follow leaders that stick to the truth.

Jeremiah paints a picture of what it would look like for God's rejection. It's devastating, so complete. I cannot imagine living in a world where there is no hope, where I know that God is angry, and where war, disease, and starvation rule. I think we catch glimpses of this here on earth once in a while, and it's very sad, but I still have hope that there are followers of Christ willing to do good and that God is still present. It concludes with this verse: "Only you control the rain, so we put our trust in you, The Lord our God." Only God can provide us with what is necessary to grow and prosper, whether that is material or even better, spiritual. We can look to him for all our needs because he is in control, even if it doesn't seem like it. I know this from my own experiences. God doesn't want to destroy or abandon, people choose to reject him and leave him; instead, he wants to pour out his great love on us.

The psalm continues with this thought: that God protects those who obey him. Obviously obedience is the key. Obedience unlocks blessings. And I will be careful to point out, not material blessings. God is more concerned about giving us spiritual blessings because those things last into eternity and that's what we are being prepared for.

Day 295: Winning

2 Timothy 4; Jeremiah 11-12; Psalm 124

Paul's perspective is incredible. He knows he will die soon and isn't afraid, isn't sad. It's just simply a fact. He talks about how he believes he has lived well, fought the good fight, and been faithful. He has struggled, but still preached the good news. I want to be able to look back on my life and say that I lived well and faithful and that I know God will give me a crown of glory. It almost seems crazy, to be ok with dying and look forward to going "home," but that is what faith is about. That's what trustin g in God is about. It may seem ridiculous, people are going to scoff, but we must trust in the words and promises of The Lord.

God says in these passages in Jeremiah that he is really mad. He just wants to destroy stuff. But at the very end he talks about other nations, not his chosen people. He says that if they say he is the only true God and turn from their evil, he will make them his people. God doesn't seem selective. If you obey God and worship only him--welcome to the family. If you worship other gods and don't pay attention to The Lord--see ya later. God wants obedience from his people. Why? Because he created us to live prosperously and through obedience to him, that's the only way we truly have access to real prosperity. And I'm not talking prosperity like a lot of money, but blessings of peace and love and security.

This psalm starts by saying "The Lord was on our side!" I love thinking of it like this. I'm a competitive person, so having "teams" of sorts makes sense to me. If I have the most awesome player and athlete on my team, I don't need to worry. If I know that we are guaranteed to win because of this person, I have no reason to fear a loss. It's that way with God. In him, through him, because of him, with him, we will have victory--guaranteed.

Day 294: God Blesses

2 Timothy 3; Jeremiah 9-10; Psalm 123

There are a couple of things Paul writes that stick out to me. First, he talks about end times and how people will make a show of religion but it will all be fake. He goes on to say that scriptures are supposed to be useful in teaching people how to live. Even though these verses are not next to each other, I have come to believe that these concepts are related. If people read scripture with a pure heart, with the intention of getting to know God, and improving themselves, they truly will learn to do "all kinds of good deeds." But those that do not read the Bible, or read it only with selfish motives, will learn, have, and demonstrate a fake religion.

Paul also writes, "Yet The Lord rescued me from all those terrible troubles. Anyone who belongs to Christ Jesus and wants to live right will have trouble from others." Paul warns us and also gives us hope: we are going to be mocked, ridiculed, judged, etc., but God will save us. It doesn't say that we will avoid being mocked, ridiculed, and judged; simply, that it will happen but we are not on our own and there is hope that comes from the Almighty God.

Maybe what God wants for our lives, our purpose, is not such a mystery after all. What does God want from us? "The Lord says: don't brag about your wisdom or strength or wealth. If you feel you must brag, then have enough sense to brag about worshiping me, The Lord. What I like best is serving kindness, justice, and mercy to everyone on earth." Hm, so we are to talk more about God than we are ourselves and serve everyone with kindness, justice, and mercy. What's amazing, is that I thought these concepts were "Jesus-concepts," as in, the Old Testament was a bunch of harsh stuff and until Jesus came along, there was no love. But the more I read the Old Testament, it's clear that God says so much about loving others in the Old Testament, that Jesus just came to demonstrate what it really looked like.

This psalm says that they will look to God for mercy until he gives it. May we learn to fix our eyes on God, not anything else, believing that he will care for us in the way we need. With as much as God talks about how much he wants to bless his people and give us good things (not stuff, but "things"), we have to believe that looking to God for help is the best thing we can do.

Day 293: Metaphors

2 Timothy 2; Jeremiah 7-8; Psalm 122

Paul is amazing at metaphors. He says that a follower of Christ is like a soldier, an athlete, a farmer, a plate. Soldiers have to endure hardships and are devoted to their commander. Athletes compete and win, not by breaking the rules, but by following them. Farmers who work hard are blessed because they get to enjoy the bounty of their hard work first. And houses have special plates and regular plates, some used on important occasions with fancy meals and significant guests; while the others do ordinary things. All of these are metaphors for the Christian believer. We must be devoted to our commander Jesus Christ, even in the suffering. We must obey God's teachings so that we can win the riches of God. If we work hard, we will get to enjoy the goodness of that hard work. And if we stop doing evil and do good, God will have special work for us to do. Love it.

Another metaphor in Jeremiah: "when you stumble and fall, you get back up, and if you take a wrong road, you turn around and go back." It goes on to say, "without second thought, you run down the wrong road, like cavalry troops charging into battle." God is making the point that just like we travel down a road, we have a certain destination, a purpose, a direction, a way to get somewhere that is right. If we are headed west, it's not the best idea to go east (unless you have a lot of extra time)! God is telling the people if you find you are going the wrong way you turn around, but instead, the people. are not. Just as they are abandoning everything that is right and yet they continue doing wrong even with the warnings. Love this metaphor, too.

Day 292: Refined by Fire

2 Timothy 1; Jeremiah 5-6; Psalm 121

Paul talks about two things in this first chapter of 2nd Timothy: not being ashamed and making full use of the faith and gifts that God has given. Wow, imagine if we followers of Christ lived a truly unashamed life and we made full used of our God-given gifts! It's hard to be completely motivated since Paul is speaking from jail, though, right? But Paul's perspective has always been that a little momentary suffering in this life is worth an eternity in heaven with Jesus. I pray that I, that we, live unashamed lives for Jesus, preaching the good news without hesitation or fear.

It may have been obvious, but what I realized is that Jeremiah is not talking to foreign nations who do not know God--he is talking to God's people. In today's language we could say Christians, followers of Christ, believers. All this wickedness and evil is being done by the people who belong to God. Basically, they should know better than to act like they are and because God had given them everything and they rejected it, he is going to let their traps trap them. I pray that believers around the world would live for The Lord, live in purity and holiness, serving God only. God doesn't want church attendance, or "good people." He wants faithful people who love each other. He goes on to say that "silver can be purified in a fiery furnace, but my people are too wicked to be made pure." Let's be like silver, that when we go through the fires of life, it purifies us, makes us more like Jesus.

What a great verse: "The Lord will protect you and keep you safe from all dangers. The Lord will protect you now and always wherever you go." God is so good. This doesn't mean life is easy, but it means our God loves us and doesn't want to harm his people. Thank you Lord!

Day 291: Name It, Claim It Lies

1 Timothy 5:31-6:21; Jeremiah 3-4; Psalm 120

Religion and riches. Wealth, money, prosperity. Just the other day I watched a video and read a blog about this very thing. Did you know that there are preachers and evangelists who preach that if they believe in Jesus enough and do enough good, they will be wealthy? It's amazing that scripture addresses such people 2000 years later. Paul tells Timothy, religion does make you rich--rich in contentment and peace; it has nothing to do with material wealth. Jesus never taught that we would be financially prosperous if we follow him. In fact, he taught the opposite: camels and rich men and needles, foxes have holes but he doensn't have a place to lay his head, big storage barns and dying the next day...Paul continues by saying that the love of money causes all kinds of problems including losing faith in God. People are so hasty to trade the (most valuable) invisible things for (worthless) visible things. Having money isn't bad, but wanting money is. Having money isn't bad, but not using it for The Lord is. Beware of preachers who preach a "name it and claim it," prosperity gospel. Be content with what you have and serve God with it.

It's true, God does bring warning of disaster for his people, but at the same time, the way he talks about the people and what he wants is so loving. He calls his unfaithful children home, he says he will forgive them, all God has ever wanted was to call them his children, give them the best land, be called Father. What loving language! But instead, followers of God, his chosen, decide to live in sin, and what is amazing is that they don't try to hide their sin. They have no shame. I think about today's world. People do all sorts of wicked things, and do they try to hide them? Often not! Jeremiah's words are eerily familiar and ring too true for comfort. God's mercy abounds, but so does God's justice. May we learn to be faithful children and call on God, our loving Father.

This psalm is short and seems a little pointless, but I think there must be a point. This psalmist is talking about a time when they live among liars and those who want violence. We live in a world that is often in complete opposition to the things of God. We want to live with love, peace, and faithfulness; the world thrives on hate, violence, and unfaithfulness. So what do we do? We do what the psalmist does at the beginning of the psalm: we cry out to God for help. We beg him to resuce us and to do a powerful work.

Day 290: How to Treat Family

1 Timothy 5:1-20; Jeremiah 1-2; Psalm 119:145-176  

Paul instructs Timothy about caring for family. He says, "People who don't take care of their relatives, and especially their own families, have given up their faith. They are worse than someone who doesn't have faith in The Lord." What this makes me think of are the times when I and other people get mad at family or treat them poorly (teenager rebellion, anyone?) and then we turn around and are kind and generous with a complete stranger or someone we hardly know. I try to keep myself on track with Paul's teaching by reminding myself that if I am going to be loving to anyone, it better first be my husband, followed by my family. If I can't be kind to them, why should I bother being kind to strangers? Our family, because God has given us our family for a reason, deserves love and kindness. May we learn to treat our families with grace and compassion and set a good example for our children and for others.

At the beginning of Jeremiah, we see this cool moment between him and God. The Lord tells him that he will be a messenger to the people. Jeremiah at first feels very unqualified, he's too young, not experienced, etc. God tells him, if I choose you, I will provide for you. Jeremiah doesn't have to, nor should he, rely on his own strength and abilities that he thinks he possesses. God is going to give him exactly what he needs to do the work God has sent him to do. What is also cool is that God tells Jeremiah that there will be people who reject him, who want to harm him. God's like, "hey, I'm sending you to these people, and by the way, they will want to kill you." Oh. But, God also gives him the promise of protection and encourages Jeremiah to be bold and brave. If God is going to send us, he will equip us. That doesn't mean our life will be easy with no setbacks, but that God will come through for us.

God also points out in Jeremiah that the nation of Israel  has done something that no other nation has ever done: abandon its gods. God points out that other nations who worship false gods remain faithful to them, even to death. But the Israelites, for some crazy reason, are willing to abandon THE God who created them. How amazing and sad is that. The one God who can actually do something, the one God who is actually worthy of worship, the one God who is alive and real, they (and people today) reject and trade for lies. So sad and crazy. And that's why God tells them that all their suffering is their own fault. They chose to stop following God and replace him with something worthless. As he tells them, "Your own sins will punish you." God offers so much more than any idols could ever hope to provide.

What is interesting about this psalm is that in the midst of troubles, when he staring his enemies in the eyes, when he feels broken and worthless, he turns to God's word. There is complete dependence on God's teachings. It's not just an "oh, that's nice. I'll use it when it's convenient." Instead, he trusts, depends, leans on the words of The Lord for safety, healing, strength.

Day 289: Being Young

1 Timothy 4; Isaiah 38-39; Psalm 119:121-144

Just because Timothy is young, doesn't mean he should be an insignificant part of God's plan to spread the gospel. Paul makes it clear that Timothy is valuable and can do so much good for the kingdom even with his young age. How does he do this? Well, it won't just happen, especially in a culture that values age and the wisdom that comes with many years. Timothy is instructed to set an example in love and faith and purity, to not be fooled by false teaching, and to continue reading scriptures and preaching. That is what excites me about being a part of a youth ministry. Some of these kids are daily reading scripture, opening their hearts in worship, and living with love and purity. I'm also encouraged by this because I'm not really that old, and yet, Paul's words challenge me to not discount my role in God's kingdom, but to set an example with my life and not let others look down on me.

Hezekiah's song of praise includes an interesting statement: "It was for my own good that I had such hard times. But your love protected me..." Perhaps Hezekiah realized that his sickness was to give him the opportunity to have greater faith in God, to challenge him to trust more completely. Later he makes a statement about how the negative message about the future from Isaiah is actually good. I'm a little confused by his statement, he sounds loopy. But maybe it was a sign of his trust in God. I know that I want to have the kind of faith that can see troubles coming and doesn't freak out; instead, I want to learn to simply be at peace, trusting in God's power and provisions to get through tough times.

The psalmist, it sounds like, is in the midst of troubles. And yet, he hangs on to God's promises and God's word to give him hope and assurance. He tells God that he believes God always does right, so just because of rough circumstances, he isn't going to abandon his faith. May we, too, have faith even through hard times and not just give up because we think believe in God makes us immune to troubles.

Day 288: Family

1 Timothy 3; Isaiah 36-37; Psalm 119:97-120

What is interesting about these passages about church leaders are some of the requirements. In particular, being in control of their family with respectful children. Something that the leaders of Soulfire (a youth ministry we help out with) have talked about is taking back the family. Man, imagine if fathers were present and provided love and discipline for their children; if mothers were encouraging and supportive; if children were respectful to their parents; if dinners, game nights, movie nights, were the norm; and if God was the center of it all. Paul isn't saying that church leaders and their families need to be perfect, but they need to lead by example with their families.

In these chapters in Isaiah, doubt is planted by an outsider: they question the people's faith in God and God's power to save. People are going to do that even today. We should not be surprised by their insults. Instead, we should go to God, trusting in what he has done in our lives, the promises of scripture, and our faith.

The psalm continues to give ways in which God's word is good for us. It provides us with wisdom that is beyond what others can figure out on their own. It is a guide for our lives. The psalmist doesn't just obey God's teachings when it is convenient, but instead he has "made up [his] mind" to follow God's commands, even when enemies attack and life is tough. God's word should be our sustenance.

Day 287: Women's Role

1 Timothy 2; Isaiah 34-35; Psalm 119:65-96

In this chapter in Timothy there are three powerful topics. First, how to pray and who to pray for. He encourages us to pray for "everyone." This means that we need to lift up others, not just ourselves, including people we don't necessarily like very much. My prayers for a while were always "God help me" or "I need this, God." It was selfish. Paul reminds Timothy and us that we need to pray for others.

The second thing he talks about is the TRUTH. What is the Truth (with a capital T)? That: "There is only one God, and Christ Jesus is the only one who can bring us to God. Jesus was truly human and he gave himself to rescue all of us." There's obviously a lot more doctrine people can argue about, but the essence of this verse is that there is one God and one way to heaven. Period.

Finally, this chapter talks about women. Lots of ladies get ticked off by these verses, I'm guessing, because it says we should be silent and not tell men what to do. In some ways, I very much agree with the things in this passage. First, Eve was the one that was mislead; she overstepped her bounds in the relationship and sinned. (Adam didn't do a good job of stepping up and being a leader, so I'm not saying he's perfect either.) Then it talks about women not wearing scandalous clothing or expensive stuff. Why? Because our money shouldn't be spent on worthless material things--it should be spent on furthering God's kingdom or be given to those in need (orphans and widows and the like). But what about the silent part and not being allowed to teach? I think part of this was cultural. At that time, women had very few rights. Paul might have simply been making sure that Christians wouldn't cause an unnecessary ruckus. However, I also think that women can be strong, but still be submissive, supportive, and encouraging. Our husbands should be our leaders, not that we follow stupidly or blindly, but because that is the role God created for them. We are a team, of course, that's why God made both Adam and Eve, but women should encourage men to be bold, loving, honest leaders in our homes and churches. I think one of the biggest epidemics in America is the absent father. Emotionally or physically, dads are gone. It's like that movie Courageous, men need to step up and be men, and if we women are doing the job of men, then what are men going to do? Check out, wimp out, peace out, just like Adam. Women, let's not dominate, but support and encourage.

There is a heading in Isaiah 35 that says "God Changes Everything." And the description that follows is indeed inspiring. The blind see, deaf hear, lame walk, mute speak, desert turns to lakes, and there will be only happiness and celebration. Wow, that's pretty amazing. This should give us hope, that no matter what our circumstances are like now, God will change everything and we do not need to fear.

How valuable is the word of God? The psalmist "would rather obey you than to have a thousand pieces of silver and gold." What's the point of obeying God's teachings? The psalmist writes, "If I had not found happiness in obeying your Law, I would have died in misery. I won't every forget your teachings, because you give me new life by following them." Happiness, life, more precious than gold. In my life, I have found that to be true. God's word is not a burden like sometimes human rules and laws are. Even the laws in Leviticus that go on and on are meant to bring health and life and goodness to a person. They are meant to save and protect us from unnecessary pain. God's word brings life and I pray that people are realizing that to read it is to open up the door to God's goodness and joy.

Day 286: Careful, Close, Instant

1 Timothy 1; Isaiah 31-33; Psalm 119:33-64

Paul tells Timothy to remind the people how to live and I think several things are very relevant to some religious movements and people today. One is to not get caught up in genealogies because people must be saved by faith not by who their relatives are. Another is the people need to have "genuine love, as well as a good conscience and true faith," not empty talk. And another is to remember God's mercy and Christ's patience that can save even the worst of sinners. What I get from this chapter is that people were getting caught up in stuff surrounding religion and faith, rather than getting caught up in their faith in Jesus itself. Genealogies and teaching about the Law are not a bad thing, unless they get in the way of grace and truth. The same is true for my life: hobbies, work, friendships, plans, etc., are not bad things, but if they get in the way of my faith in Jesus, if they "oppose God" and his teaching in some way, then they are bad.

Continued from the previous reading and again here in chapter 31, Isaiah's message from God is clear: depend on him and follow him and no one else. It talks about how the people flee to Egypt for help and safety. We are reminded that "Egyptians are mere humans. They aren't God." To depend on anything less than God is foolish because who or what can stand if God decides to act? This just encourages me to put more and more trust in God, to rest my faith and my future on him, because everything else is less secure, less stable, less powerful than The Lord.

Man, I love this psalm! A couple of verses stand out to me: "I pay careful attention as you lead me, and I follow closely. As soon as you command, I do what you say." Wow, cool. How close of attention? Careful. How closely should we follow? Closely. How soon should we obey God's command? Instantly. In my heart I want to follow God's teachings closely, but sometimes I get sidetracked by my own agenda or by wanting to stay in my comfort zone. But we should seek to follow God as intimately as we can and as immediately as we can.

Another scripture that stands out to me: "I choose as my friends everyone who worships you and follows your teachings." This is something that we talk a lot about at the youth ministry where we help out. Kids get excited about God at a revival, a camp, or service, but then they think they can live a devoted Christian life walking with people who want nothing to do with God. It isn't that we should avoid non-believers, but we need to surround ourselves with people who encourage us, share our faith, and help us to learn and be strong. Great psalm!

Day 285: Mooching

2 Thessalonians 3; Isaiah 29-30; Psalm 119:1-32

Paul's message in this chapter is primarily about laziness and mooching. He encourages the followers to be an example and work hard. Why would such a thing matter? Lazy people are often selfish, have a sense of entitlement, and do not care for the needs of others. So while its ok to have a "lazy day" once in a while where we relax, take some time for ourselves, and do nothing, that is not the kind of lifestyle that Christ demonstrated. Even when he wanted to rest, spend time alone, he would see the crowds, have pity, and go to work healing them.

Israel's story is one of sin, disobedience, rejection, and weeping. God gets angry and brings them through tough times, suffering, and captivity, but he never leaves them there. Despite the fact that they use religiousness to make themselves feel better rather than humble and worshipful hearts; despite the fact they turn to human powers and nations for help rather than The Lord; God still is going to rescue them from their enemies and give them prosperity beyond what they need. God has the potential to be angry, jealous, destructive, just, but he also loves his people beyond what we can comprehend. There is a beautiful passage in chapter 30 that talks about how God will be close to his people, guiding them, giving them abundance, and healing their injuries. So despite the pain and punishment of those people (and sometimes what we feel), there is hope for the future. No matter how disobedient these people were, God still promised to rescue them if they were in need or decided to obey his teachings.

This psalm is all about loving God's word, working hard to obey his teachings, because they bring life, happiness, and answers to prayer. I love this because I have found that the more time I spend reading the word of God, the more I am able to live my life avoid sin and loving others. The whole point of this blog is not about my thoughts, but it is supposed to be an encouragement for readers to read God's word daily. If no one ever read another word I wrote, but spent the time reading the scriptures at the top of each post, that would be awesome! Why? Because my words are worth nothing, God's are worth everything. His words are life, they are goodness, they are joy.

Day 284: No Backup Plan

2 Thessalonians 2; Isaiah 27-28; Psalm 118

Paul tells the Thessalonians "not to be easily upset or disturbed by people who claim that The Lord has already come." I would say he is talking about a specific group that the Thessalonians were struggling with, and perhaps the same philosophy could be applied to anyone who says anything contrary to scripture about the Lord's coming today. Regardless, Paul doesn't want them to get caught up in or focus on the liars and misleaders. The last part of this chapter is all about being faithful--to God, to his message, to living the way they have been instructed.

Then Paul reveals, subtly, a truth about how God plans to spread the gospel: "God used our preaching as his way of inviting you to share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ." I've read elsewhere (Radical by Platt) that we are God's plan for spreading the message of Christ. Believers, Christians, Christ followers speaking of the gospel is IT, there is no back up plan. I think we should feel a desire, a responsibility, and an urgency to tell people about Jesus.

While most of this reading from Isaiah is about God destroying the disobedient and worthless leaders and nations, there is part of this that is really cool. God gives a metaphor for his people: He planted a vineyard, will keep it watered, and guard it day and night. He loves the vineyard. But if it produces thorns instead of beautiful grapes, he will no longer protect it and burn it to the ground. The point of this is that he has planted his people as a nation, cared for and protected them. The vineyard should have produced an abundant crop under such conditions, but instead, it grew up with weeds and nastiness. God can't use thorns and so he destroys it. God has given us the opportunity in our lives to produce good fruit. It's our choice what we do with the water, protection, and care that God offers.

A beautiful passage of scripture from this psalm: "When I was really hurting, I prayed to The Lord. He answered my prayer and took my worries away. The Lord is on my side and I am not afraid of what others can do to me. With The Lord on my side, I will defeat all of my hateful enemies. It is better to trust The Lord for protection than to trust anyone else, including strong leaders...My power and my strength come from The Lord, and he has saved me." May we lean on and trust in God for our answers, our protection, our strength.

Day 283: Tangible Faith

2 Thessalonians 1; Isaiah 25-26; Psalm 117

This letter from Paul shows how pleased he is with this church because of their faith. He talked about it in his last letter and continues it in this letter. He brags about the Thessolonian church because despite their troubles and suffering, they have faith. Paul points out the difference between God's treatment of these people of faith and those who choose not to obey his message: "eternal destruction" and being "kept far from the presence of our Lord," versus, Jesus bringing them "honor" and "relief from your troubles." It's pretty crazy that something that itself can't be seen can have so much power, meaning our faith. I can't say "ahhh" and look down my throat to see if I have faith, you can't tell by examining my eyes or my hands. It's not visible. And yet its presence allows for salvation and grace to cover the person. So while faith itself isn't tangible, the effects of it are definitely visible and even tangible in a person's life. That's how Paul knew that these people were doing so awesome. Faith in Jesus shows itself in obvious ways in a person's life. Paul says a little later, "We pray for God's power to help you do all the good things that you hope to do and that your faith makes you want to do." Bam. Faith should make us want to do good things, and God's power should help us to accomplish those things.

"The Lord gives perfect peace to those whose faith is firm. So always trust The Lord because he is forever our mighty rock." I was going to try and say something profound or explanatory about these two verses, but what can I say? They are perfect. Here's another one that is so awesome: "You will give us peace, Lord, because everything we have done was by your power." The message of these are clear: God gives peace to those who trust in God completely. Amen.

From the psalm: "His love for us is wonderful; his faithfulness never ends." Amen!

Day 282: God is Invested in Us

1 Thessalonians 5; Isaiah 23-24; Psalm 116

I love the metaphor of light and darkness. Followers of Christ should live in the light, which I kind of equate with transparency, authenticity, purity, and awareness. The darkness, to me, represents secrecy, lostness, and hiding. Paul encourages believers to live in the light, that that is what God saved us for. He goes on to say a little more about how we should live: get along with each other, warn people who aren't living right, encourage and help people who feel left out or weak, be patient with people, and don't hate anyone. It's a lot harder to live out those things, than it is to list them off, but these should be some of our goals, some tangible ways to live out the gospel and love of Jesus.

Isaiah is pretty doom and gloom. For these two chapters, Isaiah shares of the destruction God is going to cause the earth. I think what is significant about this is that the people of these places saw themselves as being so secure, so wealthy, as if they had it all together. They weren't worried, thought highly of themselves, and trusted in their position and wealth. Then God shows up and with one swipe, knocks them on their rears and ruins everything they had built. This is a good reminder that the stuff I accumulate, whether it be money, possessions, popularity, status--they will not last if God's plan is to eliminate them.

This psalm is all about how God is personally invested in us and saves us. He pays attention to us, our prayers, our needs, our hurts, and wants to restore us. The psalmist wonders what he should give God for being so kind and merciful, but all he can really do is give a sacrifice or offering and his praise. Today, that sacrifice and offering is ourselves, our obedience. I love these verses especially: "You, Lord, have saved my life from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling. Now I will walk at your side in this land of the living."

Day 281: Naked Isaiah

1 Thessalonians 4; Isaiah 20-22; Psalm 115

Paul instructs the Thessalonians how to live. He talks about living a holy life, not immoral, not disrespectful, not as a slave to our desires like those who do not love God. We are to be pure and honorable because God chose us so that we would live that way. He continues by saying, "Try your best to live quietly, to mind your own business, and to work hard." Why? So they will "be respected by people who are not followers of The Lord" and they won't have to be dependent on anyone. We should live a respectful life filled with love, according to Paul, not taking advantage of others or doing anything immoral whether sexually, financially, or anything else. I think the most important thing is that we live differently. People should know that we love Jesus and follow God without having to say a word about our faith.

Isaiah, shocking! God told him to take off everything and for three years, Isaiah walked around naked! Whoa! All for God to make a point. I'd pay attention, maybe thinking he was crazy, but if someone was walking down the street in their birthday suit proclaiming a message from God...well, I don't know, it'd be weird. Nonetheless, Isaiah obeyed and people heard the message. I pray that God doesn't ask me to do something like that, but God does ask for obedience from us.

This psalm has some really poignant verses. First, it begins, "We don't deserve praise! The Lord alone deserves all of the praise because of his love and faithfulness." God alone deserves praise. Why? Because of his love and faithfulness. It's amazing that people can read scripture and NOT see how faithful God is in fulfilling his promises, and how loving he by giving people 2nd, 3rd, 4th, etc. chances to repent and return to him.

Then in the psalm it says that those "who made the idols and all who trust them are just as helpless as those useless gods. If we worship something inanimate, something powerless, what can we expect but a dead response? Worshipping the living, almighty, merciful Creator, we can expect a living, meaningful, powerful response.

Finally, there is a verse that says "all of you worship The Lord, so you must trust him to help and protect you." In this I see a conundrum that a lot of Christians struggle with. We worship God at church but the other 6 days a week we fail to truly trust him with our problems. If we worship him, sing and speak his praises, then we should believe in him to help us when we need it. We should expect nothing less and give nothing less to a loving and faithful God.

Day 280: Knowing Brokenness

1 Thessalonians 2:17-3:13; Isaiah 17-19; Psalm 114

Paul's words are so encouraging. He builds up these followers of Jesus, simply by telling them how happy their faith made him. He was so excited to hear of how God was growing their faith, so much so that he barely mentions his own sufferings, as if they are not important in light of the incredible prosperity of the faith of the Thessalonicans. I feel like sometimes I make my suffering the priority, rather than other people's successes. We sometimes dwell on ourselves as victims, rather than looking for opportunities to encourage others' blessings.

I don't know much about the relationships between Israel, Egypt, and Assyrians. I think it might be tense. Nonetheless, these are the groups that these passages in Isaiah are talking about. When do the Israelites stop worshiping idols? When they are like an olive orchard devoid of any fruit or life, at their lowest. When will Ethiopia come and worship God? When they are like road kill for buzzards and wild animals, when they are basically dead. When will Egypt become followers of The Lord? When they have experienced civil war, are hungry, and feel completely lost, at their most helpless. When do people turn to God? When they have reached their lowest. I don't believe God likes to see us hurt, but his purpose is to draw us to him so that he can heal. When do we know we have been healed? Well, we have to be broken to experience healing. It's awesome that God takes these nations who were broken for various reasons and it is in their brokenness they turn to Him, and he blesses them.

Day 279: Some Fear is Ok

1 Thessalonians 2:1-16; Isaiah 14-16; Psalm 113

Paul describes what happened in Thessolonica with the sharing of God's message. First, they came with pure motives, simply to spread the message of life and salvation of Jesus. They weren't trying to get rich, gain power, corrupt, control, or benefit personally. Their hearts were loving, in the purest sense. Then, they faced persecution. That could have stopped them from sharing the message, and Paul hints that yeah, they might have been a little discouraged because he says that "God gave us the courage." It's ok to feel some fear or uncertainty, it's not good when that stops us in our purpose-driven tracks. He goes on to say just how much these people, their salvation, and their devotion to The Lord meant to him: "We cared so much for you, and you became so dear to us, that we were willing to give our lives for you when we gave you God's message." Wow, that's compassion and love. Sometimes I miss out on opportunities to love or make Jesus known because, while I'm compassionate, I limit it to people I think deserve it. That is NOT what Paul did, nor what Jesus wants. I need to love each person and see each person as an eternal soul in need of the healing power of Jesus, willing to give my life to share the gospel with them. In America, I think there is less of a sense of urgency and devotion to this idea simply because we don't struggle with persecution and we have everything we need, so we don't feel like we really need Jesus. Paul's pure passion for the gospel of Christ and his live-giving love for the people is powerful.

These three chapters of Isaiah are all about destruction. God is going to come through and teach them a lesson or destroy nations that do wrong, whether that be Israel for being disobedient, Babylon and Assyria for being evil, or Moab for being prideful.

This psalm reveals God's heart. His name deserves praise, when? From sunrise until sunset! And what does he do that deserves praise? He cares for the needy and those that are hurting and helpless. His love for those who are mistreated or broken is so significant. I need to reflect that so much more. Praise God that he is a God who loves without limits or prejudices.

Day 278: Faith

1 Thessalonians 1; Isaiah 11-13; Psalm 112

I want to be like the church in Thessolonica! In this first chapter, Paul is so excited about them! His prayers are of thanksgiving for them, they followed Paul and Christ's example, were glad in their suffering, turned from their idols, and spread the message of Jesus everywhere! If there was a way to do this Christ-following thing right, I suppose this church was pretty close. I want my life to be like this too; that people are thankful they know me, I follow Jesus' example for living, I turn from my sins, and spread the gospel to everyone. These people were an example for others and I believe we should strive to do the same. People watch and follow you more than you think. May we believers be people who live like Jesus so that people know what kind of example to follow.

There is POWER in these three chapters in Isaiah. First, it talks about a peace for God's people that will be perfect. Not even animals will pursue one another. God's people will be gathered together in this place of complete love and tranquility. Then there is the song of praise that the Lord's followers will sing (something I've been wanting to memorize because it's awesome):

"I thank you, Lord! You were angry with me, but you stopped being angry and gave me comfort. I trust you to save me, Lord God, and I won't be afraid. My power and strength come from you, and you have saved me." With great joy, you people will get water from the well of victory. At that time you will say, "Our Lord, we are thankful and we worship only you. We will tell the nations how glorious you are and what you have done. Because of your wonderful deeds we will sing your praises everywhere on earth." Sing, people of Zion! Celebrate the greatness of the holy Lord of Israel. God is here to help you.

Then, a chapter of incredible destruction and victory over evil. When I think about how much pain is in this world, how many people are hurt by others, I long for the day when God will defeat those things.

There seems to be a recurring theme in these passages today: being remembered. This psalm talks about how God is going to abundantly bless his followers because they "gladly obey" his teaching, will "be remembered for their fairness," are a light in the dark for others, are "honest in business," and it goes on and on of qualities of these people. The part that I really like are the next couple of verses: "Bad news won't bother them; they have decided to trust The Lord. They are dependable and not afraid, and they will live to see their enemies defeated." They aren't scared. Why? Not because they are so awesome, are super spiritual, or have the whole Bible memorized. It is simply because they have DECIDED to trust God. They made a conscious choice to recognize that God is who he says he is and comes through in his promises of hope and provision, and so there is no reason to fear anything. WOW. What kind of trust that is! And these people are remembered for this kind of faith. So awesome.

Day 277: The City

Revelation 21-22; Isaiah 9-10; Psalm 111

These last two chapters of Revelation have some powerful images and promises. John sees a new heaven and new earth. This place has no more suffering or death, everything is brand new, there is no darkness, no more night, people's thirst is quenched, and the kingdom is made of the most precious stones. As I read about the dimensions and construction of the city, I wonder if it is metaphorical or literal: that the 12 foundation stones are the 12 tribes, as in they set the foundation for the spiritual practices that we follow in spirit today. Whether it is literal or metaphorical, God makes it clear that there will be abundant life for those who are allowed in the city. I think my favorite scripture from these chapters is this: "If you are thirsty, come! If you want life-giving water, come and take it. It's free!" I think there is a hunger, thirst, desire, within all of us. Christ is the only thing that can satisfy and fulfill that emptiness. And what does it cost? Nothing. We just have to reach out and take it. God is so generous and so gracious!

Isaiah captures the back and forth faithfulness of God's people and God's back and forth rescuing and punishing of them. If there's one thing I know for sure about humans, both from scripture and observation, they are fickle. They love one thing, then another, hate one thing, then another. But what is SO incredible, is that in the span of two chapters, God gives light to his people, rescuing them and completely devastating their enemies as well as punishes the people for their unfaithfulness. We should have hope because of this. As often as the people in the Old Testament messed up and turned their back on God, He came through and rescued them.

Psalm 111 continues this message of how awesome God is. He doesn't break his agreements, he is merciful, he is right, rules with justice, and he rescues his people. So how should we respond? The last verse tells us: "Respect and obey The Lord."

Day 276: Questions

Revelation 20; Isaiah 7-8; Psalm 110

When it comes to Revelation, I tend to finish reading with more questions than answers. For instance, my translation says that the devil "will have to be set free" again for a bit, after the 1000 years. Why does he "have to"? Then what are those who were beheaded going to do for 1000 years? Which countries are Gog and Magog? And the list goes on...And I'm ok with some questions. The answers to these questions will not make or break my faith. They don't make me feel like God doesn't love me or he's trying to hide stuff from me. I trust God and I'll live my life for him.

What I do find so interesting, and this is something I had not picked up before, is the scene described at the end of this chapter of the final judgement: "Everyone of them was there no matter who they had once been....Then everyone was judged by whet they had done." All humans who have ever lived are going to stand before God on the great white throne and have to give account for what their life consisted of. Ugh. That's going to be painful. None of us are perfect and it makes me wonder what is going to be pointed out about me. I pray that our lives would be filled with good things so that that judgment isn't so terrifying.

In these chapters in Isaiah, there is several references to fear and worry. First, Judah is told not to be afraid of their enemies for any reason. God promises that they are basically all bark and no bite. Then later, God tells them that if they should fear anyone, it should be God because his power to destroy or protect is greater than any other force on earth.

This psalm ends with God winning victory after victory. No where in scripture is God the victim, and even while he is dying on the cross, Jesus showed great power, control, and love, not acting victimized. With God, we should live victoriously!

Day 275: Tough for People Pleasers

Revelation 19; Isaiah 5-6; Psalm 109:20-31

In an earlier post I wrote about who or what the prostitute referred to in Revelation could be. In this chapter, it doesn't sound like messed up, unfaithful Israel, but Babylon, which I think might be the center for the new one world religion that would be set up in end times. I'm getting some of this from what I'm reading here and some of it from the Left Behind series, which is very much based on scripture too (they are probably smarter than I am and have studied it more). Anyone who has any thoughts on this, feel free to comment! Revelation can be really confusing.

Later in this chapter, it has the wedding feast of Christ and his church, and the final battle of this time (there is one more after 1,000 years). I love the idea that Jesus Christ will celebrate and accept us like a bride at a wedding. His love for his people is extravagant, passionate, complete. This passage promises that we will be given clothes of purity, representing the good we have done. God knows what we do and in these times everyone will be rewarded for what we do. I think about that moment, when I will someday stand before Jesus and get my gown of white. I want him to be proud of me, so what must I do? Live and breathe for him and the kingdom of God. Then later in this chapter, Christ wipes out the vast armies and rulers that come against him with a double edged sword that comes from his mouth. That's a weird image. Most people believe this simply represents his Word. Jesus is going to defeat the evil of this world with words, scripture, the Bible's teaching. What? Those must be some powerful words! We need to trust in the word of God like this, that scripture breathed in our lives and hidden in our hearts can overcome evil, pain, and destruction.

Isaiah presents a pretty bleak outlook on humanity in these two chapters. It begins by saying that God had hoped for goodness in his people, but because of their freedom, they chose dishonesty and wickedness. God is angry because the people are focused on drinking and partying, being impure, not following God's commands; they "say wrong is right, darkness is light, and bitter is sweet." I think that is a perfect description of what we humans are sometimes prone to do. We like to justify the wrong we do and so we call it right. I think of many of the major issues in our nation and world today that God condemns in his word and yet humans, including some Christians, say that they are ok. In my Bible, this chapter is called "Isaiah Condemns Social Injustice." That's one of the things that I'm noticing more and more is part of God's heart. How do we love God? We care for those who can't care for themselves: the poor, the widows, the orphans. We work to fix social injustices. Just like Christ will destroy evil with his word, we need to read God's word with our hearts open and willing to accept its truth and power, even if it goes against what the world says.

I love this passage in this psalm: "Please help me Lord God! Come and save me because of your love. Let others know that you alone have saved me. I don't care if they curse me, as long as you bless me." God saves us because of his great love for us. He doesn't rescue us because he has to, because we deserve it, but simply because he loves us that much. The psalmist wants everyone to know what it is that does save him when it happens. This is his testimony, his sharing of God's impact on his life, and if we are saved by God, we have a story to tell as well. The last part of this would be tough for people pleasers: I doesn't matter if other people curse us, say bad things about us, don't like us--but doesn't it sometimes feel like it does matter? Yeah, because we like to focus on others' opinions. This scripture reminds us that what really matters is not the opinions, curses, thoughts of others, but God's thoughts, opinions, and blessings on us. God's approval is the only one that matters. That's something to live for!

Day 274: Female Strutting

Revelation 18; Isaiah 2-4; Psalm 109:1-19

The destruction of Babylon in Revelation 18 demonstrates a significant dependence and reliance. The kings, merchants, and captains all got rich because of the reign of Babylon. It was this city and all that it contained that gave them power and wealth, which they hastily acquired. And "in a single hour her riches disappeared," "in a single hour the city was destroyed," never to rise again. The dependence and acquisition of wealth is futile. What's the purpose? When we die, or at the end of days, it isn't going to save our lives or our souls. These kings, merchants, and captains felt pity and were terrified because the city that supplied them with everything was, within a single hour, gone. Powerful imagery of how worldly things don't last because God, who lasts forever, has power over them.

In Isaiah, there is a pretty harsh description of the women at the time of God's judgment. It talks about how the women strut around, attracting attention shamelessly, focusing on their appearance and charm. God makes it clear that that is not what he wants women to be like. God has no problem with us trying to look nice, but here, it is all about focusing the attention on their physical appearance, on being pleasing and possibly seductive. This passage says that God will replace their perfume with stink, their fancy hairdos with bald heads, and their expensive clothes with sackcloth. All that stuff that we sometimes spend way to much money on with be stripped away. It's ok to want to look presentable and wear deodorant so we aren't smelly, but we are to not use our bodies and money to entice men or belittle other women. Someday, all the time we spent on our hair, makeup, and clothes won't matter because we will either be really wrinkly or dead. In heaven, God will clothe us with splendor and place a crown on our heads--who needs fancy clothes at that point?

This psalm reveals that life isn't fair and people are cruel. We can pray our hearts out for people and all they do is treat us terribly. That does not mean we give up, but we press on knowing that our reward comes from above, not from others.

Day 273: Returning to Sin

Revelation 17; Isaiah 1-2; Psalm 108

The identity of this prostitute in Revelation 17 has been debated. Most people think that she is either Israel, God's chosen who constantly turn to pagan religions and rituals. This would make sense since throughout the Old Testament, God's people are constantly being referred to as a prostitute. Others think that the prostitute could be a one world religion that is set up during the End Times. This is also possible since she sits on all these nations and kings. What we do know is that she "was drunk on the blood of God's people who had given their lives for Jesus." Whoever she is, she will destroy the lives of Christ followers, whether that be the unfaithful church of Israel or a one world religion. True followers of Christ are going to face death during end times. A very scary, but real threat. I pray for believers of that time, that they would have faith that can withstand the fear of death.

At the beginning of Isaiah it makes an interesting point: the people are covered with bruises, they are weak and beaten because of their sin, and yet they don't turn to God who would heal their pain. Sin SO does that. It beats us down and yet how often we return to our bitterness, jealousy, or whatever sin entices us. God says that he is sick of their sacrifices because what they need to do is live right, not just go through the motions of worship. I think of our churches today: we sometimes go through the motions, even say we are sorry, head to the altar, etc., but our lives only vaguely reflect that remorse we feel under the inspiring words of our pastor or worship leader. The Israelites were no different and God was ticked. It continues by saying that there will come a day when God will humble all those that are proud and destroy the faith of those who worship idols. God will prove himself to be "fearsome, marvelous, and glorious."

There are a few key phrases in this psalm that I think are really powerful: with all my heart, all that I am, before the sun rises, for everyone to hear, in every nation. These phrases just remind me of how we should praise The Lord, how soon each day, and who to share our praises with. Just an important reminder of how much God deserves our worship.

Day 272: Sorrow to Joy

Revelation 16; Esther 9-10; Psalm 107:23-43

I think if we have been a Christian for a long time, we forget what it is like to not believe in God. In Revelation, it talks about the angels pouring out the bowls of God's wrath on the earth. These are terrible curses on the world and those who have the mark of the beast "cursed the name of God who had power over these terrible troubles. But no one turned to God and praised him." Later, "because of their painful sores, they cursed the God who rules in heaven. But still they did not stop doing evil things." These people acknowledge that God is real, he is powerful, he is active, and he can hear them. They ACKNOWLEDGE that, but they refuse to worship him. I think this shows an interesting place in a person's spiritual walk. There may be people around us who simply believe there isn't a God. Then there may be those who admit that there is a God, maybe even the one true God, but they refuse to worship him. It is so important that we Christians submit our lives to The Lord and allow him to work in us and through us. We need to love and help and serve like Jesus, to be an example of the full and abundant life that he promised; this will demonstrate to those who believe God is real but don't submit, just how powerful a life lived for God can be.

God gave the Jews permission to take things from their slain enemies, but every time, they don't. Is this because their faith was strong and they felt they didn't need more stuff? That God would provide? Whatever the reason, I find it interesting. Then they celebrate to "remember this month as a time when our sorrow was turned to joy, and celebration took the place of crying." God can and does turn our sorrows into joy and he wants us to find ways to remember those powerful moments. That's why they made a special day to remember this and all of it was written down, like a big journal. I pray that we are able to find ways to remember the wonderful things God has done in our lives so that when we go through tough times and all we feel is sorrow, we will have faith that joy is on its way.

Like the previous verses discussed in the previous post, this psalm is all about rescue. God rescues us from the serious trouble that we will have in this life; this psalm pretty much promises all of that. It ends with some thoughts on choices though. It talks about how God can turn rivers into deserts and fruitful fields into beds of salt. Why? If we choose to live outside of his blessing, his grace, his will, his plan for our lives, this is what the landscape of our life will turn into. On the other side, however, if we choose to live in his blessing, his grace, his will, and his plan for our lives, "the Lord can also turn deserts into lakes." Who we live for will determine the richness and fruitfulness of our lives. That's a very powerful thought.

Day 271: Rescue

Revelation 15; Esther 6:14-8:17; Psalm 107:1-22

I love these songs of praise scattered throughout Revelation. In this particular one, it points out the rightness and fairness of God. God's knowledge and wisdom and love are beyond what we can imagine, and because of that, he knows what is right, what is just, and he does those things. It also says that he "alone is holy, and all nations will come and worship" him. What "holy" means is exalted or worthy of complete devotion as one perfect in goodness and righteousness. Yep, that doesn't sound like anyone I know except God. He is the only one worthy of COMPLETE devotion; he is PERFECT in goodness and righteousness. I think one of the points of Revelation and end times, besides judging the world, is to demonstrate God's worthiness of complete devotion, worship, praise, and honor. He isn't a wimpy, stupid, distant God. He is powerful. He is wise. He is real.

Wow, Haman was hung by the very device he built. His pride, jealousy, and hatred made his life go from bad to worse. But Esther was able to save Mordecai and her people. What saved them? A law that the king had written. What I find interesting though, is that the law didn't say 'don't hurt the Jews.' Instead, it said that they could fight back against those who would seek to destroy them. So is God condoning violence? I think what God wants them to do is see life as a battle against our enemies. Whether our enemies wield swords and shields, or they are things like bitterness, anger, and evil, we are to defend ourselves and fight against them. Our God is not a passive God, and I don't believe he wants his followers to be passive victims either.

This psalm talks about how God saves us and what he saves us from. He saves people from being lost in the desert. These are people who feel like their life has no purpose and there is no end in sight to the emptiness of their life. He saves people from their hunger and thirst. Each person experiences either a deep physical or spiritual emptiness that needs to be filled. He saves people from serious trouble. Whatever this may be, it is something very significant, very heavy, very dangerous. It could be financial trouble, family trouble, sin, or something else. God rescues people who were prisoners or slaves, who are bound by chains. Again, this could be figurative or literal. He rescues us from the things that trap us, our sin, our bad decisions, our rebellion, and some people who are in literal bondage, he has the ability to save them, too. God rescues people from darkness. So many live in a spiritual darkness, where sin rules their lives, they can see no good things in this world and they are wandering blindly. God gives light and can save them too. And finally, he rescues people from the pain of sin. When we look back on our lives and see the things we have done that were disgusting, wretched, disobedient, we don't have to feel a deep hurt because of them; The Lord has washed us clean and saves us from the guilt and shame of such things. God is so good!

Day 270: Abortion

Revelation 14; Esther 5:1-6:13; Psalm 106:24-48

It is hard to understand the difference between the 144,000 that surround Jesus in this chapter and can learn the song, and "every race, tribe, language, and nation that receive the message about Jesus just a few verses later. The first part makes it sound like only 144,000 get the privilege of worshiping Jesus, however, if that is the case, that contradicts John 3:16 which says "whoever believes in him," not specifying that they must be virgins, Jews, priests. Interesting.

The next part of this contrasts the treatment of those that follow the beast and those that follow Jesus. Those that have the mark of the beast and worship him "will never be able to rest," while those have faith in Jesus "will rest from their hard work." It is hard to imagine complete rest, or peace, because on this Earth we have so much that tugs at our heart, our attention, our worries. I think of a time in my life when I was SO stressed out: I was physically tense, emotionally stretched, crying, and felt completely hopeless. These people that this scripture refers to that worship the beast will feel like that FOREVER. That is horrible! I pray that no one experiences that! But God's people will rest and the command is this: "God's people must learn to endure. They must also obey his commands and have faith in Jesus." During these times, it is going to be tough. Lives will be lost, the world will be crumbling, Christians will face persecution like has never happened before. We will need to endure and have faith to make it through such times. But why? What would be the point in persevering? Scripture promises: "the Lord will bless everyone who has faith in him when they die...they will be rewarded for what they have done." Awesome. The trials we endure in this life are not worthless. We are demonstrating our love and faithfulness to a God who sees us and loves us and wants to reward us.

In the story of Esther, Haman is completely wrapped up in himself. He demonstrates what happens when we seek to boast and brag and honor ourselves. We end up being humiliated. This is just like the parable that Jesus told about the banquet and not placing ourselves in the place of honor or we will be disgraced. Haman had to pretend to honor the very man he wanted to kill. Yet again, we see God at work. I truly believe that God kept the king restless that night so that we would read the records and be reminded of Mordecai. God was working out his plan to save his people.

I'm so glad I read this psalm; it is a reminder that God disgusts the killing of children. Just listen to these words: "Then they fell into the trap of worshiping idols. They sacrificed their sons and their daughters to demons and to the gods of Canaan. Then they poured out the blood of these innocent children and made the land filthy. By doing such gruesome things, they also became filthy. Finally, Lord, you were angry and terribly disgusted with your people." Killing children: I cannot help but think of abortion when I read this psalm. People are fighting for the right to kill their children. Whether a child is 10 weeks old in the womb or 10 years old, it is still the child of two humans and it seems that to argue that 10 weeks old in the womb isn't really "life" is simply a way to justify destroying it. As followers of Jesus, we need to make sure that we value life. How a baby is conceived should be a beautiful thing, but even if it is not, we must trust that God has a plan for that life. God hates the killing of children. Period.

Day 269: Which Side?

Revelation 13; Esther 3-4; Psalm 106:1-23

Whoa, the implications of what is written in this chapter of Revelation is really powerful. These beasts that are given power for a short time corrupt the entire world into worshiping them. They are able to work amazing miracles and convince everyone of their power. And get this: everyone who doesn't worship them is put to death. John reminds us urgently: "This means that God's people must learn to endure and be faithful!" To worship this beast just to save our earthly life is to trade all of God's gift of salvation and life for eternal death. If such a time comes in our lifetime, are we going to be willing to be faithful to Jesus Christ? What about when the mark of the beast must be put on our hands or foreheads in order to do business and buy food? Will we be willing to not take the mark, risk our lives out of love for The Lord? Such a powerful and dangerous message requires some thought as to which side we stand on, because it sounds like there will be no middle ground in these times. People in our 21st century culture like to live in the grey area, not offending anyone, but not standing for anything. This chapter reveals that the grey area will not exist forever. Are we going to be hot or cold? Black or white? In or out? Alive or dead?

In Esther, evil Haman uses the differences of the Jews as a reason to kill them. It's awesome that Mordecai was unwilling to bow to another besides God, but the cost was great (just like it talks about in Revelation). There are a few actions that these people perform that I think are important to learn from. First, Haman is driven by greed, pride, and selfishness; to kill Mordecai was not enough, he needed to destroy everyone like him in order to protect his self-image. His pride was destructive enough to kill hundreds, maybe thousands. Then, the king hands over his ring to Haman to do what he wants. Why would he simply give over his control rather than overseeing something so significant? Xerxes should have been more discerning as a leader. This is not to say that delegation is bad, but we need to find people to trust that are really trustworthy. Finally, there is a great shift in faith in Esther. At first, she comes up with excuses, but when she realizes that everything is on the line for her and her people, she steps up. Sometimes is takes dire circumstances for us to realize how much faith we need.

The beginning of this psalm focuses on the forgetfulness of God's people. As his followers, we need to remember his miracles, not just the things he has done in our lives, but in history as well. Life may not move forward as we expect, but God has come through every time for those who love him, why would it be any different for us today?

Day 268: Esther's Cool Story

Revelation 12; Esther 2; Psalm 105:26-45

I love this passage in Revelation: "Our God has shown his saving power, and his kingdom has come! God's own Chosen One has shown his authority. Satan accused our people in the presence of God day and night. Now he has been thrown out! Our people defeated Satan because of the blood of the Lamb and the message of God. They were willing to give up their lives." Any time scripture talks about defeating the devil and overcoming sin, I feel empowered. It is by Jesus' sacrifice and the word of God that the Lord's followers can participate in such a victory. However, if we think that the battle will be easy, we are missing an important part of this passage: "They were willing to give up their lives." Such victory over the darkness of this world takes everything we have and costs much. Christ promises that it is worth it, but it is not cheap. This passage goes on to say that heaven pities the earth because that is where Satan lives. However, his time is short. Again, a reference to the reign of The Lord, because the devil will not rule long. God's anger burns intensely though, and as hard as believers might fight to win souls for The Lord and battle sin, we can be assured that the evil one will be pressing just as fiercely.

There is a lot about Esther's story that is so cool: she was a nobody who became a princess (the first "Disney" princess), she was obedient to her wise uncle, she was a favorite from the beginning. But I also see God's part of this story at work: he wanted a way to save lives and so from the beginning of the story orchestrated events that would allow Esther to be in a position of power. We have free will, but I have no doubt that God can plant desires in our hearts: Vashti's desire to not be treated as a trophy, Xerxes' officials suggestions, Esther's beauty, the guards anger at the king, and Mordecai's knowledge of the murder plot. I also find it interesting that she and Mordecai come from the tribe of Benjamin. If I'm not mistaken, this is the smallest and least significant tribe of the Jews. Of course. God loves to use the least, lowest, weakest, most unsuspecting to do great things.

This psalm ends in this way: "He did this so that his people would obey all of his laws." Ok, so what is the significance of that. The first time I read it, nothing connected, but as I looked at it again, I realized what it means. He crushed and devastated Egypt, lead the people through the desert, provided water from rocks, gave them more food than they could eat, all for what? So that they would obey his laws. And what are the laws and their purpose? To keep them holy and give them life abundantly. All those miracles were meant to bring the people closer to God. It wasn't so that he could show them how awesome he was and they would be afraid, though many were, but it was to provide for them a way of life that would be good and pleasing to the Creator of the universe. That's what God's whole story is about: drawing his people closer to him by rescuing us, providing for us, loving us.

Day 267: Crazy Witnesses

Revelation 11; Esther 1; Psalm 105:1-25

Whoa, the story of the two witnesses sounds incredibly powerful and terrifying! These two people, who have stood in the presence of God, will come and proclaim The Lord. For a time, they will destroy anyone who tries to harm them, they will prevent rain, and turn water into blood. If people hear and see this, how could they deny the God of heaven? So many will be so stubborn or brainwashed that they will reject what they are seeing. What is also sad, is that these two will be killed but their bodies will lay and rot for 3 days. Then, miraculously, they will rise from the dead in front of the whole world. One comment that is made in this passage refers to the city of Jerusalem. It says that the "city is spiritually like the city of Sodom or the country of Egypt." The holy city of The Lord will be corrupt, disgusting, and sinful. Sad and scary.

The first chapter in Esther is a perfect example of how  pride and boastfulness can destroy a relationship. Xerxes had paraded everything else in his kingdom around and decided it was time to do the same with his wife. But, she decided that she was not a trophy to be shown off to the world and refused. Xerxes was angry and felt the need to protect his reputation and pride. It isn't uncommon for people to seek protection of their image at the cost of others.

This psalm begins by saying "tell, tell" and "praise, sing, celebrate" what God has done. It's a good reminder that we need to praise God for simply who he is, what he has done, and the miracles that happen in our lives. And what are we supposed to do with this information? Tell it! Share it! Sing it out! This psalm also chronicles what God did for his people. They were homeless and hungry, but God had already orchestrated a plan to help them. He doesn't leave them high and dry, down and out, left to fend for themselves. Even though Joseph was sold as a slave by his brothers, God used that time to test him and then bring him honor. It's crazy, but it is how God builds our character and brings his greater plan into focus.

Day 266: Why the Sabbath Matters

Revelation 10; Nehemiah 13; Psalm 104:24-35

Why is John eating a scroll, and why is sweet in his mouth but bitter in his stomach? Sometimes Revelation is so weird. However, I think by saying to eat it, it is instructing him to take it, "ingest it" sort of, as in memorize it, meditate on it, make it part of who you are. It's very sweet going in, it may be good at the beginning, but the more he chews, the more he thinks, the more time that passes, it will become nasty at the end. This could symbolize how things will be in the end times. Things may start out great, but they will turn bitter.

Nehemiah had been trying to return the people to God's favor by having them live according to God's word. It was not an easy task. It's like they read God's word and instantly forget what it taught them. The people were supposed to take care of the priests, but Nehemiah finds that some of them went back to their farms because the people did not provide for them. This reminds me of churches today that can't support a pastor because they aren't willing to give some of their own money. We as Christians need to support our pastors so that they can be blessed by it and do the work of The Lord.

 Next, Nehemiah realizes that people are working on the Sabbath. This doesn't seem like it should be a serious sin, but I think the heart of the matter is very serious. The only two reasons to work on the Sabbath are a) you don't trust God to provide and so you feel you have to continue to work to bring in money, and b) you are greedy and want to earn as much as possible and 7 days of business is better than 6. Both of these are very dangerous and do not reflect faith in God or an attitude of submission to The Lord. Nehemiah stopped all of that immediately by simply closing the gates on the Sabbath. People literally could not come in and sell stuff and even slept outside of the gates overnight. That reminds me of Black Friday and how people will get so crazy to buy stuff and get a "good deal" that they will spend the night in front of their favorite store.

Finally, Nehemiah gets mad because the people had been marrying foreigners. But I thought we were supposed to reach out to others? We are, but the problem with this action is that the people were unable to be faithful to God and would pervert their relationship with him because of the influence of pagan gods from their spouses. That's why it was a big deal. And Nehemiah put a halting stop to that too.

This psalm closes with an interesting comment: "I hope my thoughts will please you, because you are the one who makes me glad." Sometimes people look at my life and are so complimentary; however, what they don't see are my thoughts. I may do a decent job of not being a mean person on the outside, but how often do my thoughts reflect my selfishness and pride? God alone can see those and I believe they come from a heart that still isn't consumed by Jesus. My pride and selfishness need to be replaced by humility and compassion so that God can be pleased with them. I, too, hope my thoughts please God!

Day 265: Rough Times

Revelation 8-9; Nehemiah 11-12; Psalm 103-104:23

The trumpets and the destruction caused by them in Revelation is terrifying. It's hard to imagine such disaster. One third of things on the earth are destroyed. But what stands out to me in this chapter are not the catastrophes, but the presence of God. At the beginning of the chapter when the seventh seal was opened, there is silence in heaven. Whoa, what does that mean? The sounds of praise are gone, the rustle of angel wings are stilled, the cries of the saints are silent, perhaps God himself has drawn inward and his glory is hidden for a time. After this happens the prayers of God's people come up from the earth and reach the ears of heaven. Silence in heaven will, no doubt, have an effect on the earth. What kind of effect, I'm not sure, but I find this situation very intriguging.

Then at the end of this chapter, it tells of an eagle flying over the earth saying "Trouble, trouble, trouble, to everyone who lives on earth!" Life is not going to be easy, especially during this time. Believers and non-believers alike, it sounds like, are going to face devastating consequences. This will be a time when faith is tested. Just consider this: "In those days people will want to die, but they will not be albe to. They will hope for death, but it will escape them." WOW. Talk about torture. And during this time, the people who survive these seals and hate God, those who worship idols will continue to worship those idols and demons. They will be stubborn and blind and will not turn to God. So sad. I cannot imagine the hopelessness of worshiping something that is lifeless, made with my own hands. These people will continue living a lie, and there is nothing believers will be able to do about it. This is God's judgment and people will choose to refuse to turn to him, even in one of the greatest displays of his power. And the point of all the silence and distruction is to make people realize who God is.

Psalm 103 is an awesome song of worship to The Lord. It talks about praising The Lord with all of our hearts and all that we are, never forgetting what he has done for us. God forgives us, brings justice to those who are mistreated, provides us with strength, is merciful and patient, and doesn't punish us as our sins deserve. What a good and glorious God!

Psalm 104 shows how God created and cares for his creation. He thought about and continues to think about our needs and provides for them.