Day 26: Don't be a Pharisee

Luke 20:1-26; Genesis 35-36; Psalm 28

The chief priests knew that Jesus was talking about them, and yet they still refused to listen.  The Savior of the world was staring them in the face, ridiculing them for their hard-heartedness, and they did nothing.  Are there places in our lives where we am stubborn and refuse to listen?  May the Lord reveal our sin and selfishness so that we can be washed clean and turn from them.  Jesus has the power to amaze and to shut the mouths of people who are trying to ridicule him.  I pray that those who think they don’t need God would investigate his truths and come to know him!

The Lord gives strength, hope, love, forgiveness, and eternal life.  There is nothing more we could ask for.  I am learning to trust him with my family and my future, and I pray that the life and love he has given me shine through me so that others may see his glory.  We all need help to rid ourselves of sin that ensnares us; we need help to be honest with ourselves and remove that within me that which is not clean.  May we not be like Pharisees!!! I hope that each of us are learning how to make our lives a reflection of the kindness that God has shown to each of us sinners.  God's words can be like life to our souls and I thank him for all he is teaching us.

Day 25: Embracing Accusations

Luke 19:28-48; Genesis 34; Psalm 26

The Pharisees and the people selling things in the temple have something in common—they don’t like how people worship or understand what the place of worship is for.  They are both attempting to defile it and make it something it is not.  Even church people have rules about what is acceptable for worship and people will tell each other what is right and what is wrong.  I need to worship in a way that is right for me, you need to worship in a way that is right for you, not in the way we are told to do it.  The only thing that matters is that we give praise to God.

At a Soulfire talk several months ago, the talk was about embracing accusations.  How Satan will throw our inadequacies and past sins in our faces in order to keep us from serving God or telling about God or even just feeling ok about ourselves.  The reality is, yes, we are terrible sinners, we are worthless, we don’t deserve any love from God—and yet, Jesus still came and died and rose for you and me.  It makes his love that much more incredible and my salvation that much more of a miracle because of the TRUTHS of Satan’s accusations.  Thank you Jesus for saving us and taking us from darkness and death and bringing us into light.

I hope and pray that God will help us to stay true to ourselves—to be who he created us to be.  People will try to influence who we are, and I pray that we are discerning about who is helping us to grow, and who is trying to change us.  I pray that we know the difference and are able to serve and glorify God in all ways.

Day 24: Wrestling with God

Luke 19:1-27; Genesis 32-33; Psalm 25

Zacchaeus gave away generously what he had.  He pursued Jesus and Jesus came into his life.  That connection prompted him to make right all the ways he had been wrong.  He was putting Jesus before materialism and worldly wealth and in order to do that, he would have had to put his trust in the Lord. Christ did not care what sort of reputation Z had, what he had done in his past, or even the reason he was hanging from that tree.  All that Jesus was concerned about, was the fact that Z was looking for him.  If we seek God, we will find him, and he will come and fellowship with us in our lives.  The second part of this story that is so amazing is that Z changed his life.  He didn't just begin his relationship with Jesus and then continue sinning.  He was transformed. I think too many people, especially young people, think that God doesn't care what way they live their life, so long as they come to the alter or raise their hands in worship once in a while.  Just like it doesn't make sense to say marriage vows but still date on the side...You can't offer yourself to Christ and keep sinning in your life.  We have got to be different!

This is cool.  The night before Jacob is going to meet his brother—something he fears could be the end of him—he wrestles with God.  Jacob, for all his faults, is persistent and perseveres in order to receive blessings from God.  I don’t know what he would have been wrestling about—perhaps pushing The Lord to remember his promises, of how much God loves him, to protect his family—and God was proud of him for it.  Then, a really cool part:  he asks God's name and he actually tells it to Jacob, though in writing it seems coded.  “Don’t you know who I am?”  God is called “I am” and that is what God tells him.  The Lord says to Jacob that he knew in his heart who he was wrestling with, he would have felt deep in his soul the closeness of God, even during a moment of struggle.  What a powerful thought:  that in our deepest, darkest, most difficult struggle is when we can be in the midst of The Lord of the universe and of our hearts. Then Jacob limps the rest of his life as a sign that life is tough and sometimes we have to give up things in order to receive God’s blessing.  That is part of life:  facing, failing, overcoming, learning from all our struggles.

Then, why would Jacob not go to Edom with Esau like he said?  Jacob was called to go to Bethel by God, and so he had to not do what Esau wanted.  He had to love God more than he loved his brother.
The Lord is a teacher, and he wants to guide his people down the right path.  He loves us and doesn’t want us to go astray or have hardships, but we have to be in tune to the Holy Spirit in order to hear The Lord's voice.  Help us to listen and be quick to obey God's direction for us.

Day 23: Following Jesus

Luke 18:18-43; Genesis 31; Psalm 24

The importance of God's kingdom here on earth and our call to love him and spread the good news above everything else is paramount.  God tells me that if I give up everything else, I will be given much in this life and in the next.  I hope and pray that God will help us to live with God being the center of our world—not for the blessings, but because it is the right thing to do.

This story of the blind man shows how believers will ignore those who are hurting, even those crying out for help, for the truth about Jesus.  That is not the kind of believer that God wants us to be.  Jesus heard this man, stopped, listened to him, and healed him.  Christ spent time getting to know him and his needs.  It didn’t matter what the people thought of him, the reputation this person had, or the difficult challenge he faced—The Lord took the time to love him.  We need to learn to love like that: without hesitation, without judgment, without fear.  True love, that comes from The Lord has none of those things; it is generous and genuine.

Should Jacob have had the kind of trust in his family like he did?  People are imperfect, including his wives, and he should have known that.  However, it is noble that he believed he and his family was innocent.  Luckily, he did not have to kill his favorite wife.

God's standards are so high, that no person could ever meet them.  We are so far from perfect that it makes it hard to believe God could love us sometimes.  And yet, our faith in Jesus saves us and our attempts to love others in God's name makes him so proud.  I love this time in the morning when I get to read God's word and meditate on what he wants to teach me.

Lord, help us to above all, love you.  Then, out of the love we experience in you, I pray that we love and serve others.  Help us to do the right things for the right reasons, to be honest in our lives, and to worship only you and not idols of any kind. God, you are so good and we are blessed beyond measure for how you have saved us.

Day 22: God at the Center

Luke 18:1-17; Genesis 30; Psalm 23

Jesus says that he wants to answer our prayers and want to take care of us.  The Lord wants to justify us and redeem us.  He are not a God who desires to withhold things for the sake of being vindictive. He is a loving God who truly cares for his creation more than we understand.  I am so thankful for that.  For a while I believed that God was calculating and shrewd, like an old man setting traps or keeping tabs on all my missteps.

But the more scripture I read, the more I realize how absolutely WRONG that is.

God is like the perfect friend, father, caretaker we could imagine.  He LOVES us with a perfect love. That is definitely something to celebrate.

The story of Jacob, Rachel, and Leah is a sad one.  There is no love, no purity in the marriage(s), and they compromise or bargain for favors.  That is not the kind of marriage I want, and that is not the kind of marriage I hope for any of you.  I am so blessed to have a husband who loves me so generously and tenderly.  He makes me feel precious, desirable, special, and for that I have only The Lord Almighty to thank.

But the only reason our marriage works is because God is and always has been the focus of our marriage.

But that may not be the case for everyone, either because you aren't married, or because you or your spouse have struggled with such an idea.  I pray that God would come into you and your spouse's heart (or future spouse's heart) to be the center of your marriage, and more so as the years pass.  I pray that if there is anything in our lives that we make more important that God and his message, that he would show it to us so that we can move it aside and place Christ again at the very center, the focal point.

Psalm 23 is a beautiful reminder of the peace and protection that The Lord provides.  I know that we will face struggles, but he is with us, no matter where we go.  May we be forever thankful.

Day 22: Watching Out

Luke 17; Genesis 29:1-30; Psalm 21-22

Believers should look out for others.  They should not lead people into sins, they should forgive over and over.  God want believers to have faith.  Here in Luke it says that they don’t need stronger or more faith.  Even a little faith is enough to accomplish the work of God’s kingdom.  And, we should do that work without expecting any rewards.  I want to make a difference, but it needs to be because of my desire to give God glory, not to bring attention to myself.  That's a struggle sometimes.  I pray that our perspective remains eternal, on the unseen, and our lives focused on The Lord.

In this passage Jesus says that we will long to see the day of the Son of Man, but we will not.  I feel as though that time could be now.  There are so many people suffering, so many ways that humans defile one another and God.  It would be so great if he were to come now, but obviously there is still work to be done on earth.    That day when God comes will be without warning and it will not be expected.  On that day, materials, wealth, status, health, will not matter.

Having the record of the Israelites, I can see how God provided faithfully for his people.  He never left them with nothing and always had their best interests at heart.  The Lord wants to take care of his people if only they will look to him and open their hearts to  receive blessings.  I pray that no matter what our futures hold, that we trust God in those dark times as we trust him in the lighter times.  I know that God has each and every one of our best interests at heart.  May we trust him with all our soul and know that he will be with us through good times and not-so-good times.

The Lord God deserves all the praise my heart and life are capable.  I thank him for the amazing time spent with friends and family and pray that he would bless them and keep them in his powerful hands.

Day 21: Promises

Luke 16; Genesis 27:46-28:22

The things that most people think are valuable are actually worthless according to God.  Things like status, people’s opinions, fame, wealth, looks, social acceptance.  These don’t matter to God because they are not eternal and not important.

There is also a small passage in here about a man not getting divorced and marrying again or marrying a divorced woman.  People have probably taken this to mean that you shouldn’t marry a person that has been divorced, but I think what Jesus is talking about here is that the real crime is not fulfilling the promise made.  Was divorce allowed in the Old Testament Law?  That is what God was just talking about—perhaps that people were not obeying it at all and God is reminding them that the Law is still important, it is still present, there is just something that fulfills it and overshadows it—Jesus Christ.  When God made a promise, he kept it.  As humans, if we are trying to be like Christ, if we make a promise, like the promise to serve him, be married, raise godly children, then he expects us to keep it.  But it is much tougher for us to keep our promises.  Why?  Because we aren't God.  We need God's help to keep those promises.  I think part of the reason for all the unfulfilled promises, broken marriages, torn families, is because somewhere in the mix of it all, God was not the center.  The focus shifted elsewhere, and when the focus is on something other than The Lord, that is when sin enters and Satan seeks to destroy.  What's the best advice anyone can receive?  Keep God at the center of your life.

The story of the rich man and Lazarus is amazing.  First, Lazarus receives honor right up front by being named by Jesus, while the rich man in the story isn’t given a name.  Secondly, even in Hell, the rich man is still the same, selfish person he was.  Books and stories (like Rob Bell’s Love Wins) that are saying people can change after they die—I think this is proof that they won’t.  Also, Abraham tells him that no one can cross over from Hell to Heaven—more proof that people won’t or can’t.  And finally, Jesus lays it plain here, that people who won’t believe the signs in the Old Testament about God will not believe in him and how Jesus was raised from the dead.  More miracles and signs will not change peoples’ hearts.  Perhaps that is why we do not see God parting seas or columns of fire in our day.  It wouldn’t change people like it did in Abraham and Moses’ day.  So if you were hoping for a burning ring of fire, you'll have to settle for the soundtrack.

Day 20: See Through God-Shaped Glasses

Luke 15; Genesis 27:1-45; Psalm 20

Those sinners who turn to God are like royalty to him.  Each person matters and every life has value.  Sometimes we forget that each person around us is precious in the Lord's sight.  I need to see my students, coworkers, strangers, and another other people around me like God sees them, as lost souls, and potential children of God, potential members in his family.  God cares about those that have wandered away and celebrates when they return to their maker.  May we not be like the older son who is selfish, but one of the people that celebrates the work of the Holy Spirit in the hearts and lives of unbelievers.

And the drama continues...Rebecca and Jacob were very deceitful.   They took advantage of Isaac’s condition, Jacob used God to lie and  try and prove himself, and then ran away from the problem he created.  Esau had already given his birthright away and yet he still blamed Jacob for his situation.  There are a lot of things to learn from this family.  First, truth is important.  God desires us to use his word for good, not evil.  He do not want us to blame others from the consequences of our actions, and we should not get angry over things that we have done to ourselves.

God answers prayers and for that I am so thankful.  The Lord is a good and gracious God, loving and just.  With our lives, may we repay God's goodness to the best of our human ability.

Day 19: Gaining and Losing

Luke 14:25-35; Genesis 26; Psalm 19

Jesus talks about considering the costs, weighing the consequences.  I cannot be Jesus' disciple if I love my husband, my mother, father, or brother more than I love God.  We have to be willing to make people angry if God is calling us to do something.  We have to be willing to disappoint someone if God is calling us to obey.  The cost of following The Lord is nothing less that our lives, nothing less than everything.  Are we willing?  What will I lose and gain if I give everything to The Lord?  I'll loose my unrest and gain peace.  I'll lose my fear and gain hope.  I'll lose my burdens and gain forgiveness.  I'll lose my uncertainty and gain direction.  Yep, sounds like trading it all for The Lord is worth it.

Isaac, sadly, doesn’t learn from the mistakes of his father in this situation.  He was more concerned about himself and didn’t trust God's word.  And yet, even though he disobeys, demonstrates his lack of faith, The Lord still bless him.  It is amazing that God so diligently cares for his people.  When Isaac faced struggles with other people, he just kept going.  He tried and tried until the outcome was good.  Sometimes I feel overwhelmed, I feel like a poor teacher, an inadequate XC coach, and an absent wife.  I try not to get discouraged, but to keep on going, but it is hard.  I trust in The Lord—I just need help to laying all my cares and worries before God.  We all need to learn that we  cannot do things on our own; we need God.  So I pray that the Lord will take our burdens away and the walls down so that we may live freely for him, unhindered by things that don’t matter to the kingdom of God.

God shows up, seemingly randomly, to remind Isaac of his promise.  He must have been struggling in his faith or with obedience, or he simply needed a reminder in order to do the right thing when the group from Gerar showed up. Whatever the reason, God knew he needed it, and I know that each time we open God's word, he is trying to remind us of his promises to us.  We just need to have faith and stand firm and keep listening for God.

I hope that we keep our hearts and lives focused, trusting in The Lord no matter what, and learning from his teachings.  I pray that we would recognize that God forgives us of our sins, the ones we know and the ones we don’t know.  I know that we can be free from the bondage of sin and be able to keep control of ourselves and please God with his help.

Day 18: Bible Family Issues

Luke 14: 1-24; Genesis 25; Psalm 18

Jesus  teaches us to be unselfish.  He shows that we should give ourselves less so that others may have better; that we should give to people who cannot return the favor.  Sin wants to take control and make me a selfish person, and it is hard to keep that from happening.  But may the Lord and hi Holy Spirit would guide our hearts so that in a moment of decision, we choose humility and selflessness and kindness over pride and legalism.

People give all sorts of excuses for not following Jesus:  they care too much about their possessions, their work, or relationships to follow or serve.  I pray that we would not use excuses to make our lives easier.  This life is going to be hard, and it will be more rewarding, more glorifying if we are serving and being challenged while we act out the love of Jesus.

The family dynamics of Rebekah and Isaac and Jacob and Esau are not good to begin with.  First, they were twins, which I assume was considered a problem in this culture.  Second, Rebekah and Isaac had favorites, causing quarrels and ill feelings.  Then Esau was impulsive, a complainer, and dramatic, while Jacob took advantage of that and was manipulative.  All of these things are sinful and resulted in continuing problems for this family.  It is important to recognize these things in ourselves and our own families so that we can have healthier relationships and be blessed by our family relationships, not burdened by them.

In this Psalm, David has experienced answers to prayers, rescue from enemies, supernatural strength, blessings beyond imagining, and support from a powerful God.  I hope and  pray that we would see God working in our own lives.  We don’t need to pray for more stuff because God is already here and already blessing us.  May God help us to see him at work in our lives.

Day 17: Just a Tiny Seed

Luke 13:18-35; Genesis 24; Psalm 17

The comparisons to a mustard seed and yeast in bread could mean a lot of different things.  Does it mean that the small numbers of believers will have a great impact?  Or the little bit that we see now will be revealed to be a part of everything?  Could it mean that God will do big things with us ordinary people?  No matter which is most correct, I think the general point can be made that God is capable of maximizing something that seems to have minimal influence.

To me, the verses 24-30 in Luke talk about exactly what Rob Bell in his book was trying to disagree with.  The door to heaven will eventually be shut and no one else will be able to get in.  There is a limited amount of time.  I’m not sure how much, but the door will not remain open forever.  This is also sad because it says that not everyone will be able to get in.  I can't help but look around my classroom and wonder, which of these people will be left out?  I hope that someday all my students will know God's love and salvation, but the reality is, they may not.  I pray that the believers that they come across would be like Jesus and not like the Pharisees.

Rebekah is a wonderful example of service above and beyond and service according to God’s will.  She also demonstrates great faith, respect, and honor to the Lord and her family.  God wants followers who will love and serve and honor him by loving, serving, and honoring one another.

Day 16: Disasters Strike

Luke 13:1-17; Genesis 23; Psalm 16

The beginning of this Luke passage mentions a tower falling on people and dying, and Jesus reminds the people that these victims were not punished by God because of their wickedness.  This disaster was simply an unfortunate event, a natural disaster, and the same is true for today.  Storms, earthquakes, faulty equipment, etc., all can cause injury or death, but it is not punishment from God for their wickedness; these things are a part of life.  Austin and I were talking that our lives have been so relatively smooth so far.  I know that life could soon be brimming with hardships and whether the storm will hit tomorrow or in 30 years, it will come.  Only God knows when and how we will struggle in this life.  I pray for everyone, that in the darkest days ahead, in the moments when we can’t feel God's presence, in the scariest parts of the night, that our faith would remain and that every word The Lord has breathed into our souls from his Word would be real and life-giving.  I hope and pray that we would be strong no matter what circumstances we face and that even in the midst of catastrophe, we would be shining examples of the hope and love that Jesus gives.  

The fig tree is a story about how Jesus, because he cares about people, asked the Lord to wait a bit longer before he destroys the wickedness.  Jesus wanted to see if he could foster a relationship between humans and himself in order to save us from God’s anger.  Thank the Lord for his love.
Love takes work.  It will not be easy.  It will cost me time, resources, emotions, and more—and yet, according to Jesus, it is worth it all.

Day 15: Faith through Anything

Luke 12:32-59; Genesis 22; Psalm 15

My “little group,” Jesus says—what an interesting way to address them.  Here was this small group of ordinary people who you rested the message of the salvation of the world on, and they were no doubt uncertain of themselves and their future.  God  doesn't care how small a believer’s role, how little support they have in this world, because if they are faithful, God will bless them with the greatest kingdom ever imagined and use them for things bigger than themselves.  I hope and pray that our hearts are set on God and that we truly believe in the power and value of faith in him.

What does it mean to be “ready” for the return of the Lord?  I suppose that not clinging tightly to the possessions and things of this world.  In a moment—like this next one—could be the last and nothing that surrounds me matters.  What a powerful thought.  I suppose it also means that I must live each moment in worship and reverence and praise to God so that in the moment of his return, he would find me doing good and continuing to work the harvest.  God is generous with all people; just allowing us to breathe his air and live on his creation without coercion is great generosity.  We need to extend that same generosity and spirit of grace to others, being a faithful servant of the Living God.

These verses about making people choose sides is challenging.  People crave peace and I think that this infects Christian approaches to life and living.  Believers don’t want to the rock the boat, hurt feelings, or cause problems.  But just like brother said a while back, he must love God above mother, father, or me.  He needs to follow the direction of God, even if it angers, frustrates, or inconveniences anyone else.  What a powerful, and often divisive thought.

Wow, just when I thought Abraham was a man of little faith—he steps up and does the one thing that must have been the hardest in his life.  He must have felt like God was dragging him through the valley of the shadow of death.  He must travel and sacrifice his only son that he waited years for.  How could he understand or begin to wrap his mind around God's will?  His heart was probably breaking every step of the way, and yet—he obeyed, even in what he thought was his darkest hour.  What faithfulness!  The greatest request, the most horrifying and unthinkable thing God could have asked him, he obeyed—and not after deliberation, not after questioning,

but the NEXT day.

Abraham left a legacy because of his faithfulness that is unmatched in human history.  The entire church of the Lord is a result of Abraham’s faithfulness.  Now THAT is the incredible power of God’s promises.

Day 14: Actions not Words

Luke 12:1-31; Genesis 21; Psalm 14

This "unpardonable sin" that is referenced in this section has been something people have worried about in the past.  I've had conversations about this with people, trying to decide what it means.  I don’t understand why it would be forgivable to speak against Jesus, but not forgivable to speak against the Holy Spirit.  They are are all parts of the same God, so shouldn’t it be equally blasphemous to speak against any part of the Father, Son, or Spirit?  I looked it up to see if any other articles could shed some light on it.  This one talks about how the Pharisees were trying to attribute Jesus's power (The Holy Spirit) to Satan, and that is when Jesus brought the topic up.  So one thought is that it is a terrible sin to say that the power of God, the Holy Spirit, is satanic.  It is one of those things that you can't do accidentally, so unless you hate God and are trying to destroy the kingdom of heaven, you don't need to worry.  Phew!

These verses about storing up treasures remind us to not store up treasures for ourselves but to be rich in God's sight and give generously to others.

The Lord did not punish the son Ishmael for the lack of faith of the older generation.  God not only saved his life but promised him a good future.  The Lord loves all people and gives them second chances and we should too.

With Abraham’s peace treaty, actions accompanied words.  He didn’t just say it was his well, didn’t just complain, didn’t just promise that it was his, but he did something that would demonstrate his integrity.  May we all learn to not just say we believe, not just say we want to live for Christ, but do it—accompany our words with actions.

My heart breaks and at the same time is so frustrated with all the people who reject God and his life-giving teachings.  I know that a lot of it is because of the imperfect lives and approaches of Christians, but I pray that believers would be just like Jesus and help them to see the truth of God's love.

Day 13: Believing

Luke 11:29-54; Genesis 20; Psalm 13

The people of today have no excuses as to why they won't believe. The message of Jesus is everywhere, and despite the fact that Christians sometimes mar the message, it is still present and still available in this country. It is so sad that so many of my students feel that Christ is worthless. I hope and pray that they will someday be willing to listen to God's truth, and realize the incredible love and power found in Jesus. It is like in Jesus’ message—the Pharisees will be punished even more because all of the prophets, all of creation points to Jesus and they still refuse to listen.  If people won’t accept Jesus and his miraculous works and amazing sacrifice for what it is, then there is no amount of miracles that will convince them.

The Pharisees had it all wrong. They were concerned about their image, about condemning others for their wrong, and presented an elitist view of God. This is nothing like what God wants. He wants a follower to be generous with wisdom, love, justice, and resources. I pray for the church. I pray that they would repent and throw off their Pharisee-like perspectives and replace them with the perspective of Jesus.

I hope that believers in the world are not like Abraham in this passage—that they compromise and cause others to sin because of their lack of faith. This goes for people and families today as well. Sin causes people to want all sorts of things that destroy; but I hope that those sins would seem worthless, disgusting, and not worth tearing families apart. We can “trust [God's] love” as the Psalm says because it has rescued all mankind and can rescue hurting families in their time of need. 

Day 12: Wickedness

Luke 11:1-28; Genesis 19; Psalm 12

Lot’s story is one of compromise. He was willing to sacrifice his daughters to a lustful crowd to protect his guests, he barters with God’s will and complains about the expectations, and then his daughters compromise their purity by having sex with their father. All of these actions lead to destruction and consequences. Rather than just obeying God, sinfulness had clouded their judgment, despite the fact they had been blessed by God.

The first verse of this Psalm sounds like a cry I have uttered about our current world. Sometimes it feels like evil is everywhere. It is disheartening to hear people denounce God or show their frustration with Christians. There is so much evil, deception, malice, pride—how can things be made right? Where is the love and justice? Are there really Christians out there? And yet God says that he will protect the needy and the weak—sometimes it is hard to see it happening. I know that that is basically our fault for failing to be God's hands and feet because God is flawless and right and we are not. It hurts me to see people hurt by one another or to hear about the wickedness around the world. I wish that God would just use his strong and just hand to swiftly remove Satan and all his demons. I pray that God's anger would not burn too long and that evil hearts will turn into broken and humble ones, willing to accept him as their Lord. But, that is not the way God always works--he gives us a choice to love or not.  

I pray that evil sees destruction by the doing of good, and hate is diminished because of extreme love.

Day 11: Loving and Patient

Luke 10:21-42; Genesis 18:16-Genesis 19; Psalm 11

The good Samaritan is such a great story displaying that it isn’t where you come from or your job that makes a person significant—according to Jesus, it is the love a person has for others.

Abraham’s ability to change God's mind about destroying the city based on 10 people demonstrates how loving and patient God is.  The Lord knew where Abraham was going with this discussion and God agreed that it would be bad to punish the good for the deeds of the wicked.  For only a few, The Lord would save the city.  Every soul matters, even today, in this world.  I pray that The Lord would fill our hearts with love for each and every person.  No matter what, there will be evil people who try to hurt the good.  That is a reality of the broken world we live in, but we need to have faith and trust that God will protect and save those who seek salvation from their sin.

Day 10: Pray

Luke 10:1-20; Genesis 17-18:15; Psalm 10

Use today to simply pray for those around you.

Pray for your family, as awesome, odd, or frustrating as they may be.
Pray for your friends.
Pray for your enemies.
Pray for your boss and colleagues.
Pray for your church, the leaders, and the volunteers.
Pray for our country and the world.

Day 9: Being Human

Luke 9:28-62; Genesis 16; Psalm 9

The disciples were regular humans.  They struggled to ask questions out of fear of appearing stupid.  They lacked humility and fought over positions.  They were selfish and didn’t want other people being disciples of Jesus and driving out demons.  And they lacked the grace and mercy that Jesus calls his followers to have.  I think on some level, we all struggle with these things too.  I often think to highly of myself, even if I would never admit it to someone else; I struggle with other Christian religions and their teachings, seeing them as wrong and myself as right; and I often lack the love and grace and mercy that characterizes Jesus so completely.  I hope that we can learn to live like Jesus; to be a disciple of him that listens carefully to his teachings and works hard to apply them to our lives.

In the story of Abram, Sarai, and Hagar, sin leads to more sin.  Sarai doubted and sinned by acting on that doubt and giving Abram Hagar.  Then as a result of their sin, Hagar became prideful.  Then, Sarai, feeling guilty, inadequate, worthless, blamed Abram for her sin, wrongly accusing him for something that was a result of her lack of faith.  Then, instead of responding in love, Sarai returns Hagar’s pride with bitterness.  And despite all the mess of sin, God still came and blessed Hagar and Sarai.  Why?  As humans, we mess things up so bad, treat each other so terribly, and yet God gives grace and mercy and love without end.  However, there are consequences for our sin.  God forgives and loves and make good come from our mistakes, but our choices have consequences.  Israelites and Arabs are STILL experiencing the consequences of the Abram-Hagar-Sarai triangle.  Seek God's forgiveness, but realize that the choices we make, for good or bad, will have effects.

If you are struggling with the consequences of previous actions, know that God does not love you less because of what you did and your situation is not punishment.  Try, with all your might, to be worshipful in this tough time, because it is in this struggle that you will demonstrate the power and love of God to others.

Day 8: Ordinary People

Luke 9:1-27; Genesis 15; Psalm 8

The group of men you sent out to share your message were ordinary people. The message was extraordinary. The first thing they are to tell people is the message of Jesus. Secondly, they are to provide for people’s physical needs. This shows the Lord's heart. God wants people spiritually saved, but also physically saved. Jesus gives the disciples power to drive out demons and then sends them on their way. They may not have even been aware of just how great of power they held, but they trusted you to provide for them. Jesus also reminds them not to focus on the material things of the world. God will provide. We may not even know what sort of strengths we possess, but God will be there by our sides and the Holy Spirit in our hearts to guide and provide for our needs.

Then Jesus asks them, who do people say that I am? They respond with some of the answers of society, but what really matters is the truth and what they personally believe. There are a lot of theories about what kind of God you are, but I need to believe the truth that I read and what you have placed in my heart.

God made Abram a promise that seemed impossible. The Lord promised to bless him, and he did, but the one thing Abram wanted dearly, God hadn’t given him yet. Abram, though he had faith, he didn’t trust God in all things. He wanted to know for certain. It is a great question why the Lord cares so much about us weak humans. All the times we mess up and turn from him and destroy his creation—and yet God depends on us to love one another and spread his message. He cares enough to give us numerous opportunities to make it right and accept Jesus as our Savior. God loves us enough to allow us to keep on living and making choices. Praise the Lord!

Day 7: Jesus Heals

Luke 8:26-56; Genesis 13-14; Psalm 7

Even the demons recognized Jesus as the Son of God and knew their terrible fate. Jesus should not have helped that man if he was constrained by Jewish laws. They were considered unclean, and yet, he reached out and saved them. He knew that they needed to be freed and healed. Then, instead of embracing Jesus, the town ran him out of town because the saw he had a power they couldn’t understand or contain. As humans we sometimes want to be our own gods. We try to control all the areas of our lives, and if something is out of our control, we get stressed or angry. This is exactly how these people felt. And yet, if I allow Jesus full control of my life, it will only prove to be a worthwhile endeavor. I hope that through reading scriptures we learn that we do not need to feel we have to be in control, but that we can give our worries and cares to God for his plan. Like the two unclean, demon-possessed men, the woman who had been bleeding for 12 years was also unclean. I cannot imagine a condition that would separate me from society for that long. What amazing faith she had that just a simple brush of his cloak and she believed she would be better. Clearly she was absolutely desperate. And Jesus is capable and willing to heal. Jesus is so powerful that even a touch of his robe has the power to heal the broken. Just a whisper of his name can create miracles. And then, Abram has faith in what you have given him, risks much for love of his family, and because of God's blessing, he is successful.

Lord, I pray that we can learn to live as blameless a life as a human is capable. I pray this because I want us to make you proud, but I also want to know that we don’t bring suffering upon ourselves. As the Psalm says, I wish that those who do evil and violence and cause pain would be stopped. I pray that those whose hearts are driven by wickedness would be defeated and their hearts broken and remolded in love.

Day 6: In the World

Luke 8:1-25; Genesis 12; Psalm 6

Jesus calmed the seas first, he provided for the disciple’s physical needs first, before he challenged their faith. Jesus loves his brothers and sisters so much that he cares for us in every way. God cares for every aspect of our lives, not just our "church" or spiritual lives.

Abram had faith, he was willing to leave his family and head to a land God hadn’t specified. He did this and trusted that the land would be his despite the fact there were people living there already. However, he wasn’t perfect.. He was afraid of other people’s judgment and treatment of him.  It is interesting that he trusted the Lord enough to lead him in the desert, but when he was in society, he lost his faith and it hurt many people, including his wife. How often do we allow ourselves to change when we mix in with society. We are one person at church, when we are high on the mountain, but when we are not with our "church" friends, we are fearful to live out our faith. May we learn to be bold and remain the same wherever we go in this world.

Lord, I pray for those students who are facing storms in their life right now. I pray that you would give them hope, that they would know that you can calm the storm, and that you will get them through. May the troubles of this life lead them to a deeper relationship with you.

Day 5: Wisdom and Forgiveness

Luke 7:18-50; Genesis 11; Psalm 5

The truths that the Lord speaks in his Word are so powerful. Many of them, I have heard over and over again, and yet, reading them today, they are new and refreshed. The whole idea of neutrality is impossible in your eyes. According to God's word, a person is either for something, or you are not for it (against it). There is ability for a person’s mind not to be made up for a short time, but when judgment comes, an undecided mind is the same as not accepting. Jesus, we are on your side, the winning, glorious, awesome side!  

I don’t completely understand the message of Jesus here: “Yet Wisdom is shown to be right by what its followers do.” Wisdom is often associated with God, especially when capitalized. Perhaps it means that because of the impact of wisdom, the followers of Jesus and John had changed lives. Not only were some of them healed physically, but they were spiritual alive and set free. Or maybe it has to do with the thought that God's followers will do what God tells them. I'm not sure.

 I looked it up and found a interesting discussion on this website. What this talks about is that wisdom is the pursuit of what is best, not just the best means. It also says that this verse demonstrates that those who are wise will all pursue what is best. So if wise people are seeking the same thing, then it proves they are wise. And finally, it states that those who are unwise will stumble at wisdom.

Speaking of confusion, I think the same thing is true for those who do not follow Christ.  The things of The Lord are so confusing to those who do not follow God. The forgivness, humility, selflessness, peace, and gentleness seem ridiculous to those who do not believe in Jesus. That is one of the things that believers need to be aware of, and recognize that what Jesus expects of us is so different from what the world expects. May we pursue wisdom and be wise, for it will show that we are God's followers.

Forgiveness is a big issue in this world. People struggle to forgive. The story in Luke verses 36-50 is a powerful reminder of what God does for us and what he expects of us. The amount of forgiveness is not determined by what you are willing to give—it is determined by a broken, contrite, humble heart that recognizes sin and asks for forgiveness. The Pharisee felt holy, whereas the woman knew she was a sinner. She was forgiven of all her sins because she was humble enough to admit them in her heart.

God, you hate evil, you hate sin, you hate violence. God, it is incredible that you have any patience left with humanity. Lord, thank you for answering our prayers. Thank you for your faithfulness. Lord, I pray that you would continue to reveal your wisdom to us through your word so that we are prepared to give an answer and live in faith no matter what we face. Lord, my words sometimes do not reflect the loving, gracious Spirit that you have placed inside me. Help me to bring good things out of my heart, and remove those things which are bad and broken. I want to stand before you on judgment day and hear the words: “Well done, good and faithful servant.”

Day 4: Noah's Time

Luke 7:1-17; Genesis 9-10; Psalm 4

The story of the faith of the centurion is awesome. Here is a man who is not a Jew, in fact, the Jews hate these kind of people. This man was in control of a hundred soldiers that had to obey his every whim. And yet, it was this obedience that he commanded that probably helped him to understand the authority of Jesus. He recognized his insufficiency and sinfulness and had faith in the power of Jesus. God uses the unexpected to teach his truths and for that I am so thankful.

There will always be people who refuse to turn to Jesus. Some people just like to be defiant and rebellious. Lord, make them without excuse. The Lord reveals himself in so many ways, and though they are often subtle, they cannot be ignored. Reading these verses show me just how loving and compassionate Jesus' heart is. In life, we have to carry a yoke, that is what living is about. There is a burden I must bear, however, if I, or anyone, comes to Jesus, the burden is light and the yoke is easy. Jesus has taken the heaviest of burdens and carried it for us and for that I am extremely grateful.

So what did Noah do first when the water disappeared?  Form a committee?  Plan programs?  Stress about how things were going to work out?

 The very first thing Noah did was to give glory to the God who had saved him and his family.  He built an altar lifted up praises to heaven. Imagine how much obedience and worship please our Creator, perhaps more than anything else. 

It is also in this passage that God reminds us that he made humans in his image. I often am quick to pass judgment upon others based on their looks, their life choices, and their philosophies, instead of looking at them and seeing another eternal soul made in God's likeness. May God forgive me for being quick to judge and forgetting who they really are. I miss opportunities to be compassionate and loving to them when I refuse to open my heart and eyes and see them for the beautiful creation that they are.

Lord, make us humble. Show us our sins. Reveal to us where we are falling short so that we can repent of them and draw nearer to you.

Day 3: God Cares

Luke 6:27-49; Genesis 6-8; Psalm 3

God cares just as much, if not more, about the state of our hearts and minds as he does our outward appearance at actions. That is why Jesus is doing so much teaching about the blessed in God’s kingdom, the problem of anger or bitterness, and the concept of adultery. Christians’ hearts should be changed, they shouldn't just look good. The Lord would rather I suffer the pain of losing a body part (maybe figuratively, maybe literally) than go to Hell because of my sin. I pray that he would reveal to you and to me areas of sin so that we can work to remove them. I do not want to live life with sin, either known or unknown. May God show us all areas where we fall short so that we can remove them and grow closer to him and be more like Jesus.

Loving enemies—that is so hard. It is so difficult to love and be generous to people who don’t, in my eyes, deserve it. However, I must constantly remind myself that I didn't deserve Christ’s sacrifice, and yet he gave it freely for me, before I was even born.  Each person is an eternal soul, often struggling with battles that I know nothing about.  If I treat them as my sinful nature wants me to, I don't demonstrate love to them--the kind of love that Christ has shown me.

The world was full of sin.  All people are guilty of living for themselves and pursing evil.  I can totally understand why God would be grieved. He made this wonderful creature to be like him, and it decided to defile everything it originally stood for. Only Noah found favor because of his righteous life. I can’t imagine how difficult his time must have been. First, that he was living according to God’s ways surrounded by people who were not. Even with all the evil around him, he managed to remain uninfluenced. And secondly, God tells him to build the ark and despite the ridicule, he continues faithfully. “Noah did everything just as God commanded him.” Obedience has great rewards, as seen with Noah. I hope and pray that we can all be obedient to the call of God.

Noah spent a year inside the ark. He had such patience, even when the rain had stopped and the waters began to recede. He waited for God's timing. I want to make sure that in my life, I wait for the Lord's timing on things, whether it be personal or professional. I know that God can and will speak to us and communicate his message through our hearts and in his Word and I pray that we are open enough and quiet enough to hear and ultimately listen to his voice.

This Psalm is all about help. God is the supreme helper; however, I don’t want to simply take advantage of that without regard to worshiping him. It seems selfish to ask for help if I am unwilling to surrender my whole life to God.  He is also the great Protector. There is no reason for us to fear. God shows himself to be truly loving and truly capable to save anyone from eternal danger.  He also provides opportunities for us to avoid dangerous situations if we are willing to pay attention. And the way for us to repay such an amazing blessing is by loving my enemies and praying for those who do not like me.  Lord, I pray that in every situation, every moment, that you would be my focus. I pray that my life reflects my love for you and more importantly your love for your people.

Day 2: Everyone in the Garden

Luke 6:1-26; Genesis 3-5; Psalm 2

God, you bless those that struggle; those that have nothing, you will give much. Help me to be prepared for the struggles I will face this year—personal or professional—and may I depend on you with all my heart to make it through.

When Eve was tempted, it wasn't that she didn't know God’s commands—she just didn't obey the teachings that were in her heart. She wasn't wrong to seek wisdom, but she did it in a way that disobeyed God. Learning is a good thing, wisdom is a good thing, but the greatest way I can show love to the Lord is through loving obedience and obeying his commands because I know they are best for me. May God be in our hearts so that our mouth and actions reflect him this year.

Satan convinced Eve that God wasn't as good as she thought and instead he is selfish and strict. Satan made her feel like she was lacking something and convinced her to focus on what she did not have, rather than what she did have. Satan does the same today. He tries to convince us that God doesn't have our best interests at heart and we can’t fully depend on him. It’s amazing how similar we are to Adam and Eve, even when they lived thousands of years ago. First, they wanted to be more like God. We do this in lots of ways in our culture: attempting to gain power or more money. Secondly, Adam was passive in dealing with sin: we often don’t see things as a big deal, when really they are. Third, all of us attempt to hide our sins and imperfections from God as if the all-knowing God will not be able to see them. Finally, we blame God for things that really should fall on our own shoulders.

 
In this Genesis story, the blame game is so interesting. Adam blames God and Eve, Eve blames the snake, and God, knowing that it was Adam and Eve’s choice, still chooses to fight for them and curses the snake. What is interesting though, is that God cursed the serpent first. He took care of Satan before he turned to man and his sin. This is also the moment in which certain things in our world came about: the desire of women for a man who may or may not be worthy of her affection, pain in childbirth, and thorns and weeds. I imagine that the Lord was so heart-broken. He had to inflict pain upon his creation and banish them from the perfect garden he created. But then, amazingly, God's actions are still out of love. He cared for the man and woman, even though they made the only mistake they ever could—he clothed them and sent them away to protect them from living in sin forever. Had they eaten of the fruit then perhaps Jesus and the opportunity for salvation, and ending this toil on earth to live with God in heaven, would not have been available.This began the longstanding separation between him and his people.


God, you are so loving, even when we mess up terribly.

Day 1: Where it all starts

Luke 5:27-39; Genesis 1-2; Psalm 1

God, your word has been given for the sinners, the lost, the sick, to make them well. The purpose is to return to a community with God as it was in the beginning of time.

My tiny brain cannot even fathom the creation of the heavens and earth. The universe is so vast, so incredible, and to think that God created all that! God's greatness and power stretch beyond what I am capable of grasping with my human mind. How did He do it? What did He do before He had earth to watch over? If God knew that sin would enter the world, why did He create us anyway—is all the sin really worth a relationship with us? Or maybe that’s not it at all…GOD is worth the relationship. It isn't all about me. God created the universe so that You could be glorified through Your creation. Maybe that’s it.

The details are also incredible—God said there should be light, and so there was, but where did it come from? He doesn't make the sun until day 4. On at that same day, he wants there to be vegetation, and it happens, but in order to produce the diversity and intricacies of every plant and tree and flower, God must have to be incredibly creative and all-knowing. I picture the Lord moving through the waters and on the earth, with his hand outstretched, and from his fingertips flow all types of vegetation: maple trees, exotic flowers, plants of every shape and kind, like his very hand is a paint brush and the world is his canvas. And then he paints the zenith of his creation—mankind. I feel so disappointed because when I think of mankind and humanity today, in a lot of ways, it is not as wonderful as it would have been at our beginnings. We hurt and steal and kill one another—so far from the image of God we have fallen. God, you gave us responsibility to govern the earth and work with one another, and yet we attempt to dominate our own race with force, destroy our resources, and display a general lack of apathy towards your creation. And then I have to remember, that you chose to create us anyway. You made us special, with intellect, a moral compass, and a heart that is filled only when it is worshiping you. There are still humans out there that are living and loving in a way that does reflect your original creation. I thank you that some of us are trying to reflect your image.

Were humans ever really capable of not sinning? When God made us, why was he willing to take a risk, allowing us to make our own decisions? They say that true love is a choice, so when applied here, it makes sense—God gave us free will so that we would be free to love him truly. Choices allow us to make decisions and be free, God did not want us to be captive, so he provided options for life and living—the tree of the knowledge of good and evil next to the tree to life. It was good that Adam and Eve had choices and liberty to live and to love, without that choice, there would be nothing special about God’s relationship to mankind.Adam and Eve were created for each other and completed each other. God wanted to create a relationship that resembled his relationship with the Trinity—oneness. The relationship, the marriage, was characterized by complete openness, honesty, and mutual respect. That is the way God designed it to be and even still, that is what we should strive to be, in marriage and in the family of Christ.