Today’s Reading: Jonah 1-4, Revelation 5, Psalm 133, Proverbs 29:26-27

Context: This is one of the 15 Psalms of ascent – sung by the Jews each year on their way up the mountain of Jerusalem for feasts.

Psalm 133:1 – Behold, how good and pleasant it is
 when brothers dwell in unity!

• Behold – see
  • How good and pleasant it is
    • When brothers
      • Dwell in unity

Today, I had the privilege of doing a 6:30 breakfast with a group of men that meet weekly to encourage each other in their walk with Christ.  Tonight I was part of a men’s Bible study for young adults.  I got to behold today how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity.

Apply: I want to look for opportunities to encourage brothers (both physical brothers and spiritual brothers) to dwell together in unity.

When have you been part of a group of brothers dwelling together in unity?

Today’s Reading: Obadiah 1, Revelation 4, Psalm 132, Proverbs 29:24-25

Context: John has been caught up into heaven and is seeing the praise that God is receiving.

Revelation 4:8-11: (The four living creatures )… never cease to say,

“Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty,
 who was and is and is to come!”

… (The twenty four elders cast down their crowns and say)…

“Worthy are you, our Lord and God,
 to receive glory and honor and power,
for you created all things,
 and by your will they existed and were created.”

Apply: This Sunday, we talked about the sounds of Christmas at PCBC.  I want my heart and my mouth to sound like this.  I want to join the praise of heaven.  Specifically, I am going to meditate on these words and look for opportunities to speak them throughout the day.

How can you declare God’s holiness, glory, honor and power today?

Today’s Reading: Amos 7:1‐9:15, Revelation 3:7‐22, Psalms 131:1‐ 3, Proverbs 29:23

Different format today: The Word rocked me this morning.  Each reading involved God using the week and lowly of heart:

Amos 7:14-15 – Then Amos answered and said to Amaziah, “I was no prophet, nor a prophet’s son, but I was a herdsman and a dresser of sycamore figs. But the Lord took me from following the flock, and the Lord said to me, ‘Go, prophesy to my people Israel.’”

Revelation 3:8-9  – (To the church in Philadelphia) “‘I know your works. Behold, I have set before you an open door, which no one is able to shut. I know that you have but little power, and yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name. Behold, I will make those of the synagogue of Satan who say that they are Jews and are not, but lie—behold, I will make them come and bow down before your feet and they will learn that I have loved you.

Psalm 131 – O Lord, my heart is not lifted up;
 my eyes are not raised too high;
I do not occupy myself with things
 too great and too marvelous for me.
 But I have calmed and quieted my soul,
 like a weaned child with its mother;
 like a weaned child is my soul within me.

O Israel, hope in the Lord
 from this time forth and forevermore.

Proverbs 29:23 – One’s pride will bring him low,
 but he who is lowly in spirit will obtain honor.

Apply: It is OK, for me not to feel able to do the ministry God has called me to – God is able.  I must be defined by true humility.  God, help me.  You alone can guide my heart away from pride.

Why does God choose to use the herdsman (Amos), of little power (Philadelphia), whose eyes are not raised to high (David) and are lowly in spirit (Proverbs)?

Today’s Reading: Amos 4:1‐6:14, Revelation 2:18‐3:6,
Psalm 130:1‐8, Proverbs 29:21‐22

Context: John is recording God’s words to the seven churches.  This section is to the church in Sardis:

Revelation 3:1b-3 ““‘I know your works. You have the reputation of being alive, but you are dead. Wake up, and strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your works complete in the sight of my God. Remember, then, what you received and heard. Keep it, and repent. If you will not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come against you.”

Observations:

• I know your works
• You have the reputation of being alive
  • But you are dead
• Wake up
  • And strengthen what remains and is about to die
    • For I have not found your works complete in the sight of my God.

This summer, Francis Chan preached out this passage to the Campus Crusade staff.  What a powerful message to people in full time ministry.  As I read this passage today I am convicted.  I must not be hypocritical.  “Lord, forgive me for the times I don’t back up my reputation.  Make me truly alive.”

Apply: I must seek the Lord in secret to strengthen my soul.  I must be ready to repent of anything that is killing my soul.

Do you need a spiritual wake up call?  How is your soul?

Today’s Reading: Amos 1:1‐3:15, Revelation 2:1‐17, Psalm 129:1‐ 8, Proverbs 29:19‐20

Proverbs 29:20 “Do you see a man who is hasty in his words?
 There is more hope for a fool than for him.”

Observations:

• Do you see – implying that this is visually apparent
• A man who is hasty in his words – speaks without thinking it through
• There is more hop for a full than for him

I am in a new role that often involves communication.  I must to be careful to not grow hasty with my words.  In the last few weeks, I have said several things that I let come out of my mouth faster than I should have.

Apply: Be slow to speak and quick to listen.

How do you slow down your speech in a practical way?

Today’s Reading: Joel 1:1‐3:21, Revelation 1:1‐20, Psalm 128:1‐6, Proverbs 29:18

Context: David is talking about blessings for the man who fears the Lord.

Psalm 128:3-4  “Your wife will be like a fruitful vine
 within your house; 
your children will be like olive shoots
 around your table.  Behold, thus shall the man be blessed
 who fears the Lord.”

Observations:

• The man who fears the Lord will be blessed with:
  • A wife like a fruitful vine within his house
  • Children like olives hoots around his table

Today I am moving furniture (including our table) into our new house, so this verse jumped off the page for me.

Apply:  I need to have a healthy fear of God.  I want to spend time posturing myself appropriately before the creator, savior, and life giver.  “Lord, may I live out of a healthy fear of you.”

What does the Bible mean when it tells us to fear God?

Today’s Reading: Hosea 10:1‐14:9, Jude 1‐25, Psalm 127:1‐5, Proverbs 29:15‐17

Context: God is calling Israel through Hosea to return to him.  In chapter 14, he promises that when they turn from their sin, they will blossom and take root.

Hosea 14:4 I will heal their apostasy;
 I will love them freely,
 for my anger has turned from them.

Observations:

• God will heal their apostasy (revolt against a religious person)
• I will love them freely
  • For my anger has turned from them

The love of God pours out at the end of Hosea.  How often do we keep ourselves from experiencing God’s healing and forgiveness, because we refuse to return to him?

Apply: “Lord protect me from myself.  Help me to know how to encourage those around me to return to you through the way I live.”

Spend a little time thinking about God choosing to turn his anger from you when you return to him.

Today’s Reading: Daniel 6:1‐28, 2 Peter 3:1‐18, Psalm 119:129‐152, Proverbs 28:21‐22

Context: As mentioned several days ago, Psalm 119 speaks of the benefits of living according to the Word.  Only three of the Psalms 176 verses do not contain a direct reference to the written Word of God.

Psalm 119:131 – I open my mouth and pant,
because I long for your commandments.

Thoughts: What a graphic verse.  I remember a hike I took several years ago.  Towards the end of the hike, I ran out of water.  I wasn’t able to think about anything but water.  I literally panted.  I longed for water.  The desire for it consumed me.

Apply: “Lord, give me this kind of a desire for your word.  Let me taste and see how good it is and understand how much I need it for life.”

Have you ever longed for the Word of God in this way?

Today’s Reading: Daniel 4:1‐37, 2 Peter 1:1‐21, Psalm 119:97‐112, Proverbs 28:17‐18

Context:  Because Christ has given us everything we need for life and godliness, Peter challenges us to “make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love” (2 Peter 1:5-7).

2 Peter 1:8  “For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Observations:

• If these qualities are yours (see context above)
• And these qualities are increasing
  • Then
    • They keep you from being ineffective
    • Or unfruitful
      • In the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ

I fear being ineffective.  This verse gives me great comfort.  If I can focus on growing in the Christian virtues, then God promises fruitfulness.

Apply: I want to focus on growing in faith, virtue, knowledge, self-control, steadfastness, godliness, brotherly affection and love.

Are these qualities growing in you?

Today’s Reading: Daniel 2:24‐3:30, 1 Peter 4:7‐5:14, Psalm 119:81‐96, Proverbs 28:15‐16

Context: Psalm 119 speaks of the benefits of meditating on and applying the Bible.  Only three of the Psalms 176 verses do not contain a direct reference to the written Word of God.

Psalm 119:92  “If your law had not been my delight,
I would have perished in my affliction.”

Observations:

• If your law had not been my delight (it was)
  • I would have perished in my affliction (I didn’t)

These words imply that when God’s Law is my delight, I will not perish in my affliction.  The last year has contained difficult times for my family.  This verse, and all Psalm 119, shows me how to make it through.

Apply:  I want to spend time today “delighting” in the law of God.  I want to meditate on it, continue to work on memorizing it and look for ways to practice it.

Do you fee like you are perishing in your affliction?  In what ways can you delight in God’s Word?