Today’s Readings: Lev 27:14‐34; Num 1:1‐54, Mark 11:1‐25, Ps 46:1‐11, Prov 10:23

Psalms 46:6 – The nations rage, the kingdoms totter;
he utters his voice, the earth melts.

Rebecca and I are blessed with the opportunity to visit Israel soon. With the news surrounding the unstable nations in the Middle East, many people have asked if we are reconsidering the decision to go. Each time I have responded with a confident “no.” But, I have a confession to make. When I focus on the news I have concerns.

I love Psalms 46. I often pray the first few verses in times of trouble. “God is our refuge and strength…” Today, verse 6 jumped off the page. It doesn’t matter how unstable the nations around us are. “The nations rage, the kingdoms totter.” God is still in control. His power and protection are unparalleled. “He utters his voice, the earth melts.”

What verses do you cling to in times of trouble?

Today’s Readings: Lev 25:47‐27:13, Mark 10:32‐52, Ps 45:1‐17, Prov 10:22

Mark 10:48 And many rebuked him, telling him to be silent. But he cried out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”

As I was reading this morning, I was reminded through this story to not let others keep me from approaching Christ. The people around the blind man “rebuked” him for approaching Jesus the way that he did. However, the blind man continued to cry out to Jesus. “Son of David, have mercy on me!”

Apply – I want to live a life that aggressively pursues the only one that can meet my needs. I do not want the response of those around me to keep me from pursuing Christ whole heartedly. I want to encourage others to pursue Christ aggressively.

How does the response of others affect the way you cry out to Christ?

Today’s Readings: Lev 24:1‐25:46, Mark 10:13‐31, Ps 44:9‐26, Prov 10:20‐21

Mark 10: 15 “Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.”

Last night, Rebecca and I listened outside of Anna’s door as she sang I Love You Lord and Jesus Loves Me in her crib. The beauty of a child’s faith is inspiring to live with. As I type, Anna is hugging my left arm with her whole body and saying quietly – “I love you Daddy.” When was the last time I approached God in that way?

One of my friends was spending time praying over this verse before the Pine Cove mission trip to Costa Rica in January. As he discussed what God was showing him, I learned through him – It is OK to not understand everything about God. We are to approach him with curiosity and faith.

What does receiving the kingdom of God like a child mean to you?

Today’s readings: Lev 22:17‐23:44, Mark 9:30‐10:12, Ps 44:1‐8, Prov 10:19

Leviticus 23:8 “…You shall do no ordinary work.”

This phrase is repeated six times in chapter 23 when God is describing the feasts he wants his people to observe during the year. They are to celebrate God’s work and his person and “do no ordinary work.”

Our culture has forgotten how to unplug. I know this gets in the way of me and God. I want to learn how to take extended time out the year to focus on God and do “no ordinary work.”

What helps you unplug from your ordinary work?

Today’s Readings (Bible in a year): Leviticus 20:22-22:16, Mark 9:1-29, Psalm 43, Proverbs 10:18

Scripture: Psalm 43:5 Why are you cast down, O my soul,
and why are you in turmoil within me?
Hope in God; for I shall again praise him,
my salvation and my God.

Observations:
• This verse appears, word for word, three times in two chapters.
• David struggles with inner turmoil, maybe even depression, throughout Psalms.
• He speaks to his own soul and tells it to hope in God.
• He reminds himself that he will praise God again.
• His praise is grounded in God’s word – salvation, and God’s position – David’s God.

Application:
I want to respond to my own inner battle with the command to hope and the reminder of praise.

Prayer:
Guide my heart to respond to what you have done and will do for me. Help me see true hope.

What tangible things do you do to find hope?

Today’s Readings: Lev 19:1‐20:21, Mark 8:11‐38, Ps 42:1‐11, Prov 10:17

(S)cripture: Mark 8:33 But turning and seeing his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan! For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.”

(O)bservations:
• Peter had just confessed Jesus as Lord.
• He was now in opposition to Christ – being used by Satan.
• Reason: He was not setting his mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.
(A)pplication:
I want to focus my mind on the things of God. I want to keep my mind from focusing on temporal things.

(P)rayer:
Lord, give me eyes to see where I am focused on earthly things. Give me the strength to set my mind on you.

Today’s Readings: Lev 16:29‐18:30, Mark 7:24‐8:10, Ps 41:1‐13, Prov 10:15‐16

Psalm 41:1
“Blessed is the one who considers the poor! (or weak)
In the day of trouble the Lord delivers him.”

“God helps those who help themselves.” – Sidney Algernon (1622-1683) I have always struggled with this famous quote. I believe the Bible teaches, as in Psalm 41 above, that “God helps those who help others.”

Many people do not give because they believe they need to save up for a rainy day. Clearly we need to handle our finances wisely, but the principle reflected in the verse above tells us that when the day of trouble comes, God is going to deliver those who have helped the poor.

This last week on twitter this quote stood out to me: “If we live at the same level of affluence as others who have our level of income, we are probably giving away too little.” – CS Lewis

Prayer: Lord, help me live for the day you say: “Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.”

How do you decide when NOT to give to someone in need?

Today’s Readings: Lev 15:1‐16:28, Mark 7:1‐23, Ps 40:11‐17, Prov 10:13‐14

Leviticus 15:31- “Thus you shall keep the people of Israel separate from their uncleanness, lest they die in their uncleanness by defiling my tabernacle that is in their midst.”

During this read through of Leviticus, I have seen God’s passion for purity pushing me in several areas. First, it is giving me a renewed thankfulness for our high priest – Jesus Christ. Clearly, the Old Testament points to his sacrifice. Secondly, it is motivating me to search my heart and dig out any impurity. I don’t want anything coming between me and my Lord.

In the NT reading, Jesus clarified where impurity is found in us: “There is nothing outside a person that by going into him can defile him, but the things that come out of a person are what defile him” (Mark 7:15)

Search me Lord. Show me my unclean heart.

What overlap did you see in the Old and New Testaments today?

Today’s Readings: Lev 14:1‐57, Mark 6:30‐56, Ps 40:1‐10, Prov 10:11‐12

Psalm 40:6-8
6 In sacrifice and offering you have not delighted,
but you have given me an open ear.
Burnt offering and sin offering
you have not required.
7 Then I said, “Behold, I have come;
in the scroll of the book it is written of me:
8 I delight to do your will, O my God;
your law is within my heart.”

As we read through the laws of sacrifice in Leviticus, it is hard to not be struck by this section of Psalm 40. David understood that “to obey is better than sacrifice” (1 Samuel 15:22).

David sings that more than sacrifice God delights in:
1. Communication to God – “you have given me an open ear” and
2. Communication from God – “in the scroll of the book…I delight to do your will…your law is within my heart.”

Lord, I want to delight in your will. Thank you for removing the consequence of my sin through Christ so that I can approach you freely.

Have you found tangible ways to delight in God’s will?

Today’s Readings: Lev 13:1‐59, Mark 6:1‐29, Ps 39:1‐13, Prov 10:10

Mark 6:12 So they went out and proclaimed that people should repent.

Repentance is turning away from sin.

The place of repentance in the gospel message has always been discussed heatedly in evangelical churches. I will not attempt to explain my current view. I also do not pretend to know. I do know that those who knew Jesus proclaimed repentance.

Today, I want to encourage myself and others to turn from sin.

How do you proclaim repentance?