Today’s Readings:
Lev 11:1‐12:8, Mark 5:21‐43, Ps 38:1‐22, Prov 10:8‐9

(S)cripture: Proverbs 10:9 Whoever walks in integrity walks securely,
but he who makes his ways crooked will be found out.

(O)bservations:
• One of my mentors defined integrity as doing the right thing when no one is watching. Solomon says here that living with integrity gives us security.
• Basically: Integrity = security
• He follows with the promise that if you do the wrong thing in secret, you will be found out

(A)pplication:
Today I want to focus on every unseen thought, motive, action, reaction, etc.

(P)rayer:
Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!

Today’s Readings: Lev 9:7‐10:20, Mark 4:26‐5:20, Ps 37:30‐40, Prov 10:6‐7

Mark 4:34 He did not speak to them without a parable, but privately to his own disciples he explained everything.

I left this verse with two takeaways:
1. As a disciple of Christ, I need to be meeting with him privately so that he can explain his teaching to me through the Holy Spirit.
2. As I follow Christ’s example, I need to explain the wisdom he has given me to those who are close to me. This can include family, friends, coworkers and guys that I am mentoring.

Have you found tangible ways to pass on what God has explained to you in your life?

Today’s Readings: Lev 7:28‐9:6, Mark 3:31‐4:25, Ps 37:12‐29, Prov 10:5

Mark 4:18-19 And others are the ones sown among thorns. They are those who hear the word, 19 but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it proves unfruitful.

One of my greatest fears is that I will reach the end of life and God will show me that I did not produce fruit that lasted. As Americans, we cannot read Mark 4 without taking note of what Jesus says keeps the word from producing fruit in some people’s lives.

Observations about the people “among thorns:”
1. They hear the word.
2. Things “choke the word:”
a. Cares of the world
b. Deceitfulness of riches
c. Desires for other things
3. These things make them unfruitful

Apply: Just last night I spent several hours looking for the cheapest, quality, “gear” I could track down for my next trip. It is amazing how quickly I can get sucked into the desire for other things. Today I want to meditate on this passage and check myself – what is fruitful and what will choke out the fruit?

Pray: Lord, give me the strength to weed out the “thorns” in my life.

What jumped out to you today?

Today’s Readings: Lev 6:1‐7:27, Mark 3:7‐30, Ps 37:1‐11, Prov 10:3‐4

(S)cripture:
Psalm 37:5 Commit your way to the Lord;
trust in him, and he will act.

(O)bservations:
My part – Committing ways to the Lord, and trusting in him.
Both involve putting my schedule in God’s hands.
God’s part – acting
God does the action. He will work in our lives.

(A)pplication:
I need to trust God with my “ways” and “trust” him fully. Specifically I want to do that with my summer preparations today and my quality time with family.

(P)rayer:
Lord, thank you for working in my life. I commit the summer preparation and family time to you. I look forward to watching you act.

How do you tangibly keep your calendar in God’s hands?

I will be unable to blog the next few days. The readings are below. Please interact with this link. I look forward to discussion growing. I have enjoyed the responsive thoughts so far.

Feb 16 Lev 1:1‐3:17, Mark 1:29‐2:12, Ps 35:17‐28, Prov 9:13‐18
Feb 17 Lev 4:1‐5:19, Mark 2:13‐3:6, Ps 36:1‐12, Prov 10:1‐2

Today’s Readings: Ex 39:1‐40:38, Mark 1:1‐28, Ps 35:1‐16, Prov 9:11‐12

Exodus 40:16 This Moses did; according to all that the Lord commanded him, so he did.

The obedience of Moses has stood out to me more than any other theme in the Exodus readings over the last few weeks. The thoroughness in the details of the tabernacle instructions and follow through has almost been overwhelming. Moses was obedient in areas he didn’t believe he was qualified for – burning bush, most people probably didn’t believe could happen – plagues / parting of the red sea, etc. – and involved an incredibly demanding lifestyle.

In my life, I want to be like Moses… “This Moses did; according to all that the Lord commanded him, so he did.” I want to listen for God’s commands to me today and be careful to follow through completely.

What theme or themes have stood out to you?

Today’s Readings: Ex 37:1‐38:31, Matt 28:1‐20, Ps 34:11‐22, Prov 9:9‐10

One of the things that spoke to me today:
Matthew 28:13 said, “Tell people, ‘His disciples came by night and stole him away while we were asleep.’ …And two verses later…they took the money and did as they were directed. And this story has been spread among the Jews to this day.

Yesterday, my brother and I were talking about the symbols of our faith. This morning this passage struck me. The people who didn’t believe Jesus was the Son of God wanted to put the cross up in a public place. However, they were paying others a “sufficient some” of money to hide the empty tomb. It is also interesting to note that this brief narrative immediately precedes the great commission of Jesus to his disciples, telling them to tell the world what had happened.

To apply this in my life today, I want to be quick to talk about the resurrection. This is the joyful hope in our faith. Our Savior has overcome death, and through him we can do the same.

How many times have you seen a picture of an empty tomb displayed in a Christian home or church? Would you wear an empty tomb around your neck?

Today’s Readings: Ex 35:10‐36:38, Matt 27:32‐66, Ps 34:1‐10, Prov 9:7‐8

Exodus 36: 5-6 (in the context of freewill offerings to the tabernacle) … “The people bring much more than enough for doing the work that the Lord has commanded us to do.” 6 So Moses gave command, and word was proclaimed throughout the camp, “Let no man or woman do anything more for the contribution for the sanctuary.” So the people were restrained from bringing…

After reading this passage, I had the opportunity to be part of taking up the offering at my church this morning. I can’t imagine what it would be like for a church leader to make this kind of an announcement today.

It prompted me to read chapter 35 again. What I saw was the motive placed in each heart by God – “everyone whose heart stirred him, and everyone whose spirit moved him” (35:21). I am praying for this kind of a moving in my heart in a new way.

Have you ever felt a clear move of the Holy Spirit in your heart to give?

Today’s Readings: Ex 34:1‐35:9, Matt 27:15‐31, Ps 33:12‐22, Prov 9:1‐6

Exodus 34:29 When Moses came down from Mount Sinai, with the two tablets of the testimony in his hand as he came down from the mountain, Moses did not know that the skin of his face shone because he had been talking with God.

I have met several Moseses in my life. Every once in a while, I cross paths with a person that knows God intimately and their face shows it. Maybe it is a different kind of glow than Moses’. This story seems to describe a visible light. But, Moses covers his face to hide that light. We are to “let our light shine (Mat 5)” and with “unveiled face (2 Cor 3)” show the Lord in us.

This last week, one of my friends and coworkers told me – “your face is a ministry.” I believe that. I want my countenance to reflect Christ. I want my inward joy to be seen outwardly.

Have you been impacted by the countenance of another person?

Today’s Readings: Ex 32:1‐33:23, Matt 26:69‐27:14, Ps 33:1‐11, Prov 8:33‐36

Psalms 33:3
Sing to him a new song;
play skillfully on the strings, with loud shouts.

I love how, in the context of praise, David writes that we are to “play skillfully.”

I think this applies to much more than music. Worship him through anything that you do skillfully. You are his creation. Your gifts are gifts from him. “Everything you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for man” (Col 3:23).

Apply – Today I want to work skillfully for the Lord. I want to consciously notice anything that I do well as a gift from, to, and through him (Rom 11:36).

How do you give glory to God through your skills?