Today’s Reading: Zechariah 14:1‐21, Revelation 20:1‐15, Psalm 148:1‐ 14, Proverbs 31:8‐9

Context: Zechariah 14 prophesies the redemption of Israel and the punishment of the nations that do worship Him as Lord.  Verses 16 – 19 command everyone to observe the feast of booths – a week away from home focusing on worshiping God.

Zechariah 14:17  “And if any of the families of the earth do not go up to Jerusalem to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, there will be no rain on them.”

Observations:

• If you do not go to worship the Lord
  • There will be no rain

It is clear that God desires his people to take scheduled time away to worships him.  Rain – moisture that brings growth – is the promised result.

Apply: I am about to go to Pine Cove to teach at a New Years conference.  I want to make sure that I spend real time worshiping the Lord during this family retreat.

When can you schedule time away from your busy schedule to worship God?

Today’s Reading: Zachariah 6-7, Revelation 15, Psalm 143, Proverbs 30:24-28

Context: Psalm 143 is considered a psalm of lament and is closely related to Psalm 6 and 38.  It is a great Psalm to visit when you realize sin, need direction or feel desperate for God.  It was exciting for me to read through this Psalm this morning and see my notes from this summer – 6/25/11 – seeking God’s direction for my life.  I prayed these words for clarity in the way I should go.

Psalm 143:7-12 Answer me quickly, O Lord!
 My spirit fails!
Hide not your face from me,
 lest I be like those who go down to the pit.
Let me hear in the morning of your steadfast love,
 for in you I trust.
Make me know the way I should go,
 for to you I lift up my soul.

Deliver me from my enemies, O Lord!
 I have fled to you for refuge! Teach me to do your will,
 for you are my God!
Let your good Spirit lead me
 on level ground!

For your name’s sake, O Lord, preserve my life!
 In your righteousness bring my soul out of trouble!
And in your steadfast love you will cut off my enemies,
 and you will destroy all the adversaries of my soul,
 for I am your servant.

Observations:

• Answer me quickly, O Lord!
• Make me known the way I should go…
• Teach me to do your will…
• For your name’s sake, O Lord, preserve my life!
• …I am your servant

God answers prayer!  The notes on the margins of my Bible from six months ago are crying out to God for direction.  God had just prompted Rebecca and I to pray over whether He was calling us to leave camp or not.  Six months later, He has answered us quickly, made known the way we should go and taught us to do His will for His name’s sake.

Apply: Lord, your name (for your name’s sake) is to be praised!  Thank you for so clearly answering prayer time and again for Rebecca and me.  Help me to truly have a posturing of a servant.

Have you prayed God’s Word over your life?  Do you have similar stories of direct answers?

Today’s Reading: Zechariah 4-5, Revelation 14, Psalm 142, Proverbs 30:21-23

Context: In Psalm 142 David is asking God for deliverance in a time of trouble.  As I was reading it this morning, this song was on the radio in my den.

Cave in Adullam - David would find refuge in the caves in this area - Samuel 22

Psalm 142: 5 I cry to you, O Lord;
 I say, “You are my refuge,
 my portion in the land of the living.”

Observations:

• I cry to you, O Lord – in times of trouble David runs to God
• “You are my refuge (shelter)…
  • My portion (tract, territory, inheritance)…
    • In the land of the living.”

Those of you who have followed my blog this year, you know that God has brought my family through a difficult season.  We have battled a major health issue in our home, a God driven transition from a ministry we loved and time of uncertainty in our family planning regarding children.  Psalm 142:5 summarizes what God has been teaching us.

Application: “Lord, may I never forget to run to you for refuge and provision in tough times.  Help me to take Your lessons of dependence from this year into the rest of my life.”

Are you letting difficult times drive you to God?

Today’s Reading:  Zechariah 1, Revelation 12, Psalm 140, Proverbs 30:17

Revelation 12:1 – “And a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars.”

Different format today – I was reminded of something really exciting through this reading in my devotional.  If you have not yet seen it, The Star of Bethlehem video is well worth the price of admission.  It impacted me a great deal several years ago.  It uses this and many other Bible passages to explain what was going on in the night sky 2000 years ago.

Application: “Lord, may I never forget how intentional you were to show us your Son.  Thank you for the glory and the sovereignty over all creation that you demonstrate.”

Today’s Reading: Haggai 1-2, Revelation 11, Psalm 139, Proverbs 30:15-16

Proverbs 30:15-16 – The leech has two daughters:
 Give and Give. Three things are never satisfied;
 four never say, “Enough”:  Sheol, the barren womb,
 the land never satisfied with water,
 and the fire that never says, “Enough.”

Observations:

• Leeches say – Give and Give (to me)
• They are Never satisfied / never say “enough:”
  • Sheol
  • The barren womb
  • The land never satisfied with water
  • And the fire that never says “Enough”

Several years ago I read a Garfield comic.  He was walking around his house saying “gimmy, gimmy, gimmy, gimmy, etc.”  At the end he stopped and said – I’m just getting into the Christmas spirit.”  At this time of year, it is amazing to see the drive for stuff in our culture.  I know that heart of Christmas, Jesus, is sacrificial giving.  Proverbs 30:15-16 tells us that the dark sides of our hearts are like leeches asking others to “give and give” to us.  When will we ever get enough?

Apply: Lord, help me see what I have as enough.  Help me to raise Anna to know that Your provisions are always enough.

What helps you to see what you have as enough?

Today’s Reading: Zephaniah 1-3, Revelation 10, Psalm 138, Proverbs 30:11-14

Context: In the first three chapters of Zephaniah, God is telling his people that He is going to punish the land.  At the end of chapter two He tells them the result of the punishment: “…I will leave in your midst
 a people humble and lowly.
”  In chapter two He says that if they humble themselves beforehand, they could possibly avoid some of the coming disaster…

Zephaniah 2:3 – “Seek the Lord, all you humble of the land,
 who do his just commands; 
seek righteousness; seek humility;
 perhaps you may be hidden
 on the day of the anger of the Lord.”

Observations:

• Who – You humble of the Land
• What – Seek:
  • The Lord
  • Righteousness
  • Humility
• Why – Perhaps you may be hidden on the day of the anger of the Lord.

As a believer in the blood of Christ, I am ultimately hidden from God’s eternal anger by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8-9).  However, I know the pride in my heart.  I want to make every effort to seek the Lord, righteousness and humility to protect my family and me personally from consequences in this life.

Apply: You have said, “Seek my face.” My heart says to you, “Your face, LORD, do I seek” (Psalm 27:8).  Specifically today, I want to look for ways to seek real humility – not tearing myself down, but seeking to build You up.

What adjustments do you need to make today to truly seek the Lord, righteousness and humility?

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?