Today’s Reading: Ezekiel 10:1‐11:25, Hebrews 6:1‐20, Psalm 105:16‐36, Proverbs 27:1‐2

Context: This is the verse before: “Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring.”

Proverbs 27:2 – “Let another praise you, and not your own mouth;
 a stranger, and not your own lips.”

Observations:

• Let another praise you
  • Not your own mouth
• A stranger
  • Not your own mouth

Last night Rebecca and I were blown away with and humbled by a large group of friends that gathered to surprise us with a going away party.  It was extraordinary.  At one point during the evening they gathered to speak into what God has done in and through us at camp.  Check out what I read yesterday morning.  Letting God be praised through us was very encouraging and yet uncomfortable.

Apply: Proverbs 27:2 instructs me to let others praise me.  However, I must be careful to never allow myself to believe the press.  I cannot begin to praise myself inwardly or outwardly.  “Lord, thank you for the special time you gave me last night.  Help me to handle praise rightly.”

How do you correctly receive praise?

Today’s Reading: Ezekiel 7:1‐9:11, Hebrews 5:1‐14, Psalm 105:1‐15, Proverbs 26:28

Context: David is rejoicing in what God has done in and through the people of Israel.

Psalm 105:2 – Sing to him, sing praises to him;
 tell of all his wondrous works!

Tomorrow is my last day on staff at Pine Cove.  This week has been filled with remembering.  Close friends on staff and I have shared God stories from the last ten years.  The words of encouragement and the tears have prompted a mixture of deep emotions.,  I desire to learn from and respond to this time in the right way. 

Apply: I will tell of God’s wondrous works during my time at Pine Cove.  I must use this as a time to give HIM PRAISE.  

When someone tells you that you have done something well, how do you insure that you will respond with PRAISE and not PRIDE?

Today’s Reading: Ezekiel 3:16‐6:14, Hebrews 4:1‐16, Psalm 104:24‐35, Proverbs 26:27

Context: In Chapter 2 Ezekiel is called by God to go and speak God’s Word to the house of Israel.  God gives him a scroll to eat and it was “as sweet as honey.”  At the beginning of chapter 3, God tells Ezekiel: “all my words that I shall speak to you receive in your heart, and hear with your ears.  And go to the exiles, to your people, and speak to them.”  Ezekiel goes with bitterness to the exiles and sits overwhelmed for seven days.

Ezekiel 3:16-21 “And at the end of seven days, the word of the Lord came to me:  “Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel. Whenever you hear a word from my mouth, you shall give them warning from me. If I say to the wicked, ‘You shall surely die,’ and you give him no warning, nor speak to warn the wicked from his wicked way, in order to save his life, that wicked person shall die for his iniquity, but his blood I will require at your hand. But if you warn the wicked, and he does not turn from his wickedness, or from his wicked way, he shall die for his iniquity, but you will have delivered your soul. Again, if a righteous person turns from his righteousness and commits injustice, and I lay a stumbling block before him, he shall die. Because you have not warned him, he shall die for his sin, and his righteous deeds that he has done shall not be remembered, but his blood I will require at your hand. But if you warn the righteous person not to sin, and he does not sin, he shall surely live, because he took warning, and you will have delivered your soul.”

Observations:

• Whenever you hear a word from my mouth, you shall give them warning from me.
• If you do not warn (the wicked and righteous) his blood I (God) will require at your hand.
• But if you warn the wicked, and he does not turn from his wickedness, or from his wicked way, he shall die for his iniquity, but you will have delivered your soul. 

Apply: As I move into a preaching / teaching role in a church, I MUST hear the Words from God’s mouth and relay them to his people.  I MUST remember that I cannot control their response.  I am going to spend time praying over this posturing as I drive to camp this morning.

Do you believe you have the responsibility to relay the truth of God’s Word?  If so, how can you do it today?

Today’s Reading: 1 Ezekiel 1:1‐3:15, Hebrews 3:1‐19, Psalm 104:1‐23, Proverbs 26:24‐26

Context: David is singing of God’s greatness.

Psalm 104:8 “The mountains rose, the valleys sank down
 to the place that you appointed for them.”

Observations:

• Even the elevation of the mountains and valleys was appointed by God.

I love the mountains.  The power of God is displayed in them.

Apply: I want to praise God for his involvement in appointing his creation.  I will thank him for the divine appointments I have seen in my life. 

How has God showed you his greatness through creation recently?

Today’s Reading: Lamentations 4:1‐5:22, Hebrews 2:1‐18, Psalm 103:1‐22, Proverbs 26:23

Context: The writer of Hebrews challenges his audience to pay close attention to the gospel and explains how Christ cared enough for us to humble himself on our behalf. 

Hebrews 2:10 – “For it was fitting that he, for whom and by whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, should make the founder of their salvation perfect through suffering.”

Observations (so much can come out of this verse – I want to point out the two things that jumped out to me today):

• For whom and by whom all things exist – wow, we could the rest of our lives meditating on this. 
• Christ was made perfect through suffering – and works suffering in a similar way in our lives.

Apply: “Lord, I give you credit for all things – all things are for you and by you.”

How do you live a life that reflects “for whom and by whom all things exist?

Today’s Reading: Lamentations 2:20‐3:66, Hebrews 1:1‐14, Psalm 102:1‐8, Proverbs 26:21‐22

Context: In Lamentations, Jeremiah is crying out to God.  The language of hopelessness and pain is graphic.  In the middle of the chapter three he changes his tone. 

Lamentations 3:22-24 – The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases;
 his mercies never come to an end;

they are new every morning;
 great is your faithfulness.

“The Lord is my portion,” says my soul,
 “therefore I will hope in him.”

Observations:

• The Lord’s steadfast love never ceases
• His mercies never come to an end
• They are new ever morning
• Great is your faithfulness (stated to the Lord and not of the Lord)
• My soul says:
  • The Lord is my portion
    • Therefore I will hope in him

The last few months have been a combination of pain and excitement/hope for Rebecca and me.  In a few verses Jeremiah will say: “It is good that one should wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord.  It is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth.”  It has been clear that God is at work in our lives.  I want to reflect the heart of Jeremiah in my response to God.

Apply: I will spend time meditating on the Lord’s faithfulness as I drive to work this morning.

How do you prompt your soul to say: “The Lord is my portion, therefore I will hope in him?”

Today’s Reading: Lamentations 1:1‐2:19, Philemon 1‐25, Psalm 101:1‐8, Proverbs 26:20

Context: In Paul’s brief letter he tells Philemon: “I pray that the sharing of your faith may become effective for the full knowledge of every good thing that is in us for the sake of Christ.”

Philemon 7 – “For I have derived much joy and comfort from your love, my brother, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you.”

Observations:

• Paul has derived much joy and comfort from Philemon’s love
  • because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through him.

A good friend shared with our summer staff this summer that they are to be “Coka-Cola” Christians.  His point was that Christians should be refreshing. 

Apply: I want to look for opportunities to refresh people’s hearts through joy and comfort.

Are you a refreshing person?

Today’s Reading: Jeremiah 49:23‐50:46, Titus 1:1‐16, Psalm 97:1‐98:9, Proverbs 26:13‐16

Context: Paul starts his letter by telling Titus that he left him in Crete to appoint elders.

Titus 1:6-9 “(I)f anyone is above reproach, the husband of one wife, and his children are believers and not open to the charge of debauchery or insubordination. For an overseer, as God’s steward, must be above reproach. He must not be arrogant or quick-tempered or a drunkard or violent or greedy for gain, but hospitable, a lover of good, self-controlled, upright, holy, and disciplined. He must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it.”

Observations:

1. Elders are:
   1. above reproach (2x)
   2. the husband of one wife,
   3. children are believers and not open to the charge of debauchery or insubordination
   4. hospitable
   5. lover of good
   6. self-controlled
   7. upright
   8. holy
   9. disciplined
   10. He must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it.
2. Elders are not:
   1. arrogant
   2. quick-tempered
   3. drunkard
   4. violent
   5. greedy for gain

Apply:  I am an elder.  What jumps out to me on this list as I read this morning is spiritual leaders are not quick-tempered.  I’ve noticed that my patience has shortened during a season of busyness and change.  “Lord, I am aware that I must not be quick-tempered.  Help me to represent you rightly.  Give me complete patience.”

What item on this list jumps out to you?  Is God able to use you as a spiritual leader?

Today’s Reading: Jeremiah 48:1‐49:22, 2 Timothy 4:1‐22, Psalm 95:1‐96:13, Proverbs 26:9‐12

Proverbs 26:11 “Like a dog that returns to his vomit

Is a fool who repeats his folly.

This is one of the most graphic illustrations in Proverbs.  I would be better off if I would learn my lesson the first time around.  It must look gross to God (and others) when I continue to make the same mistakes. 

Apply: I used to keep a list of lessons I didn’t want to learn twice in the back of my journals.  I want to start that again. 

How do you keep from making the same mistake twice?

Today’s Reading: Jeremiah 44:24‐47:7, 2 Timothy 2:22‐3:17, Psalm 94:1‐23, Proverbs 26:6‐8

Context: This verse is actually from yesturdays reading, but it rocked me.  Paul affirms Timothy through pointing out his faithfulness.   He tells Timothy that he will go through persecution, but to stay strong and to hold onto God’s Word. 

2 Timothy 2:14-15 “But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.”

Observations:

• Continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed
  • knowing from whom you learned it
  • How from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings
    • which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus

As I read this passage today my heart burned with the desire to teach Anna God’s word.  I want her to be “acquainted with the sacred writings.”  I want her to be “wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.”  When she is older I want her to continue in what she learned.

Apply: Currently we read Bible story books at night.  I want to start including actual Bible readings.

Please share any ideas you have for getting children acquainted with the Bible.