Today’s Reading: Ezra 5:1‐6:22, 1 Corinthians 3:5‐23, Psalm 29:1‐11, Proverbs 20:26‐27

1 Corinthians 3:7 – So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth.

Observations:

• Context: Paul is continuing his argument against the divisions in the church based on which Christian teacher they followed.  In verse six we read: “I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth.”
• The one who plants and he who waters is nothing
• Only God gives the growth

Apply: I am capable of nothing in myself.  I want to be faithful to plant and water while remembering nothing in ministry happens apart from the work of God.

Prayer: “God give growth!”

In you ministry, are you shouldering more regret or credit than you deserve?  God gives growth.

Today’s Reading: Ezra 3:1‐4:24, 1 Corinthians 2:6‐3:4, Psalm 28:1‐9, Proverbs  20:24‐25

Psalm 28:7 The Lord is my strength and my shield;
in him my heart trusts, and I am helped;
my heart exults,
and with my song I give thanks to him.

Observations:

• The Lord is:
  • My strength
  • My shield
• In him
  • My hear trusts
  • I am helped
• My heart exults
  • With my song I give thanks to him

Have you ever noticed that the Psalms feed you at different times?  The last few days this has been true for me.  They have jumped off the page in my Bible reading time.  They are grounding, assuring, hope filled, and worshipful.

Apply: Throughout today, I want to make a conscious effort to exult God with songs of thanks.

Do you have a favorite Psalm?  What is it and why?

Today’s Reading: Ezra 1:1‐2:70, 1 Corinthians 1:18‐2:5, Psalm 27:7‐14, Proverbs  20:22‐23

Psalm 27:8 You have said, “Seek my face.”
My heart says to you,
“Your face, Lord, do I seek.”

Observations:

• God instructs us (seek is in the plural) to seek his face.
• Seeking is a heart issue – “My heart says to you”
• “Your Face, Lord, do I seek.”

Sometimes I over complicate what God has asked me to do.  He has called me to seek him out.

Apply: I want to be purposeful about seeking God with my whole heart.

Are you seeking God?  How are you looking for him?

Today’s Reading: 2 Chronicles 35:1‐36:23, 1 Corinthians 1:1‐17, Psalms 27:1‐6, Proverbs  20:20‐21

1 Corinthians 1:17 – For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not with words of eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.

Observations:

• Context: Paul is urging unity.  It was common for speakers to be entertainers and for people to choose the one they enjoyed the most.  Paul wants it to be clear that the message of Christ is all he desires to present. 
• Christ did not send Paul to baptize (we do know that he did, see the previous verse, and thought believers baptism was important – Romans 6:3, Col 2:12)
• Christ sent Paul to preach the gospel
  • Not with words of eloquent wisdom – I believe he is talking about trying to entertain as mentioned above.  The gospel is greater than the world’s wisdom.
  • Lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power – He wants the main thing to stay the main thing.  It is not about him.

Apply: I want to look for opportunities to present the gospel clearly today.  I don’t need to be eloquent, just present the cross.

Do you worry about having “words of eloquent wisdom” when you present the gospel?

Today’s Reading: 2 Chronicles 33:14‐34:33, Romans 16:8‐27, Psalms 26:1‐12, Proverbs  20:19

Romans 16:17-18 I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them. For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites, and by smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive.

Observations:

• Context: Paul interrupts his finial greetings at the end of the book of Romans to say these words.
• This is an appeal to Christians (brothers in the context of Romans)
• Watch out for those who:
• cause divisions
• create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught
• do not serve the Lord Christ, but their own appetites
• by smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive
• Avoid them

Apply: I need to watch out for dangerous dividers in the ministry I lead today and see if anyone needs to be confronted so that we can avoid the consequences of their actions.

Do you see anyone causing divisions in your ministry?  How can you apply the commands to watch out and avoid?

Today’s Reading: 2 Chronicles 32:1‐33:13, Romans 15:23‐16:7, Psalms 25:16‐22, Proverbs  20:16‐18

Proverbs 20:18  Plans are established by counsel;
by wise guidance wage war.

Observations:

• Plans are established (kun – to be firm, prepared) by counsel
  • By wise guidance
    • Wage war

Apply:  I want to seek wise guidance and counsel today to help me make my spiritual battle plans.

Where do you find wise guidance in your life?

Today’s Reading: 2 Chronicles 30:1‐31:21, Romans 15:1‐22, Psalms 25:1‐15, Proverbs  20:13‐15

2 Chronicles 30:9 – For if you return to the Lord, your brothers and your children will find compassion with their captors and return to this land. For the Lord your God is gracious and merciful and will not turn away his face from you, if you return to him.”

Observations:

• Hezekiah and his assembly decided to repent and turn back to God.  They send a message throughout Israel and these words are contained in it.  It leads to a great revival in Israel. 
• If you return to the Lord (2x)
• Your brothers and your children will:
• find compassion with their captors
• return to this land
• Why?  For the Lord your God:
• is gracious and merciful
• will not turn his face from you

Do you need to return to the Lord?  Are you far from him in your heart?  Do you know that God is gracious and merciful and will not turn his face from you?  Return to the Lord!

Are you telling others to return to the Lord?

Apply:  Prayer “Lord, show me the areas of my life that are distant from you.  Give me opportunities today to show people your grace and mercy and encourage them to return to you.”

Hezekiah was used by God to be his mouthpiece to Israel and tell them to return to the Lord.  Who needs to hear these words from you today?

Today’s Reading: 2 Chronicles 29:1‐36, Romans 14:1‐23, Psalm 24:1‐10, Proverbs 20:12

Romans 14:1 As for the one who is weak in faith, welcome him, but not to quarrel over opinions.

Observations:

• Context: The church in Roman was arguing over what food was clean and unclean.
• For the weak in faith
• Welcome them
• Do not quarrel over opinions

At Pine Cove, we often talk about keeping the main thing the main thing.  We have to be careful not to allow theological and controversial soap boxes to get in the way of someone coming to know and follow Christ. 

Apply:  Prayer “Lord show me where I am quarreling over opinions and give me the humility to stop.”

Have you ever been pushed away from someone because they desire to quarrel over opinions?

Today’s Reading: 2 Chronicles 26:1‐28:27, Romans 13:1‐14, Psalm 23:1‐6, Proverbs 20:11

2 Chronicles 26:15b-16a And (Uzziah’s) fame spread far, for he was marvelously helped, till he was strong.  But when he was strong, he grew proud, to his destruction.

Observations:

• Context: God helped Uzziah because “he did what was right in the eyes of the Lord.”  However, these two verses record how the blessings he received made his heart prideful.  We will read a few verses later that Uzziah tries to burn incense to the Lord in the temple, a job that was reserved for priests, and is struck with leprosy that lasts until his death.
• Uzziah had:
  • Fame
  • Help from God
  • Strength
  • But, when he was strong, he grew proud, to his destruction.

Apply:  I want to make a point today to recognize that I am nothing apart from Christ.

Have you ever noticed that our biggest blessings, if we let them, can become what seperates us from God?

Today’s Reading: 2 Chronicles 24:1‐25:28, Romans 12:1‐21, Psalm 22:19‐31, Proverbs 20:8‐10

Romans 12:1 – I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.

Observations:

• Brothers – Christians (context of Romans)
• By the mercies of God
• Present your bodies
  • as living sacrifice
  • holy
  • acceptable to God
  • which is your spiritual worship

On my off day this week, Rebecca and I spent two hours together in Starbucks.  We were talking about an uncomfortable possibility for our family.  After making a list of why to and why not to pursue the option, Rebecca a said: “All the reasons not to are selfish.”  In an hour of prayer and conversation, God moved us from a point of reluctance in the sacrifice to a real point of excitement in the sacrifice.  In a new way, God was allowing us to see how offering our body was truly a feeling of worship.

Apply:  I want to look for ways to present my body as a “living sacrifice” at camp today.

Have you ever experienced the joy of offering yourself to God as a living sacrifice?