Today’s Readings: Joshua 19:1‐20:9, Luke 19:28‐48, Psalm 88:1‐18, Proverbs 13:12‐14

Luke 19:41 And when he drew near and saw (Jerusalem), he wept over it…

We live in a Christian culture that encourages us to be happy all the time.  This is NOT the message of the Text.  Jesus was “a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief” (Isaiah 53:3).  In Psalms today we read: “I, O Lord, cry to you” and “my eye grows dim through sorrow” (Psalm 88:3&9).  Nehemiah writes ^“As soon as I heard these words I sat down and wept and mourned for days” (Nehemiah 1:4).  Last week one of my friends sent me a link to this powerful video on Christian agony.

Apply: Are you acquainted with grief?  2 Corinthians 7:10 tells us that “Godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret…”  Today I want to encourage myself to grieve things that grieve the Spirit.

How do you define Godly grief?

Today’s Readings: Josh 16:1‐18:28, Luke 19:1‐27, Ps 87:1‐7, Prov 13:11

Luke 19: 7-9 And when they saw it, they all grumbled, “He has gone in to be the guest of a man who is a sinner.” … And Jesus said “…the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”

Observations:

• Context: story of Zacchaeus
• Those watching didn’t like that he was going to be a guest of a “sinner.”
• Jesus responded by explaining that these are the people he came to save.
• Those who grumbled were the ones that ended the story lost.

Apply: We need to be a light to a lost world.  Look for opportunities to get real time with lost people, love them, and show them Jesus.

When do you connect with people who are lost?

Today’s Readings: Josh 15:1‐63, Luke 18:18‐43, Ps 86:1‐17, Prov 13:9‐10

Luke 18:19 And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone.”

Observations:

• Context: The rich young ruler thinks he has gained righteousness by human good deeds.
• On January 30^th I was struck by a different section of this story in the Matthew account.  Check it out here.
• Jesus reserves the word good for God alone.

Do we realize how set apart God is?  There are times when I subconsciously try to bring him down to my level.  I don’t realize the fullness of who I am serving.  Are there things in my life that I reserve for God alone?

Apply: Today I want to focus on the holy (set apart) character of God.

Do you have a word that you use to describe God alone?

Today’s Readings: Josh 13:1‐14:15, Luke 18:1‐17, Ps 85:1‐13, Prov 13:7‐8

Psalm 85:12 Yes, the Lord will give what is good,
and our land will yield its increase.

Observations:

• Context of the passage is praising God for forgiving sin and asking him to restore and revive his people.
• The verse agrees with the character of God and claims future blessings.
• God will give what is good.
• God will give increase to his land.

We need to be careful to claim the promises that God gives to other people, in this case Israel, for ourselves.  At the same time, we know that God desires to give good gifts to all of his children (Matthew 7:11, Romans 8:28, James 1:9).  The Holy Spirit uses the Word of God to speak into our life.  Rebecca believes that God gave her this verse as she was praying over our dating relationships.  It now hangs on the wall of our bedroom.

Apply:  Rebecca and I are at a marriage retreat as we seek to make a good thing better.  I want to consciously remind myself of this verse and God’s desire to bless our future.

Do you have a verse that you believe God has given you for this stage in your life?

Today’s Readings: Josh 11:1‐12:24, Luke 17:11‐37, Ps 84:1‐12, Prov 13:5‐6

Psalm 84:10 – “For a day in your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere.  I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of God than dwell in the tents of wickedness.”

Observations:

• A day with God is better than a thousand away from God.
• David would rather live as a servant of God than a peer with wicked people.

I love to singing the song “Better is One Day” based on Psalm 84.  It is easy to sing these words.  But, I often live as though I would rather be a peer of the wicked than a servant of God.  It is exciting to think that the temple is now in our hearts.  What David desired, we can have every day.  We can walk as a servant of God even when we are in the tents of the wicked.

Apply: Today I want to make a point to go through the day “in the courts” of God.

What enables you to have a “Better is One Day” with God perspective?

Today’s Readings: Josh 9:3‐10:43, Luke 16:19‐17:10, Ps 83:1‐18, Prov 13:4

Luke 16:19-31.  “and in Hades, being in torment… have mercy on me, for I am in anguish in this flame… (after hearing no) I beg you, (Abraham), to send him to send (Lazarus) to my father’s house – for I have five brothers – so that he may warn them, lest they also come into this place of torment.”

Observations:

• Hell is eternal torment / anguish
• There will be no mercy for those in pain
• If you could hear the cry of hell, it would be- have mercy on us and send someone to warn those that I love.

Several months ago I heard a preacher read this passage and say: “I have a message from hell… Stay out of hell!  Don’t go to hell!  Miss hell!”  I am not a big fan of fire and brimstone preaching.  What motivates a response is seeing that we are saved by grace through faith (see verses 29-31).  However, I do believe that Jesus wanted the world to know that the pain of hell is real.  Jesus died to save us from a punishment more than physical death.

Apply: I want the voices of hell to motivate me to share God’s love today.

What does the story of the rich man and Lazarus prompt in your heart?

Today’s Readings: Josh 7:16‐9:2, Luke 16:1‐18, Ps 82:1‐8, Prov 13:2‐3

Proverbs 13:3 – Whoever guards his mouth preserves his life;
he who opens wide his lips comes to ruin.

Observations:

• Guarding your mouth = life
• Opening wide your lips = ruin

This verse is convicting for me.  Hang with as I connect it to something related to but not completely contained within this verse….  Over the last few weeks I have been working on  guarding my mouth.  In my journal a month ago I wrote: “I need to consciously think 1. Pray (continually) 2. Listen (attentively) 3. Speak (boldly).”  It has been exciting to see how transformational these basic steps are when I apply them.  It has been humbling to see how often I do not get close to any of the three.

Apply: Today I want to focus on guarding my mouth.

What are tangible things you have done to guard your mouth?

Today’s Readings: Josh 5:1‐7:15, Luke 15:1‐32, Ps 81:1‐16, Prov 13:1

Psalm 81:8 – Hear, O my people, while I admonish you!
O Israel, if you would but listen to me!

Observations:

• Hear – sh’ma in Hebrew
• O my people / O Israel – God’s chosen people
• While I admonish – warn strongly, counsel in terms of behavior
• If you would but listen to me! – implying benefits if we would sh’ma

Apply: I want to diligently sh’ma the admonition of the Lord.

Where do find the admonition of the Lord outside of scripture?

Today’s Readings: Josh 3:1‐4:24, Luke 14:7‐35, Ps 80:1‐19, Prov 12:27‐28

Luke 7:10-11 “But when you are invited, go and sit in the lowest place, so that when your host comes he may say to you, ‘Friend, move up higher.’ Then you will be honored in the presence of all who sit at table with you. 11 For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

Observations: The parable of the seating at the wedding feast seems very tangible.  After the first read this morning, in my pride I was excited to choose the lowest places today and receive the benefit of being exalted.  However, the verses that follow encourage us to serve those who cannot repay us.    After further reading into the passage, I see the context of the kingdom of God.  I believe the reward of being exalted for humbling ourselves is not being promised until our eternal “host comes.”

Application Prayer: Lord, give me kingdom motivation and the strength to humble myself.

What are a few ways through which you have chosen the lowest place?

Today’s readings: Deut 34:1‐12; Josh 1:1‐2:24, Luke 13:22‐14:6, Ps 79:1‐13, Prov 12:26

Joshua 1:16 (The people of Israel) answered Joshua, “All that you have commanded us we will do, and wherever you send us we will go. 17 Just as we obeyed Moses in all things, so we will obey you. Only may the Lord your God be with you, as he was with Moses! 18 Whoever rebels against your commandment and disobeys your words, whatever you command him, shall be put to death. Only be strong and courageous.”

Observations:  Israel’s two desires for Joshua’s leadership

1.      That God would be with him (v17)

2.      That he would be strong and courageous (v18)

Apply:  As I lead, I must walk with God and act with strength and courage.

Do you have an example of this type of leader in your life?