Author: Don Guthrie

Re:Verse reading–1 Corinthians 15 (day one)

“For I delivered to you as of FIRST IMPORTANCE what I also received, that Christ died for our sins. . .and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures.“–v 3-4

What are things are FIRST in your life?  In both order and importance?  The Bible says for Jesus the FIRST thing was prayer.  (Mark 1:35)  Early believers worshiped on the FIRST day of the week and gave the FIRST part of their earnings as an offering to God. (1 Corinthians 16:2)

Paul says that there are FIRST things in theology too.  “All truths are equal, but some are more equal than others”, he says in 2000-year anticipation of  George Orwell.  He calls these FIRST truths the gospel. 1) Christ died for our sins.  2) Christ was raised.  3) Both according to the promise of Scripture.

When we preach.  When we speak to others.  When we pray or vote, these truths, and only these, must be FIRST.

Re: Verse reading–Luke 22:31-34, 54-62 (day seven)

It is a strange statement.  Jesus offers no explanation.  I wonder what Peter thought when he heard it.  “Satan has demanded permission to sift you like wheat.”–v 31.  Permission was requested (and granted by God) for the enemy to shake up his life, to put him under intense stress, to knock off the dead parts and determine what was valuable (i.e. sifting)

It reminds me of the book of Job.  A conversation in Heaven dramatically impacts Job’s life.  The catch is that Job is completely unaware. Invisible forces at work.

All of us are part of a MUCH LARGER drama that we know.  Sometimes life turns down a difficult road for reasons that only God understands.  When this happens, what we need is faith, not information.

“God is too wise to be mistaken. God is too good to be unkind.  So when you don’t understand, when you don’t see His plan, when you can’t trace His hand, trust His heart!”–Babbie Mason.

Re: Verse reading–Luke 22:31-34, 54-62 (day one)

“Simon, Simon, behold, Satan has demanded permission to sift you like wheat; but I have prayed for you, that your faith may not fail.”–v 31-32

“Therefore He is able to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.”–Hebrews 7:25.

Great encouragement.  For Peter.  For us.  The Lord is praying for us.

Much needed help.  He knows better than we do the path ahead, the dangers lurking, the unresolved love of self that still lingers near the center of our hearts.  He knows the purification that can only come through suffering.

When He prays, it is with perfect mercy and insight.  And when we fall (as He knows we will) the prayed-for resources for our recovery stand nearby and ready.

The Lord has a vision for a better me, a better you, a better world.  He is praying us forward toward it!

Re:Verse reading–Matthew 26:36-46 (day seven)

“Keep watching and praying that you may not enter into temptation; the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”–v 41.

I am a mixed bag.  A contradiction. We all are.  It explains a lot.

Made in God’s image, my inner man sincerely holds the highest of all aspirations.  As Jesus said of His disciples,  “the Spirit (my spirit, His Spirit within me) is willing”. . .to serve, to accomplish, to wait, to suffer, to persevere, to love.  In my “inner man” I joyfully concur with the law of God. (Romans 7:22)

But, and this is equally true, I am also weak.  Without strength or self-discipline or endurance.  My own worst enemy.  A walking spiritual collision!

The solution is two-fold says the Savior.  Watch!  Appreciate the danger.  Never trust yourself. Pray!  Ask God for His daily help and wisdom and power.

Tender mercy!  God provides for people like us who are both willing and weak.

Re:Verse reading–Matthew 26:36-46 (day one) 

“My soul is deeply grieved, to the point of death”–v 38.

Know anyone who suffers from lupus?  An inflammatory disease characterized by joint pain and fatigue, and it takes its name from the Greek word for pain (lupe)

It is what Jesus described on the night before his death.  (Peri lupe–“surrounded by pain”)  A wave of sorrow had crashed over Him.  Emotional.  Physical.  Spiritual.  It overwhelmed Him.

Ever been there?  While I think we should be careful comparing our sorrows to His, I am glad that the Lord has sympathy for this very human experience.

What did He do?  In the midst of such sorrow, with confidence in God, Jesus knelt to pray.  He fought His way up and through the wave of sorrow and pain to the place where He could breathe again–the air of God’s truth.  In pain, He found His footing in prayer.

Lord, help us do the same.

Re:Verse reading–Luke 12:22-34 (day seven)

“Let the wicked man forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his THOUGHTS. . .and He (God) will have compassion on him.”–Isaiah 55:7.

What if our real problem is not what we do (or don’t do)?  What if the deeper issue is what we think–what we think about?

Jesus called us to repentance (meta noia–“to think again”), and one of the most powerful “brain changes” for the believer is a new conception of God in our conscious and unconscious thoughts.

“Consider the lilies” Jesus says in Luke 12:27.  It is word of intentional, logical thought.  Think about them!  Observe!  Consider! Let the created world guide you to some new conclusions about God!

Many think that life is hard and stingy.  Not true, says Jesus.   God is dependably generous, extravagant even.  The proof is all around us.

To have new lives, we will need to think this new thought. God is generous and good!

Re:Verse reading–Luke 12:22-34 (day one) 

“Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them.”–v 24.

A wonderful word.  Nothing exactly like in English.  Consider–katanoeo.  (kata=down, noeo=to think, “to think an issue down to its logical conclusion”)

Some people stop short of the full teaching of Christ on material possessions.  “Do not worry. . .about what you will eat. . .or wear.”–v 22.  These are undeniably His words.

But we also have a positive power against anxiety.  We can REPLACE thoughts of not having enough with accurate, inspiring thoughts of God’s economy at work in the world. We can meditate on His generosity.

“God spends more in a day feeding His sparrows than the King of France makes in a year.”–Martin Luther.   We live under a generous and global providence.

Doesn’t make my anxieties go away.  Does give me something inspiring to consider as I face life without fear.

RE Verse reading–Jonah 1:1-3, 3:1-5, 4:1-11 (day seven)

“Go to Ninevah the great city, and cry against it, for their wickedness has come up before me.”-1:1

The Hebrew words are helpful.   Qara (ka ra’) meant “to call or cry out”.  Al meant “upon or against”.  The idea is SPEECH that “puts pressure ON” or “argues AGAINST” the status quo.

Strange assignment, isn’t it?  To represent God’s truth into the political/social/moral conversations of men.   To re introduce God as the first principle.  To call men to repent of unbelief and wickedness.   To warn of God’s judgment.

It is a job we frequently side-step.  It feels so negative, so intolerant.  Who wants to be “that guy?”  Right?

But if all men will ANSWER to God (see 2 Corinthians 5:10), then part of His mercy is to WARN them in advance. And if we belong to God, how can we edit or refuse to speak the message He gives us?

Jonah resisted this assignment.  Do we?

Re:Verse reading–Jonah 1:1-3, 3:1-5, 4:1-11 (day one)

Remember that great old hymn, “I Surrender Part”?  Yeah, me neither.

Usually unconscious, but still very common.  We surrender to Christ but withhold whole sections of self.

Hold back your willingness to love a black man, or a policemen, or a Muslim, or a Ninevite–doesn’t matter, actually–then you are in the same boat with Jonah. (pardon the pun) Hate doesn’t play well in Heaven.  Doesn’t matter what you have experienced.  Those who receive God’s love freely, but place conditions on who they will give it to are only partially surrendered.

Somehow, we expect more from Jonah.  He, after all, is a prophet!  Long and distinguished career of service.  (See 2 Kings 14:25)  Only proves the struggle is real for everyone.  Whether Abraham (sacrifice of Issac) or the good Samaritan (inconvenient, needy person) or Jesus (cross),  God only wants to know one thing–do I have all of you?  Have you surrendered it all?

Re:Verse reading–Daniel 3:1-2, 8-18, 25-29 (day seven)

In Mark 4, the Bible reports the night Jesus calmed a storm.  He spoke.  Winds and waves immediately became peaceful.  An amazing act of divine authority.  Only God!

Daniel 3 records a similar miracle.   Slightly different storm.  In a tense and fearful moment, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego faced potential (and painful) death for resisting the King, but God gave them peaceful, certain hearts.  He spoke (through His word) helping them know what to do and say.  Supernatural strength.  Spiritual comfort.  The anxiety died down.  Calm!  Certainty!  A miracle from God–one that we still need.

Miracle number 2 in this story? God takes them out of the fire.  Miracle number 1? God takes the fear out of their hearts.

“In everything by prayer and supplication. . .let your requests be made known to God.  And the PEACE of God that passes all understanding will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”–Philippians 4:6-7.

He still calms storms.