Danny Panter

Glad

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

“Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has chosen gladly to give you the kingdom.” (Luke 12:32)

My girls have never had to worry about their basic needs being met. Whether food, shelter, or clothing, they have always had what they needed. When they are hungry or need something, they simply come to me (often) and let me know; they expect me to meet those needs. Sometimes, I tell them to wait, or I offer something different then what they asked for, but they know to come to me.

Here’s the truth, I want to meet their every need; I want them to have the best life possible, and so I gladly give to them! This is true of dads, because it is first true of our Father in heaven; he has chosen gladly to give you the kingdom. Jesus reminds his listeners to not worry because God knows your needs and will meet them, but He desires far more for you than food and clothing, for He longs for you to have the kingdom.

I want to desire His kingdom, don’t you? Let’s stop worrying about food and clothing, and run to the Father and ask Him for the Kingdom, for His Word promises that he is glad to give it.

Happy Fruit of a Holy Fear

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

Fear is not all bad. After all the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. We know why Jonah fled, he fled because he wanted nothing to do with God’s mercy towards the Ninevites. His lack of fear of the Lord produced a hardened compassion-less heart; he was much more concerned with his own comfort than the desperate need of an entire people.

So fear is not all bad. Fear the Lord, for it is not only the beginning of wisdom but the also the beginning of faith. It is there that we taste the goodness of God, his mercy and compassion through Jesus, each day moving us further away from self-centeredness to selflessness. We can’t help but love the Ninevites.

Lifted

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

“And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.” -Jesus, John 12:32

This wasn’t a new principle. Jesus, in his death and resurrection would literally draw all people to himself, reconciling them back to God. It was on old principle fully realized in Jesus, but we see it in Meshach, Shadrach and Abednego too. In great faith they were willing to lay down their lives exalting God over Nebuchadnezzar. The result? People, including Nebuchadnezzar, were drawn to the one true God.

What if the same principle applies to us too? What if when we exalt Jesus in our life, when we lay it down for His namesake, people around and near us are drawn to Him? I not only believe it’s possible, I believe it true.

Touched by God

Then the Lord put out his hand and touched my mouth. Jeremiah 1:9

That’s the verse that stands out to me. God touched his mouth. He didn’t have to do that, it wasn’t necessary, no more than the mud Jesus used in healing the blind man (John 9:6). It begs the question, why? I think God did exactly what was needed in accordance to Jeremiah’s faith. Maybe he knew that intimate gesture was what Jeremiah needed to overcome his insecurities. Maybe it was the red hot memory of that touch that sustained him through great opposition and persecution. I don’t know for sure. All I do know is that God drew close to Jeremiah, he was not a distant disembodied voice; he was personal and intimate, just what Jeremiah needed.

That’s the kind of invitation we have in the Gospel, if you are willing to receive it.

No Health-Wealth Gospel Here

Re: Verse reading–Esther 4:4-17; 7:1-6 (day six)

“For if you keep silent at this time, relief and deliverance will rise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. And who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” Mordecai, Esther 4:14

A health-wealth gospel exalts the potential and immediate blessings from God over God himself; it treasures treasure (health/wealth) rather than Jesus. Literally, health and wealth become the measure of one’s faith. It is a far cry from the Gospel of the Scriptures, and certainly wasn’t a Gospel Mordecai subscribed to.

Consider Mordecai’s faith in the face of possible annihilation. Although, he pressures Esther to act, he is confident God will preserve a remnant of his people even if she chooses not too. His faith in the promises of God extend far beyond his own comfort (health-wealth) and self-preservation. Mordecai was a rock! He had confidence in God to fulfill His covenant promises even though he might die. When you face adversity do you have that kind of faith? Your answer will determine what kind of Gospel you subscribe to.

Move

Re: Verse reading–1 Kings 19:1-18 (day six)

The human heart is so fickle. One minute it can swell with confidence, and the next be overrun by fear. That was certainly true of Elijah. Elijah was afraid for his life, not to mention he was depressed over the lack of repentance, so he ran as far away as he could. Interestingly enough God does show up, but he doesn’t console him; he tells him to prepare himself for his next task.

What if the spiritual antidote to fear is movement? What if fear is overcome not through consolation but by obeying God, doing the things you know he wants you to do? Perhaps fear will never be overcome by hiding in caves, but by seeing God at work in our own obedience.

The Pit of Despair

Re: Verse reading–Numbers 13:26-33; 14:1-9 (day six)

In the Princess Bride, Wesley finds himself in the Pit of Despair where he is tortured and ultimately dies…at least mostly. His body is rescued by soon-to-be accomplices. They then take his body to a magician who works a miracle on the mostly-dead Wesley. Immediately he becomes conscious, but must slowly regain his strength over the course of the movie in order to rescue the damsel in distress. Great movie!

We too can find ourselves in our own pits of despair, with no apparent way out. It could be related to health, finances, or relationships; regardless of the source, we can feel helpless and hopeless. That is how the spies felt in Numbers 13 and 14 (except Joshua and Caleb) as they faced the obstacles ahead of them in claiming the Promised Land. They couldn’t see how they could overcome it; they were helpless and hopeless, and it infected everybody. With the obstacles so great, they had forgotten all that God had already done as well as his promises. We can fall into this sin just as quickly, can’t we?

The apostle Paul wrote from prison in Philippians 4:12-13, “I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me.” Two things to notice here, one Paul learned, it wasn’t immediate, he had to grow in the Gospel; two, God did not necessarily whisk him away out of every despair inducing circumstance. It is clear, like Joshua and Caleb, Paul learned to cling to the promises of God based on what Jesus had done in the Gospel. Even though we may find ourselves in the pit, we do not despair because Jesus has already overcome the world; his promises hold true for all eternity!

That is far better than a giant miracle pill!

Signs

Re: Verse reading–Exodus 3:7-15, 4:1-17 (day six)

What if they don’t believe me? Or think I am weird? What if they ask questions I can’t answer? Moses had these insecurities when God called him to lead his people out of slavery. God assured him that He would provide signs, signs that would lead people to believe that what he said was true.

Jesus promised the church signs as well. He said, “If you love one another, then they will know you are my disciples.” In His high priestly prayer he also said, “Lord may they be one as we are one,…so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you have loved me.” Two signs, love and unity. The promise is that when we love the way Jesus loved, when we see and savor God in unity then the world will believe God’s message of reconciliation.

What sign does your family, co-workers, and neighbors need to see?

Out of Hiding

Re:Verse reading–Genesis 3:1-19 (day six)

“And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God…” Genesis 3:8

This is remarkable, only moments before if they had recognized God’s presence they likely would have run to him, but not now. It had to have been a very peculiar feeling, fear and shame, feelings they only experienced now since their eyes had been opened by the Knowledge of good and evil. The serpent promised they would become like God, but truly they became alone out of fear. They weren’t made to experience either, nor were we.

Notice though what God does almost immediately.

“But the Lord God called to the man and said to him…” Genesis 3:9.

Grace is God finding you and bringing you out from the shadows. He triumphs over your fear; he brings you out of hiding. That’s the good news of God!

Our Own Image

Re:Verse reading–Judges 17:1-6; 18:1; 19:1; 20:1-7; 21:25 (day six)

And he restored the 1,100 pieces of silver to his mother. And his mother said, “I dedicate the silver to the LORD from my hand for my son, to make a carved image and a metal image. Now therefore I will restore it to you.” Judges 17:3

The Israelites committed two grave evils: idolatry and casting the LORD in their own image. They were quick to adopt the lifestyle of pagan worship, and even when they did get the name right (the LORD) they believed things about him or worshiped him in ways that he did not prescribe at all, not even close. Judges 17 is a keen reminder of this reality in the ancient Israelites…and us. We can make God into our own image. We can be guilty of getting His name right, but ascribing things to Him that He has not revealed. This only ever happens when we choose to listen to ourselves, others, or culture over God; or we interpret what God has revealed to us through the lens of our own choosing.

Sadly, the result is the same, chaos and subtle (and not-so-subtle) destruction. How do we ensure we are actually listening to God’s voice? Two connected ways. One, by faithfully
and regularly reading the Bible. The Holy Spirit teaches us, which means that consistent reading of God’s Word has a self-correcting affect on us; the Holy Spirit won’t let us continue casting God in our own image. Two, faithful fellowship with other Christians. When we do fellowship right, we can gently nudge each other the moment we begin to make God in our own image.

So, Christian do both faithfully! God desires that you know Him!

Taste and see that the Lord is good. Psalm 34:8