Author: Scott Lane

Re:Verse reading–Acts 4:1-22 (day five)

“But when they hand you over, do not worry about how or what you are to say; for it will be given you in that hour what you are to say. For it is not you who speak, but it is the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you.”  Matthew 10:19-20

Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them… , Now as they observed the confidence of Peter and John and understood that they were uneducated and untrained men, they were amazed, and began to recognize them as having been with Jesus.  Acts 4:8, 13

How often are we aware that God’s promises are being kept and displayed in our lives? Moments of sadness and grief are accompanied by His promised peace and presence. Moments of fear or weakness are accompanied by His promised courage. Moments of confusion are accompanied by His promised wisdom. Moments of uncertainty are accompanied by His guidance and direction. (And the list goes on and on).

Maybe today we should all do a promise inventory (of times we have been witnesses and benefactors of God’s Promises). Maybe a prayer of thanksgiving should be spoken. “God I thank You because you have kept (demonstrated) Your promise of _____________________ to me”

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

Have you ever left something at church? Keys? Phone? Purse? Pen? Bible? Actually, we have a large collection of Bibles in our “Lost and Found Closet”. Matt Chandler often “razzes” his congregation, “If you don’t have a Bible… I always want to encourage you to go to the lost and found and get yourself a nice leather one.”

Paul is teaches that the grace of God is NOT one of those things that can be lost or left at church. Why? 1 Corinthians 15:10- “But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me did not prove vain; but I labored even more than all of them, yet not I, but the grace of God with me.” (emphasis mine)

God’s grace goes with us because Christ goes with us by His Spirit. Moment by moment, circumstance by circumstance, God’s Grace is at work and is present. What a comfort! What a promise! What hope! What strength!

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

³¹“Simon, Simon, behold, Satan has demanded permission to sift you like wheat; ³² but I have prayed for you, that your faith may not fail; and you, when once you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.”

Do you think Peter was even aware of the invisible battle for the souls and faith of men?   Jesus certainly was. Paul writes to the believers in Ephesus concerning the same truth, “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood”.

How about us? Are we aware? Prepared? Willing to resist, flee?

Look at Peter’s perspective years later… 1 Peter 5:8-10  Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. But resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world. After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you.

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

I have heard and often quoted the phrase, “The goal of the Christian life is progress, not perfection”.  This mindset encourages me to continue learning, growing, following, and seeking after the Lord.  It often creates patience in me as I wait for guidance and answers.  This week I noticed “progress” in Jesus’ prayers in the garden as He prayed and processed the decision and commitment to do the Lord’s will.  His first prayer (v. 39) was to ask or petition that there be another way.  Yet He was absolutely surrendered to do God’s will.  His second prayer (v.42) shows progress.  Notice how His perspective changes.  Jesus indicates a growing awareness that the only way for the cup to pass, is for Him to drink it.  And His determination to do God’s will has not changed.

Do our prayers and actions demonstrate progress?  Do we look and listen for God to show us where progress can be found and made in our efforts and desire to do God’s will?

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

Luke 12:31-  “But seek His kingdom, and these things will be added to you.”   Jesus’ language signals a deeper thought that we might miss because we lose the first century background and understanding with today’s western cultural perspective. Jesus strategically uses the word kingdom. He was signaling to His listeners that in fact God (His Father) was The King of a real and present kingdom where there is an active, caring, generous, and powerful ruler on the throne. A kingdom in which men can belong and find peace and trust in its King. A kingdom where the King lovingly and graciously meets the needs of His subjects. A kingdom that signals to the world that The Living God is in control, His will is done, and His purposes are accomplished.
Seeking His kingdom directs us to constantly focus on the King and His greatness. Sounds like worship to me!  Worship and worry don’t go together.

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

Often people will say the God of the Old Testament is judgmental, harsh, and filled with wrath, while in the New Testament He is merciful, gracious, loving, and forgiving. Yet, what we find is that there is NO Difference in His nature and character from Genesis to Revelation. There is a “fierce mercy” found in His nature throughout scripture. He demonstrates it in Jonah. He is not hindered or threatened by seemingly man made boundaries (geographical, moral, social) in His love and kindness for people. Jonah knew this to be true about God (Jonah 4:2).

In the New Testament, Jesus is the perfect picture of God’s mercy as He crossed many of the same boundaries to seek and to save the lost. His love for lepers, tax collectors, sinners, and criminals was clearly evident.

Are we filled with that same view and perspective to love and to minister to people?        Are there boundaries (moral, social, political) that we will not cross to share the gospel? God’s mercy says there are none.

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

It’s been a wonderful week serving, working, and connecting with residents and children across the Calgary, Canada area. One of the tasks this week has been to shape the minds and hearts of children around the truths of God’s nature and character through singing. You know, the camp songs with the fun motions. One of my favorites has the following lyrics, “My God is so big, so strong and so mighty, there’s nothing my God cannot do”. Sound familiar?? (If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the furnace of blazing fire; and He will deliver us out of your hand, O king.)

I wonder where these three teenagers learned and became convinced of God’s strength, power, and wisdom. Perhaps as children, their parents, grandparents, or others from their community of faith imparted these truths into their tender hearts. I’m praying for the next generation to be filled with that kind of trust and courage in God’s sovereignty and wisdom. I’m praying for parents, grandparents, and a community of faith that will intentionally and strategically remind and encourage them with these timeless truths.

Re: Verse reading– Jeremiah 1 (day five)

It’s an interesting conversation. God declares His intent to use Jeremiah in the role of prophet. God prefaces His “call” with a personal and intimate description of His knowledge, wisdom, and care in creating Jeremiah.

Jeremiah begins to process God’s announcement. It’s as if he began asking the wrong questions. Questions like, “Am I capable? Am I qualified?” (Notice the focus “I”) Jeremiah’s answer- “No, I am not, because I am too young and I do not know how to speak.”

God challenges the focus by stating, “Don’t say ‘I am too young’ ”. He then begins to give the answers to the questions that Jeremiah should have been asking/thinking. “You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you.” (What are my instructions?) “Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you.” (Will you be with me?)

As God speaks to us, the right questions are “What are my instructions?” and “Will you be with me?”