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RE Verse reading–1 Samuel 8:1-10, 1 Samuel 12:1-5 (day five)  “As they have done from the day I brought them up out of Egypt until this day, forsaking me. . .so they are doing to you.” (8:8)  No hiding from it.  Who I am, the true condition of my heart, will eventually show up in every relationship.  If I am stubborn and independent with God,  I will be the same toward people.  If I love God, I will love others. (see 1 John 4:20)  The “real me” eventually comes out.  When Samuel was deeply disappointed with the people of Israel, God had to remind him.  They were only doing to Samuel–ignoring his counsel, following their own desires–what they had been doing to God for years.  Good reminder.  The true goal of the gospel is a changed heart.  “Search me, O God, and know my heart. . .lead me in the everlasting way.” (Psalm 139:23-24) Until our hearts change toward God, our relationships with others will also be unchanged.

RE Verse reading–Genesis 37:2-28; 29:1-12 (day seven)  “The Lord was with Joseph and he prospered. . .(the Lord) gave him success in everything he did.”  (29:2-3)  There are two ways to live.  Only two.   One is oriented toward the world.  Our focus and hope is in people and things.  The other is oriented toward God.  Focus and hope is on Him.  Joseph was one.  His brothers were the other.  Joseph learned this life-attitude from his father.  Explains why Jacob loved him more than his other sons, why he didn’t reject off-hand Joseph’s dream of being the leader of his family.  See 37:5ff.  Jacob learned this lesson late in life.  Certainly he would have taught it to his sons, those who would listen.  39:2 (see above) describes the impact on Joseph’s life.  Life was unfair but God blessed him!  “The eyes of the Lord search over the earth. . .to prove himself strong in behalf of the man whose heart is perfectly His.”  2 Chronicles 16:9  Two ways to live.  One much better than the other!

RE Verse reading–Psalm 95 (day six) “Come, let us worship and bow down. . .your fathers tested me. . . ‘They shall never enter my rest.’ ”  (vs 6, 9, 11)  The first sentences of Psalm 95 (vs 1-7) call us to sing, to worship, to bow down.  Expressions all of reverence to God.  Declarations of His holy worth.  The second part of the Psalm (vs 7b-11) tell us what happens when we refuse reverence.  We forfeit rest.  The powerful illustration comes from Israeli history before the wilderness wanderings.  The people tested God.  Tested His patience.  Tested His mercy.  Demanded more and more proof of His care.  Far past the point when they had sufficient evidence for trust. Do you notice that these attitudes are the exact opposite of reverence?  Not to worship God, not to declare His trustworthiness even during difficult times is a crime against Him.  A crime also against ourselves.  No worship.  No rest.  “Come (reverently) unto Me. . .I will give you rest.” says the Lord.

RE Verse reading–Psalm 40 (day four) Have you stopped recently to consider who God is and what He has done?  40:5 says, “Many, O Lord my God, are the wonders which you have done,” The Psalmist was acknowledging the mighty works of God.  Verse 5 says, “…If I would declare and speak of them, they would be too numerous to count.” When we recognize how complete and extensive God is, what should be our response?  Look at verse 9…we are to proclaim the works of His hands.  The Psalmist says his words cannot be restrained…he has to speak of His faithfulness and loving kindness.  Verse 16 also shows us a response…it is worship.  “The Lord be magnified!” Back to the original question, have you reflected on the majesty of God lately?  What was the result of your experience?  Hopefully, it is declaration and worship!  God sustains us in our need and we must be faithful to exalt His name…even when the world presses in upon us.

 

RE Verse reading–Psalm 40 (day three)  “Sacrifice and offering you did not desire—but my ears you have opened—burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not require.”  People use their ears for more—much more—than listening.  Often, ears function as filters: You hear what you want to hear.  Ears also serve as early warning systems: You recognize the voice of someone you don’t wish to see, so you go somewhere else.  God calls us to hear him—to stop even our religious observances lest they become a substitute for paying attention to him.  Jesus often punctuated his teaching with a call for people to use their ears to take his words into their minds and think: “He who has ears, let him hear.”  If we listen, we can ponder; if we ponder, we can pray.  If we pray, we  God will hear.

 

RE Verse reading-Psalm 40 (day two) My thoughts were interrupted as I wrote this by the sudden and sad news from Boston, and this week’s passage became even more significant. “I waited patiently for the Lord, and He turned to me and heard my cry for help” (40:1). As senseless suffering and death again strike our people, can we find help? The song writer says, “Yes.” “He brought me up…making my steps secure. He put a new song in my mouth.” Easy for him to say, right? God helped him, but what about those people in Boston? Not so fast. The song writer’s story is not finished. “Troubles without number have surrounded me…my courage leaves me” (40:12). This is not a song about rescue from trouble but rather rescue through trouble. Help is needed precisely because troubles are still present. The hope is that help has come, a help that carries us through. Perhaps Jesus had this on his mind when he said, “In this world you will have trouble, but take heart. I have overcome the world!” (John 16:33).

RE Verse reading–Psalm 40 (day one)  “Then I said, ‘Behold, I come. . .I delight to do Thy will, O my God.’ ”  (vs 7-8)  Ancient Judaism had a problem.  It was a system of worship designed around animal sacrifice which everyone knew was insufficient to change a heart.  “It is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sin.”  (Hebrews 10:4)  What was needed, then and now, was a perfect sacrifice, a volunteer, perfectly holy and yeilded.  David describes the exciting moment when this “Lamb” presents Himself.  It is a prophecy of Christ in His full surrender.  It describes HOW we are saved (by the death of a voluntary innocent).  It also describes WHAT we will be when we are saved.  Yielded.  Surrendered.  Obedient.  Had Christ refused God’s will, He could not love us.  When we refuse His will, we do not love Him.  These are Christ’s words and they should be ours.  “I have come to do thy will”. (Hebrews 10:7)

RE Verse reading–Psalm 34 (day seven)  “O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt His name together.”  (vs 3)  Praise to God is not a choice that should be left to individual choice or mood.  Having overcome his own saddness (see 1 Samuel 22) David begins to enlist others to the life-giving privilege of praise.  Psalm 34 is a song.  A song of evangelism.  A song of enlistment.  A song sung to his men.  Are we compelled in similar fashion?  If others do not praise God, do we encourage them to join us?  Secular culture treats faith as a matter of privacy.  In many ways, some subtle, some not, it argues that believers should be silent and non-intrusive toward people who do not praise God.  David disagress.  So does Jesus.  “true worshippers will worship the Father in Spirit and truth; for such people the Father SEEKS to be His worshippers.” (John 4:23)  God seeks people to worship.  He extends an invitation.  Do we?

RE Verse reading–Psalm 34 (day six)  “I will extol the Lord at all times; his praise will always be on my lips”  (vs 1)  It is changing my life!  Something that I learned late, and glad to know  even now.  To survive is not the highest goal.  To succeed is secondary.  To serve and praise God is my first and best responsibility.  “I will bless the Lord at all times“, says young David in the midst of a circumstance that would have destroyed most of us.  (See superscription for the historical context.)  “His praise will be always on my lips.”  All times!  Not just when things are good.  Always!  Not just when I feel safe or happy.  Praise is not something we give God as payment for services rendered.  It is not something we owe Him in prosperity.  At an early age (before he was 30) David came to a life-changing discovery.  “Rejoice always. . .in everything give thanks”  (1 Thessalonians 5:16, 18)  All times!  Always!

Re Verse reading Acts 28:17-31(day five). Acts 18:15 “At the sight of these people Paul thanked God and was encouraged.”  Donald Whitney’s book 15 Questions to Diagnose Your Spiritual Health, poses the revealing question: “Do you delight in the Bride of Christ?”  It’s a great question.  Our relationship to The Church (The Bride of Christ) says more about our spiritual health than the health of the church.  The scripture says Paul was encouraged by the presence of fellow Christians and gave thanks for them.  “The closer you are to The Lord, the closer you will be to other believers” – Peter Jeffrey.  Let’s pause this weekend and give thanks for the Body of Believers where God has placed us!  Let’s pray for the ministries and members! Let’s look for opportunities to be an encouragement to our church!  Whitney’s challenge is for us to find “irresistible joy in the presence and ministry of Christ’s people, both in congregational form and as individuals”.