Tag: Devotions

Today´s reading:
OT: Exodus 30:11-38, Exodus 31:1-18
NT: Matthew 26:47-68
Ps: Psalm 32
Pr: Proverbs 8:27-32

Today´s notable verse:

Then I acknowledged my sin to you
and did not cover up my iniquity.
I said, “I will confess
my transgressions to the LORD “—
and you forgave
the guilt of my sin.
Selah

Psalm 32:5 (NIV)

What a relief it is to confess our sins to our Lord! When we keep our sin to ourselves, the weight of it is heavy upon us (verse 4); but when we confess it, the burden is lifted – often, tangibly so.

The One Year Bible Blog asks:

Comments from you & Question of the Day – Psalm 32 is a powerful Psalm on confession and forgiveness. How do you confess your sins these days? Do you confess them verbally to someone else – a pastor / minister / priest / mentor / friend / accountability partner? Why do you confess them verbally? Do you confess your sins to God in prayer? After confessing your sins verbally or in prayer do you feel any different? Do you think confession is relevant? Do you think confession is a spiritual discipline?

One of the difficult things about moving around somewhat frequently (twice since college graduation) is the formation of relationships sufficiently intimate to allow for accountability. I am just now getting to the point in some close relationships that I can count on one or two as accountability partners, one in particular. I think it wise to have two types of relationships: one peer relationship, and one mentor relationship. I am working on both. Since college, the majority of my confession has been to God alone, in prayer; but I think the principle confession to one another is extremely important:

Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.

James 5:16 (NIV)

However confession is made, I always “feel better” and am able to “move on” afterward. The reason is that, before confession, when we willfully withhold that confession, we open ourselves to worldly sorrow and guilt; but when we yield to the Spirit, and openly confess our sins, we are blessed with Godly sorrow:

¹⁰ Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death. ¹¹ See what this godly sorrow has produced in you: what earnestness, what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what alarm, what longing, what concern, what readiness to see justice done.

II Corinthians 7:10-11a

Worldly sorrow – that to which we open ourselves by withholding the confession of our sin – brings death: Satan condemns us of the guilt of our sin, and the wages of sin is death. That death is spiritual death, or separation from God. The longer we withhold our confession, the longer we allow the Accuser to separate us from God by overwhelming us with the guilt and sorrow of our sin.

But when we confess our sin to the Lord, we accept Christ’s atonement for our sin, and no longer bear the burden of its guilt, which Christ bore for us on the cross. Instead, that condemning guilt is replaced, through the Spirit, with a desire to right wrongs and to do right and to pursue Godliness and holiness. Praise God for His grace!

Today´s reading:
OT: Exodus 29, Exodus 30:1-10
NT: Matthew 26:14-46
Ps: Psalm 31:19-24
Pr: Proverbs 8:14-26

Today´s notable verse:

¹⁷ I love those who love me, and those who seek me find me.

¹⁸ With me are riches and honor, enduring wealth and prosperity.

¹⁹ My fruit is better than fine gold; what I yield surpasses choice silver.

²⁰ I walk in the way of righteousness, along the paths of justice,

²¹ bestowing wealth on those who love me and making their treasuries full.

Proverbs 8:17-21 (NIV)

Remember, this chapter refers to wisdom (also, as I pointed out yesterday, symbolic of and analogous to the Holy Spirit). Those who seek wisdom find it; James gives us the key:

If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.

James 1:5 (NIV)

When God gives us this wisdom, we grasp His perspective with respect to the true nature of riches, honor, wealth, and prosperity – and what a blessing that perspective is, because what the world offers for these things will always prove to be insufficient and empty compared to what God wants for us.

The One Year Bible Blog asks:

Comments from you & Question of the Day – Do our readings in Matthew today remind you of Communion / The Lord’s Supper at your church? Is this a positive remembrance for you? How important is Communion / The Lord’s Supper to you personally these days? Do you look forward to this remembrance at your church? Have you ever experienced Communion / The Lord’s Supper with others in settings outside of your normal worship experience? Maybe at a prayer gathering or outside or in other beautiful settings?

Communion is not just important; it is vital to the life of the believer! Paul even ascribes tangible, physical consequences for partaking of communion improperly:

²⁷ Therefore, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. ²⁸ A man ought to examine himself before he eats of the bread and drinks of the cup. ²⁹ For anyone who eats and drinks without recognizing the body of the Lord eats and drinks judgment on himself. ³⁰ That is why many among you are weak and sick, and a number of you have fallen asleep.

I Corinthians 11:27-30

Note, here, that Paul was admonishing the Corinthians for treating communion as just another meal, and were acting out of gluttony and selfishness – but the point is the same: they abused that which Christ ordained as sacred, and thereby ate and drank judgement upon themselves, in the form of sickness and even death.

My church has communion every week, and I prefer churches that do so. However, I love opportunities to share in communion in settings outside of regular church services. I have taken communion with 60,000 men at a Promise Keepers convention, at a rest stop with a mission group during a mission trip, at a state park while camping – I’m sure there are others as well. What I love about these occasions is that the focus remains on communion – and the reason for and basis of communion: Christ – rather than the service during which it is taken.

Reflections has been added to the OYB blogroll. Welcome!

Street Preacher has been added to the OYB blogroll. Welcome!

Today´s reading:
OT: Exodus 28
NT: Matthew 25:36-46, Matthew 26:1-13
Ps: Psalm 31:9-18
Pr: Proverbs 8:12-13

Today´s notable verse:

The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’

Matthew 25:40 (NIV)

There it is – the heart of “religion” from the Author and Perfecter of our faith: to give, to serve, to love. Christ-like “religion” is not about outward appearances, or rituals, or even sacraments; it is about maintaining a humble spirit and a selfless, Christ- and other-centered attitude, through which we serve those in need.

The One Year Bible Blog notes:

Comments from you & Question of the Day – Back to Psalm 31 verse 10 above – this past year I read C.S. Lewis’ book “A Grief Observed”. Has anyone read this? …Let me know reviews in the Comments section below if you’ve read A Grief Observed, or know others who have? Has it been consoling for you during a time of loss? Do you have any other book recommendations for people who might be going through grief? Books that were helpful to you when you went through a time of grief?

I’ve not read it. I would write more, but a short lunch break today demands a brief post…

Today´s reading:
OT: Exodus 26, Exodus 27
NT: Matthew 25:1-30
Ps: Psalm 31:1-8
Pr: Proverbs 8:1-11

Today´s notable verse:

Since you are my rock and my fortress, for the sake of your name lead and guide me.

Psalm 31:3 (NIV)

The One Year Bible Blog notes:

Comments from you & Question of the Day – Based on Proverbs 8:10-11 above, Are you seeking God’s instruction in your life above all else? Do you agree with this Proverb that wisdom is far more valuable than riches? Is reading the Bible each day here in 2006 adding to your wisdom? Are you seeking to do more than just read the Bible this year? Are you diving into further study of the Bible? Are you allowing your study of the Bible to transform you? Are you allowing the Bible to change how you think, act, and live? Are you allowing the Bible to give you godly wisdom? Will you accept God’s free gift of Biblical wisdom each and every day of your life?

I remember from a previous study of Proverbs 8 that what strikes me about this chapter is the the presence and inter-changeability of the Holy Spirit for wisdom. This revelation was powerful to me, in that it reinforced the work of the Spirit in our lives; when we have the Spirit, we truly have God’s Wisdom directing our lives – when we yield to it! I have in my life this very second all the Widsom of God, in the person of the Holy Spirit. How it must grieve Him when I choose to act in my own understanding rather than rely on the Widsom He wants to impart to me – much less, when I act intentionally contrary to that wisdom.

Wisdom is certainly more valuable than riches; for one, with God’s wisdom, we gain a Godly perspective on what is truly valuable, and also how to handle those things of value with which God entrusts us. Without a doubt, the more time I spend in the Word, the more I am transformed. More and more, I am exposed to my own iniquities, and presented with the choice to think, decide, and act according to my sinful nature or according to God’s will and wisdom. On that measure, I gain a greater understanding of God’s grace, as I all too often yield to my sinful nature, rather than rely on the still, small voice of God’s Spirit, who directs my path – if only I choose to let Him.

Loving God Holy has been added to the OYB blogroll. Welcome!

Today´s reading:
OT: Exodus 23:14-33, Exodus 24, Exodus 25
NT: Matthew 24:29-51
Ps: Psalm 30
Pr: Proverbs 7:24-27

Today´s notable verse:

No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.

Matthew 24:36 (NIV)

I must admit that I’m a bit perplexed by this verse. If the Son and the Father are one, why doesn’t the Son know the day or hour? Is God the Son, in human form, somehow limited in His omniscience? Any thoughts on this verse?

The One Year Bible Blog asks:

Comments from you & Question of the Day – In today and yesterday’s readings in Matthew chapter 24 we read about the end times. Do you do much study of the end times? What are some books or resources or websites you could point others to, to study more about the end times? …How often do you think about the end times? Do you think there should be a healthy balance of time and study when it comes to reflecting on the end times?

I really don’t. I cannot control or predict what is to come in the future. I can’t change times or events. All I can control is what I do with today. To be sure, we should live with the urgency of Christ’s imminent return, so that we are not caught unaware, but are found to be about our Master’s business. But what will happen, with respect to “end times”, will happen. I am more concerned with the present, and how I handle the time and resources I have today, though with an eternal – rather than temporal – perspective.

Today´s reading:
OT: Exodus 21:22-36, Exodus 22, Exodus 23:1-13
NT: Matthew 24:1-28
Ps: Psalm 29
Pr: Proverbs 6:7-23

Today´s notable verse:

And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.

Matthew 24:14 (NIV)

The One Year Bible Blog notes:

Comments from you & Question of the Day – I read an interesting commentary on Psalm 29 verse 2 today – “Give honor to the LORD for the glory of his name. Worship the LORD in the splendor of his holiness.” This commentary suggested that possibly “worshiping God in the splendor of his holiness” may have been a call for the ancient worshipers to basically dress up before going to the Temple. To wear the proper white robes or garb for worship. And this made me think about how we dress for church today. I’m wondering if maybe we’re getting too casual in the way we dress for church these days? I know in my grandparents’ day, you were in a suit / nice dress. Today, it seems like we can go to church in just about whatever we want to wear – jeans, T-shirts, flip-flops, etc. And maybe this is okay? Maybe this is a good thing? Or maybe not? Dennis Prager on his radio show talks about this very topic and says that if we were going to meet with the Queen of England, how would we dress? Obviously, we’d dress nicely. Well, if in church we’re going to meet with the King of all creation, how then should we dress? At least as nicely as we’d dress for meeting with the Queen of England? Or no…? Please let me know your thoughts on this topic. Do you dress up for church? Why or why not? Are we getting too casual with what we wear to church these days? Should we maybe learn something from this Psalm and “worship God in the splendor of his holiness”?

Interesting you should mention that; I actually did meet the Queen of England (Manchester, July 2000 – see the Missions section for pictures)! As I remember, I was wearing jeans, a t-shirt, and a windbreaker. More importantly, the Bible consistently talks about God desiring the splendor of His holiness on the inside – the heart – of man. What is external does not make a man clean or unclean (worthy/holy or unworthy/unholy), but what is in his heart. If my appearance is a distraction to me (or to others), or if my attitude is one of laziness or ungratefulness, then the condidtion of my heart is the problem; my appearance is but a symptom. We have to be careful of the other extreme, as well; church attire can all too easily become a matter of pride and favoritism, and can make visitors/unbelievers who think they have to dress “appropriately” unwelcome or unwilling even to walk through the doors.

I also have this nagging thought that I would be awfully arrogant to think that the “splendor of His holiness” could be evidenced in any way by my appearance – as if this or that shirt has more or less of that splendor.

In answer to your question, I dress for church in all manner, depending on the circumstance and the culture of the church. (Remember II Corinthians 9:19-22) I am just as comfortable in shorts and sandals as I am in a suit and tie. My ability to worship God or to receive a word of teaching has nothing to do with how I dress, but everything to do with the condition of my heart.

Today´s reading:
OT: Exodus 19:16-25, Exodus 20, Exodus 21:1-21
NT: Matthew 23:13-39
Ps: Psalm 28
Pr: Proverbs 7:1-5

Today´s notable verse:

The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and I am helped. My heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to him in song.

Psalm 28:7 (NIV)

The One Year Bible Blog asks:

Comments from you & Question of the Day – Since we’ve arrived at the Ten Commandments in our readings today, now is an appropriate time to ask – are the Ten Commandments important to you? How? Have they always been important to you? …Do you think that we should meditate upon the Ten Commandments and our actions? Or is just meditating upon Jesus alone enough?

I’ve had many discussions and read or heard many commentaries abut the Ten Commandments, the Law, and Christ, and what applies to the christian today. As I wrote yesterday, Jesus said that “Love God” and “Love each other as yourself” summarize, complete, and perfect the Law and the Prophets. The Ten Commandments still apply today, but Christ has called us to a more perfect standard. If we are judging ourselves against the Ten Commandments, then we are looking at the bare minimum – the line between righteousness and sin – rather than the Ultimate Standard: holiness.

If our minds and our hearts are set upon loving God, then we will never even have to question whether or not we are using His name in vain, because we will always be honoring Him with our lips. If we love our neighbor as ourselves, then we will never have to worry whether or not we are coveting that which is his, because we would be considering how we might give up what is ours in order to fulfill his needs. We do not need to worry about bearing false witness against our neighbor, because we strive always to proclaim the truth of Christ.

We do not need to observe specific holy days set apart to God, because every day we wake up, we recognize as a gift from God, and set it apart to Him. We do not need to worry about regulations for indentured servanthood or proper treatment of those indebted to us, because we do not hold out debts against our brothers.

And just as the Ten Commandments and the Law foretold and symbolized the coming Messiah, and were but a pale reflection of the Law He would establish, so also do the Ten Commandments and the Law serve as a reminder of my need for that Messiah. I struggle to keep the imperfect law; how much more in need of a Savior am I, if I am to strive to live up to the Perfect Law!