Be Real

Today's Reading: Psalm 18, Genesis 18:16‐33, 1 Chronicles 21:1‐17, Luke 11:37‐12:12

Jesus has harsh words for the Pharisees in Luke 11:37-12:12. The Pharisees were men who honored God with their mouths, but whose hearts were far from God. Jesus saw right through their hypocrisy. It makes me wonder what Jesus might say to those in the church today. The "Woes" that Jesus pronounced on the Pharisees are hard words to read. I don't want to be a person who says all the right stuff about God but doesn't apply it or live it. How about you? How can we be people who are true disciples? What does a true disciple of Jesus look like?

For notes on all of today's readings click here.

Safe!

Today's Reading: Psalm 17, Genesis 18:1‐15, 1 Chronicles 18‐20, Luke 11:1‐36

Psalm 17 - When I was a boy I got lost in a big department store. I was scared to death. I remember running up and down the aisles, searching for my Dad with a look of sheer terror in my eyes. The store security guard must have noticed my fear, because he sought me out and asked what was going on.

I cried, "I can't find my Dad."

The security guard had heard it hundreds of times before, maybe even from another child already that day.

"What's your name, son?"

"Brian."

"Let's call for your Dad over the store intercom."

Little did I know it, but my Dad was desperately searching for me too. When the speakers in the store announced that there was a little lost boy looking for his Daddy, my Dad greeted me at store security.

He wrapped his arms around me and told me how worried he was. Then he kissed me.

We walked out of that store, arm in arm. Under the shadow of my Dad's strong arm, I felt safe.

David felt that way in the arms of God. In Psalm 17:8 we read, "Keep me as the apple of your eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings,"

What a beautiful verse! What a vivid reminder of the Father's love for us. May you find yourself hidden under the shadow of God's wings!

For notes on the rest of today's readings click here.

The Good Samaritan

Today's Reading: Psalm 16, Genesis 17, 1 Chronicles 17, Luke 10:25‐42

For years when I read the parable of the Good Samaritan, I assumed that Jesus was trying to teach us that we were supposed to be like the Good Samaritan, reaching out to those in need, unlike the fake religious leaders who passed the wounded man by. Then I read some fantastic sermons on this passage.

The idea of the parable of the Good Samaritan is that we are the man who has been left half dead. God is the Good Samaritan. We are helpless to do anything about our sinful state unless Jesus comes to rescue us. Jesus has called us to be like Him. To be a Christian literally means to be a "little Christ."

Jesus asked the lawyer who asked the initial question in Luke 10, "Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?" The man answered that it was the one who showed mercy. Jesus then told him to go and do likewise.

There are surely some people in your life who need to be rescued by Jesus. Will you go find them and bring them to the Savior?

For notes on the rest of today's readings click here.

God Loves To Work Through Us

Today's Reading: Psalm 15, Genesis 16, 1 Chronicles 16:4‐43,Luke 9:51‐10:24

I love Jesus' model of ministry. He sent out the twelve, equipped to do ministry, in Luke 9. Now, at the beginning of Luke 10, He send out the seventy-two. The mandate is the same. These seventy-two, who had followed Jesus closely, were ready to be used by God in the work of ministry.

Like the twelve, when the seventy-two come back, they are excited about what God did through them. They tell Jesus all about demons being subject to the name of Jesus. Jesus exhorts them to not rejoice in their ability to cast out demons in Jesus name as much as in the fact that their names are written down in heaven.

It is a miracle that God would choose to redeem any of us, let alone use us in His service. May we rejoice when God chooses to use us. May we also rejoice continually over the fact that, if we are believers, God has saved us. That is the ultimate thing to rejoice in.

For notes on all of today's readings click here.

"You Give Them Something To Eat"

Today's Reading: Psalm 14, Genesis 15, 1 Chronicles 15:1-16:3, Luke 9:1-50

What an amazing passage of Scripture! Luke 9:1-50 begins with the sending out of the twelve apostles. They were ready to go. Whether they knew it or not, God intended to work through them to do miraculous things.

Jesus would later say that they would do even "greater things" than He had done while on earth.

They come back from their first ministry trip excited! They have seen God work. And, they also come back worn out. It's not uncommon, when serving the Lord, to feel fatigue. Serving God is spiritual battle. It can be intense. It's people work. People can say mean things, or do mean things. Jesus even told his disciples that might happen.

So, even though they come back excited, they are ready for rest. But, when they come back they encounter a crowd of 5,000 men, and many more women and children, who have come to hear Jesus teach and see the disciples. That's right, news had spread about what God was doing through the disciples.

I write all of this to point out something that Jesus said in Luke 9:13. After telling Jesus to send the crowd away, for evening was coming, the disciples were tired, and they were in a desolate place with no food, Jesus said, "You give them something to eat."

The feeding of the 5,000 is one of the most famous stories in the Bible. Have you ever heard a pastor speak about Jesus' first solution to the problem? He said, "You give them something to eat."

The disciples had just been the instruments of God, casting out demons and curing diseases. Jesus knew, if they would let God do it, that the disciples could feed the crowd. The disciples immediately responded to Jesus by showing Him why they couldn't feed the crowd. Jesus then preformed the miracle.

I wonder how many miracles we miss out on because we don't trust the Lord. He wants to do something great, and we miss it. I'm praying that I won't miss my "You give them something to eat" moment.

For notes on all of today's passages click here.

Haiti Response

We have all been shocked and saddened by the crisis that is taking place in Haiti this week. Please prayerfully consider making a donation to the Samaritan's Purse Help for Haiti Quake Victims fund that has been established to bring lifesaving ministries to the people of Haiti. Samaritan's Purse is already on the ground in Haiti making a difference. Very few of us have the ability to leave our homes to go to Haiti and make a difference, but we can provide a few dollars to help fight the devastation. Funds are needed quickly as the needs are so great. You can visit the Samaritan's Purse website by clicking here.

In the meantime, please take the time to watch this video from Franklin Graham.

The Hard Way

Today's Reading: Psalm 13, Genesis 14, 1 Chronicles 14, Luke 8:22‐56

Years ago, DC Talk recorded a song entitled, The Hard Way. It was a song that dealt with the stubbornness of some of us when it came to what God wanted to teach us. Aren't you glad that God loves even stubborn people?

In Psalm 13:5 David writes, "But I have trusted in your steadfast love; my heart shall rejoice in your salvation."

No matter what we do, no matter what our past, no matter what we will do in the future; God's love for us remains steadfast.

As a pastor, I talk to so many hurting people. Not a week goes by where I am not in conversations with people who feel like their entire world is crashing. The good news is, God knows. He knows right where you are. He knows where you have been. He knows right where you will be. And, His love for you remains steadfast.

Wouldn't it be nice if everyone in our lives loved us with that type of love? Without God, that type of love is impossible. The best friendships, the best marriages, the best parent/child relationships, the best jobs are all impacted by love that doesn't remain steadfast.

If God has called us to be like Him, and if His love is steadfast, then by His power, we too can show this kind of love.

So, let's stop learning the hard way. Let's stop running in every direction but the direction that will lead to fulfillment. Run to God's open arms. Let your hear rejoice in His salvation. And, show that type of love to others.