To Be A Leper

Today's Reading: Psalm 25, Genesis 24, 1 Chrronicles 29:1‐22a, Luke 17:11‐37

Luke 17:11-37 – We serve a God who is omniscient. He knows everything that will happen. As such, he knew that when he healed the lepers, only one would come back to thank Him. Did that stop Christ from healing? No! He didn’t heal for thanks. He healed because it was the right thing to do. Did you notice who came back to thank Christ? It was the Samaritan leper.

Lepers were the scourge of ancient society. Lepers were relegated to living outside of the town. With no known cure, leprosy was easily spread and it killed. Jesus loved to heal lepers. He healed some by touching them. It would have been the first time in years that they had felt another human being touch them. He could have just healed with his words, like he seemed to do here, but for some, it was His touch. If lepers were society’s scourge, then Samaritan lepers were several steps lower, as far as a righteous Jew was concerned. The Samaritans were enemies of the Jews. These races hated each other. And yet Jesus healed a Samaritan. It would have been a valuable lesson for His followers. Jesus loved Samaritans. Jesus loved lepers. And, Jesus loves you.

Leprosy has largely disappeared from the medical world today, but Christ’s love still reaches out to those who are society’s outcasts. So should our love be!

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

Great Conversations

Today's Reading: Psalm 24, Genesis 23, 1 Chronicles 28, Luke 16:1-17:10

1 Chronicles 28 - There is something beautiful about the charge that a father gives to his son, when it is a charge that glorifies God.

That is the type of charge that David gave to Solomon in 1 Chronicles 28. We have already read in 1 Chronicles that David and Solomon had many conversations, but we have not been made privy to what was said in those conversations.In this chapter we get to read what David said to his son, and it is awesome.

David calls Solomon to worship God with a whole heart and a willing mind. Those are words coming from a man who was called a man after God's own heart. David wanted his son to know the joy of wholehearted servanthood to God. I find the words "willing mind" interesting. He didn't tell Solomon to have an intellectual mind or a discerning mind. He told him to have a willing mind. Our minds need to be willing to let God be God. He then challenges Solomon to seek God, and reminds him that if Solomon seeks God, God will be found. This is a promise repeated in so many places in the Bible. He also warns him not to forsake God, because if he does, Solomon is told that he will be cast off forever.

How awesome would it be if every Dad had that kind of talk with his sons? May we teach the next generation to seek after God's heart!

Luke 16:1-17:10 - Wow! There is so much here. It's tough to know where to start. Let me just say I am struck by the fact that God continually reminds us that He is God and only He is God. We cannot serve both God and money.

As a pastor, I'm struck by how many times I struggle with this. I know that God is the answer to my toughest problems, but somehow think that if I had more money my problems would somehow go away. That could not be further from the truth. I need God, not money, and until I come to grips with that, money will compete for the place that God deserves to be in my life.

Interesting that the religious leaders in Jesus' day were lovers of money. I wonder how far we have come.

Jesus didn't mince words when it came to divorce and remarriage. He is a God who truly does hate divorce. We need to view marriage as precious and not be so quick to throw marriage away when stress comes.

How severe God treats those who cause others to sin! I don't want to be the source of other's sin. No wonder Jesus, in the Lord's prayer, prayed "lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil." May we not be the one leading others into temptation!

I want faith that is larger than a mustard seed! Imagine what could happen with that kind of faith.

I Will Dwell

Today’s Reading: Psalm 23, Genesis 22, 1 Chronicles 27, Luke 15

Psalm 23 – One of my favorite parts of being a pastor the privilege that I am given to enter people’s lives at some of their most tender and precious moments. I love when I get to be in a hospital room with a new mother and her child. I love being there to celebrate moments like high school graduations, weddings, and special anniversaries. And, at times I am in the room when a person says “Good bye,” to this life and walks into the arms of Jesus.

I remember one of those times a few years back. I was called at midnight to join a family who was gathered around the hospital bedside of Geva Lou, the matriarch of the family. Her son, daughter-in-law and grandchildren were gathered at her side, as was her sister and brother-in-law. It was a shocking day for them. Just earlier in the day, this dear woman was getting her hair styled at her favorite salon. Now, she lay dying in a hospital bed. She had been unaware of the fact that her organs had been shutting down for the past couple of weeks. When she experienced abdominal pain and went to the ER, she had no idea that she would be in surgery minutes later, only to be closed back up with the dire realization that nothing could be done. She would die within hours.

I joined the family in those dying moments. They asked if I would read Scripture, so I opened my Bible to Psalm 23. As I read this precious Psalm, Geva Lou’s breathing grew more faint. I came to Psalm 23:6, “Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.”
As I finished reading that verse, Geva Lou’s sister said, “Go. Dwell in the house of the LORD forever. I will see you on the other side. I love you.”

And with that, Geva Lou died. She went from suffering in a bed into the arms of Jesus.

Psalm 23 has been a psalm of comfort to so many generations of people. David truly wrote words that were inspired by God. What is your favorite part of the 23rd Psalm?

Genesis 22 – I have a confession to make. For years I hated Genesis 22. I didn’t like what the passage said about God. I didn’t like to think about the trauma that God’s request caused Abraham. And, I sure didn’t like what it would have done to Isaac. But, I’ve grown. And, today I see Genesis 22 in an entirely different light. It is a beautiful picture not only of God’s love but of the growth of a man and his faith.

If you’ve been taking The Challenge you may have noticed that Abraham’s faith frustrates me sometimes. He is seen as a giant in the faith, and yet he blows it over and over again. He lacks faith in God’s ability to protect him, two different times calling Sarah his sister instead of his wife to save his own skin. He impregnates his wife’s servant when he ceases to trust that God will follow through on his covenant with him. And, there are a host of other situations.

But, in Genesis 22 an entirely different Abraham emerges. This is a man who is convinced that if God can grant him a child at 100 years old, that God can protect that child even if it is from God’s hand that God might be protecting the child.

When God asks Abraham to shed his own son’s blood, it isn’t because God wants Isaac dead, it’s because he wants to see just how far Abraham would obey Him. Abraham has now passed the point where I would ever go. I couldn’t do what God asked Abraham to do. My faith would be so weak. But, Abraham follows God, even so far as to put Isaac on the altar. Then God says, “Stop,” and provides Abraham with a sacrificial lamb.

Abraham had grown in his faith. There was hope for this sinful man. And, there is hope for you and me. But, our hope is in Jesus. While God allowed Abraham’s son to live, He did not spare His own Son, Jesus Christ. Christ came into the world and became our salvation. Through His death, we can be healed. Through His resurrection power we can be forgiven. Our God is THE AWESOME GOD.

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

The Cost of Discipleship

Today's Reading: Psalm 22, Genesis 21:22‐34, 1 Chronicles 26, Luke 14

Year's ago, German theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote a book entitled, The Cost of Discipleship. He was a man who understood what it meant to pay a price for following Jesus. His unwavering commitment to the truth caused him to stand up for Christ against Hitler's regime. He was thrown in prison for faith and eventually put to death.

In his book, Bonhoeffer speculated as to why the church in Europe had become so ineffective. He believed it was because the church had begun to preach cheap grace. Look at this quote from The Cost of Discipleship: ". . .this cheap grace has turned back upon us like a boomerang. The price we are having to pay today in the shape of the collapse of the organized church is only the inevitable consequence of our policy of making grace available at all too low a cost. We gave away the Word and sacraments wholesale; we baptized, confirmed, and absolved a whole nation unasked and without condition. Our humanitarian sentiment made us give that which was holy to the scornful and unbelieving. We poured forth unending streams of grace. But the call to follow Jesus in the narrow way was hardly ever heard."

When He spoke to those around Him in Luke 14, Jesus minced no words when talking about the cost of following Him. As you read today's passages you'll see that sometimes following Christ can be tough, but it is always worth it.

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

The Power and Authority of Christ

Today's Reading: Psalm 21, Genesis 21:1‐21, 1 Chronicles 25, Luke 13:10‐35

Psalm 21 - 11 Though they plan evil against you, though they devise mischief, they will not succeed.

Some of the greatest athletes in the world have the ability to turn a game around when it looks like all of the momentum has turned against them. Even the greatest athlete can't win every game. God isn't an athlete, and He isn't playing a game, but He is in a battle and sometimes it looks like the devil is winning. But, God cannot lose to Satan.

David knew this. In Psalm 21:11 he wrote about the futility in taking sides against the Lord. God always wins in the end.

Isn't it good to know that no matter what type of evil is directed against the Lord, He will ultimately prevail? We can depend upon Him for God wins in the end!

Luke 13:10-35 - Jesus shook up the religious system in the world He entered. He saw past the legalism of the Jewish system and spoke to what the spirit of the law was about.

When a woman who had been disabled by an evil spirit for eighteen years came into the synagogue on the Sabbath, Jesus healed her. The ruler of the synagogue made a stink because Jesus healed on the Sabbath. He basically said, "She could have come six other days this week for healing. We don't heal on the Sabbath."

Jesus responded with power and authority, "You hypocrites! Does not each of you on the Sabbath untie his ox or his donkey from the manger and lead it away to water it? 16 And ought not this woman, a daughter of Abraham whom Satan bound for eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath day?” 17 As he said these things, all his adversaries were put to shame, and all the people rejoiced at all the glorious things that were done by him.

That's my Jesus! I love Him so much.

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

Powerful Words

Today's Reading: Psalm 20, Genesis 20, 1 Chronicles 23‐24, Luke 12:49‐13:9

Psalm 20 - 7 Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God

One of the first retreats that I ever went on as a youth pastor was a national youth conference in Fort Walton Beach, Florida. The man who had been hired to lead worship for the week was a quirky guy who loved to turn obscure Bible verses into songs. He then added his own sound effects and noises to the music he created.

Psalm 20:7 was one of the verses that he turned into song. And you know what? I'll never forget the song. I can't tell you how many hundreds of times the words to Psalm 20:7 have been replayed in my mind because of quirky dude's music. And, the words have been such a comfort.

I need to trust in God to provide for my needs. So, do you. The Lord is the source of every blessing in our life. When we are blessed, praise the Lord. When we go through trials, turn to the Lord. He is the ultimate source of strength.

Genesis 20 - Abraham sure was a slow learner. Once again he calls Sarah his sister, leading another king to take her into his household as a wife. God again intervenes and saves both Sarah's dignity and preserves his vow with Abraham. I get mad at Abraham when I read this passage, and I get reminded of how easy it is for any of us to stumble, if we are trusting in ourselves instead of God.

Watch What You Say

Today's Reading: Psalm 19, Genesis 19, 1 Chronicles 21:18‐22:19, Luke 12:13‐48

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.

When I was a new youth pastor, serving a church outside of Washington D.C., I had the privilege of meeting a man named Cooper. Cooper had been a pastor for a number of years, and was now working in corporate America. On occasion, Cooper would preach a message at our church. I loved when this man spoke. He had a tender heart for God and a real passion for the Word.

One of the things I'll never forget about Cooper was the way that he prayed before each message. He always ended his prayer with David's words from Psalm 19:14: Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.

Would that we would all pray such things before we spoke! It might just change the way that God worked through us.