November 9 - Matthew 26; Mark 14: The Betrayal of Abandoned Jesus

Today’s Reading: Matthew 26; Mark 14

The Message

English Standard Version

Thought to Guide Your Reading

The Creator is arrested and put on trial for suggesting He is the Savior of the world.

Summary in 100 Words or Less

A woman anointed Jesus with perfume.
Judas would betray Jesus for 30 silver coins.
During the Passover meal Jesus asserted that an Apostle would betray Him.
They ate bread and wine, representing His Body and Blood.
Jesus informed the Apostles, "You will leave Me." Peter protested. "Peter, you will deny Me three times before morning."
Jesus submitted to God's Plan, though He prayed that God find a different way.
Judas betrayed Jesus. The Disciples fled.
Caiaphas heard accusations against Jesus. Jesus told Caiaphas He was the Messiah. The crowds cried for Jesus' execution.
Three times Peter denied he knew Jesus.

How Today’s Reading Contributes to the Gospel: God is Setting All Things Right

The Pharisees wanted a quick and easy execution to prevent a riot.

They realized if Jesus was taken while teaching the crowds would turn into a mob and remove the Pharisees from power. Therefore they wanted a quick, easy trial to sweep Jesus away.

Even though it was necessary for the world, it was better that Judas never had been born.

This is a difficult statement. Jesus is setting up a paradox which would seem contradictory—a vital act which would cause significant punishment to the one carrying it out. I'm not sure I can understand it. What we should know is that even though God can use any and all situations for good, the ones who do not set things right will still be punished.

The Passover Supper was given new meaning—God's New Covenant.

The Passover Supper was meant to remind Israel who removed them from Egypt. They were to teach their children that the bread and wine were eaten to remember what God did for them. Later, God changed His defining act to the removal of the Exile. Jesus takes the Passover and redefines it as His Body and His Blood. His Body was His Teachings. The Blood was the New Covenant—God providing an innocent sacrifice which would cover all sins. When we eat the Lord's Supper, we commemorate both the teachings of Jesus and the blood He shed for us.

Jesus would lead the Apostles into Galilee.

Jesus warned the Apostles that He would die and three days later come back. In today's reading, He suggested that He would not only come back but He would gather them again and lead them once more. Jesus is willing to use anyone willing to follow Him. It doesn't matter what you have done in the past. He will lead you if you allow Him to.

The Apostles fled because their entire world came crashing down.

Thomas showed great faith in Jesus. Peter confessed that Jesus was the Son of God and that He had the words of eternal life. The Apostles had left everything and followed Jesus. When Jesus was arrested, their lives were over. They had assumed Jesus would be the ruler of the world, not a prisoner. They came face-to-face with failure and questioned their involvement in Jesus' life. We should not think harsh of the Apostles. They ran because their world came crashing down.

Jesus wanted an easier way, but He submitted Himself to God's Plan.

The prayer in Gethsemane is heart-wrenching. Jesus stands before the Father—the One who sent Him to set things right and the one He is One with—and begs for His Life. If God had any other ideas on how to redeem His Creation, Jesus was willing to entertain them. However, Jesus knew there was no other way and He would have to die. That is why He ended the prayer, "But please, not what I want. You, what do you want?" (Matthew 26:39, Mark 14:36, The Message, emphasis original).
When we pray we should cry out for things we need—even if they are emotional outbursts. God will listen. What we must include, though, is our intention to fully obey God's Will, no matter how it lines up with our expectations or wishes. God's Chosen People are willing to question God's Plan but will do so understanding they will obey it in any case.

Those who get their way by violence will always have violence.

Jesus did not want His Apostles to fight for Him. He wanted them to teach for Him. The reason is simple—violence never changes a person's mind. Jesus does not call people to Him through violence. He calls them through teaching them to set things right. Violence cannot do that well.

How do you pray to God?

October 23 - John 7-8: Jesus Passes Light to the World, Except Those who Reject Him

Today’s Reading: John 7-8

The Message

English Standard Version

Thought to Guide Your Reading

The Pharisees try to find every little thing they can to discredit Jesus.

Summary in 100 Words or Less

Jesus showed the world their evil hearts. They wanted Him dead.
The Jews were impressed by Jesus' Wisdom. Jesus told them, "Anyone can understand what I teach except those who refuse to set things right." Many people believed.
On the last day of the feast, Jesus openly called for followers. The police refused to arrest Him. Nicodemus stood up for Him.
An adulteress was brought to Jesus but let go for lack of an executioner with perfect morals.
The Pharisees failed to see Jesus as the Light because they missed God. This prevented them from understanding Jesus' Ways and Teachings.

How Today’s Reading Contributes to the Gospel: God is Setting All Things Right

The world wants to destroy Jesus because He sheds light on their evil hearts.

Jesus tells us, in exact terms, why the world wanted to destroy Him: He was a threat to keeping their evil intentions hidden. He had to be destroyed.

The Jews and Pharisees wanted to discredit Jesus on technicalities.

One of the parts of Jesus' Ministry I love is His dedication to the larger picture without losing the details, and vice-versa. Jesus understood the Real Story of life but made sure all of the prophecies were completed. Because the Jews and Pharisees could not defeat Him by finding fault in His teachings, they resorted to picking at Him—His hometown, His healing on the Sabbath, a lack of corroborating witnesses, His Father's identity, His identity, and their freedom and lineage. They wanted to discredit Jesus so much they were willing to do any and everything to get rid of Him.

The "religious scholars" rejected Jesus. The "religiously ignorant" accepted Him.

Before we discuss education and training for God's Chosen People, we must first remember that Jesus was not rejected by people who knew the Law. He was rejected by those who had studied the Law since birth. People ignorant of the Bible may be the ones who accept Jesus easiest.
It is this reason that I find the fact that Americans are growing less and less knowledgeable about the Bible to be a two-sided coin. On the one hand, they will not know what Jesus did because He is unknown to them. On the other hand, Jesus' teachings can be taught fresh because they do not have the baggage which prevents many from accepting them.

Nicodemus defended Jesus.

Jesus had friends in high places.

Jesus realized the adulteress was brought to Him to test Him, not because the crowd wanted justice done.

We do not know if this story is really in the Bible or not. Either way, what is important to see is that the Pharisees and Jews did not want Jesus to bring justice upon this woman. They wanted to put Him in a lose-lose situation. When he not only refused to execute her but also condemned them, they had no recourse but to walk away. Beware moral traps meant to snare a quick win and not a substantial dialogue on how to set things right.

Anyone who sins is a slave to sin.

It is a difficult statement which is essential for us to understand. Stay away from sin! It will make you a slave!

Jesus provides plenty of Light to free the world from its slavery.

We are to be lighthouses for the nations. We do this not by originating light but by reflecting the Light that comes from God through Jesus. Jesus' Light frees the nations from their bondage in sin because His Way is the Truth, meaning His Way is the right way to live.

Do you live in the Light or are a slave to sin?

October 22 - Matthew 18: Jesus On Forgiveness and Arrogance

Today’s Reading: Matthew 18

The Message

English Standard Version

Thought to Guide Your Reading

Jesus wants forgiveness to rule—both in seeking it and giving it.

Summary in 100 Words or Less

The Apostles asked about rank. Jesus responded, "Childlike people rank highest. Treat them well. It's better to be handicapped and God's than whole and the Devil's. Watch your arrogance.
"A shepherd searches for lost sheep. So will God. Seek lost Siblings: first alone, then with a small group, and finally with everyone. If no resolution, treat them as an outsider who needs God. All spoken words are binding."
Peter asked how often to forgive. Jesus spoke a parable, "A servant, forgiven a huge amount, was greatly punished for not forgiving a small amount. God forgives those who forgive others."

How Today’s Reading Contributes to the Gospel: God is Setting All Things Right

Childlike people are the highest in the Kingdom. Treat them well.

I never realized these verses went together. I had always thought the "children are first in the kingdom" scripture was separate from the "chop off your hand if it offends you" scripture. Jesus wanted them to go together. He understood the heavy cost of discouraging a young, childlike Chosen Person.
How many times do we see a person new to His Chosen People want to do something or set things right with an undesirable group be rejected by a "mature" person who "knows better". We need to heed Jesus' warning,

Watch that you don’t treat a single one of these childlike believers arrogantly. You realize, don’t you, that their personal angels are constantly in touch with my Father in heaven? (v. 10, The Message)

Jesus wanted conflicts to end with friendship, not bitter partings.

All my life I thought Jesus meant if the person would not listen to the church you should throw them out. However, reading this time alongside Jesus' discussion of the 99 vs. the 1 I realized He does not want people to throw their hurtful Siblings out the door. He wants them to continue seeking a way into the person's heart but treat them as a person who lives an open life of sin. Jesus dined with sinners and called them to repentance. So should we.

Everything a person says is heard and heeded by God.

In an interesting ending to the discourse on regaining a Sibling Jesus says the following,

Take this most seriously: A yes on earth is yes in heaven; a no on earth is no in heaven. What you say to one another is eternal. I mean this. When two of you get together on anything at all on earth and make a prayer of it, my Father in heaven goes into action. And when two or three of you are together because of me, you can be sure that I’ll be there. (vv. 18-20)

Jesus wants to make sure we know not to go and tear a person down around others, even if they hurt us. This saying both encourages and terrifies. It encourages us because no person is insignificant to God. God hears all. That, on the other hand, terrifies us, God listens to everything we say. Be careful what comes out your mouth.

God's Forgiveness is conditional on our forgiveness of others.

One of the few conditional parts of God is forgiveness. God's Love is boundless. His Compassion knows no end. But His Forgiveness will be taken away if we hold on to our bitterness and do not forgive others. This is a hard saying.

Do you need to forgive someone?

October 11 - Matthew 8:1-13; Luke 7: The Irony of Israel and the Pharisee

Today’s Reading: Matthew 8:1-13; Luke 7

The Message

English Standard Version

Thought to Guide Your Reading

The Pharisees watched Jesus perform miracles but wanted to destroy Him. The Roman centurion wanted Jesus to perform a miracle but did not want inconvenience the Savior.

Summary in 100 Words or Less

A Roman centurion asked Jesus to heal his servant but preferred Jesus do it long-distance. Jesus marveled, "The man with the greatest trust isn't an Israelite! Soon 'pagans' like him will take faithless Israel's place in God's Kingdom."
Jesus returned life to a widow's only son.
Jesus proved His Authority to John's disciples. They passed the message to John in prison.
Jesus complained, "John was ignored as a crazy, religious nut but you ignore Me as too worldly. Make up your minds."
A prostitute cleaned Jesus' feet at a Pharisee's home, exemplifying that affection is often proportional to forgiven sin.

How Today’s Reading Contributes to the Gospel: God is Setting All Things Right

Jesus wants to heal.

God has always wanted to heal His Chosen People. All the leper needed to do was ask. God wants to heal when we are willing to ask.

The Roman Centurion's faith in Jesus demonstrated the irony of Israel.

In Malachi we read that people from all over the world wanted to worship God. The Roman centurion gives a great example of this saying in person—he did not think he was worthy of a visit from the one the Pharisees wanted to destroy. There are people who want to obey God around the world if they only had a chance to hear His Name. Those who know His Name could not be bothered to lift a finger for Him.
Today we find this same irony in churches where individuals who come to know Jesus later in life are often more interested in obeying God than the people who have been there for generations. I believe this is more of a generational problem than anything else. People who grew up with Christian parents who also grew up in Christian homes have no great "salvation" story to tell, similar to Israel's forgetfulness of the Exodus. God took them into exile so the big event that tied them together could be the salvation from exile. It is this reason alone that missions are an essential component of setting things right—it spreads God's Name all over the world. The spreading of God's name can re-infect trust and obedience to God's Chosen People.

Soon the distinction of "God's Chosen People" would be open for the world.

Because of the Roman centurion and the multitude of others willing to obey God if they had the chance, Israel faced losing their exclusive claim to being God's Chosen People. God would no longer keep them exclusively as His Chosen People if they were unwilling to obey Him. When God's Chosen People refuse to set things right, He finds new Chosen People.
Is this happening today? I believe so, but not in the same way we think. God's Chosen People are losing their place as the center of attention in society. This is both a positive and a negative (more on that later). Non-Chosen People willing to set things right replace God's Chosen People as the ones worth emulating. We no longer tie "righteousness" and "church" as we once did. I believe this can provide a place for non-Chosen People and Chosen People to help each other—one pushing the other to go out and set things right while the other gives the Name of the One ultimately setting all things right. We need both and if we work together, we may help non-Chosen People give praise and honor to our God.

"The masses" do not know what they want.

Jesus described the religious leader's dilemma—either you are "too holy" or "too worldly". There is no middle ground when it comes to popularity. John the Baptizer dressed, ate, and acted differently than the masses. He was considered a religious nut who didn't need a place in a "civilized" community. Jesus dressed and ate like the people but they dismissed Him as too much in the world, unfit for the "religiously pure" community. John's and Jesus' rejections were not because they failed. They were rejected because Israel did not want to obey God in the first place.
We, too, should not be surprised when popular culture rejects Jesus' difficult teachings. They do not wish to set things right and therefore cannot legitimize Jesus' teachings. It is not new, it's as old as popular culture.

The prostitute in Simon's house gives another example of the principle that great forgiveness is met with great affection.

As mentioned earlier, God's Chosen People had difficult times obeying God. Within God's Chosen People there were varying abilities to see God's Way. The woman lived a sinful life. She knew it. Jesus knew it. Simon and his guests knew it. However, she also trusted who Jesus was. She was willing to humiliate herself in front of these powerful, influential men and women. Simon and his guests were not. Because of her humility and trust in Jesus, her sins were forgiven. The guests could not see what was going on because they were stuck in their religious arguments—"Who does this man think he is, forgiving sins!" (Luke 7:49, The Message). They could not see God's Love because their sins did not cause great suffering. Those who have seen the consequences of their sins express their love for God more than those whose consequences for sin stay easily hidden. May we neither miss God's Forgiveness nor God's Way!

Do you feel jealous when non-Chosen People outdo you in setting things right?

September 16 - Daniel 7-9: God Wins in the End

Today’s Reading: Daniel 7-9

The Message

English Standard Version

Thought to Guide Your Reading

God shows Daniel the future using grand visions with animals.

Summary in 100 Words or Less

God told Daniel through a vision that although four countries would rule over them, God's saints would receive an everlasting kingdom. The kingdoms would fight Israel but God would win in the end.
Two years later Daniel had another vision of Greece defeating Media and Persia. Greece would fight Israel, but God would win in the end.
Daniel prayed to God, "We deserve shame. May Your Mercy and Grace deliver us. You will give us salvation only because Your Name is great."
Gabriel answered Daniel, "God will set your relationship right but first Israel must have its evil removed."

How Today’s Reading Contributes to the Gospel: God is Setting All Things Right

Daniel's visions tell of the immediate future.

Similar to Nebuchadnezzar's dreams and Ezekiel's visions, Daniel's visions were meant to deliver a message for his day. The visions foreshadowed the regime changes that would soon occur. Each small part of the vision would correspond to a distinguishing characteristic of each king to come. In the second vision, Daniel sees the rise and fall of Alexander the Great's kingdom. Both the four kings and Alexander the Great would fight God's Chosen People. God's purpose for Daniel's visions was to prepare His Chosen People for persecution.

God would win in the end.

At the conclusion of each vision, the same event happens—God defeats the beast(s). Since God's Chosen People would have difficult times ahead, God wanted to make sure they knew He would defeat their enemies. The four beasts and the ram would not get the final say against Israel. No matter the persecution, God will win in the end.

Daniel thanks God for His Grace and Mercy removing Israel's sin and punishment.

When Daniel realizes Israel would be returned in 70 years (as Jeremiah informed the exiles), he also realizes Israel has not become holy. They do not deserve to be returned to their land. God would return them, though, because God wants to set all things right with those with whom His Relationship is strained. He is willing to set our relationship right repeatedly hoping we will acknowledge His Mercy and Grace and set things right in our relationships with others. How awesome is our god! Our forgiveness is not dependent on our actions but on our acceptance of God's mercy and passing it on.

Do you trust that God will win in the end?

August 3 - 2 Chronicles 32-33: Hezekiah Holds Ranks, Manasseh Repents of Mistakes

Today’s Reading: 2 Chronicles 32-33

The Message

English Standard Version

The first half of today's reading repeats Isaiah 35-36 and 37-39. The second half repeats the story of Hezekiah's son and grandson which we read yesterday. Do not skip this section! There are a few gems which will be very helpful in understanding the comments below. However, since yesterday's and today's readings are the almost the same I will skip the summary go straight into the comments.

Thought to Guide Your Reading

Manasseh, who was equally as bad as his grandfather, was allowed to live because he repented.

How Today’s Reading Contributes to the Gospel: God is Setting All Things Right

Hezekiah encouraged his people to trust in God and it helped morale within the city.

I love the way Eugene Peterson translated this section,

Hezekiah rallied the people, saying, “Be strong! Take courage! Don’t be intimidated by the king of Assyria and his troops—there are more on our side than on their side. He only has a bunch of mere men; we have our GOD to help us and fight for us!”
Morale surged. Hezekiah’s words put steel in their spines. (32:6-8, The Message)

Think about it. Jerusalem is surrounded by 100,000+ Assyrian soldiers telling them to surrender and enjoy a better life in captivity than they have in freedom. They cannot travel anywhere. Sooner or later they will run out of food and become desperate. But Hezekiah doesn't allow their dire circumstances blind them to God's ultimate Goodness and Power. They are encouraged to trust in God. Leaders should focus on helping their followers see how God is going to make the situation right. Because Hezekiah strengthened his people, they trusted in God.

God took Manasseh's punishment away.

The story of Manasseh is similar to the Israelite king Ahab. God punished Ahab greatly because he caused Israel to worship other gods. However, Ahab repented of his mistake and God delayed his punishment. Manasseh, too, repented of his mistakes, turned to God, and was returned to Jerusalem to finish his reign. If God can take away the punishment of a terrible, no-good, very bad king, He can take away the guilt of your past. How awesome is our god!

Are you inspiring your followers to trust in God, no matter what comes before them?

July 7 - Jonah: God's Mercy Includes All, to His Chosen People's Chagrin

Today’s Reading: Jonah

The Message

English Standard Version

Today's reading is the entire book of Jonah (book 18). It is the story of God's great mercy and His Chosen People's stubbornness and unwillingness to share their God.

Thought to Guide Your Reading

Don't focus on the fish. Focus on the man in the fish.

Summary in 100 Words or Less

God asked Jonah to tell Nineveh their sins were great. Jonah ran the opposite way to the sea.
God caused a great storm, destroying the boat. After much debate, the men threw Jonah overboard. A large fish ate him.
Jonah asked God for forgiveness. He received a second chance.
Jonah told Nineveh they would be destroyed. The entire city repented: from king to peasant. God removed their destruction.
Jonah angrily yelled at God's Mercy. A plant shaded him. The next night it died. Jonah was irate. God told Jonah that emotions change quickly. That is why God changed His Mind.

How Today’s Reading Contributes to the Gospel: God is Setting All Things Right

No one is exempt from God's Punishment or Mercy.

Nineveh was not part of the Promise. They had no special covenant with God. Yet God told Jonah their lives had become so bad He could no longer ignore them. There is no excuse, no one is exempt from God's punishment for their mistakes.
However, when the entire city repented God changed His Mind and decided not to destroy them after all. God did not protect them because He had a promise to uphold. God protected them because no one is exempt from God's mercy; anyone who repents will have their relationship to God set right.

Jonah never understood God's mercy.

I would love for the story of Jonah to be a redemptive tale of a man who learned God's mercy for others and glorified God. Unfortunately, we get a story of a spoiled man who only wanted to preach to Nineveh because God stopped him from going the opposite way. When God removed Nineveh's punishment, Jonah furiously cried out for death. God's Chosen People naturally forget God has mercy on others.
Regrettably, Jonah's story sounds too familiar. Our first reaction when we see a person stuck in a bad lifestyle is to run. However, when we can no longer run and God sets things right in their life we feel His Mercy is being diluted. That is not true at all! God's mercy is awesome because it covers everyone!

Jonah may have feared reprisal if he had returned home.

Reading through the Bible in a year helped me put this story into context. Jonah is the same as yesterday's Jonah. He lived during the age of Jeroboam the Younger (or right before). The people did not like God and hated their neighbors even more. If Jonah had returned and told everyone the people in Nineveh were saved because he preached to them, He may have been executed as a traitor. This may be why Jonah was so angry and asked God vociferously for death. What great irony! The very people God called to be a light to the nations now become angry when God forgives non-chosen people. God's Chosen People often focus on being chosen instead of why they were chosen.
It is sad to see that we can become so comfortable being God's Chosen People that we forget we are called to set things right in this world. It is also sad to see we forget how God set things right with us and allow other things to make us blind to His influence in our lives. We are called to set things right on this earth, not revel in being "better" than the rest of the world.

Do you glorify God for His Mercy or become jealous at God including others?

May 14 - Psalms 32, 51, 86, and 122: David Confronts His Sin and His Forgiveness

Today’s Reading: Psalms 32, 51, 86, and 122

The Message

English Standard Version

Thought to Guide Your Reading

Today's reading is an emotional rollercoaster where David deals with the turmoil of his sin.

Psalm (P)Synopsis

Psalm 32

Those who confess their mistakes to God and receive forgiveness are blessed. When David hid his sin from God he felt unending pressure inside. When he confessed his sin, the pressure left.

Psalm 51

David cries out to God because he has sinned against Him. He longs for a clean feeling and wants to be with God again. He asks that God keep Zion as his home and heal his land.

Psalm 86

David calls for God's ear to hear and help him. He knows no one can help like God. They have a good history together and David knows God will put him back on his feet.

Psalm 122

David leaped for joy because he was able to worship God again. Jerusalem is a wonderful place for God's presence. May it always have peace!

How Today’s Reading Contributes to the Gospel: God is Setting All Things Right

Hiding his sin caused David more pain than confessing them to God.

David adamantly states that his issues were intensified when he kept all of his mistakes hidden from God. The pressure was released when he confessed his sins to God. This is why his advice is to stay on the straight and narrow. He knows going off God's path only leads to heartache and stress. Stay with God and confess your mistakes before God to live stress-free.
Psalm 32 provides the best reason why churches should be places for people to openly confess their mistakes. When churches become museums for good people who never need forgiveness those who feel they don't meet that high standard stay away. Even though no church would consider itself a museum of people above reproach we must understand that our culture views us in that way by default; therefore, churches must overcome the negative stereotype of being a museum for good people who never need to confess sins by openly encouraging and providing time and space for people to admit their mistakes and ask for help setting things right, whether in public or in private. Having a song after the sermon and a quiet, generic conversation about the need for "prayers" cannot be the extent of a church's attempt at setting things right.

David wants to renew his relationship with God.

David knows his mistake with Bathsheba puts him in jeopardy of losing both his relationship with God and his possession of God's Spirit. This is why Psalm 51 has such beautiful and vulnerable language—David wants to make up for all he has done to God. He knows the only thing that can save him is humility:

Going through the motions doesn’t please you,
   a flawless performance is nothing to you.
I learned God-worship
   when my pride was shattered.
Heart-shattered lives ready for love
   don’t for a moment escape God’s notice. (51:16-17, The Message)

David has great excitement when asked to worship God.

Allow me to make an unnecessary assumption—Psalm 122 was written shortly after David's son died and he returned to his life. David prayed and wept on the floor for seven days. He felt mournful and greatly disturbed because of how he betrayed God. He knows that his relationship with God was saved through God's forgiveness alone. So the first time someone asks David to go into the Tabernacle to worship God He leaps for joy. All is well again! David continues to have God's Spirit. He still has his position. God has not abandoned him as He abandoned Saul. When we acknowledge what God has done for us, we, too, will leap for joy when someone suggests a time of worship to Him.

What are you hiding from God?

May 12 - Psalms 65-67, 69-70: Praise God for Rescuing Us Despite our Sin

Today’s Reading: Psalms 65-67, 69-70

The Message

English Standard Version

I've received many complaints about the comments section. I can't change Google's Blogger commenting system, so funnel all comments to the Sonoma Mountain Parkway Church of Christ Facebook page instead. Thanks to Sharla for posting each day's reading for me.

Thought to Guide Your Reading

God knows David's sins but loves and protects him anyway.

Psalm (P)Synopsis

Psalm 65

God hears our prayers in all times. We expect all good things from our God. David calls down blessings for the land.

Psalm 66

Praise God for protecting us from our enemies! God brought us through a refining fire and gave us a peaceful place. So we bring gifts to Him. Come, let me tell you how God listened to my prayer and stayed loyal to me.

Psalm 67

Everyone sees God's blessings and thanks Him. They enjoy God's blessings and give Him honor.

Psalm 69

David cries out to God for protection. Every time he serves God he is met with more and more problems. He cries out for salvation because he knows nowhere else to go. God will give the land to the righteous, so David cries out for rescue.

Psalm 70

David knows that everyone who obeys God will sing and celebrate. He calls out for God to rescue him quickly because he is about to fall.

How Today’s Reading Contributes to the Gospel: God is Setting All Things Right

God takes away our burdens of sins.

This year I have intentionally stayed away from the "sin" angle taken by most Bible studies. I find it overdone, somewhat shallow, and often limits the Gospel to what Dallas Willard calls "the gospel of sin management." However, today's reading drips with this theme. David writes,

We all arrive at your doorstep sooner
   or later, loaded with guilt,
Our sins too much for us—
   but you get rid of them once and for all. (65:2-3, The Message)

Notice that the problem they have is the guilt of their sin. Their problem is not their inability to stop sinning but their inability to stop the self-punishment of their sin. This is why God's removal of our sins provides such a release—we no longer need to punish ourselves for our past sins! Lay the burden of your mistakes at God's doorstep and He will take them away once and for all!

Sacrifices come in response to what God has done for us.

As opposed to many other religions where sacrifices are meant to appease the gods to ask for blessings or prevent the gods from getting angry and punishing the people, sacrifices to God come after God blesses His Chosen People. David brings the choicest cuts of lamb, goat, and beef because God blessed His Chosen People with a "well-watered place." Give sacrifices to God in response to His blessings, not in expectation of greater blessings.

David's enemies blamed him for everything they disliked about God.

Tucked away in this psalm of complaint and a cry of rescue is the short thought,

My brothers shun me like a bum off the street;
   My family treats me like an unwanted guest.
…
They blame me for everything they dislike about you. (69:8-9, The Message)

Obedience to God brings this type of response. When God's Chosen People obey God, others take their frustrations against God out on them. I write this not to encourage the oft-trumped "Christian martyr" mindset—when Christians think that condemning anyone and everyone is the same as obeying God and see any form of disagreement as persecution—but to encourage those who truly feel unwanted because of their obedience. God will rescue this person—even if it is not when the person expected.

Shouting God's name in praise and in prayer is better than sacrifice.

What is better than a sacrifice of thanksgiving to God? Telling others how wonderful God is to you. Praise God in shouts and prayers—He loves this more than any religious observance!

Are you hunting for God?

April 30 - Psalms 102-104: O My Soul, Bless God!

Today’s Reading: Psalms 102-104

The Message

English Standard Version

Congratulations! You have now made it through 4 months of reading through the Bible in a year! That's 1/3 of the way! Keep it up!

Thought to Guide Your Reading

God sustains life; without God nothing can survive!

Psalm (P)Synopsis

Psalm 102

A cry for God, "Don't forget me! Help! I am almost gone because of my troubles. But you are compassionate and will help. You will bless your child."

Psalm 103

David praises God from the bottom of his soul. God sets everything right. He forgives His Chosen People. He keeps his delicate children alive. His throne is over all of us forever! Bless God!

Psalm 104

The author glorifies God for how wonderful He is. He has blessed His Chosen People bountifully with animals, grain, and water. God controls nature and keeps it away from His people until they are safe in their beds at night. What a wonderful world—all of it shows His works! Bless God!

How Today’s Reading Contributes to the Gospel: God is Setting All Things Right

Even when we are in great pain, God is still sovereign.

We must remember that pain does not weaken God's reign over the earth. Pain came because of Eve and Adam's sin not because God was negligent to stop it. In times of great pain, God continues to be sovereign over the earth.

God makes everything come out right.

We have to cautiously discuss this issue. Often this idea gets confused with "God makes everything come out the way we want it to." That is why David continues to proclaim that God's way is higher than our way. God makes everything come out right in the end—even when we may think it isn't in the short run.

God has taken our sins as far away as possible.

I love that simile, "as far as the east is from the west, / so far does he remove our transgressions from us" (103:12, English Standard Version). There is no place where "going east" becomes "going west." Travelling north becomes travelling south when you cross the North/South poles. But travel east and you will never stop. That's where God took our sins. God sets things right within us by taking our sin and guilt far, far away!

God feels for us as a parent feels for his/her child.

I'm a new father. My son and I are bonding. God loves me as I love my son. How cool is that. This is why He wants to set all things right for us. God sets all things right in the earth for His Children—us!

God reigns over the entire world!

Humans may be the caretakers of the earth, but God is the one who reigns over it all! Psalm 104 gives a great exposition of this great truth. Praise God for caring enough to care for his creation!

O my soul, bless God!

April 24 - Psalms 43-45, 49, 84, 85, and 87: Psalms from the Sons of Korah

Today’s Reading: Psalms 43-45, 49, 84, 85, and 87

The Message

English Standard Version

Thought to Guide Your Reading

The Sons of Korah experience similar emotions as David and express them in psalms.

Psalm (P)Synopsis

Psalm 43

The author wants God to help through being ridiculed and lied about. God would help, so why be down in the dumps?

Psalm 44

The sons of Korah cry out to God to help them through their battles. God helped their ancestors in Canaan and they are now calling on God to help them. They feel abandoned by God and want Him to return.

Psalm 45

The sons of Korah sing a song for a wedding. The groom is a top-notch specimen of a man. The woman is beautiful. She is greatly loved and will now become the most famous wife and mother in the land.

Psalm 49

The sons of Korah teach everyone about the importance of honoring God. No one can get where they are going by themselves. No one is immortal. So don’t think you are the end-all-be-all. No one is that great.

Psalm 84

The sons of Korah sing how wonderful God's house is. Animals of all kinds find homes there and raise their young to sing God's praises. They would rather camp outside God's house than spend a luxurious life in a place of sin. God's wonderful nature is that wonderful!

Psalm 85

Korah sings how great God is when He forgives His Chosen People. They ask God to release them from their punishment and renew their place in God's kingdom. They praise God because His creation is wonderful.

Psalm 87

God loves Zion. They are famous throughout the world. Israel is now reborn a great nation—full of children who are all God's children.

How Today’s Reading Contributes to the Gospel: God is Setting All Things Right

Even when we are persecuted, fixing our eyes on God relieves our soul.

Reading Psalm 43 helps us see the progression from anger to a call for redemption and ends in praise for the God who sets things right. Hold on to God when you are around ungodly people—He will lift your soul.

Don't trust your weapons. Trust God.

The Sons of Korah know that God gave their ancestors military victories. That is why they tell God,

With your help we’ll wipe out our enemies,
   in your name we’ll stomp them to dust.
I don’t trust in weapons;
   my sword won’t save me—
But it’s you, you who saved us from the enemy;
   you made those who hate us lose face. (44:5-7, The Message)

Don't trust your power to defeat your enemies. Trust in God's power to save you from your enemies.
Trusting in God to save us instead of our own strength is difficult when we become the most powerful nation in the world. However, we must keep this trust or God will leave us and we will be defeated by lesser powers.

Not all psalms end in hope.

Psalm 44 does not end with the assurance that God is coming. It ends with a cry of Help us! We need to see that not all thoughts, songs, or worship settings should end with a happy ending. God is comfortable with us complaining to Him, even if that complaining ends without acknowledging God's imminent arrival.

There is no such thing as self-rescue.

This discussion often becomes automatically politicized in the US between the "pull yourself up by your own bootstrap" conservatives and the "you didn't build that" liberals. In the end neither is correct because they leave out the most important part: God. There is no such thing as "pulling yourself up by your own bootstrap" when it comes to setting things right. The cost is too great. At the same time, no government or organization can set things right by themselves. The organization requires everyone on the same page. Both require God to set things right. We age and die. Governments age and die. We can only have things set right in our lives when we allow God—who is ageless—to set them right and then join Him.

It is better to sleep on God's doorstep than live as a guest in sin's house.

A marvelous use of imagery, Korah (or the sons of Korah) presents a great truth about the differences between being wholly for God and being honored by evil. In that age poor people would sleep at the door of rich people so they could have the food that was thrown out every day. So Korah is telling everyone that it is better to eat from the scraps of God's table and sleep outside than to be an honored guest at the house of evil. Even God's scraps are better than sin's banquet food.

When we are forgiven by God, all is well.

Forgiveness from God is greater than any other thing in the world. This is why Korah writes,

I can’t wait to hear what he’ll say.
   God’s about to pronounce his people well,
The holy people he loves so much,
   so they’ll never again live like fools.
See how close his salvation is to those who fear him?
   Our country is home base for Glory! (85:8-9, The Message)

When God announces us reconciled, all of life works again!

All of God's people are His personal children.

God's nation is famous throughout the land because God's people are not the vassals of their god. They are God's Chosen People. They are God's personal children and he writes their name in His book of genealogies. All of God's children are loved personally, not as a cog in a machine.

Which of these psalms touches your life where you are right now?

April 20 - Psalms 121, 123-125, and 128-130: Sing of God's Protection

Today’s Reading: Psalms 121, 123-125, and 128-130

The Message

English Standard Version

Thought to Guide Your Reading

Today's Psalms speak of God's protection—though life is not always wonderful.

Psalm (P)Synopsis

Psalm 121

The author looks for his guardian and sees it is God. God protects in every way.

Psalm 123

Who will save? They are all watching and waiting for God to work.

Psalm 124

If God had not saved David and his family, they would have died. How blessed and wonderful is God!

Psalm 125

God will not allow any of his followers to be moved, like a mountain. God will punish those who resort to violence to do wrong. There will be peace!

Psalm 128

Those who fear God are blessed! They will enjoy peace and a good life.

Psalm 129

The author complains about the taunts of others. May those who hate God's Chosen People be punished soon!

Psalm 130

The author cries for help from God! Because God forgives our prayers are helpful. There is no doubt, by waiting on God He will save.

How Today’s Reading Contributes to the Gospel: God is Setting All Things Right

God gives strength.

Our strength does not come through isolation from our enemies or fortified cities that are on mountains. Our help comes from God who made all of the mountains! Do not put your trust in physical things. Only God gives strength!
Our strength today does not come from atom bombs, strong military presences around the world, a strong free-market economy, a top-notch education system, or the spread nature of the contiguous 48 states. Our strength comes from God!

Psalms also complain to God.

Contrast Psalm 123 with Psalm 23 (the most famous psalm). The psalms are not devoid of bad times. They include both positive messages to God—the Lord is my shepherd and he gives me all I need—and negative messages to God—we're waiting and watching for your salvation, but we've been kicked around long enough! God is willing to hear both sides of the story. Bring God your complaints when you feel you can't go on. He will listen.

If God had not protected us we would not have survived.

How wonderful is it that God has saved us even when we were unable to save ourselves! This is why David praises God for not abandoning him. God saves all who call on Him, even if they cannot save themselves.

Those who obey God enjoy good lives.

We often look at the troubles and trials that come from obeying God. David ran for his life twice. However, we must also see the peace that came during Joshua's day and the years between fighting in Judges to see the complete picture. Those who set things right with God live blessed lives.

Forgiveness is God's habit.

How magnificent is our God who has forgiven us! If God did not have a forgiving habit we would not have survived to today. We wait and watch for God to set things right on this earth because he has earned our love and respect. God's habit is forgiving. If not, we would not stand a chance!

Does your life reflect a God who is setting all things right through forgiveness?

March 21 - Deuteronomy 30-31: Moses Reminds Israel of God's Forgiveness

Today’s Reading: Deuteronomy 30-31

The Message

English Standard Version

Thought to Guide Your Reading

God tells Moses to prepare to die—and the people would not obey God's word. Not great parting words.

Summary in 100 Words or Less

Moses comforted Israel. "If you repent, God will restore your relationship and your land.
"These are simple, understandable laws. You need no guru to interpret it—love God and obey Him. If not, death.
"I am 120 years-old and will soon die. Joshua, be strong and courageous. You are Israel's leader. Remember your ancestor's teachings."
Moses wrote the Law for the people.
God told Moses it was time. He warned Moses that Israel would soon worship other gods, but He wanted them to have a song to remember the Promise and return to Him.
So Moses taught Israel this song.

How Today’s Reading Contributes to the Gospel: God is Setting All Things Right

God is slow to punish and quick to forgive.

Considering what was written yesterday, this is an important part to include! Moses wants Israel to remember that God's ability to punish was equal to His ability to save. If they repented of their sin then God would save them from whatever calamity they faced. Things would be back to normal—as though nothing had happened in the first place. God's punishments are severe, but His forgiveness is complete. What a great God!

The Law of God is simple.

In a section that is quoted again in the New Testament, Moses reminds Israel that God's Law is not so difficult that they need some guru in another place to interpret it for them. The Law of God is simple—love God and keep His commandments. If you do not love God and keep His commandments, you will die. That does not need a Master's of Divinity degree to understand!

Moses passes the mantle to Joshua.

Moses knows Joshua is the next chosen leader. He does not want the same problems to happen to Joshua that happened to him when he became Israel's leader. So he, in front of all Israel, passes the mantle of leadership to Joshua. No one could question Joshua's legitimacy. He also encourages Joshua and the Israelites to obey God when they enter Canaan. Leaders should publically pass on the legitimacy of leadership to their successor.

God has Moses write a song that will help Israel remember His ability to both punish and forgive His people.

God realizes the people are not fully converted to Him. So he has Moses write a song that the people can sing for generations to come that would help them remember the god of their ancestors (chapter 32). Teach your children songs that can help them remember God when they no longer remember theology.

What songs are you teaching/have taught your children to help them remember God?