Listening to the Word

  Judges 9-10; Psalms 49; 1 Corinthians 16   “He went to his father’s home in Ophrah and on one stone murdered his seventy brothers…Then all the citizens of Shechem and Beth Millo gathered beside the great tree at the pillar in Shechem to anoint Abimelech king…Finally all of the trees said to the thorn-bush, ‘Come and be our king.’” Judges 9:5, 6, 14 At the same great tree of Moreh by Shechem, where God promised Abram his inheritance of all the land he could see, and also where Joshua renewed Israel’s covenant with the Lord, a murderer and a usurper was anointed ruler of Shechem. Abimilech’s anger toward Gideon’s family was rooted in shame and illegitimate birth. This world of rejection has birthed many revolutions and wars throughout history. When we usurp authority, we must fight to defend it. When God gives us authority, he will defend it. Are we usurping authority in our family, workplace, community, or the Church? Is there a wound of rejection God desires to heal in our l...

Judges 8; Psalms 42; 1 Corinthians 15   “The Israelites said to Gideon, ‘Rule over us – you, your son and your grandson – because you have saved us out of the hand of Midian.’ But Gideon told them, ‘I will not rule over you, nor will my son rule over you. The Lord will rule over you.’” Judges 8:22, 23 Even after the repeated, miraculous victories of 300 men over tens of thousands of Midianites, the people of Israel still pointed to Gideon as the one who had delivered them. However, Gideon knew it was the hand of the Lord, not his own courage that had defeated the enemy. After significant spiritual victories, who do we point to? It is immediately after a victory that leaders are most vulnerable. Gideon pointed the people to the Lord, but then he collected plunder to make a gold ephod for guidance and worship, and took many wives. Idolatry and lust turned Israel away from the worship of the Living God. While we tell the stories of the big battles and victories in our lives, it is the...

  Judges 6-7; Psalms 52; 1 Corinthians 14   “But the Lord said to him, ‘Peace! Do not be afraid. You are not going to die.’ So Gideon built an altar to the Lord there and called it The Lord is Peace. To this day it stands in Ophrah…” Judges 6:23, 24 The revelation of God’s name as Jehovah Shammah – ‘the Lord is Peace’ - came in the midst of tremendous pressure and conflict. Gideon’s internal battle with fear was rooted in the fact that he did not know the Lord. His family and community worshipped both the Lord and the fertility religions of Baal and Asherah. Gideon feared the Midianites, the rejection of his community, and the future. The Lord was looking for someone who would obey him and be an instrument of deliverance and peace to his people. To be an instrument of peace we must surrender our fears, our sins, and our will to the Lord of Peace.   Today, are we looking for inner and outer peace without fully surrendering to the Lord of Peace? Our world wants peace, but f...

Judges 4-5; Psalms 39,41; 1 Corinthians 13   “When the princes of Israel take the lead, when the people willingly offer themselves – praise the Lord!...When they chose new gods, war came to the city gates, and not a shield or spear was seen among forty thousand in Israel. My heart is with Israel’s princes, with the willing volunteers among the people. Praise the Lord!” Judges 5:2, 8, 9 Deborah’s heart was with the leaders for their sacrificial choice to offer themselves to the Lord. Just as the people had freely chosen new gods and suffered the consequences of living defenceless under cruel masters, so now, princes had chosen to return to the Lord and willingly offer themselves to him and resist the enemy. When leaders lead and point the way by choosing to glorify God, God’s people follow. When leaders compromise and surrender to new gods, the consequences for God’s people are devastating. Where are the willing princes today? Are we fighting our own battles and causes, or are we su...

Judges 1-3; 1 Corinthians 12   “Then the men of Judah said to the Simeonites their brothers, ‘Come up with us into the territory allotted to us, to fight against the Canaanites. We in turn will go with you into yours.’ So the Simeonites went with them…they struck down ten thousand men at Bezek.” Judges 1:3, 4 The tribes of Judah and Simeon joined forces, risking their lives as they fought together to drive out the enemy and save each other’s inheritance. The areas of sin in our lives where the enemy has strongholds could require someone else to assist us as we learn to repent, resist, and experience renewal. Will we fight for each other’s freedom? In the overly individualized definition of salvation, discipleship, sanctification, and ministry, we have lost the strength of families and communities of faith, walking with each other and standing for each other’s inheritance. God never intended us to rely only on ourselves as we seek to follow and serve him. We are connected to one ano...

Joshua 23-24; Psalms 44; 1 Corinthians 11   “…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. A man ought to examine himself before he eats…That is why many among you are weak and sick, and a number of you have fallen asleep. But if we judged ourselves, we would not come under judgment.” 1 Corinthians 11:27, 28, 30, 31 The celebration of communion is more than remembering an historical event. The taking of bread and wine symbolizing the body and blood of the Lord Jesus is a renewal of our covenant vow to be true to Jesus and to receive his grace and mercy by faith. When we reduce communion to a ritual of remembering, and avoid examining the current condition of our heart and relationships, we grieve God and risk judgment through sickness and even death. Paul said that the casual, unexamined celebration of communion is “why many among you are sick and a number have fallen asleep”.   If ...

  Joshua 21-22; Psalms 47; 1 Corinthians 10   “Do not cause anyone to stumble…even as I try to please everybody in every way. For I am not seeking my own good, but the good of many, so that they may be saved…” 1 Corinthians 10:32, 33 The core motivation for all Paul did was reaching people with the Gospel. His love for people was transcended by his love for people coming to know Christ. Paul knew that when he was with new believers in Jesus, everything he did was watched. People didn’t have access to books, devotionals, and commentaries; many of the people could not read. What these new believers in Jesus had was the life of apostles like Paul and oral readings of Old Testament scrolls and apostolic letters. Paul’s character spoke louder than his doctrine. His humility, love for people, and consistent interest in winning people to the gospel through his life and teachings transformed a multitude of people.   If our lives were the only witness to the reality of Jesus’ savi...

Joshua 18-20; 1 Corinthians 9   “(But the Danites had difficulty taking possession of their territory, so they went up and attacked Leshem, took it, put it to the sword and occupied it. They settled in Leshem and named it Dan after their forefather.)” Joshua 19:47 Although they had the second highest number of men of all the Israelite tribes - an allotted inheritance of the richest land in the coastal plain - the Danites were unable, or unwilling, to fight for their inheritance. They would rather attack and possess a peaceful, unsuspecting city far north of their inheritance, than fight to possess what God had given them. Have we, too, settled for less than God’s best for us? Are we unwilling to fight for the renewing of our mind and surrender our appetite, and are we unwilling to even consider the mission God might have for us? God has an inheritance for each person, each Church, and each tribe, but we must be willing to resist the enemy in order to claim it. “For our struggle is ...

Joshua 15-17; 1 Corinthians 8   “…Joshua gave to Caleb…a portion in Judah – Kiriath Arba, that is, Hebron. (Arba was the forefather of Anak.) From Hebron Caleb drove out the three Anakites – Sheshai, Ahiman and Talmai – descendants of Anak…And Caleb said, ‘I will give my daughter Acsah in marriage to the man who attacks and captures Kiriath Sepher.’ Othniel…took it…” Joshua 15:13, 14, 16, 17 Caleb chose the stronghold of Hebron, the city of giants, as his inheritance. These giants had terrified the ten other spies forty years earlier. His age at eighty-five was not a consideration because he always believed that the victory and the battle belonged to the Lord – “…the Lord helping me, I will drive them out...” (Joshua 14:12). More than that, Caleb challenged the next generation to also claim their inheritance. The prize of his daughter’s hand in marriage was given to the man who captured a city. Are we challenging the next generation to claim their inheritance in the kingdom of God,...

Joshua 12-14; 1 Corinthians 7   “And the territory of Og King of Bashan, one of the last of the Rephaites, who reigned in Ashtaroth and Edrei. He ruled over Mount Hermon, Salecah, all of Bashan…Moses, the servant of the Lord, and the Israelites conquered them…” Joshua 12:4-6 Og, King of Bashan, was a thirteen-foot giant of a man who was feared throughout the region he controlled. His territory included Hermon, the highest mountain in the region of Israel. Og was a Rephaite, a race of people who, like the Anakites, descended from the Nephilim (Genesis 6:4). Og represented the strongman that Jesus later said had to be bound in order for his possessions to be plundered (Luke 11:21, 22). Today, there are many least reached peoples living in regions and cities that are controlled by spiritual strongmen, not unlike Og. The battle is the Lord’s. He invites us to join him and do our part in faith like Moses, the servant of the Lord. The Og’s of this world can be bound and their territory f...

  Joshua 9-11; 1 Corinthians 6   “…all the kings west of the Jordan…came together to make war against Joshua and Israel. However, when the people of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and Ai, they resorted to a ruse:…” Joshua 9:1-4 The enemy will oppose the advance of Christ’s kingdom. When opposition comes, we can rejoice that Jesus is making an impact through the Church. As Joshua’s campaign illustrates, the enemy either opposes us through force or through deception. The direct attack of force is often easier to combat than deception. Those who join the covenant community as messengers of the enemy, having a plan to interfere with prayer, limit evangelism or missions, or sow division, are difficult to discipline. Nehemiah found his building project was opposed by people wanting to help him. When offered help, we must inquire of the Lord regarding the gifts of those who come to join us. Not all gifts come from the Lord. “Lord Jesus, guard my heart and your Church fr...

Joshua 7-8; Psalms 69; 1 Corinthians 5   “The Lord said to Joshua, ‘Stand up! What are you doing down on your face? Israel has sinned; they have violated the covenant…That which is devoted is among you, O Israel. You cannot stand against your enemies until you remove it’…All Israel, aliens and citizens alike…were standing on both sides of the ark of the covenant of the Lord…” Joshua 7:10, 11, 13; 8:33 Our sin and shame cause us to fall prostrate before God, but it is his grace and mercy in Christ which call us to stand before him. Have we heard Christ’s call to “Stand up!”? When we cling to worthless idols, we forfeit the grace that could be ours (Jonah 2:8). Before we can stand against our enemies, we must stand in the forgiveness and grace of God. The Lord is our righteousness and in his name we can overcome. After overcoming Ai, Joshua and all Israel, including the aliens among them, stood in the presence of the Lord and listened to God’s Word and the terms of their covenant wit...

  Joshua 3-6; 1 Corinthians 4   “…When you see the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God, and the priests…carrying it, you are to move out from your positions and follow it. Then you will know which way to go, since you have never been this way before…See, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth will go into the Jordan ahead of you.” Joshua 3:3, 4, 11 What does it mean to be led by the presence of the Lord? First, we must recognize God’s presence. Second, we must submit to God’s presence and ways. Third, we must be willing to be led by God’s presence and Holy Spirit. Fourth, we must leave behind that which is known for the walk of faith which is into the unknown.   The Israelites followed the ark into the flooded Jordan River valley and were amazed that God’s presence made a path of dry ground through the center of the flooded river. The Lord has solutions to our problems and obstacles today which we may never have considered, nor would be possible without...

Joshua 1-2; Psalms 37; 1 Corinthians 3   “Then they answered Joshua, ‘Whatever you have commanded us we will do, and wherever you send us we will go. Just as we fully obeyed Moses, so we will obey you. Only may the Lord your God be with you as he was with Moses…Only be strong and courageous!’” Joshua 1:16-18 These are humbling and challenging words for a leader to hear. The burden of leadership is weighty when our decisions affect the lives and the wellbeing of others. It is joyful to serve and lead others who cooperate, express availability, are committed, and loyal. However, spiritual leaders are not meant to carry this mantle alone. We must release the weight of leadership back to God and fully rely on his Spirit to lead through us. Our strength and courage must come from the Lord, not the force of our personality. When those we serve and lead sense the presence of God in our lives, we all grow in humility and maturity as we discern and follow God’s will together. Do those you l...

  Deuteronomy 32-34; 1 Corinthians 2   “When I came to you, brothers, I did not come with eloquence or superior wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God. For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.” 1 Corinthians 2:1, 2 The temptation in ministry is to believe that our skills, abilities, education, eloquence, or superior wisdom will transform lives. They won’t! When entering a new relationship, context, or opportunity, we are especially tempted to rely on the strategy God used the last time. We can’t do that! Paul was determined to know nothing except “Jesus Christ and him crucified”. He had just debated with the philosophers at the arena in Athens and used the altar to the “unknown god” as a bridge. Few responded. He resolved by focusing on Jesus, his death, and his resurrection, believing the power to transform lives is found in this Gospel focus. Are we resolved to focus on the death and resurrection of Jesus as th...

Deuteronomy 30-31; Psalms 40; 1 Corinthians 1   “When I have brought them into the land flowing with milk and honey…they will turn to other gods and worship them, rejecting me and breaking my covenant…I know what they are disposed to do, even before I bring them into the land I promised them on oath…The Lord gave this command to Joshua son of Nun: ‘Be strong and courageous, for you will bring the Israelites into the land…’” Deuteronomy 31:20, 21, 23 God’s promises to us are stronger than our tendency toward sin, rebellion, and idolatry. God knew the hearts of his people, yet he remained faithful to his promises to them. Even as he predicted their future rejection, the Lord still spoke words of encouragement to Joshua to lead the people into the land. God calls us to trust him for strength and courage, even as we struggle with surrender and obedience to his Spirit and Word. Although God knows what we are disposed to do, he has redeemed us in Christ and calls us to live in covenant w...

  Deuteronomy 28-29; Galatians 6   “May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.” Galatians 6:14 We can take pride in our heritage, families, homes, careers, ministries, or even our spiritual fruit; however, Paul reminds us that the only thing worth boasting about is the grace of God expressed in Christ’s death on the cross for us. That death not only won our salvation, but also our freedom from the ‘works righteousness’ of religion. We have been set free from an identity based on performance and we now find ourselves recipients of grace. To boast in grace is an oxymoron that Paul used to expose the incongruity of both trusting in the work of Christ on the cross, and in outward signs of covenant, like circumcision. What are we tempted to boast about amid all that Christ has done for us? Are we dead to the world, or very much still influenced by it? “Lord Jesus, you have set me free to know...

Deuteronomy 25-27; Galatians 5   “Then you shall declare before the Lord your God: ‘My father was a wandering Aramean, and he went down into Egypt with a few people…But the Egyptians mistreated us and made us suffer…So the Lord brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm…and now I bring the first fruits of the soil that you, O Lord, have given me.’” Deuteronomy 26:5, 6, 8, 10 All of us are refugees, wandering through life until we find our home in God. This testimony of Israel’s history, which was to be recited before the Lord at the place of worship once Israel reached their promised land, was both remembering and giving grateful worship for God’s faithfulness. Once we were not a people, but now we, too, have become the people of God. The bondage of sin and death, like in Egypt, has been overcome by God’s mighty hand and plan of redemption in Christ.   If that’s our story, are we remembering, and are we bringing our first fruits to God in thankful worsh...

Deuteronomy 22-24; Galatians 4 “What I am saying is that as long as the heir is a child, he is no different from a slave, although he owns the whole estate... But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son…that we might receive the full rights of sons.” Galatians 4:1, 4, 5 Those who have placed their faith in Jesus Christ are heirs of salvation and the promises of God. We have been adopted into God’s family with the full rights of sons and daughters. Does this describe how we see ourselves? Are we living as though the authority, intimacy, and freedom of being children of God were ours? Is there anything usurping or robbing us of our full rights as heirs of salvation and the promises of God? Are we still living with the immaturity of a ‘works righteousness’ worldview like those Paul describes as being under the law? It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. It’s time to discover and stand firm in our full rights as God’s children. “Lord Jesus, thank you for your mission to purc...

Deuteronomy 19-21; Galatians 3   “You are all sons of God through faith in Jesus Christ, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.” Galatians 3:26-29 Faith in Christ for salvation is the great equalizer in the world. Our skin color, gender, family history, education, income, address, and physical capacity make no difference to how we approach God. What matters is our faith in the completed work of Jesus Christ on the cross for us. By faith we become children of God and part of his family. By faith we are now one in Christ, unified by our common need for Christ and his indwelling Holy Spirit. By faith we inherit the promises given to Abraham that we will be blessed by God so we can become a blessing to the nations. By faith we are heirs of eternal life th...

Deuteronomy 16-18; Psalms 38; Galatians 2 “’I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.’” Galatians 2:20 Few verses of Scripture capture the heart of the Gospel like Galatians 2:20. We enter Christ’s kingdom by dying to sin and self. Have we been crucified with Christ through repentance and turning away from our old life of sin? It’s only in dying to sin and self that Christ lives in us. The reality of Christ’s indwelling presence in our body through the Holy Spirit is not metaphoric or intellectual, it is real! If we don’t know what this means we might not have experienced the reality of being born again. In this new life in Christ, we live by faith or full dependence on Christ for daily provision, protection, power, wisdom, forgiveness, grace, and so much more. We can’t rely on ourselves, attend religious services, and call ourselves a Christ-follo...

Deuteronomy 13-15; Galatians 1 “Paul, an apostle – sent not from men nor by man, but by Jesus Christ and God the Father…Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ…But when God who set me apart from birth and called me by his grace, was pleased to reveal his Son in me so that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I did not consult any man…” Galatians 1:1, 10, 15, 16 Are we clear on God’s presence in our lives and his call to us? Paul knew who he was and whose he was as he lived out the mission assignment God had given him. When we aren’t clear on whose we are, we look to make a name for ourselves, or try to please men so they will give us a good name. Those who are inwardly directed, live out of that inner sense of calling, as well as through inner resources. They live to daily obey the Lord and are not easily manipulated through flattery of man-pleasing. The same humility...

Deuteronomy 10-12; Mark 16 “And now, O Israel, what does the Lord your God ask of you but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul…To the Lord your God belong the heavens…the earth and everything in it…and he chose you…above all the nations...” Deuteronomy 10:12, 14, 15 God chose us to be his people, his treasured possession, to reflect his ways to the world, and share his Gospel with all creation. However, he also asks us to fear him, love him, serve him, and walk in all his ways. To both fear and love God is to know his awe-inspiring holiness and glory as well as his humility and love for us in Christ. God’s holiness required his Son to die on a cross for our sin. His love moved God to sacrifice his Son on our behalf to pay the price for our sin. Both the fear and love of God set us apart from the nations around us, as those who know the living God. In which of God’s requirements of us is he...

  Deuteronomy 7-9; Mark 15   “’Are you the king of the Jews?’ asked Pilate. ‘Yes, it is as you say,’ Jesus replied. The chief priests accused him of many things. So again Pilot asked him, ‘Aren’t you going to answer? See how many things they are accusing you of.’ But Jesus still made no reply, and Pilate was amazed.” Mark 15:2-5 In the face of false accusations with potentially lethal consequences, Jesus made no reply. How would we respond? Jesus’ higher value was the fulfillment of Scripture as he was silent while being “led like a lamb to the slaughter” (Isaiah 53:17). Do we feel we must defend ourselves when false accusations or rumors confront us? In that moment, is there a higher value than our own reputation? If we respond with the fruit of the Spirit, the world around us will be amazed. Defensiveness and fighting with words are normal; self-control and peace in the face of conflict are supernatural. In our identity as those who belong to God, we are called to respond in...

Deuteronomy 5-6; Psalms 43; Mark 14   “Observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy, as the Lord your God has commanded you…the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work…Remember that you were slaves in Egypt and that the Lord your God brought you out of there with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm. Therefore the Lord your God has commanded you to observe the Sabbath day.” Deuteronomy 5:12, 14, 15 The Sabbath day of rest set Israel apart from all their surrounding nations. The Sabbath day was set apart for God, just as Israel was set apart for God. One day each week, Israel remembered their deliverance from Egypt through God’s mighty hand. They were his people. The Sabbath day was a day of rest, worship, and a day to remember all that God had done. Do we regularly set aside a day to rest and worship, remembering God’s deliverance and faithfulness? Jesus is Lord of the Sabbath, but he didn’t eliminate it. Rather, Jesus is our rest and invites u...

  Deuteronomy 3-4; Psalms 36; Mark 13   “’…the gospel must first be preached to all nations. Whenever you are arrested and brought to trial…say whatever is given you at the time, for it is not you speaking, but the Holy Spirit. Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child…All men will hate you because of me, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved.’” Mark 13:10-13 The preaching of the gospel to all nations is often cited as a marker for the return of Christ. However, other markers listed alongside all nations hearing the gospel include the persecution and betrayal of the saints. We are promised that “all men will hate you because of me”. As we love, forgive, and courageously share the Gospel in the midst of persecution, we stand firm in our faith. The definition of salvation is more than a prayer. It is those who stand firm to the end who will be saved.   Are we standing firm, or are we compromising our convictions and the Gospel because of societa...

Deuteronomy 1-2; Mark 12 “Then Jesus said to them, ‘Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s…Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put…a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins…Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, ‘I tell you the truth, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything – all she had to live on.’” Mark 12:17, 41-44 Just as coins bore the image of Caesar, we bear the image of God. What is our reasonable act of worship? Jesus calls us to follow the example of the widow at the temple and give God all we have. Generosity is not based on the amount we give, but on our hearts and on what that amount means to us.   What does generosity in giving and worship mean for us? Just as God provided all that Israel needed throughout their forty years in the wilderness of Sinai, so also, God desires to be our source and our ever...

  Numbers 34-36; Mark 11   “And as he taught them, he said, ‘Is it not written: ‘My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations’? But you have made it a den of robbers.’” Mark 11:17 In Revelation 7, John’s vision of the nations before the throne of God continues to be the picture of the kingdom of God. Our privilege is to cooperate with God’s global and eternal mission of reconciling all things to himself through Christ. We cooperate with God through our prayers, intercession, and our faith-filled obedience. Jesus’ anger that the court of the Gentiles was being used for sacrifice transactions was rooted in the truth that greed and idolatry were interfering with God’s mission.   Our bodies are now serving as the temple of the Holy Spirit. God’s heart is still for the nations and prayer for all nations to be birthed in our lives. Is there anything in our lives interfering with prayer for all nations? Will we invite the Holy Spirit to pray God’s reconciling missi...

Numbers 32-33; Mark 10   “Jesus looked at him and loved him. ‘One thing you lack,’ he said. ‘Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come follow me.’…The disciples were amazed at his words…They were on their way up to Jerusalem, with Jesus leading the way, and the disciples were astonished while those who followed were afraid…” Mark 10:21, 24, 32 The disciples were amazed at the cost of entering the kingdom of God. They had been raised as Jews who understood God’s covenant with them through Moses. The cost of entering the kingdom was everything! This was new to them and they asked, “Who then can be saved” (Mark 10:26)? Jesus’ determination to travel to Jerusalem, the place where religious leaders wanted to kill him, also astonished the disciples. Jesus called others to count the cost of following him, and then demonstrated that he was prepared to die for this kingdom (Mark 10:33). Does this cost amaze and astonish us today? Do w...