Listening to the Word

Proverbs 16-18; Romans 12   “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God – this is your spiritual act of worship.” Romans 12:1 Writing to a culture full of temples, carnal worship, and controlled by fear of the gods, Paul urged discipleship as the worshipful response to those who have received God’s mercy and call to salvation. This discipleship is not for a few vestal virgins or cultic priests, but for all men and women who are cleansed with Christ’s blood and filled with the fire of the Holy Spirit. Our bodies become the temples in which the fire of God’s presence burns. We are being made holy even as we choose to pursue holiness out of reverence for God.   The enemy is still seeking to defile the bodies of God’s servants; however, in view of God’s mercy, will we offer our bodies to him? Will we choose to guard our thoughts by actively resisting the lies and lustful thoughts of the enemy in J

Proverbs 13-15; Romans 11   “Whoever fears the Lord has a secure fortress, and for his children it will be a refuge. The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, turning a man from the snares of death.” Proverbs 14:26, 27 Living within the boundaries of God’s Word and under his loving authority is the best way to live. We are protected from the snares of sin and its devastating consequences when we live in covenant with God and enjoy his presence. Even our children enjoy the security of living in God’s presence when they grow up in a home that fears the Lord. Teaching our children the fear of the Lord through our example of obedience to God’s Word, prayer, and a life of worship is better than any other investment we can make for them. Not only is the fear of the Lord a protection for our families, it is a fountain of life where we can drink as we value the presence of God through the Holy Spirit. Are we drinking from this fountain in our homes, or drinking from other fountains that ente

  Proverbs 10-12; Romans 10   “One person gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty. A generous man will prosper; he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed.” Proverbs 11:24, 25 God loves generosity! Most of us know that we don’t take anything with us when we die, but we live like that isn’t the case. When we are generous with our time, our relationships, and our resources, we are demonstrating that God is our source and we are stewards of his gifts. We can be generous because our source will not be exhausted. There is always more. However, a ‘poverty mindset’ doesn’t believe this. A poverty mindset believes we get what we deserve; we must hold on to all we can because we cannot trust a source other than ourselves. We can be very wealthy and still live with a poverty mindset. The kingdom of God is different. In Christ’s kingdom we are recipients of grace and love that we could never earn or deserve. The promise of eternal rewards means tha

Proverbs 7-9; Romans 9   “I, wisdom, dwell together with prudence; I possess knowledge and discretion. To fear the Lord is to hate evil; I hate pride and arrogance, evil behavior and perverse speech…Wisdom has built her house…The woman Folly is loud; she is undisciplined and without knowledge. She sits at the door of her house, on a seat at the highest point of the city.” Proverbs 8:12, 13; 9:1, 13, 14 If wisdom is a house, then humility is the front door and the fear of the Lord is the key which opens it. If folly is another house, then pride is its front door. God hates pride and arrogance! Which house will we visit and which will we choose to live in? The messages we receive from popular culture are inviting us to folly. Pride blinds us and makes us vulnerable to folly. Religious pride is one of the largest doors to the house of folly. We cannot grow in wisdom while we walk in pride. The house of wisdom into which God invites us, through humility and the fear of the Lord, requires u

  Proverbs 4-6; Romans 8   “You will say, ‘How I hated discipline! How my heart spurned correction!...He will die for lack of discipline, led astray by his own great folly.” Proverbs 5:12, 23 “For if you live according to the sinful flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live.” Romans 8:13 Discipline appears to be the answer for the lusts of the flesh; however, how well did that work for Solomon? Jesus sent us the Holy Spirit to empower us to live precisely according to God’s ways because discipline is not enough! “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you…” (Acts 1:8). Are we daily inviting Jesus to fill us with his Spirit and empower us to both resist the lusts of the flesh and obey the promptings and leading of the Holy Spirit? In our own strength, we cannot hope to live the life Jesus called us to live; will power and human discipline are not enough. We put to death the misdeeds of the body by communing with

Proverbs 1-3; Romans 7   “My son, do not despise the Lord’s discipline and do not resent his rebuke, because the Lord disciplines those he loves, as a father the son he delights in.” Proverbs 3:11, 12 The essence of being a disciple is the willingness to receive discipline. Discipleship is not primarily about knowledge, but about submission. Not many choose to be disciples. Many choose to be students. Discipline hurts. David’s reflections on God’s discipline in his life as the king were passed on to Solomon. David could have resented the Lord’s rebuke, or even despised God or his messengers for their prophetic words to him; but, he chose to submit to the Lord and receive his discipline. Israel’s kings, who failed to submit to God’s discipline, didn’t finish well.   How are we responding to God’s discipline, and to the messengers God uses to speak to us? God’s discipline is motivated by love. Like a loving father, who prepares his son or daughter for the responsibilities of an inheritan

  1 Kings 10-11; 2 Chronicles 9; Romans 6   “The Lord became angry with Solomon because his heart turned away from the Lord…who had appeared to him twice…Then the Lord raised up against Solomon an adversary, Hadad the Edomite…And God raised up against Solomon another adversary…” 1 Kings 11:9, 14, 23 The worst form of spiritual warfare doesn’t come from Satan, it comes from God. God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble. Solomon’s pride and cavalier attitude toward God’s command to not intermarry with Israel’s neighbors turned Solomon’s heart away to other gods. Sin and rebellion are cruel task masters. Solomon’s heart and mind were tormented by great existential questions as he turned from God to look for answers to life’s great questions apart from God. The path of grace, as Paul described it to the Romans, goes in the opposite direction. As we humble ourselves before God and receive his forgiveness and grace, we look for ways to obey him. Instead of conflict, God gives us

1 Kings 9; 2 Chronicles 8; Psalms. 136; Romans 5 “Three times a year Solomon sacrificed burnt offerings and fellowship offerings on the altar he had built for the Lord, burning incense before the Lord along with them, and so fulfilled the temple obligations. 1 Kings 9:25 “Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand…” Romans 5:1, 2 Solomon stood on the shoulders of his father David’s relationship with God and he fulfilled the basic obligations of temple worship. Solomon’s relationship with God was rooted in duties and obligations. David’s relationship with God was rooted in love. What is our relationship with God rooted in? What is it primarily marked by? Paul reminds the Roman Christians, and us, that we have been justified by faith, not by duties or religious works. Our relationship with God is rooted in God’s unmerited grace toward us, in Chris

2 Chronicles 6-7; Psalms. 135; Romans 4   “If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” 2 Chronicles 7:14 This statement and promise of God in response to Solomon’s temple-dedication prayer, is not a formula. Too often prayer is used in a formulaic way as we pray for revival within the nations. This statement by God is a call for relationship with his people, those called by his name. Will we humble ourselves and seek God’s face, not just his hand of blessing and provision? Prayer is communication with God, not religious ritual to impress others. Prayer is not formulaic, but heart-felt, honest, humble communication from one person to another Person. God both hears and responds in prayer. This is two-way communication, not just ritual. In our generation, the same God who communicated with David and Solomon invites us into a humb

  1 Kings 8; 2 Chronicles 5; Psalms. 99; Romans 3 “But will God really dwell on earth? The heavens, even the highest heavens, cannot contain you. How much less this temple I have built!...May your eyes be open toward this temple night and day…Hear the supplication of your servant and of your people Israel when they pray toward this place. Hear from heaven, your dwelling place, and when you hear, forgive.” 1 Kings 8:27, 29, 30 The construction of a physical temple in Jerusalem provided a geographic focus for Israel’s prayer, worship, and sacrifices. Even after the diaspora, Jews prayed toward Jerusalem. Later, Muslims picked up the same practice by praying toward Mecca. However, through the atoning sacrifice of Jesus, we now have relationship with God directly through his Spirit indwelling our bodies, like temples. Prayer can become as natural as breathing and is no longer limited to a physical location. Have we offered our life to God as a temple for him to indwell through his Spirit?

1 Kings 7; 2 Chronicles 4; Psalms. 98; Romans 2   “Sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done marvelous things; his right hand and his holy arm have worked salvation for him…all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God. Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth…let them sing before the Lord, for he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world in righteousness and the peoples with equity.” Psalm 9:1, 3, 4, 9 God’s offer of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ is for all the earth. The Lord of all the earth took upon himself our sin, and experienced God’s wrath and judgment against sin by dying a sacrificial death on our behalf. How we respond to this offer of salvation will determine the eternal fate of the peoples of the earth. The Psalmist calls all the earth to shout for joy to the Lord, for he comes to judge the earth. God’s judgment of sin should bring us joy, not only fear. There is ultimate justice in this world and the most loving, merciful, and holy – t

  1 Kings 6; 2 Chronicles 3; Psalms. 97; Romans 1   “The Lord reigns, let the earth be glad…Fire goes before him and consumes his foes on every side…All who worship images are put to shame…Zion hears and rejoices and the villages of Judah are glad because of your judgments, O Lord. For you, O Lord, are the Most High over all the earth; you are exalted far above all gods.” Psalm 97:1, 3, 7-9 Do we rejoice when God’s judgments are experienced on earth? Do we even acknowledge that God acts in human history to restrain sin, sometimes through cataclysmic events such as earthquakes, hurricanes, or tornados? Do we fear and appease ‘mother earth’, or the Most High? From whose perspective are we reading the daily news? Does heaven’s perspective get shouted on earth so that we enter into heaven’s joy; or, do we identify with sinful humanity in shaking our fist at God and shouting, ‘Why’? The last days will bring another period of God’s judgment of sin on a global level. “Fear God and give him gl

1 Kings 4-5; 2 Chronicles 2; Psalms. 101; 2 Thessalonians 3 “And pray that we may be delivered from wicked and evil men, for not everyone has faith. But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen and protect you from the evil one.” 2 Thessalonians 3:2, 3 There are wicked and evil people who oppose the Church, the Gospel, and those who live on mission with Jesus. Paul endured beatings, imprisonment, and eventually death for the Gospel. His message to new believers in Jesus was that this treatment is normal and to be expected. He also taught that people are not the enemy, but rather, it is Satan. We are to resist Satan, the evil one. This spiritual warfare occurs around us and we are often unaware of its presence. The Lord Almighty is faithful. He strengthens and protects his servants as we call out to him. He delivers us from temptations and evil as we make this a regular prayer. God’s people are not to be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. The battle is real and the cost

  1 Kings 3; 2 Chronicles 1; Psalms. 78; 2 Thessalonians 2 “The men of Ephraim, though armed with bows, turned back on the day of battle; they did not keep God’s covenant and refused to live by his law…How often they rebelled against him in the desert and grieved him in the wasteland! Again and again they put God to the test; they vexed the Holy One of Israel. They did not remember his power…” Psalm 78:9, 10, 40-42 We, too, can know the blessing of a covenant with God and the faithfulness of his promises, yet still turn back from the spiritual battles in our lives, families, and Church. We, too, can rebel against God in the tests he allows in our lives, and instead, put God to the test. We, too, can vex God, anger him with our sin choices, rebellion, and fear-filled disobedience. Israel’s story can be our story. Or, we can acknowledge our tendency toward all these sinful behaviors and humble ourselves before God each day. We can ask God to daily empower us with his Holy Spirit so we ca

1 Kings 2; 1 Chronicles 29; Psalms. 95; 2 Thessalonians 1   “Come, let us sing for joy to the Lord;…let us kneel before the Lord our Maker; for he is our God and we are the people of his pasture, the flock under his care. Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts…” Psalm 95:1, 6-8 The privilege of worshipping our Maker is given to every person in creation, but only a few take advantage of this honor. Those who learn to live with humility under God’s mighty hand have the privilege of knowing their Shepherd’s voice. Jesus said, “My sheep know my voice” (John 10). How we respond to the voice of God determines whether we walk in God’s way, or choose a rebellious walk. Listening to the Word requires a soft heart that obeys the slightest promptings of the Holy Spirit. As we obey, we experience God’s inner peace and rest through the Holy Spirit. God’s written Word is a record of his spoken word in history. It points us to our Shepherd who is still speaking today. “Lord Jesus, I

  1 Kings 1; 1 Chronicles 28; Psalms. 91; 1 Thessalonians 5   “He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, ‘He is my refuge and my fortress, my God in whom I trust.’” Psalm 91:1, 2 Those who dwell in God’s presence, rest in the Lord. Those who only visit God’s presence can struggle with anxiety and fear. To dwell in God’s presence is to fully surrender our lives to the Lord and be filled with his presence through the Holy Spirit. David was filled with the Holy Spirit when Samuel anointed him; now, every child of God can experience God’s presence in the same way. The presence of God brings inner peace and rest that prevail through the tests and trials of family, work, and life. We daily commune with God and listen to his counsel because we trust in God and live with him. Are we dwelling with God or just visiting? Not only will we experience the difference, those around us will notice it. “Lord Jesus, fill me again this d

1 Chronicles 25-27; 1 Thessalonians 4   ”As for Heman, from his sons: Bukkiah…Hothir and Mahazioth. All these were sons of Heman the king’s seer. They were given him through the promises of God to exalt him. God gave Heman fourteen sons and three daughters.” 1 Chronicles 25:3-5 Heman was a prophet in David’s inner circle of leaders who had a big family. More importantly, Heman received a word from God, a promise of blessing expressed through his large family. Children are a gift from God, and God’s promise to Heman was that his children would exalt the Lord. Heman’s family served in the tabernacle through worship and prophesy. His children and grandchildren were trained and gifted in contributing to the constant worship that occurred in the tabernacle. What a legacy to pass on to each generation! Are we seeking God for his promises regarding our children? Do we view children from God’s perspective - as a blessing from him? Are we training and releasing our children to fulfill their God

1 Chronicles 22-24; 1 Thessalonians 3   “The duty of the Levites was to help Aaron’s descendants in the service of the temple of the Lord: to be in charge of the courtyards, the side rooms, the purification of all sacred things…They were also to stand every morning to thank and praise the Lord. They were to do the same in the evening…The families of the oldest brother were treated the same as those of the youngest.” 1 Chronicles 23:28, 30; 24:31 The service of the Levites as prescribed by David included both order and equality. The descendants of Aaron were responsible for the sacrifices. Their fellow Levites were to support them in caring for all the functions of the temple. They were to worship the Lord every day, even as they worked for the Lord. Their worship and their work were to be one. All had access to the presence of the Lord. Through Christ, the curtain separating the Most Holy Place from the rest of the temple has been torn open. We all now have access to the presence of th

2 Samuel 24; 1 Chronicles 21; Psalms. 30; 1 Thessalonians 2   “We had previously suffered and been insulted in Philippi, as you know, but with the help of our God we dared to tell you his gospel in spite of strong opposition. For the appeal we make does not spring from error or impure motives…We are not trying to please men but God, who tests our hearts.” 1 Thessalonians 2:2-4 Motives matter to God. In his sovereignty, God has allowed persecution of the Church to test and refine us and to expose our motives. The beating and imprisonment of Paul and Silas in Philippi resulted in the conversion of the jailer and his family. Paul used that story to remind the new Thessalonian Christians that he was preaching the Gospel at great cost to himself, not for personal benefit. The accusations of the Thessalonian Jews who drove Paul out of their city still lingered in the minds of the new Christians.   Are we sharing the Gospel because that’s our job, or because we, too, are obeying and pleasing

  2 Samuel 21-23; 1 Thessalonians 1   “During the reign of David, there was a famine for three successive years; so David sought the face of the Lord. The Lord said, ‘It is on account of Saul and his blood-stained house; it is because he put the Gibeonites to death…After that, God answered prayer in behalf of the land.’” 2 Samuel 21:1, 14 David recognized that God controlled the rain and Israel’s harvests. Do we recognize that as well, or have we become dependent on scientists and climate change models as the first place we go for answers? David sought the face of God. Many seek God’s hand of provision, protection, and deliverance. David sought God’s face. Without relationship with God, leaders look first to other leaders for counsel and direction. God’s surprising answer to David was to expose the sin of a previous leader and its consequences regarding rainfall. Rather than dismiss this information as not his responsibility, David took steps to right previous wrongs and make atonement

  Samuel 19-20; Psalms. 55; Matthew 28   “He won over the hearts of the men of Judah as though they were one man. They sent word to the king, ‘Return, you and all your men.’ Then the king returned and went as far as the Jordan.” 2 Samuel 19:14, 15 David understood the importance of unity, particularly after an attempted coup. He understood that unity could not be forced or commanded, but was the outcome of common thinking and spirit. David addressed the question of what would happen to some of the leading rebels if he extended mercy to them. He valued the spiritual health of Israel more than his own honor. What would others say we value, based on our words and behavior? In what ways are we contributing to the unity of the Church? What actions are we prepared to take in order to win over the hearts of those whom God is calling us to influence? “Lord Jesus, I pray your Church would be one, as you and the Father are one, for your glory.”

  2 Samuel 18; Psalms. 56; Matthew 27   “…The king told the troops, ‘I myself will surely march out with you.’ But the men said, ‘You must not go out; if we are forced to flee, they won’t care about us…you are worth ten thousand of us. It would be better now for you to give us support from the city. The king answered, ‘I will do whatever seems best to you.’…” 2 Samuel 18:2-4 David’s first impulse as a leader in battle was to lead from the front. He had proven his courage, creativity, and self-control over decades of leadership. However, in the battle to deliver Israel from his own son Absalom’s coup, David let his men lead him. The longer we lead, the less freedom we tend to have. Those whom we serve and lead help us define our best contributions. David’s best contribution was to provide support from the city while his men fought in the forest of Ephraim. In defining our best contributions, are we listening to those we are leading? “Lord Jesus, thank you for the humility and grace with

2 Samuel 17; Psalms. 71; Matthew 26   “I have become like a portent [sign] many, but you are my strong refuge. My mouth is filled with your praise, declaring your splendor all day long. Do not cast me away when I am old; do not forsake me when my strength is gone. For my enemies speak against me; those who wait to kill me conspire together. They say, ‘God has forsaken him; pursue him and seize him, for no one will rescue him.’” Psalm 71:7-11 David’s life was a sign to many that having a relationship with God was the best way to live. David struggled through temptation and the effects of sin in his family, while all Israel was watching. Would the enemy finally triumph over David and prove his life a lie? Would old age diminish David’s value to God and move him to the sidelines? David’s enemies sensed he was vulnerable and were moving in to strike. What was David to do? What would we do? David cried out to the Lord, and poured out his heart to God in worship. He reminded God of his promi

2 Samuel 15-16; Psalms. 32; Matthew 25   “I said, ‘I will confess my transgressions to the Lord’ - and you forgave the guilt of my sin. Therefore let everyone who is godly pray to you while you may be found; surely when the mighty waters rise, they will not reach him. You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance.” Psalm 32:5-7 Everyone needs a safe place, a place of refuge where they experience peace and rest in both body and spirit. David recognized that God’s presence was his hiding place. However, to experience refuge in God’s presence required confession of all transgressions and sins. The resulting inner peace and freedom from a guilty conscience was David’s refuge from trouble in the midst of rising “mighty waters”. In what refuge are we seeking shelter? For some, it is the temporary relief of entertainment, mind-numbing alcohol, or drugs. However, these false places of refuge do nothing for the inner battles for our thoughts

2 Samuel 13-14; Matthew 24 “Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come…Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom the master has put in charge of the servants…suppose that servant is wicked…and he then begins to beat his fellow servants and to eat and drink with drunkards.” Matthew 24:12-14; 45, 48, 49 While the cooling of first love for God is a consequence of the increase of wickedness, the cost is greater for those in spiritual leadership in Christ’s kingdom. For spiritual leaders who abuse their God-given authority by mistreating fellow servants, or by mistreating their bodies through self-indulgence and excess, Christ promises severe judgment. The increase in wickedness corrupts spiritual leaders; its effect is multiplied through their leadership. Instead, Jesus calls us to st

2 Samuel 11-12; Psalms. 51; Matthew 23   “In the spring, at the time when kings go off to war, David sent Joab out with the king’s men and the whole Israelite army. They destroyed the Ammonites…But David remained in Jerusalem. One evening David got up from his bed and walked around on the roof of the palace. From the roof he saw a woman bathing…” 2 Samuel 11:1, 2 In a season of war, David stayed home. Perhaps he needed rest; however, he was restless at night. Instead of worshipping the Lord as he often did, David walked around his palace roof. Perhaps he liked to walk under the stars and talk to God. The sight of a beautiful woman bathing at night got his attention and his need for risk-taking, and conquest kicked in. David could have slept with several wives or concubines that night, instead he chose another man’s wife. Why? His curiosity, need for adventure, and capacity for risk made him vulnerable to adultery. What the tempter could not accomplish with a bear, a lion, or a giant, h

  2 Samuel 10; 1 Chronicles 20; Psalms. 20; Matthew 22   “May the Lord answer you when you are in distress; may the name of the God of Jacob protect you. May he send you help from the sanctuary and grant you support from Zion…Answer us when we call!” Psalm 20:1, 2, 9 Who do we call when we are in distress? The universal number in the West is 911; however, in the global South, many call on the name of the Lord. In a crisis, is our first impulse to turn to man, or to God? In everyday life when all is well, who do we process our experiences with? Have we called on the Lord enough that he recognizes our number? David’s worship life as a shepherd, and later as a fugitive, prepared him for the military battles he faced as a king when the stakes were much larger. David knew the anointing of the Spirit of God and the peace that is found only in God’s presence. When it is essential that God answers your call, it is helpful to know you have already established a relationship with him. “Lord God,

  2 Samuel 8-9; 1 Chronicles 18-19; Matthew 21   “’What do you think? There was a man who had two sons. He went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work today in the vineyard.’ ‘I will not,’ he answered, but later he changed his mind and went.                                                               Then the Father went to the other son and said the same thing. He answered, ‘I will sir,’ but he did not go. ‘Which of the two did what his father wanted?’ ‘The first,’ they answered. Jesus said to them, ‘I tell you the truth, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom ahead of you.’” Matthew 21:28-31 When our understanding of Church is focused on a ninety-minute worship service with a message focused on words to which we listen, most of the time, we are vulnerable to the kind of self-deception Jesus exposes in this parable. Repentance is a change of thinking that leads to a change of behavior, not merely remorseful words. Jesus’ story of two sons points to the imp

2 Samuel 7; 1 Chronicles 17; Psalms. 2; Matthew 20 “…’Here I am, living in a palace of cedar, while the ark of God remains in a tent.’…’Go and tell my servant David, ‘This is what the Lord says: Are you the one to build me a house to dwell in?’...’The Lord declares to you that the Lord himself will establish a house for you:…I will raise up your offspring to succeed you…’” 2 Samuel 7:1, 5, 10-12 What is the difference between a house and a home? David desired to build a house for God’s presence. God desired to be at home with David and his family for all generations. The fulfillment of God’s promise to David was the birth of Christ in his family line. We enter this lineage of faith as we, too, enter covenant with God through Christ and welcome Jesus into our lives to be at home with us. Multi-generational faith stories within families testify to God’s faithful love. When we choose to honor God, he overwhelms us with his love and goodness. What faith story is your family experiencing th