Listening to the Word

Zechariah 7-9; Luke 13   “…He will proclaim peace to the nations. His rule will extend from sea to sea and from the River to the ends of the earth.” Zechariah 9:10 This promise comes from Psalm 72:8 and was first proclaimed by Solomon. The fulfillment, however, is found in Christ as the Messiah who brings salvation to the nations. The UN and other earlier efforts have tried to bring peace to the nations without the peace of Christ and have found they cannot reform or transform the selfish self-interest of the human heart. Even nations that once proclaimed peace, slide back into war mongering and sabre rattling. Jesus alone is the hope for all prisoners of sin. His love is able to drive out fear and transform our hearts so we, too, forgive and love our enemies. The peace of Christ must be proclaimed when we enter into homes (Luke 10:5), relationships, and nations. To proclaim Christ’s peace is to proclaim his rule and victory over sin. This Gospel will be proclaimed to the ends of the e

 Zechariah 4-6; Luke 12   “I have come to bring fire on the earth…Do you think I came to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but division. From now on there will be five in one family divided against each other…” Luke 12:49, 51, 52 Jesus came to the earth to bring salvation from the penalty of sin. Those who receive this Gospel also receive the gift of the Holy Spirit, the fire of God. The fire of the Spirit’s presence burns with worship to God and convicts us of sin. The Gospel of peace separates and divides because not everyone will embrace it. Those who find peace with God through Christ, find their family members and closest friends sometimes opposing them. The peace of God in Christ is not peace at all costs. Rather, this peace is found after the surrender of our sin and our will to God, and we have the infilling of his Holy Spirit. This peace is real, and it’s costly, but worth it. Have we experienced this peace, this fire, and this price? “Lord Jesus, you are my peace. Fill me

Zechariah 1-3; Luke 11 “No one lights a lamp and puts it in a place where it will be hidden, or under a bowl. Instead he puts it on its stand so that those who come in may see the light. Your eye is the lamp of your body. When your eyes are good, your whole body also is full of light. But when they are bad, your body also is full of darkness. See to it, then, that the light within you is not darkness.”” Luke 11:33-35 The brightness of our testimony and our witness to the reality of Christ’s presence in our lives is influenced by what we fix our eyes on. If our eyes are drawn to pornography, the lust for new things, and the promise of wealth, that is what the mirror of our eyes will reflect back to the world. If, however, our eyes are fixed on Jesus, on knowing and obeying his living Word, we will reflect Christ’s light to the world. Our eyes are the gate to our hearts. Jesus is calling us to guard our eyes and our hearts so that his light in us will draw those around us to himself. Is,

 Haggai 1-2; Psalms 129; Luke 10   “…’Give careful thought to your ways…You expected much, but see, it turned out to be little. What you brought home, I blew away. Why?’ declares the Lord Almighty. ‘Because of my house, which remains a ruin, while each of you is busy with his own house.’” Haggai 1:5, 9 How many houses is God building? Jesus said, “I will build my church and the gates of Hades will not overcome it” (Matthew 16:18). God has one building project. We cannot ask God to bless our house if we are not joining him to build his house.   The Lord Jesus is on a mission to build his Church; has that captured our imagination? All other empires and visions will be ‘blown away’ like chaff. Unity is found in joining Jesus and his mission to build his Church throughout the world. Our lack of resources and growth could be because of a misguided, or distracted, focus. Will we join God’s great construction project? There is no lack of work; this house will last forever. “Lord Jesus, your m

Ezra 4; Psalms 113, 127; Luke 9     “When the enemies of Judah and Benjamin heard that the exiles were building a temple for the Lord, the God of Israel, they came to Zerubbabel and to the heads of the families and said, ‘Let us help you build because, like you, we seek your God and have been sacrificing to him since the time of Esarhaddon king of Assyria, who brought us here.’” Ezra 4:1, 2 How can we discern when offers for assistance are genuine, or a scheme of the enemy? When those who offer are refused or rejected, their true motives are quickly exposed. These enemies of Judah quickly turned to intimidation, discouragement, accusation, and threats. Their original offer to help was sugar-coated in generosity and religious language. For example: “We all serve the same God, and we have been sacrificing to him.” and “Look at our piety and generosity.” Generous donations and religious language can seduce even the most discerning. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks a

 Ezra 2-3; Luke 8   “Now these are the people of the province who came up from the captivity of the exiles, whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had taken captive to Babylon (they returned to Jerusalem and Judah, each to his own town, in company with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah…Mordecai…). Ezra2:1, 2 God’s fulfillment of his promise to deliver the remnant of his people out of Babylonian captivity after seventy years was experienced by those who responded to this promise with faith. Zerubbabel returned as a community leader, Jeshua as a priest, and Nehemiah as a rebuilder. Mordecai, as a civil servant within the Persian kingdom, had seen God’s deliverance and favor in his own family. If these are the same Nehemiah and Mordecai as recorded elsewhere in Scripture they are a reminder to us that God works through those who are willing to risk everything to see his will be done on earth as it is in heaven. The deliverance of people and nations today from the captivity of sin and unbelief can

 Ezra 1; Psalms 84-85; Luke 7   “Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere; I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of the wicked. For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor; no good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless.” Psalm 84:10, 11 Location, location, location! Where we live determines not only the value of our property, but also many of the conditions of our life. Those who choose to live in God’s presence find him to be their sun. It is the presence of the Lord that gives us warmth, provision, protection, and perspective. It is the Lord who gives favor and honor. His loving generosity knows no limit.   Why enjoy the hospitality and gifts of the wicked when the Lord offers us intimate relationship? He invites us to walk with him today and enjoy his presence in all we do, no matter where we are. Those who discover this treasure don’t want to live anywhere else! “Father God, you

 Daniel 11-12; Luke 6   “As for you, go your way till the end. You will rest, and then at the end of the days you will rise to receive your allotted inheritance.” Daniel 12:13 “…’Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God…Blessed are you when men hate you…because of the Son of Man. Rejoice in that day and leap for joy because great is your reward in heaven…’” Luke 6:20, 22, 23 Daniel served kings but needed to wait for heaven for his inheritance. Jesus offered to those who paid a high price for their faithfulness to God, the same promise of a reward in heaven that Daniel would receive. Are we prepared to invest in the kingdom of God and the mission of the King now, with the assurance of his reward later? This is the valuable proposition Jesus makes in the Gospel. He said there would be joy now when we realize our suffering for the Gospel will be rewarded in eternity. Are we living for our reward now, or later before the throne of God? “Lord God, all I have comes from

 Daniel 9-10; Psalms 123; Luke 5   “…they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink…Then Jesus said to Simon, ‘Don’t be afraid; from now on you will catch men.’ So they pulled their boats upon shore, left everything and followed him.” Luke 5:7, 10, 11 Jesus overwhelmed Peter’s definition of success in fishing, and then called him to leave everything and follow him. The focus of Peter’s apprenticeship with Jesus was on ‘catching men’. When we experience success in business, we prosper. When we experience success in fishing for men, heaven prospers. Have we learned to ‘fish for men’? The Gospel is good news, even to those whose boats are full of fish. Jesus invites us to follow him, including using our businesses for his kingdom-mission. When we follow Jesus, he has our boats, fish, and our hearts. “Lord Jesus, you are my leader, and I will follow you, for your glory.”

 Daniel 7-8; Psalms 137; Luke 4 “…he said to him, ‘I will give you all their authority and splendor, for it has been given to me, and I can give it to anyone I want to. So if you worship me, it will all be yours.’…’The Spirit of the (Sovereign) Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor…” Luke 4:6, 7, 18 Jesus had a choice: either the authority and glory of the nations, or the anointing of the Holy Spirit to transform the nations. He chose the Holy Spirit. What will our choice be? When we serve as ambassadors of reconciliation from the throne room of the Lord, we represent the King of kings. When we choose the glory and splendor of the nations, we become Satan’s puppet. Jesus chose that which was eternal. Will we choose as Jesus did? Only God can forgive sin, free spiritual prisoners, and heal, deliver, and transform lives. The true riches of the kingdom are available for those who seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness. “Lord Jesus, thank yo

 Daniel 5-6; Psalms 130; Luke 3 “…And do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham…And a voice came from heaven: ‘You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.’” Luke 3:8, 22 The Jews trusted in their physical lineage back to Abraham and God’s covenant with him, and later with the descendants of Israel. The righteousness that comes through heritage, tradition, or bloodlines was confronted by John the Baptist and Jesus the Messiah. Jesus could have trusted in this heritage, but instead he pointed to a direct relationship with his heavenly Father. All who by faith receive salvation from Jesus and offer their lives to him, also experience new birth, directly into God’s family. We, too, can experience the Father’s love, pleasure, and relationship. Religions and denominations still trace their heritage back to significant spiritual leaders who shaped their development.   However,

 Ezekiel 47-48; Luke 2   “And the child grew and became strong; he was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was upon him…And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.” Luke 2:40, 52 To grow in wisdom requires the fear of the Lord and an awareness of his authority and presence in our lives. Jesus grew in wisdom, not just in physical strength. When he was twelve, Jesus’ wisdom was evident to the religious teachers in the temple. He impressed those who listened with his understanding and answers to their questions. What achievements do we celebrate for our twelve-year-olds? Sports, dance, academics, and knowledge of the world are all helpful, but are our children growing in wisdom; is the grace of God upon them? Are they growing in favor with God and men? To grow in favor with God, we must learn God’s ways and follow them. Each of us is invited to grow in wisdom - it’s never too late to start. “Lord Jesus, thank you for your example of wisdom and invitation to l

Ezekiel 45-46; Luke 1   “…’Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you…Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. You will be with child and give birth to a son and you are to give him the name Jesus.’” Luke 1:28, 30, 31 Mary was a teenager when the angel Gabriel spoke to her and declared God’s favor and presence were with her. When God’s favor and presence are with us, we, too, will birth new expressions of God’s kingdom. The kingdom of God is righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit (Romans 14:17), and this kingdom is within us. Mary’s communion with God can be our experience as well. Have we sensed God’s pleasure in his relationship with us? When we enjoy the favor of God, he shares his kingdom-mission with us and we, too, have the privilege of participating in his purposes being accomplished on earth as it is in heaven. Are we ready and willing to birth new expressions of God’s kingdom-mission? “Lord Jesus, you are my life. Birth your life in and

 Ezekiel 42-44; Revelations 22 “…On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations.” Revelation 22:2 The tree of life has always been God’s design for life and healing since the Garden of Eden. When Adam and Eve ate from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, they usurped God’s moral authority and decided they both wanted to live forever, able to determine good from evil. For this rebellion they lost access to the tree of life. Salvation in Christ is the restoration of access to the tree of life. Jesus is our life. He is the way, the truth, and the life. Jesus is our standard of right and wrong, and he is our life and healing. The leaves of the tree of life are God’s provision of healing for the nations suffering under violence, war, pollution, and all other effects of the curse of sin. The healing of the Gospel is not just for individuals, it is for nations

 Ezekiel 40-41; Psalms 128; Revelations 21   “…’Come, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb.’ And he carried me away in the Spirit to a mountain great and high, and showed me the Holy City, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God. It shone with the glory of God…” Revelation 21:9-11 For those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life, this city is our home; not our future home, but our home now. We, like Moses and Abraham, have turned our back on an earthly inheritance and we are investing in eternity. This massive, glorious city is called the bride of the Lamb. We are now being built together, like living stones, into a temple in which God dwells by his Spirit. Our eternal home is not our creation, but God’s. We are not building heaven on earth; God is making and bringing a new heaven and a new earth.   Do we clearly understand where our home and address will be? “Lord Jesus, thank you for writing my name in the Lamb’s book of life. I choose to live now with yo

 Ezekiel 38-39; Psalms 145; Revelations 20   “Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; his greatness no one can fathom. One generation will commend your works to another; they will tell of your mighty acts.” Psalm 145:3, 4 God acts in human history so that we will place our hope and faith in him. We share the stories of God’s healing, deliverance, protection, guidance, provision, and love because this brings glory to God and brings new faith, or strengthened faith, to God’s people. It is essential that the older generation share the stories of God’s works with younger generations. While we cannot fathom or conceive of the totality of God’s greatness, we can share our God-stories with the next generation and invite others to put their faith in the Lord. What God-stories have we experienced that must be told? What God stories have we heard that we can pass on to others to strengthen their faith? We overcome adversity by the word of our testimony, and we all have a testimony! “Lord Je

Ezekiel 36-37; Psalms 110; Revelations 19   “…I will save them from all their sinful backsliding, and I will cleanse them. They will be my people, and I will be their God…I will make a covenant of peace with them; it will be an everlasting covenant…” Ezekiel 37:23, 26 God’s promise of initiating a covenant of peace with Israel was fulfilled in the coming of Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace. His covenant of peace was sealed with his own blood as he gave his life to atone for the sinful backsliding of Israel and all the nations who do not yet know peace with God. This covenant of peace through the blood of Christ is God’s peace-plan for the world. Those who know this peace are ambassadors of reconciliation, announcing that peace with God and others is now possible through the forgiveness of Christ and in the power of his Spirit. Are we experiencing and sharing this covenant of peace? “Lord Jesus, you are our peace. Fill me with your peace this day, for your glory.”

 Ezekiel 33-35, Revelations 18   “Because you have said, ‘These two nations and countries will be ours and we will take possession of them,’ even though the Lord was there, therefore as surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, I will treat you in accordance with the anger and jealousy you showed…You boasted against me and spoke against me, without restraint, and I heard it.” Ezekiel 35:10, 11, 13 As followers of Jesus, the greatest protection we have is God’s presence in our lives through the Holy Spirit; ‘…the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world’ (1 John 4:4). Even though God used Israel’s neighbors to discipline his people for their sins, he still rebuked the surrounding nations for their anger and jealousy against Israel. God hears the boasting and abuse directed against his people, and he will judge the motives of all hearts. Our greatest privilege is to walk with God in unbroken fellowship enjoying his presence. The Sovereign Lord has his hand on ou

Daniel 3- 4; Psalms 81; Revelations 17   “King Nebuchadnezzar made an image of gold, ninety feet high and nine feet wide, and set it up on the plain of Dura…you must fall down and worship the image of gold…” Daniel 3:1, 5 Despite receiving a dream of the statue representing many kingdoms, all destroyed by a rock not cut out by human hands, Nebuchadnezzar missed the point. Instead of worshiping the Living God who gave him the dream and then interpreted it for him, Nebuchadnezzar commanded worship for himself. How many ministries and churches today are also missing the point? Instead of using the resources, revelation, and authority God has given to us for his mission and glory, we focus on building our own kingdoms. Daniel and his friends stood firm in their faith and kept their eyes on the Lord. It’s not failure that tempts God’s people to take their eyes off the Lord, as much as it is success. “Lord God, all that we have comes from you. You are our life and our inheritance. I repent f

 Daniel 1-2; Revelations 16 “Praise be to the name of God for ever and ever; wisdom and power are his. He changes times and seasons; he sets up kings and deposes them. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning. He reveals deep and hidden things; he knows what lies in darkness, and light dwells with him.” Daniel 2:20-22 If all of these attributes of God are true, and we have access to his presence through the salvation offered to us in Christ and the indwelling Holy Spirit, why are we not appropriating God’s counsel through waiting on God? There is no greater privilege in our lives than to know God and to receive ongoing counsel and revelation from his Spirit and Word. Today, God has and exercises the power to both set up kings and depose them. He reveals deep and hidden things to those who seek him. There is no greater gift than to know God and to walk through life with him. Are we sharing this amazing opportunity with our friends and family? “Father God, thank you fo

Lamentations 3-5; Revelations 15   “The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him; it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord. It is good for a man to bear the yoke while he is young. Let him sit alone in silence, for the Lord has laid it on him.” Lamentations 3:25-28 Why is it good to wait quietly under a yoke that restricts movement for God to act on our behalf? Why is it good to do this waiting alone and in silence? This deliberate surrender of our will to God in the midst of any form of suffering is a demonstration of our faith and hope in God. When we choose to pursue faith, hope, and love while we are still young, we become candidates for God to work through us for our lifetime. Willingly bearing the yoke of discipleship regardless the cost, frees the Lord to teach us his ways so we become the instruments through which he performs his deeds. Today, are we willing to surrender our circumstances and every challenging test we face to the Lord

 Lamentations 1- 2; Obadiah; Revelations 14   “If anyone worships the beast and his image and receives his mark on the forehead or on the hand, he, too, will drink of the wine of God’s fury…This calls for patient endurance on the part of the saints who obey God’s commandments and remain faithful to Jesus.” Revelation 14:9, 10, 12 The clarity of John’s Revelation is that faithfulness to Christ is rewarded and rebellion against God is punished. When Jesus died for our sins on the cross, he bore in his body God’s wrath against sin. However, throughout history, God’s judgment of sin and rebellion has continued throughout the world. There are consequences to rebelling against God. This fruitless battle against God is the most devastating form of spiritual warfare because the consequences are eternal. In the face of God’s judgment of sin and mankind’s rebellion against God, those who know and follow Jesus are called to live with patient endurance, obedience to God’s commands, and faithfulnes

Jeremiah 42-44; Psalms 48; Revelations 13   “Azariah son of Hoshaiah and Johanan son of Kareah and all the arrogant men said to Jeremiah, ‘You are lying! The Lord our God has not sent you to say, You must not go to Egypt to settle there!’” Jeremiah 43:2 Pride closes our ears and minds to counsel from God and from wisdom. The remnant of Israel’s leaders had experienced a devastating two-year siege of Jerusalem and several waves of foreign military occupation, all of which had been accurately prophesied by Jeremiah. Despite this proven track record of hearing from the Lord, these arrogant leaders accused Jeremiah of lying when his prophetic word disagreed with what they wanted to do. Have we in any way legitimized arrogance in our own lives? How do we respond when godly counsel is different from what we would like to do? Israel’s arrogant leaders died in exile for their refusal to listen to Jeremiah and the Lord. “Lord Jesus, I desire to listen to and obey your voice, for your glory.”

 2 Kings 25; 2 Chronicles 36; Jeremiah 40-41; Revelations 12   “The great dragon was hurled down - that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him…They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death.” Revelation 12:9, 11 The spiritual warfare faced by every disciple of Jesus, both new and mature followers, is something for which we must prepare. Satan is in rebellion against God and he uses deception, accusation, and violence to try and intimidate Christ’s followers. We have been given all we need in Christ to overcome Satan, to conquer him, and to triumph over him. The blood of the Lamb cleanses us from all sin, freeing us from all the claims of the enemy over our lives. The word of our testimony and the power of the Gospel to transform lives make the story we live in and share. We are so committed to testify to

Ezekiel 29-32; Revelations 11   “Then all who live in Egypt will know that I am the Lord. ‘You have been a staff of reed for the house of Israel. When they grasped you with their hands, you splintered and you tore open their shoulders; when they leaned on you, you broke and their backs were wrenched.” Ezekiel 29:6, 7 What are we leaning on for our support in life? For some it’s a good friend, a job they enjoy, or their financial security. For others, “support” comes in darker ways through an addiction to alcohol, drugs, or porn. Israel repeatedly turned to Egypt for support rather than humble themselves before God. God pointed to Israel’s splinters in their hands and their wrenched backs to say their trust in Egypt had been like leaning on a staff made of a reed. What are we placing our trust in to get us through life? Are we leaning on a reed, rather than on the Living God? What is God saying to us regarding where we put our trust? “Lord God, I trust in you for our future as a family,

 Ezekiel 25-28, Revelations 10   “…’Go, take the scroll…’ So I went to the angel and asked him to give me the little scroll. He said to me, ‘Take it and eat it. It will turn your stomach sour, but in your mouth it will be as sweet as honey.’” Revelation 10:8, 9 God invites us to take his Word and not just read it, or share it, but to eat it. Jesus said that we don’t just live on bread alone, but on every word which comes from the mouth of God. To digest God’s Word requires that we take it in, meditate on it, and allow the Word to transform us. Why does the Word taste like honey in our mouths and yet turn our stomachs sour? In John’s experience, the joy of revelation was combined with the price of judgment. Sin has a price. For the joy set before him, Christ endured the cross. To live on mission with Jesus today, filled with his Word and Spirit, brings both the joy of salvation and the pain of suffering. Will we eat the scroll offered to us? Lord Jesus, thank you for your living Word wi

 Ezekiel 22-24; Revelations 9   “The Word of the Lord came to me: Son of man, with one blow I am about to take away from you the delight of your eyes. Yet do not lament or weep or shed any tears. Groan quietly; do not mourn for the dead…So I spoke to the people in the morning, and in the evening my wife died. The next morning I did as I had been commanded.” Ezekiel 24:15-18 Every area of Ezekiel’s life was used by God to speak to Ezekiel, including his marriage. God took away the delight of Ezekiel’s eyes, his wife, and forbade Ezekiel from mourning for her death. This was a sign to the Israelites who were watching him. Are we open to God speaking to us through our family members and our home life? Jesus experienced the death of his good friend Lazarus as a message to his disciples. God doesn’t promise us a life free of pain here on earth; however, he does promise us his presence in the midst of our pain. Ezekiel valued obedience to God as greater than his personal happiness. The costl

 Ezekiel 20-21, Psalms 111; Revelations 8   “And I said to them, ‘Each of you, get rid of the vile images you have set your eyes on, and do not defile yourselves with the idols of Egypt. I am the Lord your God.’” Ezekiel 20:7 When we set our eyes on vile images through our TVs, internet, or screens, we, too, defile ourselves with sin. These sin-choices can become sin-strongholds, and as with Israel, become resistant to repentance and cleansing. Israel brought the idols of Egypt with them into the Promised Land. We, too, can treat lust, materialism, and sin lightly and not value our experience of enjoying God’s presence with us. Job stated boldly, ‘I made a covenant with my eyes not to look lustfully at a girl (Job31:1). Why? - Because Job valued his walk with God. What has, or is, trying to defile our lives and limit our walk with God? Will we repent, resist in Jesus name, and be renewed in grace, forgiveness, and freedom? “Lord Jesus, I covenant with my eyes not to look lustfully at p