Listening to the Word

  Exodus 28-29; Acts 7 “So I will consecrate the tent of Meeting and the altar and will consecrate Aaron and his sons to serve me as priests. Then I will dwell among the Israelites and be their God. They will know that I am the Lord their God, who brought them out of Egypt so that I might dwell among them. I am the Lord their God.” Exodus 29:44-46 The purpose in God delivering Israel out of Egypt was that they might know him and that God might dwell with his people. When we frame salvation as primarily about heaven and our eternal destiny, we minimize the importance of the consecration of our lives through the atonement of Christ, so that we, like the Israelites, may be indwelt by the presence of God. The mystery and miracle of the indwelling Holy Spirit of God within us is that we, too, are consecrated, or set apart, as a kingdom of priests to serve our God. Our eternal destiny of consecration, communion, and co-laboring with Christ begins at salvation when we are delivered from t...

Exodus 25-27; Acts 6   “There, above the cover between the two cherubim that are over the ark of the Testimony, I will meet with you and give you all my commands for the Israelites.” Exodus 25:22 “…It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables…we will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word.” Acts 6:2, 4 The purpose of the tabernacle was that people could meet with God, and God could meet with people. God’s purpose in creation was to be in fellowship with man. Sin separated us from God who is holy. The mercy seat, or atonement cover, over the ark of the Testimony was to be the place where relationship with God was restored and renewed through God’s mercy in atoning for sin. With the sacrifice of Christ for our sins, we, by faith, can approach God’s throne of grace boldly. When leaders in the Church are too busy strategizing, serving, and caring to give their attention to God’s presence and meeting with him, some...

  Exodus 23-24; Psalms 14; Acts 5 “But I will not drive them out in a single year, because the land would become desolate and the wild animals too numerous for you. Little by little I will drive them out before you, until you have increased enough to take possession of the land.” Exodus 23:29, 30 To take possession of the Promised Land, Israel was required to occupy it. Unoccupied land is vulnerable to wild animals; however, Israel’s numbers needed to grow in order to fully occupy their inheritance. In God’s grace, he drove out their enemies “little by little”. Consider our growth in discipleship, maturity, and the ministries God has called us to. The ‘little by little’ principle might seem frustrating at times, but we, too, must grow in both maturity and numbers for us to possess our full inheritance in the kingdom of God. It’s not just important to take ‘new ground’ in our walk with God, but we must also possess and hold that ground through obedience, faith, and exercising spirit...

Exodus 21-22; Psalms 12; Acts 4   “Then they called them in again and commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John replied, ‘Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God’s sight to obey you rather than God. For we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.” Acts 4:18-20 In the west, where freedom of speech and religion allow for open witness for Christ, it seems that few Christ-followers are boldly sharing the gospel. Ironically, in countries where persecution of “gospel- proclaiming-Christ-followers” is high, bold witness is practiced.   Why? The Jewish leaders in Jerusalem used threats, intimidation, and violence to attempt to stop the witness of the early Church. Many of the early disciples had personally seen the resurrected Christ and received a clear mission mandate from Jesus. Their bold witness was predicated by what they had heard and seen. What have we heard and seen personally of Christ? Without this ongoing pe...

  Exodus 17-20; Acts 3   “So Joshua fought against the Amalekites as Moses had ordered…As long as Moses held up his hands, the Israelites were winning…When Moses’ hands grew tired, they took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur held his hands up - one on one side, one on the other – so that his hands remained steady till sunset. So Joshua overcame the Amalekite army with the sword.” Exodus 17:10-13 Spiritual battles are not won alone.   We, like Joshua, are called to resist the enemy so he will flee from us (1 Peter 5:8, 9). Our Savior, Jesus Christ ever lives to make intercession for us (Hebrews 7:25). Like Moses, the arms of the Lord are not too short, or tired, to save. Jesus is interceding for us and through us. As we are seated with Christ in heavenly places, Jesus will intercede through us for the spiritual battles in our family, community, and world. We, too, are called to lift holy hands in prayer. While Joshua fought and won on the battlef...

Exodus 14-16; Acts 2   “…there he tested them. He said, ‘If you listen carefully to the voice of the Lord your God and do what is right in his eyes, if you pay attention to his commands and keep all his decrees, I will not bring on you any of the diseases I brought on the Egyptians, for I am the Lord, who heals you’” Exodus 15:25, 26 The first use of ‘Jehovah Raphe’ – the Lord who heals, is found in the Exodus account of testing in the Sinai desert. The healing was conditional on God’s people listening to and obeying his voice and commands. The Lord later renewed this conditional promise at Mount Sinai in Exodus 19:5. The same conditions are repeated in Hebrews 4 and 12. Healing and obedience are connected. That is why we confess our sins to one another that we might be healed (James 5:16). God promises to also heal our land if we will humble ourselves and pray and run from our wicked ways. As we seek his face, not just his healing, Jehovah Raphe will hear from heaven, forgive our ...

  Exodus 12-13; Psalms 21; Acts 1 “O Lord, the King rejoices in your strength…You have granted him the desires of his heart…He asked you for life, and you gave it to him…Through the victories you gave, his glory is great;…Surely you have granted him eternal blessings and made him glad with the joy of your presence. For the king trusts in the Lord; through the unfailing love of the Most High he will not be shaken.” Psalm 21:1, 2, 4-7 As David reflected on the blessings of God in his life, his gratitude, joy, and worship soared.   When have we last stopped to remember all the goodness and gifts God has poured into our lives? David celebrated God’s indwelling strength, his own intimacy with God, and God’s authority, glory, joy, security, identity, and deliverance from enemies. David found his strength in the Lord. Can we say the same thing? At the heart of this list of blessings is the strong trust David experienced in the unfailing love of the Most High. Above all earthly author...

  Exodus 9-11; Luke 24   “While they were still talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, ‘Peace be with you.’…’stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.’” Luke 24:36, 49 Luke’s account of the post-resurrection appearances of Jesus with his disciples includes themes that are repeated by the other gospel writers. Jesus declared his peace was with them and promised the disciples the power of the Holy Spirit for witness of the gospel. Those same offers of peace and power are available to every disciple of Jesus today. Jesus wept over Jerusalem because the city rejected his offer of peace, yet to those who believed in him, Jesus repeatedly offered peace. This peace now guards our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus as we submit our lives to the Prince of Peace. Similarly, Jesus’ offer of power was fulfilled at Pentecost with the outpouring of the Holy Spirit for witness. Countless other disciples of Jesus, who for the past two mi...

  Exodus 6-8; Luke 23   “…Aaron stretched out his hand with the staff and struck the dust of the ground…The magicians said to Pharaoh, ‘This is the finger of God.’” Exodus 8:17, 19 “Jesus called out with a loud voice, ‘Father, into your hands I commit my Spirit.’ When he had said this, he breathed his last.” Luke 23:46 Pharaoh’s magicians matched the first two plagues of blood and frogs through their magic arts; but, at the plague of gnats, they declared this was the ‘finger of God’. God’s judgment of Egypt’s idols and idolatrous worship included turning the dust of the ground into gnats. The same dust that was cursed in Genesis 3 now covered the ceremonially clean Egyptian priests and defiled them so they were unable to perform their rituals. The same hand of God which created man from the dust of the earth, judged Egypt with that dust. God’s judgment of sin was fully realized in the death of Jesus Christ on the cross. His final recorded words were, “Father, into your hands I...

Exodus 3-5; Luke 22   “Then the Lord said to him, ‘What is that in your hand?’ ‘A staff,’ he replied. The Lord said, ‘Throw it on the ground.’ Moses threw it on the ground and it became a snake, and he ran from it. Then the Lord said to him, ‘Reach out your hand and take it by the tail.’...’this,’ said the Lord, ‘is so that they may believe that the Lord…has appeared to you.’” Exodus 4:2-5 God used the most familiar item in Moses’ hand and transformed it to testify to his presence and purpose. The same staff that guided Jethro’s sheep would now be a tool in the hand of the Lord to confront the gods of Egypt. What is in our hand? Our resources, family, ministries, and relationships are all places God can transform and reveal himself if we are prepared to offer them to the Lord. When Moses threw down his staff it became a snake. The Lord asked Moses to then pick it up by the tail. Everyone knows you don’t pick up snakes by the tail! However, when we lay down what was in our hand, it ...

  Exodus 1-2; Ps 88; Luke 21   “The man said, ‘Who made you ruler and judge over us? Are you thinking of killing me as you killed the Egyptian?’…” Exodus 2:14 The same story of Moses’ murderous anger was later quoted by Stephen the martyr in his speech before the Sanhedrin (Acts 7), when he pointed out the difference between leaders responding to injustice in their anger, and the way God’s prophets respond in the authority of the Spirit. Moses was later sent back to Egypt by God as ruler and judge over his people. When our authority is legitimate, it comes from God and is affirmed by his people. Anger is our response to injustice or pain, but rarely is it expressed in a way that honors God. Moses’ anger at the injustice which was destroying his people was later used by God to move Moses into a mission of freedom. Many innocent children are being thrown into the ‘Nile’ in our generation. What is our response? Are we prepared to confront ‘Pharaoh’? Will we respond in the Spirit ...

Genesis 49-50; Psalms 8; Luke 20   “The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, until he comes to whom it belongs and the obedience of the nations is his.” Genesis 49:10 The Lion of the tribe of Judah has come and he will come again. He alone can open the seals. He is the suffering Servant, the sacrificial Lamb of God, and the risen King. He will rule from sea to sea to sea, and from the river to the ends of the earth. The obedience of the nations will be his. “Many peoples will come and say, ‘Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord…He will teach us his ways…’” (Isaiah 2:3). It is our privilege to know this great King, be filled with his Spirit, and live on mission with him until the obedience of all the nations is his. Jesus has been given a name above every name that every knee would bow. However, we must willingly give him our obedience, both as individuals and as nations. We must choose to willingly walk in his paths of righteousn...

  Genesis 47-48; Psalms 10; Luke 19   “As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it and said, ‘If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace…because you did not recognize the time of God’s coming to you.” Luke 19:41, 42, 44 Jerusalem means city of peace. Jesus wept because he had come to bring peace with God, beyond any blood sacrifice ever offered, and peace among peoples who have never experienced the peace of God. Jesus wept because he saw the destruction of Jerusalem forty years later - he had prayed for a different destiny for this city of peace. When we are also living in a time of God’s coming to us, how are we responding? Are we receiving the Prince of Peace as nations and cities? There is no other peace plan that transforms individuals and communities. Jesus is coming to us now to bring us peace, and then work through us to live and share the good news of his gospel of peace. Now is our time. “Lord Jesus, you are the only peac...

Genesis 44-46; Luke 18 “…’Listen to what the unjust judge says. And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?” Luke 18:6-8 Why would people cry out day and night to God whom they cannot see?   Prayer is evidence of faith in God - faith that he exists and that he pursues relationship with us. The story of the widow crying out day and night to the unjust judge, asking for justice, is positioned as an example of faith in human institutions. How much more should we have faith in the Creator of heaven and earth? The focus of the widow’s cry was justice. In a world full of injustice, Jesus is inviting his chosen ones, the church - Christ’s body, to cry out to God for justice. Will we intercede for cultures and contexts where the most vulnerable in society are exploited? Will we express...

Genesis 42-43; Psalms 5; Luke 17 “When the portions were served to them from Joseph’s table, Benjamin’s portion was five times as much as anyone else’s. So they feasted and drank freely with him.” Genesis 43:34 Why was Benjamin’s portion five times greater than his brothers’ portions? Joseph was sending a message that he was honoring his full blood brother Benjamin who had not participated in his betrayal. We, too, will face the great white throne judgment and be accountable for all we have done (Revelation 20). We, too, will be invited to the wedding banquet of the Lamb if we have placed our faith in Jesus Christ. How much more will Jesus honor his brothers and sisters who have been purchased by his blood at the great banquet? Are we boldly sharing his gospel now? Those who honor Christ now will be honored by him at the banquet later. “Lord Jesus, your honor and saving gospel are my focus while there is still time, for your glory.”

Genesis 39-41; Luke 16   “When his master saw that the Lord was with him and that the Lord gave him success in everything he did, Joseph found favor in his eyes and became his attendant. Potiphar put him in charge of his household…” Genesis 39:3, 4 God’s presence, blessing, and favor on our lives are our strongest witness to the reality of God. When our words and lives are not congruent, our witness to Christ is damaged. Joseph was known as a man who was full of the Spirit of God (Genesis 41:38). Rather than alienate others, the presence of God in Joseph’s life, despite the shamanism and spirit worship of the Egyptians, gave Joseph favor. What do we trust in for advancement at our workplace and in our community? The presence of God sustained, blessed, and marked Joseph’s life, and God’s presence will impact us in the same way. Inviting God’s presence, surrendering to his presence, and honoring his Spirit’s presence is a better way to live, regardless where we are. “Lord Jesus, you ...

Genesis 37-38; Psalms 7; Luke 15   “Judah said to his brothers, ‘What will we gain if we kill our brother and cover up his blood? Come, let’s sell him to the Ishmaelites and not lay our hands on him; after all, he is our brother, our own flesh and blood.’ His brothers agreed.” Genesis 37:26, 27 Judah cared enough for his brother Joseph to not kill him, but not enough to save him. Selling Joseph into slavery in a distant land was almost a death sentence. When jealousy, competition, and rivalry enter our heart, we, too, can betray our brothers and sisters in the body of Christ. Jesus was betrayed by one of his disciples and he understands the bitterness of betrayal. If we have carried that bitterness, Jesus is asking us to give it to him. If we have been used to damage, betray, or wound another person, Jesus also reminds us that he can redeem even our worst sins. The descendants of Judah include the Lord Jesus Christ. God is able to redeem all things when we surrender them to him. Wh...

Genesis 34-36; Luke 14 “…’When you give a luncheon or dinner, do not invite your friends, your brothers or relatives or your rich neighbors; if you do, they may invite you back and so you will be repaid. But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.” Luke 14:12-14 Who lives like this? Jesus’ principles of social interaction are counter culture and counter human nature. The reciprocity principle in all social interactions limits our circle of friendships to those of equal or higher standing than ourselves. Jesus challenges us to reach out socially to those who could never repay us. In doing so, we will be blessed, not just those to whom we are opening our home and life. More specifically, by opening our home to the most vulnerable (poor, crippled, lame, blind), we are communicating that our Father’s love is for all. It is this sacrificial l...

  Genesis 31-33; Luke 13   “The sun rose above him as he passed Peniel, and he was limping because of his hip…Jacob looked up and there was Esau, coming with his four hundred men…But Esau ran to meet Jacob and embraced him; he threw his arms around his neck and kissed him. And they wept.” Genesis 32:31; 33:1, 4 Conflict in relationships consumes a significant amount of emotional and physical energy. As Jacob limped toward his estranged brother Esau and his four hundred men, fear gripped his heart. Would his attempts to pacify his brother with gifts be successful? Jacob needed a miracle from God. Only God can change hearts. Transformation must begin in us first before God can heal conflicted relationships. Jacob’s awareness of his own brokenness grew through the dislocation of his hip. Jacob’s deception, once his strength, became his weakness. Esau watched a broken, limping Israel approach him and his heart was moved and his heart was changed. The years these brothers shed were...

Genesis 29-30; Luke 12   “’When you are brought before synagogues, rulers, and authorities, do not worry about how you will defend yourselves or what you will say, for the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what you should say.’” Luke 12:11, 12 When we are presenting the gospel, in responding to accusations or opportunities, the Holy Spirit is our teacher, our inspiration, and our confidence. When we primarily rely on our knowledge or wisdom, we miss the unique insight, or key, the Holy Spirit possesses for the particular person or audience we are speaking to or with. This does not invalidate preparation; rather, it is the Holy Spirit who orchestrates our thoughts like a conductor leading the various instruments of the orchestra. The key point is whether we rely on ourselves or on the teacher, Jesus, who was sent for us. Is this principle just for courtroom settings? John writes in 1 John 2:27 that the anointing we received from Jesus remains in us and we do not need anyone to...

  Genesis 27-28; Psalms 4, Luke 11   “…’I am the Lord, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac. I will give you and your descendants the land on which you are lying…All peoples on earth will be blessed through you and your offspring.” Genesis 28:13, 14 God’s promises to Abraham were not just for his generation, but for all those who came after him. Jacob was walking, whether he was aware of it or not, in the promises of his grandfather Abraham. What promises has God given to us that our descendants will also walk in? Our children are both biological and spiritual. We can be spiritual mothers and fathers to multiple generations of Christ-followers who also walk in the promises of God in their lives. This multi-generational blessing is our witness to the world that God’s covenant ways and promises are true and provide a better way to live. What blessings and promises are we walking in that were passed on to us by our forefathers? Have we thanked the Lord for their fa...

  Genesis 25-26; Psalms 6; Luke 10   “’When you enter a house, first say, ‘Peace to this house.’ If a man of peace is there, your peace will rest on him; if not, it will return to you.’…’I saw Satan fall like lightening from heaven. I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you.’” Luke 10:5, 6, 18, 19 Jesus called his disciples to live in the authority of his name and Word which included overcoming all the fallen angels and demons of Satan’s kingdom when they opposed these disciples. This same authority enabled Christ’s disciples to proclaim, “Peace to this house,” when they entered a new home, relationship, or location. The peace of God is the overcoming reality of God’s presence which rests on the lives of those responding to Christ’s kingdom-rule and reign. These people of peace are responding to the grace of God. Jesus told his disciples to look for these people of peace as they entered new l...

Genesis 23-24; Luke 9   “’…Who do the crowds say that I am?’…’But what about you?’ he asked, ‘Who do you say I am?’ Peter answered, ‘The Christ of God.’” Luke 9:18, 20 At the heart of a relationship with God is the question of who Jesus is. Is he just a good moral teacher, worthy of our emulation, or is he more? Is he a great prophet sent to give us an important message from God? Or, is he the Messiah, the Christ, God himself in human form? Our answer to this question, like Peter’s, will change the course of our lives. Many people give evidence through their lives that Jesus is a good moral leader, but not the ruler of their lives.   If Jesus was God, would we not fully surrender our lives to know and follow him every day in our finances, lifestyle, relationships, vocational choices, and in every other area of our lives? Peter was clear that Jesus was God, and worthy of denying himself, even losing his own life for. Are we that clear on who Jesus is? Can others look at our liv...