Listening to the Word

  Ezekiel 15-16; Psalms 70; Revelation 6   “…I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God and the testimony they had maintained. They called out in a loud voice, ‘How long, Sovereign Lord, holy and true, until you judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood?’” Revelation 6:9, 10 The blood of the sacrifices offered on the altar of atonement in the temple was to be sprinkled on the horns of the altar, but the rest of the blood was to be poured out at the base of the altar. This blood-soaked ground speaks of the complete sacrifice of Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God. Christ’s sacrifice of love prompts our sacrifice and service of love, even unto death. The cries of the martyrs under the altar, like the blood poured out, remind us that it is the atoning blood of Christ alone, which makes our service acceptable to God and ultimately brings justice. We, too, overcome by the blood of the Lamb, by our testimony, and by loving not our lives unt

Ezekiel 12-14; Revelation 5   “…’When any Israelite sets up idols in his heart and puts a wicked stumbling block before his face and then goes to a prophet, I the Lord will answer him myself in keeping with his great idolatry. I will do this to recapture the hearts of the people of Israel, who have all deserted me for their idols.’” Ezekiel 14:4, 5 What is an “idol in our heart”; or, a wicked “stumbling block” before our faces that grieves the heart of God? We can answer this question generally and point to the entertainment and “screen addictions” of this generation; the materialism evidenced in our pursuit of newer, bigger, better; or the fixation on fashion and emulation of the “stars”. However, a more personal, reflective prayer could be, “Lord, search me and know me. What idols or stumbling blocks have I set up in my life which grieves you?” The Spirit of God convicts us of sin so that we humble ourselves and repent. God’s desire is always to recapture our hearts from whatever has

Ezekiel 8-11; Revelation 4   “…he took me to Jerusalem…where the idol that provokes to jealousy stood. And there before me was the glory of the God of Israel…And he said to me, ‘Son of man, so you see what they are doing – the utterly detestable things the house of Israel is doing here, things that will drive me far from my sanctuary?...’” Ezekiel 8:3, 4, 6 “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.” 1 Corinthians 6:19, 20 What are the idols that we defile our bodies with, which also provoke to jealousy the presence of the Lord in our lives? With the deluge of pornography in this generation, we are driving the Spirit of the Lord out of the sanctuary of our lives. We might think, like the leaders in Jerusalem, that we can both indulge idols and worship the Lord at the same time. But the testimonies of Ezekiel and John are clear; the L

Ezekiel 4-7; Revelation 3   “’…I know your deeds; you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead. Wake up! Strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your deeds complete in the sight of my God. Remember, therefore, what you have received and heard; obey it and repent…’” Revelation 3:1-3 While our reputation with others is important, the reality of our walk with God is essential. When there is dissonance between who people think we are, and who God knows we are, we have a problem. Spiritual slumber occurs when we ignore the voice of the Lord and his living Word. When we choose to disobey the Spirit of God, we forget how to truly repent. Good intentions are not what matters to God. He knows our deeds. Spiritual vitality is found in a daily relationship with the Lord through surrender, confession, worship, listening, and obeying. Without this daily rhythm, we easily fall asleep spiritually and drift into the direction of pride, self-indulgence, fear, and a n

Ezekiel 1-3; Revelation 2   “’I know your afflictions and your poverty - yet you are rich!...Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life.’” Revelation 2:9, 10 The risen Christ, with nail holes in his hands, knows the afflictions of the church in Smyrna and every other persecuted, local church around the world. Just as Jesus “endured the cross, scorning its shame (Hebrews 12:2)”, so, too, will we be called to daily take up our cross and follow him. Persecution and testing for our faith is not to be rare, but normal. We should expect it, not fear it. The source of this testing is the devil who opposes the Lamb of God and his faithful followers. The perspective of Jesus was that despite afflictions and poverty, the church in Smyrna was rich in faith, hope, and love. Just as Jesus overcame testin

Jeremiah 52; Revelation 1; Psalms 143, 144   “…Then he placed his right hand on me and said: ‘Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive forever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.” Revelation 1:17, 18 These truth-statements by Christ transform our lives and our future when we live under his hand. Under Christ’s hand, we do not need to fear. Jesus is the Beginning and the End. He alone is God. Jesus is the Living One and the One who gives us life to the full. Jesus overcame death and now holds the keys of authority for death and hell. The resurrected Lord Jesus delivers us from death and the bondage of sin as we humble ourselves under his mighty hand. Some people want the benefits of Christ’s salvation and forgiveness without the surrender of living under his hand. That won’t work. One day every person will stand before the glorified King of kings and either receive his gift of Heaven, or face the consequences of

  Jeremiah 50-51; 3 John “Dear friend, you are faithful in what you are doing for the brothers, even though they are strangers to you. They have told the church about your love…I wrote to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to be first, will have nothing to do with us…he refuses to welcome the brothers. He also stops those who want to do so and puts them out of the church.” 3 John 5, 6, 9, 10 Why is it that some Christ-followers welcome other previously unknown followers into their home and lives as if they were relatives, while other Christians refuse to fellowship with followers in their community whom they have known their whole lives? Diotrephes was a proud leader in a local church who loved to be first, but had no love for the apostle John. Gaius was a wealthy resident of Ephesus (Romans 16:23), whose hospitality blessed many and who hosted a house church in his home.   Which leader better describes our approach to relationships and hospitality? Is our table open? Are we full of

  Jeremiah 37-39; Psalms 79; 2 John   “Ebed-Melech went out of the palace and said to him, ‘My Lord the king, these men have acted wickedly in all they have done to Jeremiah the prophet.’…’This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel says: ‘I am about to fulfill my words against this city…But I will rescue you on that day,…you will not be handed over to those you fear. I will save you; you will not fall by the sword but will escape with your life, because you trust in me, declares the Lord.’” Jeremiah 38:8, 9; 39:16-18 Ebed-Melech, the Cushite from the upper Nile region of Africa, risked his government position and possibly his life to advocate for Jeremiah when no one else would defend him. In advocating saving Jeremiah’s life, Ebed-Melech demonstrated that his ultimate allegiance was to the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel. When the final days of Jerusalem approached, it was the Lord Almighty who promised Ebed-Melech, the Ethiopian eunuch, he would not be killed. Who are we trus

  Jeremiah 33-34; Psalms 74; 1 John 5   “We know that anyone born of God does not continue to sin; the one who was born of God keeps him safe, and the evil one cannot harm him. We know that we are children of God, and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one. We know also that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true. And we are in him who is true - even in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.” 1 John 5:18-20   John ends his letter with a brief summary. It is possible to know who belongs to God and who belongs to the evil one. It is possible to know how to discern the schemes and lies of the evil one. It is possible to know Jesus Christ and be filled with his Spirit of truth, which is eternal life. Do we know these realities? The spiritual warfare we live in every day is crippling the effectiveness and fruitfulness of many Christ-followers. Naivety and ignorance are not excuses. Temptation, lust,

Jeremiah 31-32; 1 John 4   “This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us. We know that we live in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit.” 1 John 4:10-13 Just as God is the best definition of what love looks like, it is the presence of his love in our lives through the person of the Holy Spirit that is the best testimony/apologetic evidencing our salvation. God’s love is sacrificial, covenant love. When his love fills our lives, we, too, live with sacrificial, covenant love. Where do we see that quality of love in our relationships? In a generation of increasing self-indulgence, this kind of sacrificial, covenant love will stand out like a light in the darkness. Some have called this “crazy love”, love that doesn’t make sense i

Jeremiah 28-30; 1 John 3   “No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God’s seed remains in him; he cannot go on sinning, because he has been born of God. This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not a child of God; nor is anyone who does not love his brother.” 1 John 3:9, 10 According to John’s Gospel, the evidence of our salvation is not whether we prayed a prayer of repentance and declared faith in Christ; rather, it is the evidence of a new life of God, or seed of the Spirit within us, disciplining and transforming us into the image of Christ. Conversely, the early Church contained a mixture of both followers of Christ and false Christians who were still controlled by the devil, yet, were part of the local church. John pointed to the fruit of God’s seed within the lives of Christ-followers as evidenced in their living faith, loving relationships, humility, and truthfulness. It is fru

Jeremiah 21, 24, 27; Psalms 118; 1 John 2   “But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and all of you know the truth…As for you, the anointing you received from him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about all things and as that anointing is real, not counterfeit – just as it has taught you, remain in him.” 1 John 2:20, 27 Jesus’ excitement for his disciples about the coming of the Holy Spirit is reflected in John’s discipleship writings. How do young disciples deal with heresy, temptation, self-centered lifestyle, and all the other faith-killers? John points them to the anointing of the Holy Spirit who will be the inner Counselor and Teacher in their lives. This is not to be a fleeting anointing which passes once we step out of corporate worship; but, rather, an anointing of the Spirit that remains with us. It is Jesus who anoints us with the Holy Spirit and empowers us to remain in him. We remain in Christ, just as Christ’s an

Jeremiah 48-49; Psalms 67; 1 John 1   “If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.” 1 John 1:6, 7 In an age when truth is being questioned and leaders walk in darkness while claiming to be full of light, the invitation of Jesus is to a better way. Instead of deception, covering, and fear, Jesus invites us into his light. ‘…God is light; in him there is no darkness at all’ (1 John 1:5).   We come into the light through confession of sin and humility. We acknowledge our sin and what God already sees. In the repentance and sorrow of acknowledging our sin, we experience God’s grace and forgiveness which frees us to walk with God and others. Repentance is not only a one time action, but also a path we walk on and live each day. If we value the light, and living with God in that light, we

Jeremiah 45-47; Psalms 105; John 21   “…’Simon son of John, do you truly love me more than these?’ ‘Yes, Lord,’ he said, ‘You know that I love you.’…Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, ‘Do you love me?’ He said, ‘Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.’…” John 21:15, 17 After asking Peter twice whether he loved with the agape love of God, Peter responded both times that he loved Jesus with brotherly affection. Peter was asked a third time whether he loved Jesus. However, the third time Jesus used Peter’s preferred word of ‘brotherly affection’. It is this shift from the sacrificial, costly love of God, to the human term of endearment that offended, or hurt Peter. Peter knew he hadn’t met the high bar of agape in his denial of Jesus; but, surely he had met the lower bar of friendship. Jesus responded by preparing Peter for the costly agape “love unto death” that he would experience and lead with throughout his life and ministry. Jesus still meets us as hi

  Jeremiah 26, 35, 36; John 20   “Then I set bowls full of wine and some cups before the men of the Recabite family and said to them, ‘Drink some wine.” But they replied, ‘We do not drink wine, because our forefather Jonadab son of Recab gave us this command: “Neither you nor your descendants must ever drink wine. Also you must never build houses, sow seed or plan vineyards;…must always live in tents. Then you will live a long time in the land where you are nomads.” We have obeyed everything our forefather Jonadab son of Recab commanded us.’” Jeremiah 35:5-8 The Recabites were a living testimony of obedience to the commands of their forefathers. They were set apart from the society around them by their nomadic lifestyle, abstinence from alcohol, and avoidance of agriculture. When tested, they recited the commands of Jonadab. The early Church was also known as a peculiar people, set apart as a holy nation, a people belonging to God. They had limited copies of the Scriptures and most Chr

Jeremiah 23, 25; John 19   “This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘Do not listen to what the prophets are prophesying to you; they fill you with false hopes. They speak visions from their own minds, not from the mouth of the Lord. They keep saying to those who despise me.’ The Lord says: ‘You will have peace.’ And to all who follow the stubbornness of their hearts they say, ‘No harm will come to you.’ But which of them has stood in the council of the Lord to see or to hear his word?...” Jeremiah 23:16-18 When prophets and leaders who claim to speak on behalf of the Lord are oriented around pleasing people and keeping their ministry jobs, they will fear speaking the word of the Lord. More than that, they will enjoy the company of others more than the counsel of the Lord. When we train young leaders to meet the needs of people, but ignore the essential discipline of waiting on the Lord, we, too, will reward the rebellion and stubbornness of people with a self-serving theology. Are we seek

  2 Kings 24; Jeremiah 22; Psalms 112; John 18   “Even in darkness light dawns for the upright, for the gracious and compassionate and righteous man. Good will come to him who is generous and lends freely, who conducts his affairs with justice…He has scattered abroad his gifts to the poor, his righteousness endures forever; his horn will be lifted high in honor.” Psalm 112:4, 5, 9 How we spend our money reveals our heart. These promises of God’s blessing, favor, and glory resting on those who live with generosity toward others, and in particular the least advantaged, are still evidenced today. When our actions of compassion and our words of conviction are congruent, our life of mission is marked by the favor and hand of God. God notices when our gifts to the poor are not just distributed locally, but also scattered abroad. God notices when we lend freely and conduct our affairs with justice. Righteousness received from Christ must be expressed in righteous living that testifies to a tr

Jeremiah 18-20; Psalms 93; John 17 “’But the Lord is with me like a mighty warrior; so my persecutors will stumble and not prevail…O Lord Almighty, you who examine the righteous and probe the heart and mind, let me see your vengeance upon them, for to you I have committed my cause.’” Jeremiah 20:11, 12 The Lord is fighting for us today! He is a mighty warrior who made a public spectacle of the powers of darkness, triumphing over them on the cross (Colossians 2:15). The reason the son of man appeared was to destroy the devil’s work (1 John 3:8). Jesus ever lives to make intercession for us. When we, like Jeremiah, commit our cause, our battles, our family, and our business to the Lord, the Lord will fight our battles. Our responsibility is to surrender our troubles, our anxiety, and our stubborn self-will to the Lord. He will prevail on our behalf.   As the Spirit of God probes our hearts and minds this day, what struggles and fears are we being invited to commit to him? “Lord Jesus, yo

  Jeremiah 16-17; Psalms 96; John 16   “’But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you.’”   John 16:13, 14 It is difficult to imagine how the Church survived for 1400 years with very few copies of the Scriptures and with very few people who could read the text. Not only did they survive, they thrived and they remained orthodox in their faith! There is no way to explain this other than by the revelatory, truth-focused ministry of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit of truth will, and does, guide the earnest follower of Jesus into all truth. The Holy Spirit still speaks the words and Word of Jesus. The Holy Spirit still prepares us prophetically for what is yet to come. The Holy Spirit brings glory to Jesus and the Father by speaking what he receives from Jesus to us. We can trust th

Jeremiah 13-15; John 15 “’When the Counselor comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father, he will testify about me. And you also must testify, for you have been with me from the beginning.’” John 15:26, 27 It’s interesting that the word ‘Counselor’ or ‘Advocate’ used to describe the Holy Spirit is the same word used by courts to describe lawyers. The purpose of lawyers is to draw out testimony that assists the court in reaching a verdict or decision.   All over the world today, the Counselor/Advocate is testifying about Jesus. Today, those of us who know Jesus also have the privilege of testifying about his gospel and transforming power to change lives. We must testify! If we are unable or unwilling to testify about Jesus, we don’t know the reality of the Holy Spirit. The courtroom of public opinion is in session and we are on the witness stand. The Holy Spirit has a question: What difference has Jesus made in your life? Lord Jesus,

Jeremiah 10-12; John 14 “’Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the miracles themselves. I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father.’” John 14:11-13 As the works and miracles that Jesus did were evidence that the Father was living in him by the power of the Holy Spirit, we, as Christ-followers are expected to do the same works that Christ did, and even greater things as evidence that Christ dwells within us. This is both a very encouraging and challenging statement because the implication is that the absence of the works or miracles of Christ in our lives means we and the world around us must question whether we are experiencing the reality of Christ and the Father living at home within us. Our faith in Christ must

Jeremiah 7-9; John 13   “’A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.’” John 13:34, 35 The commandments God gave Moses included the moral laws and commandments prohibiting idolatry. Jesus’ new commandment went beyond being separate or distinct from the world, and called his disciples to love one another. The power with which Jesus loved his disciples was expressed in washing their feet while they argued about position and status. This powerful love is to mark us as Christ-followers and is to be our defining characteristic.   When personal belief, propositional truth-statements, and public worship become the defining characteristics of us as Christians, have we forgotten these simple words of Jesus? The practical, sacrificial, and powerful love of Christ in us through the indwelling Holy Spirit must be evidenced in a loving discipleship community whose collect

  Jeremiah 5-6; John 12   “’I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me;…’” John 12:24-26 How can we experience eternal life? Many would like to love both the good things this world offers and eternal life at the same time, or at least in sequential order; store up wealth for a good retirement, then prepare for the life beyond. Jesus invites us to another thought.   Today, will we pattern our lives to his life and his walk of discipleship, and to the will of the Father? That alone is the path toward life eternal. It is narrow and not many find it. We embark on that path by dying, like a seed that falls into the ground. At this point of death, we lose control over our life. The resurrection-life of Christ now fills us and we become fru

  Jeremiah 3-4; John 11   “This Mary, whose brother Lazarus now lay sick, was the same one who poured perfume on the Lord and wiped his feet with her hair…’But, Lord,’ said Martha, the sister of the dead man, ‘by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there for four days.’ Then Jesus said, ‘Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?’” John 11:2, 39, 40 Which odor is more powerful, the smell of death, or of life? Lazarus was in an advanced state of decomposition when Jesus called him out of the tomb. This encounter with “the resurrection and the life” not only transformed Lazarus, but spoke new realities to all who heard the story. When Mary later anointed Jesus with perfume in the days prior to his crucifixion, she was testifying to the resurrection power of life she had experienced in her own family. Mary entered the days of Christ’s betrayal, death, and resurrection, with hope because of what she had seen. Are we engaging every “foul odor” of sin

  Jeremiah 1-2; John 10   “’The man who enters by the gate is the shepherd of his sheep. The watchman opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice.’” John 10:2-4 Jesus relates to his sheep now in intimacy and relationship. It is normal for those who belong to Jesus to know his voice, to be named, and to be daily led by Jesus into his will for them. Our most important goal each day is to stay close to Jesus in unbroken fellowship and obedience. We can study the life, teachings, and example of Jesus to guide us. However, we can also have the Spirit of Jesus indwelling us and providing all we need in order to follow and obey him each day. As our good shepherd, Jesus leads at the front, going before us, and leading us into his will. Are we experiencing the Good Shepherd in this way? Or, are we settling for an in

Zephaniah 1-3; John 9   “The Lord your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing.” Zephaniah 3:17 What an amazing description of God is given in this prophetic word to us. God is with us in Christ and now within us through the Holy Spirit. He is mighty to save, or literally, he is a mighty warrior.   “…there is no other name under heaven, given to men by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12)   The saving power of God’s nature is complemented by his tender love. He delights in his family. He quiets us with his love, like a mother rocking and singing to her children. He rejoices over us with singing, like a Dad that doesn’t care what anyone else thinks. A mighty warrior who saves us and a tender loving father who rejoices over us -this is our God! In what ways do we need to experience him today? “Lord God, I thank you for your saving power and tender love toward me.”