Listening to the Word

Zechariah 10-12; Psalms 126; 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 There are few areas in life where the principle of reciprocity is practiced more than in hospitality. You invite me to your house and I invite you to mine. You invite me for dinner and I invite you for dinner. Jesus radically supersedes this principle of reciprocity with his command regarding generosity. Generosity gives and expects nothing in return. Inviting the poor crippled, lame, and blind to a banquet reflects the generosity of our Father in heaven and he promises to bless those who live that way. Not only that, the reciprocity principle still function...

Zechariah 7-9; Luke 13   “’But they refused to pay attention; stubbornly they turned their backs and stopped up their ears. They made their hearts as hard as flint and would not listen to the law or to the words that the Lord Almighty had sent by his Spirit through the earlier prophets. So, the Lord Almighty was very angry. “When I called, they would not listen; so, when they called, I would not listen,” says the Lord Almighty.’” Zechariah 7:11-13 The consequence of stubbornly ignoring or rejecting the Word of the Lord is God ignoring our prayers and words to him. Repeatedly ignoring the Word of the Lord turns our hearts hard as stone. Often we justify our rebellion by nursing a grievance against God or others. We justify our rebellion until we are trapped in a cycle of bondage or web of lies. Israel’s return to God required them to face their prior rebellion and repent. Will we humble ourselves before God and others? Will we invite the Spirit of God to soften our hearts toward the...

Zechariah 4-6; Luke 12   “…’This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: “Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit,” says the Lord Almighty. ‘What [or who] are you, O mighty mountain? Before Zerubbabel you will become level ground. Then he will bring out the capstone to shouts of “God bless it! God bless it!”’” Zechariah 4:6, 7 The refugee remnant who returned to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem was immediately opposed by the newly settled residents of Israel from the surrounding nations and the local representatives of the king of Persia. This opposition was continuous and calculated. We are reminded in Ephesians 6:10-12 that ‘we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities and powers’. (KJV) Who are these seemingly mighty mountains? Fear, lust, death, and more can plague our thoughts and attempt to intimidate the building, or rebuilding, work of God’s kingdom-mission. We, too, are cautioned not to fight back with might or power, but rather, live by the Spirit...

  Zechariah 1-3; Luke 11   “…’Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.’ He said to them, ‘When you pray, say: “Father, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come…”’how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!’” Luke 11:1, 2, 13 Jesus taught his disciples that prayer was based on a relationship with God. Unlike all other world religions where prayer is a form of merit-making or repetitious ritual to demonstrate spiritual devotion, prayer for Christ-followers is based on a relationship with our Father in heaven. The Creator of the universe invites us to call him Father. Our Father has given us his name. Prayer, like any other relationship, involves two-way communication through the Holy Spirit. Our Father gives the Holy Spirit to those who ask, seek, and knock. There is no greater gift than the indwelling person of the Holy Spirit who facilitates intimate communication, empowerment, peace, joy, and so much more! Our Father i...

Haggai 1-2; Psalms 129; Luke 10   “…’In a little while I will once more shake the heavens and the earth, the sea and the dry land. I will shake all nations, and the desired of all nations will come, and I will fill this house with glory,’ says the Lord Almighty. ‘The silver is mine and the gold is mine,’ declares the Lord Almighty…’And in this place I will grant peace,’ declares the Lord Almighty.” Haggai 2:6-9 The shaking of the nations at the first coming of Jesus the Messiah, prepared people for a Savior and a new kingdom. Hebrews 12:26 reminds us that the shaking of our world, like discipline, is meant to free us from the distractions of our silver and gold so we can receive the greater value, God’s presence and glory. Jesus Christ is desired of all nations as the Prince of Peace. We are being shaken in this generation so we, too, will embrace the Prince of Peace and his unshakable kingdom. What is distracting us from ‘seeking first the kingdom of God’? Will we set aside those ...

  Ezra 2-3; Luke 8   “At the beginning of the reign of Xerxes, they lodged an accusation against the people of Judah and Jerusalem.” Ezra 4:6 The temple-rebuilding project initiated by God moving the heart of Cyrus, king of Persia, was stopped by an accusation against the rebuilders received by Xerxes, successor to Cyrus. Satan is described in Revelation 12 as the accuser who is at war against the Jews and the Christians. The accusations received by Xerxes have their origin in Satan. This same demonic anger inflamed the heart of Haman to accuse the Jews before Xerxes and plot to destroy them all. In the face of Satan’s accusations, the blood of Christ, the Lamb of God, speaks a better word. This intercessory role became the assignment of Esther and Mordecai in the court of Xerxes, and is now fully expressed in the person of Jesus Christ in the court of heaven on behalf of God’s people. The accusing thoughts and schemes by the enemy of our souls have been overcome by the blood ...

Ezra 1; Psalms 84-85; Luke 7   “When the builders laid the foundation of the temple of the Lord, the priests in their vestments and with trumpets, and the Levites (the sons of Asaph) with cymbals, took their place to praise the Lord, as prescribed by David, king of Israel. With praise and thanksgiving they sang to the Lord:   ‘He is good; his love to Israel endures forever.’” Ezra 3:10, 11 Foundations are important. The worship ceremony which accompanied the laying of the temple’s foundation recalled David’s ceremony when he first made provision for the temple and ordered its worship to be sung into the foundations of the temple as reminders of God’s goodness and covenant love. What have we built our lives upon? At the foundation of our lives, do we believe that God is good and his covenant love endures forever? What we believe about God is foundational to what we believe about ourselves and how we live our lives. God is good all the time, even when he disciplines us so that w...

Ezra 1; Psalms 84-85; Luke 7 “Then the family heads of Judah and Benjamin, and the priests and Levites—everyone whose heart God had moved—prepared to go up and build the house of the Lord in Jerusalem.” Ezra 1:5   “Blessed are those whose strength is in you, whose hearts are set on pilgrimage. As they pass through the Valley of Baka, they make it a place of springs; the autumn rains also cover it with pools. They go from strength to strength, till each appears before God in Zion.” Psalms 84:5-7 The exiles in Babylon had received promises that God’s plans were to prosper them, and to give them a future and a hope (Jer 29:11). They had received the word to seek the prosperity of the city to which the Lord had called them, because if it prospered, they too would prosper (Jer 29:7). When we enjoy prosperity, we get comfortable and think this world (or Babylon) is our home. Blessed are those whose hearts are set on pilgrimage! The remnant was called to return to Jerusalem at great cost....

Daniel 11-12; Luke 6   “’Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever. But you, Daniel, close up and seal the the words of the scroll until the time of the end…Many will go here and there to increase knowledge.’” Daniel 12:3, 4 In an age when the pursuit of knowledge has never been more accessible, where are the wise, as God defines wisdom? Those who are wise in God’s eyes understand the eternal value of the soul and invest in leading “many to righteousness”. The heart of the gospel is God’s gift of righteousness to those who believe in and follow Jesus. The world has its Nobel prizes and Academy awards; heaven has its stars. Are we living for the world’s approval or the Lord’s? Many go here and there on the internet or the globe to increase their knowledge; God’s stars lead many to the One who will satisfy their thirst for knowledge, peace within, and hope for the future. Are we living ...

  Daniel 9-10; Psalms 123; Luke 5   “When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, ‘Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.’…Then Jesus said to Simon, ‘Don’t be afraid; from now on you will catch men.’ So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him.” Luke 5:4, 10, 11 The depth of water we fish in influences the size and number of fish we catch. When Jesus called Simon to “catch men”, he called him to follow and learn. Jesus used both demonstrations of God’s power and insightful stories to attract people. His nets were large and strong. Jesus traveled to where the fish were to reach them, instead of expecting the fish to find him.   Are we waiting for fish to jump into our church boat or, are we, too, heading to deep water and letting down our gospel nets?   Will we leave our distractions, follow Jesus, and learn to fish for men? “Lord Jesus, teach me to fish for men with greater effectiveness, for your glory.”

Daniel 7-8; Psalms 137; Luke 4   “Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the desert, where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and at the end of them he was hungry.” Luke 4:1, 2 Why did Jesus experience forty days of testing by the devil? Does our loving Father allow the devil to test us in the same way? The Father wants us to know our capacity to accomplish the assignments he will give us. In our weakness, he is strong and his grace and truth are enough for us. Testing exposes areas of our lives that are not yet surrendered to the Lord, places of weakness in our faith, hope, and love. Testing, like a spiritual workout, reveals the capacity of our stamina and endurance. Jesus, empowered and filled with the Spirit and the Word, passed the test. How are we doing in our tests? Are we filled with the Spirit and the Word? “Lord Jesus, fill me with your Spirit and Word so I, too, can pass the tests y...

Daniel 5-6; Psalms 130; Luke 3   “Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord; O Lord, hear my voice. Let your ears be attentive to my cry for mercy. If you, O Lord, kept a record of sins, O Lord, who could stand? But with you there is forgiveness; therefore you are feared.” Psalm 130:1-4 Only God can forgive, heal, and free our sin-sick souls. Our inner turmoil, fears, and rebellion are costly in relationships, sleepless nights, and exhaustion. There is only one Person we can go to for full redemption, forgiveness, and freedom from our sin. His name is Jesus. When we learn to cry out to him every day and honestly own our sinful choices and disobedience in repentance, Jesus offers us his forgiveness, cleansing, and freedom.   Will we wait on the Lord for his word of loving mercy and forgiveness, or will we run into God’s presence like an impatient customer at a vending machine? We are not religious consumers and God is not a one-stop service center. Are we spending time with the Lo...

Ezekiel 47-48; Luke 2 “’Fruit trees of all kinds will grow on both banks of the river. Their leaves will not wither, nor will their fruit fail. Every month they will bear, because water from the sanctuary flows to them. Their fruit will serve for food and their leaves for healing.’” Ezekiel 47:12 Ezekiel’s vision of the river of life flowing from the sanctuary was the same as John’s vision on Patmos. Why?…because they were taken to the same place despite living hundreds of years apart from each other.   The Spirit of God is the river of life Jesus promised he would send. The fruit of the Spirit is growing in the lives of Christ-followers and they are living the peace of Christ as salt and light among the nations. This vision is not just for a future time, it is now. If our lives and ministries are planted next to the river of life, we will bear fruit which will multiply. The stories of Simeon and Anna, both living in the Spirit, confirmed the birth of the Messiah, while most missed...

  Ezekiel 45-46; Luke 1   “…’The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be barren is in her sixth month. For nothing is impossible with God.’” Luke 1:35-37 The social stigma that Elizabeth endured for being barren was for her, the most painful reality with which she lived. What about those of us who are spiritually barren and have never led anyone to Christ? Does that reality disturb us? What about churches that have never birthed another church? The source of life is the living God and his presence is the key to reproduction. The Holy Spirit came upon Mary, the Holy Spirit came upon the disciples, and the Holy Spirit continues to fill and empower God-seekers around the world who want to multiply. Nothing is impossible with God! “Lord Jesus, fill me again this day with the Holy Spiri...

Ezekiel 42-44; Revelation 22   “…the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God…On each side of the river stood the tree of life,…and the leaves are for the healing of the nations…Whoever is thirsty, let him come; and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life.” Revelation 22:1, 2, 17 The free gift of the water of life is available now for those who want it. In Ezekiel 47, Ezekiel was shown this river of life and invited to step into it. Jesus pointed to this river of life as flowing out of the innermost being of his disciples (John 7:37-39); by this he meant the Holy Spirit. Do we know the reality of this water, the river of life? We are sealed at conversion with the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 1:13), but it is our choice to get to know the Holy Spirit and yield to him.   Will we step into this river of life, or will we just ask God to bless our life on our terms. Are we thirsty? There is more, more life...

Ezekiel 40-41; Psalms 128; Revelation 21   “The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp. The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their splendor into it…The glory and honor of the nations will be brought into it.” Revelation 21:23, 24, 26 The unique culture and the nature of the people groups and nations of the whole world will be evident in the City of God, the New Jerusalem. This global city will reflect the glory of God, but it will also express the lesser glory of the redeemed cultures of the nations. As God’s covenant people, chosen from every tribe, language, and nation, we bring our cultures with us as gifts to the King of kings. We, too, reflect the creative nature of the Creator, and our recreations can be offered as worship to the King.   Will we begin now to redeem culture and offer our art, music, sport, and culinary gifts to the King? Culture distinguishes...

Ezekiel 38-39; Psalms 145; Revelation 20   “The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth. He fulfills the desires of those who fear him; he hears their cry and saves them.” Psalm 145:18, 19 What does it mean to call on God in truth? Is it possible to call on God and still be holding on to deception or falsehood? When God proclaimed his name before Moses on Mt. Sinai, he proclaimed, “The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness…” (Exodus 34:6) The last word, ‘faithfulness’ is the same word translated ‘truth’ in Psalm 145:18. Our faithfulness, integrity, and honesty before God matter as we walk with him. God sees and hears everything in our lives; we cannot hide sin as we call on the Lord. Our humility and truth-filled prayers draw the presence of the Lord. David killed many people, including the husband of Solomon’s mother Bathsheba. God can handle our sin as we call on him in truth. “Lord God, ...

Ezekiel 36-37; Psalms 110; Revelation 19   “The Lord will extend your mighty scepter from Zion; you will rule in the midst of your enemies. Your troops will be willing on your day of battle. Arrayed in holy majesty, from the womb of the dawn you will receive the dew of your youth.” (or, ‘your young men will come to you like the dew.’) Psalm 110:2, 3 Jesus is the fulfillment of Psalm 110 making this Psalm the most frequently quoted Psalm in the New Testament. The authority Jesus received was both as a King and a Priest in the order of Melchizedek. Jesus is both the King of Righteousness and of Peace (Hebrews 7). This authority was granted to Jesus Christ as he “humbled himself and became obedient to death…” (Philippians 2:8). The offer of authority by Jesus to his disciples and now to his Church follows the same path of surrender and willing obedience to the King of Righteousness and Peace. Ironically, it is as the victorious King of Peace that Jesus will judge the nations and rule ...

Ezekiel 33-35, Revelation 18   “’Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; so hear the word I speak and give them warning from me.’” Ezekiel 33:7 God still calls watchmen to speak to his people - watchmen who care more for the spiritual health and wellbeing of God’s people than for their own popularity or position - watchmen and watchwomen who have the hand of God on their lives and who hear God’s Word well and obey - watchmen who speak with the anointing of the Holy Spirit and fear God more than men. Do we know watchmen like that? What is their word to God’s people, in our place and in our time? We, too, are weighed down by offenses and sins which have consequences. We, too, must turn away from sinful habits and self-indulgent living and turn toward the living God and his call. What Word is the Lord speaking to us? Will we listen, obey, and turn? Will we listen, obey, and speak? “Lord Jesus, you are the watchman of my soul and your Word to me is loving and cl...

Daniel 3- 4; Psalms 81; Revelation 17   “I am the Lord your God, who brought you up out of Egypt. Open wide your mouth and I will fill it. But my people would not listen to me; Israel would not submit to me. So I gave them over to their stubborn hearts to follow their own devices…But you would be fed with the finest of wheat; with honey from the rock I would satisfy you.” Psalm 81:10-12, 16 Jesus reminded his disciples that his food was to do the will of his Father and to finish his work (John 4:34). Jesus rebuked Satan by quoting Deuteronomy 8:3, “man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.” However, for us to listen and obey the Word of the Lord, we require humility. In the picture of opening wide our mouths to consume, God’s Word reminds us of a good meal. God desires to feed us with the “finest of wheat” and “honey from the rock”. The hidden truths which surprise and delight us in God’s Word are available to those who seek the Lord,...

  Daniel 1-2; Revelation 16   “In the time of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed, nor will it be left to another people. It will crush all those kingdoms and bring them to an end, but it will itself endure forever. This is the meaning of the vision of the rock cut out of a mountain, but not by human hands – a rock that broke the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver and the gold to pieces.” Daniel 2:44, 45 The Lord Jesus Christ conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of a virgin, is the rock cut out of a mountain, but not by human hands. Christ’s kingdom confronts the kingdoms of this world and overcomes them. Jesus promised to build his Church and the gates of hell would not prevail against it. The instrument through which lives are liberated from the bondage of sin and death is the cross of Christ. We overcome today by the blood of the Lamb, the word of our testimony, and loving not our lives unto death (Revelation 12:11).  ...

Lamentations 3-5; Revelation 15   “Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed…They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness…It is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord…Let him bury his face in the dust - there may yet be hope.” Lamentations 3:21, 23, 26, 29 Because of God’s steadfast love (emunah), we have hope (tiqwah). These two very rich, deep, and powerful words in Hebrew can transform our lives if we invite God’s revelation. We see “emunah”, or steady persistence, in Moses’ intercession while Aaron and Hur held up his arms. “Emunah” is the sash around Christ’s waist (Isaiah 11:5). This powerful, steadfast love is meant to define how we live with faithfulness before a faithful God (Habakkuk 2:4).   It was God’s faithful love on which Ruth clung as she looked for hope (Ruth 1:12). David’s repeated testimony was that God gave him hope, no matter what (Psalm 71:5). It was this hope that Jeremia...