Listening to the Word

  Proverbs 16-18; Romans 12   “Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my friends…Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” Romans 12:17-19, 21 How we behave in conflict reveals our character and capacity to lead and serve in divergent settings. Differences of perspective, vision, and strategy are normal, especially with high-capacity leaders on teams. How we treat one another in those situations either advances the kingdom of God or erodes trust. It is this capacity to work through conflict which is the ‘glass ceiling’ for many ministry leaders. Paul’s call is to “take care…do what is right…and live at peace” while we work through our differences. When paths separate do not make it personal, do not hurt one another, and do not let the evil of bitterness, unforgiveness, or pride overcome us. Rather, live like over...

Proverbs 13-15; Romans 11 “I ask then: Did God reject his people? By no means! I am an Israelite myself, a descendant of Abraham…at the present time there is a remnant chosen by grace.” Romans 1:1, 5 We can sometimes feel alone in our response to the gospel when those around us don’t embrace Jesus in the same way we have. This same ‘us vs. them’ attitude can shape our thinking about theological truths, strategies, and approaches to ministry. Paul’s experience as a devout Jew shaped his understanding that without God’s grace, we are unable to receive revelation. Loving those who don’t see or understand God as we do, frees us from the pressure of convincing or persuading them to change. We all need God’s grace and if it is grace that transforms us, then even the “remnant” have no room for pride. “Lord Jesus, thank you for your irresistible grace to me...for your glory.”

  Proverbs 10-12; Romans 10   “For lack of guidance a nation falls, but victory is won through many advisors.” Proverbs 11:14 Why are many advisors essential in battle? The collective wisdom of many advisors views the problem and the solution from a variety of angles, thus opening up new perspectives and possibilities. The pressure of the battle can force impulsive thinking and solutions to reach an outcome. Many advisors help us step back and approach the problem with more objectivity. The inability to analyze a problem from different angles can cost a nation or a company or an organization its life. Victory requires more than a heroic leader. Victory and success over time require many advisors. Who are our advisors? Are we listening well to them? How do we approach battles in our personal lives, ministries, and spheres of influence? “Lord Jesus, thank you for the advisors in my life. I pray for grace to listen well, for your glory.”

Proverbs 7-9; Romans 9 “I, wisdom, dwell together with prudence; I possess knowledge and discretion. To fear the Lord is to hate evil; I hate pride and arrogance, evil behavior and perverse speech…The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.” Proverbs 8:12, 13; 9:10 Wisdom begins with the knowledge that we are not God, but rather, we are created in his image for relationship and revelation. We need our Creator! Walking with God is at the center of discipleship as a lifestyle marked by wisdom. We hate what God hates, and we love what God loves. God loves humility, purity, faithfulness, justice, discretion, and self-control. Our character reveals our level of growth in wisdom. How we respond under pressure in the tests of life is often a truer measure of our character and wisdom than when we are theorizing about wisdom.   With this biblical definition of wisdom, how would we score ourselves? In what areas is the Lord inviting us to ...

  Proverbs 4-6; Romans 8   “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.” Romans 8:28, 29 God’s good work in all things in our lives is that we would be conformed to the likeness of Christ. This process of transformation, or sanctification, requires humility to receive rebuke, counsel, and correction. In the pain and the joy of life we know God is at work in our lives, molding and shaping us. We were predestined for the sanctification process so that we can trust God in the midst of our trials and tests. There is a higher purpose than our happiness and success in life. We are being shaped into the image of Christ. Can we affirm that purpose of God in our lives and cooperate with him through listening, reflecting, obeying, and repeating, as we invite the Spirit of...

Proverbs 1-3; Romans 7   “If you had responded to my rebuke, I would have poured out my heart to you and made my thoughts known to you. But since you rejected me when I called and no one gave heed when I stretched out my hand, since you ignored all my advice and would not accept my rebuke, I in turn will laugh at your disaster; I will mock when calamity overtakes you -.” Proverbs 1:23-26 Wisdom requires humility. The grace to listen to rebuke, to engage with ideas that aren’t ours, and to receive unsolicited advice and counsel are all essential to living with wisdom. The emotional intelligence to engage well with others, even when their counsel differs from our perspective, does not come to us easily or naturally. Growing in wisdom requires ongoing growth in humility, teachability, and courage. The consequences of ignoring wisdom are disaster and calamity. Marriages and families are destroyed, ministry teams are divided and discouraged, and our personal lives are devastated. Rescui...

  1 Kings 10-11; 2 Chronicles 9; Romans 6   “Then the Lord raised up against Solomon an adversary; Hadad the Edomite, from the royal line of Edom…And God raised up against Solomon another adversary, Rezen son of Eliada, who had fled from his master…Also, Jereboam son of Nebat rebelled against the king. He was one of Solomon’s officials…” 1 Kings 11:14, 23, 26 Opposition is not always spiritual warfare. Sometimes the Lord is raising up adversaries and opponents to humble and discipline us. Solomon’s many wives turned his heart away from his covenant with God. God’s response was to confront Solomon’s attitude of rebellion and use rebels to oppose him. In what ways has the Lord used opposition or conflict to get our attention and discipline us? Humility and repentance is the only way forward. As we humble ourselves under God’s might hand, in due time, he will raise us up. “Lord Jesus, I repent of pride, rebellion, and the fear of man. I choose to humble myself before you, for you...

1 Kings 9; 2 Chronicles 8; Psalms 136; Romans 5   “…we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.” Romans 5:3-5 When our lives are in the hands of God, we can have joy even in the midst of suffering because we know our Father is doing a good work in our lives and strengthening our container of character. Suffering is the topic Jesus frequently incorporated into his gospel conversations and teaching. Why do we frequently avoid this topic in the western church? Giving ourselves to the mission of the King and the kingdom of God will bring suffering. We will face rejection from those close to us; we will be required to deny ourselves, take up our cross, and follow Jesus. The fruit of suffering for the Gospel is perseverance, character, and hope. As we call out to Jesus in s...

  2 Chronicles 6-7; Psalms 135; Romans 4   “Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead – since he was about a hundred years old – and that Sara’s womb was also dead. Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised.” Romans 4:19-21 God chose a barren womb to fulfill his promise of multiplication. He chose an elderly couple beyond child-bearing age to remind us that we multiply by faith and in the power of the Spirit, not by our schemes and strategies. We multiply who we are. Abraham’s descendants all learned his story of faith and it in turn shaped their stories - and ours today. He is the father of the faith, not just father of the Israelites.   What barren womb does God want to speak to and through this day? God is speaking promises to lives and churches that are not reproducing faith. Wil...

1 Kings 8; 2 Chronicles 5; Psalms 99; Romans 3   “When the priests withdrew from the Holy Place, the cloud filled the temple of the Lord. And the priests could not perform their service because of the cloud, for the glory of the Lord filled his temple. Then Solomon said, ‘The Lord has said that he would dwell in a dark cloud…’” 1 Kings 8:10-12 God chose a pillar of cloud to guide his people in Sinai, and a dark cloud to reveal himself to Moses, yet in leaving God’s presence Moses’ face shone with the glory of God. The unapproachable light of God’s presence was surrounded by a dark cloud. This hiddenness of God is a theme in Scripture and becomes an invitation to boldly press into his presence and seek his face. The writer of Hebrews challenges us to have confidence to enter the most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus (Hebrews 10:19). What was once hidden is now made open by the incarnation and atonement and is “a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body...

  1 Kings 7; 2 Chronicles 4; Psalms 98; Romans 2   “The Lord made his salvation known and revealed his righteousness to the nations. He has remembered his love and faithfulness to the house of Israel; all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.” Psalm 98:2, 3 God’s salvation story has always been for all nations. The fulfillment of his promise to Abraham and to David, to bless the nations through Israel, came through Jesus Christ, the Messiah. Jesus came as God’s gift of righteousness for all nations. The Gospel of Jesus Christ has reached the ends of the earth in this generation and countless people have seen the salvation of our God. All of creation joins in grateful worship of our Creator who has made his salvation known and reconciled us to himself and each other through Christ. Have we connected our salvation story to God’s great salvation story? Will we share that story? “Lord Jesus, you are God’s gift of righteousness and the hope of the nations, for y...

1 Kings 6; 2 Chronicles 3; Psalms 97; Romans 1   “…God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities – his eternal power and divine nature – have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse…They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator – who is forever praised. Amen.” Romans 1:19, 20, 25 Creation, in all its beauty and complexity reveals many other qualities about the Creator than just his divine nature and eternal power. God created the universe, interdependent within its various parts and species. This unity in diversity is also God’s design for the body of Christ. God created beauty in endless variations because he loves beauty not just functionality. Our soul is renewed and uplifted by beauty in nature, in art, and in the character qualities of those who invite God’s transforming power into their lives. When we ignore or reject ...

1 Kings 4-5; 2 Chronicles 2; Psalms 101; 2 Thessalonians 3   “I will sing of your love and justice; to you, O Lord, I will sing praise. I will be careful to lead a blameless life - when will you come to me? I will walk in my house with blameless heart. I will set before my eyes no vile thing. The deeds of faithless men I hate; they will not cling to me. Men of perverse heart shall be far from me; I will have nothing to do with evil.” Psalm 101:1-4 David valued the presence of the Lord in his life and in his home more than his personal pleasure or popularity. However, he knew God was not manipulated or influenced by religious sacrifice. God didn’t come to David on a schedule. It was David who pursued the presence of the Lord and pursued the disciplines of purity, worship, and humility. David understood that we become like the people we spend time with. That is why his worship/prayerbook journals the qualities he chose to avoid including faithless, vile, perverse, and evil people. Do...

  1 Kings 3; 2 Chronicles 1; Psalms 78; 2 Thessalonians 2   “…God chose you to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth. He called you to this through our gospel, that you might share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.” 2 Thessalonians 2:13, 14 The evidence that we are experiencing salvation includes both the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit in our lives, convicting us of sin and inwardly discipling us, as well as our belief in the truth of the Gospel, God’s Word. Our ongoing sanctification is evidence that God has chosen us by giving us his Spirit who applies the truth of God’s Word to us so we can learn to follow God’s ways. Salvation is more than mental assent to biblical truth. This truth must be lived out and applied through obedience to the indwelling Holy Spirit. This full gospel is contrasted by the partial gospel emphasizing God’s forgiveness of our sin and promise of heaven, without surrender to the sanctifying work o...

1 Kings 2; 1 Chronicles 29; Psalms 95; 2 Thessalonians 1   “For the Lord is the great God, the great King above all gods…the mountain peaks belong to him. The sea is his, for he made it… Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker; for he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture, the flock under his care. Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as you did at Meribah…” Psalm 95:3-8 The wonders of creation point us to the Creator. More than that, we are invited to worship and willingly bow before our Maker. Recognizing the provision of God in creation reminds us that we, too, are under his care. Like a good shepherd, God invites us to know and follow him. Our Maker makes us to lie down in green pastures and speaks to us. We can ignore or resist his voice, quarreling with God and others. Or we can enter his rest, surrender our will, and learn to quietly listen and obey. To learn God’s ways, we must listen to his Word and obey. What ...

  1 Kings 1; 1 Chronicles 28; Psalms 91; 1 Thessalonians 5   “…respect those who work hard among you, who are over you in the Lord and who admonish you. Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work. Live in peace with each other…May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through…” 1 Thessalonians 5:12, 13, 23 How we respond to those who carry spiritual authority influences our experience of peace and the depth to which the God of peace sanctifies our lives. When we are admonished by leaders, our heart- attitudes are tested. Responding in humility strengthens the peace, responding with anger erodes peace. Even when we disagree with counsel or admonishment, how we respond is a maturity-test. The God of peace is continually sanctifying us “through and through”. He uses tests, opposition, admonishment, and conflict to sanctify us through and through. How we respond to those tests reveals our level of humility, love, brokenness, and peace.   W...

1 Chronicles 25-27; 1 Thessalonians 4   “For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life. Therefore, he who rejects this instruction does not reject man but God, who gives you his Holy Spirit.” 1 Thessalonians 4:7, 8 With our bodies now the temple of the Holy Spirit, we have been set apart for holiness and the worship of God. The blood of Christ, our sin sacrifice, cleanses us from sin as we repent and receive God’s gift of forgiveness and grace. However, to continue living with sinful habits grieves the Holy Spirit who indwells us. It’s not just that our sinful habits are wrong before a holy God; they defile our body and personally grieve the Holy Spirit. Repenting for the ways we grieve the Holy Spirit sensitizes us to the presence of the Spirit in our lives. The Roman cities in Paul’s day were full of temples to pagan deities, some of whom were worshiped through sexual acts with temple prostitutes. Paul was reminding a first-generation Church that God’s temple is h...

1 Chronicles 22-24; 1 Thessalonians 3   “The duty of the Levites was to help Aaron’s descendants in the service of the temple of the Lord: They were also to stand every morning to thank and praise the Lord. They were to do the same in the evening and whenever burnt offerings were presented to the Lord...” 1 Chronicles 23:28, 30, 31 David’s extensive preparations for the building of the temple were matched by his preparations of the people for service within the temple. The Levites and descendants of Aaron were a constant worshiping, sacrificing, prophesying presence in the temple. Through the once for all sacrifice of Jesus on the cross for our sin, we have become the temple of the living God, also offering continual sacrifice, worship, and witness through the Holy Spirit. The glory of God indwells us through his presence and our lives are focused on living for the Lord. Do we view our lives as the temple of the Lord? Are we aware of the purpose of the temple and do those purposes ...

  2 Samuel 24; 1 Chronicles 21; Psalms. 30; 1 Thessalonians 2   “Again the anger of the Lord burned against Israel, and he incited David against them, saying, ‘Go and take a census of Israel and Judah.’…But Joab replied to the king, ‘May the Lord your God multiply the troops a hundred times over, and may the eyes of my Lord the king see it. But why does my Lord the king want to do such a thing?’” 2 Samuel 24:1, 8 Joab’s question to David penetrated to the heart of the census request. Why? There are many examples of numbering and counting in the Bible, after the fact. However, when the numbers become the focus, we grieve God and lose our dependency on him as our source. Our strategies become reductionist attempts to reach our numbers. God can and does multiply ministry results one hundred times over; but our worship must be of the Lord, not the results. Why did David count? Pride! God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble. Sometimes we count out of fear. We, too, fea...

  2 Samuel 21-23; 1 Thessalonians 1   “During the reign of David, there was a famine for three successive years; so, David sought the face of the Lord. The Lord said, ‘It is on account of Saul and his blood-stained house, it is because he put the Gibeonites to death.’” 2 Samuel 21:1 God used famine to get the attention of Israel’s leadership so he could communicate to them the bloodguilt they had inherited from Saul’s treatment of the Gibeonites. David then engaged the Gibeonites with the offer of reparations so they in turn would bless Israel. This astounding story reminds us that God is just. He hears the cry of the afflicted. God uses our resources, the weather, and other means to get our attention. As we humble ourselves and seek Gods’ face, he will give us a way forward. God held David’s and Israel’s leadership accountable for a prior king’s behavior toward a defenseless minority. How we treat the foreigner, the alien, the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow is notice...

2 Samuel 19-20; Psalms 55; Matthew 28   “I said, ‘Oh, that I had the wings of a dove! I would fly away and be at rest - I would flee far away and stay in the desert; I would hurry to my place of shelter, far from the tempest and storm.’…My companion attacks his friends; he violates his covenant. His speech is smooth as butter, yet war is in his heart; his words are more soothing than oil, yet they are drawn swords. Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous fall.” Psalm 55:6-8, 20-22 David’s “tempest and storm” was the betrayal of a close friend which divided his kingdom and eroded his leadership-authority. Rather than open rebellion, this was a hidden battle with smooth, soothing words, disguising swords and war. From the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks. When bitterness and anger reside in our heart, they will eventually be expressed in our speech and actions. David’s selfish fantasy was to fly away from the conflict and hide in hi...

2 Samuel 18; Psalms 56; Matthew 27 “Be merciful to me, O God, for men hotly pursue me; all day long they press their attack. My slanderers pursue me all day long; many are attacking me in their pride. When I am afraid, I will trust in you. In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I will not be afraid. What can mortal man do to me?” Psalm 56:1-4 For most of his life, David lived with the relentless attack of enemies. The call of God on his life was as a worshiping warrior-leader. Yet, at every step throughout David’s life, the enemy of his soul opposed the mission of God for his life. In response, David found refuge in the presence of the Lord. David trusted in God’s Word to him, more than even his circumstances. When men threatened to kill him, David remembered God’s promises and he took refuge in worship and prayer. Pride spawns many conflicts into opportunities for intercession, worship, and the gospel to be revealed. Will we, too, find our refuge in the Lord? “Lord Jesus, I trus...

2 Samuel 17; Psalms 71; Matthew 26   “’Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak.’ He went away a second time and prayed, ‘My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done.’” Matthew 26:41, 42 Jesus’ last hours before his crucifixion were agonizing as he wrestled in prayer for both his own path to the cross and the faithfulness of his disciples. The cup of suffering and redemption that Christ drank was in fulfillment of the third Passover cup he had drunk with his disciples at the Last Supper. We, too, as disciples of Christ, have a cup of suffering to drink as we walk the path of denying ourselves, taking up our cross, and following Christ. Our bodies are weak, even when our spirit is willing to follow Jesus. We, too, must develop the discipline to “watch and pray” so we will not fall into the temptation of self-indulgence, self-preservation, and self-centered living....

  2 Samuel 15-16; Psalms 32; Matthew 25   “Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord does not count against him and in whose spirit is no deceit. When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer. Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity…I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you.” Psalm 32:2-5, 8 David understood that un-confessed sin blocked his communication with the Holy Spirit and weighed down his own spirit. The conviction of the Holy Spirit is God’s gift to keep us accountable and walking in God’s ways. David enjoyed God’s instruction, teaching, counsel, and watchful care over his life, and so can we. When our primary focus is maintaining unbroken fellowship with the Holy Spirit, we, too, enjoy the peace, joy, protection, wisdom, and blessing of the Creator of the universe in ...

2 Samuel 13-14; Matthew 24   “’Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other…Because of the increase in wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.’” Matthew 24:9, 10, 12-14 Jesus described the end times in which we are living as a time of great Gospel advance, along with great persecution and wickedness. We should expect to be betrayed and even hated because of the gospel, sometimes by those who once shared faith with us. Jesus calls his disciples to deny themselves, take up their cross, and follow him. His journey of mission is our journey, sometimes resulting in death for the sake of the Gospel. This outcome is inconceivable for much of the western Church...