Listening to the Word

Judges 9-10; Psalms 49; 1 Corinthians 16 “But I will stay on at Ephesus until Pentecost, because a great door for effective work has opened to me, and there are many who oppose me.” 1 Corinthians 16:8, 9 With the opening of a great door for effective ministry, there is often significant spiritual warfare and opposition. This is why the Lord in his mercy does not open doors for us until we are ready for the spiritual battle and conflict that will come. In Ephesus, Paul fought “wild beasts” in spiritual battle, even as he called people to follow the “way of love” (1 Corinthians 15:32). Prominent members of the Ephesian society became Christ-followers including Erastus, the city’s director of public works. Alexander, the metal worker, led the guilds to riot in opposition to the message of the gospel in Ephesus. His opposition continued even as Paul left the city. However, Paul was clear that “we wrestle not against flesh and blood but against spiritual forces of evil who work through peop...

Judges 8; Psalms 42; 1 Corinthians 15   “By this gospel you are saved…as of first importance that Christ died for our sins, according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve. After that he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living…” 1 Corinthians 15:2-6 At the heart of the gospel is the death of Christ for our sins and his resurrection from the dead. The importance of this resurrection being witnessed by the Twelve, the five hundred, and then many apostles, including Paul, is essential to the integrity of the gospel. However, Paul missed an essential part of the gospel in this letter. The first person to see the resurrected Christ was Mary Magdalene. For Paul, the order of Christ’s resurrection revelation is important. Before Peter, we have Mary. What does this resurrection revelation order mean for Christ’s a...

Judges 6-7; Psalms 52; 1 Corinthians 14   “The Lord turned to him and said, ‘Go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midian’s hand. Am I not sending you?’” Judges 6:14 Gideon’s acknowledged weakness and fear were not barriers to God using him. If Gideon had denied that he was weak and afraid, that would have presented a greater problem. The angel’s simple command to Gideon was to go in the strength that he had, and the Lord was with him. In our weakness, God’s strength and sufficiency are made perfect (2 Corinthians 12:9). God’s grace is enough for us. When Jesus says, “Go and make disciples of all nations”, he also says, “and I will be with you, to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:19, 20). Later, Gideon, being filled with the Holy Spirit, blew a trumpet mobilizing the tribes of Israel. Yet too many Israelites responded to the mobilization call and the Lord had to reduce their numbers.   Why? …because pride is our greatest enemy, even greater than fear. It was i...

Judges 4-5; Psalms 39,41; 1 Corinthians 13   “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude [does not dishonor others], it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails…” 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 In the midst of the Church’s fascination with signs and wonders, well executed strategy, and leadership impact, it is love that never fails. Love that is patient and kind requires us to slow down and pay attention to people around us. When there is conflict, we don’t dishonor others, are not easily angered, and keep no record of wrongs. That kind of practical love in conflict is costly. The kind of strong, agape, covenant love Paul spoke about always protects, trusts, hopes, and perseveres in relationships. This is more than an emotion; it becomes a way of being. Our j...

Judges 1-3; 1 Corinthians 12   “But when they cried out to the Lord, he raised up for them a deliverer, Othniel son of Kenaz, Caleb’s younger brother, who saved them. The Spirit of the Lord came upon him, so that he became Israel’s judge and went to war. The Lord gave Cushan-Rishathaim king of Aram into the hands of Othniel, who overpowered him. So the land had peace for forty years…” Judges 3:9-11 The Lord “sold” Israel into the hands of the Arameans because of their prostitution to idols and other gods. The way of deliverance began with Israel crying out to the Lord. It was God who then anointed Othniel with his Holy Spirit to lead Israel in deliverance. It was God who then gave the Aramean king into the hands of Othniel, who overpowered him. It was Israel’s relationship with God which was the key to their bondage and their deliverance. How do we respond when we, too, are enslaved by powers too strong for us? Do we try to fight the powers, addictions, and enslaving habits, or do ...

Joshua 23-24; Psalms 44; 1 Corinthians 11   “Then you crossed the Jordan and came to Jericho…but I gave them into your hands. I sent the hornet ahead of you, which drove them out before you – also the two Amorite kings. You did not do it with your own sword and bow. So I gave you a land on which you did not toil and cities you did not build…” Joshua 24:11-13 At the close of Joshua’s life and leadership-journey, he wanted to make it very clear to Israel that it was the presence of God that had provided their inheritance in Canaan. We, too, can forget who has given us our health, wealth, family, and opportunities for meaningful service. It was not Israel’s sword or bow which won the battles; it was the hand of God. Do we value the presence of God in our lives, or do we take this for granted? Are we fond of telling our stories, or God’s stories? Israel lived in cities they did not build and ate fruit from trees they did not plant. We, too, have been given an inheritance of faith and p...

Joshua 21-22; Psalms 47; 1 Corinthians 10   “God reigns over the nations; God is seated on his holy throne. The nobles of the nations assemble as the people of the God of Abraham, for the kings of the earth belong to God; he is greatly exalted…He chose our inheritance for us…” Psalm 47:8, 9, 4 The Lord chose to give life to each one of us. Our life comes from him and will return to him. The Lord reigns over the nations, even those who have chosen to rebel against him and serve fallen powers. The Lord has determined the times and places in which we live so we would seek him and find him (Acts 17:26). The Lord has chosen our inheritance in his kingdom. This inheritance includes our salvation from sin, but also our best contributions to his kingdom-mission through good works which he prepared in advance for us to do (Ephesians 2:10). All of this must cause us to worship God. As we offer our lives to him again today, let’s thank God for the nation we are called to reach with the gospel...

Joshua 18-20; 1 Corinthians 9 “The seventh lot came out for the tribe of Dan clan by clan. The territory of their inheritance included: Zorah, Eshtaol…Timnah, Ekron…Gath… (But the Danites had difficulty taking possession of their territory, so they went up and attacked Leshem, took it, put it to the sword and occupied it.)” Joshua 19:40, 45, 47 Just because the tribe of Dan was assigned an inheritance by the Lord, this didn’t mean they would possess it. The Philistine giants who occupied Gath and the coastal cities wouldn’t give up their territory without a fight. There is no record of the Danites ever engaging in that fight. Later it was Samson who engaged the Philistines at Timnah, and David who defeated Goliath from Gath and his four brothers. What promises, assignments, and inheritance has the Lord give to us? Are we contending in prayer, by faith, for that inheritance? What is opposing our inheritance in the kingdom of God? Have we identified the spiritual giants? Are we resisting...

Joshua 15-17; 1 Corinthians 8   “…Manasseh also had Beth Shan, Ibleam and the people of Dor, Endor, Taanach and Megiddo…Yet the Manassites were not able to occupy these towns, for the Canaanites were determined to live in that region.” Joshua 17:11, 12 The tribe of Manasseh wanted more land as their inheritance, but they were unwilling to engage the Canaanites in battle. The Canaanites of that region were determined to occupy their cities and defend them. This was the land of the Perizzites and Rephaites, the giants that had intimidated Israel. By not confronting these enemies, the Israelites sowed the seeds for future defeats. Israel’s first king, Saul, was publicly displayed on the walls of Beth Shan following his death in battle. It was from Endor that a witch was found to summon the spirit of Samuel and provide counsel to Saul in his final hours. When we allow strongholds of fear, lust, anger, and greed to live in our lives, they will try to destroy the life of Christ within us...

Joshua 12-14; 1 Corinthians 7 “What I mean, brothers, is that the time is short…those who use the things of the world, as if not engrossed in them. For this world in its present form is passing away…but that you may live in a right way in undivided devotion to the Lord.” 1 Corinthians 7:29, 31, 35 Paul’s ethical teaching on marriage and sexual behavior was guided by a sense of urgency concerning the return of Jesus. Paul’s accountability to Jesus and his mission meant that civilian affairs had to be put in their proper place. Becoming “engrossed” in the things of this world can easily replace our first love for Jesus and his mission. For Paul, this even extended to his understanding of marriage. He chose to remain single in order to serve Christ.   If we were to ask those close to us what they think we are devoted to, what would they say? Do we live with a sense of urgency related to Christ’s mission-call on our lives and the imminence of Christ’s return? “Lord Jesus, all I am and ...

Joshua 9-11; 1 Corinthians 6   “The Israelites sampled their provisions but did not inquire of the Lord. Then Joshua made a treaty of peace with them to let them live, and the leaders of the assembly ratified it by oath.” Joshua 9:14, 15 The Gibeonite deception of Israel reminds us how much we need the Lord’s perspective in matters of discernment and all of life. “Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart (1Samuel 16:7). The Israelite leaders illustrated that “There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end, it leads to death” (Proverbs 14:12). By trusting the Gibeonite evidence of having been on a long journey, the Israelites leaders forgot the living presence of God who was parting the Jordan River, defeating Canaanite kings, and knocking over Jericho’s walls. How quickly we fix our eyes on what it is seen rather than what is unseen (2Corinthians 4:18)! Will we fix our eyes on Jesus today in each matter of discernment, in each obstacle, and in ...

Joshua 7-8; Psalms 69; 1 Corinthians 5   “Save me, O God, for the waters have come up to my neck. I sink in the miry depths, where there is no foothold. I have come into the deep waters; the floods engulf me…Rescue me from the mire, do not let me sink; deliver me from those who hate me, from the deep waters…You know how I am scorned, disgraced, and shamed…” Psalm 69:1, 2, 14, 1 David’s call to leadership came from the Lord as Samuel anointed him with oil and the Spirit of God filled him. Later, as he faced betrayal, opposition, and a campaign to destroy him from his father-in-law Saul and later his son Absalom, David found refuge in God. Rather than fight those who opposed him, David asked God to fight his battles for him. The “flood waters” which seemed to drown David were a metaphor for relational conflict. The mud and mire of a slander-campaign gave David no foothold on which to stand.   When we are “scorned, disgraced and shamed,” where do we turn?   David cried out t...

Joshua 3-6; 1 Corinthians 4   “…’In the future when your descendants ask their fathers, ‘What do these stones mean?’ tell them, ‘Israel crossed the Jordan on dry ground.’’…He did this so that all the peoples of the earth might know that the hand of the Lord is powerful and so that you might always fear the Lord your God.” Joshua 4:21, 22, 24 Standing stones of remembrance kept the story of God’s miraculous parting of the Jordan River always in front of the Israelites. Standing stones can be represented by pictures, mementos, or objects, used to help us remember what God has done. In remembering, we receive encouragement, new courage to step out with risk-taking obedience into the next assignment the Lord has for us. Standing stones are also a witness to those around us of our stories of faith. They teach us and those who come after us to always fear and follow the Lord. “Lord God, thank you for standing stones which mark my faith-journey with you, for your glory.”

Joshua 1-2; Psalms 37; 1 Corinthians 3   “Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you? If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him; for God’s temple is sacred, and you are that temple.” 1 Corinthians 3:16, 17 The immature ‘worldly’ behavior Paul rebuked in the Corinthian church was not related to their clothing or entertainment choices; but rather, to jealousy and quarreling which led to factions in the church. This divisive behavior was destroying it. The enemy of the church, Satan, still sends people to destroy the church as we read in Paul’s epistles to the churches. However, most divisive people don’t realize they are being used by the enemy. They believe they are defending an issue of integrity, justice, equity, or tradition that serves God’s mission, not destroys it. The Church is the Bride of Christ. Paul said the Spirit dwells in our midst, not just in individual believers. We together, as God’s people, are the temple of...

Deuteronomy 32-34; 1 Corinthians 2   “My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, so that your faith might not rest on human wisdom, but on God’s power.” 1 Corinthians 2:4, 5 We reproduce who we are. We can only give to others what we ourselves have received. Paul had the theological training to use wise and persuasive words in laying the foundation for the church in Corinth, yet he chose not to. Rather, Paul relied daily on the living presence of Jesus within him by the Holy Spirit to demonstrate Christ’s power to deliver, heal, and forgive. Seekers in Corinth experienced the presence of Jesus before they understood all the truths of God’s Word. Their faith rested on God’s presence and power to change their lives. In a generation that is asking if God is real, rather than whether God’s Word is true, this is important. If we bring our experience in the living Christ through the power of the Spirit, we, too, wi...

Deuteronomy 30-31; Psalms 40; 1 Corinthians 1   “But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things – and the things that are not – to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him.” 1 Corinthians 1:27-29 The Lord loves humility! The Lord deliberately chooses the foolish, weak, lowly, and despised things of this world as recipients of his grace and a testimony to his saving power. Why these dramatic testimonies? – “…so that no one may boast before him” (1 Corinthians 1:29). Our continual dependency on the Lord for all things, not just our salvation, is God’s best for us in Christ. The momentum in church multiplication is not coming from the wealthy, educated West; but rather, from the ‘margins’ of Africa, Asia, and Latin America. It is the poor who are becoming rich in salvation. It is those without proper medical care who are ...

Deuteronomy 28-29; Galatians 6   “Brothers [and sisters], if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted. Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.” Galatians 6:1, 2 The law of Christ was that we would love one another as Christ has loved us. This love is tested when our brother or sister is caught in a sin. Our tendency can be to judge that person, gossip about them, or separate ourselves from them. Instead, Paul calls us to gently restore that person to right relationship with God and others. We restore one another gently because we recognize sin’s deception, our own vulnerability to temptation, and Christ’s incredible mercy and gentleness toward us. When we walk with each other in this ministry of restoration and soul care, we are carrying each other’s burdens to the feet of Jesus and inviting Christ to heal, cleanse, free, and restore. This ministry of caring fo...

Deuteronomy 25-27; Galatians 5   “You, my brothers [and sisters], were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love.” Galatians 5:13 Paul contrasted the freedom of God’s family to serve one another in love to the freedom to indulge our sinful nature (the flesh). Freedom is not the absence of all restraint; but rather, it is the power to do what is right and good. Indulging the sinful nature leads to habits, addictions, and misery. The power of the Spirit gives us freedom to humble ourselves and serve others with love. Loving God and our neighbor becomes our focus, rather than indulging our own wants. We were called to be free. Are we living this kind of freedom? What indulgences do we need freedom from? Will we humble ourselves before the Lord and invite his deliverance, forgiveness, and freedom so our heart is light and full of the Spirit’s love, joy, and peace? The fruit of the Spirit describes freedom, while the a...

Deuteronomy 22-24; Galatians 4   “My dear children, for whom I am again in the pains of childbirth until Christ is formed in you, how I wish I could be with you now…God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, ‘Abba Father’. So you are no longer a slave, but God’s son…” Galatians 4:19, 20, 6, 7 Paul used family images to describe the identity of the Galatian disciples of Christ as God’s children. We have the Spirit of the Son, Jesus Christ, indwelling us through the Holy Spirit. We have intimacy with our holy father God through Christ. However, Paul goes deeper and describes his role as the Galatian church planter - like a birthing mother. The pains of childbirth, like ‘intercession-travail,’ marked the birth of the church. Paul was in intercession-pain as he called them to Christ.   He was contending for Christ to be “formed in you.” Have we, like the Galatians, been birthed into the family of God by a spiritual mother or father? Are we birthing o...

Deuteronomy 19-21; Galatians 3   “If man guilty of a capital offense is put to death and his body is hung on a tree, you must not leave his body on the tree overnight. Be sure to bury him that same day because anyone who is hung on a tree is under God’s curse. You must not desecrate the land the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance.” Deuteronomy 21:22, 23 “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: ‘Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.’” Galatians 3:13 The penalty of sin is death. God’s law required those guilty of intentionally taking another life to be killed by hanging. This public death communicated God’s curse on those guilty of taking another person’s life. Jesus took our penalty for our sin by becoming a curse for us through his death on a cross. He atoned for defiling sins which pollute our land. God’s answer to the bloodguilt which has defiled every nation through the shedding of innocent blood is the blood of ...