Listening to the Word

Nehemiah 1-2; Psalms 133; Luke 22 “…’O Lord, the God of heaven, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with those who love him and obey his commands…They are your servants and your people, who you redeemed by your great strength and your mighty hand.” Nehemiah 1:5, 10 “In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.’” Luke 22:20 Jesus emphasized the third cup of the Passover meal with his disciples, the cup of redemption. It was the same redemption that Nehemiah was appealing to as he interceded for his people and their desperate state. Even in exile, Nehemiah would have celebrated Passover with his fellow Jews in Babylon. In intercession, Nehemiah was appealing to God’s covenant-keeping nature, his promises, and his deliverance and redemption in the past. Not only did God answer Nehemiah’s prayer by enabling his people to rebuild the wall in Jerusalem, but God sent his Son to bring re...

Ezra 9-10; Psalms 131; Luke 21 “’Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.’…Each day Jesus was teaching at the temple, and each evening he went out to spend the night on the hill called the Mount of Olives, and all the people came early in the morning to hear him at the temple.” Luke 21:33, 37 Jesus taught words we are hearing and repeating 2000 years later. The words of Jesus will never pass away. Where did he receive these words? We know he is the Word, present in the beginning, full of life and light. Yet, Jesus was also a man - a man who became tired and needed sleep. Jesus went to the Mount of Olives each evening because he loved time alone with his Father. Jesus’ words and the work that flowed from them came from what he heard and saw in the presence of his Father. His words won’t pass away because they come from the Father. Are we listening to the Word so we, too, have something to share with others? “Lord Jesus, the Word: thank you for speaking life-gi...

Ezra 7- 8; Luke 20   “There, by the Ahava Canal, I proclaimed a fast, so that we might humble ourselves before our God and ask him for a safe journey for us and our children, with all our possessions…and he answered our prayer.” Ezra 8:21, 23 In an age of complicated travel with health restrictions and danger to well-being, Ezra’s example of humbling himself and his travelling companions before the Lord is a great example of where our confidence should come from. Ezra’s party was carrying tons of gold, silver, and sacred items which made them targets for robbery on their four-month long, overland journey from Babylon to Jerusalem. Instead of the king’s soldiers and horsemen protecting them, Ezra and his party humbled themselves before the Lord of heaven and earth. Where are we looking for protection and confidence as we, too, seek to follow the Lord in mission? We can allow fear to rule our choices and future, or we can choose to place our lives in the hands of God and live with ob...

Esther 9-10; Luke 19 “So he called ten of his servants and gave them ten minas. ‘Put this money to work,’ he said, ‘until I come back.’…’Well done, my good servant!’ his master replied. ‘Because you have been trustworthy in a very small matter, take charge of ten cities.’” Luke 19:13, 17 Do we believe that our Creator God gave us life, health, and all we have? If we do, then we also must recognize that we are stewards of God’s time, talents, and treasure. We, too, have received the word, ”Put this money to work, until I come back.” Are the money, time, and talent we have received being “put to work” for the good of the King and his kingdom? More importantly, have we taken responsibility for the resources we’ve been entrusted with, or have we buried this topic? Responsibility requires faith and decision-making. Too often we place ourselves in bondage to creditors, rather than putting our resources to work. The reward for good stewardship of God’s resources is even more responsibility. T...

Esther 3-8; Luke 18 “But Jesus called the children to him and said, ‘Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.’” Luke 18:16, 17 “Anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” These words are so shocking we need to repeat them out loud to really hear them. Salvation is not an intellectual response to a presentation of the gospel. To explain how we enter the kingdom of God, Jesus pointed to the faith, humility, and trust of little children who receive a gift. No one deserves to enter Christ’s kingdom. There is no room for bargaining with God. Children receive a gift, believe, and follow. Is that our experience of coming to Jesus? Or, are we still living religious lives in our own kingdom, or someone else’s? Knowing and following the King marks every person in Christ’s kin...

Esther 1-2; Psalms 150; Luke 17 “’…If your brother sins against you rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him. If he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times come back to you and says, ‘I repent,’ forgive him.’ The apostles said to the Lord, ‘Increase our faith!’ He replied, ‘If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it will obey you.’” Luke 17:3-6 Why did the apostles ask Jesus to increase their faith when he called them to extend forgiveness repeatedly to their brother or sister? It is in our closest relationships where we often lack faith that behaviors, character, and habits can change. Jesus calls his disciples to acknowledge when they have been sinned against and rebuke the offender. Then consistently and without judgment forgive them. By contending for clear and open communication while we extend forgiveness, we are placing our faith in God’s grace both in our lives and in those we are...

Ezra 5-6; Psalms 138; Luke 16   “’No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.’ The Pharisees, who loved money, heard all this and were sneering at Jesus. He said to them, ‘You are the ones who justify yourselves in the eyes of men, but God knows your hearts. What is highly valued among men is detestable in God’s sight.’” Luke 16:13-15 Who we serve affects our thinking and shapes our values and choices. If we are serving our career or a company, that will shape our priorities. Others serve beauty and will sacrifice to achieve affirmation   by others. What master are we serving? The Pharisees claimed to serve God, but were actually serving money. Jesus exposed their hearts and said that we can’t serve two masters at the same time. When we serve Jesus, he calls us to give up all other loves and make him our first love. Once we are his, money no longer has...

Zechariah 13-14; Psalms 147; Luke 15   “On that day a fountain will be opened to the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, to cleanse them from sin and impurity…On that day living water will flow out from Jerusalem, half to the eastern sea and half to the western sea, in summer and in winter.” Zechariah 13:1; 14:8 The fountain that opened in Jerusalem to cleanse the sin and impurity from the lives of people was fulfilled when Jesus, the Lamb of God, offered his blood as an atoning sacrifice for sin. This fountain of cleansing blood still flows and it is still open to those who seek cleansing. On Pentecost, another river was released in Jerusalem when the living water of the Holy Spirit was poured out and empowered Christ’s disciples to be his witnesses to the ends of the earth. This river of living water still flows and is the only satisfaction for thirsty souls looking for life.   Are we pointing people to the fountain of cleansing blood and the river of living wat...

Zechariah 10-12; Psalms 126; Luke 14 “’If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters – yes, even his own life – he cannot be my disciple…In the same way, those of you who do not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple.’” Luke 14:26, 27, 33 There is much talk of disciple-making and discipleship in the church today.   But, are we talking about the same thing as Jesus was? He called people to leave everything and follow him. The leaving first meant releasing family obligations which Jesus certainly understood as a firstborn son. His brothers would probably have resented him for this. Jesus isn’t calling us to follow him theoretically, but in real terms, now. Surrendering our family, work, education, and even our lives to him is the first step in discipleship. He might give some of those things back to us, but that is not ours to choose. This definition of discipleship is much more than being a good person who doesn’t...

Job 19; Mark 1-2   “I know that my Redeemer lives; and that in the end he will stand on the earth. After my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God; I myself will see him with my own eyes – I, and not another. How my heart yearns within me!” Job 19:25-27 Job’s tribulations heightened his anticipation of heaven. He longed to see God and he believed in the bodily resurrection of the dead. He believed that his Redeemer lived and that God would redeem his life from the grave. Is this living hope at work in us? Do these truths give us hope in the midst of our tribulations, sickness, tests, and trials? When life is good, we become distracted and maybe even forget that we need a Redeemer. If this earth becomes our home, our hope of heaven can fade. However, when sickness, disease, plague, or economic crisis comes, we remember this life is short. Are we yearning for God, for heaven, and for our eternal home? Are we anticipating the return of Jesus? Do we know that our Redee...

Zechariah 7-9; Luke 13   “I will take away the chariots from Ephraim and the war horses from Jerusalem, and the battle bow will be broken. He will proclaim peace to the nations. His rule will extend from sea to sea and from the River to the ends of the earth. As for you, because of the blood of my covenant with you, I will free your prisoners from the waterless pit.” Zechariah 9:10, 11 The Lord Jesus Christ will proclaim peace to the nations. What message of peace did Jesus bring? He offered his life as a covenant-sacrifice for our sin. Jesus offers us peace with God through his blood of the covenant. This offer of peace with God is now made through the Church to all nations. The word used for peace here is ‘Shalom’, which means safety, wholeness, well-being, and contentment. This is a much broader reality than just the absence of conflict. It is Shalom with God, ourselves, with our neighbour, and with creation. Jesus came to reconcile all things to God through his blood shed on th...

Zechariah 4-6; Luke 12   “’For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them. But seek his kingdom and these things will be given to you as well. Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom.’” Luke 12:30-32 What we pursue in life, defines our life.   If someone were to examine our lives today, what would they say we are pursuing? What has captured our attention and become our focus? Jesus said the pagan world runs after clothes, food, and material possessions. Their focus is clear. But, what about the disciples of Jesus? Jesus’ call to us is to seek his kingdom which is righteousness (in Christ), peace (in Christ), and joy (in Christ). To seek first the kingdom is to first seek Jesus the King. He will give us what we need to live. Fear will rob us of our focus on Jesus, while faith in Jesus will strengthen us. The Father has given us the kingdom. We have an eternal inheritance. Let’s seek Jesus...

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…yet because of the man’s boldness he will get up and give him as much as he needs. So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you…how much more will you Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!’” Luke 11:1, 2, 8, 9, 13 When Jesus’ disciples asked him to pray like John’s disciples, Jesus gave them the disciples’ prayer. However, he went beyond merely a prayer outline; he gave them the key to authority in prayer. Jesus taught his disciples to ask, seek, and knock on the throne room of heaven for the person of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the key to bold, sustained and Word-centered praying. 120 disciples remembered this invitation from Jesus and they prayed ten days in an Upper Room for the Holy Spirit.   We receive/have the Holy Spirit at conversion, but does the Holy Spirit have us? A...

Haggai 1-2; Psalms 129; Luke 10   “’…the desired by 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. ‘The glory of this present house will be greater than the glory of the former house,’ says the Lord Almighty. ‘And in this place I will grant peace,’ declares the Lord Almighty.” Haggai 2:7-9 Our attention is often on the silver and gold, while the Lord’s attention is on Doxa, his glory or presence. With silver and gold we can build beautiful structures; but with Doxa they are filled with the presence of the Lord. The desired of all nations has come; his name is Jesus, the Messiah. He calls our bodies the new temple of his Spirit. We are now the temples to be filled with his Doxa, or glory. Those filled with God’s Doxa go from glory to glory as they invite Christ’s presence to daily fill them. To be filled with God’s Doxa is to know his peace at the core of our being. Are we ...

Ezra 4; Psalms 113, 127; Luke 9   “The Lord is exalted over all the nations, his glory above the heavens…He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap; he seats them with princes, with the princes of his people.” Psalm 113:4, 7, 8 “Jesus, knowing their thoughts, took a little child and had him stand beside him. Then he said to them, ‘Whoever welcomes this little child in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. For it is the least among you all - he is the greatest.’” Luke 9:47, 48 The most powerful and exalted being in the universe is also the most humble and he loves humility in the lives of his disciples. Justice requires humility because we must see the intrinsic value of people, regardless their station in life. The Lord God loves to break the cycle of poverty and elevate the poor and needy. He loves to give honor to the least, the last, and the lost. His disciples argued about greatness and competed (they still do), w...

Ezra 2-3; Luke 8   “’For there is nothing hidden that will not be disclosed, and nothing concealed that will not be known or brought out into the open. Therefore consider carefully how you listen. Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what he thinks he has will be taken from him.’…He replied, ‘My mother and brothers are those who hear God’s Word and put it into practice.’” Luke 8:17, 18, 21 Listening to the Word is not enough. We must put the Word into practice in our lives each day. Jesus, the living Word, knows our heart and nothing is concealed from him. He knows how much or little of what we hear we are applying. Jesus’ family isn’t composed of people who have prayed a prayer to avoid the consequences for their sin. This is a family that chooses to stop sinning through the power of the Holy Spirit as they hear God’s Word and put it into practice. They actively join Jesus in his daily mission-assignments in their homes, community, and place of work. As we c...

Ezra 1; Psalms 84-85; Luke 7   “…’Lord, don’t trouble yourself, for I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. That is why I did not even consider myself worthy to come to you. But say the word, and my servant will be healed. For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me.’…’I tell you, I have not found such great faith even in Israel.’” Luke 7:6-9 Without faith we find it hard to submit to authority. We must believe in the one we are submitting to or our submission will only be lip service. The centurion was a Gentile and unclean by Jewish standards. Yet, he invited Jesus to his home in faith that Jesus’ word would heal his servant. Many use the word ‘faith’ today to describe a religious system. e.g. ‘he is a man of faith’, or ‘she has faith’. Yet a biblical definition of faith requires obedience to God’s Word and active submission to his authority in our lives. If we believe that Jesus has “all authority in heaven and on earth” we will trust his Word and plac...

Daniel 11-12; Luke 6   “’Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.’” Luke 6:37, 38 We could call this teaching by Jesus, the principle of reciprocity, taken to a new level. The way we treat others is the way God and others treat us. Judging, condemning, and critical attitudes don’t resemble the character of our Father. Rather, we are to forgive, give generously when asked, and live a life of bold love. When we give liberally and without the expectation of a return, God pours into our lives a “good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over”. Everything that our Father gives us, including forgiveness, grace, mercy, and love, is to be freely shared and poured out to others. This includes our enemies and tho...

Daniel 9-10; Psalms 123; Luke 5   “”…no one pours new wine into old wineskins. If he does, the new wine will burst the skins, the wine will run out and the wineskins will be ruined. No, new wine must be poured into new wineskins. And no one after drinking old wine wants the new, for he says, ‘The old is better.’” Luke 5:37, 38 What’s the focus of this parable? The focus is on making great wine! Too often this parable is interpreted as a teaching on church structures as containers or wineskins. Wineskins, by definition, are useless without wine in them. Have we forgotten the most important thing? Where is the wine, both new wine and mature wine of God’s Spirit and presence in our lives and ministries? The Lord is always doing ‘a new thing’. For those who respond with faith, God’s new thing will be incubated in prayer like new wine in new wineskins (Isaiah 42:9). Wine is not meant to be preserved forever; but rather, it is meant to be consumed. Inviting the new wine of God’s presence...

Daniel 7-8; Psalms 137; Luke 4   “’…Thousands upon thousands attended him; ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him. The court was seated, and the books were opened…But the court will sit, and his power will be taken away and completely destroyed forever. Then the sovereignty, power and greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven will be handed over to the saints, the people of the Most High. His kingdom will be an everlasting kingdom, and all rulers will worship and obey him.’” Daniel 7:10, 26, 27 Ultimately, authority rests with the Most High. All rulers will worship and obey him. Satan is focused on usurping this worship and God’s authority in any way he can. Jesus’ resistance to Satan’s temptations in the wilderness shows us how to stand firm in the truth and authority of God’s Word in resisting these same temptations in our lives (Luke 4). Choosing to submit to Jesus Christ and live accountable to his Word and Spirit is the most important choice we can make in lif...