Tag: Faith

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Bad Beginning

Daily Reading

2Samuel 4-7

Daily Thought

David determined to bring the ark of God to the city of Jerusalem. It didn’t go well. After loading the ark of God on a new cart, the oxen stumbled, the ark thrust sideways, “and Uzzah put out his hand to the ark of God and took hold of it. And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Uzzah, and God struck him down there because of his error, and he died there beside the ark of God” (2Samuel 6:6-7). The celebration turned to grief. 

What happened?

Here it is–David determined to bring the ark. David determined. He talked to his leaders, “David consulted with the commanders of thousands and of hundreds, with every leader” (1Chronicles 13:1). He talked to the people, “All the assembly agreed to do so, for the thing was right in the eyes of all the people” (1Chronicles 13:4). 

Of course he talked to God, right? David always talks to God. Look how often: “David inquired of the Lord, ‘Shall I…?’”—1Samuel 23:3; 1Samuel 30:8; 2Samuel 2:1; 2Samuel 5:19, etc. 

Except not this time. David did not ask God if God wanted his ark in Jerusalem. 

Therefore, tragically, he did not also ask God how to carry the ark. God’s word was clear, but forgotten; “You shall cast four rings of gold for it and put them on its four feet, two rings on the one side of it, and two rings on the other side of it. You shall make poles of acacia wood and overlay them with gold. And you shall put the poles into the rings on the sides of the ark to carry the ark by them. The poles shall remain in the rings of the ark; they shall not be taken from it” (Exodus 25:12-15). The ark was to be carried on the shoulders by four Kohathite men, and “they must not touch the holy things, lest they die” (Numbers 4:15). 

“And Uzzah put out his hand to the ark of God and took hold of it.” ~2Samuel 6:6

It ended badly because it began badly. It began without God.

Daily Prayer

Heavenly Father, I worship You and You alone. You are God and there is no other. May I worship You the way You want, the way You ask me to, the way that pleases You. God, too often I worship You to please myself and others.  May I be more concerned about Your pleasure than mine. I give You Sunday; may I worship You Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, as well, and may my worship be seen in my love for others. May my life be a living sacrifice.

God, help me be Your servant to the poor and the needy. Let me be one who reads Your Word and follows Your ways. To worship You, obedience comes before sacrifice. Keep me from becoming self-centered, world-centered. May I be heavenly minded and passionate about You. Mold my heart, so that it desires all things good and righteous.

Amen

Daily Question

When do you typically invite God into your plans?

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Lucky Charms

Daily Reading

1Samuel 4-8

Daily Thought

Jericho was the fortress city Israel first battled as they began to take possession of the Promised Land. Israel’s faith in God is reflected in the fearful cries of her enemy, “Our hearts melted, and there was no spirit left in any man because of you, for the Lord your God, he is God in the heavens above and on the earth beneath” (Joshua 2:11). And the walls came down!

But as the books of Samuel begin, something is different, something changed. Israel was no longer following their God, they were carrying him, “Let us bring the ark of the covenant of the Lord here from Shiloh, that it may come among us and save us from the power of our enemies” (1Samuel 4:3). To Israel, God was no longer in the heavens above and on the earth beneath, he was in a box. God had become an “it,” an object. When the Philistines learned that the ark of the Lord had come to the camp, they were afraid, for they said, “A god has come into the camp.” And they said, “Woe to us! Who can deliver us from the power of these mighty gods?” (1Samuel 4:6-8). A god? These mighty gods? The Philistines were not terrified of a people possessed by the great and mighty Creator of the heavens and the earth, as Jericho feared. Rather, the Philistines feared an enchanted lucky-charm god in the possession of Israel. God is no lucky charm we carry in our pockets. He is God Almighty, creator of the heavens and the earth. He carries us. 

Israel’s once powerful faith in their Almighty God had become little more than bumper-sticker superstition, but God will be no lucky charm. Israel was defeated.

Daily Prayer

Awesome God, mighty Creator, I worship You and give myself fully to Your possession.   You bought me with a price, the blood of my Savior, Your Son, Jesus Christ. I am a temple of Your Holy Spirit. God, my faith must be seen in more than a cross around my neck, a fish on my car. It must be evident in my life, my actions, my speech, my walk.

God, teach me to walk in Your ways, to obey Your commandments, to follow Your path which leads to life, a wonderful, abundant, overflowing life. I love You with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength.  You are my all, and all I am is Yours.

Amen

Daily Question

What is the difference between believing in a religion called Christianity and having a personal relationship with your Lord and Savior Jesus Christ?

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Follow the Science

Daily Reading

Joshua 9-11

Daily Thought

Joshua 10 describes the fantastic defeat of five armies from five cities. Israel battled and God threw hailstones from heaven and the armies ran. To annihilate them, Joshua requested of God, “Sun, stand still at Gibeon, and moon, in the Valley of Aijalon,” and the “sun stopped in the midst of heaven and did not hurry to set for about a whole day” (Joshua 10:12-13). 

Did it really? Did the sun actually stay in the sky, giving Joshua and his army a longer day so they could bring the war to completion? First of all, the sun didn’t stop, because the sun doesn’t rise either. This is phenomenal language, the language of appearance. The sun does not orbit, rather the earth rotates, so, if anything, the earth stopped. One Old Testament scholar suggests that the word for “stand still” may be translated “stand silent.” Joshua, in this case, was praying for extended darkness rather than light, which was provided by the clouds. Clouds would be consistent with the large hailstones God threw down from heaven at the enemy (Joshua 10:11). Another argues that the words are merely symbolic. It has also been suggested that the earth’s rotation slowed for a time, resulting in a longer day.

You may have been told a tale about NASA mapping out the movement of the sun, moon, and planets, and running into an error of exactly 24 hours for which they could not account. So the story goes, one scientist recalled two lessons from Sunday School. The first was Isaiah asking God to back the sun up 40 minutes as a sign to King Hezekiah. The other, our passage, which they calculated at 23 hours, 20 minutes. Added together, one complete day, and the computers reconciled the discrepancy. Voila! 

Except this never happened. A Mr. Harold Hill fabricated the story when giving lectures on Science and the Bible, and it was published in a newspaper, printed in a book, and passed from pulpit to pulpit. Science argued the miracle was not possible (what miracle is?), yet this is God’s Word, so Mr. Hill thought to bring Science and Scripture together.  (Was not the con man in the musical Music Man also named Harold Hill?) 

Where does the idea God needs rescuing come from? We pit Scripture against Science, as if God and Science are at war. When Science and Scripture conflict, the issue is as likely to be my interpretation of Scripture as the scientist’s interpretation of nature. God is not anti-science and good science is not anti-God. Rather, God’s eternal power and divine nature have been clearly perceived ever since the creation of the world in the things that have been made (Romans 1:20). “The heavens declare the glory of God” (Psalm 19:1).

My answer regarding the sun standing still in Joshua 10? Frankly, I don’t know the answer. I favor some explanations over others, but when all is said and done, I don’t know, and that’s okay for now. I know God and that’s who I need to know.

Daily Prayer

Mighty God, the heavens declare Your glory, and the sky above proclaims Your handiwork. Day to day pours out speech, and night to night reveals knowledge. There is no speech, nor are there words, whose voice is not heard. Their voice goes out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world.

I rise to a new day, made by You, and I shall delight in it. I shall stop often and listen to Your voice in the world around me, worship You as I ponder Your creation, stand in wonder at the wisdom of beauty in Your handiwork. Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.

Amen

Daily Question

How should you resolve issues when the Bible seems to conflict with science?

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Measuring Up

Daily Reading

Numbers 11-13

Daily Thought

Twelve spies were sent by Moses to check out the land of Canaan, the Promised Land of God. They returned after forty days, with good news–the land was flowing with milk and honey. However, there was also bad news–the people were strong and their cities fortified. “There we saw the Nephilim (the sons of Anak, who come from the Nephilim), and we seemed to ourselves like grasshoppers, and so we seemed to them” (Numbers 13:33).

There would be, someday, another warrior of God thought too small for battle against a large opponent. First King Saul told David, “You cannot fight Goliath. You are only a boy.” Then David put on the armor, but it did not fit. If you are too small for the armor, you are too small for the battle. Finally, the big Philistine himself laughed at David, “Am I a dog, that you come at me with sticks?”

The Israelites’ problem was someone thought they were too small for battle, but it wasn’t the Nephilim or the Amalekites or the Hittites or the Jebusites or the Amorites or the Canaanites. It was the Israelites themselves. “We seemed to ourselves like grasshoppers.” 

It never occurred to David to measure himself. He measured Goliath and he measured God. “You come to me with a sword and with a spear and with a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel” (1Samuel 17:45). 

“What then shall we say to these things?
If God is for us, who can be against us?” ~Romans 8:31 

So David killed Goliath with a slingshot. Then he cut off his head.

Daily Prayer

Awesome God, You reign from heaven above with wisdom, power, and love. You are the Almighty, the Everlasting, my Stronghold, my Shelter, my Fortress in time of trouble. You are my Savior.

My God is an awesome God. May I never rely on my own strength and may I never forget Your strength. I shall place my trust in it, in You, always. If my God is for me, who can be against me?

Amen

Daily Question

Do you measure situations more through your eyes or God’s eyes?

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A Virgin Betrothed

Daily Reading

Luke 1

Daily Thought

“The angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin’s name was Mary” (Luke 1:26). Gabriel is the same angel who 600 years earlier visited Daniel. Gabriel seems to be the angel God sends when he has a really important message. Mary, a virgin betrothed, is a pure young woman, legally engaged to be married. This is an important detail. Here is the important message.

 And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” ~Luke 1:30-33

This is a huge announcement, but Mary zeroes in on one detail: “How will this be, since I am a virgin?” (Luke 1:34). First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes the baby in the baby carriage. That’s the proper order, and Mary is a proper virgin. She knows the facts of life. She knows how babies are made. If she is to bear a son, she wants an explanation. 

And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God.” ~Luke 1:35

That was the explanation, and it is the delight of heaven, but Mary knew it would not play well on earth. Nazareth and Bethlehem are small towns. Tongues will wag, her reputation will be lost, Mary’s life will change forever. Gabriel may have called out to Mary, “Greetings, O favored one” (Luke 1:28), but Mary knew she is about to become a woman of shame. Mary is a young teenage girl, engaged to a righteous man, and she is about to be pregnant. That is the situation presented to Mary by the angel Gabriel, and this is her response. “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word” (Luke 1:38). Do not miss two small words, “to me.” Mary knows what is being asked of her. 

“And the angel departed from her” (Luke 1:38). Enough said, Mary heard all she needed to hear–and so did Gabriel. 

Daily Prayer

My God, You announced the coming of Your Son to a humble couple hidden in Judea, and they believed in You and faithfully obeyed. It is only in humility that a baby in a manger is recognized as Savior of the world. You showed Your great love and gave us Jesus and life is never the same. You change everything.

God, I don’t need to know the details, I need to know You, better and better. My faith in You is not blind, even if I do not know what is to come. I know You, and that is enough. 

Amen

Daily Question

What do you need to know in order to put your trust in God?

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Death Can Wait

Daily Reading

Mark 4-5

Daily Thought

The daughter of Jairus is at death’s door. “Then came one of the rulers of the synagogue, Jairus by name, and seeing Jesus, he fell at his feet and implored him earnestly, saying, ‘My little daughter is at the point of death. Come and lay your hands on her, so that she may be made well and live’” (Mark 5:22-23), What an opportunity, to save the daughter of a prestigious man. This would do much to advance the mission of Jesus. You would think. “And he went with him. And a great crowd followed him and thronged about him” (Mark 5:24).

Then, from the crowd, a woman (we don’t even get her name) “came up behind him in the crowd and touched his garment” (Mark 5:27), and she was made well. For twelve years she had a bleeding illness no doctor could cure, but one touch healed her. And Jesus stopped. Jairus and his daughter and death would have to wait. “And Jesus, perceiving in himself that power had gone out from him, immediately turned about in the crowd and said, ‘Who touched my garments?’” (Mark 5:30). 

“Everybody!” thought the disciples. “You are in a crowd. Hurry up Jesus. You have to get to the home of Jairus. This is important,” but the immediate is never more important than the eternal. “The woman, knowing what had happened to her, came in fear and trembling and fell down before him and told him the whole truth. And he said to her, ‘Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease’” (Mark 5:33-34). Jairus’s was not the only daughter who needed the touch of Jesus.

While Jesus is not hurrying, while he is taking valuable time to talk to this woman–who is already healed, by the way–the news Jairus feared arrives: “Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the Teacher any further?” (Mark 5:35). 

But the limits we place on God are not God’s limits. 

“Overhearing what they said, Jesus said to the ruler of the synagogue, ‘Do not fear, only believe.’” ~Mark 5:36

A little girl on the edge of death seemed to be what was urgent, but Jesus was interrupted by a woman. Death could wait while Jesus paused to heal this woman, but death did not wait and the little girl died. No matter, the King of kings is the Lord of life. “Little girl, I say to you, arise” (Mark 5:42), and she did.

Daily Prayer

My Great God, what an amazing story, Your Son born a baby to Mary. No earthly father, but a Heavenly Father, a poor family, peasant shepherds announcing His birth, a Friend of sinners and outcasts, and yet Jesus is King of kings and the Lord of lords. Big things come in small packages.

You came humbly and changed the world. You defeated all enemies, including the last enemy – death. You have established an eternal kingdom of peace and declared the good news of salvation. I’m listening and believing, and my life has been changed forever. Thank You, my God and Savior.

Amen

Daily Question

Is your schedule organized more by what is important or what is urgent? What’s the difference?

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Get Out of the Boat

Daily Reading

Matthew 13-14

Daily Thought

Jesus began to speak in parables to the hard of heart, because though “seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand” (Matthew 13:13). They were perfectly capable of hearing, but not willing, and so they do not try to understand and are blind and deaf to the words of God.

Peter, on the other hand, was not capable–in this case, of walking on water, yet when Jesus said, “Come,” Peter left the boat and walked on water and came to Jesus (Matthew 14:29). Half way there he realized he could not do what he was doing and sank, but for a brief time he did the impossible because he was willing to believe the impossible.

Jesus chastised Peter as he lifted him out of the water and back in the boat, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” (Matthew 14:31). It wasn’t that he couldn’t walk on water. Of course he couldn’t. He doubted Jesus when he said “Come.” 

God cares not what we can do, but what we will do.

Daily Prayer

Creator God, this world is marvelous, full of wonders. It displays Your wisdom and majesty. How great You are. You have power and authority over all things. And You are good. That’s why You can promise that all things work together for good for those who love You and are called according to Your purpose.

God, may I keep my ears tuned to You, listening to Your words and following them. May I live a life full of joy and wonder and surprise, not at what I can do, but what you keep doing. May I do what I cannot do, but You can. May I walk in faith and see the greatness of my God.

Amen

Daily Question

What has Jesus asked you to do that you’re not sure you can?

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But Even If He Does Not

Daily Reading

Daniel 1-3

Daily Thought

When Babylon sacked Judah, it plundered the best of the best; “What was of gold the captain of the guard took away as gold, and what was of silver, as silver” (2Kings 25:15). They also took the best of the people, “youths without blemish, of good appearance and skillful in all wisdom” (Daniel 1:4). Among these were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, to whom were given new names, “Daniel he called Belteshazzar, Hananiah he called Shadrach, Mishael he called Meshach, and Azariah he called Abednego” (Daniel 1:7)–in effect, saying, “I own you now.” These young men would be molded in the ways of Babylonian royalty, their language, manner, philosophy–even the food they ate.

Not the food, said Daniel. To be holy means to be set apart, and Daniel and his friends were holy toward God, not Babylon, so Daniel began small and “resolved that he would not defile himself with the king’s food” (Daniel 1:8). Daniel requested of the steward an alternative diet and invited a comparison; “test your servants for ten days; let us be given vegetables to eat and water to drink,” (Daniel 1:12) then compare our health to the others. They stood strong in the little matters, preparing themselves for the greater.

The greater came when Nebuchadnezzar made a towering image of gold and commanded all to bow and worship before it, and Daniel’s friends would not. “Whoever does not fall down and worship shall immediately be cast into a burning fiery furnace,” roared the king (Daniel 3:6), to which Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego responded, “O Nebuchadnezzar, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king.” A bold declaration, yet six words even more defiant and courageous followed, “but even if he does not” (Daniel 3:16-18). They would remain holy to God even if it did not appear in their best interest–even if God did not save them. And they were tossed in the furnace.

“Even if he does not,” they would not bow, so they stood and God stood with them. Peering into the flames, Nebuchadnezzar saw the three standing unharmed, but there was another, a fourth. “Did we not cast three men bound into the fire? But I see four men unbound, walking in the midst of the fire, and they are not hurt; and the appearance of the fourth is like a son of the gods” (Daniel 3:24-25). God stands with those who stand for God. 

Daily Prayer

My God, I offer myself as a living sacrifice, which means my life is Yours. I give it to You, so it is no longer mine to lose or another’s to own, but Yours to save. I pray, O God, that my faith will be bold, that when I face that which is impossible for me to do, I will trust in the One who can do all things. I pray that I will act not because I am secure in the outcome, but because I am secure in You.

Amen

Daily Question

What kind of guarantees do you want from God before you would risk your life for him?

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Time-Tested Faith

Daily Reading

Jeremiah 42-45

Daily Thought

The nation of Judah had been carried off in captivity to Babylon with only a small remnant left behind in the land of Israel. The prophet Jeremiah remained with the remnant. Fearful that Babylon would return against them, the remnant of Judah favored seeking refuge in Egypt, but requested Jeremiah first ask God if they should go. They vowed before the prophet, “Whether it is good or bad, we will obey the voice of the Lord our God to whom we are sending you, that it may be well with us when we obey the voice of the Lord our God” (Jeremiah 42:6).

God responded, instructing them to remain in the land, “Do not fear the king of Babylon, of whom you are afraid. Do not fear him, declares the Lord, for I am with you, to save you and to deliver you from his hand” (Jeremiah 42:11). 

That seems clear enough, yet, a short time later, “they came into the land of Egypt, for they did not obey the voice of the Lord” (Jeremiah 43:7). The people vowed to obey, then rebelled when God answered. What happened?

The answer is found between the request and the rebellion, “at the end of ten days the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah” (Jeremiah 42:7). Israel, it seems, expected a more prompt response. In their eyes, God was late.

God is always late (it seems), because “‘my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,’ declares the Lord” (Isaiah 55:8)). In our prayers, we seek answers. In our prayers, God seeks faith. 

The silence tested their faith. God took ten days to answer, which gave the people ten days to ponder whom they feared, and they feared the Babylonians they could see more than they feared the God they could not, so they disobeyed the word of God.

Time is a test of faith. They should have waited.

“Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” ~Hebrews 11:1

Daily Prayer

Almighty God, You are forever faithful and true. I place my trust in You because You are the Rock, the Solid Foundation on which to build my life.

You are my God and I will wait for You and Your Word, because it is worth the wait. I will place my faith in the One who is always faithful.

Amen

Daily Question

If God would answer your prayers when you expect him to, would your faith become stronger? Why or why not?

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The Only Easy Way

Daily Reading

James 1-5

Daily Thought

James speaks bluntly, “Faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead” (James 2:17). You may have faith in Jesus, but if you do not put it into practice, if you do not work at it, you will have nothing to show for it. “The one who looks into the perfect law,” James continues, “the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing” (James 1:25). God’s Word is beautiful to hear, but it is meant for action.

I loved hearing Jack play. Jack’s fingers flew on the frets, the guitar sang, and it was beautiful. “Do you want to play like this?” Jack was my guitar teacher and I was 10 years old.

I nodded, “Yes.”

“You’ll need to practice an hour a day, every day.”

“An hour!” An eternity for a 10-year old. “Isn’t there an easier way?”

Jack glared at me, “How would you like to practice?”

I shrugged, “When I feel like it.”

“That’s the hard way, Dave. The easy way is the hard way to do anything well. If you pick up the guitar whenever you feel like it, it will take you years to play. If ever.”

“The testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” ~James 1:3-4

“But an hour a day and soon enough, you’ll be playing like this,” explained Jack. “Practicing hard is the easy way, It’s the only easy way to do anything well.”

Daily Prayer

My God, I trust You with my life. May everything I do display the faith I have in Your wisdom and goodness. Teach me Your ways, O Lord. Test me and try me, so that I may live a life holy set apart to You.

God, thank You for caring for me to develop and strengthen me. I know that nothing will come before me that, in You, I cannot endure and conquer. I can do all things through You because You give me strength. There is a joy I have found in suffering for Your Name’s sake.

Amen