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⁴⁴By this time it was noon, and darkness fell across the whole land until three o’clock. ⁴⁵The light from the sun was gone. And suddenly, the thick veil hanging in the Temple was torn apart. ⁴⁶Then Jesus shouted, “Father, I entrust my spirit into your hands!” And with those words he breathed his last.
Luke 23:44-46 (NLT)

As I wrote in yesterday’s blog, as we studied the crucifixion in Bible study yesterday I learned two very special things. (Thanks, Phil, for the study you did on this passage. I was blessed by it.) Yesterday’s blessing was learning the story behind the word translated “paradise.” Today’s blessing is based on Jesus final earthly prayer. (I qualify it as His final “earthly” prayer because we know He sits at the right hand of God now constantly interceding for us.)

Chances are good when you were a child, you learned to repeat this common night-time prayer:

Now I lay me down to sleep,
I pray the Lord my soul to keep.
If I should die before I wake,
I pray the Lord my soul to take.
Amen

The words are much like Jesus’ final prayer on the cross. Each night before going to sleep, those who recited the prayer were entrusting their spirit to the Lord. I never knew that this childhood prayer mirrored the Jesus’ last words on earth. Somehow that touched something deep inside me.

But what I learned next touched me even more. During the time that Jesus lived on this earth, Jewish mothers taught their children to say a pray before they went to sleep each night. The prayer was based on Psalm 31:5:

Into your hands I commit my spirit.
Psalm 31:5 (NIV)

Sound familiar? What that tells us is that as Jesus was dying, He prayed the prayer His human mother had taught Him – a prayer the young child Jesus He had undoubtedly prayed each night before He went to sleep. There was one difference this time, however. As Jesus died with that prayer on His lips, He added the word “Father.” He was “going home” to His Father. As He prayed the prayer He had learned from His mother He was entrusting His spirit into His Father’s hands. The man Jesus, who was also the Creator of the world, the King of all Kings and Lord of all Lords, intermingled His humanness and deity as He prayed “Father, I entrust my spirit into Your hands.”

What a fitting final prayer! Showing His deep love for both His mother and His Father, it is a prayer that brings to the center both the humanity and deity of Christ. And it blows me away. The tenderness brings me to tears. The perfect “completion” that this prayer brings amazes me. I am sure that I am not adequately putting into words the fullness that comes from that simple prayer.

So as I did yesterday, I simply invite you to meditate on it for yourself. Think about the humanness of Jesus and the deity of Jesus…the little boy who was taught to pray by his mother, reciting a simple Psalm each night…the humble Son returning to His Father…the Reigning King who will one day return.

This child, Son and King invites us to walk in paradise with Him. Wow!

³⁵The crowd watched, and the leaders laughed and scoffed. “He saved others,” they said, “let him save himself if he is really God’s Chosen One, the Messiah.” ³⁶The soldiers mocked him, too, by offering him a drink of sour wine. ³⁷They called out to him, “If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!” ³⁸A signboard was nailed to the cross above him with these words: “This is the King of the Jews.”

³⁹One of the criminals hanging beside him scoffed, “So you’re the Messiah, are you? Prove it by saving yourself—and us, too, while you’re at it!”

⁴⁰But the other criminal protested, “Don’t you fear God even when you are dying? ⁴¹We deserve to die for our evil deeds, but this man hasn’t done anything wrong.” ⁴²Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your Kingdom.”

⁴³And Jesus replied, “I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise.”
Luke 23:35-43 (NLT)

As we studied the passage of Jesus crucifixion our Bible study today, I was touched by two very special things that I didn’t know before. I knew immediately that I wanted to share them with you. The first came from this passage.

The soldiers, leaders and crowd were mocking Jesus as He hung on the cross between the two thieves. One of the criminals even chimed in. They were all bating Jesus to prove He was the Son of God by miraculously taking Himself off the cross. What a temptation that must have been at times as He hung there in agony.

I imagine Jesus took a bit of comfort from the thief who turned to Him and said “Jesus, remember me when You come into Your Kingdom.” Here was a man recognizing Jesus for who He was – a King who was soon to return to His Kingdom. Here was a man who was giving Jesus a final opportunity while on earth to accomplish His purpose – bring people to salvation. I think that Jesus was blessed by this man’s request.

Jesus in turn, blessed the man with the promise – the assurance – that he would be in paradise with Jesus that very same day. Now on a very simple, natural level, this was an assurance that the man would be released from the pain and agony of hanging on the cross. Sometimes crucifixions took days. Jesus was telling the man that this was not the case for him. His ordeal would end soon. But beyond that there was a very special promise. The word Jesus used that is translated “paradise” was an unusual one. It is only used three times in the New Testament and it’s not a Greek word, it’s a Persian word that means “walled garden.” Listen to what William Barclay says about the promise of paradise:

“When a Persian king wished to do one of his subjects a very special honour he made him a companion of the garden which meant he was chosen to walk in the garden with the king. It was more than immortality that Jesus promised the penitent thief. He promised him the honoured place of a companion of the garden in the courts of heaven.”

When I heard Phil teach that truth today I was close to tears. What a special blessing Jesus was promising the thief. He was saying “Friend, later today we will walk and talk together in my private gardens. I’ll tell you my secrets and we’ll enjoy one another’s company as we meander through the beautiful flowers and trees.”

Wow! What a promise. I have not thought of spending time in Jesus’ private garden with Him! I think of seeing Him on His throne and falling at His feet in worship. I think of dancing with Him at the marriage supper of the lamb. I haven’t thought of walking intimately with Him in His private garden. What a sweet picture that brings to my mind.

I am reminded of a favorite hymn of both my mother and my mother-in-law’s – In the Garden. My mother-in-law is enjoying that Garden with Jesus. Lord. God is so very good!

I think I’ll end this blog with that wonderful thought. Tomorrow I’ll share the second very special thing I learned today. But for now, meditate on spending time in the garden with Jesus for awhile!

¹⁰His [God’s] pleasure is not in the strength of the horse,
nor his delight in the legs of a man;
¹¹the LORD delights in those who fear him,
who put their hope in his unfailing love.
Psalm 147

As I read this passage tonight, I was a bit taken aback. It says that God’s pleasure or delight is not in the characteristics of the things He has has created – the horse or man, for example. Rather, His pleasure and delight is in those who fear Him, those who put their hope in His unfailing love.

I am utterly convinced that God takes great delight in me. He created me, just the way I am. He understands my weaknesses and doesn’t expect me to be someone I’m not. Simultaneously, He is always helping me become more than I am. And always, always, always, He is conforming me to the image of Christ.

There is no way in which I interpret this passage to mean that He takes no delight in me, who I am and what I do, even though that might seem what it says upon first reading it. You will find many places in Scripture where an exaggerated claim is made to make a point. In the book of Luke, Jesus said this:

“If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters—yes, even his own life—he cannot be my disciple.”
Luke 14:26

Did Jesus really mean that we’re to hate our father and mother, wife (or husband) and children, brothers and sisters? Isn’t this the same Jesus that said we’re to love our enemies and the same God who said we’re to honor our father and mother? Yes it is. In this passage Jesus is using a strong word to help us understand that being a disciple means putting God first in all things, even before our own life.

Our key passage uses a similar technique. It is not saying that God does not take delight in who we are and how we were made. He does. But what He really delights is those who fear Him, those who put their hope in His unfailing love.

What does this mean to my every day life? It means that no matter how successful I’ve been on a given day, no matter how well put together I am or how well my words came together to communicate my thoughts and purposes and plans, no matter…God delights in my love for Him. And when things fall apart, I have the awesome opportunity to put my hope not in my disintegrating plans or my ability to put humpty together again, but in the Lord and His unfailing love. It is an awesome opportunity because it is at those times when we are challenged not to despair but to rejoice in God’s goodness. Trusting in the unfailing love of God when things go wrong (and when things go right) delights the Creator of the Universe.

We don’t do it for our gain, but what do you think are the consequences of delighting the Father? They are only good things. Trusting in God’s unfailing love is the bedrock foundation of peace and joy.

As we close out 2011 and look toward 2012, let’s covenant to trust God more. Let’s agree together to delight the Father.

If you’re like most people, the hustle and bustle of Christmas has a way of robbing the holiday of its rightful focus. As you go through this Christmas season, there’s one thing you can do that will help you see more of what God is doing in your life throughout the Christmas season (and beyond). It’s a simple thing, really, and carries many benefits…and it requires only a little bit of discipline.

Let’s start with a story from Jesus’ life.

       ¹¹Now on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. ¹²As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met him. They stood at a distance ¹³and called out in a loud voice, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!”
     ¹⁴When Jesus saw them, he said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed.
¹⁵One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. ¹⁶He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan.
     ¹⁷Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? ¹⁸Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?” ¹⁹Then he said to him, “Rise and go; your faith has made you whole.”
Luke 17:11-19 (NIV)

As they were going – they were cleansed.

But one man, after being cleansed returned to Jesus and gave thanks. Jesus said to this man “your faith has made you whole.”

Notice the difference in the words used in this passage – ten men were cleansed; only one man was made whole.

There’s a difference between being cleansed and being made whole. The word translated “made whole,” – sodzo – means so much more than cleansed. It means “made whole in mind, body and spirit.” It is translated throughout the New Testament as “save” or “saved.”

An Angel appeared to Joseph in a dream and used the word in this passage:

^20b “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. ²¹She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save (sodzo) his people from their sins.”
Matthew 1:20b-21 (NIV)

It doesn’t just mean cleansed from the disease of leprosy, it means made fully whole – spiritually healed as well as physically and emotionally.

What was it that made him whole – that saved him? Jesus said it was the man’s faith. When the word is translated more fully, the phrase would read “your reliance on Christ” has made you whole.”

But what about the other nine? Did they not rely on Christ? It would seem not. It would seem that somewhere between Jesus saying “go, show yourselves to the priests” and the one man returning to give thanks the nine didn’t make the faith connection.

• Maybe they simply rushed past the event in their excitement of being healed and didn’t recognize that it was Christ who did the healing.
• Maybe they thought it was a crazy coincidence.
• Maybe they attributed the healing to their obedience instead of God’s hand. Now I don’t doubt that their obedience impacted their healing, but if their attitude was “I was healed because I was obedient,” that’s not faith – it’s not relying on Christ to be made whole.

This passage only identifies one man as having made whole and that’s the man who returned to give thanks to Jesus. I don’t want to stretch Scripture too far, but what I see is a direct connection between an attitude of gratefulness and being made whole. Don’t misunderstand me – it is our faith in Christ – our reliance on Him – that saves us. Rather, the direct connection I’m making is that somehow, gratefulness, being thankful, changes our heart and puts us in a better position to receive God’s great gift of salvation.

Check out this verse:

“He who sacrifices thank offerings honors me, [says the Lord,]
and he prepares the way
so that I may show him the salvation of God.”
Psalm 50:23

Wow! Scripture says that giving thanks, prepares the way for God to show us His salvation. I love this verse. It has such significance.

• Do you need physical healing? Offer the sacrifice of thanksgiving.
• Do you need emotional healing? Offer the sacrifice of thanksgiving.
• Do you need rescuing from your enemies? Offer the sacrifice of thanksgiving.
• Do you need to experience the presence of God? Has He seemed distance? Offer the sacrifice of thanksgiving.
• Are you looking for a way to stay Christ-focused this Christmas? Offer the sacrifice of thanksgiving.

In all cases it honors God and prepares the way so that He may show you His salvation – healing of mind, body and spirit.

Practice it today – give thanks. Then practice it tomorrow. And the next day and the next day and the next day. Develop a lifestyle of honoring God by giving thanks and He will show you His salvation in greater and greater ways.

Be blessed as you bless God, friends.

Tomorrow’s blog – More about how giving thanks opens the way for God to show us His salvation!

The very fact that you have lawsuits among you means you have been completely defeated already. Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be cheated?
1 Corinthians 6:7

“Why not rather be wronged?” the Scripture asks. Well, I could come up with a boatload of reasons. Any of the following phrases or questions immediately come to mind:

• Doesn’t God want justice?
• Does God want His children to be taken advantage of?
• It’s disrespectful and I won’t be disrespected.
• Unrighteousness goes against everything I believe in – am I to walk away from injustice?
• They shouldn’t be allowed to get away with that!
• Well, it’s just plain wrong!

And yet, Paul writes that it is better to be wronged and cheated. I guess we should note for the record that if anyone has earned the right to make such a statement it was Paul. He experienced more than his fair share of persecution, false accusations, betrayals and character assassinations. Yet he continued to pursue God without bitterness and without holding back. There’s also no indication that he carried unforgiveness in his heart.

I admire that. I’ve been betrayed, falsely accused and had my character greatly maligned. I haven’t been stoned or beaten. Yet it took awhile for me to return to ministry without holding back part of my heart and my passion. There’s no indication that the Apostle Paul had a hint of hesitation to continue whole-heartedly.

I’ve been thinking about this abit – wondering where Paul got his undiluted commitment and passion. One word that comes to mind – it’s a word that God’s been highlighting a lot recently – perspective. Paul constantly kept his focus on bigger things – Christ and Him risen, Christ and His return.

I read a verse during a Bible study today that struck me more than it has in the past:

As the time approached for him to be taken up to heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem.
Luke 9:51

With His eyes on the prize – being taken up to heaven, Jesus resolutely walked toward His crucifixion.

The author of Hebrews summarized it this way:

Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Hebrews 12:2

As the time approached for Him to be taken up to heaven…for the joy set before Him…Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem…He endured the cross.

The Hebrews passage takes the next step – the one that moves Scripture from being a story about someone else to being a holy standard and motivation for our lives:

Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
Hebrews 12:3

Consider – think about – all Christ endured from sinful men so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. So that your focus isn’t on what’s been taken from you or what someone did to you or said about you…so that you don’t file lawsuits to fight for what is yours. It’s not worth it. Such an approach means we’ve already lost!

But, you might say, I may win and gain back the money (or whatever) that is owed me. Yes, but it wasn’t worth the price:

• The love that was killed in the process.
• The time that was spent pursuing things other than the Kingdom of God.
• The opportunities to practice so many disciplines – like humility and patience and kindness and silence.
• The opportunities to show forth the love and character of God by being forgiving and compassionate and joyful.

What I see is that when our eyes are on the prize, bickering, slandering, cheating one another and taking one another to court fall by the wayside. They become excess baggage that when dropped leave us with a load that is so light we run and jump with joy more easily.

Life isn’t always fun and it often isn’t fair. Christ promised that –

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
John 16:33

But when our focus isn’t on this world, it doesn’t bother us nearly as much! Honest!

During this Summer of Praise, I’m working on fixing my eyes on Jesus…in all circumstances and at all times. How about you?

I love the book of Romans! It is the book that brought me to salvation.

In the Gospels, we see Jesus showing His love, compassion and mercy by healing them, releasing them from bondage, and bringing salvation. I was a proud, capable (albeit quite insecure) young woman who didn’t need healing or release from bondage or salvation. Or so I thought, anyway.

In the book of Romans, we see Faith in action – Faith with a capital “F” – Faith that isn’t a word, but a lifetime of actions. This is introduced as early as verse 5:

Through [Jesus] and for his name’s sake, we received grace and apostleship to call people from among all the Gentiles to the obedience that comes from faith.
Romans 1:5

What is it that Paul is calling the Gentiles to? He doesn’t write that he is calling them to faith in Christ. Rather, he writes he is calling Gentiles (and you and me) to the “obedience that comes from faith.” When there is no obedience – when there is no change in behavior that comes from obeying God’s Word – it casts a shadow of doubt on the faith of the unchanged, disobedient person. Faith is not some word that is to be carelessly tossed around. Faith requires obedience. Period.

When I choose not to obey, when I choose to stubbornly cling to behaviors and thoughts that are not obedient to God’s Word, I am clinging to worthless idols. They are idols because they have taken the place of God in my life – I have elevated them above obedience to Him. They are worthless because they have no power to bring salvation, healing and wholeness to my life.

I love what Jonah says about clinging to worthless idols:

Those who cling to worthless idols
forfeit the grace that could be theirs.
Jonah 2:8

The idols we cling to – those things we elevate above obedience to God – they not only have no power to save us, they have the very antithesis of that power. Clinging to worthless idols has the power to keep me from the fullness that God has for me and quite possibly to keep me from spending eternity with Him. It causes me to forfeit the grace that could be mine.

Scripture is clear that we cannot serve two masters (Matthew 6:24, Luke 16:13). While the verses surrounding this phrase deal with money, the concept applies to anything that we cling to more tightly than we cling to Jesus. We will give devotion that is due Him to our other master.

Last week my husband Phil and I covered the parable of the sower and the seed (Luke 8:4-15) in a Bible study we lead. One of the points Phil made was that the parable is typically used in the context of evangelism. We sow the Word of God and how it is received depends very much on the condition of the soil in which it is planted:

• Seed (God’s Word) that is planted in hard, trampled soil (i.e., along the path) will be rejected.
• Seed that is planted in rocky soil will begin to grow but do not develop the root system needed. Without roots, they wither during difficult times.
• Seed that is planted among the thorns take root and develop, but the thorns choke the life out of them. The thorns represent the worries, riches and pleasures of this life. (It’s interesting that God identifies worries and riches and pleasures as thorns. Our spiritual maturity can be “robbed” by both worry (a bad thing) and riches and pleasures (seemingly good things). But that’s a blog for another day.)
• Seed that is planted in good soil develops strong roots and reaches for the sun (Son in our case). The seed not only matures, but produces a good crop.

During our discussion of the passage, Phil pointed out that the passage doesn’t relate only to evangelism. As we live here on earth, we must guard the soil of our heart because God calls us to obedience daily. The condition of the soil of my heart today has a lot to do with whether or not I choose to receive His word with joy and obedience or whether I allow the cares or pleasures of this world to distract me from obedience.

Friends, I encourage you to continually cultivate the soil of your heart with prayer and repentance, fasting and giving, four disciplines that were focused on by early disciples. They moisten and turn the soil of our hearts preparing it to receive God’s Word with joy and a predisposition to be obedient. It is what we have been called to – the obedience that comes from Faith. As opposed to the wishful thinking that comes from faith.

Wishful thinking is just that. It has no power to enable us to be obedient, transform us into the image of Christ, give us eternal salvation, or bring the Kingdom of God into our life here on earth.

Let’s choose Faith, not faith. Let’s choose obedience not wishful thinking.

¹⁶I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. ¹⁷For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.”
Romans 1:16-17

Faith is the power of God for salvation! For those who believe – those called to the obedience that comes from Faith.

There are those who will hear and even give a mental agreement – believe, have faith – but they are not obedient. Our obedience is what brings glory to God. Listen to what happens to those folks:

For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened.
Romans 1:21

Knowing God but not obeying Him or giving him thanks causes our thinking to become futile and our hearts darkened – we become ineffective and depressed. If you’re feeling like that describes your life, may I encourage you to cultivate the soil of your heart. Return for a period of time to prayer, repentance, fasting and giving. Ask God to reveal your heart to you so that you may repent and serve Him in obedience.

Lord, thank You that we are called to obedience – more than simply wishful thinking. Thank You for Your power that accompanies a life of Faith. Move in the lives of all who sincerely pursue you in Faith.

Then all the people of the region of the Gerasenes asked Jesus to leave them, because they were overcome with fear. So he got into the boat and left.
Luke 8:37

This has to be one of the saddest verses in the Bible. Jesus had just healed the Gerasenes demoniac. A man who had previously been filled with demons that kept him from wearing clothes or living in a home. He lived in the tombs and in solitary places. Jesus healed him and when the people came to see, they “found the man from whom the demons had gone, sitting at Jesus’ feet, dressed and in his right mind.” (V35)

Instead of rejoicing with Jesus and the healed man, the chose fear. They were afraid and asked Jesus to leave them.

The supernatural – the spiritual world full of spiritual powers – can be frightening, but when Jesus is at the center of them, we can have peace and we can rejoice (unless we’re the demonic forces, of course). Scripture assures us that Jesus has come to give us life, it is satan and his demonic forces that have come to steal, kill and destroy (John 10:10). Jesus had just given the demoniac life, but those in the town chose fear and begged Jesus to leave their town.

Scripture teaches that we are to test the spirits. We’re not to embrace every supernatural event that occurs. That would be foolish. By the same token, we ought not to dismiss supernatural events out of our own skepticism or fear. When the events are associated with those that proclaim Jesus Christ as Lord and give glory to God and they bring freedom to His followers, prayerfully embrace them. Lean toward acceptance, not toward skepticism or fear.

God has wonderful things in store for us, but I think we sometimes miss those things because we are too afraid. We see or experience something new or different and like “all the people of the region of the Gerasenes [we ask] Jesus to leave [us], because [we are] overcome with fear.” And satan wins.

Here’s to looking for the God of miracles so that we might sit at His feet fully clothed and in our right minds!

Jesus’ Teaching, Miracles, Crucifixion and Resurrection;
The Church is Formed; and Jewish History from a Religious Viewpoint

This month  during our Resting at the River’s Edge readings we’ll finish the Gospel of Luke, begin the book of Acts and read through 1 Chronicles and part of 2 Chronicles.

I’ve so been enjoying the Gospel of Luke – Jesus’ story written from the perspective of a historian and doctor. We’ll be reading the last half of the book – pages jam packed full of the teachings and miracles of Jesus followed by His crucifixion and resurrection. Don’t simply read through Jesus’ teachings – imagine that you are in the crowd of listeners and ask God to reveal how His message should impact your life.

In the book of Acts we’ll read about how the  Church was formed as the Apostles and disciplines, under the power of the Holy Spirit, preach God’s message with accompanying signs and wonders. Again, I encourage you to put yourself in the scenes – how would you have reacted when Saul wanted to meet with your fellowship shortly after he became Paul? What would your position have been when the topics of circumcising gentiles and eating meat sacrificed to idols were discussed? And what do the Acts of the Apostles – that is, the great miracles they performed – mean for your life today?

The books 1 and 2 Chronicles are among those that record the history of the Jews from the last judge (Samuel) and the establishment of the first king (Saul), to the exile of the nation to Babylon. (The other books are 1 and 2 Samuel and 1 and 2 Kings.) 1 and 2 Chronicles provides Jewish history from the perspective of the priesthood. (Last year we read 1 and 2 Kings which were written from the perspective of the prophets.) You might say that Kings provides the political record and Chronicles provides the religious record.

We will see in the books of 1 and 2 Chronicles a God who is faithful to His covenant with Abraham even when Abraham’s descendants are unfaithful to Him. We will also see the cycle of God blessing His people when they obey His will and disciplining them when they disobey. As you read, think about how you would have responded in each situation. Would you have remained faithful to God? How would you have responded to His discipline?

Lots of great Inspired Words to read and allow the Holy Spirit to speak to our hearts. May God bring them alive as you read during the month of April. Blessings, Sandy

The recommended reading schedule for April is below.

To download a PDF of April’s recommended reading plan, click here.

Love, The Gospel & The Law

This month we’ll read:

• The three letters of John and the book of Philemon (think “love”)
• The book of Luke (think “Gospel”)
• Deuteronomy (think “Law”)

The exciting thing is that all reveal God’s purposes, His nature and His great love for us. Here’s a snippet from Deuteronomy, Luke and 1 John.

⁷“The LORD did not choose you and lavish his love on you because you were larger or greater than other nations, for you were the smallest of all nations! ⁸It was simply because the LORD loves you, and because he was keeping the oath he had sworn to your ancestors. That is why the LORD rescued you with such amazing power… ⁹Understand, therefore, that the LORD your God is indeed God. He is the faithful God who keeps his covenant for a thousand generations and constantly loves those who love him and obey his commands. Deuteronomy 7:-9

^30b“Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. ³¹You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. ³²He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, ³³and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end….^35b So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God.” Luke 1:30-35

¹How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him…. ³Everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself, just as he is pure. ⁴Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact, sin is lawlessness. ⁵But you know that he appeared so that he might take away our sins…. 1 John 3:1-5

If you don’t know this God, I encourage you to read with us this month. If you do know this God, I encourage you to read with us this month. He has something to say to each of us. I’m looking forward to it!

Blessings, Sandy

The recommended reading schedule for March is below.

To download a PDF of March’s recommended reading plan, click here.

Why do the Righteous Suffer?

That’s the theme of the book that will occupy most of our attention this month – Job. Acknowledged by God as a righteous man, Job finds his family and his wealth taken away. Then his health deteriorates and his friends leave him.

His wife tells him to curse God and die. His response is one you’ve undoubtedly heard before –

“Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?”
(Job 2:10b)

He has three friends who don’t desert him – although at times he wishes they had – these three friends accuse him of great sin to be suffering so severely. They urge him to admit his sin and repent. I’d quote a verse here, but I’d have to quote about thirty chapters. Imagine yourself in Job’s position – how long could you put up with your three friends’ accusations?

Yet Job doesn’t sin…for a long time anyway. Eventually, he is warn down and shakes his fist at God…and eventually God shows up with what I call His “where were you” speach. Here’s just the beginning of it:

¹Then the LORD answered Job from the whirlwind:

²“Who is this that questions my wisdom with such ignorant words? ³Brace yourself, because I have some questions for you, and you must answer them.

⁴“Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell me, if you know so much. ⁵Do you know how its dimensions were determined and who did the surveying? ⁶What supports its foundations, and who laid its cornerstone ⁷as the morning stars sang together and all the angels shouted for joy?

⁸“Who defined the boundaries of the sea as it burst from the womb, ⁹and as I clothed it with clouds and thick darkness?
Job 38:1-9

I love the “where were you” speech. I find it to be the clearest statement of God’s sovereignty and awesome power in Scripture. I’ve quoted nine verses here. God’s speach goes on for three great chapters. Before He’s finished, we see His awesome power, His great wisdom in creation and His tender care of created beings.

Job can seem a hard book to slog through sometimes. Stick with it. The payoff is more than worth it!

Blessings as you read this month.

The recommended reading schedule is below.

To download a PDF of October’s recommended reading plan, click here.