Getting out of the Muck

Scripture: Psalm 40:1, 2; Deuteronomy 30:1-5; 31:8  [The Message]

Psalm1-3

I waited and waited and waited for God. At last he looked; finally he listened.
He lifted me out of the ditch,
pulled me from deep mud.
He stood me up on a solid rock
to make sure I wouldn’t slip.

1-5 Here’s what will happen. While you’re out among the nations where God has dispersed you and the blessings and curses come in just the way I have set them before you, and you and your children take them seriously and come back to God, your God, and obey him with your whole heart and soul according to everything that I command you today, God, your God, will restore everything you lost; he’ll have compassion on you; he’ll come back and pick up the pieces from all the places where you were scattered. No matter how far away you end up, God, your God, will get you out of there and bring you back to the land your ancestors once possessed. It will be yours again. He will give you a good life and make you more numerous than your ancestors.

31:8 “…God is striding ahead of you. He’s right there with you. He won’t let you down; he won’t leave you. Don’t be intimidated. Don’t worry.”

Observation(s): We eventually get ourselves in the muck of life, because we of who we are–our tendency is to follow the world and lose sight of our purpose.  G-d says when we see our error and return to Him (worshiping and obeying with heart and soul) that He will set things right.  He will pick up the pieces, no matter how bad it seems and bring us back to our rightful place.  We don’t have to fret, be anxious or fearful because He is walking ahead of us, lifting us up.  Kind of like the poem that the observer acknowledges that it was G-d’s footprints in the sand and not his own…

Application(s): Do I acknowledge that He is/should be the center of my obedience? Am I allowing G-d to be in the driver seat?  Do I recognize that He is there in the muck of my life that I have made?  Do I see Him as looking out for my needs before I even know them?

Prayer: Lord, I’m grateful for your love, compassion and mercy to me.  Thank you for bringing me back and getting me out of the muck.  Thank you for your protection, and guidance to me.  Help me not to forget that it is about You and not me.

I Trust You, Lord

Scripture: Galatians 3:5-12, 14b [The Message]

5-6Answer this question: Does the God who lavishly provides you with his own presence, his Holy Spirit, working things in your lives you could never do for yourselves, does he do these things because of your strenuous moral striving or because you trust him to do them in you? Don’t these things happen among you just as they happened with Abraham? He believed God, and that act of belief was turned into a life that was right with God.

7-8Is it not obvious to you that persons who put their trust in Christ (not persons who put their trust in the law!) are like Abraham: children of faith? It was all laid out beforehand in Scripture that God would set things right with non-Jews by faith. Scripture anticipated this in the promise to Abraham: “All nations will be blessed in you.”

9-10So those now who live by faith are blessed along with Abraham, who lived by faith—this is no new doctrine! And that means that anyone who tries to live by his own effort, independent of God, is doomed to failure. Scripture backs this up: “Utterly cursed is every person who fails to carry out every detail written in the Book of the law.”

11-12The obvious impossibility of carrying out such a moral program should make it plain that no one can sustain a relationship with God that way. The person who lives in right relationship with God does it by embracing what God arranges for him. Doing things for God is the opposite of entering into what God does for you. Habakkuk had it right: “The person who believes God, is set right by God—and that’s the real life.” Rule-keeping does not naturally evolve into living by faith, but only perpetuates itself in more and more rule-keeping, a fact observed in Scripture: “The one who does these things [rule-keeping] continues to live by them.”

14b We are all able to receive God’s life, his Spirit, in and with us by believing—just the way Abraham received it.

Observation(s): G-d provides us with the Holy Spirit; He works things out for us that we could never imagine accomplishing on our own–regardless of how “moral” we attempt to be. He does it because of the trust and faith we have in Him. If we trust we are like Abraham who walked in faith–we can not live independent of G-d. Living in a right relationship with G-d allows Him to do things for us. We can all receive the Holy Spirit by belief in Him, just like Abraham.

Application(s): Have I asked for the Holy Spirit to be present in my life daily? Do I do things by my own efforts, or do I trust that my Heavenly Father will provide for my every need, even before I know it? Do I trust Him enough to allow His presence so that I can be empowered to do His will?

Prayer: Father, G-d, You are the Alpha and the Omega. Please forgive me where I have failed to put my trust and faith in you. I ask for your Spirit to be infused in my life so that I may be a witness to your love and mercy to my family and those whom I interact with. Give me the faith of Abraham so that I may walk a little taller and speak a bit more plainly so that others will more of You and less of me.

Thank You for Grace and Peace

Scripture: Galatians 1:4, 5 [The Message]

So I greet you with the great words, grace and peace! We know the meaning of those words because Jesus Christ rescued us from this evil world we’re in by offering himself as a sacrifice for our sins. God’s plan is that we all experience that rescue. Glory to God forever! Oh, yes!

Observation(s): The words grace and peace should be meaningful to all who profess to know Christ. As Christians we should realize the Jesus rescued us from sin by being our substitute in this hedonistic world. All are eligible to be saved. Our gratitude and thanks should be lifted to G-d in heaven.

Application(s): Do I truly understand the word grace and peace? Do I greet all that I come in contact with the blessing of grace and peace? Do I accept, not just in my head but in my heart, that Jesus came for me? Do I accept that Jesus came not only for the believer, but the unbeliever and what is my role as a follower? Do I praise Him for what He has done on a daily basis?

Prayer: Jesus, you are grace and peace. Give me grace and peace as I go into the world, and let me shine those qualities to others’. Give me a heart to accept your free gift and never let me take for granted what you did for me, and every person in the world, on that Cross.

Break the Chains of Bondage and Set Me Free

Scripture: Galatians 2:15-16-21 [The Message]

17-18Have some of you noticed that we are not yet perfect? (No great surprise, right?) And are you ready to make the accusation that since people like me, who go through Christ in order to get things right with God, aren’t perfectly virtuous, Christ must therefore be an accessory to sin? The accusation is frivolous. If I was “trying to be good,” I would be rebuilding the same old barn that I tore down. I would be acting as a charlatan.

19-21What actually took place is this: I tried keeping rules and working my head off to please God, and it didn’t work. So I quit being a “law man” so that I could be God’s man. Christ’s life showed me how, and enabled me to do it. I identified myself completely with him. Indeed, I have been crucified with Christ. My ego is no longer central. It is no longer important that I appear righteous before you or have your good opinion, and I am no longer driven to impress God. Christ lives in me. The life you see me living is not “mine,” but it is lived by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I am not going to go back on that.

Is it not clear to you that to go back to that old rule-keeping, peer-pleasing religion would be an abandonment of everything personal and free in my relationship with God? I refuse to do that, to repudiate God’s grace. If a living relationship with God could come by rule-keeping, then Christ died unnecessarily.

Observation(s): No one who professes to follow Christ can call themselves perfect, but nor can we believe the fallacy the Christ is an accessory to our sin problem.  We repeat the mistakes of the past, “trying to be good”; We need to G-d’s man so that Christ can work for us and through us.  It is not about me, it’s about Him.  I do not have to worry about appearances, or worry about who is watching me, because I’m living in faith in One who saved and loved me so that I would not back to my old life.  Christ’s death in unnecessary if we could save ourselves through rule keeping.

Application(s): Am I still comparing myself to others?  Am I confessing with my mouth that Christ is not only my redeemer, but my vehicle for faith in action?  Do I attempt to save myself through my worthless obedience? Do I understand that it is through Jesus and faith in Him that I am set free?  Does Jesus live in me?

Prayer: Lord, you are my Creator and Savior.  Help me.  My rigidity to the rules are useless.  I need to obey not because of any benefits, but because if I love you I will want to be like You.  Give me the courage to acknowledge you, in every interaction I have whether publicly spoken or by example, as my Savior and Lord.   I surrender.  I surrender.  I surrender–take it all, Jesus.  Set me free.

How do I Serve, Whom do I Serve?

Scripture: Deuteronomy 10:11-18 [The Message]

11 God told me, “Now get going. Lead your people as they resume the journey to take possession of the land that I promised their ancestors that I’d give to them.”

12-13 So now Israel, what do you think God expects from you? Just this: Live in his presence in holy reverence, follow the road he sets out for you, love him, serve God, your God, with everything you have in you, obey the commandments and regulations of God that I’m commanding you today—live a good life.

14-18 Look around you: Everything you see is God’s—the heavens above and beyond, the Earth, and everything on it. But it was your ancestors who God fell in love with; he picked their children—that’s you!—out of all the other peoples. That’s where we are right now. So cut away the thick calluses from your heart and stop being so willfully hardheaded. God, your God, is the God of all gods, he’s the Master of all masters, a God immense and powerful and awesome. He doesn’t play favorites, takes no bribes, makes sure orphans and widows are treated fairly, takes loving care of foreigners by seeing that they get food and clothing.

Observation(s): G-d speaks plainly, He does not mince His words. G-d asks me to lead my people to His promise/covenant. G-d has expectations; G-d is merciful and gentle, everything He has in heaven above and earth below, yet he picked us to love ; Stop the denial and being stubborn.

Application(s): Am I a leader in my family that they need me to be? Do I speak plainly? Where do I need to make continuing growth, He does have expectations of me? Have I given up control in all areas of my life? Am I looking out for my neighbor?

Prayer: Lord, you are the beginning and the end, with you in my life I can live an abundant life. Help me to recognize that and apply it in my life–living in your presence. Because of this abundance give me a heart that is centered on your desires, so that I can give to others as you have given to me–whether as Priest of my family, or acknowledging you as the provider of all things, or selflessly giving to my neighbor (not just my kids, or friends, but too my “neighbor”).

Clarity

Scripture: Mark 12:28-34 [The Message]

28One of the religion scholars came up. Hearing the lively exchanges of question and answer and seeing how sharp Jesus was in his answers, he put in his question: “Which is most important of all the commandments?”

29-31Jesus said, “The first in importance is, ‘Listen, Israel: The Lord your God is one; so love the Lord God with all your passion and prayer and intelligence and energy.’ And here is the second: ‘Love others as well as you love yourself.’ There is no other commandment that ranks with these.”

32-33The religion scholar said, “A wonderful answer, Teacher! So lucid and accurate—that God is one and there is no other. And loving him with all passion and intelligence and energy, and loving others as well as you love yourself. Why, that’s better than all offerings and sacrifices put together!”

34When Jesus realized how insightful he was, he said, “You’re almost there, right on the border of God’s kingdom.”

After that, no one else dared ask a question.

Observation(s): Jesus is not passive, He is like a lawyer laying out his case for all to hear.  Jesus gives astute answers and draws the attention of many including the well educated.  Most important commandments are to see that God is one, therefore love God with all one’s passion, prayer, intellect, and energy; and to love others as well as one loves themselves, love is the most important–it’s better than anything one could sacrifice or bring as an offering combined.  When one has this insight, watch out they are on the cusp of realizing the Kingdom!

Application(s): Am I clear in sharing and receiving G-d’s love? Do I have the resoluteness of Jesus? Do I follow the two greatest commands whole-heartedly: Do I love G-d with all my heart, soul, strength, and mind? Do I love my neighbor as I love myself?  If I have Jesus in my heart, as I claim to, what am I doing thinking of myself on a continual basis?

Prayer: Jesus, Thank you for your clarity in reminding me that obedience equals love for You and especially for others. Forgive me where I’ve failed to love my neighbor as much as I love myself.  Give me your Spirit as I share your love with others. Thank you for your Word.

Promises

Scripture: Mark 11: 12-25 [ The Message]

12-14As they left Bethany the next day, he was hungry. Off in the distance he saw a fig tree in full leaf. He came up to it expecting to find something for breakfast, but found nothing but fig leaves. (It wasn’t yet the season for figs.) He addressed the tree: “No one is going to eat fruit from you again—ever!” And his disciples overheard him.

15-17They arrived at Jerusalem. Immediately on entering the Temple Jesus started throwing out everyone who had set up shop there, buying and selling. He kicked over the tables of the bankers and the stalls of the pigeon merchants. He didn’t let anyone even carry a basket through the Temple. And then he taught them, quoting this text:

My house was designated a house of prayer for the nations;
You’ve turned it into a hangout for thieves.

18The high priests and religion scholars heard what was going on and plotted how they might get rid of him. They panicked, for the entire crowd was carried away by his teaching.

19At evening, Jesus and his disciples left the city.

20-21In the morning, walking along the road, they saw the fig tree, shriveled to a dry stick. Peter, remembering what had happened the previous day, said to him, “Rabbi, look—the fig tree you cursed is shriveled up!”

22-25Jesus was matter-of-fact: “Embrace this God-life. Really embrace it, and nothing will be too much for you. This mountain, for instance: Just say, ‘Go jump in the lake’—no shuffling or shilly-shallying—and it’s as good as done. That’s why I urge you to pray for absolutely everything, ranging from small to large. Include everything as you embrace this God-life, and you’ll get God’s everything. And when you assume the posture of prayer, remember that it’s not all asking. If you have anything against someone, forgive—only then will your heavenly Father be inclined to also wipe your slate clean of sins.”

Observation(s): Jesus as a human had real feelings and emotions; Jesus always speaks the truth. Church is a refuge of prayer for all people.  Nothing is impossible with G-d, so embrace Him; We should pray continuously (not always asking); We should forgive, so G-d will be inclined to forgive.

Application(s):  Just as Jesus showed his emotions, do I show them when I see sin, or do I stay silent? Do I speak the truth despite the cost? Is prayer my place of refuge?  Do I hang onto the promise that all things are possible with G-d? Are my prayers all about asking, or do I ever listen? Do I forgive so that G-d will forgive me?

Prayer: Lord, send your Spirit to rain down every promise that you have said here–give me ears to hear, and a G-dly spirit to forgive.  Allow me to move mountains and testify in your name, your goodness and love.  Give me the courage to always speak the truth in love, give me the tools to share my feelings not in anger, but in a Christ-like way.

The Needles Eye

Scripture: Mark 10:17-27 [The Message]

17 As he went out into the street, a man came running up, greeted him with great reverence, and asked, “Good Teacher, what must I do to get eternal life?”

18-19 Jesus said, “Why are you calling me good? No one is good, only God. You know the commandments: Don’t murder, don’t commit adultery, don’t steal, don’t lie, don’t cheat, honor your father and mother.”

20 He said, “Teacher, I have—from my youth—kept them all!”

21 Jesus looked him hard in the eye—and loved him! He said, “There’s one thing left: Go sell whatever you own and give it to the poor. All your wealth will then be heavenly wealth. And come follow me.”

22 The man’s face clouded over. This was the last thing he expected to hear, and he walked off with a heavy heart. He was holding on tight to a lot of things, and not about to let go.

23-25 Looking at his disciples, Jesus said, “Do you have any idea how difficult it is for people who ‘have it all’ to enter God’s kingdom?” The disciples couldn’t believe what they were hearing, but Jesus kept on: “You can’t imagine how difficult. I’d say it’s easier for a camel to go through a needle’s eye than for the rich to get into God’s kingdom.”

26That set the disciples back on their heels. “Then who has any chance at all?” they asked.

27Jesus was blunt: “No chance at all if you think you can pull it off by yourself. Every chance in the world if you let God do it.”

Observation(s): Jesus is well respected; Jesus states that nobody is good, only G-d is good; gaining the Kingdom is not easy, it is difficult. To gain salvation we have to give everything up, including our possessions that we hold on to.  We have no chance doing it on our own, but every chance if we let G-d do it.

Application(s): If I’m not good, then who or what am I to think that I am when comparing myself to others?  I cannot gain the Kingdom by my own efforts.  What am I clinging to?  Am I letting G-d have every part of me?

Prayer: Jesus, You said that no one is good enough to gain the Kingdom.  I desperately seek your Kingdom, and Your will to be done in my life.  Take away the earthly trappings (the things that hold me back) and continually show me your ways, so that I can let go and allow you to be in the driver seat.

If

Scripture: Mark 9:23-24 [The Message]

23Jesus said, “If? There are no ‘ifs’ among believers. Anything can happen.”

24No sooner were the words out of his mouth than the father cried, “Then I believe. Help me with my doubts!”

Observation(s): There is only hope and possibility with Jesus; there is no doubt–if one calls themselves a believer. Believers know the truth.

Application(s): Do asking questions create doubt in my mind and in the minds of others’? Do I truly believe in Jesus as my Savior? Do I know/accept the truth?

Prayer: Lord, Creator of all things good. You have placed me on this earth to be a witness to Your story of power and love. Help my unbelief.  Clear the clutter away from my mind, so that I may believe–”help my doubts” and help me to be a light for my family so that they do not doubt You.

Less of me, More of You

Scripture: Mark 8:34-38 [The Message]

34-37Calling the crowd to join his disciples, he said, “Anyone who intends to come with me has to let me lead. You’re not in the driver’s seat; I am. Don’t run from suffering; embrace it. Follow me and I’ll show you how. Self-help is no help at all. Self-sacrifice is the way, my way, to saving yourself, your true self. What good would it do to get everything you want and lose you, the real you? What could you ever trade your soul for?

38“If any of you are embarrassed over me and the way I’m leading you when you get around your fickle and unfocused friends, know that you’ll be an even greater embarrassment to the Son of Man when he arrives in all the splendor of God, his Father, with an army of the holy angels.”

Observation(s): Jesus lays it out straight for the disciples and the people that have gathered around Him–if they intend on following they need to let Him lead.  Following Jesus is not going to be easy street, there will hardships–take it on!  He will show us how to follow Him.  Knowing that it’s not about doing it on my own, but about thinking about others.   There is a danger of losing one’s self when my focus is on temporal things and not on Him.

Application(s): In this fast-paced world and all its fine trappings, am I able to follow Him? Am  I open to his leading me? Am I intentional in following Him?   Have I embraced the idea that  life as a  Christian is not always going to be easy? Am I relying on self and not on Him more?

Prayer: Lord, G-d, send your Spirit to dwell in me.  Allow me to be open to following you, even though it may lead to hardships.  Allow me to be an encouragement and fill others up with your love.  Help me to think less of me and more of You–then I will be able and willing to serve and follow You.