April 30- How Does One Recognize Jesus?

Judges 11:1-12:15
John 1:1-28
Psalm 101:1-8
Proverbs 14:13-14

John 1: ¹⁰He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him.

I have been in a number of Bible classes over the years, where the teacher raises the question, "If Jesus was here today, would you recognize him?" This brings up countless questions on my part, especially as I seek to know Jesus more and more. I do want to know Christ. I want to be able to spot him in the street, follow him as he ministers, and obey him as he teaches. And yet, the question always comes back to me... "Would you recognize him?" The verse here says that his own people didn't recognize him. So, what does it take for a person to see Jesus with clear eyes and a willing spirit? How could one recognize Christ?

April 29- Is God Good?

Judges 9:22-10:18
Luke 24:13-53
Psalm 100:1-5
Proverbs 14:11-12

Psalm 100: ⁵ The Lord is good. His unfailing love continues forever, and his faithfulness continues to each generation.

Today I sat across from someone who is dying of cancer. As this person spoke, she told of a hard life, difficult times, and broken relationships. And then at the end, this person told me how good God was to love her, save her, and offer her peace that passes understanding. So, this brings up a great question... How can God be considered good, when so much pain exists in this world? Understand... I agree with her... God is good! I just want to know what you think! How have people reconciled these challenges and differences as they observe painful life and a gracious God? I want to know what your ideas are! How is God both good while life is at times so negative? Tell me your thoughts...

April 28- He Died For Us

Judges 8:18-9:21
Luke 23:44-24:12
Psalm 99:1-9
Proverbs 14:9-10

^{Luke 23: 44}It was now about the sixth hour, and darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour, ⁴⁵for the sun stopped shining. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two. ⁴⁶Jesus called out with a loud voice, "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit." When he had said this, he breathed his last. ⁴⁷The centurion, seeing what had happened, praised God and said, "Surely this was a righteous man."

Jesus was a righteous man. In all that he did and all that he was, Jesus behaved as God would. He loved, he served, he lived a sinless life, he challenged, he administered justice, and he demonstrated the holy lifestyle which God had called him to. Jesus was a man of God. Jesus was the Christ. And for all of this. For all of the love, for all of the compassion, for all of the good things that Jesus was and the things that he did, Jesus was treated as a criminal. He was killed for our sins, murdered for our wickedness. Jesus stands as the example of what we are to be like, and how far from grace we humans can fall. Why did this righteous man have to die? For us. So that we could live free for him. Jesus has called us to trust and obey him. To follow his example. Thank God that Jesus came to die. A righteous man who gave himself for us.

April 27- Motivation Is Everything

Judges 7:1-8:17
Luke 23:13-43
Psalm 97:1-98:9
Proverbs 14:7-8

Luke 23:³⁹One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: "Aren't you the Christ? Save yourself and us!"⁴⁰But the other criminal rebuked him. "Don't you fear God," he said, "since you are under the same sentence? ⁴¹We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong."⁴²Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom."⁴³Jesus answered him, "I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise."

Isn't it interesting that both of the criminals ask Jesus for the same thing? Look at verses 39 and 42. Both criminals ask to be saved! The catch is that one is doing so as an attack on Christ, the other does so as a true request for forgiveness. What is the difference between the first criminal and the second? Attitude. Motives really do matter. This verse reminds us that how we approach God can make all of the difference in the world. Motives matter, and we should always make sure that our motives are pure, just like that second criminal.

April 26- Weak Argument

Judges 6:1-40
Luke 22:54-23:12
Psalm 95:1-96:13
Proverbs 14:5-6

Judges 6: ¹⁵ "But Lord ," Gideon asked, "how can I save Israel? My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family." ¹⁶ The LORD answered, "I will be with you, and you will strike down all the Midianites together."

I love this text. Gideon is a self-proclaimed weakling and unable to accomplish the task of destroying the armies against him. And yet, God calls Gideon a warrior and shows him that through obedience, Gideon will accomplish amazing deeds. The question becomes, "Do we trust God?" Don't we realize that it isn't by our power or abilities that the Lord saves his people, but by his power! God has called us to trust him, even when the odds are against us. Even when we don't know what will happen next and aren't sure if we can do it... we can trust that HE can do it. So, Gideon stands as a reminder. God will be with us if we are with him! Trust in the Lord.

April 25- June "Cleaver"

Judges 4:1-5:31
Luke 22:35-53
Psalm 94:1-23
Proverbs 14:3-4

Judges 4: ²¹ But Jael, Heber's wife, picked up a tent peg and a hammer and went quietly to him while he lay fast asleep, exhausted. She drove the peg through his temple into the ground, and he died.

The story of Deborah (and Jael) is an amazing story, not just because we see powerful women working powerfully for God, but also because we see the level of obedience these individuals had for their God. I don't know what kind of woman Jael was. Before this event, could she have hurt a fly? Some would say "yes" based on her actions here. Still, Jael was no serial killer, she was a hostes and a good one at that. So when did she switch from June Cleaver seving lemonade to Cathy Bates wielding a... well, a cleaver? Well, at some point this woman of God realized that the best thing to do for her God and country was to pick up a tent peg and go to town. So, by faith Jael served her guest milk, tucked him in bed and started hammering at his head. Wow. Talk about faith! While I don't suggest anyone follow her example of action, I do believe that God called this woman to a very difficult task, which she was ready and willing to accomplish.

April 24- The Supper

Judges 2:10-3:31
Luke 22:14-34
Psalm 92:1-93:5
Proverbs 14:1-2

Luke 22- ¹⁴When the hour came, Jesus and his apostles reclined at the table. ¹⁵And he said to them, "I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. ¹⁶For I tell you, I will not eat it again until it finds fulfillment in the kingdom of God."

As I read this I think "Why was Jesus so eager for this Passover?" The obvious answer is that he was preparing for these last few days, and he knew that this Passover was to be a special one. So, Jesus eagerly ate it with the Apostles, knowing that the emblems that once meant one thing, suddenly meant something else. Jesus is here changing the feast into a celebration. He is turning tradition of remembrance of the physical into remembrance of the spiritual. As he takes the bread and cup, their meaning shifts towards the story of the Christ. This is a powerful event in the life of Jesus. For this reason Jesus looked forward to it.

I remember the first time I ever took the Lord's Supper. To me, it meant the same thing. I saw the power of God's salvation in my life. The Supper was a moment to reflect on that which Jesus had accomplished in me. So, we think about the Lord's Supper. Is it what it used to be? Do we still get excited to take it? Do we look forward to the event as Jesus did? We should. This is the place where we recall the great sacrifice made by Jesus.

April 23- Stabbed In The Back

Judges 1:1-2:9
Luke 21:29-22:13
Psalm 90:1-91:16
Proverbs 13:24-25

Luke 22- ³Then Satan entered Judas, called Iscariot, one of the Twelve. ⁴And Judas went to the chief priests and the officers of the temple guard and discussed with them how he might betray Jesus. ⁵They were delighted and agreed to give him money. ⁶He consented, and watched for an opportunity to hand Jesus over to them when no crowd was present.

Have you ever been stabbed in the back? So then, you know how it feels to be attacked and hurt by one close to you. That's exactly how Jesus must have felt. The only key is, that unlike the times I have been stabbed, Jesus really was totally innocent, pure of any wrongdoing, and not to blame in any way. Even after he had been hurt, Jesus still responded with righteousness. I can't say that I have acted that way. It's sad to think how Jesus was hurt by his friends, for doing nothing wrong. I should learn from his example, live as he lived, and strive to be the man that he has called me to be. A man who always behaves righteously, no matter who is against him.

My Gift... Dodge-ball

April 22- What Will You Choose?

Joshua 24:1-33
Luke 21:1-28
Psalm 89:38-52
Proverbs 13:20-23

Joshua 24: ¹⁴ "Now fear the LORD and serve him with all faithfulness. Throw away the gods your forefathers worshiped beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the LORD. ¹⁵ But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD."

Choosing God seems like an easy decision for anyone to make. After all, who wants to choose evil? Who desires to be wicked? The choice of obedience to God is easy enough, but the problem is that sometimes it is difficult to realize when we might be rebelling rather than following him. For instance, when we choose to enjoy the culture of America in a way that causes us to neglect him, when we choose watching television over learning about him, or when we choose comfort over the spirit of humility, fervor, or righteousness that he desires for us. When we choose anything over God, we make a statement towards him. The last thing we want to do is put him as 2nd place in our lives. God is Holy. We should treat him as such. Today we have two choises set before us. Let us this day choose the Lord!

April 21- Never Taste Death

Joshua 22:21-23:16
Luke 20:27-47
Psalm 89:14-37
Proverbs 13:17-19

Luke 20- ³⁷But in the account of the bush, even Moses showed that the dead rise, for he calls the Lord 'the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.' ³⁸He is not the God of the dead, but of the living, for to him all are alive."

I always read this verse and get excited. There is no death in Jesus. Abraham, Isaac, Jacob... they all still live and dwell. One day, I plan on joining them. I plan on like them, living for all eternity with God. That's my dream! To never taste death, just as they did.

Miss California's Response

April 20- God Keeps His Promises

Joshua 21:1-22:20
Luke 20:1-26
Psalm 89:1-13
Proverbs 13:15-16

Joshua 21- ⁴⁵ Not one of all the LORD's good promises to the house of Israel failed; every one was fulfilled.

It shouldn't be any surprise to us that God keeps his word. After all, great is the faithfulness of the Lord. In all circumstances, the Lord acts righteously. We see this in nature as the sun rises consistently day after day. Likewise, we notice how faithful God's salvation is displayed to those who would call on his name. God is good. The problem is never God, but mankind. Humans too often reject Him, causing themselves to lose the blessings that he offers them. Today God reminds us of the obedience that we have been called to. God is faithful and we should be the same.

April 19- Come To The Fountain

Joshua 19:1-20:9
Luke 19:28-48
Psalm 88:1-18
Proverbs 13:12-14

Proverbs 13: ¹⁴ The teaching of the wise is a fountain of life, turning a man from the snares of death.

As Jesus spoke to the woman at the well, she conversed with him about all types of things. However, little did she know that their conversations were really lessons designed to transform her life to become more Christ focused. He gave her water that flowed to eternal life. His teaching gave her hope and peace for the future. He saved her from the snares of death. This is the power of teaching, when it comes from wisdom. Jesus calls us to share this same lesson with others. That way, they will observe a fountain of life, flowing with the Good News of God's salvation.

April 18- Go The Distance For God

Joshua 16:1-18:28
Luke 19:1-27
Psalm 87:1-7
Proverbs 13:11

Luke 19- ⁸But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, "Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount."

This verse just stands as a reminder of how far people are willing to go when they are cut to the heart and desire to repent before God. I want to be that kind of man, who is willing to go the distance for his God. To say, "God, I give you back all that I have taken and then some..." Now, that takes great faith. May we always have the attitude of Zacchaeus who was willing to go farther and do more than anyone could have anticipated.

April 17- Some Free Advice

Joshua 15:1-63
Luke 18:18-43
Psalm 86:1-17
Proverbs 13:9-10
Proverbs 13- ¹⁰ Pride only breeds quarrels, but wisdom is found in those who take advice.

I recall a few years ago trying to give a friend some Christian advice. Moments later, he and I were in an argument. Now, I can't say that my delivery was great (although I don't recall being to harsh or self-righteous). Regardless, my friend's response showed me that he wasn't the kind of fellow who took advice very well. Have you ever been there? Have you ever been on either side of the conversation (either as the giver or as the taker of advice)? Fact is, how we handle a rebuke, a challenge, or even godly advice demonstrates something about our character. As a rule, I have tried very hard to be willing to take what people have to throw at me. Yes, sometimes that advice isn't given in love. Have you ever heard "Now don't take this the wrong way, but..." before? Sure, not all advice is given in a manner that shines with loving kindness. Still, God calls us to a higher standard. He wants us to learn to give and even take advice like a follower of Jesus should. So, that's my advice to you. Take it or leave it.

April 16- A Tale Of Two Prayers

Joshua 13:1-14:15
Luke 18:1-17
Psalm 85:1-13
Proverbs 13:7-8

Luke 18- ¹⁰"Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. ¹¹The Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself: 'God, I thank you that I am not like other men—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. ¹²I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.' ¹³"But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, 'God, have mercy on me, a sinner.'

What prayer do I pray? Am I the one telling God how great I am, or am I the one asking for his salvation? It seems that too often, Christians find themselves praying the first prayer over the second. Fact is, we aren't so good. If we discover ourselves praying the first prayer, maybe we don't know as much about the Gospel and God as we think.

April 15- Thanks

Joshua 11:1-12:24
Luke 17:11-37
Psalm 84:1-12
Proverbs 13:5-6

Luke 17 tells the story of the ten men with leprosy who were healed, but only one returned to say "thank you." To me, this is a strange story to put in the Bible. Does God really care if we have faith to ask him for help, but then fail to say "thanks?" I guess he does. Jesus at the end considers gratitude to be an act of faith as well. Needless to say, offering thanks is a big deal and should be treated as such. Do we say "thanks?" We should if we don't.

April 14- What Would It Take For You To Obey?

Joshua 9:3-10:43
Luke 16:19-17:10
Psalm 83:1-18
Proverbs 13:4

Luke 16- ¹⁹"There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day. ²⁰At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores ²¹and longing to eat what fell from the rich man's table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores.

²²"The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham's side. The rich man also died and was buried. ²³In hell, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. ²⁴So he called to him, 'Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.'

²⁵"But Abraham replied, 'Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony. ²⁶And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.'

²⁷"He answered, 'Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my father's house, ²⁸for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.'

²⁹"Abraham replied, 'They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.'

³⁰" 'No, father Abraham,' he said, 'but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.'

³¹"He said to him, 'If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.' "

I like this sections of scripture a lot. The reason is simple. If we aren't faithful to God when we have his word, what else could convince us? So many times, we feel that if we could just see a miracle, then we'd know what we were to do and be willing to follow God. Jesus says here, "not even with a miracle will some people follow me." If people aren't willing to follow God based on the scripture, they aren't willing to follow him even with a miracle. Now, that's harsh. And yet, we ask ourselves, "What does this text say about me?"

April 13- Achan For A Beating

Joshua 7:16-9:2
Luke 16:1-18
Psalm 82:1-8
Proverbs 13:2-3

Today's reading in Joshua focuses on the life of Achan. This is one of those stories that harshly establishes the facts about sin. Sin kills people. When people sin, the result is death. God hates sin, and those with sin are condemned to death. Pure and simple. Now, from an Old Testament eye, we see that one should never cross God. As New Testament Christians, we realize that God is a redeeming and saving God who makes sinners pure and holy. So, what are we to do with this text in Joshua 7? The answer comes in the form of finding balance. Why is grace so amazing? Because sin is so bad! If we understand that sin results in the punishment that Achan received, then we won't want to sin. Likewise, we will live humble and grateful lives, realizing just how far God has called us. Yes, it is good news to know the balance between sin's wickedness and God's love. Finding this balance is crucial for the Christian.

April 12- Too Notorious

Joshua 5:1-7:15
Luke 15:1-32
Psalm 81:1-16
Proverbs 13:1

Luke 15- ¹ Tax collectors and other notorious sinners often came to listen to Jesus teach. ² This made the Pharisees and teachers of religious law complain that he was associating with such sinful people—even eating with them! ³ So Jesus told them this story: ⁴ “If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them gets lost, what will he do?

The verse hits me because it reminds me that Jesus is all about loving the NOTORIOUS. Fact is that no one is too wicked for Jesus to go searching for them. Jesus is willing to go and find those who run away, because they are his sheep, his children, his creation. God reminds us today that he is willing to save those who will turn to him. No one is too notorious. No one is too evil. All have fallen short. And everyone who accepts Jesus Christ will be saved.

April 11- Hate Your Brother

Joshua 3:1-4:24
Luke 14:7-35
Psalm 80:1-19
Proverbs 12:27-28

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.

The decision to follow Jesus is not an easy one. We shouldn't just assume that when we sign up, membership into Christ will be an easy transition. Many times, people are forced to go head-to-head with family that is unwilling to accept the new moral codes of Christianity. We must realize that following Christ means making tough calls. Some of those calls include turning our families against us, if indeed such an action should be taken in the name of Christ. Is it easy? Never. But it might be the right path to take.

April 10- Sinner or Saint?

Deuteronomy 34:1-Joshua 2:24
Luke 13:22-14:6
Psalm 79:1-13
Proverbs 12:26

Deuteronomy 34 is funny to me. It's funny because the text begins by saying that Moses never lived up to the standard that God had set for him. Moses was not righteous enough to enter the promise land. Then, the text goes on to speak of Joshua, Moses' replacement and how he was not nearly as great a man as Moses was. Very interesting. And I guess the point of the text here is to show us how far we can miss the goal really. God is so good. His righteousness, love, mercy, justice, truthfulness (shall I go on?) is so perfect, that human beings are nothing in comparison to the standards that he has set. Based on accomplishment and merit, even Moses was unworthy to enter the land of promise. What hope does Joshua have? And yet, Joshua's story begins with a story of a prostitute obeying God and being saved. This balance between sin and salvation is a common theme in scripture. Understanding that balance seems crucial for seeing God as he wants to be seen. This story stands as a reminder that no one is worthy, but those who obey and trust God will experience his eternal reward.

April 9- Pilate and Pain

Deuteronomy 33:1-29
Luke 13:1-21
Psalm 78:65-72
Proverbs 12:25

Luke 13- ¹Now there were some present at that time who told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices. ²Jesus answered, "Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered this way? ³I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish. ⁴Or those eighteen who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them—do you think they were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem? ⁵I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish."

Here's one of those verses that you might skip (as I have) and suddenly, you realize that it's there. So I take it that Pilate went and murdered a bunch of Galileans as they were sacrificing to God. The text is a little shocking to me, not because I thought Pilate was a good man, but that he would do something so drastic. He after all, did make an attempt to keep from having Jesus killed.

What interests me from the text is that Jesus tells the people that their deaths were not the result of sinfulness on their parts (an idea that bad things only happen to bad people). Jesus lets them know that sometimes bad things just happen. However, as the text goes on, it will remind them that their sins will result in an ultimate judgment where our actions do result in pain and suffering. So, Jesus tells them, "Sometimes bad things happen when you do the right thing." And the follows up, "But one day, our actions will result in reward or punishment."

Video of Obama: America Not A Christian Nation

April 8- Great Heroes Follow A Much Greater God

Deuteronomy 32:28-52
Luke 12:35-59
Psalm 78:56-64
Proverbs 12:24

Duet 32- ³⁰ How could one man chase a thousand, or two put ten thousand to flight, unless their Rock had sold them, unless the LORD had given them up?

When I read stories about Samson and his strength or Solomon and his wisdom, sometimes (often actually) I make the mistake of viewing these men as heroic giants of old. These gods were able to accomplish so much, towering over their enemies, overpowering armies, and accomplishing mighty deeds for Israel. The only catch is that these men, were only men. While they may have looked like gods and may have acted like heroes, they were only flesh and blood people. So, what gave them greatness? The text makes it clear. Armies rise and armies fall by the hand of the Lord. Greatness comes from the decision of God to make people great. Victory comes from the decision of God to humble the enemy. God is calling people to follow him. And when those people place their trust in the almighty God, they will see his deliverance, his power, and his might. The question today is, "Will we follow him?" If we do, then we too will experience a form of greatness, although it will not be our greatness, but rather his.

April 7- Proclaim The Lord

Deuteronomy 31:1-32:27
Luke 12:8-34
Psalm 78:32-55
Proverbs 12:21-23

I tell you, whoever acknowledges me before men, the Son of Man will also acknowledge him before the angels of God. But he who disowns me before men will be disowned before the angels of God.

How we talk about God really does matter! If we know him, we should speak of him, proclaim him, and live for him. Too often, people live ashamed of God, and afraid to proclaim his name. We must be people who proclaim him as Lord and call on his name. Otherwise, if we act as if we don't know him, he will do the same!

April 6- The Truth About Truthfulness

Deuteronomy 29:1-30:20
Luke 11:37-12:7
Psalm 78:1-31
Proverbs 12:19-20

Proverbs 12- ¹⁹ Truthful lips endure forever, but a lying tongue lasts only a moment.

The truth is that truthfulness endures. I have in the past been so scared that someone might be talking down about me, or speaking bad of me behind my back. In the end, God knows the truth. Who we really are as people will resonate over any rumor. Anyway, the fear doesn't need to exist. Truth will always prevail, whether that truth is positive or negative. Don't fret... the truth endures!

April 5- All The Blessing, None Of The Obedience

Deuteronomy 28:1-68
Luke 11:14-36
Psalm 77:1-20
Proverbs 12:18

Deuteronomy 28- ¹ If you fully obey the LORD your God and carefully follow all his commands I give you today, the LORD your God will set you high above all the nations on earth. ² All these blessings will come upon you and accompany you if you obey the LORD your God.

God calls us to obedience! So many times I read the Bible and assume the blessings, without asking the question about obedience. God isn't promising me all of these great things without strings attached. He is calling me to live for him and to give him everything, to obey him. And when I do, then I'll see the blessings. Everyone wants all the blessings. We can't forget about obedience too!

April 4- Last-Fruits

Deuteronomy 26:1-27:26
Luke 10:38-11:13
Psalm 76:1-12
Proverbs 12:15-17

Deuteronomy 26 deals with giving God our first fruits. Looking at the text, I am ashamed to say that I really struggle to give the Lord the very best of what I have. This week I was listening to a public speaker who spoke about giving your tunic to those in need if you have two. My first response was "When have I ever given away a jacket off my back?" My second response was, "Ok... now that I remember that one time, when have I ever kept a bad jacket and given away a good one?" Giving God our first fruits means that he gets our best. I tend to be a last-fruit kind of guy. God is calling me to a higher standard. Give God your first fruits! Let him have the best of your crop!

April 3- Family Of The Unsandaled

Deuteronomy 23:1-25:19
Luke 10:13-37
Psalm 75:1-10
Proverbs 12:12-14

^{Deuteronomy 25
5} If brothers are living together and one of them dies without a son, his widow must not marry outside the family. Her husband's brother shall take her and marry her and fulfill the duty of a brother-in-law to her. ⁶ The first son she bears shall carry on the name of the dead brother so that his name will not be blotted out from Israel. ⁷ However, if a man does not want to marry his brother's wife, she shall go to the elders at the town gate and say, "My husband's brother refuses to carry on his brother's name in Israel. He will not fulfill the duty of a brother-in-law to me." ⁸ Then the elders of his town shall summon him and talk to him. If he persists in saying, "I do not want to marry her," ⁹ his brother's widow shall go up to him in the presence of the elders, take off one of his sandals, spit in his face and say, "This is what is done to the man who will not build up his brother's family line." ¹⁰ That man's line shall be known in Israel as The Family of the Unsandaled.

What a strange text! Now, while one might look at this text and say "Marry my sister-in-law? No Way!" Fact is that this section does show us something about family, honor, and God's love. God loves the hurting. He cares for the lives, reputations, and dignity of his people. If we are to be like God, then we should be the same. We ought to care for those around us, and demonstrate this love by honoring our families, showing dignity to the hurting, and preserving the reputation of those who are no longer with us. God is serious when it comes to treating others as valuable and important. Their rights are far superior to my own. So, we honor, we preserve, we dignify, and we care. This is what God is calling us towards. After all, who wants the reputation of being one who doesn't do these things?

April 2- Don't Be Cruel

Deuteronomy 21:1-22:30
Luke 9:51-10:12
Psalm 74:1-23
Proverbs 12:11

Deuteronomy 22 ⁶ If you come across a bird's nest beside the road, either in a tree or on the ground, and the mother is sitting on the young or on the eggs, do not take the mother with the young. ⁷ You may take the young, but be sure to let the mother go, so that it may go well with you and you may have a long life.

The king was right! I don't mean Solomon, but Elvis! Here's another great verse that says, "Don't Be Cruel." Fact is, God is all about doing good, and his people should reflect that idea. So, when we have the opportunity to do good, we should. Likewise, when we see people being cruel, we shouldn't stand for that either. A while back I saw a video being used to discredit KFC. In the video, thousands of chickens were being tortured and treated inhumanely by workers who were given the task of slaughtering the birds. Is it right to kill chicks for food? I think that it is. However, is it right to kick the chickens, torture them, and abuse them for fun? Absolutely not. So, that's the point of the verse here. In all things, take it from the king... "Don't be cruel!"

April 1- The Road To Greatness

Deuteronomy 18:1-20:20
Luke 9:28-50
Psalm 73:1-28
Proverbs 12:10

Luke 9 ⁴⁶An argument started among the disciples as to which of them would be the greatest. ⁴⁷Jesus, knowing their thoughts, took a little child and had him stand beside him. ⁴⁸Then 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 he who is least among you all—he is the greatest."

In Luke 9:46, the disciples have an argument about who is the greatest among them. I enjoy reading stories like these, because they remind me of the types of questions I have in my mind so often. Do people perceive me as good? Am I meeting the expectations set for me? How important am I? Jesus knowing their thoughts, reminds them that being a Christian involves becoming less, not more. The fact is that too often human beings desire to be the best they can be. Ha! It's actually part of our motto as Americans to rise to greatness and become our very best. And while this idea makes sense from a national, social, and financial perspective, Jesus has called us to another standard. "Become less!" These words might seem backwards to us (they sure did to the disciples). However, learning to become less is crucial for our Christian walk. You see, in Christianity, becoming less is the road to greatness!

March 31- Not So Wise

Deuteronomy 16:1-17:20
Luke 9:7-27
Psalm 72:1-20
Proverbs 12:8-9

Deut. 17- ¹⁴ When you enter the land the LORD your God is giving you and have taken possession of it and settled in it, and you say, "Let us set a king over us like all the nations around us," ¹⁵ be sure to appoint over you the king the LORD your God chooses. He must be from among your own brothers. Do not place a foreigner over you, one who is not a brother Israelite. ¹⁶ The king, moreover, must not acquire great numbers of horses for himself or make the people return to Egypt to get more of them, for the LORD has told you, "You are not to go back that way again." ¹⁷ He must not take many wives, or his heart will be led astray. He must not accumulate large amounts of silver and gold. ¹⁸ When he takes the throne of his kingdom, he is to write for himself on a scroll a copy of this law, taken from that of the priests, who are Levites. ¹⁹ It is to be with him, and he is to read it all the days of his life so that he may learn to revere the LORD his God and follow carefully all the words of this law and these decrees ²⁰ and not consider himself better than his brothers and turn from the law to the right or to the left. Then he and his descendants will reign a long time over his kingdom in Israel.

After reading these words, we start to think about Solomon and his wisdom. Why didn't the wise king read these words? Was he unaware of what God said concerning wealth, power, and ungodly influences? The fact is, Solomon did know these verses. For whatever reason, he just didn't follow them. That's a lot like us as we read scripture and choose to ignore certain sections of scripture. But, God calls us to a higher standard. We must be willing to engage God from the standpoint of the eternal word. As we turn to his scriptures, we will find a life worth living and a plan worth following. Otherwise, someone some day may look at our lives and question our wisdom.

March 30- Willing To Go, Without A Plan

Deuteronomy 13:1-15:23
Luke 8:40-9:6
Psalm 71:1-24
Proverbs 12:5-7

Luke 9
¹When Jesus had called the Twelve together, he gave them power and authority to drive out all demons and to cure diseases, ²and he sent them out to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick. ³He told them: "Take nothing for the journey—no staff, no bag, no bread, no money, no extra tunic. ⁴Whatever house you enter, stay there until you leave that town. ⁵If people do not welcome you, shake the dust off your feet when you leave their town, as a testimony against them."

What strikes me in this verse is how odd the plan for the apostles really is. First they are charged to preach and perform miracles; two tasks that so far we have never seen them actually do or given lessons on how to do them. Secondly, they are told to go without proper supplies. You can't get less prepared than the apostles here. Sure, they've been with Jesus. Yes, they've heard the sermons. But, many of them were confused as he told them about the kingdom. Now he sends them off, and guess what... they aren't allowed to bring bread, jackets, or money!

There are a number of ways to take this verse. I want us to see that sometimes we over-think our task and put too much emphasis on the details of getting there. The apostles knew the job they had toi do, so they went and did it. Did it require trust? Sure. Were they wet behind the ears? Yes. But that was actually the plan! So, we remember that it may not be about great planning. Rather, it may just be about going. Are we willing to go? Maybe that's what it's about.

Like Cancer

Deuteronomy 11:1-12:32
Luke 8:22-39
Psalm 70:1-5
Proverbs 12:4

^{Proverbs 12:4} A worthy wife is a crown for her husband, but a disgraceful woman is like cancer in his bones.

The fact is that husbands and wives have a great deal of influence over their families. Godly men can influence women, while godly women can influence men. But when a relationship isn't focused on God and isn't centered around his word, bad things happen. Marriages fall apart when people aren't connected to the Lord. God is calling us to be better for our spouses. He desires us to demonstrate the love of Christ in all that we do. By following Christ, we will be a crown, rather than cancer to those we hold most dear.

March 28- You Aren't So Super

Deuteronomy 9:1-10:22
Luke 8:4-21
Psalm 69:19-36
Proverbs 12:2-3

^{Deuteronomy 9
3} But be assured today that the LORD your God is the one who goes across ahead of you like a devouring fire. He will destroy them; he will subdue them before you. And you will drive them out and annihilate them quickly, as the LORD has promised you. ⁴ After the LORD your God has driven them out before you, do not say to yourself, "The LORD has brought me here to take possession of this land because of my righteousness." No, it is on account of the wickedness of these nations that the LORD is going to drive them out before you. ⁵ It is not because of your righteousness or your integrity that you are going in to take possession of their land; but on account of the wickedness of these nations, the LORD your God will drive them out before you, to accomplish what he swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. ⁶ Understand, then, that it is not because of your righteousness that the LORD your God is giving you this good land to possess, for you are a stiff-necked people.

Just a reminder that the joys we share today might not be because we are so super, but because God is so merciful. We aren't the answer that God has been looking for. We aren't the solution to the world's problems. Rather, we partake in this salvation because of God's goodness towards us. Let's never forget that we enjoy the fruit of God because of his great mercy in our lives.

March 27- Why Do Women Get Jesus?

Deuteronomy 7:1-8:20
Luke 7:36-8:3
Psalm 69:1-18
Proverbs 12:1

Luke 8:1-3- ¹ Soon afterward Jesus began a tour of the nearby towns and villages, preaching and announcing the Good News about the Kingdom of God. He took his twelve disciples with him, ² along with some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases. Among them were Mary Magdalene, from whom he had cast out seven demons; ³ Joanna, the wife of Chuza, Herod’s business manager; Susanna; and many others who were contributing their own resources to support Jesus and his disciples.

What is it about women? Isn't it interesting that the moral health of a nation can be so clearly observed in the morality of that nation's women? Likewise, why is it that so many times women are the ones who seem to be drawn to Jesus, God, and spirituality, while men are not? Why do women get Jesus, while men so often miss him? This is my question...
What answers do you have?

March 26- No Other Name

Deuteronomy 5:1-6:25
Luke 7:11-35
Psalm 68:19-35
Proverbs 11:29-31

Deuteronomy 5:11- You shall not misuse the name of the LORD your God, for the LORD will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.

I grew up having a good respect for God's name. To this day I hate hearing people say "gosh" or "jeez" when they get upset or excited. I'd say that those foundations for honoring the name of God have lasted a long time. However, this verse is more than just rebuking those who say "gosh." This verse has a more general theme of how we treat God. Do we respect and honor God as holy? Do we treat God as if he is the creator and savior of the world? Or, do we relate to God as if he is something less than perfect? I must confess that I've misused his name tons of times. When I say a prayer in his name and don't realize what I am asking for. When I sing in his name and voice lyrics without acknowledging what I am singing about. When I take the Lord's Supper in his name and forget what the emblems mean. Yes, in these cases and in so many others, I misuse his name. Today's verse serves as a reminder that God is to be treated as holy. We should never forget who we are talking to and about when we say the word "God." God is holy, and his name should be treated as such.

In Tulsa

Sorry I didn't post this week. I was in Tulsa at the workshop there. However, I'm back and will be making up all of my old posts this week.
Chris