For Today's Bible reading, click the link.
S: Scripture: Choose one thing that stood out.
O: Observation: What does it say (context, audience, meaning, etc.)?
A: Application: What principles apply to me? How should my life be different moving forward?
P: Prayer: Speak to God about what He showed you.
Scripture reading for February 4th: Exodus 37, 38; Psalm 19; Acts 11
Read it online here: http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Exodus%2037,38;%20Psalms%2019;%20Acts%2011
S:
Psalm 19:11-13a (NIV)
11 By them is your servant warned;
in keeping them there is great reward.
12 Who can discern his errors?
Forgive my hidden faults.
13 Keep your servant also from willful sins;
may they not rule over me.
O:
The Psalmist (King David) has just finished extolling all the virtues of God's law and instruction, saying how valuable they are. Here, he makes a personal application of their value. They warn and guide a person. Here, David also realizes that the perfection required by God is unattainable in his human state and strength. He asks God to forgive his faults that of which he is unaware as well as asking for help not to willfully sin against God or be a slave to his sinful desires.
A:
Last night I gave a lesson to some middle school students about the Seven Marks of Wisdom. They include trusting God, seeking wise counsel, exercising self-control, speaking carefully, managing one's resources, having healthy relationships, and keeping balance. All of those are accomplished by being warned by and keeping God's commands, instruction, etc. One problem: I can't do that by myself. Unless God helps me by giving me strength to do what does not come naturally to me, unless God gives me insight to see sin in my life hidden from me, and unless he gives me grace and forgiveness as I work to set aside besetting sin that would enslave me - I am hopelessly lost.
Fortunately God is all-powerful and good (one of the themes of the first part of this Psalm). He has promised to do all those things by the power of the Holy Spirit that is at work within me because of Christ Jesus.
P:
"Praise God from whom all blessings flow." Thank You, God that you choose to do in me and for me what I cannot accomplish. Amen.
For Today's Bible reading, click the link.
S: Scripture: Choose one thing that stood out.
O: Observation: What does it say (context, audience, meaning, etc.)?
A: Application: What principles apply to me? How should my life be different moving forward?
P: Prayer: Speak to God about what He showed you.
Scripture reading for February 3rd: Exodus 35, 36; Acts 10
Read it online here: http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Exodus%2035,36;%20Acts%2010
S:
Acts 10:34-35 (NIV) 34Then Peter began to speak: "I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism 35but accepts men from every nation who fear him and do what is right.
O:
Peter had every historical and cultural reason to be hateful and bigoted against Cornelius. Peter was a Jew; Cornelius a Roman. The Jews were a people conquored by the Romans. Peter was a fisherman ("blue collar"); Cornelius was a Centurion ("white collar"). From cultural perspectives, they each would have looked down on and disdained one another. According to Jewish law, Gentiles were unclean ( unholy, not to be touched, talked to, etc.) YET, God said none of that matters. HE accepts people from every nation (read: race, nationality, socio-economic class, gender, culture, etc.) "who fear him and do what is right."
A:
We know without a doubt that God looks at the heart and motivation of a person, yet we still find favoritism and bigotry among those who profess Christ. My brothers and sisters, this should not be! It grieves the heart of God; it damages the witness of Christ; it is SIN.
I love living in a country with such racial diversity. It gives the people of God such great opportunity to demonstrate the love of God to every tribe, tongue, and nation. God is prompting me to examine my own heart on this issue and to pray that all those within the body of Christ will do the same.
P:
Lord, Jesus, give Your children the courage to honestly examine our own hearts for the sin of racism or bigotry. Help us to confess it and to remove it. May our witness of Christ be pure and unbiased. Thank you for working for the good of ALL people who love You and for bringing glory to Yourself. Amen.
For Today's Bible reading, click the link.
S: Scripture: Choose one thing that stood out.
O: Observation: What does it say (context, audience, meaning, etc.)?
A: Application: What principles apply to me? How should my life be different moving forward?
P: Prayer: Speak to God about what He showed you.
Scripture reading for February 1st: Exodus 30-32; Acts 8
Read it online here: http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Exodus%2030,31,32;%20Acts%208
S:
Exodus 31"2-6; 32:3,4 (NIV)
2 "See, I have chosen Bezalel son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, 3 and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with skill, ability and knowledge in all kinds of crafts- 4 to make artistic designs for work in gold, silver and bronze, 5 to cut and set stones, to work in wood, and to engage in all kinds of craftsmanship. 6 Moreover, I have appointed Oholiab son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan, to help him. Also I have given skill to all the craftsmen to make everything I have commanded you" (emphasis mine)
3 So all the people took off their earrings and brought them to Aaron. 4 He took what they handed him and made it into an idol cast in the shape of a calf, fashioning it with a tool. (emphasis mine)
O:
God gave Moses detailed instructions on how to build various elements for worship - the tent, the basin, the altar, the lamp stands, etc. God also gifted craftsmen with the ability to skillfully follow the detailed directions and create the beautiful, holy items. Even as God was giving Moses these instructions, Moses' own brother, supposedly a leader of the people, was crudely fashioning a little golden calf for the people to worship.
A:
There's so much here about God's calling and gifting and plan.The main message for me as I read this is that God gifts us for different things. When we are doing what He created us to do, it is holy, good, and right. A carpenter, plumber, mechanic, nurse, school teacher who is doing what God gifted him or her to do is doing a sacred task. It is not only priests and pastors whose vocations are sacred. Second, when a pastor (or anyone else) presumes to take matters into his own hands and do the work of the craftsman (or something he or she is not called and gifted to do), bad things usually result. At best, the end result is crude or not well done. At worst, the person has led people away from God by ignoring God's commands.
I feel great freedom to do what God has gifted and called me to do. Right now, that is lead within the local church. The calling & gifting for leadership won't change (that's how God made me) although the context may change. Still, I'll never be a skilled carpenter. I hope I can lead others to embrace their gifting and calling as being equally holy and valuable to God, whatever it is. Firemen can glorify God through working for the Lord just as a well as a pastor. The trouble comes when we try to do things God has not called and gifted us to do or worse, allow "the crowd" to talk us into what they want us to do, rather than God.
P:
Lord, I want to glorify You by working according to the way You have gifted and called me. I want others in the body to do the same. Help us to see all that we do as being sacred, not just the "church stuff." I want my "jobs" as husband and father to be sacred too. Help me see when I may be tempted to do something that you haven't set aside for me. Don't let me lead others astray. Rather, as we listen to You together, help us to live and work in harmony, celebrating the diversity You have created among us, but all listening to You and following Your lead. In Jesus' name, amen.
For Today's Bible reading, click the link.
S: Scripture: Choose one thing that stood out.
O: Observation: What does it say (context, audience, meaning, etc.)?
A: Application: What principles apply to me? How should my life be different moving forward?
P: Prayer: Speak to God about what He showed you.
Scripture reading for January 21st: Exodus 1, 2; Psalm 88; Luke 21
Read it online here: http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Exodus%201,2;%20Psalms%2088;%20Luke%2021
S:
Exodus 1:12a (NIV) But the more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied and spread
Luke 21:11 (NIV) There will be great earthquakes, famines and pestilences in various places, and fearful events and great signs from heaven
O:
The numbers of people in the nation of Israel continued to grow while they were in slavery in Egypt. The more Pharaoh made life hard on them, the more they multiplied.... Jesus warned that there would be many natural and man-made disasters before he returns. He said they would be a sign that the kingdom of God is drawing near.
A:
Last week at church one of our pastors, Jonathan, reminded me that the kingdom of God is always advancing. It's not stagnant; it never retreats. Jesus says its like yeast in dough. The yeast's advance through the dough is inevitable. It's a foregone conclusion. Here's an early Old Testament story that makes the same point. No oppressive government can thwart God's plan or rid the world of His people.
It's a great reminder in light of the disaster in Haiti and some of the troubles we experience in our own country. While things really are bad in so many places around our world, we can take heart that the kingdom of God is advancing and the time of Jesus' return is drawing nearer. Meanwhile, we must do what God has always intended for His people to do, be a blessing to our world.
P:
Lord, help me to not get discouraged or lose heart as I observe all of the tragedy and suffering that exists in our world. Help me, as Your representative, to offer hope and blessing, both for this life and the next. Amen.
For Today's Bible reading, click the link.
S: Scripture: Choose one thing that stood out.
O: Observation: What does it say (context, audience, meaning, etc.)?
A: Application: What principles apply to me? How should my life be different moving forward?
P: Prayer: Speak to God about what He showed you.
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We just recently started attending PRC regularly and one of the things that we most appreciate and resonate with is the openness and authenticity of the leadership. The fact that you posted…