2 Timothy 1
August 1

Guard, through the Holy Spirit who dwells in us, the treasure which has been entrusted to you…
2 Timothy 1:14 (NASB)

Treasures in Trust
    When God offers us salvation and we accept, an exchange occurs. We entrust Him with our entire life, on earth and for eternity. He entrusts us with purpose and calling. Both are treasures of great value. Notice there is an exchange of trusts. Isn’t it an awesome responsibility to be trusted by God?
    What treasures has God entrusted to you? What spiritual gift, relationship, or purpose has He given you?  Are you guarding it? Before we can guard a treasure properly, we must appreciate its qualities and value. Paul encouraged Timothy to recall and rekindle his gift; appreciating it anew. Picture in your mind Paul’s analogy of fanning a coal into a flame. To rekindle a fire requires patient, watchful tending.
    How can your treasures be guarded? With the Holy Spirit’s help! A guard is always attentive and never careless; never neglectful. A guard recognizes risk and protects against loss. A guard is ever vigilant. Yes, we certainly need the Holy Spirit’s help.
    God has chosen to save us, and we can trust Him to keep us. He is completely trustworthy. He has chosen each of us to serve Him in unique ways, and to live holy lives while here on earth. As we are faithful, He can be trusted with outcomes, even those outcomes we never expected. Help us, Holy Spirit, to be trustworthy with our treasure.

—Patty Gropp

 

“…I know the one in whom I trust, and I am sure that he is able to guard what I have

entrusted to him until the day of his return.” 2 Timothy 1:12b (NLT)

 

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2 Timothy 2
August 2

No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier. 2 Timothy 2:4 (NLT)

Warreth?
    Today, I’m going to go to work. And what I do is a very natural thing, I paint houses. It isn’t easy work but it’s good work. I have a great boss, and my co-workers are some of the best you could ask for; but the nagging question still remains, “Where is the eternal impact in what I do?” This scripture makes me wonder if maybe I’m trapped in the natural things of life and missing the spiritual war that is going on. I feel like the only solution is to cut all natural things off from me, and start my own traveling evangelism mission.
    In the middle of these feelings and questions, the Spirit reminded me of His purpose for my job—that I’m there to serve my boss, my co-workers, and the people for whom we work. And that the quality of work I do is a reflection of the character of God. It is a part of His testimony to this world. God has a purpose for what I do, and for where He has me. Do you remember His purpose for what you are doing today?

—Dan Fitzgerald

 

Jesus, please birth Your vision inside of us for what You have called us to, that the things that are natural would become spiritual as You speak meaning into them. Father, thank You
for Your calling on our lives— help us to labor in Your anointing today.  

 

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2 Timothy 3
August 3
But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of…

2 Timothy 3:14 (NIV)

 

Continuing in the Truth
    Look at how 2 Timothy 3 starts: “But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving...” (vs 1-5).
    These verses seem to be about non-Christians who live seeking their own way. But they are actually describing Christians as well—Christians who have walked away from the truth. It’s sobering to think that any of us can fall away from Christ, but it’s a daily choice to walk with Jesus or not.
    How does one fall away from Christ? Perhaps it is the result of a progressive lifestyle of choosing to move away from God. An impure thought, a lie, a selfish act—a choice that becomes a lifestyle as we habitually give in to temptation and desires of the flesh in an area of our lives. We often know the righteous standard God requires of us when we sin, but we allow our selfish desires to rule us in those moments. Yet God calls us to live holy lives because He is Holy!
(Leviticus 20:7).
    Our God is so GOOD, because He helps us conquer sin. He loves us so much that He gives us His Spirit—The Spirit of Truth (John 14:16-17), His Word—Scripture that is God-breathed and is useful for…training in righteousness (2 Timothy 3:16-17) and fellow believers who—sharpen us in our faith as iron sharpens iron (Proverbs 27:17). We can rejoice because we know the truth. But God calls us to be in the truth by choosing to live it every day. Let’s delight His heart by living the truth daily!

—Ike Egwuatu

 

“I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.” 3 John 4

 

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2 Timothy 4
August 4

I have kept the faith. 2 Timothy 4:7b (NKJV)

Keeping the Faith
    In Philippians 3:12b, Paul wrote, “I press on that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me.”
    Now Paul, at the end of his life, writes in 2 Timothy 4, “I have
finished the race, I have kept the faith.” His confession: “I have kept the faith!” What did that mean for Paul? He preached, he traveled, he debated. He was beaten, stoned, shipwrecked, and suffered hardship. He evangelized, shepherded, and prayed. He did all. He gave all. He was a champion. He finished his course with a clear conscience before God. 
    These last recorded words, written shortly before he was martyred, exhorted Timothy to “keep the faith.” Listen… “Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching…Be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.” This was Paul’s charge to Timothy.
    What is God’s charge to me to “keep the faith”? I am not a Paul, but He created me with a purpose. I won’t write books of the Bible, but I have a ministry to fulfill. It is important for me to remember that I, too, will stand before the Lord Jesus Christ, “who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom.” He is expecting something from me. He has given me much to share. It is time for me to “press on that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me!” It is time for me to seek the Lord, to evaluate my life and repent! Maybe most of all, it is time for me to “love His appearing.”

—Rick Grunewald

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Psalms 63-65
August 5

Let the righteous rejoice in the LORD and take refuge in him; let all the upright in heart praise him! Psalm 64:10 (NIV)

Rejoice and Praise Him
    Let the righteous rejoice and take refuge, let the upright in heart praise Him! He has provided for us by making us upright and righteous in His sight. Therefore, we qualify to praise Him. So many times we wait until He has answered a prayer, given us a healing, or met a need to praise Him. We need to realize that He is worthy all the time. 
    This story about Abraham Lincoln, written in Our Daily Bread, June 4, 1997, gave me some insight into the heart of our Father God.
    “Imagine what a heavy schedule of appointments President Abraham Lincoln had to keep day after day. Yet when an elderly woman with no official business in mind asked to see him, he graciously consented.
    As she entered Lincoln’s office, he rose to greet her and asked how he might be of service. She replied that she had not come to ask a favor. She had heard that the President liked a certain kind of cookie, so she had baked some for him and brought them to his office.
    “With tears in his eyes, Lincoln responded, ‘You are the very first person who has ever come into my office asking not, expecting not, but rather bringing me a gift. I thank you from the bottom of my heart.’”           
    Asking not, expecting not, let’s give the gift of praise to our heavenly Father!

—Pastor Kari Vance

 

Praise Him! Praise Him! Praise Him!!

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Psalms 66-67
August 6

You have tested us, oh God; you have purified us like silver melted in a crucible.
Psalm 66:10 (NLT)

Purified: Made Ready For What?
    I believe the first thing testing makes us ready for is life in the royal family. In The Treasury of David, Spurgeon’s commentary on this verse has this pungent thought: “God had one Son without sin, but He never had a son without trial.” When we face the testing and trials of our faith, they purify us in order that we be subject to what all the rest of the family (Jesus included) has gone through. Claiming sonship is claiming testing. It is a necessary and productive passage that produces in us a familial resemblance to Jesus.
    Testing purifies us and also deepens us. It scours and cleanses things from the depths of our souls that can be removed in no other way except by fire. But to what end?  Why is it necessary? I believe the second thing testing does is prepare us for the joys and pleasures of eternity. The deeper the digging-out here in this life, the deeper the hollow space to be filled with joy eternal. The more we are cleansed and dug out in this life, the greater will be our capacity for the
pleasures of heaven.
    So, if you are undergoing testing, don’t despair! It’s for your good, to make you like Jesus and to prepare you for the joys of heaven.

—Phil Waite

 

“We are always in the forge or on the anvil; by trials God is shaping us for higher things.”
—Henry Ward Beecher

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Titus 1
August 7

Instead, he must be hospitable, in love with what is good, self-controlled, fair, of holy life, disciplined. Titus 1:8 (MLB)

In Love with What is Good
    Living in a world system that repeatedly denies a moral compass, the distinction between good and evil seems less and less apparent. The decreased mental restraint that can come upon us by the bombardment of unrighteous lifestyles, perpetrated by multi-media, adds to a general attitude of wishy-washy values.
       The Bible exhorts us to be in love with what is good.  What a difference this attitude makes! When we’re in love we notice the details, we meditate, we dream, we engage our mind, will, and
emotion to participate in the relationship. Being in love with what is good will direct our actions to please the Lord and to seek His will repeatedly.

    Being in love with good will motivate us to live a holy life with joyful anticipation.
    Being in love with good helps us to live self-controlled, because we “want to,” not “have to.” Being in love with good desires fairness, and helps us embrace the disciplines of life.
    Let us be hospitable to what is good, inviting it frequently into our hearts and lives so that we indeed find ourselves in love with what is good!

—Eunice Carlson

 

God, thank you for being so good and for giving us

countless reasons to love what is indeed good.

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Titus 2
August 8

God’s readiness to give and forgive is now public. Salvation’s available for everyone! We’re being shown how to turn our backs on a godless, indulgent life, and how to take on a God-filled, God-honoring life. This new life is starting right now, and is whetting our appetites for the glorious day
when our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, appears. He offered himself as a sacrifice to free us from a dark, rebellious life into this good, pure life, making us a people he can be proud of, energetic in goodness. Titus 2:11-14 (Message Bible)

How Does this Apply to Me?
    The verses above seem to sum up what Paul is telling Titus to pass on to his congregation. Paul is giving Titus, a pastor he ordained, instructions on how to lead, teach and help his congregation. When I first read this chapter I thought, “This doesn’t apply to me. I am not a pastor.” However, it later occurred to me that I am now a husband, a father, and am still a son and brother. Therefore, I can apply what Paul is telling Titus to teach the older men and younger men depending on whom I am interacting with. All this because Jesus “offered Himself as a sacrifice to free [me] from a dark, rebellious life.”
    I am constantly amazed how God’s Word always applies to ME so I can then choose, by His grace, mercy and love, to pass on His love, grace and mercy to those around me. His selfless love helps me to love selflessly. Out of darkness—my selfishness—He has saved me. I am grateful that each and every day I am being saved out of my selfish ways—sometimes before I stumble into them and sometimes afterwards.

—Ty Simanson

 

Dear Jesus, thank you for reminding me that I am saved by
Your selfless sacrifice. Without Your love and grace I would still
be lost, blind in a world lit only by selfishness and fear. Help me
to show Your love and light of grace. Amen.

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Titus 3
August 9

But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us… so that having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life… and I want you to stress these things, so that those who have trusted in God may be careful to devote themselves to doing what is good. Titus 3:4-8 (NIV)

Goodness Gracious!
    Throughout Titus chapter three, Paul gives us instruction to do good unto others. Paul says, “Remind people…to be ready to do whatever is good” (3:1), “Our people must learn to devote themselves to doing what is good” (3:14) as well as the instruction given in the scripture above. But there is a very important framework for Paul’s exhortation to do good works. Paul is calling us first to look upon what God has done for us. While we were “foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved” (3:3), God poured out kindness and love upon us. He didn’t reach down and save us because of anything we had done, but because of His mercy. Ultimately reaching down to us and adopting us as His very own kin, He made us heirs to His Kingdom.
    In light of this outpouring of love, kindness, mercy and grace we have been given—we are called to do good to others in the same way. While someone may annoy us, rub us the wrong way, or just be one we wouldn’t associate with, God has called us to do good unto them. We are to show the same kind of self-sacrificial love and grace in pouring out love to others as we have received.

—Suzanne Fitzgerald

 

Jesus, please help us to devote ourselves to doing good, not just for the sake of doing good,

but in the model You have shown us.  Lord, it doesn’t always come naturally or easily,

but we ask Your Holy Spirit to guide us as we learn to love others as You do!  Amen.

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Philemon
August 10

But if he has wronged you or owes anything, put that on my account. I, Paul, am writing with my own hand. I will repay. Philemon 18-19a (NKJV)

Picking Up the Tab
    You’re out with a friend having a good dinner and the waiter brings the bill. Your friend says with a smile, “I got this one.” And you’re like, “You sure?!” He replies, “Absolutely,” and snaps his credit card on the table. You’ve been blessed!
    You’re out on a job trying to work hard and you put a big gouge in the nice hard-wood flooring. Your boss doesn’t come down on you; doesn’t even mention it. He just pays for the damage and continues to show you favor. You’ve been blessed!
    It’s almost embarrassing to have someone pick up your expense isn’t it? But isn’t it one of the biggest blessings? It always strikes a deep chord. It’s an honor to realize someone is covering you. And talk about a lasting impression! You may never forget it.
    I’m convinced Onesimus’ life was never the same from this point on. Paul placed an indelible mark upon a young man’s future. And I’m sure Onesimus read the words of Christ, “Go and do likewise,” with a new and certain conviction. I would be surprised if Onesimus didn’t, from this point on, lead a life of mercy.
    Christian love is never better displayed than when we assume someone else’s expense. If you want to leave a lasting impression, try just “picking up the tab.”

—Demetrius Rogers

 

“Three things in human life are important. The first is to be kind. The second is to be kind.

The third is to be kind.” —Henry James

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Hebrews 1
August 11

The Son reflects God’s own glory, and everything about him represents God exactly.
Hebrews 1:3a (NLT)

Can We See God?
    What an interesting question! As we read about God, all about His attributes, it does make me want to see Him. Yet we read in the Old Testament that man could not look upon God. It was just too awesome.
    As we begin reading in the book of Hebrews, God is  describing Jesus, the Son of God. We see that Jesus reflects God’s Glory, and everything about Jesus represents God exactly. This was again clarified in Matthew 14, where Philip says, “Lord, show us the Father, and it will be sufficient for us.” Jesus replies, “He who has seen Me has seen the Father.” We see God through His son Jesus Christ. 
    We are also called to reflect Jesus. As lights to the world (Matthew 5:14), we are to be a reflection of God’s own glory. Would that mean that we reflect the very glory and character of God?
    If I realized that today I was going to be a reflection of God Himself, I would be up early. I’d groom, clean, polish, and shine up every aspect of my life, so that there would be no part of me that would hinder the brilliance of God shining through.
    What character of God are you showing today—love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, forgiveness, perseverance? What character of God are people seeing in you today? We really do impart what we are. If Jesus Christ lives in us, then we can impart Him and His very character to others. 
    God could have just come down here and wowed us all, but He chose to show Himself through human vessels. We are His expression on this earth. Let’s make a good impression!

—John Dieker

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Psalms 68-69
August 12

Sing to God, sing praises to His name; Extol Him who rides on the clouds…Save me, O God!
For the waters have come up to my neck. Psalms 68:4a, 69:1 (NKJV)

Joys and Sorrows
    How stark is the contrast of these two Psalms: the first one, full of joy and praises; the latter, written in the depths of despair. Sounds
familiar, doesn’t it? How quickly our feelings respond to circumstances around us, causing us to ride the emotional roller coaster.
    Recently, while returning from a weekend trip, we were delighted with the privilege of seeing a glorious sunset. The clouds and brilliant colors of orange and pink were too magnificent to describe. I wished for my camera, yet knew it could never capture the true beauty of what I was seeing.
    As we continued an uphill climb, we were certain we would have a much better view of this breathtaking phenomenon when we reached the peak of the hill. However, much to our surprise and disappointment, when we topped the peak, we could no longer see any of the sunset, because of the density of pine trees.
    At that moment, I realized that the sunset was still there—just not visible to me. And so it is with the workings of God in our lives. I may not see His hand at work on a particular problem plaguing me, but if I have truly cast my cares on Him, I am assured He is at work, and someday I will see what He was doing all along. 

—Jan Chase

 

“God is at work, upstream.” —Brian Jones

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Psalms 70-71
August 13

And let those who love Your salvation say continually, “Let God be magnified!” Psalm 70:4b (NKJV)

The Biggest Thing in My Life
    Here we are again in the middle of another of David’s adventures—although I’m sure he wouldn’t have called it an adventure. Undoubtedly, David is in a needy state, and while most of us are not fleeing from someone who is trying to hurt or kill us, we are resisting one who is seeking our soul. The devil wants to be god in our lives and he does this through many means—distractions, temptations, busy-ness of life, fears, stresses, cares of the world— whatever it takes. David’s answer and ours is found in verse 4: “Magnify God.”  If we will take the
magnifying glass in our soul and see God through it, everything else will be small and insignificant in comparison. God doesn’t need to be any bigger, but our view of Him does. Let’s make Him the biggest thing in our lives today!
    As a footnote, many commentaries note that this Psalm is the same as the last five verses of Psalm 40. I had to ask myself, “Why did David do this and what does this mean for me?” I think David was facing the same or similar situation as before and he was remembering (recalling; rehearsing) God’s faithfulness in the past. For me, it means that it’s okay to go to God for that same issue about which I’m sure He’s sick of hearing. He is faithful; He will, once again, come to my rescue.

—Lily Sherman

 

Father, Thank You for Your continued faithfulness that marks our lives with the greatness of God.
We set our hearts to worship You in all that we do today.

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Hebrews 2
August 14

Therefore, we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away.
Hebrews 2:1 (NKJV)

Drifting
    Have you ever been on a raft or in a johnboat and enjoyed the luxury of just lying there, looking up at the clouds, daydreaming? Then you realize you’ve drifted far from the shoreline. The water is getting a bit choppy and you really never learned to swim well. Fear sets in and you frantically try to make your way back to the shore and safety.
    Sometimes in our Christian life, we get to day dreaming and don’t pay attention to our daily walk with the Lord. We allow our spiritual boat to drift far from the safe harbor. Maybe, like me, you grew up in church. Our comfortableness with the liturgy lulls us into thinking we are “spiritual”—safe in the harbor. Add to that the cares of life, a job, and raising a family, and we find we’ve slowly drifted away from what we know to be true—God’s Word.
    As maturing Christians, we must stay alert to our spiritual surroundings, allowing God’s Word to anchor us in Him.

—Mick Chase

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Hebrews 3
August 15

 

Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God… Hebrews 3:12 (NKJV)

“Outta Here”? Or into God?
    I love to travel, so when I think of departures, I think of airports. Flights are termed arrivals or departures, and in an airport, departures are major. They are often planned ahead of time, require significant funds, and can put hundreds or even thousands of miles between us and those we love.
    Is this the kind of “departing” the writer refers to in Hebrews 3:12? Does he mean taking calculated, deliberate steps to put distance between ourselves and God, or occasional missteps that trip us up?
    In the original Greek, the first few translations of “departing” suggest the airplane analogy, but with a vengeance: “remove; instigate to revolt; to desist/desert.” In other words, we’re outta here, fast and far. Reading on, however, we find departing also means “to draw/fall away, refrain, withdraw self”; ultimately to “stand off/away.”
    Although there are definitely times I can identify with the “outta here” sentiment, it’s usually expressed in a desire to escape life rather than depart from God. But withdrawing from God? Standing off? Many times daily! It is usually when I feel unworthy, disqualified, unable or unwilling to meet God’s standards.
    But God isn’t necessarily requiring that we meet his standards— He wants us to meet HIM. Jesus bore the pain of distance between Himself and the Father so that we could be brought close. He wants to tell us—you—that you are worthy, qualified, treasured, and loved. Instead of turning away, choose to believe!

—Jean Taylor

 

Though we see our flaws, He sees a treasure.

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Hebrews 4
August 16

God’s word is alive and working. It is sharper than a sword sharpened on both sides. It cuts all the way into us, where the soul and the spirit are joined. It cuts to the center of our joints and our bones. And God’s word judges the thoughts and feelings in our hearts. Hebrews 4:12 (New Century)

Heart Surgery with God’s Knife
    This scripture tells us how powerful the Word of God really is. We are all amazed at the ability of doctors to do major heart surgery with such positive results. In fact, we have seen it in our own congregation. We need to realize that the Word of God in the hands of the Creator of the universe is even more awesome. 
    There is nothing that escapes the application of God’s Word if we are willing to put ourselves under the Surgeon’s careful eye. After all, shouldn’t our spiritual health be our greatest desire. Yet at times, I find myself a little hesitant to submit to the full application of God’s Word to certain areas of my life. I may enjoy feeling sorry for myself at times. Or perhaps I feel that I am in the right on a certain issue. But, as this scripture indicates, there is nothing that escapes the sharp penetration of the Word of God into every hidden corner of my life. 
    One reason it is so important to read the Word on a regular basis is that by doing so, we allow the sharpness of the Word to do the surgery in our lives that is so often needed. Let’s embrace God’s sword (the Word) as it cuts out the ungodly things in our lives. We will be healthier both spiritually and physically!

—Pastor John Carlson

 

Lord God, I will embrace Your Word and allow it to cut and remove anything from my life that is not pleasing to You. I know that the process may be painful at times but a clean heart
and right relationship with You make it all worthwhile. Amen.

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Hebrews 5
August 17

We have much to say about this, but it is hard to explain because you are slow to learn. In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! Hebrews 5:11-12 (NIV)

Sea of Galilee or the Dead Sea?
    Of Israel’s two inland seas, one has water flowing in and out, so it is kept fresh and clean, and life thrives there. People are refreshed and blessed. The other sea has an inlet, but no outlet. So, all the good minerals and nutrients that could be healthy for the sea, build up, thus prohibiting any habitation of life.
    The people to whom Paul wrote were much like the Dead Sea. They had received the truth of the gospel, but were slow to understand and apply it to their lives. Thus, they were not able to teach it to anyone else. They had no outlet, and so they were stuck, still trying to digest their “milk,” unable to take anything more solid. What a shame! What mysteries of God might have been discussed in this letter from Paul, for us to read and grow from, had the Hebrews been faithful in seeking the wisdom of the Lord and walking in righteousness?
    This passage challenges me to look for the choice cuts of tender steak within the Word of God. Anyone can read the Word and just “drink the milk,” so to speak, and that is a healthy part of our spiritual diet. But as mature believers, we ought to spend time also chewing on the deeper meanings of the scriptures.
    These meals are not to benefit only ourselves: when you have a fabulous meal at a nice restaurant, don’t you tell your friends how great it was? So should we be sharing the life we receive from the Bible; in this way, we will be fresh and fruitful, a Sea of Galilee, rather than a Dead Sea.

—Audrey Rogers

 

So encourage each other, and build each other up.

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Hebrews 6
August 18

Our great desire is that you will keep right on loving others as long as life lasts, in order to make certain that what you hope for will come true. Then you will not become spiritually dull and indifferent. Instead, you will follow the example of those who are going to inherit God’s promises because of their faith and patience. Hebrews 6:11-12 (NLT)

Let’s Stay on the Path
    I love the fact that the author of Hebrews says that spending my life loving others not only fulfills my hopes, but also keeps me from spiritual dullness and indifference. I think one of the biggest snares of the enemy is how he twists the God-given hopes and dreams in my heart. There are books, websites and businesses all promising to help me fulfill my dreams. Just because I’m a Christian and have a dream doesn’t mean I should run full steam ahead with it. Is it God’s dream for me? Does my dream inspire generosity? Does it challenge me to live an others- focused life? Is the gain only personal, or does eternity profit too?
    God’s promises are rich, and in the end, more fulfilling than any dream I can think of. Loving others is not a ticket to heaven, but this chapter certainly reveals that this quality is a major portion of God’s plan for my life and of His very character.
    If “loving others as long as my life lasts” helps me stay spiritually attentive, and keeps me on the path of His plan for my life, then I’m going for it!

—Cheryl Mitchell

 

The purpose of blessings is not for establishing ourselves,
but for us to be channels through which they flow to others.

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Psalms 72-73
August 19

Whom have I in heaven but You? And there is none upon earth that I desire besides You.
Psalm 73:25 (NKJV)

Destined For His Love And Pleasure!
    Psalm 73 is familiar to many, especially verse 25, which is a cry birthed out of struggle in the soul. It comes from experiencing ambivalent emotions as we see the prosperity of the wicked, the ease with which they go through life, and at the same time we feel the pains of affliction—the trials, temptations, and hardships we may experience as we choose to follow hard after God.
    In verse 18, the Psalmist questions whether the life of purity and holiness is really worth it after all. “Surely I have cleansed my heart in vain.” We might say something like “God, I am trying to live for you. Why are You doing this to me?” Or “God, where are you?” Or, we might even wonder, does God hate me?
    We’ll find the answer to this struggle just as the Psalmist did when we go into the “sanctuary” of God. I think we will see two things. One is Satan standing before God, saying, “You have blessed the work of his hands... But now, stretch out Your hand and touch all that he has, and he will surely curse You to Your face!” (Job 1:10-11). Secondly, when we look past the accuser, we will see our Father God looking upon us with deep love and pleasure.
    Will we curse God for this light affliction we suffer today? Or will we endure with hope as we see our Heavenly Father molding us into the very image of Jesus Christ?

—Lynn Little

 

“All is well if God be mine.”
—Matthew Henry, The Matthew Henry Commentary

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Psalms 74-75
August 20

For God is my King from of old, working salvation in the midst of the earth. Psalm 74:12 (NKJV)

Fact: God is Creator!
    Have you ever been in a situation where it appears everything you trusted is collapsing before your very eyes? Asaph is describing this very thing in most of Psalm 74. The enemy is destroying God’s people and God’s own temple. Asaph cries out, “Where is my God? Why doesn’t God come down like Superman and wipe out the enemy and save His people?”
    However, in verses 12-17, Asaph remembers who his God is and what He has done for His people. He shares an impressive list that only the Creator, our God, could have accomplished. This is where our hope and strength must come from—not from people, structures, or even religion. Our strength is in God, the creator of the universe.
    I know in my own life when things seem to be falling apart, it can be hard to trust in God when I can’t see Him or hear His voice. Jesus has helped me by showing me that trusting in God is no different than trusting in gravity.  Gravity is fact and so is my God, the creator of gravity. So when things seem to be collapsing in your life, remember that God is always there, just like gravity, and you can trust in and rely on that fact!

—Jim Boyer

 

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.” Proverbs 3:5-6

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Hebrews 7
August 21

For the law made nothing perfect, and now a better hope has taken its place. And that is how we draw near to God. Hebrews 7:19 (NLT)

Jesus, the Consummation of the Law, our Hope
    The Law is still a potent force in this world. Every day, I am aware of failure to keep it—mine or others’. Every day, it seems, we see it ignored, broken, mocked—yet everyone in his heart knows that the Law is still there. It constantly judges and condemns our actions and attitudes, regardless of our wrong thinking and attempts to tune it out. But the Law cannot lift us out of our broken condition.  It does not “ever live to make intercession for us.”
    Enter Jesus, the Better Hope. The perfect High Priest. The perfect Fulfiller of the Law. When the fulfillment of the Law came, the Law, the pattern given to Moses, was no longer needed. The wonder of the gospel is that when a soul is in Jesus, brought into God’s presence through His sacrifice, God sees the Law perfectly fulfilled in that soul.  Jesus blotted out the handwriting of the ordinances against us and took it out of the way by His cross (Colossians 2:14).
    Jesus is:
                    •  High Priest and Sacrifice
                    •  Judge and Advocate (Intercessor)
                    •  Lord of Lords and Servant of All

    Jesus, You are all in all! Your holiness is all that brings judgment on sin, and your sacrifice is all that redeems us from that judgment! May our lives reflect the wonder, beauty, and holiness of Your Life!

—Nancy Grunewald

 

“Wherefore He is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by Him, seeing He ever liveth to make intercession for them…” Hebrews 7:25 (KJV)

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Hebrews 8
August 22

But this is the new covenant I will make with the people of Israel on that day, says the Lord: I will put my laws in their minds so they will understand them, and I will write them on their hearts so they will obey them. I will be their God, and they will be my people.
Hebrews 8:10 (NLT)

The VISION
    From the very beginning, God has always wanted a people devoted to Himself and to whom He could entrust His devotion. We see in the scriptures how the Lord communicated His desires for relationship to His people from the beginning until even now. His vision from the very beginning has been to have a people who willingly choose Him to be their God. And He is committed to that vision! 
    No one knows commitment to vision like God. Just think, you are a part of His vision. He thought of you in the very beginning, and in doing so, thought of how to delicately and sensitively communicate His heart for relationship with you; not forced but one of choice. His driving passion is YOU. He has never taken His eyes off of the vision. 
    What is your vision, and how does it drive you? Now let’s take an opportunity right now to talk to Him about His vision (you). How have you been responding to it? How does it make you feel to know that God is committed to you? Are you committed to Him? Let’s make sure that today He knows that He is our God. We allow for His vision to be fulfilled as we willingly say yes to Him, yes to His love, yes to His lordship, yes to our God who has longed for a people—you and me. Isn’t it neat to know that I can personally fulfill the vision of my God!

—C.J. Carrier

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Hebrews 9
August 23

How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God! Hebrews 9:14 (NIV)

A Big Step Down
    CNN ran a story about a citizen of a small African nation, a man named Marcus Sawyer. He was a successful attorney who had it all: wealth, summer homes, influential clients, an apartment in the south of France, and lucrative investments. His life changed when rebels invaded and overthrew the government. Mr. Sawyer and his family were forced to flee. Today he is one of 50,000 refugees living at a refugee camp. He shares a pit latrine with 1,000 people. He has been at the camp for six months and is described as “dejected and despondent.” Understandably so! It’s hard to comprehend what it would be like to go, overnight, from such success to such a low place. It would be even harder to imagine Mr. Sawyer, or any of us, ever volunteering for such degrading circumstances.
    Yet I know someone who did volunteer for circum-stances far worse than even this. He actually offered to step down, to go down low into the most degraded places of our souls. He knew that blood would have to be spilled. He offered Himself, as Hebrews 9:14 says, to meet this need. And to what end? To cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we can serve God. All that, just so I could have a clean conscience? If it was that important to Him, it ought
to be important to us, too. Whenever we become aware that our conscience is clouded, let’s immediately apply the solution that’s been provided. Let’s waste no time. What better way to say, “Thank You”?

—Pastor Tracy Weaver

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Hebrews 10
August 24

And since we have a great High Priest who rules over God’s people, let us go right into the presence of God, with true hearts fully trusting him. Hebrews 10:21-22a, (NLT)

Father’s Love                          
    My son isn’t quite a year and a half old but he has definitely taken on his own personality, and we are developing a more deep and fulfilling relationship. I saw him recently, after being apart for a week, and it was so wonderful to have him run toward me in the airport saying, “Dada! Dada!” It melted my heart. Our relationship continues to touch me in ways I never imagined. He has my full attention at any moment—I love to simply be with him and at times I’m shameless in my attempts to shift his attention from something on the floor to me.
    “Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed upon us!” (1 John 3:1a KJV). Oh, the great lengths to which He has gone to be in relationship with us! The shame our Savior has endured to be with us; He endured the shame of those He came to restore, that I might be restored to Him. As I think fondly of my son, I can’t help but wonder at how much God desires to be with us, how He smiles at just thinking of us, and how He joys in the time we spend with Him.
    Let us respond, today, to His love for us by seeking Him. May He know the joy of a father whose children delight in Him. Let us not make Him compete for us—may nothing capture our attention like our matchless, faultless, doting, loving Father.

 

—Pastor Joe Fitzgerald

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Hebrews 11
August 25

But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is,
and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. Hebrews 11:6 (NKJV)

Faith – the Crucial Ingredient in a Christian’s Life
    This chapter recaps some of the great heroes of the Bible. And what makes these men and women such great heroes? They possessed Great Faith. Because they were people of great faith, they obeyed God. Seventeen times this chapter says “By Faith.” Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Moses…these great men and women did something out of the ordinary. Why? Because they had faith and that faith was translated into action (obedience) and they DID great things for God. Many times they believed God, and yet did not receive the promise right away. But the obedience was of a higher importance than the receiving of the promise.  God is faithful and that is all they needed to know. God wanted something done and they (because of their faith in God) were willing to do it.
    Without faith, it is impossible to please God. The word please here means “to gratify entirely.” God loves it when we believe Him. It turns His crank. So if you want to gratify God entirely—wow, that is an awesome thought!—believe Him when He speaks to you and do (exercise your faith) what He says. Then the Lord will REWARD you as you diligently seek Him. Who knows, maybe you will be written down as a great man or woman of faith and join the heroes of Hebrews 11.

 

—Pastor Phil Vance

 

We don’t always know what the future holds but we know who holds the future.
With that confidence, let’s believe God and do some exploits for Him.

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Psalms 76-77
August 26

I cry out to God without holding back. Psalm 77:1a (NLT)

A Safe Place
    Have you ever cried out to God without holding back? I have—at the top of my lungs, from extreme pain and with deep emotion and intense feeling. Psalm 62:8 says, “Pour out your heart before Him. God is a safe place for us.”   
    Right now I’m in a new phase of life. Both of my children have graduated from high school. One of my primary focuses for the last 23 years of life has been my children.  Suddenly I’m finding myself feeling empty and without purpose. However, I do know, without a doubt, that the one purpose I have that will never change is my relationship with God. I am freshly motivated to take time to tell Him everything, not to hold anything back.
    No matter what phase of life we are in this summer, let’s take time to be with Him. I love sitting on my deck in the mornings with my coffee, when the air is fresh and the birds are singing. I love listening to the breeze in the trees and I enjoy the early sun. It is then that talking to Jesus is so easy. It is then that I can drink in His peace and presence. It is then that I can thank Him for the gift of a new day and face life knowing that I am safe in His unfailing love.

—Gina Young

 

Thank you, Jesus, that no matter what we are going through, we can tell You everything

and You will always be a safe and secure place.

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Psalm 78
August 27

“I will open my mouth in picture-stories. I will tell things which have been kept secret from long ago” Psalm 78:2 (NLV)

How Many “Ticks” Does It Take to “Tick You Off?
    Psalm 78 is a painful recounting of how horrible God’s people sometimes treat Him. It almost reads like a blow-by-blow account of a boxing match; “God leads with grace and mercy…the people respond with a left hook to the head and a right to the body.” After getting consistently rejected, betrayed, ignored and generally slapped in the face, God has enough. “When God killed some of them, they finally sought him…” (vs 34, NLT). Even divine patience wears thin under the right conditions.
    Thankfully, the story doesn’t end here. God models His true character as a prototype for us. “He showed them loving-kindness and forgave their sins. He did not destroy them. He held back His anger many times. He did not let all of His anger loose. He remembered that they were only flesh, a wind that passes and does not return” (vs 38-39).
    Like God, we daily interact with fleshly beings who can infuriate us. Sadly, some have come to expect wrath from us, in exchange for their bad behavior. Let’s surprise them by holding back our anger, even if it’s justified. Let’s forgive them, even if they don’t deserve it. Perhaps that may not cause a permanent change in them—just like in Psalm 78, but let’s do it anyway!

 

—Steven L. Stone

 

Is your Forgiveness/Anger ratio greater than 1.0?
Would your friends, family and co-workers agree with your answer?
You might want to work on that.

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Hebrews 12
August 28

 

Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. Hebrews 12:28 (NKJV)

Wonder of Grace
    Let us have grace…by which we serve God acceptably! WOW. This seems like a very important principle. Grace is found throughout scripture, from Genesis through Revelation. But what does that look like? How do I treat my friend who hurt me? How do I treat my child who broke my treasured family heirloom? Do I let people walk all over me? Because I’m a Christian, do I have to absorb all the wrongs that people do and say and keep loving them? I believe that we are not to be doormats. God will give us the words to use so we can be firm and not let people walk over us. But, we can also be dispensers of God’s grace to a world that desperately needs grace.
    Philip Yancey has written an incredible book, What’s So Amazing About Grace? He quotes Simone Weil, who said, “All the natural movements of the soul are controlled by laws analogous to those of physical gravity. Grace is the only exception.”
    Jesus, help us all to be grace dispensers. Help us to leak grace when we are hurt and wounded, and forgive even when it is hard. You forgave us and died for us even before we knew we needed Your forgiveness and even before we asked You to forgive us. Help us to love those around us and spread grace to each one we meet.  

 

—Beezie Davis

 

“Man is born broken. He lives by mending. The grace of God is glue.” —Eugene O’Neill

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Hebrews 13
August 29

Now may the God of peace…that great Shepherd of the sheep…, strengthen (complete, perfect) and make you what you ought to be… Hebrews 13:20-21 (Amplified Bible)

 

Our Great Shepherd
    Say with me: “The Lord is MY Shepherd!” And yes, we are His sheep as well. There is an intense possessiveness in our relationship with the Great Shepherd. No question, He possesses us through the blood of Jesus, and we do rightfully belong to Him. We, in turn, possess Him by daily making the choice to hear His voice and follow Him. Will we follow Him to those green pastures beside still waters?
    There is a flock of sheep, I often observe, contentedly feeding in a verdant pasture, with the lambs frisking about in the safety of their enclosure. This flock is blessed to have an owner who abundantly provides for them!
    In contrast, I have also observed another pasture where the animals wallow in mud grasping for scarce clumps of grass, never truly being satisfied. On some days, I can almost hear them groaning for relief from their impoverished environment.
    In answer to His call, we should come to Him, the Great Shepherd of the sheep, who cares for us more than any other. In the fresh, green pastures of His presence, we will discover true life and be satisfied.

 

—Cheryl Parduhn

 

With JOY, O God, we answer Your call, for Your rod and staff do comfort us.
Keep us, we pray, as Your loving sheep, always and forever to glorify You.

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James 1
August 30

Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. James 1:2-3 (NASB)

What to Embrace—and What to Avoid
    Suffering: ah, that wonderful Christian concept which tickles the ear and delights the soul! It is much easier to write about than to experience.
    The human body is wired in a way to avoid pain or injury. Cause enough discomfort, and a reflex will jerk you away from the source of the harm. Endure an irritation long enough and that area of the body will toughen and form a callous.
    James, a slave of Christ, begins his letter to fellow believers with the challenge to endure trials joyfully, knowing that it will produce endurance (vs 2-3). Then he goes as far as admonishing the believer to allow the endurance to become longsuffering (vs 4).
    Endure...tolerate...undergo...stick it out...
    But James tells us there is one hurtful thing to avoid: our own lustful desires. They give birth to sin, stain the soul, callous the heart, and lead to death.
    Today, don’t be so quick to jump to the easy route or the one that avoids responsibility and duty. But do receive the Word with humility, be quick to hear and slow to anger, and make a choice to be charitable.

—Bob Mitchell

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James 2
August 31

So also faith, if it does not have works [deeds and actions of obedience to back it up], by itself is destitute of power [inoperative, dead]. You see that [his/Abraham’s] faith was cooperating with his works, and…was completed and reached its supreme expression [when he implemented it] by [good] works. James 2:17, 22 (Amplified Bible)

Faith Plus Works Equals Power and Life!
    This chapter is summed up by saying my works, or lifestyle, are a witness to those around me, indicating whether or not I have faith. If my words of faith are not backed up by how I live, especially in how I treat others, then I really don’t have any faith. Notice that it says I would be destitute of power—as one dead to God! I believe the opposite is also true, that if my actions co-operate with God I have power, the unseen power and life of God, in me. How awesome!!
    The  NIV says, “that his faith and his actions were working together (cooperating), and his faith was made complete (reached its supreme expression) by what he did.” Just imagine our Father’s face towards us when we allow His Word and Holy Spirit to guide us in everyday choices. Think on that. Am I going to take the time to encourage, help, or smile at someone this day, or will I focus on my to-dos (for me this means starting right at home!)? I find I need to stop and remind myself what’s most important, asking for my Daddy’s mind and heart for this day.

 

—Lucretia Carlson

 

O Father, help me remember to selah more often on just what my faith in You means,
especially to those around me. I do want my life pleasing to You; yet I know I can not
“be complete or reach my supreme expression” in my own strength—
how I desperately need Your power and life within me!