January 31st - Ex. 28-29; Acts 7

Scripture: Acts 7:57 At this they covered their ears and, yelling at the top of their voices, they all rushed at him, 58 dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. Meanwhile, the witnesses laid their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul.

AC 7:59 While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit." 60 Then he fell on his knees and cried out, "Lord, do not hold this sin against them." When he had said this, he fell asleep.


Observation: Stephen is the first recorded martyr from among the disciples of Jesus. I cannot help but think about the pain of being stoned to death. Literally having a group of people throwing rocks at you until you die. Bang - out goes some teeth. Whack - your shin bone is now cracked. Smash - you won't be needing that vertebrae any longer. Gruesome.

Many of those close to Jesus died a painful death as martyrs. They all had opportunities to recant their faith, to turn their backs upon Jesus. None of them did. They all stood fast. That is how strongly they believed.

Application: There are people still being persecuted for their faith. I will work to support them. I commit myself to bathing myself in God's Word so these sacrifices will not be forgotten. I will stand tall for Christ, I am not ashamed to be counted among the believers.

Prayer: Lord, bring comfort to those who are persecuted. Let them know they are loved and being prayed for. Give them wisdom and courage. I thank you for your Word, and those who have come before me. I praise you for the men and women who believed so deeply that no sacrifice was too great. I pray that I might also have that boldness, strength and courage. Amen.

January 28 - Ex. 21-22; Ps. 12; Acts 5

Scripture: Acts 4:12 Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.

Observation: There is nothing quite like an undiluted blast of truth from Peter. I relate to Peter, he tells it like it is. He doesn't hold back or water down the truth. He doesn't compromise. Peter, and all of the apostles for that matter, never water down the fact that apart from Jesus there is no salvation for anyone. That is a hard Truth. A Truth the world rejects - see Acts 2:11. Jesus made this same claim.

Application: I want to bring it like Peter. I want to bravely share the Truth to all who will hear. There will be times where I will need to say it just as Peter did. Other times I will need to be more relational like Paul at Mars Hill. I need to refine the discernment to know which way is most appropriate for my context.

Prayer: Jesus, thank you for these strong truths. I pray that I may never back down on them. I pray that I may share you with the world, a world that has rejected to you. Make hearts soft, give me the words to speak or the thing to do when the time comes to share you. Amen.

January 27th - Ex. 17-20; Acts 3

Scripture: Acts 3:13 The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified his servant Jesus. You handed him over to be killed, and you disowned him before Pilate, though he had decided to let him go. 14 You disowned the Holy and Righteous One and asked that a murderer be released to you. 15 You killed the author of life, but God raised him from the dead. We are witnesses of this. 16 By faith in the name of Jesus, this man whom you see and know was made strong. It is Jesus' name and the faith that comes through him that has given this complete healing to him, as you can all see.

Observation: Some of the most religious people of all time were the ones who killed Jesus. Being religious does not make you a follower of Christ. So often the two are confused and people get lost in legalism and works righteousness trying to earn their way to heaven. What it is really all about is having and living out a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

Application: I need to continue to grow in my relationship with Christ. I will do that by learning about him - through time in the Word - and by living like him - serving others. Sounds just like what Meal Groups are all about.

Prayer: Savior, thank you for taking down the system of works that the religious people tried to impose on you. Thank you for taking down systems that people would want to impose upon me as well. I pray that I would be healed from my sins as this man was from his ailment. Amen.

January 26th - Ex. 14-16; Acts 2

Scripture: Acts 2: 32 God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of the fact. 33 Exalted to the right hand of God, he has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear. 34 For David did not ascend to heaven, and yet he said,

" `The Lord said to my Lord:
"Sit at my right hand

AC 2:35 until I make your enemies
a footstool for your feet." '

AC 2:36 "Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ."

AC 2:37 When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, "Brothers, what shall we do?"

AC 2:38 Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off--for all whom the Lord our God will call."


Observation: Acts 2 is my favorite passage in scripture. It's not more important, but yet it is so very important. Weighty truths with huge implications. First the passage confirms the relationship between the Triune God. It then confirms our relationship with the Triune God. It closes with a reminder of the sovereignty of God.

Application: The application of this is as simple as it gets. Accept Christ as your Lord and Savior, then repent and be baptized! Once this has happened work with the gifting of the Holy Spirit to serve others and share the Word so that others who are far off will be transformed as well.

Prayer: My beautiful Savior, thank you for coming for me, for my sins, for my forgiveness. I praise you for your sacrifice, for you wisdom to save me because I cannot save myself. Thank you for your equipping Spirit that I may participate in your redemptive plan. Amen.

January 24th - Ex. 9-11, Luke 24

Scripture: Exodus 11:4 So Moses said, "This is what the LORD says: `About midnight I will go throughout Egypt. 5 Every firstborn son in Egypt will die, from the firstborn son of Pharaoh, who sits on the throne, to the firstborn son of the slave girl, who is at her hand mill, and all the firstborn of the cattle as well. 6 There will be loud wailing throughout Egypt--worse than there has ever been or ever will be again. 7 But among the Israelites not a dog will bark at any man or animal.' Then you will know that the LORD makes a distinction between Egypt and Israel. 8 All these officials of yours will come to me, bowing down before me and saying, `Go, you and all the people who follow you!' After that I will leave." Then Moses, hot with anger, left Pharaoh.

Observation: Sometimes God is subtle in getting people's attention. Other times he's not, like in this passage. God will get Pharaoh's attention!

It is also interesting to see that Moses leaves angry. It is proper to be angered by things that are evil. Moses understands the great waste that is about to happen.

Application: I need to be wary that my heart might become hardened against the will of God. I need to keep myself in His Word so that I may know his will. I also need to pay attention to that which is evil and treat it as evil.

Prayer: God I pray for discernment so that I may see what is evil and call it for what it is. May I be called among those who are faithful to you, not among those whose hearts are hardened against you. I praise you for being a powerful, awesome and loving God. Amen

January 23 - Ex. 6-8; Luke 23

Scripture: Exodus 6:1Then the LORD said to Moses, "Now you will see what I will do to Pharaoh: Because of my mighty hand he will let them go; because of my mighty hand he will drive them out of his country."

EX 6:2 God also said to Moses, "I am the LORD. 3 I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob as God Almighty, but by my name the LORD I did not make myself known to them. 4 I also established my covenant with them to give them the land of Canaan, where they lived as aliens. 5 Moreover, I have heard the groaning of the Israelites, whom the Egyptians are enslaving, and I have remembered my covenant.

EX 6:6 "Therefore, say to the Israelites: `I am the LORD, and I will bring you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians. I will free you from being slaves to them, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with mighty acts of judgment. 7 I will take you as my own people, and I will be your God. Then you will know that I am the LORD your God, who brought you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians. 8 And I will bring you to the land I swore with uplifted hand to give to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob. I will give it to you as a possession. I am the LORD.' "

Observation: In this passage of scripture it is CLEAR who is causing the action, who is in control. Yahweh is the God who was and is faithful and personally present to fulfill the covenant he had made. For years the people of God had lived with the covenants being promises for the future, this was the time they were to be fulfilled as promised.


Application: I love the strength of this passage of scripture. We worship a God who is worthy of our honor and praise. We worship a powerful God, a God deserving our fear. We worship a God who is trustworthy and cares for us. With all this in mind my key application is that I want to grow in my understanding of the character of God. As I know more about Him, I love Him more and want to know more about Him. It is a very positive cycle that I want to nourish.

Prayer: Creator God, I thank you for your wisdom and knowledge and all that you are. You are glorious beyond my ability to comprehend. I thank you for sharing glimpses of that with me. I pray that all that I do reflects your character. Amen.

January 22nd - Ex. 3-5, Luke 22

Scripture: Luke 22:1 Now the Feast of Unleavened Bread, called the Passover, was approaching, 2 and the chief priests and the teachers of the law were looking for some way to get rid of Jesus, for they were afraid of the people. 3 Then Satan entered Judas, called Iscariot, one of the Twelve. 4 And Judas went to the chief priests and the officers of the temple guard and discussed with them how he might betray Jesus. 5 They were delighted and agreed to give him money. 6 He consented, and watched for an opportunity to hand Jesus over to them when no crowd was present.

Observation: Thus begins what is the darkest chapters of Scripture. Luke is unique among the Synoptic Gospels (John isn't included in these) to mention Satan entering Judas. The guards here are likely those who later went and arrested Jesus. The fact that the leadership "delighted" is especially disconcerting, knowing they found happiness in the pending death of Jesus.

Application: I don't need Satan to enter me for my sinfulness to make me live in a way that bring pain to my Lord. I need to be on guard so as to not fall into sinful things. I need accountability relationships that can bring light into the dark corners of my life before they thrive and grow. I need to grow in my faith, becoming more passionate for the things that Christ was passionate about.

Prayer: Lord I praise you for your plan for our salvation. I pray that I have people in my life who can and will hold me accountable before my sin takes control of me. Give me the wisdom to listen to them and to be aware of my own sinfulness. I pray that I will find joy in what you find joy in. Amen.

January 21st - Ex. 1, 2; Ps. 88, Luke 21

Scripture: Exodus 2:1 Now a man of the house of Levi married a Levite woman, 2 and she became pregnant and gave birth to a son. When she saw that he was a fine child, she hid him for three months. 3 But when she could hide him no longer, she got a papyrus basket for him and coated it with tar and pitch. Then she placed the child in it and put it among the reeds along the bank of the Nile.

Observation: It seems clear that Moses' mother wasn't actually abandoning him. Each step in her process shows her love and care for him, and her desire for him to survive. Some have speculated that she knew the habits of Pharoh's daughter and was hoping to have her find him. I think that is a stretch from the given text, but she clearly places in where she thinks he might be found. Instead of going out passively and just letting things happen, she takes positive steps and relies upon God to do the rest.

Application: I think a lot of our Christian experience is doing our part and letting God take care of the rest. Be that through service and diligent efforts, or prayer and supplication to God. I need to be reminded from time to time that I just have to do my part, that I'm not responsible, nor capable of saving the world. But I can make a difference one day at a time, one decision at a time. I will work to be more intentional about this.

Prayer: God I pray for the wisdom to know what I can do, the courage to do it, and the skill to do it well. I pray that beyond that you would do your part, and together we will build your Kingdom. I thank you that I get to participate in building your kingdom. I praise you that you don't need me, but yet choose to use me. I praise you for your wisdom and sovereignty. Amen.

January 19th - Gen 47, 48; Ps. 10; Luke 19

Scripture: Psalm 10 Why, O LORD, do you stand far off?
Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?

PS 10:2 In his arrogance the wicked man hunts down the weak,
who are caught in the schemes he devises.

PS 10:3 He boasts of the cravings of his heart;
he blesses the greedy and reviles the LORD.

PS 10:4 In his pride the wicked does not seek him;
in all his thoughts there is no room for God.

PS 10:5 His ways are always prosperous;
he is haughty and your laws are far from him;
he sneers at all his enemies.

PS 10:6 He says to himself, "Nothing will shake me;
I'll always be happy and never have trouble."


Observation: The focus of Psalm 10 is on the problem of theodicy - how the Israelites were prospering in spite of their wickedness. This psalm paints a great word picture of the development and depths of evil going on within this community. First they abandon God, then they test him, and through the process they become increasingly brazen in their rejections of God.

Application: The first application that comes to my mind is that we need to be reminded that those who test God will get their due. We may not understand why God chooses to be patient with these people, but that is not for us to know. Who are we that we might know God's mind? He works in his time, not ours.

Prayer: Father, may I have a spirit of obedience. May I not come to a place where I must challenge your authority upon my life. I praise you for being our Creator God, for being in control of all things, for working all things for your good. Abba grant me the wisdom and patience to endure those who press against you. Amen.

January 19th - Gen 47, 48; Ps. 10; Luke 19

Scripture: Psalm 10 Why, O LORD, do you stand far off?
Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?

PS 10:2 In his arrogance the wicked man hunts down the weak,
who are caught in the schemes he devises.

PS 10:3 He boasts of the cravings of his heart;
he blesses the greedy and reviles the LORD.

PS 10:4 In his pride the wicked does not seek him;
in all his thoughts there is no room for God.

PS 10:5 His ways are always prosperous;
he is haughty and your laws are far from him;
he sneers at all his enemies.

PS 10:6 He says to himself, "Nothing will shake me;
I'll always be happy and never have trouble."


Observation: The focus of Psalm 10 is on the problem of theodicy - how the Israelites were prospering in spite of their wickedness. This psalm paints a great word picture of the development and depths of evil going on within this community. First they abandon God, then they test him, and through the process they become increasingly brazen in their rejections of God.

Application: The first application that comes to my mind is that we need to be reminded that those who test God will get their due. We may not understand why God chooses to be patient with these people, but that is not for us to know. Who are we that we might know God's mind? He works in his time, not ours.

Prayer: Father, may I have a spirit of obedience. May I not come to a place where I must challenge your authority upon my life. I praise you for being our Creator God, for being in control of all things, for working all things for your good. Abba grant me the wisdom and patience to endure those who press against you. Amen.

January 18th - Gen 44-46; Luke 18

Scripture: Luke 18:9 To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everybody else, Jesus told this parable: 10 "Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The 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. 12 I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.'

18:13 "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.'

18:14 "I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."

Observations: In this story, and those immediately following it we see a pattern of conditions for entering into heaven. Each stresses human inability. What I believe to be the biggest difference between Christianity and other religions is that we do not have a works righteousness system - we cannot work our way into heaven. This sets us apart from Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, Mormonism and many other false religions. We simply do not have what it takes to get into heaven. We fall short, we have all sinned and earned God's wrath. Thankfully we have a loving God who sent his Son Jesus Christ to die as a substitute to atone for our sinfulness.

Application: I need continual reminders that God uses me in spite of me, not because of me. I need to learn to be more gracious to others who fall short as well. I am not their judge, but I can help them (and myself) to take steps in the right direction. In Christ we are new creations (2 Cor 5:17) but we are not perfect creations. I will be more gracious today, and I will try to reserve judgment to avoid going down the path of pride like the Pharisee.

Prayer: God it is my prayer that my humility grows. I lift up to you my desire to be more gracious and less judging. I thank you for your sacrifice on my behalf. I acknowledge that through no effort of my own that I am destined for heaven. I thank you and praise you for knowing I cannot do this on my own, and I pray this conviction never leaves me. You are God, you are glorious, and I love you. Amen.

January 17th - Gen. 42, 43; Ps. 5; Luke 17

Scripture: Luke 17:15 One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. 16 He threw himself at Jesus' feet and thanked him--and he was a Samaritan.

LK 17:17 Jesus asked, "Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? 18 Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?" 19 Then he said to him, "Rise and go; your faith has made you well."

Observation: This is one of those places where understanding Greek gives extra insight into the text (or having good Greek tools). When the men get up and go to the priests, the word for the healing is "cleansed" (ekatharisthesan). Jesus, however, uses the more comprehensive word "made well" (sesoken, v. 19) on speaking to the Samaritan who returned to give thanks

Application: Far too frequently I overlook God's blessing upon my life and am like the 9 who never came back. I need to learn and become better at giving God praise for his blessing. It is far to easy to attribute it to my hard work, my efforts, my intelligence and my guile. I need to learn to be more thankful. Which makes me think of Caedmon's Call who have a song called "Thankful" that I have posted the lyrics to below.

Prayer: Father, I pray that I am constantly reminded that you are the source of all that is good. I pray I may never loose sight of all that you do for me. I pray that I might bring you glory through my praises for your blessings. Thank you for my abundant life I so regularly take for granted. Amen


Caedmon's Call - Thankful

You know I ran across an old box of letters
While I was bagging up some clothes for Goodwill
But you Know I had to laugh at the same old struggles
That plagued me then are plaguing me still
I know the road is long from the ground to glory
But a boy can hope he's getting some place
But you see, I'm running from the very clothes I'm wearing
And dressed like this I'm fit for the chase

'Cause no, there is none righteous
Not one who understands
There is none who seek God
No not one, I said no not one

So I am thankful that I'm incapable
Of doing any good on my own

'Cause we're all stillborn and dead in our transgressions
We're shackled up to the sin we hold so dear
So what part can I play in the work of redemption
I can't refuse, I cannot add a thing

'Cause I am just like Lazarus and I can hear your voice
I stand and rub my eyes and walk to You
Because I have no choice

I am thankful that I'm incapable
Of doing any good on my own
I'm so thankful that I'm incapable
Of doing any good on my own

'Cause by grace I have been saved
Through faith that's not my own
It is a gift of God and not by works
Lest anyone should boast

January 16th - Gen. 39-41, Luke 16

Scripture: Luke 16:9-13
9 I tell you, use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings.

10 "Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much. 11 So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches? 12 And if you have not been trustworthy with someone else's property, who will give you property of your own?

13 "No servant can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money."

Observations:
Jesus spoke frequently about money and hell. He points to both in this passage. These truths stated by Jesus (9-13)are bookended by the stories he told to get his point across. This section is packed with meaning, covering stewardship, grace, trustworthiness, idolatry, and eternity. I love the clarity Jesus gives when he explains that the money is simply a tool, not the focus or the end game. We must choose how we will use this tool. Will we be kingdom builders with our tools?

Application:
We as Christians need to take care of what God has given to us. Some will be given more, and they must shepherd that wisely and they must also guard their hearts against making their success and wealth an idol. This is a strong reminder to me to continually pursue Christ and not money (or things). We are at a place in life where we must maintain a very tight budget to make ends meet. It would be easy to loose focus for a period and create problems for ourselves financially. It would also be easy to become focused on the pursuit of money and allow that to replace our passion for Christ. Sure we would love to have more money, to not have to watch every dollar we spend, but not at the expense of our relationship with Jesus. Our culture constantly bombards us with a message contrary to this, so we need to be especially diligent, and we need to keep each other (my wife and I) accountable in this area. The thing I have discovered is that after a few years of practice, this is becoming easier. Not easy, but easier.

This also means that someday when student loans are behind us and we have the freedom to give generously, that we will. We have talked about this, and we look forward to the day where we can be a blessing to other people financially.


Prayer: Christ, it is my prayer that our focus remains on you. May you give us the strength to endure the thin times, and the wisdom to flourish in times of prosperity. May we bring honor and glory to you in how we handle our finances. I pray that we will reach that point where we can be graciously generous with our finances, and that we have the discernment needed to bless others with our wealth. I pray also that I may be a good steward with any church finances I am trusted with. Thank you for being our Lord and Savior. Amen.

January 15th - Gen. 37, 38 and Ps. 7; Luke 12

Scripture: Genesis 37:3 - Now Israel loved Joseph more than any of his other sons, because he had been born to him in his old age; and he made a richly ornamented robe for him.

Observation: This richly ornamented robe is a focus point through this passage of Scripture. It illustrates Jacobs preferential treatment of Joseph over his brothers. It is this preferential treatment that leads to the action in the rest of this narrative. As you read this narrative, the author continually brings you back to this robe as a central theme to illustrate the mounting distaste the brothers have for Joseph.

Application: There are many applications that run through my mind from this passage. I am challenged to think about how I treat other people, because I really do not know when something I say or do could come back to help or hurt me. I am also challenged by this story through how God uses something intended for bad for His good. God has been challenging me to be patient and faithful, leading me blindly down a path for some time. It is reassuring to see that in spite of what is going on, God is in control.

Prayer: God I praise you for being in control of my life. I trust you, my hope is in you. I pray that you will give me the strength and courage to follow you in both good times and bad.


If I have time later tonight I will add on thoughts about the other verses. My mind has wandered to how leaders often have to deal with division and how that ties into these three readings for today.

Crossroads Church - Divine Mentor by Wayne Cordeiro

Crossroads Church of Cottage Grove, MN is using Pastor Wayne Cordeiro's book "Divine Mentor" as the basis for our Meal Group studies. This blog will be my thoughts from the daily devotionals that come from Pastor Wayne that go along with this book. I can't promise I'll post daily, but I try to post frequently.

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