Monthly Archives: March 2015

Know God’s voice (Joshua 9/3-25), Mar 21, 2015

Today’s Podcast

Today’s Scriptures

Today’s Bible reading plans include:
Ready – Joshua 9:3-25
Set – Joshua 9; 1 Corinthians 6
Go! – Joshua 9-11; 1 Corinthians 6

Joshua 9:3-25
³ But the people of Gibeon, who were Hivites, had a different idea when they heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and to Ai. ⁴ Knowing that Joshua might turn his attention to them next, they decided to use their wits, not their military might. They formed a delegation to serve as envoys and gathered the most worn-out sacks for their donkeys and worn-out, patched-up wineskins they could find. ⁵ They took some ragged sandals and patched them. They dressed in thread-bare clothes—all so it would look as though they had come from far away. Even the food they carried was dry and moldy, as though it had been carried a long distance.

⁶ These envoys went to Gilgal to meet with Joshua and the men of Israel.

Gibeonite Envoys (to Joshua and the men of Israel): We have traveled from a far country and beg you to make a treaty of peace with us.

Israelites: ⁷ How can we make a treaty with you? How do we know you aren’t from around here?

Gibeonite Envoys (to Joshua): ⁸ We are your servants.

Joshua: Who are you? Where do you come from?

Gibeonite Envoys: ⁹ Your servants have made the journey from a distant country because even there the name of the Eternal One your God is in the air. We have heard of what He did for you in Egypt ¹⁰ and what He did to the two kings of the Amorites east of the Jordan (King Sihon of Heshbon and King Og of Bashan who lived in Ashtaroth). ¹¹ So our elders gathered us together and directed us to take provisions for a long journey so we could tell you we are your servants. Please, we beg you, make a treaty with us.

¹² Look. Here is all that remains of our bread. It was fresh, warm from the oven, when we set out, but now it is nothing but mold and crumbs. ¹³ And these patched-up wineskins were new and full when we left home. And our clothes, our sandals are worn—you can see that we have traveled a very long way.

¹⁴ The leaders did not consult the Eternal. They broke bread with the messengers, ¹⁵ and Joshua offered them a treaty of peace, with the leaders of Israel swearing an oath to bind it.

¹⁶ Three days after they had sworn peace with these deceptive messengers, they discovered the visitors were Gibeonites from the land of Canaan, their neighbors, who, in fact, were living in part of the land God had promised the Israelites. ¹⁷ So the Israelites went to their cities: Gibeon, Chephirah, Beeroth, and Kiriath-jearim on the third day, ¹⁸ but they did not attack them. Even though they had been tricked into making a treaty, an oath made in the name of the Eternal was sacred. The people of Israel grumbled and complained against their leaders, ¹⁹ but they replied to the entire congregation.

Leaders: Look, we have sworn an oath in the name of the Eternal God of Israel, and we must not touch them. ²⁰ If we attack them now and break our word, God’s anger will fall on us. Let them live and serve us.

²¹ So the leaders kept their promise to the Gibeonites who became servants of the entire congregation, cutting their wood and drawing their water.

²² Joshua summoned the Gibeonite leaders.

Joshua (to the Gibeonite leaders): Why did you lie to us? Why did you claim to be from far away when really you lived right here among us? ²³ Your lie comes with a curse. You will live, but you will always be our slaves, carrying our water and chopping wood for the sanctuary of my True God from now on.

Gibeonite Leaders (to Joshua): ²⁴ We knew for a fact that the Eternal One, your True God, had told His servant Moses that He would give you all of this land and that you would destroy all of the people in it. We were so afraid of you that this seemed the best thing to do. ²⁵ But now we are in your hands. Do to us what seems fair and just to you, and we will accept it.

Today’s Devotional

From today’s background scripture God might say:

You see what can happen when you don’t include Me in your decisions? Joshua and the rest of the Israelite elders didn’t ask Me about the Gibeonites when they came into the camp. They didn’t inquire about the treaty this “far-away” people wanted to make with them. They just looked at the outward appearance of the entourage, believed what they saw, and made a foolish judgment. But that’s the way with humankind.

Men and women can only see what’s on the outside. You can only judge what you can see. You can’t look inside the hearts and minds of the people you see and talk to every day. Consequently, unless you ask Me, your judgments can and often will be flawed. Until you learn to lean on Me for your decisions you’ll continue to find yourself in the same situation Joshua and the Israelites were, making bad choices and consequently suffering for them.

I can help you with that discernment. I can help you with your choices. I can help you understand the right paths to take and when you steer down the wrong one. I can help you stay clear of the dangerous connections. But you have to listen to Me. You have to begin to incorporate Me into your thought process for all those decisions. You have to recognize your inability to look into the hearts of men.

It’s not always easy to make the transition I’m asking you to make. It’s simple to say, but not always easy to execute. I’m asking you to give up ownership of you. Let Me take charge of your life…every part of it. From the most complex to the simplest decisions, include Me in the process. That’s the only way to know you’re on solid ground. But that’s okay. I want to become that involved in your life. I want to be there as your advisor. I want to so permeate your life that turning to Me for those decisions becomes a common, ordinary act for you.

How does it start? Get to know Me. Spend time with Me. I know all about you, but you need to know Me. You need to know My voice. Be able to recognize Me in the chatter of voices the world throws at you to pull you away from Me.

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.

Taking My Name in vain is more than just using bad words (1 Corintians 5), Mar 20, 2015

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Today’s Podcast

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Today’s Scriptures

Today’s Bible reading plans include:

Ready – 1 Corinthians 5
Set – Psalms 69; 1 Corinthians 5
Go! – Joshua 7-8; Psalms 69; 1 Corinthians 5

1 Corinthians 5
¹Because of my deep love for you, I must express my concern about the report brought to me regarding the lewd and immoral behavior exhibited in your community. This scandal has come to my attention because this kind of thing is unheard of even among the outsiders around us: I understand a man is having sexual relations with his father’s wife. ² You have turned into an arrogant lot who refuse to see the tragedy right in front of your eyes and mourn for it. If you would face these hard realities, the one living in this sin would be removed from the community.

³ Despite the fact that I am not physically present with you, I am there in spirit and already have spoken judgment against the man who has engaged in this conduct. ⁴ When you gather in the name of the Lord Jesus and I am present with you in spirit, and the infinite power of our Lord Jesus is present also, ⁵ I direct you to release this man over to Satan so his rebellious nature will be destroyed and his spirit might be rescued in the day the Lord Jesus returns.

⁶ Your proud boasting in this matter is terrible. Don’t you understand that the tiniest infraction can bring about an unwelcome chain of events? That just a little yeast causes all the dough to rise? ⁷ Get rid of all the old yeast; then you’ll become new dough, just as you are already a people without sin’s leavening influence. You see, the Anointed One is our Passover lamb; He has been sacrificed for us. ⁸ So let the real feast begin. Get rid of all the old yeast, the yeast of hatred and evil. Throw it out so we can feast on the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

⁹ In the letter I wrote to you previously, I made it clear that you are not to band together with those who have embraced immoral lives. ¹⁰ Don’t misunderstand; I’m not telling you to hole up and hunker down from the rest of the world. That’s impossible. The world is filled with immoral people consumed by their desire for more; they steal from one another without hesitation and will worship man-made idols with no shame at all. If you attempted to avoid these people, you would have to leave the world itself. ¹¹ What I was saying is that you should not associate with someone who calls himself a brother or sister but lives contrary to all we stand for: committing immoral sexual acts, consumed with desire for more, worshiping tangible lifeless things, using profanity, drinking into oblivion, swindling and cheating others. Do not even sit at the table with a person like this. ¹² Why would I ever attempt to judge those outside the church? Aren’t we called to judge those within the church? ¹³ God judges the outsiders. Your job is this: “Expel the wicked from your own community.”

Today’s Devotional

From today’s background scripture God might say:

In the early days of the church, it wasn’t popular to become a member. You literally put your life on the line to join. As the church grew, though, Satan did what he does best an began to use his lies to infiltrate even the sacred halls of the church. Some leaders began to want the wealth of some of their members more than they wanted the pure character of Christlike behavior.

Consequently, some, the wealthy or friends of the wealthy, were given…allowances…in following what My new covenant required of them. Paul recognized the problem and met it head on. The church is My church, not the pastor’s, not the board’s or council’s, not man’s. It is Mine. I expect the church to live as I want it to live. I want it to be an example to the world around it. His letter condemned the members at Corinth for putting up with the apostasy in their congregation.

The same apostasy happens in many of the churches around the world today. The church has become big business instead of the place of redeeming grace I want it to be. James talks about how the rich are given comfortable seats while the poor are dismissed or moved to the back of the room. Members allow inequities and injustices because they fail to recognize the importance of living for Me instead of for themselves. Selfishness creeps into the body and the lies of Satan make them think the money or skills of some are so important allowances must be made for their behavior.

The truth is My church doesn’t need the money of the apostate. I need the repentance of those living in hypocrisy. I need their attention and their understanding they are far from the kingdom. Their sin keeps them separated from Me and unless forgiven, they will never see My face.

It’s time to clean up My church. Does that mean I don’t want you to reach out to the lost and bring them in? No, I want you witness to them. I want you to share my message with them. I want you to introduce them to Me. I don’t want them to parade around as My followers until they have given themselves to Me, though. It soils My Name and My Name means something to Me. In fact, calling yourself by My Name and behaving in a way contrary to My decrees violates the Third Commandment. It uses My Name in vain! It tarnishes My reputation to a lost world. There are severe consequences for those actions. Don’t be a part of it.

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.

The other cheek lifestyle (1 Corinthians 4:1-13), Mar 19, 2015

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Today’s Podcast

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Today’s Scriptures

Today’s Bible reading plans include:

Ready – 1 Corinthians 4:1-13
Set – Joshua 6; 1 Corinthians 4
Go! – Joshua 3-6; 1 Corinthians 4

1 Corinthians 4:1-13
¹Rather than power brokers, think of us as servants of the Anointed One, the Liberating King, caretakers of the mysteries of God. ² Because we are in this particular role, it is especially important that we are people of fidelity and integrity. ³ It makes little difference to me how you or any human court passes judgment on me. I even resist the temptation to compare myself to the ever-changing human standard. ⁴ Although I am not aware of any flaw that might exclude me from this divine service, that’s not the reason I stand acquitted—the only supreme judge, our Lord, will examine me in the proper time. ⁵ So resist the temptation to act as judges before all the evidence is in. When the Lord comes, He will draw our buried motives, thoughts, and deeds (even things we don’t know or admit to ourselves) out of the dark shadows of our hearts into His light. When this happens, the voice of God will speak to each of us the only praise that will ever matter.

⁶ Right now, brothers and sisters, the best thing I can do for you is to apply these principles to the situation with Apollos and me. Maybe we can show you the meaning of the saying, “not beyond the things written.” If you learn that, perhaps none of you will swell with pride because you fall into the seductive trap of pitting one against the other. ⁷ Is there any reason to consider yourselves better than others? What do you have that you didn’t receive? If you received it as a gift, why do you boast like it is something you achieved on your own?

⁸ Now let’s see if I have it straight. You suppose that you already have all you need. You already are rich and prosperous. And without us you’ve already begun to reign like kings. To be honest, I wish you did reign so that we could reign with you ⁹ because it seems to me that God has put His emissaries at the end of the line, like convicts in their final walk to certain death. We have become a spectacle to the rest of the world—to all people and heaven’s messengers. ¹⁰ We are nothing but fools for the cause of the Anointed One while you are wise in Him. Am I right? We are feeble and tired while you are mighty and full of life. You are well respected by others while we’re treated as contemptuous creatures by pretty much everyone everywhere. ¹¹ Up to this very minute, we are famished, we are thirsty, and our clothes are shabby, practically rotted to pieces. We are homeless, hapless wanderers. ¹² But still we labor, working with our hands to meet our needs because, despite all of this, when a fist is raised against us, we respond with a blessing; when we face violence and persecution, we stay on mission; and ¹³ when others choose taunts and slander against us, we speak words of encouragement and reconciliation. We’re treated as the scum of the earth—and I am not talking in the past tense; I mean today! We’re the scraps of society, nothing more than the foulest human rubbish.

Today’s Devotional

From today’s background scripture God might say:

How do you get to the place Paul found himself as he wrote these words? “…when a fist is raised against us, we respond with a blessing; when we face violence and persecution, we stay on mission; and when other choose taunts and slander against us, we speak words of encouragement and reconciliation.”

I talked about turning the other cheek when someone strikes you, but is it possible to do so? Shouldn’t revenge come in there somewhere? Doesn’t vengeance play any part in the life of a follower? Look at what is happening to Christians around the world, can’t we defend ourselves?

Paul learned that he doesn’t have the power it takes to overcome the evil of the world. Were he to try to stop the violence, persecution, and slander aimed at him, it would only multiply. Paul never had the strength to stand against his enemies. He didn’t stand a chance against them. But I did. And I still do. When Paul was left for dead, I revived him. When Paul faced the critics in the arena, I gave him the words to say to counter their arguments. When Paul stood before kings, I spoke through him with just the right information so they were astounded with his knowledge.

Paul leaned on Me for his strength, wisdom, words, protection. He knew I would sty with him in whatever predicament he found himself. I promised never to leave him or forsake him. I’ll do the same for you. The promises I make to My children don’t differ much. I’m just and fair. Though life might not be fair, I am. So you can rest assured that I will stay with you whatever happens to you. I will remain with you in the happiest and the darkest of days. I will let you tap into the greatest power source available to get you through your troubles. Me.

You will astound your enemies because of Me. You will paralyze the greatest armies because of Me. Others will think you have some secret weapon. Me. Miracles will happen around you. You will be deemed different, odd, peculiar, strange, weird. You’ll be unlike the average person. You should, you’ll have God inside you directing you’re life. Just give Me all of you and you can experience what Paul experienced. Confident calm in the midst of the fiercest storms. Because I am in control of it all.

Learn of Me. Know Me. Invite Me into your life. You’ll never need to fear again.

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.

Meditate on God’s word (Joshua 1), Mar 18, 2015

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Today’s Podcast

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Today’s Scriptures

Today’s Bible reading plans include:

Ready – Joshua 1
Set – Joshua 1; 1 Corinthians 3
Go! – Joshua 1-2; Psalms 37; 1 Corinthians 3

Joshua 1
¹Moses served the Eternal One faithfully until the end of his days. After his death, the Eternal singled out Joshua, the son of Nun, who had walked at the right hand of Moses during the wilderness wanderings.

Eternal One (to Joshua): ² Since My servant Moses is now dead, you and the Israelites must prepare to cross over the Jordan River to enter the land I have given you. ³ I will give you every place you walk, wherever your feet touch, just as I promised Moses. ⁴ From the southern deserts to the northern mountains in Lebanon, from the great Euphrates River in the east—including all the land of the Hittites—to the great Mediterranean Sea in the west, all of it is yours. ⁵ No one will be able to oppose you for as long as you live. I will be with you just as I was with Moses, and I will never fail or abandon you.

⁶ So be strong and courageous, for you will lead this people as they acquire and then divide the land I promised to their ancestors. ⁷ Always be strong and courageous, and always live by all of the law I gave to my servant Moses, never turning from it—even ever so slightly—so that you may succeed wherever you go. ⁸ Let the words from the book of the law be always on your lips. Meditate on them day and night so that you may be careful to live by all that is written in it. If you do, as you make your way through this world, you will prosper and always find success.

⁹ This is My command: be strong and courageous. Never be afraid or discouraged because I am your God, the Eternal One, and I will remain with you wherever you go.

¹⁰ When Joshua had heard God’s commands, he gathered the leaders of the people of Israel and gave them their instructions.

Joshua (to all the leaders): ¹¹ Go through the camp and tell your people, “Gather whatever you need because in three days you will pass over the Jordan into the land the Eternal One, your God, has given you to possess. Soon it will be ours.”

¹² Then Joshua spoke to the leaders of Reuben and Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh.

Joshua: ¹³ Remember what Moses, the servant of the Eternal, told you: “The Eternal One, your God, is making a place for you to settle and will give you this land as your own.”

¹⁴ Your wives, your children, and your livestock will stay on this side of the Jordan in this land that Moses awarded you. But all of you who can fight must lead your brothers in battle formation over the Jordan and help them ¹⁵ until the Eternal gives them rest from their enemies, as He has given rest to you. Fight with them until they, too, occupy the land your God, the Eternal One, is setting aside for them. Then you may cross the Jordan again and return to this land that Moses, His servant, has given you east of the Jordan and live here.

Leaders (agreeing): ¹⁶ We will do all you have commanded, and we will go wherever you send us. ¹⁷ We will follow your orders just as we obeyed Moses in all he told us. May the Eternal One, your God, be with you as He was with Moses. ¹⁸ Anybody who rebels against or disobeys your words—all you command—will be put to death. Always be strong and courageous!

Today’s Devotional

From today’s background scripture God might say:

After Moses died, I put Joshua in charge of leading the Israelites into the promised land. One of the most important things I told him was recorded in this first chapter of the book that bears his name. “Always be strong and courageous, and always live by all of the law I gave to my servant Moses, never turning from it—even ever so slightly—so that you may succeed wherever you go. Let the words from the book of the law be always on your lips. Meditate on them day and night so that you may be careful to live by all that is written in it. If you do, as you make your way through this world, you will prosper and always find success.”

Those are the words Moses gave the Israelites about any king they chose. Never be afraid, but meditate on My word to make them a part of you. When you consume My word until it consumes you, you will prosper and always find success. But you’ll also find that your prosperity will happen for Me, not for you. You’ll become generous in your care of the less fortunate. You’ll learn success isn’t measured in dollars and cents, but peace, comfort, souls you introduce to Me.

David talked about meditating on My word in his songs. Moses encouraged the Israelites to do so. Jesus resisted temptation in the wilderness by the use of scripture. Paul complimented the Berean’s for their searching the scriptures. He reminded Timothy to preach the word. My word must become a constant source of information for you. It is My guidebook for your life. I want you to read it and know it. The more you engage in My word, the more you will learn of Me and My plan for you.

I’m always surprised people think they can follow Me without reading My word. How do they know what I want if they don’t read about Me or what I’ve said to them? How can they know My commands if they’ve never read them? People will read the instructions to their TV but not the instructions for their life. It’s really amazing the priority people put on things. Don’t you think My word should become one of those top priorities? After all, it tells you how to live. How to be successful and proper. How to find eternal life. I’d think that rates better than a sitting on a shelf and only opened on Sunday. Don’t you?

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.

I have a plan for you (Deuteronomy 34), Mar 17, 2015

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Today’s Podcast

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Today’s Scriptures

Today’s Bible reading plans include:

Ready – Deuteronomy 34
Set – Deuteronomy 34; 1 Corinthians 2
Go! – Deuteronomy 32-34; 1 Corinthians 2

Deuteronomy 34
¹Moses climbed up from the plains of Moab to the top of Mount Nebo, to the peak at Mount Pisgah on the east side of the Jordan River across from Jericho. The Eternal showed him the whole land that would be Israel’s territory: Gilead as far as Dan, ² all of Naphtali, the territory of Ephraim and Manasseh, all of Judah’s territory to the Mediterranean Sea in the west, ³ the southern desert, and the basin in the valley of Jericho, the “city of palms,” as far as Zoar.

Eternal One (to Moses): ⁴ This is the land I promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob when I told them, “I’ll give it to your descendants.” I’ve let you see it, even though you won’t be going into it.

⁵ So Moses, the Eternal’s servant, died there in the land of Moab, just as the Eternal had said. ⁶ He buried him in a valley in the land of Moab, opposite Beth-peor, but to this day no one knows where his grave is. ⁷ Moses was 120 years old when he died, but his eyesight hadn’t failed and his strength hadn’t diminished. ⁸ The children of Israel stayed in the plains of Moab and mourned for Moses for 30 days, until the grieving period was over.

⁹ Now Joshua (Nun’s son) was filled with a spirit of wisdom because Moses had laid his hands on this successor. The children of Israel obeyed Joshua, and they did what the Eternal had commanded Moses. ¹⁰ Since then there’s never been another prophet in Israel like Moses. The Eternal knew him face-to-face! ¹¹ No one has ever done anything like the amazing things the Eternal sent Moses to do in the land of Egypt to demonstrate His reality and power to Pharaoh and his servants and his whole country. ¹² And no one has shown such great power or done such terrifying things as everyone in Israel saw Moses do.

Today’s Devotional

From today’s background scripture God might say:

I had a special plan for Moses from the beginning. I put events in his path to help him understand the plan I had for him. At some points Moses showed some reluctance to carry out My plan and I had to convince him he was the man for the job. I also had to give him assistance all along the way because he knew the job was too difficult for him to carry it out alone.

Moses learned a lot during his 40 years in the desert before he accepted the task I had for him. He learned about reliance on Me. He learned about the covenant I had with his nation and My intervention in the lives of the Hebrews. He understood My place in nature and the part I would play as God in the deliverance of his people. He didn’t know how, but he knew I was able, because I am God.

Moses isn’t the only person for whom I have a special plan in mind, though. I have a special plan for everyone who will listen and obey Me. I may not ask you to lead My children out of bondage, but I will ask you to do things very far outside your comfort zone. Don’t worry about it, though. I will always be with you to work through you and accomplish My plan. I’ve given you just the right gifts – talents, skills, and experiences – to accomplish what I have planned for you. No one else has the same combination of gifts you have, so no one can do what I have planned for you like you can. Trust Me to help you.

You might ask, “What is it? What’s the task?” I will let you know at the right time as you seek My will for your life. I don’t want you to move too fast or too slow. If you move too slow, you’ll miss opportunities. If you move too fast, you won’t be prepared yet. So look for the next step to take. I will make sure you have the information you need to take the next step. I may not give you much more information than that, but that is enough. Trust Me with today’s needs, today’s guidance. That’s all you need for today.

So search My word. Listen to the counsel of wise Christians. Pray diligently. Seek My will. You will know what I have in store for you. You will understand the steps I want you to take. I will not hide from you. I’ve told you to seek Me and you will find Me. It’s the same with My plan for your life. I want you to have a successful, fulfilling life. When you let Me direct you, you’ll have it.

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.

I always answer, just not right now. (Psalm 40), Mar 16, 2015

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Today’s Podcast

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Today’s Scriptures

Today’s Bible reading plans include:

Ready – Psalms 40
Set – Deuteronomy 30; Psalms 40; 1 Corinthians 1
Go! – Deuteronomy 30-31; Psalms 40; 1 Corinthians 1

Psalms 40
¹ I waited a long time for the Eternal;
He finally knelt down to hear me.
He listened to my weak and whispered cry.
² He reached down and drew me
from the deep, dark hole where I was stranded, mired in the muck and clay.
With a gentle hand, He pulled me out
To set me down safely on a warm rock;
He held me until I was steady enough to continue the journey again.
³ As if that were not enough,
because of Him my mind is clearing up.
Now I have a new song to sing—
a song of praise to the One who saved me.
Because of what He’s done, many people will see
and come to trust in the Eternal.
⁴ Surely those who trust the Eternal—
who don’t trust in proud, powerful people
Or in people who care little for reality, chasing false gods—
surely they are happy, as I have become.
⁵ You have done so many wonderful things,
had so many tender thoughts toward us, Eternal my God,
that go on and on, ever increasing.
Who can compare with You?
⁶ Sacrifices and offerings are not what You want,
but You’ve opened my ears, and now I understand.
Burnt offerings and sin offerings
are not what please You.
⁷ So I said, “See, I have come to do Your will,
as it is inscribed of me in the scroll.
⁸ I am pleased to live how You want, my God.
Your law is etched into my heart and my soul.”
⁹ I have encouraged Your people with the message of righteousness,
in Your great assembly (look and see),
I haven’t kept quiet about these things;
You know this, Eternal One.
¹⁰ I have not kept Your righteousness to myself, sealed up in the secret places of my heart;
instead, I boldly tell others how You save and how loyal You are.
I haven’t been shy to talk about Your love, nor have I been afraid to tell Your truth
before the great assembly of Your people.
¹¹ Please, Eternal One, don’t hold back
Your kind ways from me.
I need Your strong love and truth
to stand watch over me and keep me from harm.
¹² Right now I can’t see because I am surrounded by troubles;
my sins and shortcomings have caught up to me,
so I am swimming in darkness.
Like the hairs on my head, there are too many to count,
so my heart deserts me.
¹³ O Eternal One, please rescue me.
O Eternal One, hurry; I need Your help.
¹⁴ May those who are trying to destroy me
be humiliated and ashamed instead;
May those who want to ruin my reputation
be cut off and embarrassed.
¹⁵ May those who try to catch me off guard,
those who look at me and say, “Aha, we’ve trapped you,”
be caught in their own shame instead.
¹⁶ But may all who look for You
discover true joy and happiness in You;
May those who cherish how You save them
always say, “O Eternal One, You are great and are first in our hearts.”
¹⁷ Meanwhile, I am empty and need so much,
but I know the Lord is thinking of me.
You are my help; only You can save me, my True God.
Please hurry.

Today’s Devotional

From today’s background scripture God might say:

David prayed and I rescued him. But he also shared an important principle that I sometimes use in preparing you for your earthly journey. In the very first of David’s song, he thought I didn’t hear him for a long time. It’s not true. I heard him, I just delayed answering him. I needed him to realize he could do absolutely nothing to get himself out of the desperate position he was in before I came to his rescue.

He had faith that I would rescue him. I had before and he prayed and asked for My help. I delayed My coming for a couple of reasons, though. First, I wanted to make sure David knew I was the one providing his rescue. I didn’t want him to think he was getting out of his troubles by means of his own strength and wisdom. I wanted him to understand clearly I provided his need and answered his prayer. Sometimes I have to let you get to the end of your strength before you realize it’s Me that gives you the answer.

I don’t enjoy watching you suffer. It hurts Me to see My children in pain just as it does to see your earthly children suffer. But as you have come to understand, sometimes the suffering is necessary for healing. So it is with some of the circumstances in which you find yourself. I come to your aid when you call, but I don’t always answer in the time or way you desire because I know what is best for you. Just like the specialists that treat your illnesses, I know how best to get you out of the troubles you experience. But you must trust Me as David did.

Second, I might be letting you go through something now to prepare you for something that you must face later. Or I might let you experience some difficulty so you can witness to someone you will encounter in the future. You might need the experience to empathize with a brother or sister to help strengthen them in their time of need.

I know that when I ask you to wait it will always seem the toughest answer. Yes is what you want to hear and no might disappoint you, but answers your prayer quickly. Waiting always seems to cause additional stress in an already stressful situation. Trust Me, though. I know what I’m doing. I’ve been at this business of answering prayer a long time. I know when to answer quickly and when it is best for you to delay My answer. Draw strength from Me and know that I will always hear you and I will always answer.

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.

You reap what you sow (Galatians 6), Mar 15, 2015

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Today’s Podcast

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Today’s Scriptures

Today’s Bible reading plans include:

Ready – Galatians 6
Set – Deuteronomy 28; Galatians 6
Go! – Deuteronomy 28-29; Galatians 6

Galatians 6
¹My spiritual brothers and sisters, if one of our faithful has fallen into a trap and is snared by sin, don’t stand idle and watch his demise. Gently restore him, being careful not to step into your own snare. ² Shoulder each other’s burdens, and then you will live as the law of the Anointed teaches us. ³ Don’t take this opportunity to think you are better than those who slip because you aren’t; then you become the fool and deceive even yourself. ⁴ Examine your own works so that if you are proud, it will be because of your own accomplishments and not someone else’s. ⁵ Each person has his or her own burden to bear and story to write.

⁶ Remember to share what you have with your mentor in the Word.

⁷ Make no mistake: God can’t be mocked. What you give is what you get. What you sow, you harvest. ⁸ Those who sow seeds into their flesh will only harvest destruction from their sinful nature. But those who sow seeds into the Spirit shall harvest everlasting life from the Spirit. ⁹ May we never tire of doing what is good and right before our Lord because in His season we shall bring in a great harvest if we can just persist. ¹⁰ So seize any opportunity the Lord gives you to do good things and be a blessing to everyone, especially those within our faithful family.

¹¹ Look at how giant these letters are now that I am writing with my own hand!

¹² The troublemakers who are putting pressure on you to be circumcised are trying to impress the flesh. They want to avoid the persecution that comes from preaching the cross of the Anointed One, the Liberating King. ¹³ But even those who receive circumcision can’t keep the law—although they think they can—and they hope to influence which way you go with your own skin so they can have bragging rights over your flesh.

¹⁴ May I never put anything above the cross of our Lord Jesus the Anointed. Through Him, the world has been crucified to me and I to this world. ¹⁵ Let me be clear: circumcision won’t save you—uncircumcision won’t either for that matter—for both amount to nothing. God’s new creation is what counts, and it counts for everything. ¹⁶ May peace and mercy come to all of you who live by this rule and to the Israel of God.

¹⁷ In the future, don’t let anyone cause trouble for me because I bear in my body the marks that wounded Jesus.

¹⁸ May the grace of our Lord Jesus, the Anointed One, infuse your spirit with His, brothers and sisters. Amen.

Today’s Devotional

From today’s background scripture God might say:

I wish young people today learned more about agriculture in school or at home. It seems many of them don’t understand one of the very basic natural laws I set in place when I created the universe. It’s a simple rule. It says, “Whatever you sow, you reap.” If you sow corn in a field, you don’t get wheat, you get corn. If you sow beans, you don’t get watermelons, you bet beans. Simple.

The same rule applies to all of nature. If you sow deceit, you reap deceit. If you sow hatred, you reap hatred. If you sow love, you reap love. If you sow kindness, you reap kindness. Whatever you sow, you reap. I wish I could make people understand that fundamental law early in life. It would reduce so much pain and suffering in this generation.

You see, that first act of adultery has consequences you cannot stop. The first toke has consequences you cannot stop. The first drink or the first pill has consequences you cannot stop. Whatever you sow, you reap. Whether it’s the physical, emotional and psychological, or the spiritual effects of your actions, there are always consequences as a natural offshoot because whatever you sow, you reap. It’s a law you cannot change.

Every once in a while, I might use My power to bail you out of the consequences of your action, but most of the time, I don’t. I forgive you and cover you with My blood so your sins are never held against you again in My sight. But the physical, emotional, and relationship scars created remain. Often I still let you reap what you sow. I don’t take away the consequences of your actions. So broken relationships remain broken. Diseases don’t go away. Scars remind you never to walk that path again.

I’m not sure why people today think they can do things without reaping the consequences that come with those actions. I’ve said it enough in My word. The phrase is well known in the general populace. Common sense should tell you actions create consequences from the first time you stick your finger in a flame. But time and again I see people thinking they will get away with their bad behavior. They think nothing will happen. They think what they do will have no affect on their life or the lives of others. It’s as if someone sucked out their brain just before they decide to participate in behavior they know is wrong.

Perhaps one day people will listen better. Perhaps they will understand the natural laws of the universe I put in place. Perhaps they’ll stop before “sowing wild oats” because those wild oats grow where they are planted and reap consequences that live on. Perhaps parents will begin to share their stories with their children and teach them to live responsibly early in life because they will reap what they sow even at those early ages. That law hasn’t changed since creation. Don’t expect Me to change it any time soon.

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.

Arguing in the church? Surely not! (Galatians 5:1-15), Mar 14, 2015

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Today’s Podcast

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Today’s Scriptures

Today’s Bible reading plans include:

Ready – Galatians 5:1-15
Set – Deuteronomy 27; Galatians 5
Go! – Deuteronomy 25-27; Galatians 5

Galatians 5:1-15
¹So stand strong for our freedom! The Anointed One freed us so we wouldn’t spend one more day under the yoke of slavery, trapped under the law.

² Listen because I, Paul, am going to make this message very clear so it cannot be misunderstood: if you undergo the rite of circumcision, then all that the Anointed accomplished will be lost on you. ³ And understand this: if you choose to be circumcised, then you will oblige yourself to do every single rule of the law for the rest of your life. ⁴ You, and anyone else who seeks to be on the right side of God through the law, have effectively been cut off from the Anointed, circumcised from grace, and cast off from the favor of God. ⁵ We, on the other hand, continue to live through the Spirit’s power and wait confidently in the hope that things will be put right through faith. ⁶ Here’s the thing: in Jesus the Anointed whether you are circumcised or not makes no difference. What makes a difference is faith energized by love.

⁷ Who has impeded your progress and kept you from obeying the truth? You were off to such a good start. ⁸ I know for certain the pressure isn’t coming from God. He keeps calling you to the truth. ⁹ You know what they say, “Just a little yeast causes all the dough to rise,” so even the slightest detour from the truth will take you to a destination you do not desire. ¹⁰ Despite this, I’m confident because the Lord reassures me that you will truly hear and take my message to heart. Besides, I also know that these troublemakers, whoever they are, will answer to God and be judged accordingly. ¹¹ As for me, brothers and sisters, if I continue to preach circumcision—as these agitators claim—then why do I still face persecution? If I were to preach a compromised version of the good news, then the scandal of the cross would come to an end. ¹² I really wish that these people who weigh you down with corrupt counsel would mutilate themselves!

¹³ Brothers and sisters, God has called you to freedom! Hear the call, and do not spoil this gift by using your liberty to engage in what your flesh desires; instead, use it to serve each other as Jesus taught through love. ¹⁴ For the whole law comes down to this one instruction: “Love your neighbor as yourself,” so ¹⁵ why all this vicious gnawing on each other? If you are not careful, you will find you’ve eaten each other alive!

Today’s Devotional

From today’s background scripture God might say:

This last paragraph you heard today from Paul’s letter written 2,000 years ago to a church in Galatia could just as easily be addressed to many churches around the world today. How did so many of you get so far away from the truth of My word? I called you to the freedom as I taught you with My example as I walked among you. I still lived within not just the letter, but the spirit of the law given on Mount Sinai to Moses. But I refused to bow to the ridiculous traditions that pulled people away from My command to love each other.

I purpose when I first created man entailed the populating of the earth and giving stewardship of all My creation to you. To do so effectively, I wanted you to love each other. To care for each other and build relationships that allowed for opportunities to serve each other using the talents and skills I gave each of you. None of you can make it through life alone. All of you need each other for survival and the abundant life I want you to experience.

I want you to share in families and friendships and business relationships. I want you to act like I did when I walked the streets of Jerusalem and understand that freedom means service. Freedom means exercising the talents I gave you for the betterment of others. But here you are, squabbling over petty issues. Getting hurt over what you thought you heard, usually second- or third-hand, when that’s not what was said at all. Fighting and bickering over nothing. And all of this within the framework of the church. But not My church. I won’t visit when that stuff is going on. I’ll give it over to you, then. That’s what you want anyway in those situations.

Can’t you get rid of the selfish interests and look for the good of others? Can’t you understand the sacrifice I made for you to abolish the very behavior you exercise in your petty arguments? Does the tempo really matter if I am being praised? Do you think I care about colors of walls if you are lifting My name in prayer and thanksgiving? I want you to love others, especially those within the body of Christ. My command to you is to love Me first then love others as you love yourself. The gnawing at each other that seems to happen in My churches just doesn’t fit that pattern. So the question you must ask yourself, before I ask you in front of My throne, “Is my heart right with God?” Remember, if you hate your brother, you can’t love Me.

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.

Life under the law isn’t the answer (Galatians 4:8-31), Mar 13, 2015

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Today’s Podcast

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Today’s Scriptures

Today’s Bible reading plans include:

Ready – Galatians 4:8-31
Set – Deuteronomy 23; Galatians 4
Go! – Deuteronomy 22-24; Galatians 4

Galatians 4:8-31
⁸ During the time before you knew God, you were slaves to powers that are not gods at all. ⁹ But now, when you are just beginning to know the one True God—actually, He is showing how completely He knows you—how can you turn back to weak and worthless idols made by men, icons of these spiritual powers? Haven’t you endured enough bondage to these breathless idols? ¹⁰ You are observing particular days, months, festival seasons, and years; ¹¹ you have me worried that I may have wasted my time laboring among you.

¹² Brothers and sisters, I have become one of you. Now it’s your turn—become as I am. You have never wronged me. ¹³ Do you remember the first time I preached the good news to you? I was sick, and ¹⁴ I know my illness was a hardship to you, but you never drew back from me or scorned me. You cared for me as if I were a heavenly messenger of God, possibly as well as if I were the Anointed Jesus Himself! Don’t you remember? ¹⁵ What has happened to your joy and blessing? I tell you, the place was so thick with love that if it were possible, you would have plucked out your eyes and handed them to me. ¹⁶ And now, do I stand as your enemy because I tried to bless you with the truth? ¹⁷ I’ll tell you what these false brothers and sisters are counting on: your attention. They are ravenous for it. They are not acting honorably or in your best interests. They want to keep you away from the good news we proclaim so they can have you all to themselves. ¹⁸ Listen, there’s nothing wrong with zeal when you’re zealous for God’s good purpose. And what’s more, you don’t have to wait for me to be with you to seek the good. ¹⁹ My dear children, I feel the pains of birth upon me again, and I will continue in labor for you until the Anointed One is formed completely in you. ²⁰ I wish I were there. This letter is really harsh, yet I am really perplexed by you.

²¹ Now it’s your turn to instruct me. All of you who want to live by the rules of the law, are you really listening to and heeding what the law teaches? Listen to this: ²² it’s recorded in the Scripture that Abraham was the father of two sons. One son was born to a slave woman, Hagar, and the other son was born to a free woman, Abraham’s wife, Sarah. ²³ The slave woman’s son was born through only natural means, but the free woman’s son was born through a promise from God. ²⁴ I’m using an allegory. Here’s the picture: these two women stand for two covenants. The first represents the covenant God made on Mount Sinai—this is Hagar, who gives birth to children of slavery. ²⁵ Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia, and she stands for the Jerusalem we know now. She has lived in slavery along with her children. ²⁶ But there is a Jerusalem we know above. She is free, and she is our mother. ²⁷ Isaiah wrote,

Be glad, you who feel sterile and never gave birth!
Raise a joyful shout, childless woman, who never went into labor!
For the barren woman produces many children,
more than the one who has a husband.
²⁸ So you see now, brothers and sisters, you are children of the promise like Isaac. ²⁹ The slave’s son, born through only what flesh could conceive, resented and persecuted the one born into the freedom of the Spirit. The slave’s son picked at Isaac, just as you are being picked at now. ³⁰ So what does the Scripture say? “Throw out the slave and her son, for the slave’s son will never have a share of the inheritance coming to the son of the free woman.” ³¹ So, brothers and sisters, we are not children of the slave woman, but sons and daughters of the free.

Today’s Devotional

From today’s background scripture God might say:

It is so easy to slip into the Pharisaical bonds of religious order. Just follow the rules and you’ll make it to heaven. The problem with following the rules is no one can do it. Since Adam first fell to the temptation of Satan in the garden and disobeyed My rule concerning the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, humankind has failed to keep the rules. Some seem simple, but as you heard from Jesus when He spoke, even the simplest become the seeds for transgression in the mind of sinful man.

The law was necessary to give you some tutelage as to the standard of living I require of humankind, but I knew from the beginning it was a standard you could not keep in your own strength. It only reminds you of your frailty, sinfulness, and self-centeredness. It takes more than a list of rules to keep you from breaking them. In fact, the list entices you to stretch your behavior to see how close you can come to violating the law without breaking it, but you always end up crossing the line.

It is the carnal nature you inherited from your parents throughout the generations to the first parents, Adam and Eve. They passed on to you their bent toward evil and selfishness and you pass it to your children. Without My intervention, you can no more keep My laws than you can flap your arms and fly. But My law is the standard I hold for living in My kingdom. So how can anyone make it?

John 3:16 is the answer. Believe in Me. Then I give you eternal life. Confess your sins to Me. Then I forgive your sins and cleanse you from all unrighteousness. That’s your ticket. That’s what it takes to enter into My kingdom. That’s the secret sauce that enables you to come near Me. Because when you believe in My Son for forgiveness of sins, I see His blood, not your sins. I see His holiness, not your sinfulness.

Let Me into your life and the rules become easy. Let Me rule your life and the rules of life take care of themselves. Let Me direct you life and you’ll find your thoughts directed differently. Your actions unfold differently. The rules you’ve struggled to keep will no longer feel like the burden they once were. You’ll find freedom you’ve never felt before. Paul discovered it and told his friends about the genuine experience you can have, too. Don’t live under the stress of the law, but under the freedom of My love.

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.

Put on God to keep the rules (Galatians 3:15-29), Mar 12, 2015

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Today’s Podcast

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Today’s Scriptures

Today’s Bible reading plans include:

Ready – Galatians 3:15-29
Set – Deuteronomy 19; Galatians 3
Go! – Deuteronomy 19-21; Galatians 3

Galatians 3:15-29
¹⁵ My dear brothers and sisters, here’s a real-life example I can give you: With a last will and testament, when all the property is accounted for, the document is signed, witnessed, and notarized; and afterward no one can make changes to it. ¹⁶ In a similar way, God’s promises established a binding agreement with Abraham and his offspring. In the Scriptures, it is carefully stated, “and to your descendant” (meaning one), not “and to your descendants” (meaning many). Therefore, in these covenant promises, God was not referring to every son and daughter born into Abraham’s family but to the Anointed One to come. ¹⁷ What this all means is that the law given to Israel comes along some 430 years after the promise made to Abraham; so it does not invalidate the covenant God previously agreed to or in any way do away with His promise. ¹⁸ You see, if the law became the sole basis for the inheritance, then it would put God in the position of breaking a covenant because He had promised it to Abraham.

¹⁹ Now you’re asking yourselves, “So why did God give us the law?” God commanded His heavenly messengers to deliver it into the hand of a mediator for this reason: to help us rein in our sins until the Offspring, about whom the promise was made in the first place, would come. ²⁰ A mediator represents more than one, but God is only one. ²¹ “So,” you ask, “does the law contradict God’s promise?” Absolutely not! Never was there written a law that could lead to resurrection and life; if there had been, then surely we could have experienced saving righteousness through keeping the law. But we haven’t. ²² Scripture has subjected the whole world to sin’s power so that the faithful obedience of Jesus the Anointed might extend God’s promises to everyone who has faith. ²³ Before faith came on the scene, the law did its best to keep us in line, restraining us until the faith that was to come was fully revealed. ²⁴ So then, the law was like a tutor, assigned to train us and point us to the Anointed, so that we will be acquitted of all wrong and made right by faith. ²⁵ But now that true faith has come, we have no need for a tutor. ²⁶ It is your faith in the Anointed Jesus that makes all of you children of God ²⁷ because all of you who have been initiated into the Anointed One through the ceremonial washing of baptism have put Him on. ²⁸ It makes no difference whether you are a Jew or a Greek, a slave or a freeman, a man or a woman, because in Jesus the Anointed, the Liberating King, you are all one. ²⁹ Since you belong to Him and are now subject to His power, you are the descendant of Abraham and the heir of God’s glory according to the promise.

Today’s Devotional

From today’s background scripture God might say:

So why would I give you the law if you couldn’t keep it? Well, there are several reasons.

First, they keep you safe and secure. Understanding the nature of humankind after the fall of Adam and Eve, I knew you needed something that would put in check the evil behavior you often think about. I know you think those thoughts, but the law keeps you from carrying out a lot of the behavior because you know the punishments associated with the behavior. In the ancient days, it was an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, remember?

The in-kind punishment meant people stayed on better behavior than they might otherwise without the laws. It meant people thought twice before stealing since they would pay back two to five times as much as they stole. People hesitated before they struck someone or killed someone because it was life for life. There was no jury system other than the priest. If you killed someone other than accidentally, chances were pretty great you joined the victim soon after. Even then you escaped death from family members only by living in a sanctuary city.

Second, the law demonstrated My standard of living for you. But it showed just how difficult it was to live that law apart from My presence. Those commandments about lying, stealing, coveting, honoring parents. They might seem easy, but let Me ask you a couple of questions. Do you ever cheat when playing solitaire? That’s lying, you know. Do you have any company pens at home? They don’t belong to you. That’s called stealing. Ever wish you had that promotion or that car someone has? Coveting. Not so easy, is it?

The third reason I gave you the laws is because they point to the coming of My salvation for you. From the day Adam and Eve failed to obey Me, I made provision for them to find forgiveness. The laws before My coming seemed quite cumbersome to the Israelites, but they all pointed to My coming in the flesh to redeem all of humankind who would trust Me. For those who willingly gave up the rights to themselves and took me on as their total life manager, they found I could keep them free from the guilt of sin. I could do something the law couldn’t do. I could forgive and empower them to really live. The impossibility of the law becomes possible in Me.

Remember what I said to the disciples, “All things are possible with God.” Having trouble keeping the rules? Try Me on for size instead.

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.