Tell me your story.

Reading: Job 41-42, Genesis 11, and Acts 3

Scripture: Acts 3:8, And leaping up, he stood and began to walk, and entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God.

Thoughts: What is your story? This lame bagger has his story; he told it by jumping and walking around in the temple he had been sitting in front of for years. We all have a story to tell, where were you when God called you out of your past? We were given the Great Commission, the thing that I feel is the most important part is how I look at the word commission; I see it as a co-mission we are in a partnership with God to share the good news and the best way to do that is to share, this is where I was and this is where I am now. Tell your story.

Prayer: Father God, I can’t thank you enough for bringing me out of my own mess. I thank you for sending those people to speak into my life and help me to see how far I slid when I chose to walk away from the church. I thank you that you are with me and you speak through me and my muddled words.

How much passion

Reading: Job 39-40 and Acts 2

Scripture: Acts 2:12-13, And all were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?” But others mocking said, “They are filled with new wine.”

Thoughts: How do you look when you are doing God’s work? The apostles were filled with the Holy Spirit and could not stop themselves from spreading the Gospel. These men were so animated and passionate about what they were saying that there were spectators who thought they were drunk. Are we passionate about the work of God and those things He has called us to, or have we become complacent in God’s love that we have lost the passion of the Gospel? Let us seek the passion and the love we first had.

Prayer: Lord God, I thank you for all you do, I thank you for your provisions and blessings. May your will be done and not mine. I ask for help finding the love and passion I have lost over the years. Open my eyes to your plans and my part in them.

Only He knows

Reading: Job 38-38 and Acts 1

Scripture: Acts 1:6-7, So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority.

Thoughts: We can be so short sighted, the disciples lived in a time where they were seeing their kingdom of Israel being oppressed and ruled over by Rome, they wanted Rome to be overthrown and Israel to be its own kingdom again. Not understanding that the Kingdom of God is not one of earth but the Kingdom of Heaven. Not only were they asking from the wrong kingdom no one but the Father knows the day and time. Are there things that we are asking for even though we really do not know what we are asking? Let us seek His will and His blessings on those things before us. 

Prayer: Lord God your ways are higher than our ways, your thoughts are higher than our thoughts. I thank you that you love me and call me your own. I ask that you help me to be aware of the signs but not to read too much into them. Your timing is not our timing we strive to reach all who are lost in what time we have left.

Story time

Reading: Job 36 and Luke24

Scripture: Luke 24:35, Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he was known to them in the breaking of the bread.

Thoughts: These men ran back to Jerusalem to tell the other disciples what had happened. They shared how oblivious they were to who was walking with them. And how it took having a meal with Him for it to click in their minds who it was they were speaking to. We all make mistakes, and we all do not recognize God working in our lives. We just need to remember that sharing our experience could help others grow closer to God.

Prayer: Lord God, you are so good, I struggle to adequately praise and worship you. I ask that you help me to share your love and my experience with that love to the world around me. Help me to be a light in this dark world. Help me to reveal your love and light to this world. 

Justice, Mercy, and confession.

Reading: Job 35, Psalm 6, and Luke 23

Scripture: Luke 23:41, And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.

Thoughts: For most of my life I can honestly say that I glossed over many of the things said happened during and around the crucifixion of Jesus. I have been reading a book (Gold from Golgotha) that focuses on what Jesus said, and, in turn, as this passage came up, things stood out a little more. Specifically where one of the thieves said, "We are receiving the due reward of our deeds." This man confessed he was a sinner and confessed that Jesus was who he said he was. Later asking to be remembered in His kingdom. We are all called to confess both our sins and our faith in Jesus and who He is. Let these confessions always be on our lips.

Prayer: Lord God, you are the one and only God, who sent your Son to earth to be the mediator and the covering of our sin. I thank you for sending your Son. I stand in awe of your loving kindness and the grace and mercy you pour out on us. 

Who am I?

Reading: Job 34 and Luke 22

Scripture: Luke 22:31, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat,

Thoughts: I found it interesting that even though Simon had his name changed to Peter (The Rock) Jesus refers to him by his given name and states that Satan wants to test him. God has a name for each of us and we are called by that name, so the question is do we know that name that God calls us by and are we listening? Also, there will be times when Satan will call in those chips and want to test us, are we going to listen to the call of our old name or then one given to us by the creator of all things?

Prayer: Father God, you know the hairs on my head, you know the failures and victories of my life. You have given me a new name a new identity in your Son. I thank you for calling me and for having a place for me in your kingdom. I ask that you help me to remove the distraction of this world so that I can better hear your voice. Help me to know the name you have given me and listen to that call.

Is the end near?

Reading: Job 32-33 and Luke 21

Scripture: Luke 21:12, But before all this they will lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors for my name’s sake.

Thoughts: Most people when looking at the end times talk about Revelation and Daniel both giving some interesting imagery and things that will happen. Here in Luke, Jesus mentions something that will happen and possibly could already be happening. People are being persecuted with physical violence against them all over the world. And it goes on to say that we will be delivered up to synagogues and prisons, this seems to be saying that there will be religious rules placed against us. I do not see these rules coming from within the Judeo-Christian community but I think it will be from the Islamic world. There are communities in the United States where the Islamic community has taken over and is requiring people to live by their laws and be judged by their courts. This sounds like those opposed to Christ taken into synagogues (mosques) to be judged. Let us not be unaware that the enemy is lurking, seeking an opportune moment to come to steal, kill, and destroy.

Prayer: Lord God, you are the creator of all things, you knew me before I was knit together in my mother’s womb. I thank you for the wisdom and knowledge that you give us. I ask that you help us to discern the schemes of the evil one so that we cannot be deceived. Open our eyes to your ways and your plans so that we can continue to overcome those schemes that are formed against us.

I don’t know!!!

Reading: Job 30-31 and Luke 20

Scripture: Luke 20:7, So they answered they did not know where it came from.

Thoughts: I know there have been times when I weighed the options for answering a question and chose to say, “I don’t know.” Even when I knew the truth or had an opinion on the question. These men knew how Jesus and the people would respond and did not want to pick a fight with either side. Do we try to play both sides with God? Are we trying to play dumb with the one who knew us before He knit us in our mother’s womb? I know I allow my anger to control my words sometimes and say things I do not really want to say and now my children are using some of those words that I should not say and all I get from them is, “I don’t know.” Let us seek God and His wisdom so that we can know why we are doing and saying those things that cause us to say, “I don’t know.”

Prayer: Father God, I stand in awe of how you can love me even when I fail. I thank you for your steadfast love. I ask for help understanding where my anger and harsh words come from. I long to lay down my anger and harsh words. Lord purify me, remove the dross of my life that I may reflect you.

Hang on It

Reading:  Job 29, Psalm 121, and Luke 19

Scripture: Luke 19:47-48, And He was teaching daily in the temple. The chief priests and the scribes and the principal men of the people were seeking to destroy Him, but they did not find anything they could do, for all the people were hanging on his words.

Thoughts: Because the crowds of people were hanging on every word and seeking what Jesus had, those in charge had no way to get to Jesus. Today so many people get their Sunday morning fix and then they are good for the week. That is if they have any connection to a local church or even God. There are so many distracting voices in the world today that it is easy to set God aside for some entertainment. When we hand on His every word it does not matter what they do to us there is no way for them to take Him from us.

Prayer: Father God, I thank you for sending your Son, that we may have a way back to you. I thank you that no one can blot out our name from the book of life. I thank you that He is the way the truth and the life, that he opens the way to you. I ask that you help me to seek you first and to hang on your every word that I may know you more. Lead me and guide me in your ways.

Have Mercy on Me

Reading:  Job 27-28 and Luke 18

Scripture: Luke 18:37-38, They told him, "Jesus of Nazareth is passing by." And he Cried out. "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!"

Thoughts: This blind man had only heard that Jesus was going to pass by and started crying out for Him. The Pharisees, the priests, and the scribes saw and heard Him yet they cried out against Him. Are we crying out to Him as followers or are we so religious that we are not truly seeing what the blind man saw without seeing?

Prayer: Lord God you are the creator of all things; you know the hairs on my head and the days of my life. I thank you for calling me a friend for adopting me into your eternal family. I ask that you help me to know when I wonder and if I stray. Help me to want to cry out to you.

Praise Him

Reading: Job 24-26 and Luke 17

Scripture: Luke 17:17-18, Then Jesus answered, “Were not ten cleansed? Where are the nine? Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?”

Thoughts: When God does a work in our lives we should be the first to praise him, yet so often God provides and blesses us and we do not acknowledge that it came from God. Just today as we have been looking at our bank account dwindle and bills coming due, God brought a rebate check that we had forgotten about. I deposited the check and thought about how to use it. I forgot to praise Him for taking care of our family. Are you going to be like the 9 or like the foreigner who saw he was cleansed and came back and praised God?

Prayer: Lord, you are worthy of all praise, I thank you that you are our provider. You have made all things, and all things come from you. I thank you for the breath in my lungs and the strength in my body to do the work placed before me.

Are you a good steward?

Reading: Job 22-23 and Luke 16

Scripture: Luke 16:10-12, One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much. If then you have not been faithful in the unrighteous wealth, who will entrust to you the true riches? And if you have not been faithful in that which is another’s, who will give you that which is your own?

Thoughts: In the United States the American dream used to be a family with 2.5 kids, a dog, and a house with a white picket fence. Today it seems like the American dream has changed to be rich and famous. It is common to want more than you have. As we strive for what we think we need are we listening to God and stewarding what He has given us thus far? If we are not good stewards, why would anyone entrust us with anything?

Prayer: Lord God, I thank you for allowing me to steward what you have entrusted me with. I thank you for choosing to bless me even when I fail. I ask that you give me wisdom to better steward those blessings and provisions you give me. I thank you for leading and guiding my family.

Running to what?

Reading: Job 20-21 and Luke 15

Scripture: Luke 15:20, And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him.

Thoughts: I had heard a teaching that in the time that Jesus would have told this parable, anyone hearing this would have known that anyone from the town could have put this person to death for the blasphemy against his father. So this father was sitting there waiting for his son to return to him. When he sees him he runs to him not only to greet his long lost son but also to protect him from those who had the legal right to stone him to death. As a sinner, I can relate to the son coming home to work as a servant. Yet as a father, I can relate to wanting to protect my children. I don't want them to have the hurts that I have had. I want them to grow up strong in the Lord. I want to run and be the shield that will cover them.

Prayer: Father God, I thank you that you are our Father, you are the one I strive to emulate. I thank you that I have the opportunity to steward my children and some of the cattle you have on those thousand hills. I thank you that you are blessing us every day even when we don't recognize it. You are the one in control and I long to walk in your ways.

Seat yourself.

Reading: Job 17-19 and Luke 14

Scripture: Luke 14:8-10, When you are invited by someone to a wedding feast, do not sit down in a place of honor, lest someone more distinguished than you be invited by him, and he who invited you both will come and say to you, ‘Give your place to this person,’ and then you will begin with shame to take the lowest place. But when you are invited, go and sit in the lowest place, so that when your host comes he may say to you, ‘Friend, move up higher.’ Then you will be honored in the presence of all who sit at table with you.

Thoughts:  It seems like every time this passage comes around in the reading plan it sticks out and points at me. Don't take the place of honor, take the place of humility, and let the host honor you by moving you to the proper location. I know that I have pride and ambition. I don't want to be the bottom of the pecking order, I want to move up I want to use the training got from going to school. Not sure if it is my sin nature, because I know the work I put into my degree, or just seeing the appearance that everyone seems to be doing better than me. I know that I need to spend less time thinking about what others think of me, and what others appear to have that is better than what I have. I need to cut off the input of the world and listen to what God is saying about me and who He says I am.

Prayer: Father God you are the only one who can tell me who I am. I am your son, I am who you say I am, and the only one who can raise me to my proper place. Help me hear the name you have for me and who you say I am.  Lead me in your ways and open my eyes to the things that draw me from you that I may seek you fully.

Who needs enemies when you have friends like this?

Reading: Job 15-16 and Luke 13

Scripture: Job 16:2-3, I have heard many such things; miserable comforters are you all. Shall windy words have an end? Or what provokes you that you answer?

Thoughts: In yesterday's reading, Job called his friends worthless physicians, and today, calling them miserable comforters, got me thinking… who do we have around us? To the most part our coworkers and work environment are out of our control others then we have the option to find employment elsewhere. But who are those fiends whom you call for advice or whom you can confide in when things are rough? Are you listening to people who do not have the same beliefs and convictions as you? Does the world have more influence on your choices than God? Also when others choose to confide in you are you pointing them to God and the Word or do you put your faith in what the world says? Are we being worthless and miserable helpers?

Prayer: Lord God, I thank you for helping me to see that I needed a mentor in my life and that you brought the right man into my life to speak into me what you have for me. I thank you for leading me to friends who are not worthless and miserable. I ask that you help me to be the right kind of friend to those around me, so that if they confide in me then I can lead them and point them to you and your word.