Sunday, June 7

Luke 12:32-40 “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (v.34 NRSV)

A Jesuit once wrote that we have been given the same Word, graced by the same Holy Spirit, and nourished at the same table as any of the great saints of the ages. Here are the wondrous gifts God has given us: His Word, His only Son, His Scriptures, His Church, and His Holy Spirit within it inspiring, guiding, urging us on. Also, His Sacraments feeding, sustaining, and strengthening us on our journey home.

If you watch the news on TV every evening and you see all the ads for fancy cars, good food, and endless remedies for indigestion, you might think that we believe material things are our greatest treasure. But you would be wrong. Years ago, during the dark days of September 2001, we read many stories of heroic courage, endurance, and love. Goodness, greatness, and love became far more visible in NYC and in our whole country than ever before. Kindness, gentleness, and service are flourishing today.

Our Lord Christ has indeed gifted us with the very same treasure he has given any of the saints.

Ecclesiastes 6:1-12; Psalms 24, 29; Acts 10:9-23

Monday, June 8

Matthew 15:21-28 “Lord, help me.” (v.25b)

It has been said that there are no atheists in foxholes, which simply means that when we find ourselves in a desperate, ghastly, fearful situation, we return to God and cry for help. Most of us during our teens and 20’s decide that we can get along quite well without God. We may even decide, as I temporarily did, that there is no God.

C. S. Lewis once wrote, “God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience, but shouts in our pains. It is His megaphone to arouse a deaf world.” God is not the cause of our sorrows. Our misuse of His greatest gift, free will, is usually the root cause of the pain in a hurting world.

When we viewed the absolute horrifying spectacle of the two World Trade Towers crumbling into dust because of the evil action of others, millions returned to God and to prayer. He was there with everyone who died. He was there with every fireman and policeman who rushed into the buildings, at the cost of their own lives, to try to save others. He has been with every person who has tried to comfort the bereaved. God grant us the wisdom and courage to respond wholeheartedly to His great love, forgiveness, and acceptance.

Ecclesiastes 7:1-14; Psalms 56, 57, 58; Galatians 4:12-20

Tuesday, June 9

Matthew 15:29-39 And all of them ate and were filled; and they took up the broken pieces left over, seven baskets full. (v.37)

Jesus’ feeding of the four or five thousand men (besides women and children) is such an important story that each of the Evangelists tells it at least once and Mark shares the miracle twice. However, the verse that always deeply troubles me in the story is found in each of the Synoptic Gospels: “You give them something to eat” (Mark 6:37). Our Lord expected his disciples then, and he expects his followers today, to share the abundance of the blessings he has poured upon us. He doesn’t want any of us to be hungry, homeless, or destitute. In John’s version of the gospel, Philip talks about how much money it would take to feed such a crowd, but Andrew turns to the people for help. “There is a lad here who has five loaves of bread and two fish,” Andrew says. Our Lord then prays and everyone is fed. Money alone won’t solve our problems. People listening to guidance from our Heavenly Father can, with His help, change, renew, and transform His world into what God has always intended it to be—Heaven on earth.

Ecclesiastes 8:14—9:10; Psalms 61, 62; Galatians 4:21-31

Wednesday, June 10

Galatians 5:1-15 The whole law is summed up in a single commandment, You shall love your neighbor as yourself. (v.14)

In today’s epistle, Paul tells us that the whole law is summed up in a single commandment: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Jesus, when speaking of his way, urges us again and again to love God with all our heart, with all our mind, strength, and will, and then to love others as we love ourselves. Jesus asks even more of us. The night before he died, he urged us to love others the way he loves us.

How can we possibly love others the way Jesus loves us? Thomas Merton, the famous Trappist monk, once wrote that learning to love others is the most creative and difficult work any of us can ever attempt. Perhaps our first successful step in this journey from self-centeredness to self-giving love comes as we realize our need and ask for God’s help. He never asks anything of us that He is not more than willing to help us do. So, “Ask, and it will be given you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you” (Luke 11:9).

Ecclesiastes 9:11-18; Psalm 72; Matthew 16:1-12

Thursday, June 11

Matthew 16:13-20 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” (v.16)

My most frequent and fervent prayer during these troubled times is, “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the living God, have mercy upon all of us sinners and teach us to love the way You do.” When he answers my prayer, we will be rid of all the evil Paul writes about in today’s epistle: fornication, impurity, licentiousness, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, anger, quarrels, dissension, factions, envy, and drunkenness. We will be showing forth the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. We will be able to answer our Lord’s question to Peter in today’s gospel: “Who do you say that I am?” (v.15b). We will be able to give the best possible answer that anyone could ever give: “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” God’s kingdom will have come and His will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

Lord Jesus Christ, hear our prayer. Save us and help us, we beseech Thee, oh Lord.

Ecclesiastes 11:1-8; Psalms 70, 71; Galatians 5:16-24

Friday, June 12

Matthew 16:21-28 “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.” (v.24)

Whenever I read this verse, I think of a prayer by Karl Rahner, a great theologian quoted in a small book of prayers by Jesuits, Hearts on Fire. In his prayer he implores our Heavenly Father; “O God, give me the courage and strength to be worthy of being called a Christian.” Who among us has become so mature, so unselfish, that they think of others before himself? Who is so mature that he has grown beyond self-centeredness? Who among us is willing not just to wear a beautiful, jeweled cross, but to carry a large, rough, heavy one?

Our hope centers in God’s promise: “I will never leave you or forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5), and in His Holy Spirit abiding within us. Nourished and empowered by His Word and His table, we joy in His love and continue to pray earnestly: “O God, give me the courage and strength to be worthy of being called a Christian.”

Ecclesiastes 11:9—12:14; Psalm 69: Galatians 5:25—6:10

Saturday, June 13

Matthew 17:1-13 “This is my Son, the loved; with him I am well pleased; listen to him.” (v.5)

In the gospel story of the wedding in Cana of Galilee, the mother of Jesus commands the servants to do whatever her son tells them to do (John 2:5). In today’s passage God, our heavenly Father, commands us to listen to His Son, His Beloved. What better advice could they possibly give us? Do whatever he tells you to do and listen to Him.

If we are going to do whatever he tells us to do, we are indeed going to have to listen and that requires, from each of us daily, some quiet time alone with our Lord. Many of us use the Jesus Prayer: “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the living God, have mercy upon me, a sinner,” to do what the Quakers call center down. Become a quiet listener with your mind and heart as well as your ears. Keep repeating the prayer to replace the distractions, which will inevitably come. Sometimes, more often than not, we feel as if nothing profound has happened during our quiet time. There are other times when we know a deep peace and joy that Paul once called “the peace which surpasses all understanding” (Philippians 4:7). Best of all there are times when we are reassured that our Lord’s love, presence, and guidance are and will always be with us.

Sunday, June 14

Luke 12:41-48 “Every one to whom much is given, of him will much be required.” (v.48b RSV)

That’s a sobering thought! What have we been given? The answer is everything—our bodies, minds, talents, families; the world, the air, the sun, the water; and most of all, Jesus. Paul sums it up when he asks, “What have you that you did not receive?” (1 Corinthians 4:7).

To us in North America these gifts are abundant. If we lived in Africa we would be glad for an education, if in India for daily food, if in China for freedom to worship and to have more than one child, if in the Middle East for peace. Yet all these privileges we have here in excess.

So what should we do with them? Hoard them, and try to take them down with us to Hell (Luke 12:20)? Or recognize who gave them to us and has entrusted us with their use?

Many of us will be singing today, “All things come from thee, and of thy own have we given thee” (1 Chronicles 29:14). May we truly mean it and show how much we appreciate what we have!

Numbers 6:22-27; Psalms 93, 96; Acts 13:1-12

Monday, June 15

Matthew 17:14-21 And Jesus answered, “O faithless and perverse generation...Bring him here to me.” (v.17)

Jesus was disturbed! Here was a caring father who had brought his troubled son to the disciples, and they had failed to help him. Why? Was it because the father had assumed it was enough to bring his son to the disciples and not to Jesus himself? Or was it because the disciples had presumed they could take the place of Jesus and cure the boy? Perhaps it was because they had little faith (v.20)? Maybe it was all of these.

But what about us? Are we disturbing Jesus? Are we assuming that by coming to church we are actually coming to him? Are we making the church a substitute for Jesus? And are we attempting good works without faith in him, and without—as in some versions of verse 21—going to the trouble of fasting? But let’s beware of having faith in faith, or even in fasting! It must be in Jesus alone.

Lord, we want to believe. Please help our unbelief.

Numbers 9:15-23; 10:29-36; Psalm 80; Romans 1:1-15

Tuesday, June 16

Matthew 17:22-27 “However, not to give offense to them…” (v.27)

Taxation was a hot issue then as now. Status and exemptions were keenly debated. And people grabbed everything available.

As the Son of God, Jesus could have claimed immunity from this temple-tax. But he humbled himself and paid it. That reminds us of Philippians 2:5-7 which points out that “though he was in the form of God, (he) did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant.” In surrendering his rights, he set an example for us to copy. And he also showed us his power.

Is this an odd incident? Yes. But, as someone said, “This fish puts to shame those of us who have nothing in our mouths for the Lord!” Can’t we praise him with ours today?

And like Jesus, let’s not stand on our rights, but be sensitive and accommodating to others. For God has blessed us that we may freely distribute!

Numbers 11:1-23; Psalm 78:1-39; Romans 1:16-25

Wednesday, June 17

Matthew 18:1-9 “Whoever humbles himself like this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.” (v.4)

The disciples had a commendable question. They wanted to know who would be the greatest in heaven. But Jesus had a surprising answer. He took a child and, setting him in their midst, used him as an object lesson.

Every day Jesus puts children into homes. We notice their love and trust and obedience, their cheerfulness and innocence. But Jesus points out their humility. He says that that makes them great. And he asks us to copy them.

Is it easy? I think it’s about the hardest task in the world. For pride is subtle. It creeps into our worship and hardens it. It seeps into our virtues and sours them. We can even have pride in our humility! Did you hear about the man who was given a medal because of his humility? The donors took it away when he started to wear it!

Sometimes we have to be humbled by being humiliated. How much easier it would be if we just admitted that Jesus is Lord of all and knelt before him!

Numbers 11:24-35; Psalm 119:97-120; Romans 1:28—2:11

Thursday, June 18

Matthew 18:10-20 “If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone.” (v.15a)

When someone hurts us, our common reaction is to tell other people. By doing that we get their sympathy and support. But we also spread the poison.

Jesus tells us to confront the offending person directly and privately. That’s called walking in the light (1 John 1:7). By doing so, we show trust in each other, we share our temptations and trials, we get a clearer insight into one another’s nature, and we clear up misconceptions about motives and methods. And we don’t let the poison spread.

Of course it’s difficult. It takes courage to confront him or her and tell them we have been hurt. But besides keeping the problem confined to a small circle, it enables quicker healing. And it’s what Jesus commands.

Who has sinned against you whom you need to confront, humbly and prayerfully, today?

Numbers 12:1-16; Psalm 83; Romans 2:12-24

Friday, June 19

Matthew 18:21-35 Then Peter came up and said to him, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?” (v.21)

Just like many of us, Peter had followed the Lord for some time. And he may have thought he had grown in goodness. So, he even extended the rabbis’ standard of forgiveness from three to seven times, and probably expected to be complimented by Jesus.

We too may feel we are going beyond the norm in what we give and forgive. Note that Peter doesn’t imagine he could be the sinner; it’s his brother he has to watch! And aren’t we guilty of that too?

In any case, Jesus challenges him. He enlarges the forgiving to 490 times—that is, beyond counting. And why? The story that follows tells of a man who had been forgiven a huge sum of money and then went out and hammered someone who owed him a pittance. God has forgiven us thousands of times—removing our mountain of sins by his death on Calvary.

Should we then turn around and slam someone for raising a molehill against us?

Numbers 13:1-3, 21-30; Psalm 88; Romans 2:25—3:8

Saturday, June 20

Matthew 19:1-12 “What therefore God has joined together, let not man put asunder.” (v.6b)

As goes the home, so goes the nation. That should cause us to worry! For we are in a bad state.

Divorce is rampant. Men and women are living together in unsanctified unions. They are quick to take offense and slow to forgive. Children growing up with just one parent are at greater risk of sexual temptation and perversion. Without good role models, they easily perpetuate the painful cycle that they themselves experienced. We simply don’t trust each other. Those are plain facts. It has become a free-for-all world—in which we grab what we can but are never truly satisfied.

What can be done? If we followed Jesus’ advice this week—of recognizing our blessings, of caring for our children, of not always insisting on our rights, of being humble, of walking in the light with each other, and of forgiving one another —perhaps we’d have happier homes and a happier nation! What do you think?

Numbers 13:31—14:25; Psalms 87, 90; Romans 3:9-20

Sunday, June 21

Acts 15:1-12 “Now then, why do you try to test God by putting on the necks of Gentiles a yoke that neither we nor our ancestors have been able to bear?” (v.10 NIV)

The early followers of The Way wanted the Hebrew laws they had observed, such as circumcision, to apply to the newly converted Gentiles. After all, it wouldn’t be fair otherwise, would it? But Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, asks them why they would want to put undue pressure on a group of people not acquainted with the old ways. He reminds them of a new truth, “But we believe that we are saved through grace [undeserved favor and mercy] of the Lord Jesus, as they [are].”

This applies to us today. Do we disciple new converts by putting them into old molds, conforming them to our habits, or insisting on our traditions? Does our church pressure members into rituals designed for some other time in church history?

Dear Lord, help me see where I demand that other Christians be like me. Help me remember Your grace and mercy towards me so I can extend it to others.

Numbers 14:26-45; Psalms 66, 67; Luke 12:49-56

Monday, June 22

Matthew 19:13-22 “All these I have kept,” the young man said. “What do I still lack?” (v.20)

Jesus gives him an answer that hurts. Apparently, he asked for what the young man desired most—money. We could assume from verse 22 that because he answers Jesus’ request with sadness and leaves, he may never have chosen the better way.

“What do you want from me, Lord?” I asked. The answer hurts. But I knew if I was obedient to His answer I would have more intimacy with Him, more joy and peace. It took too many years to answer “yes.”

Now I struggle sometimes with the grief of giving up what He invited me to do. It wasn’t the same request as the young man’s. Your answer won’t be the same as mine. Our sacrifices are as personal as our fingerprint.

Like the young man, I am sometimes tempted to just be sad and walk away from this journey. But the strength of the Holy Spirit living in me, the joy that comes from obedience to God, and the peace of knowing I am in His will is worth it.

Numbers 16:1-19; Psalm 89:1-18; Romans 3:21-31

Tuesday, June 23

Matthew 19:23-30 Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” (v.26)

As I am more and more acquainted with the God of the Bible, I am awestruck. The Bible is full of God’s miracles. The men and women in those stories are continually faced with situations where the outcome would look certain to go in one direction, but God would intervene and the outcome goes 180 degrees the other way. Read accounts in Genesis, Exodus, Daniel, Esther, and the gospels.

But one of the most awesome stories is that of Job, a faithful servant of the Lord. God allowed Satan to test Job with the death of loved ones, the loss of his wealth, scorn from friends, and ill health. Because Job refused to curse God for his lot in life, God more than blessed him, restoring everything back to him, sometimes, more so.

Man’s perspective was that Job’s situation seemed hopeless. No wonder Jesus tells his bewildered disciples that a tough situation is not conquered by men; only by God.

Dear Father, we praise you that you are our miracle worker and that you care about us just as you did Job.

Numbers 16:20-35; Psalms 97, 99, 100; Romans 4:1-12

Wednesday, June 24

Matthew 20:1-16 “Don’t I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous?” (v.15)

Sometimes it seems that God is not fair. He heals one person and not another. He blesses one with great wealth and another with modest living. He allows one’s path to seemingly be free from grief, and to another, He permits many trials. To one He gives long life; to another a few minutes.

It can be tempting to feel God treats others better than ourselves. I feel for the poor hired workers who waited last in line and expected a bonus, only to receive the same pay. Think about it.

But God’s ways are not ours. His wisdom, generosity, compassion, and knowledge cannot be compared. We can only choose to trust in His providential hand on our lives.

“Then Job said to the Lord, I know that you can do all things and that no thought or purpose of yours can be restrained or thwarted.” Job 42:1-2. Job had insight after his great trial. He knew God’s purpose would always prevail.

Numbers 16:36-50; Psalms 101, 109; Romans 4:13-25

Thursday, June 25

Matthew 20:17-28 Then the mother of Zebedee’s sons came to Jesus with her sons and, kneeling down, asked a favor of him. (v.20)

Like many mothers, she wanted preferential treatment for James and John, her two beloved sons. But Jesus interjected that she really did not know what she was asking for. She did not understand God’s plans for Jesus. Most likely she held the common hope of many followers that Jesus would become an earthly king and need some officials to help him rule. She probably thought her sons were the best candidates for the job.

Little did she know that his great popularity would change into a riotous clamor for his life. That he would suffer the agony of the cross. That his followers would scatter and hide for their lives.

Heavenly Father, forgive us for asking and begging for that which we do not fully understand. Open our eyes to see the truth. Set us free from preconceived ideas. Let Your desires be ours.

Numbers 17:1-11; Psalm 105:1-22; Romans 5:1-11

Friday, June 26

Matthew 20:29-34 Jesus stopped and called them. “What do you want me to do for you?” he asked. (v.32)

There are times I’ve longed for Jesus to ask me those words. There are times I’ve longed to have Jesus end my problems as quickly as he did those of the blind men. It’s rarely been that way. More often, it’s been a s-l-o-w, l-o-n-g process of praying often, developing more faith, patience, and fortitude as I learn to better hear God’s voice. It’s come after incorporating more time in His word.

Why aren’t there more fast and easy solutions from God? “They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint” (Isaiah 40:31).

God wants to help develop character in us, much the same way parents do for their children. If parents provided easy answers for their children every time they had a problem, they’d cripple their ability to face the future. God, as our ever-loving, heavenly Father, watches over us and guides us as we work with Him to find the solutions He has for us.

Numbers 20:1-13; Psalm 102; Romans 5:12-21

Saturday, June 27

Romans 6:1-11 For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin. (v.6)

Praise God that we do not have to be slaves to sin. It could seem hopeless to us as believers if our old habits, desires, and nature forever ruled us. But we have this promise from God.

We do not have to succumb to our former way of living. We have the Holy Spirit as our comforter to live in us and guide us. It won’t necessarily be easy to stay in the newness of life, but when we are aware of a potential slip, we can call upon the name of the Lord and be saved. He will rescue us from following our old ways. He will provide a way of escape (1 Corinthians 10:13).

Our new life with Him will not come without total abandon, sacrifice, and death to our old selves. Could we expect anything less than Jesus’ example?

Numbers 20:14-29; Psalms 107:33-43, 108; Matthew 21:1-11

Sunday, June 28

Psalm 118 This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. (v.24 NRSV)

We are to be pipelines for God. We are to channel His love and His joy to others. As such, we are blessed.

It isn’t complicated. Our faith need only be a simple and real belief in God. We need only be open to Him and allow Him to use us. Do you remember the last time you made an effort to love someone—to do something to show that love—not for your sake but for their sake? Do you remember their response? I’m sure it felt good. Your effort to love them must have seemed effortless. Why? Is it because you had opened yourself to be God’s pipeline, and He was there ready to flow through you? Even in times of distress, He’s there. Even when it is you who needs His love and joy the most, He’s there.

As you become the pipeline for God, and as He flows through you out to others, return to God thanks and praise for His enduring love— “for He is good” (v.1).

Numbers 21:4-9, 21-35; Acts 17:12-34; Luke 13:10-17

Monday, June 29

Romans 6:12-23 What then? Shall we sin because we are not under the law but under grace? By no means! Don’t you know that when you offer yourselves to someone to obey him as slaves, you are slaves to the one whom you obey—whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience which leads to righteousness. (v.15)

The difficulty with this passage lies in the struggle of living a life in Christ and living a life in the world. In the world we are told to obey the laws of the world; in Christ, we are to obey the laws of God. Do the laws of God cancel out the laws of the world, making them meaningless for us? “Certainly not,” I hear Jesus say! So long as the laws of the world do not require one to disobey the laws of God, they must be obeyed. Law provides structure—law provides order.

I became the leader of an ecumenical group whose purpose is to build Christ through developing Christian leaders. Prior to my tenure the leaders of the group had lost sight of the need for order and structure. From this passage in Romans, they came to a belief that no law and order was God’s plan and that the “flow of the Spirit is all the order we need.” Jesus did not come to abolish the law, but to fulfill it with God’s underlying purposes for the law—to give it “life.”

Sin and law are different. The law exposes sin. The passage really says not to become slaves to sin, but to use the law to identify sin and root it out.

Numbers 22:1-21; Psalm 106:1-18; Matthew 21:12-22

Tuesday, June 30

Matthew 21:23-32 “By what authority are you doing these things?” they asked. “And who gave you this authority?” (v.23b)

We are having such a difficult time with authority in our society and in our church. Our respect for authority seems to be on the wane. It seems there is more lawlessness today, more divided homes, more truancy from our schools and our work than ever before. The church is divided over many issues, some of which are very defining. But are we really any different from those who preceded us?

In the Matthew passage for today we see the chief priests and elders questioning Jesus’ authority. I believe that most conflict over the ages has been caused by the questioning of authority. We resent the authority another has over us, or we lose respect for the person or the institution exercising that authority.

Jesus shows from whom real authority is ultimately derived. “John’s baptism—where did it come from? Was it from heaven, or from men?” When we accept God as authority over all, everything stems from Him. All we do and all that is commanded of us to do, is to be measured by the authority of God. We know of His authority through our faith and relationship with Him.

Numbers 22:21-38; Psalms 120, 121, 122, 123; Romans 7:1-12

Wednesday, July 1

Romans 7:13-25 I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. (v.15)

The words of this passage are very telling for Christians. We, like Paul, can set our minds on something, commit to a change in our behavior that reflects the good of God, and try our hardest—but fail.

How many of us have looked back and said, “I will not behave like that again; I will change, starting right now!” And then, we find ourselves in the same situations, saying the same thing again. It’s hard for us to understand why we decide to act one way, and then act another, doing exactly what we don’t want to do. It was hard for Paul to understand. We know the law, but we just can’t keep it. Why? It’s that “other law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin” (v.23). We obviously cannot do it on our own, no matter how strong our will may be. We need Jesus Christ. He has set us free from our inner war. Though we will never be perfect we can win the war when we trust in him.

Numbers 22:41—23:12; Psalm 119:145-176; Matthew 21:33-46

Thursday, July 2

Matthew 22:1-14 “But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing wedding clothes. Friend, he asked, ‘How did you get in here without wedding clothes?’ The man was speechless. Then the king told the attendants, ‘Tie him hand and foot, and throw him outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’” (vv.11-13)

I was always troubled with the part of this passage in which the king responded to the one who came to the wedding banquet dressed “without a wedding garment” by “binding him hand and foot and casting him into the outer darkness.”

Seeing the king as God, and the invitation to the wedding banquet as His invitation to all, I couldn’t reconcile His discarding one for lack of proper credentials or appearance. It went against the faith as I understood it. It looked more like the earning of a ticket to His presence rather than His grace.

Then I looked at the wedding garment as being like a person’s faith in God. I see now that God invites us all, but that we must all come with sincere motive to confess to God and to put all of our trust and confidence in Him. We cannot masquerade that motive to God. Although God wants all people to come to Him, He is not concerned about numbers as such. He cares about whether our hearts are turned to Him.

Numbers 23:11-26; Psalms 131, 132, 133; Romans 8:1-11

Friday, July 3

Matthew 22:15-22 “Tell us then, what is your opinion? Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not?” (v.17)

If you could choose who your father would be, whom would you choose? Would it be Winston Churchill, Abraham Lincoln, Martin Luther King, Martin Luther? If I were able to choose my father, it would be—my father! My father is a Virginian, which is as much an adjective as it is a noun. He is somewhat stoic on the outside, yet warm and loving on the inside. He is caring and he is responsible. He is also dependable.

What about your spiritual father? If you could choose him, whom would it be? For me, it is our loving God. God is good in the purest sense. God gives us the option to choose Him. Can you imagine losing out on something so wonderful, so great and magnificent as that, simply by not making the choice? It only takes faith in what He did for us through His Son, Jesus Christ, for us to make that choice. Then we are called “sons of God” and we can then call Him “Abba!”

Why are so many people ambivalent about making this choice? I think it’s from ignorance; they do not know the joy we have found in having God as our Father. It’s our duty to spread the word, to make them aware of this wonderful choice we have.

Numbers 24:1-13; Psalms 140, 142; Romans 8:12-17

Saturday, July 4

Matthew 22:23-40 “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind… All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” (vv.37, 40)

All law, all commandments, all of God’s wishes for us are to love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, and mind. And “Love our neighbors as ourselves.” Everything we do should somehow be gauged against our love for God and our love for each other.

The first step is to develop that deep love of God, to worship Him, to seek Him, to listen and talk with Him, to always be in His presence. Aren’t these the things we want to do with the one we love?

What about our neighbors, our relationships with others; do we want the same? Often too many little prejudices, too little time, too much pride get in our way. Love someone today. Heal a broken relationship. Make an effort to approach someone today with a truly loving heart.

Make no assumptions that others “know” that you love them—take some action to show your love. Show your spouse and your children and your friends. Then, the world. The forgotten. The lonely. The elderly. The imprisoned. There’s plenty of opportunity!

Numbers 24:12-25; Psalms 137, 144; Romans 8:18-25

Sunday, July 5

Numbers 27:12-23 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Go up on one of the mountains in the desert east of the Jordan River. There you will see the land that I am giving to the Israelites. After you have seen this land, you will die like your brother Aaron. Remember when the people became angry at the water in the desert of Zin. Both you and Aaron refused to obey my command. You did not honor me and show the people that I am holy.” (This was at the water of Meribah near Kadesh in the desert of Zin.) (vv.12-14 ERV)

Good and angry. This is how some family circumstances, world issues and yes, even my husband, can cause me to feel—good and angry. My anger never brings about anything good as a result.

Moses is one of my favorite Old Testament prophets. I have always felt sad that Moses did not get to go into the Promised Land because of his anger. All those complaining, impossible to please Israelites! He was angry enough that he sinned against God by striking the rock twice, rather than speaking to the rock for water to gush forth.

Yet, Moses never complained, argued, or made excuses to God for his angry behavior. Instead, he prayed for the people and asked God to provide a new leader to take the people into the Promised Land.

Who or what are you good and angry about today? Confess it to God and receive forgiveness.

Psalms 146, 147; Acts 19:11-20; Mark 1:14-20

Monday, July 6

Romans 8:26-30 And in a similar way, the Holy Spirit takes hold of us in our human frailty to empower us in our weakness. For example, at times we don’t even know how to pray, or know the best things to ask for. But the Holy Spirit rises up within us to super-intercede on our behalf, pleading to God with emotional sighs too deep for words. (v.26 TPT)

I am a very enthusiastic advocate for my grandson who is on the Autism Spectrum. Especially when it comes to getting what he needs at school. He is in “regular,” mainstream public Middle School classes even though he has Autism. He has an Individual Education Plan (IEP) which allows for accommodations and services for him to be able to remain in a typical public-school setting.

I understand, protect, and seek support for him under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and attend every meeting for his educational plan specific to his needs. I am his biggest cheerleader, supporter, and protector, other than his mom.

This is how the Holy Spirit works on our behalf in prayer. He “super-intercedes” for us in accordance with God’s will and plans. Wow! Now that is awesome in the truest sense of the word. Thank You, God, for the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Numbers 32:1-6, 16-27; Psalms 1, 2, 3; Matthew 23:1-12

Tuesday, July 7

Romans 8:31-39 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. (vv.31, 34 NKJV)

In my sixty-some years of life, I have met with many therapists who have helped me navigate some difficult personal issues. You may call them Counselors or Psychologists or even a “shrink.” Personally, I have found each of them to be quite helpful.

One issue I have struggled with often is what therapists refer to as “self-talk.” For me, my self-talk tends to be more negative than positive. Okay, hyper-critical even. I can give much grace to other people but not to myself. I would never talk to my friends the way I talk to myself in my head sometimes.

God, through the Holy Spirit, often brings me back to Romans chapter eight. He does not condemn me. The Holy Spirit intercedes for me. Even Jesus sits at God’s right hand, interceding for me! This is God’s truth about me. And you.

What thoughts or negative self-talk do you need to replace with God’s truth? Ask God to help you think and speak His truth for yourself.

Numbers 35:1-3, 9-15, 30-34; Psalms 5, 6: Matthew 23:13-26

Wednesday, July 8

Matthew 23:27-39 “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem—you are the city that murders your prophets! You are the city that stones the very messengers who were sent to deliver you! So many times I have longed to gather a wayward people, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings—but you were too stubborn to let me.” (v.37 TPT)

I like to think of Jesus as kind, loving, accepting, and non-judgmental. And then I read a passage like this. On the surface, it appears as if Jesus is being vindictive, mean, and unduly harsh to the religious leaders of His day. Yet, his words rang true. He spoke the truth.

Has anyone ever said something to you that took you aback thinking they were being offensive? And yet, deep down you knew what they were saying was true? I have had this happen. It is very uncomfortable and convicting. And honesty can be hurtful and painful and true all at the same time.

Jesus is all of the things I want and need, which can include brutal honesty of the condition of my inward spiritual life that may need correcting or changing. I can be stubborn or unwilling to listen or make necessary changes.

How about you? Is there something Jesus is saying that you are too stubborn to hear? Let him speak to you and gather you to Himself under His wings of love and protection.

Deuteronomy 1:1-18; Psalm 119:1-24; Romans 9:1-18

Thursday, July 9

Deuteronomy 3:18-28 “Commission Joshua to replace you, and then encourage him, for he shall lead the people across to conquer the land you will see from the mountaintop.” (v.28 TLB)

A while back, both I and a friend had applied for the same job at the same church. We were close friends. It was an excellent and desirable position we both wanted. I was offered the job and accepted. Needless to say, my friend was very disappointed and tried to be gracious and be okay and even happy I got the job. It was very awkward. We were able to work through it.

I wonder if Moses may have felt some awkwardness or tension with Joshua. God had just told Moses to stop asking to go into the Promised Land. God said no again in uncertain terms and even told Moses not to speak of it again.

This is one more reason Moses is one of my favorite Bible characters. He accepted God’s word to Him, never whined about anything, commissioned Joshua and even encouraged Joshua as the new leader. This took great strength and maturity.

Is there an awkward relationship you are aware of? Encourage that person today.

Psalm 18:1-20; Romans 9:19-33; Matthew 24:1-14

Friday, July 10

Psalm 16 YAHWEH, you alone are my inheritance. You are my prize, my pleasure, and my portion. You hold my destiny and its timing in your hands. Your pleasant path leads me to pleasant places. I’m overwhelmed by the privileges that come with following you! The way you counsel me makes me praise you more, for your whispers in the night give me wisdom, showing me what to do next. (vv.5-7 TPT)

My husband and I recently started attending a new church after having been at the last church for about thirteen years. This is a real challenge. We are in the process of finding people to connect with, learning new names, figuring out where to volunteer and serve.

I get impatient with God, wanting Him to show me where He wants me to use my gifts. I am a retired Pastor and Hospice Chaplain. I want to minister and be useful. I also want to fulfill my purpose and find satisfaction and fulfillment where God places me. I have made it about myself, rather than letting God lead me naturally into the areas of ministry He wants me.

It is about Him. He is my prize, my pleasure, my portion. It is about His timing, not mine. He will lead me and show me where to minister when glorifying Him is my first and foremost motivation.

Where are you serving for His glory and not your own?

Deuteronomy 31:7-13, 24—32:4; Psalm 17; Romans 10:1-13; Matthew 24:15-31

Saturday, July 11

Romans 10:14-21

And Isaiah boldly says, “I was found by those who did not seek me; I revealed myself to those who did not ask for me.” (v.20 NIV)

My grandson loves cats. He was playing outside one day and saw a cat hiding in a medium sized drainage pipe near his house. He ran inside asking his mom for some food to try and lure the cat out of the pipe. She had done this also as a child after having been instructed, “Whatever you do, don’t feed that cat. If you do, it will never leave.” She fed the cat. It stayed.

The same happened with the cat my grandson found. It progressed to hanging around their front door looking for food. He fell in love with that cat. Eventually, they took it to the veterinarian, getting a clean bill of health for it. It had been surrendered by the previous owner. So they became its new owners.

My daughter and grandson love to tell me the cat found them, not the other way around.

And that is what happened to us. God found me. God found you. Even when we weren’t looking for him. And He has been with us ever since we received Him into our hearts. Praise God!

Deuteronomy 34:1-12; Psalms 20, 21; Matthew 24:32-51

Sunday, July 12

Joshua 1:1-18 “My servant Moses is dead. Now proceed to cross the Jordan, you and all this people, into the land that I am giving to them, to the Israelites.” (v.2 NRSV)

The book of Joshua completes the story of how God led the Israelites from Egypt into the promised land. Joshua takes over after God led Moses to the top of Mt. Nebo and showed him “the land of which I swore to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob...” (Deuteronomy 34:4). The timeless appeal of the story is its similarity to the pilgrimage that God calls each Christian to make.

At one time or another, most of us face an “Egypt” or hopeless situation, a “Red Sea” or seemingly insurmountable obstacle, and a “Promised Land” on the other side. For most, our calling isn’t as dramatic or exciting as that of Joshua or Moses. We may not have to risk our lives. No one will write a book or make a movie about it. But we find inspiration in leaders like Joshua to whom God has said, “Be strong and courageous; do not be frightened or dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go” (v.9).

Psalms 148, 149, 150; Acts 21:3-15; Mark 1:21-27

Monday, July 13

Psalm 25 Turn to me and be gracious to me, for I am lonely and afflicted. (v.16)

Psalm 25 speaks freely of the difficulty of life. The psalmist is worried about his enemies and the “violent hatred” they hold toward him. “O, guard my life, and deliver me,” he asks the Lord. He feels guilt about his sins. “Relieve the troubles of my heart, and bring me out of my distress...and forgive all my sins,” he begs of the Lord. These are not happy days.

“Life is difficult,” wrote M. Scott Peck in his famous book, The Road Less Traveled. “This is a great truth, one of the greatest truths.” He went on to say that many people refuse to recognize this simple truth. “They moan more or less incessantly, noisily or subtly, about the enormity of their problems, their burdens, and their difficulties as if...life should be easy.”

Life is simpler once we recognize it is difficult. It neither owes nor awards anyone special treatment. The only difference for the Christian—though it is a huge one—is that we have a companion who makes the journey with us. We can say with the Psalmist, “Make me to know your ways, O Lord; teach me your paths. Lead me in your truth.” Our faith will then be strengthened by the Holy Spirit and our inner joy will overcome every difficulty.

Joshua 2:1-14; Romans 11:1-12; Matthew 25:1-13

Tuesday, July 14

Romans 11:13-24 If you do boast, remember that it is not you that support the root, but the root that supports you. (v.18b)

In a recent gardening class, I learned that roots have four functions: 1) anchorage, 2) absorption of water and nutrients, 3) storage of food reserves, and 4) conduction of food nutrients to the upper parts of the plant.

In this passage from Romans, Paul compares the hearer to a “wild olive shoot” that was grafted into a “rich root of the olive tree.” Grafting one variety of fruit tree into the roots of another is a common practice among fruit growers. Since my father grew oranges for a living, I know that many orange trees are grafted onto lemon tree roots when they are young. Lemon tree roots are more durable and sturdy than natural orange tree roots.

This passage offers a remarkable metaphor for the way in which we are grafted into the Body of Christ. In Paul’s words, we have been cut from “what is by nature a wild olive tree” and grafted into a cultivated olive tree. This body or “root system” offers strength, sustenance, and nourishment we cannot find in the world.

Joshua 2:15-24; Psalms 26, 28; Matthew 25:14-30

Wednesday, July 15

Romans 11:25-36 How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways! “For who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor?” (vv.33b-34)

I once thought that if I read the right verses long enough, found the right church, the right friends, and prayed enough, then somehow everything would be all right and I would no longer feel any pain. The key to happiness, I thought, was in constructing the right spiritual and social environment for myself. I inevitably learned that it’s impossible to build a box around my life to keep suffering out.

What do we do when prayers seem to go unanswered month after month, year after year? What do we do when troubling situations never change and old wounds and bruises do not heal? What do we do when there is no miracle? I have felt that way at various times.

I have learned that life changes, ebbs and flows. Suffering recedes, like the ocean waters, only to return a little while later. The only constant has been God’s love for me that continues to support me no matter how high the waters get. I marvel at “How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!” And through my love for Him I can always say, “To Him be the glory forever.”

Joshua 3:1-13; Psalm 38; Matthew 25:31-46

Thursday, July 16

Joshua 3:14—4:7 “So these stones shall be to the Israelites a memorial forever.” (v.7c)

Throughout history, men and women have built monuments to memorialize the struggles and triumphs of humanity. Who hasn’t been moved at the memories stirred by the Vietnam Memorial or the memorial depicting the raising of the flag on Iwo Jima? I shall never forget the emotion I felt when I first viewed the Vietnam Memorial and read the name of my high school classmate.

Joshua ordered the erection of the 12 stones at Gilgal for the same reason: “So that this may be a sign among you...these stones are to be a memorial to the people of Israel forever.” The memorial stones reminded the Israelites of God’s power in directing them out of bondage and into the promised land.

Memory is an important part of our soul and our spiritual life. Remembering the past brings insight into the present and foresight to the future. The body and blood of Christ in the elements of Holy Communion offer a memory of his past sacrifice, sustaining presence, and future hope. What personal “memorials” remind you of God’s actions in your life?

Psalm 37:1-18; Romans 12:1-8; Matthew 26:1-16

Friday, July 17

Romans 12:9-21 Do not lag in zeal, be ardent in spirit, serve the Lord. (v.11)

A friend who works in a business selling electronic sound equipment to churches says he’s tired of dealing with church leaders who are rude, demanding, and even dishonest. I am dismayed by the behavior of these Christians whom I hear about. I think they have forgotten that the character, integrity, and honor of the Christian is what makes the biggest impression on non-believers.

Developing Christian character seems to be neglected in numerous churches. Some churches emphasize correct and orthodox doctrine, while others stress evangelism. Some emphasize regular attendance at services that display a beautiful liturgy. Others encourage involvement in ministries for the poor and needy. While all these activities can contribute to building character, few churches stress Christian character as a discipline.

Today’s passage contains instruction for everyday Christian living: love one another, be patient in suffering, persevere in prayer, share material blessings, show kindness to strangers, display humility while avoiding arrogance, weep with those who weep, return kindness when mistreated, and live in harmony with one another. Charity begins at home and until we ourselves are healed, we limit our usefulness to God in being instruments for healing others.

Joshua 4:19—5:1, 10-15; Psalm 31; Matthew 26:17-25

Saturday, July 18

Joshua 6:1-14 The Lord said to Joshua, “See, I have handed Jericho over to you, along with its king and soldiers.” (v.2)

As Joshua led the Israelites into the Promised Land, he confronted a great obstacle. The city of Jericho, which stood in a strategic location, had to be overcome before the land could be conquered. But the Lord’s instructions to Joshua made little sense. He told Joshua to march around the city once for six days and then seven times on the seventh day. After the priests made a long blast on the trumpets, “have all the people give a loud shout and the wall of the city will collapse.” Most military commanders would have laughed at these instructions. No battle strategy looked more senseless. Nevertheless, victory was the result.

The easiest conclusion to draw from Joshua’s story is that obedience always leads to success. I sometimes feel that God is asking me to do something that would surely lead to failure. Sometimes, like Joshua, my obedience led to surprising success. Sometimes the result seemed to me to be a failure. I realize through all of this that my success or failure isn’t the point. The point God cares about is our obedience.

Psalms 30, 32; Romans 13:1-7; Matthew 26:26-35

Sunday, July 19

Mark 2:1-12 They couldn’t get to Jesus through the crowd, so they dug through the clay roof above his head. Then they lowered the sick man on his mat, right down in front of Jesus. (v.4 NLT)

The psalm for today and this passage in Mark tell about people desperate to be in the presence of God. Many people think of Jesus as harsh and rigid, or maybe even mournful and boring. This was certainly not the case. People don't flock to hear someone preach against them, neither do they vie for attention from someone who drones on about old topics. People wanted to be with him because he was life itself, because he walked the earth as King. We see his enjoyment of and his passion for his creation at every turn in the Gospels.

One of the most valuable experiences of my Christian life was reading the entire Gospel of Mark out loud at one sitting with a small fellowship group. We found ourselves absolutely captivated by the energy, intelligence, wisdom, and, at times, biting humor of the man whom we dare to call God. At the end, someone in the group said, “One feels one could have a real belly-laugh with him.”

I used to think that people would be impressed by my attempt at solemn morality and correct thinking. They’re not. My hope is that as I grow, and as we grow, in the Lord, our lives reflect the same delight and joy that his did, to his praise and glory.

Joshua 6:15-27; Psalms 63, 98; Acts 22:30—23:11

Monday, July 20

Joshua 7:1-13 “Hidden among you, O Israel, are things set apart for the Lord. You will never defeat your enemies until you remove these things from among you.” (v.13b)

Why do we think we can take things that belong to the Lord without His knowing it? If we believe in the omniscience (all-knowingness) of the Lord, we have to concede that there is nothing we can hide. And if we admit that the world—and everything in it—was created by God, then anything we take, we are taking from Him.

Some of the things that belong to the Lord are the future, His plan for us, and His plan for other people. Sometimes I am so sure that I know what ought to happen in a certain situation. I constantly must remind myself that my attempt to control such things is not just a waste of time, it is an attempt to steal what is God’s.

Lord, please help me to remember that the future is Yours, and that the stewardship You give me is only for today.

Psalms 41, 52; Romans 13:8-14; Matthew 26:36-46

Tuesday, July 21

Romans 14:1-12 So why do you condemn another Christian? Why do you look down on another Christian? Remember, each of us will stand personally before the judgment seat of God. (v.10)

This verse, indeed this whole passage, hits all of us where it hurts. How many times do we criticize other denominations or individuals for their interpretation of Scripture, their method of worship, or their stance on a particular issue? Of course, there are times when our judgment may be correct. But according to this passage, it is not our job to be preoccupied with judging the lives of other people. Paul seems to be saying very loudly, “Mind your own business!”

We like to mind other people’s business because it keeps us from letting God gently show us our misdeeds or our purpose. We can usually find someone who has done or said something we don’t think we would have done or said. Add in some rationalizing on our part, and we come out—in our own eyes—looking a little bit better than everyone else.

In the long run, however, minding other people’s business wears us out and makes us peevish, unpleasant, unappealing people to be around. We need to be aware of this danger and we need to make our witness more effective by encouraging other Christians in their life with Christ.

Joshua 8:1-22; Psalm 45; Matthew 26:47-56

Wednesday, July 22

Psalm 119:49-72 Your principles have been the music of my life throughout the years of my pilgrimage. (v.54)

This verse captures something of the beauty of God. As Christians we are accustomed to thinking of our lives as a long journey, full of unexpected storms and unkind innkeepers, treasure maps to be deciphered, and only enough light for the next step. But music on a pilgrimage? Shocking. Who would expect it? What lonely traveler would expect to dance?

How often do we interrupt our daily trials and tribulations to glory in the beauty of sight and sound around us? In the hectic pace at which most people live today, we owe it to God and to ourselves to pause long enough to hear the music of life singing in God’s words. Only then can we go on to face life with joy in our hearts.

God’s word appears here not just as a safe place to sleep or shared bread along the way but as something beyond the necessary, something serendipitous, something to make us, as C.S. Lewis wrote, Surprised by Joy.

Joshua 8:30-35; Romans 14:13-23; Matthew 26:57-68

Thursday, July 23

Matthew 26:69-75 Suddenly, Jesus’ words flashed through Peter’s mind: “Before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.” And he went away, crying bitterly. (v.75)

Peter had sworn never to deny Jesus, yet he found himself doing that very thing. What strikes me about this verse is how similar we are to Peter. We all find ourselves in this position, and not just about God. It is so easy to look at another person’s life with judgment and say, “I would never do that.” The older I am and the more I mature as a Christian, the less frequently I make such critical pronouncements. I have found myself doing things and thinking things that I never would have thought possible.

We have two major advantages over Peter: we live on the other side of the Resurrection, and we are not faced with risking our lives to acknowledge Jesus. Peter denied Jesus not out of malice, it seems, but out of disappointment, confusion, and fear. Rather than saying, “I would never do that,” I should be praying, “God, please hold me close when I feel disappointed, confused, and afraid.”

Joshua 9:3-21; Psalm 50; Romans 15:1-13

Friday, July 24

Psalm 40 He lifted me out of the pit of despair.... Many will see what he has done and be astounded. They will put their trust in the Lord. (vv.2-3)

When we are in the “pit of despair,” it is indeed a black hole. Not only does everything seem to be working against us, but our energy becomes sapped, our minds are numbed, and our spirits are quenched. The resources we need to lift us from our sorry state just don’t seem to be available to us.

Last year was a difficult one for my family. We know exactly what the “pit of despair” feels like. But the experience of being drawn out of darkness by the Lord strengthened me. It is one more event to which I can look back throughout my life and say, “God sustained me.” It is one more chapter in my spiritual story. It is one more way that God once again won the allegiance of my stubborn heart and made me more His own. Thanks be to God.

Joshua 9:22—10:15; Psalm 54; Romans 15:14-24; Matthew 27:1-10

Saturday, July 25

Romans 15:25-33 And now may God, who gives us his peace, be with you all. Amen. (v.33)

God gives us His peace. But the emphasis of this passage is on God Himself being with us, not just His peace.

God wants me in rich fellowship with Himself. Sometimes I have peace, sometimes not. Sometimes I have joy, sometimes not. Sometimes I see the way ahead clearly, sometimes not. The certain thing is that God wills to walk with me.

This is comforting yet frightening. If God is with me, then I need not be afraid; but if God is with me, then I cannot unashamedly do whatever I please. Having God present means that there is also present a holiness before which none of us can rightly stand and to which each of us must answer.

May I have the courage to pray that God Himself, not just His peace, be with me.

Joshua 23:1-16; Psalm 55; Matthew 27:11-23

Sunday, July 26

Joshua 24:1-15 He summoned the elders, leaders, judges and officials of Israel, and they presented themselves before God. (v.1b NIV)

Here is a faded photograph from the pages of Israel’s family album. It is torn on the edges and creased through the middle. But the image is still observable. In this old sepia tone, we see a snapshot of worship. The people of God are gathered together with their spiritual leaders.

Notice what the text says. They “presented themselves before God.” That is what we still do on Sundays in worship. We join with the rest of God’s family and make a presentation of ourselves anew to Him. Our part in worship is to recognize God and our need of Him, and to give ourselves anew to Him through tangible acts of confession, praise, reflection, prayer, and obedience to His word.

But when God’s people join together, God also makes a presentation. He presents Himself to us, He opens his own photograph album and leafs through the pages of history as we look over His shoulder. On each page we see His faithfulness and goodness portrayed. What He has done in the past is captured on paper in this holiest of history books, and our hearts are motivated to worship. Our feeble faith is nourished with a close-up of God’s reliable profile.

Psalms 24, 29; Acts 28:23-31; Mark 2:23-28

Monday, July 27

Joshua 24:16-33 “Now then,” said Joshua, “throw away the foreign gods that are among you and yield your hearts to the Lord, the God of Israel.” (v.23)

What benediction were you given as you left the sanctuary yesterday? Chances are, you were challenged to walk through the week in the shadow of God’s favor and in the confidence of His power.

After rehearsing God’s acts from the past in the presence of the people of God, Joshua dismissed the people to get back to their task of inheriting the promised land. But before sending them off, He called them to separate themselves from the symbols of the pagan culture that surrounded them and to consecrate themselves to the Lord. His benediction had a bit of a Billy Graham sound ringing through it. The text doesn’t say they sang “Just as I Am,” but the altar-call flavor is there nonetheless.

Every week we face the same challenge of living out the values of the kingdom in a setting that is as pagan as Canaan. The gods of pleasure, lust, materialism, success, vanity surround us and beg to be worshiped. Unless we daily yield our hearts to the Lord and confess our desire to serve Him alone, by mid-week Sunday’s flame will have died to a barely glowing ember.

Psalms 56, 57, 58; Romans 16:1-16; Matthew 27:24-31

Tuesday, July 28

Judges 2:1-5, 11-23 “I will use them to test Israel and see whether they will keep the way of the Lord and walk in it as their forefathers did.” (v.22)

An optional wording for the Lord’s Prayer changes “And lead us not into temptation,” to “And save us from the time of trial.” A curious change, isn’t it?

Scripture tells us that the Lord cannot be tempted and neither does He tempt us to sin. But God historically has used trials and tests as a means of strengthening His followers. Heavy times build strong faith muscles. Difficult circumstances also provide us with a mirror by which we can see just how much of a family resemblance we bear to our Father in heaven. That is what God seems to be about in today’s passage. He wants to help the Israelites see their own reflection and reflect upon it.

No doubt you are facing a hardship this week. Maybe it is in relationship to a family member. Perhaps it concerns a colleague at work. For some it is a medical issue. Can you see the hand of God in it? Can you picture yourself being held in the palm of His hand as you endure it? God wants to test you to see just how much you are willing to rely on Him to get you through.

Psalms 61, 62; Romans 16:17-27; Matthew 27:32-44

Wednesday, July 29

Acts 1:1-14 “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (v.8)

Cell phones are amazing! They have improved my productivity at work and my sense of security while traveling obscure roads. When my wife and I are out to dinner, it is comforting to know that the phone will ring at our table if our school age children need us at home for any reason. But for cell phones to work, they must have a power source.

The same is true between Sundays. If we are to confront a secular society and remain unstained from godless influences, we need a source of power. If we are to endure hardships and emerge through the tunnel of testing, we need the fuel to keep the engine moving. What we are called to do as the people of God requires an ability that we do not have on our own. With our model, batteries are not included.

But don’t be discouraged. Today’s text conveys the words of Jesus himself. He says that power is available to us to do what witnesses of the gospel are required to do and endure. That power is the Holy Spirit. It is the spirit of Jesus that will fill the lives of all of us. And through the Holy Spirit, Jesus continues to minister in his world.

Judges 3:12-30; Psalm 72; Matthew 27:45-54

Thursday, July 30

Acts 1:15-26 Then they prayed, “Lord, you know everyone’s heart. Show us which of these two you have chosen to take over this apostolic ministry, which Judas left to go where he belongs.” (vv.24-25)

It’s one thing to know your own heart. It is quite another to know the heart of God. When it comes to selecting leaders for governing the local church, we need to be intent on understanding both.

The first disciples knew their own hearts. They knew what they were about. It was clear to them that their primary purpose was to be eyewitnesses to the life and resurrection of Jesus. For the church to grow and be taken seriously, the integrity of their claims was essential. Leaders in the church need to be above reproach, not just those with the most votes.

It was a basic assumption that to be a leader among God’s people required that a person have a first-hand relationship with Him and be one who abstained from ungodly choices (to which Judas had succumbed). To choose quasi-Christians would communicate the wrong message to the watching world and could easily lead a congregation to ruin.

For us the principle is clear. We must be sure of our purpose and motives and then prayerfully identify possible choices. But the most important thing is to seek the will of God for His choice and then act on what we believe that to be.

Judges 4:4-23; Psalms 70, 71; Matthew 27:55-66

Friday, July 31

Acts 2:1-21 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. (v.4)

Pentecost

They gathered in a room too small,

Weighted down with thoughts of recent days.

And they waited as instructed,

but were quite unsure just why their Leader had gone away.

Sequestered and scared, they prayed in silence.

For what? They didn’t know.

“Life will never be the same,” said one,

And the truth of what he spoke he hardly knew.

And then the unexpected:

A deafening sound of wind, an unconsuming flame,

A cacophony of praise, an offering of hands upraised.

The Spirit of the living Christ was living now within.

Hallelujah!

—by Greg Asimakoupoulos

Judges 5:1-18; Psalm 69; Matthew 28:1-10

Saturday, August 1

Psalm 75 When the earth and all its people quake, it is I who hold its pillars firm. (v.3)

How can you go to church tomorrow and worship a God who allows bad things to happen to good people? Do you really think a good God is responsible for this crazy world? Why waste your time in church? Don’t you have a better way to spend a Sunday morning?

If the people around you haven’t asked those questions, they at least are thinking them. They want to know how we explain earthquake ravaged countries and parents who tremble in grief over the casket of a child. They want to know who is in control? They want to believe there is an answer.

God is not threatened by the questions our friends pose. Neither is He threatened by the seemingly unjust calamities of our world. He has a plan. He knows what He is about.

There’s a hymn I remember singing in church as a boy. One of the stanzas went like this. “When darkness veils His lovely face/ I rest on His unchanging grace/ In ev’ry high and stormy gale/ my anchor holds with-in the veil/ On Christ the solid rock I stand/ All other ground is sinking sand.” [My Hope is Built on Nothing Less by Edward Mote]

That is what the psalmist was saying. That is why it makes sense to go to church tomorrow.

Judges 5:19-31; Psalm 76; Acts 22-36; Matthew 28:11-20