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Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do. Joshua 1:8 (NLT)
Several years ago now I embarked on a journey that would take me nearly ten years to complete. For reasons I’m still not sure of I decided that I wanted to study the Bible from cover to cover. Not just read it. Study it.
I set up some rules for myself. I would only read a paragraph a day unless it was a short chapter. Proverbs was a treat in and of itself! I followed no specific pattern of book order, although I did try to alternate between Old and New Testaments as much as possible. I also made a commitment to myself that this would not become a ‘religious exercise’. I was going to do it because I wanted to, not out of obligation. If I missed a day or two I resolved to NOT send myself on some guilt trip. Life happens.
The ‘format’ for my study was really pretty simple. I bought a three ring binder and some lined paper. Each day that I studied I would put the date, the scripture to be read/studied and a ‘journal’ area. After reading the selected section of the Bible I would write down what I thought the passage meant to me. Lastly, I put a one line ‘Life Step’ after each journal entry. The ‘LIFE STEP’ would be one thought from the passage that I would take with me throughout my day. It may have been a verse or a thought. It ‘had to be’ something I could apply to my life.
There were some days when I would read a passage and go through my day encouraged by the things I read. His word and the lesson stayed with me all day long as I meditated on some thought from that passage.
There were other days when I did the process and to be honest didn’t really find anything that would grab me about my life and walk with God. It was interesting though that later, on occasion, some part of the passage would come to mind and I distinctly remember thinking, “Oh, that’s why God gave me the reading this morning!”
This experience taught me some valuable lessons.
First, God’s word is relevant for today. The more I read, the more I realized its importance in giving me wisdom, strength and encouragement.
Secondly, daily reading of God’s word gave me more awareness of God’s presence in my daily life. He showed me his presence in many ways that I’d never seen before.
Thirdly I began to see the Bible as one story, with many sub-stories, that showed that God uses people. Ordinary people like you and I to accomplish his work. These were people who sinned, rebelled, and struggled with life!
We are extremely blessed, in the United States especially, with a multitude of Bible Studies, Churches, TV shows and the internet to give us God’s word. Joshua was promised that by making God’s Word a priority in life he would see success and prosperity by God’s standards.
PRAYER: Father God. Thank you for your word the Holy Bible. Thank you for the fact that throughout generations your Word has continued to be the infallible guide we need to find rest, peace and hope in you. I praise you for your choce to use us, as ordinary sinful people, to accomplish your kingdom work here on earth. Amen.
For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline. 2 Timothy 1:7 (NLT)
What are the marks of Spiritual power? For some it may be doing some great miracle or seeing the signs of the Holy Spirit being manifest. We admire those people who can stand up strong and oppose the false values and the lies of the enemy. We dream of being able to dump the whole dump truck of the Gospel on people, denouncing their sin, warning them of their eternal damnation and showing them, in no uncertain terms, that they are the devil’s tool!
Others may say that spiritual power is seen in ‘spiritual disciplines’ of prayer, Bible Study and living a holy, set-apart lifestyle. These are the prayer warriors and the scholars of our day. They spend hours and hours in study and prayer and draw insights from God’s Word that we marvel at.
Is one of these better than the other? Shall we strive for one above the other? In some ways they seem opposites. One (power) is openly visible and extrovert-ish. But power, taken to extremes, tears apart, destroys and loses its regard for human feelings and emotion.
The other (self-discipline) can be taken to the extreme and become withdrawn and loses touch with society. In its extreme it can lead to legalism and a judgmental spirit.
But Paul adds the perfect ingredient to bring power and discipline together: Love.
It is love that helps us to realize that God’s word is true and that His Son Jesus is the only way to peace and forgiveness while here on earth and eternal life with Him after we die.
It’s love that reminds us that we are His most special creation. We are made in His image for His glory so that we can reach out to those around us that are in pain and despair.
It’s the love of the Father that caused Him to send His Son, Jesus, to the Cross to take the penalty for my sin, to offer me forgiveness, and to give me the power of the Holy Spirit for daily living.
It’s love that helps me to be patient and gentle with those who continue to follow their own destructive ways. It keeps me from attacking them through constant reminders of their sin and drives me to my knees to pray that God will lead them to repentance.
Love. The perfect cement that binds the truth of God’s word and the power of His Spirit to show the world that Jesus is the answer to the pain that they bear.
PRAYER: Heavenly Father. I thank you today for the many blessings you have given me. I thank you that through your Holy Spirit I can be brave in my speaking out for you. I thank you for your Word that gives me the wisdom to see the lies of the enemy and the truth of Your word. I ask that you would help me to add the cement of love to my life so that I can reach out to my friends and neighbors and show them the unspeakable blessing of knowing Jesus. Amen.
The worst of my fears has come true, what I’ve dreaded most has happened. Job 3:25 (The Msg)
Ever gone through day or a period in your life when absolutely EVERYTHING seems to go wrong? I don’t just mean little things like burning your toast in the morning, being late to work because you were stuck in traffic or having a flat tire on the interstate in a driving rain.
These are difficult things to go through but nothing compared to Job. He’d lost his children, his wealth, the position of respect in his community and his health. Even his wife had withdrawn from him at his deepest time of need. He was all alone and in physical, emotional and spiritual agony. To top things off he had three visitors who claimed to be friends. They took on the self-appointed position of judge, pointing out all the things that they knew about how ‘wrong Job was’!
While few of us have ever gone through the devastation Job endured there are times in our lives when things are so bad that we are unsure that we will be able to go on. The death of a dearly loved family member or friend; the end of a relationship in which you thought ‘everything was fine’; financial collapse; watching a loved one die of some disease, or finding out you are dying from some disease. All of these and more can cause us to lose all hope in ourselves, God or others.
While there aren’t any easy, quick fixes to the pain and despair that life deals us, there are a few things that may help ease the pain for a time.
- Don’t instantly blame yourself. Job lived a nearly perfect life in God’s eyes yet endured unheard of pain. Take stock of the situation. Sometimes we have to admit that the things we are going through are consequences to our own choices. Ask Jesus to forgive you for your part and to give you strength to make it through the time of ‘discipline’ we call consequences.
- Realize that sometimes the pain we go through has nothing to do with us. It could be God’s way of strengthening us for the challenges we face tomorrow. It could be God’s way of empowering us to help those who have gone through similar devastation.
- Listen carefully to friend’s advice and measure it up against what you know. Sometimes even the most well-meaning friends are just plain wrong! Even pastors and spiritual leaders can be wrong sometimes. True, Christ-following friends won’t be critical or harsh. They will love you and support you and gently walk with you through the darkness.
- Don’t just go looking for people to agree with you. But remember that it is God who judges and He alone knows the reason for your pain. Continue to grow in your relationship with Him. Don’t abandon Him. In the darkest night He is the only true light.
- Most importantly, in spite of your pain and anger and despair, don’t turn your back on God. Even though things seem impossibly painful God DOES love you and has the power to see you through anything, ANYTHING life throws at you. Talk to Him. Read His love letter to us (the Bible). Ask Him for wisdom and strength to make it through life’s challenges.
PRAYER: Dear Jesus. I’m about at the end of my strength. I’ve even thought of just ending it all because I’m not sure I can go on. You say you are there and I want to believe it but sometimes the darkness is too overwhelming. Please help me to see you in all this. Empower me through your Holy Spirit to sense the peace and love that passes all understanding. Right now I need to feel your love. Amen.
Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7 (NLT)
“Don’t worry!” Two little words that are so easy to say, an action that is so hard, sometimes impossible to do. Sometimes people will tell us ‘don’t worry’ when they have no idea how much pain we are in. Sometimes people will say ‘don’t worry’ and make us feel like our worrying is some terrible sin that questions God’s desire or ability to intervene.
Sometimes we worry about things that don’t matter. Sometimes worry cripples our ability to think clearly or to act wisely. Sometimes we worry about things that are way beyond our control, which frankly, is a waste of time because it doesn’t change anything.
Paul wrote these words of advice to the church in Philippi. This was the small town where Paul and Silas were put in prison for preaching about Jesus. It was cold, dark, damp and no doubt smelly because ancient prisons had no ‘official’ bathroom facilities or showers.
In the midst of all this Paul and Silas sang praises to God! Then an earthquake hit and Paul and Silas were not only set free but had opportunity to lead the jail keeper and his entire family to Jesus. In the midst of calamity and injustice and danger and fear, Paul practiced what he preached!
There is on little phrase in these verses that gives much hope and relief, “pray about everything”. This little phrase reminds us that there is nothing too small to bring to our Heavenly Father. When we were growing up and exploring life we’d bring the smallest leaf, stones and sticks and all sorts of other things to our parents in excitement of what we’d found. In the same way we can come to our Father.
There is nothing to overwhelming to bring to the Father as well. It may be overwhelming to us because we don’t know the facts, we don’t know the future and we see no solution. But our Father in Heaven knows the facts, the solution and how it will all work out in the end.
Sometimes we worry because the situation we are in is a result of our own doing. We are afraid that God will say, “That’s it. That’s the last straw. How many times have I told you not to do that? Well, not this time buster. You are on your own this time.” God will never, ever abandon us. We fail. We fall. We rebel. But we can always come home to the Father for forgiveness.
Spend time today talking with God. Tell him all your concerns, big, small, and insignificant. Ask forgiveness for the things you need forgiveness for and believe you are forgiven. And most of all focus you mind on that fact that God loves you. Spend time thinking of all the blessings He’s bestowed upon you. When we tell Him all our struggles He will work to bring us peace beyond belief.
PRAYER: Holy Father, I thank You today for your love and forgiveness. I praise you for the fact that although you are creator and sustainer of the entire universe you aren’t too big or powerful or important to kneel beside me as a small child with a scuffed knee. There is nothing I can do to separate me from your love. Help me to give all my worries to you today. Amen.
But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint. Isaiah 40:31 (NLT)
There is nothing more majestic than an eagle soaring high above the clouds, circling, gliding and looking for its next meal. There isn’t much more exciting than to watch it quietly and swiftly dive from the sky and scoop up its dinner. Eagles give us a picture of strength, wisdom and majesty.
The Bible tells us that as we grow in our relationship with Jesus Christ we will grow stronger. Our strength will be renewed. The Eagle renews its strength every few years by growing new feathers. These new feathers give even an old eagle the strength it needs to soar above the clouds. He is like a young eagle ready for the challenges of his day.
Our strength, our new feathers so to speak, comes from trusting God. Trust isn’t something you put on like a shirt. It’s not something you decide to pray for and get the next day. Trust doesn’t come through a certain prayer, a certain denomination, or a certain religious tradition.
Trust doesn’t come from activity, even good activity such as going to church, reading the Bible or going to Bible Study. These activities help you learn about God and grow closer to him in relationship. But it doesn’t give you ‘trust.’ Trusting in the Lord only comes as we go through adversity and trials and see that He is faithful in renewing us on a daily basis.
Don’t put your faith and hope in man-made solutions or quick fixes. On a daily basis ask God to renew your strength and help you to grow to trust Him in everything you do.
PRAYER: Holy God and Heavenly Father. I’m tired. Rather that flying with the eagles I feel like I’m grounded. Too weak to soar. To weak to even fly. Help me to trust you more. I ask that you would empower me through your Holy Spirit to learn to trust you more and to be renewed to face the challenges of each new day with strength I get from you. Amen.
Mike Fisk & Built with Grace 