He Hears AND Answers - Lk. 11:8-9

"'But I tell you this -- though he won't do it as a friend, if you keep on knocking long enough, he will get up and give you what you want so his reputation won't be damaged. And so I tell you, keep on asking, and you will be given what you ask for...'" Lk. 11:8-9

This is a confusing set of verses for me because God appears to be a reluctant giver. The only thing I can reconcile this with is when, in the OT, he tells Israel he will answer their prayers, not because they deserve it, but to keep his reputation intact. Even though this could be viewed as disconcerting, I take strange comfort from these verses. At the bottom of it all, what he is telling me is that even if I am not seeing immediate results, to keep on asking and he WILL respond (regardless of the "why"). I know that theologically there is much more to it than this, but because of some issues I am praying about right now, I REALLY needed to hear this.

God, thank you for this promise. Even if I am not understanding all aspects of it, I thank you for being a God who hears and answers my prayers.

Today's reading: Zech. 1-3; Lk. 11

First Love - Lk. 10:41

"'My dear Martha, you are so upset over all these details! There is only one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it--and I will not take it from her.'" Lk. 10:41

How often am I like Martha? Allowing myself to be distracted by all the details of living life, and letting those details take priority over my first love? Jesus is always calling us to spend time with him, and to let HIM be the focus. I believe it is one of Satan's primary weapons to lure me into a room called the world, and attempt to shut the door and not allow me to hear my Lord's voice. If I am not careful, soon I will start to believe that what is in the room is all that matters, and forget that my primary mission is to get people out of that room! Mary had her priorities straight, I need to reorder mine on a daily basis.

Lord, as much as I might slip into that room, I pray that you will always keep that door open so I can always see you and hear your voice.

Today's reading: Ezra 4; Ps. 113, 127; Lk. 9

God's Chosen - Lk. 8:38-39

From 9/25/2007 reading:

"The man who had been demon possessed begged to go too, but Jesus said, 'No, go back to your family and tell them all the wonderful things God has done for you.'" Lk. 8:38-39

Later on in the chapter, Jesus brings a girl back from the dead but instructs her parents not to tell anyone. Now why would he do this? both are extraordinary events, and if the goal is to have people believe you, wouldn't you want to choose the most credible witness possible? My choice would NOT be the previously demon possessed man! But isn't this just like Jesus? Choosing the unlikely, the unloved? Look at who he chooses to use as his messengers: fishermen, tax collectors, prostitutes, shepherds, crazy guys living in the wilderness, me! They didn't fit the world's view of messengers of God, yet how often am I guilty of this discriminating behavior?

God, give me your heart and eyes, help me to see everyone as you do.

Today's reading: Ezra 2, 3; Lk. 8

Rate Of Return - Lk. 6:38

"If you give, you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full measure, pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, and running over. Whatever measure you use in giving--large or small--it will be used to measure what is given back to you." Lk. 6:38

Put another way, this says you can't out give God. In fact, it seems to indicate that he will actually give back more than your original gift. In my business, we call that, "Rate Of Return." While God does not quantify what that rate is, he does describe it: It is overflowing and abundant; and it is a RELATIVE measure depending on your attitude toward giving. I am, at best, an inconsistent giver--at least in my heart, and THAT is where it really matters.

God, continue to transform my heart and my values to your's. Show me how to continue to press forward in the areas of my life that you are shining your light on.

Today's reading: Dan. 11, 12; Lk. 6

He Hears... In Real Time - Dan. 9:23; 10:12

"The moment you began praying, a command was given... Since the first day you began to pray for understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your request has been heard in heaven." Dan. 9:23; 10:12

I have to admit it, I have my moments of doubt. Are my prayers REALLY being heard? Is it doing any good? What about that, "if it's his will" thing? Bottom line is that I am physical man trying to comprehend spiritual things; and while I "know" I have been given the mind of Christ to discern these things, it can still be a challenge. It requires faith, which I DO have, but sometimes the gap between these two worlds just seems so huge. Today's reading, and these verses specifically, RADICALLY close that gap. "The moment..." is about as immediate as you get, and that hit me hard. Not only does he hear every prayer even as it is leaving my lips, he is just as intimately knowledgeable about every sin I commit and/or try to rationalize away. The picture of the spiritual battle that is constantly raging is just as instructive (Dan. 10:20-21)--if I could actually see this battle with my own eyes, would I act differently? Whose side am I on anyway?!

God, thank you for giving me a glimpse into the heavenly realm--sometimes I forget... Build my faith, and keep a visual in front of me as I pray so I can stay focused on the REAL battle at hand.

Today's reading: Dan. 9, 10; Ps. 123; Lk. 5

The Time Is Coming - Dan. 8:23-25

"At the end of their rule, when their sin is at its height, a fierce king, a master of intrigue will rise to power... He will destroy powerful leaders and devastate the holy people. He will be a master of deception, defeating many by catching them off guard... He will even take on the Prince of princes in battle, but he will be broken, though not by human power." Dan. 8:23-25

I often wonder whether I will be alive when the Antichrist rises to power. Is he on the scene today? He will be hard to identify being a master of deception, and I don't underestimate his power to seduce and move below the radar until the time of his choosing. One world government and one world religion, we are well on our way. Who will broker the peace treaty with Israel? Will we witness it or will we be raptured by this time? Come Lord Jesus!!

God, thank you for revealing your entire plan so far in advance. Show me how to live with a sense of urgency: If I KNEW you were coming back tomorrow, who should I be telling about you today??

Today's reading: Dan. 7, 8; Ps. 137; Lk. 4

A Call To Action - Lk. 3:10, 11

"The crowd asked, 'What shall we do?' John replied, 'If you have two coats, give one to the poor. If you have food, share it with those who are hungry.'" Lk. 3:10, 11

There seems to be a general call throughout the Bible for ALL believers: Take care of widows and orphans, and give to the poor. What do I do to fulfill this mandate? My conclusion: NOT ENOUGH. There is a reason for this. My upbringing drove me to succeed: Survival of the fittest; Look out for number one, etc. This shaped my thoughts about life, as well as God (and kept me from finding him for a long time). It led me to be the capitalist that I am, who believes in free markets and small government, and equal opportunity for all to "make it." But it also distorted my view of the poor. Yes, many of them should be making more of an attempt to improve themselves, but that is between them and God. What is between ME and God, is how I am fulfilling what he has called ME to do. This is where I always get tripped up--I think too much. God says to go do something, then I think about it, analyze it, determine how it applies to me, and reach a conclusion about how I will respond. Kinda like the route Eve took when God told her to not eat the apple... My decision to obey cannot be based on anything other than he told me to do it, otherwise I am on a dangerously slippery slope. Back to the poor. God has blessed our family with abundance, and while we do give to the poor through some large organizations, I am sensing a call for more "grass roots" involvement. I want to broaden our giving. Yes, I want to touch the world through the missionaries we support, but there is local need as well. I will be looking for ways to fill that gap.

Jesus, thank you for the abundance you have provided for our family -- show us how to be good stewards.

Today's reading: Dan. 5, 6; Ps. 130; Lk. 3

Home Pt. 2 - Ezek. 47:22

"Distribute the land as an inheritance for yourselves and for the foreigners who have joined you and are raising their families among you. They will be like native-born Israelites to you, and they will receive an inheritance among the tribes." Ezek. 47:22

So we see in Rev 21 (on 9/16) the New Jerusalem being revealed to John in the Spirit. Here, we can see what can only be described as the New Jerusalem to Ezekiel over 500 years earlier! Not only does God himself give the details, but he promises that we (the foreigners) are included in the inheritance EXACTLY as a native-born Jew would be! If this isn't enough, in today's reading in Luke, we witness the birth of Jesus which is what makes this inheritance possible!! I am simply overwhelmed by God's plan! We may not always see it because we are consumed by simply living life (exactly what Satan is counting on), but God established an unchangeable plan from before time, and left out not a single detail. Then he actually wrote it down and gave it to us to read! How amazing is this?

Lord, what can I say? Thank you for having worked all this out in advance. Help me to live my life never forgetting where my REAL home is.

Today's reading: Ezek. 47, 48; Lk. 2

His Face - Rev. 22:3, 4

"No longer will anything be cursed. For the throne of God and the Lamb will be there, and his servants will worship him. And they will see his face, and his name will be written on their foreheads." Rev. 22:3, 4

For some reason , I have never highlighted this verse in my Bible, but how significant is this, "And they will see his face..."? Up until this time no man had EVER seen God (Jn. 1:18). Now, not only do we see him, his name is written on our foreheads and he DWELLS with us. To me, this speaks to true relationship, like a holy, royal family. This thought is confirmed to me in verse 5, "...And THEY will reign forever and ever." This is us with God... FOREVER! I am still trying to digest this.

Lord, as a feeble human, I cannot begin to fathom your plan of wanting me to rule with you. Your plans are far above mine, and all I can do is worship you. You alone are God.

Today's reading: Ezek. 42-44; Rev. 22

Home - Rev. 21:1-6

"Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the old heaven and the old earth had disappeared. And the sea was also gone. And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven. I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, 'Look, the home of God is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them. He will remove all of their sorrows, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. For the old world and its evils are gone forever.' And the one sitting on the throne said, 'Look, I am making all things new!' And then he said to me, 'Write this down, for what I tell you is trustworthy and true.' And he also said, 'It is finished! I am the Alpha and the Omega--the Beginning and the End.'" Rev. 21:1-6

I have always felt that Rev. 21 is not read enough (ever?) in church. THIS is what it is all about!! This is what God has promised us, this is what HE HIMSELF has prepared for us... US! If you ever felt unworthy before, this takes it to a whole new level. It is just an overwhelming set of verses to me...

God, you are the Lord of Lords and King of Kings! Creator of the universe and of ALL things... You are my Father, my Savior, my Friend. I will ALWAYS praise you!

Today's reading: Ezek. 40, 41; Ps. 128; Rev. 21

Priority Pass - Rev. 20:6

"Blessed and holy are those who share in the first resurrection. For them the second death holds no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years." Rev. 20:6

How AWESOME is this?! We Christians are called "blessed and holy," and "the second death (Great White Throne Judgment) holds no power" over us. We basically got a Priority Pass straight to the New Jerusalem! And it's a good thing too, because I certainly don't want to be judged according to what I have done -- NO ONE passes this test! This is perhaps the most powerful reason to preach the Word to all whom we love.

God, thank you for choosing me to be saved--it is the purest example of outright grace. Remind me often of the benefit of your Priority Pass, so I will pass on the instructions to others on how they can secure one of there very own.

Today's reading: Ez. 38, 39; Ps. 145; Rev. 20

His word... His Power - Rev. 19:13, 15, 21

"...He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and his title was the Word of God... From his mouth came a sharp sword, and with it he struck down the nations... Their entire army was killed be the sharp sword that came out of the mouth of the one riding the white horse." Rev. 19:13, 15, 21

I can't think of a better reason for reading the Bible everyday. It is the Word of God; It is His name; It is His ultimate weapon. I don't think we attribute the proper amount of respect to the Bible and the power it possesses. Somehow, in the spiritual realm, this is the equivalent of God's nuclear bomb, and it is collecting dust on most of America's bookshelves--it appears that Satan has done his job well. Somehow, this book contains enough of God's power to wipe out entire armies, and to be called "HIS NAME." I think it would be wise for us to read it!

Lord, it is as if the answers are all right in front of us and we can't see it. Your Word has been around for thousands of years, and we, in large part, have failed to recognize it's power. In fact, we look for solutions everywhere but in that simple book that has always been on our shelf. I pray that you continue to reveal yourself to me through your Word, show me your power!

Today's reading: Ezek. 36, 37; Ps. 110; Rev. 19

Here Today... - Rev. 18:14, 18

"'All the fancy things you loved so much are gone,' they cry. 'The luxuries and splendor that you prized so much will never be yours again. They are gone forever.'" Rev. 18:14

"... And now, in a single hour it is all gone." Rev. 18:18

I have often marveled at the Bible's description of Babylon. This place was almost mythical in its luxuries and beauty -- there was nothing like it in all the world. I am sure that its people and its rulers thought themselves as having "made it," that what they had would live on forever. Yet, as was prophesied, there is NOTHING left of it today. I believe God uses Babylon as a visual lesson for all of mankind. Here is a place of wealth and luxury unlike anything most of human history has ever experienced. Yet, without God it is utterly worthless -- gone "in a single hour." What will I trust in? The temporal nature of the world or the eternal kingdom God has created for me? When positioned like this, the question seems almost rhetorical, yet when living life everyday it is not nearly as easy to recognize how far into Babylon I have traveled.

God, I KNOW that the world I live in is but a nanosecond in your eternal time line, but it is all I know. Please forgive my short-sightedness and lack of vision, and keep me focused on your voice in my life everyday.

Today's reading: Ez. 33-35; Rev. 18

Stand Up... Be Noticed - Dan. 3:18

"If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God whom we serve is able to save us. He will rescue us from your power, Your Majesty. But even if he doesn't, Your Majesty can be sure that we will never serve your gods or worship the gold statue you have set up." Dan. 3:18

Wow! Is this a bold statement or what? This verse speaks to me on so many levels: We are called to be different, a people "set apart" for God's own purpose -- Am I REALLY willing? Here are three guys who hold a very high office in the kingdom, and they are going to openly disobey the king, at the risk of death, simply because God told them not to bow down to an idol? Would I have the courage? Would I try to rationalize? Am I REALLY willing to be seen as different? What idols are already standing between me and God? What about the statement, "But even if he doesn't..."? I have been blessed with the gift of faith, but this is where the rubber meets the road. When your life is at risk, you find out how strongly you truly believe. Would I be able to make this statement? I would like to believe that my faith is that strong, then at the same time pray that God never feels the need to test me. Even if I was strong enough to give up my own life, what about my wife or kids? What if their lives were being threatened? Would I cave? Again, I pray that I am not out to the test.

Jesus, you know I love you. I praise you and thank you for being my one and only God. Thank you for sending your Holy Spirit--thank you for the gift of faith you have blessed me with. You are an AWESOME God, and I serve only you.

Today's reading: Dan:3-4; Ps. 81; Rev. 17

He Alone... - Dan. 2:20-21

"...for he alone has all wisdom and power. He determines the course of world events; he removes kings and sets others on the throne." Dan. 2:20-21

As I watch world events unfold, sometimes I forget that it is God who is orchestrating them, "...for HE ALONE has all wisdom and power. HE DETERMINES the course of world events..." This emphasizes at least two things for me: 1. Man is but a bit player in a production that God both wrote and continues to direct--we are called to play our roles to the best of our abilities, but contrary to what we might think, we have, if anything, a very minor impact on the final outcome; 2. God IS in control and he HAS a plan. Sometimes I feel like retreating from life and becoming a kid again, where I don't have any real responsibilities and someone else makes all the plans. I believe that GOD wans to be that "someone else" in our lives. Just do what he asks us to do, do it to the best of our abilities, and HE will take care of the rest. has made all the arrangements, HE has the plan.

Lord, thank you for having the master plan, help me to actually believe that more often in my daily life!

Today's reading: Dan. 1, 2; Rev. 16

History Repeats - 2Ch 36:15-16; Rev. 13:3

From 9/7-8/2007 reading

"The Lord, the God of their ancestors, repeatedly sent his prophets to warn them, for he had compassion on his people and his Temple. But the nation mocked these messengers of God and despised their words. They scoffed at the prophets until the Lord's anger could no longer be restrained and there was no remedy." 2Ch. 36:15-16

"The women present and all the men... answered Jeremiah, "We will not listen to your messages from the Lord! We will do whatever we want. Jer. 44:16

"I saw that one of the heads of the beast seemed wounded beyond recovery--but the fatal wound was healed! All the world marveled at this miracle and followed the beast in awe." Rev. 13:3

Anyone who says that God is harsh, unfair or unjust, simply has not read the Bible. God repeatedly extended his mercy and offer of restoration until it was evident that the people were depraved beyond reach. Judgment and punishment were always his last course of action. Remarkably (or maybe not), man simply will not learn his lesson, and history repeats itself in almost identical fashion in the last days. Even then, God, being true to his character, does not simply wipe out sinful man. In his effort to save anyone who is willing to recognize him as God, he says, "Anyone who is willing to listen should hear and understand. The people who are destined for prison will be arrested and taken away. Those who are destined for death will be killed. But do not be dismayed, for here is your opportunity to have endurance and faith." Rev. 13:9-10

We serve a VERY patient and gracious God!

Today's reading: 2Ki. 25; 2Ch. 36; Jer. 40-41; Rev. 12
Jer. 42-44; Ps. 48; Rev. 13

Pride... Before The Fall - Ez. 29, 31

From 9/6/2007 reading:

"Because you said, 'The Nile River is mine; I made it,' I am now the enemy of you and your river." Ez. 29:9-10

"Because it became proud and arrogant, and because it set itself so high above the others, reaching to the clouds, I handed it over to the mighty nation that destroyed it as its wickedness deserves. I myself discarded it." Ez. 31:10-11

One word kept coming to me all through today's reading, "PRIDE," and how much God hates it. It was the source of Satan's fall from the beginning, and it has continued to plague humankind ever since. Much of man's weakness can be traced back to this insidious disease. It would do us well to keep ourselves under constant self-examination for evidence of its existence--it seems to be a master of disguise.

Lord, I repent for being a prideful man--please forgive me. Replace my pride with humbleness and remind me daily to purge pride from my being.

Today's reading: Ez. 29-32; Rev. 11

Same Ol', Same Ol' - Ez. 20:32

From 9/3/2007 reading:

"You say, 'We want to be like the nations all around us...'" Ez. 20:32

God created for himself a special people, a people intended to be special and different, a people set-apart. But this people didn't want to be different, they wanted to be the same. They wanted to conform to the world around them--party and prosper, and come to God on THEIR terms. So God punished them. The message is the same today for us Christians. We serve a jealous God--He wants us for himself; so much so that he sent his son to die a brutal death so we could have a relationship with him. Yet, all too often we treat him with the same contempt the Jews did--wanting to come to him on our terms instead of his. We must think he won't mind... Ha! What would be making us think this?? And why would we want conformity to a fallen world when God created something SO special? I think it is the "frog in a kettle" syndrome. Conformity takes awhile, just like it takes water to boil. And we are experts at rationalizing and compromising. Over time, if we are not careful, we will have adopted much of the world around us without even realizing it (maybe, or maybe we realize it and do it anyway), and all of a sudden look much different than God ever intended us to look. We got "cooked" and didn't even realize it-- even though Satan may not have won our souls, he has effectively taken us out of the game. Brilliant strategy!--see Screwtape Letters.

God, why is it SO much easier to conform than to live for you? Please give me strength. Thank you for your love and mercy.

Today's reading: Ez. 20-21; Ps. 111; Rev. 8