Title: "Rejoicing in Jesus' Reputation" Mentor: David
Scripture: Psalm 89:15 "Happy are those who hear the joyful call to worship, for they will walk in the light of your presence, Lord. 16 They rejoice all day long in your wonderful reputation. They exult in your righteousness.17 You are their glorious strength. It pleases you to make us strong.18 Yes, our protection comes from the Lord , and he, the Holy One of Israel, has given us our king."
Observe: When we walk in the light of God's presence (his being with us), we are happy, rejoicing in God's reputation (his character), in His perfection. God makes us strong and it makes God happy to make us strong. We are shielded by God from harm (protected).
Apply: I need to live in the presence of Jesus, meditating on his reputation. Jesus delights in making us strong, because it is Him living in us that makes us strong. Through this strength is protection from the enemy.
Prayer: Jesus, help me to understand and meditate on your reputation. Through this process I can rejoice ALL day long. Would you make me strong today in you, this is your delight and so I walk confident in this promise!
Scripture: Judges 18:28 "There was no one to rescue them because they lived a long way from Sidon and had no relationship with anyone else."
Observation: There were a group of people not know by others. Their borders were not close. No one knew their comings or goings. They lived in isolation from others with a false sense of safety and security.
Application: It is vital to my spiritual livelihood that I allow myself to be known. That I share my life with others. There is safety and protection when spiritual attacks and physical hardships come. Those who know me can provide spiritual, physical and emotional protection and encouragement. God never intended for me to live and grow in isolation from a community of like-minded believers.
Prayer: Lord, don't let me spiritually, physically or emotionally hide from others. From those who desire to know me and are about my best good, my success. Keep me from falling into the trap of false safety and security when things are going well. Keep me from trying to manage my sin when things are going south. Help me to turn quickly to those I know I can trust with my praises and with my confessions. Help me also to be this kind of "neighbor" for others.
SCRIPTURE: "Then the Danites took what Micah had made, and his priest, and went on to Laish, against a peaceful and unsuspecting people. They attacked them with the sword and burned down their city. There was no one to rescue them because they lived a long way from Sidon and had no relationship with anyone else." (Judges 18:27-28)
OBSERVATION: This was an anarchistic day where people would expand their territory through war and military conquest. There was no leadership so marshal law was declared and everybody did what was they liked. It was also a day where Levites were "hired" to insure that God's favor would be on them like an amulet is thought to bring good luck.
Well, Micah hired a Levite to protect his belongings. He had his silver idols and the Levite was paid to assure that God's favor was on his household. However, the Danites overpowered Micah and stole what he had. (I'm sure that after this episode, Micah fired the Levite within the hour!)
The Danites then continued their pillage and proceeded to the next town of Laish. There were peaceful and unsuspecting people. Nothing wrong with that if all your neighbors are peaceful and unsuspecting too. They though that if they were peaceful, everybody else should be also.
But the Danites saw this as a weakness and began to take advantage of them. They pounced on the gullible Laishans, and not one survived. So much for peaceful and unsuspecting people. End of story.
APPLICATION: This is a tension we all must live in... as individuals and as a country.
Finding the balance is not an easy task. It is the Ying and Yang of living in the human race, and life does not fire any warning shots when it hits you hard. You have one chance.
So what is the lesson? Jesus tells us Matthew 10:16 that we should be wise as serpents but harmless as doves. We often do well on the "harmless as doves" part and we overuse the "shrewd as serpents" side. However any imbalance in this will cause our hearts to become gullible or manipulative, too soft or overly defiant. The tension of this tightrope will require us to navigate well.
Wisdom does not make us too soft just as strong character will not make us too rigid. We will all face challenges and obstacles that we will have to either adapt to or overcome. Sometimes adapting will be another word for compromise, but other times, it will be what will make you unstoppable. Overcoming will at times make you rigid and unteachable, but at other times, it will express obedience and faith.
Wisdom will guide you to the best choice.
PRAYER: Dear Lord, You said in James that if anyone lacks wisdom, let him ask of God. I do ask today. For the season ahead, please grant me wisdom. There are so many choices ... when both seem equal or at least equally slippery, I need Your wisdom to navigate well.
"Psalms 75:4-6 (TLB) 4 I warned the proud to cease their arrogance! I told the wicked to lower their insolent gaze 5 and to stop being stubborn and proud. 6 For promotion and power come from nowhere on earth, but only from God. He promotes one and deposes another. "
OBSERVATION : 1. We are warned to stop pride, arrogance, stubborness. 2. The ultimate source of success is God (not within me) 3. Pride is a big deal to God.
APPLICATION: I need to take inventory in this area. How can I know if I am proud? How can I know if I appear proud (in the Czech culture). I will add again this confession of pride to my daily purging time with the Lord.
Lord, I was just pondering this subject last night as I read about Piper taking a leave of absence. Lord, pride is so invisible to the one who has it, but so obvious to everyone else. Sometimes I try to appear humble, so that others will like me more, not because you detest pride. Lord, show me today how to be more vigilant in this area. I want to please you. All I can think of is to ask you to forgive me for the pride in me (because it is always there) and ask you to faithfully show me my pride, and show me the way of humility. I want to be your servant. But when I'm treated like a servant, by others, this indignation rises up within me, where I want to point out how smart, and educated, and gifted I am. I know that this is pride Lord, but how to gain humility. You the God of the universe humbly washed the disciples feet. Lord, I can see your humility. I desire your humility, but I don't know how to be humble Lord. Teach me. Form Christ in me, and hold me close in the painful process. Amen.
Title: "Rejoicing in Jesus' Reputation"
ReplyDeleteMentor: David
Scripture: Psalm 89:15 "Happy are those who hear the joyful call to worship, for they will walk in the light of your presence, Lord. 16 They rejoice all day long in your wonderful reputation. They exult in your righteousness.17 You are their glorious strength. It pleases you to make us strong.18 Yes, our protection comes from the Lord , and he, the Holy One of Israel, has given us our king."
Observe: When we walk in the light of God's presence (his being with us), we are happy, rejoicing in God's reputation (his character), in His perfection. God makes us strong and it makes God happy to make us strong. We are shielded by God from harm (protected).
Apply: I need to live in the presence of Jesus, meditating on his reputation. Jesus delights in making us strong, because it is Him living in us that makes us strong. Through this strength is protection from the enemy.
Prayer: Jesus, help me to understand and meditate on your reputation. Through this process I can rejoice ALL day long. Would you make me strong today in you, this is your delight and so I walk confident in this promise!
Title: No Man is an Island
ReplyDeleteMentor: the Laishites
Scripture: Judges 18:28
"There was no one to rescue them because they lived a long way from Sidon and had no relationship with anyone else."
Observation: There were a group of people not know by others. Their borders were not close. No one knew their comings or goings. They lived in isolation from others with a false sense of safety and security.
Application: It is vital to my spiritual livelihood that I allow myself to be known. That I share my life with others. There is safety and protection when spiritual attacks and physical hardships come. Those who know me can provide spiritual, physical and emotional protection and encouragement. God never intended for me to live and grow in isolation from a community of like-minded believers.
Prayer: Lord, don't let me spiritually, physically or emotionally hide from others. From those who desire to know me and are about my best good, my success. Keep me from falling into the trap of false safety and security when things are going well. Keep me from trying to manage my sin when things are going south. Help me to turn quickly to those I know I can trust with my praises and with my confessions. Help me also to be this kind of "neighbor" for others.
TITLE: "Wise as Serpents, yet Harmless as Doves"
ReplyDeleteSCRIPTURE: "Then the Danites took what Micah had made, and his priest, and went on to Laish, against a peaceful and unsuspecting people. They attacked them with the sword and burned down their city. There was no one to rescue them because they lived a long way from Sidon and had no relationship with anyone else." (Judges 18:27-28)
OBSERVATION: This was an anarchistic day where people would expand their territory through war and military conquest. There was no leadership so marshal law was declared and everybody did what was they liked. It was also a day where Levites were "hired" to insure that God's favor would be on them like an amulet is thought to bring good luck.
Well, Micah hired a Levite to protect his belongings. He had his silver idols and the Levite was paid to assure that God's favor was on his household. However, the Danites overpowered Micah and stole what he had. (I'm sure that after this episode, Micah fired the Levite within the hour!)
The Danites then continued their pillage and proceeded to the next town of Laish. There were peaceful and unsuspecting people. Nothing wrong with that if all your neighbors are peaceful and unsuspecting too. They though that if they were peaceful, everybody else should be also.
But the Danites saw this as a weakness and began to take advantage of them. They pounced on the gullible Laishans, and not one survived. So much for peaceful and unsuspecting people. End of story.
APPLICATION: This is a tension we all must live in... as individuals and as a country.
Finding the balance is not an easy task. It is the Ying and Yang of living in the human race, and life does not fire any warning shots when it hits you hard. You have one chance.
So what is the lesson? Jesus tells us Matthew 10:16 that we should be wise as serpents but harmless as doves. We often do well on the "harmless as doves" part and we overuse the "shrewd as serpents" side. However any imbalance in this will cause our hearts to become gullible or manipulative, too soft or overly defiant. The tension of this tightrope will require us to navigate well.
Wisdom does not make us too soft just as strong character will not make us too rigid. We will all face challenges and obstacles that we will have to either adapt to or overcome. Sometimes adapting will be another word for compromise, but other times, it will be what will make you unstoppable. Overcoming will at times make you rigid and unteachable, but at other times, it will express obedience and faith.
Wisdom will guide you to the best choice.
PRAYER: Dear Lord, You said in James that if anyone lacks wisdom, let him ask of God. I do ask today. For the season ahead, please grant me wisdom. There are so many choices ... when both seem equal or at least equally slippery, I need Your wisdom to navigate well.
Title: "God is Above All Things"
ReplyDeleteMentor: David
Scripture: Psalm 89:6 "For who in all of heaven can compare with the Lord, what mightiest angel is anything like the Lord."
Observe: The verse is telling how great God is and He's greater than all in heaven including angels.
Apply: Because He (God) is greater than all things I should worship Him.
Prayer: Dear Jesus, I worship you because of how great you are!
A Pride Alert.
ReplyDelete"Psalms 75:4-6 (TLB)
4 I warned the proud to cease their arrogance! I told the wicked to lower their insolent gaze
5 and to stop being stubborn and proud.
6 For promotion and power come from nowhere on earth, but only from God. He promotes one and deposes another. "
OBSERVATION : 1. We are warned to stop pride, arrogance, stubborness. 2. The ultimate source of success is God (not within me) 3. Pride is a big deal to God.
APPLICATION: I need to take inventory in this area. How can I know if I am proud? How can I know if I appear proud (in the Czech culture). I will add again this confession of pride to my daily purging time with the Lord.
Lord, I was just pondering this subject last night as I read about Piper taking a leave of absence. Lord, pride is so invisible to the one who has it, but so obvious to everyone else. Sometimes I try to appear humble, so that others will like me more, not because you detest pride. Lord, show me today how to be more vigilant in this area. I want to please you. All I can think of is to ask you to forgive me for the pride in me (because it is always there) and ask you to faithfully show me my pride, and show me the way of humility. I want to be your servant. But when I'm treated like a servant, by others, this indignation rises up within me, where I want to point out how smart, and educated, and gifted I am. I know that this is pride Lord, but how to gain humility. You the God of the universe humbly washed the disciples feet. Lord, I can see your humility. I desire your humility, but I don't know how to be humble Lord. Teach me. Form Christ in me, and hold me close in the painful process. Amen.