In and Out: E-Devo

Another way to get the Word in..and back out in your life:

“Quiet Walk Devotional” is an excellent Bible-based daily devotional that works through the Bible using scriptures for prayers of praise, thanksgiving, and confession, plus a suggested list of 3 or 4 items to pray over for action in your life. It’s short and to the point.

I’ve had it arriving in my inbox the past few months and have appreciated the extra reminder to focus on loving the Lord using His written truths. Admittedly, many days I delete it before even reading, but other days I spare two minutes and pray through the scriptures sent. On those days, His Word often reaches me at my exact point of need. He is indeed an alive and active God!

Lisa

Get in the Word----Daily Bible Reading

It’s almost January 1. Again.

How many Christians are resolving, once again, to read through the Bible in a year? And how many more have given up ever resolving that again, after bogging down in Leviticus by mid-February and conceding total defeat?

Want a more workable plan? Take 2 years instead. It’s really not sacrilege, and your chance of success is more than doubled. Revised from a chronological plan handed out at Central a few years back, this plan takes 60 weeks to read through the Old Testament, and 35 weeks through the New Testament.

Readings are only for 5 days a week instead of 7, again increasing your likelihood of success. And because the schedule is padded for only 95 weeks of reading in 2 years, you have a safety net for catch-up days (and weeks!).

Ten years from now: would you rather have never made it through the Bible from a too-grandiose one-year plan, or made it through 5 times from a slower reading plan? (Or even 3 times from a 3-year plan?)

The goal, of course, is never to just check the box by reading some words. However, there will be days like that; don’t let that stop you. Remember that the Spirit is more powerful than our faulty motivation. So read anyway. And check the box if it makes you feel better.

But keep your eyes open—even in our struggling-to-read days, God works in mighty ways to bless our efforts to know Him.

Even in Leviticus.

You shall follow my rules and keep my statutes and walk in them.
I am the LORD your God.
Leviticus 18:4

Lisa

The Good Shepherd

I have come that they may have life,
and have it to the full.
I am the Good Shepherd.
The Good Shepherd lays down
his life for the sheep.

~ John 10:10-11

Still Point

Christ is the still point of the turning world.


~ T. S. Eliot

O Thou Fount of Ev'ry Blessing

Your love, O LORD, reaches to the heavens,
Your faithfulness to the skies.
Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains,
Your justice like the great deep.
O LORD, you preserve both man and beast.
How priceless is your unfailing love!

Both high and low among men find refuge
in the shadow of your wings.
They feast on the abundance of your house;
You give them drink from your river of delights.
For with you is the fountain of life;
In your light we see light.

~Psalms 36:5-9

Magnificat

And Mary said, "My soul magnifies the Lord,
and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant. For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed;
for he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name.

And his mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation.

He has shown strength with his arm;
he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts;
he has brought down the mighty from their thrones and exalted those of humble estate;
he has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent empty away.

He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy,
as he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his offspring forever."

Luke 1:46-55

A Prayer at Mid-Day

In the hustle of Christmas month, may this prayer offered in Richard Foster's Prayer Treasury help us remain focused on Jesus.

The day has been breathless, Lord.
I stop now for a few moments and I wonder:
Is the signature of the Holy over the rush of the day?

Or have I bolted ahead, anxiously trying to solve problems that do not belong to me?

Holy Spirit of God, please show me:
how to work relaxed,
how to make each task an offering of faith,
how to view interruptions as doors to service,
how to see each person as my teacher in things eternal.

In the name of Him who always worked unhurried,
Amen.

Who's Your David?

Unto thee, O LORD, do I lift up my soul. Psalm 25:1

O God, you are my God, earnestly I seek you. Psalm 63:1

David, did you know that we, thousands of songs later, would still be singing your songs? …to praise with you? …to cry with you? …to thank with you?

Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God. Psalm 20:7

In you, O LORD, I have taken refuge; let me never be put to shame; deliver me in your righteousness. Psalm 31:1

David, did you know that we, thousands of years later, would still be reading your words? ...to voice our thoughts? …to confess our sins? …to brag on our God?

Sometimes words come hard. It’s not always easy to verbalize what we’re thinking or feeling.

But when we open the Psalms, and read the words of David, Solomon, Asaph, Ethan, and yes, even Moses (Psalm 90), the words we fumble for pour out. They utter the intimacies that we feel, but struggle to articulate.

If all I had was one last breath
I’d spend it just to sing Your praise
Just to say Your name

But these are not words of David. Do we still have “Davids” today? While not inspired by the Spirit in the same manner as David, don’t we still hear voices to help us express the same thoughts to the Father?

If all I had was one last prayer
I'd pray it 'cause I know You're always listening

If all I had was one more song to sing
I would raise my voice to make the heavens ring

Who is your David? Toby and Aaron? Max and Beth? Britt and Mandisa? Ken and Brandon?

None replace David in breathing out God’s messages. But others can help speak for us when we can’t speak for ourselves.

'Cause I know You're there,
I know You see me

You're the air I breathe
You are the ground beneath me

I couldn’t have said it better myself.

~ Lisa

When Your Hut Is on Fire

The only survivor of a shipwreck was washed up on a small, uninhabited island. He prayed feverishly for God to rescue him. Everyday he scanned the horizon for help, but none seemed forthcoming.

Exhausted, he eventually managed to build a little hut out of driftwood to protect him from the elements, and to store his few possessions.

One day, after scavenging for food, he arrived home to find his little hut in flames, with smoke rolling up to the sky. He felt the worst had happened, and everything was lost. He was stunned with disbelief, grief, and anger.

He cried out, "God! How could you do this to me?"

Early the next day, he was awakened by the sound of a ship approaching the island! It had come to rescue him! "How did you know I was here?," asked the weary man of his rescuers.

"We saw your smoke signal," they replied.

The Moral of This Story:

It's easy to get discouraged when things are going bad, but we shouldn't lose heart, because God is at work in our lives..... even in the midst of our pain and suffering.

Remember that the next time your little hut seems to be burning to the ground. It just may be a smoke signal that summons the Grace of God.

Psalm 8

A psalm of David.

1 O LORD, our Lord,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!
You have set your glory
above the heavens.

2 From the lips of children and infants
you have ordained praise
because of your enemies,
to silence the foe and the avenger.
3 When I consider your heavens,
the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars,
which you have set in place,
4 what is man that you are mindful of him,
the son of man that you care for him?
5 You made him a little lower than the heavenly beings
and crowned him with glory and honor.
6 You made him ruler over the works of your hands;
you put everything under his feet:
7 all flocks and herds,
and the beasts of the field,
8 the birds of the air,
and the fish of the sea,
all that swim the paths of the seas.
9 O LORD, our Lord,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!

Thanks, Ed, for sharing the photos and the thoughts.
Thanks, Lord, for providing the abundance of majestic material for us to work with. There is none like You!

Oops! Are we listening?

Surprise!

So Nov 14 was NOT our last class after all. Was God trying to make a point that indeed His ways are higher than our ways and His thoughts than our thoughts (Isaiah 55:9)?

That the heart of man (or woman—if the glass slipper fits) may plan his way, but the Lord determines his steps (Proverbs 16:9)?

That it is not in man who walks to direct his own steps (Jeremiah 10:23)?

Perhaps...
Regardless, another night to praise Him together was a blessing, and may His words that were shared accomplish that which He purposes, and succeed in the things for which He sent them (Isaiah 55:11).

If you missed the stories:

Ask Kathleen and Mike how God uses sheet cakes and lullabies.
Ask Tamara how God inspires 9-yr-olds to rewrite lyrics.
Ask Meagan who is the real Love of her life.
Ask Sharon how God uses hymns to weed hearts.
Ask Joey why we should worship God 24/7.
Ask Allan about God’s pre-winter color scheme.
Ask Selwyn how inaccurate Newsweek's obituaries are.

And ask God what He's trying to say to YOU ...through His Word, His world, and His children.

Dying of Thirst

She saw the stream, bright as glass. But although the sight of the water made her feel ten times thirstier than before, she didn't rush forward and drink. She stood as still as if she had been turned into stone, with her mouth wide open.

And she had a very good reason: just on this side of the stream lay the Lion.

She knew at once that it had seen her, for its eyes looked straight into hers for a moment. She couldn't take her eyes off it. How long this lasted, she could not be sure; but it seemed like hours. And the thirst became so bad that she almost felt she would not mind being eaten by the Lion if only she could be sure of getting a mouthful of water first.

"If you're thirsty, you may drink."

The voice was not like a man's. It did not make her any less frightened than she had been before, but it made her frightened in rather a different way.

"Are you not thirsty?" said the Lion.

"I'm dying of thirst," said Jill.

"Then drink," said the Lion.

The delicious rippling noise of the stream was driving her nearly frantic. "Do you eat girls?" she said.

"I have swallowed up girls and boys, women and men, kings and emperors, cities and realms," said the Lion. It didn't say this as if it were boasting nor as if it were sorry, nor as if it were angry. It just said it.

"I daren't come and drink," said Jill.

"Then you will die of thirst," said the Lion.

"Oh dear!" said Jill, coming another step nearer. "I suppose I must go and look for another stream then."

"There is no other stream," said the Lion.

~ excerpt from The Silver Chair by C.S. Lewis

Evening Prayer of Gratitude

We thank You LORD, for it is You alone

who is Adonai our God.

You are the Rock and Shield of our salvation,

You alone, from generation to generation.

We thank You and tell of Your praise,

for our lives are in Your hands
and our souls are trusting in You.

Every day Your miracles are with us:
Your wonders and favors are at all times,
morning, afternoon, and evening.

O LORD, Your compassions are never exhausted,

and Your kindnesses are continual.

We put our hope in You.

~ from the Hebrew Hoda’ah,

an evening prayer of Gratitude

How Foolish...

I Cor 1:18-21
For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
For it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate."
Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?
For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe.

I Cor 1:25-31
For the foolishness of God is wiser than man's wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man's strength.
God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.
He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things, and the things that are not, so that no one may boast before him.
It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God - that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption.
Therefore, as it is written: “Let him who boasts boast in the Lord."

I Cor 3:18-20
Do not deceive yourselves. If any one of you thinks he is wise by the standards of this age, he should become a “fool" so that he may become wise.
For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God's sight. As it is written: “He catches the wise in their craftiness”, and again, “The Lord knows that the thoughts of the wise are futile."

So that’s it? Our faith rests in
...The FOOLISHNESS of God?

But faith isn’t blind …He has shown all throughout history that He is Jehovah Jireh--“The LORD who provides”.

So, will I be faithful in those “small” ways …. even though my natural tendencies and all of the culture around me are saying,
“How Foolish”?

-from Wednesday's class, Nov. 14

How to Slay a Giant

We all want the faith of Peter and David, right? To know for certain that when it counts, we’ll come through for God.

But do I have to wait for another stormy night on the Sea of Galilee?
Or go find a 9 foot tall soldier profaning the Holy LORD?

“One who is faithful in very little is also faithful in much …" ~Luke 16:10

How am I being asked to be faithful in the here and now? Are there things God wants me to be and do that are “unnatural?” Is He preparing me to accomplish the impossible with Him one day? To overcome a force that seems invincible to me right now?

* if someone hits you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also ~ Matt 5:39
* consider others better than yourself ~ Phil 2:3
* I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties – for when I am weak, then I am strong ~ 2 Cor 12:10
* pray continually ~ 1 Thess 5:17
* whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant ~ Matt 20:26
* forgive those who sin against you ~ Matt 6:12
* rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ ~ I Pet 4:13
* if someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles ~ Matt 5:41
* accept him whose faith is weak, without passing judgment on disputable matters ~ Rom 14:1
* the man who does not eat everything must not condemn the man who does, for God has accepted him ~ Rom 14:3
* it is for freedom that Christ has set us free… to become slaves to God ~ Gal 5:1, Rom 6:22
* give, pray, fast in secret … then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you ~ Matt 6:4,6,18
* fix your eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen ~ 2 Cor 4:18
* love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you ~ Matt 5:44
* do not become gossips and busybodies, saying things you shouldn’t ~ I Tim 5:13
* do everything without complaining or arguing ~ Phil 2:14
* lay down your life for your brothers ~ I John 3:16
* love keeps no record of wrongs ~ I Cor 13:5
* to live is Christ and to die is gain ~ Phil 1:21

Yes …Just a few things that aren’t natural - that don’t make sense.

Is this what Jesus meant when he said, “anyone who has faith in me will do greater things” than he did?

Is this how we walk on water?
How we slay giants?

It’s almost foolish to think so …

--from Wednesday's class, Nov. 14

Unnatural in the New Testament, Too?

So, what about the New Testament? It’s ushered in with a pretty amazing story, too.

And Mary said, "My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant. For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed; for he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name. Luke 1:46-49

Some call it the “Greatest story man ever heard.” Definitely fitting, but it is much more than that, isn’t it?

In fact, all of these great stories of faith and of God working are much more...

Look at Heb 12:1, immediately after the run down of the “Hall of Faith” in chapter 11 …
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.” ~ Hebrews 12:1

“A great cloud of witnesses …” Giving testimony that God has been and continues to be at work …doing things HIS way.

Does the weight of the evidence make a difference to me?

--from Wednesday's class, Nov. 14

What About These? Natural or Not?

But is David’s story of “unnatural” events a special case?
Got a minute? Look up these stories. Do they seem “natural” to you?

In the beginning God … ~ Gen 1:1

Build an Ark, and I will save your family when I destroy the earth and all its people. ~ Gen 6:13-14

Abram, leave your home and country and go, there is no need to bring a map. ~ Gen 12:1

Although your wife Sarah is 90 years old, I will bless her with a son so that she will be the mother of nations. ~ Gen 17:16

Joseph, I sent you to Egypt in bondage, and you were wrongfully imprisoned so that I could save lives through you. ~ Gen 45:5

Tell the Israelites to camp by the Red Sea, so they can see the deliverance of the Lord! You will never see this Egyptian army again. ~ Exo 14:13

Moses, I will stand before you by the rock at Horeb. Strike the rock, and water will come out of it for the people to drink. ~ Exo 17:6

The 7th time around as the trumpet blast sounded, Joshua said, “Shout! For the LORD has given you the city of Jericho!” ~ Jos 6:16

Gideon, the 32,000 men you have are too many for my purposes. Let them go. I am going to save you with only 300. ~ Judges 7:7

Answer your servant Elijah, O LORD, so these 450 prophets of Baal, the 400 prophets of Asherah, and the people of Israel will know that you are God! ~ I Ki 18:37

My God sent his angel, and he shut the mouths of the lions. They have not hurt me! ~ Dan 7:22

Nope, David’s story wasn’t isolated. The Bible is full of stories that display the power of God in spite of man’s weaknesses or the natural way of things.

Hmmm … I suppose that is THE STORY of the Bible!

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the LORD.
“As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” ~ Is 55:8-9

So many amazing stories of God at work. And we haven’t even made it out of the Old Testament …
Yet ;-)

--from Wednesday's class, Nov. 14

Is This Normal?

David had many sons:
Amnon, Chileab, Absalom, Adonijah, Shephatiah, Ithream, Shobab, Nathan, Shimea, Solomon, Ibhar, Eliphelet, + more.
Certainly Solomon was NOT next in line of succession.
So why was HE the next king?

Only one reason.
Solomon was specifically appointed by the Lord (1 Chr 22:6-10). He was the son of promise. And the king of promise.
Just like his father David was a king by promise (1 Samuel 16:10-12).

God was obviously in charge, doing this HIS way—not man’s way, not the “natural” way.

It’s a common refrain in David’s life. Remember these events?

Mephibosheth—it would have been “natural” for David to leave him in exile or kill him. But he had made a promise to Jonathan.

Goliath—was it “natural” for a shepherd boy to be meeting the enemy’s champion with God’s reputation on the line?

Of course, David didn’t always follow God’s ways…

The Census—isn’t it “normal” for a king to know if he had enough soldiers to win HIS battles? No, not the way God was operating.

Bathsheba—It was certainly “the norm” for kings in that time and place to take the best for themselves—land, crops, and even women. But God’s idea of a king isn’t the same as everyone else’s.

So David’s life is full of examples of how God works in ways that aren’t “natural” to man. Does this make sense?

Is this…normal?

--from Wednesday's class, Nov. 14

"Absurdity in the Flesh"

“You mean to tell me God became a baby…?”
“Yes, that is what I mean to say.”
“And then, he was raised in a blue-collar home? He never wrote any books or helds any offices, yet he called himself the Son of God?”
“That is right.”
“And this crucifixion story?”
“That’s correct.”
“And all this was to prove that God still loves his people and provides a way for us to return to him?”
“Right.”
“Doesn’t that all sound rather…absurd?”
“Yes. Yes, I suppose it does sound absurd, doesn’t it?”

My Sunday school Jesus had been taken down from the flannel board. What God did makes sense. It can be taught, charted, and put in books on systematic theology.

However, why God did it is absolutely absurd. That type of love doesn’t have a drop of logic nor a thread of rationality.

And yet, it is that very irrationality that gives the gospel its greatest defense. For only God could love like that.

How absurd to think that such nobility would go to such poverty to share such a treasure with such thankless souls.

But he did.

~ Excerpt from God Came Near,
“Absurdity in the Flesh,” Max Lucado

Epilogue: What's It All About?

Story:
Once upon a time, there was a church. It was a good church, but the numbers on the record book looked bleak: attendance—falling; budget—unmet; and baptisms—few. The more the church examined the numbers, the more despair they felt.

What to do? What to do?

So they set aside their record book in exchange for THE book, the HOLY book, to search for timeless answers.

They discovered many stories about numbers—about rich men and poor widows, about prophets and kings.

And about one man. THE man who was THE God.

Suddenly, the discouraging numbers from their own records faded away—all they saw was One…Jesus.

Their eyes lit up with glee; their joy returned; and they praised the One for His mercy…and His saving of this one, and that one, and that one, and this one….

The End.

Question:
Where’s my focus—on numbers and records that I can count, or on Jesus? Where am I really safe…and saved?

Answer:
* I have no power to face vast armies that come against me, so my eyes are on you. 2 Chronicles 20:12
* Heal me, O Lord, and I will be healed; save me and I will be saved, for you are the one I praise. Jeremiah 17:14
* My eyes are ever on the Lord, for only he plucks my feet out of the net. Psalm 25:15
* I have not come to what may be touched, but I am receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken. Hebrews 12:18,28
* I fix my eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of my faith. Hebrews 12:2

Moral:
Jesus. It’s all about Jesus.

--from Wednesday's class, Nov. 7

Chapter 5: Trust the Nails

Story:
Once upon a time, there lived a God in a human body. He was a mighty, loving God.

But those he loved were weak, and sick unto death.

There was only one cure. But it would require a perfect, strong God to bleed until death.

He was the only one. What should he do? Was there no other way?

Alas, there was no other way.

So the perfect God allowed his perfect blood to pour out. One healthy, holy God in exchange for billions of sick people. Those were the numbers.

Did the plan work? Yes! The plan worked!

All the people who believed in him were saved, and lived happily ever after with God in his eternal kingdom.

Question:
Do I really believe that one holy man can save billions of bad men, including me? Can I really trust him with control of my one and only life? Isn’t this too good to be true?

Answer:
* By the grace of one man, Jesus Christ, God’s free gift overflows to many. Romans 5:15
* The Son of Man came to give his life in exchange for many. Mark 10:45
* God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16
* God did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all. Romans 8:32
* There is one God and one mediator between God and men, Christ Jesus, who gave himself to set all men free. 1 Timothy 2:5,6

Moral:
Trust the nails, not the numbers.

--from Wednesday's class, Nov. 7

Chapter 4: Saved by the ____

Story, 2 Chronicles 16

Once upon a time, there was a king of Judah named Asa. In days of old, he had defeated mighty armies despite their great numbers of chariots and horsemen because he relied on the Lord.

The Lord saved him and gave him victory.

This time, he turned away from the Lord’s mercy. Instead, he asked other nations for help.

The prophet of Judah knew that King Asa was making a big mistake, and told him so. “You have done foolishly in this; from now on you will have wars.”

This enraged King Asa so deeply that he threw the prophet into prison.

King Asa became afflicted with a horrible foot disease. And even though his disease was severe, he stubbornly refused to ask for help from the only One who could save him, but sought healing from his many physicians instead.

King Asa died.

Question:
Do I even need God? I don’t commit big sins; I go to church every week; I put money in the plate every Sunday; I even fill out a blue card. Isn’t that enough to get me into heaven?

Answer:
* I have not been saved by my own works but by a gift from God—grace through faith. Ephesians 2:8,9
* God has saved me not because of righteous works I have done, but because of his mercy. Titus 3:5
* It is the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that gives me eternal life. Jude 21
* I give thanks to God because of his great mercy in giving me new life. 1 Peter 1:3
* God has saved me not because of anything I have done but because he gave me grace in Christ Jesus. 2 Timothy 1:9

Moral:
Works don’t add up. Grace is what saves.

--from Wednesday's class, Nov. 7

Chapter 3: The Invisible Army

Story, 2 Kings 6

Once upon a time, there was a servant to a man of God named Elisha. The servant knew that war was in the air between his king of Israel and the king of Aram.

All during the night, the king of Aram surrounded the city with a strong force of horses and chariots. Their numbers were great.

The servant awoke early the next morning, and seeing the formidable force, asked, “Oh, man of God, what shall we do?”

The man of God, Elisha, prayed, “O Lord, open my servant’s eyes so he may really see.”

When the servant looked again, the numbers had changed. Not of the enemy force; they remained the same.

But he now saw God’s innumerable army, hills full of horses, and chariots full of…fire!

With God’s great mercy on their side, this uncountable, invisible army would surely save the day.

Question:
Am I more confident in what I can see, than in what I cannot see? Do I have to see it to believe it? Do I understand that I’m really living in an invisible kingdom?

Answer:
* I fix my attention, not on things that are seen, but on things that are unseen. Things that can be seen are only temporary, but what cannot be seen is eternal. 2 Corinthians 4:18
* Like Moses, I also persevere because I see the Invisible One. Hebrews 11:27
* Because I have been raised to life with Christ, I set my mind on things above, not on earthly things. Colossians 3:1,2
* I walk by faith, not by sight. 2 Corinthians 5:7
* My mind is not on earthly things because I am a citizen of heaven. Philippians 3:20

MORAL:
Trust invisible things, not things you see.

--from Wednesday's class, Nov. 7

Chapter 2: Rich Man/Richer Widow

Story, Luke 12, Mark 12:

Bigger Barns
Once upon a time, there was a certain rich man. Very rich. So rich, the numbers of his grain were larger than the numbers of his barns.

But instead of being rich toward God, he built more barns for himself. “I will relax. I will eat, drink and be merry.”

But on the very night of his calculations, God demanded his life.

No more counting riches for him!

Widow’s Two Mites
Once upon a time, there was a poor widow. Her coins were easy to count: 1, 2.

But instead of hoarding, one morning she donated both of her small copper coins into the temple treasury box.

The very important God-Man witnessed her actions. He was so pleased with her disregard for numbers and for her trust in God’s care that he told his followers that her contribution added up to more than the large sums of the rich people’s offerings.

Question:
How much time do I spend worrying about money—getting it…keeping it…spending it…getting more? Am I trusting my money to take care of me and make me happy more than I’m trusting God to do so?

Answer:
* I brought nothing into the world, and I can take nothing out of it. If I have food and clothing, I will be content with that. 1 Timothy 6:7,8
* I will not put my hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but I will put my hope in God who richly provides me with everything to enjoy. 1 Timothy 6:17
* I will seek first his kingdom and righteousness, then all the things I eat and drink and wear will be given to me also. Matthew 6:31,33
* My God will meet all my needs through his glorious riches in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:19
* His divine power has given me everything I need for life and godliness. 2 Peter 1:3

Moral:
All needs are met in God.

--from Wednesday's class, Nov. 7

Chapter 1: Safety in Numbers?

Story, 2 Samuel 24:

Once upon a time, there was a king—a mighty, victorious king named David. But King David started wondering about the next battle.

Would he have enough soldiers? Would he have enough swords? Would he be safe?

So instead of trusting God to save him no matter what, he needed to see the numbers to sleep better at night. He ordered a census of all fighting men.

Did this lack of confidence in God make God happy? Most certainly not! And did this make the king happy? Most certainly not!

He admitted, “I have sinned badly. Lord, forgive me for doing this very foolish thing.”

So God laid out 3 options for punishment. Which should the king choose? Option #1: 3 years of famine? Option #2: 3 months of running from enemies?, or Option #3: 3 days of plague?

The king was in great distress. “I’d rather fall into the hands of the LORD, whose mercy is great, than fall into the hands of men,” so he chose #3.

The Lord did indeed send a plague on the land, but in response to David’s plea for mercy, the plague was stopped.

The king, once again, was saved only by the Lord’s mercy.

Question:
What about me? Am I only at peace when my circumstances are under control—steady job, cancer-free, reliable car, healthy relationships? Am I happy only if I’m living the American dream?

Answer:
* My strong confidence is in the fear of the LORD. Proverbs 14:26
* I succeed not by might nor by power, but by the Lord’s Spirit. Zechariah 4:6
* No weapon formed against me will succeed. The LORD defends his servant and gives me victory. Isaiah 54:17
* The Lord’s grace is all I need; his power is strongest in my weakness. 2 Corinthians 12:9
* Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but I trust in the name of the LORD our God. Psalm 20:7

Moral:
There is only one safe place—in the Lord’s hands.

--from Wednesday's class, Nov. 7

Who You Gonna Trust?

Who you gonna trust?
What you can see? ...or what you can’t?
The visible? …or the invisible?
The temporary? …or the permanent?
The numbers? …or the nails?
Which is real…and lasting…and guaranteed?

We each have a set of numbers that define us and describe who we are. Your set of numbers is as individual to you as your fingerprints are.

What are your numbers?
Your age…your weight…your shoe size…social security #…monthly rent…student i.d.…blood pressure…car mileage…your vision…savings balance…your cholesterol…favorite TV channel…cell number…your semester hours…401K balance…your PIN number…songs on iPod…memory capacity…weekly paycheck…best 5K time….

We know a lot of numbers. And if your numbers are good, hey, life is sweet. You’re safe, right? It’s easy to place our confidence in numbers. But are they lulling us into a false sense of security (or insecurity)?

Are they promising safety where there is none?
Is our faith only in what we can see and count?
Are our idols molded out of…numbers?

We live in a world that places high value on numbers and statistics and scientific facts—things that can be seen and supposedly proven--which can be very good things, but they’re not sure things, not things worthy of our trust.

As citizens in an unshakable kingdom, our aim is to stay focused on spiritual things, which are often invisible things, things that can’t necessarily be measured in tangible ways, things like love, joy, righteousness, and peace.

Place your trust in the nails, i.e. the grace of Jesus. Only here is 100% guaranteed, eternal safety.

"Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth." Colossians 3:2

--from Wednesday's class, Nov. 7

I told you so....

Story: David spares Saul ,1 Samuel 23, 24

This was his big chance.

After hiding day after day in the caves and canyons of treacherous desert, eluding King Saul’s murderous hunt, the tables had turned. Saul was now easy prey—trapped in a compromising position in the very cave where David was huddled. Revenge was so near that David snipped off a corner of the royal robe.

Now was David’s opportunity to kill this maniac king and collect his due. His men urged him on, and for justifiable reason. David had done nothing to deserve the death threats from Saul. David—the soother of Saul’s very own soul, time after time. David—the one hand-picked by God to be the next king of Israel. David—the befriender of Saul’s son. If anyone had a right to exact revenge, it was David.

How easily do we desire revenge when it is our due? Especially when our “big chance” is right in the palm of our hand, and we’re being urged on by others? Wouldn’t revenge be sweet when it is most obviously warranted?

Wouldn’t at least a tiny “I told you so!” be understandable?

But David held back. Instead of payback, he paid homage. Not because Saul’s character was worthy of it. Not even because of David’s character per se.

Then why? Because of God’s character. David knew enough about the Lord to trust him to judge and avenge. He did not have to take matters in his own hands, because the matter would be better settled in God’s hands.

When we seek revenge, can we hold back and trust God to handle matters instead? Do we have enough faith in God’s character to allow him to avenge the wrongs in our lives, in his timing, in his way? Without our help? When our Saul is within our grasp, can we open up our hands and let him go? Because we trust the righteous character of God?

Our certain security is in God’s justice. He tells us so. Believe him.

--Lisa B.

The Dead Sea

Water: Living or Dead?

Imagine leaving a beautiful city…
…where there is plenty of fresh water,
…where the temperature is ideal and food is abundant,
…where you can talk to God with others,
…where olive trees grow for hundreds of years and are full of fruit,
to travel across the wilderness.

You carry your own water because you can’t predict if the cisterns along the way will be contaminated or not. You tread on land where the rocks are so sharp they cut through your leather shoes. You feel the heat as if it were 125 degrees.

Can you imagine…
…the wide and dangerous wadies,
…your strength sapped by crossing beds of gravel and sand,
…being baked by the reflective rays of the sun in an hour?

And then you finally see water! Water so clear that even at 3 feet deep you can see the bottom. The desire to drink is very powerful…yet if you drink from this water, it will kill you.

It’s the Dead Sea. Over 30% salt. The more you drink of this water, the faster you will die. Remind you of sin? Yes! The desire to drink of the deceptively clear “water” of sin is also very powerful. And like gulping down water from the Dead Sea, drinking of the water of sin will also kill you.

Thirsty from walking in the desert? Don’t be deceived by the dead stuff. Only Living Water will satisfy.

But whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.
John 4:14

--adapted from Graham R.’s talk in Wednesday’s class, Oct. 31

We pray...

A Prayer of Thanks:
(from Psalm 63)

In this dry and thirsty life, you are our sanctuary.
You are our help.
Your right hand does uphold us.
Our soul can cling to you.
We can praise you as along as we live.
Your love IS better than life…

Class prayer:

Go home with us, Father.
Bring to our memory tonight’s ideas.
Fill us with Living Water.
Drive us to carry Living Water to thirsty people.
Never let us outlive our love for You.
We pray in the name of the Living Water.

--from Wednesday's class, October 31

We will sin. Will we repent?

Our sins have consequences.
With every sin we crucify Jesus again and we spit on his face (Heb 6:6).

So what does repentance look like?
* Sense of one’s own guilt and sinfulness
* Hope for God’s mercy in Christ
* Hatred of sin and turning from it to God
* Persistent endeavor after a holy life—walking in the way of his commandments

In plain language, this all means:
Get closer to God.
Ask for mercy not justice!

So what does repentance do? The real, no kidding sorrow toward God on account of sin?
* Understand that sin is ugly and run from it
* Humbly surrender to God
* Make restitution

In plain language, this means:
Surrender to him—let him take over.

The Lord knows we will sin.
The question is: will we repent?

--from Wednesday's class, Oct. 24

Part VII: What's My Reaction?

So we’ve seen that David was a man who was battling Idleness, succumbing to Pride and Lust, and treating Others as Objects. It’s easy to then ask, “So how can this guy be called ‘a man after God’s own heart’?” But if that is all I take away from these events, then I am left wanting.

Are these stories just intellectual fodder to dissect? Do you realize there are myriads of “Biblical Scholars” who aren’t believers? So how are we to be different? What can we learn from this story?

Consider these other passages …

Luke 13:5
"…But unless you repent, you too will all perish."

Rev 9:20
"The rest of mankind that were not killed by these plagues still did not repent of the work of their hands…."

So what is our reaction supposed to be when we see bad things happen to others? Ask interesting academic questions to fill up an hour of Bible study? Did you see a pattern in those passages?

There’s one response that is always appropriate …
Repent!

“But that happened to David” … Repent!
“But I don’t struggle with Lust” … Repent!
“I can’t believe how he could do that” … Repent!
“That disgusts me” … Repent!

So, when Nathan says
“You are the Man”
we must read that as …
“I AM THE MAN”

And we must all … Repent!

--from Wednesday's class, Oct. 17

Part VI : I Am the Man

Text: 2 Samuel 12:1-13

Upon hearing Nathan’s story of the rich man taking the poor man’s one little ewe lamb, David was enraged at the injustice of it all. “As surely as the LORD lives, the man who did this deserves to die!”

It’s so easy to see the mistakes and sins of others. They are just SO OBVIOUS! David, as King, would have passed judgment over these kinds of matters on a daily basis. But what about when he looks in the mirror? Keep in mind that it has probably been over a year since he saw Bathsheba from the rooftop. A year of looking in the mirror …

“Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like.” - James 1:23-24

“Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when all the time there is a plank in your own eye?” - Matt 7:3-4

Then Nathan said to David, "You are the man!"

Just 4 short, 3-letter words. But with the power of a freight train. David is cut to the heart. Read excerpts from one of the Psalms he wrote:

Psalm 51:1-4

Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love;
according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions.
Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.
For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me.
Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you are proved right when you speak and justified when you judge.

~ How quick am I to see sin in OTHERS? How slow am I to recognize it in myself? ~

--from Wednesday's class, Oct. 17

Part V: Where Am I Crumbling?

How did David get to this point? Do these horrible series of events come “out of the blue” for David? Can we just chalk it up to a “moment of indiscretion” in the “heat of the moment”?

Or, perhaps, are there signs earlier in David’s life that he is ripe for a major personal disaster?

Consider what the Lord warned the people of Israel about regarding any potential, future kings hundreds of years earlier as Moses instructed them in the wilderness …

Deut 17:14-17
When you say “Let us set a king over us like all the nations around us,” the king must not acquire great numbers of horses for himself. He must not take many wives, or his heart will be led astray. He must not accumulate large amounts of silver and gold.

Did David heed the warnings in the Law that he is supposed to know so well? Or were he and Israel becoming like all the nations around them? The Fall didn’t occur all at once …

Crumbling is not an instant's Act,
A fundamental pause
Dilapidation's processes
Are organized Decays.

'Tis first a Cobweb on the Soul
A Cuticle of Dust
A Borer in the Axis
An Elemental Rust—

Ruin is formal—Devil's work,
Consecutive and slow—
Fail in an instant, no man did
Slipping—is Crash's law.
--Emily Dickinson

~ What steps am I taking today that could lead to a fall further down the road?

In what ways am I playing with fire? ~

--from Wednesday's class, Oct. 17

Part IV: How Do I Use People?

Text: 2 Samuel 11:5-13 (summarized)
The woman conceived and sent word to David, saying, “I am pregnant."

So David tries to cover his sin by bringing home her husband, Uriah, from the battle, to account for her pregnancy. But fails.

Text: 2 Samuel 11:14-27 (summarized)
David sends Uriah back to the battle, ordering Joab to put Uriah on the frontline where the fighting is fiercest. So Joab did, and reported back to David that “your servant Uriah the Hittite is dead.”

After Uriah's widow completed the time of mourning, David had her brought to his house, and she became his wife and bore him a son. But the thing David had done displeased the LORD.

First Bathsheba. Then Uriah. Joab, too.

People to use. To manipulate. It doesn’t stop with them, either. Other men in his army are swept up as victims in the web David is weaving. Joab has to send them with Uriah to complete the charade. Just how many families were there now who were fatherless? David didn’t account for them initially. But it doesn’t bother him. They are acceptable losses. Collateral damage.

Just people to be used.

“The best index to a person's character is how he treats people who: (a) can't do him any good, and (b) who can't fight back.” Abigail Van Buren

“The entire law is summed up in a single command: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ ” Galatians 5:14, Leviticus 19:18

“For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen.” 1 John 4:20

“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look to the interests of others.” Philippians 2:3-4

~ How do I treat people in my life who are of “no use” to me? How do I need to improve my relationships? ~

--from Wednesday's class, Oct. 17

Part III: Do I Pick and Choose

Text: 2 Samuel 11:4
Bathsheba came to David, and he slept with her. (She had purified herself from her uncleanness.) Then she went back home.

Well, we see they were concerned with keeping the Law … at least the part about washing properly.

But what about …“You shall not commit adultery.”
Or …
“You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife.”

It’s so easy for them to pick and choose the commands they want to follow and those that they want to ignore - giving the appearance that they are covenant people but actually just serving themselves.

“You are like whitewashed tombs, beautiful on the outside but full of dead men's bones. In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.” Matthew 23:27-28

“Be on your guard against hypocrisy. There is nothing hidden that will not be made known. What you have said in the dark will be heard in the daylight, and what you have whispered in the ear in the inner rooms will be proclaimed from the roofs.” Luke 12:1-3

“People will be lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God - having a form of godliness but denying its power … ” 2 Timothy 3:4-5

~ Is it easy for me to pick and choose the commands I want to follow? What pieces of God’s laws am I choosing to ignore? ~

--from Wednesday's class, Oct. 17

Part II: Above It All...

Text: 2 Samuel 11:3

The woman was very beautiful, and David sent someone to find out about her. The man said, "Isn't this Bathsheba, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?" Then David sent messengers to get her.

David sees and wants. And he doesn’t even try to hide it as he sends a servant to fetch her.

It’s almost as if he is saying …

“I’m the King, for goodness’ sake! Naturally, I get whatever I want.”

Let’s face it, he’s had great successes.
The people adore him.
He united the Kingdom of Israel for the first time. He’s confronted and defeated many foreign enemies. He has a LOT to be proud of. But …

“When pride comes, then comes disgrace…the unfaithful are destroyed by their duplicity.” Proverbs 11:2-3

“Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.” Proverbs 16:18

“So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall!” 1 Corinthians 10:12

~ Do I think I deserve certain things because of my past successes?
Do I think that I am above sin? ~

--from Wednesday's Class, Oct. 17

Part I: What do I do with idle hands?

Text: 2 Samuel 11:1-2

In the spring, at the time when kings go off to war, David sent Joab out with the king's men and the whole Israelite army…. But David remained in Jerusalem.
One evening David walked around on the roof of the palace and saw a woman bathing.

“At the time when kings go off to war”? But David, the KING of Israel, sends the army out under another’s command. Where is David? Back in Jerusalem in the comfort of his palace—with time on his hands …

“Idleness is the Dead Sea that swallows all virtues.” –Ben Franklin

“Idle hands are the Devil’s workshop.” –English Proverb

“A man's real worth is determined by what he does when he has nothing to do.” –From The Megiddo Message

“And we urge you, brothers, warn those who are idle.” Paul, I Thessalonians 5:14

~ What temptations come when I have “nothing to do”? What do I do with idle hands? ~

--from Wednesday's class, Oct. 17

Answered Prayers

Nathan spoke the judgment of the Lord that the child, conceived through the adulterous relationship between David and Bathsheba, would die. The child was born and became ill. David threw himself on the ground in grief and prayer. His servants pleaded with him to eat.

When the child did die, his servants were afraid. “If he is this bad off when the child was ill, what’s going to happen when we tell him the child is dead?”

David saw his servants talking among themselves and guessed that the child had died just as Nathan had told him. David got up, washed, and went in to eat. His servants were puzzled. “I don’t get it! Now that the child is dead, NOW he gets up and eats.”

David explained that while the child was alive there was hope that God might spare him, but when the child died, it wouldn’t have done any good to go on crying.

David didn’t blame God, or Nathan, or Bathsheba. He accepted the consequences of his own poor choices. He accepted what had happened, even when his prayers weren’t answered the way he would have liked. David went on with his life praising God, still strong in his faith – a man after God’s own heart.

--Anonymous

Left Holding the Bag?

Story: Tired men at the ravine, 1 Samuel 30

David and 600 of his men were in hot pursuit of the raiders who had stolen their women. They had just received word from the Lord, via the mysterious ephod, that they would succeed in the rescue.

Then it happened. When they came to the Besor Ravine, 200 of the men were too exhausted to cross. They could go no further. So they stayed behind to guard the extra supplies while 400 went forward.

Sometimes I stay behind because I’m exhausted, too. Or because my gifts don’t lie in search-and-rescue, or in war-mongering. Or because somebody has to keep the home front running, buy the groceries, take care of the kids.

Upon David’s return to the ravine, along with the 400 warriors and now the women and their goods, David merrily greeted the 200 who had stayed behind.

But the 400 fighting men had a different attitude: “Because they did not go out with us, we will not share with them the plunder we recovered” (v 22).

Yet in a merciful stroke of kindness and unpredictable justice, David instituted a new statute, to be enacted from that moment onward: “The share of the man who stayed with the supplies is to be the same as that of him who went down to the battle. All will share alike” (v 24).

I love the grace of David in this story. I love that the Lord, too, values ALL the ways his soldiers serve, whether we’re the warriors on the front line doing "big" courageous things, or whether we’re the supply-keepers who stay behind to take care of "little", but equally important, things.

We all share alike in His victory.

--Lisa B.

Let's Celebrate!

Author Excerpts:

"The decision to set the mind on the higher things of life is an act of the will. That is why celebration is a Discipline. It is not something that falls on our heads. It is the result of a consciously chosen way of thinking and living.
Of all people, we should be the most free, alive, interesting. Celebration adds a note of gaiety and festivity to our lives. "
--Richard Foster, Celebration of Discipline

"Did God tell David to behave? No. He let him dance. Scripture doesn’t portray David dancing at any other time…but when God came to town, he couldn’t sit still. Maybe God wonders how we do. Do we not enjoy what David wanted? The presence of God. ...God’s present is his presence. His greatest gift is himself. God is with us. That’s reason to celebrate."
--Max Lucado, Facing Your Giants

"To go into the presence of God is not enough. To leave impressed at what you see is not enough. Only when you are affected to the point that it makes you a different person is it enough…He took away the very sin that made us unworthy. Then he made us worthy that we may 'declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light' (1 Pet 2:9)."
--Allen Wright (yes, our very own Allen!), What Are You Worth?

A Passion for His Presence

Story: David brings home the ark, 2 Samuel 6


David lived with a passion for God’s presence.

Do I?

David began the journey with excitement. He was bringing home the ark of the covenant—the representation of the very presence of God! But the parade turned into brokenness when the Lord struck out at Uzzah for mishandling the ark. David, with fear and anger, became immobilized. So the ark went to someone else’s house.

How do I “mishandle” the presence of God? Do I take His presence for granted? How often am I even consciously aware that He is with me? Do I really believe that I would act differently if only He were physically with me, as in the form of a box? Where is my passion for His presence?

It took David 3 months to work up enough courage and motivation to try again to pursue God’s presence. After hearing how Obed-edom was blessed by his time with God’s presence (ark) in his house, David knew it would be worth it. This time he did it God’s way.

And this time the parade finished its route.

The lesson for me?

One is “don’t give up.” Another is “do it God’s way—the first time!” But the overwhelming lesson is “celebrate.” Celebrate that I don’t have to go through elaborate rituals to have the Holy Father with me…celebrate that I don’t have to live in fear that He will strike me dead when I mess up…celebrate that His dwelling place is now not only WITH me, but WITHIN me!

While I may not always keep Him in my conscious awareness, that does not negate the fact that he IS always here. He doesn’t live only in my memory or in my imagination, but He lives in my reality.

I want my life to reflect that reality…with a passion for His presence.

--notes from Wednesday's class, October 3

He Chases the Squirrels

He chases the squirrels...

This little boy with the too small chin, crooked face and wonderful grin.
And he probably thinks any day now he'll finally catch one...

So who am I to cast shadows on dreams?
To tell him what's possible - shut down his steam?
When he's already shown so many miracles to me...

And as I grow older - and younger - with him, and learn to chase squirrels, and call everyone friend, I only hope I can hold on to the joy he'll be bringing, as we run thru the park, neath the trees, where his laughter is ringing...

--by Ed G., from Wednesday's class, October 3

Insights from Art

Creation
The first thing God added to the heavens and the earth was light. All visual art is based on light and its effects. So artists acknowledge His power and wisdom through the depiction of light, whether they acknowledge Him or not.

God created something that could be perceived and judged beautiful, both by Himself (”God saw all that he had made, and it was very good.” ) and by us. Artists try to accomplish that last thing—sometimes the first as well.

God created from nothing. Artists don’t. Artists use the vehicles He created to express their thoughts: light, time, voice, movement, taste, odor, touch.

God evidently had a desire to create something that expressed His own thoughts and desires. Artists try to do that with varying degrees of success.

Communication
God tried, through creation and through language, to tell us of Himself and His vision for us. Artists try to communicate something of their own personalities and points-of-view in their work.

God explained life and how it was to be lived. Artists merely show their perceptions. It is a given in art that one man’s impression is as valid as another’s. Not so with God.

God’s communication was more than merely a feeling or impression. Artists can’t manage much more than that. For the audience to perceive what we intended is enough for us. Before God, the message must be lived as well as perceived.
God communicates to all of His creation. Artists communicate to others, but only to their fellow creatures.

--from Mike L., Wednesday's class, October 3

The Good Stuff

Lately, I've been dismantling a barn...
It's an old thing - about 80 years -
made partly even of chestnut wood,
the ancient trees that all died of blight in the 20s.
It's done it's job, and does it still,
but is no longer needed, and stands where a road must go.
Those that used, needed, and cared for it are all gone now, and the roof eves have let in the rain.
The damp has rotted the floors there, and some rafters sag.

But I get to see what is still solid,
what can be used in other ways, and in other structures.
And here is what I find:
Those who built it used the good stuff.
Cedar posts rise straight from the soil - still solid, still smelling good, still supporting the whole.
Red oak floors - layered deep with corn coverings - still solid as stone.
And the chestnut siding - gray from sun and rain - still beautiful, strong and glorious!

All this barn time has, of course, got me thinking:
have I been building with the good stuff, things like faith, hope and love?
I've got, perhaps, a few years left,
but some weaker parts already need replacing - some coverings need nailing down a little tighter.
Maybe if I can just keep the roof on, and use only good materials, my usefulness will live on, even when this structure is gone.
Yeah, I need to use the good stuff...

--by Ed G. from Wednesday's class, October 3

Am I Like Him?

How to describe Mephibosheth?
...Crippled in a fall
......Exiled and in hiding
.........Deserving of nothing

Am I like him?
...Crippled in a fall
......Exiled and in hiding
.........Deserving of nothing

Yes, I am JUST like him.

But then, he was …
Accepted, Adopted, Restored
and put in a place of honor!

And he was devoted to the King for the rest of his life.
WOW!
How much he appreciated what he was given.

What about ME?

--from Wednesday's class, September 26