May 17 - Once for All

Today's Readings:
New Testament -
Matthew 17:14-27
Hebrews 10:1-18
Old Testament -
Proverbs 26:17-28
Isaiah 44-45
Click on Text Links to Read Online

Focus Verses: Hebrews 10:5-10
5 Therefore, when Christ came into the world, he said: "Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you prepared for me; 6 with burnt offerings and sin offerings you were not pleased. 7 Then I said, 'Here I am—it is written about me in the scroll—I have come to do your will, O God.' " 8 First he said, "Sacrifices and offerings, burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not desire, nor were you pleased with them" (although the law required them to be made). 9 Then he said, "Here I am, I have come to do your will." He sets aside the first to establish the second. 10 And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

Insight:
"Better things in Christ" is one of themes the Hebrew writer constantly emphasizes. In this case, the Hebrew writer tells us that Jesus' sacrifice is better than the sacrificial system of the old covenant. Instead of the repeated sacrifice of animals as fellowship offerings, burnt offerings, and sin offerings, Jesus offered himself once and for all. Instead of the old way, there is a better way in Christ.

Jesus set aside the old way by laying down his life on the cross. He came into the world and accomplished God's will. He came to save and reconcile all humankind and begin the work of redemption for all of creation. Just like all of us, Jesus suffered the violence and pain of living in our fallen world. He died at the hands of sinful humanity. But utterly unlike the rest of us, Jesus was without sin. And because of his holiness and his victory over death, he is now able to give life and transformation to us all.

Response & Action:
I will give thanks to God for the new and living way he has opened for me through Christ. I will follow Jesus and look to him for the strength and grace I need to be transformed and renewed. I will join Jesus in his work to accomplish God's will on earth. I will draw near to God with a sincere heart in the full assurance of faith. I will hold unswervingly to the hope I profess.

O God, thank you for Jesus, who for us and for our salvation came down from heaven. Thank you that though he was crucified, suffered death, and was buried, that on the third day he rose from the dead and is now seated at your right hand. By the power and grace of your Holy Spirit, lead, teach, transform, shape and strengthen me, that I might delight in your will and walk in your ways to the glory of your name. I pray this in the name of Jesus Christ, my Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

Spiritual Formation Verses: John 3:16-17
16 "For 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. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.

Resources:
The Incomparable Christ
by John Stott

Reading Schedule for May 17-22

Proverbs 4:18-23
18 The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, shining ever brighter till the full light of day. 19 But the way of the wicked is like deep darkness; they do not know what makes them stumble. 20 My son, pay attention to what I say; listen closely to my words. 21 Do not let them out of your sight, keep them within your heart; 22 for they are life to those who find them and health to a man's whole body. 23 Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.

Schedule and Tips:
2009-10 Reading Schedule
Tips for Daily Bible Readers

May 17 -
Matthew 17:14-27 / Hebrews 10:1-18
Proverbs 26:17-28 / Isaiah 44-45

May 18 -
Matthew 18:1-14 / Hebrews 10:19-39
Proverbs 27:1-14 / Isaiah 46-48

May 19 -
Matthew 18:15-35 / Hebrews 11:1-16
Proverbs 27:15-27 / Isaiah 49-50

May 20 -
Matthew 19:1-15 / Hebrews 11:17-31
Proverbs 28:1-14 / Isaiah 51-53

May 21 -
Matthew 19:16-30 / Hebrews 11:32-40
Proverbs 28:15-28 / Isaiah 54-55

May 22 -
Matthew 20:1-16 / Hebrews 12:1-13
Proverbs 29:1-14 / Isaiah 56-58

May 15 - Wise Answers

Today's Readings:
New Testament -
Matthew 17:1-13
Hebrews 9:11-28
Old Testament -
Proverbs 26:1-16
Isaiah 42-43
Click on Text Links to Read Online

Focus Verses: Prov. 26:4-5
4 Do not answer a fool according to his folly, or you will be like him yourself. 5 Answer a fool according to his folly, or he will be wise in his own eyes.

Insight:
It does no good to confront foolish behavior with foolish behavior. Foolish behavior, however, cannot be ignored; it must be addressed in appropriate and mature ways. Failure to confront foolishness will result in foolish people assuming that their foolish ways are paying off. Knowing when and how to confront foolishness is something a wise person learns to do well.

Response & Action:
I must be careful to respond appropriately to the foolishness and immaturity I see in others. I must deal with it and confront it in a mature, measured, thoughtful, loving, and godly way. I must guard against knee-jerk reactions that are as wrong-headed and useless as the foolishness I'm confronting. Patience, forbearance, and Christian concern should guide my response toward the foolish choices, words, and deeds of others.

O God, give me the wisdom and humility I need to confront foolishness in myself. Give me the grace and kindness I need to confront foolishness in others with compassion and care. Give me the courage to speak and act with redemptive love. Give me the integrity to address my own sin before addressing the sin and frailty of others. Through Christ, I pray. Amen.

Spiritual Formation Verses: Matthew 7:3-5
3 "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? 4 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? 5 You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye.

Resources:
Making Judgments Without Being Judgmental: Nurturing a Clear Mind and a Generous Heart
by Terry D. Cooper

May 14 - What about You?

Today's Readings:
New Testament -
Matthew 16:13-28
Hebrews 9:1-10
Old Testament -
Proverbs 25:15-28
Isaiah 40-41
Click on Text Links to Read Online

Focus Verses: Matthew 16:13-17
13 When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, "Who do people say the Son of Man is?" 14 They replied, "Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets." 15 "But what about you?" he asked. "Who do you say I am?" 16 Simon Peter answered, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." 17 Jesus replied, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven.

Insight:
From the day of his birth (no, even before his birth), people have had many ideas about just who and what Jesus is. When Jesus asked his disciples to recount some of the things they had heard people say about him, they had no trouble producing a variety of answers.

"But what about you?" Jesus asked, "What do you say?"

Peter didn't have to go on hearsay and speculation; he had face-to-face, day-to-day experience with Jesus. This personal experience led him to conclude that Jesus was the Christ, the promised Messiah, God's anointed deliverer. He believed Jesus to be the only Son (sharing God's divine essence and authority) of the only true, living, and eternal God.

Response & Action:
Who do I say Jesus is? I believe Jesus is the Christ, the Savior of the World. I believe he is Lord, the only begotten Son of God—light from light, true God from true God, of one being with the Father. I will acknowledge him in all my ways. The way I actually live my life is, of course, the truest expression and testimony of what I claim to believe. Whatever I say about Jesus must be confirmed in my actions, choices, and attitudes.

O God, help me to follow your Son, Christ Jesus, with a whole heart. Help me to live out my faith in my words and in my deeds. Make my path straight as I make every effort every day to acknowledge Jesus to be my Savior and Master. Amen.

Spiritual Formation Verses: Proverbs 3:5-6
5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; 6 in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.

Resources:
The Incomparable Christ
by John Stott

May 13 - They Will Know Me

Today's Readings:
New Testament -
Matthew 16:1-12
Hebrews 8:7-13
Old Testament -
Proverbs 25:1-14
Isaiah 37-39
Click on Text Links to Read Online

Focus Verses: Hebrews 8:10-12
10 This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after that time, declares the Lord. I will put my laws in their minds and write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. 11 No longer will a man teach his neighbor, or a man his brother, saying, 'Know the Lord,' because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest. 12 For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more."

Insight:
External laws are not able to transform the heart and mind that opposes and resists them. Because God desires to forgive our sins, make us his people, and be our God, he declares that he will put his laws in our minds and write them on our hearts. Instead of doing good things to become God's people, God will make us his people in order to help us do good things. This is the covenant he makes with all who place faith in Christ Jesus.

Response & Action:
I need to surrender my heart and mind to God. I should expect him to change me and guide me. I must meditate on the Scriptures and prayerfully ask God to help me apply them to my daily life. I can't settle for a "behavior modification" approach to following Christ; I need my heart and mind to be changed so that Christ-like behavior will flow out from what I am in Jesus.

O God, you are my rock and my salvation. Forgive my wickedness and forget my sins. Save me from the inside out. Heal and transform my heart and mind. Be my God, and make me one of your people. Make me new by the power of your Holy Spirit. Amen.

Spiritual Formation Verses: 2 Corinthians 3:17-18
17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 18 And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.

Resources:
Renovation of the Heart
by Dallas Willard

May 12 - The Heart

Today's Readings:
New Testament -
Matthew 15:21-39
Hebrews 8:1-6
Old Testament -
Proverbs 24:23-34
Isaiah 34-36
Click on Text Links to Read Online

Focus Verses: Matthew 15:10-11;17-20
10 Jesus called the crowd to him and said, "Listen and understand. 11 What goes into a man's mouth does not make him 'unclean,' but what comes out of his mouth, that is what makes him 'unclean.' " - - - 17 "Don't you see that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and then out of the body? 18 But the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and these make a man 'unclean.' 19 For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander. 20 These are what make a man 'unclean'; but eating with unwashed hands does not make him 'unclean.' "

Insight:
A life lived for God must flow out of a heart devoted to God. The regulations that accompany tradition and ritual are not able to transform the heart. Humility, surrender, reverence, and love for God are essential to being shaped by him.

Meaningful tradition and the observance of rituals must flow out of a heart that desires to honor and worship God. Jesus consistently warns against confusing rule-keeping with true righteousness. Those who are truly righteous don't even need rules because their hearts are already inclined to honor God in word, thought, and deed.

Response & Action:
I want to honor God in my thoughts, speech, attitudes, and actions. This "want" is absolutely necessary to such a life. God wants me to want Him. When I genuinely surrender my heart to God, seeking to be shaped by Him, my life will increasingly reflect His righteousness. When my heart is surrendered to his will, my life and habits will be directed by it.

I must never confuse adherence to rules with reverence for God. True discipline, self-control, and righteousness are only possible with God's transforming power and grace. If I seek Him first and love him best, a disciplined and righteous life will follow.

O God, help me to turn away from what is wrong and do what is right. Help me to love you with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength. By the power and grace of your Holy Spirit, lead me, teach me, and shape me. Give me a heart that is devoted to you, and a life that flows from your presence and your transforming work in me. Through Christ, I pray. Amen.

Spiritual Formation Verses: 2 Corinthians 3:17-18
17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 18 And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.

Resources:
Renovation of the Heart
by Dallas Willard

May 11 - Be Our Strength

Today's Readings:
New Testament -
Matthew 15:1-20
Hebrews 7:11-28
Old Testament -
Proverbs 24:1-22
Isaiah 31-33
Click on Text Links to Read Online

Focus Verses: Isaiah 31:1; 33:2
31:1 - Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help, who rely on horses, who trust in the multitude of their chariots and in the great strength of their horsemen, but do not look to the Holy One of Israel, or seek help from the LORD. 33:2 - O LORD, be gracious to us; we long for you. Be our strength every morning, our salvation in time of distress.

Insight:
Isaiah chides those who have turned from God and placed their trust in human strength. It's tempting to trust in military might, political power, or wealth, but none of those things are ultimately as reliable as God. It's even more tempting to trust in our own strength, smarts, and ability to scramble to get us through life.

The short prayer offered up in Isaiah 33:2 reveals the authentic way of faith. It's a wonderful prayer and reminder for all of us who see the fallacy of trusting in ourselves or anyone or anything else besides God. Only God can give us the strength to live with joy, endurance, and patience.

Response & Action:
I need to be very careful about where I place my trust. I am not smart enough or strong enough to navigate and manage my own life. The money, power, privilege, and promises the world has to offer me are never as stable or satisfying as they appear to be. I need to recognize that the strength and security I long for in life are only found in God. My faith needs to be fixed firmly upon Jesus. I can live with confidence only through Christ who gives me strength.

O God, you are my strength and my salvation. Every morning you hear my voice as I lay my requests before you. You listen to my cries for help. I wait upon you with confidence and fully expect that you will answer my prayers and strengthen me for life. I see that trusting in myself, or earthly strength, is like building my life on shifting sand. I will build my life upon the solid rock of faith in you. Amen.

Spiritual Formation Verses: Proverbs 3:5-6
5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; 6 in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.

Resources:
Isaiah: Trusting God in Trouble Times
by Howard Peskett

May 10 - Honor from the Heart

Today's Readings:
New Testament -
Matthew 14:22-36
Hebrews 7:1-10
Old Testament -
Proverbs 23:19-35
Isaiah 29-30
Click on Text Links to Read Online

Focus Verses: Isaiah 29:13-14
13 The Lord says: "These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is made up only of rules taught by men. 14 Therefore once more I will astound these people with wonder upon wonder; the wisdom of the wise will perish, the intelligence of the intelligent will vanish."

Insight:
It is all too easy to be religious, to observe rituals and keep traditions, and yet have a heart that is far from God. False religion can result from spurious ideas, impure motives, duplicity, half-heartedness, legalism, and superstition. True religion and meaningful ritual flow out of a genuine love and reverence for God, humility, a sound understanding of Scripture, and the desire to honor and obey God.

Response & Action:
Because I want my faith and my religion to be more than words, and my religious acts to be rooted in truth and genuine submission to God, I will look to Jesus, the Scriptures, and the Holy Spirit to guide me into truth. I will be careful to not let my religious practices slip into empty lip service and meaningless repetition. I will cultivate a heart for God and do all I can to draw near to him.

Open my mouth, O God, and my lips will declare your praise. Help me to love you with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength. Teach me true religion that honors you. Help me to worship you in spirit and in truth. Help me to live my life in full surrender to you, that every thought, word, and deed might be a spiritual act of worship. Amen.

Spiritual Formation Verses: Romans 12:1-2
1 Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. 2 Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Resources:
The Air I Breathe: Worship as a Way of Life
by Louie Giglio

Reading Schedule for May 10 - 15

James 1:19-22
19 My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, 20 for man's anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires. 21 Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you. 22 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.



Schedule and Tips:
2009-10 Reading Schedule
Tips for Daily Bible Readers

May 10 -
Matthew 14:22-36 / Hebrews 7:1-10
Proverbs 23:19-35 / Isaiah 29-30

May 11 -
Matthew 15:1-20 / Hebrews 7:11-28
Proverbs 24:1-22 / Isaiah 31-33

May 12 -
Matthew 15:21-39 / Hebrews 8:1-6
Proverbs 24:23-34 / Isaiah 34-36

May 13 -
Matthew 16:1-12 / Hebrews 8:7-13
Proverbs 25:1-14 / Isaiah 37-39

May 14 -
Matthew 16:13-28 / Hebrews 9:1-10
Proverbs 25:15-28 / Isaiah 40-41

May 15 -
Matthew 17:1-13 / Hebrews 9:11-28
Proverbs 26:1-16 / Isaiah 42-43

May 8 - You Give Them Something

Today's Readings:
New Testament -
Matthew 14:1-21
Hebrews 6:13-20
Old Testament -
Proverbs 23:1-18
Isaiah 27-28
Click on Text Links to Read Online

Focus Verses: Matthew 14:13-16
13 When Jesus heard what had happened, he withdrew by boat privately to a solitary place. Hearing of this, the crowds followed him on foot from the towns. 14 When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed their sick. 15 As evening approached, the disciples came to him and said, "This is a remote place, and it's already getting late. Send the crowds away, so they can go to the villages and buy themselves some food." 16 Jesus replied, "They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat."

Insight:
The story of Jesus feeding the five thousand is better known than the circumstances that led up to it. I think it is important to notice that this event took place at a time when Jesus was trying to get away from the crowds. Why? Because he had just been told about the murder of John the Baptist and wanted to be alone.

Instead of being indignant, when the unrelenting crowds managed to find him, Jesus was "filled with compassion." Rather than being upset with the people for their lack of regard for his needs, he focused on their needs—healing their sick and providing them with food.

Response & Action:
The selfless love Jesus displays in this event is more impressive to me than the miracle of multiplying a small amount of fish and bread. The way he was able to produce feelings and acts of compassion out a heart that was grieving and longing for solitude is, to me, a greater miracle than producing abundant food from a little boy's lunch.

Maybe that's the most important point of this story. None of us ever really have what it takes to meet the needs of others. We don't have the emotional strength, the time, the answers, or the patience to really meet needs. I need to depend on God to multiply the little I have. Through Jesus, I can be a blessing to others, even when my circumstances and limitations leave me with little to offer on my own.

O God, give me a heart to look beyond my own needs and to see the needs of others. Dear Jesus, bless and multiply my meager resources so that I can bless and help others. When I feel too empty or weak to share, fill my heart and hands with good things to give. Amen.

Spiritual Formation Verses: Psalm 145:15-18
15 The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food at the proper time. 16 You open your hand and satisfy the desires of every living thing. 17 The LORD is righteous in all his ways and loving toward all he has made. 18 The LORD is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.

Resources:
Transforming Power: Biblical Strategies for Making a Difference in Your Community
by Robert C. Linthicum

May 7 - Better Things

Today's Readings:
New Testament -
Matthew 13:44-58
Hebrews 6:1-12
Old Testament -
Proverbs 22:17-29
Isaiah 24-26
Click on Text Links to Read Online

Focus Verses: Hebrews 6:4-9
4 It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, 5 who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age, 6 if they fall away, to be brought back to repentance, because to their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace. 7 Land that drinks in the rain often falling on it and that produces a crop useful to those for whom it is farmed receives the blessing of God. 8 But land that produces thorns and thistles is worthless and is in danger of being cursed. In the end it will be burned. 9 Even though we speak like this, dear friends, we are confident of better things in your case—things that accompany salvation.

Insight:
It's very easy to miss the real point of this passage of scripture if we are sidetracked into a discussion about whether or not these verses say salvation can be lost. That's not an uninteresting subject or a bad conversation to have; it's just a distraction from the writer's main point—the things that accompany salvation.

Like land that that produces a useful and blessed crop after it drinks in the falling rain, our lives should produce better things—a harvest of righteousness—once we have taken in the life-giving rain of salvation through Christ. If we are truly receiving the saving grace of God through faith in Christ, our lives will be transformed. We should expect better things—the things salvation produces. To be saved is to change and grow and produce a life that honors God, and is blessed by God.

Response & Action:
I want to experience transformation. With God's salvation and by his grace and power, I want to move toward better things. I want God's word and blessing in my life to produce fruit that gives witness to his salvation and power in my life. Through Christ, I will continually pursue righteousness and turn from sin. I will confidently expect change and growth in my life. I will not settle for a "taste" of heaven and the word; I will give every effort to experiencing the transformation salvation brings.

Thank you, God, for saving my soul. Thank you, Lord Jesus, for making me whole. Thank you, Holy Spirit, for giving to me your great salvation, so rich and free. Amen.

Spiritual Formation Verses: Romans 12:1-2
1 Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. 2 Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Resources:
Revolution of Character: Discovering Christ's Pattern for Spiritual Transformation
by Dallas Willard and Don Simpson

May 6 - Change Agent

Today's Readings:
New Testament -
Matthew 13:24-43
Hebrews 5
Old Testament -
Proverbs 22:1-16
Isaiah 21-23
Click on Text Links to Read Online

Focus Verses: Matthew 13:31-33
31 He told them another parable: "The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. 32 Though it is the smallest of all your seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and perch in its branches." 33 He told them still another parable: "The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into a large amount of flour until it worked all through the dough."

Insight:
Once the Kingdom of God gets a little foothold in your life, it takes over. A mustard seed might be the smallest thing a gardener could plant, but eventually it dominates and becomes bigger than anything else in the garden. A minuscule amount of yeast in a large amount of dough will eventually work its way through the whole batch. It changes everything!

Response & Action:
I desire the mustard seed and the yeast of the Kingdom of God to take root and take over in my life. Like the gardener, I must exercise my desire by giving the mustard seed a place in my garden. Like the woman making bread, I must mix the yeast into the dough of my life. I am doing this through faith in Jesus, following him, praying, taking in the Scriptures, obeying, surrendering, thinking, applying, living, and seeking the Kingdom first.

If I am faithful to plant and mix, I will see the seed and the yeast (the truth and life of the Kingdom) become the most dominant and influential element of my life. The transforming power of the Kingdom of Christ will change everything.

O God, I long to be receptive and fertile soil for the seed of your Kingdom. May the power and grace of your Holy Spirit work its way through every aspect and dimension of my life. I want your ways to be my ways. I want my heart and mind to be controlled and shaped by your truth. Guide me, give me wisdom, and transform me that I might delight in your will and walk in your ways to the glory of your name. Through Christ, I pray. Amen.

Spiritual Formation Verses: Galatians 2:20
20 I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

Resources:
The New Conspirators: Creating the Future One Mustard Seed at a Time
by Tom Sine and Shane Claiborne

May 5 - Everything is Uncovered

Today's Readings:
New Testament -
Matthew 13:1-23
Hebrews 4:12-16
Old Testament -
Proverbs 21:17-31
Isaiah 17-20
Click on Text Links to Read Online

Focus Verses: Hebrews 4:12-13
12 For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. 13 Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.

Insight:
Nothing is hidden from God. God's word is alive and active; his truth is penetrating and able to cut to the heart of everything in creation. Even our thoughts and attitudes are an open book to God. God's truth must be heeded because we are all accountable to him.

Response & Action:
I believe and acknowledge that God knows me better than I know myself. I will look to his word for guidance in my life. His word is what makes me able to see and understand my own motives and attitudes. Knowing God's word is the means to knowing myself. I will meditate on God's word and hide it in my heart. I will let the truth of God's word shape and direct me.

Almighty God, before you my heart is open, all my desires are known, and none of my secrets are hidden. Cleanse the thoughts of my heart by the power of your Holy Spirit. Guide me and teach me through your word. Help me to love you with my whole heart, and to live in your truth, that I might bring you glory. Amen.

Spiritual Formation Verses: Psalm 119:27-31
27 Let me understand the teaching of your precepts; then I will meditate on your wonders. 28 My soul is weary with sorrow; strengthen me according to your word. 29 Keep me from deceitful ways; be gracious to me through your law. 30 I have chosen the way of truth; I have set my heart on your laws. 31 I hold fast to your statutes, O LORD; do not let me be put to shame. 32 I run in the path of your commands, for you have set my heart free.

Resources:
Life with God: Reading the Bible for Spiritual Transformation
by Richard Foster

May 4 - Weeping

Today's Readings:
New Testament -
Matthew 12:38-50
Hebrews 4:1-11
Old Testament -
Proverbs 21:1-16
Isaiah 14-16
Click on Text Links to Read Online

Focus Verses: Isaiah 16:9-11
9 So I weep, as Jazer weeps, for the vines of Sibmah. O Heshbon, O Elealeh, I drench you with tears! The shouts of joy over your ripened fruit and over your harvests have been stilled. 10 Joy and gladness are taken away from the orchards; no one sings or shouts in the vineyards; no one treads out wine at the presses, for I have put an end to the shouting. 11 My heart laments for Moab like a harp, my inmost being for Kir Hareseth. 12 When Moab appears at her high place, she only wears herself out; when she goes to her shrine to pray, it is to no avail. 13 This is the word the LORD has already spoken concerning Moab. 14 But now the LORD says: "Within three years, as a servant bound by contract would count them, Moab's splendor and all her many people will be despised, and her survivors will be very few and feeble."

Insight:
Even as Isaiah prophesied God's judgment against Moab and Damascus, he stressed God's love and grace. There was weeping in the streets and homes of these nations because of the corrective discipline God laid upon them, but there was also weeping in heaven as God grieved over these people.

God wanted to redeem and renew them. He took no joy in their suffering. He grieved as they turned to idols and prayed to false gods who were powerless to help them. God's hand of discipline was upon them because he loved them and desired what was best and true for them.

Response & Action:
I am committed to seeking God and living in truth. I know that God loves and disciplines his children. I will accept his hand of discipline as a blessing of being his child. I trust that God's judgment and discipline will result in renewal and righteousness for me. I will humble myself before God so that he can lift me up.

O God, you are a loving father. Your heart is touched and you weep for me when I hurt myself by turning away from you. Thank you for loving me enough to discipline and correct me. Your discipline and correction never seems pleasant at the time, but I trust that you are lovingly working for my good. Amen.

Spiritual Formation Verses: Hebrews 12:10-11
10 Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness. 11 No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.

Resources:
Never Beyond Hope: How God Touches & Uses Imperfect People
by J. I. Packer and Carolyn Nystrom