Week 43 Devotions

October 22 - - A blind man named Bartimaeus, is sitting beside a road when he hears a crowd approaching. When Bartimaeus learns that Jesus is in the crowd, he cries out for mercy. And even though those in the crowd told him to shut up, Bartimaeus shouted even louder. He had heard the many stories about Jesus; how he healed those with leprosy, cast out demons from those who were possessed, enabled those who were lame to walk again, and, given sight to the blind. Jesus was near! Jesus was here! This opportunity to see may never come his way again. He must get the attention of Jesus! If only Jesus knew Bartimaeus’ condition, Jesus could help! So, he shouted all the more louder. “Son of David, have mercy on me!” When Jesus heard Bartimaeus shouting among the whole crowd, the two had a brief conversation. “What do you want me to do for you?” Jesus asked. Could it be? Was this too good to be true? “Teacher, I want to see!” “You may go. Your faith has healed you.” And instantly, the man could see (Mark 10:46-52; Luke 18:35-43). Contrast his attitude with that of James and John. They, who had been with Jesus nearly three years also had a favor to ask. But, it was far different from that of Bartimaeus. “Teacher, we want you to do us a favor.” “What is it?” Jesus asked. “In your glorious Kingdom, we want to sit in places of honor next to you, one at your right and the other at your left” (Mark 10:35-37; Matthew 20:20&21). Like ourselves, there were so many things the disciples didn’t understand (Luke 18:34). Unlike Bartimaeus, James and John did not immediately receive what they had requested of the Master. Jesus still asks of us the same question today, “what do you want me to do for you?” When our request comes from our faith in him, and when our request will honor and glorify him (Colossians 3:17,23; I Corinthians 1:31; 10:31), and when our request is made with the right motive (James 4:3&4), our answer will be the same as that of Bartimaeus; and not like the one received by James and John. So, what is it you want the Lord to do for you? October 25 - - As Jesus’ time of death drew near, his stories became very pointed. Whereas, there were times earlier in his ministry when neither the crowds or his disciples understood the meaning of his teachings, Jesus made sure they knew exactly what he was saying in his final days on earth. Jesus told a story about two sons, one with good intentions who didn’t keep his promise to his father, and the other who did help his father in spite of his initial refusal to do so (Matthew 21:28-32). In another story, Jesus told of a vineyard owner whose tenants horribly treated his servants sent to collect their rent, even killing some, including the owner’s son (Matt.21:33-46; Mark 12:1-12; Luke 20:9-19). And in a third story, Jesus told of a king ready to throw a great banquet. But, those who were initially invited, shamefully treated the servants sent to invite them, even killing some (Matt.22:1-14). The Jews knew exactly what Jesus was saying. God had been sending prophets to the Jews for centuries and they continuously beat those prophets and even killed many. Finally, God sent His Son and they were plotting even then to also kill Jesus. There was no doubt about Jesus’ meaning in his teachings. So, in order to justify arresting Jesus and doing to him what he prophesied they would do, the religious leaders tried to trip Jesus up with questions about religious law. If they could entice him to give an answer the people disagreed with, they could also justify arresting him. In their first question, they brought some “supporters of Herod” along. “Should we pay taxes to the Roman government or not?” If Jesus replied that Jews should not pay taxes, then he would alienate the Roman officials. But, if Jesus said that Jews should pay taxes then he would upset the Jews who hated the Roman taxation. Jesus said there is a time and a place to render unto the government what the government asks and a time and method for giving to God what belongs to Him (Mark 12:13-17; Matt.22:15-22; Lk.20:20-26). Those who heard his answer were completely amazed. When the Sadducees, who did not believe in a Resurrection of the dead, tried to trap Jesus with a hypothetical example that was so far-fetched it could never happen, Jesus exposed their ignorance with his answer (Matt.22-23-33; Mk.12:18-27; Lk.20:27-40). Not only were the crowds impressed by what Jesus said, but so were the Sadducees who asked the question. The Bible says, “that ended their questions, no one dared to ask any more” (Lk.20:40). The apostle Peter writes, “if you are asked about your Christian hope, always be ready to explain it. But you must do this in a gentle and respectful way” (I Peter 3:15). Peter had watched how Jesus dealt with difficult people and difficult questions. May God grant us the grace to be as wise, as clear, and as bold as Jesus was when people ask us why we believe what we believe.

Week 42 Devotions

October 15 - - Even though biological children have different parents from their adopted brothers and sisters, most adoptive parents view all their children; biological or adopted, in the same way. They live under the same roof, eat of the same food, and are subjected to the same set of rules. In fact, if parents have anything to leave as an inheritance, all their children are entitled to mom and dad’s estate, regardless of whether they were biological or adopted children. What is true physically is also true, spiritually. When we become “children of God through (our) faith in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:26), we become heirs of all God’s promises made to our spiritual ancestors, including our spiritual father, Abraham (3:29). Because of Jesus Christ, we are no longer slaves to sin, “but God’s own child. And since you are His child, everything He has belongs to you” (4:7). And what all does God have? Everything. “The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it” (Psalm 24:1; I Corinthians 10:26; Ps.50:10&11; Haggai 2:8). God doesn’t need anything from us because everything belongs to Him (Acts 17:24-26; I Cor.4:7). But, as God’s children, we have access to all of His glorious riches (Philippians 4:19). If, we as earthly parents will take care of our physical children, how much more does God know how to take care of His spiritual children (Luke 11:11-13; Matthew 7:9-11)? We have a choice whether to be the spiritual children of Satan or the spiritual children of God, the Father. “Anyone whose Father is God listens gladly to the words of God. Since you don’t,” Jesus told one of his audiences, “it proves you aren’t God’s children” (John 8:47). The fact is, Jesus wasn’t even accepted among many of those who shared the same physical ancestry, the Jews (John 1:11). “But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. They are reborn! This is not a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan - - this rebirth comes from God” (John 1:12&13). And Jesus assured us over and over, “anyone who obeys my teaching will never die!” (John 8:51; 5:24; 11:25&26). We all have a choice. We can listen to the words of Jesus Christ, obey those words, be adopted as one of God’s children, and gain access to His glorious riches both in this life and in the life to come, OR, we can do nothing and we will be the children of the Devil. He is a “liar and the father of lies” (John 8:44). He does not care for us, but actually hates us. So, choose carefully. A lot is riding on whether you make the proper choice. October 18 - - There is something within all of us that likes to root for the underdog. We all love a good story where the poor climb out of their poverty, the oppressed discover their liberty, and those used to losing taste victory. Maybe, that inner desire comes from our heavenly Father. Scripture spends a lot of time honoring the character trait of humility (Numbers 12:3; Proverbs 3:34; Ephesians 4:2), while condemning the character trait of pride (Isaiah 13:11; James 4:6). Because a proud person thinks of himself better than others, he will expect to sit in the place of honor when he attends to a banquet. In a proud person’s mind, anything less would be demeaning and disrespectful to him/her. On the other hand, Jesus said that a humble person is one who sits at the foot of the table. The host of any party has the prerogative of moving people from one position at the table to another. Jesus says that most of us would prefer being moved to a better place at the table than we would the embarrassment of being moved to a less prominent place at the table. A humble person is one who immediately sits at the foot of the table. If they remain at that place, they are okay with it. If they are moved to a more prominent place at the table, they are okay with that, as well. “The proud will be humbled, but the humble will be honored” (Luke 14:11). He also said that at the judgment, some “who are despised now will be greatly honored then; and some who are greatly honored now will be despised then” (Luke 13:30). The world uses a different standard for measuring worth and success than God does. The world looks at the outward signs of success; awards won, degrees achieved, salary earned, possessions owned, etc. On the other hand, God looks at the state of a person’s heart (I Samuel 16:7). In fact, God wants to bless those whose heart is fully sold out to Him (II Chronicles 16:9). All too often, we care more about how the things we do will benefit ourselves in the long run or how what we do appears to the rest of the world. Jesus encourages us to do things the rest of the world would not honor us for, but God would (Luke 14:12-14). It is interesting that even though Jesus was the Son of God, rarely did he draw attention to himself. Jesus did not go around patting himself on the back. Jesus was humble in heart (Matthew 11:28-30; Philippians 2:3-11) and expected us to be the same. Are we?

Week 41 Devotions

October 8 - - The apostle Paul wrote that Christians are people who “live by believing and not by seeing” (II Corinthians 5:7). Christians recognize that a life lived for God involves trusting in His promises even if we can’t comprehend how He will keep them, rather than walking in the comfort of things we can already see and understand. Thomas was only expressing what most of us would have naturally felt when his fellow disciples informed him they had already seen Jesus resurrected bodily from the dead. “I won’t believe it unless I see the nail wounds in his hands, put my fingers into them, and place my hand into the wound in his side” (John 20:25). Not until Jesus appeared to Thomas so that he could see, did Thomas then acknowledge Jesus as, “my Lord and my God!” (20:28). Jesus then pointed out the difference between walking by faith and walking by sight. “You believe because you have seen me. Blessed are those who haven’t seen me and believe anyway” (20:29). The fact is, “it is impossible to please God” without this kind of childlike faith and trust in Him (Hebrews 11:6). Those who do walk by faith in God have a confidence that He is able to do, “infinitely more than we would ever dare to ask of Him or hope that He could do” (Eph. 3:20; Proverbs 3:5&6). These bold individuals will be blessed for their faith, while those who walk by sight in only what they can understand and comprehend with their human mind, will miss out on the blessings of God. When two blind men followed Jesus, they dared to impose upon the Master with a request. “Son of David, have mercy on us” (Matthew 9:27). Jesus asked them whether they were men who walked by faith in God or by sight in what they could understand. “Do you really believe that I can make you see?” “Yes, Lord, we do.” So Jesus touched their eyes and said, “Because of your faith, it will happen” (9:28&29). Just like that, the two men were able to see. Contrast their attitude and the subsequent results, to that of the people living in Jesus’ home-town of Nazareth. When Jesus taught, he did so with a wisdom and an authority never observed before in the Jewish religious teachers (Matthew 7:28; Mark 1:22; Luke 4:32; John 7:46). So, when Jesus began teaching in the synagogue of his hometown, people were astonished. They asked, “where did Jesus get all his wisdom and the power to perform such miracles? He’s just a carpenter’s son. We know Mary, his mother. And we know his brothers and sisters. What makes him so great?” (Mark 6:1-4; Matthew 13:53-57). Many of these people had watched Jesus grow up. While they had to acknowledge that he was an exceptionally nice boy, it was still hard to comprehend someone coming from among them who knew and did so much. One of the saddest statements in the Bible appears in this portion of our text. “And so he did only a few miracles there because of their unbelief” (Matt.13:58; Mk.6:5&6). What about you? Do you see Jesus doing many miracles around you? If not, maybe it has to do with the size of your faith, or the lack thereof. Jesus said that faith as tiny as a mustard seed could move mountains (Matthew 17:20). Have you moved any mountains lately? Why not? October 11 - - It is amazing to read about Jesus feeding over 5,000 people with only five loaves of bread and two fishes, and still have over twelve basketfuls of food left over (Matthew 14:13-21; Mark 6:30-44; Luke 9:10-17; John 6:1-15). And as if the people had not seen enough, he fed over 4,000 on another occasion with only seven loaves of bread and a few small fish. And that time there were seven large baskets of leftovers (Matthew 15:32-39; Mark 8:1-10). When the people saw Jesus do what he did the first time, they readily exclaimed, “Surely, he is the Prophet we have been expecting!” (John 6:14). The Gospels record miracle after miracle after miracle that Jesus performed. When Jesus healed a man who was both deaf and mute and in doing so, enabled him to hear and speak, he “told the crowd (who witnessed the miracle) not to tell anyone. But the more he told them not to, the more they spread the news, for they were completely amazed. Again and again they said, ‘Everything he does is wonderful.’” (Mark 7:36&37). On another occasion, “a vast crowd brought him the lame, the blind, crippled, mute, and many others with physical difficulties, and they laid them before Jesus. And he healed them all. The crowd was amazed! Those who hadn’t been able to speak were talking, the crippled were made well, the lame were walking around, and those who had been blind could see again! And they praised the God of Israel” (Matt.15:30&31). And yet, in spite of all these miracles, most of which were done right before their eyes, most of the Pharisees and Sadducees refused to believe in Jesus. They preferred arguing with Jesus to dialoguing with him. They would rather have believed that Jesus was sent from Satan than accept that he was sent from God (Matt.12:22-30; Mk.3:20-30). On more than one occasion the two groups asked Jesus for a sign to prove he was from God (Matt.16:1-4 & Mark.8:11-13; Matt. 12:38&39 & Mk.8:11&12; Luke 11:14-16). How true it is that we see what we are prepared to see and we hear what we are prepared to hear. How often do we find ourselves still asking Jesus for some kind of proof that he exists or that he cares when he has in fact proven himself over and over? Are we like the common people who praise Jesus because we see him at work in our lives on a daily basis? Or, are we like the Pharisees and Sadducees who refuse to see Jesus at work no matter what he has already done?

Week 40 Devotions

October 1 - - “Remember to observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy,” was God’s command to His people (Exodus 20:8; Deuteronomy 5:12). God had completed His creation work in six days and then rested the seventh day, not because He was tired, but as an example that human beings should follow (Genesis 2:1-3). How does one keep the Sabbath holy? In His commandment given through Moses, God said, “Six days a week are set apart for your daily duties and regular work, but the seventh day is a day of rest dedicated to the Lord your God. On that day no one in your household may do any kind of work. This includes you, your sons and daughters, your male and female servants, your livestock, and any foreigners living among you. For in six days the Lord made the heavens, the earth, the sea, and everything in them; then He rested on the seventh day. That is why the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and set it apart as holy” (Ex.20:9-11; Deut.5:13-15). When the people of God left Egypt and needed food, God provided them manna that appeared fresh on the ground every morning. God told the people not to keep any of the manna overnight because it would be full of maggots and stink by the next morning. God wanted His people to trust Him every day. But, on the sixth day, the Israelites were to gather twice as much manna so they would be able to observe the Sabbath as a holy day and not have to work. God preserved their manna on the sixth day, unlike the other days (Exodus 16:14-31), so it would be edible on the Sabbath. By Jesus’ day, the religious leaders had come up with a long list of things they defined as work so people would know what they could and could not do on the Sabbath. These regulations were not given to humans by God, but by man. These religious leaders were more concerned with being “keepers of the Sabbath” than they were in personally “keeping the Sabbath.” They loved being moral police more than they did pointing people to God. When Jesus came, he did not question the importance or the value of the Sabbath. But, he did question the legalistic list the Pharisees had comprised. Because their definition had not come from God, but from man, Jesus looked right at these religious hypocrites and asked, “If you had one sheep, and it fell into a well on the Sabbath, wouldn’t you get to work and pull it out? Of course you would. And how much more valuable is a person than sheep! It is morally right to do that which is good on the Sabbath.” And then he healed a man with a deformed hand (Matthew 12:9-14; Luke 6:6-11). “Is the Sabbath a day to save life or to destroy it?”, he asked them (Mark 3:4). Jesus was concerned that God’s people understand the purpose of the Law as it relates to the Sabbath and observe it as best they could so their hearts could be close to God. He wasn’t as interested in people obeying man-made rules and regulations with hearts that were far from God. “I, the Son of Man, am master even of the Sabbath” (Mark 2:28; Matt.12:8; Lk.6:5). For, “the Sabbath was made to benefit people, and not people to benefit the Sabbath” (Mark 2:27). God didn’t establish people so they could worship the Sabbath. He established the Sabbath as a benefit to people. We would all be wise to give God honor and worship every day of the week, but especially on the Sabbath. October 4 - - Four hundred years before the time of Jesus Christ, God spoke these words through the prophet, Malachi, “I am sending you the prophet Elijah before the great and dreadful day of the Lord arrives. His preaching will turn the hearts of the parents to their children, and the hearts of the children to their parents” (4:5&6). Malachi was the last prophet to speak to God’s people before a prophet, like Elijah, would enter the scene and prepare God’s people for the Messiah’s coming. John the Immerser had been preaching a message of repentance, declaring that people needed to turn from their sins and turn to God (Mark 1:4-8; Matthew 3:1-12; Luke 3:2-14). When Jesus did arrive, he asked to be baptized by John to fulfill all righteousness, to do the right thing, and to set an example for others (Mark 1:9-11; Matthew 3:13-17; Luke 3:21&22). At that time, John began to point his disciples and anyone else who would listen, to Jesus (John 1:19-28). John even declared Jesus to be, “the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29). Even though John continued his ministry, fewer people gathered to listen to him because more and more were being drawn to Jesus. When John’s disciples showed concern over this trend, John assured them, “He must become greater and greater, and I must become less and less” (John 3:30). John knew he had been sent by God to prepare the way for Jesus. And John also knew the satisfaction of being successful in his mission. Rather, than feel sorrow because more were following Jesus, John drew delight in knowing he had completed what God had sent him to do. Having said all that, there must have been a little sliver of doubt yet, in John. While in prison because he dared to also preach against Herod’s sins, John sent disciples to inquire of Jesus if he really was the Messiah. The scene is reminiscent of the father who brought his demon-possessed boy to be healed by Jesus. Jesus told the father, “Anything is possible if a person believes.” And the father replied, “I do believe, but help me not to doubt!” (Mark 9:23&24). It also reminds us of Christ’s disciples after Jesus had resurrected from the dead. He had already appeared to them on several occasions and yet, just before he prepared to ascend into heaven, “some of them still doubted” (Matthew 28:17; Luke 24:41; John 21:12&13). Jesus’ disciples were sure this resurrected person they saw was really Jesus, but it was such a tremendous miracle, there was still a little doubt. So, Jesus assures John’s disciples that he really is the Messiah (Matt.11:4-6; Luke 7:21-23). And then Jesus teaches the people a tremendous truth about the Kingdom of God. “I assure you, of all who have ever lived, none is greater than John the Baptist. Yet even the most insignificant person in the Kingdom of Heaven is greater than he is!.....if you are willing to accept what I say, he is Elijah, the one the prophets said would come. Anyone who is willing to hear should listen and understand” (Matthew 11:11-15; Luke 7:24-28). As great a man as John was, Jesus promised that the least person in the Kingdom of Heaven was more privileged than even John. Are we listening to what Jesus is telling us? Or, are we so busy that we miss a message intended for each of us? Do we now believe this great truth or do we still doubt?

Week 38 Devotions

September 17 - - Great leaders are rare. They are people who not only have their own act together, but people who are able to inspire others to also get their act together. Ezra and Nehemiah were just such leaders. When they observed the sorry state of their people, they did something about it. First of all, they didn’t accept the moral decline of the Jews as inevitable and irreversible. They didn’t turn a deaf ear to Israel’s condition. They were appalled and stunned at what had happened (Ezra 9:1-4; Nehemiah 1:4). Then, they mourned, fasted, and prayed. And in their prayers, they didn’t place blame on everyone else. They accepted responsibility for the moral decay of their countrymen. They confessed their own sins, as well as the sins of their people (Ezra 9:5-15; Nehemiah 1:4-11). And with God’s help, they formulated a plan for their people returning to God (Ezra 10:1-17; Nehemiah 2:1-18). Both believed that God had always been faithful to His promises and still would be if God’s people repented. The example of faithfulness of these two great men had a positive impact on the rest of God’s people. In Ezra’s case, he was able to convince those who had married pagan wives to separate themselves from those wives. In Nehemiah’s case, he was able to convince the people of Jerusalem to help him rebuild the walls. Our world and our society cries out for leaders like these two. Our moral decay demands that someone step into the vaccuum created by sin. Where will those leaders come from? What will those leaders look like? Unless God’s people step to the plate and be the moral leaders they should be in their homes, in their churches, in their schools, in their communities, and in their nation, Satan will certainly fill that void with ungodly leaders who will lead with ungodly methods. The Bible clearly states, “When the wicked take charge, people hide” (Proverbs 28:28). “When the godly are in authority, the people rejoice. But when the wicked are in power, they groan” (29:2). “When the godly succeed, everyone is glad. When the wicked take charge, people go into hiding” (28:12). “The whole city celebrates when the godly succeed; they shout for joy when the godless die” (11:10). “Kings and rulers make a grave mistake if they give foolish people great authority, and if they fail to give people of proven worth their rightful place of dignity” (Ecclesiastes 10:5&6). Either we accept the God-given call to be spiritual and moral leaders in any and every sphere of influence God has placed us in, OR we are destined to reap the results of immoral and ungodly leaders whose primary concern is themselves and no one else. What is your choice? It would certainly be no insult for people to compare us to men like Ezra and Nehemiah. September 20 - - “The Lord chose your ancestors as the objects of His love. And He chose you, their descen-dants, above every other nation, as is evident today. Therefore, cleanse your sinful hearts and stop being stubborn” (Deuteronomy 10:15&16). “God overlooked people’s former ignorance about these things, but now He commands everyone everywhere to turn away from idols and turn to Him” (Acts 17:30). “Unless you repent, you will perish” (Luke 13:3,5). “Heaven will be happier over one lost sinner who returns to God than over ninety-nine others who are righteous and haven’t strayed away!” (Luke 15:7). For, “there is joy in the presence of God’s angels when even one sinner repents” (Luke 15:10). Offering up sacrifices to God without an accompanying worship of Him from our heart means nothing to Him (I Samuel 15:22; Isaiah 1:11-20). What God desires from us is a broken and repentant heart (Psalm 34:18; 51:17). When God’s people seriously study the Word of God and see for themselves how far they have strayed from God’s desired will in their lives, it always leads to either a personal and/or a national repentance from sins. Earlier, both Nehemiah and Ezra had confessed their own sins, as well as the sins of their people (Ezra 9:5-15; Nehemiah 1:4-11). Eventually, the people them-selves would follow suit and also confess their sins (Nehemiah 9:2,33). What had started with Ezra and Nehemiah eventually spread to the whole nation. After devoting themselves to reading God’s Word and repenting of their sins, the people of God made a series of solemn promises to do what God’s Word told them to do (9:38), in the areas of: marriage (10:30), the Sabbath (vs.31), care of God’s Temple (vss.32-34), the giving to God of the firstfruits He deserves (vss. 35-37a), and the giving to the Levites a tenth or tithe of “everything our land produces” (vss.37b-39). It is one thing to make a promise and it is quite another to keep a promise. The next few years would determine how serious they would be. How do you see yourself before God? As a pretty fine individual much more righteous than many of the people around, or as one who at your best is nothing more than filthy rags compared to our Holy God (Isaiah 64:6)? Just remember, it’s not a proud and haughty heart God searches for, but a broken and humble heart.

Week 37 Devotions

September 10 - - One of God’s timeless promises was expressed by Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount: “Keep on looking and you will find......(for) everyone who seeks, finds” (Matthew 7:7&8). That promise appears at other places in scripture, and at other times in history (Deuteronomy 4:29; Jeremiah 29:11-14). The Hebrew writer identifies this persistent pursuit to know God more deeply as a vital part of the definition of faith. “It is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who comes to Him must believe that there is a God and that He rewards those who sincerely seek Him” (Hebrews 11:6). God gave to Daniel very unusual abilities that in part, were a reward for Daniel’s diligent pursuit to know God more deeply. When Daniel was taken captive to Babylon, he refused to defile himself by eating food and drinking wine given to him by King Nebuchadnezzar (1:8). Daniel’s faith and convictions were formed long before he was exiled to Babylon. So, when the temptations came to compromise those convictions far away from home, Daniel refused to do so. Daniel was given the ability to interpret dreams from God, that no one else could understand (2:16-19,45-48; 4:4-9,19, 24-26). When King Darius later conquered Babylon, he elevated Daniel to an even higher responsibility within his government. “Daniel soon proved himself more capable than all the other administrators and princes. Because of his great ability, the king made plans to place him over the entire empire. Then the other administrators and princes began searching for some fault in the way Daniel was handling his responsibilities, but they couldn’t find anything to criticize him for. He was faithful and honest (6:4&5). King Darius was later tricked into issuing a decree forbidding the worship of any god, but himself. Daniel refused to obey the edict. But, Daniel quietly continued to kneel down in his upstairs room with it’s windows open toward Jerusalem and pray three times a day, giving thanks to God (6:10). Daniel and God were tight. Consequently, God gave to Daniel, abilities and visions that God gave to no one else (10:2-19). What was true for Daniel is also true for us. We should not seek God simply so we can have abilities, dreams, or visions that no one else has. Our motive for seeking God would be wrong and selfish and God will not honor selfish motivations (James 4:3). But, God knows when we are seeking Him with a pure heart. And His promise still holds true today: “Those who wait on the Lord will find new strength. They will fly high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint” (Isaiah 4:31). The wicked cannot understand the things of God. Their minds are blinded by Satan because he does not want people to see the truth that will set them free to really enjoy life (II Corinthians 4:4; John 8:44,32; 10:10). “The wicked will continue in their wickedness, and none of them will understand. Only those who are wise will know what it (God’s Word and prophecy) means” (Daniel 12:10). And those who are “wise” according to God’s Word, have been promised they “will shine as bright as the sky, and those who turn many to righteousness will shine like stars forever” (12:3). So, let us be about the task of seeking God and pointing as many people as possible to Him. September 13 - - Human beings are constantly trying to prepare for the future without including the Lord into their equation. Even though Jesus said, “apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:5), and even though the apostle Paul said, “I can do everything with the help of Christ who gives me the strength I need” (Philippians 4:13), more often than not, we plan our lives as though the only one we can depend upon is ourselves and not the Lord. As Israel prepared to enter the Promised Land, the Lord specifically spoke through Moses that when Israel cried out for a king, “the king must not build up a large stable of horses for himself, and he must never send his people to Egypt to buy horses there, for the Lord has told you, ‘You must never return to Egypt’” (Deuteronomy 17:16). And yet, we see Israel disregarding God’s commands time and again. Through the prophet, Isaiah, God said, “Destruction is certain for those who look to Egypt for help, trusting their cavalry and chariots instead of looking to the Lord, the Holy One of Israel......God will rise against those who are wicked, and He will crush their allies, too. For these Egyptians are mere humans, not God! Their horses are puny flesh, not mighty spirits! When the Lord clenches His fist against them, they will stumble and fall among those who are trying to help. They will all fall down and die together” (Isaiah 31:1-3). No man and no nation can ever stand against the power and the fury of the Lord. “The horses are prepared for battle, but the victory belongs to the Lord” (Proverbs 21:31). Even though God would often allow Israel’s enemies to conquer her for a season, those enemies would eventually be judged by God, as well. The city of Tyre had built it’s defenses and in human terms, the city was impenetrable. But, no city can withstand the power of the Lord and the Lord promised Tyre’s destruction (Zechariah 9:2-4). “The Lord will rescue His people, just as a shepherd rescues His sheep” (Zech.9:16). “The pride of Assyria will be crushed, and the rule of Egypt will end. I will make my people strong in my power, and they will go wherever they wish by my authority. I, the Lord, have spoken” (10:12). “I will watch over the people of Judah, but I will blind the horses of her enemies” (12:4). “The Lord will defend the people of Jerusalem; the weakest among them will be as mighty as King David.....For my plan is to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem” (12:8&9). Why is it that we foolishly try to live in the weakness of our own strength? Why is it that we fail to see how strong we are when we place our confidence and our trust in the Lord instead of in ourselves? Is history not a brilliant enough teacher? Is our own experience not sufficient for us to know the truth? Why must we make the same mistakes over and over again? May the Lord give us the wisdom to totally place our confidence in Him, and not in ourselves.

Week 36 Devotions

September 3 - - Funny how pride is easier to spot in other people than it is in ourselves. How many of us have read the story of Pharoah’s stubbornness as he refused to let the Hebrew people leave Egypt and wondered what in the world he was thinking of? Why after three plagues didn’t Pharoah realize who he was dealing with? Why did Pharoah still not get it after six plagues? Or, eight? Was it really necessary that it take ten plagues before Pharoah finally figure it out? Does pride really blind us that much? Even though he didn’t realize it, King Nebuchadnezzar had been used by God to bring down punishment upon the people of Judah. The same had been true of the king of Assyria when he conquered the kingdom of Israel. “Assyria will enslave my people, who are a godless nation. It will plunder them, trampling them like dirt beneath it’s feet. But the king of Assyria will not know that it is I who sent him. He will merely think he is attacking my people as part of his plan to conquer the world” (Isaiah 10:6&7). We need to remember that, “The king’s heart is like a stream of water directed by the Lord; He turns it wherever He pleases” (Proverbs 21:1). Nebuchadnezzar has a dream and Daniel interprets the dream for the king. Daniel warns the king that God will soon take his kingdom away from him and he will live like a cow for seven years (Daniel 4:10-17). Daniel pleads with the king to turn from his pride so he would not be judged (4:19-27). God gave Nebuchadnezzar a full year to humble himself, but the king still took pride in all that he had done (4:28-30). So, God fulfilled His promise and Nebuchadnezzar was driven from his throne. Why did it take Nebuchadnezzar even two years to realize how foolish he had been? Why didn’t he realize his foolishness after four years? Why in the world would it take him seven years to come to his senses? Nevertheless, the king’s sanity returned when he finally “looked up to heaven” (4:34). It took seven whole years of living like a cow before Nebuchadnezzar finally realized that God “is able to humble those who are proud” (4:37). And yet, while we shake our heads at the king’s pride, how many times does God shake His head at us wondering why we don’t learn from the examples of others or even from our own personal experiences? Why is it we insist that we know better than God and stubbornly refuse to turn in complete obedience to Him? How true it is that, “pride goes before destruction, and haughtiness before a fall” (Proverbs 16:18), regardless of who we are. Pride really isn’t restricted to royalty, is it? September 6 - - Water is one of the absolute staples of life. Plant life needs water to grow. Most animals, including humans, are largely comprised of water and need constant nourishment and refresh-men from water to continue living. It is no accident that Jesus calls himself, “living water” (John 4:10). Jesus “created everything there is. Nothing exists that he didn’t make (I Corinthians 8:6; Colossians 1:16&17; Hebrews 1:2). Life itself was in him” (John 1:3&4). Jesus is the “author of life” (Acts 3:15) and he “came to bring us life” (John 10:10). While it is true that Jesus created every physical thing that exists, it is also true that until human beings really know Jesus they are only existing. They are not living. We see this analogy of water giving life in both the Old Testament before Jesus Christ was born and again, after Jesus ascended into heaven (Revelation 7:17). The Dead Sea has nothing living in or around it because the water contains so much salt. But, through the prophet, Ezekiel, God pointed to that day in the future when trees would grow along both sides of the Jordan River running to the Dead Sea (Ezekiel 47:6-9). Fish would live in the river and everything that touches the river would also live. In fact, this living water would also heal the waters of the Dead Sea and fishermen would fill their nets there as surely as they did from the Sea of Galilee (47:10-12). If you’ve seen the Dead Sea, that hardly seems possible. Even now, the size of the Dead Sea continues to shrink because of the abundant amount of salt in it’s waters. But, nothing is impossible with God (Matthew 19:26; Luke 1:37). God will bring life where God chooses to bring life. He will heal that which is sick or broken. The picture of God bringing life to the Dead Sea is both a prophecy of future events, but also a promise of present healing. There are times in each of our lives when we feel spiritually dead. There are seasons when hope is not even a mirage we think we can see. God simply wants us to know that He not only has the power to bring life where He wishes and to whom He wishes, but He also has the desire to do both. The “author of life” is faithful. He knows our needs. He knows our sorrows. He knows our weaknesses. And he will never fail us (Hebrews 13:5; Matthew 28:20; I Peter 5:7). Never!