April 30 – Psalms 48-50

Focus before you read. . .

How far in the future have you planned?  What is your resource for your future?  Where are you putting your confidence?

As you read, consider. . .

Ps 49:8  “the ransom for a life is costly, no payment is ever enough”

Ps 49:6  “…wise men die; the foolish and senseless alike perish and leave their wealth to others”

Ps 49:13 “this is the fate of those who trust in themselves, and of the followers who approve their sayings.”

Ps 49:15 “But God will redeem my life from the grave; he will surely take me to himself.”

Prayer

Lord, help me to plan beyond the future I can see, walking by faith and not by sight.  Set my sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand.  I want to think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth.  Since I have died to self, my real life is hidden with Christ in God (Col 3:1-3).  I know you alone have paid a sufficient ransom for my life and that “when I call upon you in the day of trouble; you will deliver me and honor me.” (Ps 50:15)

April 29 – 2 Samuel 1-4

Focus before you read:
There originally was no division between I Samuel and II Samuel.  The
account goes right on.  The division occurs at the death of Saul at the Battle
of Mount Gilboa.  II Samuel opens with David’s response to the death of Saul
and Jonathan.  David does not immediately become ruler over the entire land,
but is installed over Judah in II Samuel 2 and the rest of the kingdom in Chapter 5.

Questions to ask as you read:
How does David’s attitude toward Saul’s and Jonathan’s death seem unexpected?
Is it really unexpected, given what we have seen in David to this point?
Why does David grieve?
What is the significance of the crown and arm band brought to David?

Notice whenever in the book David inquires of the Lord before acting and when
he does not.  Is there a lesson here?

Saul’s court continues to have power, and supports one of Saul’s sons as King.
They have the real power.
Identify Abner and Joel.
How do  their family feuds impact the kingdom?
How does David react to the feud?  (3:28-39)
Is his reaction sincere?
Why are we told of David’s response to Ishbosheth’s murder?  (cf. 3:36)

Application to make after you read:
David is a complex individual.  So are we all.
What is the driving principle of David’s life to this point?
What inconsistencies do you see in him?
Do you see any of them in yourself?
In your family setting?
In your attitudes at work?
Within the church fellowship?
Do you push for self-advantage or seek to allow the reign of God in your circumstances?

Prayer:
Lord, help me to identify and remedy my responses in those areas of my life and
vested interests where I serve myself and mine more than you and yours.
.

April 28 – Exodus 13-18

Before you read:
In the ancient cultures, each people group was easily identifiable from those around it by their religious practices and ceremonies.  As the Israelites were taken out of Israel in Joseph’s time and transported to Egypt, they brought with them many of the practices of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, but only 70 of them came and now there are over 2,000,000. In these 430 years they had a lot of Egypt imbedded in their hearts.  This was no surprise to God, and He knew precisely what was needed.  He had a step-by-step plan to wipe Egypt out of their hearts and set them apart as a people dedicated solely to Himself.  He also had the wisdom to do things in the right order and knew how much change they could take at any one time.

As you read:
C. 13  Consecration of the firstborn – To redeem is to buy back.  God uses this as:
1.  A reminder of how God spared their lives
2.A direct contrast of human sacrifices to pagan gods in other cultures
3.A symbol of when Jesus would redeem us all by paying the ultimate sacrifice for sin

C. 14  Crossing of the Red Sea – New archeological findings show that it is highly likely that the actual crossing of the Red Sea was at what is now known as the Gulf of Aqaba.  The exact spot has a high roadway through the water 1/2 mile deep, about 2 miles wide and 11 miles long from shore to shore on the Sinai side to the Arabian side.  The depth of the water on either side of this watery roadway is over a mile deep.  There is a mountain on the Arabian side that more accurately matches the Biblical account than the traditional site in Sinai.  It also matches Paul’s description in Galatians 4:25.

C. 15  Look for all the references to Gods power and His glory

C. 16  Even in our wealth and abundance we still grumble.  Who are we really grumbling against?  Look for signs of Gods plan and how He unfolds it.

Application:
In what ways has God set your family apart?  Do you look like every other family around you or is God’s standard of right to you and His care for you apparent to your neighbors and friends?  Are your children aware of God’s care and blessings upon your family?  How can you apply Deuteronomy 6:4-9 to your family life if you are not already doing so?

Prayer: Lord, I praise and thank you for the way You have cared for us in the past and have every confidence that You will continue to do so in the future.  However, I also realize that this is a two-way street and I need to do my part in imparting godly wisdom into our family.

April 27 – 2 Corinthians 1-3

Focus before you read. . .

Paul wrote 1 Corinthians primarily to respond to divisions in the church at Corinth, a church located in what is now southern Greece, which he founded on his second missionary journey.  For the most part, the church did not heed his advice, and the apostle visited the church a second time, a visit which was painful for both the church and for Paul (2:1).  While he had originally planned to visit the church a third time, he instead felt led to write a letter—2 Corinthians—of further instruction.  In the first three chapters of this letter, Paul emphasizes the theme of comfort—both our dependence on the comfort God provides and the comfort we are to provide others.  He also preaches on the superiority of the “new covenant,” which is a fulfillment of the law, or “old covenant,” which condemned us but also pointed us to Christ.  As you read today, pay close attention to the role that the “Spirit of the Lord” provides in providing us with freedom.

Questions to ask as you read. . .

1. Note all the times Paul uses the word “comfort” in the first chapter.  In what way does God provide “comfort” for us?  What responsibility do we have to “comfort” others?
2. What is Paul’s attitude towards the church?  What message of hope does he provide them?
3. Why is forgiveness so important?
4. How does the “letter” kill and the “Spirit” give life?

Application to make after you read. . .

Even though Paul loved the church, he was not afraid to discipline the church he founded.  In fact, it is because of this love that he continues to do all that he can to motivate the church to be all that it can be for Christ.  Although Paul struggled with the Corinthian church, he was quick to emphasize comfort and forgiveness. Jesus Christ himself is the “Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God” (1:4).  Who in your life are you discipling or mentoring?  To whom are you providing comfort?  Paul’s experience with the Corinthian church should remind us that “Involvement,” or loving each other, can be painful.  But he also reminds us that is “God who makes us stand firm in Christ.”  For “He anointed us, set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come” (1:22).

Prayer

Lord Jesus, thank you for the comfort that you provide us.  May your grace and strength continue to sustain us as we grow closer together as a body of believers and closer to You, the author and perfecter of our faith.

April 26 – Mark 11-12

Focus before you read. . .

Today’s reading begins with Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem and ends with his words of praise for the poor widow’s offering.  In between these events, Jesus fields questions from “the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders,” primarily questioning his authority, the necessity of paying taxes, and the nature of resurrection.  While Jesus answers each question differently, he reveals the hypocrisy of his questioners in each response.  As you read today, pay close attention to Jesus’ responses to these questions as you consider your own questions to God.  What do our own questions to God reveal about our motives?  Are we questioning to truly understand, or for some other reason?   

 

Questions to ask as you read. . .

1. Why does Jesus clear the temple?  How would Jesus respond to His church today?  How do we preserve the church as a “house of prayer”?

2. How do Jesus’ answers to questions reveal the hypocrisy of his questioners?

3. Why does Jesus give such high praise to the widow for her offering?

Application to make after you read. . .

God calls us to love him with all of our heart, soul, strength, and mind.  We are, as Paul instructs, to engage in the process of “renewing our minds” so that we can conform ourselves to Christ.  Jesus, the greatest teacher of all time, often engages his students in intense discussions, filled with questions and answers.  One can easily imagine Jesus, walking along the road, pepperinghis disciples with thought provoking questions and answering their own questions as well.  While Jesus seems to welcome this type of dialogue, his responses to the questions of the power structure of the day take on a different character.  “But Jesus knew their hypocrisy,” Mark tells us, for their questions were not asked genuinely to receive an answer, but delivered with the intent to trap Him.  Why do we ask questions of God?  Do our circumstances, for instance, ever cause us to question God’s authority and his intentions?  Do our questions presume that we know better than God how to handle our own lives and the universe?  Contrast the condescending tone of the religious officials with the humility of the poor widow, whose gift was small but represented all that she had.  What is your attitude towards God this week?  

Prayer

Lord, we acknowledge our weakness and your strength, our ignorance and your knowledge, our sins and your perfection.  May our approach to you and our actions with others be marked by humility, grace, and love.

April 25 – Jeremiah 17-21

Focus before you read:
As the book progresses we will read more about the prophet’s personal life, and
the way his mission impacted his entire environment. It was not easy for Jeremiah.

Questions to ask as you read:
Chapter 17 contains a message preached “at the gate of the people.” Note how the
location is appropriate to the message which requests the observance of the law
concerning the Sabbath.

Chapter 18 is a message on the sovereignty of God. He works the “clay” of his
people and his world as it suits his purpose. He is at odds with a people who are
determined to walk outside the God proclaimed boundaries. (18:15-16)

Chapter 19 is a movie spectacle begging to be filmed. See the procession of  priests
elders and people of the city perhaps following after Jeremiah, who is carrying a
clay jar. Ponder the indictment of verses 3-7. It is high drama. And in verse 7, where
God says “I will ‘ruin’ the plans”… the word “ruin” sounds like the Hebrew for
“jar.” In a play on words, Jeremiah says “I will jar the plans,” as he smashes the pot.

Jeremiah pays a physical price for the sermon/lesson of Chapter 19.  He is beaten and
placed in the stocks.  You can sense the pain as he contrasts his faith (v. 11-13) with
his feelings. (v 14-18)  Jeremiah is not in a pleasant position.

In a stunning reversal King Zedekiah sends another “Pashhur” to have Jeremiah
inquire of the Lord  for the nation.  What presumption!  Babylon was almost at the
city gate.  How does Jeremiah answer the King’s request?

Application to make after you read:
How do you take emotional changes in your life and circumstances?  It is often
hard to deal with them correctly.  God wants us to be solidly anchored to him
regardless of our situation  Paul speaks of this in Philippians 4:11-13

Prayer:
Must I be carried to the skies
On flowery beds of ease,
While others fight to win the prize
And sail through bloody seas?
Isaac Watts 1674-1748    .

April 24 – Job 31-32

Focus before you read . . .

In today’s reading, Job finishes his long discourse. He opens with a defense of his own character, acknowledging God’s omniscience: “Does he not see my ways and count my every step?” In a thorough examination of his conscience, Job reflects on not only his conduct, but on the motivation behind his actions. As you read today, pay close attention to Job’s series of “if. . . then” statements and consider the ways in which each statement reveals something about his character and God’s own desires for our lives.

Questions to ask as you read. . .

1. Take note of all the time that Job refers to his “heart.” What is he emphasizing here?
2. What does Job long for in verse 35? Why?
3. Who is Elihu? What is his response to Job? How is his response different from Job’s three friends?

Application to make after you read. . .

Job’s reflections upon his own moral character bring to mind Jesus’ own teachings in his Sermon on the Mount. For instance, his “covenant with [his] eyes not to look lustfully at a girl” reminds us of Jesus’ teaching that “anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart” (Matthew 5:27). Likewise, Job underscores his commitment to serving the poor and his refusal to put his “trust in gold,” just as Jesus would later command his followers to care for the needy and “store up treasure in heaven” (Matthew 6:20). For Job, and for Jesus, the point is simple to understand but difficult to apply: what we value and how we treat others reveals our heart. What is the condition of your heart? Ask God to continue to change your heart to conform to Christ. Remember, we can’t do this on our own. As Pastor Steve emphasized with his use of Luther’s statement, entering the day without prayer is “a boast against the Lord.”

Prayer

Lord, search our hearts and change us from the inside out so that our outward conduct will point others to You and the prayers of our own hearts will reveal our love for You.

April 23 – Psalms 45-47

Focus before you read. . .

Psalm 45 opens today’s reading with a lavish, poetic description of a wedding.  On first glance one may regard it simply as a historical account; however, upon deeper study most Christian scholars regard it as a metaphorical description of the ‘wedding of the lamb’ wherein the bride groom represents Jesus and the bride represents the church.

Also of great significance is Psalm 46.  Through the ages saints such as John Wesley and Martin Luther have reportedly drawn courage from “Luther’s Psalm.”  This psalm serves as the foundation of Luther’s powerful hymn, “A Mighty Fortress.”
As you read, reflect on. . .

Ps 45 – How precious is the church to God – “He is enthralled by your beauty”

Ps 46 – How near and ever-present is our God

Ps 47 – How great is our God – “King over all the earth”
After you read. . .

Meditation:  “Be still and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth”

April 22 – 1 Samuel 26-31

Focus before you read:
Sometimes the hardest pressures to endure are the ones that come in waves.
That is the way David experienced Saul’s efforts to kill him.
It created a response of despair. (I Sam 27:1; 30:4) But the despair was temporary.
David’s despair drives him to God.  (I Sam 30:7-8)
The strange thing is that Saul had a despair experience from his efforts, too.
Saul’s despair was permanent.
Saul’s despair drives him to Endor.   (I Sam 28)
What a different course is seen!

Questions to ask as you read:
Note the replay of an opportunity for David to kill Saul. (I Sam 26:7-11)
This time he could have had another man do it quietly.
How does this compare with Saul’s use of Doeg and others?

David is spared from fighting against Saul with Achish.   How would you
evaluate David’s actions in Philistia?

Chapter 28 is the Last Supper of the world.  Defeat is perceived as total and less
any semblance of hope.  In the upper room there was hope beyond the death of
Christ.  Christ gave up his life.  Saul has another take his life.
What other comparisons can you draw?

Application to make after you read:
What application can you make from I Samuel 30:21-30 as to how our companions
in the faith are to be treated when they have become exhausted?

Do you ever experience despair?  What lessons might you learn from how David
dealt with despair or depression?  (There is a lot of that emotion in David’s psalms.)

What might be learned form the service of Jabesh Gilead (I Sam 31:11-13, see also
Chapter 11)

Prayer:
Lord, when I am discouraged    and feeling despair approaching, help me to know
your presence, and be refreshed by your promises and the remembrance of your
faithfulness through the ages to all that trust in you.
Stayed upon Jehovah hearts are fully blessed;
Finding as He promised, perfect peace and rest.

April 21 – Exodus 9-12

Before you read:
Remember the Moses we met in chapters 3 and 4? As God works on Pharaoh and the Israelites, do you also see Him developing leadership skills in Moses? It seems that the Moses who was afraid to open his mouth back in chapter 3 is getting bolder and bolder. He still goes with Aaron to see the Pharaoh, but Moses is doing more and more of the talking. God knew Moses had it in him when he first called him, but he had to prove it to Moses.

Moses needed every leadership skill God could possibly give him. Dealing with Pharaoh’s hard heart for a few months was nothing compared with dealing with over 2,000,000 griping, complaining Israelites for 40 years. God always knows what He is doing to prepare us and give us the strength to carry out the task.

As you read:
Even before the first plague, God gives Pharaoh plenty of time to repent. In 10:27 we see him admit his sin. However, admitting we are a sinner and actually repenting are not the same, as we see almost immediately. Every plague from the blood in the Nile through the hail, plagues 1 through 7, Pharaoh was responsible for hardening his own heart. It isn’t until the locust, plague 8, that the Lord says that this time, He has hardened Pharaoh’s heart. God gave Pharaoh plenty of time. Was Pharaoh playing games with God? In Gen. 6:3 God says that He will not always strive with man. If we think we have a loved one that has hardened his/her heart toward God we need to keep them continually as a prayer focus. Only His Holy Spirit will soften their heart and bring into their lives those circumstances that will eventually bring them to the foot of the cross.

In C. 12 note all the steps each Israelite family is to take to in preparation for the exodus. They didn’t have a definite time of departure, but each had to be ready at a moment’s notice. Take note as to how many of these things are a direct portrayal of Jesus Christ.

Application:
Am I continually preparing for Jesus’ second return? We don’t have a definite time of departure, but we can always be ready at a moment’s notice. Possibly the most remarkable verses we have in this section is 12:50-51, “And all the Israelites did just what the Lord had commanded Moses and Aaron and on that very day the Lord brought the Israelites out of Egypt by their divisions.” For the moment they had learned their lessons. Perhaps that is easier when we have definite plans outlined for us to do or not to do. But life isn’t always that precise. Sometimes our obedience is also apparent in just waiting for God to act.

Prayer:

Lord, sometimes the waiting is so hard. I want to step in and hurry things along and in doing so, get out of step with You. However, when it is time to get up and move, give me the boldness and courage to do all that you ask.