May 31 – Luke 5-6

Focus before you read…

Luke 5-6 deals with the miracles and teaching of Jesus’ ministry.  In Luke 5, we see Jesus interacting with his disciples and with the public performing many miracles and rewarding those who approach him in faith believing that they can be healed.  As you read this week’s passage, pay special attention to those individuals who encounter Jesus’ miracles and who approach Him in faith believing that He is able to meet their need.  Also, notice how Jesus emphasizes “others” throughout this chapter.

 

Questions to ask as you read… 

 

1. In Luke 5:5, what does this passage reflect about Peter’s faith?

2. What does Jesus mean in Luke 5:10 about making them “fishers of men”?

3. What does Luke 5:12 reveal about the man with leprosy’s faith in Jesus?

4. In Luke 5:17-20, what was it that allowed the paralyzed man to be healed (v. 20)?

 

Application to make after you read…

In Luke 5, we see Jesus performing many miracles.  After the disciples had spent a considerable amount of time fishing with no success, Jesus instructs them to cast their nets, and the catch was so large that the disciples needed the help of others to get all of the fish into the boats.  Peter was so amazed at the miracle that he fell to his knees and expressed his shortcomings.  Jesus comforted him and called the disciples to become “fishers of men.”  This passage reminds us that we must rely on Jesus to meet our needs and that our focus should be on serving and ministering to others.  Jesus did not say we are to be “hunters” of men.  Fishing takes patience, time, and skill.  Are you taking time, being patient, and developing the skills to serve and minister to others?  This is the key to being an effective witness for Christ.  In Luke 5:17-20, we see the story of a group of men whose great faith caused them to do extraordinary things for a friend.  They cut a hole in the roof of a house to lower their friend down to Jesus so that he could heal him.  Jesus was so impressed by the friend’s faith that he healed the paralyzed man.  What a wonderful picture of how we need to encourage, and take action on behalf of someone in need.  Look around today for a loved one or friend in need; do they need your strong faith to help them through a tough time? 

May 30 – Jeremiah 42-46

Focus before you read:

This segment of Israel’s history illustrates well the massive inconsistency in Israel’s

relationship to God.  The great tragedy of defeat and destruction has not led the remnant

to repentance and obedience.  They go through a meaningless formality of seeking God’s will without the commitment that flows from an obedient heart. 

Questions to ask as you read:

Why does the remnant come to Jeremiah?  

How sincere are they?

 

Outline of the action:

A request for prayer on their behalf.

A promise of obedience.

A precise answer from God.  What was it?

A further disobedience.

Why did the remnant disobey?

What is their excuse?  Who is Baruch? (32:12, 43:3)

 

Why does Jeremiah go to Egypt?  (43:8)

What was Israel’s remnant’s sin in Egypt?  (44)

 

Chapter 46 begins a series of judgments against the nations that have been opposed to

God’s people.  Egypt comes first in a two-part judgment.

Part one is the PAST judgment spoken of before the Battle of Carchemish

The past prophecy fulfilled gives authority to

Part two which is future.  Babylon will defeat Egypt. Think of how popular this

made Jeremiah in Egypt.  

Application to make after you read:

How do you seek God’s will?  Do you seek it from a posture of committed obedience, or is it only one of the options from which you will choose as you please?  

Is that truly obedience?   Does it please God?    Does it meet your real need for guidance?

 

Prayer:

Personalize your response to today’s section as you pray. .

May 29 – Job 41-42

Focus before you read. . .

Today’s reading begins with a continuation of the Lord’s barrage of rhetorical questions to Job, then moves to Job’s humble reply, and concludes with the Lord’s restoration of Job.  In many ways, the “Epilogue” brings the narrative to a satisfying close.  God’s justice is affirmed; Job repents; God delivers the final word, rebuking Job’s three friends and rewarding Job for his faithfulness.  As you enter the text today, though, consider this question: what if God had not restored Job to his former blessings?  Would God be any less just?  Is our notion of God’s goodness dependent upon the blessings He pours into our lives and the tragedies He allows to happen?

 

Questions to ask as you read. . .

1. What point is God making with His questions about the leviathan?

2. What sin does Job confess?

3. What steps must first occur before Job is restored?

Application to make after you read. . .

It’s easy to focus on the “Epilogue” to Job.  We rejoice with Job as he is restored, and—especially for those of us who have made it through all of the arguments in the book—we may even take some pleasure in seeing Job’s friends corrected.  But let us be careful not to overlook Job’s reply to the Lord before he is restored.  “Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know” (42:3).  Although in a different context, David expresses a similar thought in Psalm 139: “You hem me in—behind and before; you have laid your hand upon me.  Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too loft for me to attain.”  What Job realizes in the end is that he is not capable of understanding fully the ways of God.  While we can most certainly clearly understand the attributes of God—His omniscience, goodness, justice, etc.—through our study of the Bible, we cannot fully comprehend God.  Whatever definition of justice or goodness we can construct will always be incomplete because we lack the perspective of the Creator.  Does God’s restoration of Job prove that He is good?  Does God’s healing of our own illnesses and injustices demonstrate that He is just?  While God may certainly choose to heal and restore in our life on this earth, He may not.  Job’s faith was not dependent on his healing.  Neither was Paul’s.  As we learn from this week’s reading in 2 Corinthians, the great apostle prayed three times to have his “thorn in the flesh” removed, but the Lord replied, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”  May each one of us find the peace that comes with this statement of faith: Lord, regardless of the circumstances of my life, your grace is sufficient for me!

 

Prayer

Lord, “All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.”  May I accept that which I cannot understand.  May I rejoice in the sufficiency of your grace.

May 28 – Psalms 60-62

Focus before reading:

 

“Faith is an abiding duty, a perpetual privilege. We should trust when we can see, as well as when we are utterly in the dark. Adversity is a fit season for faith; but prosperity is not less so. God at all times deserves our confidence. We at all times need to place our confidence in him. A day without trust in God is a day of wrath.” 

 

 “To wait upon God, and for God, is the habitual position of faith; to wait on him truly is sincerity; to wait on him only is spiritual chastity.” Charles Spurgeon

 

Meditation After reading:

Psalms 62:5-8 “Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from him.  He alone is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will not be shaken.  My salvation and my honor depend on God; he is my mighty rock, my refuge.  Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out you hearts to him, for God is our refuge.”

May 27 – 2 Samuel 20-24

Focus before you read:

The complaining as chapter 19 closes grows into a full blown rebellion in

chapter 20.  The rebellion is defeated.

Questions to ask as you read:

The Gibeonites had come under Israel’s protection in Joshua 19.  Saul had

violated the covenant made with them. The penalty comes on Saul’s house

even though the effect of the sin was visited on the land. (21:1) Perhaps God

wanted to illustrate the importance of a covenant responsibility. The ancient ethic

and bloodshed are foreign to our minds.

 

Concentrate rather on the great hymn of David’s testimony in chapter 22 through

23:7.  It is David’s valedictory speech.

Who is the key actor in the drama?

What are the primary components of His character?

How can David claim righteousness (22:21-25) in view of his sin?

 

Notice how chapter 24 opens.  The initiative for the census that produces a harsh

judgment clearly begins with God.  He is not pleased with the spirit of rebellion

among the people, and when David leaves the choice of judgment to God it falls

on the people as a whole.

Application to make after you read:

There is a principle in 24:24 with respect to our offerings to God.  What is it?

How do you observe this principle in your own stewardship and life?

 

In 23:8-39 we have a testimony to “persons of valor.” If  such a list were to be

inscribed for CCG, where might you appear on it, and what would be said of your

service? 

 

Are you able to claim righteousness in view of your sin?  How is that possible?

See Romans 3:23-25, 2 Corinthians 5:21 and Romans 5:6-10.

Has this transaction taken place in your life? 

Prayer:

At whatever stage of life you  find yourself, you should be able to rejoice in the Lord

and in His promises.  David did so at some very difficult times.  Spend some time

rejoicing before the Lord for who He is and what He is doing with and through you.

 

May 26 – Exodus 29-32

Before you read:

Through the rest of Exodus we will find a strong element of holiness (and 152 times in Leviticus).  We hear that word, but may not understand the ramifications of it.  Exodus never explains it, but gives many examples.  The dictionary defines holy as “belonging to or devoted to God; morally and spiritually excellent or perfect; consecrated, sacred.”  That seems like a high order to live up to, but look at the principles of holy living, and you will notice that in both the Old and New Testaments we are all called to be holy.  You may not feel perfect or sacred, but you can give God your very best.  You can keep certain things and times just for Him.  We must approach God with no pretense and with a determination for complete obedience.  

 

As you read:

Chapter 29: Note at the end of this chapter, the promise of God if they will take these instructions and their devotion to God seriously.

C. 30: God continues his instructions and gives two recipes.  These are to be used only in the temple and never for personal use, noting that these are sacred.

C. 31: Bezalel may have been the grandson of Hur that with Aaron held up Moses’ hands during the battle in c. 17, or possibility a different Hur.  God gave all the craftsmen unusual abilities, but God gave Bezalel unusual abilities.  This affirms the saying, “God doesn’t always call the gifted, but He always gifts the called.”  In v. 12-17 we find a list for keeping the Sabbath (Sunday for us) holy, set apart for God.  God doesn’t get joy out of making up a bunch of rules, v. 13 tells us why.  In the last verse of this chapter God presents Moses with the tablets listing the Ten Commandments.

C. 32: The people gave Aaron the initial idea of making an idol, but he didn’t have to run with it. He had been left in charge and used his power to win the affections of the people.  Instead the people got out of control.  What did Moses say to seek God’s favor? 

 

Application:

What in my life is sacred enough for only God’s use?  Do I take the things of God and use them indiscreetly?  How am I using my time, money, personal belongings, and God-given gifts?  Our jobs, our family time, and even mundane chores can be devoted to Him.  How does God want you and your family to observe the Sabbath?  As we look at c. 32 we realize that righteous anger is productive.  It finally made the people realize that unlike the idols, God cannot be manipulated. 

 

Prayer: Lord Jesus, I fall so far short of holiness, yet Your Word tells me to be holy.  I desire more than anything to draw closer to you and let Your Word and Your presence flow through me, yet the world and its’ cares seem to demand too much of my attention.  Help me to keep You and Your priorities at the center of my time and focus.

May 25 – 2 Corinthians 11-13

Focus before you read. . .

In today’s reading, Paul concludes his letter to the church at Corinth.  He opens with a strong warning against false apostles, encouraging the church to not be captivated by smooth talking preachers who preach “a different Jesus” or “a different gospel” from what he has preached.  Paul also compares his qualifications for ministry to these so-called “super-apostles,” rejoicing in his own sufferings and closeness to the Lord, rather than his speaking talents.  As you read today, pay close attention to the various ways Paul expresses his “tough” love for the church and make note of the change of perspective that the church needs to adopt.

 

Questions to ask as you read. . .

1. What were the “super-apostles” known for?  Do we see evidence of “super-apostles” at work today?  Do we ever place style over substance in the church?

2. Why is Paul boasting?  

3. What is Paul’s response to his own suffering?

4. How does Paul emphasize the Trinity in his final greeting?  How do “grace,” “love,” and “fellowship” relate to each member of the Trinity?

 

Application to make after you read. . .

In his love for the church, Paul issued strong words of warning and encouragement to the Corinthians.  “Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light,” he declares.  So watch out for those who will use their smooth words to deceive you.  While Paul had to compete with the highly trained speakers of his day, consider the challenges we face today in today’s entertainment culture.  How does the church compete in our age of unlimited information?  Paul’s response was clear.  Rather than try to compete with the clever rhetoric of the “super-apostles,” he opted for the simple, clear message of the gospel.  He preached the unadorned truth that had been revealed to him.  Instead of offering false promises of wealth and prosperity, he “boasted” in his sufferings.  While he could have described in great detail his vision from the Lord, he emphasized God’s refusal to remove the thorn in his side.  “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness,” the Lord tells Paul—and He tells us.  In our fast-paced world of nanotechnology, YouTube, and text messaging, may we, like Paul, focus on that which is eternal, not instant—“the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit” (13:14).

 

Prayer

Lord, you have called us to be “in” the world, but not “of” the world.  You have called us to be salt and light to our culture, not to be corrupted by the world.  Give us the strength and the boldness to be ambassadors for You.  Protect us from evil one, who masquerades as an angel of light.  Help us to live in the sufficiency of your grace.    

 

May 24 – Luke 3-4

Focus before you read. . .

Last week we concluded with the twelve-year-old Jesus dazzling the religious leaders in the temple.  This week we fast forward nearly two decades to the final preparation stage for Jesus’ public ministry.  As you continue your study of the gospels today, take note of how Luke prepares us for the start of Jesus’ ministry.  Just as John the Baptist is preparing the way for Jesus, Luke is preparing us as readers for Jesus’ entrance on the scene.  Pay close attention to these events:

•  John the Baptist’s ministry
•  John’s baptism of Jesus
•  The genealogy of Jesus
•  Satan’s temptation of Jesus
•  Jesus’ entrance into ministry

 

Questions to ask as you read. . .

• 1. What is John’s message?  What are the consequences of his preaching?  How does he “prepare the way” for Jesus?

2. Why does John baptize Jesus?  What is the significance of the baptism?

3. How is Luke’s genealogy unique?  What does it emphasize?

4. What principle does Jesus demonstrate through his response to each temptation from Satan?

5. How does Jesus start his ministry?  On what authority does He base his words and actions?

 

Application to make after you read. . .

We can’t help but wonder what Jesus was doing in the two decades before his public ministry began.  We know simply that he “grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men” (2:52).  In today’s reading Jesus undergoes a period of testing and trial that serves in some ways as a final stage of preparation.  After an incredible forty day period of fasting and temptation from the devil, the time is now right for Jesus, the Son of God, to begin his preaching and healing ministry.  In what ways has God prepared you to do His work?  Have you undergone a period of testing?  Who has prepared the way for you to enter the scene?  As you look back at your life, can you see now how God was preparing you for something you could not have foreseen?  In a culture where “preparation” is often defined by degrees and programs, God’s preparation program may seem inefficient and costly.  Think what Jesus could have done had he started in his early twenties, a 21st century CEO might ask.  God’s preparation program is never defined by semesters of study or professional credentials.  While He may use formal education as tools for our growth, He also uses scars, tears, and time to prepare us for what He has called us to do in His perfect will.  

 

Prayer

Lord, give us the patience and the perspective to submit to your preparation program, not our own.  Help us to trust in Your plan, even when we think we have a better way.

May 23 – Jeremiah 37-41

Focus before you read:

Zedekiah is installed as a king by Babylon.  Note the continuing tension between Egypt

and Babylon, and Israel’s  shifts of allegiance.  Why do these shifts happen?

Questions to ask as you read:

What inconsistency do you observe between verses 1,2 and verse 3,17 of Jeremiah Chapter 1?

How do you think Jeremiah felt during this time? vs 37-38.

How do you account for the differences in action toward Jeremiah on the part of:

The Captain of the Guard

The officials

King Zedekiah (More than one attitude—Why?)

Ebed Melech

Why was his life spared?  (39:18)

 

We will deal at more length with the fall of the city in Chapter 52

Why is Nebuchadnezzar well disposed to Jeremiah?

 

Chapters 40-41 occur after the city falls. There are three main groups:

Gedaliah, who has been installed by Babylon.

Ishmael, of royal blood, with remaining army and officials.

Johannan, who warns Gedaliah and opposes Ishmael.

Application to make after you read:

What was Zedekiah’s greatest fear?  What did his fear ultimately cost him and the city?

What do you fear?  Why?  How does God’s Word ask you to deal with your fear?

What might the cost be if you fail to obey God?

Prayer:  Lord, Help me cast my cares (fears) upon you!   I Peter 5:7,  Ps 55:22

 

Give to the winds your fears; To him commit your griefs,

In hope be undismayed: Your ways put in His hands—

God hears your sighs and counts your tears, To His sure truth and tender care

God shall lift up your head. Who earth and heaven commands.

                   

O put your trust in God; Leave to His sovereign sway

In duty’s path go on. To choose and to command;

Walk in His strength with faith and hope, So you shall, faithful, seek His way—

So shall your work be done. How wise, how strong His hand.

Paul Gehardt   1653

 

May 22 – Job 39-40

Focus before you read. . .

In today’s reading God continues His questioning of Job.  His numerous questions about the animal kingdom were meant not to be answered by Job, but to demonstrate how limited Job’s knowledge really was.  “Will the one who contends with the Almighty correct him?” the Lord demands.  “Let him who accuses God answer him!”  As you read today, pay close attention to Job’s response.  What has he learned through this experience?  Try to put yourself in Job’s shoes.  How would you feel?  How would you respond?

 

Questions to ask as you read. . .

1.  What do God’s questions about nature reveal about His power and His nature?

2.  What is the effect of God’s questions on Job?

3.  How has Job’s attitude changed?

 

Application to make after you read. . .

“In this life you will have trouble,” Jesus tells us.  We will all experience pain, loss, and unfair treatment.  But how should this trouble influence our view of God?  Is God really just and fair?  Consider these two views of God’s justice, taken from The Life Application Study Bible.

Wrong view

 

LAW OF FAIRNESS

 

GOD

 

There is a law of fairness or justice that is higher and more absolute than God.  It is binding even for God.  God must act in response to that law in order to be fair.  Our response is to appeal to that law.

 

 

Correct view

 

GOD

 

JUSTICE

 

God himself is the standard of justice.  He uses his power according to his moral perfection.  Thus, whatever he does is fair, even if we don’t understand it.  Our response is to appeal directly to him.

 

Which of these two views do you hold?  Let us pray that God would strengthen our faith and help us to see Him more clearly.