July 31

2 Chronicles 29 

King Hezekiah and the movie "McFarland USA."  

What does it take to turn a city around? In the Bible the formula is a miraculous work of God and a human champion. The champion is used by God to lead the people back to the Lord. The champion in our story today is King Hezekiah and he began turning around the city of Jerusalem the very first month of his reign. Within two months of his investment, the whole nation was swept with a wave of spiritual awakening.  The principle throughout all of the ten great revivals in the Old Testament is that God placed a burning desire in one champion and God used that champion to stir up the sleeping consciences of the community. This champion needs to fight through the resistance, the trials, and the tribulations to see the victory. A champion does not quit in the face of hardship. The critics will always be there, saying it can't be done. The skeptics will always offer their two cents. But if God has called a champion to start a work, He will give him the strength to see it to the end.

I have a recommendation for you in which you can see the impact of a modern day champion. I rarely recommend movies but I saw the power of a champion this week in a movie called "McFarland USA." It is the true story of a champion name Coach White. I have to admit I am a sucker for all of the Disney sports movies, but what makes this so powerful is that it is a true story.

It shows the power of becoming an incarnational champion, who moves to the neighborhood to affect change. Turn arounds never occur without sacrifice and hard work. We can't affect change from a distance.

Grace Church's vision for 2016 is to raise up champions to advance the kingdom of God. We have eight areas where we are looking to train people to invest their lives in our community and affect change. This movie will give you several concrete actions steps necessary to becoming a champion God can use.

I would love to hear your insights from the movie. 

--

"Multiplying leaders to change the world"

Thursday, July 30

THURSDAY, JULY 30, 2015

2 Chronicles 26:1–28:27

Romans 13:1–14

Psalm 23:1–6

Proverbs 20:11

 

 

“The Lord is my shepherd… ” (Psalm 23)

 

 

Today’s reading includes the beloved Psalm 23.  Many literature anthologies contain this psalm as a fantastic example of ancient literature.  While it flows beautifully, even in translation, the brilliance of Psalm 23 lies not in the phraseology, but in the One Whom David seeks to reveal, Israel’s Shepherd-King.  The analogies and imagery contained within the psalm point to the intimacy that we may have with God and draw our hearts into grateful worship.  May we take a look at a few key phrases and what tell us about our Father?

 

““I shall not be in want…. Surely goodness and love will follow me,/ and I will dwell in the house of the LORD/ forever. ”  These thoughts bring to mind the confidence that David displayed in Psalm 27.  Our Shepherd-King will not abandon us to the wolves of this world, and we may draw inward to His temple for refuge and strength.  We will be filled with joy, as we look upon His beauty and admire His presence.  This Shepherd-King desires our best, which we read in Romans 8:28,29 as our becoming more conformed into the image of Christ.

 

“He makes me lie down in green pastures;/ he leads me beside quiet waters.”  God will provide fertile places, where we may flourish.  This promise includes a secure and enduring “rest,” referencing the shalom (“peace”) that God desires for each of his children.  This shalom does not merely mean an absence of violence or trouble, but rather a complete restoration to what God intended at creation.  David signifies this shalom through the mentioning of “quiet waters,” literally meaning “waters of resting places.”  These waters tie in with the “stream of living water” promised in the Holy Spirit (John 7:37-39) and the “River of Life” in heaven (Revelation 22:1–5).

 

“He guides me in paths of righteousness… ”  This righteousness implies both prosperity and moral uprightness and brings honor to the Name of our Father.  Proverbs 3:5,6 encourages us similarly:

 

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart

                and lean not on your own understanding.

In all your ways acknowledge him

                and he will make your paths straight.”

 

“Even though I walk/ through the value of the shadow of death,/ you are with me… ”  In this center of the psalm, David recognizes that he will never depart from God’s presence.  The promise of Hebrews 13:5 – that God will never leave us nor forsake us – allows us to find real purpose in difficult moments.  The Scriptures reveal that God consistently and sovereignly directs events for the good of His people and to His glory.  We may rest in Him through life’s storms, knowing His love has not changed.

 

“Your rod and your staff.”  The “rod” and “staff” represent an instrument of authority and support, respectively.  The Shepherd-King protects and cares for His sheep, just as human shepherds do.  Many observers have noted the strong correlation between less-than-intelligent sheep and humans.  The Lord Jesus Christ looked on the crowds with compassion, finding them as “sheep without a shepherd.”  Without a shepherd, sheep face threats from predators, thirst, and starvation.  Likewise, when we turn away from following God, we become lost and disillusioned.  Praise God that He does intervene for His sheep!

 

“You prepare a table before me…/ You anoint my head with oil… ”  In the Middle East, inviting another person to a meal represented a bond of intimacy and friendship, whereas this oil bestowed honor on the guest.  God has welcomed His servant and takes David under His protection.  The fellowship meal here represents the sealing of a covenant and expresses the bond of friendship.  In similar fashion, Revelation promises that history culminates in a fellowship meal, celebrating the Lamb’s conquest over sin and death and the presentation of His bride, the Church.

 

 

As you meditate on Psalm 23 today, I commend to you this praise song, “Good, Good Father” from Housefires (http://goo.gl/A20yZP).  What an awesome meditation on the greatness of our Father and His lovingkindness towards us! 

 

 

Father, thank You for drawing us close to Yourself and allowing us to approach You with confidence.  You are indeed good, and Your love endures forever!  Make us more aware of Your presence and provision for us so that we may have joyful confidence today.  Give us a deep trust in Your presence with us.  Thank You for bringing us freedom through the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ.  In His Name, amen.

 

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July 29

Romans 12

As I read this passage I started to envision what the actions of someone who has a transformed mind looks like.   The word transformed means a thorough or dramatic change in form or appearance.  In  relation to the world we live in this obviously can go in many different directions taking on not so favorable changes.  So I started to think what transformation would look like if we stop and put it into the context of our relationship with Christ, as we are called to do.  In verse 21 we learn not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.  This is so counter cultural and not so easy to do.  The only way we can accomplish this is by allowing the Holy Spirit to renew us, reeducate us, and redirect us to the point of true transformation.  As Christians, we know that heaven is our destination and earth is our assignment.  This should help us realize that we have been strategically placed here by God on assignment to further His Kingdom.  He has empowered us with His Holy Spirit to bless one another, be devoted in brotherly love, be joyful in hope, and faithful in prayer.  Our assignment is to conform to His image while sharing the Gospel with God's people who are in need.  This transformation of thinking changes how we measure our standards of success.  If we evaluate our success by the standards of this world which are built on pride, selfishness, stubbornness or arrogance, we rob ourselves of the full potential to experience the joy we have in Christ.  I pray Lord that You pour Your Spirit into us. Reveal to each of us Lord the special gift You have given us and strengthen us so we can love as You loved and forgive as You forgave.  Only by the power of Your Spirit Lord will we be transformed and able to overcome evil with good.





Randi

July 27: The fear of the Lord...

2 Chronicles 19:1-20:37

Romans 10:14-11:12

Psalm 21:1-13

Proverbs 20:4-6

I used to think that "the fear of the Lord" meant one was to be afraid of God, and of what He might do to me.  By that definition, He seemed to be, at the very least, Someone I should want to avoid lest I trigger His wrath.  In times of even more sinful bad judgment, I get angry at God, and I blame Him for the bad things I experience.  And I decide He is being unfair, unjust, and I reject Him.  When I read today's reading, I realized I never really did try to understand what the phrase meant...so I looked it up.  One source defined it as a "reverence and awe of God".  Another one went even further, calling it "a continual awareness [one] is in the presence of a holy, just and almighty God".  I liked that.  

Jehoshaphat wasn't perfect - he disobeyed God a couple of times that we know of from the Bible.  But he had a tremendous awareness of the presence of God, whatever his circumstances.  Where worship in the high places and at the Asherah poles was commonplace, he was aware of God through all this - and he removed the high places and the Asherah poles from Judah.  When he appointed judges in the land, he commanded them to be aware of God's presence in the exercise of their duties; he did this again with the Levites and priests tasked to administer the law of the Lord.  And when faced with a vast army and what to man's eyes would have seemed like certain defeat, he was aware of the presence of the Lord enough to cry out to Him for help.  And his awareness of God was contagious - we read that the men of Judah, their wives and children and little ones, stood there before the Lord.  And his awareness of Who God was was so strong and clear that when it came time for battle, he didn't appoint an advance attack party...instead he appointed men to march at the head of the army, to sing to the Lord and to praise Him.

It is interesting how tired I get these days, how intimidated I can be sometimes by the many problems and challenges I face.  It would be great to have such an awareness of God that, like Jehoshapaht, I can meet those challenges singing in the knowledge of God and of His power.  It would be even better to then step back and see the work of His hand, watch Him win the victory.  But it would best of all to be so infected with the fear of the Lord that I would be contagious as Jehoshapat was, as we read that the fear of God came on "all surounding kingdoms when they heard how the Lord had fought against the enemies of Israel"...and then to receive God's rest "on every side".

July 24

My personal prayer for today.

Romans 8:28  And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

Master Jesus, this is why I love you so much. You give this great promise that provides me the audacity to have hope even in suffering. You tell me in this promise that "in all things" are working towards your perfect purpose for my life. That means I can have hope in the good and the bad, the pleasurable and the painful, the joyful and the tragic. You are able to use all of them for my ultimate good. Lord, I just love those words, "all things."

You also qualify this verse by saying "of those who love him." Lord, I do love you. Not because of the multiplicity of your blessings or your gifts to me. I love you because you first loved me. Thank you for demonstrating your "first love" for me on a Roman Cross 2000 years ago.

Lord, I do trust in your great power, even though many times I cannot figure out your ways. But I declare you are a good God and a great God. And because of these two facts you will complete your mission in my life. Lord, this gives me the audacity to have hope on this Friday. No matter what the circumstances and no matter how dark the night becomes, I will love and trust you.

So please help me today not to look at circumstances for my security or my joy. Help me to anchor myself in your great promises. Your promises are the Rock of Gibraltar to my faith in the midst of the storms of life. 

--

"Multiplying leaders to change the world"

Thursday, July 23

THURSDAY, JULY 23, 2015

2 Chronicles 8:11–10:19

Romans 8:9–25

Psalm 18:16–36

Proverbs 19:26

 

 

“For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship.  And by him we cry, ‘Abba, Father.’  The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.  Now if we are children, then we are heirs – heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.” (Romans 8:15–17)

 

 

In today’s passage from Romans, Paul details how the Spirit’s presence in every Christ-follower serves as 1) a guarantee of our deliverance from sin and death and 2) announces our sonship and inheritance in the “unsearchable riches of Christ.”  Paul explains that even “the creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed.”  The Spirit will bring life and freedom for those who have received Christ as Lord and Savior.  What great promises!

 

In ancient times, the Greeks and Romans commonly adopted children, granting the adopted children all the privileges of a natural son, including inheritance rights.  For Christians, we become adopted into God’s family and receive full rights of inheritance.  John 1:12 explains that, “to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.”  Our sonship flows directly and solely through faith, and we each participate fully as sons and daughters.  There are no second-class Christians.

 

The presence of the Holy Spirit serves as the mark of our adoption as God’s children.  In Ephesians 1:13,4, we read:  “And you were also included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation.  Having believed, you were marked with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession – to the praise of his glory.”  In ancient times, those sending a letter used an impressed seal on wax to denote the authenticity and ownership of a message.  God similarly marks His children with a seal of ownership, the promised Holy Spirit.

 

Broadly speaking, Romans 8 teaches us that the Spirit gives life and gives voice to our inward, spiritual thoughts and longings.  Galatians 5 illustrates that the Spirit’s presence brings freedom for the believer and bears fruit in “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” (5:22,23)  The Lord Jesus Christ declared that the Spirit would bring power for making disciples and guide us into all truth. (Acts 1:8; John 16:13)

 

The Christian life includes an initial welcome into God’s family by adoption, receiving the full inheritance as sons.  We rightly celebrate at the time of a believer’s coming to repentance and faith, as does heaven itself. (Luke 15:7)  Thereafter, our walk with Christ allows us to “grow up” into this relationship and to become more fully alive and mature in Him.  We should equally celebrate our and others’ maturation into the likeness of the Lord Jesus Christ. (Romans 8:28,29)  We may also rejoice in the hope that, in His time, we will see God “making all things new!” (Revelation 21:5)

 

 

Father God, thank You for adopting into Your family through the righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ.  Thank You for bringing us freedom in our sonship.  Help us to understand what it means to live out this sonship through increasing maturity.  Strengthen our faith, vision, and understanding of Your truth through the power of the Holy Spirit.  Use us for spiritual multiplication and for Your glory.  In Jesus’s Name, amen.

 

 

“How Deep the Father’s Love for Us”:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e9FG12eTSbI

 

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July 22

2 Chronicles 6:18 

But will God really dwell on earth with men?  The heavens, even the highest heavens, cannot contain you.  How much less this temple I have built!

Solomon just finished building a very elaborate temple for God to dwell in.  In his wisdom, Solomon also knew that a building could never hold the Spirit of God.  What I find so fascinating is that the prophets and kings all looked to the future for the day when God, The Messiah, would come.  As Bill Johnson so eloquently puts it "the day mankind would receive a new heart and a new nature along with the time when the Spirit of God would live inside every believer".  God really did dwell on earth.  He was wrapped up in the Man named Jesus.  Although the profits and kings of the Old Testament never experienced the reality of God dwelling on earth with men, the disciples did.  For three years they ate with Him, watched Him perform miracles, and were His inner circle.  Jesus told His disciples "I say to you that many prophets and kings wanted to see what you are seeing but they did not see, and to hear what you are hearing but they did not hear" (Luke 10:24)  So, what does that mean  us?  1 Corinthians 6:19 tells us that our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit.  The same spirit that Solomon prayed would inhabit the temple he built we now have received from God and He lives in us.  So the answer to Solomon's question is "yes".  God really came to earth and now as believers, He lives in our hearts.






Randi