Here's today's passage...
Some quick questions to ponder...
Does it upset you to see God forgive so quickly regarding others?
When do you wish God would judge more quickly or harshly? Does it ever involve you? If so, is that selfish?
Why does God seem to be so long-suffering at times, yet short-tempered at others?
Is there anything that seems unfair about God's justice?
If I were given the opportunity to ask one question that God would have to answer, I feel confident it would be regarding his justice. The great news is intimacy with God is not hidden from us, so we can come to him honestly and openly with our questions and concerns. May you do just that as you look at the questions regarding this passage!
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
SOLO Day 43 - 1 Kings 17:7-16
Here's today's passage
What a great story! It's such a challenging passage, because I know if I only had enough to care for Carrie and myself one meal, I can't imagine making for someone else first. God is so clear-he desires for us to look to the needs of other people. I firmly believe this story represents the heart of the gospel: Trust God and serve others. It's incredibly hard. That's why this woman is amazing. It could have been so easy for her to trust in her common sense, or look at her circumstances and try to make it happen some other way. But she trusted God. Don't overlook verse 9: God instructed the woman. He gave her direction. I don't know when or how, but he directed her. So some big principles: she listened, she trusted, she acted. Am I? Are you?
What a great story! It's such a challenging passage, because I know if I only had enough to care for Carrie and myself one meal, I can't imagine making for someone else first. God is so clear-he desires for us to look to the needs of other people. I firmly believe this story represents the heart of the gospel: Trust God and serve others. It's incredibly hard. That's why this woman is amazing. It could have been so easy for her to trust in her common sense, or look at her circumstances and try to make it happen some other way. But she trusted God. Don't overlook verse 9: God instructed the woman. He gave her direction. I don't know when or how, but he directed her. So some big principles: she listened, she trusted, she acted. Am I? Are you?
SOLO Day 41 - 1 Kings 12:27-33
After reading today's passage, a thought came to mind: a Godly king never again sat on the throne in Israel after Jeroboam's sin. Now Im not implying that this was the reason. Each king had the chance to choose to follow God. But I do think it's interesting that from the time of the Israelites in the Exodus, God constantly warns against other gods. He repeatedly promises demise and destruction if this command is disobeyed. Jeroboam has just been given the kingdom by God, yet he can't seem to trust that his people won't desert him if they go back to worship in Jerusalem. So he sets up golden calves, just as Aaron did for the Israelites during the exodus, and God does what he says he'll do.
The worst part about this whole thing: the entire country suffers, because they follow their leader into worshiping false gods, and God brings judgment. Like I said before, not another Godly king will sit on the throne in Israel. It could have been different, if Jeroboam had just trusted what God had already given.
Use your influence wisely. Trust God completely. He has entrusted to you everything you are and have. You're decisions have the potential of impacting eternity. Who knows how many people are counting on you!
The worst part about this whole thing: the entire country suffers, because they follow their leader into worshiping false gods, and God brings judgment. Like I said before, not another Godly king will sit on the throne in Israel. It could have been different, if Jeroboam had just trusted what God had already given.
Use your influence wisely. Trust God completely. He has entrusted to you everything you are and have. You're decisions have the potential of impacting eternity. Who knows how many people are counting on you!
SOLO Day 40 - 1 Kings 8:22-30
Here is today's passage!
When was the last time you were this open and honest before God? Have you ever been?
I remember being told as a child that prayer was simply talking to God. But even now I find it can be uncomfortable to make myself so vulnerable to share my true thoughts. The sad reality is that I'd much rather act like everything is hunky-dory, just so I won't have to be honest about my thoughts and fears. If I'm honest, even with God, it means I have to think about the things I'd like to forget, the things I'm most scared of, the things that I can't control-though I desperately want to. Prayer can be incredibly uncomfortable.
But something that I thought was really interesting in this passage: Solomon did this, not just before God, but also in front of the entire congregation of Israel. In other words, in front of everyone.
Oswald Chambers once wrote, "Who we are in public is who we are in private". Solomon was able to be open and honest in public because he was transparent with God in private. It spilled out into his everyday life.
If you long to be more transparent & authentic, you have to start with who you are in private. Who are you when no one's looking? When there's no accountability present, what do you choose to do? This is a clear indication of the condition of your heart.
When it comes to your relationship with Christ, never "fake it 'til you make it!" Always stop and look inside. Look at who you are in private. Solomon forgot this later in life, and his relationship with God went south. Learn from his mistake. Who you are in public is who you are in private, or as Jesus said, "out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks."
When was the last time you were this open and honest before God? Have you ever been?
I remember being told as a child that prayer was simply talking to God. But even now I find it can be uncomfortable to make myself so vulnerable to share my true thoughts. The sad reality is that I'd much rather act like everything is hunky-dory, just so I won't have to be honest about my thoughts and fears. If I'm honest, even with God, it means I have to think about the things I'd like to forget, the things I'm most scared of, the things that I can't control-though I desperately want to. Prayer can be incredibly uncomfortable.
But something that I thought was really interesting in this passage: Solomon did this, not just before God, but also in front of the entire congregation of Israel. In other words, in front of everyone.
Oswald Chambers once wrote, "Who we are in public is who we are in private". Solomon was able to be open and honest in public because he was transparent with God in private. It spilled out into his everyday life.
If you long to be more transparent & authentic, you have to start with who you are in private. Who are you when no one's looking? When there's no accountability present, what do you choose to do? This is a clear indication of the condition of your heart.
When it comes to your relationship with Christ, never "fake it 'til you make it!" Always stop and look inside. Look at who you are in private. Solomon forgot this later in life, and his relationship with God went south. Learn from his mistake. Who you are in public is who you are in private, or as Jesus said, "out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks."
SOLO Day 39 - 1 Kings 5:1-5
Click here for today's passage.
Coincidentally, I've been thinking about writing this post for weeks. What are you dreaming that's God-sized? The kind of stuff you could never accomplish on your own. the kind of aspirations that can only be achieved with divine intervention. As is mentioned in SOLO, your dreams need not be realized today or tomorrow. The question is are you still dreaming? If not, how come? Life is nothing but existence without dreams. Humans need hope, and much hope comes from dreaming.
What are you dreaming that's God-sized? Perhaps you need to be a little more childlike and forget limitations. I know I do.
“All men dream: but not equally. Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their minds wake in the day to find that it was vanity: but the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act their dreams with open eyes, to make it possible.” -T.E. Lawrence
Coincidentally, I've been thinking about writing this post for weeks. What are you dreaming that's God-sized? The kind of stuff you could never accomplish on your own. the kind of aspirations that can only be achieved with divine intervention. As is mentioned in SOLO, your dreams need not be realized today or tomorrow. The question is are you still dreaming? If not, how come? Life is nothing but existence without dreams. Humans need hope, and much hope comes from dreaming.
What are you dreaming that's God-sized? Perhaps you need to be a little more childlike and forget limitations. I know I do.
“All men dream: but not equally. Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their minds wake in the day to find that it was vanity: but the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act their dreams with open eyes, to make it possible.” -T.E. Lawrence
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
SOLO Day 38 - 2 Samuel 24:13-25
I extended the passage to include the final 13 verses of the chapter.
I did this because of my own conviction found in the last few verses of chapter 24. David has sinned against God and thousands of people have died due to his error. God has called off the angel delivering the destruction but then tells David to build an alter to him at a specific location. The man who owns the location is Araunah, and he offers to give the land and the sacrifice to David for free. David's response: No way! I'm not going to sacrifice anything that hasn't cost something.
It isn't just the thought that counts-it's the action.
Personally, I probably would have accepted what was offered freely and then chalked it up to God's provision. "God is favoring me because I'm doing what he asked!" But not David. He demands to pay a "good price"-he doesn't even demand a discount. In short, he refuses to give the minimum, because he understands that this represents what he's willing to give to God.
I wonder how this would change our world if we acted the same way. It's not that hard to give something we have plenty of. Ad truthfully, it's pretty easy to give leftovers rather than our best.
Maybe you remember the story of Cain and Abel. Cain killed his brother Abel because God accepted Abel's offering, but rejected his own. But do you know why Cain's offering was rejected? Cain's offering wasn't his best, or his first. His gift didn't honor God and exposed the true nature of his heart! He offered a sacrifice, but it cost him so little. God judged the heart of the offering, and it was rejected. Cain's response was intense bitterness and hatred, when the solution was to simply confess he didn't give his best.
God needs nothing from us and he's not interested in our half-hearted offerings. Our generosity and sacrifice show him our gratitude and the condition of our heart. David understood this, and demanded to give an offering that cost him something-it was important to give God his best!
By the way, this is in no way exclusive to money! What about our time? What about our talents and abilities? What about our very lives? Are we being generous with those things?
Is there any area where you're being stingy with God? Are you withholding your best or what's right in order to get by with the minimum of what's asked of you? May you see that God wants you, wholeheartedly. And may you see that when you give the minimum, it exposes the true condition of your heart.
I did this because of my own conviction found in the last few verses of chapter 24. David has sinned against God and thousands of people have died due to his error. God has called off the angel delivering the destruction but then tells David to build an alter to him at a specific location. The man who owns the location is Araunah, and he offers to give the land and the sacrifice to David for free. David's response: No way! I'm not going to sacrifice anything that hasn't cost something.
It isn't just the thought that counts-it's the action.
Personally, I probably would have accepted what was offered freely and then chalked it up to God's provision. "God is favoring me because I'm doing what he asked!" But not David. He demands to pay a "good price"-he doesn't even demand a discount. In short, he refuses to give the minimum, because he understands that this represents what he's willing to give to God.
I wonder how this would change our world if we acted the same way. It's not that hard to give something we have plenty of. Ad truthfully, it's pretty easy to give leftovers rather than our best.
Maybe you remember the story of Cain and Abel. Cain killed his brother Abel because God accepted Abel's offering, but rejected his own. But do you know why Cain's offering was rejected? Cain's offering wasn't his best, or his first. His gift didn't honor God and exposed the true nature of his heart! He offered a sacrifice, but it cost him so little. God judged the heart of the offering, and it was rejected. Cain's response was intense bitterness and hatred, when the solution was to simply confess he didn't give his best.
God needs nothing from us and he's not interested in our half-hearted offerings. Our generosity and sacrifice show him our gratitude and the condition of our heart. David understood this, and demanded to give an offering that cost him something-it was important to give God his best!
By the way, this is in no way exclusive to money! What about our time? What about our talents and abilities? What about our very lives? Are we being generous with those things?
Is there any area where you're being stingy with God? Are you withholding your best or what's right in order to get by with the minimum of what's asked of you? May you see that God wants you, wholeheartedly. And may you see that when you give the minimum, it exposes the true condition of your heart.
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
SOLO Day 37 - 2 Samuel 19:1-8
Take some time and read the passage here
Nothing but questions today: I regularly hear people talking about "balance" in their lives-Is this a biblical principle? Was Jesus balanced? Was Joab out of line with his request? Was David out of line with his emotions? When are we to care for our own emotions and when are we to look to the needs of others? Can they be independent from each other? Do they have to coincide? Are they synonymous?
Wrestling with these questions and more today!
Nothing but questions today: I regularly hear people talking about "balance" in their lives-Is this a biblical principle? Was Jesus balanced? Was Joab out of line with his request? Was David out of line with his emotions? When are we to care for our own emotions and when are we to look to the needs of others? Can they be independent from each other? Do they have to coincide? Are they synonymous?
Wrestling with these questions and more today!
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