Bible In 90 Days – Day 44

WOW – We are at the halfway point (I know…90 days, but it is actually 88 [they factor in 2 grace days!])  This has been an amazing undertaking and awesome time in God’s Word!

Reading: Psalm 109:1 – Psalm 134:3

Take Away(s):

• Difficult to Grasp. 111:7-8. When we read this passage (and tons of others about God and His word’s fidelity), its hard to associate what words like faithful, trustworthy, and steadfast mean in our humanness.  We don’t have TRUE examples.  We’d like to think we do – even in ourselves; but, at our core, we are sinful and…well, unfaithful, untrustworthy, and capricious.  I think this is why we have a hard time trusting – truly trusting God.  We compare Him to the known instead of trusting His fidelity.  It’s called faith…and hope.
• Answer. 116:7. In the margin of my bible, I’ve written the answer to the question posted in this verse: A life of worship – Romans 12:1, “Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship.”
• False Fear… 118:6. Sometimes we fear things – whether we will admit it or not.  We forget that God is greater than anything or anyone we will encounter.  I wrote a blog post about this a while back…We need Correct Courage!
• To do. 119:11. NOTE TO SELF: I need to memorize more scripture.
• Content. 131. In the midst of our busy lives, can you imagine having this kind of contentment?  Can I consider this type of contented relationship with God?  Not always asking why or needing to understand His reasoning or rationale – just being content in the assurance that He is in control and all powerful! Help me Lord – I long to be there!

Bible In 90 Days – Day 42

Reading: Psalm 69:22 – Psalm 89:13

Take Away(s):

• Rock. 71:3-9. God is THE rock. I know this…I’ve read it…I’ve seen it in and experienced it in my life.  The sad truth is that sometimes I forget this when times get tough…maybe not for the whole time, but for a brief period.  I don’t think I will ever get to that default response until I am standing before him…it’s just my humanness.
• Remember. 77:4-15. I love the IF/THEN statements in the Bible.  I think most people do – we like the “this equals that” part.  It helps us know what God would have us do.  This passage is about time of trouble and the response of remembering how faithful and good God has been in our past.  In my Bible, this passage is divided into two section: 4-9 is Trouble?, 10-15 is REMEMBER!.  Lord, I pray that when struggles and hard times come, my memory will be filled with the MANY, MANY times You have been faithful, faithful, faithful in my life.
• Games. 78:36. Sometimes we mistakenly think we can “flatter” God or “fool” Him like we do the people in our lives.  How foolish on our part…He is GOD!  Thank You for Your mercy, God!

x

Bible In 90 Days – Day 43

Reading: Psalm 89:14 – Psalm 108:13

Take Away(s):

• Awareness. 90:12. To me, this talks to having an awareness of our lives.  Asking God to guide by His Word and through the people He has led into our lives.  The result is a wisdom in life that helps us make wise choices.
• Heal. 103:3. This verse has always bugged me – “healing all diseases.”  There are times when God doesn’t heal – at least in the way we expect (which [in my humanness] isn’t much comfort, but He is God and in sovereign control). I haven’t read and consulted my study bible on each verse, but I couldn’t resist here.  Here is the note:  Heals often refers to curing someone from a physical sickness, but it can also be used as a metaphor for restoring the moral and spiritual life.  Since it is in parallel with forgives, the metaphorical use may be intended here.  Thus sins is like diseases, which weaken and corrupt; it is God’s mercy that takes them away.  These sentiments reflect David’s own experience of God’s forgiveness. So this doesn’t refer to physical healing in this case.
• Far. 103:12. God forgives…and forgets.  Sometimes I think that we can accept God’s forgiveness, but can’t forget our own sin.  We judge His reaction to our sin by how we would react to someone letting us down or hurting us.  God, You have FORGOTTEN. Help us to forget…and to accept Your grace, Your amazing and mind-blowing grace.  Thank You for sending Your Son to pay the price for my sin.

Bible In 90 Days – Day 41

Reading: Psalm 46:1 – Psalm 69:21

Take Away(s):

• A price I Cannot Pay. 49:7-9. This is a hard set of verses.  No mater our desire, no mater our efforts, no matter our words or pleas – we cannot redeem (save) people.  Our hearts may break and tears may flow, but ONLY Christ can redeem.  “For God so loved the world that he gave [sacrificed on a cross] his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16
• God Doesn’t NEED Our Offering. 50:8-15. How often we have a wrong view of sacrifice for God or giving our time and money.  Sometimes, we think that He is in need and we’ll dole out some cash or a few hours for Him…just to make Him feel better. [forgive us…me…Lord] He desires our obedience – which is the motivation for giving an offering…really worshiping…Him.
• GULP! 50:17. Can you imagine hearing this verse from God? The phraseology in the second part of this verse was also in Nehemiah 9:26. I wrote a blog about it, so I won’t retype it here!  Check it out (scroll to the “Scary”one.)
• …Then… 51:10-13. How often we seek God, we ask for His blessing, we read His word for guidance and peace, we do and ask so many thing of Him…and keep it to ourselves.  He loves us.  He will NEVER forsake us.  But how often we are selfish with His faithfulness and blessings (v. 10-12).  Reading the “then” in verse 13 reminded me that God’s awesome blessing, faithfulness, grace, and mercy (which are really undeserved if we applied the criteria we often use for showing grace and mercy other people) MUST result in an outward response in our lives.
• Specifics. No specific verse here, just an overall observation on how specific the Psalmist is in the language used in conversation with God.  How often we generalize and gloss over our requests and general prayers with God (I know I’m guilty.) Our Heavenly Father is just that and so interested in our lives, heart, everything.  Let’s get specific – God is interested!
• Enemies. No specific verse here, just an overall observation on the Psalmist’s language about “enemies.”  I always have a hard time reconciling and applying the prayers and pleas of the Psalmist against his enemies.  Reconciling it with Jesus’ words in Matthew 5:43-45, “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven.” I know in context, they are about David’s conflict with the various people who pursued him, but it just seems weird – especially when they are mixed with the great passages that describe God or our response to Him.

Bible In 90 Days – Day 40

Reading: Psalm 25:1 – Psalm 45:17

Take Away(s):

• Same God – Different Dwelling Place. 26:8. Imagine the profound change from David to…well, me: God dwells not in a building or in a golden consecrated box, but in me!
• Same God – Different Dwelling Place – Part 2. 26:4-6. Sure these verses speak to the joy found in spending time in God’s Tabernacle – in today’s world, our physical church buildings.  But, just like the previous point, think about this verse in the context of David and God’s people only knowing that God dwelt in the Tabernacle and that was where they went to meet with Him (or at least the priests and Levites in any intimate manner).  Under God’s new covenant (through the death [ultimate sacrifice] of Jesus and with the veil torn thereby giving us unlimited access to God), we can experience God anywhere, anytime, for as long as we desire.  Thank You God for this awesome and sometimes unappreciated gift!
• Desperately Thirsty. 42:1-2. Oh that I would have an honest and true desire and thirst for the Lord as described in this verse.  Lord, I desire to know You, to truly KNOW You.  The language in these verses is so strong – may they be true in my life…honestly true.

Bible In 90 Days – Day 39

Reading: Psalm 1:1 – Psalm 24:10

Take Away(s):

WOW!  In 39 days, we are at Psalms! The hard part will be limiting myself to a few key verses/thoughts each day!

• Delight! 1:2. Can you imagine if we actually delighted in God’s word and thought about it constantly?  If we considered each and every action or inaction in the light of it’s awesome and profound power? Lord, I how often I “intend” and “hope” for this attitude, only to make the choice to use other “things” or “ideas” as my guide and focus. Forgive me…
• HIS way. 5:8. How often I phrase this verse (in my heart, because I would NEVER do it out loud!) “…MY way before me” instead of “…YOUR way before me.” OUCH, only at chapter five and I am already ruined!  Thank You for Your mercy – Oh, God!
• MAJESTY! Chapter 8. Every time I read this Psalm, I am taken back to singing this song in my high school choir! So cool…and true! (NOTE: this is not my choir…just the song.)
• LOVE. 8:3-4. In my bible, I have these verses circled and John 3:16 written in the margin. AMEN!
• Steadfast. Chapter 15. Interesting to read this and consider Job’s life.  And mine…
• Jesus. Chapter 22. I will let this video speak for me.
• From, To. 22:25. As much as I feel that I am offering praise to the Lord from my inmost being – it really comes from Him.  My heartfelt praise…comes from Him.  Blessed be the Name of the Lord!
• Psalm 23. Always. Forever. God is with us and cares for us. Interesting that verse 4 doesn’t say “when” – it says “Though”.  We will walk through hard times – but God will NEVER let go of us.  Our only appropriate response is worship.

Bible In 90 Days – Day 38

Reading: Job 25:1 – Job 42:17

Take Away(s):

In general, Jobs friend’s advice and dialogs are not correct when applied to Job’s specific situation – he was blameless and upright.  That said, I think some insight into the mind of God can be gained from their speeches.

• Science! 26:8. I think sometimes we miss the fact that people in ancient times were scientific.  They may not have had all the answers, but some of the observations are cool!
• Integrity. 27:5. Job knew in his heart that he had not sinned and he refused to compromise his integrity.  I pray that I always refuse compromising.  I am not without sin – no one is – but we can, and must maintain our integrity.
• Undone…completely. 30:11. The language here is incredible, “Now that God has unstrung my bow and afflicted me.” A bow without its string is useless – completely undone.  Can you imagine the low point that Job was at in thinking this…I can’t.
• Personal Purity. 31:1-4.  Job make a personal commitment about looking at women in wrong ways (v. 1) – knowing full well that he couldn’t fulfill the commitment without God (v. 4).  I pray that I would strive for this same covenant…stumbling, leaning in my dependent state on my Savior.
• Why bother to hide it. 34:22-23. Consider the depth of these two verses: “There is no dark place, no deep shadow, where evildoers can hide. God has no need to examine men further, that they should come before him for judgment.” Why bother to think we can hide anything from God.  Yet we try.  TRUTH: 1 John 1:9-10
• Hurt God? 35:6-8. As I read this, it convicted me.  How often we think that by sining we are “hurting” God or somehow making Him ineffective.  That couldn’t be further from the truth – He is GOD!  He is displeased, maybe disappointed, but NEVER hurt.
• More Science! 36:27-29. See above note…
• Gulp! 38:2 & 40:2. Can you imagine GOD saying this to you: “Who is this that darkens my counsel with words without knowledge?” OR “Will the one who contends with the Almighty correct him? Let him who accuses God answer him!” Think about when we “suggest” to God that we know better than He how things should go…GULP.  Praise God He is full of grace and mercy!
• [speechless] 42:5. I don’t even know what to call this bullet.  Can you imagine hearing about God and living a life that honored Him – to the point that He bragged about you to Satan – and then seeing and hearing Him.  I can’t imagine…but, someday, I will see Him!
• Why? It is interesting that God never tells Job the story behind all that happened to him.  Or that Job never said, “Um, Awesome God…what’s the back story now that it’s all over?” Again, I think it goes to Job’s integrity, uprightness, and blameless life.  He knew God was GOD and didn’t owe him any for of explanation…let alone life!
• Ever wonder why God didn’t kill Job’s wife? Me too – I blogged about it a while back – scroll to Number Two: A Question.

Bible In 90 Days – Day 37

Reading: Job 8:1 – Job 24:25

Take Away(s):

• Our Narrow View of God’s Sovereignty. One observation from Job’s interaction/exchanges with his friends is their view of God’s sovereignty (and by application, ours).  We (like Job’s friends) recognize God’s power and sovereignty, but often with the asterisk of “if tough times come or if bad things happen, it must be because we have sinned.” This is a narrow view of God and really putting Him in the box we often put Him in.  He IS God and can choose to test and bless as He sees fit – for His glory and for our growth.
• Self-Evaluation is Good, but… Job’s conversations with his friends and also with himself about his state and situation is healthy.  We must check our heart regularly and be certain we have a god-honoring attitude and keep short accounts with God (read: constant state of confession of our sin).  The key here is that Job knew his position before God – integrity – but still evaluated himself, based on his friends comments.  That said, it is interesting that Job’s friends (I’m sure) knew his life of integrity and still probed endlessly (falling prey to the point made above.)

Bible In 90 Days – Day 36

Reading: Nehemiah 13:15 – Job 7:21

Take Away(s):

• Civil Disobedience. Esther 3:1-4. Here we read about Mordecai’s civil disobedience.  His courage. His possibly tough, but no doubt prayerful choice to honor God above man. I write this in a country where this privilege is possible – but in a world where it is not uniform. I think God for my privilege – possible through the sacrifice of many who came before me.  I pray that I would honor them in my daily decisions and emulate Mordecai’s choice.  Wikipedia credits Henry David Thoreau with pioneering the modern theory behind this civil disobedience in his 1849 essay of the same name.  As we see, this practice predated that by many, many, many years. That said, it is interesting to note Gandhi’s rules on civil disobedience (cited on Wikipedia) in comparison with Mordecai’s actions.

Continue Reading…

Bible In 90 Days – Day 35

Reading: Nehemiah

So much “meat” in this book!  Here are some key things that I got from this reading of the book.  Each time I see something different and applicable to my life – thank you God!

Take Away(s):

• An attitude of Prayer. 1:6. Each time I read this verse, I am humbled by Nehemiah’s attitude of prayer.  If you read between the lines of this single verse, he is praying to God day and night – as he worked for the king, as he was at home, as he did everything.  Also, Nehemiah’s prayer that the Lord hear and see his prayer.  To me, this means that Nehemiah’s actions, thoughts, and his heart were part of his prayer life.  It was far more than the stolen or specific time set aside to talk to God – it was his attitude and actions throughout his entire day.

Continue Reading…

Bible In 90 Days – Day 34

Reading: 2 Chronicles 35:16 – Ezra 10:44

Take Away(s):

• God Uses All to Accomplish His Purposes. It’s interesting to see how God uses Cyrus for his glory and return of Israel from Exile.  Wikipedia says, “Cyrus initiated a general policy that can be described as a policy of permitting religious freedom throughout his vast empire. He brought peace to the Babylonians and is said to have kept his army away from the temples and restored the statues of the Babylonian gods to their sanctuaries. Another example of his religious policies,…was his treatment of the Jews during their exile in Babylon…with the decree…which returned the exiles to the Promised Land from Babylon along with a commission to rebuild the temple.” Sometimes we mistakenly expect that God can only use people who acknowledge Him, but forget that He is GOD…and can use all (for He created all) for his purposes. God moved Cyrus’ heart, so he didn’t speak to Cyrus or even use an Israeli or Judaen prophet – God powerfully and profoundly moved Cyrus’ heart.
• A picture of Confession. Neh 10:1. I know I am guilty of an attitude of confession that probably leaves a lot to be desired in sincerity.  Reading about Ezra’s confession makes me humble – if sin is sin in God’s eyes (which it is, even though I categorize it wrongly), my “smallest” sin (in my eyes, not God’s) should result in an attitude just like Ezra’s.  forgive me oh Great God…