Scripture: Matthew 20:12 These men who were hired last worked only one hour, they said, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the work and the heat of the day.

Observations: This is interesting – first, these men agreed to work for a day’s wages. So the problem is not that they were cheated, but that those who started later, even as late as one hour before day’s end, were paid the same. That doesn’t really seem fair. Well, that’s not fair, is it? After all, they have borne the burden, the majority of the work! Sounds familiar, somewhat like the older brother in Luke 15. No fair, Father! I served/slaved all these years! Grace is seriously unfair!

Application: I need to put away my scorecard, my measuring tape, my time clock and my rulebook. God promises grace – unmerited gifts – riches beyond my imagination – mercy, not justice. Shall I sit in His grace and compare?

Prayer: Father, help me see your amazing grace for just what it is. Help me recover from wanting to keep score. Be gracious to me & my brother – neither of us deserve it! Amen!

Scripture: Matthew 19:25-26 When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, “Who then can be saved?” Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

Observations: Hard for a rich man… Who then can be? If possessions hinder, if riches hinder entry to the kingdom – where does that leave us? We who are physical beings, living in this physical world where our 5 senses rule? Where does that leave us? It leaves us in desperate need of what only God can do. The only way any of us has hope is through the saving work of Christ on the cross. Salvation is completely a work of God – He is our only hope – with Him this is possible! However, we should not ignore the message of the Rich Young Ruler – our possessions cannot be more important than our God – or we are at risk of missing the kingdom for stuff!!

Application: I must trust completely & only in Christ for salvation/entry into the kingdom! I must keep my God as first in my heart & life – not my stuff!

Prayer: Father, help me. Apart from you – I don’t stand a chance of heaven. Remind me to honor & value you and your kingdom above everything on this earth!

Scripture: 1 Chronicles 15:22 Kenaniah the head Levite was in charge of the singing; that was his responsibility because he was skillful at it.

Observations: The Levite placed in charge of singing before the Ark (hence before the presence) of the Lord was evidently selected for this task, this leadership role, because of his skill. Could we assume it is biblical, even intelligent to have people doing what they’re skilled at? Could it be this is more important than tenure or relations? Does this mean we aren’t being unbiblical or ungraceful when we evaluate skill in relation to roles & responsibilities?

Application: Skill matters. This may be easier said & understood than applied in the context of the local church. It seems there are other considerations. Now, grated there are considerations of attitude, walk with God, Spirit control, etc. Skill is most certainly not the only issue, but this makes it obvious that it is an appropriate biblical criteria. Duh!

Prayer: Father, give me the wisdom and courage to use your biblical standards in your church. Amen!

Scripture: Matthew 15:8 These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.

Observations: The religious leaders and people of Jesus’ day were great rule keepers. They were score keepers. They were great at checking to see if people were doing/obeying all the right rules. Outwardly they really seemed to have it all together. But Jesus says it was all lip service. If my religion isn’t a matter of the heart – then my worship is in vain. If my talk doesn’t come from the heart it is pointless and empty.

Application: I must continually check my heart. My actions must come from a heart for my God. My life & religion must come from my heart. The condition, attitude, and motivations of my heart need continual monitoring.

Prayer: Father, help me check my heart. Search me & try me. See if there is anything in my heart that is wrong. I want my outward actions and my heart to match. Amen.

Sorry about the gap and for taking so long to post the past few days.  My bad!  Sorry to post so many days at once!

Scripture:  Matthew 14:29-30 Come, he said, then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and beginning to sink, cried out, Lord, save me!It would seem that Jesus likes to invite us to walk with Him. Sometimes that will require great trust, seeing past fear, past the storms, past all the reasons it won’t work, past all the reasons I can’t. It means great trust in the one who walks on the waves, the storm and the problems. It will require that I fix my eyes on Jesus – the author and perfecter of my faith. Keeping focused on Him and not on the storm, the waves and the reasons it won’t work. Wrong focus brings fear & sinking! But even then the Lord is mighty to save!I must get out of the comfort of the boat (albeit a sinking boat!) and walk toward Jesus today. It is imperative! I must keep my eyes fixed on Jesus. He is my strength! I must not focus on the waves! This day I walk on the storm toward Jesus!Father, help me! I am weak and easily distracted. Help me keep getting out of the boat! Keep my focus on Jesus! Help Me!

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Scripture:  1 Samuel 18:14 (NIV) ¹⁴ In everything he did he had great success, because the LORD was with him.

Observations:  David’s success was directly connected to God’s presences.  In verse 12 we saw that Saul was afraid of David because the Lord was with David, but had left Saul.  John 15 reminds us that apart from Him we can do nothing.  At least nothing of significance.  It could be that we often do many things in life apart from the empowering presence of God.  In the Christian life we can be guilty of living, operating in our own strength – apart from the empowering, enabling presence of God.  Sure, He never leaves me, but am I always living in His presence?  Am I walking in the fullness of His Spirit?

Application:  I must seek to live & walk in the fullness of His Spirit.  I need to seek to be aware of His presence.  I need to practice the presence of my Lord in everything I do.  I am utterly dependent on Him for real success – eternal success!

Prayer:  Father, help me seek your presence & fullness moment by moment!  I want to intentionally walk with you.  I want you to give me your success in all that I do.  Not my success, but yours.  Amen.

Scripture:  1 Samuel 17:47 (NIV) ⁴⁷ All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the LORD saves; for the battle is the LORD’s, and he will give all of you into our hands.”

Observations:  Victory, strength & ability are from the Lord!  David is a small and certainly not a warrior – it’s not by his ability that Goliath will be defeated.  God uses the weak to confound the strong!  When God uses the unlikely to accomplish the seemingly impossible – He gets the glory!  Not by power or by strength – but by my Spirit says the Lord…

Application:  I must live by the reality that the battle is the Lord’s!  Victory comes from Him!  To attempt any of this (life, work, family, serving, calling, etc.) apart from this reality is to fail.  I must walk with Him & seek His way & help!

Prayer:  Father, help me walk with you & seek your help.  I want your victory.  I want your strength & ability!  Amen.

Sorry, I’ve missed a couple of days of posting my Bible reading journal entries.  So, two days posting today…

Scripture: 1 Samuel 15:22 (NIV) ²² But Samuel replied: “Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of the LORD? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams.

Observations:  Worship, giving, sacrifice and other religious practices, even when they are biblical and commanded by God – are incomplete and even unaccepted when obedience is missing.  They decided they knew best, that some of the plunder was too good to surrender to the Lord.  Partial obedience with rationalization is not obedience.  All of our church activity is useless if we aren’t seeking to obey God.

Application:  I must be ruthless about obedience!  I every area – without rationalizing or compromising.  To lead, preach, worship and live in partial obedience is foolish.  I must obey in everything!

Prayer:  Father, help me listen for your voice and obey as I hear!  Help me be aware of the enemy’s schemes & lies.  It does matter!  Amen.

Scripture:  2 Corinthians 12:7-10 (NIV) ⁷ To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. ⁸ Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. ⁹ But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. ¹⁰ That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

Observations:  God does not answer all prayer the way we would like.  This flies in the face of the name it & claim it gospel.  His power is made perfect in weakness.  When I am weak I am more likely to reach out and depend on Him.  My Lord desires that I live in a state of dependency.  Delight/Rejoice in weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions & difficulties?  That was Paul’s attitude.  When I am weak – I run to Him and He is strong.  When I am strong, everything is going great, I believe that I am in control and all is well, then I am self-confident rather than dependant. 

Application:  While I know from experience that some of my most difficult days are some of my best days, because they drive me to my knees and to my Lord – I still have not mastered this passage.  I need the Lord’s help to delight in those things.  I need to daily see my weaknesses and my problems as an opportunity to rejoice in my Lord’s strength and provision.  I need Paul’s attitude.

Prayer:  Father, help me with this.  I sometimes whine at those things Paul listed.  I want to know why, and how long when I deal with difficulties.  I want to know when it’s going to get easier.  Help me rejoice as I run to You.  You are my strength when I am weak…  Amen