ONE WAY IN

READING: LUKE 13:22-28

Verse 27: “But He will say, ‘I tell you I do not know you, where you are from. Depart from me, all you workers of iniquity’”

This passage is addressing a time when people will attempt to establish themselves as being familiar to the Lord and acceptable to Him. They will say to Him “Surely you recognize us, we’ve been right here nearby”. However, He won’t accept them. That compares to the following example: Let’s say I really want to be a Pittsburgh Steeler. My response to that desire is to go where the Steeler players go, dress as I see them dressing, and to adopt their mannerisms. I get as close to the team members as I can. If I do all of that well enough, I may look like and even feel somewhat like a member of their football team. However, the reality is that unless I sign a contract, I won’t get issued their football gear, I won’t practice with them much less be assigned a position on the team, and will never play in one of their football games. I certainly won’t be paid even a penny for being a Steeler! So it is with God’s kingdom. Just hangin’ around won’t do. Jesus said: “unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” The issue is much more than a team or a game. The issue is our eternal existence. We must be born again! That’s a thought – about God’s Word.

RESPONSE

1. What is Jesus’ purpose in this passage?

2. What do you want to hear from the Lord when you go before Him?

DO SWEAT THE SMALL STUFF

READING: LUKE 16:1-13

Verse 10: “He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much; and he who is unjust in what is least is unjust also in much.”

This verse provides a bit of wisdom from the Lord Jesus on the topic of faithfulness. People frequently have attitudes that do not correspond to the statement above made by our Lord. Many tend to have little tolerance for small things. They don’t like what they call the “nickel and dime” aspects of life. Their intolerance convinces them that lesser matters deserve less attention and effort. There are subtle, or at times even not so subtle, inferences that if these lesser matters would become greater they would then be given more emphasis. According to the Word of God, there is a better name for these inferences. Actually, they are more accurately termed as deceptions. The reality defined by God’s order, is that those who have less interest and involvement in what they perceive as small things, will not change when things arise that impress them more. Only by giving faithful attention and effort to small things, are we prepared for trustworthiness and success in the greater matters. It is like a person stepping off a tall building firmly convinced they will fly. In the form of gravity, God’s order will prevail! The same as it does with gravity, the Order of the Lord regarding  the importance of small things will prevail. It will be as He has established. That’s a thought – about God’s Word.

RESPONSE

1. What is a common way that the deceptions described above are exposed?

2. What small thing in your experience has prepared you for something greater?

THE HOLY BURDEN

READING: GENESIS 22:1-8

Verse 6: “So Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac his son; and he took the fire in his hand, and a knife, and the two of them went together.”

There are many passages of Old Testament scripture which contain inferences of Jesus to come. These passages are known as types and shadows because they give hints of future aspects of the ministry of Christ. One of these is found in the verse above as it describes Isaac carrying the wood for a sacrifice that was to be made. We know that Isaac himself almost became that sacrifice, but was spared. However, the point in today’s reading is that Isaac carried the wood for what was expected to be his own sacrifice. In Matthew 19:17 & 18, the Bible says that Jesus bearing His cross, went to Golgotha where they crucified Him. There we see that Jesus also carried the wood for His sacrifice. However, that which was only a hint in Isaac’s experience, was fully consummated in the sacrifice of our Lord Jesus. Unlike Isaac, He was not spared death. Instead He experienced it, obtained the victory over it; and became our salvation from it. What was an Old Testament type and shadow in Isaac, became the full and completed Gospel in Christ! That’s a thought – about God’s Word.

RESPONSE

1. What other type and shadow is particularly striking for you?

2. Do types and shadows of spiritual realities still occur?

NO MORE – NO LESS

READING: DEUTERONOMY 4:1-8

Verse 2: “You shall not add to the word which I command you, nor take from it, that you may keep the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you.”

The top priority of Moses for the Israelites was that they would precisely obey the commands of God. He did not beat around the bush in that regard as he spoke what is recorded in verse 2 above. And now today, all these years later, obeying God’s commands is still a necessary key to success and a godly quality of life. This is not a matter of obeying God to keep Him happy. He is not seeking our obedience as a way to be fulfilled. Instead, His commands have been granted so that we can be  fulfilled. When we obey the commands of the Lord, we are kept from behaviors that are harmful and destructive. Instead of those, we are trained in behaviors that produce contentment, peace and  Kingdom productivity. Our Lord is our great manufacturer, we are His products and He has provided operating instructions. The products of God work best when the instructions of the Lord are followed. Even beyond that – through obedience we are made able to glorify Him! That’s a thought – about God’s Word.

RESPONSE

1. What do people sometimes try to alter the Lord’s commands.

2. Are you sufficiently attentive to being obedient?

ANGEL FACE

READING: ACTS 6:8 -15

Verse 15: “And all who sat in the council, looking steadfastly at him, saw his face as the face of an angel.”

Some Christians at times wonder if they will have what it takes at a time of testing. There is much encouragement about this in the Word of God. For example the Book of Acts describes Stephen being taken before the council of temple officials. Before his trial, his enemies secretly induced men to lie, stirred up the people and set up false witnesses. This was all done against Stephen to make sure he would be sentenced to death. Then, there was Stephen totally alone among such hostile opponents who were determined to execute him by any means. If there ever have been frightening, stressful situations that could cause a person to panic, Stephen was in one of them. To the contrary however, instead of portraying panic, Stephen’s face was as the face of an angel. He was at peace regardless of the horror of the situation. Such is the power of God to and for His people in times of testing. He has what it takes for our victory and is faithful to impart it to us. That’s a thought – about God’s Word.

RESPONSE

1. What do you suppose Stephen may have been thinking and experiencing?

2. If the Lord asked for volunteers for a test like Stephen’s how would you respond?

IT’S A GIFT

READING: GALATIANS 5:16-26

Verse 22: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love joy, peace, longsuffering kindness, goodness, faithfulness,”

The Bible establishes that God is the giver of peace to His people. God gives peace as the Father, as the Son and as the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit comes forth as peace giver in one of our best known  passages of scripture, Galatians 5:22. In this verse the Holy Spirit dispenses peace as fruit of the Spirit. The blessing of this fruit is presented to Christians as godly provision that saves us from practicing the works of the flesh. Through the fruit of the Spirit, the Holy Spirit joins the Father and Son (as will be addressed in other readings) as faithful givers of peace to the people of God. For those who are most assured by a direct statement of God’s intent regarding the gift of peace, the Bible accomodates this desire. It does so in Psalm 29:11 which makes the outright statement  that the Lord will bless His people with peace. That’s a thought – about God’s Word.

RESPONSE

1. What would you say to someone who believes in peace from sources other than our God?

2. What is one way that peace operates to bless us?

SALVATION

READING: ROMANS 10:1-13

Verse 9: “that if you confess with your mouth the LORD Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.”

The Bible consists of testaments and is therefore a book which testifies. One matter to which it powerfully testifies is our salvation, the gospel message. Today’s verse is one of those testimonies. This verse of scripture has an eternal application. Those who confess with their mouths and believe in their hearts are assured of a priceless salvation that will last for all time. That is truly an awesome provision, but salvation goes even further. We are also saved by the Spirit of the Lord each day and all day. The devil does set his traps, schemes, deceptions and tactics to try to keep us from God. However, as we continually confess with our mouths and believe in our hearts, we are constantly saved from those evil purposes. Our eternal salvation is assured and maintained through our daily salvation. That is the power of the great salvation granted to us. It has destroyed the works of the evil one. That’s a thought – about God’s Word.
.

RESPONSE

1. What do you value most about your salvation?

2. What is it that most frequently reminds you of the blessing of salvation?