Numbers 34-36; Luke 4

My wife and I are reintroducing ourselves to the television series starring the lawyer, Perry Mason. Reminds me how easy it is to judge and how critical it is for me not to.  I was always taught that my name was always a precious reputation but keeping that name is not always up to me. Just the idea that God knew I could be wrongfully accused and that He set up provision for these things makes me feel that my name nestled in the palm of His hand is the best place for me to be.

After you have crossed the Jordan River and are settled in Canaan,  choose Safe Towns, where a person who has accidentally killed someone can run for protection.  If the victim’s relatives think it was murder, they might try to take revenge.^[c] Anyone accused of murder can run to one of these Safe Towns for protection and not be killed before a trial is held.  There are to be six of these Safe Towns,  three on each side of the Jordan River.  They will be places of protection for anyone who lives in Israel and accidentally kills someone. – Numbers 35:10-15  CEV

I grew up hearing stories of missionaries who shared stories of how angels came to the aid of those who were under attack.  Many quoted Psalm 91 and I am glad my mother made us kids memorize that Psalm at an early age. I have used it many times.  Satan tried to manipulate Jesus in the desert with the temptation of security and comfort in line with this whole idea.  Thankfully Jesus showed how to discern what real protection looked like.

The Scriptures say: ‘God will tell his angels to take care of you. They will catch you in their arms, and you will not hurt your feet on the stones.’” – Luke 4:10-11  CEV

I try not to put God to the test, but I have no fear when I walk a dark ally, or go across a vacant parking lot during the day or night.  Somehow I know it is not my time to go home and that God has a lot of work for me to do.  My wife says angels work on overtime when I leave the house.  I just preached a sermon on the Holy Spirit’s work as our Helper.  Fits right into this thought.  I believe our lives of peace come from leaving our hands in God’s – even when things are going terrible.  If I do not leave it in God’s hand, whose hand is big enough to hold it and keep it safe?

Father, I am thankful that You want to protect me and keep me safe.  I love the fact that You care for me very much.  Even so, there are days I start without You.  Forgive for those moments when I think my life is too important for You.

Erwin

2 Chronicles 1; Revelation 1; Zephaniah 2; Luke 24

I have a very strong sense of personal story about who I am in relation to God and others. The problem is that too often, that story is more fiction than fact, akin to the city Zephaniah spoke of, “the exultant city that lived secure, that said to itself, ‘I am, and there is on one else.’ ” Zephaniah 2:15  Remove God and the narrative has scary consequences; it’s more like a horror movie.

Then I have the stories I spin about God and others: who they are, what they mean to me, how they are supposed to behave. Those story lines are seldom they way I would write them. When things go unexpectedly, I question God and wonder where He is. I try to make sense of it all and I find myself walking that road to Emmaus, totally unaware that Jesus is right there with me, rewriting the story in ways I never imagined.

“Then their eyes were opened, and they recognized him; and he vanished from their sight. They said to each other, ‘Were not our hearts burning within us while he was talking to us on the road, while he was opening the scriptures to us?’ “ Luke 24:31-32

Later, Jesus sits with his disciples as says to them, ” ‘These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you—that everything written about me in the law of Moses, the prophets, and the psalms must be fulfilled.’ Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures.” Luke 24:44-45

Holy Spirit, you are here. Open my heart and mind to your Scriptures. May your truth resonate within me.  Your Word brings freedom and invites me into a life that is far better than anything I could imagine. Thank you that you are the author and perfecter of my faith.   Amen

Kathy

Leviticus 16; Psalm 19; Proverbs 30; 1 Timothy 1

Sometimes when I concentrate so much on my friendship with God, I forget I am made holy only through the blood of Jesus.  For God is a holy God and for the people in the New Testament and in the Old Testament who forgot that, died.

The Lord spoke to Moses after the death of the two sons of Aaron, when they drew near before the Lord and died. – Leviticus 16:1 NRSV

This Old Testament example must have made Aaron scared to even enter the tabernacle to serve God.  He had to come to a place where he understood that holiness was given to him in order for him to serve, but it did not cancel his sin.

I hear people say that we do not need the Old Testament anymore – but look at the words they are missing that declare God’s Word…

The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul; the decrees of the Lord are sure, making wise the simple; the precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is clear, enlightening the eyes; the fear of the Lord is pure, enduring forever; the ordinances of the Lord are true and righteous altogether. – Psalm 19:7-9 NRSV

The Scriptures are just that – holy – of more benefit to me than the air I breathe.  I need God’s Word to see His holiness, to see a way out of my sin.  It provides a direction that is true – a fountain of lasting hopes.  By them I discover my need for a Saviour.

Every word of God proves true; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him. – Proverbs 30:5  NRSV

I found this promise is echoed in the New Testament too – His Word is holy, His commandment is holy and just and good.

This is really important to me – I know that Jesus is the Word – and in Jesus I have hope.

Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the command of God our Savior and of Christ Jesus our hope – 1 Timothy 1:1  NRSV

The Old Testament still wraps it up nicely – I am Holy, and besides me there is no saviour.

Lord God, Father, You are holy, You are true.  Thank You for sending Your Son Jesus to be a Saviour to all who want to follow You.  May Your Word continue to strengthen me, guide me, lead me and may I yield to You in all that You ask of me.  I love You – thank you for seeing no sin in me because of Jesus and for accepting me into Your presence to be loved and to love You right back.  I want to be holy as You are holy.

evanlaar

1Chronicles 15; James 2; Amos 9; Luke 4

I was on the phone with a friend yesterday when the question I’ve been struggling with arose:

How can I have a higher expectation of my children over similar issues I fail to overcome in my own life?

My friend and I had a similar issue of a strained relationship. It’s too soon to say how things are going for her with how she’s decided to handle it, but my results are more like banging my head against a wall: frustration, pain, getting nowhere, questioning why I’m still (doing this).

¹³ Because you Levites did not carry the Ark the first time, the anger of the Lord our God burst out against us. We failed to ask God how to move it properly.” 1 Chronicles 15:13 NLT.

I have asked God for signs to continue with the relationship, and each time he has told me to do so. Soon after, another issue arises and I find myself wondering if I heard him right. These doors are closed tight. Why do I set myself up for failure again? Perhaps I have failed to ask God how to.

Then Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan River. He was led by the Spirit in the wilderness … Luke 4:1 NLT

Spirit, lead me.

When Jesus was hungry and tempted in the wilderness, he quoted scripture.

⁴ But Jesus told him, “No! The Scriptures say, ‘People do not live by bread alone.’” Luke 4:4 NLT

Next week, we’ll be breaking bread–a room of generations. Perhaps the lesson isn’t about the success in overcoming relational difficulties. The lesson could be about a lot of things–perseverance, surrender, seeking the Lord, obedience, faith in action, loving God, blessing an enemy. Maybe the result isn’t so much about getting what I want, but in teaching my kids (and learning for myself) how to live life with a heart for God in a broken world with broken relationships.

And maybe through the learning and doing of the other things, I might also get what I want too–healing.

But he replied, “I must preach the Good News of the Kingdom of God in other towns, too, because that is why I was sent.” Luke 4:43 NLT

Lord, you are my how-to and my hope. Please, lead me.

Courtney (66books365)