We are God's kids!

DAILY BIBLE READING:

Judges 11:1–12:15 
John 1:1-28 
Psalm 101:1-8 
Proverbs 14:13-14

BIBLE VERSE(S) FOR TODAY:

John 1:12-13 "But to all who did receive him, he gave them the right to be children of God, to those who believe in his name, who were born, not of natural descent, or of the will of the flesh, or of the will of man, but of God."

REFLECTIONS ON TODAY'S BIBLE VERSE(S):

If you watch television, you may periodically see advertisements for a service that allows you to explore your genealogy. In some of those commercials, an individual will speak of their amazement that an ancestor of theirs was a war hero or royalty. It's almost as if the person talking got an added injection of self-worth because of their new-found knowledge of who they came from.

Well, Christian, let me ask you a question. Who is your Father? Of course, you have a biological dad and mom. But, when you were saved from the penalty of your sins by trusting in Jesus, you were born again. At that moment, you gained a new relationship with God where you are encouraged to call Him "Father" (see Matthew 6:9, Romans 8:15, & Galatians 4:6).

Our Verse for Today doesn't simply say that when we believe and receive Jesus that we can start calling God our Father. It says that we have "the right" (lit. "authority") to call Him that. It isn't a trivial thing. It's legally binding. If we are saved, the God of all Creation is legally our Father and we are His child.

Just reflect on that last sentence and the Verses for Today for awhile. If it doesn't put a pep in your step, you haven't properly understood it.

Why God needs to be first place

DAILY BIBLE READING:

Judges 9:22–10:18 
Luke 24:13-53 
Psalm 100:1-5 
Proverbs 14:11-12

BIBLE VERSE(S) FOR TODAY:

Judges 10:14 (CSB) "Go and cry out to the gods you have chosen. Let them deliver you whenever you are oppressed."

REFLECTIONS ON TODAY'S BIBLE VERSE(S):

In our Bible reading today, we came across a verse that told us what was going on in the hearts and actions of the Israelites...

Judges 10:6 "Then the Israelites again did what was evil in the sight of the Lord. They worshiped the Baals and the Ashtoreths, the gods of Aram, Sidon, and Moab, and the gods of the Ammonites and the Philistines. They abandoned the Lord and did not worship him."

Verses like these appear through the entirety of the book of Judges. It's what happens when a people are not led by a godly leader who calls them to holiness and demonstrates what that looks like in his own life.

It also illustrates what our own hearts do all too often. Instead of serving the one true God, we set up other gods: our jobs, our pursuit of success/wealth, our kids, entertainment, sports, etc.

Well, when we look back at the Verse for Today, we see that one of the "benefits" of serving the one true God is that we have a refuge when life gets tough. But, the "gods" we typically serve can do nothing about it. They cannot help. And so God's comments to the wayward Israelites was intended to point out that they had been serving something that couldn't help them when they were in trouble.

Judges 10:14 (CSB) "Go and cry out to the gods you have chosen. Let them deliver you whenever you are oppressed."

Sometimes, our "gods" can numb us to the pain of life's trials but they cannot ultimately give us a right perspective and healing relief. 

So, we are reminded of yet one more reason why we must serve and love our God supremely; why He must be first place in our life; why nothing else can even come close to Him.

While keep God first place in our hearts is certainly for His glory, it is also for our good. Keeping God first place in our hearts is ultimately for our own good.

Why we MUST deal with personal sin

DAILY BIBLE READING:

Judges 8:18–9:21 
Luke 23:44–24:12 
Psalm 99:1-9 
Proverbs 14:9-10

BIBLE VERSE(S) FOR TODAY:

Proverbs 14:9 (CSB) "Fools mock at making reparation, but there is goodwill among the upright."

REFLECTIONS ON TODAY'S BIBLE VERSE(S):

It is doubtful that any of us can go for any significant amount of time without sinning. I'm not trying to be negative. I'm just acknowledging the fact that we are utterly dependent upon the Cross each moment of our life.

Whether it is a sinful action, or a sinful thought, or even a sinful motivation, all of us struggle to live in constant conformity to God's standard.

So, while we must rely upon prayer, meditating upon God's Word, resting in the power of the Holy Spirit, and a few other things to give us victory over sin, what do we do once we have sinned?

Our Verse for the Day tells us that the person who fails to acknowledge the offense of their sin and refuses to make amends with God is a fool.

Proverbs 14:9 (CSB) "Fools mock at making reparation, but there is goodwill among the upright."

Why is he a fool? Because the one who DOES make amends for his sin by acknowledging it to God and turning from it (repentance) will receive God's favor. They will experience the cleansing power of forgiveness. They will enjoy renewed fellowship with their God. They will avoid the consequences of sin. On and on we could go.

So, when you and I sin today, will we be a fool? The answer to that question is determined by whether or not we remain indifferent to the sin or whether we seek to make it right with God and others. 

When hate is appropriate

DAILY BIBLE READING:

Judges 7:1–8:17 
Luke 23:13-43 
Psalms 97:1–98:9 
Proverbs 14:7-8

BIBLE VERSE(S) FOR TODAY:

Psalm 97:10 (CSB) "You who love the Lord, hate evil! He protects the lives of his faithful ones; he rescues them from the power of the wicked."

REFLECTIONS ON TODAY'S BIBLE VERSE(S):

In the community in which I live you can see yard signs in front of quite a few homes. The following words appear on those signs: "There's no place for hate in Murray."

On it's face, in a general way, I wholeheartedly agree! Those signs are specifically addressing an attempt by white supremacist groups to infiltrate our community with their hatred. My community simply won't tolerate that.

But, if we were to think deeply about the matter of hatred, we would realize that if we are truly compassionate people, there MUST be some things we hate. I hate murder. I hate rape. I hate slavery. I hate child-molestation.

In other words, we are justified to hate what unjustly brings harm to those we care about.

And it is in that vein of thought that we understand our verse for today...

Psalm 97:10 (CSB) "You who love the Lord, hate evil! He protects the lives of his faithful ones; he rescues them from the power of the wicked." (emphasis mine)

We are told (commanded!) to hate evil. Why? Because it robs the God that we love of glory AND it is a destructive cancer that works to destroy the climax of God's creation - humanity. 

So, we should not only hate evil, we MUST hate evil if we genuinely care about our God and those around us.

God sees more than you see

DAILY BIBLE READING:

Judges 6:1-40 
Luke 22:54–23:12 
Psalms 95:1–96:13 
Proverbs 14:5-6 

BIBLE VERSE(S) FOR TODAY:

Judges 6:12 (CSB) "Then the angel of the Lord appeared to him and said: 'The Lord is with you, valiant warrior.'"
REFLECTIONS ON TODAY'S BIBLE VERSE(S):

If we simply looked at the verse for the day and were told to construct the context, we would probably come up with a very impressive hero. He would be muscular, afraid of nothing, have an incredible resume of victories, and be a person that others would naturally follow.

But, if we read the story, we realize that this isn't the case. It's not even close. We realize that the man being referenced is Gideon. He's an Israelite who happened to live at the time that the Midianites were oppressing them.

The specific scene in which these words were spoken finds Gideon threshing wheat at the bottom of a winepress. Every few seconds, we might see grain get tossed up only to disappear into the winepress. Maybe every few minutes, we would see fingers slowly slip over the edge of the winepress followed by a forehead and then a set of eyes scanning the area for any Midinites. Moments later, the man's forehead would disappear and the threshing would resume.

This is the scene of a coward. He's scared. He's hiding. And yet, the angel of the Lord calls him a "valiant warrior." 

Listen to this principle - God doesn't see us as we are so much as he sees what we can be. Gideon certainly wasn't acting like a valiant warrior but God saw it in him. All Gideon had to do was submit himself to God's leading, allow God to work in him the necessary character qualities and he would be the man God desired for him to be.

Remember this, friend! God sees you for what you can be in the future as he continues to work on you. Don't resent the difficulties that God sends your way. He's making you into the person that He can use for His glory.

The power of prayer

DAILY BIBLE READING:

Judges 4:1–5:31 
Luke 22:35-53 
Psalm 94:1-23 
Proverbs 14:3-4

BIBLE VERSE(S) FOR TODAY:

Luke 22:45-46 (CSB) "When he got up from prayer and came to the disciples, he found them sleeping, exhausted from their grief. 'Why are you sleeping?' he asked them. 'Get up and pray, so that you won’t fall into temptation.'"

REFLECTIONS ON TODAY'S BIBLE VERSE(S):

The scene from which our Verse for Today comes is the Garden of Gethsemane, shortly before Judas betrays Jesus with a kiss. 

It is late at night and it's been an emotionally taxing day. The disciples are confused and overwhelmed about some of the things Jesus had been saying. He has talked about betrayal, torture, and death. This isn't the way things were supposed to play out ... or so they thought.

So, as Jesus took the disciples into the Garden to pray, they may have attempted to pray but were overcome with grief and weariness ... and fell asleep.

We can't blame them, right? I've had some very bad days in my life and I found it easy to simply head to bed. Slipping off into sleep at least gave me a momentary reprieve from my grief.

But, Jesus would have none of it. He knew that while the disciples wanted to sleep, he knew that there was a greater good. They were about to enter an hour of intense temptation. To get ready for it, they needed to pray. In some way, prayer would strengthen them so that they would be victorious in the imminent temptation.

But, they slept, they were tempted, and they ran like cowards.

There is much to prayer that we don't yet realize. It is not only communion with God, it is also a means by which we are equipped to be victorious over the temptations that come our way.

Do you have a sin(s) that continues to claim victory over you? Are you praying about it? I mean really praying about it? There may be other steps you can/should take in your desire for victory but your plan of action should at least include prayer. In some way, God will use that time with Him to give you what you need to defeat the temptation to sin.

The importance of discipling others

DAILY BIBLE READING:

Judges 2:10–3:31 
Luke 22:14-34 
Psalms 92:1–93:5 
Proverbs 14:1-2 

BIBLE VERSE(S) FOR TODAY:

Judges 2:10 (CSB) "That whole generation was also gathered to their ancestors. After them another generation rose up who did not know the Lord or the works he had done for Israel."

REFLECTIONS ON TODAY'S BIBLE VERSE(S):

In Matthew 28:18-20, Jesus has clearly told us to "go and make disciples." That simply means that since we have a relationship with the Lord and are continuing to grow in our understanding in how that plays out in our lives, we are to take what we have learned and teach it to others so that they can teach it to others.

After all, it only takes one generation that didn't disciple the next generation to create a culture that doesn't know the Lord.

And this is exactly what we see in our verse for today. 

Judges 2:10 (CSB) "That whole generation was also gathered to their ancestors. After them another generation rose up who did not know the Lord or the works he had done for Israel."

Parents didn't teach their children. Leaders didn't teach their followers. And Joshua apparently didn't disciple the next leader of Israel as Moses had discipled him.

So, that begs the question: Who are you discipling? Who are you meeting with to help them grow in their understanding of the Christian life and the blessings of following and obeying Jesus?

As Christianity declines in America, we should not wring our hands in despair. We should simply become more intentional about doing the very thing that Jesus commanded us to do - make disciples.

One Year Bible

DAILY BIBLE READING:

Judges 1:1–2:9 
Luke 21:29–22:13 
Psalms 90:1–91:16 
Proverbs 13:24-25

BIBLE VERSE(S) FOR TODAY:


REFLECTIONS ON TODAY'S BIBLE VERSE(S):

People are contagious

DAILY BIBLE READING:

Joshua 24:1-33 
Luke 21:1-28 
Psalm 89:38-52 
Proverbs 13:20-23 

BIBLE VERSE(S) FOR TODAY:

Proverbs 13:20 (CSB) "The one who walks with the wise will become wise, but a companion of fools will suffer harm."

REFLECTIONS ON TODAY'S BIBLE VERSE(S):

People are contagious. We tend to give people what we've got and we get what those around us have.

... and I'm not even talking about sickness. I'm talking about attitude. I'm talking about perspective. I'm talking about discipline, motivation, and so many other things.

If we spend a significant amount of time around someone who has stinkin' thinkin', we risk developing that kind of thinking. However, if we get around people who are full of hope and optimism, that mindset will tend to rub off on us.

This principle applies with just about any attribute someone has. Stay around them long enough and it will start to rub off on you. And your attributes will rub off on them.

It's no surprise that Solomon recognized this principle almost 3,000 years ago. 

If we spend significant amounts of time with people who are saturated with wisdom, we will begin to develop a depth to our own knowledge and it's application. 

On the other hand, if we hang around fools, we'll start becoming like them ... and experience the consequences.

Proverbs 13:20 (CSB) "The one who walks with the wise will become wise, but a companion of fools will suffer harm."

So, who are you hanging around? As you look at the people you spend most of your time with, would you say that they are what you want to become like? If not, pray about being the positive, Christ-like influencer in those relationships but look for other relationships with people that have traits that you want to develop.

How to develop godly attitudes

DAILY BIBLE READING:

Joshua 22:21–23:16 
Luke 20:27-47 
Psalm 89:14-37 
Proverbs 13:17-19

BIBLE VERSE(S) FOR TODAY:

Luke 20:45-47 (CSB) "While all the people were listening, he said to his disciples, 'Beware of the scribes, who want to go around in long robes and who love greetings in the marketplaces, the best seats in the synagogues, and the places of honor at banquets. They devour widows’ houses and say long prayers just for show. These will receive harsher judgment.'"

REFLECTIONS ON TODAY'S BIBLE VERSE(S):

As we read the Gospels, it is easy to stand in judgment of the religious leaders of Jesus' day. They were hypocrites. We can see it and Jesus periodically labeled them as such.

A painful truth to reflect on is that it is easy to see hypocrisy in others but it's not so easy to see it in ourselves.

In our verse for today, Jesus warned his followers of the religious leaders. He went through a list of six characteristics that made it clear that they were filled with pride and loved the praise of people. These are heart attitudes. Sure, the religious leaders went about their 'holy' duties but their hearts revealed that they weren't doing it for the Lord - they were doing it for themselves.

Hypocrisy is simply appearing to be one thing while actually being something else. When we try to appear good, and righteous, and holy to others and yet have heart attitudes that are displeasing to God, we are hypocrites.

So, what's the answer? I think there are a few action points we need to take:

• Confess and repent (turn from) these heart attitudes. Acknowledge them before the Lord, see them as the ugliness that God says they are, and work to get rid of them.
• Enlist a prayer partner or accountability partner. You may find great help in a fellow Jesus-follower who will pray for you and point out areas of concern.
• Replace sinful heart attitudes with holy heart attitudes. Nature abhors a vacuum. If you get rid of something bad, you had better replace it with something good very soon. So, spend time in your Bible. Consider memorizing and meditating on heart attitudes that you need to develop. Ask God's Holy Spirit to do this work in you.

Essentially, this is a life-long process that will never be fully completed this side of Heaven. But, the important thing is that we are becoming more like Jesus and less like the world as the months and years pass.

The heavens praise our God

DAILY BIBLE READING:

Joshua 21:1-22:20
Luke 20:1-26
Psalm 89:1-13
Proverbs 13:15-16

BIBLE VERSE(S) FOR TODAY:

Psalm 89:5 "LORD, the heavens praise your wonders - your faithfulness also - in the assembly of the holy ones."

REFLECTIONS ON TODAY'S BIBLE VERSE(S):

Looking up into a night sky can be a humbling and exhilarating experience. Yet, the naked eye can see only so much. A powerful telescope will reveal even more wonders. Yet, even then, there are things we cannot see that the Hubble Telescope has captured. Yet, even the Hubble has not captured images anywhere near the edge of our universe ... if, in fact, there is an "edge."

To state is simply, it is spectacular and massive out there! And the Psalmist in our text joins the Apostle Paul in his letter to the Romans in saying that the sky above gives us plenty of reason to praise our God:

Romans 1:20 (CSB) "For his invisible attributes, that is, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen since the creation of the world, being understood through what he has made..."

What are these verses telling us? That as we explore and enjoy the beauty and immensity of space around us, we come to understand a little bit more of how wonderful our God is!

It calls us to praise Him! 

"Lord, my mind can't comprehend how massive it is out there. How infinitely powerful you must be to simply have spoken it all into existence!"

"Lord, I've seen pictures of beautiful galaxies and gas plumes that result from exploding stars that are absolutely breathtaking. How creative and artistic you must be!"

This is what the Psalmist meant when He said "the heavens praise Your wonders." It is God's handiwork and demonstrates for us some incredible attributes of the God we love and serve.

So, today, look around you. Look above you this evening. Be caught up in the wonderful of our world and universe. And then let it move you to praise our great and awesome God.

pic taken by Hubble Telescope

We need to pray!

DAILY BIBLE READING:

Joshua 19:1–20:9 
Luke 19:28-48 
Psalm 88:1-18 
Proverbs 13:12-14 

BIBLE VERSE(S) FOR TODAY:

Luke 19:45-46 (CSB) "He went into the temple and began to throw out those who were selling, and he said 'It is written, my house will be a house or prayer, but you have made it a den of thieves!'"

REFLECTIONS ON TODAY'S BIBLE VERSE(S):

Life is lived at breakneck speed in our generation. All of the technology that was intended to make life easier has only increased the pace. A former pastor of mine used to say that there are many folks who have been reduced to roadkill on the information superhighway.

So, with our minds almost constantly pulled in so many different directions, the call to prayer is probably a little more difficult than it has been in previous generations. When we are praying, we are thinking about a multitude of other things that we need to be doing.

In our reading this morning, we came across Luke 19:45-46 where Jesus entered the temple days before He was crucified. He saw all of the chaos of buying and selling taking place. The scene created such a distraction that an attitude of prayer was virtually impossible.

So, He cleaned house! He went ballistic! As He turned over tables and ran non-worshipers out of the temple, He said:

"...'It is written, my house will be a house of prayer, but you have made it a den of thieves.'" (Luke 19:46)

They were thieves. But, who were they stealing from? Well, the merchants were probably taking advantage of the convenience they were providing to worshipers so they jacked up the prices for sacrificial animals. They were stealing from worshipers.

But, they were also stealing from God! The Lord had called for the temple to be a place where He met with His people. They called out to Him in prayer and He blessed them there. But, the chaos was robbing God of those prayers.

So, Jesus cleaned house!

Do you know where the temple is now? First Corinthians 6:19 tells us that our bodies are now the temple, the place where God's Holy Spirit resides.

Do you know what that means? Our bodies are now the place of prayer! Whatever else happens in our bodies, it should be a place where communion with God is the norm.

However, if you are like me, you realize that far too often, there are distractions. The craziness of our lives create chaos in our minds and hearts. Those things would rob God of the prayers that He desires to hear from us.

So, let me end this post by giving a few ideas for cleaning house:

• Get up early to pray. (I get up around 5AM so that I am not distracted by phone calls, family members, or anything else.)
• Have a paper and pen close by. (If something comes to mind that you need to do, just write it down and then get back to praying.)
• Have a prayer list or prayer cards. (Having a list before you of the things you will pray for can help you stay focused.)
• Play some quiet music in the background. (I listen to www.solopianoradio.com when I am reading God's Word and praying. It quiets my mind.)

A Know-So Salvation

DAILY BIBLE READING:

Joshua 16:1-18:28
Luke 19:1-27
Psalm 87:1-7
Proverbs 13:1

BIBLE VERSE(S) FOR TODAY:

Luke 19:9-10 (CSB) "'Today salvation has come to this house,' Jesus told him, 'because he too is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save the lost.'"

REFLECTIONS ON TODAY'S BIBLE VERSE(S):

In Luke 19:1-10, we read about Zaccheaus, 'the wee, little man, and a wee, little man was he' (talk about being politically incorrect! HA).

In this story, we come to see that he had a heart change. He was saved from his sins and God's wrath. That's what Jesus said: "Today salvation has come to this house."

Being saved happens in the realm of our mind and heart. But, since it happens there, it tends to be subjective.

By that, I mean that it may seem difficult to understand if we are truly saved. After all, how can we KNOW that we are saved? Wouldn't it be wonderful if God sent down a spiritual birth certificate from Heaven?

Well, first and foremost, we need to investigate whether we have placed our trust in Jesus to make us right in God's eyes. His finished work on the cross on our behalf is the object of our faith. There needs to be a time in our life when we stopped trusting ourselves and our own perceived self-righteousness and, instead, placed our trust in Jesus to forgive us and save us (see John 3:16; Ephesians 2:8-9).

For the purposes of salvation, that's it. That's all that is required. When we trust in Jesus, we enter into relationship with God and will one day spend eternity with Him.

But, how do we KNOW we are saved?

The story of Zacchaeus is one of the multitude of stories and principles in Scripture that tell us. It's a change in our behaviors. Jesus noted that Zacchaeus was going to give half of his possessions to the poor and was going to pay back fourfold those he had defrauded.

These actions didn't save Zacchaeus. They simply demonstrated that he had really been saved. His new heart was demonstrated in God-glorifying actions.

So, are you saved? Have you placed your trust in Jesus to make you right in God's eyes?

If so, fantastic! But, here's another question: Can others see Jesus in you? Do your actions reveal that you really are a child of God?

Because someone who claims to be a child of God and yet is not becoming progressively more like Jesus and less like the world needs to read the sobering warning given by Jesus in Matthew 7:21-23.

"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven. On that day many will say to me, 'Lord, Lord, didn’t we prophesy in your name, drive out demons in your name, and do many miracles in your name?' Then I will announce to them, 'I never knew you. Depart from me, you lawbreakers!'" (Matthew 7:21-23 CSB)

The humility to listen and learn

DAILY BIBLE READING:

Joshua 15:1-63
Luke 18:18-43
Psalm 86:1-17
Proverbs 13:9-10

BIBLE VERSE(S) FOR TODAY:

Proverbs 13:10 (CSB) "Arrogance leads to nothing but strife, but wisdom is gained by those who take advice."

REFLECTIONS ON TODAY'S BIBLE VERSE(S):

What is it that causes so many of us to bristle when others give us advice? Maybe we're insecure? Maybe we want to seem like we've got it all together? Maybe we've got a pride problem?

Maybe it's a teenager that doesn't want to listen to their parents. Maybe it's a husband who is in the driver's seat and refuses to stop and ask for directions. Maybe it's a church member who doesn't want a fellow member to tell them how to fix one of their problems.

Whatever the surface reason might be, we don't like it when others give us advice because we are arrogant. It's that simple. We don't like it when others appear to know something that we don't. We are under the impression that this makes us look bad and our pride doesn't like it.

And when that sin problem rests within our heart, I've seen it create strife over and over. "I know! I know! You don't have to tell me!" Whether we say it audibly or yell it silently in the hallways of our mind, those words put wedges between people, not draw them together.

But, we aren't going to gain more knowledge and wisdom unless we listen to others.  Whether it's a book or conversation, we need to listen to others to get the wisdom we need to live this one life God has given to us. And that's going to take humility. But, if we can humble ourselves enough to listen and learn, we are all the better for it.

Proverbs 13:10 (CSB) "Arrogance leads to nothing but strife, but wisdom is gained by those who take advice."

A story of passion and conquest

DAILY BIBLE READING:

Joshua 13:1-14:15
Luke 18:1-17
Psalm 85:1-13
Proverbs 13:7-8

BIBLE VERSE(S) FOR TODAY:

Joshua 14:12 (CSB) "Now give me this hill country the Lord promised me on that day, because you heard then that the Anakim are there, as well as large fortified cities. Perhaps the Lord will be with me and I will drive them out as the Lord promised."

REFLECTIONS ON TODAY'S BIBLE VERSE(S):

I have some 'favorite' Bible stories and Joshua 14:6-15 is definitely one of them!

In it, we see in our mind's eye an 85-year-old man step into Joshua's presence. These two men were special. They were the only 2 spies (out of the 12 that Moses sent into the Promised Land) who came back with a positive, faith-filled report. The other 10 expressed doubt that they could take the Land but Joshua and Caleb resolutely believed that God could be counted on to do what He promised (see Numbers 13:26-33).

The Israelites believed the 10 faithless spies and rejected Joshua and Caleb's words. That one act doomed the nation of Israel to wander in the wilderness for 40 years. 

Now, in Joshua 14, Joshua and Caleb are the oldest of all the Israelites and they have seen God conquer most of the Promised Land through them just like He said he would.

But, there's one particular area that was still a splinter in Israel's eye. It hadn't been conquered yet. It was the area where the Anakim lived - the people who were so tall that they made the Israelites feel like 'grasshoppers' (see Numbers 13:28-29, 33; Joshua 14:12). The 10 spies used those particular people as the excuse to doubt God's promise.

Well, for 45 years, that act of faithlessness had turned Caleb's stomach. He knew God would have given the Israelites victory but they doubted and were, therefore, put on the shelf of 'do-nothing' until they learned their lesson.

So on this day, Caleb approaches Joshua and asks specifically for the land where the Anakim still lived. He wanted to kick some Anakim booty to vindicate God's name. He believed that God's glory was diminished among the Israelites when they doubted that He would and could do what He said He would do. So, Caleb wanted to show that an 85-year-old man with a promise from God could do what a whole Israelite army didn't think He could do.

Well, did Caleb succeed? Did he let the Anakim know that the God in Heaven could do whatever He pleased?

Knowing that Caleb had fire in his eyes, was jealous for God's glory, and wasn't going to back down from the fight, all we need to do is read the last sentence of this story...

"...After this, the land had rest from war." (Joshua 14:15)

I can picture Caleb sitting under a shade tree drinking a cold glass of tea and, with a broad smile and a twinkle in his eye, saying under his breath: "I knew God could do it!"

Are you a person filled with faith and passion? All you need to do is ask God to develop within you a jealousy for His glory. Find some precious promises of God that He has given to you. And then engage in the spiritual warfare against our satanic foe.

We NEED people like Caleb in our spiritually apathetic days!

The source of happiness

DAILY BIBLE READING:

Joshua 11:1-12:24
Luke 17:11-37
Psalm 84:1-12
Proverbs 13:5-6

BIBLE VERSE(S) FOR TODAY:

Psalm 84:10-12 (CSB) "Better a day in your courts than a thousand anywhere else. I would rather stand at the threshold of the house of my God than live in the tents of wicked people. For the Lord God is a sun and shield. The Lord grants favor and honor; he does not withhold the good from those who live with integrity. Happy is the person who trusts in you, Lord of Armies!"

REFLECTIONS ON TODAY'S BIBLE VERSE(S):

The verses that I have chosen for today are incredible! To keep our focus on them, I will only add two very short insights:

1. The Psalmist acknowledges over and over in this Psalm that our craving for happiness can be met in the Lord. (Christianity is not merely a religion, it is a relationship.)

2. Regardless of what "bad" things happen to us and around us, if we recognize that our God is good and that our craving for happiness can be met in Him, then we are in a much better position to deal with the trials that come our way.

The one necessary ingredient of decision-making

DAILY BIBLE READING:

Joshua 9:3-10:43
Luke 16:19-17:10
Psalm 83:1-18
Proverbs 13:4

BIBLE VERSE(S) FOR TODAY:

Joshua 9:14 (HCSB) "Then the men of Israel took some of their provisions, but did not seek the LORD’s counsel."

REFLECTIONS ON TODAY'S BIBLE VERSE(S):

The story recounted for us in Joshua 9 is intriguing. The Israelites had just conquered Jericho and Ai. Their victories terrified the people in the Promised Land.

So, the people of Gibeon determined to do something. They sent a delegation to Israel. That group of men went to great lengths to make it look like they had been on a very long journey when in reality they were only a few miles from where Israel was camped.

The delegation asked the Israelites to make a pact not to harm them since they "lived so far away" from Israel.

That's where our verse for today comes in:

Joshua 9:14 (HCSB) "Then the men of Israel took some of their provisions, but did not seek the LORD’s counsel."

There were facts outside the knowledge of the Israelites that kept them from making a wise decision. We are led to believe that if they had prayed before making the decision, the Lord could have provided them wisdom (without the necessary knowledge) to come to a right conclusion on the matter.

But, they didn't pray.

And they made a bad decision.

And they suffered the consequences.

Do you pray before you make decisions? There will always be information outside our range of knowledge. How are we to come to a right conclusion without all the facts? We've got to pray and seek the Lord's will.

He won't write out His will and send it down from Heaven. But, after much prayer (and other biblical steps of right decision making), we can proceed with peace and confidence knowing that God will guide us.

(If you want to learn more about how to make decisions God's way, read my book review on "Decision Making By the Book by clicking here.)

Serving God wholeheartedly

DAILY BIBLE READING:

Joshua 7:16-9:2
Luke 16:1-18
Psalm 82:1-8
Proverbs 13:2-3

BIBLE VERSE(S) FOR TODAY:

Luke 16:13 "No servant can serve two masters, since either he will hate one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.”

REFLECTIONS ON TODAY'S BIBLE VERSE(S):

In Americanized Christianity, we tend to think of our relationship with God as a segment of our life in which there are many other segments. There is church time, work time, family time, me time, etc.

While we wouldn't audibly agree with the fact that we compartmentalize our relationship with Jesus each day, our schedules tell us differently.

When we look at how too many of us spend too little time in God's Word and prayer each day and how rarely we speak of our Lord to others or offer up sporadic prayers throughout the day, but how much time we spend doing other things of no eternal value, we are reminded that our relationship with our God hasn't adequately permeated the moments of our days.

When we look at our verse for the day, we are reminded that God wants all of us, not just a part of us.

The language of our verse of the day tells us that Jesus says it is impossible to serve God as we should and yet also serve other things, too. There is no room for a segmented, compartmentalized life. We are either serving God as our master or we aren't.

Does that mean we must quit our jobs, leave our families, and give up our hobbies so that we can join a monastery to serve Jesus every moment of our day? Of course not!

Jesus wants us to experience the joy of serving Him while we go about the various activities of our day.

1 Corinthians 10:31 "So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everything for the glory of God."

Colossians 3:17 "And whatever you do, in word or in deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him."

So, as you live out the moments of your day, live with a conscience awareness of Jesus' presence with you in each of those moments. Let prayers flow from your lips during the moments of your days, especially when you need something from Him (e.g. wisdom for a decision, courage, peace, etc.). Consider writing a "verse for the day" down on an index card each morning so that you can meditate on it during the day.

Whatever it takes, strive to serve the Lord wholeheartedly while you live the moments of your day. Because, each follower of Jesus longs to one day hear Him say: "Well done, good and faithful servant" (Matthew 25:21).