by Suellen | Project 2013: Read The Bible
Jeremiah 40-42
We see in our modern times how a vacuum of leadership is a dangerous thing. When dictators are removed from their position, there is rejoicing for a season, and then confusion seems to set in. All of the different factions are vying for the top spot. Some principles remain the same throughout history.
When Judah fell to Babylon all of the rich, educated, and productive people of the community were taken away. The only people left behind were the poorest of the land. Nebuchadnezzar’s choice of king, Gedaliah, was put in place, but only for a short season. As usually happens, the one who was easily controlled by Nebuchadnezzar was also easily fooled by Ishmael. The result: a slaughtered king and all of his cohorts, and many who were ready to run to Egypt because of the slaughter.
This is a spiritual lesson for our day. Of course, we need strong, godly leadership in government, but I am talking about a lesson for us personally.
When Jesus is truly our leader, we will stay focused on our purpose and continue on the path of God. We will have the peace He promises us.
However, if we put down our guard, get too busy, and allow His headship to become vacated in 0ur lives, we are in trouble. There is no such thing as a vacuum in the spirit. As soon as that place of authority in our lives goes untended, Satan moves right in. He has his own plans for our lives, and they are not good ones.
Over the years, in pastoring, I have seen some sad cases of people turning to the Lord, being blessed, and then becoming too busy or distracted for Him. Before they knew it, the enemy was at the door. Sometimes healed marriages would revert back to disarray and divorce. Sometimes addictions would rise up in greater force than ever. Sometimes financial chaos would develop.
Jesus put it this way,”When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, he goes through dry places, seeking rest and finds none. Then he says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ And when he comes, he finds it empty, swept, and put in order. Then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter and dwell there; and the last state of that man is worse than the first.”(Matthew 12:43-45)
We can’t afford to have vacuums of headship in our lives. Either we will continue with Jesus, or demonic forces will come and take that place.
However, you and I are dedicated to filling up our lives – our thoughts and attitudes – with the Word of God. As we develop the mind of Christ, the enemy has no chance with us!
That’s the way I want to live! I know that you do too.
Hebrews 2
Hang on! Here goes a big one.
“Inasmuch as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is the devil, and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.” (V. 14)
God’s Son became a man and walked the earth as we do. It’s hard to imagine that our Jesus went through the same temptations that we do, but He did. He not only knows what it means to be a man because of His all-knowing aspect, but he experienced it first hand.
So not only did Jesus take on the form of a man, but he walked in our footsteps just as we do, and He came out totally victorious. He was tempted, but He never, never sinned. And through His perfection He had the right to overcome death which the devil brought His way.
Not only that, but in taking on the form of man, He was able to become a merciful and faithful High Priest. (V.17) He knows what we are going through.
The bottom line is this: are you in need? Run to Him. Are you overwhelmed? Run to Him. Have you sinned, and do you feel unworthy? Run to Him.
As long as we keep Jesus as our High Priest, we will be just fine.
Of course, things will not always go our way, and we won’t always do things just right. But there is nothing which can separate us from God’s love for us.
If we run to Jesus and spend time with Him, we will find ourselves growing in our confidence – and our ability to overcome our obstacles.
He is an Overcomer, and so are we!
by Suellen | Project 2013: Read The Bible
Isaiah 3-4
Whether it’s a nation, a church, or a family, groups of people need leadership. Of course, Jesus is ultimately everyone’s leader, but God’s design is for there to be “under leaders” representing Him and causing groups to work together in an orderly way to achieve His vision.
When leaders stop representing Him and begin to represent themselves, we have a problem. They turn their positions into self-serving roles. When leaders reject God, they reject wisdom, and become like spoiled children trying to lead. Their rebellion displays foolishness.
Rebellion and selfishness go hand in hand. When God’s people turn from him, they inevitably turn to self-centered lifestyles. In fact they begin putting themselves on a pedestal.
That’s what we see in these chapters of Isaiah. And God responds to their wicked ways. He is going to remove Himself from the scene – and believe me, that doesn’t make for a pretty sight.
Yet when our God has a rebuke for errant ways, He always has a promise of restoration to go along with it. In the 4th chapter of Isaiah we have promises of glorious days ahead – when the people turn back to God – and he will turn back to Him.
Our society in these times is in need of soul-searching. There are many who have not only turned away, they have mocked their Creator. Those of us who pray, should be praying for a turn-around.
We need God today – just as they did in the days of Isaiah! Today, just as in those days, there are self-centered, foolish leaders trying to lead – for their own gain.
Let’s pray for them – and check out our own leadership in our homes and on the job. Christ-centered leadership is the only kind that works.
Ephesians 2-3
God’s great mysteries are being revealed by God to Paul – and he in turn reveals them to us. “God did not reveal it to previous generations, but now by His spirit He has revealed it to His holy apostles and prophets.”(3:5)
There are two major revelations – which if we can receive, our lives will be transformed.
The first is that we are saved by grace and not by works. (2:8-10) That’s a concept that many repeat, without really knowing what it means. It means that salvation is not about being a “good” person, but about receiving the forgiveness provided by Jesus through the cross. It’s a free gift for us to receive – and honor.
None of us should feel that we have been good enough to earn God’s gift. We can’t earn it; it’s too big. What we can do is receive the gift and allow our Father to work within us, creating the masterpiece He had in mind when He designed us.
The second key revelation is that salvation is provided for all people who receive it. No longer are the Jews the only ones who are God’s people. All of us have a chance to be.
Now don’t get me wrong. Salvation is offered to all people of every nation, but not all will receive it. It’s a two-way deal and we have to buy in on it to have the gift in our lives.
I think of it a little like a contract for a purchase. A contract may be presented to you for the purchase of your home, but until you accept it and sign it, the offer doesn’t go forward. It’s the same with your salvation. An offer has been presented to you, but you have to accept it to receive the benefits.
I want to receive every detail of my Father’s offer. And I want to make sure that I receive every benefit available!
by Suellen | Project 2013: Read The Bible
Proverbs 13-16
Do you have a merry heart? Do you find humor even during the tough days? Do you laugh often? Laughter is like a medicine to us.
In recent years, many medical journals have reported on the importance of joy and laughter in physical health. Happy people generally suffer less illness and when they do get ill, recover faster.
It’s always interesting to me to see the many Biblical principles which “suddenly” appear in research as new-found truths. They have been there all along – in God’s great book of wisdom.
There is a definite spirit-mind-body connection, so that what affects one will affect the others. That’s why “hope deferred” makes the heart sick (13:12). That’s also why good news “makes your bones fat.” (15:30) (Bone marrow is the source of your healthy blood supply).
As we follow the principles laid out for us, we will be healthier all around.
One more note: twice during these proverbs do we get a certain message. “There is a way which seems right to a man, but the end of it is death.” (14:12; 16:25).
That could be, in a nutshell, what we have attempted to say over and over. If you just go by what “seems right” to the world, you are probably going down the wrong path – and it will eventually catch up with you. For instance, the social drink and happy hour may have seemed right. But to the alcoholic whose life has been shattered by it, it’s not as “happy” as they thought it would be.
Or maybe all of those extra pieces of pie, fried food, and gravy “seem right” at the time. But there is payback coming. Watch for it.
There are many other paths which lead to death. Greed, dishonest gain, strife, and many others.
God’s path is always a good path. There may be moments of trouble or sadness, which come to every life, but as we proceed down His path, we will see the wisdom He provides.
II Corinthians 6
Yesterday we talked about the new creation we become when we accept Jesus. Today, we read where Paul admonishes us to continue to live like the new person and not the old.
There are some who come to the Lord, but continue in their old ways. They allow their old friends to influence them to turn back to the sinful lives they once had. That’s not God’s way. He wants you to influence your friends, and not the other way around.
When people turn back to their old ways, they start disrespecting those who have influenced their growth. That’s what Paul was dealing with in this chapter. So he lists the many trials he has suffered for the sake of getting the gospel to the Corinthians.
Paul speaks of having been beaten, pursued by angry mobs, put in prison, worked to exhaustion, and gone without sleep or food in order to bring the gospel to these people. Yet they are now dishonoring him because of the company they keep.
He reminds these Corinthians that God has spoken to His people to “come out from among the unbelievers.” (V. 17)
There is a holiness which our God provides which is anathema to the way of the world. If we are not influencing others for Christ, they are influencing us to turn away.
It’s something to think about for our own lives. Who are you running with? It says something about you.
by Suellen | Project 2013: Read The Bible
Psalm 90-91
Do you expect God to be big in your life? Do you expect supernatural favor? Supernatural protection? Abundant grace and mercy? If you are not expecting much from Him, these psalms are for you.
Our God is not only able – as almost every Christian knows. He is willing and eager to be a part of our lives.
So what does that look like when we engage with our Creator as we live our daily lives? Psalm 91 is a perfect picture of that engagement.
He is our refuge and protector.
He hides us in His shadow, so that we are not afraid of anything. We’re not afraid of the terror by night, nor the arrow by day, nor the plagues, nor any destruction. Even when we see others falling around us, we have continued faith that our God is protecting us.
His angels watch over us diligently.
We know that He is with us in trouble. He rescues us and honors us. And He will satisfy us with long life.
Think of all of those benefits and reach out for them. Our God will bring us through in every event we encounter.
To receive these benefits, we must believe and receive what He has promised. And that’s really believe these promises. That kind of belief only comes to us as we meditate on His word until it becomes part of us.
So meditate on these scriptures. Repeat them to yourself as you go about your day. They are real to those who believe.
Romans 12
That Word meditation carries over into this Romans chapter.
The world is trying to press us into a mold – a mold which looks like everyone else. What does this mold look like? Just the opposite of the faith-filled life. This worldly mold presses us into lack, depression, self-centeredness, and a nothing-we-do-seems-to-work mentality.
If there is any success in this mold, it is a climb over everyone type of success. But that’s not the success our God is talking about.
He wants us to represent Him to the world. He wants us to signify to the world that there is indeed a God in heaven who loves them as well as us, and who is reaching out to them also.
So we present our bodies as a living sacrifice – not to be beat up, but to show His glory to the world. When we live our lives for Him, we will be signposts pointing to the One True God. We will also be willing to share with others His goodness when He so guides us.
We are ambassadors of God’s kingdom, showing those around us that there is a way of life and truth available to them also.
So let’s renew our minds to God’s way and practice the life He has designed for us. It’s truly the greatest life there could ever be!
by Suellen | Project 2013: Read The Bible
II Chronicles 23-24
God always has a remnant.
For Athaliah, the daughter of Ahab and Jezebel, to be queen of Judah was like Satan himself taking over God’s country. The temple was trampled, many of the holy things of the house were transferred for use by the priests of the Baals.( Baal was her God, just as he was her parents’). Hard times in Israel.
Yet God’s righteous man arose with a plan. Jehoiada, the priest, rallied some faithful leaders and they surrounded Joash, took him out of hiding, and crowned him king. Then they seized Athaliah and put her to death.
Joash was only seven years old when he was crowned king, but he had a wonderful mentor in Jehoiada. The priest led some people to destroy all of the altars and items of Baal, and they set out to restore the temple. Joash followed his lead and began raising money to restore the temple.
“Joash did what was right in the sight of the Lord all the days of Jehoiada the priest.”(24:2)
It’s interesting to note here that as soon as a leader arose, there were many who followed. That’s something for us to consider today. When we look at our nation and see the immorality, the seeming apathy of believers, and the general trends of thought, we might think that there is no hope for us. But that’s not true.
There are many who want God’s purposes to be done, but they don’t have the drive or the gift to take charge. God is looking for some who will step up to the challenge.
When leaders step forth, there are those who will follow. You can see that in some of the grass-roots movements which are rising up in our nation today. There are many – looking for a leader to challenge them.
People with vision and determination to affect change will always be in high demand. By God and by men.
Leaders, however, can take people in either direction – up or down. So it’s important to take care just whom you are aligned with.
After Jehoiada’s death, Joash listened to others and forsook the true God, going after the Asherim and other idols. When Zechariah, Jehoiada’s son, tried to bring them back to the Lord, Joash had him killed.
The child king, who had helped lead his people back to the Lord, forsook his God at the end of his life. (Reminds you of Solomon, doesn’t it)?
I never want to turn away from my God , or to get lukewarm. I want to bear fruit all the days of my life.
John 15
This chapter is the key to a true life in Christ. Jesus gives us the imagery of a vine with many branches. He’s the vine and we are the branches.
So how are we connected? We are connected by the life flow of the Holy Spirit. We don’t each have our own root systems; our roots are in Jesus. As the sap flows from the roots of the vine and gives life to the branches, so does God’s anointing – His Holy Spirit – flow from Jesus and give us life.
When a vine grows, every healthy branch will bear fruit. Every branch which has the flow of sap coming in fullness will produce the purpose. In the same way, if there is a steady flow of God’s anointing, the Holy Spirit through us from Jesus, we will be producing fruit. The only way we don’t produce the fruit is if we disconnect ourselves from the vine.
Branches which don’t produce fruit are not connected – they are fake branches. Those branches will be cut off and thrown away. And if we, as a branch do produce fruit, we will be pruned so that we will be more fruitful. Through His Word and correction He will keep us vital.
I love this image. This shows how Christianity is so different from all other religions. Every other religion has a list of rules which people are to follow. These rules are to make one holy, with sometimes promises of a hereafter.
Christianity is totally different. It’s not a set of rules; it’s a life. It’s God’s life within us.
We have literally a new birth within our spirits so that we have God’s very life – the sap of the vine – leading us, guiding us, giving us wisdom, and even empowering us to live this new life.
For those who have never tasted of this life, it sounds like science fiction, but for those who have tasted of it, this is very real. As we read these passages we begin to understand why we feel so different and look at life so differently after we become born again. We are changed; we are different.
This reminds me of the story about Augustine, who wrote the City of God, and other works in the early centuries of Christianity. Augustine had been an atheist, living an extremely worldly lifestyle up until the time he met his Savior. During that time, he lived with a mistress for many years.
About ten years after his salvation, Augustine happened to meet his old lover on the street. She ran up to speak to him, but he walked by her, seeming not to notice her. She said, “Augustine, look at me. It is I!” He turned and looked at her and said, “But it is not I.”
Augustine was referring to the fact that he had been totally changed. He was not the old man, Augustine, but a new man, God’s man. A new creature in Christ.
Augustine was now living – not a life of the flesh, but a life of the spirit – with the source of his life being from his Savior.
This is so important. As children of God, we are no longer who we were before we got saved, but now we are His people. Our sins have been forgiven and we have the privilege of walking in the newness of life He has given us.
Oh, I hope we can get this!
