Author: kendraske

Advent Day 4 – Trust and Obey: Lessons from Abram and Jesus (Genesis 12 + Luke 4)

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Read through the Bible in 2 Years: Luke 4

Today the kids and I read our fourth advent devotional in “From Creation to Christ” along with Luke 4. If you don’t have your own copy, you can order your own a Kindle version instantly, while you wait for the paper copy to arrive.

“Now the LORD said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. … So Abram went, as the LORD had told him.”

– Genesis 12:1, 4a ESV

“And Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness for forty days, being tempted by the devil. And he ate nothing during those days. And when they were ended, he was hungry.”

– Luke 4:1-2 ESV

My husband and I are about to celebrate our twenty-eighth wedding anniversary. Many of those years have been hard, friends, and sometimes I’ve questioned what God is up to. Why did He put the two of us together?

In the first five years of homeschooling, I often second guessed whether God had really called me to this because it was an uphill battle day after day. Now with the end of my homeschooling days on the horizon, I can look back and see God’s hand with me every step of the way. I know that God has carried me and walked with me, even though the path has been at times twisty and rocky.

Our culture has sold us the lie that if we obey God, then everything will be smooth sailing. Don’t believe it. It wasn’t smooth sailing for Noah or Abram. It wasn’t smooth sailing for John the Baptizer or Jesus Christ or His disciples. Don’t be surprised when it’s not smooth sailing for you.

My job isn’t to question and argue and second-guess, to help God figure out where I ought to turn. My job is to follow where God leads and stay on the path that He has set before me. My job is to trust and obey.

Heavenly Father, You know all the answers. You know what path is best. You are almighty. You are all-knowing. And You are good. Help me to trust You and to stay on that straight and narrow path. Help me to go where You lead me. Help me to follow You rather than trying to get out front. Help me to go where You send me. Help me to trust and obey. In the Name of Jesus Christ, my faithful Shepherd I pray. Amen.

Advent Day 3 – Noah’s Ark + John the Baptizer (Genesis 6-9; Luke 3)

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Read through the Bible in 2 Years: Luke 3

I am really enjoying reading my “From Creation to Christ” devotional along with Luke 3. It has been really interesting to see how God puts the topics of these readings together. The Kindle ebook version is FREE now through Monday, December 4 at 11:59pm Pacific Standard Time. Merry Christmas! Hurry and get your copy today and share it with your friends!

Though we don’t know what exactly Noah said to those living around him, 2 Peter 2:5 calls Noah, “a herald of righteousness.” Though we don’t know exactly how Noah was treated by those who saw him building an ark in a desert, Hebrews 11:7 says that, “By faith Noah, being warned by God concerning events as yet unseen, in reverent fear constructed an ark for the saving of his household. By this he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.”

We know more about John. We know that John “went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.” (Luke 3:3 ESV) We know that John had fiery words to say to his Jewish brothers who came to be baptized by him.

“You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bear fruits in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham. Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.”

Luke 3:7b-9 ESV

I was reminded this morning that John’s father, Zechariah, was a priest, but we see here in Luke 3 that John answered the crowds, even those detested tax collectors and soldiers, who asked, “What shall we do?” And again and again John pointed people to the One who is mightier than him, the one who was yet to come, who would baptize with the Holy Spirit and fire, who would gather the wheat into His barn and burn the chaff with unquenchable fire.

But Noah’s life and John’s life ended very differentlly. Noah’s life was spared, while John was locked up in prison (Luke 3:20) and eventually beheaded (Matthew 14:1-12).

So I’m asking myself, am I willing to be a herald of righteousness?

Am I willing to preach repentance or am I too afraid of what people will say?

Do I fear the disapproval of man … or of God?

Heavenly Father, make me like John and Noah. Make me a herald of good news. Help me to preach repentance and the good news of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ. I know how this story ends. I know that Jesus came, and I know that He is coming again. Help me to live for Your glory, rather than my own. Help me to love my neighbor more than I love my own comfort. Give me Your strength. Give me Your words. Guide me where You want me to go. In the Name of Jesus Christ, my Lord and my Savior, I pray. Amen.

Advent Day 2 – Eve + Mary (Genesis 3; Luke 2)

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Read through the Bible in 2 Years: Luke 2

Once again, my kids and I read our “From Creation to Christ” advent devotional, followed by Luke 2. The Kindle ebook version is FREE now through Monday, December 4 at 11:59pm Pacific Standard Time. Merry Christmas! Hurry and get your copy today and share it with your friends!

This time I was struck by comparing Mary with Eve. Mary “treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart” while Eve listened to the temptations of the serpent and her flesh rather than listening to the truth and kindness of her Creator.

Heavenly Father, make me more like Mary. I want my soul to magnify You, Lord. I want my spirit to rejoice in You, God, my Savior. Thank You, Father for looking upon me in my humble state. You have indeed done great things for me. You lift up the humble, and You humble the mighty. You fill the hungry with good things, and You send the rich away empty. I want to treasure these times with my children, sitting side by side on the couch, reading Your Word together. I want to treasure the life-giving Word that I hold in my hands. Help me to ponder its truths, mully them over in my mind and treasuring them in my heart, that they will come out of my mouth in season and out of season. I want my thoughts to be Your thoughts and my words to be Your words. May everything that has breath praise You, Lord, for You are worthy to be praised. In the Name of Jesus Christ, my Savior and Lord, I pray. Amen.

Advent Day 1 – God Always Has a Plan (Genesis 1; Luke 1)

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Read through the Bible in 2 years: Luke 1

The kids and I read our daily Advent devotional in “From Creation to Christ” along with our Luke 1 Bible passage. The Kindle ebook version is FREE now through Monday, December 4 at 11:59pm Pacific Standard Time. Merry Christmas! Hurry and get your copy today and share it with your friends!

What jumped out at me this time was that God had a plan for everything He made in the six days of creation, and God had a plan in the birth of John and of Jesus. Though both of these first born sons were miraculous gifts from God, God sent John to be born to an elderly priest and his barren wife, while God sent Jesus to be born of a young woman not yet married. John was conceived by an earthly father, while Jesus was God’s own begotten Son, born of the Holy Spirit Himself.

As an atheist I struggled to find purpose in my life. I was taught again and again that everything I saw, including myself, had evolved through a series of random events over billions of years. What a lie! And a lie with major consequences.

God wanted John to be named John (G2491 Ἰωάννης iōannēs) from the Hebrew name (H3110 יוֹחָנָן yôḥānān) which means “Jehovah is a gracious giver” or “Jehovah has graced,” and God wanted His Holy Son to be called Jesus (G2424 Ἰησοῦς iēsous) from the Hebrew name (H3091 יְהוֹשׁוּעַ yᵊhôšûaʿ) which means “Jehovah is salvation.”

God has purpose for every thing He makes. He designed the water, air, earth, stars, plants and animals to work together, and He designed John and Jesus, Zechariah, Elizabeth, Mary, and Joseph, to work together, too. What a privilege it is to be part of God’s kingdom and part of God’s family!

Heavenly Father, Thank You for making me. Thank You for making the trees that stretch high up into the sky, towering over us, and thank You for making ants that crawl along the ground. I pray that You will encourage me to walk by faith and to accomplish the good works that You have created in advance for me to do. I am Your poema, Your workmanship. Thank You, Father, for creating each of my children for a unique purpose. Guide them by Your Word and Your Holy Spirit. In the Name of Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, I pray. Amen.

“From Creation to Christ” meets Luke 1: Advent Day 1

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Read through the Bible in 2 Years: Luke 1

Today, December 1, is the first day of Advent. I’ll be reading the first devotional in “From Creation to Christ” along with Luke 1. If you haven’t bought your own copy, download the Kindle version today!

The Power and Gift of Music: Thoughts from 1 Samuel 16

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Read through the Bible in 2 Years: 1 Samuel 16

When the harmful spirit was tormenting Saul, music would refresh him. I have experienced first hand the power that music has over me. It can make me feel anxious or peaceful, excited or restful.

Lyrics, too, have such power. Memorizing lyrics to a song is so much easier than a paragraph of text of a similar length. What lyrics do you want stuck in your head? A jingle from some obnoxious commercial you saw on TV last night or a psalm, hymn, or spiritual song?

This is why my advent book features two songs every day. In fact, I created an Advent Playlist on YouTube to accompany it.

For the next month, pay attention to the songs running through your head and what impact they have on your thoughts and your mood.

Psalm 1
All Creatures of our God and King
Is He Worthy
The First Noel

To Obey is Better than Sacrifice: Thoughts from 1 Samuel 13-15.

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Read through the Bible in 2 Years: 1 Samuel 13-15.

“Has the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams.”

1 Samuel 15:22 ESV

Am I as faithful to obey God in the little things as I am to obey Him in the “big ones”?

I go to church every week without fail, but am I as faithful in reaching out to a hurting neighbor or stranger in need?

I read my Bible every single day, but am I as diligent in being patient and kind to my husband and children day after day?

I answer each and every question in my Bible study workbook, but am I as conscientious in sharing the gospel and making disciples of the lost.

I try to take every opportunity I have to teach others the goodness of God, but am I as careful on praying without ceasing and seeking the Lord’s guidance in my own daily life.

There are some areas of my life that I find easier to obey than others. How about you? What is easier for you to obey and where do you struggle?

I think some of the things that are easier for me to obey are because they are more enjoyable for me. I simply enjoy reading and singing and studying more than I enjoy serving and listening and being kind. But I’m afraid that some of the things are easier for me because they are more visible. Other people see me at church. Other people hear me teaching or participating in Bible study.

Oh, Father, help me to live for Your “well done.” Protect me from seeking man’s praise rather than Your praise. I want to live for an audience of One. You are my perfect judge. Your opinion is what matters. Help me to trust and obey. Day by day. In the Name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen.

Galatians 1:10 ESV — For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.

Colossians 3:22 ESV — Bondservants, obey in everything those who are your earthly masters, not by way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord.

Matthew 6:1-34

For the Lord’s Great Name’s Sake. The Knowledge of the Holy and 1 Samuel 12.

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Read through the Bible in 2 Years: 1 Samuel 12

I have recently begun reading A.W. Tozer’s “The Knowledge of the Holy” for the fifth time. Other than the Bible and C.S. Lewis’s Chronicles of Narnia series, I’ve never read the same book again and again. The first chapter of “The Knowledge of the Holy” is entitled, “Why We Must Think Rightly About God.” I’d love to just quote the whole chapter for you, but instead I’ll share a few sentences and urge you to get the book for yourself.

“We tend by a secret law of the soul to move toward our mental image of God.”

“Compared with our actual thoughts about Him, our creedal statements are of little consequence.”

“All the problems of heaven and earth, though they were to confront us together and at once, would be nothing compared with the overwhelming problem of God: That He is; what He is like; and what we as mortal beings must do about Him.”

I was thinking about these ideas while reading 1 Samuel 12, especially this verse:

For the LORD will not forsake his people, for his great name’s sake, because it has pleased the LORD to make you a people for himself.

1 Samuel 12:22 ESV

Questions like, “Does God exist for my pleasure or do I exist for His? Does God see me, know me, and care about me? Is He in charge or am I? Will God keep His promises? Why?” run through my mind. The answers to these questions are found – must be found – in God’s Word rather than our emotions, logical conclusions, or Google searches.

Pray with me.

Heavenly Father, I know that You are all-powerful and all-knowing and holy and righteous and good because Your Word and Your Creation confirm it. You have created me and redeemed me for Your pleasure, for Your Name’s sake. I want to live for Your glory. I want to glorify and magnify Your Name. Help me. Strengthen me. Enlighten me. Draw all men to Yourself that there might be a great cloud of witnesses praising You for all eternity. In the Name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen.

Our Past Experiences Impact Our Present Reactions. 1 Samuel meets Judges.

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Read through the Bible in 2 Years: 1 Samuel 11.

Once again I was reminded of the story of the Levite and his concubine which took place in Gibeah (Saul’s hometown) in Judges 19-21, particularly Judges 19:29 ESV, “And when [the Levite] entered his house, he took a knife, and taking hold of his concubine he divided her, limb by limb, into twelve pieces, and sent her throughout all the territory of Israel.” Along with Judges 21:14 ESV, “And Benjamin returned at that time. And they gave them the women whom they had saved alive of the women of Jabesh-gilead….”

Saul is a Benjaminite from the city of Gibeah. He would have known these stories. In fact, his family would have been directly touched by these events recorded in Judges.

Now notice the connections in 1 Samuel 11. Nahash the Ammonite is attacking the people of Jabesh-Gilead — Was Saul’s mother from there? His aunt? His best friend’s mom?

Saul took the yoke of oxen and cut them in pieces and sent them to all the other tribes in Israel — Just like what the Levite had done with his concubine’s body. It had worked last time to get the people involved, and it worked this time for Saul.

Our family’s traditions, the stories we grow up hearing, the attitudes of people around us, they impact our lives. How I react to my husband, my children, and the cashier at Walmart is shaped by my upbringing. The takeaway for me in this is twofold. One, as a mom, I want to consider the impact I’m having on my children. How am I shaping them by how I behave and what experiences I invite into my children’s lives? Two, as a grown person, how are my actions today being shaped not by the Holy Spirit and the Word of God but by my past. How am I following my passions, instincts, and impulses rather than the Lord?

Heavenly Father, I love You. All Your ways are right. All You do is good. Father, I want to follow You all the days of my life. I want to be conformed into Your image. Make me more like You. I pray that all my actions would be led by Your Holy Spirit who dwells in me and Your Inspired Word that is a lamp to my feet. Give me wisdom as a mother to recognize how my attitudes and actions, what I let into my children’s lives, what I put in front of their faces, will shape their lives in the future. Help me to live for Your glory. In the Name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen.

The Tribe of Benjamin. 1 Samuel meets Judges.

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Read through the Bible in 2 Years: 1 Samuel 9-10.

Reading through the Bible book by book has helped me make connections that I’d missed before. The book of Judges ended with the terrible story about the Levite whose concubine was raped and murdered in the land of Benjamin. (Read Judges 19-21). Next, all the tribes of Israel went up against the Benjaminites. Thousands were killed on both sides and the tribe of Benjamin was defeated. In the end, though, Israel decided they didn’t want the tribe of Benjamin to be wiped out, so they devised a plan to repopulate the land of Benjamin by providing the few remaining men with virgin young women from Jabesh-Gilead plus those captured from Shiloh.

Now reading 1 Samuel, Israel demanded a king and God chose a man of Benjamin. Benjamin. And the Lord confirmed this in front of all the people, choosing the tribe of Benjamin, the clan of the Matrites, and Saul, the son of Kish, by lots.

Such a powerful example of God’s ways being higher than ours.

Lord, I often don’t understand what You’re doing, why You lead the way You do. Help me to trust You, to believe that You are at work even in the craziness of daily life in this crazy world. Help me to trust You and walk by faith day by day. In the Name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen.

Shane and Shane – Psalm 90