Category: Faith

The Need for Justice, Wisdom, and Humility

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Read through the Bible in 2 Years: Deuteronomy 16:17-18:14

The Lord knows man’s heart, and the Lord knows the future. He knows that we are prone to be partial and selfish and unjust. He knows how easy it is for us to go astray, whether we are a common laborer or housewife or the highest leader in the land.

So, in His mercy, He gave us the Law, His Word to memorize and to meditate on. Though the Israelites had never had a king, God knew that someday they would, and so He made provision especially for him, saying, “Don’t get a bunch of horses and wives and stuff because then your heart will turn away from Me.” But He didn’t stop there. God didn’t only have a ‘don’t do’ list. The Lord went on to say,

“And when [a Hebrew king] sits on the throne of his kingdom, he shall write for himself in a book a copy of this law, approved by the Levitical priests.

And it shall be with him, and he shall read in it all the days of his life, that he may learn to fear the LORD his God by keeping all the words of this law and these statutes, and doing them, that his heart may not be lifted up above his brothers, and that he may not turn aside from the commandment, either to the right hand or to the left, so that he may continue long in his kingdom, he and his children, in Israel.

Deuteronomy 17:18-20 ESV

This is a good word for us, too.

There is great value in not only reading the Word, but also in writing it. Take the time to write down the actual words of the Bible, along with your own personal thoughts.

Read the Word daily. Meditate on what it says. And obey its commands. Remember that the Lord your God is in your midst and fear Him, that you will be humble and it will go well with you.

Heavenly Father, Thank You for giving us Your Word. We want to know it, that we may know You. We want to walk in Your ways. We want to be more like You. Help us to be merciful and humble and just. Keep us from pride and self-sufficiency. Help us to love and honor You, by loving our neighbors as ourselves. We lift up our nation’s leaders to You. We pray that You will guide and direct their steps. We pray that You will “open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in [You].” (Acts 26:18) In the Name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen.

You are God Alone

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Read through the Bible in 2 Years: Deuteronomy 10-11

Behold, to the LORD your God belong heaven and the heaven of heavens,
the earth with all that is in it.

Yet the LORD set his heart in love on your fathers and chose their offspring after them, you above all peoples,
as you are this day.

Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart, and be no longer stubborn.

Deuteronomy 10:14-16 ESV

Heavenly Father, You are God and God alone. All of heaven and earth are in the palm of Your hand. You are above all things. You rule over all things. You are the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end, the eternal and unchanging One. It is by Your will that all of the universe came into existence, and it is by Your will that all of life is sustained. What is man that You are mindful of him? Who am I that You care for me? The very thought that You know me by name, that You love me, oh, Lord, such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to understand. Thank You, Lord. I pray that I would fear You with holy reverence, that I would walk in Your ways, that I would love and serve You with all my heart and soul, keeping Your commands and loving others as You have loved me, all the days of my life. In gratitude to my Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ, I pray. Amen.

You are God Alone – Phillips, Craig, and Dean

When God says No

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Read through the Bible in 2 Years: Deuteronomy 3

In Deuteronomy 3, we read the words of Moses to the Lord, “Please let me go over and see the good land beyond the Jordan …” (verse 25a) and we read the Lord’s answer. Moses would be allowed to view the Promised Land from atop Mount Pisgah, but he would not be allowed to go in with the people he had led for all those years. Despite Moses’s humble plea, God chose young Joshua to lead His people across the Jordan.

Why won’t God let Moses go into the Promised Land with those people that he has served through plagues and battles and complaint after complaint? It seems mean, unfair.

Is there something you’re pleading with God for, something you’ve asked God for time and time again? Do you ever feel like God has forgotten you, that He doesn’t love you, that your requests aren’t important to Him?

Let me first say that if you are not a member of God’s family, if you haven’t been adopted as His Son or daughter, then that’s the first step you need to take. Give your life over to the Lord. Repent of your sins, and ask Him to forgive you. Ask Him to put His Holy Spirit in you and turn you from darkness to light. Study His Word and get involved in a local Bible-believing, Bible-preaching body of believers.

But, if you have been born again into the family of God, then let me encourage you that God hears your prayers, but sometimes His answer is no. As His children, we can trust that God has a purpose for our lives even when His answer is ‘no.’

  • Sometimes He is disciplining us for our past disobedience, like a good Father should.
  • Sometimes He is giving someone else a blessing, a chance to lead or receive.
  • Sometimes He knows that giving us what we ask would hurt us and He is protecting us in His refusal.

I may never know why God says No, but I can always trust that no matter what, He is with me, He hears me, and He is at work in my life.

Heavenly Father, Your ways are not my ways. Your thoughts are not my thoughts. Help me to trust You when I don’t understand Your ‘No.’ Help me to believe that You are at work behind the scenes, working all things together for good, because I love You and You have called me for Your purposes. Whether I get to lead my people all the way into the Promised Land or I only get a glimpse of the good things to come, I want to be used by You. I trust You. In the Name of Jesus Christ who is faithful and good. Amen.

All the Way My Savior Leads Me – Deuteronomy 1-2

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Read through the Bible: Deuteronomy 1-2

I think there’s something incredibly powerful in true stories. Reading the biographies of Christian brothers and sisters like Hudson Taylor, Gladys Aylward, and Corrie Ten Boom is both inspiring and convicting. It reminds me that God is real, that He is on His throne, that He hears and answers prayers, and that He loves His children. I would highly recommend to you and your family the Christian Heroes books written by the married team, Janet and Geoff Benge. I’ve read at least a dozen of their books and loved every one. In fact, I recently discovered that my local library has several of their Christian biographies available on audiobook. Hooray! Did you know I absolutely love listening to audiobooks?

I absolutely love reading Paul’s words of encouragement and instruction as held in Philippians and Romans, but today, our first day of school – and first day of reading Notgrass Exploring America – was the perfect day to begin reading the story of the Israelite people in Deuteronomy. As immensely valuable as it is to learn the history of America and other countries around the world, it’s so much more important to learn the history of God and His people.

Here are a few takeaways I had from today’s reading:

1. God made a way for His people to enter the Promised Land, but they had to take action, obeying Him, going in and taking possession of the land. (Deuteronomy 1:8) I have found in my own life that the Lord has prepared me and my circumstances to accomplish His purposes, but that doesn’t make me exempt from taking the necessary steps of obedience to achieve them.

2. Moses was a fabulous leader and man of God but even he needed other people to partner with him in leading the Israelites. (Deuteronomy 1:9-18)

3. Even when we get to see first-hand the Lord working before our very eyes, we can forget His love and provision for us. We must be careful to remind ourselves again and again of His faithfulness.

For the LORD your God has blessed you in all the work of your hands.
He knows your going through
this great wilderness. These forty years the LORD your God has been with you.
You have lacked nothing.

Deuteronomy 2:7 ESV

Let’s pray.

Heavenly Father, You are as real and powerful and faithful today as You were thousands of years ago. You cared for and provided for Your Hebrew children, and You care for and provide for me. Thank You for Your faithfulness. Thank You for Your guidance. Thank You for the nourishing food and clean water and safe shelter that You have given to me. Even when the way seems dark and I feel alone, I can trust that every day of my life You have been with me and I have lacked for nothing. I am grateful. For the glory and majesty of Your Name I pray. Amen.

All the Way my Savior Leads Me

Submission to Authorities

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Read through the Bible in 2 Years: Romans 13:1-7

Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.

Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad.

Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, for he is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer.

Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God’s wrath but also for the sake of conscience. For because of this you also pay taxes, for the authorities are ministers of God, attending to this very thing. Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed.

Romans 13:1-7 ESV

Here in America I don’t often struggle with obeying our government authorities. I have found that most of their decisions are good. I should obey the speed limit and make a complete stop at a stop sign. I shouldn’t steal or murder or lie in court.

I’m allowed to freely teach my children all the ins and outs of our Christian faith. There is absolutely nothing preventing me from practicing my faith and teaching my children the Bible and all of its practices. Even as a homeschooling parent, my state’s rules allow me the freedom to choose any curriculum I believe that is appropriate for my child.

But what would I do if I lived in a nation that forbade such practices?

  • What if my country regulated what pastors were allowed to say from the pulpit?
  • What if my country said I wasn’t allowed to teach my children the Bible or take them to church?
  • What if my country banned prayer altogether, even a child’s silent prayer before eating lunch or taking a test?
  • What if my nation wouldn’t allow me to choose a private Christian school or Christian homeschooling curriculum?
  • What if my government banned homeschooling altogether?
  • When do I say, “I must obey God rather than men,” (Acts 5:29) and refuse to submit to the government’s orders?

Many of our brothers and sisters in other nations are already wrestling with these issues and I’m afraid many of these issues are already on the horizon for us as well. Please join me in prayer.

Heavenly Father, I thank You for the freedom that we in America have enjoyed for hundreds of years, the freedom to worship You in spirit and in truth, the freedom to teach our children the Word with passion and conviction. I pray that we would make the most of this freedom while we have it. I pray that we would not give up meeting together, and that we would teach our children diligently, verse by verse and precept upon precept. I pray for our brothers and sisters and other nations who do not enjoy these freedoms. I pray that You would give them wisdom about when to submit and when to refuse. Help them to have genuine love for their enemies and to overcome evil with good. Help them to remember that Your Word is their most powerful weapon. Please, Father, fight their battles for them and shelter them under Your wings. In the name of Jesus Christ I pray, Amen.

Overcoming Evil with Good

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Read through the Bible in 2 Years: Romans 12

12:9 ESV — Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good.

I love Romans 12. It’s so full of practical wisdom. I’d love to memorize all 21 verses in order, so I could remind myself of every ounce of it every time I needed it.

First, I need to be reminded that my body is a living sacrifice for God, that I might walk daily in the holy obedience of faith.

Second, I need to be reminded not to think of myself too highly, but to remember that my faith is a good gift from God, that I might serve Him by serving others in my teaching, exhortation, giving, leading, and serving.

And then, I need to be reminded that my love must be genuine and sincere, free from hypocrisy, that I would hate what is evil and cling to what is good. This reminds me of 1 Corinthians 13:6, Love “does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth.” Our culture says that we should applaud others’ choices, no matter what they are, but our Lord says that genuine love HATES evil and LOVES good.

And finally, I need to be reminded how to treat those enemies that genuine love will make, that I am not to repay wrong with wrong, but to overcome evil with good.

Light and love are our secret weapons in the fight against the evil one
and those in his grasp.

Vengeance belongs to the Lord, not us. We are His servants, called to put on the full armor of God, to resist the devil and fight the good fight of faith. Let’s pray.

Heavenly Father, please help us to remember that we are Your soldiers, Your workmanship, Your children, Your servants, that we are in a battle between good and evil. Let us fight this battle well, with the sword of the spirit ready in our minds, mouths, and hands, overcoming evil with good by Your power at work in us. Let us not grow weary of doing good, knowing that at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not lose heart. In the Almighty and Good name of Jesus Christ we pray. Amen.

Call on the Lord and Be Saved

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Read through the Bible in 2 Years: Romans 10

Dear friends, if you are reading this and have not yet bowed the knee to Jesus, let me appeal to you that you turn to Him today and be saved. Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, left the glories of heaven, took on human flesh, was born as a human baby, lived a perfect and sinless life, performed numerous miracles before thousands of eye witnesses, taught with authority explaining the way of salvation by faith in the One true God. He died on a Roman cross to pay the punishment for the sins of humans like you and me, making a way – the only way – for man to be forgiven by a just and holy God, and now He invites us to trust in Him and be saved from the wrath of God.

My testimony as a former atheist

God is Real: The Eyewitness Testimony of a Former Atheist is available on Amazon or at the bookseller of your choice. Pick up a copy to give to someone you know.

Hope and The Groanings of Childbirth

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Read through the Bible in 2 Years: Romans 8:18-27

Giving birth to my stillborn son, Tommy, was a completely different experience than giving birth to my living children, not because the physical pain was less but because there was no expectation of joy to come. It’s hard to watch a mother in obvious pain as she groans and struggles in the pains of labor and childbirth, but the pain she’s experiencing is not without hope. That mother has hope during her pain because she knows that in the end she will hold a precious little bundle of love in her arms.

Earlier this week I saw this definition of HOPE penned on a dry erase board in a friend’s kitchen. Desire plus expectation equals HOPE. Expectation without desire is merely drudgery. Desire without expectation is just wishful thinking. But expectation combined with desire puts fuel in our tanks and joy in our hearts. Hope enables us to keep pushing forward through the pain.

Dear sisters, take heart in Christ. There is something infinitely better than a pot of gold on the other side of the pains of this life. All of creation is groaning today, but everlasting joy is coming. In this world we do indeed have trouble but we can take heart because Jesus has overcome the world. He has triumphed over sin and death. If the Spirit of God dwells in you, then you can have total confidence that you will be raised from the dead, just as Christ was. This is our sure confidence and hope.

The Law is Good, but I’m a Two-Year-Old.

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Read through the Bible in 2 Years: Romans 7:7-25

If you’ve ever taken care of a 2-year-old, you’ll understand what I’m talking about here. You tell the child that they’re not allowed to have something or do something, and then that is exactly what they absolutely have to have or do. All too often the battle within my own heart looks way too much like my battles with my two-year-old grandchild.

  • No, Honey, you can’t have that knife. It’s dangerous. Put it down right now.
  • Oh, Sweetheart, I’m sorry, but you can’t go down the stairs by yourself. Grammy has to hold your hand. You might get hurt.
  • Well, Love, it’s time for bed. Grammy’s going to read you some books. You can pick three books for me to read. Only three. No, only three. Just three.

Why can’t I obey the Lord promptly, cheerfully, and completely? Why does He have to tell me the same thing time after time, day after day? Don’t I trust Him?

Heavenly Father, I know that You are good and kind. I know that Your Laws are for my good, to keep me safe. I want to bring You glory and honor. Please help me to trust and obey You with all my heart. In the Name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen.

Who Is Reigning on the Throne of my Heart?

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Read through the Bible in 2 Years: Romans 6:12-7:6

Reading through this passage made me all myself a few questions – maybe you’d like to ask them if yourself, too.

  • Who is on the throne of my heart? Jesus, Me, the world, or the devil?
  • Who is reigning over my life? Jesus, Me, the world, or the devil?
  • Who is my Master? Jesus, Me, the world, or the devil?
  • Who do I obey? Jesus, Me, the world, or the devil?

Father, I want to obey You because You are a Good King and a Good Master. You want for my good, and not for my harm. Help me to listen to Your Word and Your voice, and help me to trust You and obey. I want to be Your obedient lamb. In the Name of Jesus I pray. Amen.

King of my Heart / Goodness of God – Caleb & Kelsey