Mark 5: What are you Begging Jesus for?

Read through the Bible in 2 Years: Mark 5.

The man, possessed by a legion of demons, “begged [Jesus] earnestly not to send them out of the country.” In fact, the legion of demons even “begged [Jesus] saying, ‘Send us to the pigs; let us enter them.’”

When the people of the area heard about what happened, they “began to beg Jesus to depart from their region,” while the newly-delivered man, finally freed from the demons, “begged [Jesus] that he might be with Him.” (Mark 5:10, 17, 18 ESV)

What is the reaction of our friends and loved ones, the people of our communities, when they encounter Jesus?

  • Do they ask to be with Him … or do they ask to be free from Him?
  • Do they ask Him to be near Him or far, far away?
  • Do they want to be delivered of the demons  holding them captive, or do they prefer to remain in the comfortable life to which they’ve grown accustomed?

More importantly, what is our own reaction to meeting Him?

  • Does our fear of His awesome power and holiness drive us to our knees in reverence, or does it drive us to run from Him in terror?
  • Do we fall at His feet and beg Him to take us with Him?
  • Do we pursue Him night and day, hungry to touch even the hem of His garment?
  • Do we proclaim to our friends how much the Lord has done for us, or do we hide our light deep beneath a bushel?

Heavenly Father, I’m begging You to be near me, to walk with me, to hold my hand, to be my ever-present companion and help. I need You every hour. I want to be Your mouthpiece, shouting Your praises from the rooftops and from home to home as I go. Please, Father, bless me to be a blessing – to You and to my fellow man. For Your glory and our good I pray in the Name of Jesus Christ who has promised to be with me wherever I go. Amen.

Never Hidden From God. Thoughts from 1 Kings.

Read through the Bible in 2 years: 1 Kings 20-22.

Do you ever just feel like just a random cog in the vast machine of life? Do you ever feel like you’re nothing more than an inconsequential human being among billions of others?

Reading today about when King Ahab, dressed as a simple soldier rather than a king in an attempt to hide himself during battle, was struck down by an arrow launched by a random soldier that just so happened to strike him precisely between his armor and breastplate, reminded me again that God is in charge of our lives (1 Kings 22:34). God had ordained the number of King Ahab’s days. He couldn’t hide from God, and neither can we.

God knows precisely where you are, and he knows precisely what you’re thinking. He knows what you did yesterday, He knows what you will do today, and He is in control of what your day holds.

Does this thought scare you? Or comfort you?

Your answer will depend on two things: (1) the character of God and (2) your relationship with Him. Do you think God is harsh, cruel, distant, impotent, or uncaring? Or do you think He is loving, kind, patient, forgiving, and faithful? Do you think He loves you? Is He your all-powerful Shepherd and loving Father?

If you’ve never read “The Knowledge of the Holy,” let me recommend it to you or check out my own ebook on the attributes of God through the eyes of a former atheist.

Heavenly Father, Thank You for Your watchful care over Your creation. You see me. You know me. You know my thoughts and my way. You are always aware of me. I cannot escape from Your watchful care. Thank You for Your faithfulness to me. I know that You are good and that everything that You allow into my life is ultimately for my good and Your glory. Increase my faith, Father, that I might be able to give thanks in all circumstances and walk by faith all the days of my life. In the Name of Jesus Christ, my Savior, Lord, and Friend, I pray. Amen.

God Preserves a Remnant. Thoughts from 1 Kings 19

Read through the Bible in 2 Years: 1 Kings 19.

Do you ever feel like you’re the only one who is still pursuing God with your whole heart? Well, you’re not alone in those feelings. Elijah felt that way, too.

[Elijah] said, “I have been very jealous for the LORD, the God of hosts. For the people of Israel have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword, and I, even I only, am left, and they seek my life, to take it away.”

1 Kings 19:14 ESV

The truth is that God preserved a remnant in Israel three thousand years ago and He has preserved a remnant today, too. Press on, friend, God is with you. Don’t lose heart. The Lord Almighty is on your side. And so are thousands of others around the globe.

Heavenly Father, I’m praying for my brothers and sisters around the world today who are despairing, feeling like they are the only ones  holding fast to the hem of Your garment. Encourage them, Father. Strengthen them with Your Word and the comfort of Your Holy Spirit. Uphold them with Your righteous right hand and shelter them under Your wings. Please, Father, give them someone to fellowship with, a Christ-lover to walk with through the valleys and mountains of life. In the Name of Christ who sticks closer than a brother we pray. Amen.

Turn Your Eyes – Sovereign Grace Music

Counterfeit Faith. Reflections from 1 Kings.

Read through the Bible in 2 Years: 1 Kings 14

What do you do when you find yourself in a pickle? Do you cry out to God for help? Do you beg Him for mercy? Do you plead for Him to save you?

I think many Americans run their lives on their own terms 95% of the year and then suddenly remember God when they find themselves in a jam, much like Jeroboam in 1 Kings 14.

As we read earlier in 1 Kings, Jeroboam had set up his own houses of worship complete with altars and golden calves in the Israelite cities of Bethel and Dan. And yet, when his own son, Abijah, became sick, where did Jeroboam turn? Did he send his wife to Bethel or Dan to inquire of those golden calves that he had erected? No, he didn’t. He sent her to Shiloh to inquire of the Lord’s prophet, Ahijah.

Is this genuine faith? No, it isn’t. Jeroboam’s faith is the faith of demons, not the faith of born-again believers.  

Counterfeit faith says, “I know God is real, but I won’t submit my life to him.”

Friends, genuine faith will result in obedience, daily obedience. Genuine faith says, “God is real, so I want to live my life for Him.”

You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder! …

You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works; and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”—and he was called a friend of God.

James 2:19, 22-23 ESV

Do you have genuine faith? Or counterfeit faith?

Heavenly Father, You are the one true God. There are so many imposters, but You are the only One who is true. Search my heart and test me. Show me where I’ve fallen prey to the lies of the devil. Show me where I’m faking faith. Please don’t let me come to the day of judgment when my deeds will be laid bare and it will become clear that I was among those who never knew you. Do what You need to do to bring me into a right relationship with You. I want to know You more that I would love you more and walk in the daily obedience of faith. I pray this in the Name of Jesus Christ, the spotless Lamb who died in my place, Amen.

What Final Words Would I Share with My Children on My Final Day? Reflections from David’s Last Words in 1 Kings 2.

Read through the Bible in 2 Years: 1 Kings 2

David knows he is about to die, so he calls his son, Solomon, to him. What did David say to this son who will be the next king of Israel?

  1. Be strong.
  2. Show yourself a man.
  3. Keep the charge of the Lord your God, walking in His ways and keeping his commands as it is written in the Law of Moses.
  4. Deal wisely and justly with Joab, Barzillai, and Shimei.

Now I’m not (and never will be) the king of a nation but I (like everyone else on the planet) will one day draw my last breath. If today were my last day, what final words would I want to share with my children?

What would I say to my children
if today was my last day?

  • I love you. I’m proud of you. You are a gift to me. I’m so thankful you’re mine. God made YOU on purpose, and He has a purpose for your life. Fear not. He’s not finished yet. God is on His throne. He doesn’t save people because they’re good. They’re not. None of us are. He saves them because He is merciful and has a purpose for them. You are saved by your faith in Jesus Christ, not by your works. (Psalm 139:1-16; Romans 3:10-12; Ephesians 2:8-10; Titus 3:3-8; 1 Timothy 1:12-17; Romans 6:23)
  • Trust the Lord with all your heart. He is good. He is wise. Turn away from evil and do good. Choose to do the hard things out of love and trust for the Lord. (Proverbs 3:5-7; Deuteronomy 6:5; Matthew 22:37)
  • Love is both an emotion and an action. Love others as God has loved you. Bear with others. Forgive them, remembering how much God has forgiven you. He loved you while you were yet a sinner, loving you even to the point of death, death on a cross. Remember that love is patient and kind. God is patient and kind with you, and He is calling you to be patient and kind with others. Love is not arrogant, rude, boastful, or envious. Love does not insist on its own way. The Lord of the Universe humbled Himself for you, and He is calling you to humble yourself for Him and His creation. Love never ends. Love endures. Love bears all things. He has loved you with a never-ending love. Love others like that. (Colossians 3:12-13; 1 Corinthians 13:4-8; Philippians 2:1-8; Romans 5:7-8)
  • Children are a blessing from the Lord. Fill your home with them. Pour into them. Enjoy them. Train them up in the way they should go. Teach them diligently that they, too, will know and love the Lord. (Psalm 127:1-5; Proverbs 22:6; Deuteronomy 6:6-9; Psalm 78:1-8)

So, how about you? If today were your last day, what final words would you want to say to your children and loved ones?

Heavenly Father, How thankful I am for the hope that I have in my Savior, Jesus, who poured out His blood for me. How thankful I am to have the assurance that my last breath here on Earth is just the beginning of eternity with You. I pray that my children and grandchildren will have that assurance. I pray that You will strengthen me to be the mother and grandmother that You want me to be. Give me Your wisdom and lead me in when to speak and when to be silent. Make my words, Your words. Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Make me a beacon pointing my family and my community to Him. For His Honor and for His glory I pray. Amen.

Would You Rather? Amos Edition.

Read through the Bible in 2 Years: Amos 8.

“Behold, the days are coming,”
declares the Lord GOD,
“when I will send a famine on the land,
not a famine of bread,
nor a thirst for water,
but of hearing the words of the LORD.”

Amos 8:11 ESV

Would I rather worship or wander through Wally World?

Would I rather scroll through the truth of the Word or the foolishness of Facebook?

Would I rather skip my daily dose of carbs or the daily bread of the Lord’s presence?

Would I rather sit in a pew or sit on a couch?

Would I rather be in the front row of a church or the front row of a concert?

Would I rather listen to the correction of a wise counselor or the consolation of a foolish friend?

Would I rather miss a dinner date with my BFF or a breakfast date with my Heavenly Father?

Would I rather miss my morning cup of java or my morning cup of living water?

Would I rather have an empty belly or an empty mind?

“Sabbath days and sabbath work are a burden to carnal hearts, that are always afraid of doing too much for God and eternity.

Can we spend our time better than in communication with God?

And how much time do we spend pleasantly with the world? Will not the sabbath be gone before we have done the work of it and reaped the gains of it? Why then should we be in such haste to part with it?

They were fond of market-days: they longed to be selling corn and setting forth wheat. When they were employed in religious services they were thinking of their marketings …

Those are strangers to God, and enemies to themselves, that love market days better than sabbath days, that would rather be selling corn than worshipping God.”

Matthew Henry, Commentary on Amos 8

Heavenly Father, Align our hearts with Yours. Make us love what You love. Break our hearts for what breaks Yours. Give us a holy hunger. Make us hunger for what is healthy and right, what is pure and true. Make us sick over what makes You sick. Give us discernment to recognize what is truly lovely and what is a joy stealer. Help us spot the counterfeits, the deceptions, those things that masquerade as beautiful and give us hearts that hunger and thirst for righteousness for Your Name’s sake. In the Name of Jesus Christ, the Righteous One, the One who meets our every need, the well that never runs dry, the unending source of living water and the eternal bread of Your living presence, we pray. Amen.

An Everlasting Covenant. Thoughts from 2 Samuel.

Read through the Bible in 2 Years: 2 Samuel 23.

After reading all the yuck of the previous 12 chapters of 2 Samuel, I held my breath reading David’s words in 2 Samuel 23:5.

For he has made with me
an everlasting covenant,
ordered in all things and secure.
For will he not cause to prosper
all my help and my desire?

2 Samuel 23:5 ESV

Then I was reminded of 2 Samuel 7 when God made that everlasting covenant with David,

“When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son. When he commits iniquity, I will discipline him with the rod of men, with the stripes of the sons of men, but my steadfast love will not depart from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away from before you.

And your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me. Your throne shall be established forever.’”

2 Samuel 7:12-16 ESV

And then I was reminded of 2 Samuel 12 when God swore to bring evil upon David because of his sin.

“Why have you despised the word of the LORD, to do what is evil in his sight? You have struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword and have taken his wife to be your wife and have killed him with the sword of the Ammonites. Now therefore the sword shall never depart from your house, because you have despised me and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife.’

Thus says the LORD, ‘Behold, I will raise up evil against you out of your own house. And I will take your wives before your eyes and give them to your neighbor, and he shall lie with your wives in the sight of this sun. For you did it secretly, but I will do this thing before all Israel and before the sun.’”

2 Samuel 12:9-12 ESV

And I was once again reminded that God is a promise keeping God, both in His promises of blessing and His promises of wrath. God did keep His everlasting covenant with the house of David, bringing Jesus, our eternal King of kings, but God also kept His oath that the sword would come upon David’s house and that his wives would be given to his neighbor, as we just read about in chapters 15-16.

So, then I wondered, why do so many professing Christians only talk about God’s steadfast love and refuse to talk about His just anger against our sin?

The reason God’s great mercy
is the BEST NEWS EVER
is because God’s great wrath
is the WORST NEWS EVER.

Friends, if you are not in Christ, then you are still under God’s judgment, and if you are judged by your own deeds, you will be found “guilty as charged” and endure God’s eternal condemnation.

Everyone loves John 3:16 ESV — “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” But, let’s not forget about the other verses of John 3,

  • “Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.” John 3:18 ESV
  • “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.” John 3:36 ESV

And what about 1 John 5:11-12? “And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.

Heavenly Father, help us to believe and proclaim the full counsel of Your Word, the full gospel of truth, that You are holy and righteous, that You are the judge of even our secret sins, those hidden things that no one else knows about, the thoughts and intentions of the heart as well as our words and deeds. None of us can stand before You by our own merit. We need You, Lord. Cover us with the blood of Jesus and wash us clean. Redeem us and deliver us from sin. In the Holy, Almighty Name of Jesus Christ we pray. Amen.

Coming out of the Closet. Thoughts on Gender Identity from 2 Samuel 5.

Read through the Bible in 2 Years: 2 Samuel 5

Today as I asked God what I should write about in today’s blog post, I couldn’t shake the thought that I was supposed to write on the topic of genders. So, in fearful obedience, here it goes.

Growing up in the ’70s and ’80s, the thought that there were anything beyond two genders never even entered my mind. My sister and I were girls. My mom was a girl. My dad was a boy. My cat, Bandit, who I’d adopted off the streets as a stray was a boy, too. I always wished that my mom and dad would have another baby, a boy, so I could have a little brother to play with and boss around. My world was made up of two genders: boys and girls, sons and daughters, brothers and sisters, men and women, males and females.

Though I wasn’t a Christian and though I believed that the world and everything in it had evolved through a series of random events, it was still clear to my rational , scientific brain that everything that reproduced was either a male or a female. Roosters and hens, bucks and does, worker bees and queen bees, males and females.

In today’s chapter, 2 Samuel 5, verse 13 says, “And David took more concubines and wives from Jerusalem, after he came from Hebron, and more sons and daughters were born to David.” David was a male, and every single one of David’s concubines and wives were female. All of David’s sons were male, and all of David’s daughters were female.

My dad and my cat both had operations that prevented them from fathering babies, but they were still male. In fact, my dad could have grown his hair long, and worn a mini skirt, heels and a stuffed bra, and it wouldn’t make him female. He could even have changed his name to something more neutral or feminine, and left my mom for a guy, but my dad would still have been a male. Why? Because that’s how he was born. Dare I say, that’s how he was made by His Creator? When my father was knit together in his mother’s womb, he received an x chromosome from his mom and a y chromosome from his dad, and he was born a boy.

This issue is especially personal for me for a whole myriad of reasons. I won’t go into all of them here but one of them is this: when my sister and I were young, my parents usually kept our hair cut short and dressed us in very simple gender neutral clothing. I liked climbing trees and getting dirty. I didn’t like playing with Barbies. My best friend most years was a boy. But did those things make me a boy? No. They didn’t. I was a girl, whether I liked it or not. That’s how I was born. That’s how I was made by my Creator. When I was knit together in my mother’s womb, I received an x chromosome from my mom and an x chromosome from my dad, and I was born a girl.

Back in the ’80s, when I was teenager, it was shameful to admit that you had homosexual desires. A person was said to “come out of the closet” when they confessed to homosexual tendencies. Now here we are in the “roaring 2020s,” and it’s shameful to stand up for Biblical gender identities, but today I’m taking a stand. I refuse to hide in the closet, ashamed of the Bible’s very clear teaching that God gave David sons and daughters. David’s sons were boys and his daughters were girls. God created them male and female just like He’s been doing from the beginning of time and to say anything else is a lie, a lie that hurts both the Creator and the creature.

Will you join me in prayer?

Heavenly Father, I come to You with the deepest gratitude for making me to be me. Thank You for making me a girl and granting me the gift of being a mom. Thank You for giving me sons and daughters. I pray that You will encourage the people of this generation to love You as their Creator by accepting themselves for how they’ve been made – their hair color and skin color, their height and their gender. You don’t make junk. We do. We take what You have made and we ruin it, hurting others and hurting ourselves. And hurting You in the process. Forgive us, Lord. I pray that You will also encourage the people of this generation to stand up for what they know is true, what the Scriptures so clearly state, that You are the Creator and that You create male or female. Help us not to be ashamed of the gospel and not to be ashamed of the truth of Your Word. Please, Father, help us to defend our faith with gentleness, respect, and humility, for the glory of Your Name and the good of Your creation. In the Name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen.

Advent Day 5 – God Provides A Ram in Isaac’s Place (Genesis 22 + Luke 5)

Read through the Bible in 2 Years: Luke 5

Tuesday night, our family read the fifth advent devotional in “From Creation to Christ” along with Luke 5. 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.

I tried to put myself in Abraham’s place, imagining how it would feel to lay my own son on an altar and prepare to give him up as an offering to God. This was particularly difficult for me to wrap my head around since God would never want a person to kill their own child. If I had such a thought in my mind, I would quickly and immediately dismiss it as clearly not from the Lord. Yet, here’s Abraham, obeying God even to the point of traveling for three days to sacrifice his own son.

It’s much easier for me to imagine my gratitude at God sparing my child. Suddenly, all of my confusion is taken away, the clouds part, and I see God’s glorious goodness in technicolor as a ram appears, caught in a nearby thicket. I understand, now, Father! You are so good! You are the great provider!

Then, we followed our advent reading with Luke 5. Again I tried to imagine myself in the events of the passage. I pictured myself a weary fisherman, having toiled all night without catching a single fish. When a man asks to get into my boat so he could teach the people, I oblige willingly enough, thinking, “Eh, what can it hurt?” But, then, when he tells me to go back out into the water, to keep fishing, to let down my nets again, it’s almost more than I can bear. Yet, I obey Him. And then it happens, I catch an unimaginable number of fish, to the point that my nets are breaking and my boat begins to sink. I’m blown away. How is this possible? Who is this man?

But, wait, what’s this? How does Simon Peter respond?

“But when Simon Peter saw it,
he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying,
“Depart from me,
for I am a sinful man, O Lord.””

Luke 5:8 ESV

Heavenly Father, How good You are! Your mercies are so great and so glorious! And oh how sinful am I! Who am I, Lord, that You would spare my life and not strike me dead in an instant? Who am I, Lord, that You would invite me into your presence, to sit at Your feet, to read Your Word, to be taught by You? Father, You have done so much for me. You have blessed me so, so much. You have filled my nets to their breaking point. You have filled my boats to the point they would sink with Your mercies. My cup indeed overflows. You have brought me to sit an Your banqueting table. You have invited me to the eternal wedding supper of the Lamb. You have provided for Yourself the offering, the spotless Lamb to die in my own place. You have given Your own Son. For me, not a righteous woman, but a sinful one. You have so clearly demonstrated Your love for me in that while I was yet a sinner, Christ died for me. Thank You, Lord. In the Name of Jesus Christ, my Lord and my Savior, I pray. Amen.

Jesus Paid It All – Shane and Shane

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

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.