Author Archives: chadzaucha

Here is today’s Bible reading:  Numbers 19:1-20:29; Luke 1:1-25; Psalm 56:1-13; Proverbs 11:8.

Psalm 56:3-4 (NIV)
When I am afraid,
I will trust in you.
[4] In God, whose word I praise,
in God I trust; I will not be afraid.
What can mortal man do to me?

Notice the role of the Word in cultivating trust in God that overcomes fear.

Luke 1:20 (NIV)
And now you will be silent and not able to speak until the day this happens, because you did not believe my words, which will come true at their proper time.”

We have seen many examples now of how much God dislikes our inability to trust Him.  He is trustworthy!

Numbers 20:2-3 (NIV)
Now there was no water for the community, and the people gathered in opposition to Moses and Aaron. [3] They quarreled with Moses and said, “If only we had died when our brothers fell dead before the Lord!

 Again?!  That must have gotten really old.

Numbers 20:6 (NIV)
Moses and Aaron went from the assembly to the entrance to the Tent of Meeting and fell facedown, and the glory of the Lord appeared to them.

I respect Moses so much for how he intercedes time and again for people who hate his guts.  What character.

Here is today’s Bible reading: Numbers 16:41-18:32; Mark 16:1-20; Psalm 55:1-23; Proverbs 11:7.

Mark 16:14 (NIV)
Later Jesus appeared to the Eleven as they were eating; he rebuked them for their lack of faith and their stubborn refusal to believe those who had seen him after he had risen.

Wouldn’t it have been interesting to hear exactly what Jesus said and the way He said it.  Was He angry?  Hurt?  Disappointed?  Was He stern?  Probably all of the above.  At any rate, He transitions quickly from this teachable moment to sending them out on mission.  I bet they were fired up to go do the work after this time with Jesus.

Mark 16:20 (NIV)
Then the disciples went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and confirmed his word by the signs that accompanied it.

 May God accompany our efforts to evangelize with confirming signs.

Here is today’s Bible reading:  Numbers 15:17-16:40; Mark 15:1-47; Psalm 54:1-7; Proverbs 11:5-6. 

Mark 15:38 (NIV)
The curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom.

I heard an interesting perspective on this verse from the Brian Hardin of the Daily Audio Bible.  He learned in Israel that in addition to this being symbolic of our access to the presence of God in the holiest place, it is taught by some that it is also symbolic of the Jewish practice of one tearing their clothes in agony over the death of a loved one.  The image is that of God the Father tearing His clothes in sorrow over the loss of His Son.  Interesting.  

Here is today’s Bible reading:  Numbers 14:1-15:16; Mark 14:53-72; Psalm 53:1-6; Proverbs 11:4.

Psalm 53:5 (NIV)
There they were, overwhelmed with dread,
where there was nothing to dread.

How often I allow my mind to be overwhelmed with dread where there was nothing to dread.  The enemy is skilled at planting seeds of anxiety and fear in our minds. The best defense is the Truth of God’s Word.  It reminds us that God is at work in all things for our good.  With God, I have nothing to dread.

Here is today’s Bible reading:  Numbers 11:24-13:33; Mark 14:22-52; Psalm 52:1-9; Proverbs 11:1-3.

Numbers 13:23 (NIV)
When they reached the Valley of Eshcol, they cut off a branch bearing a single cluster of grapes. Two of them carried it on a pole between them, along with some pomegranates and figs. 

Numbers 13:27-30 (NIV)
They gave Moses this account: “We went into the land to which you sent us, and it does flow with milk and honey! Here is its fruit. [28] But the people who live there are powerful, and the cities are fortified and very large. We even saw descendants of Anak there. [29] The Amalekites live in the Negev; the Hittites, Jebusites and Amorites live in the hill country; and the Canaanites live near the sea and along the Jordan.”
[30] Then Caleb silenced the people before Moses and said, “We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it.”

The children of Israel are so close to the Promised Land they can literally taste it.  Yet, they are too afraid to take that final step and experience all that God has in store for them.  It is right there for the taking, but they want to quit.  I wonder how many times we come right to the edge of God’s best for us, but we back off and miss it.  May God make us like Caleb–courageous and full of faith that God is bigger than the remaining obstacles to the blessing in store for us.    

Here is today’s Bible reading:  Numbers 10:1-11:23; Mark 14:1-21; Psalm 51:1-19; Proverbs 10:31-32.

Numbers 11:1 (NIV)
Now the people complained about their hardships in the hearing of the Lord, and when he heard them his anger was aroused. Then fire from the Lord burned among them and consumed some of the outskirts of the camp.

Why does God hate complaining so much?  Because it questions His character.  When we grumble we doubt His goodness.  We insult Him with our ingratitude.  Our job as His creation is to magnify His character, not cast a shadow over it.  This is particularly convicting because we live in a complaining culture that has infiltrated the church.  May God grant us grateful hearts that magnify God’s character and trust in His goodness.

Here is today’s Bible reading:  Numbers 8:1-9:23; Mark 13:14-37; Psalm 50:1-23; Proverbs 10:29-30.

Psalm 50:23 (NIV)
He who sacrifices thank offerings honors me,
and he prepares the way
so that I may show him the salvation of God.”

Thanksgiving is more powerful than we realize.  It opens the door to the presence of God.  “Enter His gates with…thanksgiving.” Thanksgiving is an attitude but it is also a practice.  When we practice thanksgiving, the attitude grows within us.  How will you practice thanksgiving today?

Here is today’s Bible reading:  Numbers 6:1-7:89; Mark 12:38-13:13; Psalm 9:1-20; Proverbs 10:27-28.

Numbers 7:89 (NIV)
When Moses entered the Tent of Meeting to speak with the Lord, he heard the voice speaking to him from between the two cherubim above the atonement cover on the ark of the Testimony. And he spoke with him.

That last sentence gives me goose bumps:  “And he spoke with him.”  Moses spoke with Almighty God.  Amazingly, you and I can do the same.  Anytime.  Anywhere.  We have been given the awesome privilege of speaking with the Creator of the universe.  Yet, we treat this gift so flippantly.  We neglect it.  Everything that we could ever want or need comes through that gift of prayer.  May we treat it like the treasure it really is.

Here is today’s Bible reading:  Numbers 4:1-5:31; Mark 12:18-37; Psalm 48:1-14; Proverbs 10:26.

Mark 12:24 (NIV)
Jesus replied, “Are you not in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God?

These words of Jesus addressed to the Sadducees over 2,000 years ago could easily be for the Church today.  In our quest to be attractional, we have neglected the Scriptures and forfeited the power of God.  As a result, many churches excel at a good show on Sunday morning.  Maybe a large crowd is there.  But is God there?  Is there an outpouring of His Spirit which miraculously transforms lives with deliverance and healing?  May we excel at knowing personally the Scriptures and the power of God.

Here is today’s Bible reading: Numbers 2:1-3:51; Mark 11:27-12:17; Psalm 47:1-9; Proverbs 10:24-25.

Psalm 47:5-6 (NIV)
God has ascended amid shouts of joy,
the Lord amid the sounding of trumpets.
[6] Sing praises to God, sing praises;
sing praises to our King, sing praises.

God shows up when His people praise Him.  What role does praising God play in your daily life?