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Here is today’s Bible reading:  Numbers 26:52-28:15; Luke 3:1-22; Psalm 61:1-8; Proverbs 11:16-17.

Luke 3:19-20 (NIV)
But when John rebuked Herod the tetrarch because of Herodias, his brother’s wife, and all the other evil things he had done, [20] Herod added this to them all: He locked John up in prison.

“You can’t handle the truth!”  Remember that line from the movie “A Few Good Men”?  (I love that movie.)  John the Baptist was a messenger of truth.  Herod couldn’t handle the truth and took steps to make the truth go away.  Sometimes we do the same thing.  We cover our ears and say “la, la, la, la, la.”  (Or something like that.)  The point is, there are times in our lives when we have our minds made up and don’t want to be confronted with the truth.  Perhaps we avoid those friends who speak truth to us and spend our time with those who tell us what we want to hear.  I wonder how Herod’s life could have been different if he would have listened to John and repented.  I wonder how our lives could be different if we listen to the truth with and open heart.

Here is today’s Bible reading:  Numbers 26:1-51; Luke 2:36-52; Psalm 60:1-12; Proverbs 11:15.

Luke 2:46 (NIV)  
    After three days they found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions.

Jesus the learner.  It is pretty amazing that the Son of God was teachable.  He was humble.  As a growing young man He sought understanding.  What an amazing example to us.  Are we content to gloss over the Scriptures or to dig deep with the hard stuff?  I find that like most things in life, I get out of the Bible what I put into it.  How about you?

Here is today’s Bible reading: Numbers 24:1-25:18; Luke 2:1-35; Psalm 59:1-17; Proverbs 11:14.

Proverbs 11:14 (NIV)  
    For lack of guidance a nation falls,
        but many advisers make victory sure.

It is so much easier to just make decisions by yourself.  But easier usually isn’t better.  How much better it is to seek the counsel of wise people.  My problem is that too often I am selfish, want what I want, and have my mind made up.  I’m not teachable and not really interested in what others have to say.  So, I make up my own mind to do what I want to do.  Big mistake.  I need guidance and so do you.  Who are your trusted advisers who will tell you the things you don’t necessarily want to hear but need to hear?  Are you listening to them? 

Here is today’s Bible reading: Numbers 22:21-23:30; Luke 1:57-80; Psalm 58:1-11; Proverbs 11:12-13.

Luke 1:80 (NIV)
And the child grew and became strong in spirit; and he lived in the desert until he appeared publicly to Israel.

The desert–the place where God takes us to prepare us for ministry.  Moses went there.  Even Jesus went there.  Here, John the Baptist takes His turn.  The desert is the place of solitude where God strips away everything else so we learn to be sustained by Him alone.  Until we go to the desert, we will always seek lesser things and receive lesser results.  The desert is painful, but it is a rich blessing.  Our tendency is to want to avoid the desert and its discomfort.  But the call is to embrace it and surrender to the deep work of preparation God is doing in our lives.

Happy birthday to my beautiful wife!  She is a gift from God to me.

Here is today’s Bible reading:  Numbers 21:1-22:20; Luke 1:26-56; Psalm 57:1-11; Proverbs 11:9-11.

Psalm 57:7-8 (NIV)
My heart is steadfast, O God,
my heart is steadfast;
I will sing and make music.
[8] Awake, my soul!
Awake, harp and lyre!
I will awaken the dawn.

I believe there is a direct connection between praising God and having a heart that is steadfast.  Praise magnifies our view of who God is and increases our faith.  A big view of God produces big faith and a steadfast heart.  Praise Him!

Luke 1:38 (NIV)
“I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May it be to me as you have said.” Then the angel left her.

Mary is such an example of humble surrender.  Accordingly, she was able to thrive in one of the most difficult situations anyone could face. Note also how shortly after this, she breaks into a hymn of praise to God.  No wonder her heart was steadfast.  May I surrender my life as Mary did.  

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.