With My Own Eyes

Here is today’s Bible reading:  Deuteronomy 33:1-29; Luke 13:1-21; Psalm 78:65-72; Proverbs 12:25.

Proverbs 12:25 (NIV)
An anxious heart weighs a man down,
but a kind word cheers him up.

Wrestling with anxiety has highlighted just how important it is to be a part of biblical community.  In community we receive words of blessing and encouragement that lighten the load that threatens to weigh us down.  Words of kindness are powerful tools of healing.  Are you connected with a biblical community of faith?  Are you actively seeking to encourage those who are weighed down?

Psalm 78:72 (NIV)
And David shepherded them with integrity of heart;
with skillful hands he led them.

This is one of my favorite verses about what it looks like to be a Godly leader.

He is risen! 

Here is today’s Bible reading: Deuteronomy 32:28-52; Luke 12:35-59; Psalm 78:56-64; Proverbs 12:24.

Luke 12:47-48 (NIV) 
    “That servant who knows his master’s will and does not get ready or does not do what his master wants will be beaten with many blows. [48] But the one who does not know and does things deserving punishment will be beaten with few blows. From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.

As one who acknowledges that he has been given much, this is a very sobering passage of Scripture.  How easy it is to fall into the trap of self-centeredness and indulgence rather than self-sacrifice.  God has blessed me to be a blessing, not to hoard His blessing.  I have been given literally every conceivable advangtage in this life.  Am I using this for God’s glory rather than my own?  What will God say about this when He returns?

Here is today’s Bible reading: Deuteronomy 31:1-32:27; Luke 12:8-34; Psalm 78:32-55; Proverbs 12:21-23.

Psalm 78:32 (NIV) 
    In spite of all this, they kept on sinning;
        in spite of his wonders, they did not believe.

Tomorrow’s Easter message is about Cleopas, a man who was a follower of Jesus but failed to believe initially in the promises of the Resurrection.  There is a little bit of Cleopas in all of us.  God promises.  God delivers.  He never fails.  Yet, we fail so often to trust.  Why is this so hard? 

Thank you, Jesus, for the cross.

Here is today’s Bible reading: Deuteronomy 29:1-30:20; Luke 11:37-12:7; Psalm 78:1-31; Proverbs 12:19-20.

Luke 11:45 (NIV)
One of the experts in the law answered him, “Teacher, when you say these things, you insult us also.”

Jesus wasn’t nice.  He wasn’t politically correct.  He spoke the Truth.  Sadly, our culture sacrifices the Truth for being nice and politically correct.  We are much poorer for it.  The church needs to be a place where relationships run so deep that we can speak the truth in love to one another even when that truth hurts.  It isn’t Christlike to just relate to each other on the surface and play nice.  If we are to follow the example of Jesus, we will be confrontational.  That confrontation must be in the context of love.

Here is today’s Bible reading: Deuteronomy 28:1-68; Luke 11:14-36; Psalm 77:1-20; Proverbs 12:18.

Proverbs 12:18 (NIV)
Reckless words pierce like a sword,
but the tongue of the wise brings healing.

The saying, “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me” is a total lie.  Most all of us have scars from words said in our past that pierced like a sword.  And most all of us have been guilty of using words to pierce others.  But for all the damage our words can do, they can also be a source of healing.  We have a choice to make every moment of every day:  will my tongue be used to kill or to heal?  Who do you know that needs healing words today?  

I used to ridicule people who dressed their little dogs.  Now I do it.  What’s next?  A stroller?

My friend Steve was driving along the coast north of Santa Barbara earlier in the week when there were some enormous waves.  Seeing a lot of cars pulled off alongside the road, he decided to take a look.  After parking, he made the trek down the hill and across the railroad tracks to get a good look at the waves.  He was then approached by two men on an ATV who made it known that he was on private property and needed to leave.  One of them was Brad Pitt.

Here is today’s Bible reading:  Deuteronomy 26:1-27:26; Luke 10:38-11:13; Psalm 76:1-12; Proverbs 12:15-17.

Luke 10:41-42 (NIV)
“Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, [42] but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”

I think I wrote about this parallel passage a few months ago, but it is so important it needs to be repeated.  You and I ultimately have only one job today.  Period.  That job is wait at the feet of Jesus.  Everything else flows from this.  It is interesting that Martha, the one who failed to wait at Jesus’ feet was the one worried and upset about many things.  Peace, patience, purpose, and productivity are the result of waiting before the Lord.  It is the most important thing we can do today and every day.  We must give Jesus unhurried time.  That will require discipline–and a little less TV, Facebook, and sleep.  So, as an old Petra song says, “hurry up and wait upon the Lord.”  And be ready to see the difference in your life.

Here is today’s Bible reading:  Deuteronomy 23:1-25:19; Luke 10:13-37; Psalm 75:1-10; Proverbs 12:12-14.

Luke 10:19 (NIV)  
    I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you.

Reality check:  We have been given the very authority of Almighty God.  So, why do we live like victims rather than victors? 

In honor of Cleo the Pug who got fixed today, here are a couple of pics: