12 Books of Bible in 12 Months

Welcome to November and the book of Jonah

We're entering the busy holiday season of the year, but we can't afford to neglect our Bible reading! So join us in Jonah, a small book filled with radical moments about a runaway prophet, a giant fish, and a gracious, merciful God. We all know this story, but read it again to see what you hadn't noticed before. And what I like to do, when a story is so familiar to me and I can practically quote it backwards, is make comparisons to my own life. I may not be a prophet and I haven't been sent to a foreign land of wicked people, but God has asked me to do certain things in my life. How do I respond to God's call on my life? What can I learn from this man Jonah who struggled with obedience just like I do?

Meet you in Jonah!

Philippians 2:3-4--We're all in this together

Phil 2:3-4
3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves.
4 Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.

As I've been reading Philippians this week, I kept coming back to these verses. The idea is very simple--the Golden Rule and a genuine selfless concern for others all rolled into one--but it goes way beyond that when you think about it. It means that what affects our brothers and sisters in Christ should affect us as though it were happening to us. Romans 12:15 says,

15 Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.

We are to feel each others' pains and mourn with them, sorrow with those who are struggling, and celebrate with those who are celebrating. Because we are all of the same body, the body of Christ Jesus Himself. When Christ walked this earth, he practiced "looking after the interests of others" and gave us an example. In John 11, we see him crying with Mary and Martha upon the death of their brother Lazarus. Though Christ knew he would be raised from the dead shortly, He also knew how sad the sisters were and felt their sadness and cried with them. In John 2:1-11, we see Jesus celebrating at a wedding ceremony of some friends. Of course Jesus was able to do much more to comfort people than you and I could ever do--He healed many people completely--but we have an obligation to not be loners, to not walk this road by ourselves, thinking only of ourselves. We are in this together, and the Lord wants us to care deeply for what is happening in the lives around us, especially fellow believers.

Here is one very special and simple example. Last week our family dog had to be put to sleep because she had a tumor on her spleen. The decision to end her pain was an easy one, but we were devastated to lose her because she was like a family member to us. Many of our friends encouraged us, asked how we were doing, and one couple even sent us a sympathy card in the loss of our pet. They knew firsthand how hard it was, and they reached out to us in a simple way, but one that I won't forget.

In the big scheme of things, of course losing a pet is minor, but think of all the hurting people around you! This week I've been praying for 3 different friends of mine, all going thru major struggles--one separated from her husband, one whose father has a terminal illness and not much time to live, and another who just suffered a miscarriage of her baby boy. People are in pain; they are struggling physically and emotionally, and our call as Christians is to care so deeply, so intimately, it's as though we were struggling too.

When is the last time you cried with a friend who was hurting? When is the last time you couldn't stop thinking about someone and praying for them all week because you knew what they were going through? When is the last time you consciously put aside your own problems and listened to a friend who needed to be heard? We are all going through things in our own lives, but the point is to put self aside and comfort others when they need it. 2 Corinthians 1:3-5 says,

3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort,
4 who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.
5 For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows.

We are to comfort others with the same level of care and concern that Christ comforts us. In fact, it is because Christ has comforted us that we now are equipped to comfort others!

My sister and I have this little sister-to-sister talk that we give to each other every now and again. Inevitably one of us will be down in the dumps and will call the other to vent/complain/whine, and sometimes talking things out is a good way to get over it. But we never leave it there. The listener always reminds the other that that surest way to get over your own troubles is to focus on other people. Feeling down? Call a friend and make them laugh. Had a grouchy day? Send a note to let someone know you're praying for them. Been complaining all day? Pray for believers around the world who are being persecuted for their faith. It's all about changing focus. Stop focusing on self, which leaves you useless in relationships with others, and start focusing on others, which opens up doors for you to comfort and encourage in ways that God intends.   

Welcome to October & the book of Philippians

Welcome to autumn! We are reading the book of Philippians, an epistle of the Apostle Paul written to the church at Philippi, the first church he started in Europe. This letter is very personal, and you see the relationship Paul had with the believers at this church, in verses like 1:3-8..

3 I thank my God every time I remember you.
4 In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy
5 because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now,
6 being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
7 It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart; for whether I am in chains or defending and confirming the gospel, all of you share in God's grace with me.
8 God can testify how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus.

Paul was in prison at this time (1:13) and was able to say that his imprisonment was actually a good thing as news of the Gospel spread through the guards and gave courage to others. Indeed this letter is one of encouragement to fellow believers, so read it as though Paul were personally encouraging you in your walk of faith.

See you in Philippians!

My favorite Psalm: Psalm 62

Many people have a favorite Psalm, a passage that has meant something special to them, maybe during the loss of a loved one or during a personal struggle. For me, Psalm 62 became very special and real when I was a young lady and my fiance left me. I had been so focused on our relationship, had put so much faith in him being part of my life forever and ever (to the point of an unhealthy obsession), that his leaving left me empty and without a purpose to go on. As I dug myself out of the miry pit I had fallen into, I latched onto Psalm 62 and the realization that the only person who will never, can never let me down is God. When I had nothing else, I clung to that hope, and still today these verses remind me that only the Lord can be "my rock", "my salvation", "my fortress", and that because of that hope, I should never be shaken! Whenever I read this psalm, I always picture a boat out on the water, being beaten by the storm, but finding hope in the lighthouse on shore.

Psalm 62

A psalm of David.

1 My soul finds rest in God alone;
       my salvation comes from him.

2 He alone is my rock and my salvation;
       he is my fortress, I will never be shaken.

3 How long will you assault a man?
       Would all of you throw him down—
       this leaning wall, this tottering fence?

4 They fully intend to topple him
       from his lofty place;
       they take delight in lies.
       With their mouths they bless,
       but in their hearts they curse.
       Selah

5 Find rest, O my soul, in God alone;
       my hope comes from him.

6 He alone is my rock and my salvation;
       he is my fortress, I will not be shaken.

7 My salvation and my honor depend on God;
       he is my mighty rock, my refuge.

8 Trust in him at all times, O people;
       pour out your hearts to him,
       for God is our refuge.
       Selah

9 Lowborn men are but a breath,
       the highborn are but a lie;
       if weighed on a balance, they are nothing;
       together they are only a breath.

10 Do not trust in extortion
       or take pride in stolen goods;
       though your riches increase,
       do not set your heart on them.

11 One thing God has spoken,
       two things have I heard:
       that you, O God, are strong,

12 and that you, O Lord, are loving.
       Surely you will reward each person
       according to what he has done.

Is God your rock? Is He your refuge, Him and Him alone? Or do you seek to find your strength in your family, your career, your money, your church, your friends, even yourself? Of course we place faith in people; this is what marriage vows are built on, for example. We build relationships with people and believe them to be strong and rely on them. But God's Word tells us that our source of true strength, our rock should be God alone. I heard a minister say once, "You can never expect too much from God, or too little from man." Human relationships can break down; people let us down, and we let people down. But God, the Creator of the Universe and Redeemer of our souls, is to be our rock, our refuge, our fortress, our lighthouse. He cannot disappoint us. He cannot let us down.

Ask yourself this week on whom you are leaning. Do you lean on God for your daily strength, or that cup of Starbucks every morning? Do you trust God to meet your needs, or rely solely on your checkbook? Do you recognize God as your one hope, or is your hope wrapped up in the plans of this life? If you feel yourself clinging a little too tightly to that which won't last forever, pray for God's strength to realign your perspective and cling more tightly to Him.   

Do you have a favorite Psalm? We'd love to hear from you, so send in your favorites!   

Welcome to September & the book of Psalms

I'm a bit behind my blogging schedule, but no worries, our reading continues! Come join me in the book of Psalms this month! I felt compelled to read some encouraging words this month, after an August full of unexpected and unwanted events. The entire Bible is encouraging, when you consider the fact that all of it points to the Savior of the world and provides redemption, but there is something very personal, very intimate about the book of Psalms that touches my heart when I am feeling bewildered or just plain down.

The majority of Psalms were written by King David, the most famous of all kings of Israel, and it provides a fascinating look into the heart of a man who was an outstanding character but still faced the same struggles that you and I face every day. He had good days, sad days, angry days, days of abandonment, and then days of utter joy--sound familiar? This is the story of our human journey, and how neat that God gives us a close look at this man's life and allows us to relate to his humanity and his struggle to lean on the Lord.

King David wrote 73 of the Psalms, and there were five other men, some familiar to us, who wrote various Psalms:

Asaph--wrote 12 books, Psalms 50 & 73-83

Korahites--wrote 12 books, Psalms 42-49, 84, 85, 87, and 88

Solomon--wrote 2 books, Psalms 72 & 127

Moses--wrote 1 book, Psalm 90

Ethan--wrote 1 book, Psalm 89

See you in Psalms!

Welcome to August & the books of 1 & 2 Peter

Can you believe the year is half over, and we're into August already? How are you coming in your Bible reading? How is God using His Word to guide your daily life?

For the month of August we will read 2 books written by the Apostle Peter. Peter is probably the most well-known of Jesus' disciples because he stayed close to Jesus, was always in the middle of the action during Jesus' ministry, and was always putting in his two cents. He was known for being boisterous and hot-headed, the first to speak and last to listen. But God transformed this stubborn fisherman into a great teacher and apostle, who was later martyred for his firm faith in Jesus Christ. What a gift to have 2 books written by this memorable character that show what a change God accomplished in his life!

See you in 1 & 2 Peter!

What's the point anyhow?--Ecclesiastes 9:2

The futility of life is something that I, like Solomon, have struggled with many times in my life. In my high school and college years, like most kids, I was seeking answers, and questioned the purpose of everything. Why was I studying this topic? What did I hope to gain? How would it help me in life? What was I going to do with my life? And what did it all matter anyhow? So when I read Ecclesiastes, I reflect on years of my life when my purpose was unclear. And now as an adult some days at home with my young children, I consider the drudgery of keeping a house and wonder what purpose there could possibly be in keeping the floors clean and the dishes done--after all, they will be dirty again in an hour?

Solomon really hits the nail on the head as he reflects on the futility of this earthly life. (See chapters 1-2, 4, and 6.) We go through our lives doing all of this "stuff", accumulating all of this "stuff", making a name for ourselves and establishing relationships, leaving our so-called mark on the world, but to what end? What do we gain for all of our effort? In the end, we die! Chapter 9:2 says,

All share a common destiny—the righteous and the wicked, the good and the bad,the clean and the unclean, those who offer sacrifices and those who do not. As it is with the good man, so with the sinner; as it is with those who take oaths, so with those who are afraid to take them.

Whether you are the Solomon of his day (or the Bill Gates of our day) or whether you have not a single penny to your name, whether you have fed hungry children or hoarded all that you have, whether you are a convicted murderer or a nun, you will all face the same end of days--death. And what will all that you have done mean then, when you leave this life and enter eternity?

Solomon answers his own question--or rather, he allows God's purpose to invade his thinking and provide the answers. He concludes then rehashes a couple of times:

22  What does a man get for all the toil and anxious striving with which he labors under the sun? 23  All his days his work is pain and grief; even at night his mind does not rest. This too is meaningless.
24  A man can do nothing better than to eat and drink and find satisfaction in his work. This too, I see, is from the hand of God,
25  for without him, who can eat or find enjoyment?
26 To the man who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge and happiness, but to the sinner he gives the task of gathering and storing up wealth to hand it over to the one who pleases God. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.

And his final conclusion really wraps it up in chapter 12 verses 13-14:

13 Now all has been heard;
       here is the conclusion of the matter:
       Fear God and keep his commandments,
       for this is the whole duty of man.

14 For God will bring every deed into judgment,
       including every hidden thing,
       whether it is good or evil.

Solomon's conclusion is that our entire purpose is to obey God! Short and simple, but somehow just out of reach. We want to make our purpose complicated and glamorous; we want to hear about grand missions and ways to change the world. But God says our main purpose is simply to obey Him. How do we obey Him? We have to study His Word, the Bible, to know what He expects of us. We have to pray and communicate with Him in order to grow and seek His strength in being able to obey. And we have to do it every day.

The Apostle Paul reached the same conclusion about our purpose in life. We don't always understand why things happen, why we are placed where we are, or what it all means, but Paul agrees with Solomon. Let God worry about the why; you just obey Him for the purpose of bringing Him glory:

1 Cor 10: 31-So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.

Romans 8:28:29-And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.

Did you catch that phrase Paul used--"called according to his [God's] purpose"? It is God's design to put us where He has us, in the family of His choosing, in the job of His choosing, in the church of His choosing, in the hospital of His choosing, in the jail cell of His choosing, in the school of His choosing, and on and on. And it is for HIS purpose. He is God; He gets to decide. Sometimes we are allowed a glimpse into the mind of God, as we are shown purpose through circumstances, but more often than not, we will never know what God's purpose is in various situations. And it is not to be our aim in life to "get it", to understand everything, to see past the sometimes futile days of life. Much of life is mundane and routine, but our very purpose is to be obedient in the midst of the mundane.

So your job is boring? Do your best in that boring job for the glory of God. So your life is filled with drudgery? Obey and ask God to give you purpose and fulfillment. God wants you to experience fulfillment, but notice that obedience comes first. God demands that we trust Him and obey Him, and then allow Him to give us satisfaction in our lives of obedience. And believe me--a life of obedience is not boring. Rather, it is the most purpose-filled, exciting life you can lead!

So what's the point of life? 2 Cor 5:9--So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body [the church] or away from it. Allow God to impact your daily routine of life this week with the understanding that everything is for His purpose and that your response must be simple obedience. Tell God, "Whatever you give me this week, I will make it my goal to please you in it!" and see where God leads you. It is not easy to obey, but walking with the Lord is the only way to find purpose, to know that this life does mean something, to get through the mundane periods of life, to find joy. When we adopt God's way of thinking, it can revolutionize the way we live, so ask God to change your thinking this week. Ask Him to give you a heart of obedience. And then wait for the joy and fulfillment to come. God never disappoints!

Psalm 84:11 -
For the LORD God is a sun and shield;
       the LORD bestows favor and honor;
       no good thing does he withhold
       from those whose walk is blameless. 

All is vanity: Ecclesiastes 1:2-3

I started out this book of the month with a quick reading all the way through, to get a feel for the overall book, and I have to say, I wasn't left with the warm fuzzies. This book is not a pick-me-up kind of book. If you are really down in the dumps, this probably won't be the place you turn for encouragement to lift your spirit. But then as I stewed on the book for a few days, I realized that I was looking at the book all wrong. Yes, it was filled with King Solomon's observations of the realities of this life, but it was that reality--viewed through the eyes of our God--that should spur us into action, not leave us without a purpose.

Solomon starts out immediately with a repeated theme:

2 "Meaningless! Meaningless!"
       says the Teacher.
       "Utterly meaningless!
       Everything is meaningless."

3 What does man gain from all his labor
       at which he toils under the sun?

The NASB and KJV both use the word "vanity" in place of "meaningless" but both words convey the sense of futility. Everything is utterly futile, without purpose, and without profit, is what Solomon is really saying. You live, you acquire wealth and have families, you work hard, and then you die! He continues describing this futility in the cycles of life, human wisdom, pleasures and riches, materialism and more in the coming chapters.

In 1:14 Solomon writes something striking:

14 I have seen all the things that are done under the sun; all of them are meaningless, a chasing after the wind. 

Do you know who Solomon was? He was definitely a man who could say, "I have seen it all!" He was not only King of Israel, son of David and one of the richest men to have ever lived in entire human history, but he was granted great wisdom from God. He really did have it all--abundant riches that were unequalled in his time (and may never be matched), hundreds of wives (not considered a wise move by God, but shows his scope of seeking pleasures), and everything he could ever want. He lacked for nothing, but at the end of the day, Solomon said that it was all meaningless! Having all the women he could want, all the money he could want, all the possessions he could want, all the pleasures of this life, meant absolutely nothing!

Solomon has a lot more to say, and believe me it ends on a positive note, but sit and reflect on what Solomon was really saying. He had immeasurably more wealth and possessions and authority and power than any of us will ever have, but even he could not say that it was enough; it left him seeking something more substantial. If Solomon was not satisfied, then that tells me that no amount of pleasure seeking in my lifetime is ever going to satisfy me either.

And that begs the question, What am I seeking? Worldly, temporary pleasures and possessions? Or things that really do mean something and will last forever? If you don't know what you should be seeking, here is a little help from Isaiah 40:8:

8 "The grass withers and the flowers fall,
       but the word of our God stands forever."

Welcome to July & the book of Ecclesiastes

I'm a little late getting started in July, but I haven't forgotten! For the month of July, we'll be reading Ecclesiastes, Solomon's little book that follows Proverbs in our Bibles today. This book discusses the age-old question that everyone is faced with at some point: what is the purpose of life? If you look at this life from a humanistic viewpoint, Solomon says life is futile--there is no purpose! You are born, you acquire wealth and belongings, and then you die. But when you understand God's purpose for us, when you have a correct view of God, then your purpose becomes very clear, and we know that our existence is not at all futile, but for the glory of all-mighty God Himself!

This book was written almost 3,000 years ago, but people today are still in a constant struggle to figure out "why am I here?" Sometimes even believers lose their focus and fall into the "eat, drink, and be merry" lifestyle of the world. So dive into Ecclesiastes, and be reminded about what King David's son Solomon had to say about life.   

The only worthy judge--Romans 2

At the end of chapter 1, Paul starts a section on God's wrath and judgment. He lists many sins and lifestyles of sin that God condemns and eventually God "gives them over" to this unnatural, depraved way of living. But before we get too haughty, in chapter 2 Paul reminds us of the reality that we are all Law-breakers, all sinners, and not in a position to judge anyone else.

1 You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge the other, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things.
2 Now we know that God's judgment against those who do such things is based on truth.
3 So when you, a mere man, pass judgment on them and yet do the same things, do you think you will escape God's judgment?
4 Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, tolerance and patience, not realizing that God's kindness leads you toward repentance?
5 But because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of God's wrath, when his righteous judgment will be revealed.

Paul asks a rhetorical question: Can a sinner judge another sinner? The answer is an obvious no! I can't judge you for your sin because I myself am a sinner who deserves condemnation. And we know that we are ALL sinners. In chapter 3: 10, Paul writes

10 As it is written:
   "There is no one righteous, not even one;
11 there is no one who understands,
      no one who seeks God.
12 All have turned away,
      they have together become worthless;
   there is no one who does good,
      not even one."

We are all equally guilty and therefore under equal condemnation and deserving of equal judgment. "Not even one" of us is without guilt! Paul's warning is a very necessary one because we are all so prone to judging everyone and everything. How often do you catch yourself judging others in your heart when you see or hear something and jump to conclusions? We are quick to judge and slow to encourage others and pray for one another!

Jesus Christ spoke about judgment in Matthew 7:1-5:

1 "Do not judge, or you too will be judged.
2 For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.
3 "Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?
4 How can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when all the time there is a plank in your own eye?
5 You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye.

I love that last verse because it really packs a punch and is what I call "righteous sarcasm". Get the huge, massive log out of your own eye before you point out the speck of dirt in your brother's eye! It is similar to the time when the Pharisees were going to stone the adulteress woman and Jesus said, "If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her." (John 8:7) They couldn't do it--they all walked away!   

So if we are not eligible to judge, who is? God the Righteous Judge is the only one worthy of handing down judgment. He alone is righteous, holy and without sin. He alone can establish the Law and then judge everyone who breaks the Law. The Bible has a lot to say about the Righteous Judge. Here are a few verses:

Psalm 7:11--God is a righteous judge, a God who expresses his wrath every day.

Psalm 96:13--they will sing before the LORD, for he comes, he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world in righteousness and the peoples in his truth.

Psalm 98:9--let them sing before the LORD, for he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world in righteousness and the peoples with equity.

Jeremiah 11:20--But, O LORD Almighty, you who judge righteously and test the heart and mind, let me see your vengeance upon them, for to you I have committed my cause.

2 Timothy 4:8--Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.

If you've been walking with God for a few years, the tendency can be to live as a haugty Christian who looks down on other sinners--those who blatantly sin, those who haven't been taught better, or those whom we simply misunderstand. But God says that my responsibility is to check my OWN heart and to make sure I am right with God, not to walk around evaluating everyone else's life. There are settings where human forms of judgment and discipline are appropriate--in government and the church--but person-to-person we are in no position to judge and actually bring more judgment on ourselves in the process of judging others. Like I tell my 4-year old son, "You worry about you, not about your sister!" We need to look after our own sin and let God the RIghteous Judge deal with the sins of others.