2202020

Proverbs 8-12

Wisdom calls, and folly calls. Who do we listen to? Wisdom looks like death but leads to life. Life in Christ, life from His righteousness. Folly looks like great fun ut leads to death. Slowly, surely, death. Help me Lord to root my heart deep in your Word.

2192020

Psalm 51-59

These psalms look up, not just around. We start in 51, with David casting himself on the grace of God. What better place to be!? But how did the Lord Jesus sing this song? was it a maskil for Him as well? Did He simply enjoy the grace of God presented in it as we all must? A mystery! But the rest of this section show David surrounded by enemies and forsaken by friends. Who experienced that better or more deeply than the Lord? And yet the Psalmist keeps looking up. God is rescuer, savior, strength and treasure. God is better than riches and power, therefore our lips should praise Him. 

2182020

1 Samuel 11-20

Two kings, two cities, two Kings, two ways to live. It was ever thus. Saul is impatient and desires to run ahead of the Lord. Simple faithfulness wasn't enough for him. David was humble, cautious and faithful. He fought the giant, he only ran when he had no other choice. So Saul stands for fleshly, worldly, orientation and motivation. He looked good, but he was God-less. He only served in his own strength. Better rather to look at David, and David's greater Son. Ge is the true King of the greater Kingdom.

2172020

Exodus 1-8

A new king arose who didn't know Joseph and therefore didn't respect his people. So how does he treat God's people? With suspicion and oppression. But as they were oppressed they grew stong, both in number, and you hope, spirit. They had to work harder, they had their rights denied them. BUt they were still God's people.

God heard their cry and He knew. God heard. God remembered. And we worship a God who breaks in. It was the LORD,not pharaoh, who would not let His people go! He speaks suddenly into the darkness, and all is different. Not fixed. Not easier. Not better, but different. See the great speaking, hearing, saving, knowing, merciful, acting int he darkness grace of our God, and don't lose hope.

2162020

1 Corinthians 13-16

I don't want to be a noisy gong or clanging symbol today. I don't want to empty the cross of it's resurrection power today.I want the church, each church, the local church, the global church, my church ot rise up as a spiritual hothouse today, to spread the Gospel in RVA and beyond. The Lord Jesus is alive, pouring His love into us, pouring His Spirit into us, there is always more from Him. He is all i need today, alive and at work in His church.

2152020

Mark 5-8

Slowly through the Gospels on a Saturday. Always more to read, more to study, more to consume, but it's ok to go slowly. Each word in the Gospels seems weightier, more meaningful somehow. It's not of course, either print all the words in red or none of them, but that's how if feels. This whole book is lousy with meaning. 

We're left at the end of chapter 8 asking how not to be ashamed of Jesus. perhaps the same question as Hebrews 10 gives us, how to live in such a way that the Lord Jesus is not ashamed of us. Carry your cross, live by faith in His Word, wean your heart off lesser gods. Remember, if you approach in humility and faith, if you bare your cross all the way to the Lord, you'll always get more than you were banking on. The woman with the issue of blood wanted a heal and run and got a relationship with Jesus. Jairus wanted a healing and got a resurrection. Lord show your resurrecting, healing, demon binding power in this day.

2142020

Proverbs 4-7

So dull this morning, (though better at 11am when writing this, thank God for His enlivening grace!). Not discouraged. Not stressed, just dull. Body feels heavy. When will i give the Lord 1% of my ehart, 1% of what He is due. I'll settle for 1%! I'm 35 next week, if i don't gain mastery over my body now, then when? 

And yet the Lord is good, His Word speaks, His wisdom feeds. As Samuel saw with His ears so i must labor to see with my ears! The way to spiritual prosperity is clear, just listen! Listen to wisdom, get wisdom. Hope in what the Lord has promised you, has given you, and what He has promised. This is wisdom, this is life. get wisdom, avoid sin. The dull days don't last, but His wisdom does.