But now I will not deal with the remnant of this people as in the former days, declares the LORD of hosts. For there shall be a sowing of peace. The vine shall give its fruit, and the ground shall give its produce, and the heavens shall give their dew. And I will cause the remnant of this people to possess all these things. And as you have been a byword of cursing among the nations, O house of Judah and house of Israel, so will I save you, and you shall be a blessing. Fear not, but let your hands be strong.”

Zechariah 8:1-17

But now I will not deal with the remnant of this people as in the former days, declares the LORD of hosts. For there shall be a sowing of peace. The vine shall give its fruit, and the ground shall give its produce, and the heavens shall give their dew. And I will cause the remnant of this people to possess all these things. And as you have been a byword of cursing among the nations, O house of Judah and house of Israel, so will I save you, and you shall be a blessing. Fear not, but let your hands be strong.” Zechariah 8:11-13

I continue my study of the last four books of the OT (complete: Zephaniah, Haggai; to complete: Zechariah, Malachi) - using the Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary volume for this book.  For today, my focus is a commentary-assisted review of Zechariah 8:1-17, which the commentary outlines as the fifth of five divisions for the text 7:1-8:23 (7:1-3/8:18-23, 7:4-7, 7:8-10, 7:11-14, 8:1-17).  The overarching theme - as described by the commentary's title for the text - the commentary uses for the text 7:1-8:23 is Transformed from Trusting Our Capabilities to Trusting His Faithfulness.  The beginning of chapter 7 discusses how God's people focused on extra-biblical ritual fasting as a reflection of their own desires and powers vs leaning on God and what He seeks from us.  The commentary for the text today 8 alludes to this with how it opens with how "[Zechariah] begins to tell the people exactly what God will do as He transforms their fasting into feasting. In the opening verse God reminds His people of His jealous love for Zion, that is, Jerusalem....God makes promises to His people, revealing His faithfulness to accomplish what they are incapable of doing on their own."  The commentary then outlines what God will do:

• He will return to Jerusalem - v3
• He will bless the residents of the city with both long life and new life - vv4-5
• He will bring the nations to Jerusalem and make them His own - vv7-8
• He will bring peace, productivity, and power to His people - vv9-13
• He will drive away the fear they have experienced - vv14-17

The commentary winds down for the text by sharing how God "meets us in our broken places to transform us from serving ourselves to serving Him, from pursuing empty religion to pursuing His righteousness, from listening to our own desires to hearing His voice, and from depending on our own capabilities to trusting His faithfulness."

As I posted yesterday, similar to how throughout scripture God's servants experienced difficulties, there will be turbulent times in our lives, but nothing can separate us from the love of Jesus (Romans 8:39).  He is always with us and we can draw comfort and peace knowing that God has already secured victory over both sin and death.  God's grace is sufficient and His power is perfect in our times of weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9)!

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Father, You are SO good!  Thank You for the mercies You pour out for me daily that never run out.  I am undeserving of my salvation and for these mercies.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please continue to heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to the reward.

Hebrews 11:26

He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to the reward. Hebrews 11:26

Today, once again I traveled - this time home from WV...thus I am mindful again of how I did not offer time to the Lord in the morning (my first fruits) as I'd like do, but I am also mindful that I need to go to God daily and while it is late in the day it is my first opportunity to get online and not just focus my mind on God's message, I do want to document my time.  For this opportunity, I go to DesiringGod.com's Solid Joys daily devotion, which today explores Hebrews 11:26.  Here, John describes the purpose of suffering for believers as "to manifest, in childlike faith, the infinite preciousness of [Christ's] all-satisfying promises — the all-satisfying greatness and beauty of his own glory as the fulfillment of all of them."  Using Hebrews 11:25-26, Piper points us to Moses who "[chose]...to be mistreated with the people of God [rather] than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin."  Moses chose to share in the suffering of Christ even though He did not even know of Him...He was called by God in obedience and to live by faith expecting something greater.  Piper then describes this as Christian Hedonism, where "[i]n the pursuit of joy through suffering, we magnify the all-satisfying worth of the Source of our joy. God himself shines as the brightness at the end of our tunnel of pain...If we do not communicate that he is the goal and the ground of our joy in suffering, then the very meaning of our suffering will be lost. The meaning is this: God is gain. God is gain. God himself is gain. That’s the meaning of our suffering. The chief end of man is to glorify God. And it is truer in suffering than anywhere else that God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in him."

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God and You are the greater reward...You are the gain...above all things.  Thank You for Your faithfulness and that I can never be separated from Your love...despite what may and will happen to me.  I am not deserving of such faithfulness and salvation.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please continue to heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others. Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.     

Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church[.]

Colossians 1:24

Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church[.] Colossians 1:24

Today, while traveling in WV...I am mindful of how I did not offer time to the Lord in the morning (my first fruits) as I'd like do, but I am also mindful that I need to go to God daily and while it is late in the day it is my first opportunity to get online and not just focus my mind on God's message, I do want to document my time.  For this opportunity, I go to DesiringGod.com's Solid Joys daily devotion, which today explores Colossians 1:24. I have previously reviewed this particular message from John Piper but it is nonetheless worthy of review.  It is an astonishing message and deeply encouraging for those experiencing suffering.  First, Piper describes how Christ's sacrifice was perfect - it lacked in nothing - "— except one thing, a personal presentation by Christ himself to the nations of the world."  Now we should be careful to assume that Christ's death on the cross was anything less than perfect.  Piper shares how "for the sake of [Christ's] body, that is, the church...[Paul and us] fill up what is lacking in Christ's afflictions." Piper then goes on to share how "[those in the church, including today and tomorrow] finish what they were designed for, namely, a personal presentation to the people who do not know about their infinite worth." Piper sums this up succinctly with a more full statement: "[Paul] says that it is his own sufferings that fill up Christ’s afflictions. This means, then, that Paul exhibits the sufferings of Christ by suffering himself for those he is trying to win to Christ. In his sufferings they are to see Christ’s sufferings....Here is the astounding upshot: God intends for the afflictions of Christ to be presented to the world through the afflictions of his people."  Astounding indeed...those suffering are intended to carry Christ into the world by sharing in His afflictions and displaying how God's grace is sufficient. See also 2 Corinthians 12:9. 

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer:  Lord Jesus, Your are so good...You are with me at all times, including in my suffering.  Thank You Jesus for never leaving or forsaking me.  I am not deserving of how You love and save me.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please continue to heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

And because of him, you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, so that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.”

1 Corinthians 1

And because of him, you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, so that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.” 1 Corinthians 1:30-31

I continue my study of 1 Corinthians.  I am assisted in my study by the Christ-Centered Exposition Series commentary for this book.  Today my focus is a review - aided by the commentary - of 1 Corinthians 1:26-31.  The commentary* provide three (3) divisions for the text:

1.  God Calls the Unlikely (1:26): Here, the commentary emphasizes how God seldom calls the intelligent, influential and important of this world to Himself.  God wants it to be clear to the world that He is more intelligent, influential, and important than any other being in the universe and that His glory does not need anyone or anything.  God uses the most unlikely of those in the world to show that He is able to do anything through those He calls.  These are ordinary, humble people who surrender their live to Jesus. 
   
2.  God Chooses the Unimpressive (1:27-29): Counted as the unimpressive, the commentary shares how God chooses the foolish, the weak, the insignificant, the despised, and the "nobodies" of this world to do His work to bring glory to Himself and others to Him. The commentary refers us to Deuteronomy 7:7 where it is described how God chose Israel - an insignificant and weak nation - as His own and the foundation of His church. Additional examples from scripture provided by the commentary* include David ("a shepherd boy named David whom he made a king"), Amos ("an uneducated farmer and tender of sycamore trees named Amos whom he made a prophet"), and Anna ("a prophetess and who testified to the redemption of Jerusalem when she saw the baby Jesus (Luke 2:26-38)....All of them are insignificant to the world but not to God."
   
3.  God Changes the Unworthy (1:30-31): The commentary* reminds believers that "every good thing we have comes to us from God through his Son the Lord Jesus Christ." It shares that "wisdom delivers us from sin's perspective, righteousness delivers us from sin's penalty,  sanctification delivers us from sin's power, redemption delivers us from sin's presence, and boasting in the Lord delivers us from sin's pride."
   

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are a great God who is able to do it all because You paid it all - for me and for anyone who calls upon Your Name.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such love and blessings.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and other.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

*Akin, Dr. Daniel L.; Merritt, James. Exalting Jesus in 1 Corinthians (Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary). B&H Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.

“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”

2 Corinthians 12

“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” 2 Corinthians 12:9

As I continue to be in between studies, having wrapped up my study looking at the life of Paul using John Piper's 30 Reasons Why I Love the Apostle Paul, I lean on DesiringGod.com's Solid Joys daily devotional, which today builds on posts from the previous two days focusing on suffering - and today the devotional looks specifically at how our weakness reveals God's worth.  Piper start by sharing what for many, including Christians, might be a sobering thought: "God’s design for suffering is that it should magnify Christ’s worth and power. This is grace, because the greatest joy of Christians is to experience Christ magnified in our lives."  In 2 Corinthians 12:7-8 Paul describes how God gave him a thorn in the flesh" and Paul pleaded with God to remove it and God responds in 2 Corinthians 12:9a. Piper then further explains, using 1 Corinthians 1:29 that "[i]f we feel and look self-sufficient, we will get the glory, not Christ. So, Christ chooses the weak things of the world...[a]nd sometimes he makes seemingly strong people weaker so that the divine power will be the more evident." Piper then wraps the devotion by ensuring we are encouraged by Paul's response to God's grace - that Paul boasts of his weaknesses such that God get the glory as His power and grace is evidenced in Paul's life (see also 2 Corinthians 12:9b-10).  We are also urged to see how our faith means "being satisfied with all that God is for us in Jesus."

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who is full of grace for me - in all things - thank You Jesus for how You have never left or forsaken me...through all of the challenges and trials.  I am not deserving of how You love and bless me.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love other as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouse to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others. Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.   

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

2 Corinthians 12

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong. 2 Corinthians 12:9-10

I paused my studies of both Isaiah and Proverbs to listen to DesiringGod.com's Solid Joys daily devotional, which focuses on how our suffering and weakness reveals God's strength and glory.  Paul had his famous "thorn in his flesh" and he pleaded (v8) with God to remove it (see more on Paul's thorn in his flesh), but God let it remain and God told him why He left the thorn in Paul's flesh. God wants us to depend on Him, and it is during hard times and with our "thorns in the flesh" when we depend on Him the most.  We experience and see God's grace when we depend on Him - it becomes evident.  Piper writes that "sometimes he makes seemingly strong people weaker so that the divine power will be the more evident." Piper urges us to be content during "weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities." God, please help me be content during such experiences. 

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Heavenly Father, Jesus, You are amazing and Your grace IS sufficient - now and during all times - of course during those times when I am weak.  I have experienced Your grace during such times - thank You Jesus.  I am undeserving of such grace.  My sin continues and I often fail to trust and be content during such times.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength. Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.

Isaiah 40-41

The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength. Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint. Isaiah 40:28-31

I continue my deep dive of Isaiah, based on the Precept Upon Precept study series. Today, I move on Lesson 15, Day 3b, which looks specifically at Isaiah 40:12-31.  Here, we are urged to see God as incomparable, as both verses 18 and 25 exhort us not to compare the One True God to another.  As we transition from verses 12-26 to verses 27-31, we see God referring to Himself as "the everlasting God," and "the Creator of the ends of the earth." God then describes Himself as never lacking any power or understanding, and available to strengthen those who are weak.  What an incredible description!  We know God is powerful - it is described not just here in Isaiah but elsewhere.  Believers should recognize God's power towards us - see also John Piper's message on the below verses in Ephesians where Paul prays that:

"...you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come." Ephesians 1:18-21

Comment and discuss this post here.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an amazing God who strengthens me - thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such a God.  I often focus on my weakness - please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin. Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

 

[A] bruised reed he will not break, and a faintly burning wick he will not quench; he will faithfully bring forth justice.

Isaiah 42

[A] bruised reed he will not break, and a faintly burning wick he will not quench; he will faithfully bring forth justice. Isaiah 42:3

This morning, I focus on John Piper's Solid Joys devotional, where Piper seeks for us to be encouraged during periods when we feel our faith is a mere "spark" vs a "flame." Piper starts by stating that "[t]he Spirit of Christ is the Spirit of encouragement...he will not snuff out your spark."  He then provides just a few of the many scriptural examples, besides Isaiah 42:3, where we can gain encouragement during periods of weak faith:

• Luke 4:18
• Malachi 4:2
• Matthew 11:29
• Psalm 27:14
  

This morning, I need more encouragement than usual - thank You Jesus for fanning the flame of my faith!

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and and who has given me faith - thank You Jesus!  You also provide the Holy Spirit, the Word, the church, and my brothers and sisters in Christ all to strengthen and build me up in my faith.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of all this!  My sin is great and and it is daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

[T]hrough many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.

Acts 14

[T]hrough many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God. Acts 14:22

This morning, until I start a new Bible study, I continue using devotionals from John Piper.  Today, the post focuses on how God often denies a prayer for grace yet responds with another form of grace that we are unable to perhaps see in the moment but able to see later in hindsight.  We should understand that from the Fall (Genesis 3), human existence moved from the perfection of the Garden of Eden, to a world full of sin and hardship. Jesus tells us in the gospel of John (John 16:33) how we are to expect hardship but that we will overcome (ultimately) anything hardship we experience. In today's post, Piper emphasizes how we are to see grace in the form of denied prayer - we don't know God's ways or thoughts (Isaiah 55:8) - but we do know that for those who love God, He works all things work together for good (Romans 8:28). Piper refers us to 2 Corinthians 12:9 where Paul shares how God denied his request to remove a "thorn":

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 2 Corinthians 12:9

Let us pray that we can mindful of how God works in and through our weakness to accomplish great things. 

Comment and discuss this post here.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an amazing God who loves me and who has poured out an indescribable amount of grace on my life - of course when I am undeserving and also when I cannot even recognize it in the face of suffering.  Thank You Jesus!  I AM not deserving.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others. Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

1 Samuel 18-22

That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong. 2 Corinthians 12:10

I continue with my study of - Ten Men of the Bible: How God Used Imperfect People to Change the World - eBook by Max Lucado (for purchase). This morning, I continue with the story of "David: Giant Problems and Colossal Collapses*".

*Title of lesson five from the Max Lucado study.

The commentary* of day two starts with Max Lucado discussing how after slaying Goliath and the Philistines, David finds himself favored by both Saul and all of Israel, the latter of whom see David as their new hero.  Saul is increasingly envious and jealous and begins to plot against David.  Yet David, instead of relying on God on first instinct as he did when facing Goliath, David relies on his own strength, and his own fears lead to sinful deception of others and he ultimately goes into hiding. Lucado wants us to see how:

• "After a victory, our enemy will go on the attack and try to bring us to a low place where we doubt the love and provision of God."
• "It is when we find ourselves cut off and in a lonely place that we will be tempted to seek refuge in things other God."
• "When we experience a setback and things are not going as planned, we need to regroup, rediscover our courage, and refocus ourselves on God."
  

Desperation often leads us to seek ungodly refuge.  Yet God wants us to be desperate for Him.

Comment and discuss this post here.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an incredible God and I have felt Your strength during times of difficulty - You protect me and I am grateful!  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving for how You never leave or forsake me.  I love You.  Yet I am undeserving of Your love for me and how You saved me.  I am harsh with words and actions.  Please forgive me Jesus.  Help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

Exodus 1-3

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong. 2 Corinthians 12:9-10

I continue with my study of - Ten Men of the Bible: How God Used Imperfect People to Change the World - eBook by Max Lucado (for purchase). This morning, I continue with the story of "Moses: A Glimpse of God's Glory*".

*Title of lesson four from the Max Lucado study.

The commentary* of day two starts with Max Lucado pointing out Moses' resistance to God's call that Moses confront Pharaoh and lead the Israelites out of Egypt. Moses did not feel up to the task and he did not see how God's power would reign in and through him in the task given him.  Of course with such a tall task, this is understandable.  We are encouraged to compare and contrast Moses' initial reaction with that of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednago from the Book of Daniel and how they were to be thrown into the furnace unless they renounced their faith in God (they were instead ordered to worship King Nebuchadnezzar) - they did not and God saved them from the fiery ordeal. God eventually demonstrates His power to Moses by turning Moses' walking stick into a snake then back into a walking stick - this same rod is the same one used by God to both confront Pharaoh and part the Red Sea. Lucado wants us to see how we are not to focus on our strength or abilities - but instead on God and His power.  I am reminded of Paul's words.

Comment and discuss this post here.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who has strengthened me in my weakest moments and You continue to strengthen me and equip me - thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such love.  My sin continues - including worry, etc.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You. Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me. Help me grow in my faith. Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength. Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

“Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him.

John 8-10

 “Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him. John 9:3

Day 307 of my chronological study of the Bible with The Daily Bible® - In Chronological Order (NIV®) (available by purchase through Amazon - author F. LaGard Smith) continues as I move further into the New Testament - this morning focusing on Jesus' continuing teaching in the face of opposition from the Jewish leaders.  Jesus heals a man blind from birth and this healing sparks a furious debate between Jesus and the Jewish leaders regarding Jesus' identity and ancestry.  Among Jesus' responses:

Jesus answered, “Even if I testify on my own behalf, my testimony is valid, for I know where I came from and where I am going. But you have no idea where I come from or where I am going. You judge by human standards; I pass judgment on no one. But if I do judge, my decisions are true, because I am not alone. I stand with the Father, who sent me. In your own Law it is written that the testimony of two witnesses is true. I am one who testifies for myself; my other witness is the Father, who sent me.”  John 8:14-18

But he continued, “You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world. I told you that you would die in your sins; if you do not believe that I am he, you will indeed die in your sins.” John 8:23-24

Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. John 8:34-36

“I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me— just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd. The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father.” John 10:14-18

Yet among all of Jesus' teachings from this morning's scripture, key for me this morning is the healing of the blind man and Jesus comments on the healing.

I am reminded of a similar comment by Paul:

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 2 Corinthians 12:9

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and I have seen Your power in weakness...in me and others.  Your grace IS sufficient...more than sufficient.  Thank You Jesus for never leaving of forsaking me.  I am not deserving of such love.  I continue to worry.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.