Men, why are you doing these things? We also are men, of like nature with you, and we bring you good news, that you should turn from these vain things to a living God, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all that is in them.

Acts 14

Men, why are you doing these things? We also are men, of like nature with you, and we bring you good news, that you should turn from these vain things to a living God, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all that is in them. Acts 14:15

While I have completed my study of Zechariah and it's time to transition to Malachi (as part of my study of the last four books of the OT using the Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary volume for this book), I pause before moving to Malachi to study Acts 13-14 as preparation for my Sunday school discussion this upcoming Sunday.  In Acts 14, we once again see Paul speaking boldly.  Many believed (v1) but we also see opposition and persecution from the Jews (v2).  But Paul and Barnabas remained in Iconium and continued speaking boldly despite opposition and threats (vv3-4), including an effort to stone them (v5).  Undeterred, similar to Peter and John's response to the Jewish leaders who called them before the Council (see Acts 4:20), Paul and Barnabas pressed forward in their mission to share the gospel (vv6-7).  After healing a crippled man (vv8-10), those in the crowd felt compelled to worship Paul and Barnabas (vv11-13).  Yet Paul's response in vv14-15, draped in humility, exhorted the crowd to believe in the One who sent them and gave them the power of the Holy Spirit to perform such signs, wonders, and miracles.  Once again, opposition arose and Paul was dragged out and stoned (v19).  But Paul rose up and moved on - continuing to preach (v20)!  Amazing Paul and Barnabas could not be stopped!  This is clearly the hand of God.  As they continued the text shares how Paul encouraged the believers to endure in their faith despite how they will experience many tribulations (v22).  The believers (vv23-28) encouraged one another and glorified God in what He had done. Key themes in the text include (1) how Paul and Barnabas continued to preach boldly despite the threats to their physical safety; (2) how Paul and Barnabas remained humble despite having the great power of the Holy Spirit working in them (this is the same power that raised Christ from the dead - see also Ephesians 1:19-20 (NLT)); (3) fellowship among believers remained critical for encouragement and discipleship; and (4) how believers will face trials and challenges as we strive to live on mission (we will overcome - see John 16:33).

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My Prayer:  Father God, thank You for the example of Paul and Barnabas and Your Word.  I spend time with You, grow closer to You, and I am prayerful that I can become more like You and please You.  I am not deserving of how You love, save and bless me with Your Word.  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.  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 I will put this third into the fire, and refine them as one refines silver, and test them as gold is tested. They will call upon my name, and I will answer them. I will say, ‘They are my people’; and they will say, ‘The LORD is my God.’”

Zechariah 13:2-9

And I will put this third into the fire, and refine them as one refines silver, and test them as gold is tested.  They will call upon my name, and I will answer them. I will say, ‘They are my people’; and they will say, ‘The LORD is my God.’” Zechariah 13:9

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 an unassisted review of Zechariah 13:2-9, which the commentary outlines as the first of four divisions for the text 13:2-14:21 (13:2-9, 14:1-3, 14:4-9, 14:10-21).  Here, the text once again focuses on end times using the reference "on that day" twice in the text 13:2-9 (vv2, 4).  Speaking to Israel through Zechariah, God provides a prophecy of end times where He condemns and idols and false prophets.  V7 shares how God will strike "the man who stands next to me" - a clear reference to Jesus and a messianic prophecy.  Vv8-9 refers to a remnant that God will refine and test as if gold and silver where this refining process removes impurities. Malachi 3:3 also refers to this "refiner's fire" and it describes how the "sons of Levi" will be purified.  While God sees all believers as justified and righteous in His eyes - imputed righteousness - God does not promise that our earthly lives will be free of challenges.  On the contrary - we will face challenges and trials as this is the nature of the fallen world in which we live and inherited from the Fall.  At the same time, God does promise that we will overcome these challenges and trials - see John 16:33.  This promise from John shares and implies that we will overcome these challenges in this life and in the life to come in Heaven.  Key ways in which God helps us overcome include the sanctification process where God equips us day-by-day where we become more like Him through our daily focus on spiritual disciplines (prayer, study of His Word, etc.) and our relationship with Him. God is also with us through the Holy Spirit. 

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My Prayer: Father God, You are an awesome God who loves me and who never leaves or forsakes me.  You also equip me to endure trials and challenges of all kinds.  Thank You Jesus for saving me and for the blessings You pour out for me every day.  I am not deserving of my salvation nor these 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 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.     

[A] bruised reed he will not break, and a faintly burning wick he will not quench[.]

 Isaiah 42

[A] bruised reed he will not break, and a faintly burning wick he will not quench[.] Isaiah 42:3a,b

This morning, I pause my study of 1,2,3 John using the Christ-Centered Exposition commentary series volume for these books to use DesiringGod.com's Solid Joys daily devotional, which today offers words of encouragement to those experiencing challenges and feeling as though their faith in God is weak, and in John Piper's terms a mere spark versus that of a flame.  We all desire for our hearts to burn with desire for God and for our faith to be strong but there are times when we feel weakened.  Piper encourages us to seek God and avoid falling prey to the temptations offered by this world.  Scripture of course offers a mountain of encouragement.  I think of John 16:33, and Piper refers us to Luke 4:18, Malachi 4:2, Matthew 11:29, Psalm 27:14. If you are feeling low and weak, go to the Lord!

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God whose everlasting arms give rest when we are weakened.  You heal and You guide...and so much more - thank You for never leaving or forsaking me.  I am not deserving of such 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 others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

The eternal God is your dwelling place, and underneath are the everlasting arms.

 Deuteronomy 33

 The eternal God is your dwelling place, and underneath are the everlasting arms. Deuteronomy 33:27

I pause my study of 1,2,3 John this morning to use DesiringGod.com's Solid Joys daily devotion, which today explore how God is working in what we may feel are desperate circumstances which John Piper describes as "a sense of nothingness or helplessness." Piper encourages those who may be feeling this way, or might be in the future, by sharing that God sees everything we experience and He care and loves for us.  Piper writes to those who may be feeling as if they have hit rock bottom: "[H]e is at the bottom waiting to catch you....Yes, he sees you trembling and slipping. He could (and often did) grab you before you hit bottom. But this time he has some new lessons to teach."  We must try and understand how God is at work during these times and this is where we will gain our encouragement...by KNOWING that God is ALWAYS at work, that His design is PERFECT, and whether we see it in this life or when we are in Heaven for eternity, we WILL someday know with full knowledge why God has us in these circumstances - and it is good.  Piper points us to Psalm 119:71 and I lean on Isaiah 64:4, Lamentations 3:25, Romans 8:28 as additional scripture examples that support this message.  As Piper winds down the devotion for today, he shares: "[d]o not think that your wound has come to you apart from God’s gracious design." Piper refers us to Deuteronomy 32:29 as he closes, sharing that God heals and restores.   

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who is always at work...and Your designs and plans are perfect.  I have seen this first hand - thank You Jesus for how You have worked in my life and how You continue to work in my life.  I am not deserving of Your hand of grace where my life rests. 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. 

Do you think that you can reprove words, when the speech of a despairing man is wind?

Job 6

Do you think that you can reprove words, when the speech of a despairing man is wind? Job 6:26

This morning, I pause my study of 1 Corinthians to use DesiringGod.com's Solid Joys daily devotion, which today looks at how we often speak of despair and how we should learn to discern whether such words are rooted more deeply in a "black" or evil heart, or whether they are "for the wind" due to a temporary pain or setback.  If we can discern such talk as due to temporary pain or setback, John Piper encourages us to follow Job's guidance that we "not spend our time and energy reproving such words. They will be blown away of themselves on the wind. One need not clip the leaves in autumn. It is a wasted effort. They will soon blow off of themselves." Instead we are encouraged to "wait in silence and not reprove. Restoring the soul, not reproving the sore, is the aim of our love." If we are seeking God in these moments you will find him. Follow Jeremiah's words to the exiled Jews where he says in Jeremiah 29:13:

"[y]ou will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart."   

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who is full of grace and compassion - I know that You will never leave or forsake me.  I will always find You when I seek You because You never leave me.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such love.  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.

For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with him.

1 Thessalonians 5

For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with him. 1 Thessalonians 5:9-10

I continue my study looking at the life of Paul using John Piper's 30 Reasons Why I Love the Apostle Paul.  Today, I move to chapter nine - My Friend with the Best News during Cancer.  Here, John Piper shares the intimate details of his battle with prostrate cancer and how he learned to lean on Paul's words from 1 Thessalonians 5:9-10.  Piper chains together the logic that gave him great hope though this trial.  He starts by describing how God is in control (Romans 11:36, Ephesians 1:11).  He then moves to the text specifically in 1 Thessalonians 5:9-10 where it says "God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation."  Salvation is then clarified - by looking at the remainder of the text - of course as being eternal and not saved necessarily from cancer itself.  Piper then answers a key question - how did he know that his cancer was not God's punishment for his sins?  He responds by saying "because Christ already died for my sins. Cancer or no cancer, death or life, Paul told me that I was going to “obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for [you].*"  We are referred to John 3:36, Romans 8:1, 3 for additional support. Salvation is then further clarified by describing it as living eternally with Jesus as "that I will live forever, since the One I live with cannot die*" (see also Romans 6:9). The encouragement afforded in this promise is emphasized by Piper as we "get to live forever with the One who loved me enough to die for me*".  As he wraps the chapter, Piper points us to 1 Thessalonians 5:8 where such salvation is described as a "helmet" protecting us from harm and offering hope. 

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who has died for our sins taking the wrath that we deserve and giving us salvation instead - something we don't deserve.  Thank You for this hope and protection.  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.

Again one having the appearance of a man touched me and strengthened me. And he said, “O man greatly loved, fear not, peace be with you; be strong and of good courage.” And as he spoke to me, I was strengthened[.]

Daniel 10

 Again one having the appearance of a man touched me and strengthened me. And he said, “O man greatly loved, fear not, peace be with you; be strong and of good courage.” And as he spoke to me, I was strengthened[.] Daniel 10:18-19

I resume my study of Daniel in conjunction with a disciple/small group study with my church's men's wake up call. This morning my focus is Daniel 10.  The full meaning of the imagery used in this chapter is unclear to me, but I can start with what is clear:

• God speaks to Daniel through a vision (v1)
• The nature of the vision involves a conflict (v1)
• Daniel sees a Heavenly being - similar to a vision of Christ at end times from Revelation.
• The being - although not explicitly mentioned as God - is clearly God; God encourages, comforts , and strengthens Daniel, and by implication - those of faith - believers (v10-12, 18-19)
• The vision is about the future, including Persia and Greece (v13-14)

When we are troubled and we sit amidst trials/suffering and when we don't know the fullness of the future and what it holds - we know that God comforts, encourages, and strengthens us.

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are good and I know that You comfort, encourage, and strengthen - and so much more - thank You Jesus! I am not deserving of how You love 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 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.

He got down on his knees three times a day and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as he had done previously.

Daniel 6

He got down on his knees three times a day and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as he had done previously. Daniel 6:10b

I continue my pause of my study of Hebrews to study Daniel in conjunction with a disciple/small group study with my church's men's wake up call. This morning my focus is Daniel 6:1-18 as I lean on a commentary for its observations of this text. The commentary highlights two divisions that lead up to v18:

• Honor God and Let Him Exalt You (6:1-4). Daniel, like Joseph in the book of Genesis, honors God regardless of his exile status in Babylon.  He first did it under King Nebuchadnezzar, and now he does it under Darius' rule.  God gave Daniel gifts and Daniel used them for God's glory, regardless of the circumstances.
  
• Be True to God Even When It May Cost You (6:5-15). Daniel has already proven himself faithful to God, including where he chose to refuse defiled food in Daniel 1. In chapter 6, we see how even though a law is made to force worship of only Darius, Daniel refuses and continues to worship God.  The commentary writes: "His daily communion with God had so shaped his character that he was ready no matter what."  It also shares how scripture warns of us earthly challenges, referring us to John 16:33 and 1 Peter 4:12-14. We MUST worship and build our relationship with God through constant practice of our spiritual disciplines because that is how we prepare ourselves for the inevitable challenges.  The commentary shares: "Christian character is not forged in the moment of adversity. Christian character is revealed in the moment of adversity."  Emphasizing how Daniel was prepared, the commentary states: "[h]e had honored God in this manner all of his life in Babylon, and he would not stop now—not for a month, not for a moment."

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My Prayer: Lord You are good and You provided brothers and sisters in Christ who came alongside me and discipled me with my journey with You.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of how You 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 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 otehrs.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

As for these four youths, God gave them learning and skill in all literature and wisdom, and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams.

Daniel 1

 As for these four youths, God gave them learning and skill in all literature and wisdom, and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams. Daniel 1:17

I continue my pause of a study of Hebrews to study Daniel in conjunction with disciple/small group study with my church's men's wake up call. Today my focus is Daniel 1 as I lean on a commentary for its observations of this book.  Here, the commentary for Daniel 1 emphasizes a number of key themes, including:

1. God May Sovereignly Send You to a Difficult Place to Spread His Name among the Nations (v1-3)
2. Be Prepared for the Challenges Non-Christian Cultures Will Throw at You to Lead You Away from God (v3-7)
3. Determine Early in Your Life and Heart That You Will Not Compromise Your Convictions and Commitments to God (v8-13)
4. Trust God to Honor Your Devotion and Faithfulness to Him (v14-21)

It shares how believers may find ourselves in challenging places, both figuratively and literally, and how we should "Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things” (Colossians 3:2) and how we are “not [to] be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind” (Romans 12:2).  Daniel and his companions hold firm to their faith and remain obedience, despite the pressure to conform to Babylonian culture while in the service of Nebuchadnezzar's palace.  Believers of today are reminded of similar challenges today. The commentary wraps by sharing how Daniel was a foretaste of Jesus: Daniel and his companions "beautifully typify another Hebrew who will arrive six hundred years later who was also sent to a foreign land to bear witness to the one true God—a Jew by the name of Jesus." Believers should be encouraged by Daniel's example and how God provided for him and his companions and blessed them in their obedience, despite the challenging circumstances.  

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My Prayer: Lord You are good - Your mercies are new every morning, and You provide for all of my needs - and You never leave or forsake me...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 others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

“For the waves of death encompassed me, the torrents of destruction assailed me[.]...This God—his way is perfect[.]

2 Samuel 22

“For the waves of death encompassed me, the torrents of destruction assailed me[.]...This God—his way is perfect[.] 2 Samuel 22:5, 31

This morning, my focus is DesiringGod.com's Solid Joys daily devotion, and John Piper moves on from Advent and Christmas to examines how calamity demonstrates that God's ways are both mysterious yet perfect, and that God's providence extends over all including destruction and death.  Piper pulls from scripture the following responses to calamity:

1. Satan is not ultimate; God is.  Looking at Job, Piper writes: "Satan had a hand in Job’s misery, but not the decisive hand....Satan brings misery. But Satan is not ultimate or decisive. He is on a leash. He goes no farther than God decisively permits."
2. [Satan] is not the decisive cause of [death]; God is. Looking at the world's greatest natural disaster in December 2004 (earthquake that caused tsunami in Indian Ocean that killed 230,000), Piper shares how even though Satan may have created the earthquake, God could have stopped the waves - He did not. See also Psalm 89:8–9 and Luke 8:24 where God has power over the sea and wind.
3. Destructive calamities in this world mingle judgment and mercy.  Using a number of Biblical examples, including Jesus's death on the cross, Piper describes how both judgement and mercy are found in calamity.  Often we don't understand how judgement may be in play - this is the mystery of God. Using Job as an example, Piper writes "God’s purposes are not simple. Job was a godly man and his miseries were not God’s punishment."
4. The heart that Christ gives to his people feels compassion for those who suffer, no matter what their faith is.  Using Romans 12:15, Piper urges us to "weep with those who weep."
5. Finally, Christ calls us to show mercy to those who suffer, even if they do not deserve it. Piper shares how this is the definition of mercy - it is undeserved.

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are a great God and You reign over all, including Satan and calamity.  Thank You for how You demonstrate mercy in my life - 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.

So when God desired to show more convincingly to the heirs of the promise the unchangeable character of his purpose, he guaranteed it with an oath, so that by two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us.

Hebrews 6

So when God desired to show more convincingly to the heirs of the promise the unchangeable character of his purpose, he guaranteed it with an oath, so that by two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us. Hebrews 6:17-18

This morning, my focus is DesiringGod.com's Solid Joys daily devotion, which uses Hebrews 6:17-18 to encourage believers to "hold fast to the hope set before us."  Ultimately, the hope set before us refers to how Christ has already defeated sin and death and how he is saving a place in Heaven for believers - for eternity.  We should be hopeful about this - and this hope should carry us through all of the trials and challenges we will experience in life - and we will experience trials and challenges (John 16:33).  However, John Piper reminds us that even though Christ has already secured the victory we all need, we still need power and a will to hold fast - we cannot do this alone.  We need Christ while we remain in this life to hold fast.  Piper uses Philippians 3:12 to underscore his point - in this text Paul writes how he presses on and endures (just as Jesus did on the cross) to own and claim the life God has given him (regardless of the trials and challenges), and to place his hope in the cross "because Christ Jesus has made me his own."  Take hold of this hope!

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are a good, good Father - and I know You will never leave or forsake me and You will help me through the ups and downs of life - all the way to the end.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such love and blessings.  My sin is great and it continues.  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.

Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Hebrews 4

 Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Hebrews 4:16

This morning, my focus is DesiringGod.com's Solid Joys daily devotion, which offers encouragement, particularly to those currently struggling in times of trial and challenge.  John Piper starts the devotion by stating what we might consider to be obvious, that we all have needs and need help.  Yet he makes this assertion to make two other broader points: one, that because we all sin (Romans 3:23, 1 John 1:8), we don't deserve help (Romans 6:23); two, we are faced with a choice to go it alone, which is futile; or, we can lean on God who offers grace in our time of need. Piper sums it up this way: "[y]es, we all need help. Yes, none of us deserves the help we need. But no to despair and pride and lechery. Look at what God says. Because we have a Great High Priest, the throne of God is a throne of grace. And the help we get at that throne of grace is mercy and grace to help in time of need. Grace to help! Not deserved help — gracious help. That’s why the High Priest, Jesus Christ, shed his own blood. You are not trapped. Say no to that lie. We need help. We don’t deserve it. But we can have it. You can have it right now and forever. If you will receive and trust in your High Priest, Jesus the Son of God, and draw near to God through him."

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are a great God who loves me and who offers grace to me in my time of need - 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.  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.

Behold, it was for my welfare that I had great bitterness; but in love you have delivered my life from the pit of destruction, for you have cast all my sins behind your back.

 Isaiah 36-39

Behold, it was for my welfare that I had great bitterness; but in love you have delivered my life from the pit of destruction, for you have cast all my sins behind your back. Isaiah 38:17

I continue my deep dive of Isaiah, based on the Precept Upon Precept study series. Today, I continue with Lesson 14, looking at Day 4, which looks specifically at Isaiah 38. Here, we see Hezekiah sick and dying, with Isaiah delivering a message from the Lord to him that he should prepare for death. Hezekiah prays to God and God answers his prayer and gives him fifteen more years. In response, Hezekiah pens a poem as he reflects on his journey with God (v9-20).  Broadly, my commentary indicates the main idea from this chapter to be that "God heals Hezekiah from illness and teaches him humility and obedience by what he suffered." My Precept Upon Precept study indicates that a more complete view of this chapter should be viewed with 2 Kings 20:1-11 and 2 Chronicles 32:24-26.  It is in 2 Chronicles 32 where we glean more detail about Hezekiah and his pride.  With all that God does for him Hezekiah remains proud and in response Hezekiah did humble himself, but not without consequences - "the wrath of the Lord did not come upon [Jerusalem] in the days of Hezekiah." My commentary notes we should apply the word as follows:

1. the forgiveness of our sins is our top priority, not the temporary healing of the body this side of death.
2. live every day aware of our mortality, and we should flee to Christ for salvation and power to make the most of the limited time we have.
3. embrace affliction...as working vast spiritual benefits in us: it humbles us and causes us to walk softly in God’s laws.
4. use our own experiences in suffering to make us genuinely compassionate to others who are suffering.

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Lord, You are indeed great - You are full of grace and compassion, even during trials we can see Your love for us.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of Your love and compassion.  My sin is great and it continues.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me turn from and overcome my sin and turn 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.

And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.

1 Peter 5

 And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. 1 Peter 5:10

This morning, until I start a new Bible study, I continue using devotionals from John Piper.  Today, the post focuses on how God, as Piper describes how Jesus provides "assurance that he will not delay beyond what we can endure, and that he will abolish the flaws we bemoan, and that he will establish forever what has tottered so long — that assurance comes from the God of 'all grace.'" In the midst of pain, Piper encourages us to hold on and to endure lest we succumb to the fears that threaten our faith.  He points us to Hebrews 10:39 and Mark 13:13:

But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve their souls. Hebrews 10:39

And you will be hated by all for my name's sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. Mark 13:13

Comment and discuss this post here.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who is full of grace and strength for me - through all times good and bad.  Thank You Jesus for never leaving or forsaking me.  I am not deserving of such love and grace.  I worry - I know this is sinful - 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.  

What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?

Romans 8

What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? Romans 8:31-32

This afternoon, I continued my study of Romans.  Using my commentary - Exalting Jesus in Romans (eBook) - I continued with chapter twelve God is for Us, which covers Romans 8:31-39.  My focus today is Romans 8:31-32, which my commentary refers to under the heading Who Can Be Against Us. Building on previous posts covering Romans 8, which highlight how we are released from the law, how we are alive in Christ, and how the Holy Spirit indwells us in us and give us power...power to endure through anything we may experience in our earthly bodies. Paul then challenges us to let it sink in...the power we have in Christ.  V31-32 encourages, in fact pushes us to fully recognize how God is not only for us, but how God gives us all things - this is not of course a shopping spree.  We should recognize how God equips us for the life we live - all the ups and downs. 

In terms of what Paul intends for "these things", my commentary discusses the various perspectives on how some scholars think Paul is referring to previously discussed topics in Romans 8, but others believe Paul is writing about all of the Romans letter.  Indeed, we cannot even begin to fathom even all of Romans 8 without first understanding the previous chapters. My commentary wants us to understand that "God is for us" and that we are not only equipped for trials but also to defend ourselves against Satan, and to get us to Heaven. God has not spared His Son Jesus, doing the hard thing, "then we can rest assured that he will also do the lesser or easier thing--'grant us everything'.  That is, he will give us everything necessary to get us to glory."

Comment and discuss this post here.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God and it is awesome to know that You are for us!  Thank You Jesus!  What an incredible truth and promise!  I am not deserving of such a truth and promise.  My sin 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.  

Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

Romans 8

Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. Romans 8:26-28

This morning, I continued my study of Romans.  Using my commentary - Exalting Jesus in Romans (eBook) - I continued with chapter eleven Future Glory, Present Help, which covers Romans 8:18-30.  My focus today is Romans 8:26-30, which my commentary refers to under the heading Help for Weak Saints. Here, Paul describes how the Holy Spirit, which indwells in believers, helps us "in our weakness" (v26). He knows both our pain and our thoughts and "intercedes" on our behalf even when we are unable to muster the words in prayer (v26-27). Paul also tells us that whatever suffering we do have (see post yesterday), "all things work together for good" (v28). We are also told that we are "predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son" (v29) and we can surmise that we are to suffer as Christ did.  Yet again we have this hope (again see post yesterday) because we are justified (v30) and as a result progressively glorified now (sanctification) until the day when we meet Jesus face-to-face (glorification complete) - v30.  The challenge for my reading today is v29b where Paul explains a result of being conformed to "the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers."  John Piper writes that Paul includes this so that we recognize that "Christ died and rose from the dead as the firstborn of many siblings so that he would be seen and enjoyed by them and by others as preeminent, superior, gloriously great."

My commentary also refers to John Piper and wants us to see how Paul's words in v26-27 are there because Paul wants us to see how during suffering we groan because we don't know God's will and purpose of our suffering - but of course God IS working and for GOOD! My commentary also wants to not miss what is referred to as the "golden chain of salvation or redemption" in v29-30. We are also encouraged to see the "communal emphasis" of v29 in that we are not to "view [our] brothers and sisters [in Christ] from a human perspective but from [a] divine perspective."

Comment and discuss this post here.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are amazing God and I have seen You work in ALL things including my challenges, trials and difficulties - I know You are there, will never leave me and are always working for good. Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of the blessings You pour out for me because my sin has been great and it continues to be great - worry, anger, etc. Please forgive me Jesus.  Help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You and 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.

And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.

Romans 8

And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. Romans 8:23

This morning, I continued my study of Romans.  Using my commentary - Exalting Jesus in Romans (eBook) - I continued with chapter eleven Future Glory, Present Help, which covers Romans 8:18-30.  My focus today is Romans 8:18-25, which my commentary refers to under the heading Hope for Waiting Saints. Building on my post yesterday, where Paul refers to believers' inheritance "provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him" (8:17), Paul starts off writing how "sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us."  Our future glorification, referenced by Paul, is something where believers should place their hope and we should recognize that all of creation will be made new, not just us - think about New Jerusalem as described in Revelation 21. 

My commentary writes that we should in the context of today's verses we should also consider 2 Corinthians 4:17-18:

For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.

Seeing the "forest for the trees" in this way we are promised a fresh and hopeful perspective on our present day sufferings. We are encouraged to "[p]ush through the pain in order to experience the joy of glorious life to come." We must also see the "already, not yet" dimension of adoption (see post yesterday), where we have joy in union with Christ now in our present bodies, we will have much more so at glorification....so press on with hope!

Comment and discuss this post here. 

My Prayer:  Lord Jesus, I know You have saved a place for me in Heaven - thank You! I also know that Heaven will be a glorious place where I will find myself once again with other saints who have long past and gone Home to be with You. What a day it will be to see You face to face!  I am not deserving of such blessings and salvation.  I have sinned greatly and continue to - 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 Your 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.

Who can speak and have it happen if the Lord has not decreed it? Is it not from the mouth of the Most High that both calamities and good things come?

Chapter 32: Pages 448-466, Lamentations 3

Who can speak and have it happen if the Lord has not decreed it? Is it not from the mouth of the Most High that both calamities and good things come? Lamentations 3:37-38

This morning, I continued John Piper's book Providence (purchased from Amazon Kindle Store) with Part 3 "The Nature and Extent of Providence", moving to Section 6 "Providence Over Sin" - moving to chapter thirty-two "Though He Cause Grief, He Will Have Compassion".

Here, Piper explores God's providence over suffering, including how He orchestrates evil.  He looks at Israel's time in captivity in the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple, and uses Isaiah 45:1-7 to remind us that God holds "absolute sway over good and evil is part of what it means to be God.....The God of Israel is behind everything....[God] is not just...manager, but [He]...decides (like a creator) all that is there to manage."  Amos 3:2,6 is another example provided by Piper.   Here, God orchestrates "thousands of human decisions which are in the sway of God's providence, accomplishing his purposes of just punishment."

Most strikingly, Piper uses Jeremiah and his authorship of Lamentations - specifically Lamentations 3 - to demonstrate his sway over evil. 

Piper points us to hope in the amidst of punishment and suffering - using Lamentations 3:19-26:

I remember my affliction and my wandering, the bitterness and the gall. I well remember them, and my soul is downcast within me. Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, “The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for him.” The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him; it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord. Lamentations 3:19-26

Piper points us to this hope to see how "every morning, during the worst of horrors God's mercies are newly present." He also points us to Paul (2 Corinthians 1:8-9) to ensure we rely not on ourselves but on God.

He wraps up the chapter by leaving us with Lamentations 3:31-33 to ensure we know that "God's steadfast love will have the last word....some of God's acts are means to the ends that are ultimately aimed at and more heartily desired as the final end. The means affliction and grief are exactly what God wills for that time and situation. They are perfect as means.  And, as perfect, they are perfectly approved by God's perfect mind." 

For no one is cast off by the Lord forever. Though he brings grief, he will show compassion, so great is his unfailing love. For he does not willingly bring affliction or grief to anyone. Lamentations 3:31-33

Comment and discuss this post here.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, I know Your ways and perfect, including Your sovereignty over evil and suffering that is present in my life.  I know You love me. Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving for the love and mercy You pour out for me.  I worry and I have other sins.  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.

All the ways of the Lord are loving and faithful toward those who keep the demands of his covenant. For the sake of your name, Lord, forgive my iniquity, though it is great.

Chapter 30: Pages 424-435, 1 Samuel 2, and 2 Samuel 12

All the ways of the Lord are loving and faithful toward those who keep the demands of his covenant. For the sake of your name, Lord, forgive my iniquity, though it is great. Psalm 25:10-11

This morning, I continued John Piper's book Providence (purchased from Amazon Kindle Store) and started Part 3 "The Nature and Extent of Providence", moving to Section 6 "Providence Over Sin" - moving to chapter thirty "Broken Families".

Here, Piper continues to explore God's providence over sin, and specifically in this chapter he looks a broken families and how God reigns decisively over sin in the lives of priests and kings AND how this is an encouragement for believers where we perhaps struggle with sin and tragedy in our families.  Piper starts by saying "while family-governing providence is sobering (as it all ultimate reality), nevertheless it gives far more hope than the thought of Satan, sinful man, or mindless fate having the upper hand."

Piper uses as his two key examples here the stories of Eli's wicked sons (Hophni and Phineas) from 1 Samuel 2:22-25 and Absalom's rebellion against his father from 2 Samuel 12:9-12 to demonstrate God's providence over sin in these two families.

• Now Eli, who was very old, heard about everything his sons were doing to all Israel and how they slept with the women who served at the entrance to the tent of meeting. So he said to them, “Why do you do such things? I hear from all the people about these wicked deeds of yours. No, my sons; the report I hear spreading among the Lord’s people is not good. If one person sins against another, God may mediate for the offender; but if anyone sins against the Lord, who will intercede for them?” His sons, however, did not listen to their father’s rebuke, for it was the Lord’s will to put them to death. 1 Samuel 22:25
• Why did you despise the word of the Lord by doing what is evil in his eyes? You struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword and took his wife to be your own. You killed him with the sword of the Ammonites. Now, therefore, the sword will never depart from your house, because you despised me and took the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your own.’ “This is what the Lord says: ‘Out of your own household I am going to bring calamity on you. Before your very eyes I will take your wives and give them to one who is close to you, and he will sleep with your wives in broad daylight. You did it in secret, but I will do this thing in broad daylight before all Israel.’” 

Shimei's cursing of David (2 Samuel 16:11-12) is also used in the context of Absalom's rebellion to demonstrate God's providence over sin.

Finally, Piper wants us again to be encouraged by God's hand and providence over sin - even if this includes broken families or other challenges. Piper points to Psalm 25:10-11 as David sees God's providence as perfect and good.  Piper leaves with the thought that "even in the midst of God heavy and severe and painful providence that came to him and his family, David believed that God was loving and faithful to him[.]...[o]n this side of the cross of Christ, such confidence is also how Christians endure the unremitting hardships and sorrows of life."

Comment and discuss this post here.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, I am greatly encouraged that Your hand and providence is upon me versus that of Satan or of some blind fate - I know who I am in You, that You are always with me, that You will never leave or forsake me and that You are saving a place for me in Heaven - thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such love and salvation.  I worry and I have other sins.  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 accept to 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.

 

 

 

“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”

Matthew 8

“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.” Matthew 7:24-27

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 "Matthew: Redefining God's Family*".

*Title of lesson seven from the Max Lucado study.

The commentary* of day four starts with Max Lucado pointing to Matthew's account of Jesus calming the storm (from the boat) in Matthew 8:23-27. Lucado wants us to look at the Greek word used by Matthew to describe the storm - he used seismos which in modern day language refers to an earthquake and such Greek language is used again in the Bible to describe Jesus' death on the cross in Mathew 27, Jesus' resurrection in Matthew 28. We are encouraged to examine how Jesus could sleep through the turbulence at sea, how the disciples felt great fear, and to contrast the two.  During turbulent times, we often fail to see Jesus working in our lives but of course we should know that He is ALWAYS working in our lives. Lucado suggests that during turbulent times we often have spiritual "amnesia" where we fail to remember what God has done in our lives and to lean on what we know God is capable of doing.  Lucado provides the following scriptures to encourage us:

• Deuteronomy 7:21
• Joshua 1:9
• Psalms 56:3-4
• Proverbs 29:25
• 2 Timothy 1:7
• 1 John 4:18

It is through our daily time, particularly during the good times, with the Lord, where we praise and worship Him, spend time with Him, study His Word, and we build a relationship with Him so that when the storm comes we hopefully can continue to stand firm in our faith.

Comment and discuss this post here.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an amazing God who has been with me during all times - good and bad - and You have blessed me always, every day.  I am not deserving of how You pour out Your love for me.  I worry, and have other sins.  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, apply and be obedient to Your message for me today and every day.