Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw— each one's work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. If anyone's work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire.

1 Corinthians 3

Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw— each one's work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. If anyone's work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire. 1 Corinthians 3:12-15

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 - unaided by the commentary - of 1 Corinthians 3:5-17.  Here, Paul continues to admonish the church in Corinth for its divisions and conflict - with a key challenge being "cult of personality" where believers are incorrectly worshiping teachers and pastors and not God Himself. Paul starts by describing Apollos and himself as servants or instruments of the Lord using the analogy of farming where they are only planting or watering and "God [gives] the growth" (v5-7).  Those who plant and water - and anyone playing a role using spiritual gifts distributed by God - is rewarded by God "according to his labor" (v8). Believers are the workers to build God's temple, some focusing on the foundation, while others build on top of the foundation (v9-10). Paul seeks for all believers to "take care how" the temple is built as we must ensure that Jesus Christ is the foundation (v11). Our relationship with Christ then comes into focus as Paul describes how all believers should strive to build a foundation with Christ as strongly as we can leaning on the Word, the Holy Spirit, etc. to do its sanctification work within us.  Paul warns us that the strength of our relationship will be tested on judgement day (v12-15) and there are some who may perish given a foundation that was never truly built on Jesus Christ (v16-17).

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God and I am grateful for how You have drawn me near to build a foundation upon which I am prayerful will stand the test of Judgement Day.  I know there is more work to do but I am thankful for what You have done so far.  I am not deserving of such grace and blessing.  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.

[O]ur God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.

Daniel 3

 [O]ur God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up. Daniel 3:17-18

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 3 and my unaided observations of this chapter.  Tomorrow, I review the same text and lean on commentary provided the Christ-Centered Exposition commentary series for Daniel.  In Daniel 3, I am immediately struck by how quickly Nebuchadnezzar pivots from proclaiming in Daniel 2 that "[Daniel's] God is God of gods and Lord of kings," to building an image of himself in requiring that people worship him (Daniel 3:1-6). I am then led to believe that Nebuchadnezzar's proclamation in Daniel 2:47 is not informed by a heart of faith to God that is firm but a loose one that is built on sand that is easily destroyed and tossed about (Matthew 7:24-27)....a warning to us all.  Of course, Daniel's companions - Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego - maintain a firm faith in the One True God and refuse to worship the image set up by Nebuchadnezzar. They are thrown into the fiery furnace, where God is with them (even Nebuchadnezzar sees Him - v25), and they come out of the furnace unharmed.  We see once again, in response, a decree from Nebuchadnezzar that punishes anyone who "speaks anything against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego" (v29).  For believers, as indicated, this text serves as a warning to build a faith on rock - primarily through developing strong spiritual disciplines.

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are good - and You give me all I need to build a faith on rock - Your Word, the Holy Spirit, brothers and sisters in Christ, the church, etc.  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 others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.  

Then they shall be dismayed and ashamed because of Cush their hope and of Egypt their boast. And the inhabitants of this coastland will say in that day, ‘Behold, this is what has happened to those in whom we hoped and to whom we fled for help to be delivered from the king of Assyria! And we, how shall we escape?’”

Isaiah 19-23

Then they shall be dismayed and ashamed because of Cush their hope and of Egypt their boast. And the inhabitants of this coastland will say in that day, ‘Behold, this is what has happened to those in whom we hoped and to whom we fled for help to be delivered from the king of Assyria! And we, how shall we escape?’” Isaiah 20:5-6

I continue my deep dive of Isaiah, based on the Precept Upon Precept study series. Today, on Lesson 8, Day 2, the focus is on Isaiah 19-20 once again where this morning I focus on how God sought to dissuade other nations from relying on an alliance Egypt to protect themselves from Assyria's might. God certainly works mysteriously here - He humbles Isaiah by asking him to walk around naked for 3 years (v19:3-4) to SHOW others how EGYPT will be humbled...certainly an interesting and crazy method...but hey, it's God and who are we to question His ways (Isaiah 55:8). The lesson here is not just regarding the mysterious ways of God, but more importantly how He seeks for us to gain our strength upon Him, not from people.

“Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.” Matthew 7:24-27

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an amazing God and YOU are my rock!  Thank You God for the foundation You provide for me to build my life - I experience blessings because You are my rock.  I am not deserving of these blessings.  I do worry and I have many other sins...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. 

Many are saying about me, “God won’t rescue him.” But, Lord, you are my shield, my wonderful God who gives me courage. I will pray to the Lord, and he will answer me from his holy mountain. I can lie down and go to sleep, and I will wake up again, because the Lord gives me strength. Thousands of troops may surround me, but I am not afraid.

Genesis 6-9

Many are saying about me, “God won’t rescue him.” But, Lord, you are my shield, my wonderful God who gives me courage. I will pray to the Lord, and he will answer me from his holy mountain. I can lie down and go to sleep, and I will wake up again, because the Lord gives me strength. Thousands of troops may surround me, but I am not afraid. Psalm 3:2-6 (NCV)

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). 

Today I want to focus on how God provides believers with security, refuge and hope and how He wants us to share with others this security, refuge and hope.  When God was to flood the earth, He instructed Noah to build an ark to serve as a means to preserve Noah and his family.  There are many places where people place their security, refuge, and hope: homes, money, jobs, people, government, etc. Yet these things come and go and do not provide spiritual security, refuge and hope; and they do not last, certainly not for eternity.  We all need to place our security, refuge and hope in Jesus Christ so that we can weather the storms and flood in this life, and to provide for our eternal life as we must all be ready for either our own passing or for when Jesus returns both of which we don't know the timing.

“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

“But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. Matthew 24:36-39

For those of who have this security, refuge and hope we must give it away to others who need it.  God even helps us with the words to say - straight from scripture.

For the Lord your God is living among you. He is a mighty savior. He will take delight in you with gladness. With his love, he will calm all your fears. He will rejoice over you with joyful songs.” Zephaniah 3:17 (NLT)

Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. John 14:1-3 (NIV)

Now we hope for the blessings God has for his children. These blessings, which cannot be destroyed or be spoiled or lose their beauty, are kept in heaven for you. God’s power protects you through your faith until salvation is shown to you at the end of time. This makes you very happy, even though now for a short time different kinds of troubles may make you sad. 1 Peter 1:4-6 (NCV)

My highlighted verse for today comes from Psalms where David writes about how he feels refuge in God during a period of great fear when he fled from the persecution of his son Absalom (2 Samuel 15-18).

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You give me security, refuge, and hope - an ark - during times of great turbulence and distress.  You have seen me through periods of great pain.  I am grateful Jesus!  Yet I am not deserving.  I have grave sin in my life and it continues....worry, harshness of others, 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.