Understanding Life’s Trials

So here we are we are starting a New Week in the last week of April before jumping into the fifth month of the New Year which is May with May just only a day away lets take a moment to reflect on these words of wisdom to help guide and shape us into ALL truth with To God belong wisdom and power; counsel and understanding are his. Job 12:13 READ JOB 12:13–25 My friend’s father received the dreaded diagnosis: cancer. Yet, during the chemo treatment process, he became a believer in Jesus and his disease eventually went into remission. He was cancer free for a wonderful eighteen months, but it returned—worse than before. He and his wife faced the reality of the returned cancer with concern and questions but also with a faithful trust in God because of how He saw them through the first time. We won’t always understand why we’re going through trials. This was certainly the case for Job, who faced horrendous and unexplainable suffering and loss. Yet despite his many questions, in Job 12 he declares that God is mighty: “What he tears down cannot be rebuilt” (v. 14) and “to him belong strength and insight” (v. 16). “He makes nations great, and destroys them” (v. 23). Throughout this extensive list, Job doesn’t mention God’s motives or why He allows pain and suffering. Job doesn’t have the answers. But still despite everything, he confidently says, “to God belong wisdom and power; counsel and understanding are his” (v. 13). We may not understand why God allows certain struggles in our lives, but like my friend’s parents, we can put our trust in Him. The Lord loves us and has us in His hands (v. 10; 1 Peter 5:7). Wisdom, power, and understanding are His! By Julie Schwab REFLECT & PRAY Lord, help me to trust You, even when I don’t understand what You’re doing. Thank You that You hold me in Your loving hands. What struggle are you going through? How does it help to know that God is with you? INSIGHT After several chapters of unhelpful sermonizing from his friends, Job has had enough. And so he begins chapter 12 with bitter sarcasm: “Doubtless you are the only people who matter, and wisdom will die with you!” (v. 2). Later he would say of them, “You are miserable comforters, all of you! Will your long-winded speeches never end?” (16:2-3). Finding no help from his friends, Job pivots away from them and toward his only hope: “To God belong wisdom and power; counsel and understanding are his” (12:13). Yet, even while acknowledging God’s power and wisdom, Job questions the Almighty. The balance of the book of Job contains more dialogue between Job and his poor comforters, a new viewpoint from a fourth friend, Elihu, who didn’t do much better than the other three (chs. 32-37), and God’s incomparable response to it all (chs. 38-41). Tim Gustafson

What God Sees

So here we are we have made it to the end of the week YES! It's FRIDAY! As we gear ourselves up for the weekend lets take a moment reflect on these words The eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him. 2 Chronicles 16:9 READ 2 CHRONICLES 16:7–9 Early in the morning, I quietly pad past a family-room window overlooking a wilderness area behind our house. Often, I notice a hawk or owl perched in a tree, keeping watch over the area. One morning I was surprised to find a bald eagle boldly balanced on a high branch, surveying the terrain as if the entire expanse belonged to him. Likely he was watching for “breakfast.” His all-inclusive gaze seemed regal. In 2 Chronicles 16, Hanani the seer (God’s prophet) informed a king that his actions were under a royal gaze. He told Asa, king of Judah, “You relied on the king of Aram and not on the Lord your God” (v. 7). Then Hanani explained, “The eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him” (v. 9). Because of Asa’s misplaced dependence, he would always be at war. Reading these words, we might get the false sense that God watches our every move so He can pounce on us like a bird of prey. But Hanani’s words focus on the positive. His point is that our God continually watches and waits for us to call on Him when we’re in need. Like my backyard bald eagle, how might God’s eyes be roaming our world—even now—looking to find faithfulness in you and me? How might He provide the hope and help we need? By Elisa Morgan REFLECT & PRAY O God, may You strengthen our hearts that we might be fully committed to You. Why is it vital for you to regularly look to God for direction and guidance? How does it encourage you to know that God awaits your calls for help? INSIGHT Because of Solomon’s unfaithfulness (1 Kings 11:4-11), his kingdom was divided into two. Jeroboam, Solomon’s servant, ruled the northern kingdom of Israel (11:28-31), and Rehoboam, Solomon’s son, ruled the southern kingdom of Judah (14:21). Asa, the third king of Judah and Solomon’s great-grandson (2 Chronicles 12:16; 14:1), “did what was good and right in the eyes of the Lord” (14:2) and instituted many religious reforms (chs. 14-15). But when war broke out between him and King Baasha of Israel, Asa turned to Syria for help instead of trusting God (16:1-3). God’s prophet Hanani rebuked Asa’s lack of faith, reminding him that God had previously rescued Judah from even more powerful enemies (12:1-12; 14:9-15). Asa refused to repent, and three years later God afflicted him with a severe foot disease. Still “he did not seek help from the Lord” (16:10-12). Asa died an unrepentant man. K. T. Sim

Second-Wind Strength

The weekend has come to an end as the majority of us Celebrated Resurrection Sunday with Family and Friends I am constantly reminded of Gods Love for humanity so as we start this New Week with these words of wisdom lets NOT forget that God death, burial, and resurrection were for ALL humanity Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Matthew 11:28 READ ISAIAH 40:27–31 At the age of fifty-four I entered the Milwaukee marathon with two goals—to finish the race and to do it under five hours. My time would have been amazing if the second 13.1 miles went as well as the first. But the race was grueling, and the second-wind strength I’d hoped for never came. By the time I made it to the finish line, my steady stride had morphed into a painful walk. Footraces aren’t the only things that require second-wind strength—life’s race does too. To endure, tired, weary people need God’s help. Isaiah 40:27-31 beautifully weds poetry and prophecy to comfort and motivate people who need strength to keep going. Timeless words remind fatigued and discouraged people that the Lord isn’t detached or uncaring (v. 27), that our plight doesn’t escape His notice. These words breathe comfort and assurance, and remind us of God’s limitless power and bottomless knowledge (v. 28). The second-wind strength described in verses 29-31 is just right for us—whether we’re in the throes of raising and providing for our families, struggling through life under the weight of physical or financial burdens, or discouraged by relational tensions or spiritual challenges. Such is the strength that awaits those who—through meditating on the Scriptures and prayer—wait upon the Lord. By Arthur Jackson REFLECT & PRAY Lord, I come to You in my weakness and tiredness; please grant me renewed strength. When have life circumstances taken the wind out of you? In what particular area do you need God’s strength today? INSIGHT Isaiah, whose name means “The Lord saves,” warns an unrepentant Judah that God will use two foreign pagan superpowers, the Assyrians and the Babylonians, to discipline them for their idolatrous unfaithfulness (Isaiah 1-39). Isaiah also comforts Judah with the promise that God will restore and bless them once the punishment is complete (chs. 40-66). In chapter 40, Isaiah draws their attention to God’s authority, sovereignty, majesty, and glory (vv. 1-26) and tenderly speaks of God’s loving, providential care (vv. 11, 27-31). Addressing their sense of abandonment (v. 27), Isaiah assures them that God is not only resolute in blessing them, but also has the absolute power to do so (v. 28). As the everlasting, omnipotent Creator God, He is the source of their strength (v. 29). Isaiah calls on these despondent Jews to rise to a new level of commitment as they trust God to carry out His promises (vv. 30-31). K. T. Sim

The Torn Veil

We have made it to the end of the week YES! It's FRIDAY! but this is just not no ordinary Friday we are Celebrating Good Friday as we prepare ourselves for Resurrection Sunday ponder these words of wisdom as you begin to think about How AMAZINGLY AWESOME our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ really is when he died for the sins of the world We have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body. Hebrews 10:19-20 READ HEBREWS 10:10–23 It was a dark and somber day in the outskirts of Jerusalem. On a hill just outside the city walls, a Man who’d been attracting crowds of eager followers for the past three years hung in disgrace and pain on a rough wooden cross. Mourners wept and wailed in sorrow. The light of the sun no longer brightened the afternoon sky. And the intense suffering of the Man on the cross ended when He cried out in a loud voice, “It is finished” (Matthew 27:50; John 19:30). At that very moment, another sound came from the great temple across town—the sound of ripping fabric. Miraculously, without human intervention, the huge, thick veil that separated the outer temple from the holy of holies tore in two from top to bottom (Matthew 27:51). That torn curtain symbolized the reality of the cross: a new way was now open to God! Jesus, the Man on the cross, had shed His blood as the last sacrifice—the one true and sufficient sacrifice (Hebrews 10:10)—which allows all who believe in Him to enjoy forgiveness and enter into a relationship with God (Romans 5:6-11). —Dave Branon REFLECT & PRAY Amidst the darkness of that original Good Friday, we received the best news ever—Jesus opened a way for us to be saved from our sins and to experience fellowship with God forever (Hebrews 10:19-22). Thank God for the message of the torn veil! —Dave Branon How has the reality of what happened on Good Friday brought you from darkness to light? What does it mean for you to experience a relationship with God? INSIGHT Jesus’s ministry as priest in Hebrews is prominent, first referenced in Hebrews 1:3: “After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.” Chapter 13 also includes this theme: “The high priest carries the blood of animals into the Most Holy Place as a sin offering . . . . And so Jesus also suffered . . . to make the people holy through his own blood” (vv. 11-12). Arthur Jackson

The Marks of Friendship

The weekend has come and gone and we are jump starting a New Week lets take a moment to reflect on the words of wisdom to guides us in ALL truth and to encourage others along the way with You are my friends if you do what I command. John 15:14 READ JOHN 15:9–17 As a little boy growing up in Ghana, I enjoyed holding my father’s hand and walking with him in crowded places. He was both my father and my friend, for holding hands in my culture is a mark of true friendship. Walking along, we would talk about a variety of subjects. Whenever I felt lonely, I found consolation with my father. How I valued our companionship! The Lord Jesus called His followers friends, and He showed them the marks of His friendship. “As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you,” He said (John 15:9), even laying down His life for them (v. 13). He showed them His kingdom business (v. 15). He taught them everything God had given Him (v. 15). And He gave them opportunity to share in His mission (v. 16). As our Companion for life, Jesus walks with us. He listens to our heartaches and our desires. When we’re lonely and downhearted, our Friend Jesus keeps company with us. And our companionship with Jesus is tighter when we love each other and obey His commands (vv. 10, 17). As we obey His commands, we will bear “fruit that will last” (v. 16). Walking through the crowded alleys and dangerous roadways of our troubled world, we can count on the Lord’s companionship. It’s a mark of His friendship. By Lawrence Darmani REFLECT & PRAY Heavenly Father, our friends will fail us, and we will fail them. But You never fail, and You’ve promised to be with us “to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:20). Help us show our gratitude by serving You faithfully today. What does it mean for you to be a friend of Jesus? How has He revealed His presence to you? INSIGHT John 14-16 is often referred to as Jesus’s “Upper Room Discourse.” This would be His final teaching time with His disciples, and it’s wedged between His establishment of the Lord’s Supper (Matthew 26; Mark 14; Luke 22) and the coming passion events, triggered by prayer and betrayal in Gethsemane (John 18). In John 15:9-13, some form of the word love appears eight times. This love refers to the love of the Father and Son, their love for us, and our love for one another. In verses 14-17, the word friend or friends appears twice—describing the revolutionary nature of our relationship with Christ. The point? Relationship is the product of love, and, as verse 17 affirms, our relationships with one another are to be characterized by mutual love rooted in His love for us. Bill Crowder

Being Consumed

We have made it to the end of the week YES! It's FRIDAY! as we take a moment to reflect on ALL that has transpired lets keep in mind Gods Grace and Mercy endures forever so NO matter what you are experiencing we always have to remember who our TRUST lies in and it lies in JESUS CHRIST and NO one else. When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. Psalm 32:3 READ PSALM 32 In his book The Call, Os Guinness describes a moment when Winston Churchill, on holiday with friends in the south of France, sat by the fireplace to warm himself on a cold night. Gazing at the fire, the former prime minister saw pine logs “crackling, hissing, and spitting as they burned. Suddenly, his familiar voice growled, ‘I know why logs spit. I know what it is to be consumed.’” Difficulties, despair, dangers, distress, and the results of our own wrongdoings can all feel consuming. Circumstances slowly drain our hearts of joy and peace. When David experienced the consuming consequences of his own sinful choices, he wrote, “When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. . . . My strength was sapped as in the heat of summer” (Psalm 32:3-4). In such difficult times, where do we turn for help? For hope? Paul, whose experiences were filled with ministry burdens and brokenness, wrote, “We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed” (2 Corinthians 4:8-9). How does that work? As we rest in Jesus, the Good Shepherd restores our souls (Psalm 23:3) and strengthens us for the next step of our journey. He promises to walk that journey with us every step of the way (Hebrews 13:5). By Bill Crowder REFLECT & PRAY Father, give me the strength to endure the hardships of this day, and the hope of Christ for the eternal tomorrow You have promised. Check out the Discover the Word conversations on Psalm 32 at discovertheword.org/series/the-way-back-the-way-forward. What are some of the consuming struggles you’ve experienced? How did you respond? How did God meet you in those difficult times? INSIGHT The lyrics of Psalm 32 are a song waiting to be sung. It’s not important that David, the singing shepherd, king, and songwriter of Israel, didn’t leave us music to replicate the sound of his song; nor is it important that the songs and poetry of his day rhymed in thoughts rather than words. What’s important is the discovery that to know God is music to the soul that in every generation, place, and culture needs to be lifted up with the sounds of joy (Ephesians 5:18-19; Colossians 3:16). Mart DeHaan

Need a New Heart?

We have made it to the end of the week YES! it is FRIDAY! As we take this moment to debrief from all that has transpired throughout this week lets continue to operate with a Heart of Thanksgiving no matter what the situation may be we have to always remember that God is TOTALLY in control with these words of wisdom I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you. Ezekiel 36:26 READ EZEKIEL 36:24–27 The news was grim. My father had been having chest pains, so his doctor ordered a test to peer into his heart. The result? Blockage found in three arteries. Triple-bypass surgery was scheduled for February 14. My dad, though anxious, saw that date as a hopeful sign: “I’m getting a new heart for Valentine’s Day!” And he did! The surgery went perfectly, restoring life-giving blood flow to his struggling heart—his “new” heart. My father’s surgery reminded me that God offers us a new life as well. Because sin clogs our spiritual “arteries”—our capacity to connect with God—we need spiritual “surgery” to clear them. That’s what God promised His people in Ezekiel 36:26. He assured the Israelites, “I will give you a new heart. . . . I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.” He also promised, “I will cleanse you from all your impurities” (v. 25) and “put my Spirit in you” (v. 27). To a people who’d lost hope, God promised a fresh start as the One who could renew their lives. That promise was ultimately fulfilled through Jesus’s death and resurrection. When we trust in Him, we receive a new spiritual heart, one that’s cleansed of our sin and despair. Filled with Christ’s Spirit, our new heart beats with the spiritual lifeblood of God, that “we too may live a new life” (Romans 6:4). By Adam Holz REFLECT & PRAY Father, thank You for the new hope You’ve given us in Jesus. Help us to trust You daily as Your Spirit leads us into a whole new way of living. How does God’s promise of a new life bring hope when you’re struggling with guilt or shame? How will you rely on the Spirit’s power today instead of your own? INSIGHT The Old Testament prophets often wrote their prophecies in segments. As we read them now, it can seem as if we’re trying to put pieces of a puzzle together. This passage from Ezekiel fits together with an earlier one. In chapter 18, Ezekiel had said, “Rid yourselves of all the offenses you have committed, and get a new heart and a new spirit” (v. 31). But the people of Judah couldn’t do this by themselves (and neither can we). That is why Ezekiel says here, “I will give you a new heart” (36:26). This theme of our inability to rescue ourselves is echoed in the New Testament. Paul writes, “You were dead in your transgressions and sins” (Ephesians 2:1), and then observes that we are saved “by grace” and “through faith” (v. 8). He concludes, “We are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works” (v. 10). Tim Gustafson

Borrowed Blessings

So here we are we are jump starting our New Week starting in the fourth month of the New Year Welcome to the month of April! As we begin this New Month take a moment to reflect on ALL that God has brought you thru as we take these words of wisdom to heart The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it. Psalm 24:1 READ 1 CHRONICLES 29:6–16 As we bowed our heads over lunch, my friend Jeff prayed: “Father, thank You for letting us breathe Your air and eat Your food.” Jeff had just been through a difficult job loss, so his heartfelt trust in God and recognition that everything belongs to Him profoundly moved me. I found myself thinking: Do I honestly understand that even the most basic, everyday things in my life are really God’s, and He’s simply letting me use them? When King David received offerings from the people of Israel for building the temple in Jerusalem, he prayed, “But who am I, and who are my people, that we should be able to give as generously as this? Everything comes from you, and we have given you only what comes from your hand.” Then he added, “All of it belongs to you” (1 Chronicles 29:14, 16). Scripture tells us that even “the ability to produce wealth” and earn a living come from Him (Deuteronomy 8:18). Understanding that all we have is borrowed encourages us to loosen our grip on the stuff of this world and live with open hands and hearts—sharing freely because we’re deeply thankful for the kindnesses we receive daily. God is a generous giver—so loving that He even gave up His Son “for us all” (Romans 8:32). Because we have been given so much, may we give Him our heartfelt thanks for blessings small and large. By James Banks REFLECT & PRAY Whatever is ours is God’s. What borrowed blessing can you thank God for today? How does it help to know that every good gift is from Him? INSIGHT In David’s prayer recorded in 1 Chronicles 29, he makes several important statements about the true and living God. He praises God for being everlasting (v.10), having majestic splendor (v. 11), exercising kingdom rule (v. 12), and ultimately being the source of all provision (v. 14). This is the nature of the God that David rightly worships and the reason he’s made preparations for the building of a temple for Him (chs. 28-29). For more on 1 Chronicles, check out the online course christianuniversity.org/OT220christianuniversity.org/OT220. Bill Crowder