Friday, May 31, 2019

Here for You

So here we are we have made it the end of the week YES! It's FRIDAY! we are ending the week on the last day of May before we enter into the 6th month of the New Year which is June but before we go into the month of June lets take a moment to reflect on these words of wisdom to continue to be light to those that are in need of a helping hand I command you to be openhanded toward your fellow Israelites who are poor and needy in your land. Deuteronomy 15:11 READ DEUTERONOMY 15:7–11 On the outskirts of Paris, as in other cities around the globe, people are coming to the aid of the homeless in their communities. Clothing, covered in waterproof bags, is hung on designated fences for those living on the streets to take according to their needs. The bags are labeled, “I’m not lost; I’m for you if you’re cold.” The effort not only warms those without shelter, but also teaches those in the community the importance of assisting the needy among them. The Bible highlights the importance of caring for those who are poor, instructing us to be “openhanded” toward them (Deuteronomy 15:11). We might be tempted to avert our eyes to the plight of the poor, holding tightly to our resources instead of sharing them. Yet God challenges us to recognize that we will always be surrounded by those who have needs and therefore to respond to them with generosity, not a “grudging heart” (v. 10). Jesus says that in giving to the poor we receive an enduring treasure in heaven (Luke 12:33). Our generosity may not be recognized by anyone other than God. Yet when we give freely, we not only meet the needs of those around us but we also experience the joy God intends for us in providing for others. Help us, Lord, to have open eyes and open hands to supply the needs of those You place in our paths! By Kirsten Holmberg REFLECT & PRAY Generosity displays confidence in God’s loving and faithful provision. Are you holding too tightly to your resources? If yes, why? What need can you fill today? SCRIPTURE INSIGHT God’s decree to Israel to care for the poor in their midst was represented by a trio of the poorest of the poor—widows, orphans, and aliens. Because the Israelites were blessed with material prosperity, they were commanded to share with the economically vulnerable (Deuteronomy 16:9-12; 26:8-11). Part of the command to be generous included allowing the poor to feed on their lands under the law of gleanings (Leviticus 19:9-10; Deuteronomy 24:19-21). They were also to set aside a tenth of their harvests every third year as part of their social responsibility “so that [the Levite, the foreigner, the fatherless and the widow] may eat in your towns and be satisfied” (Deuteronomy 26:12). K. T. Sim

Monday, May 27, 2019

A Living Memorial of Kindness

As we jump start this New Week Celebrating and Honoring Memorial Day with our beloved Families and Friends and taking a moment to reflect on ALL of our fallen soldiers's let us take into account these words of wisdom so that we can go out an encourage the families of these fallen soldiers's and to the many others that cross our path in our everyday life David asked, “Is there anyone still left of the house of Saul to whom I can show kindness for Jonathan’s sake?” 2 Samuel 9:1 READ 2 SAMUEL 9:1–7 I grew up in a church full of traditions. One came into play when a beloved family member or friend died. Often a church pew or possibly a painting in a hallway showed up not long afterward with a brass plate affixed: “In Memory of . . .” The deceased’s name would be etched there, a shining reminder of a life passed on. I always appreciated those memorials. And I still do. Yet at the same time they’ve always given me pause because they are static, inanimate objects, in a very literal sense something “not alive.” Is there a way to add an element of “life” to the memorial? Following the death of his beloved friend Jonathan, David wanted to remember him and to keep a promise to him (1 Samuel 20:12-17). But rather than simply seek something static, David searched and found something very much alive—a son of Jonathan (2 Samuel 9:3). David’s decision here is dramatic. He chose to extend kindness (v. 1) to Mephibosheth (vv. 6-7) in the specific forms of restored property (“all the land that belonged to your grandfather Saul”) and the ongoing provision of food and drink (“you will always eat at my table”). As we continue to remember those who’ve died with plaques and paintings, may we also recall David’s example and extend kindness to those still living. By John Blase REFLECT & PRAY Jesus, give me the strength to extend kindness in memory of the kindness others have shown me, but most important because of Your great kindness. Who has died that you don’t want to forget? What might a specific kindness to another person look like for you? SCRIPTURE INSIGHT Jonathan’s father, Saul, had hated David with murderous envy (1 Samuel 18:1-16). Even though showing kindness to a surviving member of Saul’s house could’ve been met with lingering animosity, David made the choice to honor Jonathan’s family. He learned that one of Jonathan’s sons, Mephibosheth, was still living, although injured and permanently disabled. He’d been dropped by a nursemaid in the confusion following news of his father’s and grandfather’s deaths (2 Samuel 4:4). David himself would someday need mercy (Psalm 25:11). His kindness foreshadowed the coming of Christ (Luke 1:26-27), for whose sake God asks us to show mercy and kindness to one another. Mart DeHaan

Friday, May 24, 2019

“God Saved My Life”

So here we are we have made it to the end of the week YES! THANK GOD IT'S FRIDAY! with only one more week of May left and as we are gearing up to Celebrate with Family and Friends on this Memorial Day Weekend lets take a moment to reflect on these words of wisdom to help us encourage one another through the trials of life When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies. John 8:44 READ JOHN 8:42–47 When Aaron (not his real name) was 15, he began praying to Satan: “I felt like he and I had a partnership.” Aaron started to lie, steal, and manipulate his family and friends. He also experienced nightmares: “I woke up one morning and saw the devil at the end of the bed. He told me that I was going to pass my exams and then die.” Yet when he finished his exams, he lived. Aaron reflected, “It was clear to me that he was a liar.” Hoping to meet girls, Aaron went to a Christian festival, where a man offered to pray for him. “While he was praying, I felt a sense of peace flood my body.” He felt something “more powerful, and more liberating,” than what he felt from Satan. The man who prayed told Aaron God had a plan and Satan was a liar. This man echoed what Jesus said of Satan when He responded to some who opposed him: “He is a liar and the father of lies” (John 8:44). Aaron turned to Christ from Satanism and now “belongs to God” (v. 47). He ministers in an urban community, sharing the difference following Jesus makes. He’s a living testament of God’s saving power: “I can say with confidence that God saved my life.” God is the source of all that is good, holy, and true. We can turn to Him to find truth. By Amy Boucher Pye REFLECT & PRAY God is more powerful than the father of lies. How have you experienced God rescuing you from evil? Who can you share your story with this week? SCRIPTURE INSIGHT In today’s passage, Jesus unequivocally declares that Satan is “the father of lies” (John 8:44). Satan (also known as the devil, the enemy, the thief, the evil one, the tempter) is in direct opposition to Jesus, “the truth” who sets us free (v. 32). Satan has “no truth in him” (v. 44), but Jesus is “the way and the truth and the life” (14:6). In the last hours before His crucifixion, as Jesus stood before Pilate, He states: “The reason I was born and came into the world is to testify to the truth” (18:37). Jesus came to earth to declare the truth about Himself, to explain the Father to us, and to expose the truth about ourselves, as He did with the Samaritan woman at the well (John 4). While Satan “[came] only to steal and kill and destroy” (10:10) and was “a murderer from the beginning” (8:44), Jesus brings life eternal (3:16). Alyson Kieda

Monday, May 20, 2019

Divine Escape

Welcome to the start of a New Week we have entered into the third week of May time is moving so fast before you know it, it will be June but lets slow down for just one minute to reflect on these words of wisdom to guide us through the rest of the week with So from that day on they plotted to take his life. John 11:53 READ JOHN 11:45–53 Agatha Christie’s Hercule Poirot mystery The Clocks features antagonists who commit a series of murders. Although their initial plot targeted a single victim, they began taking more lives in order to cover up the original crime. When confronted by Poirot, a conspirator confessed, “It was only supposed to be the one murder.” Like the schemers in the story, the religious authorities formed a conspiracy of their own. After Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead (John 11:38-44), they called an emergency meeting and plotted to kill Him (vv. 45-53). But they didn’t stop there. After Jesus rose from the dead, the religious leaders spread lies about what happened at the grave (Matthew 28:12-15). Then they began a campaign to silence Jesus’s followers (Acts 7:57-8:3). What started as a religious plot against one man for the “greater good” of the nation became a web of lies, deceit, and multiple casualties. Sin plunges us down a road that often has no end in sight, but God always provides a way of escape. When Caiaphas the high priest said, “It is better for you that one man die for the people than that the whole nation perish” (John 11:50), he didn’t understand the profound truth of his words. The conspiracy of the religious leaders would help bring about the redemption of mankind. Jesus saves us from sin’s vicious grip. Have you received the freedom He offers? By Remi Oyedele REFLECT & PRAY Give sin room, and it can take over a life. To learn more about the Gospels that record the life of Jesus, visit christianuniversity.org/NT331. What road are you going down that could take you further away from God? He offers real freedom. What do you need to confess to Him today? SCRIPTURE INSIGHT To halt Jesus’s increasing popularity, a meeting of the Sanhedrin was convened by “the chief priests and the Pharisees” (John 11:47). The Sanhedrin, modeled after Moses and the seventy elders (Exodus 24:1), consisted of seventy men plus the high priest. It functioned as the highest Jewish governing council and supreme court. The chief priests (mostly Sadducees, a political-religious party) comprised the nation’s priesthood and included the high priest. The Pharisees, mostly scribes, were scrupulous keepers of the Law, particularly the ceremonial purity laws. The chief priests dominated the Sanhedrin and were political and religious opponents to the Pharisees (Acts 5:17). But the Pharisees were a powerful minority. Nicodemus (John 3) and Joseph of Arimathea (Mark 15:43) were Pharisees. They were key members of the Sanhedrin and disciples of Jesus. They prepared His body for burial and placed Him in the tomb (John 19:38-42). K. T. Sim

Friday, May 17, 2019

God’s Amazing Hands

The week has come to an end YES! It's FRIDAY as we end the third week of May heading into the fourth week of May and before you know it the fifth month of the New year will be coming to an end before we head into the 6th month of the New Year which will be June, but lets not get ahead of ourselves lets take moment to reflect on these words of wisdom to help extended a hand in letting God help us through our situation but to also extended a hand to help some else Into your hands I commit my spirit; deliver me, Lord, my faithful God. Psalm 31:5 READ PSALM 31:1–8 Twenty minutes into a flight from New York to San Antonio, the flight plan changed as calm gave way to chaos. When one of the plane’s engines failed, debris from the engine smashed through a window causing the cabin to decompress. Sadly, several passengers were injured and one person was killed. Had not a calm, capable pilot been in the cockpit—one trained as a Navy fighter pilot—things could have been tragically worse. The headline in our local paper read, “In Amazing Hands.” In Psalm 31, David revealed that he knew something about the Lord’s amazing, caring hands. That’s why he could confidently say, “Into your hands I commit my spirit” (v. 5). David believed that the Lord could be trusted even when life got bumpy. Because he was targeted by unfriendly forces, life was very uncomfortable for David. Though vulnerable, he was not without hope. In the midst of harassment David could breathe sighs of relief and rejoice because his faithful, loving God was his source of confidence (vv. 5-7). Perhaps you find yourself in a season of life when things are coming at you from every direction, and it’s difficult to see what’s ahead. In the midst of uncertainty, confusion, and chaos one thing remains absolutely certain: those who are secure in the Lord are in amazing hands. By Arthur Jackson REFLECT & PRAY Father, help me to be encouraged knowing that Jesus prayed Psalm 31:5 when He was on the cross. In the midst of pain and suffering, He committed His life into Your hands. Have you committed your life—your earthly and eternal existence and well-being—to God? How are you showing that you are trusting Him in good times and bad? SCRIPTURE INSIGHT David wrote Psalm 31 when he was in grave danger because of persecution (vv. 4, 13). His close friends had abandoned him (vv. 11-12), leaving him to fend for himself against his enemies. David affirmed that his only protection and safety were in God, his refuge, rock, and fortress (vv. 1-2). Twice David affirmed his unwavering faith and trust in God: “I trust in the Lord” (vv. 6, 14). Whether he lived or died, David committed his life to God for safekeeping: “Into your hands I commit my spirit” (v. 5). Years later, Jesus was similarly conspired against (John 11:53) and His friends deserted Him (Mark 14:50). While on the cross, Jesus prayed the same prayer of trust: “Into your hands I commit my spirit” (Luke 23:46). K. T. Sim

Monday, May 13, 2019

A Longing in Stone

As we start this New Week in the third week of May take a moment to reflect on these words of wisdom to guide you through the rest of the week I have let you see it with your eyes, but you will not cross over into it. Deuteronomy 34:4 READ DEUTERONOMY 34:1–5 “Ah, every pier is a longing in stone!” says a line in Fernando Pessoa’s Portuguese poem “Ode MarĂ­tima.” Pessoa’s pier represents the emotions we feel as a ship moves slowly away from us. The vessel departs but the pier remains, an enduring monument to hopes and dreams, partings and yearnings. We ache for what’s lost, and for what we can’t quite reach. The Portuguese word translated “longing” (saudade) refers to a nostalgic yearning we feel—a deep ache that defies definition. The poet is describing the indescribable. We might say that Mount Nebo was Moses’s “longing in stone.” From Nebo he gazed into the promised land—a land he would never reach. God’s words to Moses—“I have let you see it with your eyes, but you will not cross over into it” (Deuteronomy 34:4)—might seem harsh. But if that’s all we see, we miss the heart of what’s happening. God is speaking immense comfort to Moses: “This is the land I promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob when I said, ‘I will give it to your descendants’” (v. 4). Very soon, Moses would leave Nebo for a land far better than Canaan (v. 5). Life often finds us standing on the pier. Loved ones depart; hopes fade; dreams die. Amid it all we sense echoes of Eden and hints of heaven. Our longings point us to God. He is the fulfillment we yearn for. By Tim Gustafson REFLECT & PRAY The sweetest thing in all my life has been the longing—to reach the Mountain, to find the place where all beauty came from. C. S. Lewis What are your unfulfilled longings? What places in life are you trying to satisfy with wrong things? How can you find true fulfillment in God alone? SCRIPTURE INSIGHT The final chapter of Deuteronomy recounts how Moses wouldn’t be allowed to enter the promised land because of his disobedience to God at the waters of Meribah (Numbers 20:1-13; Psalm 106:32-33). However, he was permitted to see it from the vantage point of Mount Nebo in Moab (modern-day Jordan), east of the River Jordan (Deuteronomy 34:1-4). The first generation of Israelites aged twenty and over had all died in the wilderness, except for Moses, Joshua, and Caleb (Numbers 32:11-12). Moses was preparing the second generation to enter Canaan when the Israelites complained against Moses because they had no water to drink (20:1-13). God told Moses to “speak to that rock . . . and it will pour out its water” (v. 8). But instead of speaking to the rock, he struck it twice (v. 11). By doing so, he publicly demonstrated his lack of faith in God to provide for His people and thus dishonored Him (v. 12). K. T. Sim

Friday, May 10, 2019

Minister of Loneliness

We have made it to the end of the week YES! It's FRIDAY! Welcome to the fifth month of the New Year which is May now that we have entered into the month of May let's take a moment to reflect on ALL that God has brought us through as we prepare ourselves to Celebrate with Family and Friend on this Mother's Day weekend take a moment to reflect on these words of wisdom and reach out and touch someone that you see may be feeling lonely Keep on loving one another as brothers and sisters. Hebrews 13:1 Following her husband’s death, Betsy has spent most days in her flat, watching television and boiling tea for one. She’s not alone in her loneliness. More than nine million Brits (15 percent of the population) say they often or always feel lonely, and Great Britain has appointed a minister of loneliness to find out why and how to help. Some causes of loneliness are well known: We move too often to put down roots. We believe we can take care of ourselves, and we don’t have a reason to reach out. We’re separated by technology—each of us immersed in our own flickering screens. I feel the dark edge of loneliness, and you may too. This is one reason we need fellow believers. Hebrews concludes its deep discussion of Jesus’s sacrifice by encouraging us to meet together continually (10:25). We belong to the family of God, so we’re to love “one another as brothers and sisters” and “show hospitality to strangers” (13:1-2). If we each made an effort, everyone would feel cared for. Lonely people may not return our kindness, but this is no reason to give up. Jesus has promised to never leave nor forsake us (13:5), and we can use His friendship to fuel our love for others. Are you lonely? What ways can you find to serve the family of God? The friends you make in Jesus last forever, through this life and beyond. By Mike Wittmer REFLECT & PRAY The family of God is intended to be the answer to loneliness. Who needs your friendship? How might you serve someone in your church or neighborhood this week? SCRIPTURE INSIGHT Many of the letters of the New Testament close with what is called a hortatory section. Hortatory means “to exhort; to encourage the reader to do something or act in a certain way.” This is what we have at the end of the letter to the Hebrews. In rapid succession, the writer lists a number of things the reader is to do, and very few of them are connected. What’s unique about this list is that a reason is usually given for each instruction. For example, we are to show hospitality to strangers (v. 2), because we may be entertaining angels. We’re to keep the marriage bed pure (v. 4), because God will judge. And we’re to be content with what we have (v. 5), because God is with us. We’re not given instruction for instruction’s sake, but for our good. J.R. Hudberg