SHCOC Daily Bible Reading

Day 249: Psalm 99:1-103:22; 1 Corinthians 4:7-5:8 — The Holy One, His holy people

Powell Pendergraft — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 13:10:19 +0000

With the Psalmist I sing praise to the Mighty King, the Warrior, Who defends His people. These Psalms flow so beautifully, sustaining us, reviving us, as we follow the vivid imagery David employs to express real life with the True King, extolling the virtues and actions of the Holy One of Israel. This leads so naturally to the outburst of praise. Our familiar “Make a joyful noise” actually describes the thunderous roar from a huge crowd shouting for joy in victory, loud calls of thanksgiving, a tumult raising voices in praise. The closest thing we have today may be the sound of a crowd watching the quarterback in the last two seconds of the last quarter as he sails that long pass on target into the waiting arms of the running back as he crosses the goal line for the win. Wow! What a picture of a Holy Righteous God! Come into His presence with this tumultuous whole heart of utter joy, the King, the Holy One!

Flowing so naturally Psalm 101 challenges us to act holy for this Holy, Powerful, Loving God. I hate the work of the wicked! It shall not latch onto me! I will not even glance at their despised images of temptation and wickedness! I will destroy evil for and by the power of the Holy One! Psalm 102 — I will fade from this realm of flesh, but You, O God, endure forever! Psalm 103 — Therefore I will not forget You here and now! You heal me in a way that confutes this world. You forgive me completely. Just how far is east from west!? He knows I can take only so much in this life and makes me able to bear, 1 Cor. 10:13. All that is in me, all of which I am made cries. “Holy God, How Great and Matchless You are, Bless the Lord, O my soul!” He remembers those who remember Him and keep the covenant.

Paul brings to bear on the church that we are not the center of anything, we are not powerful, we are not wise. Our God and His Christ — from our God flows life and to Him must flow our praise and loyalty forever.

Today brings sadness and joy. This morning, early, Kim’s father passed into the presence of the Father of us all. But as I read these passages today, I rejoice in the One Who loved Kim’s dad, and gave Himself for Bill. Let the tears of this life give way to the shouts of joy for those who pass into His glorious presence and see Him face to face. Live for Christ today, that you may live with Him forever.

Prayer: O God, You are my God, and I will ever praise You. In Jesus’ name, thank You, bless Your Holy Name, Amen.

Day 247: 1 Corinthians 2:6-16 — God’s secret wisdom

Bob Mathews — Sat, 04 Sep 2010 10:00:38 +0000

^1:25For the foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man’s strength…^2:14The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.

There are a lot of things I don’t understand about God and the way He works. I don’t understand how God “hardened Pharaoh’s heart¹” (Exodus 7:3-13, and others). I don’t understand how God “sends a powerful delusion” to “those who are perishing” (2 Thessalonians 2:1-12). We pray for God to be with us when we travel, and to grant us a safe trip. I believe He answers those prayers, but I don’t understand how He does it. Right now, many of us are praying that God will send us a minister to work with our congregation and help us grow, to His glory, and we are praying the He send a Christian couple to work at a nearby Christian children’s home as relief house parents. I have faith that God will honor those requests, but I don’t have a clue how He’ll do it.

You know what else I don’t understand? I don’t understand the kind of love that redeemed me from the pit and offered me the hope of eternal salvation — but I believe it. That’s all we’re asked to do. That’s all God has ever required from His people — a living, active, obedient faith that trusts in His grace to provide.

Do you have that kind of faith?

For a nicely-written, documented-by-scripture article on this subject, see Who Hardened Pharaoh’s Heart?, by Kyle Butt and Dave Miller.

Day 246: 1 Corinthians 1:14-2 Corinthians 2:5 — Humbleness

Scott Epperson — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 10:00:53 +0000

Have you ever thought of Paul as being humble. I really have not pictured Paul as a humble man. I picture through reading his writings, Paul as a strong, confident man who was not afraid to proclaim the gospel any place, any time, to any people. From these particular scriptures, I get a different picture of Paul. Paul takes on a humble nature in order that God is glorified. Paul expressed that he was glad that he had baptized only a few people (1 Cor. 1:14-17) so that he did not become the center of attention by people who might egotistically want to put it out that they were better than other baptized believers because they had been baptized by Paul. Humans tend to want to do things like that to make themselves appear to be better than others in the same situation.

Paul then goes on to discuss how the power of God “destroys the wisdom of the wise and frustrates the intelligence of the intelligent” (1 Cor. 1:19). Paul elaborates by stating how Christ crucified is a stumbling block to the Jews and foolishness to the Gentiles (1 Cor. 1:23). The Jews expected a triumphant, political Messiah and the Greeks and Romans thought that no reputable person would be crucified since crucifixion was for criminals. Both groups could not imagine that the Savior of the World would save them through something that they thought was below such a Savior or King. Paul says that God used this to demonstrate that what man thought was foolishness was really wise.

How often do we find ourselves, or a better way to say it is how often do I find myself thinking “God wouldn’t really do it that way would he?” What I forget is that God thinks in a different way than I do. He uses all different means, even what appears to us to be lowly people, things, or situations to advance his purpose. Paul was trying to tell the Corinthians and thus us that we need to look past ourselves and our thoughts and put God first. In this way we are humbling ourselves to God or putting him first and not our agenda first.

Day 245: Psalm 84 — Drawing Close to God

Randy Consford — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 10:00:29 +0000

The ancient writings of the Psalms bring forth many beautiful images. One that is quite foreign for us is the image of a long pilgrimage to be close to God in His temple. We are blessed as Christians to have access to God. Yet, in the Old Covenant, God’s presence was not accessible except through the temple. For those who lived in other cities or even countries, a pilgrimage was often initiated to move closer to the temple where they believed God resided and to participate in some important spiritual activities. In Psalm 84:2, we see the writer yearning to draw close to the courtyard of the temple. In Psalm 84:3, it seems as if he has lingered in the courtyard of the temple and watched the birds make their nests near the altar of God where sacrifices for sins were made. He longed to be near the temple with a home like the birds so that he could visit often. Yes, this ancient writer knew the significance of being close to God. He longed to be able to have access to God. I am sure, he would never be prepared or have the ability to perceive the access to God that we have in Jesus Christ. He says in Psalm 84:4, “Blessed are those who dwell in your house, ever singing your praise!” We really are blessed! Thank you God for allowing us access through your Son!

Day 244: Psalm 79 — Always Leaning On Him

Scott Dutton — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 10:00:08 +0000

What a journey life is. It is full of emotions both good and bad. One day we can be riding the crest of the wave and the next be in the depth of despair. Is it purely externals that determine where we are emotionally? Do we have an active part in our lot in life?

I believe we do. Often we go about our daily life with no thought of God. It is not until something goes wrong that we think of Him. This is the problem of the ages. How many times did Israel abandon God’s ways only to suffer for their actions? Then to plead with God for forgiveness (Psa 79). Warren Wiersbe in his book “Be Worshipful” writes the following:

As the kingdom of Judah declined, their kings and leaders became less and less devoted to the Lord. There were a few godly kings, such as Asa, Josiah, Joash, and Hezekiah, but foreign alliances, idolatry, and unbelief combined to weaken the kingdom and ripen it for judgment. The sins of the fathers accumulated until God could hold back His wrath no longer (Gen. 15:16; Matt. 23:32-33; 1 Thess. 2:13-16). We are guilty before God for only our own sins (Deut. 24:16; Jer. 31:29-30; Ezekiel 18), but we may suffer because of the sins of our ancestors (Ex. 20:5; Ex. 34:7; 2 Kings 17:7ff; 2 Kings 23:26-27; 2 Kings 24:3-4; Lam. 5:7; Dan. 9:4-14).

“But we may suffer because of the sins of our ancestors.” We live in a country that is quickly amassing sins before almighty God. Our response is “I didn’t have anything to do with those decisions.” But as a nation we will all have to bear the ultimate consequence of those sins in this life. So there is a reason to cry out, there is a reason to take a stand for God. There is a reason to pray that God will turn us back before we lie in ruins before the world as Israel did.

I can start with myself. I can place God in the forefront of my life. Maybe my wife and children will see, accept, and take this example and share it with others. Then one by one this nation will turn back to God.

Day 243: Psalm 78 — The Rooster Box

Randy Consford — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 12:35:32 +0000

We sat in a circle and I held up a box and asked the kids what was inside the box. The kids were getting excited and they wanted to know what was inside. I was trying to build some suspense about the contents of the box. The box had a picture of a rooster on it and the kids naturally assumed that the box had a rooster inside. I told them that there was something else. It was a surprise. It was a dark deep secret from the past. I opened the lid to the box and they all moved closer and peeked in. Surprise! No rooster…no toy…nothing but another box. We did this several times until we were down to the smallest box. We opened it up and there was nothing inside. The kids were a little disappointed until I showed them that off to the side I had been building a tower out of the empty boxes. This was my introduction to the Tower of Babel. My point is that children love stories. They love to see how things work and how they interact with each other. Once we get past the super hero genres that parents are teaching their children, we can ground them in something with a little more depth. After my little box introduction to the Tower of Babel, I read a story and the children listened. We discussed wanting to be like God. They wanted to play act a little and I stood over them and acted like God looking down from the heavens at the tower. They played the people building the tower and were busy ignoring God.

Psalm 78 reminds us to tell the story of God and Israel to our children.

“Give ear, O my people, to my teaching; incline your ears to the words of my mouth! I will open my mouth in a parable; I will utter dark sayings from of old, things that we have heard and known, that our fathers have told us. We will not hide them from their children, but tell to the coming generation the glorious deeds of the Lord, and his might, and the wonders that he has done.” (Psalm 78:1-4 , ESV)

Day 242: Psalm 75:1-77:20; Romans 14:1-23 — Are you weak or strong?

Powell Pendergraft — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 15:03:13 +0000

David shows God as mighty, ruling the cosmos. Waves of the sea fear Him. Yet sometimes He seems far away, we feel alone. He protects the weak, yet when will He act? David knows that God will act to uphold those who know Him, who alone cannot stand up to the powers of this world, who serve the Creator and have no other but Him to defend them. He has prepared strength to carry forward, rest for the weary, but in His way, not ours. David briefly bemoans his weakness and why God does not act, then refreshes his soul, knowing that it is in God’s way and His time the decisive strokes are dealt to deliver the weak and those in trouble, who trust the God of all the earth.

I cannot win this day alone nor on my terms. God is mighty, not I. Therein comes the essence of biblical faith and trust, holy confidence in the One Who loved me and gave Himself for me.

Meanwhile, back in the church, do we smirk at the weak–those who disagree with me about God’s grace? Do they smirk at me when I find grace must be tempered by obedience to the will of God? Have you ever been called the “weaker brother?” I have, not fun, very confusing to be deemed to be the “weaker brother.” I have, also, been seen as the “liberal”–boy, that was weird, too! What can Paul mean by all this strong/weak talk? I believe he deals with confident actions which express our faith in God, not that I or you are less spiritual or mature before God–which is usually the hammer with which well meaning “mature brethren” wield Romans 14. Say a Christian Roman praetor invites a Christian Hebrew to Sunday dinner–pork roast. So what happens? They have to work it out, Paul says. Not that pork is wrong or right either way. Rather in Christ the way we deal with each other makes the difference. Ah, but there is the rub, my matter of faith is your matter of conscience–and vice versa. That we have to work out together as we are both in Christ. For, as David says, God will defend His people, so we had better decide we are both His people and work out the differences. Who is right and wrong? God is right. When we do not work together to figure things out, we are wrong. What is right or wrong in every case? That matrix is not given here, except that it is the process we must emphasize, the meeting of Christians, both faithful, both for whom Christ died, so we need to figure it out, together.

Prayer: Holy, Righteous Father, grant us the wisdom and humility to work together for unity so that the world may know Christ.

Day 241: Romans 13:1-14 — People Get Ready…

Matt Wilson — Sun, 29 Aug 2010 14:25:28 +0000

I am a terrible procrastinator — there, I said it. I’m pretty sure I get it from my Mom. All through my childhood and into today, I let projects sit until I’m good and ready to take them on. The truth is that I sometimes would be proud of how I could “turn it on” and get something done. It was the way I justified waiting till the last minute. See? I can still turn out quality work and it didn’t take me two weeks of agonizing over something. A twenty-five page research paper in high school? Knocked it out in one very long night. My senior project to graduate from college? Did it over the course of a weekend. That script I needed to write for my boss? I did it over lunch. No one ever knew the difference.

But I know there is a danger. Someday there won’t be enough time. Someday something will prevent me from taking care of a task at the last minute and it will be too late. In Romans 13, Paul tells us that we have to take care of our spiritual selves now as opposed to later because our salvation is near.

Turn with me to Romans 13. I would like to focus on the tail-end of the daily Bible reading. Romans 13:8-14 is cautioning us against thinking that we have time to do all of the things our sinful nature suggests. To sum this passage up, Paul is saying ***PARAPHRASE ALERT*** “Brother, you don’t have time for this foolishness. Put it away and be ready because Jesus will be here before you know it.” Again, very loosely paraphrased. Don’t do things under the cover of darkness that you wouldn’t do in the daylight. Love your neighbor as yourself because you wouldn’t harm yourself. I love it because it is very direct and not something that could be construed any other way than what it is.

As I have said before, it is perilous for any man to think that he has plenty of time to get his heart right with God. James 4:13-14 ties in very well here. We are a mist that is here and then gone. Brothers and sisters, graveyards are filled with people who “never saw it coming.” Be ready. Don’t procrastinate. Prepare yourself for Jesus’ return. It is nearer now than when we first believed!

May God bless you and keep you this week,
Matt

Day 240: Romans 12:3-21 — Sober judgment and one body

Bob Mathews — Sat, 28 Aug 2010 13:06:31 +0000

³For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you. ⁴Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, ⁵so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. ⁶We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. Romans 12:3-6

This chapter very much reminds me of 2 other passages in the Bible, and I see definite parallels between the three. Consider Colossians 3:1-2:

¹Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. ²Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.

Just as these verses and the remainder of Colossians 3 give us some guides on proper Christian behavior and setting ourselves apart from the world, Romans 12 teaches us how to act within the body of Christ. The idea in both chapters is to think of others above ourselves, just as Jesus would.

Which brings us to the second parallel I see to Romans 12:

¹If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, ²then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. ³Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. ⁴Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. ⁵Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: ⁶Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, ⁷but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. ⁸And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death– even death on a cross! ⁹Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, ¹⁰that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, ¹¹and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Philippians 2:1-11

I think I’ll just let these 3 snippets from the Holy Spirit speak for themselves.

Do you have the mind of Christ?

Day 239: Romans 11:1-32 — Now, everyone has hope

Bryan Frazier — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 05:34:31 +0000

It is sometimes easy to forget that, despite being a New Testament church, there is a distinct and undeniable link between Judaism and our Christian faith. It is our heritage. Jesus’ earthly family was Jewish; Paul was Jewish, as were likely most of the apostles and first Christians. Even though as Christians, Praise God, we are not bound by Old Testament laws, the New Covenant was born out of, and influenced by, the Old. The Old Testament–its laws, stories and characters–are referenced countless times in the New.

Rather than think God “got fed up with the way the first law turned out,” and “tore up the blueprint, to start over with a totally blank page,” I think it might be more accurate to conceive of the Old Law more as a beginning point, that would eventually be fulfilled and replaced with a better, more perfect plan– perfection sealed with the blood of His unflawed Son, and once for all extending the inheritance of salvation to all people.

I think Paul addresses that here. Clearly, he says the Israelites mishandled God’s plan. In fact, the end of Ch. 10 quotes Isaiah’s passage about Israel: “All day long I have held out my hands, to a disobedient and obstinate people.” But it was because of this wholesale inability and unwillingness to accept God’s direction that the rest of us were given a seat at the table.

There was no “joy” at Israel’s failure, but out of their rejection, came hope for everyone else. As part of that “everyone else” crowd, today’s Gentile Christians must also be aware that we will share the same fate as anyone who rejects Christ’s lordship; we, too, will be cut off if we make unwise, unfaithful choices.

Bottom line: we all have an opportunity, and we all will be held accountable for how we respond to it.