Daily Reading: 5-5-16
Ephesians 1:15-23 New Living Translation (NLT)
In his letter to the church at Ephesus, the Apostle Paul exhorts the people for the growth of their love. He praises God for them; he prays for them to receive a spirit of wisdom and revelation in their connection to Christ.
Daily Reading: 5-4-16
Luke 2:25-38 New Living Translation (NLT)
In our reading from Luke, today, we are in Jerusalem at the Temple. We meet Simeon; a Spirit-empowered man who is holding on to a promise from the Lord regarding Israel’s Messiah. As, well, we find Joseph and Mary who have come to fulfill their sacred obligations by presenting Jesus to the Lord. We meet Anna, a woman devoted to worshiping God. In a divine appointment, the promise and the present (sign) intersect at a point of revelation; the prophecy is proclaimed to be fulfilled by two witnesses.
Daily Reading: 5-3-16
Psalm 93 New Living Translation (NLT)
I have decided to spend more time this morning meditating on Psalm 93. God loves me and takes care of me; I am touched by His glory. I believe it; yet, there is more here I need to understand.
1
The Lord is king! He is robed in majesty.
Indeed, the Lord is robed in majesty and armed with strength.
The world stands firm
and cannot be shaken.
2
Your throne, O Lord, has stood from time immemorial.
You yourself are from the everlasting past.
3
The floods have risen up, O Lord.
The floods have roared like thunder;
the floods have lifted their pounding waves.
4
But mightier than the violent raging of the seas,
mightier than the breakers on the shore—
the Lord above is mightier than these!
5
Your royal laws cannot be changed.
Your reign, O Lord, is holy forever and ever.
Daily Reading: 5-2-16
Psalm 93 New Living Translation (NLT)
During my quiet times, I sometimes sit looking out over the beauty of creation and allow my thoughts to wander in the Love of God. It is a special time where I give myself permission to let go of thoughts of pressing duties or expectations and I just enjoy the freedom to daydream about life. If you know me at all, you realize this place of wandering is an exercise in discipline because I function by a to-do list and a schedule of order most of the time because the many responsibilities I carry require it. These quiet moments are gifts for Mary, because they allow me to focus on things beyond my influence and control; they allow me to remember Who is actually in control.
1
The Lord is king! He is robed in majesty.
Indeed, the Lord is robed in majesty and armed with strength.
The world stands firm
and cannot be shaken.
2
Your throne, O Lord, has stood from time immemorial.
You yourself are from the everlasting past.
3
The floods have risen up, O Lord.
The floods have roared like thunder;
the floods have lifted their pounding waves.
4
But mightier than the violent raging of the seas,
mightier than the breakers on the shore—
the Lord above is mightier than these!
5
Your royal laws cannot be changed.
Your reign, O Lord, is holy forever and ever.
Daily Reading: 4-29-16
Proverbs 2:6-8 New Living Translation (NLT)
Yesterday, we read about gaining wisdom and how that is connected to the fear (reference and awe) of the Lord. I always think about wisdom being applied truth. Honesty has to do with our behavior in action and in words; the goal is to convey truth. The quality of honesty is extremely important for a Christ follower, because it is an essential aspect of God’s own nature and purposes. Christ is Truth. God is Love and cannot lie (Heb. 6:18). Satan is the father of lies and our inclination without Christ is to follow Satan and remain lost to the Truth of God’s Love (John 8:44). We either operate in truth with regard to representing God and our faith in His Love or we, by default, communicate lies. This is why we must make a decision to stay in God’s Word and seek revelation and understanding.
In our reading from the Book of Wisdom today, our passage confirms that wisdom, knowledge and understanding are imparted by the Lord and our goal should be to honestly represent God’s Love with our words and actions. Let’s read…
Daily Reading: 4-28-16
Proverbs 2:1-5 New Living Translation (NLT)
Sometimes asking for things is difficult, but God clearly desires that we would ask for wisdom. In the Old Testament, wisdom is broken down and described in levels. At one level, we can connect wisdom with skilled arts (weavers, architects, goldsmiths, etc). Another level of wisdom is described as an insight into life and offering ways of dealing with life issues. At still another level, wisdom is described as applied truth to the lives of men and women who represent a way of thinking and conduct that is orderly, socially sensitive, and morally upright. In the New Testament, wisdom is filled with the elements of practical advice for Christian Living. Jesus Christ is our role model and God has caused him to be revealed wisdom for us.
The Benefits of Wisdom
2
My child, listen to what I say,
and treasure my commands.
2
Tune your ears to wisdom,
and concentrate on understanding.
3
Cry out for insight,
and ask for understanding.
4
Search for them as you would for silver;
seek them like hidden treasures.
5
Then you will understand what it means to fear the Lord,
and you will gain knowledge of God.
Daily Reading: 4-27-16
Luke 10:25-28 New Living Translation (NLT)
How important do you think it is that we learn to love by God’s standard? Jesus said it was the most important mandate from the Father and the way to eternal life. As I read our passage for today, it is clear that if I am going to learn to love by God’s standard, it means a change must come to my human ability to love.
The Most Important Commandment
25 One day an expert in religious law stood up to test Jesus by asking him this question: “Teacher, what should I do to inherit eternal life?”
26 Jesus replied, “What does the law of Moses say? How do you read it?”
27 The man answered, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your strength, and all your mind.’ And, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”[a]
28 “Right!” Jesus told him. “Do this and you will live!”
Daily Reading: 4-26-16
Psalm 133 New Living Translation (NLT)
Yesterday we looked at our passage from the perspective of harmony and its connection to love. Harmony is achieved when we stay focused on what is important to God. Today, please read the passage, again, and this time when you read verse one and the word “brothers” think about the word “family.”
Daily Reading: 4-25-16
Psalm 133 New Living Translation (NLT)
Do you enjoy harmony in your relationships? My father used to say, “I like peace in the valley!” In other words, Dad loved it when everyone was together and could stay in a place of unity within the family. It was work, but it was possible.
David enjoyed and wanted to achieve “peace in the valley” or unity with his fellow pilgrims as they all ascended to Jerusalem. He wrote a song about it to keep them all focused on their purpose—working together with God and one another.
Psalm 133
1
How wonderful and pleasant it is
when brothers live together in harmony!
2
For harmony is as precious as the anointing oil
that was poured over Aaron’s head,
that ran down his beard
and onto the border of his robe.
3
Harmony is as refreshing as the dew from Mount Hermon
that falls on the mountains of Zion.
And there the Lord has pronounced his blessing,
even life everlasting.
Daily Reading: 4-22-16
Psalm 148 New Living Translation (NLT)
Do you like listening to a symphony? For my birthday this last year, our son Joseph and daughter-in-love Sarah sent us to the Mahaffey Theater to enjoy a Florida Orchestra production. With every musician playing each of their parts with great passion, music filled the theater; it filled me. Well, the Psalmist who wrote Book 148, was calling all of creation to make music to the Lord for His greatness; to fill the heavens and the earth with praise and worship to the point of filling every inch of space and piece of matter. Let’s read…
