Devotionals

Intro: During this Lenten season, every devotional will begin with a quote from C.S. Lewis (author and theologian), followed by two readings: 1) A passage from the Psalter and 2) a writing from one of the Old Testament prophets or New Testament authors. We will look at both passages as a whole through the fulfilling work and wisdom of Christ—Truth.

For God expressed His love for the world in this way: He gave His only Son so that whoever believes in Him will not face everlasting destruction, but will have everlasting life (John 3:16).

“In the Christian story God descends to reascend. But He goes down to come up again and bring the whole ruined world up with Him.” (C.S. Lewis; Miracles)

Humility before God is essential, because it is grounded in the life and nature of God. He came down from eternal glory to live with sinful humanity, because sin keeps us separated from God, earth bound, and destined for death. We were created for the emerging God-Life: eternal beings living in fellowship and obedience to God. In our passage from the Psalter, stay focused on God as the human race’s Creator, Lord, Savior, and Deliverer. We can NEVER ascend to God on our own, nor save ourselves from death. The psalmist knew in the Spirit one day God would bring humanity divine help; the miracle necessary to ascend into eternal life. So, God seekers waited in hope.

Psalm 33:13-22 VOICE
13
The Eternal peers down from heaven
and watches all of humanity;
14
He observes every soul
from His divine residence.
15
He has formed every human heart, breathing life into every human spirit;
He knows the deeds of each person, inside and out.
16
A king is not delivered by the might of his army.
Even the strongest warrior is not saved by his own strength.
17
A horse is not the way to victory;
its great strength cannot rescue.
18
Listen, the eye of the Eternal is upon those who live in awe of Him,
those who hope in His steadfast love,
19
That He may save them from the darkness of the grave
and be kept alive during the lean seasons.
20
We live with hope in the Eternal. We wait for Him,
for He is our Divine Help and Impenetrable Shield.
21
Our hearts erupt with joy in Him
because we trust His holy name.
22
O Eternal, drench us with Your endless love,
even now as we wait for You.

The Bible tells the whole story of creation, spiritual death, and rebirth into the God-life. The wait for salvation ended when God descended in Christ and brought redemption from sin to his creation—Christ dying on a cross—in order to lift the world back up in the Spirit to enjoy fellowship with the Creator. Life with God is now available to humble hearts. This is God’s Way of resurrecting lives. Christ makes us spiritually alive and sinless before God; he speaks and we humbly listen, accept his authority, and rise in Spirit-led living. Everyday God extends a Righteous Hand up. Stay humble, let Christ take your hand, and ascend with him into righteous love and living.

1 Peter 3:18 VOICE
The Anointed One suffered for sins once for all time—the righteous suffering for the unrighteous—so that He might bring us to God. Though He died in the flesh, He was made alive again through the Spirit.

Prayer: Lord, as believers, we sense the clashing between the Kingdom and world around us each day. Our choice to follow you in Kingdom living will set us apart from the world, as well as position us to live in places of opposition. We cast down fear. Please empower us with love and trust each day. Grow us in the God-life you have prepared for those who love you. Grab our hands and don’t let go. We place our hope in you alone to make us victorious. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Intro: During this Lenten season, every devotional will begin with a quote from C.S. Lewis (author and theologian), followed by two readings: 1) A passage from the Psalter and 2) a writing from one of the Old Testament prophets or New Testament authors. We will look at both passages as a whole through the fulfilling work and wisdom of Christ—Truth.

Like a stone may determine the course of a river, a stone of deception [used metaphorically as insensitivity to the Spirit] in our minds can determine the course of our lives; therefore, we must dwell in the wisdom of Christ.

“Joy is the serious business of heaven” (C.S. Lewis; The Business of Heaven).

Psalm 31:21-24 NLT
21 
Praise the Lord,
    for he has shown me the wonders of his unfailing love.
    He kept me safe when my city was under attack.
22 
In panic I cried out,
    “I am cut off from the Lord!”
But you heard my cry for mercy
    and answered my call for help.
23 
Love the Lord, all you godly ones!
    For the Lord protects those who are loyal to him,
    but he harshly punishes the arrogant.
24 
So be strong and courageous,
    all you who put your hope in the Lord!

Hebrews 12:1-13 NLT God’s Discipline Proves His Love
12 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. 2 We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne. 3 Think of all the hostility he endured from sinful people; then you won’t become weary and give up. 4 After all, you have not yet given your lives in your struggle against sin.
5 And have you forgotten the encouraging words God spoke to you as his children? He said,
“My child, don’t make light of the Lord’s discipline,    and don’t give up when he corrects you.
6 
For the Lord disciplines those he loves,    and he punishes each one he accepts as his child.”
7 As you endure this divine discipline, remember that God is treating you as his own children. Who ever heard of a child who is never disciplined by its father? 8 If God doesn’t discipline you as he does all of his children, it means that you are illegitimate and are not really his children at all. 9 Since we respected our earthly fathers who disciplined us, shouldn’t we submit even more to the discipline of the Father of our spirits, and live forever? [really live]

10 For our earthly fathers disciplined us for a few years, doing the best they knew how. But God’s discipline is always good for us, so that we might share in his holiness. 11 No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening—it’s painful! But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way.
12 So take a new grip with your tired hands and strengthen your weak knees. 13 Mark out a straight path for your feet so that those who are weak and lame will not fall but become strong.

Please take time to read over our passages for today. I will be teaching on them and leading a discussion this evening during our Lenten Bible Study at 7PM. I hope you will plan to join us in person at Connect2Christ Church or online through our website as we explore the Scriptures together.

Prayer: Lord, we come humbly to your Word in order to learn from you. Teach us the Truth from your perspective, cover us with grace as you discipline us, and help us Holy Spirit to allow divine wisdom to direct the course of our lives. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Intro: During this Lenten season, every devotional will begin with a quote from C.S. Lewis (author and theologian), followed by two readings: 1) A passage from the Psalter and 2) a writing from one of the Old Testament prophets or New Testament authors. We will look at both passages as a whole through the fulfilling work and wisdom of Christ—Truth.

No matter how much knowledge the human race gains or progress we boast about making through our human endeavors, let us remember our ability to bring change has been granted by God and what we accomplish will not even scratch the surface of the perfect knowledge, wisdom, power, and love of God—the Source.

“For change is not progress unless the core remains unchanged.”
(C.S. Lewis; God in the Dock)

In our passage today, the psalmist reminds us we cannot find God unless we allow our hearts to desire and know him. At the very core of our being, all of humanity should truly stand in fear or yirah [Heb. yir-ah meaning awe/trembling] before the unchanging love of the Maker of heaven and earth. Therefore, our greatest yirah and worship must be reserved for God who has promised to sustain those who call upon his name.

Psalm 97:1-7 NLT
1
The Lord is king!
    Let the earth rejoice!
    Let the farthest coastlands be glad.
2 
Dark clouds surround him.
    Righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne.
3 
Fire spreads ahead of him
    and burns up all his foes.
4 
His lightning flashes out across the world.
    The earth sees and trembles.
5 
The mountains melt like wax before the Lord,
    before the Lord of all the earth.
6 
The heavens proclaim his righteousness;
    every nation sees his glory.
7 
Those who worship idols are disgraced—
    all who brag about their worthless gods—
    for every god must bow to him.

In his first letter to the church in Corinth, the Apostle Paul reminds the early Christians no measure of human knowledge can explain God’s plan for a fallen human creation that is found in the work of Christ on the Cross for salvation and judgement. The revelation for salvation must come through Christ to the humble ones and upon his wisdom the Spirit builds new lives for God’s glory. We cannot enjoy the presence of God through a practice of dogma [established human opinion] that we hold higher than the instruction, revelation, and redemption of God found in a relationship with Christ. Life is a lesson for the heart; we learn to acknowledge and trust God above all things. Judgment will one day come to the proud who choose to honor and fear the created above the Creator. Do you yirah the Lord above all things?

1 Corinthians 1:26-31 NLV
26 Christian brothers, think who you were when the Lord called you. Not many of you were wise or powerful or born into the family of leaders of a country. 27 But God has chosen what the world calls foolish to shame the wise. He has chosen what the world calls weak to shame what is strong. 28 God has chosen what is weak and foolish of the world, what is hated and not known, to destroy the things the world trusts in. 29 In that way, no man can be proud as he stands before God. 30 God Himself made the way so you can have new life through Christ Jesus. God gave us Christ to be our wisdom. Christ made us right with God and set us apart for God and made us holy. Christ bought us with His blood and made us free from our sins. 31 It is as the Holy Writings say, “If anyone is going to be proud of anything, he should be proud of the Lord.”

Prayer: Father God, as we look at creation, we see and experience glimpses of your glory. Jesus, as we look at the cross, we gain more glimpses of the glorious love you have for the Father, human creation, and the world. Holy Spirit, re-create believers anew in the image of the Son so we may become glimpses of your glory to a fallen world that is facing judgment because it refuses to fear you above all things. May the salvation of your love come to proud and empty hearts, today. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Intro: During this Lenten season, every devotional will begin with a quote from C.S. Lewis (author and theologian), followed by two readings: 1) A passage from the Psalter and 2) a writing from one of the Old Testament prophets or New Testament authors. We will look at both passages as a whole through the fulfilling work and wisdom of Christ—Truth.

God is calling us to replace our discouragement and sins of the past with His abiding and eternal love.

“What does not satisfy when we find it, was not the thing we were desiring.”
(C.S. Lewis, The Pilgrim’s Regress)

Today’s psalm comes from the sons of Korah. Jealousy had led Korah to start a rebellion with 250 community leaders against his cousins, Moses and Aaron. God judged Korah and his leaders and they all died when “the earth opened its mouth and swallowed the men, along with their households and all their followers who were standing with them, and everything they owned.” (Numbers 16:32) By God’s mercy, the sons of Korah did not die and thus we can begin to understand their great reverence for God. We can also understand the pain from their past, but God does not want that pain to bring them discouragement; rather, God wants them to learn from that pain so that they may move forward in serving Him and growing His Kingdom. God wants to love each of us into wholeness. Our past is merely a tool for God to use for our good and for the good of others. He can only do that as we grow up in our faith and call on the Holy Spirit to bring us Godly wisdom and overshadow our soul; our minds need to think like Jesus, our will needs to be in alignment with Jesus’s will, and our emotions need to be rooted in Jesus’s Truth so that they are bathed with His love.

Psalm 42:1-8 (NLT)
For the choir director: A psalm of the descendants of Korah.

1 As the deer longs for streams of water,
so I long for you, O God.

2 I thirst for God, the living God.
When can I go and stand before him?

3 Day and night I have only tears for food,
while my enemies continually taunt me, saying,
“Where is this God of yours?”

4 My heart is breaking
as I remember how it used to be
I walked among the crowds of worshipers,
leading a great procession to the house of God,
singing for joy and giving thanks
amid the sound of a great celebration!

5 Why am I discouraged?
Why is my heart so sad?
I will put my hope in God!
I will praise him again—
my Savior and 6 my God!

Now I am deeply discouraged,
but I will remember you—
even from distant Mount Hermon, the source of the Jordan,
from the land of Mount Mizar.

7 I hear the tumult of the raging seas
as your waves and surging tides sweep over me.

8 But each day the Lord pours his unfailing love upon me,
and through each night I sing his songs,
praying to God who gives me life.

In today’s psalm, we know that God’s mercy and love saved the sons of Korah. That same merciful and loving God sent His only Son, Jesus, to save you and me and “there is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” (John 15:13) Jesus lovingly laid down His life so that you and me would be forgiven of our sins; as a result of that pure love, we have the opportunity through our salvation to abide in God and His love, as He abides in us and eternally loves us. John makes sure, in today’s passage, as he does in most of his writings, to express that God is love, and when we invite Jesus, Who is love, into our lives, then and only then can the Holy Spirit guide us to experience true and everlasting love.

1 John 4:7-16 (NLT)
Loving One Another

7 Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God. 8 But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love.

9 God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. 10 This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.

11 Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other. 12 No one has ever seen God. But if we love each other, God lives in us, and his love is brought to full expression in us.

13 And God has given us his Spirit as proof that we live in him and he in us. 14 Furthermore, we have seen with our own eyes and now testify that the Father sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. 15 All who declare that Jesus is the Son of God have God living in them, and they live in God. 16 We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in his love.

God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them.

Prayer: Jesus, thank You for laying down Your life to save mine. That sacrificial act of pure love is the greatest gift. Help me, Lord Jesus, to be more like You. I want a heart that loves like Your heart. Forgive me for my sins, please use those places of sin that have once been a great discouragement for good and to further grow Your Kingdom. I ask all of this in Your Holy Name, Jesus. Amen.

Intro: During this Lenten season, every devotional will begin with a quote from C.S. Lewis (author and theologian), followed by two readings: 1) A passage from the Psalter and 2) a writing from one of the Old Testament prophets or New Testament authors. We will look at both passages as a whole through the fulfilling work and wisdom of Christ—Truth.

God is calling us into perfection by renewing us and making us like Christ.

“The Divine Judge is the defender, the rescuer.” (C. S. Lewis, Reflections on the Psalms)

In this chapter of Psalms, the writer is praying for all the nations on the earth to praise the One who created the nations in the first place. During this prayer, the Psalmist is asking for God’s favor upon His people. This passage can be applied to what is happening in our world today. I believe that the revival that started at Asbury University will continue to expand to where the whole world will come to the light of Christ.

Psalm 67:1-7 (NLT Translation)

1. May God be merciful and bless us. May his face smile with favor on us.
2. May your ways be known throughout the earth, your saving power among people everywhere.
3. May the nations praise you, O God. Yes, may all the nations praise you.
4. Let the whole world sing for joy, because you govern the nations with justice and guide the people of the whole world.
5. May the nations praise you, O God. Yes, may all the nations praise you.
6. Then the earth will yield its harvests, and God, our God, will richly bless us.
7. Yes, God will bless us, and people all over the world will fear him

In this passage from Matthew’s gospel, Jesus is speaking about the idea of separating the sheep and the goats. In this specific section, it is titled “The Final Judgment.” He’s talking about when we appear before the judgment seat of Christ. While it is important for us to help one another out, we need to be careful so that we are not placed in a position where others would take advantage of us. What we need to do is to ask for the Lord’s guidance for when we go and help those who need it.

Matthew 25:31-46 (NLT Translation)

31. “But when the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit upon his glorious throne. 32. All the nations will be gathered in his presence, and he will separate the people as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33. He will place the sheep at his right hand and the goats at his left. 34. “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world. 35. For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. 36. I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.’ 37. Then these righteous ones will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38. Or a stranger and show you hospitality? Or naked and give you clothing? 39. When did we ever see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ 40. “And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!’ 41. “Then the King will turn to those on the left and say, ‘Away with you, you cursed ones, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his demons. 42. For I was hungry, and you didn’t feed me. I was thirsty, and you didn’t give me a drink. 43. I was a stranger, and you didn’t invite me into your home. I was naked, and you didn’t give me clothing. I was sick and in prison, and you didn’t visit me.’ 44. “Then they will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and not help you?’ 45. “And he will answer, ‘I tell you the truth, when you refused to help the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were refusing to help me.’ 46. “And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous will go into eternal life.”

Prayer: Heavenly Father, I pray for our nations around the world to draw closer to You. Let our words and our actions be a reflection of who You are. Let Your Son shine through us so that others will see the light of Christ in all of us. Show us what it really means to live the Godly life. May Your wisdom and grace continue to guide us through the hard times as well as the good times. In His mighty name I pray, amen.

Written by: Curtis Tumicki

Intro: During this Lenten season, every devotional will begin with a quote from C.S. Lewis (author and theologian), followed by two readings: 1) A passage from the Psalter and 2) a writing from one of the Old Testament prophets or New Testament authors. We will look at both passages as a whole through the fulfilling work and wisdom of Christ—Truth.

God is calling us into perfection by renewing us and making us like Christ.

“The question is not what we intended ourselves to be, but what He intended us to be when he made us.” (C. S. Lewis, Mere Christianity)

In our passage from the Psalter, David sings about the wisdom of God that is revealed to humanity in creation, as well as the wholeness found in God’s Word. In Hebrew, the word “shalom” denotes wholeness, completeness, perfection, well-being—a manifestation of blessing! God’s creative power is observable in order to bring him glory. That same power God intended for creation is the same power God will use to renew each one of us as we follow his instructions or Truth. The Word changes the way we think—it spiritually renews and revives us to become what God intended.

Psalm 19:1-8 NLT

1The heavens proclaim the glory of God.
The skies display his craftsmanship.

2 Day after day they continue to speak;
night after night they make him known.

3 They speak without a sound or word;
their voice is never heard.

4 Yet their message has gone throughout the earth,
and their words to all the world.
God has made a home in the heavens for the sun.

5 It bursts forth like a radiant bridegroom after his wedding.
It rejoices like a great athlete eager to run the race.

6 The sun rises at one end of the heavens
and follows its course to the other end.
Nothing can hide from its heat.

7 The instructions of the Lord are perfect,
reviving the soul.

The decrees of the Lord are trustworthy,
making wise the simple.

8 The commandments of the Lord are right,
bringing joy to the heart.

The commands of the Lord are clear,
giving insight for living.

In our passage from the gospel of Matthew, Jesus is teaching his disciples about genuine love in the shalom of God. How we love people reveals whether or not we are children of God being made whole in Christ. When we invite Christ into our lives and allow him to rule, he will not stop working within us until we radiate God’s glory and wholeness. Oh, we can try to push him aside, but Christ never gives up loving us into perfection. The love of God flows uninterruptedly from the core of mature believers. The Holy Spirit works until the Father is pleased and we become what he intended when he made us.

Matthew 5:43-48 NLT

43 “You have heard the law that says, ‘Love your neighbor’ and hate your enemy. 44 But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! 45 In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven. For he gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and the unjust alike. 46 If you love only those who love you, what reward is there for that? Even corrupt tax collectors do that much. 47 If you are kind only to your friends, how are you different from anyone else? Even pagans do that. 48 But you are to be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect.

Prayer: Lord, we praise you for working in our lives by making us whole in your shalom and filled with your love, grace, and glory. Thank you for pursuing us each day to renew a right spirit in us and transforming us by the inner God-life we have received in Christ. Cause us to become what you intended when you made us. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Hope to see you Sunday in worship; live in the blessing!

Intro: The practice of sin in our lives—failure to do what is righteous—is destructive and damaging. Sin rises from the heart and has three aspects: 1) disobedience to the law of God [transgress God’s Word]; 2) violation of relationships with people [transgress neighbor]; and 3) rebellion against God [transgress God’s rule]. Our sin grieves the heart of God, because he does not want his children to suffer the consequences of sin. God wants to share his goodness and blessings with his family.

In Scripture, sin is referred to as a “fall” from our original status as God’s creation. Sin cannot exist unless it has a host; it is a parasite of godly good. Sin causes us to mar or injure ourselves. It cuts us away from the Vine—life of God—and alienates us from God’s presence. For this reason, God sent his Son to redeem us and the Holy Spirit to convict us of sin.

In our passage today, David sings a song of repentance to the Lord; he has sinned against God. David experiences so many emotions; the consequences of his sin overwhelms him with guilt and sorrow. Yet, the hardest part for David is the suffering of not being able to enjoy the presence of the Lord with him. Therefore, David invites God to cleanse and restore him, so he can once again know the joy of the Lord’s presence.
Psalm 51:1-12 NLT
1
Have mercy on me, O God,    because of your unfailing love.Because of your great compassion,    blot out the stain of my sins.
2 
Wash me clean from my guilt.    Purify me from my sin.
3 
For I recognize my rebellion;    it haunts me day and night.
4 
Against you, and you alone, have I sinned;    I have done what is evil in your sight.You will be proved right in what you say,    and your judgment against me is just.
5 
For I was born a sinner—    yes, from the moment my mother conceived me.
6 
But you desire honesty from the womb,    teaching me wisdom even there.
7 
Purify me from my sins, and I will be clean;    wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
8 
Oh, give me back my joy again;    you have broken me—    now let me rejoice.
9 
Don’t keep looking at my sins.    Remove the stain of my guilt.
10 
Create in me a clean heart, O God.    Renew a loyal spirit within me.
11 
Do not banish me from your presence,    and don’t take your Holy Spirit from me.
12 
Restore to me the joy of your salvation,    and make me willing to obey you.

Prayer: Lord, as we prepare our hearts through this season of reflection, please help us to clearly see any sin that lingers in our hearts. Please help us to be real and honest with you and ourselves, so we may repent and go forward enjoying your presence and finding our greatest delight in you. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Today is Ash Wednesday and this evening we will be gathering at Connect2Christ Church at 7PM for a time of praise, reflection, prayer, and Communion. For those who desire it, I will offer the imposition of ashes—symbolic of the dust from which God created us, as well as our repentance from sin.

“Repent and believe in the Gospel of our Lord!”

Intro: On Sunday, I had invited our family (and extended family) over to the house after church for brunch to celebrate the dedication of our sweet new granddaughter, Amana, to the Lord. Since I would be at the church for several hours before the brunch, it was necessary to program a delayed start time for my oven in order to cook a french toast casserole. I rarely use this function on the oven, so I could not remember how to properly set it up for the desired result. Intently, I hunted for the oven instruction manual so I could understand how it was designed to work. I set the oven according to the instructions and when I returned home the most wonderful aroma filled the house. Success!

The Hebrew word for “instruction” is Torah. When God gave Israel the Torah, he was sharing the way humanity was designed to function and live before their Creator. Humanity was created to live righteously for God’s glory; as a reflection of his faithful and merciful love for the world. God provided grace that would be available to save and protect his people. If God’s people would listen to his instruction, they would know his plan and walk in his ways. The results would be abundant living.

In our passage today, the psalmist sings about the power of God and the lessons Israel learned and did not learn from their history. God rescued Israel from slavery and provided for them throughout their journey in the wilderness. This testimony of God’s faithfulness was to be passed down from parents to children in order to cause them to remember their rebellion against God’s law/instruction in the past. As well, knowing history would help future generations remain more faithful to God’s instructions.

I praise God every day for the love and sacrifice of Christ for my sin, because I cannot flawlessly follow God’s righteous instruction. However, every time I go to the instructive Word of God, I can refresh my thinking and grow in the Spirit; growth is progress. I am then reassured that saving grace has drawn me to God and perfecting grace will continue to grow Christ’s character in me before I return home to him. God has always wanted human lives to be successful—the sweet aroma or fragrance of Christ (the Living Word) in the world (2 Cor 2:15). Ask the Spirit to help you be the aroma of Christ for someone, today.

Psalm 78:1, 10-11, 17-18, 37-38, 52-54 VOICE
1
O my people [Israel], listen to me!    Hear my instruction; soak up every word of what I am about to tell you.

10
Yet, they [Israel] were not loyal to their covenant with God;
    they turned away and refused to walk in it;
11 
They did not remember all the wondrous things He had done,
    even the great miracles He had revealed to them.

17
Even after witnessing all of these miracles, they still chose to sin against God,
    to act against the will of the Most High in the desert!
18 
They tested God in their stubborn hearts
    by demanding whatever food they happened to be craving.

37 
They were not consistently faithful to Him,
    and they were untrue to their covenant with Him.
38 
Yet by His great compassion,
    He forgave them
    and decided not to put an end to them.
Most of the time, He held back His anger
    and did not unleash His wrath against them.

52
Then He guided His people like sheep to safety
    and led them like a flock into the desert to freedom;
53 
He took them on a safe route so that they would not be afraid,
    and He allowed the hungry sea to swallow all of their enemies.
54 
He led them to His sacred land—
    to this holy hill, which He had won by the power of His right hand.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for writing your instruction on our hearts. May our minds continue to be renewed in the Truth. Help us to honor your instruction, live in your ways, teach them to our children and grandchildren, so we can all live for your glory. We want our lives to be a sweet-smelling aroma that draws all people to you. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Today, we are looking at eight of the seventy-two verses from psalm 78, which is the second longest psalm next to psalm 119. Four of the verses are from the first half of the psalm and the next four verses are from the second half.

Israel’s past is presented within psalm 78 as a lesson for the present generation, and so the next generations to come will set their hope in God and not forget His glorious miracles for their ancestors and obey His commands (v. 7). The generations to come need to learn from Israel’s stubbornness, rebellion, unfaithfulness, and refusal to give their hearts to God (v. 8).

You and I can look back and clearly see how God rescued the Israelites, His people, from slavery in Egypt and how He led them safely through the wilderness. Miracle after miracle was being displayed for God’s people so He could lead them home. God remained faithful, even when His people lacked faith in Him.

God remains unchanged and faithful to you and me, His people. He wants us to be transformed by our salvation in Christ and to grow more and more faithful each day. Many times, you and I find ourselves within the wilderness, and as Pastor Mary explained during yesterday’s sermon, “each one of us will find ourselves suffering in some way for our commitment to Christ, because God is wanting to bring transformation of His glory through our suffering.” She went on to explain that some of us will receive the transformative work of God and others will not. I don’t know about you, but I want to be transformed by the Holy Spirit each day and for my heart to be growing more and more like Jesus’s heart. I pray all of the time that until God leads me Home, that my heart will never harden and that I will remain faithful to Jesus.

Psalm 78:17-20, 52-55 NLT

17 Yet they kept on sinning against him,
rebelling against the Most High in the desert.

18 They stubbornly tested God in their hearts,
demanding the foods they craved.

19 They even spoke against God himself, saying,
“God can’t give us food in the wilderness.

20 Yes, he can strike a rock so water gushes out,

52 But he led his own people like a flock of sheep,
guiding them safely through the wilderness.

53 He kept them safe so they were not afraid;
but the sea covered their enemies.

54 He brought them to the border of his holy land,
to this land of hills he had won for them.

55 He drove out the nations before them;
he gave them their inheritance by lot.
He settled the tribes of Israel into their homes.

Prayer: Jesus, thank You for remaining unchanged and faithful to me. Help me to grow in my faith each and everyday, and allow my heart to be more and more like Your heart. Please use all of my suffering to transform me so that you can use it for the good of Your Kingdom. I ask all of this in Your Holy Name, Jesus. Amen.

Intro: Believers are people who choose to live by faith, hope, and love in Christ (1 Cor 13:13). We know these three works—trinity of grace—are immortal gifts which go with us into eternal life [perfected when Christ returns]. Yet, until Christ comes, one of these graces is to be highly exalted in our lives—Love. Why? Because we cannot sustain genuine faith or hope without Love—God.

In the beginning of our passage today from a letter written to the Hebrew Christians, we read about the supernatural love of parents [Amram and Jochebed] for their baby of grace [Moses]. That love motivates their faith [trust in God] to act according to a very unusual rescue plan. These parents placed their confident hope in God’s promise of eternal life. Love must drive their faith and hope, because the full plan of God is not visible to them in this situation. But please read the full story, because miracle after miracle follows Moses and this trinity of grace (Ex. 2:1-10).

Moses continues to grow in the midst of the Egyptian culture, but he never stops identifying with the oppressed Israelite people who love God. Moses chooses the wealth of God’s promise over anything the world [Egypt] has to offer. Eventually, Moses lets go of everything familiar and comfortable in order to follow God into the unfamiliar and supernatural work of abundant grace. As Moses follows God in acts of faith and hope, not only does he become a very powerful tool in God’s hand, he becomes an Old Testament typology [symbolism] of the life of Christ. Christ is the perfect living revelation of faith, hope, and love in “I Am” [I Exist].

May we all have spiritual eyes to see the reward ahead promised by the Father and be willing to cling to God [Love] even while we are temporary pilgrims in this sinful world. We cannot live a hybrid faith—we must choose the Love of God over the world. The Holy Spirit will stir our faith and hope each day to live in the miraculous as we remain in God’s Love found only in Christ (John 15:9). “It is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him” (Heb 11:6). If you have never tasted the pure love of God found through a relationship in Christ, simply pray and ask Christ to rescue your soul, today. Have a great weekend and hope to see you in worship on Sunday. Blessings…

Hebrews 11:23-28 NLV

23 By faith Moses, after his birth, was hidden for three months by his parents, because they saw he was a beautiful and divinely favored child; and they were not afraid of the king’s (Pharaoh’s) decree. 24 By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, 25 because he preferred to endure the hardship of the people of God rather than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin. 26 He considered the reproach of the Christ [that is, the rebuke he would suffer for his faithful obedience to God] to be greater wealth than all the treasures of Egypt; for he looked ahead to the reward [promised by God]. 27 By faith he left Egypt, being unafraid of the wrath of the king; for he endured [steadfastly], as seeing Him who is unseen. 28 By faith he kept the Passover [which foreshadows the coming of the Messiah/Rescuer] and the sprinkling of the blood [on the doorposts], so that the destroyer [death] of the firstborn would not touch them (the firstborn of Israel/people of God).

Prayer: Lord, thank you for the grace that protects us while we are growing in our understanding of what pleases you. Fill us with faith and hope as we walk in your love. In Jesus’ name. Amen.