– Scripture:

The Spirit of the Lord speaks by me; his word is on my tongue.

2 Samuel 23:2 MSG

 – Reflection:

God speaks through his people. He empowers us as agents to carry his messages—as Ananias did to Saul, as Cornelius did to Peter (and Peter did back to Cornelius). This method, human agency, is the second of God’s two preferred communication methods. Examples of it abound in Scripture. And, of course, Scripture is an example: the Biblical authors were his agents in communicating his precious words to us. 

Where do we go from here?

Do you want to hear God’s voice? Does your calendar allow for it? Have you committed yourself to a group of people willing to speak his truth into your life? Think about these questions, family, and commit today to figuring out how to begin to answer them affirmatively.

Our Prayer for Today?

Father, thank you for being our light and salvation. It is a pleasure to wake each day ready to see where our path takes us. We are forever indebted to you for saving our lives, and for you coming into our hearts and souls. Thank you for all that give us peace each day. Amen.

 – Scripture:

                       Dare To Dream

“That brought him to his senses. He said, ‘All those farmhands working for my father sit down to three meals a day, and here I am starving to death. I’m going back to my father. I’ll tell him, Father, I’ve sinned against God and before you; I don’t deserve to be called your son. Take me on as a hired hand.’ He got right up and went home to his father.

                      Luke 15:18 MSG

 – Reflection:

The prodigal son had taken his father’s inheritance and wasted it on wild living. When he was finally destitute, feeding hogs, he made a decision that changed the course of his life. He said, “Yes, I brought this trouble on myself, but I won’t sit around condemned. I’m going to arise and go to my father’s house.” 

You may have made poor choices. Perhaps you’re not where you thought you would be in life. The voices in your head are telling you, “You’ve blown it too badly. You’ll never reach your dreams.” No, you are one decision away from seeing God appear in your life.

Where do we go from here?

His plan for you was not canceled because you took a detour through the hog pen. Those decisions didn’t disqualify you from His favor. All you have to do is arise, shake off the guilt, and return to your Father. Start making decisions that honor God. Break away from things that are causing you to compromise. God has amazing things in your future if you dare to arise.

Our Prayer for Today

Father, thank You that Your mercy is more significant than my mistakes. Thank You that You are not holding my past against me. Thank You that I am forgiven. Thank You for being redeemed because of what Jesus did on the cross. I’m coming boldly to Your house right now. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

– Scripture:

                       Keeping the Commandments

God, your God, is, above all, a compassionate God. In the end, he will not abandon you, he won’t bring you to ruin, and he won’t forget the covenant with your ancestors which he swore to them. Ask questions. Find out what has been happening all these years before you were born. From the day God created man and woman on this Earth, and from the horizon in the east to the horizon in the west—as far back as you can imagine and as far away as you can imagine has as great a thing as this ever happened? Has anyone ever heard of such a thing? Have people ever heard, as you did, a god speaking out of the middle of the fire and living to tell the story? Or has a god ever tried to select for himself a nation from within a nation using trials, miracles, and war, putting his strong hand in, reaching his long arm out, a spectacle awesome and staggering, the way God, your God, did it for you in Egypt while you stood right there and watched? You were shown all this so that you would know that God is, well, God. He’s the only God there is. He’s it. He made it possible for you to hear his voice out of Heaven to discipline you. Down on Earth, he showed you the big fire, and again you heard his words, this time out of the fire. He loved your ancestors and chose to work with their children. He personally and powerfully brought you out of Egypt to displace bigger, stronger, and older nations with you, bringing you out and turning their land over to you as an inheritance. And now it’s happening. This very day. Know this well, then. Take it to heart right now: God is in Heaven above and on Earth below. He’s the only God there is. Obediently live by his rules and commands, which I’m giving you today so that you’ll live well and your children after you—oh, you’ll live a long time in the land that God, your God, is giving you.

                           Deuteronomy 4:31–40 MSG

– Reflection:

Keeping the statutes and ordinances that God has given. It is one of the biggest themes throughout the book of Deuteronomy. The book makes clear that part of being God’s covenant people is keeping the statutes and ordinances that God has given. They are not imposed out of a sense of control or manipulation. Instead, we follow them out of gratitude for what God has done for us. This passage portrays a sense of awe and wonders at what God has done: “Has anything so great as this ever happened or has its like ever been heard of?”

Where do we go from here?

We are not freed from responsibility to and for one another. God’s freedom is the freedom to join the covenant community to live our lives in ways that carry out God’s freedom for all people. Living this way is a joyful response to all God has done for us.

Our Prayer for Today

Father, we offer our lives to you in gratitude. Help us to follow your commandments and to see the freedom they offer. Help us to do all that you call us to do. Amen

 – Scripture:

                       NO IDOLS

You saw no form when God spoke to you at Horeb from out of the fire. Remember that. Carefully guard yourselves so that you don’t turn corrupt and make a form, carving a figure that looks male or female or looks like a prowling animal or a flying bird or a slithering snake or a fish in a stream.

                      Deuteronomy 4:15–18 MSG

 – Reflection:

Many things could be seen as idols in our lives. We live in a time in which there are entire careers based around being an “influencer,” which, if you don’t know, is a person who, yes, you guessed it, influences other people. The influencer reigns supreme in the social media world, where everyone is trying for attention, likes, replies, views, and more. Some people use their attention and wealth to do good, spread the word about helpful charities, and bring attention to issues society ignores. Others only use their fame to garner more fame.

Where do we go from here?

We all have people or figures in our lives, whether influencers, politicians, film and tv stars, or more, that we give our attention to. What about God? Think of the time you spend picking over what that royal said to the other, which politicians are bickering for the millionth time over that issue, and which celebrity couple is on the outs again. Instead of doing those things, you could invest more time into God, your faith, and your church.

Our Prayer for Today

Father, we pray this day for focus. Help us focus on you in our rest and enable us to put aside earthly idols to concentrate on the Lord of all who loves and cares for us. Amen.

 – Scripture:

                          Obey His Word

Jesus ordered the servants, “Fill the pots with water.” And they filled them to the brim.

                          John 2:7

 – Reflection:

In John 2, when the excellent wine ran out at a wedding, Jesus told the staff to fill six large stone pots with water, which seemed odd. They needed wine, not water. Sometimes God will ask you to do things you don’t understand. He has the best wine ready, but it’s dependent on your obedience to His word. Will you do what He’s asking you to do? It may be to forgive someone who did you wrong and hurt you. You think you have a right to be bitter, but that will keep you from the best wine. It may be to step out in faith when you don’t feel qualified to teach a class, start a business, or mentor a young person. Or maybe it’s to keep a good attitude when you’re being treated unfairly and let God be your vindicator. He can vindicate you better than you can vindicate yourself.

Where do we go from here?

Keep doing what God asks you to do. Keep being good to people, giving, serving, and expecting. The best wine is coming.

Our Prayer for Today

Father, thank You that we don’t have to understand everything You ask us to do. We just have to obey. Thank You that we can let go of every unfair thing and forgive quickly before bitterness can come in. We will keep being good to others and expecting the best is coming. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.