AUGUST 6, 2017

“When all is said and done, the life of faith is nothing if not an unending struggle of the spirit with every available weapon against the flesh.” 
― Dietrich Bonhoeffer, The Cost of Discipleship

PSALM 78

32In spite of all this, they kept on sinning;

in spite of his wonders, they did not believe.

33So he ended their days in futility

and their years in terror.

34Whenever God slew them, they would seek him;

they eagerly turned to him again.

35They remembered that God was their Rock,

that God Most High was their Redeemer.

36But then they would flatter him with their mouths,

lying to him with their tongues;

37their hearts were not loyal to him,

they were not faithful to his covenant.(78:32-37)

ROMANS 7

21So I find this law at work: Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me. 22For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; 23but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me. 24What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? 25Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord! 

JOURNAL 

The duplicitous nature of being human. It is spelled out right here in the old and the new testament. Time and time again, people go back on their promises and their commitments. There is a sin nature that seeks to rebel against what is good and right. That sin nature wants to stand apart from God, while there is also a part of man that loves God and seeks to follow him. 

This war within is the battle of the hearts and minds of mankind. It is something that every human that has ever lived or that ever will lives struggles to rectify. It is in this struggle that we have community and family. It is in this struggle that God's love and grace will ultimately win out. We are frail and our time is limited. Our only hope is to cling to God and reject the pull of the sinful nature. 

5Trust in the Lord with all your heart

and lean not on your own understanding;

6in all your ways submit to him,

and he will make your paths straight.^a

PROVERBS 3:5-6

AUGUST 5, 2017

“Failure is not fatal, but failure to change might be.” 
― John Wooden

PSALM 70-77

1I cried out to God for help;

I cried out to God to hear me.

2When I was in distress, I sought the Lord;

at night I stretched out untiring hands,

and I would not be comforted.

3I remembered you, God, and I groaned;

I meditated, and my spirit grew faint.^b

4You kept my eyes from closing;

I was too troubled to speak.

5I thought about the former days,

the years of long ago;

6I remembered my songs in the night.

My heart meditated and my spirit asked:

7“Will the Lord reject forever?

Will he never show his favor again?

8Has his unfailing love vanished forever?

Has his promise failed for all time?

9Has God forgotten to be merciful?

Has he in anger withheld his compassion?”

10Then I thought, “To this I will appeal:

the years when the Most High stretched out his right hand.

11I will remember the deeds of the Lord;

yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago.

12I will consider all your works

and meditate on all your mighty deeds.”

13Your ways, God, are holy.

What god is as great as our God?

14You are the God who performs miracles;

you display your power among the peoples.

15With your mighty arm you redeemed your people,

the descendants of Jacob and Joseph.(77:1-15)

ROMANS 4-6

1Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we^a have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we^b boast in the hope of the glory of God. 3Not only so, but we^c also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.

6You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. 7Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. 8But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

9Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! 10For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! 11Not only is this so, but we also boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation. (5:1-11)

JOURNAL 

Today is a gift. I am reminded of that more and more often. Thank you Father for the gift of today. Thank you for family, friends, community...all of these are priceless. I don't deserve the abundance of their blessings, yet you have given them anyway. More important is the gift of you and your love that will never go away. 

 22But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life. 23For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in^b Christ Jesus our Lord.

ROMANS 6:22-23

AUGUST 2, 2017

“Success comes from knowing that you did your best to become the best that you are capable of becoming.” 
― John Wooden

PSALM 65-69

 32The poor will see and be glad—

you who seek God, may your hearts live!

33The Lord hears the needyand does not despise his captive people.(69:32-33)

ROMANS 2-3

5But because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of God’s wrath, when his righteous judgment will be revealed. 6God “will repay each person according to what they have done.”^a 7To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality, he will give eternal life. 8But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger. 9There will be trouble and distress for every human being who does evil: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile; 10but glory, honor and peace for everyone who does good: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. 11For God does not show favoritism.

JOURNAL 

There is no easy way to glory and honor. It comes from a changed life and a changed heart. A changed life will result in a life that seeks God, seeks the good of all that he has created. Whereas an unchanged life will result in self-seeking and self-justification. This objective will produce evil deeds and an evil selfish life. 

Jesus says that you will know a man by his fruit...by what his life is producing. That fruit comes from a changed heart. 

15“Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. 16By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. 19Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.

MATTHEW 7:15-20

JULY 31, 2017

“Be true to yourself.
Make each day your masterpiece.
Help others.
Drink deeply from good books.
Make friendship a fine art.
Build a shelter against a rainy day.
Pray for guidance and give thanks for your blessings every day.” 
― John Wooden

PSALM 62-64

1Truly my soul finds rest in God;

my salvation comes from him.

2Truly he is my rock and my salvation;

he is my fortress, I will never be shaken.(62:1-2)

ROMANS 1

 20For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.

JOURNAL 

The essence and existence of God is all around. It is in the beauty and perfection of the earth. From sunrise to sunset, God's power and love are evident. To not see it and accept it is to arrogantly miss the immensity of the creator. 

To miss the essence of God is ultimately to miss our purpose and to fail to become all that we were created to be. My greatest accomplishment is to do the best with the day that I am given...to make it my masterpiece as my offering to God. 

11For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. 12Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 13You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. 14I will be found by you,” declares the Lord

JEREMIAH 29:11-14

JULY 30, 2017

“Things work out best for those who make the best of the way things work out.” 
― John Wooden

PSALM 59-61

16But I will sing of your strength,

in the morning I will sing of your love;

for you are my fortress,

my refuge in times of trouble.(59:16)

ACTS 28:16-31

23They arranged to meet Paul on a certain day, and came in even larger numbers to the place where he was staying. He witnessed to them from morning till evening, explaining about the kingdom of God, and from the Law of Moses and from the Prophets he tried to persuade them about Jesus. 24Some were convinced by what he said, but others would not believe. 25They disagreed among themselves and began to leave after Paul had made this final statement: “The Holy Spirit spoke the truth to your ancestors when he said through Isaiah the prophet:

26“ ‘Go to this people and say,

“You will be ever hearing but never understanding;

you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.”

27For this people’s heart has become calloused;

they hardly hear with their ears,

and they have closed their eyes.

Otherwise they might see with their eyes,

hear with their ears,

understand with their hearts

and turn, and I would heal them.’^a

28“Therefore I want you to know that God’s salvation has been sent to the Gentiles, and they will listen!” [29]^b

30For two whole years Paul stayed there in his own rented house and welcomed all who came to see him. 31He proclaimed the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ—with all boldness and without hindrance!

JOURNAL 

We never really know God's plans.  This is so evident in the life of Paul. He never really saw any of this coming and yet he just goes with the flow and keeps on giving the best of himself. Whether it is in freedom or chains or in being stoned or in being hailed as a God. Paul doesn't change...he just keeps on preaching and teaching and obeying God. 

I really think 99.9% of the time...the path God has for us is never really the path we imagined or hoped for. Yes there are some things that God promises that we see to completion, however some of the greatest moments in our lives are those we never really saw coming. 

11For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. 12Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 13You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. 14I will be found by you,” declares the Lord

JEREMIAH 29:11-14