Day 70: Forgiving

Reading: Psalm 32:1-11

Jesus came to set us free from our guilt and sin. This not only means we are forgiven, but we are to forgive others and that they are also forgiven. When we refuse to forgive, we are refusing God's love and forgiveness. We need to stop trying to hide our guilt and sin and confess it to God. David tells us of the great joy we get in doing this. Bing stubborn through life and refusing His direction is not going to get you anywhere. Trust in The Lord and His direction to put you somewhere amazing. This includes forgiving those you hold a grudge against. Let there be joy in your life through the freedom and peace that comes with forgiveness and love. When we forgive those around us and ourselves we are granted a fresh start and ultimate freedom from the guilt that comes with it.


Reading: Mark 15:33-47

Ultimate forgiveness came when Christ face separation from His own Father, and not even for His own sins, but ours. We see that love and forgiveness were poured out for us that day, and when we accept that forgiveness, we are to give back by forgiving others. God loves us so much that He wanted to give us a chance to be with Him in closing the gap between us and Him, between His perfect presence and a fallen world. He loves us so much that He made a way of forgiveness through His very own Son, Who took our punishment for us. That is the ultimate kind of forgiveness. If God could forgive us in such a huge way for all the things we do that are against Him, surely we can forgive someone in our lives that we don't think we ever could.


Reading: Leviticus 23:1-24:23

We can tell by all the Old Testament regulations and laws, that sin was nothing to mess around with. One thing we need to learn about forgiveness is that it can't be earned. It is a huge gift from God for us, and it is given to others who have wronged us. When Jesus came to die, He wiped out all the rules and legalism. When someone sinned, the regulations needed to be followed. Now, sin is forgiven freely. Jesus gave us the gift of forgiveness, and that is something that can never be earned on our own. When someone wrongs us, it is wrong to make them earn our forgiveness, because that would also put us in the wrong. Don't be legalistic, but focus on what Jesus did. Forgive and love freely.


Forgiveness is a powerful concept from both angles. We are to freely forgive, because Jesus forgave us through His ultimate sacrifice. Holding a grudge is "like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die." Don't taint your life through grudges and hurt. Allow relationships to flourish through love and forgiveness.

Day 69: His Irresistible Love

Reading: Psalm 31:19-24

This Psalm is a wonderful meditation on how much God loves us. We cry out to Him and He is loyal to those who love Him. We are to be strong and courageous because He loves us, and we put our hope in Him. Our love to God is a response to His love for us. He loves us, so we show our love back by putting our trust in Him and following His Words. We can seek shelter from Him in times of storms and trials. Trust in Him and show your love in response to His.


Reading: Mark 15:1-32

The outpouring and agony of love Jesus puts out for us is immeasurable and I fathomable. As we see His death play out, we notice all the things He is for us. Our Savior, our Messiah, our Lord...when we realize just how much we need His love and sacrifice, we can begin to live our lives in such a way of humility and love that gives back to Him. And though we are in eternal debt to Him, we can begin to have an attitude and a heart that is like Christ. No one deserves the gift He gives to us, but the unconditional love He pours out is both humbling and emotional. We can only live for Him and give back to His mission by sharing that love with others who so desperately need it in our world.


Reading: Leviticus 21:1-22:33

The importance of the holy priests being presentable before God tells us Who God is and why Jesus was sent as a sacrifice for us. Just as Jesus was the most Holy One, so the priests had to be holy as well. Jesus was baptized as a sign to all the being clean and new before God is very important. We don't have to have it all together, but we need to be striving out of love to come to Jesus with a heart of longing to do His will. Jesus was also heavily and obviously dedicated to God. The priests also needed to be dedicated and devoted to God.
This love we bring back to Him is a sign of our acceptance of His love towards us. When we live our lives in such a way that we accept His will, His authority, His love and His grace, we will be able to fully embrace a life that is full out for Him. Jesus was the perfect sacrifice for us. He took away all the routine and ritual, but we still need to live holy lives for Him.


God's love spans further than we can imagine for each and every one of us. Our mission in life is to accept that love by giving love back to Him. We love others, share His love and gift with them and strive to love each day for Him. May we feel His love and give unconditional love back.

Day 68: Human Nature

Reading: Proverbs 6:30-35

Consequences
Human nature can be rough to deal with. All throughout Proverbs we are warned about giving into the temptations of human nature that is bad. Today, we are deeply warned that adultery and money are a couple of the worst forms of temptation. Though all sin is equal, because the foot of the cross is level, we will learn throughout life that some sins have worse consequences than others. Though lying and murder may seem like they are not equal, they are in God's eyes. However, the consequences and the path in life you need to go down after these things can be very different. Adultery can ruin lives, marriages, trust, etc. The consequences of adultery are pretty steep. Though all sin is as equally bad as the next according to God's law, we need to remember that the consequences can vary greatly.


Reading: Mark 14:43-72

Moments of Weakness
As human beings, we can be pretty stupid at times. There isn't anyone I know that hasn't had a moment of weakness in their life. We see many of them in this reading. Judas, who betrays Jesus for money. The disciples who fled the scene when Jesus is in trouble. Peter who denies Jesus 3 times, as Jesus predicted. The people who lie about Jesus and the accusations against Him. We are all dumb sometimes, making choices that aren't always in our, or God's, best interest. Emotions can cause us to say and do dumb things. Circumstances can put us in horrible moods and make us forget our purpose here. The world itself can taint the most vulnerable heart. We need to be careful in those moments of weakness, and remember the consequences.


Reading: Leviticus 19:1-20:27

God's Laws to guide
The monotonous reading of the rules can seem repetitive and boring at times, but there is a reason God put them in the Bible. We read of the greatest 2 commandments in the New Testament, which are love The Lord with all your heart, mind and strength, and the second being love your neighbor as yourself. God doesn't want us to have to face the life consequences of our sin, and He wants us to know how to love Him and our neighbor. These lists of rules were a guideline for His people. But rules are never the way to salvation. You can't earn that. Rules are a response to salvation. Because we love God, and because His love is in us, the rules will just fall into place. When we become Christians, we will still struggle with temptation and sin, but we will know that conviction better, because God lives in us. When we truly love Him, we will strive to love our neighbors, and show Him our love too. Human nature may push back with the peer pressures and temptations of this world, but we can thrive on God.


Our tendencies are to fall into temptation and sin. That's just how it is in a fallen world such as ours. But God has made a way for us to be with Him. Though every sin is equal in His eyes, the consequences of each sin can drastically vary from one to the next. When we have God's love in us, the rules will simply fall into place. They are a response, not a way of earning God's love or salvation.

Day 67: The Power of "But"

Reading: Psalm 31:9-18

...But I trust You.
David certainly faced his plethora of challenges. Whether he was running from his enemies, dealing with the sin in his life, or facing illness, grief, terror or sorrow, he would always turn to God. We will certainly face struggles. Our choice lies in either trusting in God, or turning from Him. We can cry out and whine about our struggles as David did, and rightfully so, but we need to remember that God has it under control. The growth we'll gain through hardship is priceless and it builds a strong character. Trust God and praise Him in the storms of life.


Reading: Mark 14:17-42

Not my will, BUT Yours.
Jesus feared for what was to come. He prayed to His Father asking Him to take this bitter cup away from Him, but He said He wanted His Father's will, not His Own. So Jesus knew what His Father needed Him to do, and He obeyed. Because of this obedience He saved us from the wrath of our sin and separation. When we pray for God's will, and not our own, how much do you mean it? Even if God's will was for you to be betrayed by a friend, put to a cruel death and face disloyalty, would you still obey? We need to ask God what His will is in our lives, and strive to follow it. May we not disobey where He tells us to go, what He tells us to do, who He tells us to speak to, or who we are to listen to. He knows the big plan. We don't. Though for the moment it seems like His will is wrong or too hard, we will see the fruit of it if we obey.


Reading: Leviticus 17:1-18:30

But we are set apart.
The world is filled with peer pressure. Everyone seems to have the "do what feels right" mindset. God calls us to be set apart for Him, and not to conform to the ways of this world. We live in a world without many sexual boundaries. When you represent God and respond to His love for you, it will show in the way you live and act in this world. God's law is not a way to salvation, but a response to it. When we allow His love to pour through us, we will be able to live in this world in response to Him and being set apart for Him, no matter what the rest of the world is doing.


Using the word "but" in a phrase can sure mean many different things. Whether it's our segue to an excuse or a way of expressing empowerment about someone or something, the conjunction sure is powerful. We are Christians, but we live in a tough world. We are in this world, but we are not of it. We may face struggles, but God will pull us through. Keep these things in mind as you continue down life's road.

Day 66: Ultimate Rescuer

Reading: Psalm 31:1-8

We face week after week of trials and hardships at times. We see how David did too, but he trusted in God through them. David calls God his Rock, his Refuge, and his Rescuer. Even though David had to face trial after trial, he still trusted God to rescue him. We need to do the same when we seem to face never-ending bouts of hardship. Trusting God to get us through is the hope we have in Him. He is your Rescuer. He has already been your ultimate Rescuer; let Him rescue you from the daily trials too.


Reading: Mark 13:32-14:16

We are to love Jesus for rescuing us. Think about it; if someone rescued you from your death and put their life to end instead, wouldn't you be eternally grateful and love that person? I know I would! The woman who sacrificed a whole bottle of expensive perfume for anointing Jesus before His death was costly and showed great love. Though she was mocked for her sacrifice, Jesus stood up for her and commended her humility, telling everyone that it would be remembered and talked about throughout time. The perfume she broke for Jesus was worth a whole year's wage. Have you been able to show such humility for the One Who is your Ultimate Rescuer?
When we have a heart that is in love for Jesus, we will automatically have a heart that is in love with others. Our passion for Christ is our passion for the lost, the poor, the needy...


Reading: Leviticus 15:1-16:34

Jesus is our ultimate rescuer from sin. We see in Leviticus the processes it took to cleanse oneself from sin. The goat referred to in this reading is a lot like the symbol of Christ dying for us. The people laid hands on the goat and put all their sins on it, the killed it to take the sin away. This process was not only messy, but I'm sure it got repetitive and became quite the ritual. Because of Christ's perfect life and sacrifice, we are able to live with our sin laid upon Him. He died to take them away and to wipe out the sin of the world. Talk about the Ultimate Rescuer!


We can count on God to pick us up when we're facing tough struggles. We can love our Ultimate Rescuer, and we can see the plan that God has been plotting since the beginning of humanity. Give thanks for the rescue you've received!

Day 65: Turning it Around

Reading: Psalms 30:8-12
David sings of the great turnaround in his life, praising God for the miracles He has performed in turning David's mourning into joy. God has a remarkable power and ability to restore and turn our lives around. He can restore a marriage, take away addiction, heal the very sick, and make us new in Him.
He deserves our utmost praise and thanksgiving for performing such miracles in our lives and in the lives of our loved ones.


Reading: Mark 13:1-31
Jesus warns of the big turnarounds that will happen in the world. He warned us to not be deceived by false prophets and messiahs, but to hold on to truth. The world will be filled with famine, earthquakes, disasters. The sun won't shine and the moon won't give light. But the big turnaround to all this darkness is that those are signs for Jesus coming back to earth. Jesus warns us about persecution, distress and deception. We are to hold tight to Him and His words no matter how hard things can get.
Remember that there is an ultimate turnaround in Jesus. Cling to this hope and truth in your life, even when you face the dark and hard days.


Reading: Leviticus 14:1-57

We can see quite a contrast from Leviticus to today. The reason is the great turnaround Jesus made in history. Atonement and cleansing oneself of sin was very important in Old Testament times. But because Jesus came to be our ultimate cleanser, and redeemer, we no longer need to go through the ritual of it. Jesus created a huge turnaround in the culture and in history by way of the cross. He can turnaround the culture's view on marriage, crime rates, sin, society, anything! We've seen the biggest turn around yet through the cross, and we will see another big turn around when He comes back. Trusting and relying on His truth are what will set us free.


We all need a turnaround in one area of our lives or another. Jesus came to be that turnaround in history. He will be coming back to turnaround the world again. Be ready for His turnaround in your life and for the turnaround He will bring when He returns.

Day 64: Heart Conditions

Reading: Proverbs 6:20-29

What you allow into your inner life is what will result in coming out. The Proverb here tells us to tie our parents' instructions around our necks and bind them to our hearts. When we remain faithful with our hearts when it comes to God and marriage, we will have no problem staying faithful to our spouse. God says that lust and adultery begin in the heart. When we can guard our hearts from this temptation, we will have a faithful marriage. The heart is an important aspect of how we carry ourselves through life. Our motives, desires, and temptations start there. Guard your heart above all else. It is how you will find the right ways in life.


Reading: Mark 12:28-44

Love with your whole heart.
Jesus tells us that the most important commandment is to love The Lord with all your heart, mind and soul. The second greatest is to love your neighbor. When we are in a relationship with God, our hearts overflow with love to Him and our neighbors, because that is the result of God's love in us.

Outward vs. Inward Appearance
The religious leaders were always concerned with abiding by the law and looking good to others around them. God cares about what you look like from the inside, or from your heart. When your inner motives line up, the outward appearance will match up. Many times, our hearts may want a relationship wi God, but to show it can be scary. Maybe you're embarrassed about what your peers or coworkers would think. Outward appearance will always match the motives and life of you inward self.

Generous Heart
We read about the widow who only have two coins, but they were all she had, and the rich people who gave a portion of their income. Jesus notices this woman and tells how this pleases The Lord. When we are generous to others around us, or to God, we will be blesses. Jesus calls us to lose our lives, possessions, everything for His cause. Giving up what we have, and all we have to Him is a heart motive that can be hard in today's culture.


Reading: Leviticus 13:1-59

Being Healthy and Holy
Leviticus is all about being healthy and holy. We see how they were careful what they ate, what they spread, and how they presented themselves before God. One thing that the religious rulers in the New Testament struggle with is believing that the laws and the outward appearance are what make you holy. Jesus threw the idea of love from the heart at them though. When you have God's love in you, the rest falls into place. Many look at laws the other way around. In order to gain holiness, they believe they need to follow all the rule to earn it. In truth though, you need God's love, then the laws and rules will fall into place as a response to God's love. Inward motives will reveal with outward motives.


Having a good heart filled with God's love will reveal our outward appearance. Check the motives of your heart before focusing on the way you look on the outside.