107: Centered on Him

Reading: Psalm 47:1-9

Living a God-centered life requires heartfelt worship. When we read this Psalm, we can see the words that express a strong, exuberant worship to God. When you devote all you are to God through worship, surrendering your cares and worries to Him, that is the expression of trust and true praise to Him. I love the words to "The Stand" by Hillsong that go "I'll stand with arms high and heart abandoned, in awe of the One Who gave it all. I'll stand, my heart Lord, to You surrendered..." A true expression of worship requires a full abandonment to God, showing how devoted your life is. The music doesn't need to move you in a worship song. Simply in everything you do should reflect your devotion to God. Your work should be for Him. Your daily tasks and the way you handle money are all testaments to Him. Let us never be ashamed to praise God, and may we always find ourselves with arms high and hearts abandoned for Him, giving our all to Him. 

Reading: Luke: 18:1-30

Living a Christ-centered life takes prayer and full reliance on Him. When we come to God with our worries and requests, we must never give up asking Him. Jesus tells us a story about a persistent widow asking an injust judge for justice in a dispute. And though the judge turned her down again and again, the widow kept coming to him with her request, and finally the judge gives in, being driven crazy by the widow. 

If this widow can go to an injust judge for her single problem, how much more will a just God listen to our prayers? We must remember, however, that God's answer for us may be yes, no, or not right now. He does after all, know what's best for us. 

We also read that living a God-centered life requires humility. Much of what we do will show our humility. When we pray like the Pharisee and think of ourselves better than others, treating our faith as more than a ritual and almost as if we think God needs us more than we need Him, our hearts are in the wrong place completely, and things aren't going to end up the way you expect. However, we also get a view of the heart of a tax collector praying. Though the Pharisee sees himself as higher than him, the tax collector's heart is in a better place, as he sees his faults and bows before Fod, begging for forgiveness and grace, knowing he is a sinner. This tax collector knows he needs God. He doesn't put himself at the mercy of rituals and earning God's grace. He doesn't compare himself to others' short-comings. We are to have a heart like this man, knowing full well how much we need a Savior. 

Jesus expresses the importance of having faith like a child in this reading. When we are children, we don't worry about tomorrow. We have full reliance on our parents. Children don't judge. They are humble and full of love. When we build our lives more around the faith like a child, we will find ourselves focused on Him, and not our own worlds. We don't have a set of set foresteucture on our own stubborn views of faith. Seeing Christ and the faith through a child's eyes may be just what some followers need.

Finally this section of reading shows us that a Christ-centered life requires full devotion to Him. We need to surrender everything to Him, and devote our lives to living and following His direction. This means we give up our own dreams, plans and possessions to Him. When we live lives with the focus of acquiring the success and stuff we will lose sight of our main focus. Being rich doesn't make entering heaven impossible, but it makes it higher risk to get the heart right. Check your motives and make sure you're following Christ fully, without any distractions in your life.

Reading: Deuteronomy 28:15-68

As we read about he disasters that can take place when we choose not to follow God, we can begin to realize why having a Christ-centered life is so crucial when it comes to obeying and serving Him. When we choose our own paths, it can spiral out of control and lead us down a road of destruction and separation from God. When we choose the world, we will get just the world and all the chaos it comes with. A life opposite of peace and joy. Perhaps we'll find temporary peace and joy, but never any that measure up to that we get from living God-centered lives. Choosing our own path is dangerous, and though we will end up choosing in the end, may we always choose the path God intends for us.

Living a God-centered life can sure be tough in a self-centered world. Remembering that we are not to make our goals and focus on things of this earth, but to place our emphasis and all that we are on God and His ways can take some work. Allow Him to guide you each day as you encounter each twist and turn. Keep Him the center, the focus, and the passion of your life.

Day 106: In His Presence

Reading: Psalm 46:1-11

Sometimes it's hard to realize that God is closer than we think. He is there ready to protect us when hardships and temptations loom around the corner. He is there to comfort us when the troubles and devastation hit. He is to be our security over all else and over all others because He knows us inside and out. He is always there to give us peace at life's most overwhelming moments. He is also there to give us inexplicable joy and delight as we walk in the light with Him. 

This Psalm calls us to be still and know that He is God. Realize His unbelievable measure and His everlasting resources. God wants you to be in His presence forever, and to feel His when life is at all circumstances. Be still. Know Who He is.

Reading: Luke 17:11-37

The Kingdom of God is present through God's reign and rule in our lives. We are able to follow Him daily because of the Holy Spirit in us and the words He has left for us. However, in the visible sense, the kingdom of God is not yet here, but Jesus urges us to be ready for His return. It is eery to think about how people were just living day to day life, eating, buying, selling, attending social occasions, when God sent the flood to wipe out the human race. This also occurred when God poured His wrath out on Sodom and Gomorrah. People were living life, though many not so innocently, when God came. Jesus warns us to remember that He is coming back. His presence will be ever so visible as we see Him face to face. It is important that we don't just carry on with life, doing everything we can to be fulfilled and happy on this earth, but focused on what is to come after this life and when we get to live the ultimate and eternal life with our Maker. 

We are to be the man who came back after the ten were healed of their leprosy, to thank Jesus and to remember Him in all we do and in all we encounter. Living a life focused on Him and His presence both in His rule and reign in our lives now, and in the physical, visible presence we will experience later on, is where our goals should be.

Reading: Deuteronomy 26:1-28:14

Doing everything in the presence of The Lord sure changes the way you may do things. Moses reminds his people about the way they were rescued from Egypt, and how their people were blessed greatly, even before Egypt oppressed them. Now that the people are getting ready to enter the Promised Land, God is reminding them to remember their blessings and to obey His commands. Remembering God's presence in both the good times and bad is important. We may run to him when the path gets rough and troubles come our way, or we might feel like He's not there during those times. We may feel His presence full on when life is going great and everything is looking up, or we may forget about Him because we have no need for Him at the moment. The truth is that we are always in need of God's presence, no matter what are lives are like in the moment. 

The Israelites are reminded of this as they are about to enter a wonderful, but unknown land. They need to be reminded that no matter how wonderful life is at any moment, they still need to remember what God has done for them and obey His commands. When they face battles and troubles, the same goes. 

Remember God's presence in all circumstances of life. Obey His commands and lean on Him. 

We are always to be ready for Christ's return. Thinking back to the normal lives people were living in Noah's time, as well as in Sodom and Gomorrah when God came to them out, we will never see it coming, thus we must always be ready. Though we need to remember in all circumstances God's presence is always with us now, it will be a glorious day when we can be in His full, physical presence. Hold tight to these truths and promises today.

Day 105: In Remembrance...

Reading: Psalm 45:10-17

Remembering Jesus throughout generations is the feel of this reading. Many times throughout the Bible, the church and God are compared to the bride and the bridegroom. We can see how much God loves and cherishes the church, and He wants it to thrive on remembering His mission, His work, and His ways. Verse 17 says that the church (bride) will bring honor and remembrance to the name of Jesus forever and ever. May we do our part in the church to bring honor and remembrance to the name of Jesus and all He has done for us. May every nation come to bow down to Him. 

Reading: Luke 16:19-17:10

We are called to remember the poor. This parable that Jesus shares is not only a little unnerving, but it is also from the Bible, which means it's true. We live in a nation surrounded by wealth and everything we could ever need and even want. Our pets live on more food and resources than over half of the people in our world. We are also surrounded by great poverty, not only throughout our world, but in our very own communities. Jesus makes it hauntingly clear that we are not to turn a deaf ear to the poor. When we come across someone in need to food or necessity, we are to assist them and help them get back on their feet. 

It is a scary image of the rich man in eternal death and Lazarus, who begged this man daily in heaven with Abraham. We know that this concept isn't attacking the rich people themselves, but the hearts. Abraham, himself was a very rich and blessed man, but he was in heaven. However, he was a faithful follower of God. He put complete faith and trust in God, though like everyone else, he had his rough days. But he never feared what would happen to his riches and his possessions. He never put his faith in those things. 

When we base our lives around "the next big thing" and keeping up with our neighbors and peers, depending on them for our well-being and our status, than we are living lives like that rich man. With this mentality, we will cling to those things and do everything we can to keep them and upgrade them. 

Jesus goes into a teaching on faith and forgiveness from this section of the reading. Just like our possessions and riches, we need to be willing to give up our grudges and pride to mend relationships. Forgiveness is a big topic for Jesus as He tells us to forgive over and over. Faith is a big part of these things. When we truly have faith and we are willing to put everything we are about and own into our faith in Christ, then we can have hearts that fully embrace God and His mission. But clinging to grudges and possessions and riches will sink you. 

If we can't believe the seriousness of God through His Word and His teachings, or even knowing that Jesus rose from the dead, then we may never repent, as Abraham told the rich man. Have the priorities of your heart in order.

Reading: Deuteronomy 23:1-25:19

Remembering what God has done for us is important, especially when we are extending the same grace towards others, as well as facing hardships. This reading goes through many rules for the Israelites, but also serves as a reminder of the grace and provision they have been given, thus they are asked to treat each other and foreigners alike with the same grace. Being reminded of how they were once also foreigners and slaves, and of how God provided them with guidance and protection through the wilderness, they are asked to do the same for others. When it comes to remembering the grace and love poured out on us, we too are asked to extend such service to our neighbors. A remembrance of what God has done in our life is portrayed by how we take it and use it. When we serve God by helping others and showing them the same patience God shows us all the time, we are proving how grateful we are for that patience. The same goes with grace, forgiveness, love, etc. Remember what God has done for you by serving others with the same loving actions.

Remembering what God has called us to do on a daily basis is important, so that we can keep the focus on Him and living our lives in thankfulness for Him. We remember His name so that it will be proclaimed from generation to generation, and across all nations. We remember to take care of the poor around us because when we neglect them, God has every right to neglect us. And we remember what He has done so that we may extend the same grace to those around us. May we never forget why we are here.

Day 104: Integrity

Reading: Proverbs 9:13-18

Integrity is important when we face temptations, especially the ones that we know we struggle with and have to avoid. This Proverb refers to a woman calling out to men, and tempting them. We need to be careful, as temptation lurks everywhere and can pop up at any moment. It's easy enough to stand firm in the forefront of our lives, we need to work harder to stand firm behind the scenes, when nobody sees us. When we are the same person in front as we all behind the scenes, dealing with temptations as they come, and realizing all Christians deal with them, it can be easier to have integrity. Though the thing that lures you in secret may seem like it would be more enjoyable and taste sweeter, it certainly is a lie. Things done in secret that come out always end up harming. Don't lie to yourself and fall into that trap.

Reading: Luke 16:1-18

When it comes to money and possessions, Jesus has much to say about them. In this instance, Jesus is teaching of integrity with your money. Jesus points it out that if we are unfaithful in little things, we will be in big things, and if we are dishonest in little things, we are not to be trusted with big things. Money is an instance of this, among many other circumstances in life. We need to realize that money is a threat and can take away from the main focus and priorities in life. We are to give it generously and remember that it is measly a tool. Jesus says that no one can serve both God and money, and that the desires and things that look good in the eyes of the world are very detestable to God. We are to care about the things He cares about, as we discussed in our study a couple days ago. Don't let money and possessions hold you back from serving the true God. Serving both is not an option, and is impossible. Keep your heart on what matters most.

Reading: Deuteronomy 21:1-22:30

When it comes to the way we live, God is quite clear what we are to not do to maintain our integrity. Many of these rules were temporary of the time, but many still are important, Biblical concepts today that are reiterated in the New Testament. Obviously God stands very strongly against rape, premarital sex, and any promiscuous behavior. When we observe our lives, can we honestly say that we live perfect, clean lives, rid of any mark or sin. Absolutely not. That is why Jesus came! To wipe out the rituals of cleansing yourself before God in order to be set apart for Him. The rules of love still apply. When we love God, and we love our neighbor, we need to question the decisions we make, as to whether or not they will harm yourself, others, or sadden God. When we analyze our desires against God's will, we need to wait for Him to tell us to move. Having integrity in the way you live can be tough in a society that makes everything so socially acceptable. We may go through life with habits we don't even realize are wrong because that is what everyone does. But it is important to match up your life with the words of the Bible. That is the only sure way to know God's plan and will. Do your best to honor Him and His commands, because He loves you enough to keep you from harm.

Living a life of integrity is important across the board. When we do when temptations come our way behind closed doors will define your integrity. What you do with money and how you use it will say a lot about where your passions lie. And how you live daily life, either following the ways of the world because it is socially acceptable, or doing your best to stay in the Word and knowing what is acceptable to God will grow you in a certain way. What kind of example are you leaving in the forefront? What kind of example would you be leaving if people saw you behind closed doors, or if your "church friends" saw what you do with your other friends? Someone always sees you. 

Day 103: Who is God?

Reading: Psalm 45:1-9

Majestic King

This gorgeous description of a perfect, beautiful king symbolizes Jesus. This praise to Him should be our delight daily, as we remember and look forward to His presence in our lives. A King Who loves justice and hates evil - what better king to have on your side? We can always trust and hope in Him, because His throne will go forever. He won't ever be defeated, and we can know that He will always endure. Let this image of God overwhelm you today.

Reading: Luke 15:1-32

Loving Father

When we face mess ups in life, we can guarantee that God is always standing back, waiting for us to "come to our senses". There is celebration for the lost returning to Him. This should tell us that our hearts should be focused in those who are lost, not those who are saved. Jesus tells a few stories about the value of the lost. If a man has 100 sheep, and loses 1, all he cares about is finding that 1. When a woman loses her valuable, silver coin, she tears her house apart, looking for it. And when a son disgraces his own father, wishing his death upon him, so he can take his part of the inheritance and squander it, his father rejoices when he comes home. Each one of these stories displays the compassion and love God has for us, and for the lost. 

If you really know a lot about the culture these stories took place in, there would be a whole new element of meaning. For instance, when a son asks his father for the inheritance, it is a disgraceful act towards your father, and practically wishing he was dead. This father should have refused and been very angerd by his son's request, but instead, he loved him enough to give him what he wanted. Another interesting thing about this story is that when the son returns home, the father literally runs to him. In this culture, older men never ran unless there was some sort of danger. This is also a shameful act for a man to do, but the love this father had for his returned son was so great, he didn't care. 

Sounds kind of like Jesus. 

When we put God to disgrace by our thoughts or actions, we are treating Him like that son treated his father. But God will allow us to have whatever we decide,because He loves us that much. But when we finally "come to our senses" and return to our Father, He is watching for us, and will run to us when we come back. He celebrates the lost returning to Him, much like the father celebrating his son's return.

That is a loving Father indeed.

Reading: Deuteronomy 19:1-20:20

Righteous Judge

It is tough to apply Old Testament rules to today's society, and luckily when Jesus died on the cross, He took away all the legalism in the faith, except of course loving God most and loving others as yourself. But when we read the rules and the way things God wanted things done in the Old Testament, we get an idea of what God is like. He obviously cares deeply for justice and fairness, as He orders there be cities of refuge for people involved in accidental death. But this God also doesn't tolerate evil, as He commands they no pity be taken on a purposeful murderer. He will stand by your side in battle, as long as you fight on His side. Doing His will will guarantee His presence in an empowering way. But going against His will could have consequences. 

Remember your God is full of justice, and revenge should always be His. 

We have the opportunity to see the many attributes of God by simply reading out of different parts of the Bible. Majestic King, Loving Father, Righteous Judge. These are the big three we read about today. Remember the extent and wonderful attributes of God today.

Day 102: Hardships of Faith

Reading: Psalm 44:13-26

When we face trials, hardship and oppression, it doesn't necessarily we have doe wrong, and now we are being punished. In fact, it could be because of how strong your faith actually is. When we face ridicule and mockery from people who don't agree with our faith or because of something you stand strong for, and they don't, you will probably have a run in there. When life is too easy, there is no opportunity to grow and mature. Going through life with everything being good and easy means you aren't standing up for anything. There is no possible way to hold so passionately to something, like your faith and not have someone upset with you. Whether it's someone who opposes your faith completely, or someone who is also a Christian who doesn't agree with the way you do things. When you face those oppressions and hardships, even though it may seem unfair, remember that you have a God Who loves you more than you can ever imagine. Cry out to Him. Allow Him to reveal Himself through the storms, and keep your faith strong, no matter how many people don't agree. The blessings will come for you soon enough.

Reading: Luke 14:15-35

There is a hardship in following Christ, yet it is the most rewarding thing you'll ever do. We kick off this reading with a story about a banquet and the excuses people make up to get out of it. We have all been invited to those social gatherings that we try to get out of because we think it will be awkward, or boring, or just a waste of time. Here, we see people ducking out of this great banquet, using ll sorts of excuses, but ironically, their excuses symbolize the excuses we tend to come up with to not follow Christ, or obey Him. One person claims he can't attend because of his new property. Going on missions can be hard because we don't want to leave the comfort of home, or move to far away places because they don't want to leave those comforts. Another excuse used is that of processions, as a man says he needs to tend to his oxen. The American society is all about possessions and having more, when Jesus calls us to give everything away to the poor. The final excuse is a man claiming he needed to be with his wife. Though marriage is important, we read later in this section that we are to place God above everyone else in our lives. And because of all these excuses from blessed people, the banquet is opened up to those who have hardly anything to lose - the poor, the sick, the needy... All who have a clear understanding of how great this privilege is. They don't have their view fogged by possessions, property or people they place high value on. These things aren't bad, but they should never trump God and His will. 

We get into the straight-forward part of this reading where Jesus tells the crowds that if they want to be His disciple, they must give up everything for Him. They must put everyone lower on the priority list. Not place emphasis on their stuff, and be willing to give up comforts. Carrying their crosses daily, disciples must treat everyday as a death sentence. They must surrender all plans, all dreams, all hopes, all jobs, all people, all finances, everything to Him and His will. Allowing God to decide everything about their lives. 

It is a hard sacrifice to make in a life that can be so good, but we must remember the rewards of it. 

Reading: Deuteronomy 16:21-18:22

We are strongly warned against worshiping other gods and believing false prophets in this reading, as well as practicing witchcraft, sorcery and fortune-telling, Ouija boards, horoscopes -  all things that are popular in today's world, whether you have encountered it yourself or not. There is great temptation in life to make other things our idols. Teens get pressured to do drugs or drink, which could ruin lives in the end. I have been asked to participate in witchcraft myself in high school, and luckily I was taught to run hard and fast from that. It is out there, and it is sternly warned against. Temptation to join in in these things is a tough thing to deal with, especially if you're a teen, trying to fit in. But standing strong in the faith comes with more rewards that are far greater and last for eternity. Stand strong against things that you have been warned to avoid. 

There will be hardships in the midst of keeping the faith. If there weren't, there would be no opportunity to grow. Standing strong in that faith is ultimately where you want to be. Cry out to God when you're struggling with opposition, or when bearing the pressures of life gets too hard. He's there, and nothing can ever separate you from that love.

Day 101: God's Heart

 

Reading: Psalm 44:1-12

Trust is what matters to God. We do not rely on our own strength, but on the strength of God. When we rely too much on ourselves, we will be run down and worn out. But putting our trust in God is highly important. When you think about your tightest relationships, whether they be with a spouse, a parent, a friend - what keeps thy relationship so strong? It is being able to trust that person no matter what. When trust is broken, the relationship is hard to fix. The same goes with God. When we put our trust in Him, we grow that relationship, and He becomes our guide. Putting our trust in Him and relying on Him will take the burden off our shoulders. It will take the pressure off of our daily living and allow Him to guide you. Where do you need to trust God more in your life? 

Reading: Luke 13:31-14:14

We read about a few things in this section that matter to God. We see an enormous amount of courage that Jesus displays when people tell Him to flee because He will be killed. But Jesus knows that if He does that, the plan of His Father could not be completed. No matter how hard it was to mentally grasp what He had to do, Jesus stuck to His Father's will and stood strong against those who told Him to run from death. We are to do the same when we face ridicule for our faith. 

We also read about the compassion Jesus had for people. Here we read about the motherly compassion He displays for Jerusalem, and a longing to rescue them. Jesus did this for all of us when He took our punishment on the cross. He longs to rescue and protect us. That kind of love and compassion is incomprehensible, but it is an example we must follow as a people longing to follow God. 

We also see how important humility is to God. When we subject ourselves to the lowest place, and stop taking the importance off of ourselves, we will be placed in honor. Taking the lowest point and allowing others to go before us is so very important to God. Humility is what Christ is all about. he took the lowest of punishments and subjected Himself to humiliation and the harshest of deaths for us. Practicing humility is what will bring you far in the faith.

Another example of what matters to God in this reading is poverty. It is said over and over again throughout scripture that we are to care for the poor. This includes the lost, the financially poor, the sick, those who are hurting emotionally. Jesus cared for all of these people, and God cares about how we care for them. 

Hold tight to courage, compassion, humility, and caring for the poor.

Reading: Deuteronomy 15:1-16:20

There is a theme of generosity and giving in this reading, that tells us just how much it matters to God. We are not to be stingy with our money and our resources, but to lend without complaint, or expecting interest. God wants us to have an open hand when it comes to giving to those in need, as all we have is actually His and comes from Him. When we are blessed with a big house, perhaps we should be hospitable to people in need of palace to stay, like traveling missionaries or those serving The Lord. When we have overflowing pantries, consider donating to the hungry. Or when you have extra money that could go towards eating out or a vacation, maybe put it towards extra tithe or a cause that helps those in need. Whatever it may be, always have a mind of generosity.

Remembering what God has done in our lives is highly important as well. We are to reflect and share our story with others so they may have the hope to get through the struggles they face, and be encouraged by God's power in our lives. God wants us to be grateful for those times, so when we face more hardship, we can proceed strongly, and in confidence that He can pull us through again. Give thanks for what He has done, and spread the wonderful news to those in need of encouragement.

Lastly, justice matters to God. When we accept bribes and payment to further ourselves and put someone else below us, God hates it. He tells us to never accept a bribe for doing evil right in this reading, and we not only should avoid it, but we should stand up against it. An example would be human trafficking, and supporting ministries that fight for that cause. Always stand for the rights of others, and allow God to have the revenge.

Doing what matters most to God will please Him greatly. We all know what matters most to us by our actions and what we spend our time and money on. But making what matters most to us about doing what matters most to God is a whole other view on priorities. Trust in Him, show compassion, display humility, have courage, care for the poor, remember what He has done for you, be generous, and seek justice.