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Tuesday, March 9, 2010 Reading for the Day Luke 23 and Philemon 1 Focus on Luke 23:39-43

As Jesus was dying on the cross, the thieves who were crucified on either side of Him started joining those who were mocking Jesus.  Actually, one of them started mocking Jesus, while the other stood up for Him.  The thief who stood up for Jesus understood the reality that sin has consequences.  He reminded the other thief that they were hanging on crosses because they deserved it for their “evil deeds.” Then he pointed out that Jesus was innocent.  We don’t know how the thief beside Jesus knew this.  Perhaps it was the way Jesus handled the whole crucifixion event.  Jesus had asked God to forgive those who crucified Him.  That’s not the act of a criminal!  Jesus had made sure that His mother would be care for after His death—while He hung on the cross.  When the crowds insulted Him, He didn’t say a word.  Jesus’ attitude even while hanging on the cross was that of a servant. The thief recognized that Jesus was, indeed, the Messiah, and he asked for forgiveness.  Jesus gave it!  The thief’s reconciliation with God just moments or hours before his death shows us that it’s never too late—as long as we’re still breathing—to repent of our sin and turn to God.  God has given me the opportunity to offer the gift of salvation to a number of folks who were on their “death beds,” and some of them have responded.  One time in particular, it seemed so sad to me that a man came to know Jesus just two days before he died.  He really “got it” when he was saved.  He realized how he had wasted his life in the pursuit of things instead of the pursuit of God.  His wife was a believer and he had basically forbidden her from attending church, because Sundays were the best days for pursuing the things he sought in life.  I thought the wife would be upset that when her husband finally trusted Jesus, and they could have had Jesus in common, that he was gone.  Instead, she said that God had been so gracious to her husband, keeping him alive just long enough that he would spend eternity with God, instead of separated from Him!  Do you know anyone who doesn’t know Jesus, who’s getting close to that time when life here will end?  Actually, that could be any of us at any moment, but the odds are not in favor of some because they are at the age when they will be seeing Jesus soon.  What will you do to help ensure that when that person sees Jesus it will be as a friend instead of as an enemy?

Heavenly Father, Thank You so much for giving me the opportunity to know Jesus as my Savior and Lord!  I pray for those who don’t know Him, and especially for those who like the thief on the cross, may only have moments or hours.  Let them turn to Jesus.  Let them trust in Him!  This I pray in Jesus’ name.  Amen.

Nom. (Not for vegetarians.)

Monday, March 8  Read Luke 22, Titus 1-3  Focus on Luke 22:19-20

Yesterday in worship we celebrated the Lord’s Supper.  I pointed out that when Jesus gave the disciples the bread, He said, “This is my body GIVEN for you,” not “This is my body BROKEN for you,” as many liturgies of the Lord’s Supper say.  Here is the actual account from Luke 22:19-20:  19Then he took a loaf of bread; and when he had thanked God for it, he broke it in pieces and gave it to the disciples, saying, “This is my body, given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” 20After supper he took another cup of wine and said, “This wine is the token of God’s new covenant to save you—an agreement sealed with the blood I will pour out for you.”  You may ask, “What’s the difference?”  The difference is significant.  One of the Old Testament prophecies of the Messiah was that not a single bone of His body would be broken.  That means if Jesus’ body was literally “broken” for us, He could not have been the Messiah.  In fact, Jesus body was beaten, battered, and nearly mutilated through the whipping He received before the crucifixion and the crucifixion itself, but not a bone was broken.  When the two thieves crucified next to Jesus had their legs broken to ensure their death at the end of the crucifixion, Jesus’ legs were NOT broken, because He was already dead.  The point of all this is that even when it came to the most minute detail of prophecy concerning the Messiah, Jesus fulfilled it.  When we celebrate the Lord’s Supper, and hear the words of institution, “This is My body, given for you…” let us remember both that Jesus gave His body freely in exchange for ours on the cross, and that the giving rather than breaking of Jesus’ body fulfilled prophecy and deepened our assurance that Jesus is, indeed, the Messiah, and our Savior and Lord!

Heavenly Father, Thank You for giving Jesus to us, and for Jesus’ great sacrifice on our behalf.  Fill me with Your Holy Spirit this day that I may live boldly and confidently in You, knowing that my salvation is sure in Him!  This I pray in Jesus’ name.  Amen.

Peter Sellers as Inspector Clouseau | Maximum Fun

Sunday, March 7   Read Luke 21, 2 Timothy 3-4  Focus on 2 Timothy 3:15-17

2 Timothy 3:15-17 is one of the clearest passage in the Bible on the importance of the Bible! As Paul drew to the close of his second letter, to his beloved son in the faith, Timothy, he reminded him of the source of his wisdom, and of his salvation.  Let’s look again at these vital verses:  15You have been taught the holy Scriptures from childhood, and they have given you the wisdom to receive the salvation that comes by trusting in Christ Jesus. 16All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It straightens us out and teaches us to do what is right. 17It is God’s way of preparing us in every way, fully equipped for every good thing God wants us to do.  Timothy held a great advantage in following Jesus—he had been taught the holy Scriptures from childhood.  I have held that same advantage in my life.  Thankfully, I have been reading and studying God’s word since I learned to read, and really before that, because in Sunday School and worship I learned the accounts of God and His people each week.  Paul tells us that God’s word IS God’s word because every, single word of it is INSPIRED by God.  Inspired by God literally means “God breathed.”  That makes it useful for teaching us what is right and for realizing what is wrong.  As we read verses 16 and 17 we see all the ways Scripture builds into us as God’s people.  When the New Testament Challenge concludes in another 21 day, My prayer is we will ALL continue reading His word every day, that we may be inspired by Him and empowered by Him to live out our faith in such a way that others will see us as their “Bible.”  After all, as someone has said we may be the only Bible some people ever read—at least until they come to know Jesus as their Savior and Lord.  Wouldn’t it be awesome if a person’s “reading” of us today, led to their trusting Jesus as Savior and Lord?

Heavenly Father, Thank You so much for giving us the Bible!  Thank You for using it to teach us about You and to lead us to You.  Empower us by Your Holy Spirit to apply what we read today, to bring You glory and honor.  This I pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.

highwiremusic:

thebrittnees:

Maybe there is a much simpler approach to music and music videos, especially when it comes to creating a new sound experience…

Céleste Boursier-Mougenot at Barbican Centre, London, found on Stratoblogster via Patrick Hoss

What a fresh-faced group of young lads. Mop Tops in Action #32

Saturday, March 6 Read Luke 20, 2 Timothy 1-2  Focus on 2 Timothy 1:5-9

When we read the Apostle Paul’s letters to Timothy it is obvious how much Paul loved Timothy and felt like a father to him.  We don’t know whether Paul had any biological children, or even whether he was ever married, although it seems doubtful from his letters.  Yet, Paul had many spiritual “sons.”  As 2 Timothy begins, Paul reminded Timothy of his spiritual heritage. Timothy’s mother and grandmother were believers.  Timothy’s faith was awakened or deepened by a ministry of prayer and laying on of hands by Paul.  Paul showed the depth of his understanding of Timothy when he encouraged him to be courageous and to remember that God hasn’t given us a spirit of fear or timidity, but a spirit of power, love and self-discipline.  It seems that Timothy may have been prone to fear and anxiety.  He may have been physically weak, since Paul elsewhere advised him to take a little wine for his stomach.  Yet, God used Timothy in powerful ways.  That’s because God isn’t dependent on worthy “vessels,” only willing ones.  Since the Holy Spirit provides the power, love and self-discipline we need in our lives, all that’s required of any of us is that we are willing to give control of our lives to Him.  As Paul mentored Timothy, a young man who already had a heritage of faith, the Holy Spirit empowered Him to live faithfully and lead effectively.  He will do the same in every area of our lives, too, when we submit ourselves to the Spirit and live in His power!

Heavenly Father, Thank You for Your word written to instruct, challenge and encourage us!  Thank You for Paul investing in Timothy’s life, so that Timothy could invest in others lives for the advancement of Your Kingdom.  I pray that I will invest in others lives, and that I will allow others to invest in me that my wisdom will grow, and I will make a difference in my generation and in those that come after me for Your glory and honor.  This I pray in Jesus’ name.  Amen.

bigbigdesign:

George Costanza Does The Opposite (via AliParr)

I just asked Cindy if she wanted me to order her usual chicken and broccoli from the Chinese restaurant.

“Sure. … No, wait! I always get chicken and broccoli. I have chicken and broccoli dishes at home, even. Order me something else. Shrimp. And snow peas.”

This made me think of my favorite scene in all of the television I’ve ever seen.

“My name is George. I’m unemployed and I live with my parents.”

“I’m Victoria. Hi.”

Strangely, my life did not change after I had the shrimp with snow peas that day.

nevver:

“Right again, Robin!” Duo (ver. 1.0)

Friday, March 5 Read Luke 19, 1 Timothy 4-6  Focus on Luke 19:1-10 and 1 Tim. 6:17-19

Jesus’ encounter with Zacchaeus and Paul’s instruction to Timothy regarding those who are “rich” in this world serve as interesting cases in the use of money.  Zacchaeus, the tax collector, worked with and around money.  Most tax collectors in Jesus’ day were dishonest.  Zacchaeus may have been. Yet, when Jesus came into Zacchaeus’ life, the change was immediate and dramatic.  Now, money instead of being the goal and focus of Zacchaeus’ life, became a tool for showing his love of God.  Money’s hold on Zacchaeus was broken, and now he could live as a “son of Abraham”, as a true member of God’s family.  In the same way, Paul told Timothy to tell those of us who are rich in this world, and that includes ALL of us who are reading this and live in middle class America, to use it wisely.  We may not feel rich, but by comparison with the remainder of the world we are.  Paul’s admonitions include using money for God’s purposes, not trusting in money—or making it our God, and helping others with it. These were the very things Zacchaeus did immediately and naturally once Jesus came into his life.  Larry Burkett used to say that when a person is truly converted to faith in Jesus there’s a noticeable impact on that person’s use of money.  Today’s Scriptures underline and confirm that.  May we be faithful stewards of all God’s blessings in our lives.  May we use money to win people for God, rather than using people to gain our own selfish desires.  May we use money as a servant to provide blessing to others, and never let it enslave us!

Heavenly Father, You are the owner of everything.  I am a steward, a manager, of what You entrust to me.  Empower me by Your Spirit to be a faithful and trustworthy steward, investing the wealth You provide me to provide for my family and to open the door to Your kingdom to others.  This I pray in Jesus’ name.  Amen.

mslilith:

PETER GRIC / Rekonfiguration V

There’s a new kind of desert-aerobics? Sign me up.