Tag: Old Testament

May 3, 2024

May 3rd, 2024

Friday – Prophets

Reading – Hosea 5-6

Highlight Verse:

“I want you to show love, not offer sacrifices. I want you to know me more than I want burnt offerings.”
‭‭Hosea‬ ‭6‬:‭6‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Religion demands that we follow rules.

God wants us to follow Him.

Religion required Israelites to give sacrifices.

God the Father wants to know us and to be known.

Religion is full of rituals.

While many rituals were born out of relationship, when they are empty,

it is better to have the relationship with God than the empty rituals that are a mere echo of relationship.

The bottom line is God wants a personal relationship with each of His children. Obedience, sacrifice, and rituals should be a result of that relationship, not a desperate attempt to gain that relationship.

It makes me think of when God ran.

When the Prodigal Son (Luke 15) turned toward home, the Father RAN to him and welcomed him back into the family.

Being welcomed into God’s family is as close as turning to Him.

How do you feel about the rituals and rules commonly found in Christianity?
What motivates you when you obey them or ignore them?
May 1, 2024

May 1st, 2024
Wednesday – History

Reading – 1 Chronicles 13-15

Highlight Verse:

“David was angry because the Lord’s anger had burst out against Uzzah. He named that place Perez-uzzah (which means “to burst out against Uzzah”), as it is still called today.”
‭‭1 Chronicles‬ ‭13‬:‭11‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Who was David angry at?

God?

Uzzah?

The priests?

Himself?

All of the above?

He was having one of those days.

Everything was going well until – disaster!

While Scripture does not say for sure who David was angry with (himself is my theory), It does say what he did.
- First, he regrouped. He made sure the Ark had a safe place to be while he figured things out.
- Next, he went to God. While this passage doesn’t say how, he obviously sought God’s will. Part of that was to find out the proper way to move the Ark.
- Once he figured out the problem, he went all out to do it right the next time.
- Finally, he went all out in celebration, expressing the joy of doing things God’s way.
What do you do when you find yourself in a pit of anger?
What do you do to move on in a positive direction?
April 30, 2024

April 30th, 2024

Tuesday – Pentateuch

Reading – Numbers 1-2

Highlight Verse:

“The total number was 603,550.”
‭‭Numbers‬ ‭1‬:‭46‬ ‭NLT‬‬

What better way to start a study of the book of Numbers than with a number – specifically, the size of Israel’s army as they travelled through the wilderness.

If you add in the women, children, the elderly, and the Levites, the nation of Israel had about as many people as the city of Philadelphia.

That’s a relatively compact city at 140 square miles or over 90 thousand acres.

Think about that.

A population the size of Philadelphia moved around the wilderness for 40 years.

The pillar of smoke and fire that led them through the wilderness had to have been an amazing site.

But, even without the pillar, it must have been an incredible site to see all those people in one camp, much less to see the camp move.

With that in mind, keep your eyes open as we go through Numbers.

You might be surprised what we find.

Was there anything that stood out to you in today’s reading?
What do you imagine it was like to be in the nation of Israel as they wandered the wilderness?
April 28, 2024

April 28th, 2024

Sunday – Poetry

Reading – Proverbs 26-27

Highlight Verse:

“Interfering in someone else’s argument is as foolish as yanking a dog’s ears.”
‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭26‬:‭17‬ ‭NLT‬‬

I had my 2-year-old daughter on my shoulders while walking to the car in a mall parking lot when I saw someone take a parking place that someone else had been waiting for.

The catch is, this was on a street with a double yellow line. The person who had been waiting would have had to do an illegal left turn to get the space.

He didn’t care and he ripped into the parker with a string of profanities that I didn’t really want my daughter hearing.

I, being me, proceeded to point out to the profane person that he wasn’t supposed to take that space anyway.

The profanities then started hurling my way until the first guy actually pulled out of the space and the guy made the illegal turn as I hurried to my car.

All the way I was thinking that I should have kept my big mouth shut.

I proved nothing other than the truth of this proverb.

Have you ever proved a proverb true? Share it.
Have you seen any of the other of today’s proverbs proven true?
April 26, 2024

April 26th, 2024

Friday – Prophets

Reading – Hosea 3-4

Highlight Verse:

“Then the Lord said to me, “Go and love your wife again, even though she commits adultery with another lover. This will illustrate that the Lord still loves Israel, even though the people have turned to other gods and love to worship them.”
‭‭Hosea‬ ‭3‬:‭1‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Did you notice that Hosea didn’t wait for his wife to want to return to him?

He actually paid to bring her back even while she was living an adulterous life.

Okay, that has all sorts of strange implications, but let’s not miss the point.

God paid the price to bring us back to Him even before we wanted back.

He was willing to take a risk on us, knowing that many would choose not to come to him.

He loved us so much that He had to try.

Unlike Hosea’s wife, we have a choice.

That should make us all the more willing to come back to the God who gave sacrificially for us.

We are not slaves but saved.

We are not captives but captivated by His love for us.

We are not bound but bought and beloved.

Do you realize how long God waited for you?
Do you know how much He paid for you and I to be free?
April 24, 2024

April 24th, 2024

Wednesday – History

Reading – 1 Chronicles 10-12

Highlight Verse:

“God forbid that I should drink this!” he exclaimed. “This water is as precious as the blood of these men who risked their lives to bring it to me.” So David did not drink it. These are examples of the exploits of the Three.”
‭‭1 Chronicles‬ ‭11‬:‭19‬ ‭NLT‬‬

The first time I read this I thought, “How rude. These guys risked their lives for this water and David just pours it out.”

I now realize that David was making sure his warriors knew who was really worthy of their sacrifice.

He poured out the water before the Lord that they would know that it was God who was worthy, not him.

Would I have done the same?

Well, I’ve never had someone risk their life to get me a drink of water.

But I have had people complement me.

While I want to continue doing things worthy of compliments, what is more important to me is that I would direct people to the One who is truly worthy of all praise.

My hope is that my life would cause people to want to follow Jesus, not me.

Do people know that the good things you are doing are directing them to Jesus?
What are ways that your words and actions would deflect their praise to Jesus?
April 23, 2024

April 23rd, 2024

Tuesday – Pentateuch

Reading – Leviticus 26-27

Highlight Verse:

“I will give you peace in the land, and you will be able to sleep with no cause for fear. I will rid the land of wild animals and keep your enemies out of your land.”
‭‭Leviticus‬ ‭26‬:‭6‬ ‭NLT‬‬

This is one of those verses that would look good on a Facebook post with a tranquil scene.

That’s not why I highlighted it.

In context, many of those good things in today’s reading are a result of obedience.

The same principle holds true today.

I’m not saying life will be perfect if you only behave.

I am saying that God’s way of doing things will naturally have good results.

Likewise, going against God’s principles may naturally have bad results.

God created us.

He knows what works best for us.

He wrote a bunch of what works best down for us to benefit from.

I say, we should take advantage of that and follow His instructions.

Have you resisted Biblical principles for living because they seemed too restrictive or legalistic? (I have in the past).
Have you considered the possibility that those principles were given for our good?
April 19, 2024

April 19th, 2024

Friday – Prophets

Reading – Hosea 1-2

Highlight Verse:

“At that time I will plant a crop of Israelites and raise them for myself. I will show love to those I called ‘Not loved.’ And to those I called ‘Not my people,’ I will say, ‘Now you are my people.’ And they will reply, ‘You are our God!’”
‭‭Hosea‬ ‭2‬:‭23‬ ‭NLT

Hosea is the first of the Minor Prophets, so named due to the short length of their writings, not according to their importance.

In case you didn’t have a chance to read it, at the Lord’s request, he married a prostitute, and gave his kids some pretty whacked names. Just ask his daughter “Not Loved” and ‬‬son “Not my people.”

Some would say this book is strictly allegorical. That is to say, it didn’t really happen. That is was a story to make a point.

Others would point out that Gomer was only one of his wives.

That may be true, but who would name their kids like that?”

Frankly, I don’t know the answer, though I tend to take it literally.

But I do know the story illustrates how far Israel had strayed and the love that God had brought redemption to the remnant of Israel.

“Not loved” became “loved”. “Not my people” became “my people.”

I just hope that Hosea used different nicknames for his kids as they grew up.

Do you think this story was literal or only allegorical? Why?
What would you do if God asked you to live out an illustration?
April 17, 2024

April 17th, 2024

Wednesday – History

Reading – 1 Chronicles 7-9

Highlight Verses:

”The first of the exiles to return to their property in their former towns were priests, Levites, Temple servants, and other Israelites. Some of the people from the tribes of Judah, Benjamin, Ephraim, and Manasseh came and settled in Jerusalem.“
‭‭1 Chronicles‬ ‭9‬:‭2‬-‭3‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Today’s reading caps off a rather comprehensive genealogy of Israel and is completed with the return from exile.

The first 9 chapters give reference material for all the historical stories given in the rest of the book.

Where the genealogy leaves off sets the date of writing this sometime after the return of Israel and Judah to the promised land.

Most likely this was written shortly after the return of the remnant to Jerusalem. Tradition and some evidence points to the author being Ezra. It is written from the perspective of someone who lived in that time period.

This was a time of great repentance and restoration and that is reflected in the book.

The author clearly wants to see the restored Israel to see the importance of obedience to God, that the restoration may be permanent.

If you had lived in the time of the restoration of Jerusalem, would you be eager to teach people the importance of obedience?
Would you be inclined toward fighting to protect the faith of Israel or would you rather be the one writing down the history of Israel?
April 16, 2024

April 16th, 2024

Tuesday – Pentateuch

Reading – Leviticus 24-25

Highlight Verse:

“This same standard applies both to native-born Israelites and to the foreigners living among you. I am the Lord your God.”
‭‭Leviticus‬ ‭24‬:‭22‬ ‭NLT‬‬

I am an American.

Which is to say I was born and raised in America to a mom with roots in Northern Europe and a Mexican dad.

But then to say I’m half Mexican is to say I’m a quarter Spanish and a quarter indigenous – Otomi tribe to be exact.

Each of my ancestors have unique and fascinating immigration stories.

I say that not to make any political statement about immigration policies. I have my opinions, but this is not the place for them as we welcome people from all backgrounds.

While we may have differing opinions about immigration, the Bible makes it clear that all people, no matter what their nationality or background, are loved by God and given the same opportunity to trust Him and accept His grace and mercy.

Even as far back as the very roots of Judaism, the forerunner of Christianity, the Bible speaks here of people being treated with the same standards regardless of national origin.

The beautiful truth of this is, I have brothers in the faith all over the world. That includes those believers of many different races here in America.

Have you experienced fellowship with believers from different parts of the world?
Have you been treated as an equal among diverse Christian groups?
What have you learned from fellowship with those from completely different cultures?

Tag: Old Testament

God wants us to follow Him.

God the Father wants to know us and to be known.

it is better to have the relationship with God than the empty rituals that are a mere echo of relationship.

When the Prodigal Son (Luke 15) turned toward home, the Father RAN to him and welcomed him back into the family.

Who was David angry at?

A population the size of Philadelphia moved around the wilderness for 40 years.

But, even without the pillar, it must have been an incredible site to see all those people in one camp, much less to see the camp move.

You might be surprised what we find.

I proved nothing other than the truth of this proverb.

Did you notice that Hosea didn’t wait for his wife to want to return to him?

He was willing to take a risk on us, knowing that many would choose not to come to him.

That should make us all the more willing to come back to the God who gave sacrificially for us.

I now realize that David was making sure his warriors knew who was really worthy of their sacrifice.

My hope is that my life would cause people to want to follow Jesus, not me.

In context, many of those good things in today’s reading are a result of obedience.

He knows what works best for us.

I say, we should take advantage of that and follow His instructions.

Hosea is the first of the Minor Prophets, so named due to the short length of their writings, not according to their importance.

“Not loved” became “loved”. “Not my people” became “my people.”

The first 9 chapters give reference material for all the historical stories given in the rest of the book.

The author clearly wants to see the restored Israel to see the importance of obedience to God, that the restoration may be permanent.

I am an American.

The beautiful truth of this is, I have brothers in the faith all over the world. That includes those believers of many different races here in America.