Day 187 What does it take to believe?

Thomas did all humanity a favor by displaying his "honest doubt." How many times do we understand faith better because of Thomas? His dilema was actually a "growing faith" and a desire to believe. The words speak for themselves..."Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe.” Eight days later, his disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.” Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” Have we faith to believe?

Day 186 What does Jesus teach following His resurrection?

What did Jesus teach about following the resurrection? There are four answers. One...peace. Two...sending the disciples. Three...the Holy Spirit. Four...forgiveness. Peace be with you.” When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.” And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld.” I find these three topics very interesting.

Day 185 Did you notice the damage control?

As Jesus is crucified, did you notice the damage control. Notice how the language must be politically correct..."So the chief priests of the Jews said to Pilate, “Do not write, ‘The King of the Jews,’ but rather, ‘This man said, I am King of the Jews.’” Pilate answered, “What I have written I have written.” They wanted to make Jesus look even more defeated on the cross with the language..."He said, I am the King of the Jews." Little did they know how the folly of their orchestration of words! Soon, the Lordship of Christ would be beyond words.

Day 184 How ironic that today's reading has David and Jesus both accused?

David is confronted by Nathan and is guilty. Jesus is confronted on the way to the Cross and is innocent. In reading both texts, we can see a bridge needed for humanity. Even though David is recognized as having a heart for God...he obviously lost control of his passions and judgment regarding Bathsheba. He not only commited adultery but orchestrated Uriah's death in battle. David, representing humanity, needed Jesus' death on the cross. Jesus wrongfully accused took on the sin of humanity like David.

Day 183 Are there not seasons of life?

Holy Week is coming and reminds us, even in the life of Jesus there are a wide range of emotions in life. Seasons of life bring us joy and some seasons bring us sorrow. In the words of Ecclesiastes, there is a season for everything under the sun..."For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die;a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh;a time to mourn, and a time to dance; a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together;a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; a time to seek, and a time to lose;a time to keep, and a time to cast away; a time to tear, and a time to sew;a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; a time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace." There is a season for all of life's emotions and seasons for everything. Sometimes it is good to step back and remember this is part of the cycle of life. Seasons change and so does our life.

Day 182 How did David pray?

Yesterday, we read one of Jesus' prayers. Today, we read one of David's..."“Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my house, that you have brought me thus far? And yet this was a small thing in your eyes, O Lord God. You have spoken also of your servant's house for a great while to come, and this is instruction for mankind, O Lord God! And what more can David say to you? For you know your servant, O Lord God! Because of your promise, and according to your own heart, you have brought about all this greatness, to make your servant know it. Therefore you are great, O Lord God. For there is none like you, and there is no God besides you, according to all that we have heard with our ears. And who is like your people Israel, the one nation on earth whom God went to redeem to be his people, making himself a name and doing for them great and awesome things by driving out before your people, whom you redeemed for yourself from Egypt, a nation and its gods? And you established for yourself your people Israel to be your people forever. And you, O Lord, became their God. And now, O Lord God, confirm forever the word that you have spoken concerning your servant and concerning his house, and do as you have spoken. And your name will be magnified forever, saying, ‘The Lord of hosts is God over Israel,’ and the house of your servant David will be established before you. For you, O Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, have made this revelation to your servant, saying, ‘I will build you a house.’ Therefore your servant has found courage to pray this prayer to you. And now, O Lord God, you are God, and your words are true, and you have promised this good thing to your servant. Now therefore may it please you to bless the house of your servant, so that it may continue forever before you. For you, O Lord God, have spoken, and with your blessing shall the house of your servant be blessed forever.” We can learn a great deal about how to pray...just reading the prayers in the Bible.

Day 181 "How do we pray?"

Jesus teaches us how to pray with the Lord's Prayer. He also teaches about going into the closet and shutting the door. In John 17, Jesus provides three emphasis for prayer. First, Jesus prayed for His own purpose to be fulfilled. (pray for your purpose and then you can be in line with how to help others. Second, Jesus prayed for His disciples. Third, Jesus prayed for the world. What a great pattern for our prayers.

Our purpose

Those closest to us

The world

Day 180 Proverbs answers the question.."what are the highest marks of a wife?"

What are the marks of a perfect wife according to Proverbs? "Strength and dignity are her clothing,and she laughs at the time to come. She opens her mouth with wisdom,and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue. She looks well to the ways of her householdand does not eat the bread of idleness. Her children rise up and call her blessed;her husband also, and he praises her: “Many women have done excellently,but you surpass them all.” Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain,but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. Give her of the fruit of her hands,and let her works praise her in the gates." Quite a list!

Day 179 Is acceptance always possible?

Jesus confronted hostilities in ministry. His teaching reminds us univeral acceptance is not realistic. In fact, opposition is a part of "seeking the Kingdom" as Jesus teaches... “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you." This is the reason leadership is so crucial in the cause of Christ today. We have opposition and even those who hate the work of Christ.

Day 178 How to make a difference?

How do you make a difference for Jesus Christ? Two words. Bear fruit. Jesus says we prove ourselves to be His Disciples by bearing fruit. This fruit comes from growing in our own relationship with Christ and leading others to Christ. Or growing deeper and broader in our faith. The key is staying attached to the vine for apart from Christ we can do nothing.

Day 177 How to avoid fear?

How do we avoid fear? Jesus provides teaching on not being afraid. The Bible does teach us not to fear. Perhaps the strongest teaching is found in John..."Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid." What great news for hearts that are troubled.

Day 176 What is the clearest teaching ever?

What is the clearest teaching ever? One strong possibility is Jesus' response to Thomas about the way..."Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life." These ten words hold great understanding to the Gospel Message. I can imagine taking a few hours and forming three columns marked ...way, truth, and life. After forming the structure, walking through Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John and placing all of Jesus' teachings in one of those columns. I think I will do it soon.

Day 175 How about a word regarding Heaven?

One of the most obvious conclusions of all lives is that one day we die. Jesus teaches that there is Heaven. He states the clearest image in the Gospel of John..."Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. And you know the way to where I am going.” Heaven is prepared for us through Jesus! God is preparing a place for us...Good news!

Day 174 What difference do well spoken words make?

The Proverbs again are filled with practical truths. Like...the difference well spoken words make..."A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in a setting of silver." There is power in our words.

In the story of David and Saul there is great drama. Saul seeks to kill David. David has the opportunity to kill Saul but refuses.

Jesus, in His Words, fortells of Judas's betrayal and Peter's denial. He also offers a New Commandment..."A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” Drama and "words fitly spoken" highlight our reading today.

Day 173 Lord, do You wash my feet?

“Lord, do You wash my feet?” Peter asked Jesus very confused. How could the Lord of Lord's bow to wash His disciples feet? This is the same shock of Jesus riding into Jerusalem on a donkey. A Lord will serve His disciples. An upside down Kingdom. By conventional thougth. A right side up Kingdom! One in which we are to seek!

Day 172 Where do we find one of the first recorded "band wagons"?

People are fickle. In the beginning and now. The day Jesus entered Jerusalem we see first hand a "band wagon" jumping bunch. They had heard of Jesus' wonders and miracles. Were they convinced enough to stand with Him? Obviously, within days the chants would change from "Hosanna" to "crucify Him."

Saul was also fickle with his relationship with David. One minute swearing no harm and the next plotting to kill. Fickleness...Bandwagons...our human condition.

Day 171 How fearless was David?

David was fearless in his willingness to take on mighty Goliath. David said to Saul..."“Your servant used to keep sheep for his father. And when there came a lion, or a bear, and took a lamb from the flock, I went after him and struck him and delivered it out of his mouth. And if he arose against me, I caught him by his beard and struck him and killed him. Your servant has struck down both lions and bears, and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be like one of them, for he has defied the armies of the living God.” And David said, “The Lord who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.” And Saul said to David, “Go, and the Lord be with you!” What a statement of trusting God and not fear!

Day 170 Can you imagine the stir?

Can you imagine the stir the raising of Lazarus would have caused. Here is a dead man in grave clothes walking! As it turns out this would be the major event that would force the religious people of the day to arrest, place Jesus under trial, and put to death on the cross. Their comfort zone had been exceeded. Ironically, they did not stop the controversy of raising from the dead...the religious people would soon have a bigger issue to about resurrection from the dead to challenge the status quo!

Day 169 How do we see Jesus fully human?

Jesus is fully divine and fully human. Today, we see His human side. Tears. Here is the complete account..."Now when Mary came to where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet, saying to him, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in his spirit and greatly troubled. And he said, “Where have you laid him?” They said to him, “Lord, come and see.” Jesus wept. So the Jews said, “See how he loved him!” The full divinity and humanity of Jesus is amazing!

Day 168 Was Jesus fast? Elusive?

We know later in the Gospels, Jesus did not refuse capture. He did not resist at all. In today's text, Jesus claims to be One with the Father. This infuriated the establishment. They grabbed stones and tried to apprehend Jesus. In today's text, Jesus eluded their capture. Was He fast? I never have thought of Jesus fast and elusive but this is what John implies..."Again they sought to arrest him, but he escaped from their hands." Interesting.

Day 167 Why did Jesus come to the world?

In today's Gospel reading, Jesus tells why He came into the world. "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly." Think about how our life can be taken from us, when the evil one has his way with us. We are robbed of joy. Instead of life abundant...we live in fear. If we make enough wrong choices, we begin the path of destruction. Thank be to God His Son offers a better alternative...LIFE. Abundant life or life to the full is what Jesus comes to offer all of us. What a wonderful passage...John 10:10.

In our Old Testament reading, why was Saul's tallness lifted up the Scripture? He was the head and shoulders choice to be king. His tall stature was not enough to maintain his lofty status...stay tuned.

Day 166 What is better than medicine?

One of the best remedies for what "ails" us is not medicine but rather something else. The Proverb teaches us about something that is even free. A matter that does not even require health insurance. What am I speaking? A cheerful heart! The words read a..." joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones." Notice the contrast of a crushed spirit..."drys out our bones." OUCH! Why not cheer up?

Day 165 Why not share the story?

Jesus heals a blind man. The religious people of the day focused on the healing being on the Sabbath and missing the miracle. The parents were asked about the Sabbath healing (mounting up evidence) and they declined saying "ask our son he is of age." Upon asking the son he did steered completely away from the Sabbath controversy saying..."whether he is a sinner or not I not know but one thing I know I was blind and now I see." There is nothing more convincing than a story!

On another note the Proverb speaks wisdom saying..."Better is a little with righteousnessthan great revenues with injustice. The heart of man plans his way,but the Lord establishes his steps." It is not about what we have but the state of our heart and who plans our step.

Day 164 "Will listening make ears tingle?"

A beautiful phrase is found in the story of Samuel being called in the night. Samuel said to the Lord "His servant was listening"...notice the emphasis on listening..."And the Lord came and stood, calling as at other times, “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant hears.” Then the Lord said to Samuel, “Behold, I am about to do a thing in Israel at which the two ears of everyone who hears it will tingle."

On another note Jesus says "I AM" in reference to the Abraham. The listeners pick up stones outraged.

Day 163 Where are your accusers?

Jesus encountered a mob scene ready to stone a woman caught in adultery. The accusers quietly left when Jesus said..."let he without sin cast the first stone." After the awkward departure, Jesus and the woman were left and Jesus said..."Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more.” There is good news and challenging news for us. Jesus forgives our sin and challenges us to leave our life of sin.

Day 162 How do we find Wisdom?

The Proverbs provide quick "one liners." If I ever have time, I am going to count how many different themes there are in Proverbs. Obviously, the teachings transcend time. Such is wisdom...timeless. We may not be able to control our IQ...but we can gain wisdom through the Proverbs. Wisdom is knowing what to do with knowledge and information. There is a difference.

Day 161 Where did the saying come from?

The Proverbs are filled with quotable statements. Several of these become wise sayings that people forget actually are in the Bible. One such saying would be..."Whoever spares the rod hates his son,but he who loves him is diligent to discipline him." This actually appears in today's reading. In a point of interest, so does "born anew" Nicodemus who defends Jesus in the presence of his peers.

Day 160 Whatever happened to loyalty?

The story of Ruth is one of unswaying loyalty. As I read this story, I think about our culture today. Are we quick to jump ship? Follow the hottest trend. Go quickly to our advantage. Loyalty will never go out of style. The story of Ruth reminds us of this truth. Have we the spirit of loyalty with the Lord..."wherever You goest I will go?"

Day 159 Who is the Bread of Life?

We continue the thought of yesterday about bread. One of the "I Am" sayings of Jesus is I am...the bread of life. Jesus says..."I am the bread of life. Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.” John earlier says "the Word became flesh." In this passage, Jesus equates the bread and His flesh. The mystery of Jesus being the Word and the Bread offer us tangible ways to understand Jesus. Again, as yesterday, Jesus feeds our souls.