Today’s reading is Mark 3:1-4:41.

“‘If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.’ And he said to them, ‘Pay attention to what you hear: with the measure you use, it will be measured to you, and still more will be added to you’” (Mark 4:23-24).

I have ears; I need to hear. This is great. Jesus didn’t say if I was just one of a specially chosen few I could get it. He didn’t say I could try and try and try and maybe someday He might bestow a gift of understanding on me. Rather, He said if I pay attention and give diligence to what He has to say, more will be added to me. What a relief. I’m not spinning my wheels spending time in His word. If I pay attention to what He says, Jesus will bless me. If I blow it off and only take a dip in it every now and then, I probably don’t need to expect much. But what confidence I can have that if I focus on Jesus’ word, I will be blessed by Him and more and more will be heaped on to me.

I’m glad I’m spending time in His word, paying attention to what He says today.

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

PS. What struck you in today’s reading?

Today’s reading is Mark 1:1-2:28.

“And the scribes of the Pharisees, when they saw that he was eating with sinners and tax collectors, said to his disciples, ‘Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?’ And when Jesus heard it, he said to them, ‘Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous but sinners” (Mark 2:16-17).

At times, I can hardly fathom that Jesus would want anything to do with me. I keep thinking that I need to work more righteousness in order to attract Jesus to me. But exactly the opposite is true. If I were righteous on my own, then Jesus would go spend His time somewhere He was needed. Instead, He came into the world and continues to work in the world to be with people just like me: sinners.

As He spends time with me, I will become righteous. But I do not have to become righteous to get Jesus to spend time with me. My sins are why He came to earth in the first place.

I think today, I’ll spend some time with Jesus. I know He’ll want to.

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

PS. What struck you in today’s reading?

Today’s reading is Galatians 1:1-2:21.

“I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me” (Galatians 2:20).

I think I get it now. I’ve not allowed this verse to have its full impact in my life. I was baptized, crucified with Christ (cf Romans 6:1-6). Since then I’ve been telling Christ, “Watch this, see how I can live my life for You.” I was certainly sincere in this. I have wanted to serve Christ. I’ve been doing my best. But wasn’t that the problem that led me to Christ in the first place? My best only put me right back into sin (cf Romans 7:14-24). Why would it do any different now?

Paul doesn’t say to tell Jesus, “I’ll do my best to live for You.” Rather, Jesus is saying, “Quit trying to live. I’ll live my best for you.” I need to quit trying to live my life and simply start letting Jesus live through me. What does He want? Do that. Of course, that is going to take faith. Jesus won’t treat me like a puppet. It’s my choice to let Him live through me by my faith. But I have to make a conscious decision to quit trying to live my life, even if I’m trying to live it for Him. Instead, I need to let Him live my life through me. I need to surrender myself to Him, His will, His goals, His life.

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

PS. What struck you in today’s reading?

Today’s reading is Romans 13:1-14:23.

“The night is far gone; the day is at hand. So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light. Let us walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarreling and jealousy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires” (Romans 13:12-14).

I needed to read this today. Thank you, God, for the reminder. Some days are harder than others. Some days are fraught with temptation. Today is one of those days for me. I needed this reminder that my job today is not to make provision for the lusts of my flesh. Today, I need to put on Jesus Christ. I need to wear Him like clothing, like armor of light. I need to surrender the works of darkness that are tempting me to Him. I need to throw them away from me and just let Him guide me into the next right thing.

As Galatians 2:20 says, I need to let Jesus live in me today. I need to work on increasing my faith in Him today. I need to understand that pursuing orgies, drunkenness, immorality, sensuality, quarreling, jealousy, et al, will not draw me closer to God, but drive a wedge between us. These will not make me the man I want to be but will lead me further down a path of guilt, shame, and slavery.

Today, I’m going to wear Jesus.

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

PS. What struck you in today’s reading?

Today’s reading is Romans 1:1-2:29.

“You who boast in the law dishonor God by breaking the law” (Romans 2:23).

I believe I’ve misread this verse. I usually read it to be an accusation of hypocrisy against the Jews. But I’m not sure that flies. Did Paul really believe all the Jews were hypocrites? They all taught the law but disregarded it? I don’t think he would have seen himself that way. This was not an accusation of hypocrisy, necessarily, though I’m sure that fit some folks. This was just a matter of the way life was. These guys were putting all their hope in the law. The problem was, every single one of them, no matter their intention, no matter their sincerity or hypocrisy had violated the law. What good was hoping in the law or boasting in the law when they had all violated the law.

Now this hits me. What am I doing with the New Law. Certainly I believe there is one. But what good does boasting in Christ’s law do me. I have violated it. To boast that I know it better, that I teach it better, that I keep it better does me little good because I haven’t kept it perfectly. I dishonor God by breaking the very law I want to boast in. What am I to do? That goes back to Romans 1:17. I need to live by faith. That is, instead of putting my hope and boast in my ability to keep Christ’s law. I need to put my hope and boast in Christ, increase my faith in Him and His way and just do what He says.

If I’m not careful, I’ll end up being just like those Jews who boasted in a law they didn’t keep. Instead, I need to boast in Christ today.

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

PS. What struck you in today’s reading?

Today’s reading is Acts 25:1-26:32.

“They have known for a long time, if they are willing to testify, that according to the strictest party of our religion I have lived as a Pharisee. And now I stand here on trial because of my hope in the promise made by God to our fathers” (Acts 26:7).

What a turn around for Paul. For a long time his hope was in his ability to live according to the strictest party of his religion. However, on this day, he was on trial because his hope had changed. No longer was his hope in himself. No longer was it in his religious party. No longer was it in keeping the law. His hope was in God’s promise of eternal life in Jesus Christ, the resurrected Savior.

Where is my hope today? In me? In my church? In keeping God’s law? Or is it in the promise of Jesus Christ? When it is in Jesus Christ, what will that look like in my life? Today, I need to put my hope in the resurrected Savior and live like that is where my hope is.

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

PS. What struck you in today’s reading?

Today’s reading is Acts 5:1-6:15.

“God exalted him at his right hand as Leader and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins” (Acts 5:31).

I’ve always known Jesus is my Savior. I always recognize that point. If I’m going to be forgiven of my sin, I need a Savior. I need Jesus.

However, I often lose sight of the other side of this. I don’t just need a Savior. I need a leader. Even if I’m going to repent and be forgiven, I need a leader. I need someone to guide me, direct me, lead me. I need someone in whose hands I can place my life who will tell me what to do and how to live. I need someone who will show me the path to follow.

That someone is Jesus. He is not only my Savior; He is my leader. Today, I don’t want to simply rest in His ability to save and forgive. I want to follow His lead.

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

PS. What struck you in today’s reading?

Today’s reading is Luke 23:1-24:53.

“And he said to them, ‘O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken!’” (Luke 24:25).

I like to think this rebuke doesn’t apply to me. I very readily accept the resurrection of Jesus. I have no problem with the prophecies that claim Jesus would come, live in the flesh, be a servant, die, be buried, then be resurrected on the third day. Then I recognize, that while I don’t have a problem with these things, there are numerous other prophecies I struggle with. Not the ones that talk about the future, but prophecy simply in the sense of a message from God.

For instance, “seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” Or “be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger.” Or “Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.” Part of me wants to hang on to my old, in the world, way of thinking. I will seek God’s kingdom first, right after I get my salary in order. Maybe a little sin while I’m angry is okay. After all I’m angry; surely that can’t be held against me. It’s not conceit; it’s conviction (what a laugh).

I’m a foolish one when I won’t just believe what Jesus said through His word and live accordingly. After all, God’s way works and mine doesn’t.

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

PS. What struck you in today’s reading?

Today’s reading is Luke 21:1-22:71.

“Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done” (Luke 22:42).

For me, this should be the model prayer. I know I need to pray for my daily bread and for forgiveness, but at the heart of everything I do, I need this prayer. “Not my will but Yours be done.” I need a daily reminder that today is about God and not about me. A friend once shared a prayer he prays with me, “Lord, let me know your will for today and grant me the strength to do it.”

That’s really all I need for today. I need simply to do the next right thing. What does God want me to do next and may I surrender to God’s strength and power to accomplish it.

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

PS. What struck you in today’s reading?

Today’s reading is Luke 19:1-20:47.

“The scribes and the chief priests sought to lay hands on him at that very hour, for they perceived that he had told this parable agaisnt them, but they feared the people” (Luke 20:19).

How sad. Jesus had not told this parable “against them” to attack them, but to warn them. It could have saved their eternal lives. Instead of letting it save them, they fought against it and let it be a means to condemn them.

But that leaves me with a question. How do I respond when God’s word says something “against me”? Do I listen humbly and let the warning and direction save my life? Or do I turn against the messenger somehow? Do I figure out why that part of the Bible doesn’t really apply to me?

I have two choices today. I can either surrender to Jesus and what He warns me and directs me or I can keep fighting against Him. But where will that second option take me? Better to just give up the fight and gain the victory.

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

PS. What did you get out of today’s reading?