This is a video post. For my e-mail subscribers who cannot see the video, click here.

This is a video post. For my e-mail subscribers who can’t see the video, click here.

This is a video post. For my e-mail subscribers who can’t see the video, click here.

Transcript of Video

Hello and welcome to giveattentiontoreading.com, where you can get your daily dose of the Great Physician’s medicine. Today’s reading is from Acts chapters 11 and 12. I’d like to give attention to Acts 12:12-16.

When he realized this, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John whose other name was Mark, where many were gathered together and were praying. And when he knocked at the door of the gateway, a servant girl named Rhoda came to answer. Recognizing Peter’s voice, in her joy she did not open the gate but ran in and reported that Peter was standing at the gate. They said to her, “You are out of your mind.” But she kept insisting that it was so, and they kept saying, “It is his angel!” But Peter continued knocking, and when they opened, they saw him and were amazed. But motioning to them with his hand to be silent, he described to them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. And he said, “Tell these things to James and to the brothers.” Then he departed and went to another place.

I’ve heard people say about this passage, that this showed a great lack of faith on these Christians’ part. What they say is, “Well, here these folks were praying that Peter would get to escape from prison, and when he did, they didn’t believe it.” I’m not sure that’s what’s going on here. I think these folks demonstrate a great deal of faith. They’re praying into the middle of the night. People who don’t believe that their prayers are going to work don’t pray that persistently and that intensely. Rather, I see something else happening. 

I think what’s going in this passage is that these folks were putting God in a box. Sure, they believed that God could respond to their requests that Peter would live. But they must have thought God would do it in a certain way. Maybe changing Herod’s mind, or granting a stay of execution. What had not occurred to them was that God would just miraculously walk Peter out of the prison in the middle of the night. And so they were shocked.

The lesson that I get from this is certainly that if I’m going to pray, I need to have faith. But the bigger lesson is when I pray, I don’t need to put God in a box. God can do what He wants how He wants when He wants the way He wants. And He doesn’t have to answer my prayers the way I expect Him to answer them. Far too often I only think God has said, “Yes,” if He has says, “Yes,” and answers yes the way I expected Him to. The fact is God can grant my requests whatever way He wants.

Now don’t misunderstand. I certainly believe I can say, “Here is what God has said He will do,” based upon His Word. But apart from that, when I make my requests known to God, I need to let God be God and let God and let God decide how things are going to be done. And I just need to put my faith and trust in Him to do the right thing, to do the best thing, and remember that He does, in fact, want to bless me.

So, today, I’m going to make my requests known to God, and I’m going to let God decide how He’s going to answer.

Thanks again for checking out giveattentiontoreading.com. I’d love to hear what you thought of today’s post or what else you got out of today’s reading. So drop down to the comments section and feel free to join in the discussion. Don’t forget to come back tomorrow for another dose of the Great Physician’s medicine.

This is a video post. For my e-mail subscribers who can’t see the video, click here.

Transcript of Video

Hello and welcome to giveattentiontoreading.com, where you can get your daily dose of the Great Physician’s medicine. Today’s reading comes from Acts chapters 7 and 8. I’d like to give attention to Acts 7:25:

He supposed that his brothers would understand that god was giving them salvation by his hand, but they did not understand.

And also Acts 7:35:

This Moses, whom they rejected, saying, “Who made you a ruler and a judge?’–this man God sent as both ruler and redeemer by the hand of the angel who appeared to him in the bush.

This demonstrates the great problem that I often have. At first, Moses supposed that everyone would just understand that God was going to deliver them by his hand. I have that problem sometimes. I have a tendency to think that everyone else ought to understand the great things that God is going to accomplish by my hand.

My family’s going to be great by my hand.

My local congregation is going to do amazing things by my hand.

I can overcome your marriage problems by my hand.

I can fix your personal problems by my hand.

And I tend to suppose that everyone else agrees with me. But they rarely do. They just accuse me of being arrogant. The nerve of them.

But what made it really work for Moses? Not when he supposed that they would understand that God was going to deliver them by his hand. But when he finally began to realize that Moses could accomplish things by the hand of God. That’s what I need to recognize–not that God is going to accomplish amazing things by my hand, but that I can only accomplish anything by His hand.

And so, today, I need to quit thinking that God is lucky that I’m on His team, and, rather, recognize how lucky I am that God let’s me on His team. I need to quit thinking that God’s going to accomplish amazing things by my hand. And instead, today, simply surrender to His will, do what He says I’m supposed to do, and I’ll let Him decide what He’s going to let me accomplish by His hand.

Thanks again for checking out giveattentiontoreading.com. I’d love to hear what you think about today’s post or what else you got out of today’s reading. So drop down to the comments section and feel free to join the discussion. And don’t forget to come back tomorrow to get another dose of the Great Physician’s medicine.

This is a video post. For my e-mail subscribers who can’t see the video, click here.

Transcript of the Video

Hello and welcome to giveattentiontoreading.com, where you can get your daily dose of the Great Physician’s medicine. Today’s reading is from Luke chapters 23 and 24. I’d like to give attention to Luke 23:46, where Jesus is on the cross and the text says:

Then Jesus, calling out with a loud voice, said, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!” And having said this he breathed his last.

Why was Jesus able to face the brutal death on the cross? Because He had committed His spirit into His Father’s hands.

And this is where I have a problem. I’m not always willing to commit my spirit into the Father’s hands. Don’t get me wrong. On an intellectual level I realize that God’s plans for me are better for me than my own. But on that gut level, at an instinct level, where I act and react on a daily basis, I’m not always so sure. I mean, what if God’s plans aren’t as great as my plans are for me? What if God’s dreams for me are not as amazing as my dreams for me? What if God’s goals for me are not as cool as my goals for me? I mean, if I completely surrender my life to God, I might end up going to a cross or something instead of ending up as a famous blogger.

But, you see, Jesus was able to go to the cross because He committed His spirit to the Father. As He was in His life, so He was when He faced death. And even when God’s plans took Him to the cross, took Him to the mocking and beating and scourging and crucifixion, He knew that God’s plans were better–for Him and for the whole world, and He was willing to go wherever God led.

How do we accomplish that? Perhaps the psalm Jesus quoted will help us. He quoted Psalm 31:5. Let’s see what that same psalm says beginning in vs. 14.

But I trust in you, O LORD; I say, “You are my God.” My times are in your hand; rescue me from the hand of my enemies and from my persecutors! Make your face shine on your servant; save me in your steadfast love!

Then down in vs. 19. 

Oh, how abundant is your goodness, which you have stored up for those who fear you and worked for those who take refuge in you, in the sight of the children of mankind!

Vs. 21:

Blessed be the LORD, for he has wondrously shown his steadfast love to me when I was in a besieged city.

And then the psalm concludes, beginning in vs. 23:

Love the LORD, all you his saints! The LORD preserves the faithful but abundantly repays the one who acts in pride. Be strong, and let your heart take courage, all you who wait for the LORD!

Love the Lord all you His saints! Take courage and wait for the Lord. I think that’s the key.

When God’s plan and God’s way leads us through the vale of tears and trials and turmoil, we can be assured that if we wait on the Lord, He will lead us through, and we will have the victory. He does love us. He will give us good things. His plans for us are better.

Today, I need to see Jesus on the cross. I need to see His faith, His commitment, and I need to follow in His footsteps. So do you.

Thanks again for checking at giveattentiontoreading.com. I’d love to hear what you thought about today’s post and what else you got out of today’s reading. So drop down to the comments section and join in the discussion. Once again, make sure you come back tomorrow for another dose of the Great Physician’s medicine.

For my e-mail subscribers who can’t see the video, click here.

Transcript of video

Hello and welcome to giveattentiontoreading.com where you can get your daily dose of the Great Physician’s medicine. Today’s reading is from Luke chapters 15 and 16. I’d like to give attention to Luke 16:13, where Jesus says:

No servant can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.

Jesus makes this comment in the context of financial matters. But I think we need to think about it in other areas of our lives as well.

You cannot serve God and fame.

You cannot serve God and power.

You cannot serve God and pleasure.

You cannot serve God and food.

You cannot serve God and lust.

You cannot serve God and sex.

You cannot serve God and your family.

You cannot serve God and your friends.

You cannot serve God and your self.

No matter what is vying to be put up on the pedestal with God, we’re going to have problems. Because we’ll end up loving the one and hating the other. Now some of those things I mentioned aren’t bad in and of themselves. But when they are vying to be  god in our lives, then it becomes a problem.

Only when God is first in our lives can everything else be in its proper place, if it has one. So the question we need to ask today is who am I going to serve today? Who am I going to let tell me how to live my life today? Today, I want to serve God. I want to go where He sends me, do what He tells me? How about you?

Thanks again for checking out giveattentiontoreading.com where you can get your daily dose of the Great Physician’s medicine. I’d love to hear what you thought about this post or what you thought about today’s reading. Drop down to the comments section and be a part of the discussion. Let’s hear what you have to say. And as always, come back tomorrow for another dose of the Great Physician’s medicine.

Philemon (ESV) by Wordle*

1 Timothy 1 (ESV) by Wordle*

Today’s reading is Philemon 1:1-25; 1 Timothy 1:1-20.

“I thank him who has given me strength, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he judged me faithful, appointing me to his service…” (1 Timothy 1:12).

I am truly humbled by Paul’s statement here. Paul understood that whatever strength he had wasn’t his own. Therefore, he thanked Jesus for the strength he had.

I rarely thank God for my strength. Rather, I want to come to God and show my strength to Him as if it is something with which He should be impressed. “Hey, God, look at me and my strength. Have you seen everything I’ve done for You. Pretty good, huh?” That wasn’t Paul. No doubt, Paul recognized his own involvement in the work he had done. But he was no fool. Whatever he had accomplished had been by the strength given to Him from Jesus Christ. Without Jesus he could accomplish nothing. Thus, Paul’s strength was not his gift to Jesus. Rather, it was Jesus’ gift to him.

I don’t want to think this way. I want to think that somehow I can be strong and show Jesus how strong I can be. However, when I pursue that course, I always fail. How could I possibly think I can impress Jesus with my strength?

Today, I need to recognize I don’t have any gifts to give Jesus. I need the gifts He has to give me. I just need to turn to Him for that and be thankful.

Keep the faith and keep reading.

ELC

PS. What struck you in today’s reading? Click the following link in order to add your input: Post a comment.

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Today’s illustrations are provided by the wordle tool at Wordle.net. You can find my wordles here.

Hebrews 5-6 (ESV) by Wordle*

Today’s reading is Hebrews 5:1-6:20.

“So when God desired to show more convincingly to the heirs of the promise the unchangeable character of his purpose, he guaranteed it with an oath, so that by two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us” (Hebrews 6:17-18).

Yesterday we learned the #1 key to getting God’s promised blessings. Faith. Believing that God’s way really will work and thus pursuing God’s plans. Today we learn the #1 reason we can have that faith.

God never lies.

Honesty is completely underrated in today’s world. But God’s honesty and commitment to His promises is profound. We do not have to worry that He will go back on what He has said. We do not have to fear that He will change the rules midstream. We can give ourselves whole-heartedly and with reckless abandon to God and His way because we know He will do what He says. We do not have to go behind Him, checking up on Him. We can just act based on His promises knowing fully that He will keep up His end.

How great is that?

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

PS. What struck you in today’s reading? You can click the following link to add your input: Post a comment.

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*Today’s illustration was generated by the creative tool at Wordle.net. You can find all my wordles here.

Matthew 13-14 (ESV) by Wordle*

Today’s reading is Matthew 13:1-14:36.

“He put another parable before them, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field, but while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat and went away. So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared also. And the servants of the master of the house came and said to him, “Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have weeds?” He said to them, “An enemy has done this.” So the servants said to him, “Then do you want us to go and gather them?” But he said, “No, lest in gathering the weeds you root up the wheat along with them. Let both grow together until the harvest, and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, ‘Gather the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn’ ” ‘ ” (Matthew 13:24-30).

I think there is something here I need to learn. I recognize that I’ve spent too much time trying to do what God says even the angels shouldn’t. I recognize of course that there is a biblical principle which Christians and churches must uphold regarding discipline within the local body of Christ (cf. I Corinthians 5:1-13). Yet, too often I’ve seen it as my personal mission to clean up God’s church. It is too easy to go on a witch hunt of McCarthy proportions (is that too cliché to say?). Too often I see it as my job to hunt down all the weeds that have somehow made their way into the church and root them out.

Perhaps this parable teaches something different. Certainly, I am to teach the truth. Certainly, congregational discipline must be practiced. Certainly, I must not equivocate on the teaching of Christ. But, is it really my job to try to figure out who all isn’t completely toeing the line? Is it really my job to try to ferret out every potential error someone, somewhere might have? Is it really my job to figure out who all the weeds are and try to get rid of them? The Master said to back off and let Him deal with it at the end.

I admit, I’m not sure where the boundaries of congregational discipline are valid versus this witch-hunt mentality, but I see that somewhere I have to back off and say that it’s just not my job to figure out who all the weeds are and instead, just get busy planting more seeds.

What do you think?

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

PS. What struck you in today’s reading? Click the following link to add your input: Post a Comment.

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*Today’s illustration was generated by the creative tool at Wordle.net. You can find all my wordles here.

Matthew 3-4 (ESV) by Wordle*

Today’s reading is Matthew 3:1-4:25.

“Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. And he said to him, ‘All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.’ Then Jesus said to him, ‘Be gone, Satan! for it is written, ” ‘You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve” ‘ ” (Matthew 4:8-10).

Don’t miss the real temptation. Satan is not tempting Jesus with kingship, rule, and power. According to Psalm 110:1-7, Jesus was already promised all this from His Father. He was going to rule all the kingdoms of the world anyway. The temptation was that God’s way to the throne was going to be hard. He had already had to leave heaven to accomplish it. He was going to spend 3 years wandering as an itinerant teacher. He was going to be rejected, mocked, ridiculed, and eventually crucified to get to rule. Satan essentially said, “Hey, why bother with all of that? Here is an easier, softer way. Just bow down and worship me once. Just once. You don’t have to do it for the rest of your life. If you just worship me here and now, you won’t have to take up that cross.” But Jesus refused. He chose God’s way, though it included the cross. And I’m so thankful, because God’s way allowed me to be saved. Satan’s way might have given Jesus rule of the world (though I’m convinced Satan is a liar and would have yanked it out from under Jesus instead of really giving Him the rule), but it would have kept me and you from being saved.

I’m so glad to see this. First, because it lets me know I’m not alone. Satan tempts me all the time. Sometimes I begin to think I’m the only one going through this pressure. But even Jesus went through it. Second, it lets me know how to defeat the temptation. Just rely on God, His Word, and His way. God’s way always works. Third, I’m glad to read it because it helps me really identify Satan’s temptations. I often overlook temptation and sin with a dismissive, “Oh, surely God wouldn’t have a problem with that.” What I need to look for is when my choices include God’s way and the easier softer way. Satan often promises me the very same thing God does. He simply says I don’t have pick up my cross to get the promise. I need to be able to say, “Not today, Satan. I’m going God’s way. It may be harder, but it works.”

Which way are you going today? God’s way or the easier softer way?

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

PS. What struck you in today’s reading? Add your input by clicking the following link: Post a Comment.

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*Today’s illustration was generated by the creative tool at Wordle.net. You can find all my wordles here.