Tuesday, November 9, 2021

Tuesday, November 9, 2021
The apostle Luke records a Roman soldier’s request of Jesus for a miracle.

Luke 7:6-7 [The Roman centurion said to Jesus] “Do not trouble yourself, for I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. Say the word, and my servant will be healed.” (NASB)

When I was in high school during the 1960’s it was during the Jesus movement. You didn’t have to be in a church or dress a certain way to worship. People were having communion on beaches or attending church in sandals! However, God is great and mighty and while He is accessible no matter what your income or position in society . . . beware of becoming too “familiar” with God! Bible teacher Chip Ingram reminds us that Christ dwells in unapproachable light, He is not like the best version of the nicest man you know . . . He is completely other!
In Luke chapter 7, a Roman centurion, friendly to the Jews, had a beloved servant who was dying. This powerful Gentile sent Jewish friends to Jesus to request the Savior come and heal his servant. (The centurion felt unworthy to come to Jesus himself!) Jesus was willing and began the journey . . . when He was near the centurion’s home – the soldier again sent word saying, “I don’t deserve to have you come to my home — just speak a word — and my servant will be healed!” What an audacious prayer!!
What really set this man’s faith apart was revealed when a someone pointed out that the Roman not only asked for a miraculous healing . . . he asked Jesus to heal his servant long-distance! He was praying big!! Faith in a great God is evidenced by requests that are out of the ordinary. How often my prayers are those for the humanly possible. The things which require faith are the things that are not humanly possible. Jesus marveled and said, “I have not seen such great faith, even in Israel”. In Matthew it says, “And his servant was healed in that same hour.”

Monday, November 8, 2021

Monday, November 8, 2021
Moses recorded his experience asking God a very big request.

Exodus 33:18 Then Moses said, “I pray you, show me Your glory!” (NASB)

Have you ever been hesitant to pray for a certain request? Maybe it seemed too big or unusual. On the other hand, you know the Bible teaches that – with God, nothing is impossible! Never be afraid to pray a BIG prayer request or a difficult prayer request . . . God can handle it. Leave the answer up to Him!

Remember when Moses gathered the Israelites around Mount Sinai, and he went up into the cloud of God’s glory and received the 10 commandments? Remember, also, upon returning to the people Moses found they had created an idol and begun worshipping it! (How is it people can respond so differently to the visible presence of God?) Moses had to intercede on behalf of Israel to prevent God from wiping out the nation. Having secured a merciful forgiveness from the Almighty — Moses has something to request for himself!

Moses asked to see God’s glory. After all, he had spent a lot of time speaking to God; he was desirous of knowing more. The Bible says, “no one can see God and live.” So, God showed Moses as much of His glory as any mortal man could bear! Read about it for yourself in Exodus chapter 33.

Friday, November 5, 2021

Friday, November 5, 2021
The Psalmist David writes how God is capable of directing the conduct of a receptive follower, with merest hint of divine will.
Psalms 32:8 (God says) I will instruct you and teach you in the way which you should go; I will counsel you with My eye upon you. (NASB)
One community has life-size cut-outs of one of their deputies holding a device that clocks how fast motorists are going. These “card-board cops” are positioned around the community where cars are apt to speed. The result? Cars slow down! And get this, they slow down even if they know it’s a cardboard cop!! Why? Because even the suggestion of a policeman watching, affects how people drive.
The Bible backs this up when it says God will counsel you with His eye. My father was a pastor and when I was restless and noisy in church — or even tempted to be — I dreaded looking up at the platform and seeing my father’s eye upon me like a laser! I straightened up immediately!! May we live in constant awareness of the presence of God and turn from temptation with the mere thought — He is watching.

Thursday, November 4, 2021

Thursday, November 4, 2021
King Solomon reminds you God sees the good and the bad; the one to reward and the other to judge.
Proverbs 15:3 The eyes of the Lord are in every place, watching over the evil and the good. (NASB)
We often think evil doers get away with it. No one ever gets away with wrongdoing! This is a lie of the enemy. The Bible says that which is hidden will be made known; eventually punishment will be exacted. Not every time does God take the life of the evil! A friend reminds me to pray for the salvation of those who do evil; something our Lord modeled on the cross!
Every Christ-follower would be hopelessly and justly condemned to — eternal separation from God and the bliss of Heaven — were it not for His amazing grace! Bible-teacher Chip Ingram talks about the “velvet vise” of God that steadily increases pressure on our hearts until we willingly cry out, “I give” — confessing our wrong-doing. If you have a sin God is convicting you of – stop, do not delay in humbly confessing it, and turning from it. If you have never had the sin in your life taken care of, go to www.familylife.org and click on the box that asks, “Do you know Jesus?”

Wednesday, November 3, 2021

Wednesday, November 3, 2021
The apostle Peter writes that the Lord sees your good deeds, even if no one else does.
I Peter 3:12 “For the eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous, and His ears attend to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil” (NASB)
“Óut of sight out of mind” Since God is a spirit, and His judgment doesn’t fall immediately . . . it’s so easy to forget that He sees EVERYTHING! The extra time you sacrifice to tutor your child in schoolwork; the money that you had saved for something special for, is given cheerfully when God nudges your obedient heart. Even if no one else knows the deeds you humbly do for Him – HE does!
The implication is that if God sees, He will protect! The day in which Peter wrote his letter the government was ruled by the evil emperor Nero, who killed Christians as a scapegoat for his own madness when he burned Rome. Not every Christian was saved from Rome, but God heard their prayers, and their lives were better and more blessed even if they perished.
The eyes of the Lord are also upon the evil and He is angry with them every day! No one wants to be the object of God’s wrath. When the children of God are persecuted, in time, God will apply vengeance as only He can. Ultimately, those who do evil will not prosper in the same way as those who enjoy God’s favor.

Tuesday, November 2, 2021

Tuesday, November 2, 2021
The prophet Samuel declares that a person’s external qualities are not as important to God as inner character.
I Samuel 16:7 “for God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” (NASB)
As human beings we are all about externals: the right clothes, perfect teeth, and cosmetic surgery is a big industry. None of these things are wrong! But the most important part of you is what you are on the inside – your character, the part God sees!
Today’s verses are all about God’s choice of a king for Israel. The prophet Samuel was sent to the house of Jesse, by God, to find a king among his 8 sons. These young men were evidently all good looking, and Samuel thought they were all — king material! God told him not to base his opinion on externals, because God looks at inner qualities like faith and courage. Jesse’s youngest, David, would be the next king. He looked good inside and out!