March 23 - Pulling Up Roots

 Read today’s texts first: Joshua 15-17; 1 Corinthians 8

MAXIMize YOUR DAY

Sins are like weeds. If you don’t pull them out
by the roots, they will grow and multiply
bigger and stronger than ever!

Unlike my friends, I didn't get an allowance from my parents. We lived in a nice house, our dad seemed well-off (he owned six businesses), but the Buzza kids had to work for every cent. One of my favourite chores was pulling weeds. The demographics for this free-enterpriser were ideal - two acres of yards, lots of gardens and rockeries, and a ravine behind us when pickings were slim. At one cent per weed, the pay rate may violate child labour laws today, but back then seven weeds could buy you a popsicle! My dad did have one big condition, though - no root, no money!

Now that I’ve had my own rockeries, I understand the principle. With the return of spring comes weeds, and I could always see a big difference where I weeded last fall from where Jan “helped” me. She didn’t grow up with my dad so she didn’t pull up the roots when she weeded. Well, they not only survived the winter, they grew back bigger and stronger than ever, with new baby weeds!

This is a simple explanation for why God wanted all the corrupt Canaanite nations completely uprooted from the promised land (Deut. 31:3-6). If they were allowed to hang around, they would soon spread and choke off the spiritual life of Israel (Deut. 31:16-21). But as God predicted, Israel became lazy, tired, or fearful, and stopped short of driving out all the Canaanite nations from their allotted lands (15:63; 16:10; 17:12). The rest of the story we will be reading in the days ahead, but bookmark these verses. They become the reason for Israel’s continuing failures and ultimately their deportation from the promised land.

“Lord, I ask for your help in pulling up the roots of sin in my own life, anything that could spring up later to choke off our relationship or hinder anyone else in their relationship with You (1 Cor. 8:9-13).”

March 22 - Old Faithful

 Read today’s texts first: Joshua 12-14;1 Corinthians 7

MAXIMize YOUR DAY

May what was said of Caleb be said of me:
He has a different spirit and follows me wholeheartedly!

Spring has sprung, the grass has ris, it’s the time I used to visit my good friend I lovingly called “Old Faithful.” I’m not referring to my gushing friend in Yellowstone, although this old geezer has visited that old geyser many times (each May on student tour). I am talking about my beloved Craftsman lawn mower with its reliable Briggs and Stratton motor. Two decades old, zero maintenance, never flush the fuel tank, never change the oil, started first pull every spring. I loved my mower! Faithfulness is one of my core values. Although I don’t always live up to it, I aspire to!

That’s why the story of Caleb inspires me. He and Joshua were the only two of the ten spies who believed Israel could possess the promised land, giants and all. God said Caleb has a different spirit and follows me wholeheartedly (Numbers 13:30; 14:24,30). He lived up to his name, which literally means “faithful,” “whole-hearted.”

Caleb, Joshua, and Moses were the only grown men to survive the wilderness wanderings, with God’s help. And knowing God was with him, at the ripe young age of 85, Caleb asked for the hill country of Hebron. Guess why? Because that’s where the giants lived, in the most fortified cities in all of Canaan. Love that guy, maybe more than my mower! God loved him too, and helped him take the land for himself and his family (14:6-14).

“Lord, You gave me this appreciation for the quality of faithfulness. Now I pray that I can live up to it and finish my life well. Like Caleb, if I need to face a few giants in my old age, I can “mow” them down with Your help!”

March 21 - Listening Skills

 Read today’s texts first: Joshua 9-11;1 Corinthians 6

MAXIMize YOUR DAY

God wants us to listen to Him and, shocker,
He actually wants to listen to us. 

I regularly teach pre-marriage couples about interactive and reflective listening gleaned from my 46 years of wedded bliss to Jan. Okay, I pretend to know what I’m talking about but after more than four decades, I admit, it’s still a work in progress. Guys - can you ever understand what your wife is really saying? 

If that’s true of married couples, imagine the communication gap between man and God! And yet, God wants us to listen to Him and, shocker, He actually wants to listen to us. That’s the way it was in the beginning - Adam and Eve walking and talking with God in Eden (Gen. 3:8). That’s the way it can be with us now if Jesus lives in our hearts (Rev. 3:20). But we can even see God pursuing that kind of relationship with man before the finished work of Calvary. He talked with Moses face to face (Ex. 33:11; Deut. 34:10). Now, in our reading today, He is listening to Joshua (10:14).

In earlier blogs we’ve talked about the importance of listening to God, consulting with Him before every major decision. For the most part, Joshua did that, and when he didn’t (eg. Ai, the Gibeonites), the consequences were devastating. But we know that; we see it over and over again in Scripture, and we can get the impression that our relationship with God is one-sided. Just listen to God and do what He says (like marriage, right guys?). But what stood out to me in this passage was this verse: there has never been a day like it before or since, a day when God listened to a human being (10:14).

That was true. God may never again rearrange the solar system because we asked Him to, but He does listen to us. Recently, God encouraged me with a miracle of my own, small to some but huge to me, just to confirm I had made a good decision. It was a special moment between us, too personal for this blog, but life-changing for me. “Lord, thank You that not only do You speak regularly to me, You also listen.”

March 20 - Ai Yi Yi!

 Read today’s texts first: Joshua 7.8; Psalms 69; 1 Corinthians 5

MAXIMize YOUR DAY

You can’t eat yesterday’s manna (except on the Sabbath) and you can’t fight new battles with old strategies. 

Joshua and the Israelites quickly go from the thrill of victory at Jericho to the agony of defeat at Ai. I love Bible names, especially when they fit the story. For example, at Shittim, they were in deep doo-doo (Numbers 25:1-3). After their first attack on Ai, it was “Ai yi yi” (Joshua 7:3-5). Another way to remember this city is “A (eh), I got this!”

After their miraculous rout at Jericho, they quickly became overconfident. One look at the far less fortified city of Ai and the scouts were saying, “hey, we don’t even need to send the whole army. Two or three thousand should do it. Give the other guys the day off!” So Joshua forgot about his bare-footed conversation with Jesus, decided he didn’t even need to pray this time, and, as a result, lost 36 men.

This is so typical of human nature. As soon as things start to go well, we think we’re the reason and soon forget about God. Then we fail, fall flat on our faces, come crawling back to God, only to repeat the cycle. It happens over and over again with God’s people, the Israelites and us, myself included!

There are at least two things to remember from this story. First, keep sin out of the camp. We can see it with Israel (7:11,12) and with the church (1 Cor. 5:1,2). If we expect God to fight our battles for us we had better keep our hearts pure. Second, don’t fall back on what worked in the past. Israel learned you can’t eat yesterday’s manna (except on the Sabbath) and you can’t fight new battles with old strategies. It’s fascinating to see how God gave Israel a new plan for every challenge they would face - for Ai it was the first recorded example of the classic pincer movement. Israel would need to consult with God every time they went to war. The same is true for us.

“Lord, thank You for the successes You’ve given me in the past. But today is a new day and I need to hear from You for the challenges ahead!”

March 19 - Shoes Off

  Read today’s texts first: Joshua 3-6; 1 Corinthians 4

MAXIMize YOUR DAY

While Nike is telling me to put on their shoes and
“just do it,” I’m taking my shoes off and saying
I can only do it with God’s help!

I grew up playing in the ravine behind our house. No matter where mom was in the house, when I came in through the back door she could somehow hear me, and I could clearly hear her: “shoes off!” Mom worked hard to keep our home clean and she didn’t want any of her six kids trailing the grime of the dirty world outside inside, on to her spotless linoleum!

Joshua heard the same thing from God, just like his mentor Moses did (5:15; Exodus 3:5). God’s

command had the same intent as my mom’s, sort of. This is holy ground - take your shoes off! Don’t bring the grimy sin of this world into My presence! That’s why Jesus taught us to confess our sins when we pray (Matthew 6:12) so that those contaminants can be removed from us as far as the east is from the west (Psalm 103:12).

But for Joshua, taking off his sandals was more than just removing the sin of his past; it was a symbol of his humility and dependence on God moving forward. God promised to give Joshua the land everywhere he placed the sole of his foot (1:3). But He was now saying (clearly the Commander in this story was a Christophany, Jesus Himself), if you expect to take this promised land, you will have do it My way or no way.

When we face impossible circumstances, when there are walled fortresses in front of us that need to come crashing down, we can’t lace up our old boots and expect to kick down those walls ourselves. God often leads us into situations we can’t overcome in our own strength. He wants us to strip away our pride and humbly acknowledge our desperate need for His help (1 Cor. 4). “Lord, I do that today. While Nike is telling me to put on their shoes and “just do it,” I’m taking my shoes off and saying I can only do it with Your help. With Joshua, I fall at Your feet and ask, what does my Lord say to His servant (5:14).”

 

March 18 - The Scarlet Cord

Read today’s texts first: Joshua 1,2; Psalms 37; 1 Corinthians 3

MAXIMize YOUR DAY

The scarlet cord of Calvary keeps our “house”
and the foundation beneath it strong
even when the world collapses around us. 

I still remember the flannel graph of a scarlet rope hanging down the wall. I don’t remember how my Sunday School teacher explained what a prostitute was, but I will never forget how kind God was in saving Rahab and her entire family. It began that day, but my appreciation for the red thread woven masterfully through the entire Bible has grown every day since!

As we begin reading through Joshua and the destruction of the pagan nations occupying the promised land, we could see God as merciless. But this incredible opening story of Rahab should give us a better perspective of God’s amazing grace.

First, notice that news travels fast, even before facebook. These nations were already aware of the God of Israel, and they were terrified (2:9-11). They could have been spared had they asked for mercy, like Rahab, but they were too proud and corrupt. Ironically, it was a prostitute, someone likely with a low sense of self-worth, who was humble enough to turn to God for help. Paul talks about people like Rahab, like us, when he says that God has chosen the foolish and weak to shame the so-called “wise” and “strong” (1 Cor. 1:27). Remarkably, Rahab was not only welcomed among God’s chosen people (6:25), but she was included in the very lineage of Jesus (Matthew 1:5)! But there is another bloodline that is the most remarkable part of this story.

The scarlet cord bringing salvation to Rahab and her family is such a clear symbol of the red thread that weaves its way through the entire Bible. It is the bloodline of sacrifice that points us to the Lamb of God, whose blood poured down the cross of Calvary to save all of us who would receive Him as our Saviour and accept Him as our Lord.

“Thank You Lord that You cared enough for Rahab to keep her house and the wall beneath it standing while the rest of the walls came tumbling down. You’ve done the same for me and my family because of Jesus and the scarlet cord of Calvary!”

March 17 - The Mind of Christ

 Read today’s texts first: Deuteronomy 32-34; 1 Corinthians 2

MAXIMize YOUR DAY

St. Patty said it best: All that I am, I have received from God…Christ beside me, Christ before me, Christ behind me, Christ within me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me. 

Today is Kaitlyn’s birthday. It’s easy to remember, mostly because my oldest granddaughter is so special to me, but also because it’s St. Patrick’s Day. His legacy, combined with an obvious theme from our readings today, give me great hope for Kaitlyn’s future (she used to be known as Katie, but now that she’s a teenager she thinks Kaitlyn better suits her new-found maturity!).

Katie, I mean Kaitlyn, is the brightest, most precocious child I’ve ever known (her mom, my daughter Carissa, was close)! I remember when she was 7 and I was helping her make bracelets for her brother and little sister. I remember asking her some basic questions about her technique, you know, to make her feel smart. She must have suspected the questions were too patronizing because she stopped, squinted at me and asked, quite sarcastically, “how old are you?” I guess she thought I should know the answers without asking her. Her teachers at school must have fun!

She will need that sharp mind, and the mind of Jesus who lives inside of her, as she faces a very challenging future. It’s not easy navigating through life, especially today, when there are so many fools out there trying to convince us there is no God (Psalm 14:1). But Moses reassures us: their rock is not our Rock; our enemies are by themselves (32:31). It was God’s presence that distinguished Israel from the heathen nations; it was God’s guidance that led them to victory against overwhelming odds. Paul said that even Satan and his minions, with their elaborate plans against us, are clueless. If they knew what was going on they would not have crucified the Lord of glory (2:6-8). Big mistake – their Waterloo!

St. Patrick, born Maewyn Succat, discovered he had the mind of Christ (2:16). Maewyn lived a normal childhood as the son of a wealthy landowner and magistrate in Britain. But tragically, at 16, he was captured during a raid on his village and then sold into slavery in Ireland. After six years Maewyn escaped to France and became a priest, adopting the name Patrick.  During his training, Patrick heard God calling him to go preach the gospel to Irish pagans. He went back to Ireland where he had been abused as a slave, established monasteries across the country, set up schools and churches, and converted many over 30 years of ministry. He died on March 17, the day we commemorate as St. Patrick's Day.

This quotation from St. Patrick is my prayer and God’s promise for me and for Kaitlyn: I am certain in my heart that “all that I am,” I have received from God…Christ beside me, Christ before me, Christ behind me, Christ within me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me.

March 16 - My Heart in my Mouth

 Read today’s texts first: Deuteronomy 30,31; Psalm 40; 1 Corinthians 1

MAXIMize YOUR DAY 

God’s law should continually flow from our hearts
to our mouths, from the inside out. 

Have you heard the expression, my heart was in my mouth? It simply means I was feeling very emotional or passionate about something or someone. It is the way we are supposed to love and obey God, with all of our heart and soul (30:2,6,10). If the law is applied from the outside in, then it can degenerate into heartless legalism. Can you say “Pharisee”? But it was always God’s intent to write His law in our hearts, even before Jesus made it possible for the Spirit of the Law-giver to live in us. And, according to all our readings today, His law should continually flow from our hearts to our mouths, from the inside out (30:14; Ps. 40:8-10; 1Cor. 1:5).

Jesus explained how we speak out of the overflow of our hearts (Luke 6:45). We can see and hear how true that is in the conversations of the newly-in-love. As the former president of Pacific Life “Bridal” College, I sat through countless pre-marriage sessions with couples who couldn’t stop talking about how much they loved each other. My job was to warn them of the day when that might not be the case, and to teach them how to continually fan the flames of romance.

In our OT reading, God is doing the same thing with His bride. He is essentially saying, you love me now when you need me to get you into the land of promise. However, when you start to prosper, you will forget me, mark My words. You will become enamored with other gods and your conversations will be about them, not Me (29:9-29; 30:15-20; 31:16-18). But He assures them and us, The Word is very near you. It is in your mouth and in your heart, so you can do it! (30:14).

“Lord, I am loving this time we have every day to let Your Word fill my heart. Hopefully, it will overflow through my mouth (and from my blog) to encourage others!”

March 15 - Live Long and Prosper

 Read today’s texts first: Deuteronomy 28,29; Galatians 6

MAXIMize YOUR DAY

To “live long and prosper” has more to do with the life
to come , where “one man has gone before!” 

Again, the tension we see between our OT and NT readings helps us develop a balanced perspective. Those who think we will always be healthy and wealthy if we believe and confess God’s Word (the prosperity movement) love the promises of Deuteronomy (28:1-14): The Lord will grant you abundant prosperity (11).

If you believe that, you are right, to a point. If we do things God’s way we will always be better off. First of all, God is the Creator so He knows how things work. Most of what He asks us to do is common sense. If we are honest, hard-working employees, we will likely stay working and maintain a steady income. If we live good, clean, moral lives we will avoid self-destructive addictions. If we love our families we will take care of them and teach them well, and they will likely grow up to be successful like us. On top of these natural consequences is the supernatural God factor. God will look out for us when things are beyond our control.

However, how do we explain the hardship Jesus endured. Prosperity teachers will say Jesus went through all of those things so we wouldn’t have to. Okay, what about Paul, or for that matter, the rest of the apostles and persecuted believers of the New Testament churches? Did you notice Paul’s comment about his big handwritten letters at the end of his epistle (6:11)? Did you also pick up on the illness he had when he first preached in Galatia (4:12-15)? He said that the Galatians felt so sorry for him that they would have been willing to give their eyes to him.

I suspect Paul had some type of eye disease that made it difficult for him to write (that’s why he had other people transcribe his letters). There’s good support that this was a chronic condition, and may have been what Paul called his “thorn in the flesh” (2 Corinthians 12:7-9). Whether it was or not, we can’t categorize Paul’s life as healthy and wealthy (2 Corinthians 11:23-27). Stonings, beatings, shipwrecks, snake bite, illness, prison, and, oh yeah, martyrdom - none of those things seem prosperous.

Paul does confirm the promises of Deuteronomy, though - we will reap what we sow, but if we sow to please the Spirit, from the Spirit we will reap eternal life (6:7-9). That’s what it really means to live long and prosper (take note Trekkies)!  “Thank You Lord that Your promises of prosperity are true to those who trust and obey, if not completely in this world then most certainly in the world to come (where one Man has gone before!).”

March 14 - Loopholes or Whole Hearts

 Read today’s texts first: Deuteronomy 25-27; Galatians 5

MAXIMize YOUR DAY

The law tries to conform us from the outside in,
but God’s Spirit transforms us from the inside out! 

As the OT laws become more specific, from taking care of your ox to protecting your privates in a fight (25:4,11,12), we can see the inadequacy of external laws. We may chuckle at some of them because society has changed so much, but in reality man’s attempts at writing laws are far more detailed.

The Rabbis expanded on God’s simple sabbath rules in the Mishnah, with its 39 major categories and hundreds of subcategories, from tying certain knots to writing adjoining letters. While in Jerusalem on Shabbat, I was fascinated (and a little frustrated) watching the hotel elevators automatically stop on every floor so we wouldn’t violate any work rules by pushing a button.

The western world has its own share of overly specific laws. In Normal, Oklahoma, it is illegal to antagonize a dog by making funny faces (seems “normal” to me). In Memphis, Tennessee, they still have a law in the books that forbids women from driving unless a man drives another vehicle in front with a red flag to warn other motorists!

Lawyers make a living studying hundreds of law books looking for loopholes. It’s human nature. I caught my granddaughter with a juice box in the family room after just explaining that eating is confined to the dining room. Her response – “I wasn’t eating; I was drinking!” I need to write my own Mishnah!

Paul, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, gives us God’s perspective on the law. We need the law to show us how corrupt our sinful nature really is. But after Jesus fulfilled the demands of the law for us, it is now possible for the Law-giver to live in our hearts. Our sinful nature is transformed by His nature. His divine attributes, the fruit of the Spirit, begin to guide our actions in every situation (5:22-25), exceeding what the law demands (Matthew 5-7). The law tries to conform us from the outside in, but God’s Spirit transforms us from the inside out!

“Lord, thank You that I no longer live for myself, looking for loopholes to excuse my sin. I can live for You, loving You and others with my whole heart.”

March 13 - From Slaves to Sons

 Read today’s texts first: Deuteronomy 22-24; Galatians 4

MAXIMize YOUR DAY

As slaves we should know the Law, but as sons
we can know the Father - the Spirit of the Law. 

You’ll notice that the New Hope reading plan is more chronological (in order of their historical timeline) than sequential (in the order the books appear in the canon). However, the combinations of the OT and NT readings may also be related by theme. For example, reading Paul’s gospel-centered perspective on the law (Galatians) while wading through the most detailed sections of Jewish law (Deuteronomy) may be more than a just a happy coincidence.

Some wonder how much of the OT law applies today. The ones with timeless application are obvious. For example, the Ten Commandments fit our day as well as the day they were written. But some of the laws we’ve been reading lately relate to camp cleanliness, slavery, multiple marriages, farming, dated construction techniques, etc. They have no specific application to our life today in a developed nation. Relax, you are not sinning if you don’t leave your house carrying a shovel when you have to relieve yourself (23:12-14). Toilets and indoor plumbing have rendered that law unnecessary. Yet, the intent of protecting ourselves from disease still applies.

Paul helps to shape our perspective with his Spirit-inspired common sense approach to the law. When we were slaves to sin, the law was helpful in guiding us toward the promise of a Saviour. But when Jesus came and finally fulfilled the law, His followers were adopted - from slaves to sons, with the Spirit of the Father now resident within them (4:1-7). “Lord, thank You for redeeming me as a slave and adopting me as Your son. You guide me every day, not by the letter of the law but by the Spirit of the law who lives inside me (Romans 7:6)!”

March 12 - God’s Curse, Our Blessing

 Read today’s texts first: Deuteronomy 19-21; Galatians 3

 MAXIMize YOUR DAY

The curse Jesus endured became our blessing!

It’s sometimes difficult to read through this section of the law - it seems so harsh! But, we must remember how barbaric the middle eastern culture was at this time in history (and by comparison, still is today). The Judaic law was far more just and civilized than any ancient culture of that day. In fact, the way Jesus applied OT law (Judeo Christian values) has become the foundational justice system of most developed nations today.

But what struck me this time was the practice of raising the bodies of those guilty of capital crimes on a pole as an example to others. According to 21:23, anyone who is raised on a pole is under God’s curse. Coincidentally, our reading in Galatians quotes that same verse in reference to Jesus: Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: “cursed is everyone who is hung on a pole” (3:13).

Think about that. We are all law breakers, guilty of the harshest of judgments. The wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23a). We deserve to be put up on that pole, but Jesus, God’s only Son, became cursed for us, sinless yet sentenced to die on that cross in our place: the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 6:23b).

Reading about the law reminds us of how much we need God’s amazing grace. If we were to be justified by the law then we would die, but instead we are justified by faith in Jesus. That’s what the book of Galatians is all about. Paul is addressing those who are trying to undermine faith in the gospel message by emphasizing the works of the law. The law can point out our sin but falls short of saving us. “Thank You Lord for doing what I couldn’t; fulfilling the demands of the law in my place. The curse You endured became my blessing!”

March 11 - The Man Who Would Be King

 Read today’s texts first: Deuteronomy 16-18; Psalm 38; Galatians 2

MAXIMize YOUR DAY

Two avoid the pitfalls of power: study God’s Word
every day and remember He is God & you are not.

The above title I borrowed from a novella written by Rudyard Kipling. It features two British adventurers who, through superior knowledge and firepower, become revered as gods by the people of Kafiristan. They rule there as kings until one of them is bitten by his kafir wife and bleeds. Because gods aren’t supposed to bleed, they suffer rejection by the kafirs and an unpleasant end to their lives. The title and the plot are fitting to what will happen in Israel.

The Israelites, as God’s chosen people, were supposed to be ruled by God (1 Samuel 8:6,7). But God, who sees man’s choices before they’re made, knows that someday they will want to have a human king, just like the other nations. He warns them well in advance what can happen when you give a man that kind of god-like power. The three areas of temptation come into play: the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life (1 John 2:16). They will tend to gather women (lust of the flesh), wealth (lust of the eyes), and weapons (eg. horses=power=pride of life) (Deuteronomy 17:14-17).

The same thing can happen today with God’s chosen people, His church. Some Christians don’t want to be directly accountable to God so they set up their pastor to rule as their priest and king. That way, instead of feeling personally responsible, they can sit back, complain when things don’t go well, and get rid of their pastor when they discover he or she was human after all!

But God gives two simple rules for leaders to avoid the pitfalls of power: study God’s Word every day so you remember that He is God and you are not, and never consider yourself better than those you lead (17:18-20). “Lord, I have learned, sometimes the hard way, that You are my God and King; any influence I have comes only through submission to You!”

March 10 - The Law of Love

Read today’s texts first: Deuteronomy 13-15; Galatians 1

 MAXIMize YOUR DAY

The congruence between our words and actions is called “integrity” - the “integration” of faith and works! 

Some Christians dismiss much of the Old Testament, thinking it focuses on the law while the teachings of Jesus and the New Testament seem to focus on love. Then they tie the law to “legalism,” a bad thing, and love to “relationship,” a good thing. Next they start to disconnect obedience to God’s laws with their love for God. The end result - Christians who lie, steal, dishonour their parents, and commit adultery during the week, but sing love songs to God on Sunday morning.

Jesus wasn’t the first one to connect God’s laws to love. He summed up all the commands in two: love God and love others. But He got that idea from OT law (compare Matthew 22:37-40 with Deut. 6:5 and Lev. 19:18). The first 5 of His 10 commandments have to do with loving God; the next 5 relate to loving people. We prove our love for God by obeying His laws (John 13:34,35; 14:15).

We see this over and over in our readings today. If we love God with all your heart and soul, we will not worship false gods (13:3), we will eat what God tells us to eat (14:2,3), we will set aside our tithes for Him (14:22,23), observe the sabbath day and sabbath year, take care of the poor, and so on. We prove our love by our obedience - walking the talk! The congruence between our words of love for God and our actions is called integrity – “integration” between our faith and works.

“Lord, I want to love You with all my heart, soul, mind and strength, my words and my actions.”

March 9 - The Lord is my Inheritance

 Read today’s texts first: Deuteronomy 10-12; Mark 16

MAXIMize YOUR DAY

When you devote your life to God’s business,
He’ll take care of yours.

We tend to speed read through the OT “law library,” as the fast-paced action-packed stories of Genesis and Exodus slows down into the fine details of God’s laws. But Deuteronomy means “the second law” because it reviews, expands, and beautifully illustrates the law. It’s one of my favourite books because it has so many memorable passages and devotional insights.

The one phrase that caught my eye and heart this time was in reference to the Levites. They were the only tribe who did not receive any portion of the promised land. This is why the Levites have no share or inheritance among their fellow Israelites; The Lord is their inheritance (10:9). I love this statement. In fact, I said the same thing to my financial advisor after he reviewed my meager retirement funds!

I really do believe when you devote your life to God’s business, He’ll take care of yours. I’ve seen it over and over again, especially within my own family. Jan’s dad and mom never had high-paying secular jobs and never owned a house. They devoted their lives to ministry. Helen continued to pastor her flock of seniors at Courtyard Terrace until her 98^th birthday. Yet they never lacked for the essentials of life, and still managed to leave both a financial and spiritual legacy to their children. Their inheritance was the Lord, and their children, grand children, and great grand children got to share in that inheritance. Now that’s a retirement plan with dividends that are out of this world, literally!

That doesn’t mean we should be foolish with our resources, but the promises of provision and protection throughout the rest of our readings today apply to everyone who loves God and obeys His commands, especially those who do it full time. “Lord, You are my inheritance and while I may not have much financially to pass on to my children and grand children, You are more than enough for them too!”

March 8 - How to Fix a Stiff Neck

 Read today’s texts first: Deuteronomy 7-9; Mark 15

 MAXIMize YOUR DAY
Turning our heads around and lifting our heads up
regularly will prevent a spiritual stiff neck!

I have often been bothered by a stiff neck, in more ways than one. One of the perks in helping my kids with their careers was the free massages. A local massage college offered last minute bookings free to struggling actors, like my son who does occasional “extra” work (and me, his “agent” of sorts). These massage therapy students taught me how to free up my neck muscles through regular neck rotations and I’ve never felt better.

In the Bible the physical problem is a metaphor for a spiritual one (9:6,13). The Jews understood the term “stiff-necked”- they used it in reference to oxen that refused to turn their necks and change direction when prodded by the ox goad. God called His people stiff-necked when they would not respond to His prodding. The solution for a spiritual stiff-neck is much the same as the physical – regular neck rotations. Sometimes we get so focused on the present and the future, staring straight ahead, that we forget where we came from and how we got here. That’s why Moses is reminding God’s people, and that includes us, to “remember” (7:18; 8:2,18; 9:7), “don’t forget” (8:11,14,19; 9:7).

We need to turn our heads once in a while, look back, and remember that we didn’t get here through our own efforts. God brought us here – it had nothing to do with our power or strength (8:17,18) or our righteousness (9:6), but by God’s grace. When we stop looking around at what God has done for us (9:29) or looking up to thank Him every day for His provision (8:10), our spiritual necks will stiffen up. By the way, is saying grace before every meal a lost discipline, because if so, we need to find it again and fast. Turning our heads around and lifting our heads up regularly will prevent a spiritual stiff neck!

“Lord, remembering what You did (Mark 15) once a month during church communion is not enough exercise. Help me to keep my neck loose by looking back every day at what You did for me in the past and looking up with a heart of thanks for all that You’ve provided for me right now!”

March 7 - Stay Awake. Part 2

 Read today’s texts first: Deuteronomy 5,6; Psalm 43; Mark 14

MAXIMize YOUR DAY

Sometimes the spirit is willing but the flesh is “asleep!” 

More of the same today - me nodding off again while reading the Bible, and another reminder from those readings to stay awake. In this account it’s the disciples who can’t keep their eyes open. They know Jesus is distressed and sorrowful (14:33), facing betrayal and a possible death sentence. He urges them to stay awake and stand guard while He goes into the garden to pray. Three times He comes back to find them sound asleep (32-41).

You would think after their intense last supper with Jesus, the disciples would be aware of how important the next few hours would be. If not, what Jesus said next should have given them a clue: Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak (38). We can only guess, but had they stayed awake and prayed with Jesus, maybe they wouldn’t have deserted Him during the tortuous hours ahead.

But the real sequel to this “wake-up” theme is found in the OT reading. Not only do we need to be vigilant for our own good but also to safeguard our children. As the protective Hebrew nation moved into the promised land, they were being exposed to the perversion of other nations, much like Christian families experience today. While some parents try to shelter their kids through Christian schools or home-schooling, that may not be enough. We need to help our children wake up to evil in our world and teach them how to follow God’s Word. The advice in Deuteronomy 6:4-9 applies to parents today: talking about God and His commands with our kids as they start and end each day, reading it, posting it on our walls, memorizing it, and, most of all, living it!

“Lord, thank You for the opportunity I now have to spend more time with my grand kids. Help me as I help them wake up spiritually, learning to hate evil and love You and Your Word!” 

March 6 - Stay Awake

 Read today’s texts first: Deuteronomy 3,4; Psalm 36; Mark 13

 MAXIMize YOUR DAY

Like frogs in a simmering kettle, we think we’re lounging in a hot tub but we’re really just neck-deep in “hot water!” From comfort to compromise to comatose! 

Normally I get excited when it’s time to read God’s Word each day, but I must confess - I remember a day when I fell asleep reading these passages, several times! There was a good reason. We had just spent the week looking after our three grandkids and their dog, Sadie Belle. Let’s just say I had renewed appreciation for my parents who raised the six of us (although we were exceptionally good and mature well beyond our years). My grandkids were also exceptionally good, but Sadie was not (still is not) well trained. She did live up to her breed name (a cockapoo), leaving plenty of cucca and poo on every carpet in the house. Where's Cesar Millan when you need him?! 

So when I read the last two words from Mark 13, “stay awake,” I really felt convicted. Spiritually, this is exactly what can happen to any of us at one time or another. We get caught up in the demands of every-day life and forget what and Who we are living for. If we are not alert, we can become like the godless world we live in. Like frogs in a simmering kettle, we may think we are lounging in a hot tub but we soon discover we’re really just neck-deep in “hot water!” From comfort to compromise to comatose!

The readings in both Deuteronomy and Mark carry warnings coupled with prophetic consequences for disobedience: listen to the rules (4:1), observe them carefully (4:6), be careful and watch yourselves closely (4:9), be careful not to forget (4:23), watch out (13:5), be on guard, be alert (13:9,23,33), stay awake (13:35,37)! What was promised in Deuteronomy came true in startling detail; the same will happen for the end times prophecy predicted in Mark 13.

“Lord, I may get tired at times physically, but I can never nod off spiritually. Reading Your Word each day helps me stay alert to possible compromise and keeps me out of hot water!”

March 5 - Little is Much

 Read today’s texts first: Deuteronomy 1,2; Mark 12

MAXIMize YOUR DAY

God delights in using little things, little amounts and little people to accomplish much! 

I love the truth found in the old hymn, “Little is Much When God is In It.” It was written by Kittie Suffield, who ministered with her husband and the pastor’s son from their home church in Ottawa, George Beverly Shea. They lived this message and God blessed their humble beginnings as evangelists to impact a world through the Billy Graham ministries.

What made me think of the song was the contrast between the Pharisees and the widow in Mark 12. The religious rulers had everything you might think you need to make a difference in the world: intelligence, education, knowledge of God’s Word, power, wealth, influence. And yet, most of them used all their resources to draw attention away from Jesus and toward themselves. The widow, on the other hand, seemed to have none of those things, but she gave all of what little she had quietly to Jesus - no bragging, no fanfare, no one noticing - except Jesus. Those who have much are often afraid to give it away (like the rich ruler from Mark 10), but those who have little to give seem less hesitant to give everything. We see in our Old Testament readings how untrained nomads defeated one warrior nation after another, led by a grizzled 120 year old shepherd named Moses. That reminds me of an encouraging list of heroes from the Bible:

Noah was a drunk, Abraham was too old, Isaac was a daydreamer, Jacob was a liar, Leah was unattractive, Joseph was abused, Moses had a stuttering problem, Gideon was afraid, Rahab was a prostitute, Jeremiah and Timothy were too young, David was an adulterer, Elijah was suicidal, Isaiah preached naked, Jonah ran from God, Naomi was a widow, Job went bankrupt, John the Baptist ate bugs, Martha worried about everything, Mary Magdalene was possessed by demons, the Samaritan woman was divorced several times, Zaccheus was too short, the disciples deserted Jesus, Peter denied knowing Him, Paul persecuted and killed Christians, Timothy had an ulcer… AND, oh yeah, Lazarus was dead!

“Lord, You seem to delight in using little things, little amounts, and little people to accomplish much. I trust that You can still use me in my advancing years and with all my inadequacies as I surrender what little I have to You!”

March 4 - The Power of Forgiveness

 Read today’s texts first: Numbers 34-36; Mark 11

 MAXIMize YOUR DAY

If you want to understand the words of Jesus,
look at His actions. They were always congruent!

At the height of the Word Faith movement, a song popular at their conferences worked its way into our Foursquare churches. It was based on the words of Jesus found in Mark 11:24: whatever you ask for in prayer, believe you have received it, and it will be yours.  Unfortunately that promise was often attached to personal prosperity. You got the impression that if you weren’t wearing a thousand dollar suit and driving a BMW you were somehow lacking in faith.

If you want to understand the words of Jesus, look at His actions (they were always congruent – it’s called “integrity”). He didn’t focus on His own personal needs. He gave up family, friends, regular income, the comforts of home, food, sleep, safety, and eventually His life. We don’t read about Him praying for a bed to sleep in, a home-cooked meal to savour, a new robe to wear, a fancy chariot to ride around in, or an investment portfolio large enough for a comfortable retirement. Despite knowing He was destined for torture and death, His prayers always seemed to focus on the needs of others.

Unfortunately, prosperity teachers would dismiss His example with another verse taken out of context: He became poor so that you by his poverty might become rich (2 Corinthians 8:9). Paul’s example (11:27) gives the balance we need to understand he is referring to spiritual riches.

The context for Mark 11:24 comes in the next verse. Jesus strangely connects our relationship with God to our relationship with others. If we can’t quickly forgive others, how can we expect God’s forgiveness or, for that matter, His answers to our prayers. The authority Jesus taught about and demonstrated in His own life (from this chapter alone: His triumphal arrival in Jerusalem, His withering words to the unfruitful fig tree, cleaning up His Father’s house) came from an unobstructed relationship with His Father.

“Lord, You are not my celestial bell-boy standing by to serve my needs. I am here to serve You by serving others. Help me to keep my heart right and my prayers answered by quickly forgiving anyone who may have offended me.”  

March 3 - Wax On, Wax Off

 Read today’s texts first: Numbers 32,33; Mark 10

MAXIMize YOUR DAY

Simple obedience, day-to-day faithfulness -
Wax on, wax off - is field training for battle! 

Karate Kid was a classic movie in so many ways, but my favourite part is Miyagi’s training regimen. At first you think the old man is violating child labour laws, getting his deck sanded, his fence painted and his car washed, pretending it has something to do with training “Danielson” for a karate championship. Then, after days of mind-numbing routine, it all comes together: “show me paint the fence, sand the deck, wax on, wax off.”

Israel experienced the same unorthodox training for battle. When you read about their string of victories over experienced Canaanite warriors you may wonder how Israel was so consistently successful in battle. What transformed this community of farmers and builders into an unstoppable fighting force? The answer comes in the next chapter - sort of. It’s a history of their preparation for the conflicts awaiting them in the promised land. It’s a lot like wax on/wax off as they set up/pack up camp over and over again. They were learning the discipline of following the cloud, moving without complaining wherever God led them.

The disciples had to learn the same discipline. Jesus held up a child (eg. the Karate Kid) as their example (10:14-16) - adults tend to struggle with complicated distractions, like hard hearts (10:5), wealth (10:22), and selfish ambition (10:35). Jesus made it clear - if you want to be great, learn to serve. Watch me as I pick up my cross, follow My example, and you’ll be amazed as the powers of heaven move in behind you.

“Lord, thank You for reminding me that simple obedience, day-to-day faithfulness, is the only preparation needed to push back the gates of hell. Wax on, wax off!”

March 2 - Help My Unbelief

 Read today’s texts first: Numbers 30,31; Mark 9

 MAXIMize YOUR DAY

Our problem of unbelief must ultimately give way to simple trust in a God who knows far more than we do.

The father of the demon possessed boy probably speaks for all of us. When asked if he believed Jesus could deliver his son, he answers, “I do believe. Help my unbelief!” After walking with Jesus for over half a century, I still need help with my human doubts.

I’ve seen many undeniable miracles over those years, but I must admit to being shaken while watching a great church leader, a father of two young boys, succumb to the ravages of brain cancer. I do believe he is with Jesus right now, completely healthy and happier than we can ever imagine this side of heaven. But I still struggle with questions from my limited perspective, wondering why he had to go now and not mafter his sons had children of their own. I do believe Lord, but help my unbelief!

In both our readings today, questions are unavoidable: why are women’s vows subject to fathers and husbands (ch. 30), why did so many Midianites have to die (ch. 31), how did Moses and Elijah show up very much alive with Jesus (9:2-12), why was Jesus so fixated on His death (9:12,31), and why is there a hell for those who don’t believe (9:43-49)?

Some clues to our struggles with unbelief are found in what Jesus has to say about children (9:36,37,42). They simply believe - trusting those with more life experience to make the right decisions for them. Our adult problem of unbelief must ultimately give way to simple trust in a God who knows far more than we do.

“Lord, I do believe, but when doubts creep into my human thinking, help my unbelief! Like Peter, James, and John, who saw You transfigured before their very eyes, give me a glimpse beyond my limited perspective into eternity.”

March 1 - Sacrifice - the Antidote for Sin

 Read today’s texts first: Numbers 28,29; Mark 8

 MAXIMize YOUR DAY

When we give up our life for God and for others, we find out what life is all about! 

This is Gracie, my youngest granddaughter, at her Wee College graduation. It was wonderful cheering her on as she and her fellow grads quoted the verses they had been practicing all week long: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son...”; “A new command I give you, that you love each other as I have loved you...”; “God loves a cheerful giver”. There’s much more that they had memorized, and all of it has daily application.

Let’s face it - children are basically immature! Their conversations often center on two words: “me” and “mine.”  I could preach these verses to them when they fall short, but I prefer to hold my grandkids up as examples when they succeed, like when Kaitlyn was given a bottle of her favourite Gatorade for herself and promptly poured out two glasses first for her brother and sister.

That’s what our readings are all about today. The sacrifices called for in the OT chapters seem so onerous, but we need to be reminded that the costs of sin are high. Note the payment for sin had to be “without flaw” (28:31). That’s why we can’t atone for our own sin - we were born flawed, with a sinful, selfish nature. Our NT reading tells us that’s why Jesus came to earth, to become the perfect, sinless lamb sacrificed in our place to pay our debt of sin once and for all (8:31).

But there is more to the idea of sacrifice than payment for sin in the past. Jesus explains to His disciples that a life of sacrifice will keep them and us from sin in the future. Taking up our cross daily (34,35) and giving up our life (and Gatorade) to others, will keep us pure, uncontaminated by the “leaven of the Pharisees and Herod” (15). They were self-centered sign-seekers, looking out only for numero uno. Jesus reminded His disciples, when they were concerned about where their next meal was coming from (14), that when they were giving food away to others, they never lacked for themselves (17-21).

“Lord, thank You for reminding me today that my sinful past was forgiven because Jesus gave up His life for me, but avoiding sin in the future is possible as I follow Christ's example of selfless sacrifice. When I give up my life for You, I will discover what life is all about (34; Matthew 16:25).”

March Devo - For The Love Of God

A few minutes of scanning radio stations will confirm it – we are all obsessed with finding true love! No one questions the Beatles when they sing, “All you need is love.” We empathize with Queen and their plea, “Can anybody find me somebody to love?” Unfortunately most of us can also identify with Waylon complaining about, “looking for love in all the wrong places, looking for love in too many faces.”

We know that our two greatest psychological needs are to love and be loved. If you choose to believe that humans are the result of random evolution, good luck figuring out where that deep need for love comes from. If, on the other hand, you’ve recognized the handiwork of a Designer in everything and everyone you see around you then it won’t be hard to understand why we desperately crave “endless love” (isn’t that right, Diana and Lionel?).

The Bible, our Designer’s instruction manual, explains why. In one place it says that “God is love”; in another we are told that we are created in God’s image. It seems our need for love was placed there intentionally by the God who created us to be in relationship with Him. The Bible also tells us that the only way to fill that gaping hole in our hearts is to discover God’s love for us. When we do, we find that we now have the capacity to love Him and other people with the same kind of unselfish love He has for us: “Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love” (1 John 4:7,8). This word for love is “agape,” a word reserved only for God’s kind of love. As we approach the Easter season we are going to be reminded about how selfless and unconditional God’s love is.

I remember sitting at a fast food counter beside a young girl with some striking tattoos up one arm. One colourfully emblazoned a man’s name who I naively assumed was her husband. When I asked her about that, she reluctantly told me about her impetuous love for an old boyfriend. After they broke up she tried only dating boys with the same name but that severely limited her options. Her plan now is to remove it but she’s dreading the pain. What a vivid metaphor for the pain we all go through “looking for love in all the wrong places.” Let’s face it – “Love hurts!”

So often we get disillusioned and embittered about love because we haven’t yet discovered true love. Let’s take this month to think about the loving sacrifice of saints like St. Patrick and the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus on Good Friday and Easter. Let’s join the quest of Foreigner: “I want to know what love is!”