March 31 - The Problem of Prodigals

 Read today’s texts first: Judges 9,10; Psalms 49; 1 Corinthians 16

MAXIMize YOUR DAY

We should spend quality and quantity time with our
children, but ultimately they must choose to
follow Jesus for themselves.

There’s a disturbing trend among great leaders in the Bible. Despite their successes in leading God’s people, they didn’t always have success in raising their own families. Today’s OT reading features Abimilech, who didn’t exactly make his father Gideon proud by killing all his brothers so he could be next in line for the throne. Other leaders coming up soon in our readings had similar problems: Samuel’s sons were too corrupt to follow him (1 Samuel 8:1-5), David’s sons tried to usurp his throne from him (1 Kings 1; 2 Samuel 15-18), Hezekiah’s son Manasseh undid every good thing his father had done (2 Kings 21), and so on and so on.

These illustrations of OT prodigals help me understand two things. First, as leaders, our highest priority is to lead our families in the faith. Paul said that one of the main qualifications to look for in choosing an elder is proven success in managing his own household. If anyone does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God’s church? (1 Tim. 3:4,5). I remember one particular pastor’s conference when a pastor stood up and addressed his colleagues with this statement: “my church comes before my wife and my children.” Tragically, his wife had left him before next year’s conference, and a year later he was no longer a pastor. Misplaced priorities are costly. Our Abimilechs and Manassehs can undermine much of the good we spend our whole lives to accomplish.

But I have another observation that may help those of us who are trying to lead our families well and yet still have prodigals at home. Have you noticed that God, our Father, also has a lot of prodigals. Jesus picked Judas. Paul, who likely had no children of his own, struggled with his spiritual children, as we can see throughout his letter to the Corinthians. Pet theologies aside, free will is something we cannot control. We can and should spend quality and quantity time with our kids, model integrity, preach without words, fast, and pray for them, but ultimately our children must choose to follow Jesus for themselves. We cannot make that choice for them.

“Lord, the problem of prodigals will always be with us because You want us to love You of our own free will. I choose to do that today and I pray for my children and grandchildren that they would make that choice too!”

March 30 - Dying to Live

 Read today’s texts first: Judges 8; Psalms 42; 1 Corinthians 15

MAXIMize YOUR DAY
I like growing old! Being over the hill and on the way down is easier than going uphill.  It also means I’m
picking up speed towards a pretty cool final destination.

Today is my wife’s birthday. We won’t mention her age because apparently it’s a sensitive subject. I personally like this stage of life. Being over the hill and on our way down is technically easier than going uphill, so far. But if we are dreading death, the hope of a new life after this one should completely change our perspective.

At a recent family birthday party, we played “Loaded Questions.” One of the questions was, “which invention would you like to dis-invent?” My niece, Beth, answered, “the unflattering lighting in fitting rooms”, I answered “Facebook” (sorry, I prefer face-to-face), but my granddaughter, 7 at the time, had the most profound answer: “I would dis-invent deadness!” Well good news Kaitlyn - Jesus did just that!

Paul is urging the Corinthian church to defend the truth of Christ’s resurrection against those who deny it (15:12-14). His death was crucial in forgiving our past, but His resurrection life is crucial to our hope for the future. Because death is only a doorway to an eternal life without pain and suffering, then heading downhill means we are picking up speed towards a pretty cool final destination. Happy Birthday, Babe! Be encouraged with these words:

When our perishable earthly bodies have been transformed into heavenly bodies that will never die -- then at last the Scriptures will come true: “Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” …. So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and steady, always enthusiastic about the Lord’s work, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless (15:54,55,58). 

“Thank You Lord for the life I’m enjoying now, but I can’t wait for the perfect life ahead when I will see You face to face!”

March 29 - Broken Vessels of Light

 Read today’s texts first: Judges 6,7; Psalms 52; 1 Corinthians 14

MAXIMize YOUR DAY

Hey fellow “Crackpots” - we don’t have to pretend
to have it all together.  His light shining through
our brokenness brings Him glory! 

I loved this song, “Broken Vessels of Light” (1986, Reba Rambo - yeah, I know I’m old!). The tune was cool, Reba was ultra-cool, but it was more than that. The lyrics spoke to me. We are broken, imperfect, clay vessels, yet God chooses to live inside us (2 Cor. 4:7). We don’t have to pretend to have it all together - His light shining through our brokenness brings Him glory.

The story of Gideon is the perfect illustration, or should I say “imperfect” illustration! Here was the youngest of the poorest family in their tribe, hiding from the Midianites. Jesus shows up (the “Angel of The Lord” in the story is likely another Christophany) and calls Gideon a “mighty man of valour.” God always sees us for what we can become in Him! Then, shocker, He asks Gideon to lead Israel against the Midianites and Gideon is sure He’s got the wrong man (6:14,15).

But the best part comes later when he hears about God’s brilliant military strategy. First, reduce your troops from 32,000 to 300. Then, when you are outnumbered 450 to one (8:10 - 135,000 to 300), go to battle carrying the following lethal weapons: a trumpet and a clay pitcher with a lit torch inside. Yeah, right! Those clay pots represented Gideon, his tiny army and the rest of the bedraggled Israelites. When they were broken and dependent on God, His light shone through and their enemies were scattered. That'll preach!

“Lord, I’ve been called a crackpot before, but I’m okay with that if people see Your light shining through those cracks.”

March 28 - Women Leaders

 Read today’s texts first: Judges 4,5; Psalms 39,41; 1 Corinthians 13

MAXIMize YOUR DAY

I don’t defend women in spiritual leadership because
of political correctness or feminist pressure.
I defend it because the Bible does!

This journal entry may tick off some people but, I’m sorry - we shouldn’t make the Bible say what we want it to. In every new school year at PLBC, some of our first-year male students questioned our female students, asking them why they were there. PLBC is committed to “training leaders to make a world of difference” – you’re a woman (they would say), and God says you can’t be a leader!

One of the passages they use to proof-text that view is coming up tomorrow, which was specific instruction to women who were interrupting a church service (1 Cor. 14:33-35). But fortunately our reading today gives us some wider context. That’s why we should study the entire Bible and always remember that God doesn’t contradict Himself!  I don’t defend women in spiritual leadership because of political correctness or feminist pressure. I defend it because the Bible does, in a day when those liberal views were not prevalent. In fact, the Bible was written in a time and place when women were generally diminished and devalued by everyone but God.

Deborah was a woman, a submissive Jewish wife even, yet she was also an anointed prophet and a God-appointed leader of Israel (4:4,5). As Judge, Deborah led Israel to victory over Jabin, King of the Canaanites, bringing peace to Israel for 40 years (5:31). Some say she was only a co-leader with Barak, but that’s not what the Bible says. Barak took orders from Deborah (4:6-9).

“Lord, what I’ve told my students I vow to you: I will never tell someone - male, female, or child - they can’t lead when You may have clearly called them to do just that!”

March 27 - Psst… Pass It On

 Read today’s texts first: Judges 1,3; 1 Corinthians 12

MAXIMize YOUR DAY

Bob Dylan said it well, “you gotta serve somebody.”
If we don’t teach our children to serve God, they will serve themselves and eventually the god of this world.

There are parallels between Israel’s compromises with their heathen neighbours and the church struggling with the revived paganism of our day. I was a youth pastor over 30 years ago and I am shocked at how much more difficult it is now to keep our youth connected to church. They are being bombarded from all sides by sexual images, corrupt lyrics, and an overt celebration of sin once shunned.

Israel went through a similar culture shock. They came from a nomadic, introverted, family-centered society into a very different world. Like today, Canaanite culture was steeped in sexual perversion and violence. That is why God commanded Israel to drive them from their land. He warned Israel about entering into agreements, intermarrying, worshipping other gods, and exposing their children to such flagrant sin. But as Joshua’s generation died out, the next one did all of those things. After that whole generation had been gathered to their fathers, another generation grew up, who knew neither the Lord nor what he had done for Israel. Then the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the Lord and served the Baals (2:10,11).

Somehow the Israeli parents failed in passing their faith on to their children, and it is a repeated pattern throughout the book of Judges. Every successive generation seemed to drift from their faith, suffer the consequences from their sin, and cry out to God for help. God would hear their prayers, send a judge to deliver them from their enemies, only to see the cycle continue. The theme of that day (and ours) was every man did that which is right in their own eyes (21:25). 

Sin is simply selfishness or self-centeredness. The antidote, once you have asked God for forgiveness, is becoming outwardly focused, to loving and serving God and other people. The secret is revealed in our NT reading today: discovering the gifts of God’s Spirit within each believer and putting them to work. As our children begin to see what God has given them to give away to others, the grip of selfishness is broken. The children’s ministry at our home church does this so well. At every age level, children are given opportunity to put what they are learning about God to work, in serving and ultimately leading younger children. This is modeled by adults throughout the church and hopefully in every home. 

Bob Dylan said it well, “you gotta serve somebody.” If we don’t teach our children how to serve God, they will live to serve themselves, and eventually the god of this world. “Lord, thank you for a family and a home church that showed me how to serve You. Help me continue to pass that on to my children and grandchildren!”

March 26 - I Will Serve the Lord

 Read today’s texts first: Joshua 23,24; Psalms 44; 1 Corinthians 11

MAXIMize YOUR DAY

Be imitators of me, just as I also am of Christ (1 Cor. 11:1). Our choices not only affect us and our future, but they
influence those who are walking behind us.

Who in the Bible was born without any parents? The answer - Joshua, the son of none (Nun). Sorry ‘bout that, but as a kid I loved Bible jokes. Joshua did have parents, probably good ones from the way he turned out. He also had an excellent mentor, most likely shadowing Moses from the moment they left Egypt. And Joshua was definitely a son of God, one of only a few leaders in the Bible who finished well. We all remember his parting words to Israel. If you grew up in a Christian home you may have had them displayed on a plaque: Choose you this day whom you will serve ... but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord (24:15).

You most likely heard your parents say this to you often: “make good choices!” We all have choices to make every day. Unlike animals (in God’s creation, humans are not animals so don’t believe those who tell you differently), we do not live our lives by programmed instincts. We were created in God’s image, and one of the characteristics we inherited from Him is the ability to choose how we live our lives on this earth and where we will spend eternity. But the choice to serve God is more than a one-time decision. We are saved, or become a child of God, with one decision, but we work out our salvation (Phil. 2:12) by making godly choices every day.

Joshua stands out as an example of a man who did just that. What is even more remarkable is the legacy he left behind:  Israel served the Lord throughout the lifetime of Joshua and of the elders who outlived him and who had experienced everything the Lord had done for Israel (24:30). Like his mentor, Moses, Joshua left Israel in good hands. Paul, the apostle, made the same kind of choices and was able to say to his followers and successors: Be imitators of me, just as I also am of Christ (1 Cor. 11:1). Our choices not only affect us and our future, but they influence those who are walking behind us.

“Lord, my prayer is the same as Joshua: I choose to serve You this day and every day; as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”

March 25 - Distance Learning

 Read today’s texts first: Joshua 21,22; Psalm 47; 1 Corinthians 10

MAXIMize YOUR DAY

It is best to study at SHK, the School of Hard Knocks,  through Distance Learning.

I’m a big proponent of hands-on training. It has been the guiding value behind the Bible college and the church institutes I’ve led. Every student applies what they are learning immediately within the real-life world of a local church. But there is one school, from which we all need to graduate, where I would recommend completing each course by “distance learning.” The school is SHK, better known as the School of Hard Knocks!

Have you ever wondered why there are so many stories of failure in the Bible, especially within the history of Israel? Most other ancient documents, like those chronicling the Pharaohs or Caesars, often minimize or omit their leaders’ missteps and exaggerate their accomplishments. But the Bible is all about real people in real life making real mistakes. Now these things occurred as examples to keep us from setting our hearts on evil things as they did….These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the culmination of the ages has come (1 Cor. 10:6,11).

For the most part, I grew up learning from the mistakes of others. Avoiding the traps of adolescence was worth the labels of “nerd” or “goody two shoes” (what does that mean anyways?). When I did persist in learning the wrong things the wrong way, I would look back later, shake my head, and wonder why I didn’t keep my distance. I could have - God always provides an escape route every time we are tempted (10:13).

“Lord, I am so grateful that Your Word helped me learn most of the hard lessons of life without the hard knocks. But when I failed some of those lessons, I am also grateful that You never kept Your distance from me.”

March 24 - Our City of Refuge

 Read today’s texts first: Joshua 18-20; 1 Corinthians 9

MAXIMize YOUR DAY

Jesus is our only “city of refuge” and to be
outside His protection is sure death. 

The legal system in the old wild west was swift, but not always just - saloon brawls, gun fights in the streets, notorious gangs, and pistol-packing posses who seldom waited around for the circuit-riding judge to show up. But the revenge-driven justice system of the older east, especially the middle east, was far more wild and woolly than the west.

God’s law stood in stark contrast to the vicious “law of the land” typical of the Canaanite nations. To protect those who were unjustly charged with premeditated murder, God commanded Israel to set aside six of the Levitical settlements as Cities of Refuge, three on each side of the Jordan, evenly accessible to all. The practical purpose for that time was clear (20:1-6), but like so much of God’s laws for Israel, there was also a foreshadowing of the future Messiah. Jesus would eventually become our ultimate refuge (Ps. 46:1; Heb. 6:18).

Jesus is a place of refuge accessible and available to all, Jews and Gentiles alike (20:9). He is our only refuge, and to be outside His protection is sure death (20:5). The most incredible parallel is that total freedom comes only after the death of the High Priest (20:6). But unlike the Cities of Refuge, Jesus provides a haven for the truly guilty, which includes all of us. Beyond the mercy of God pictured by these cities, the grace of God is illustrated by Jesus, who died in our place.

“Lord, You are my refuge and my strength, an ever present help in time of trouble (Ps. 46:1). I will never leave the protection of Your presence.”

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 Katie's future.

Katie 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 had 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!”