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Ps 77 The psalmists uses a visual to guide us into praising God. These words “You walked through the sea;you passed through the surging waters,but left no footprints.” [Ps 77:19] In the NT we see Jesus walking on the water to His disciples in the middle of the night. What a visual image of His power! He came to them and they thought they had seen a ghost but He said “do not fear, it is I.” When Peter asked to come to Him on the water, He said come. He is saying that to us today, “come.” 

Peter stepped out of the boat and began to walk to Jesus but his faith faltered. How about us when our Master says come? His other command was “follow Me.” Does our faith falter when we are commanded to not fear and to follow Him? 

Today as you ponder His power recall this image to guide you into praising Him. 

Psalm 72 As a parent or a grandparent, we want the best for our children. Babies are cute and sweet but with age they are brought to the point of making decisions that will lead to godliness or ungodliness. Parents have the responsibility to guide their children in the way they should go. Every godly parent should heed the words of this psalm.

King David wanted God to grant His son Solomon to have the ability and the wisdom to make just and fair decisions so that he could judge fairly. David knew just as any parent, who is a praying parent, that when that happens families will be at peace, the oppressed will be defended and delivered, the oppressor will be crushed. In addition, the godly will flourish, peace will prevail, the needy rescued when they cry for help. David, like any parent, sees the need to defend them as he takes pity on the poor and needy because he values their life.

So how do we pray for the next generation? Pray that they are wise, and see the need to protect the innocent, that they have wisdom and the ability to defend the poorest of the poor, they honor them as people made in the image of God who are valuable, they are able to make wise, just and fair decisions

Hebrews 11: The men like Christopher Hitchens, Immanuel Kant and many others decried the existence of God and His creation and are rightly labeled atheists. They deny God and one day will stand before a holy God to answer. Yet, the Hebrews author reminds us of this fact: “By faith we understand that the  worlds were set in order at God’s command, so that the visible has its origin in the invisible. [Heb 11:3] In addition, Paul wrote his treatise by saying: “For since the creation of the world his invisible attributes—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen because they are understood through what has been made. So, people are without excuse.’ [Rom 1:20] 

That last sentence answers what lays ahead for those who deny God and His creation apart from faith. They are without excuse. God has given us the miracle of creation and its visibility to our eye that we may believe. In fact, John wrote: “But these are recorded so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name. [John 20:31] 

The Hebrews author then lists those who by faith believed and are accounted as righteous. These are those who are rightly labeled: believers. Eternity will reveal which you are: atheist or believer.  

2 PETER 2 False prophets and false teachers were among the OT believers and they are among us today. Of all the apostles, Peter is the most vocal about those who speak with “forked tongue.” These are they who speak to you of heaven but are leading you to hell with their abominable ways. Be discerning! Know their traits so you can avoid them and not get caught in their web of deceit.  Listen carefully to what they preach and demand of you because as Peter wisely says: “And in their greed they will exploit you with deceptive words.” Listen carefully and observe their lifestyle. Listen carefully and ask, are they living a life that would mirror Christ and are they teaching His principles and truths? 

Because we live in a hi-tech society and have access to so many men who say they are preachers of the gospel but their lifestyles are a red flag. John Piper gives us 4 easy rules to follow:

1. the test of the fruit of behavior
2. the test of sound doctrine
3. the test of submission to Scripture
4. the test of teaching the pure gospel of justification by faith

Today are you a discerning believer? 

Mark 15 Again we stand as a bystander at the sham trial of our Lord Jesus and see how the religious leaders treated Him. They have no shame! They would choose a murderer instead of the compassionate Jesus, thus cementing the fact that they have taken scissors to cut out the commandment from God’s Holy Word: thou shalt not kill. How quickly the evil one’s plans bring forth evil from their hearts. We stop and ask; how can these who have studied the scripture for years choose a murderer over Jesus? Yet, Paul wisely explains: “the god of this age has blinded the minds of those who do not believe so they would not see the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God.”[2 Cor 4:4]

Today be wary of those who come in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravening wolves. 

Proverbs 9 Having a dinner party requires much advance planning. Lady Wisdom has taken the steps to ensure that the dinner she is preparing is designed not to just whet the appetite outwardly, but also to ensure that those who feed at her table eat the finest foods. She has spared no expense for her guests. Her invitations are sprinkled with the dew of heaven and the words tickle the palate. Will you set aside the date?  Jesus told a parable which is similar and He sent his servants to do the same as Lady Wisdom, but not many accepted his invite. They had a myriad of excuses of why they have chosen to not attend.

Her invitations were not just for the wealthiest but those who need wisdom. 

In contrast is the dinner planned by Foolish Folly.  She too has made grand plans but her servants are busy/and she alone knows the one to invite. They are the naive and include the mockers and the unrighteous who gather to feast unaware of the foods that are tainted with lies and sin. 

When you are invited to the Lord’s Table called Wisdom,  do you accept or are you enamored by the glitz and glamor of Foolish Folly’s table full of the world’s riches which fall to ruin to rust and decay? Lady Wisdom’s invitations are for all to live a life full of God’s blessings, but Foolish Folly’s guests are destined for the grave. 

Jer 35-37 God has placed these chapters here for us to learn about faithfulness and obedience. First is the faithfulness of the Rechabites to their ancestor, Jonadab. He had given them instructions to keep them pure both within their “tribe” and before the world. The first was not to drink wine and the second was to live apart from the rest of world. As Proverbs tells us, wine is strong mocker; it leads to intoxication and thereby removes our ability to be wise. [Prov 20:1] The second was to be set apart. Paul included that instruction to the Corinthians so they could remain pure. [2Cor 6:17]

The second story is about obedience. Jeremiah was told to have Baruch, his scribe, to write the words of the Lord and then to go to the Temple on a Fast Day and read them. Baruch obeyed and went. He read the words and men heard and were fearful but that fear did not translate to the King who flagrantly burned the scroll with the words of the Lord. But, God again shows us He is higher and mightier! He had Jeremiah recall His words and Baruch made a second scroll with those same warnings.

Both of these chapters teach us that principle of faithfulness and obedience. The Rechabites were faithful to their ancestor Jonadab, but we are called to a higher calling: be faithful to the Lord and obey His instructions.

Where am I faithful to being salt and light? Where am I being obedient to the Lord? Good challenges for today in a world that is topsy turvy! Paul told the Corinthians to be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord. May that be my direction for today and always!