Scripture

¹ “Very truly I tell you Pharisees, anyone who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. ² The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. ³ The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. ⁴ When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. ⁵ But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.”

²⁷ My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. (John 10:1-5,27)

Observation

This is a beautiful passage – the image of Jesus as Shepherd, calling his own sheep by name and them following him out; the sheep following Jesus because they know his voice.

Many Christians lament not hearing from God. This is problematic; here, Jesus makes the clear statement: ‘my sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.’ The truth is, if you are one of Jesus’ followers, you hear his voice and you follow. So, what happens when you don’t hear his voice? My guess is that you have either stopped listening for it, or you have stopped listening to it.

Jesus said that ‘his sheep follow him because they know his voice.’ Many of us need to be reacquainted with Jesus’ voice. We need to read other books about Scripture less and read Scripture more! We need to return to an attend to Jesus’ words. We need to spend time hearing Jesus’ voice in the pages of the Bible so that we can pick out his tone and timber through the din around us.

Application

I will read my Bible!

And re-commit to doing this through the end of the year, and re-commit to read through the Bible again next year.

I had a conversation with a friend this morning, while chatting over coffee, he noted hearing God is something that he’s working on. I loved the way that he said it – he definitely believes that Jesus is speaking, and that we need to hear better. It’s not a matter of God being silent. It’s a matter having ears that hear.

Prayer

Good Shepherd, I ask that you would give me eyes to see and ears to hear. As I read your word acquaint me with your voice that I might hear when you speak to me. Give me the grace to follow. Amen.

Scripture

³⁹ You study the Scriptures diligently because you think that in them you possess eternal life. These are the very Scriptures that testify about me, ⁴⁰ yet you refuse to come to me to have life. (John 5:39-40)

Observation

It is possible to divorce Jesus  from Scripture, and Scripture from life (or life from Scripture) – But none of this aligns with the intent of the Word. The goal of Scripture is to bring us face to face with God. It is possible to read the Bible as literature, as inspiration, as morality, but if we read it, and do not find Jesus, we’ve missed the point! We need to move past the pages of the text and come to Jesus.

Application

I am thankful for Wayne Cordeiro and his book, The Divine Mentor, for the SOAP method of journaling. With it, I desire to move past the words on the page to the message that God would have for me today – without losing the importance of the story in which it’s found.

Prayer

Thank you, Jesus, for allowing me to find you in the pages of the Bible. In you I have found life. Thank you for your word! Shape me by what I read here. Amen.

Scripture

⁴⁰ Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of the two who heard what John had said and who had followed Jesus. ⁴¹ The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, “We have found the Messiah” (that is, the Christ). ⁴² And he brought him to Jesus. (John 1:40-42)

Observation

Isn’t this what evangelism is all about: Sharing the good news?!  Andrew listened to John and began following Jesus. But this was not enough! Notice: the first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon (Peter) and tell him the good news. Evangelism should be this natural, this immediate, this relational. It’s not about beating someone over the head until they feel guilty enough to respond – it’s about good news. This Jesus, is the one we’ve been waiting for.

Application

My brother already knows and follows Jesus. So, the question for me is: who needs to hear the good news? Unfortunately, there isn’t anyone in my life with whom I am developing a relationship, who isn’t a Christian. That needs to change!

Prayer

God, restore to me the simplistic joy that Andrew had to share the good news. It’s neither burdensome nor awkward, it’s just telling a friend the good thing I’ve found in you. Open my eyes to see who needs to hear these words today! Amen.

Scripture

¹ Praise the LORD.
Praise the name of the LORD;
praise him, you servants of the LORD,

² you who minister in the house of the LORD,
in the courts of the house of our God.

³ Praise the LORD, for the LORD is good;
sing praise to his name, for that is pleasant. (Psalm 135:1-3)

Observation

Most psalms exhort the nation or all the people to praise God. This psalm is directed to the servants, to those who minister in God’s house – A good reminder. Pastors and other ministers are not exempt from the work of worship – from offering praise. I know that when leading worship it can feel like work – and I worry about transitions, coordinating the others who participate in the service; I think about what I am going to say in the sermon, and am open to God’s leading while already in the pew. Sometimes I need to focus on the act of worship – I, too, need a reminder.

Application

On this Monday, that is a day off, I will praise. As I praise, it will not be to prepare for worship, it will not be work-related at all. I will praise because God is worthy, and I want to worship. This is a good word for today!

Prayer

I praise you, today, holy God, because of who you are and what you have done in my life. Increase in me the desire to praise – let my entire life be a sacrifice of praise that is acceptable to you! Amen.

Scripture

²⁵ “Therefore this is what the Sovereign LORD says: I will now restore the fortunes of Jacob and will have compassion on all the people of Israel, and I will be zealous for my holy name. ²⁶ They will forget their shame and all the unfaithfulness they showed toward me when they lived in safety in their land with no one to make them afraid. ²⁷ When I have brought them back from the nations and have gathered them from the countries of their enemies, I will be proved holy through them in the sight of many nations. ²⁸ Then they will know that I am the LORD their God, for though I sent them into exile among the nations, I will gather them to their own land, not leaving any behind. ²⁹ I will no longer hide my face from them, for I will pour out my Spirit on the house of Israel, declares the Sovereign LORD.” (Ezekiel 39:25-29)

Observation

I bet that the Israelites wished that they could have fast-forwarded through the exile. They were dragged out of the Promised Land and then returned. Here we see behind the scenes to what God’s motives were during these days:

• The people of Israel had no one to make them afraid
• They acted shamefully
• They were unfaithful
• God will be proved holy in the sight of many nations
• God will gather them back to their own land
• He will no longer hide his face from them
• He will pour out his Spirit on them

Application

I don’t want to go through the exile that Israel underwent but I want the end of the scenario: that God not hide his face from me, that his Spirit would be poured out on me. I know that times are different now, and that I am living under the new covenant – and God’s Spirit has been poured out. But it still stands to reason that I cannot act shamefully or be unfaithful, even in times absent of persecution or fear.

I will pray that God grows in me the grace to remain faithful.

Prayer

God, I want to remain faithful. Your protection and provision have been constant in my life. I don’t want to act shamefully or to be unfaithful. Thank you for the power of your Spirit, and thank you that although my story is a continuation of the stories of the people of God – I am not doomed to repeat the sins or folly of those who precede me. Amen.

Scripture

He asked me, “Son of man, can these bones live?”
I said, “Sovereign LORD, you alone know.” (Ezekiel 37:3)

Observation

As I serve at Bethany Covenant Church as Interim Pastor this is a question that I ask. As I have been preaching about the Healthy Missional Church, I have been asking God as well as the leadership and worshipers, ‘Can this church live?’ We can go ’round and ’round and not make much progress as we discuss where we are, how we got here, where to go next. The truest answer to this question is the one that Ezekiel proffered, ‘Sovereign LORD, you alone know.’ Additionally, the correct response is to wait, as Ezekiel did, for God’s directing of next steps.

Application

Having asked the question, ‘Holy God, can this church live?’ I will wait for God’s response. I want to see new life breathed into the dry bones of this church. But we are at the place where God will have to do something unprecedented, miraculous, surprising, and God-sized. I wait with anticipation to see what God will do next.

Prayer

Sovereign LORD, you alone know if this church can live again. Breathe your breath. Bring your life. Remember your people once again. Amen.

Scripture

¹ My heart is not proud, LORD,
my eyes are not haughty;
I do not concern myself with great matters
or things too wonderful for me.

² But I have calmed myself
and quieted my ambitions.
I am like a weaned child with its mother;
like a weaned child I am content.

³ Israel, put your hope in the LORD
both now and forevermore. (Psalm 131)

Observation

I can’t help but read this psalm and sigh a contented sigh. There is something about the image of a mother with her weaned child cradled on her lap.

There are times to strive, to work, to be concerned with great and weight things. There is also a time to remember who we are, and whose we are. Ultimately, we need to rest in our sovereign God like a child with its mother.

Application

Today, I will strive to cease from striving.

I will remember that there are a multitude of things outside my control. Instead, I will look for time to spend with my Father as a contented child. No demands, not even any requests – just being content to be with my heavenly parent!

Prayer

God, help my heart to not be proud, and my eyes to not be haughty; I do not want to concern myself with great matters or things too wonderful for me. Help me to calm myself and quiet my ambitions. I want to be like a weaned child with its mother; like a weaned child I want to be content. I trust in you. I put my hope in you both now and forevermore! Amen.

On Discipleship Journal’s “Book-at-a-Time Bible Reading Plan” there are no assigned readings after the 28th of each month. Use this time to meditate more deeply on something that was significant in the past month, to catch up on any missed readings, or to revisit favorite or recently read passages.

I’m going to see if I can catch up on some of the reading and posts that I have missed and plan to post again on the first of next month.

Grace and peace to you!

Scripture

⁷ ” ‘When any of the Israelites or any foreigner residing in Israel separate themselves from me and set up idols in their hearts and put a wicked stumbling block before their faces and then go to a prophet to inquire of me, I the LORD will answer them myself. ⁸ I will set my face against them and make them an example and a byword. I will remove them from my people. Then you will know that I am the LORD. (Ezekiel 14:7-8)

Observation

God brings a word to the Israelites through his prophet. The word is you can’t have it both ways: you can’t worship an idol, and then ask God to speak, too. God himself honors your devotion to the other idol and will not speak.

Application

I had forgotten about this word from God. For those who want to hear from God, it is clear that something could be in the way. I, too, desire to hear from God, so I must be vigilant in keeping God as the only god in my life.

Prayer

Thank you, God, that you honor our choices. Even though at times, I might prefer a god of my own choosing, I want you. You are the only True God, my Creator, Redeemer, and Sustainer. Make me aware of the idols I have set up in my life, and help me to dispose of them. I want to hear your voice and receive your instruction. Amen.