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Read: Numbers 10:1-11:23, Mark 14:1-21, Psalm 51:1-19, Proverbs 10:31-32

Against you, and you alone, have I sinned; I have done what is evil in your sight. You will be proved right in what you say, and your judgment against me is just. (Psalm 51:4)

Relate: Every now and then wikipedia nails it. I know this is true because I’ve written and edited a few articles myself, and if I wrote it… I nailed it. Seriously, though, that’s pride. That’s sin. My attitude seem like harmless fun but sin is never harmless. Getting back to wikipedia, it defines sin as “the act of violating God’s will“ and “anything that violates the ideal relationship between an individual and God.” They nailed it. All sin, even my “harmless” pride is sin against God. It may or may not be damaging to other people, but it is always an act of war against God.

React: The fact is, I go to war with God every day. Against Him and Him only have I sinned and I do it over and over and over. I don’t want to, but my pride is a hammer driving nails in His wrist. My lust is a thorn digging deep into His brow. My lies are a slap in the face of the God of truth. My greed and selfishness are splinters from a rough hewn crossbeam digging deep into His back. The warfare that is me wanting to do things my way and trying to live by my rules are what drove Him to the cross.

That is the beauty of the mystery of His grace. God is all powerful, He didn’t have to let impact Him but He did. I took my sin and I nailed it into His flesh. But then he held onto it. He carried it to the cross. My, your sin, our sin dug deep into Him to the point that He who knew no sin became sin for us. He held on to it all the way to the grave… and then he left it there. And now it is no more. My sin is a big deal, but His grace is even bigger.

Respond: [videoembed type=”youtube” width=”660″ height=”440″ url=”http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wM6ZtLnRBTk” id=”0″]

God, let me never think lightly of my sin. Let the anguish of my soul be, “Against You and You only have I sinned.” Help me to walk ever closer to the standard You have set for me. And when I fail, help me to be quick to repent but also do not let me be buried under a burden of guilt. Help me to hear You say, “I nailed it. I’ve taken it to the cross and buried it. You are now dead to sin and alive in me.”

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Read: Numbers 28:16-29:40, Luke 3:23-38, Psalm 62:1-12, Proverbs 11:18-19

I wait quietly before God, for my victory comes from him. He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress where I will never be shaken. (Psalm 62;1-2)

Relate: 1565 was a turning point for the growing spread of Islam in the Mediterranean. They had pretty much taken over everything and there only remained the task of rooting out the Knights Hospitaller on the Island of Malta. There were only about 500 Knights. Combined with about a thousand other troops, some slaves, and the local townspeople they could field an army of 6,100 mostly untrained soldiers. Against That the Ottomans brought to bear between 30,000 and 48,000 of the best soldiers in the world. Up to that time they were rightly considered invincible.

The nations of Europe stood by refusing to help while the Turks besieged the island from the 18th of May until September 11 when the invincible army finally admitted defeat. Despite overwhelming numbers, the use of hundreds of thousands of cannon balls, and the fact that the Christians there had been virtually cut off from any hope of help, they could not win. It cost them as many as thirty thousand of the greatest troops of the time, even the Sultan himself died in the siege. And in the end, the fortress stood strong.

React: I’ve never been under a literal siege but there are times when I feel like I am facing certain defeat against impossible odds. I can look out at the enemy and see boatload after boatload after boatload of trouble coming my way. Victory may seem impossible until I remember that I am standing inside a fortress who is my God. I am on a rock that has stood strong and tall and proud against the worst that the storms of time has sent. Cancer is an enemy that will be defeated. Poverty, slavery, sickness, injustice… they may seem like unbeatable enemies today but there will come a time when that ship will sail. My God is greater. Addiction, sin, death… they might beat against the walls but they will never force their way in. The fortress stands strong and I will never be shaken.

Respond: [videoembed type=”youtube” width=”660″ height=”440″ url=”http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qo8JbnAqdq4″ id=”0″]

God, there is nothing that can stand against You. Help me to rest secure in that fact when it seems the world is stacked against me. When I am facing problems or odds that seem impossible help me to remember that You are greater. When the doctor gives his report help me to remember whose report I will believe. You have not called me to just be a survivor. You have called me to be more than a conqueror and through You that is exactly what I am.

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Read: Numbers 19:1-20:29, Luke 1:1-25, Psalm 56:1-13, Proverbs 11:8

You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book. (Psalm 56:8)

Relate: The Centre for Social Justice just issued a new report highlighting the slave trade in the UK and making recommendations on how to combat it. In this report they highlighted a girl who was recently rescued out of the human slave trade. She didn’t come from a risky background or a broken home. What put her at risk was that, as a sixteen year old she had enough compassion to befriend and care for girls who were being abused. This brought her into the radar of some evil men and they abducted her. To break her will they raped her. 90 times. In one weekend. This didn’t happen in a dusty alley of some third world street. It happened in the UK. It is happening in NY, and Chicago, and LA, and Atlanta… and Binghamton.

React: There are certain things that go on in this world that make me ask, “God, where are You?” There are certain stories I read, or hear that make me wonder, “God, what are You doing?” He is catching every tear and treasuring them. Each broken heart breaks his own. You see, God doesn’t go back on His word. Way back at the beginning of the story God gave us dominion over the earth. (Genesis 1:28) He made us in his image. (Genesis 1:26) The Hebrew word for image, tselem, means shadow or reflection. If we are God’s reflection then we should be doing what He is doing. If we are His shadow we should be going where He is going.

The word also connotes authority. God has chosen to operate through us. When He chose to redeem us all from the bondage of sin, He became human to accomplish the task. When He freed the Israelites from bondage, He worked through Moses. Every miracle God performed happened when an obedient representative of Him was willing to step out in faith. There are 27 million victims today still caught in the bondage of slavery. I can sit on my couch, with my laptop open before me and ask, “God what are You doing?” But He is holding that child close, catching her every tear and asking me, “What are you doing?”

Respond: [videoembed type=”youtube” width=”720″ height=”480″ url=”http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K0L7NH48BWE” id=”0″]

God, help me to find ways to act. The first and greatest thing I can do is pray and that I do now. Raise up leaders who will bring an end to this evil. Raise up politicians who will put justice before convenience. Raise up lawyers who will devote their lives to defending the powerless. Raise up women like Rachel Lloyd who are gifted in meeting the victim where they are and bringing them to someplace better. Raise me up. Don’t let me ever be content while that 27 million has been reduced to zero. Help me to find practical ways to put feet to my prayers. Like Moses, let me be Your image to my world.

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Read: Numbers 26:52-28:15, Luke 3:1-22, Psalm 61:1-8, Proverbs 11:16-17

The crowds asked, “What should we do?” (Luke 3:10)

Relate: A couple weeks back I was eating in a restaurant when I started eavesdropping on the table next to me. There were two guys there who were talking about a third coworker who was a Christian. One guy eating said, “He’s piratically a saint.” To which the other responded, “I don’t want a saint. I want a good employee.” Their conversation moved on but my mind was stuck on that one statement. I’ve heard the saying before, “He’s so heavenly minded that he’s no earthly good.” Although it wasn’t used by my dining neighbors, this was pretty much the concept they were talking about. I have to admit I’m guilty. There have probably been a few times in my past when coworkers might have made complaints like that about me.

DL Moody founded schools and was influential in starting up the YMCA. John Wesley was largely influential in abolition and prison reform movements and his “methodism” was accused of being works-righteousness by critics. Billy Graham was won over to the civil rights movement early and did a joint crusade with Martin Luther King Jr. He also later posted King’s bail after Birmingham. Jonathan Edwards is considered one of the greatest minds in American history, he invested heavily in social work among Native Americans and was famous for always opening his home for anyone in need.

React: I could go on and on. You can pick practically and great man or woman of God in history and it can be shown how their work was not just what we would consider “sacred” but also had some practical “secular” application as well. That is because everything is sacred. The separation of church and state is good for politics and governance but should never be confused with the separation of church from society. John the Baptist came on the scene preaching a very spiritual message and seeking to accomplish a very spiritual task, but those responding to his message found very practical application. “Share with those in need, be honest at your workplace, don’t abuse your authority, or grumble against those in authority.” Very down to earth responses this religious “nut” out in the desert seems to be giving.

So how does my faith get reflected in my work? Does my work ethic make my boss want to hire other Christians as well? Are my coworkers glad I’m on the job? Does my work habits and attitude give me a platform so that when I share my faith others are willing to listen? Being heavenly minded means I should be earthly good. Others should look at my spending habits and say, “Christians are generous.” They should watch my attitude and say, “Christians are caring.” They should listen to me speak and say, “Christians are encouraging.” They should examine my lifestyle and say, “Christians are loving.” If little by little, day by day, more and more this isn’t happening in my life then perhaps I should start questioning if I truly am a Christian.

Respond: [videoembed type=”youtube” width=”660″ height=”440″ url=”http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Scp6DbXxdVo” id=”0″]

God, please do not let me be an embarrassment to Your great Name. Help my lifestyle and my actions give me a platform to share You with others. Help me to be diligent and hard working. Help me to live with honesty and integrity. Let it be said of me that I am both heavenly minded and earthly good. Live through me because I cannot do it on my own.

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Read: Numbers 4:1-5:31, Mark 12:18-37, Psalm 48:1-14, Proverbs 10:26

“And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.’ The second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ No other commandment is greater than these.” (Mark 12:30-31)

Relate: Some people are easy to like. They exude charm. Maybe they’re always smiling. Maybe they’re a bit shy but they’re always finding ways to help or serve. Maybe they are the life of the party and can make everyone feel welcome and at ease. Maybe they always have the right thing to say and are pouring out encouragement at every opportunity. Whatever it is, there are people in my life that it is very hard not to like.  And then there are some others…

Some people just don’t know how to navigate the waters of social dynamics. They’re rude. They smell. They have this thing that they do and whenever I see it I just… ugh. I swear they do it on purpose because they know it gets on my nerves. I don’t know if they were just not loved enough as kids. Maybe someone dropped them on their heads or something. There are some people who just rub me the wrong way. Or maybe its me who is rubbing someone else the wrong way?

React: All three of Jesus’ closest friends were notorious for their big mouths or short tempers. He also had a couple militant radicals in his crew an IRS agent a vocal skeptic and a known thief. It almost seems as if Jesus took the marginalized, the most unlovable people and showered his love and attention on them. Actually, I know that’s true because he said himself that he has come for the sick, not the healthy. I also know that is true because he has showered his love on me.

Who is it at work that rubs me the wrong way? Which neighbor is the one everyone else tries to avoid? Who is the person at church that no one else cares to talk to much? Who is the unlovable? How can I show my love to them? How can I demonstrate to the lonely that they are not alone, to the marginalized that they belong? In what ways can I be Jesus to the ones who need Jesus the most? Can I say I love God if I will not love my neighbor?

Respond: [videoembed type=”youtube” width=”660″ height=”440″ url=”http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7OUA90v0sJk” id=”0″]

God, help me to show my love for You through my interactions with others. Help me to shower Your love on the unlovable. Give me patience to put up with those things that annoy me. Give me perseverance to forgive over and over those who will let me down. Give me trust and insight to understand that You are working on them just as You are working on me. Above all give me Your love, because my own is just far too selective.

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Read: Numbers 8:1-9:23, Mark 13:14-37, Psalm 50:1-23, Proverbs 10:29-30

You, too, must keep watch! For you don’t know when the master of the household will return—in the evening, at midnight, before dawn, or at daybreak. (Mark 13:35)

Relate: I remember being at a training seminar for those working with college students a few years back. I’m sure that there was plenty I gleaned from that time and put into practice but I can’t remember exactly what. Over the years and in all the seminars/teachings/conferences I’ve been to since it all becomes a blur as to what I learned when and where. Everything, that is, except for one statement that a pastor named Lou said right near the beginning of his session. He said, “From the moment I stepped into this office, I began to pray for my successor.” The idea was so shocking, so counter intuitive to the way I thought that it has stuck with me and changed my mindset on ministry, on life, from that day forward.

React: What is true for seasons in my life is even more true for its entirety. All too often I get bogged down in the day to day of life and I’m only living from one problem, or task (or crisis) to the next. I also tend to be a bit introspective so in my quiet moments I tend to look backwards to my past. Both of these are OK and have their place. It is good to be mindful of the moment and to be grateful of where God has brought us from, but the greatest driving force in our life should be where we are headed. Without hope, there is no purpose and without vision there is no direction in our life. If that hope and that vision do not look to Christ’s return then we need to set our sights a little higher.

One day He is coming back. I desperately pray that it happens before I finish typing this blog. If not then before I fall asleep. If not then tomorrow. If not… soon. There can be argument or debate as to the particulars of how. Sometimes it is fun to speculate. Pre-trib, post-trib, post-millenial… to be honest it doesn’t much matter. The fact is, He is coming. Soon. And every day that passes brings us one day closer. Keep your chin up. Keep your eyes forward. Live with the end in sight.

Respond: [videoembed type=”youtube” width=”660″ height=”440″ url=”http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rGgX_oqdib4″ id=”0″]

You’re coming. Like John I cry out, “Maranatha! Come quickly!” Sometimes I can get so excited for Your return. The thought sends butterflies through my stomach. At other times days seem to go by without the thought never crossing my mind. Help this to never be. Help me to live with the end in sight. Lord, come quickly. But until You do, help me to remain faithful to You.

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Read: Numbers 2:1-3:51, Mark 11:27-12:17, Psalm 47:1-9, Proverbs 10:24-25

Look, I have chosen the Levites from among the Israelites to serve as substitutes for all the firstborn sons of the people of Israel. The Levites belong to me, (Numbers 3:12)

Relate: His name wasn’t Joe, but Joe works. Joe was a junior at a camp where I was counselor. He wasn’t the best looking guy, he wasn’t the smartest, or the most sociable. On all counts he was a little below average. He was a follower and about a month earlier he followed some other guys into doing some very stupid things. They were caught. Now Joe had a court date coming up. He also had scars on his wrists. In his words, Joe said, “I’m such a screwup I couldn’t even do that right.” I sat in the back of the chapel with Joe and we read the end of the book of John together. We started with chapter 18 and just kept going. After every moment of suffering Jesus went through on the way to the cross I stopped and said, “He did this for you.” We were both in tears and before we got to the end, Joe had given his heart to God.

That was well over a decade ago. Joe is now serving the Lord, he has a great wife and some awesome children. The advent of facebook has helped us reconnect and Joe has shared how his scars are now a story. He has a gift for investing into the lives of people who are now where he was. What he once saw as failures he now sees as opportunity.

React: Levi was a failure. He was cursed. He had taken the distinctiveness of God’s covenant and, with his brother Simeon they used it to murder an entire community for revenge. Years go by. Lots of them. Now his descendants have taken this curse and used it as an opportunity to focus on God. The Levites are cursed to never have their own inheritance, instead God is their inheritance. The tragedy of an ancestor’s failure is now a springboard with which they can lead all Israel in worshiping God.

What stories do my scars tell? My hands are riddled with them. There’s one by my thumb where my sister clawed me because I stole… something of hers. There’s where I got stitches on my middle finger when I almost cut my finger off with the hedge clippers. I’d convinced my dad I did half the ride to the emergency room. He wasn’t too happy with that. My eyebrow covers up more stitches from riding a rocking horse right down the stairs. I thought I’d killed it. But there are also deeper scars. From the girl who showed a love poem I wrote her to the entire school. Some of the names I was called. And there’s deeper scars still that don’t need to be shared. You have some of those too, I’m sure. We all do. We’ve all sinned. We’ve all failed. We’ve all been the victims of others sin and failure as well. The question is, will I be like the Levites? Will I allow my scars become the stories of God’s grace or will I wallow in the failures of the past and drift into obscurity, like Simeon who shared Levi’s curse. Which will I chose? What about you?

Respond: [videoembed type=”youtube” width=”660″ height=”440″ url=”http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_CjbCcyIiQw” id=”0″]

Help me never to forget, God, that You have scars. You carry the marks of my shame. My sin is what nailed You to the tree and dragged You to the grave so that it doesn’t have to drag me under. You will carry those scars through eternity so that I will never forget Your amazing grace. When I let myself be dragged down by the shame and guilt of my past I belittle what You have done for me. Help me to never to do that. Instead let me take the story of scars, Yours and mine, to those whose hurts are still needing healing.

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Read: Leviticus 20:22-22:16, Mark 9:1-29, Psalm 43:1-5, Proverbs 10:18

The father instantly cried out, “I do believe, but help me overcome my unbelief!”       (Mark 924)

Relate: Lord, I believe. Help my unbelief. Anselm calls it “Faith seeking understanding.” I know God is good, but I do not know how His goodness will be seen in this situation. I know God is in control, but I cannot see the way through this chaos. I know God is worthy of my praise, but right now I’m a little ticked off at Him. For the father it was, “I know that He can heal my son, I just don’t know if and how it will happen.”

Do you blame him? Since a little boy a demon has been sending him into epileptic seizures that always seem to happen at the worst, most dangerous possible moment. Can you imagine the years of vigilance these parents have lovingly shown to keep their boy alive? Then they hear that there’s a guy who can perform wonders. Jesus isn’t around but that’s OK, his disciples have been healing people too. Except for his son, they couldn’t. I believe… but I don’t. I know that You can. I just don’t know if You will.

React: There’s a call and response I’ve heard for a long time in a lot of places. Someone will say out, “God is good.” Everyone will respond, “All the time.” Then it will be reversed and the speaker will say, “And all the time.” The response… “God is good.” There have been some times when I’m saying it right along with everybody else but inside I’m saying, “Oh really? I don’t see it.” I’ve been places in my life, I’ve been in pits where I don’t see any way out. The truth is, when I’ve been down there, that has exactly been my prayer. “God, I know You are good, but I just don’t see it. Open my eyes.” That’s me praying, “I believe, help my unbelief.”

The thing is, when the dad was in trouble he knew who to go to. He came to Jesus and even though he had to wait, he stayed there until he had his answer. Even when Jesus’ followers let him down, he stayed there until he had his answer. And when Jesus asked that all important question, he didn’t put on a pretty facade. He told it like it is. “My faith is seeking understanding. I believe, help my unbelief.”

Respond: [videoembed type=”youtube” width=”660″ height=”440″ url=”http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wClKDTdKhCM” id=”0″]

God, sometimes it is so easy to believe and sometimes… I know You are good. I KNOW IT, but sometimes… it just gets so hard to see it. You love me. You want the best for me far more than I even want it for myself. Sometimes I just don’t know how You are working good through the mess this life sometimes tosses me. In those times, as I seek understanding, help me to never lose faith.

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Read: Leviticus 19:1-20:21, Mark 8:11-38, Psalm 42:1-11, Proverbs 10:17

As they were walking along, he asked them, “Who do people say I am?” “Well,” they replied, “some say John the Baptist, some say Elijah, and others say you are one of the other prophets.” Then he asked them, “But who do you say I am?” Peter replied, “You are the Messiah.” Mark 8:27-29

Relate: I like to pretend that I don’t much care what people think about me. For the most part that is true but it really depends on what they are thinking. If people think I’m crazy, maybe a little weird, I don’t mind. I know I am. If they think I’m out of shape, perhaps a little overweight, no biggie. I know I’m not. Well, maybe a little. If they think I’m ugly, that’s OK with me. So are they. But if people think I’m stupid or incapable of understanding something… we got issues.

I’ve always heard it said that Jesus only asked the first question as a lead in to the second. He was asking, “Who do others say I am?” To get the disciples thinking of who they really thought He was deep down. The idea has merit and they’re probably right but sometimes I wonder if Jesus wondered if he was getting through to them. I wonder if He wondered if He was effective. For example, when He was twelve, Jesus stayed at the Temple when His family headed back home. Once they realized He was missing they came back for Him and asked, “What do You think You’re doing?” (I can imagine Joseph asking this as he pulled Jesus by the ear out of the Temple) Jesus answered, “Didn’t you know I had to be about my Father’s business?” But then they told Him to get his butt in the car and go home and He did. (Please forgive the artistic license) I wonder what He thought on that long donkey drive home.

React: I think questions pop up like this for all of us. We all have moments of insecurity. I don’t think it is necessarily a sin for those doubts to pop up. It’s all a matter of what we do with them and if we will chose to dwell in them. After all, when the Devil was tempting Jesus I don’t think he would have started out each time, “If you really are the Messiah…” unless he thought he might gain some traction with it.

Doubts will come. There will be times when we will wonder if we are getting through. We will wonder if we are doing or saying or attempting the right thing. Doubts will come about where we shall live, who we shall love, what we shall do. In all of these, we need to blanket those doubts, those legitimate questions in prayer, in seeking the Word, and in the advice of respected friends and mentors. But when it comes down to our identity, there are only two questions we should ask: “God, who do I say You are?” And, “God, who do You say I am?” How do you answer? How does He? Are You His child?

Respond: [videoembed type=”youtube” width=”660″ height=”440″ url=”http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gwuu9GvR66A” id=”0″]

God, help me. Sometimes I look in the mirror and see scum. I see dirt. That’s not me anymore. Help me to see You through me. Help me to understand more and more who I am in your eyes so that the eyes and accusations of everyone else, even me, will not stick. God, You call me loved. You call me precious. You say I am worth dying for. Then You went out and proved it. The fact that You value me so highly… it just blows me away.

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Read: Leviticus 11:1-12:8, Mark 5:21-43, Psalm 38:1-22, Proverbs 10:8-9

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