Leviticus 26-27 - Here we see another reminder to keep the sabbath just after warning about false gods.  God set the example for rest that he wants us to follow - work six days and rest one.  When we don't choose to sabbath (yes, it can be used as a verb), we are not trusting God's design for our lives.  We are ultimately saying we don't need the rest that God designed us for.  No wonder so many people burn out.  
Here he also establishes a principle that remains true - blessing follows obedience.  He specifically says that if they will trust him completely, obey him and rest in him, he will send rain and make their harvests abundant and give them a better harvest in 6 days of work than they could ever get in 7 days.  
When we trust his way, he will give peace and security and we will be able to sleep without fear
His favor is greater than our greatest effort, so it is much better to trust in God than in our own strength.  
If we don't obey, we won't be truly successful regardless of how hard we work.  Not only that, if we refuse to turn to him, God will oppose our efforts. 

Psalm 47 - We sing praises because we recognize that God is over all things and he is good!

Matthew 21:12-22 - The merchants selling animals for sacrifice were ripping people off because they had to have an animal for sacrifice.  They were taking advantage of the sacrificial system and using it for personal gain.  This angered Jesus so he flipped tables and ran them out of there. 
Jesus accepted the praise of the children who were calling him the Son of David - which was another name in the prophecies for the Jewish Messiah. He infers that God showed the children who he was by referencing Psalm 8:2 - which in turn was another way in which Matthew pointed out Jesus fulfilling prophecy. 

Acts 28:17-31 - Paul preached to the Jewish leaders in Rome.  Some believed, but many did not.  Paul explained that even their refusal to believe was a fulfillment of the prophecy found in Isaiah 6:9-10. 

The reasons these fulfillments of prophecy are so important is they were proof to who Jesus was.  Not only that, many of those that were present at during these teachings would have been familiar with the prophecies, yet they still refused to believe.  Their unbelief had blinded them from the reality of who Jesus was. 

Leviticus 24-25 - When we worship God by giving of our time, talents, and resources to honor him, we should give our best, not our left overs.  God told them to used the finest flour when they made bread for their offerings, and we should do the same whenever we do anything to honor God.  It is why we as a church want to do ministry with excellence; we believe the gospel deserves nothing less than our best.  
God gives instructions on how to treat others with fairness and kindness and desires that we treat people well.  The way we treat people shouldn't be based on the person, but in response to the way God has treated us.  

Psalm 46 - God is our refuge and strength regardless of what comes our way.  He is greater than any nation, and there is no power on earth that can stand against his might.  Because of this, we can trust God and not fear our earthly circumstance.  We find peace and comfort when we take time to be still and recognize the greatness of our God.  This goes against our normal response to chaos.  Our normal response is to get frantic and work hard, but God wants us to find rest when we get still and recognize his greatness.  When we do, we will find peace and strength to push through. 

Matthew 21:1-11 - Even though many celebrated Jesus' entry, many still didn't know who he was.  You can celebrate Jesus without knowing Jesus. They where asking who he was even though they celebrated him.  Jesus' entry on a donkey fulfilled another prophecy proving that He was the one God had promised. 

Acts 28:1-16 - Paul survived the shipwreck then was bitten by the snake.  He didn't die.  While many thought he was poisoned, he really was just being positioned to be used by God.  Because he survived, it positioned him to do ministry.   When he was first bitten people said he must be a murderer, then when he survived they said he must be a god.  Our identity doesn't come from what people say, but who God says we are.  We can't look to people to find our purpose and value.  God has already given that to you.

Leviticus 21-23 - God gives instructions for more sacrifices and festivals.  Animals used for sacrifices had to be perfect animals because they were being offered to a perfect God.  Not only that, when we give back to God, we should give our best, not simply what is left over.  The purpose for all of the festivals was to remember the mighty works of God and all that he had done for them.  

Psalm 45 - The king honored God and ruled with justice. God honored his leadership by anointing him and giving him joy.  God wants leaders to lead with truth and justice and will bless those that do. 

Matthew 20:17-34 - Jesus predicts his death and resurrection and right after he does, James and John have their mom ask that Jesus let them sit beside him when he rules in his kingdom.  At this point, they still were thinking it was going to be an earthly kingdom and didn't realize his kingdom was an eternal kingdom.  This questioning made the other disciples mad because James and John were trying to get a "better seat" than them.  Jesus rebuked them all and told them even though this is the way the rulers in the world act and think, it must be different for those who follow Jesus.  Instead of jockeying for positions of importance, they should humbly seek to serve.  He said that the greatest among them is the greatest servant.  Jesus came to flip the leadership pyramid on its head.  Leaders are not there to be served but to serve those they lead.  I have heard people say when looking for ministry positions in church that they wanted a position where they had "a seat at the table" and I have heard ministry leaders (volunteers) say they wanted to be able to teach or be part of church leadership without ever demonstrating a servants heart.  These are not the kind of people who need to be in leadership.  God says the greatest servants make the greatest leaders.

Acts 27:27-44 - God did not spare them from the shipwreck, but he brought them through it.  Sometimes we want to keep the ship together, but God wants to allow the ship to fall apart to show his power another way.  We simply need to trust him, and swim when he says swim. 

Leviticus 18-20 - In chapter 19, there is another reference to keeping the sabbath.  It is another reminder that God intended for us to work for 6 days and rest on the seventh.  In these chapters, there a many "don'ts" but all of these fall under the banner of love your neighbor as yourself which we see in 19:18.  Loving others as ourselves means treating people the way that we want to be treated and not doing something to others that we would not want done to us.  Ultimately, God wants us to understand that we are "set-apart" (Holy) from the world, so the world is not our standard or guide for how to live.  God is. 

Psalm 44 - Only by God's power can we have victory in our struggles in life and ultimately against the enemy who wants to destroy us. 

Matthew 20:1-16 - The same grace is offered to all people.  This was a struggle for the Jews who felt as if they had a better standing with God because of their heritage.  The idea that the gentiles got the same grace and same standing with God was a difficult truth to accept.  In this case, those who came last experienced a greater amount of Grace than those who came early.  God's kingdom is not about self righteousness, but about God's righteousness. 

Acts 27:1-26 - Paul tried to tell them not to sail, but they did not listen.  It is important to pay attention to those who offer wisdom from God around us.  When the storm seemed like it was going to take them down, and all hope seemed lost, Paul still had hope.  His hope was not found in what they could see, but in what God had said.  It is important to continually listen to God so that his truth can be our hope in any circumstance. 

Leviticus 16-17 - Because of our sinfulness and God's holiness, the process for purification so that Aaron could enter the presence of God was very detailed.  Because of what Jesus has done for us, we now have access to God's presence through our faith in Jesus.  By faith in Jesus, he took our sin and we got his righteousness in exchange; this is the essence of mercy and grace.  But as we recognize the grace that we have experienced, we should respond in a way that honors the holiness of God and his love for us.  It should change the way we live as we learn to experience God's presence in our lives daily.
God also gave the Israelites specific instructions for sacrifice that would set them apart from the pagan sacrifices in their culture.  Our worship of God should stand out from the way the world worships the false gods of the world.

Psalm 43 - In the midst of the storms of life and grief, we can find hope and joy in God.  He is our light and his truth will guide us to his presence where we will find peace and protection from the attacks of our spiritual enemy.

Matthew 19:16-30 - The question of the rich man was basically what do I need to do to earn eternal life.  How can I acquire it?  Wealthy people often put their hope in what they are about to attain or acquire with their wealth.  Their wealth is where they find their joy, peace, and purpose.  All the things that are meant to be found in God, many often attempt to find in money.  But that false god will fail you.  Jesus tells the man to obey the commands and he asks which one and Jesus names a few, all of which the man says he has kept.  However, when Jesus tells him to go sell everything and give the money to the poor, it exposes the man's false god.  He was not willing to abandon all in order to follow Jesus.  The reality is that many of us have something that we have struggled to fully surrender to God, so that we can full follow Jesus.  Here Jesus says this is why it is so difficult for the rich to enter the kingdom of God because they are slaves to their wealth. 

Acts 26:19-32 - Pauls message was basically the message we see throughout the New Testament - repent and turn to God.  But then Paul says that if you have done this, there should be proof in your life by how you life.  If you claim to be a follower of Jesus, is there proof in your life? Good works do not save you, but because Jesus has saved you, his grace should change you in a way that is seen in the good that you do.  Paul's purpose for sharing his faith was his desire that others would hear and believe.  For the same reason, we should be eager to share our experience with God and invite others to experience God for themselves.  

Leviticus 14-15 - Cleanliness was next to Godliness for the Israelites.  God gave them instructions for cleanliness and much of what God told them would prevent illness and disease.  It is a reminder for us spiritually that we must keep our hearts and minds clean so that we don't become spiritually unhealthy.  We need to daily allow God to show us anything in our lives that could hurt us spiritually and remove those things from our lives.  

Psalm 42 - God's love is unfailing and he daily pours out his love on us.  When we walk through discouraging times in life, we can find hope and joy in God.  Many times that joy and hope comes as we sing praises to God because it makes the enemy run and reminds us of the goodness of our God.

Matthew 19:1-15 - God's design for marriages was for 2 to become one and never be undone.  Jesus said the reason for divorce was not because it was part of his original intent, but because of the sinfulness of mankind that causes people to harden their hearts against God's design.  The only provision in this passage was if the woman had been unfaithful.  In this time, it was the man's responsibility to care for and provide for his wife.  Part of the reason Moses issued divorce was for the protection of women who were being abused and neglected.  The provision for divorce was because that woman had united herself to another man and it was now his responsibility to care for her.  
Jesus wants us to come to him with the innocent trust of a child and desires that we bring children to him.  This is why children's ministry and student ministry is essential for the mission of God's church.  

Acts 26:1-18 - Paul's testimony to Agrippa was that he simply believed that Jesus was the fulfillment of the promises of God for which the Jews had been waiting.  The Jews rejected Paul because they rejected Jesus as God's promised one.  The did not accept Jesus because he didn't do what they wanted him to do and ultimately because he did not meet their expectations.  Jesus' purpose was not to meet our expectations but to meet our greatest needs.  Paul shared his personal experience which is one of the greatest ways to share your faith.  You don't have to have all the answers; you simply need to share your experience.  

Here are a few notes from my readings. 

Leviticus 11-13 - God didn't want them to eat the meat of certain animal, but told them not to even touch the dead carcass.  This is a picture of how we should treat sin.  We shouldn't see how close we can get, but rather keep our distance from sin.  In Leviticus, God wants his people to understand his Holiness, and that he wants them to be holy - to be set apart from sin.  I think it is also interesting that his guidelines are good guidelines for maintaining good health as well. 

Psalm 41 - God takes care of those who take care of the poor.  God will protect me from those who present to be my friends, but only speak poorly about me behind my back.

Matthew 15:15-35 - Offenses should be dealt with in a personal, private manner first between the people involved.  Then if necessary, bring other into the conversation to help resolve the situation.  The point of the process is always full restoration.  The way we forgive should be a reflection of the forgiveness we have received.  God showed us mercy so that we would know how to show mercy to others.  Unforgiveness is a sin and is a prison of pain for the person who refuses to forgive. 

Acts 25:13-25 - It is interesting that those who were not the religious people in this story recognized Paul's innocence, while the religious leaders made false statements against him.  It is a bad sing when the "wolrd" has a better moral compass than the church.   

Here are a few notes from my reading. 

Leviticus 8-10 - in 8:36, it says that Aaron and his sons did exactly as the Lord commanded. Then in 10:2, Aarons sons were killed for not filling God's commands as they carried out their priestly duties.  There is a higher accountability for those who are called to lead God's people.  While this consequence seems incredibly harsh, it is really a picture of what we deserve for our own sin, yet God has given us a High Priest (Jesus) to stand in the gap for us. 

Psalm 40 - Do we wait patiently for the Lord?  Maybe the reason we struggle to experience God's presence on the daily is because we fail to wait patiently for the Lord.  Joy is found in fully following God and obeying him completely.  We should talk about all that God has done as a testimony for others to know, but also as a reminder to us of the goodness of our God.  Those who search for the Lord will be filled with joy and gladness.  

Matthew 18:1-14 - Greatness is the result of humility.  We don't deal severely enough with sin. If we did, it would change the appeal of sin.  Also, we must learn to deal severely with sin so that we don't lead others to sin as well.  Those who lead innocent people to sin will be severely punished. 

Acts 25:1-12 - Paul stood strong on his convictions and once again maintained his innocence. God was using his trouble to allow him to share the gospel with the Roman leaders and rulers.  Opposition is often and opportunity for faith to shine. 

Leviticus 5-7 - God wanted his people to understand the sacredness of his presence.  His desires is that when we worship, our hearts would be pure.  God is Holy - undefiled, set apart, fully good. 

Psalm 39 - Life is short in view of eternity.  Our lives on earth are like a breath that vanishes quickly.  What we spend our lives focussed on matters.  If we spend our entire life in pursuit of worldly wealth, we will waste it on what is extremely temporary and our lives will in the end be meaningless.  God has made us for so much more meaning than that.  To experience his purpose, we need to repent from our rebellion - refusing to fully follow God's design for us - because our rebellion will position us to experience unwanted pain in life. While there will still be pain in this broken world, we welcome more pain when we remover ourselves from God's protection by choosing to chase our own desires. 

Matthew 17:14-27 - The disciples may have lacked the faith to understand that the physical problems were symptoms of a greater spiritual issue.  Jesus rebuked the demon and once the spiritual issue was resolved, the physical was was well. Because the disciples were not approaching the matter as a faith matter, they missed the real issue and didn't pray for what was actually needed. Jesus told the disciples to pay the temple tax, not out of obligation, but for the sake of peace.  This is an example of what it looks like to work to be at peace with people.  

Acts 24 - Paul explained his case and defended his innocence.  Felix was interested in what Paul had to say until Paul began talking about future accountability for ones life choices.  Many people like the story of the gospel as long as it doesn't interfere with the way they want to live their lives. 

Here are a few notes from my readings. 

Leviticus 1-4 - First of all, this is a difficult book of the Bible, but there are some great nuggets of truth that I think God wants us to see.  
The purpose for the offerings for sin was to make them aware of the seriousness of sin.  It helped them understand that sin led to death so they needed to stay away from sin.  The salt in the grain offering is a reminder of God's activity in our lives.  Salt preserves and gives flavor.  God preserves our lives and gives our lives meaning and purpose.

Psalm 38 - David recognized his sin and pleaded for God to help him in spite of his sin.  We must recognize our sin, recognize the seriousness of it, and return to full surrender to God. 

Matthew 17:1-13 - Peter want to build a shelter on the mountain where he experienced God's presence.  Many times our response to experiencing God is that we just want to stay there in that moment.  However, the God you experienced in that moment wants you to experience his presence in your life every day and has made it possible through the power of the Holy Spirit.  He is there, we must learn to recognize Him working in our lives.   While there will be moments where we experience God moving powerfully, we must not remain on the mountain but allow what we experienced in the moment on the "mountain" to fuel our faith in the valley. 

Acts 23:12-35 - Paul was being persecuted for doing the very thing God told him to do.  Following Jesus does not mean you will have an easy life, but a purposeful one.  God used the persecution as a platform to tell more people about Jesus. 

Exodus 38-40 - Israel built all the pieces of the tabernacle as the Lord had instructed.  It shows that God cares about the details and the things we consider the "little things."  If he cares about the little things in the tabernacle, he cares about even the things you feel are "little things" in your life.  Exodus begins with the people in captivity and ends with Israel getting to experience God's glory.  It is a great picture of what God offers us.  He wants to rescue us form the captivity of our sin and allow us to experience his glory in our lives.  

Psalm 37:23-40 - God directs the steps of the Godly and cares about every detail of their lives; he will keep them from falling and he will give them the comfort of holding their hand.  This promise is something I want to experience daily.  The characteristics of the Godly people are people who give wise counsel, teach what is right according to God's truth and live by that truth so they don't slip.  This passage contrasts the life of the wicked with the life of the Godly.  Those who are Godly - honest, do good, love peace - have the promise of a wonderful future.  The rebellious and the wicked will be destroyed.  

Matthew 16:13-28 - The greatest question we can answer is who do we say that Jesus is.  This isn't a question about intellect, but a question about our relationship to him.  Is he our Lord and Savior, or just a good guy who did good things.  You can know about Jesus, but not know him personally.  Peter told Jesus not to say that he was going to be led away and killed.  I think Peter probably thought he was doing the right thing and trying to keep Jesus positive.  Jesus responds by saying - get behind me satan because his way of thinking was a dangerous trap.  When we look at things from a human point of view rather than from and eternal point of view it is a dangerous trap.  Jesus didn't death as a negative way of thinking, but rather a necessary way of thinking because he saw it through what was necessary.  I think many people struggle with things of earth often because they aren't seeing it with an eternal perspective.  To follow Jesus, we must turn form our selfish ways of living and thinking, take up our cross and follow Jesus' example.  What good would it be to gain the whole world (the thing that is only temporary) and lose our soul (the thing that is eternal)  because we only saw life through our earthly point of view.  The way to gain real life is to let go of our life and find real life in following Christ. 

Acts 23:1-11 - Even before Jesus came, there was a divide between those who believed in the spiritual realm and those who did not. In the midst of his imprisonment and trials, God encouraged Paul by telling him there was more to come. 

Here are a few notes from my Bible reading today. 

Exodus 35-37 - God made it clear how important the sabbath was.  God intended us to work for 6 days and rest on the 7th.  He instructed the Israelites to kill anyone who worked more than that.  While we don't kill people who don't keep the sabbath, it seems as if the lack of a sabbath is killing us.  The sabbath is a gift from God for people.  He designed us with a need to rest and reflect at least one day a week.  At times I have bought into the lie that I don't have time to rest, but God's design says your are too busy not to rest.  When we don't rest it kills our joy, passion, energy, and relationship with God.  Rest was intended to reflect on all that God has done and see that it is good.  
As they prepared to build all the things that God directed, he instructed them to give generously to the effort.  He actually says let those with a generous heart give.  Our willingness to give to God through his church is a reflection not of our bank account, but of our heart.  Generous people are not always faithful followers of God, but faithful followers of God should be generous as God continually stirs their heart. Our response to what God is wants to do in us and through us should be an eagerness to get involved through serving and giving.  These people gave so much that Moses finally had to tell them to stop because they had enough.  My prayer is that as a church we will always have more than enough to do all that God is directing us to do because the hearts of the Grace community is continually stirred by God and they are eager to serve and to share generously.

Psalm 37:1-22 - It is a good reminder that we should not envy the wicked because the wicked will eventually wither like grass or flowers.  Our job is to continually trust in the lord and do what is right and when we do, he will cause us to prosper.  I think it is important to note that to prosper in God's eyes may be different that what we think.  Our definition may be different than God's and the only way for that to change is for us to learn to delight ourselves in the Lord - or learn to love and value what God loves and values.  When we do, he will change our desires, then give us those desires.  We must commit everything that we do to God - our careers,  families, marriages, hobbies, finances, etc.  If we will trust him and his way with all of those things, he will help us.  We must learn to be still in God's presence and wait patiently for him to act.  Sometimes we "try" when God wants us to "trust".  When it comes to desires of our heart, it is important to know that Godliness is better than riches, and even the writer of this Psalm points out that one of the main characteristics of Godliness is generosity.  I believe this is because our God is a generous God and his desire is that we would reflect his character in our own lives. 

Matthew 16:1-12 - The people asked Jesus for a miraculous sign to prove who he was, and he said the only sign he would give was the sign of Jonah, meaning just as Jonah was in the belly of the whale for 3 days, Jesus would be in the belly of the earth for 3 days, then he would rise again.  He tells the disciples to beware of the yeast of the Pharisees because yeast infects the whole batch of dough.  The Pharisees lacked faith and so did their teaching.  The disciples had seen Jesus feed a group of over 5,000 people and a group of over 4,000 people and now they were arguing about who was supposed to bring bread so they could eat.  Jesus was frustrated with their lack of faith because even though they had seen what Jesus could do, they still had not learned to rely on Jesus to provide for their needs.  Lack of faith often shows up in our greatest areas of worry. 

Acts 22 - Paul tells his story about how Jesus changed his life.  One of the most powerful stories we can tell is the story of how we experienced Jesus personally.  No one can argue with your experience.  What they did not like is the Paul felt as if God had told him to take the gospel to the Gentiles.  Their racism kept them from receiving God's truth for themselves.

Exodus 34 - Moses gets new tablets with the 10 commandments.  God wants the people to know that his love is unfailing and that he forgives but sin has consequences and will impact not only them, but generations that follow.  Moses continues to plead with God to go with them.  God makes a covenant with them and says that he will do miracles among them that have never been done before anywhere.  There is nothing beyond the power and might of our God.  He can do things that we couldn't even imagine, that are beyond anything we have ever seen before.  He warns them not to make treaties with the people in the land, which they end up doing.  He did not want them to make treaties with the enemies who would lead them away from God.  We shouldn't make treaties with the enemy by compromising or justifying sin.  We must completely wipe out the things in our lives that cause us to sin against God.  

Psalm 36 - Sin whispers to the heart of the wicked - meaning their sin comes from within.  They don't even realize their own wickedness.  It is only when we know God do we find real like and experience the light that exposes sin and shows us what is true.  

Matthew 15:21-29 - This Gentile (Canaanite) woman had great faith or Mega Faith.  In the religious culture of the time, she didn't have anything going for her, but she knew only Jesus could deliver her child from the evil spirit.  She understood she didn't have any claim on grace - she didn't deserve it and couldn't earn it.   She knew that what Jesus could do was better than anything she could get anywhere else.  She pushed through the silence and continued to worship even when she didn't get her way.  Jesus' silence was not to deny her request, but to draw out her faith. 

Acts 21:27-40 - Just as was predicted, Paul was falsely accused, beaten by a mob, and arrested. 

Exodus 32-33 - The people lost faith in the waiting.  People want to be led and asked Aaron to lead them instead and to make false gods for them.  Likely they had grown  comfortable with the false gods of the Egyptians.  For all of them, that is the only form of worship they had likely experienced since they grew up in slavery in Egypt.  This is why Paul tells us in Romans 12 not to copy the behaviors and customs of this world.  We can't emulate what we see the world doing and worship God.  The Israelites exchanged the truth for a lie.  (like we see in Romans 1) They said that these false gods they had made were the ones that led them out of captivity.  We often forget or fail to recognize the ways in which God has moved in our lives and how he has rescued us. When Moses was coming down the mountain and heard the people worshiping the false gods, he said it sounded like war.  When we do worship anything other than God, it is an act of war against the one true God.   Aaron failed to lead well.  He allowed the desire to please people to trump his desire to please God.  Moses held Aaron accountable for his leadership failure.  As leaders in our jobs, communities, and families, God will hold us accountable for how we lead.  Are we leading in a way to please man or to please God? Are we parenting in a way to please our kids/make them happy or are we parenting in a way that pleases God and makes him happy?  Aaron skirted responsibility and lied to avoid blame.  This is the picture of a weak leader.  Moses on the other hand was a strong leader and took responsibility for the failures of the Israelites and begged God to allow him to take the fall for the people.  A great leader stands in the gap for the failures of those he leads.  God dealt severely with those who did not choose to be on the Lord's side.  If we are not on the Lord's side, we are his enemy and we are sure to be destroyed.  God told Moses that he wasn't going to travel with them because he would end up destroying them on account of their rebellious spirit.  Moses pleaded with God to go with them.  He would set up a tent outside the camp to meet with God.  Perhaps he set it up outside of camp because God refused to be in the midst of the people.  Even then, Moses continued to beg God to go with them.  He understood that without God, they would not be successful and they would not survive.  God first tells Moses that He would go with Moses personally, but Moses insists that God be with everyone, not just Him because he knew the entire Nation of Israel needed his presence.   He says that it is God's presence that sets them apart from the rest of the world.  This statement is true today for followers of Jesus.  The presence of God through the Holy Spirit in our lives is what sets us apart from he rest of the world.

Psalm 35 - God is a God of Justice.  My prayer is that he would help me recognize when I am celebrating the failures of others or attacking someone. God will deal rightly with those who attack His people.  He is our defender - we don't have to defend ourselves. 

Matthew 15:1-20 - Scripture is our standard for how to live our lives as followers of Jesus, not man-made ideas of religion. The religious leaders believed that the disciples were defiled because they had not washed their hands.  Jesus points out that it isn't what goes into the body that defiles us but what comes from our mouths that shows that we are defiled.  What comes from the mouth is a snapshot of what is in our heart.  In other words, our heart is more important to Jesus than religious behavior.  You can act religiously and be defiled just as the Pharisees were.  

Acts 21:1-26 - One thing that stands out here is that one of the men in the story had 4 daughters with the gift of prophecy.  It is important to realize that the Holy Spirit gives gifts to people of all ages, both male and female.  Also, Paul continued on his journey to Jerusalem, even though he knew he would be arrested and imprisoned.  The religious leaders did not like that Paul was teaching people that to follow Jesus did not mean they had to follow the religious rituals of the Jewish religion. 

Exodus 30-31 - Rich and poor were both required to pay the same ransom price that would be used for the upkeep of the temple.  In the same way, all people are required to pay the penalty of their sins, but unfortunately no one can pay it on their own.  Jesus came to pay the ransom for our sins and has paid the price once and for all for all who will believe in Him.  
- I find it interesting that pleasant aromas were an important part of the Tabernacle and the Ark of the Covenant.
- The sabbath is something we don't do well in our culture.  We are a culture that tries to substitute sleep for rest, but we will only be refreshed when we learn to rest.  God made our bodies to need rest. The sabbath is a gift to us. 

Psalm 34 - through prayer, we find freedom from our fears and are rescued from our troubles.  When we begin to worry, we should turn our worries into prayers.  The writer tells us to taste and see that the Lord is good and that when we learn to find refuge in him, we will experience joy.  The formula for living a long and prosperous life - don't speak evil or tell lies, turn away from evil meaning that we don't even entertain it or allow ourselves to be around it.  Lastly, we need to work for peace and work to maintain it. 
- God watches over those who pursue righteousness. It is comforting to know that he is close to the broken hearted and rescues those whose spirits are crushed.  

Matthew 14:22-36 - After they fed the 5000, the disciples got in the boat to head across the lake when a storm rose up.  They were overcome with fear when they saw Jesus walking on the water toward them. It is good to know that in times of trouble, Jesus moves toward us, not away from us.  His words to them in the midst of the storm was to take courage because he was near.  When we face fear, we can have courage knowing that the God who is over all things is near.  Peter demonstrated his faith by getting out of the boat and walking toward Jesus on the water.  When he lost focus on Jesus, and began to see the waves and the storm, he began to sink.  Jesus said his doubt was a result of having little faith.  When we focus on the problems over God's power, it diminishes our faith.  

Acts 20:13-38 - Paul knew that as he continued to travel and share the gospel he would face suffering and persecution, but he valued sharing the gospel and carrying out his mission more than he valued comfort or even his own life. He tells them to work hard so that they can bless others because it is more blessed to give than receive.  Many times we work harder for our own good, not for the good of others.  He says the better reason to work hard is so we can be generous to others. 

Exodus 27-29 - God gave very specific instructions for sacrifices.  This may have been for a few reasons.  Maybe so when they entered the land of the Canaanites who worshiped pagan gods and would offer sacrifices whenever and however they wanted, the Israelites worship of God would be set apart.  Or maybe the detailed instructions were so they understood how serious God was about their relationship and wanted them to take it serious too. Regardless of the reason, it is comforting to know that now longer do we have to offer sacrifices through a priest to experience God's presence in our life.  Now, because of Jesus' sacrifice on the cross, we can experience God's presence in our lives daily. 

Psalm 33 - When we understand God's power and authority over all things, we have great reason to sing praises to him and trust his strength in our lives over our own. 

Matthew 14:1-21 - Herodious hate John because he disapproved of Herod marrying her.  Herod acted in his flesh and made a promise her could not take back and it cost John his life.  When we act in our flesh, it doesn't just hurt us, but hurt others as well.  
Jesus heard the news and went to be alone.  I love this passage because it shows that we have a God who has experienced the grief of loss.  He then reaches the place where he was stopping and sees the crowd and has compassion on them.  Even in his grief, he had compassion on others.  He then feeds the 5000 from 5 loaves and 2 fish.  Jesus did the miracle and used the disciples to distribute the miracle.  He is still in the business of using his followers to pass out the miracle of life.   When they were finished feeding the crowd, they collected what was left and had 12 baskets.  When they started, not a single one of the disciples had food - even the 5 loves and 2 fish weren't theirs, but when they finished, there was enough left over for each of them to have a basket.  When you allow God to use you in His ministry, it will leave you with more than you started. 

Acts 20:1-12 - It is amazing to see how hungry people were to hear Paul speak. The boy who fell from the window to his death not only lived, but went home without an injury.  God can turn around any tragedy. 

Here are a few thoughts from my reading. Drop any thoughts or questions you have in the comments!

Exodus 21-23 - God gave Israel instructions on how to deal with certain sins.  He wanted them to deal severely with those sins because he knew how severe the consequences would be if they did not deal with these in a serious way.  His consequences were meant to rid the nation of Israel from sins that would ultimately destroy them from the inside.  His consequences were not out of anger, but out of love for the people as a whole.  He also told them to stay away from sorcery and false gods.  These are ways that people dabble in the darkness of the spiritual world and it is inviting the enemy into the camp.  Again, God's rules were for protection.

Psalm 31 - God is the ultimate provider and protector.  Sin in our lives will ultimately drain us of our inner strength and ruin our lives.  Still though, God can deliver us.  We simply need to repent and turn back to God. No one is beyond the rescue of God.  Verse 15 reminds us that God holds our future.  
- God protects those who faithfully follow him, but he punishes the arrogant.  Lean into God's strength that he gives you and courageously continue to trust him with your life. 

Matthew 13:24-43 - This has several Parables - the parables of the weeds and wheat that shows that there will always be those among us that do not truly believe and God will sift them on the day of judgement.  To remove the weeds while the wheat is growing could damage the good wheat.  I think about the fact that the way you tell the difference between a weed and wheat is in what it produces.  The same is true for those in the church - what are you producing in your life.  Is there proof in your life that your faith is in Jesus and he is changing you.   
Parable of the yeast - a little yeast impacts the whole batch.  This happens with sin, but I think this also happens with faith.  Great faith has a way of impacting everyone.
Parable of the mustard seed - even small faith that is planted in good soil can grow into a tree and serve a great purpose.  
Parable of the treasure in a field and a pearl of great worth - when we discover the greatness of Jesus, we should be willing to give up all that we have in order to fully follow Jesus.  Full surrender.

Acts 19:1-22 - Paul asked them if they received the Holy Spirit when they believed.  It seems by the passage that they had only believed in the message of John the Baptist and been baptized with water.  Paul tells them that they now need to believe in Jesus.  Jesus was the one who John came to point people to.  When they believed in Jesus, they received the Holy Spirit. Paul laid his hands on them to pray for them and they were immersed with the power of the Holy Spirit.  I believe this is an example of the Holy Spirit making himself known to people who were not aware of His power.  
We also see people attempt to cast out demons who were not followers of Jesus.  They attempted to use the formula they had seen the Christ followers use, but were not Christ followers.  We are powerless against the spiritual enemy on our own, but in Christ the enemy is a defeated foe.  We should not fear the enemy, but recognize that it is through our faith in Jesus that we find victory.  
Sorcery is evil and should not be something we entertain.  In our culture, I don't feel like we treat it with the severity that we should.  When my sister was little, she had a princess power doll that someone had given her.  She had a series of nights when she had several night terrors and one morning my mom was asking God to show her if there was something evil that was causing it.  God brought to mind the doll.  She went into the room and asked God to show her where it was and she felt God almost instantly draw her eyes to the doll.  She got rid of it and she and my dad prayed over the room.  Later that day, my sister asked where the doll was, which was strange because she didn't play with it much, so my mom told her that we needed to get rid of it.  That night, my sister slept peacefully through the night and the next morning she told my parents that she had seen an angel last night.  She proceeded to describe it and talked about what it said to her.  She never had another night terror.  Here is the point of the story.  Too often, we don't believe that there is a spiritual attachment to physical objects, but I think in that way we are deceived. Many times in scripture, sorcery is something that God tells us to avoid.  We should never call something harmless that God has called harmful.  

Exodus 19-20 - There are generational consequences for sin and obedience.  Our sin or our obedience will have an impact on those who follow us.  One of the greatest things we could ever do for our kids and grandkids is to fully follow Jesus so they get to experience the blessing of our obedience.  

Psalm 30 - God's anger is for the moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime.  Even when we experience the pain of our failures, when we repent, God will turn our mourning into joy.  He will never leave us or forsake us regardless of what we do, but he will allow us to experience the pain of our sin so we will turn from it. 

Matthew 13:1-23 - Story of the soils. Maybe the Rocky soil represents those who want to practice religion, but don't want to let go of living life their own way.  There are some rocks in their life they don't want removed.  I think that there are many in the thorny soil who's faith gets choked out by the pursuit of money and possessions.  People look to those things for security, comfort, and identity instead of God.  

Acts 18:18-28 - Even Apollos used scripture from the Old Testament to prove to the Jews that Jesus was the Messiah. 

Here are a few thoughts from my Bible reading today.  Let me know what God is showing you!

Exodus 16-18 - People want the promise without the process.  They complained about the journey, even though they were desperate to be rescued.  Here is a great leadership lesson - When you are doing what God tells you to do and people complain - their complaints aren't against you, but against God.  Do what God tells you and trust him.  Please God, not people.  The Israelites were told to rest on day 7.  The day of rest was for the good of people.  God designed us to need a day of rest.  It is God's gift to you, so don't refuse it!  Aaron and Hur held up the Arms of Moses.  We all need others who will help hold up our arms of faith when we are in the battle and getting tired.  Moses' father in law, Jethro, taught Moses about the importance of delegation.  

Pslam 29 - There is power in the voice of God.  When he speaks, things happen.  He is over all things. 

Matthew 12:38-50 - Here Jesus prophecies about the grave and resurrection.  He tells them through symbolism of the 3 days that Jonah was in the belly of the whale.  Jesus gives examples of non Jewish people - those who would have been considered unclean and unworthy -  who put their faith in God and will be better of than these religious people who refuse to repent.  Repentance requires full surrender to God, and most people don't want to do that.   They would rather cling to religious behavior because that is something they can control.  When God delivers someone, discipleship is important.  When we allow God to remove the old, we must allow him to fill us with the new.  Deliverance without discipleship leads to disaster.  Jesus says that our new family of faith is demonstrated by our obedience. 

Acts 18:1-17 - In Corinth - Paul stopped focussing on the Jews because they rejected Jesus, so he turned his attention to preaching to the Gentiles.  In this passage, it says those who believed were baptism.  Baptism is our public testimony of our faith.  ​

Here are some of the thoughts from my reading - 

Exodus 13-15 - Here again, we see that God wants the Israelites to pass down their faith; this time using the ceremonies and sacrifices.  The ceremonies and sacrifices were meant to remind them of who God is and what he has done, not simply become religious rituals. God did not take the Israelites the shortest route to the promise land which was through the Philistine territory.  He knew they were not ready to fight that battle, so he took them the long way around.  God will take us on a path that prepares us for his promise and will not put us in a position to fail. It was God's plan to have the Egyptians come after the Israelites.  Sometimes God allows and even causes us to face situations that will force us to learn to rely on Him.  When the Israelites saw the Egyptians, Moses' response was - stand still and watch God fight for us.  And He did!  Faith is being willing to trust God in the face of fear rather than trusting our own flesh.  A part that I don't think I've noticed before is that the Israelites crossed at night.  

Psalm 28 - If you are silent, I might as well die.  I feel like we have all felt this way when we've prayed desperate prayers.  It is times that we are desperate that we realize how much we need God.  When we trust God with all of our heart, it leads to joy. 

Matthew 12:22-37 - Pharisees tried to dismiss Jesus' power by attributing it to Satan.  Jesus pointed out their flawed thinking.  A kingdom divided will fail.  At the same time, he was pointing out that while they may think they are on God's side, they are actually fighting against him.  He basically says that the way to know who's side you are on is by the fruit in your life.  Many people claim to have faith, but they really just have religion.  Faith is measured by fruit and fruit is produce through obedience to God. 

Acts 17:16-34 - Even though they had many God's, they clearly feel like there is more.  Paul says, let's start where you are - very religious, but clearly with all the false god's you worship, you still feel like there is something missing.  There is one missing and He is actually the only true God.  God wants us to find him as we seek him, and when we do seek him, we will discover that he is not far from us.  Some laughed, but others believed. 

Here are some of the notes I took from this reading. 

Exodus 10-12 - God caused Pharaoh to be stubborn so he could show his power, and to grow the faith of the Israelites and be able to tell stories of God's mighty power to the generations that followed.  God is the one who built Moses' reputation and gave him favor with the Egyptians.  We don't have to build our reputation or strive to gain favor. We must simply honor God and allow him to do it his way.

Psalm 27 - B/c God is my light and salvation and my protector, there is nothing to fear.  One thing I need more than anything else, and the one thing worth seeking is God's presence in my life daily.  If we will fully follow after God, he will lead us along the right path even though the enemy wants to lead us astray.  What does it look like to wait patiently for the Lord?  Waiting patiently leads to experiencing his presence, but we struggle to wait. It takes courage and bravery to wait patiently for the Lord.  

Matthew 12:1-21 - Jesus says he desires mercy, not religious behavior.  Jesus' way isn't wrapped up in rigid rules, but in a loving relationship.  Love wants what is best for others, so it is willing to be honest, but love no matter what. The sabbath was made for the good of man, not man for the sabbath.  The Pharisees cared more about religious behavior than caring for the needs of people.  The rules we see in scripture are not to control us, but to keep us from harm.  Jesus acted mercifully, not judgmentally.  He always spoke truth, but out of love for the person.  The story of the man with the diseased hand is another example of the the Pharisees being zealous about the wrong thing.  Matthew points out another prophecy since he is writing his version of Jesus' life from a Jewish perspective.

Acts 17:1-15 - The people of Berea were open and searched the scriptures to make sure Paul and Silas were telling the truth.  This is something we should all do when we hear someone preach or teach.  We need to make sure what they are saying aligns with scripture so that we won't be deceived.  It says here that as a result, many believed.  When we seek truth, we will find it!

Here are a few notes from my reading. Please share any thoughts you have! 

Exodus 7-9 - God planned to show his power through his miracles by hardening the heart of Pharaoh.  In our minds, we probably would have just wanted God to deliver us without any struggle, but God wanted to use the struggle to prove that He alone is God and that the Israelites were His people.  With the first 3 miracles, the magicians could replicate it with their magic, but they could not replicate the plague of gnats and in fact they said - this is the hand of God.  God's miracles are not primarily for our good but to show that He is God.  

Psalm 26 - My heart's desire is that I would live in such a way that this prayer could be my cry my whole life. I want to live with the utmost integrity.

Matthew 11:20-30 - We are going to be held accountable for how we respond when God reveals himself to us.  The Egyptians were held accountable in the Exodus reading, and so were the towns where Jesus performed miracles.  The miracles were meant to help the realize who Jesus was and to cause the to repent.  People harden their hearts to God's movement, just like Pharaoh did and the people in these towns, because they claim to be wise.  They think they are smarter than God and don't need God.  They think their way of living is better.  Jesus wants us to come to him like a child.  A child doesn't try to overthink things and tend to be willing to trust much more easily. When we trust him, we will find rest.  Following Jesus is not a burden, it's a blessing if we stop striving and start trusting.

Acts 16:16-40 - Paul and Silas cast out the demon from the fortune teller and as a result were beaten severely and put in prison because her master was upset at the financial loss it would cause.  But when Paul and Silas were in prison, they sang praises to God, and while they were singing, God set them free.  Freedom is found when we choose to praise God despite our circumstances. 

Here are my notes from this reading - would love for you to share your thoughts!

Exodus 4-6 - God asks Moses what is in his hand. God uses what you have. So often, we don't feel we have what it takes to do what God is asking us to do, but he gives us everything we need. Moses did not feel he was the right person and continued to argue with God. God was patient with him and even gave him someone to go with him to help him.  I am grateful that God is patient with our doubts.  Also, in verse 20, Moses' staff is now called the staff of God.  Moses gave God what he had and God anointed the ordinary for the extraordinary.  
In Genesis 4:24 - this part was very confusing at first.  As I looked into it, it seems as if God was going to kill Moses because he had not circumcised his sons as God had commanded the Israelites to do.  Many scholars believe that it was because his wife Zipporah was not on board, which is why God caused Moses to be so ill that he could not perform the circumcision.  In this passage, I believe God shows us that it was essential for Zipporah to recognize God's calling on Moses and their family.  To be used by God, they needed to get on the same page spiritually.  

Psalm 25 - Those who trust in God won't be disgraced, but those who are deceptive will be disgraced.  God is a God of integrity.  Deception is a form of lying - it is leading people to believe something in a dishonest way.  God says this kind of living will lead to disgrace. Following God's lead requires humility, but those who fear him and follow him will experience friendship with him.  

Matthew 11:1-19 - Jesus points out that John was the fulfillment of the prophecy made hundreds of years before this in Malachi 3.  This would provide proof that Jesus was the promised Messiah. This statement always stand out to me in this passage - Wisdom is shown to be right by its results.  Many people try to act as if they are wise.  Sometimes it is from academic pride that has caused them to believe that their knowledge makes them wise, however knowledge and understanding/wisdom are not the same.  Mankind has had a tendency to think we are smarter and wiser than God and this has led to destruction in the world (see Romans 1).  Wisdom is seen in the results.  If someone claims to be wise, it should be evident in their life.  And for that matter, those who are wise typically aren't claiming to be wise, but are those who are seen by others as wise because of the evidence in their lives. 

Acts. 16:1-15 - Paul and Silas allowed the Holy Spirit to change their plans.  We must learn to listen to the leading of the Holy Spirit if we are going to allow Him to guide our lives.  

​Here are my notes from today's reading - I'd love to hear your thoughts - 

Exodus 1-3 - God caused the Israelites to multiply greatly and they became powerful, and filled the land.  God birthed the nation while they were in a foreign land.  It reminds me that it doesn't matter where I am in life, God can grow me and prepare me for his purpose.  The origin story of Moses shows that God preserved the life of Moses, even in the most impossible situation. 
Moses sinned when he murdered the Egyptian and caused him to have to leave.  There were natural consequences to his decision, but they did not disqualify him from being used by God.  While his sinned sent him into the desert, God used it to prepare him for His purpose.  
God's mighty hand is ultimately what will cause the Egyptians to let the Israelites go.  This reminds me that it isn't my job to do the impossible. My job is to obey God and trust him to do what only He can do.  

Psalm 24 - Everything in the world belongs to God.  When we live in a way that honors God, it positions us to experience His goodness in our lives.  It doesn't mean we earn it, but rather that when we take a posture of living that honors God, it is a bless able posture. 

Matthew 1-:21-42 - God cares for the birds - he provides all they need.  If he cares for them, he will care more for us who have been made in his image and he calls his masterpiece.  When we worry about our basic needs, it is a sign that we aren't fully trusting God.  
God wants our relationship with him to be on display.  Following Jesus is a personal decision, but should not be a private one.  This is one reason baptism is so important.  It is the public declaration of our faith and an object lesson of what God has done in our lives when we placed our faith in him. To fully follow Jesus, it requires full surrender.  Anything less than full surrender isn't real surrender.

Acts 16:22-41 - Paul and Barnabas split up because they did not agree about who should go with them.  While this disagreement was probably not pleasant, God still used their decision to go different directions with different people to multiply their efforts.  ​