Day 15 - The NT Challenge

Mark 4

I know I have heard this time and time again, that the parables were to teach His followers, but I'm still a bit unclear about why He didn't want everyone else to understand? (4:12) Looking forward to hearing Pastor's sermon about that!

It's good to know that I'm not the only one that has to be reminded to "pay attention to what you hear"! (4:24)

Lord, help me to put in to practice what I hear on Sundays and what I study from your word so that I can know that I am truly 'paying attention.'

Had to chuckle when I saw, must be for the first time, that the disciples went from being afraid of the storm to having 'great fear' at the fact that the winds and the waves obeyed The Lord! It's evident that they were hanging around with Jesus, but still didn't quite get it! It actually makes me feel somewhat better knowing that it shouldn't be that big of a surprise when I don't get it either!

Lord, help my heart to be close enough to you that I begin to truly understand just who you really are.


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Day 14 - the NT Challenge

Mark 1

It is rather sad how one act of disobedience by the man with leprosy (telling others when Christ said not to), which probably seemed like a good thing at the time, caused such a problem for Christ.

It kind of makes me think, what effect do my actions have on the ministry of Christ today? Could my disobedience, even when it seems so small and insignificant, really cost the ministry? If it did back then to Christ, I can only assume that it must be the same for me today.

I love how Jesus dealt at times with the scribes and pharisees! With the lame man whose friends let him down from the roof to Christ, the Pharisees complained about Christ saying he forgave the man's sins. Jesus response of what would be easier for me to do A or B, only to turn around and say both, kind of made me giggle. Christ knows that sometimes we see things only one way, and He will take the time to show us both sides to fulfill His purpose, and to point out our human weakness!

I've never really thought it out, but how is it that Mary got wrapped in with Jesus' brothers who thought He was mad? Had she forgotten all that had happened at His birth? Did she begin to doubt herself and thus doubt Him? Did she try to stop the brothers but decide just to go with them instead? Not horrifically important questions, but still ones that would be interesting to know.


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Day 13

Matthew 27 -28

It's just sad how gullible the people were in this section of Christ's story. They were so easily led astray by their religious leaders. That, however, begs the question of who bears the greatest responsibility? Is it the people who blindly followed OR is it the leaders who intentionally led?

Lord, please help me to be the right kind of leaders. So many little eyes are looking at me each day; I want to lead them in the right path out of a pure heart. Please help me do that - even when it's easier not to.

The other thing that stood out to me is the one person who heard Jesus cry and went and got the wine-soaked sponge. ONE person - misguided though they were - just ONE wanted to do something,anything to help. That one didn't just stand there and feel bad about the situation. They actually took action.

Lord, please help me to be the one who acts, not just the one who thinks about it and yet still stands there. Help me to be a doer - not just a thinker or wisher.


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Day 12 - The NT Challenge

Matthew 26

I thought it was rather interesting today that two very important people to the story remained un-named in Matthew's account. I kind of think that it was because the WHAT was was so much more important than the WHO - especially in these cases.

A woman anoints Jesus with precious perfume and a man offers his house for Jesus to honor Passover. It didn't really matter who they were. In fact, if we knew who they were that might take some of the focus off what they did. The woman's anointing gave Jesus the smell of an anointed King that probably lasted up until his very burial. The man opened up the opportunity for Christ to try one final time to explain what was about to happen to this rag-tag group of followers who were about to be swept into the greatest battle ever played out between good and evil.

Sometimes, does the WHO really matter at all?

Lord, help me to be willing to be part of the WHAT rather than worrying about being a WHO.

Information about the anointing taken from Sitting at the Feet of Rabbi Jesus by Spangler and Tverberg


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Day 11 - The NT Challenge

Matthew 23 - 25

In this section, Christ lays out the events of the final days. Never before did I realized the clarity with which Christ spoke of the final days. For some reason I always thought that the detail came only from Revelations!

One thing from chapter 23 that stood out the most was in the "woes" to the Pharisees. I think it stood out because it is something that I struggle with - wether it is as a Bible teacher at school, a mentoring leader with the girls, a women's ministries coordinator, or a ladies speaker - it is just a small statement, but it holds such a harsh accusation. . .

"They preach, but they do not practice."

In the context, Christ is pointing out to the Pharisees how horridly they were leading their Jewish followers astray, but in those seven little words, He sums up the major problem with not just their outlook on ministry, but on their inability to look inside themselves.

Dear Lord,
Please help me to practice what I preach. To not be just a listener, but a doer. To be sure I'm not a pretty teacup that's filthy and gross on the inside making myself totally unusable by your and unprofitable for those to whom I am sent to minister.
Amen




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Day 10 - The NT Challenge

Matthew 21- 22

Loved how in Matthew 21 Jesus curses the fig tree, and the tree has enough sense to wilt. And yet in the next verses, the arrogant Pharisees have the audacity to challenge Christ. The created thing has more sense than the created person.

Lord, please help me to keep in mind that I am your creation and should respond as such.

It's kind of sad how in Matthew 22, the Sadducees apparently spent so much time crafting the perfect question, that had they spent the same time trying to get to know The Lord, they would have understood Him much better. The Pharisees weren't much better, they spent their time following Him around, and had they used all that time in His presence wisely, imagine how much closer they would have been to Him.
Even today, it isn't just about me spending time thinking about Him or hanging out with Him, it's about me getting closer to Him.
Lord, please help me to use my time with you more wisely.
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Day 9 - The NT Challenge

Matthew 18 - 20
A lot is mentioned about being a servant to those around you, but there were two things that stood out most to me:
20:15 "Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or do you begrudge my generosity?"
How often do I get upset - or at least a little irked - when someone seems to be blessed more than I am? How pathetic is it that I am doing the same thing as the workers in Christ's parable?! They felt like they should be able to dictate where the Lord's blessing is given - that if it isn't given to them in the amount they feel is right, well, they should definitely speak out about it.
I need to learn to be grateful for what I've been given, and not "begrudge His generosity" to others.
20:32 And stopping, Jesus called them and said, "What do you want me to do for you?"
I love the fact that Jesus knew exactly what the blind men wanted, actually what they needed, but He still asked them. Jesus knows my every need, but He desires me to ask Him. He's standing there saying, "Darlene, what do you want me to do for you?" What will be my response? Something superficial? Something easy? or Something amazing?!
Dear Lord,
There is so much that I want for you to do for me, but while I wait for your perfect timing, help me not to begrudge what you are doing for those around me as if there is some limit on your available goodness and blessing.
Amen
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Day 8 - The NT Challenge

Matthew 15 - 17
"This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.'"

All I can say is OUCH! The Lord has such a clear understanding of where we (who am I kidding - where I) struggle the most. The knowing and the doing / The believing and the acting. . .


I can so relate to the disciples! Not that long ago, they had see the Lord feed 5000 with five loves and and 2 fishes. Here they are now faced with feeding 4000 people (LESS) with seven loaves and a few fishes (MORE) and they still say that they can't do it! Sometimes my spiritual memory is ever so short. . .

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The NT Challenge - Day 7

Matthew 12 -14
Wow! I really kind of sympathize with the disciples! Jesus just lays out one parable after another and they are supposed to be catching them all! There heads must have been swimming, but they faithfully followed on.
Lord, may I be that steadfast even when I feel like one of your slow learners!
(14) I didn't realize that just before the feeding of the 5000, Jesus had gotten word that John the Baptist had been killed. Here He is, in mourning, and this mob is following Him, and instead of telling them to go away or getting frustrated, He has compassion on them! What a Savior!
I just love Peter's daring impulsiveness! It speaks to the very heart of me! It makes me laugh to read the account of the walking on the water! He ASKES to be called out of the boat, but then his focus is distracted away from the Lord and down he goes! I love how the Lord didn't lecture or chide, but He merely asked the question that needed to be asked, and answered, "Why did you doubt?". So often that same question could be asked of me. . .
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The NT Challenge - Day 5

Matthew 9
After a chapter filled with miracles of healing and confrontations with the Pharisees, the real reason behind Christ's actions is stated:
When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.
That is so appropriate as I enter a new school year. That is exactly how I should look at my students - having the heart of Christ.
Matthew 10
Wow! The poor disciples! In this chapter Christ lists for them ALL of the problems they will face while serving Him, and I think I have a rough time in ministry! Jesus does put in there how much He loves them and will care for them, but He doesn't end there - - He speaks once more about how hard it will be, and then ends with a short statement about rewards. In other words, my job and His love are way more important than what I get out of serving.
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The NT Challenge - Day 4

Matthew 7

The kids song of the Wise Man and the Foolish Man doesn't really get to the heart of the issue the way Christ did in Matthew 7. The song makes it seem like the deciding factor is what the houses were built upon - meaning building them on GOOD things or building them on BAD things, but that's not it at all. . . In Matthew 7, Christ is talking about the wise man and the foolish man with their differences not being what they build on (technically they were both believers) but wether they were DOING the good thing or not.

To NOT do the things we know we should according to the Bible makes us the foolish man building a very insecure life. To DO the things we know we should according to the Bible makes us the wise man building a very secure life. It's as easy as that - am I DOING or NOT?


Matthew 8

Sometimes I forget that all the people that Christ interacted with were honest to goodness people, filled with emotions, and baggage, and insecurities -- in one word - REAL. This chapter seems to give such a wonderful cross-section of these real people that had the opportunity to interact with the Lord of the Universe on a very personal level.

The Leper - Amazingly enough, he didn't actually "ask" to be healed. He just made the statement to the Lord that if He wanted to heal him, He could. Do you think he was afraid to actually ask for fear the answer would be "No"? Does it even really matter? The important thing was that he recognized that Christ 'could' heal him if He wanted to. How's my faith measure up? Am I too afraid to ask, however, do I even have the faith to know He can do anything?

The Centurion - I appreciated this guy's honesty! He didn't put on some kind of false modesty when he talked to to Jesus. He know his position of authority and the power he held. BUT he willingly acknowledged Christ's power at the same time. Not only acknowledging Christ's power, but putting himself under it's authority, rather than just boasting about his position. Remember, I don't need to prove anything to God. He knows the position he's put me in way better than I do!

Peter's Mother in Law - Such a simple response - "I'm healed to serve." Oh that I would see the same in my life a lot more readily. . .

The Disciples - They've been with Him the longest, and yet they don't seem to have the faith that is necessary to see the amazing acts God has been doing all around them! I need to be careful, that just because I'm close, I'm not becoming blind.

The Demon Possessed Men - Unfortunately, they were saved and probably didn't even realize how big their salvation actually had been! That's what happens when Satan messes with our mind!!

The Herdsmen and the City Folks - They saw a miracle, and yet they thought it was more important for them to protect their own interests. Who cares that Jesus is doing a mighty work, we just don't Him to do it here, it might actually cost us something!!

So many people and so many different responses. . .
Who am I most like?
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The NT Challenge - Day 3

Matthew 5

This section of the Sermon on the Mount is just packed with practical living instruction and commands. It's interesting just how practical Christ was with his topic choices - not deep theological issues as much as the every day life issues that they faced (and we face too).

There were two small statements that were made within this chapter that really seemed to jump out at me:

Matt 5:19
Therefore whoever RELAXES one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever DOES them and TEACHES them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

I thought it was very interesting that this version says "relaxes" one of the least of these commandments - not breaks / not bends / but relaxes. How often do we "relax" laws to fit our desires. We wouldn't say we are actually breaking them, that would be a sin. We wouldn't even say we are bending them, that would be too active. Christ knew that to hit at the heart of our problem, a verb choice like "relaxes" would really point to the heart of the issue. The word in Greek gives the same idea of loosening something, but still the word relax that the ESV chooses seems more fitting to what we sometimes actually do as believers.

The other section of this verse was just something that jumped out at me, maybe because the school year is getting ready to start, but I think it's interesting that the contrast between RELAXING the law and teaching others to do the same and DOING the law and teaching others to do the same. Sometimes I find that I will try to teach without trying to do - - that isn't the way the Lord intended. For all believers the order is set pretty clearly - you DO and then you TEACH.

Dear Lord,
Please help me to see your words and your commands as laws to be followed, not flexible items for me to bend or "relax" into what I want them to be. And as I have the opportunity to teach both in my classroom and in various ladies ministries, keep me ever mindful of the need to DO and then teach.


Matthew 6

This chapter mentions so many times how good actions with bad motives are not actually good actions. It is often hard not to do things in such a way that others will see you - sometimes I think that we don't even think about the fact that we ARE doing it for that reason; it has so become an ingrained part of our nature. We look at how others act and respond to them accordingly, so it would stand to reason that we need to consider the same when we act. However, that isn't God's way at all. God is concerned with the REAL me, the inside me, the me I am when no one else is around. That's a tough reminder, especially to someone who is a people-pleaser. Who am I aiming for - those walking the same journey as I am, or the Almighty Maker of Heaven and Earth? Easy question to ask - tough question to answer!

I did have one question that I've never noticed before in the Lord's prayer. I was always taught the ACTS way of praying (Adoration - Confession - Thanksgiving - Supplication) and that we have to get our sins out of the way before God will hear any other part of our prayer (besides the Adoration), but that doesn't seem to be the format of the Lord's Prayer. . . Hmmmmmm. . .



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The NT Challenge - Day 2

I know that it's been a while, and I'm getting more and more behind on the challenge - especially since I started late to begin with, but I'm going to make a real effort to catch up this week. Seems like a good time to play 'catch up' when I'm trying to establish my routines anyway! Looking forward to seeing what lessons the Lord may have for me!!


Matthew 2
I know this may seem like an insignificant thing, but I had never realized before, but God had Joseph take Mary and now not a baby, Jesus to Nazareth instead of Bethlehem for what might have been a very considerate reason. Not just for the benefit of the family, but out of compassion for the many hundreds of families, and mothers more specifically, who had lost their boys during Herod's killing spree. Can you imagine how hard it would have been to see a little boy the age that you know your son would have been?

The new ruler was no threat, even though Joseph thought he was, but rather maybe the move was all in God's plan to save the sadness of the families in Bethlehem. It wouldn't surprise me - - God is very loving like that.



Matthew 3
"Bear fruit in keeping with repentance"
Matt. 3:8

These, no doubt, harshly spoken words by John the Baptist to the Pharisees and Sadducees, really offer a stinging challenge to us today. Personally, am I bearing "fruit in keeping with repentance"? Does my life reflect the repentance of heart that I should have?

Ouch! A question given in another time for another group of people, but still very challenging for us today. (Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever - Hebrews 13:8)



Matthew 4
Goodness! A lot in a relatively short chapter considering it contains the temptation of Christ, the beginning of His ministry, and the calling of His first disciples. WOW! bunches of lessons here. . .

One of the things that seemed to stand out most to me was the three little words repeated TWICE with the calling of the disciples - "Immediately they left." Seems simple enough to understand, but a lot harder to actually do when it comes down to me being obedient to His call. If my story were there it would probably have included an "After she _____." How sad is that?! The living, breathing, God of the universe is calling me, and I'm putting Him on hold until I finish what I am wanting to do.



Dear Lord,
Thank you for being such a compassionate and caring God. Help me to live a life that bears the fruit of repentance and includes immediate obedience. It's not always easy, but it is my reasonable service and my spiritual act of worship. (Romans 12:1)


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The NT Challenge - Day 1

Matthew 1

Okay, it's my fascination with the Old Testament I'm sure, but I just love how in the genealogy of Christ we see in one verse an amazing reminder of how God can use ANYONE who is willing to be used. Matthew 1:5 mentions both Rahab and Ruth - both mentioned in the lineage of Christ! Could there possibly be two more unlike relations! A prostitute and a 'virtuous woman' - yet, God used them both - God worked in them both- God blessed them both!

Lord, thank you for being such a loving Father who looks beyond the mess that is me, and sees instead a heart that desires to be used by you.

The NT Challenge - Introduction

After an exciting conversation with a friend last night, I took her recommendation and joined up with the Karen Kingsbury New Testament Challenge. Admittedly, I think I tend to lean more to the Old Testament for reading, and teaching, and learning, so I think that this challenge will truly be a challenge for me. I am getting a late start - they are already 24 days in, but I read that if I read two chapters instead of one until I catch up, I can still finish the whole New Testament on Easter Sunday. I'm actually pretty excited about this! Got my iPad ESV and my blogging app set, got a buddy to help me stay on track, and got 233 days to dig into God's Word! Woo Hoo! Let's go!

Treasure Hunting - Psalm 34

Another day of "treasure hunting" in the Psalms with my fifth graders led me to a familiar Psalm from the life of David. When you consider the background for this Psalm, it makes the verses even more poignant and relevant to my everyday life.

"I will bless the Lord at all times: his praise will always be on my lips." Sure, it is easy to bless God when things are going well, but David said this after his life was threatened and he was driven out from before Abimelech.
What about me? Am I willing to b
bless the Lord at ALL times? Am
I willing to keep His praise on my
lips even in difficult times?

Treasure Hunting - Psalm 84

While "treasure hunting" in Psalm 84, I found some special treasures.

1. First a question - Does my soul truly yearn for the Lord's presence? Is being close to the Lord a priority for my everyday life?

2. I was reminded again that the sons of Korah were responsible for only the moving of the tabernacle - not service with offerings and sacrifices, yet this author has a sense of worship far greater that I could ever imagine. His worship was in the service he was able to give to the Lord's house.

3. "Blessed are those whose strength is in you, who have set their hearts on pilgrimage." The Lord will give us all of the strength that we need for the pilgrimage we have to make on this earth. My heart must be ready for that journey knowing that it will ultimately end in heaven.

4. "No good thing does He withhold from those whose walk is blameless."
So much blessing, and yet a great responsibility.


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Giving My Most OR Giving My All

It is quite sad to see the change from Judges 1 to Judges 2.  We start with the children of Israel quite eager to take the land the Lord has given them, and we end with the entire nation falling into a rather pathetic pattern of disobedience, punishment, redemption, and repeating.  How could they be so different from one generation to the next?

The more I think about it, the more convinced I become that they weren't as different as it may first appear.  Yes, they did obey.  Yes, they did go into the land, but those outward actions don't seem to match up with the weakness that was still inside them.  They did drive out their enemies - sort of.  They did take possession of the land - mostly.  They did accomplish what the Lord set before them - kind of.  Therein lies the problem. . .

Today, how willing am I to go all out for the Lord?  How determined am I to make living for Him my whole life's goal, or am I satisfied with giving my most instead of giving my all?  Daily choices of that nature make a big difference down the road. . .