Daily Scripture Assignment: Dt 19-21; Gal 3

Melissa AckleyScripture - Understand, then, that those who believe are children of Abraham. The scriptures foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and announced the gospel in advance to Abraham: "All nations will be blessed through you." So those who have faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith. - Gal 3:7-9 (NIV)

Observation - This is a letter written by Paul to the church in Galatia in response to a controversy that had surfaced in the church: some Jewish Christians were insisting that non-Jewish Christians needed to follow Jewish laws and rituals in order to be true members of the church. Abraham was a forefather of the Jews and "while living with his father in Haran, he reieved a message from the Lord calling on him to separate himself from his old associations and go to a new country" (Thompson) . In Romans, Paul said "Therefore,  the promise (of salvation) comes by faith, so that it may be by grace and may not be guaranteed to all Abraham's offspring-not only to those who are of the law but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham. He is the father of us all." (Rom 4:16) Paul is reminding the Galatians that it is not about a set of rules and regulations. That is not salvation, that is slavery. We cannot earn our salvation. We were bought for a price, Jesus' blood. It is our faith in that awesome salvation and new life, leaving our old behind, that saves us. The faith that causes us to turn and follow Him, even when we don't know where we are headed.

Application -When I was a kid, my parents took my sisters and I to Disneyland. But they wouldn't tell us where we were going, they just woke us up early, plopped us in the car and started driving and only said it was a surprise. I didn't know where we were headed, but I trusted that if my parents said it was a surprise and were so excited about it, it must be worth the drive. It never crossed my mind that my parents might be taking us to the dentist or a funeral. I had faith in them, and I trusted them. But in my adult life, I can get so anxious when I don't know where God is taking me, and the point is to trust Him, to have faith that He loves me and He knows what He is doing. I don't have to have all the answers. I am called to follow Jesus, in faith, one foot in front of the other, one day at a time.

Prayer - Jesus, today I don't know what is going to happen. I don't know what specific things or people I may encounter today. I know that you know what is ahead, and thank you that you give me the grace and wisdom to handle things as they come. I don't know everything about where I am going in life, but I am following you. I love you, and I know that you love me too and would never leave me. Today I am leaving behind anxiety and fear, and I am going to just follow you. Amen.

Daily Scripture Assignment: Deut 16-18; Ps 38; Gal 2

Jason StonecipherScripture – Psalm 38 (Click to Read)

Observation - This is a psalm of penitence, a prayer for deliverance from God's conviction and chastening for his sins.  Physical ailments have come upon David because of sin and the stress that weighs on him. He’s also dealing with his perception of God’s righteous anger.  The impact of his physical symptoms were terrible.  It deeply impacted his relationship with family and loved ones, while his enemies, as enemies will, took advantage of the situation and plotted against him.

It has been suggested that Psalms 38 may have been written after Psalms 51 and 32, following the events surrounding David's sin with Bathsheba. Either way, the pressure of sin on David is evident as his life seemingly falls apart around him.

Application – Sin is a terrible thing and its consequences can be devastating. Sin that is unconfessed and not dealt with can bring incredible stress, guilt and conviction, all of which can make you really sick in body and ruin the relationships around you, as in David’s case.

I know there have been times in my life when my sin has weighed me down to the point of feeling sick and mentally anguished. There’s always that temptation to hide our faults, mistakes and bad choices (like when you’re posting on a blog!!) so that no one will see that we’re just like them. Like Adam, we want to hide our nakedness and transparency so that no one can see us as we are, but the most liberating thing is also one of the most frightening… to confess that sin and be free of it.

When it comes to sin we need to trust God and run to Him, not from Him. Hiding from Him is a futile and useless endeavor since He’s not fooled by anything. What a funny thought to stand there posturing before God. I wonder how many times a day He rolls His eyes at me! How great that he loves me and accepts me, regardless of all of my faults and silly thoughts. How much better to simply come to Him honestly and openly and let Him forgive me, heal me and teach me how to live that much closer to Him!

David’s sin was eating away at him. Going to God with that is the only thing that alleviated it. There may be consequences to our sin, but God, being as gracious as ever, not only forgives us when we repent, but helps us through the consequences we brought on our own head.

Hiding from ourselves and our sin is deadly and hiding from God is pointless. I trust Him and I know He’ll take care of me as I grow up into the person He wants me to be.

Prayer – Father, thank You for conviction, I welcome it. It keeps me bound to the path You’ve set before me and helps me to follow Your ways. When I stray and make bad choices, You are always there to correct me, redeem me from them and help get my heart right again. Without You I’d forever be lost, so I welcome Your correction and love whole-heartedly. Help me to always respond quickly with a repentant heart. Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path. Keep me in that light and help me stay on the path. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Daily Scripture Assignment: Deut 13-15; Gal 1

Page AcklerScripture - And still the Christians in the churches in Judea didn’t know me personally.  All they knew was that people were saying, “The one who used to persecute us is now preaching the very faith he tried to destroy!”  And they praised God because of me.  - Gal 1:22-24 (NLT)

Observation - As a "new convert", Paul didn't have a great reputation to proceed him as he told others about the Jesus.   He didn't have anyone to vouch for his authenticity or to verify his authority.  Without those things however, the amazing changes in his life were able to bear witness to the power of God.  The very fact that HE was preaching the gospel confirmed that there must be power in his message.

Application - No credentials, endorsements, titles, or associations will ever lend more credibility to my message of the good news of Jesus than the example of my own life.  This can be both good and bad.  It's great to know that the story of what God has done, and is doing, in my life verifies for people that my message is legitimate.  However, I must always be on guard so that my life does not bear witness against me.

Prayer - Lord thank you for changing my life.  Thank you for changing my outlook and attitude and thank you for allowing others to see the difference. Please help me to live a life that not only pleases you, but also stands as a clear witness to your power and presence.

Daily Scripture Assignment: Deut. 7-9; Mark 15

Jeremy FickScripture - The leading priests and teachers of religious law also mocked Jesus. “He saved others,” they scoffed, “but he can’t save himself! Let this Messiah, this King of Israel, come down from the cross so we can see it and believe him!” Even the men who were crucified with Jesus ridiculed him. - Mark 15:31-32

Observation - I have to say that the words those people spoke kind of make sense. If He had done what they asked, it would have proven Himself to them. Although they wanted to see Jesus save himself to prove His claim, the fact remains that He willingly laid it down. He knew there was a bigger plan in-store and that the only way to redeem mankind was to allow this to happen. Also, Jesus had already done a multitude of miracles, some as great as bringing the dead back to life. If this wasn’t enough, what would?

Application - Sometimes in life a miracle isn’t what we really need. Although we may want a miracle more than anything, and although the miracle would be something that we would consider as a “good” thing, God is still sovereign and can be up to things far greater than we can imagine.

Prayer - Lord, help me to trust you in all things, even when they don’t make sense to me at the time. Help me to pursue miracles, but be understanding if you have other plans.

Daily Scripture Assignment: Deut 1-2; Mk 12

Jarrod GillihanScripture - They were seeking to seize Him, and yet they feared the people, for they understood that He spoke the parable against them. And so they left Him and went away. - Mk 12:12 (NASB)

Observation - Jesus has come to Jerusalem and the people love him. His trial and crucifixion are not far off. The religious leaders of the day have begun to question his authority and they are really ticked off that everyone is listening to this guy. They wanted him silenced, in a big way. In fact, they wanted him dead.

Application - I could go on and on about the parable of the vine- growers. Are we the vine-growers or the grapes? Great stuff in this one, but what I really keyed in on was the last verse in this section of scripture.

See, Jesus spoke the truth and it was not very complimentary of the religious leaders of the day. The religious leaders knew it was against them and it ticked them off. They beauty of it was that they were terrified to do anything about it. Ultimately, they were able to get even with Jesus but it was all according to God’s plan.

I need to remember this scenario in my own life because there are a lot of times that I know Jesus is calling me to say something about HIM to someone I know and I get scared to do it. I need to remember that my fears are irrelevant and that speaking God’s truth is what I need to do. Those that are opposed to what I have to say can struggle against God. I will trust his plan because if he’s laid something on my heart to share then it is for a very good reason.

Prayer - Lord, forgive me for the times that I have let fear and doubt keep me from fulfilling the tasks that you have laid before me. Help me to be bold in the face of uncertainty and to trust in your guidance.

Daily Scripture Assignment: Num 32-33; Mk 10

Page AcklerScripture - But if you fail to drive out the people who live in the land, those who remain will be like splinters in your eyes and thorns in your sides. They will harass you in the land where you live. - Num 33:55 (NLT)

Observation - On the brink of finally entering the promised land, the Israelites are told by God that they must not allow any of the current inhabitants to remain. This command comes with a warning that if not followed, the consequences will be constant strife with any one that was not driven out. It turns out God was right. After entering the land, some of Israel's enemies were allowed to stay and later proved to be one problem for the nation after another.

Application - The Israelites' situation seems similar to my life sometimes. Nothing should come first before God but I still allow certain habits to hang around because they seem innocent. It is watching one more TV episode before reading my Bible, only to fall asleep in front of the TV. It is hitting the snooze button on the alarm because "I'll make time to pray later today". At the time these decisions seem like no big deal but the consequences of my compromises are unacceptable.

Prayer - Lord please forgive my compromising. Please help me to be disciplined enough to properly prioritize even when some of the smaller things in life seem like they won't have a negative impact. Thank you for your patience and making each day new.

Daily Scripture Assignment: Num 28-29; Mk 8

Cathy StonecipherScripture – “Having eyes, do you not see? And having ears, do you not hear? And do you not remember, . . . ?” - Mark 8:18 (NAS)

Observation – Jesus is quoting the prophet Jeremiah, in chapter 5, verse 21, which He also quoted in Mark 4:12 when He was telling the disciples that they were being given the privilege of being taught the mysteries of the kingdom of God. Jesus often told parables, or stories with morals to them, to the masses following Him, and then He explained the true meanings to the disciples when they had gotten away from the crowds. Most of the people in the crowds wanted to be fed with the physical food Jesus provided to them, but they did not value the spiritual food He was sharing.

In chapter 6 of Mark, Jesus fed 5,000 men plus women and children with 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish. In Mark 8, Jesus fed 4,000 men plus women and children with 7 loaves and a few small fish. So, Jesus sounds somewhat surprised when the disciples are worried about the fact that they only had 1 loaf of bread to share between just 13 of them. The disciples still weren’t getting it.

Application – Someone once said, “Lack of faith is a lack of memory.” God has done so many great things for us, but sometimes we forget. The next crisis comes along, and we panic. A few years ago, during a particularly difficult financial time, I started a scrapbook to keep track of God’s faithfulness to us. In it I put receipts from grocery and clothing gift cards we were given, a Les Schwab receipt that indicated our tires were free because they still had the warranty from the previous car owner’s purchase, and notes from people who had sent us money for side jobs we did for them. Even just the act of watching for things to put in this scrapbook was encouraging and caused my faith to have to be more active. I began to expect to see God work miracles in our lives.

What we expect is often what we get. Pastor Steve told a story this Sunday morning about a man requesting prayer for his young granddaughter with the complete expectation that the prayer would be answered. The girl was healed.

When I was little, I was so afraid of bees that during family barbecues I would spend most of the time watching for a bee to come buzzing by me, and I would panic and run, repeatedly, until eventually I would have to go back in the house. If I would have ignored it, it would have ignored me, or so I was told. Unfortunately though, in this case, I found what I was looking for. That happens often. If I am at work and expect to have a really stressful day, I probably will.

On the other hand, if I expect to see God take care of me and expect to hear Him speak to me, that is what I will find happening.

Prayer – Father, thank you for Your faithfulness to me. When I am not so faithful, You always are. Thank You so much for Your presence, for sending Your Holy Spirit to be with us. Help me to remember to expect to see Your faithfulness to me. I love You.

Daily Scripture Assignment: Num 19-20; Ps 28; Mk 5

Melissa AckleyScripture - Save your people and bless your inheritance; be their shepherd and carry them forever. (Ps 29:9, NIV)

Observation - This is a psalm of David, praising God during times of testing and trials. "Inheritance" can be referanced to Deuteronomy 9:29, "But they are your people, your inheritance that you brought out by your great power and your outstretched arm". The word "carry" also cross references to Deuteronomy (1:31), "There (in the desert) you saw how the LORD you God carried you, as a father carries his son, all the way you went until you reached this place". The picture I see is David remembering that he is a child of God, God's inheritance, and God has carried him through desert times before.

Application - My daughter is 3 but would be very content to be a baby forever. She still comes up to me and says "Mommy, carry you please?" meaning "carry me please?" If I pick her up, she lays her head on my shoulder and seems so content, like I could probably take her anywhere and as long as I'm holding her, she's all good. If we walk a mile, I will be the tired one! She will have traveled a mile, but not walked it. She might get wet if it's raining or be cold, she'll have to face the elements but she has my protection and strength to rest her head on. I have faced differant challenges and I'm sure I will face more, but when I remember who's carrying me "I can do everything through Him who gives me strength". (Philippians 4:13)

Prayer - Abba thank you for carrying me. Why do I worry? You are right here with me! You've always been here, helping me through each trial as it came. I rest in the certainty of your protection and strength, knowing that you are my shield and my shepherd. Amen.

Daily Scripture Assignment: Num 14-16; Mark 3

Page AcklerScripture - Then the whole community began weeping aloud, and they cried all night. Their voices rose in a great chorus of protest against Moses and Aaron. “If only we had died in Egypt, or even here in the wilderness!” they complained. “Why is the Lord taking us to this country only to have us die in battle? Our wives and our little ones will be carried off as plunder! Wouldn’t it be better for us to return to Egypt?” - Num 14:1-3 (NLT)

Observation - The Israelites have finally reached the land that God has promised them. However after hearing reports that the current inhabitants are stronger than they are, they become discouraged. Rather than focusing on the promise that God had made or the faithfulness He'd showed them in the past, they focus on how daunting their current challenge is. Almost immediately their faith crumbles and they determine that it would have been better to have stayed as slaves in Egypt.

Application - How quickly I can forget God's promises and the countless times He's proven Himself faithful in my past. I truly believe that God will remain as faithful to take care of me tomorrow as He was yesterday, but without the constant reminder of His promises through reading His word, it's easy to focus on the circumstances at hand rather than trusting God 100%.

Prayer - Lord I acknowledge that you are true to your word. I know that your promises to me are not something you take lightly. You've proven yourself to me before. I ask that you would help me study your word to keep your promises on the forefront of my mind so when I face challenges, I will remember your faithfulness and focus on you.

Daily Scripture Assignment: Num 10-11; Ps 27; Mk 1

Jeremy FickScripture - But the man went and spread the word, proclaiming to everyone what had happened. As a result, large crowds soon surrounded Jesus, and he couldn’t publicly enter a town anywhere. He had to stay out in the secluded places, but people from everywhere kept coming to him. - Mark 1:45 (NLT)

Observation - Jesus changes one man’s life and as a result, too many people are crowding around him! Knowing what would happen, Jesus told him not to tell anyone what had happened. I love how this wording then says “but” the man went and spread the word. When someone’s life is truly changed by God, they can’t help but talk about it.

Application - I want to see this kind of buzz in and around my life. I want to see my friends and family experience God’s touch in a way that they can’t help but spread the word. This kind of momentum just can’t be stopped.

Prayer - Lord, I pray that you would do the life-changing miracles in this community that bring attention to You!

Daily Scripture Assignment: Num 5-6; Ps 22; Acts 26

Jarrod GillihanScripture - My God, my God, why have You forsaken me? Far from my deliverance are the words of my groaning. O my God, I cry by day, but You do not answer; And by night, but I have no rest. Yet You are holy, O You who are enthroned upon the praises of Israel. - Psalms 22:1-3 (NASB)

Observation - This Psalm was written by David, although it doesn’t seem to fit the details of any situation that we know happened in David’s life. This Psalm clearly describes the coming crucifixion of Jesus. Throughout the Psalm, David clearly describes the events of an execution at the hands of evildoers and there is no confession of sin or wrongdoing on the part of the writer which was certainly true of Jesus Christ.

Application - What an awesome Psalm. There are a lot of messages that jump out at me when I read it. The most obvious one that I grabbed onto immediately was captured in the first three verses.

As David is expressing his sense of being forsaken by God he states that “far from my deliverance are the words of my groaning”. In other words, “I’m suffering now and I know that it’s not going to end any time soon; my deliverance is a long way off.” Wow! Talk about depressing. There is only one thing worse than feeling like you’re at the end of your rope and that’s knowing that help isn’t on the way. You’re stuck.

Then, in verse three, David writes one of the most profound things ever. “YET you are holy, O you who are enthroned upon the praises of Israel.” That’s a big YET. We would be well served to remember that even in the midst of the worst possible situation imaginable, God is still God. He is still worthy of our praise. He is still on the throne. He is still in control. David doesn’t blame God…and neither should we!

How often do we get angry over the circumstances in our lives and are tempted to be bitter towards God? Who do we think we are? Jesus endured the cross for us and he didn’t deserve any of it. We did. Jesus still recognized the Father as God and accepted his situation as service to Him. So remember, even when deliverance seems a long ways off, God still deserves our praise and love. He can use our suffering to bless those around us as well as ourselves if we will let him.

Prayer - Lord, help me to understand the situations that I find myself in, to recognize how they serve your purposes and not necessarily my happiness.

Daily Scripture Assignment: Num 3-4; Acts 25

Jason StonecipherScripture – Acts 25:1-22 (NAS) (Click to Read)

Observation – Paul must have been an especially bitter pill for the religious leaders of Israel to swallow. Christianity was bad enough, in their eyes, but then to have one of their own, the most outspoken and zealously active opponent of this “new” sect, turn, and with that same fervency and zeal, follow and promote that path… well, it was an outrage. And they planned to deal with Paul as they had planned to deal with all of the followers… death.

In Acts 21-24 Paul, having returned to Jerusalem, is taken into custody, first by the Jews and then by the Romans, moving through a series of trials (sounds familiar) which eventually culminate in Paul appealing to Caesar, which would land him a trip to Rome. What this did, however, was to effectively take him out of Jewish hands and the deadly ambush mentioned in Acts 23:12-14 and 25:3.

More importantly, appealing to Caesar and assuring a visit to Rome fell completely in line with Acts 23:11… the Lord stood before Paul and gave him the direction he needed.

Application – So many things hit me when I read these passages. Truthfully, I feel wholly inadequate. How would I do in a similar situation? I can only hope and guess.

In some parts of the world being a Christian means an immediate death sentence. Here, in this country, the worst the average Christian usually deals with is a severe rolling of the eyes by someone trying to avoid us. True, sometimes, it can be worse, but that’s uncommon. What gets me, though, is how much that little bit of ridicule can so effectively shut down believers. We haven’t had to live under the level of persecution Paul lived in, so we really don’t handle it well. We’re much more enthusiastic about things that don’t bring with them the possibility of criticism. Drop us into Paul’s situation and we crumble.

Unless we have what Paul had, something readily available to us, as it was to him… relationship.

Paul spent endless hours with the Lord in prayer and studying, when times were good and when they were bad. As a result, when storms arose and his life was threatened, when life and death hung by a decision, a choice of action, Paul had enough relationship and had spent so much time with the Lord that he knew His voice and was able to hear the direction God wanted him to go. Not only did this give him his first obvious need, direction itself, it gave him something else, something I know I need regardless of the direction: faith.

I know that if God dropped me into the same situation Paul was in I would probably break down completely under the stress and pressure of it all unless God had spoken to me in that situation. There’s something incredible in the way God doesn’t just speak His will, but adds to it the stuff we need to bolster our faith, causing us to stand in the most difficult situations. You hear it even today, as ordinary people with an extraordinary God face situations and circumstances, from persecution to natural disaster.

When God adds that “extra” to our “ordinary”, amazing things happen and we are enabled in ways we didn’t know possible.

But it does require faith. Paul had a choice to make regarding God’s direction. He could have given in to the pressure and fear of the moment and not relied on the strength of God’s Word and enablement. Had he done so, the results may have been disastrous, not only for Paul, but for all of those he would have touched along the way. But Paul chose faith and obedience and stood in the power of that Word.

I may not ever stand in a situation like Paul’s, but in every situation I do stand in, I must choose to listen and obey the Voice of the Lord or back down in fear, following my own reasoning and inclinations. In fact, I’ve done that. I chose the way that seemed to be best to me (not for me), because it took me out of that place of pressure. Invariably, I missed out on whatever God had intended because I didn’t want to deal with pressure, stress, criticism, etc. I’ve always known when I’ve made those decisions and I’ve always ended up regretting them.

I’ve also known when I’ve taken that step of faith and trusted God and his direction to me. The results of those times have not always been what I’ve expected and sometimes I don’t get to see the results at all, but inside, I’ve always had peace and joy, knowing that I did what He wanted. All of the storms, difficulties and pressures of life combined mean nothing in comparison to walking with Him.

Paul summed it up nicely in 2 Corinthians 9:7, 9… “…for we walk by faith, not by sight …therefore we also have as our ambition, whether at home or absent, to be pleasing to Him.”

Prayer – Father, thank You for the incredible privilege of Your Voice. Help me always to hear You and obey, rather than give in to my own insecurities and fears, which always lead me astray. Help me to grow in You, to trust You like I never have and to walk every day in the faith You give me. I love You. May that always be the first thing that shows. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Daily Scripture Assignment: Num 1-2; Acts 24

Page AcklerScripture - Each tribe of Israel will camp in a designated area with its own family banner. But the Levites will camp around the Tabernacle of the Covenant to protect the community of Israel from the Lord’s anger. The Levites are responsible to stand guard around the Tabernacle. - Num 1:52-53 (NLT)

Observation - The Lord assigns the layout of the Israelites camp so that each tribe has it's own place. He commands them setup camp according to their tribe in the same place each time. He also assigns the tribe of Levi, to camp around the Tabernacle and to take responsibility for ensuring no one comes to close to the Lord's dwelling place. God sets the Levites apart from the other tribes with the responsibility of ministering to the people and in this case, sets their camp as a "buffer" between the other Israelite camps and the Tabernacle. While the connotation of "standing guard" initially gives me the feeling that the Levites were protecting the Tabernacle from the general public, the first part of verse 54 states that they were actually there to protect the general public from God's wrath against their sinful nature.

Application - As true now as it was then, God will not tolerate anything less than righteousness in his presence and has declared that the punishment for such is death. Thankfully Jesus now acts as the Levites once did, as an intermediary between the glory of God and mankind. Sometimes parts of the Old Testament can seem like pure historical reference but it's cool to see the parallels between seemingly irrelevant Old Testament occurrences and the Gospel.

Prayer - Lord your master plan for my salvation is so interwoven into history that even your direction regarding simple campsite maps are hints that foreshadow the coming of the Son. I love the intricacies of your Word and how there's always something new for me to see. Thank you.

Daily Scripture Assignment – Lev 25; Psa 25-26; Acts 22

Cathy StonecipherScripture – “And when they heard that he was addressing them in the Hebrew dialect, they became even more quiet; and he said, “I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city, educated under Gamaliel, strictly according to the law of our fathers, being zealous for God just as you all are today.” - Acts 22:2-3 (NAS)

Observation – Paul returned from his latest missionary journey and gave his report to the church in Jerusalem. James, then leader of the church, and the other elders, rejoiced with Paul and told him that many in Jerusalem have also decided to follow Christ. They then request that Paul pay for four Jewish Christians to complete their Nazarite vows (a vow they made to God, and they don’t cut their hair until the vow is fulfilled). They felt this would help to dispel rumors that Paul had turned his back on the law of Moses (because Paul was preaching that circumcision was not necessary, along with some other Jewish customs). So Paul went through the seven-day purification, and near the end he was seen in the temple by people who assumed he brought a non-Jew into the temple with him, which was strictly forbidden under Jewish law. They started a riot that attracted the attention of the Romans, who carried Paul away for his own protection from the mob. Paul then requested that the Roman commander allow him to address the people, which he did, with mixed results.

Application – I found it interesting that when Paul asks the Roman commander if he can speak with him, the Roman seems surprised that Paul is addressing him in Greek. For some reason, he had assumed Paul was a notorious Egyptian (I wonder if it’s because Paul walked like one ;). Then, Paul addresses the Jewish mob, speaking to them in Hebrew, their native language; it grabs their attention and makes them willing to listen.

I heard something interesting on the radio this week about a grade school principal making it strictly against the rules for any employee to speak any language but English. When a secretary in the office spoke in Spanish to some parents who only spoke Spanish, she was fired. I realize there are political issues here with immigration, etc., but how else do you communicate unless you speak the other person’s language? Especially when dealing with parents and their child’s education?

The main thought that came to me from this scripture is that it is so important when talking to someone about Jesus that we speak their language. Whether we’re talking with someone who has not yet decided to accept Christ or a new Christian, we need to do a lot of listening, and we need to be relevant. We may have been raised in church or have a long history of running from God, but we need to be more interested in the other person than what we think they need to hear, and begin where they are. Sometimes I might think I know where someone is coming from, and then I listen a little more and realize I am totally wrong. So perhaps my experiences cannot help them, but my God can, so I can pray for them. I’m so glad that God knows where each of us is in our walk with Him, and that He meets us where we are and helps us get where we need to be.

Prayer – Father, thank You that You are with me where I am, but You are also helping me get where I need to be. Help me to be a better listener – to You and to others. Thank You so much for all the times You speak to me.