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Monday, July 22, 2013

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Monday, July 15, 2013

 
Passage:
Isaiah 44:6-23

Key Verse:
“This is what the Lord says—   Israel’s King and Redeemer, the Lord Almighty: I am the first and I am the last;     apart from me there is no God.” V. 6 (NIV)


In Greece they were called Apollo, Aphrodite, Ares, Artemis and Dionysus, to name a few. In Egypt, it all started with Atum, the first god to exist. Atum  coughed and spat out Shu, the god of the air, and Tefnut, the goodness of moisture. Following were countless gods and centennial dynasties of Egyptian pharaohs, who were (of course) also gods.

Then there was Rome. The first nation to persecute Christians worshipped Jupiter, Neptune, Venus and others. Her emperors were also gods and would not consent the exclusivity of this new “cult” that spread throughout the region and beyond, claiming that there is One, Holy God, His Name is Yahweh and His Son is Jesus. Jealous, Yahweh would not accept other gods. Because of that, His Name has been persecuted throughout the centuries.

And then there is America. And England. And Brazil. And (fill in the blank).

Worship pluralism is greater today than it’s ever been. We may not bow before them, offer sacrifices or worship in their temples. But we worship them, regardless. Their names?

Monday, July 8, 2013

 
Passage: Galatians 6:1-10

Key Verse:

“Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap.” (v.7 – NASB)

My parents and I were reminiscing about my childhood this past week. We talked about the numerous activities that my siblings and I were involved in besides school. Mom repeated a sentence that I heard several times before: “Our inheritance to you is the investment we made in your education.” Indeed it is true; I have always been very aware of the major sacrifices that my parents made to be able to put three children through the best school in town, language studies, music lessons, sports, etc. I am undeniably forever grateful for the legacy they gave me in that respect. But what I think parents do not always realize is that each investment they make in their children’s lives has the potential to impact the lives of many more people, for decades, even centuries to come.

I call it the Ripple Effect (and yes, I know that is not an original term, but please bear with me).

Monday, July 1, 2013




Passage: Joshua 1:1-9

Key Verse:
“Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” (V.9)
I had heard of Nik Wallenda’s feats, but had never stopped to actually watch the man before. Until two weeks ago. We all gathered in front of the TV and held our breath for 22 minutes and 54 seconds, as Nick crossed the Grand Canyon balancing on a 1,400 foot wire that Sunday. It was indeed an amazing sight, one that I will not easily forget. And although everyone could tell that Nick had moments of fear as unpredictable winds swept across the canyon, I wanted to shout for joy as I watched him worship His creator at every step, in front of millions of spectators worldwide.  The world may fully credit his amazing accomplishments to years of balancing on the wires, training and unbelievable control. But I know better. Although Nick is certainly an accomplished professional and spent his life preparing for these challenges, I’m convinced that his courage and strength, revealed at every word of worship and every step he took, came from Almighty God.
I dare say that there is indeed bravery that is based on faith and faith alone. Not on one’s ability to succeed, or on the odds for a happy ending of the story. That type of bravery is based exclusively on God’s character and strength, not ours. That is the bravery that God commanded from Joshua as He charged him to cross over to the Promised Land:

Moses my servant is dead; now therefore arise, cross this Jordan, you and all this people, to the land which I am giving to them, to the sons of Israel.” (v.2 )
God’s message was simple: “My work does not depend on any one man, even the greatest. Moses died, but my work must go on. Moses is gone, but the Power that made him great is still alive and available to you”.

Joshua knew that he had to lead God’s people into battle against more numerous and much better prepared armies than Israel. Don’t you know he was scared! We can actually catch a glimpse of Joshua’s spirit regarding the task ahead of him by the fact that God commanded him to be strong and courageous four times on chapter one. In this passage, the Lord of the battle teaches us wonderful truths that we must remember when we are challenged to do things that we do not believe we can handle; or when we face the giants of opposition and trials:

Truth  #1 – He will show up again

“As I was with Moses, so will I be with you” (v.5a)
God told Joshua to find strength and courage by remembering the past. Joshua had witnessed the countless miracles in the wilderness and so he was reminded that he could trust God to show up again. He understood that he would not be victorious because of his talents, or his ability to fight the battles, but because God promised to show up in battle for him, just as in the past.


Truth #2 – You Are Not Alone
“I will not fail you, nor forsake you”.  (v.5b)

God not only promised to be with Joshua as a presence, but He promised protection and victory. He promised that He would be there regardless of the circumstances. And so it is with us as we face life’s greatest challenges and battles: He will not fail us when we are weak, nor will He forsake us when we are broken. He gives us the task, and He gives us the power to accomplish it. This is an amazing promise of the Word of God: that with each task He gives us, He also provides the power to do it – these two go hand in hand.