Day 18 - September 7, 2014

Today's Reading: 1 Peter 1:10-12 (NIV)

¹⁰ Concerning this salvation, the prophets, who spoke of the grace that was to come to you, searched intently and with the greatest care, ¹¹ trying to find out the time and circumstances to which the Spirit of Christ in them was pointing when he predicted the sufferings of the Messiah and the glories that would follow. ¹² It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves but you, when they spoke of the things that have now been told you by those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. Even angels long to look into these things.


 Dan's Thoughts:  What do you long for?  The angels long to know when Christ will return.  Do you long for things that don't really matter, or things that do?  Do you long for your friends or family to know Jesus intimately?  Do you long for yourself to know Him intimately?  Or do you long for a new cell phone, video game, relationship, accomplishment, popularity, or beauty?  Let Christ transform your priorities today to be more like the angels!

Questions For Reflection:

1.  Which verse stuck out to me the most?  Why?

2.  What is God telling me through this passage?

3.  What transformation in my heart needs to take place because of what this passage means?

Day 17 - September 6, 2014

Today's Reading: 1 Peter 1:3-9 (NIV)

³ Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, ⁴ and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, ⁵ who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. ⁶ In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. ⁷ These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. ⁸ Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, ⁹ for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

 Dan's Thoughts:  Do you know how an inheritance works?  Upon death, you're rewarded.  The same is true as a Christian!  When you die to yourself, you are given the reward of new life.  And I'm not just talking about eternal life in heaven.  The inheritance God has for you is worth rejoicing over (verse 6), even in tough times.  Even though you can't see your inheritance, know that it is there: a life that follows Christ is given the gift of transformation.  You'll look back one day, and realize you were given the greatest gift ever.

Questions For Reflection:

1.  Which verse stuck out to me the most?  Why?

2.  What is God telling me through this passage?

3.  What transformation in my heart needs to take place because of what this passage means?

Day 16 - September 5, 2012

Today's Reading: James 5:13-20 (NIV)

¹³ Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray. Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise. ¹⁴ Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. ¹⁵ And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven. ¹⁶ Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.  ¹⁷ Elijah was a human being, even as we are. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. ¹⁸ Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops.  ¹⁹ My brothers and sisters, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring that person back, ²⁰ remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of their way will save them from death and cover over a multitude of sins.


Dan's Thoughts:
How's your prayer life?  Where do you turn in the tough times?  Honestly, many "Christians" turn to God in tough times.  But are you a "fair weather fan" in your Christianity?  Do you only need God when your difficult life situation merits it?  Or are you in prayer, worship, meditation, and thanksgiving to God on your best days when your own sufficiency seems like enough to get you through the day?  News flash: every breath your breath is a gift from God.  Act like it.

Questions For Reflection:

1.  Which verse stuck out to me the most?  Why?

2.  What is God telling me through this passage?

3.  What transformation in my heart needs to take place because of what this passage means?

Day 15 - September 4, 2014

Today's Reading: James 5:7-12 (NIV)

⁷ Be patient, then, brothers and sisters, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop, patiently waiting for the autumn and spring rains. ⁸ You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near. ⁹ Don’t grumble against one another, brothers and sisters, or you will be judged. The Judge is standing at the door! ¹⁰ Brothers and sisters, as an example of patience in the face of suffering, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. ¹¹ As you know, we count as blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job’s perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy. ¹² Above all, my brothers and sisters, do not swear—not by heaven or by earth or by anything else. All you need to say is a simple “Yes” or “No.” Otherwise you will be condemned.


Dan's Thoughts:
Wait just a minute.

If that statement bothers you, you're not very patient.  How often are Christ's followers instructed to "wait" on God to move in their lives, and yet we take control because we think we know best?  Where is God asking your to wait on him?  What are you doing today that you should not be?  God has "compassion and mercy" (verse 11) for you, but are you willing to rest and wait in that compassion and mercy?

Questions For Reflection:

1.  Which verse stuck out to me the most?  Why?

2.  What is God telling me through this passage?

3.  What transformation in my heart needs to take place because of what this passage means?

Day 14 - September 3, 2014

Today's Reading: James 5:1-5 (NIV)

Now listen: you rich people, weep and wail because of the misery that is coming on you. ² Your wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes. ³ Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and eat your flesh like fire. You have hoarded wealth in the last days. ⁴ Look! The wages you failed to pay the workers who mowed your fields are crying out against you. The cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord Almighty. ⁵ You have lived on earth in luxury and self-indulgence. You have fattened yourselves in the day of slaughter. ⁶ You have condemned and murdered the innocent one, who was not opposing you.

Dan's Thoughts:
How generous are you?  Is every asset (money, possessions, etc.) that comes your way "all mine"?  Or are you constantly looking to give of yourself and your "stuff" to those around you?  Jesus gave his all for us.  Surely we too can be transformed in our hearts to place where we can give our all to him, right?

Questions For Reflection:

1.  Which verse stuck out to me the most?  Why?

2.  What is God telling me through this passage?

3.  What transformation in my heart needs to take place because of what this passage means?

Day 13 - September 2, 2014

Today's Reading: James 4:11-17 (NIV)

¹¹ Brothers and sisters, do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against a brother or sister or judges them speaks against the law and judges it. When you judge the law, you are not keeping it, but sitting in judgment on it. ¹² There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the one who is able to save and destroy. But you—who are you to judge your neighbor?  ¹³ Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” ¹⁴ Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. ¹⁵ Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.” ¹⁶ As it is, you boast in your arrogant schemes. All such boasting is evil. ¹⁷ If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them.

Dan's Thoughts:
Any time the Bible reminds me that God is God, and I am not, I think often about the story Jesus tells where he tells the man to remove the plank of wood from his own eye before he deals with the speck of dust in his neighbors eye.  Who am I to judge people?  Aren't I called, instead, to love people?  That doesn't mean I'm supposed to embrace the sin of my neighbor; but I am supposed to not let that sin be a reason I lose my witness to that person.  Who do you need to stop judging and start loving today?

Questions For Reflection:

1.  Which verse stuck out to me the most?  Why?

2.  What is God telling me through this passage?

3.  What transformation in my heart needs to take place because of what this passage means?

Day 12 - September 1, 2014

Today's Reading: James 4:1-10 (NIV)

What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? ² You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God. ³ When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.

⁴ You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. ⁵ Or do you think Scripture says without reason that he jealously longs for the spirit he has caused to dwell in us? ⁶ But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.”  ⁷ Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. ⁸ Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. ⁹ Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. ¹⁰ Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.

Dan's Thoughts:
There's a battle inside each of us.  Recognize that, and accept it.  Have you been on the losing side lately?  Or is Christ bringing your death to life and making your old self into something new?  I'm reminded of the For All Seasons song, "Something New,"  that says in the bridge, "Take me, break me, mold me, make me into something new. Wake me, shake me, pull me, change me I will live for you."  Maybe today is a good day to humble yourself by asking God to make you something new, anew.  Let this first day of September be the first day of the rest of your new life.

Questions For Reflection:

1.  Which verse stuck out to me the most?  Why?

2.  What is God telling me through this passage?

3.  What transformation in my heart needs to take place because of what this passage means?