Scripture text for Monday, March 15th, 2010: John 1:1-1:18

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Genesis 1 says, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth…And God said, ‘Let there be light,’ and there was light. And God said, ‘Let the water under the sky be gathered to one place, and let dry ground appear.’ Then God said, ‘Let the land produce vegetation: seed bearing plants and trees on the land that bear fruit with seed, according to their various kinds.’ And it was so. And God said, ‘Let the water teem with living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the expanse of the sky.’ And God said, ‘Let the land produce living creatures according to their kinds…’ And it was so. Then God said, ‘Let us make man in our image.”

Scripture text for Wednesday, December 31st, 1969: Malachi 1:1-4:6

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Malachi proclaimed God’s faithfulness to an unfaithful people.

It is easy to say, “How could the Israelites be so hard-headed and disobedient?” But, then as I more closely examined their disobedience, I had to acknowledge I am no different than they.

Is God still faithful to us as believers today when we …

… don’t give Him our best in all we do for His name’s sake?
… don’t know the God we are to serve so as not to be led astray or to lead others astray?
… are not faithful to commitments and covenants we have made with others and with Him?
… twist what He has said about Himself?
… don’t acknowledge His provisions for us by giving back to Him what He requires of us?

The answer to all of these questions is “Yes! God is still faithful.”

Scripture text for Thursday, March 11th, 2010: Jonah 1:1-4:11

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Jonah’s rebellious response to God’s call is both shocking and perplexing. The entire account follows Jonah’s carousel of emotions from clinical rage to belligerent rebellion. The lessons we can take away regarding obedience, desperation, contempt, and submission are numerous. Jonah models precisely how not to respond to God’s call in our life. Much like Jonah we turn and head in the opposite direction when God calls us to forgive and cancel the debt of those who have sinned against us. There are moments when God calls us to serve His plan but we suffer from a rigid perspective and lack of trust. Jonah’s anger and refusal to obey are excellent examples of how we complicate and frustrate God’s design and purpose.

Scripture text for Wednesday, March 10th, 2010: Daniel 6:1-6:28

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As a wise administrator under four successive despots in Babylon, Daniel prospered from the reign of Nebuchadnezzar who demolished Jerusalem to that of Cyrus who restored her. Yet instead of chafing under his pagan rulers, Daniel honored them, for he recognized God as the One who “changes times and seasons; he sets up kings and deposes them” (Da 2:21). Daniel let his light shine so brightly that even kings saw his good deeds and at times gave glory to the Father.

In fact, in his role as one of King Darius’ top managers, “Daniel so distinguished himself among the administrators and the satraps that the king planned to set him over the whole kingdom” (Da 6:3). Imagine that – the locals were riled, and they plotted to kill Daniel by so cleverly flattering the king that he issued a fixed decree: worship him or be eaten by lions.

Scripture text for Tuesday, March 9th, 2010: Jeremiah 1:1-3:5

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“‘My people have committed two sins: They have forsaken me, the spring of living water, and have dug their own cisterns, broken cisterns that cannot hold water,’” (Jer. 2:13).

God was speaking through Jeremiah to the people of Jerusalem (Jer. 2:1) because the people had turned away from Him, the One and Only Living God and prostituted themselves to false gods, “(Yet they are not gods at all), (2:11b). The Israelites were worshipping idols that their hands had made and allying themselves with nations they thought would help them (Assyria and Egypt). Though God remembered the devotion of their youth (2:2), they strayed far from Him after Kings David and Solomon. They had forsaken their Creator to pursue worthless images, only crying out to Him in times of trouble (2:27c).