Job 9:32-35
Posted by Matt Walls in Uncategorized on February 8th, 2010
I’ve been reading Job these last couple of days and when I came across this section of Scripture in my devotional time, I was blown away by what I read.
I hope you’ve already read the passage, but if you haven’t (and even if you have), let’s look at these verses right now.
Job starts out by saying, “God is not a mortal like me, so I cannot argue with him or take him to trial.”
But then he adds a statement that makes me think of Jesus.
Job says, “If only there were a mediator between us, someone who could bring us together.”
It’s almost like Job is making a prediction.
It’s almost like Job is letting us know that one day, a mediator would bring God and man together.
And of course, that’s exactly what happened.
I don’t think Job had any idea that God would send His own Son to be a “mediator between God and men”, but that’s exactly what happened (1 Timothy 2:5)
And I, for one, am extremely thankful!
Esther 4
Posted by Matt Walls in Uncategorized on February 7th, 2010
You are a crucial character in the story that God is telling.
You really are.
I don’t think a lot of you really believe that. In fact, I’m sure there is a large part of you that refuses to believe that you are a crucial character in the story God is telling.
Maybe you think, “I’m not smart enough to be a crucial character in the story God is telling.” Or maybe you think, “I’m not talented enough to be a crucial character in the story God is telling.”
If that’s how you’re thinking, let me assure you that you are not what you think you are.
Your life is more significant than you could ever imagine.
And while the enemy of our hearts would have you believe that your life really doesn’t matter that much, that you don’t have a crucial role to play in God’s kingdom, nothing could be further from the truth.
Now, let me clarify.
God is not depending on you to the extent that His kingdom rises or falls based on your choices or decisions. However, at the same time, God does have a crucial role He wants you to play in the story that He is telling.
And the truth is, God has a history of using perfectly normal, often unimpressive, and usually hesitant people to carry out His purposes on earth.
Just like Esther.
Just like you!
Nehemiah 13
Posted by Matt Walls in Uncategorized on February 6th, 2010
Some people never learn.
Nehemiah spent twelve years of his life investing in the people of Jerusalem, reordering their lives around His truth and principles, and reminding them of how disobedience affected their ancestors.
And one would think that in a twelve year span that they would have listened and learned a little bit about God’s expectations for their behavior, that they would have learned something from their ancestor’s poor choices.
But as soon as their leader leaves, they quit supporting the workers in the Temple, begin intermarrying with pagan people, and start treating the Sabbath like any other day.
They completely neglected everything that Nehemiah asked them to remember to keep doing. And as a result, they completely ignored God’s wishes for their lives.
But before we start bad-mouthing the citizens of Jerusalem, let’s make sure we take a long, hard look in the mirror.
It’s true that some people never learn.
But unfortunately, I’m often one of them.
And so are you.
Nehemiah 1:6-7
Posted by Matt Walls in Uncategorized on February 5th, 2010
I love the Book of Nehemiah.
It’s my favorite book in the Old Testament, if not the entire Bible.
I especially love Nehemiah himself.
He is so bold, so daring, so raw, in everything he does.
He’s even hard core when it comes to confession of sins.
I love how the Message paraphrases his confession to God: “We’ve treated you like dirt: We haven’t done what you told us, haven’t followed your commands, and haven’t respected the decisions you gave.”
So honest. So raw. So transparent. So real.
And so needed from men and women today!
Including me and you.
And I just have to ask you: when was the last time you confessed your sins?
Has it been a while?
If it has (and even it if hasn’t) I want to encourage you to have a conversation with your Heavenly Father right now and be as honest and upfront with Him as possible about where you’re falling short.
Be real. Be transparent. Be honest.
2 Chronicles 26:4-5
Posted by Matt Walls in Uncategorized on February 4th, 2010
King Uzziah became the King of Judah when he was only 16 years old.
And I’m just guessing, but I imagine that he wasn’t exactly prepared for his duties and responsibilities right away.
Maybe he way, but I know I wouldn’t have made a very good teenage king. I couldn’t even handle my responsibilities as the sophomore class president (and I had almost no responsibilities!)
But I can’t help but notice that he had at least two things going for him in his early years as a king.
First of all, “did what was right in the eyes of the LORD”. In other words, he pleased God with the way he lived. Obedience certainly can’t hurt you, and Uzziah decided to do what’s right even though he had a multitude of kings before him who didn’t always choose that same path.
But not only that, he also “sought the LORD”. He went to the Lord for guidance and instruction. He didn’t depend on his own wisdom and knowledge, but instead sought out the Lord’s will for what to do and how to do it.
And I can’t help but notice what the end result was.
The Bible says that “God gave him success.”
I wonder if God will give us success if we’ll simply obey Him and seek His wisdom.
I think I’ll try it out.
2 Chronicles 15:3-4
Posted by Matt Walls in Uncategorized on February 3rd, 2010
It’s never too late to turn to God.
It doesn’t matter who you are, where you’re from, or what you’ve done, a new start is available today.
It doesn’t matter how long you’ve been out of church, how many times you’ve cursed God, or how often you’ve neglected His voice, a new beginning is possible starting right now.
I’m sure you’ve probably already read our passage today, but I want you to read it again.
For a long time Israel was without the true God, without a priest to teach and without the law. But in their distress they turned to the LORD, the God of Israel, and sought him, and he was found by them.
Now, I know that this devotional probably doesn’t apply to many of you reading it right this very minute.
Maybe you feel like you and God have a great relationship right now. Maybe you’re enjoying sweet fellowship with your Heavenly Father. Maybe things couldn’t be better between you and God.
But it might apply someday.
And even more than that, it certainly applies right now to people you know, and I think you have a responsibility to pass this truth on.
So, let someone know today that it’s never too late to turn to God.
Because it isn’t.
2 Chronicles 7
Posted by Matt Walls in Uncategorized on February 2nd, 2010
I would love it if fire came down from Heaven at the end of my prayers, even if it only happened once.
I don’t know how Solomon reacted to the fire that came down after his prayer to dedicate the temple, but I’m pretty sure I would have passed out.
Then after the prayer, the Bible says that “the glory of the LORD filled the temple”.
In other words, God showed up!
And He showed up in such an obvious way that “The priests could not enter the temple of the LORD because the glory of the LORD filled it”, and as a result, everyone “worshiped and gave thanks to the LORD”.
And their worship wasn’t of the half-hearted, ritualistic variety either.
They sang songs, blew trumpets, offered sacrifices, and made lots of noise in celebration of their great God.
And I think there is a principle here, and I think it’s this: When we show up willing and ready to worship, God will show up during our worship.
1 Chronicles 28
Posted by Matt Walls in Uncategorized on February 1st, 2010
It’s possible that you want to do something for God, but God doesn’t want you to do that something for Him.
Does that make sense?
If it doesn’t, maybe David’s story will help that opening sentence make more sense.
I’m sure David was a little perplexed when he found out that he would not get the opportunity to build the Temple. I’m sure he was startled when he discovered that he would not be the one to build a permanent residence for his Heavenly Father.
But he soon learned that just because you know God wants something to be done, doesn’t mean he wants you to be the one to do it.
And more than that, he was okay with that.
I have to tell you that I love his response. I love that when David discovers God’s plan is different than what he always imagined, that he doesn’t mind getting out of the way.
And neither should we.
It’s possible God’s plan for our lives might be different than we had dreamed.
Maybe God is calling us to pave the way for someone’s dream rather than realizing our own dreams. Or maybe he’s just calling us to support someone else as they pursue the dream God is calling them to pursue.
I don’t know about your particular situation, but I do know that I’m okay with whatever God wants me to do or in some cases, what He doesn’t want me to do.
1 Chronicles 16:7-36
Posted by Matt Walls in Uncategorized on January 31st, 2010
I don’t want to provide a whole lot of commentary today because I’m not sure a whole lot is needed.
Instead, I just want to encourage you to do what David encourages us to do. I want you to…
“Give thanks to the LORD”
“Sing to him, sing praise to him”
“Tell of all his wonderful acts”
“Seek his face always”
Do you think you can do that today?
1 Chronicles 4:9-10
Posted by Matt Walls in Uncategorized on January 30th, 2010
Let’s be honest.
When you’re trying to read through the Bible, it’s extremely tempting to skip over the genealogies.
Am I right?
And yet, if you were to skim over the 600 or so names that fill 1 Chronicles 1-7, you might miss the one name that stands out in a unique way.
In fact, of all the names mentioned in this genealogy, only one name receives any sort of commentary.
Jabez.
And this man, Jabez, is mentioned because of his prayer.
And his prayer was simple.
He asked God to give him more influence.
He asked God to never leave him.
He asked God protect him as much from trouble and pain.
And the Bible says that “God granted his request”.
Now, while you may feel like you are just one of many people in this church, this city, or this community, maybe you’re more than that. You’re certainly more than just a name.
So, maybe you were made to stand out. And maybe you need to start asking God to give you more influence. And maybe you need to ask God to be with you in everything you do. And maybe you need to ask God for His protection of your life and family.
And maybe, just like Jabez, God will grant those requests.