April 4: Deuteronomy 26 – 27; Psalm 76; Proverbs 12:15-17; Luke 10:38-11:13

Overview

            Deuteronomy: When Israel comes in the Promised Land, they are to bring some of the firstfruit of the land as an offering. The ceremony includes relating how their fathers went to Egypt, were brought out by the Lord, and gave them this land.

            A tenth of their produce in the third year is to be given to the Levites, fatherless, aliens, and widows. They must swear they haven’t eaten any of it and ask the Lord to bless them in the Land.

            Israel is to obey the commands with all their hearts and souls. The Lord has selected them as his treasured people. If they obey, he will set them high above all other nations to be a holy people.

            When they cross over the Jordon they are to set up a stone altar on Mount Ebal. They will offer burnt offering there. They will write all the words of the Law on the stones they have set up. Half of the tribes will stand on Mount Gerizim to pronounce blessings and half on Mount Ebal to pronounce curses.

            The Levites will recite a curse for breaking each of several points of the Law that have been given. The people will respond saying Amen after each curse.

            Psalm: God is great and known in Judah, as he has made his dwelling Jerusalem. He is majestic in light. He has destroyed attackers breaking their weapons, killing them and their horses. He is to be feared because no one could stand before him in judgment when he rose to save the afflicted of the land. So praise him, make vows, and bring gifts to him who is to be feared. This applies to princes and all kings of the earth.

            Proverbs: Fools always think they are right as they annoy others and lie. Wise people are honest, overlook the insults of fools, and listens to good advice.

            Luke: Jesus stays at Martha and Mary’s house. Mary sat at the Lord’s feet while Martha was distracted by serving. She asked Jesus to have Mary help but Jesus said Martha was anxious and troubled but Mary had chosen correctly to spend time with him.

            The disciples ask Jesus to teach them to pray. He then gave them the “Lord’s Prayer.” He then went on to tell a parable about a man asking a friend at midnight for bread. The man getting what he wants because of his persistence in knocking explains that persistence in prayer is rewarded. He also said that just as human fathers, who are evil, give good things to their children, our heavenly Father gives the Holy Spirit to those who ask.

What Stood Out

            Deuteronomy: “When you have finished setting aside a tenth of all your produce in the third year, the year of the tithe, you shall give it to the Levite, the alien, the fatherless and the widow, so that they may eat in your towns and be satisfied” (Deut 26:12 NIV).

            Psalm: “But you, you are to be feared! Who can stand before you when once your anger is roused?” (Ps 76:7).

            Proverbs: “A fool shows his annoyance at once” (Prov 12:16 NIV).

            Luke: “One thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her” (Luke 10:42).

Insight

            Deuteronomy: If we tried to obey the laws for tithing, it would be hard to follow. The rules were complicated for us who don’t pay a lot of attention to the Old Testament. This third-year tithe was supposed to be devoted to the Levites, aliens, fatherless, and widows. The Pharisees didn’t do much better in understanding so they made up their own rules for tithing (Matt 23:23).

             We often rebel against tithing because we say it is an Old Testament law that no longer applies to Christians who are freed from the Law (Eph 2:13-16). When we do tithe, we often try to be like the Pharisees and get right down to the penny. However, we get fouled up when we can’t agree to tithe on our take-home pay or on our gross. To make matters worse, if we own a business, do we tithe on the income before or after expenses? If we have shares in a corporation, should we tithe on a portion of the company’s profits or just on dividends?

            You can see where this is going. We become legalistic when we analyze it too much. So why not just look at the principle of tithing? It becomes a whole lot easier and less of a burden when we give freely even more than a tenth of our income. Shoot for 50% and you’ll never have to think twice about whether or not you’re tithing. Just remember that a third (every three years) went to the Levites, aliens, fatherless, and widows. Remember those in the shelters, food banks, and other places as well.

            Psalm: This Psalm could be applied to the future when the Lord judges the world even though Asaph was probably speaking of a time when the Lord saved Jerusalem. The points of it are clear and one question stands out. Who can stand before the Lord and his anger in the judgment? Thankfully, we will be able to do that if we are trusting in the Lord Jesus Christ for our salvation. Paul says we are not appointed to suffer his wrath (1 Thess 5:9). In addition, Jude tells us that in the judgment we will be able to stand before the Lord without fault and with great joy because of Jesus.

            Proverbs: A very annoying thing is drivers doing all sort of unsafe things. What is worse than them is when my annoyance flares up immediately and I break several commandments in a flash. If I do that, the Bible says I’m a fool. I’m not wise because I’m not overlooking an insult when they make obscene gestures because I’m following the speed limit and I’m in the right lane or when I make a mistake. It’s too bad there isn’t an “oops, I’m sorry” universal gesture that would be recognizable. The same thing applies to all sorts of situations in our lives. It is only by the power of the Holy Spirit that we can develop the fruit of a life that doesn’t flare up and prove our foolishness.

            Luke: Sometimes it is really hard to balance devotion to the Lord and serving the Lord. Martha was doing something good, serving and making sure that things were getting done so that there would be food, a place to sleep, and other things for her guests. I’m quite sure that Jesus wasn’t the only one in the house; the twelve and maybe more were there. It must have been driving Martha nuts!

            In our modern world, there are many distractions and we probably make Martha look like a slacker at times as we try to get everything done. Some people who serve in their church never really participate in the worship service because they are busy doing something else. I remember seeing one of the ushers in my previous church. He was in every service; he drove at least forty or fifty miles to attend. However, during the worship time, he was helping people find a place to sit. During the sermon he was counting the attendees. When did he actually have time to join in worship or hearing God’s word expounded?

            There are times when we need to be like Mary and take time to listen to Jesus. Luke followed this instance with Jesus explaining how to pray. Matthew records this at the beginning of Jesus’ ministry during the Sermon on the Mount. Luke may have placed this incident in Jesus’ life right after the Mary and Martha incident to emphasize to us the importance of taking time to be in the Lord’s presence.

Application

            It’s easy to be a fool because of a flare up of annoyance. It doesn’t have to be outward. The Lord knows about my heart attitude and thoughts where I am often a fool. More time with Jesus will yield more fruit of the Holy Spirit and less foolishness.

April 3: Deuteronomy 23 – 25; Psalm 75; Proverbs 12:12-14; Luke 10:13-10:37

Overview

            Deuteronomy: Certain people are excluded from the assembly of the Lord including emasculated males, Ammonites, Moabites, or children born to them and an Israelite to the tenth generation. Don’t abhor an Edomite or Egyptian.

            Keep the camp clean, dig a latrine. Welcome escaped slaves looking for refuge. No cult prostitution. Don’t charge Israelites interest. Fulfill vows. Eat from neighbors’ vineyard or field while there but don’t harvest.

            Regulations for divorce are explained. A newlywed man is free from military service for a year. Regulations for pledges for loans are explained. Kidnapping is a capital offence. Follow the law for leprous diseases. Treat hired servants right. Don’t punish parents for children’s offences and vice versa. Don’t pervert justice for foreigners, fatherless, or widows. Leave some of you harvest for gleaners.

            Punishment requiring beatings must be done in the presences of the judge. The maximum number of stripes is forty. Don’t muzzle an ox treading grain.

            If brothers live together and one dies without a son, the brother must take his wife as his own and the first son born to them will perpetuate the dead brother’s name. If he refuses, then the wife will follow a procedure to humiliate the brother.

            Regulations for a woman who issues a low blow while helping her husband in a fight. Use honest weights and measures. Wipe out the Amalekites after all the other enemies have been defeated.

            Psalm: Asaph says we thank and praise God for he is near and for his deeds. He speaks for the Lord in saying that God upholds all things and judges, especially judging the proud and boastful. Asaph says that the Lord judges by lifting up or putting down people. He punishes the wicked. Asaph will declare and praise the God of Jacob forever. The wicked will be cut down but the righteous will lifted up.

            Proverbs: Wicked people want to get things by doing evil and with their talk get trapped into it. Good people work and speak about what is good and are satisfied with the gain it provides.

            Luke: Jesus proclaims woe upon the cities that have rejected him explaining that if Tyre and Sidon had seen what Jesus did, they would have repented. Speaking to the disciples, Jesus says that those who listen to and rejects them is listening to and rejecting him. Whoever rejects Jesus is rejecting God.

            When the seventy-two disciples return joyfully, they tell Jesus that demons obeyed them. Jesus tells them he saw Satan fall but what is more important is that their names are written in heaven.

            Jesus rejoiced and thanked God that he hid thing from those who were wise in themselves but revealed them to his disciples. These things are knowledge of the Father and the Son. No one knows them except each other and those Jesus gives the knowledge to know the Father. The disciples are blessed because prophets and kings wanted to see and hear this but didn’t.

            A lawyer then tests Jesus by asking how he can inherit eternal life. Jesus asks him what he understands and he replies by quoting from the Shema, love God and neighbor. Jesus says he is right and to do it. But the lawyer wants to justify himself so he asks who his neighbor is.

            Jesus then tells the parable of the Good Samaritan. The lawyer admits that the one who sowed mercy to the injured person (a Samaritan and not priests or Levites) proved to be a neighbor. Jesus tells him to do likewise.

What Stood Out

            Deuteronomy: “When you gather the grapes of your vineyard, you shall not strip it afterward. It shall be for the sojourner, the fatherless, and the widow” (Deut 24:21).

            Psalm: “O the set time that I appoint I will judge with equity” (Ps 75:2).

            Proverbs: “From the fruit of his mouth a man is satisfied with good” (Prov 12:14).

            Luke: “The one who hears you hears me, and the one who rejects you rejects me, and the one who rejects me rejects him who sent me” (Luke 10:16).

Insight

            Deuteronomy: The Lord always provides for what we now call marginalized people. In Israel, it was done primarily by allowing people to glean from the fields after a harvest. Israel was instructed to be what we would today consider careless in the harvest. They were told specifically not to go back over the trees, vines, or fields. They weren’t even allowed to harvest the corners of their fields. These leftovers were provided for the poor people to come and harvest.

            That isn’t the way things work today. We do our best to get every apple off every tree. I’ve picked apples and had to make sure I got every apple off the trees. The corners of fields aren’t planted sometimes because of the turning radius of the planting machines.

            There are some gleaning operations going on even today. It is usually day-old bread or other products that are given to food banks. However, these don’t provide for everyone. Since we aren’t observing the principles of leaving parts of our harvest for others, we must find other ways of taking care of those in need. Jesus said we would always have the poor among us, so we should find ways to make sure they are included in our giving. Food banks, especially run by churches where food and the Gospel are provided are superb places. Gospel missions and shelters are also places where we can confidently give and know that we are following this principle of leaving some for the poor.

            Psalm: One of the great attributes of God is his justice. He judges fairly. Since he is omniscient and know everything, he can judge correctly. He knows who is proud and boastful. He knows the motivations of hearts. His sovereignty and omnipotence is also seen in the fact that he is able to promote one person or demote another. He does this for his purposes as well as to execute judgment.

            This may seem rather scary for a person who has not put their trust in the Lord. And it really should be. They are like those described in the Psalm, proud, arrogant, and rebellious. They may not think they are rebellious, but if they aren’t trusting Jesus for salvation, they are rebelling against God.

            On the other hand, people who trust the Lord have discovered that he is good and holy. They have nothing to fear because they know their sins are forgiven and don’t have to fear God’s wrath. Jesus took that upon himself.

            Proverbs: When we are walking with the Lord and seeking his kingdom, we can be satisfied with what we have and what we do. However, when we have a lust for more of anything besides God, we will not be satisfied. We can be satisfied in our Lord, or we can be ensnared by all the things we think we need and plot ways of getting them.

            Luke: Jesus informs his disciples that whoever rejects them is ultimately rejecting Jesus and the Father. Many times when we are sharing the Gospel or simply telling others what God has done in our lives, we freeze. We are afraid of what the person may say to us or about us. We tend to look at witnessing opportunities not as God using us at that moment but as opportunities for others to look down on us and reject us. We often think we don’t want to offend the person but the real reason is that if we do offend them, they will take it out on us.

            Jesus had to remind his disciples and therefore, us, that we are not being rejected so much as they are rejecting Jesus and the Father. Sure, they may point their anger toward us because we’re standing in front of them, but they are really rejecting God. The terrible truth is that they will end up in the same situation as Bethsaida and Capernaum. Jesus said they will be brought down to Hades.

            It is a risk, but we have to decide if it is worth it. Do we risk being rejected and therefore having the person reject God or do we risk them listening and accepting the Gospel with a potential salvation occurring now or sooner in the future. Is our discomfort worth the risk of being part of the harvest of souls? If we look at the parable of the Good Samaritan, we will see that loving God and loving our neighbors means we need to reach out.

Application

            I need to be more conscious of the eternal consequences of my interaction with people. What I say and how I say it is loving my neighbor and wanting to see them saved. I need to be less focused on my comfort and more on carefully and graciously sharing the Gospel.

April 2: Deuteronomy 21 – 22; Psalm 74; Proverbs 12:11; Luke 9:51-10:12

Overview

            Deuteronomy: If a person is killed and no one knows who did it, the elders and judges of the nearest town will have to make atonement by killing a heifer as specified. They will ask the Lord not to hold the people guilty who had nothing to do with it.

            A man may marry a woman taken captive during war. He must give her time to mourn her parents for a month. If he no longer delights in her, he may let her go but can’t make her a slave.

            The inheritance of a man is to go to his firstborn son regardless of which wife has the child, a loved wife or an unloved wife.

            If parents have a rebellious son who will not listen to his parents though they try, they are to take him to the elders. They must testify that he is a glutton and drunkard. He must be stoned to purge the evil from Israel. It is a deterrent to others.

            If a person who is put to death is then hung on a tree, it must not be over night. He must be buried the same day because he is cursed by God.

            A series of laws are given regarding: stray animals or lost articles; cross dressing; taking birds from nests; safety of house roofs; sowing mixed seeds; yoking different animals together; blended fabrics; and tassels on garments.

            Laws are given for sexual morality: potential adultery discovered upon marriage; homosexuality; adultery; rape in the city; rape in the country; rape or consensual sex outside of marriage; a man can’t marry his father’s wife.

            Psalm: Asaph is wondering why God’s anger is against Israel. He explains how the country has been ravished and the sanctuary burned. He says there is no prophet in the land to tell how long it will be before God acts for his people. He remembers how God is eternal and is sovereign over all things and he is Creator. He asks God to remember the scoffing of God’s enemies who revile his name. He asks God not to let his people go to the beasts but to take care of them. He asks God not to forget those who rise up against the Lord.

            Proverbs: People who work hard have plenty but those who follow worthless ambitions lack sense.

            Luke: Jesus is determined to go to Jerusalem because the time of his death is near. He goes through Samaria but the people of a village didn’t welcome him. The disciples and John want to call fire from heaven on the village but Jesus rebukes them and goes on to another village.

            On the way, one man comes and says he will follow Jesus anywhere, but Jesus says he doesn’t even have a place to sleep. He tells another to follow him, but that one wants to bury his father first. Another wants to follow him but also wants to say good-by to his family. Jesus says that whoever puts his hand to the plow and looks back is not fit for the kingdom of God.

            Jesus sends out seventy-two disciples ahead of him. He tells them to pray for labors for the harvest because there are few workers. He is sending them out as lambs among wolves. They are not to take anything with them but let the places they stay provide. They are to stay in one place in each town. They are to heal the sick, and tell them that the kingdom of God has come near. If they reject the disciples, they are to shake of the dust and tell them that the kingdom has come near. It will be more tolerable for Sodom in the judgment than for that town.

What Stood Out

            Deuteronomy: “So you shall purge the guilt of innocent blood from your midst, when you do what is right in the sight of the Lord” (Deut 21:9).

            Psalm: “Why does your anger smoke against the sheep of your pasture?” (Ps 74:1).

            Proverbs: “Whoever works his land will have plenty of bread” (Prov 12:11).

            Luke: “When the days drew near for him to be taken up, he set his face to go to Jerusalem” (Luke 9:51).

Insight

            Deuteronomy: Everything under heaven is seen by God and we must give account (Heb 4:13). So it is interesting that the Lord asked people to make atonement for an unsolved murder. The elders of the nearest town had to swear that they didn’t know who did it and that they had no part. It isn’t like God didn’t know who did it. This act of atonement wasn’t for God’s sake, it was for the people of the land. It was to make sure that the judges were acting honestly and doing what they should be doing to find the responsible person. It was to make sure that there were no bribes to cover up the murder.

            Repeatedly, the Lord finishes giving a law and tells Israel that judgment must be carried out as specified to purge the evil from the land and as a deterrent to others. Since this murder is unsolved, there would be no deterrent if they ignored it. So they need to make sure that everything is done to solve it before “washing their hands” of it.

            Unfortunately, in our society, too much gets swept under the rug. Many people are released on technicalities of the law, especially if they can hire a good lawyer. How are we to approach things in light of this? We need to simply be honest and do what we can in cooperation with law enforcement and reporting things when we see it. We should admit our own guilt and not try to get out of it, whether it is a ticket that we deserve or something worse. We should remember that even though we may cover up our guilt and never be discovered by others, God still knows and we are accountable to him. We can go to the Lord and find forgiveness because Jesus has atoned for our sins.

            Psalm: When we read this Psalm the next time, we will have just finished reading Isaiah and starting Jeremiah. Isaiah tells of the criminal state of Israel before the Babylonian invasion. Jeremiah is the prophet who watched and warned Judah before and after Babylon destroyed the temple in Jerusalem. They both tell the people over and over what they are doing wrong. God uses them to warn and rebuke but the people just keep on doing the evil they’ve been doing for years.

            So here is this Asaph, maybe not the same person who wrote other Psalms, he is complaining that he doesn’t know how long God will let Israel’s enemies destroy the nation. He even says there is no prophet to tell them. He sounds like the nation has done nothing wrong. It should be obvious to him. Isaiah and Jeremiah both told them God is punishing the nation for their idolatry and wickedness.

            When our sin catches up to us and we are suffering the consequences, we should not ask God why. If we are that callous to our sin, then we are in deep trouble just as Judah was. It is time to ask if we really are saved or not. It is time for eternal salvation and obedience before physical salvation.

            Proverbs: This should be straightforward. When we are diligent to work to our ability and it is God honoring-work, the Lord will bless us. It doesn’t mean there will never be times of testing and trials. If we don’t work for God’s glory (1 Cor 10:31), we are simply foolish and it will catch up with us sooner or later.

            Luke: I always like this passage where Jesus has set his face to go to Jerusalem. He knows what it will take to provide redemption for mankind. He is ready and has the culmination of this eternal plan in sight. If we were just a thousandth as focused on eternity and doing the Father’s will as Jesus, we would be unstoppable for the kingdom.

            The crazy thing is when John asks if they should call down fire on those who have briefly opposed Jesus. Jesus isn’t going to let a little thing like some obstinate Samaritans slow him down. But the disciples are not focused. They are also a bit scatterbrained at this point. Previously, they didn’t have enough faith to cast a demon out of a boy. Now, they think they have enough faith to call fire down from heaven to devour a village. They aren’t following what Jesus has in mind. Jesus said we are to love and pray for our enemies (Matt 5:44), but the disciples are ready to burn them alive. They are just plain out of it.

            Are we ever that way? Do we get so upset with things that don’t go our way that we are willing to do something that Jesus has specifically condemned? It probably happens more than we realize. I could list a few things like our thoughts, speech, and action in traffic, but it would be better to just think about that for a while.

Application

            I don’t want to be like Asaph and wonder why things are going wrong when it is a result of my sin. I want to be focused on God’s kingdom and eternally important things and what gets in the way of that. Like not taking time to study God’s word, pray, and develop a relationship with Jesus.

April 1: Deuteronomy 18 – 20; Psalm 73; Proverbs 12:10; Luke 9:28-49

Overview

            Deuteronomy: Levites don’t have an inheritance of land in Israel. They are given portions from the offerings, parts of the animals, grain, wine, and oil. The Lord has chosen them to minister before him for all time. If a Levite moves from one town to another, he is to have a share along with those already living there.

            Israel is not to follow the abominable practice of the nations. No is to sacrifice children or engage in occult practices of any kind. The Lord is driving them out because of these.

            The Lord will raise up a prophet from the people who will be like Moses. Israel is to listen and obey him as the Lord put his words in the prophet’s mouth. If the prophet says something will happen and it doesn’t then the Lord didn’t send him.

            When Israel takes possession of the land, they are to measure and divide it into three parts with one city in each where a manslayer can flee. If the Lord enlarges their territory, then they shall set apart three more cities of refuge. These are for the protection of a person who accidentally and unintentionally kills another, where he will be safe from the avenger of blood. If the elders determine the man is a murderer and not a manslayer, then they will turn the murder over to the avenger of blood to kill him.

            No one is to move property landmarks.

            No one can be convicted of a crime based on only one witness. If a malicious witness accuses someone, then they shall appear before the Lord and the priests and judges in office. They shall inquire diligently. If the witness is false, then whatever he was accusing the other of will be his punishment, tooth for tooth, etc. The evil will be purged and it will be a deterrent to others.

            When going to war, Israel is not to be afraid of larger armies for God is with them. The priest shall encourage the people in the Lord. The officers shall excuse anyone who has built a new house and not dedicated it, planted a vineyard and not harvested yet, or is engaged but not yet married. If a person is afraid, he is excused so that he won’t make others fearful.

            When making siege of a city, Israel is to offer peace. If it is accepted, then the people will become slaves. If they decline then all the men are to be killed. Women, children, and everything else will be plunder for Israel to enjoy because the Lord has given it to them. This applies only to cities far from them and not the nations they are to dispossess in the Promised Land. They are to be completely destroyed because of their abominable practices.

            When making siege, they are not to cut down fruit trees but only trees that do not produce food. They may eat of the trees but not cut them down because the trees are not their enemies.

            Psalm: God is good to Israel, but Asaph says he came really close to stumbling over envy of wicked people. It appeared to him that they had no problems in life. They had everything they wanted even though they were wicked. They think that God doesn’t see their wickedness.

            Asaph was thinking that his goodness was in vain. He was suffering and stricken. He didn’t want to say anything to discourage others. He was having a hard time understanding this until he understood wicked people’s eternal destiny.

            They will be destroyed and swept away by terror. They will be cast down.

            When Asaph was acting on his emotions, he was like a dumb animal. But God took him by the hand and counseled him. He was assured his destiny will be in glory with God.

            So now, he desires nothing on earth besides God. Even if his health fails and he dies, he will be with God forever. But those who are far away from God will perish and Asaph will be near to God.

            Proverbs: Godly people take care of their animals but even merciful wicked people appear cruel.

            Luke: Eight days after Jesus told the disciples that some would not die before seeing the kingdom of God, Jesus took Peter, James, and John to a mountaintop where he is transfigured in intensely white clothes. Moses and Elijah appear with him and talk with him about his departure in Jerusalem. Peter was about to fall asleep but then saw this. He wants to make a tent for each but a cloud comes over them and a voice tells them Jesus is his son and listen to him. Then everything returns to normal. They kept silent about the whole thing.

            The next day, a crowd met him. A man says his son is seized by a spirit and convulses. He says Jesus’ disciples couldn’t cast the demon out of a boy. Jesus rebukes them for their unbelief and asks for the boy to be brought to him. On the way, the demon throws the boy down. Jesus casts out the demon. Everyone is astonished.

            While everyone is marveling, Jesus tells his disciples about his impending death. They don’t understand because it was concealed from them. They were afraid to ask.

            The disciples have an argument about who was greatest. Jesus knows their hearts and uses a child to explain that anyone who receives a child in his name receives him and the Father. The one who is least among them is great.

            John says he someone casting out demons in Jesus name and they tried to stop him because he didn’t follow Jesus. Jesus tells them not to stop him because anyone who is not against them is for them.

What Stood Out

            Deuteronomy: “Is there any man who is fearful and fainthearted? Let him go back to his house, lest he make the heart of his fellows melt like his own” (Deut 20:8).

            Psalm: “I was brutish and ignorant; I was like a beast toward you” (Ps 73:22).

            Proverbs: “Whoever is righteous has regard for the life of his beast” (Prov 12:10).

            Luke: “And I begged your disciples to cast it out, but they could not” (Luke 9:40).

Insight

            Deuteronomy: I’ve always thought that these excuses for not serving during war were extraordinary. The Lord places a high value on things that our culture doesn’t even blink about. A new house that hasn’t been dedicated, a new vineyard, and an engagement wouldn’t even show up on a questionnaire for a draft deferment. The only things we are concerned about are the person’s physical or mental ability to fight. Mental ability might be tied to being afraid. But the last time I checked, no one would be allowed to go home if they were afraid.

            However, in one way all of these make sense. In God’s army, there isn’t any room for preoccupation with other things. Jesus said, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God” (Luke 9:62). If we are preoccupied with things of this world, we will not be good soldiers in God’s kingdom. Just as these men would be thinking about that house, vineyard, or bride, when we are trying to do the Lord’s work and keep thinking about other things, we are at a disadvantage. Satan can use these distractions to his advantage.

            The difference between Israel going to war and our service for the Lord is that we really don’t get excused. Once we’ve sign on, we have no valid reasons for leaving. If someone does change their mind and desert, it only shows they were not committed in the first place (1 John 2:19).

            Psalm: It is easy to fall into the trap of being envious of those who have everything, even those who have gotten their stuff by wicked means. The world has a way of rationalizing that might makes right or the wealthy get whatever they want. Sometimes we want just a little piece of that. The cost of that is usually eternal hell. We shouldn’t be envious of that at all. That’s what happens when we take our eyes off eternity and put them on temporal things.

            The solution is to repent of those desires. Asaph admitted to something that we often ignore in our own lives. He admitted to his absolute brutish behavior toward God when he was wishing he could have what wicked people had. We may admit that we have sinned but we don’t usually take it to the depth that Asaph did. Repentance needs to have a right attitude about how badly we have treated our Lord. Once we’ve seen that, it helps us to appreciate God’s forgiveness and our dependence upon him to live a godly life.

            Proverbs: We should be a lot more aware of how God wants us to treat animals. Yes, God provided for animal sacrifices and for us to be omnivores. But he also shows that we should respect nature. An instance is his provision for only taking the young out of a bird’s nest and leaving the mother. He said it would go well with us and live long if we did that (Deut 22:6-7). I don’t think trophy hunting is very pleasing to the Lord but neither is protecting animals at the expense of people.

            Luke: Previously, Jesus had given his disciples power and authority over demons (Luke 9:1). John even reported that someone who was not following them was able to cast out demons in Jesus’ name (Luke 9:49). Then we see that the disciples couldn’t cast a demon out of a boy.

            In Matthew 17:20, Jesus say it is because they have little faith. In Mark 9:29 Jesus explains that this kind of demon can only be driven out by prayer. Less reliable Greek manuscripts include fasting (KJV, NKJV). Luke doesn’t say a thing about the disciples asking why they couldn’t cast out the demon. However, Jesus’ statement that this generation is faithless and twisted supports that idea that the disciples and perhaps the father didn’t have enough faith. Mark records that the father asked for help to believe.

            Jesus obviously had faith and he was always in prayer. He didn’t pray for the demon to come out. He commanded the demon to come out. Where does that leave us and the disciples?

            We need to ask what happened between the time the disciples were given authority and power and when they couldn’t cast out the demon. Jesus feeds the five thousand. There is some discussion about who Jesus is and Peter confesses he is the Christ. Jesus tells of his death and resurrection. He explains that one must deny himself and take up his cross. Eight days later, three of them are on the mount of transfiguration with Jesus. Then after the incident with the demon, Jesus explains his upcoming death again. The disciples didn’t understand because it was concealed from them.

            The disciples’ response when the crowd was fed and Peter’s response on the mount of transfiguration reveal that they still don’t have a lot of faith. Their ability to understand has not developed. Their faith was experiential. Experience can build faith but faith can’t depend on experiences. Just a few days later, they don’t have enough faith to cast out this demon. This is what happens with many kids who get excited about Jesus at summer camp and then fade away when they get back among their peers at school. It happens with some people who raise their hand for salvation at a service or convention but don’t do anything afterwards. The ones that build on their faith are the ones that are in the word and develop a strong prayer life. The appreciate the experience but their faith us rock solid in Jesus.

Application

            I want to avoid envying worldly people and thinking they have it better than me. I want to make sure my faith is rock solid, built on Jesus and his word, not based on my experiences.