20-20 Blog

Scripture Focus:

James 3:3–5
A bit in the mouth of a horse controls the whole horse. A small rudder on a huge ship in the hands of a skilled captain sets a course in the face of the strongest winds. A word out of your mouth may seem of no account, but it can accomplish nearly anything—or destroy it!

Just the opposite!:
James 3:13
It’s the way you live, not the way you talk, that counts.

Observation:

These two verses in James are speaking of two different aspects of our speech. One has to do with the creative ability of the tongue—we create reality for us and others with our tongue. This can be either good or bad.

The second verse has to do with self deception, or outright lying. We speak a reality we want others to believe, when they can fully see that our actions don’t line up with our words.

Application:

My words today are very important, because they create reality for good or ill. Choose what you will create today! But don’t say one thing and do another. Everyone can see through that sham!

Prayer:

Father God, may my words be full of your truth and life today!

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Scripture Focus & Observation:

Here’s what I learned today:

Attitude

• God wants me to be grateful.
Isaiah 29: 24 In holy worship they’ll honor the Holy One of Jacob
   and stand in holy awe of the God of Israel.
Those who got off-track will get back on-track,
   and complainers and whiners learn gratitude.”

Help In Time Of Need

• God really wants to help me and hates it when I turn to everyone and everything else first.
Isaiah 31:1
Doom to those who go off to Egypt thinking that horses can help them,
Impressed by military mathematics,
   awed by sheer numbers of chariots and riders—
And to The Holy of Israel, not even a glance,
   not so much as a prayer to God.

• God wants me to depend on him, not on my own ability.
Isaiah 30:15
“Your salvation requires you to turn back to me
   and stop your silly efforts to save yourselves.
Your strength will come from settling down
   in complete dependence on me—
The very thing you’ve been unwilling to do.

• It may take awhile for God to come through—he wants me to wait for his timing.
Isaiah 30:18
But God’s not finished. He’s waiting around to be gracious to you.
   He’s gathering strength to show mercy to you.
God takes the time to do everything right—everything.
   Those who wait around for him are the lucky ones.

My Livelihood

• God wants to bless my work.
Isaiah 30:23–24
God will provide rain for the seeds you sow. The grain that grows will be abundant. Your cattle will range far and wide. Oblivious to war and earthquake, the oxen and donkeys you use for hauling and plowing will be fed well near running brooks that flow freely from mountains and hills.

• God wants me to ask him for wisdom when I need help.
James 1:5–7
 If you don’t know what you’re doing, pray to the Father. He loves to help. You’ll get his help, and won’t be condescended to when you ask for it. Ask boldly, believingly, without a second thought.

True Worship, True Religion

• God wants me to worship from the heart and mean it—not just play act.
Isaiah 29:13–14
“These people make a big show of saying the right thing,
   but their hearts aren’t in it.
Because they act like they’re worshiping me
   but don’t mean it,
I’m going to step in and shock them awake,
   astonish them, stand them on their ears.

• God wants me to care for the poor and disadvantaged.
James 1:27
Real religion, the kind that passes muster before God the Father, is this: Reach out to the homeless and loveless in their plight, and guard against corruption from the godless world.

Prayer:

Father God, help me to “get it” and “do it.”

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Scripture Focus:

Isaiah 25:1 God, you are my God. I celebrate you. I praise you.

Isaiah 26: People with their minds set on you,
you keep completely whole,
Steady on their feet,
because they keep at it and don’t quit.
Depend on God and keep at it
because in the Lord God you have a sure thing.
Those who lived high and mighty
he knocked off their high horse.

26:11 You hold your hand up high, God,
   but they don’t see it.
Open their eyes to what you do,
   to see your zealous love for your people.

Hebrews 13:16 Make sure you don’t take things for granted and go slack in working for the common good; share what you have with others. God takes particular pleasure in acts of worship—a different kind of “sacrifice”—that take place in kitchen and workplace and on the streets.

Hebrews 13: 19—21
May God, who puts all things together,
      makes all things whole,
   Who made a lasting mark through the sacrifice of Jesus,
      the sacrifice of blood that sealed the eternal covenant,
   Who led Jesus, our Great Shepherd,
      up and alive from the dead,
   Now put you together, provide you
      with everything you need to please him,
   Make us into what gives him most pleasure,
      by means of the sacrifice of Jesus, the Messiah.
   All glory to Jesus forever and always!
      Oh, yes, yes, yes.

Observation:

There were so many great reminders in the Bible reading today. I don’t know how to choose the “best” one to comment on, so I’ll let them stand for themselves.

Application:

Claim your God—celebrate and praise him each day.
He is zealous with love for me!
He takes particular pleasure in acts of worship that are tangible.
He will put me together and make me whole through the sacrifice of Jesus.

Prayer:

Father God, what a wonderful, glorious God you are!

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Scripture Focus:

Hebrews 12:28-29 Do you see what we’ve got? An unshakable kingdom! And do you see how thankful we must be? Not only thankful, but brimming with worship, deeply reverent before God. For God is not an indifferent bystander. He’s actively cleaning house, torching all that needs to burn, and he won’t quit until it’s all cleansed. God himself is Fire!

Observation:

Reminds me of the passage that says our works should be of things that last, gold and silver, not wood, hay, and stubble, for all of that will burn. God is the Fire!

Application:

How am I living? What will last for eternity?

Prayer:

Help me know the difference between wood and gold in my life.

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Isaiah 19:18 On that Day, more than one city in Egypt will learn to speak the language of faith and promise to follow God-of-the-Angel-Armies.
Hebrews 11:6 It’s impossible to please God apart from faith. And why? Because anyone who wants to approach God must believe both that he exists and that he cares enough to respond to those who seek him.

Observation:

It’s impossible to please God without faith. Faith involves believing something that isn’t yet apparent or real. If it was already visible or true, we wouldn’t need faith.

Faith means I have a picture of God as someone who not only exists but is fundamentally good and will reward those who seek him.

Faith has a language, according to Isaiah 19:18. This intrigues me. What, exactly, is the language of faith? That is something to ponder.

Application:

I must make sure my image of God is correct. Do I see him as a tyrant, ready to pounce on me the instant I make a mistake? Or do I see him as a loving Father who disciplines me for my good, yes, but is also ready to dote on me.

Am I speaking the language of faith?

Prayer:

Father God, I feel like the man who came to you for healing for his son and said, “I believe! Help my unbelief!” Please increase my faith in you today.

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Scripture Focus:

Hebrews 10:19-21 So, friends, we can now—without hesitation—walk right up to God, into “the Holy Place.” Jesus has cleared the way by the blood of his sacrifice, acting as our priest before God. The “curtain” into God’s presence is his body.

Observation:

When all is said and done, this is my ticket to heaven—the blood of Jesus sacrificed for me. There are many uncertainties about the way the Christian life is to be lived, but this is one truth to hang onto. In the end, it’s not about me and what I could or could not do. It’s about what Jesus did.

Application:

Hang on to this truth today and every day. Jesus did it all. And then live as though you truly appreciate that fact and want to say, “Thank you, from the bottom of my heart!”

Prayer:

Thank you, Jesus, for your sacrifice. I’m so grateful that it doesn’t depend on me to get to heaven.

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Scripture Focus:

Isaiah 8:11–13 “Don’t be like this people,
always afraid somebody is plotting against them.
Don’t fear what they fear.
Don’t take on their worries.
If you’re going to worry,
worry about The Holy. Fear God-of-the-Angel-Armies.
The Holy can be either a Hiding Place
or a Boulder blocking your way.

Observation:

People have a propensity to worry, but Isaiah lets us know that we’re worrying about the wrong thing. He says we should worry about what God thinks because God can either be a Hiding Place for us or a Boulder blocking our way.

Application:

Is it possible to live life without worrying? Could I simply trust God like a little child and live with a constant attitude of thanksgiving rather than worry? I would like that. If I could really do that. Then, I believe, God would be my Hiding Place and not a Boulder blocking my way.

Prayer:

Father God, trust starts today, not tomorrow. Thank you for this day and all it will bring. You are my Hiding Place!

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Scripture Focus:

Psalm 116: 12–15
What can I give back to God
for the blessings he’s poured out on me?

Oh, God, here I am, your servant,
your faithful servant: set me free for your service!
I’m ready to offer the thanksgiving sacrifice
and pray in the name of God.

Observation:

The Psalmist asks a very unusual question: What can I give back to God for the blessings he’s poured out on me? His answer is to present himself as God’s faithful servant whose request is to be set free for God’s service. Part of that service is to be thankful and pray in the name of God.

Application:

When I pray I’m usually asking God for something, so I’m intrigued with the Psalmist who asks, “What can I do for you, God?” Wow! I should be asking that more often!

Two of the “services” I can do for God are to express my thankfulness, and to pray. It’s much easier for me to read the Bible and go to church than to take the time to pray. Prayer is relational, something that doesn’t come naturally for me.

Can I be thankful in all circumstances today? That’s a tough one, too, but not impossible!

Prayer:

God, what can I do for you today? Hmmm. I think I know!

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Scripture Focus:

Isaiah 1:17
Say no to wrong.
Learn to do good.
Work for justice.
Help the down-and-out.
Stand up for the homeless.
Go to bat for the defenseless.
Titus 3: 14 Our people have to learn to be diligent in their work so that all necessities are met (especially among the needy) and they don’t end up with nothing to show for their lives.

Observation:

God cares about the needy. I see that over and over in the Bible. In Titus Paul says the goal of working is so that all necessities be met, especially among the needy.

Application:

I don’t always know how to implement this—does the panhandler on the street corner who is physically capable of working yet holds a sign as others hold jobs deserve to be helped? I can’t really answer questions like this, but I can have an attitude of help, and I can certainly help good causes, like My Father’s House.

Prayer:

God, give me your heart for people. You’ve always loved the down and out. Help me to love them, too, in a tangible way.

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Scripture Focus:

Titus 2:12 We’re being shown how to turn our backs on a godless, indulgent life, and how to take on a God-filled, God-honoring life.

Observation:

God wants us to live as though he exists, a God focused, God-honoring life. The opposite of that is a self-indulgent life, one that focuses on me and totally ignores God.

Application:

It’s fairly easy to go through a day with hardly a thought of God, making choices that are self indulgent and don’t take into account God’s presence or commands. I must choose to live a God filled, God-honoring life. It doesn’t come naturally.

Prayer:

God, I invite you to be the focus of my day today. I choose to walk with you today and honor you.

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