Foundations October 30, 2011

SCRIPTURE READING
John 19:30; “It is finished”

The purpose for which He had come to the earth had been fulfilled. Truth had been revealed and
the victory was won; the serpent’s head was crushed.
The plans of God cannot be thwarted. Since God cursed mankind in the Garden, the prophecy
was put forth that a Son of Man would come who would defeat the enemy. From that time forward,
the Deceiver attempted to foil the plans of the Lord, but God’s plans are indestructible. And as He
bore the weight of sin and experienced the wrath of the Father, Jesus crushed the head of Satan.
The sky was darkened, the earth shook, the dead rose, and the curtain separating the Holy place
from the Holy of Holies was torn in two. The relationship between God and sinful man was restored
through the redemption of Christ’s work on the cross. It was not the power of love or the power of
forgiveness; it was the power of Christ through whom we receive forgiveness and experience the
love of the Father.
God cannot be frustrated by Satan; Satan is not a fly buzzing around God’s head. As Creator,
even of the enemy, God is not frustrated or duped by His creation. God is holy – so incomparably
above us that we cannot comprehend Him. His will is perfect, His laws are excellent and His word is
absolute. He has said “it is finished” thus it is finished. The chasm between God and man – bridged.
Satan’s eternal judgment – decided. The sins you have repented of – void. The relationship you’ve
broken – redeemable. The sin you’ve kept in darkness – forgivable. The person you are – valuable.

PRAYER and MEDITATION
1. What did Jesus accomplish on the cross for you? Meditate on this and thank Him for what He
reveals.
2. Ask God for His absolute word to you today? Think about confessed sins you still feel guilty for,
or sin you have hidden and the way that you feel about yourself. What does God want to say?
3. Can you choose to war against the enemy? As disciples of Christ, we share in His authority,
and we can command the enemy to leave when He is tempting and condemning us. Walk in
this authority!

Foundations October 29, 2011

The Law in 90 Days: Deuteronomy 3-4
SCRIPTURE READING
John 19:17 (NIV); Carrying his own cross...

Earlier in the gospels, Jesus charged His disciples, that anyone who wanted to be worthy of Him
would have to deny themselves, take up their cross and follow Him. The eternity of the soul, He
said, is of infinitely greater value than the accumulation of material things or selfish gains.
These words were no doubt challenging when first heard, but it wasn’t until Jesus was seen
labouring the path to Golgotha that they received their full weight. The call to take up their crosses
was no longer a metaphor for getting serious about their discipleship, it was a reality; their Rabbi
was willingly carrying His own torture device. In essence, He was telling them to follow Him at
all costs, even to the point of death. In a world that loves darkness, to put their hope and trust in
Him was grounds for martyrdom, yet God called them to selflessness and righteousness even in
injustice.
Amy Carmichael was once asked by a young woman considering the mission field “What is
missionary life like?” Amy responded, “Missionary life is simply a chance to die.” In this way we are
all called to the missionary life, to take up our cross and die. Of course not every believer has had
to walk to his physical death, but we are all called to die to our will, to die to our own desires for
the sake of Christ. What does long life matter if nothing is being done in His name? What do riches
acquire if we reap no eternal reward? What is friendship with the world if it betrays friendship with
God? Will you die to your will so that God’s will may be accomplished through you?

PRAYER and MEDITATION
1. What will is God calling you to die to? (The need to be right? The desire for revenge? Etc.)
What pain does He ask you to bear for His sake? (Loneliness? Persecution? Injustice? Etc.)
2. Meditate on the example Jesus set in carrying His cross. Ask the Holy Spirit how you are to
be like Jesus today.
3. Ask for a filling of the Spirit in your life. Open your hands before Him and ask Him to fill you
with His Spirit so that your words and actions would flow out of God’s character.

Foundations October 28, 2011

The Law in 90 Days: Deuteronomy 1-2
SCRIPTURE MEDITATION
John 18:11 (NIV); Put your sword away!

In a moment of rage, Peter pulled out his sword and slashed the ear of the high priest’s servant.
This was wrong. Peter was the first disciple to confess to Jesus, “You are the Christ!” He had
claimed to know the divinity of Jesus. Surely, had he taken a moment to breathe, he would have
known that he stood in the garden with God incarnate. Surely Jesus could defend Himself if He
wanted to. Peter’s sword was drawn out of a spirit of anger and retaliation and of doubt. But Jesus’
words were incredible, “Put your sword away! Shall I not drink the cup the Father has given me?”
We think the sword is a necessary weapon to be wielded under select circumstances, but
hostility and retaliation are never weapons endorsed by the Lord. Peter probably felt justified in
his action; he was defending the Lord! Isn’t it true that our defence of Jesus often brings about
an unattractive defensiveness? Our opinions on morality or values or theology differ and our
arguments become argumentative. God does not want or need this type of defence. We are called
to do our best to live at peace with everyone, to give gentle answers, to defend the cause of the
orphan and the widow, and to encourage the oppressed. If we go to all costs to win an argument
or prove a point or show that we are right, that victory alone is our reward. Let us put our swords
away; let us set aside our competitive nature, lay down our right to be right, and seek to speak
truth in gentleness. If Jesus could drink the cup of physical and spiritual sacrifice, certainly we can
lay aside our need to win.

PRAYER and MEDITATION
1. What is the thing that easily sets you off? What causes you to become argumentative
and competitive? When we are rebellious towards God, our pursuits are in vain. The won
argument or game is our only reward. Meditate on this and confess as necessary.
2. Disciples are peacemakers. How can you strive to bring peace to your environment today?
Ask God to help you to think before you speak and act so that you can consciously act out of
the Spirit.
3. What is a characteristic of God that you can meditate on today so that your mind stays
focused on Him? Think on this. Find a corresponding verse if you can and work on
memorizing it, too.

Foundations October 27, 2011

The Law in 90 Days: Numbers 35-36
SCRIPTURE MEDITATION
John 17:5 (NKJV); And now, O Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had
with You before the world was.

God is not narcissistic, concerned with pride and vain conceit. He is not a fat king on a throne,
indulging in dainties and chortling at the antics of His little pets. He’s not sitting in priggish fashion,
with raised eyebrows stretching out a limp and delicate hand to be kissed. Neither is He the Wizard
of Oz, a weak man hiding behind the power of his creation. These are caricatures of kings. God is
holy. He is uncreated. He is an unfathomable being whom we can know something about because
of His mercy and grace.
We need to force ourselves to think outside of the dimension of our mind when it comes to God.
Got is a unity of three distinct persons. The Trinity is an incredible mystery. We should not think of
God as prideful and vain in the way that He demands worship. There is worship and glorification
and love within the Trinity itself. God is above-all and exalted, yet He is a humble servant. Jesus
speaks profoundly about the relationship within the Trinity; it’s a relationship of love, service and
exultation. They live in unity and community; completely one, yet interactive. Before the world was,
God has always been Father, Spirit and Son. Jesus looked forward to the community where the
three would again glorify one another in company.
The words we use cannot even define it, and our minds cannot fully comprehend. We know that
God says, “The Lord your God is one.” But we know that that one is made up of three. What can
we glean from this? Love, unity, community, honour, servitude, humility – these things we must
have because God Himself is constantly displaying them to us. Let us look to the Trinity, that we
may reflect the nature of God.

PRAYER and MEDITATION
1. Meditate on the concept of the Trinity. Think about the distinct persons the Father, Son and
Spirit. Praise God for Him and His ways.
2. Our relationships, especially marriage and family, should reflect the relationship of the Trinity.
How have you been a hindrance in your family? Confess this. Ask the Lord how you can work
specifically to bring unity, servitude and love to your family today. Commit to obey.

Foundations October 26, 2011

The Law in 90 Days: Numbers 33-34
SCRIPTURE READING
John 15:19 (NIV); If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not
belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you.

A disciple of Christ is sold out to the ways of God’s kingdom. In the disciple’s mind, the kingdom
of God is the only true and lasting realm. This means that Christ is our King now. His laws, His
fellowship, His opinion is what matters to us.
Many of us act as though the Kingdom of God is this futuristic thing, irrelevant for today. The
world is our home, and we like it that way. Some of us are loved as the world’s own because we
just don’t want to give up so much of what the world generates.
Sadly, if you take the average self-proclaimed North American Christian and set him beside the
self-proclaimed non-religious North American, you would find little difference between the two:
hours in front of the TV, the type of music they listen to, the movies they choose, the language
they use, the state of their marriage – all basically the same. Clearly there is something wrong in
the church.
We must address the issue of media in our times. Satan has sin under a guise of entertainment.
Entertainment is anything that offers to please, amuse or divert you. The definition alone shows
that something is amiss. Our culture invests billions of dollars into things that are meant to
distract us from reality. Through the media, Satan plants lies in such a way that we actually take
pleasure in absorbing them! Many of us hate to touch this topic because we fear being seen as
prudish. We just want to keep our ears and eyes in the mainstream of things while somehow
protecting our hearts from its effect. It will not work.

PRAYER and MEDITATION
1. Ask God to search your heart on the media issue. Are you bothered by the topic? Ask Him
to show you why you feel this way.
2. There are many lies in the media today – lies about the sanctity of life and marriage, lies
about sex, lies about money, love and the pursuit of happiness. Ask God to open your eyes
to these and other lies. Spend some time analyzing the media that you take pleasure in.
What are the lies conveyed to you through it? Ask the Holy Spirit to show you the ones you
have bought in to.
3. Ask God to speak to you about media in your life.

Foundations October 25, 2011

The Law in 90 Days: Numbers 31-32
SCRIPTURE READING
John 15:2 (NIV); He cuts off every branch in Me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does
bear fruit He prunes so that it will be even more beautiful.

John 15 is the famous passage that talks about Jesus as the Vine, and believers as the branches.
Branches, on their own, are dead, so we must be in constant connection to the Vine. John 15:2
need not fill you with fright – fear of the Lord? Yes, but not fright. We don’t need to live in terror,
wondering if God is going to come along with His heavy-duty hedge trimmer and hack us off. This
verse offers remarkable encouragement. God is a not a crazy person brandishing a machete;
He is a Gardener with a green thumb. He prunes the branches that have fruit, even if the fruit is
small. A branch that bears no fruit refers to one who is spiritually dead – hardened of heart and
unrepentant. Are you moving towards Christ and His commands? Good! God is pruning you. He
desires for you to be beautiful. He desires that you would thrive. He desires that His nourishing life
would flow through you so that your life could produce fruit. In Galatians, Paul lists off a number
of the fruits that grow as a result of the Spirit in our lives – patience, faithfulness, gentleness, love,
kindness, joy, self-control, goodness and peace. These fruits are more than just a list of words
that we have heard many times; they actually have affects in the lives of people. It is our calling to
affect people for the Kingdom of God, and this is how we do it!

PRAYER and MEDITATION
1. Ask God to show you how He is pruning you. What in your life needs to be cut off? What does
God want to nourish and grow? Thank Him for the work that He is doing. Thank Him that He
is an expert in this field.
2. Ask God to reveal any fruit in your life that you once had, but have now shrivelled. What
happened? What does He want to do now? Is there anything that you need to repent of?
Then do so.
3. Do you know that God is for you? Do you believe and sense that He wants what is best for
you? That He wants to beautify you? That He wants to see you thrive? Thank Him! If you
don’t, ask God to give you an understanding of His character and how He sees you, His
precious child.

Foundations October 24, 2011

The Law in 90 Days: Numbers 29-30
SCRIPTURE READING
John 14:13 (NIV); And I will do whatever you ask in My name, so that the Son may bring glory
to the Father.

We know that we cannot manipulate God by merely tacking on the phrase “in the name of
Jesus” at the end of our prayers, so we need to look at this verse in context. Jesus tells His
disciples that anyone who has faith in Him will do what He has been doing and, in fact, they
will do even greater things than Him, because He is leaving and they’re staying to continue His
work! And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father.
Anyone who actually has faith in Jesus will do what He did, they will tread where He treads.
What did Jesus do? Only what He saw the Father doing! So when we are doing what Jesus
did – when every move we make is made in response to the Father’s directive – we can be sure
that whatever we ask for in His name will be done! We copy Jesus, who taught us to respond to
the Father’s direction, and therefore God is glorified!
We think that we put this verse to test by praying, “In the name of Jesus, this 50/50 ticket is the
winner!” That is name-it-and-claim-it theology and is a mockery of God’s power. Jesus’ disciples
put this verse to the test. They became doers of the Word. They did what Jesus did by listening
to the voice of the Spirit and they saw things accomplished in the name of the Lord!

PRAYER and MEDITATION
1. Ask God to remind you of a time where you asked something in His name and received it
because it was completely in line with His will. How did that feel? Did you acknowledge Him
in praise when it happened?
2. God wants us to be DOERS of the Word, not just hearers. The disciples moved to a place
of maturity over the course of their time with Jesus. How does God want to move you to a
place of maturity? Commit to DOING something differently today because of what God has
shown you in this devotional.
3. Praying in line with the will of God is powerful, because we partner with Him and things
actually happen. It also opens our eyes to HIM as the Fulfiller of His word. Ask Him how to
pray in His will today.

Foundations October 23, 2011

SCRIPTURE READING
John 14:9; Don’t you know Me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time?

Jesus’ disciples were full of questions. In the surrounding passage, Peter, Thomas and Philip all
question Jesus about the same thing: they want to know where He is going. Jesus said that He
would not be with them much longer and Peter asks where He is going. When Jesus says that
Peter cannot follow Him now anyways, Peter asks why. Jesus clarifies for them again, saying that
He is going to prepare a place for them with the Father and that they know the way to get there.
Thomas says that they don’t know, “We don’t know where you’re going, Lord, so how can we
know the way?” Jesus affirms what He’s already said: He is going to the Father; HE is the way for
all men to get to the Father; and all who know Him automatically know the Father, because He
and the Father are one. But Philip says, “Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us.”
Just Jesus wasn’t enough for Philip.
Jesus chose relevant disciples; they show us that human nature and personalities have not
changed over the past 2000 years. Many of us have had Christ “among us” for a long time and still
struggle to know and understand Him. His own disciples who spent three years saturated in His
presence struggled with this, too; we don’t need to be discouraged, but aware. A willing disciple
asks questions. He is open and honest about his doubts and misunderstandings, because he
wants to know what is true and right. Sometimes it takes a long time for us to understand what
God is trying to teach us. Confusion or failings cloud our minds and we just don’t experience His
presence in the way that we’d like. Be open, be honest and keep pressing on.

PRAYER and MEDITATION
1. Is there an area in your life where you sense God wants to show or teach you something,
and you’re just not getting it? Ask Him to speak clearly to you, and to give you a
breakthrough.
2. In which of the following areas are you experiencing discouragement or dryness? Bible
reading, prayer, fasting, intercession, worship, meditating on Scripture, memorizing, etc. How
can you press on? Ask God to increase your desire and your faith and to give you a strategy
to continue.

Foundations October 22, 2011

The Law in 90 Days: Numbers 27-28
SCRIPTURE READING
John 13:37; Lord, why can I not follow You now?

This is Peter’s question when he learns that Jesus is going away. He has tasted life in the
presence of the Son, and he wants nothing less! And after the cross has been accomplished and
Jesus ascends into heaven, His followers stand staring at the sky until they are approached by
two angels. “Why do you stand here staring at the sky?” they say, “This same Jesus who has
been taken up to heaven will come back in the same way!” These words brought hope, and the
outpouring of the Spirit a few days later continued to shine light on the last three years of their
lives and the impact of those years on all mankind. And from then on, the disciples were slaves to
Christ, preaching, healing and even dying in His name. The apostle Paul voiced the certain opinion
of all these men: “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain… I am torn between the two: I desire
to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far…”
This should be our attitude towards Jesus’ coming, yet if we were honest with ourselves, we would
admit that we don’t share Paul’s sentiment. “That’s for the aged – the 95-year old man on his death
bed – but it’s nothing short of morbid for me.” How many of us, when the pastor prays, “Oh Lord,
we long for Your coming...” wiggle in our seats and say, “uh... no!”? Sure, we want to see Jesus
one day (it sure beats the other option), but we have that great vacation planned for next year,
or we want to see our kids get to that next stage, or we want to get married! You may have some
great, God-honouring desires, but is your primary desire for Jesus? If it isn’t, you will never be
satisfied. We jump from one high to the next hoping for fulfillment, but Jesus is our only sustainable
Source for joy, peace and abundant life! We need to be disciples who are cultivating a longing for
the return of Christ!

PRAYER and MEDITATION
1. What are your honest thoughts when you think about Jesus’ return?
2. What is standing in the way of Jesus being your one desire? Where are the false places that
you look for contentment? Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal any lies that you believe about Jesus
and His ability to satisfy you, and confess these things.
3. Pray that you would look forward to be with Jesus. Pray that all other things would pale in
comparison to knowing Christ.

Foundations October 21, 2011

The Law in 90 Days: Numbers 25-26
SCRIPTURE READING
John 13:8 (ESV); If I do not wash you, you have no share with Me.

A footwashing is a humbling experience. A proud person cannot kneel down in front of another,
remove their shoes and socks and wash their feet. You would assume that this position is the more
humbling of the two, but to sit quietly while another kneels at your own feet is equally humbling.
The moment someone else humbles themselves to such a lowly position before you, your own
unworthiness is felt. It can be awkward, painful even, to sit through the process, but it is revelatory. In
those moments, we feel our inadequacy and see our unholiness, but it is good to face these things.
The one who says, “Oh no, get up! You can’t do this to me; I’m not worthy.” is covering up her shame
with the pretention of humility – false humility; pride.
This was the disciple’s attitude when Jesus knelt to wash his feet. Peter said, “No Lord! I will never
let you do it!” But Jesus’ action was a symbol of what was to come. “You don’t get it right now Peter,
but soon you will understand why I am doing this.” Jesus’ humble posture before His disciples
offered more than an illumination of their sin. As the Son of Man kneeling before sinful man, Jesus
was demonstrating on their physical bodies what He would do for their spiritual bodies in the days to
come! Looking back on the memory after Jesus rose from the grave and ascended into heaven, the
disciples must have been mesmerized! “How did we miss this awesome revelation?” they must have
thought!
If we do not allow Jesus to wash us, we have no share with Him, no part in His eternal inheritance
as sons and daughters of God. Are you too proud to let Jesus wash you? Are you claiming your sin
is too severe; your confessions too maxed out to receive the cleansing power of the blood of Christ?
This is pride. Allow Christ to wash you. Confess, even if it is the hundredth time this week. Repent
and turn from your sin and thank Him for His mercy. He is good.

PRAYER and MEDITATION
1. Can you imagine yourself in the disciple’s position? If Jesus physically came and knelt before
you today, what do you think your response would be? Would you allow Him to wash your feet?
2. Ask the Spirit to show you if you have covered up your pride with false humility. Confess these
times to Him.

Foundations October 20, 2011

The Law in 90 Days: Numbers 23-24
SCRIPTURE MEDITATION
John 12:26 (ESV); If anyone serves Me, he must follow Me; and where I am, there will my
servant be also. If anyone serves Me, the Father will honour him.

To “follow Jesus” is not meant to be a cute little phrase relating Christianity to a game of Followthe-
Leader or Simon Says. The ability to follow is a mark of a true disciple. To follow is to have
no say in where you are going. It is the opposite of leading. A faithful follower does not pick and
choose where he will go; he does not avoid a mud puddle, skirt around a hill or lag behind.
To follow Christ is to tread where He treads. The Apostle Paul made a provocative point in
Philippians 3. He asserts that everything he has is garbage compared to knowing Christ. “I
want to know Christ.” he says. Yes! Of course we do! “And I want to know the power of His
resurrection.” By all means! Who wouldn’t want to experience that kind of power?! “And I want
to have fellowship with Him by sharing in His sufferings…” wait a minute! “…even to become
like Him in His death.” Hold it! This isn’t what we signed up for, is it?! Actually, it is. A devoted
disciple will tread wherever Christ treads. Paul goes on to explain why he is sold out to this life
of servitude and discipleship, “that by any means possible I may attain to the resurrection of
the dead.” There is a cost to discipleship. We must follow Him to death if we want to be raised
with Him for eternal glory. Jesus was resurrected and exalted to the right hand of the Father
to receive all glory and all power and all honour and all authority. We, too, have the promise of
resurrection to eternal life. Paul didn’t assume it as a luxury; He strove for it as a longing. Let
us strive to know Christ as intimately as possible that we may have delight on the day of His
coming!

PRAYER and MEDITATION
1. The death we’re talking about is a death to self. How is your selfishness making you the
leader of your life? How does Jesus want you to die to yourself so that the Father can be
exalted?
2. Ask God to speak to you about the eternal value of selflessly following Christ.
3. Ask God to cultivate in you a deeper commitment to Him. Ask Him to lead you closer to
the desire to follow Him at all costs.

Foundations October 19, 2011

The Law in 90 Days: Numbers 21-22
SCRIPTURE MEDITATION
John 11:35 (NIV); Jesus wept.

This is a very poignant moment in Scripture. Lazarus has died, and seeing Mary weeping at
His feet and the mourners weeping all around, Jesus is “deeply moved in His spirit and greatly
troubled” and He, too, starts to weep. It’s interesting. The Father has already revealed that He will
bring Lazarus to life (see v 11), so Jesus cannot be crying out of loss. But this moment is important
enough that God would have it recorded in Scripture.
As God incarnate, Jesus displayed the very character of God in a tangible and relatable way.
God is a God of compassion, He is a Comforter and He values friendship, He has sympathy and
shows empathy. Jesus feels along with us. It’s really an incredible thing that God Himself came
down to earth to live among us. God in a self-sufficient, uncreated, personal Being, and as such,
anything at all that we can understand about Him is a gracious gift. It is awesome that He would
bring Himself to our level – the level of His creation. Through the person of Jesus Christ, we are
able to see God Himself interact with His creation in a personal way. In light of this revelation, it
is powerful to see Christ weep. Many people view tears as a sign of weakness, but it is quite the
opposite. This picture of Jesus weeping shows us that grief is ok, and that our grief is shared by
our Lord. It compels us to bear one another’s burdens and to show tender grace to those who are
hurting.
What an awe-inspiring God we serve.

PRAYER and MEDITATION
1. When has God used another believer to comfort you and to show compassion?
2. Do you look for opportunities to comfort others? Are you quick to bear another’s burden? Ask
God to open your eyes to these opportunities today, and to help you to be like Christ.
3. Have you tried to suppress feelings of grief from the Lord? Share anything that is on your
heart today with Him. Meditate on who Jesus is as God incarnate, tangible and relevant to
you today.

Foundations October 18, 2011

The Law in 90 Days: Numbers 19-20
SCRIPTURE MEDITATION
John 11:3 (NIV); Lord, the one you love is sick.

When Lazarus fell ill, his sisters sent word to Jesus. They were very familiar with His teaching, they
had witnessed His power, and they had sacrificed for Him; they knew there was nowhere else to
go. Their words reflect one who knows Jesus, “Lord, the one you love is sick.” They didn’t need to
use names. They didn’t need to jog Jesus’ memory by explaining the physical appearance of their
brother. Jesus knew. With these words, Mary and Martha display their beliefs: Jesus has power; God
is good in the midst of this trial; trouble does not signify a lack of God’s love. And when Jesus finally
journeyed to Bethany two days later after Lazarus had died, Mary’s response was to fall at His feet.
Much is revealed in crisis. Crisis unveils the true nature of our character, and our true beliefs about
God. Our response in calamity shows the state of our heart – do we rest securely in the shadow
of the Almighty, or do we flounder around trying to bring everything under our control. We have to
trust that God is who He says He is even when we are hurting. His character is independent of our
circumstances. Can you call Him your Lord when you are in pain? Can you cling to His love when
you feel unloved? Can you rest knowing that God knows you even when you are lonely, or when you
don’t know yourself? When Lazarus was sick, Mary sent a message with her plea; when he died, she
fell at His feet. Will you press further into Christ as the path gets steeper? Will you resolve now that
you will fall at His feet even if you enter the valley? If you can do this, you will learn discipleship at a
completely new level.

PRAYER and MEDITATION
1. Read through today’s teaching again, and meditate on how it speaks to you. Ask yourself the
questions that are put forth, and journal about your answers.
2. Spend time in prayer and listening prayer. Talk to God about what you are going through. Ask
Him to give you a sense of His love and His nearness. Ask Him to help you to press into Him
more and more each day.
3. If you are not battling any major struggles, ask God to refine your character now so that when
crisis hits, you will respond blamelessly. Ask Him to develop integrity and godliness in you.

Foundations October 17, 2011

The Law in 90 Days: Numbers 17-18
SCRIPTURE MEDITATION
John 10:29 (NIV); no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand.

This verse has been used by many as an assurance of salvation despite the choices and decisions
that one makes over the course of his or her life. But we know this is not what it is to believe in
Jesus. However, this verse can still offer great encouragement to us!
No man or devil can wrench us from God’s presence or protection. God is powerful; what He shuts
no one can open, what He opens no one can shut, what He tears down cannot be rebuilt, what He
imprisons cannot be released, what He withholds cannot rush forth, what He silences remains silent,
and those to whom He gives eternal life in His presence have abundant life forever!
So this verse CAN give us wonderful assurance and affirmation. Neither your circumstances, nor
your enemies, nor even your character struggles and failings can snatch you out of the Father’s
hand. And we must remember He is our Father. He wants to keep us close and lead us by the hand;
He wants to protect and defend us. Some people experience a taste of God, jump up to receive Him
into their lives, and then choose to walk away. They choose to disengage, they choose apathy, they
choose to rebel and refuse to repent. We don’t have to be in constant doubt of our salvation; we can
KNOW where we are going and we can live in communion with the Father. If you’re heart is stirred
when you read the Word, if you notice sin in your life and desire to change, if you love the Lord, if
you are even concerned about staying on track, you are in a good direction! But when God Himself
affirms us, it is powerful. If you continually doubt your salvation, ask the Lord to speak to you and to
affirm you through His Word.

PRAYER and MEDITATION
1. Do you worry about your salvation? Talk to the Lord about this. Ask Him for His word and
search the Scriptures. How does He want to encourage you today?
2. How have you experienced the power of God in your life? How has He protected you? Praise
Him for these moments and share them with someone today.
3. Spend time praying for the unsaved in your life.

Foundations October 16, 2011

SCRIPTURE READING
John 10:5 (NIV); But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because
they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.

What would it be like to be so in tune with the voice of Jesus that we would naturally flee from the
voice of the enemy?
In John 10, disciples of Christ are compared to sheep that willingly follow their Shepherd. The
Shepherd knows His sheep by name, He calls to them and leads them, and He is known by them.
Jesus knows your name, He calls to you, He leads you, and He desires that you would know Him.
The relationship can never get too close or too personal.
But what about the stranger, the enemy? For many of us, the enemy is no stranger. His voice is
loud and clear, his temptations sweet, and his lies cunning. We think that we can sneak over and
follow the enemy’s voice here and there and easily find our way back to the pack of sheep and the
Shepherd, but it’s not that simple. The Shepherd tells us to resist the enemy and to flee from him,
not to dabble in His activities.
As we devote ourselves to Bible reading and prayer, our ears will be opened to the true voice of the
enemy. What once sounded sweet and innocent will be revealed as toxic and destructive. The point
is not that we fail to recognize the enemy’s voice entirely, but that we are so in tune with the voice
of the Shepherd, and so enthralled with His personhood that the enemy becomes a stranger to us,
a voice that we never listen to, and eventually a voice that we do not even hear because we are so
focused on following our Shepherd.

PRAYER and MEDITATION
1. Whose voice do you seek more, the Lord’s or the enemy’s? Whose voice do you listen to more
in the course of your day? The Lord’s or the enemy’s? How do you know?
2. Ask the Holy Spirit to show you how you are dabbling in the enemy’s activities and assuming
that this is not affecting your relationship with the Shepherd. Ask Him to reveal how it actually
IS affecting your relationship with Jesus.
3. What is one temptation that Jesus wants you to resist today? Ask Him to give you a strategy to
do so, and ask the Spirit to empower you to resist the enemy.

Foundations October 15, 2011

The Law in 90 Days: Numbers 15-16
SCRIPTURE READING
John 9:25 (NIV); One thing I do know. I was blind and now I see!

We are bombarded with all sorts of circumstances – conflicts, unforeseen problems, surprises,
disappointments, uncertainties. Questions arise, brainstorming must be done, solutions must be
found, but throughout the process, we will likely remain in a haze of uncertainty until everything is
worked out.
When we don’t know for certain what is going on, will we cling to what we know? There will always
be many things “up in the air” but we must cling to what we know about Christ; who He is and
what He has done. This remembrance will allow us to keep our focus on Him. You may not know
why you seem to be falling apart, why you feel dry, why the particular circumstances have come
about, but it is the one thing you KNOW that can define you, if you let it.
That one thing is Christ – who He is and what He’s done. The psalmist said, “ONE THING I have
asked of the Lord, this [ONE THING] I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the
days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to inquire in his temple.” (Ps 27:4)
To spend time in the presence of the Lord, to gaze upon Him and allow His light to rid us of the
blindness that has come about through the lies of the enemy and the darkness of sin, this is the
one thing me must seek.

PRAYER and MEDITATION
1. Spend some time evaluating yourself. What defines you? What defines your moods, your
level of joy, your ability to love others, your view of yourself, etc? Allow the Holy Spirit to
point out where you are allowing circumstances to define you rather than our true and
unchangeable God. Confess these things to Him.
2. Meditate on God. Who is the Lord? Who is God according to the truth of His word, and who
is God as you have experienced Him in your own life? In prayer, worship Him for these
things.
3. How can you keep for focus on Christ today? The blind man’s motto was, “One thing I do
know. I was blind and now I see.” Ask God to give you a motto today, something that He
wants you to live by: “One thing I do know. ________.” Pray that He would empower you to
live by this.

Foundations October 14, 2011

The Law in 90 Days: Numbers 13-14
SCRIPTURE READING
John 9:9 (NIV); “I am the man.”

The healed blind man was ecstatic. He no longer lived in physical or spiritual darkness because
the true Light had shone into his life. When Christ shines into us He exposes our darkness
and reveals His truth. If we allow this to lead us to repentance, He can transform us. Jesus
transformed this man. Those who had known him to be a blind beggar argued, “Is it him, or isn’t
it?” But he was adamant, “I am the man!”
We don’t always get this right. Either God does something fantastic in us and we keep it to
ourselves, thereby removing some of the glory due His name, or we run around proclaiming
we are the men and women transformed by Christ while our actions and attitudes remain
unchanged. As image-bearers of Christ, we are all guilty of marring His reputation in this world,
but He remains unmarred. This is sad; people think that God is weak or cruel, or that Jesus is a
dead man, but He’s not. How many people have gone to a grave of eternal destruction because
WE (Christians) have failed to display or proclaim the TRUTH about the transformational power
of Christ?
When God does something great for you, or in you, proclaim it. Tell people “I am the (wo)
man!” And when Jesus shines His light onto your darkness, don’t allow the experience to end
with the inspection! Respond to Him! Repent; turn from you ways, and entreat the Holy Spirit
to empower you to a life of submission. Then people will see and hear and say, “Is that really
her?” “Is it really that guy?” because you will be truly transformed by God. You will be able to
look up and say, “Yes! It is me! And let me tell you what happened…”

PRAYER and MEDITATION
1. Have you proclaimed Christ as Lord, or proclaimed His power in your life without actually
changing what He has convicted you of? Spend some time in listening prayer asking the
Lord to show you if you’ve done this.
2. How have you neglected to give God glory for a change He’s done in you? Ask Him to
help you to understand how your testimony can further His kingdom.
3. How can you go out and proclaim Christ in truth today. Pray that you would not mar the
image of Christ through your actions today.

Foundations October 13, 2011

The Law in 90 Days: Numbers 11-12
SCRIPTURE READING
John 9:3 (NIV); but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life.

There are a variety of reasons for trouble in our lives: deteriorating health, harassment from others,
the work of the enemy, and our own sin. Yet we know the promise of Scripture that God can work
our struggles out for His good if we are surrendered to Him.
This being said, there are some trials in our lives that are there for the chief purpose of bringing
glory to God. We tend to dismiss this idea before it even has a chance to register as a possibility.
“God would never,” we think. We generally assume a health problem to be of a natural cause;
rarely do we like to entertain the idea that it could be a result of our sin, and almost never would we
think that God purposefully placed the trial in our lives. The disciples in John 9 likely had a greater
fear of the Lord than the 21st century Christian, because they naturally assumed that the blind
man’s condition was due to his, or even his parents’ sin. But Jesus said that even that was not the
case. He was born blind, and had remained so to manhood for one reason: that the work of God
might be displayed in his life. Wow.
The disciple of Christ accepts His words and His ways. Can you accept that God would place an
obstacle in your life for His glory? Read the verse again. God allowed this hardship so that His
work might be displayed. MIGHT! That means that there was a chance that this young man could
die a blind man, never experiencing what God longed to do in him. In our culture, where we take
offense and cast blame, how many people are not experiencing God’s glory and deliverance due to
a hardened heart and a pointing finger?

PRAYER and MEDITATION
1. How does today’s teaching strike you? Are you offended? Surprised? Affirmed? Be honest in
your evaluation of yourself.
2. Where are you casting blame for your problems rather than seeking God for His word on the
matter? Repent and seek Him.
3. Ask God what is happening in your life right now that He can use as a vehicle for His glory. Tell
Him that you are willing to be used, and thank Him for the situation that you are in.

Foundations October 12, 2011

The Law in 90 Days: Numbers 9-10
SCRIPTURE READING
John 8:58; I tell you the truth, before Abraham was born, I am!

This statement was earth-shattering, which is plain to see in the moments that follow. As soon
as Jesus speaks these words, His listeners pick up stones to stone Him! These words invoked
fanaticism –bloodthirstiness – in the people.
If we travel further back in time, we will meet up with a man named Moses whom God used to
deliver the Israelites from slavery in Egypt. While in Midian, Moses was confronted and called by
the Lord to deliver His people. And it is in this very encounter where we see why the people got
so upset at Jesus’ words. The Lord gave Moses the mission to appear before Pharaoh for the
release of the Jews. But Moses was worried about how the people would respond to him. What if
they asked for the name of the One who had sent him, what should he say? And God responded,
“I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I AM has sent me to you.’” Jesus’
words to the people evoked an immediate recollection of the words God spoke to Moses. With this
sentence, Jesus equated Himself with God.
It was imperative that Jesus’ disciples came to have full faith in Him as the Son of God, having
oneness and equality with the Father. If we do not hold firmly to this truth, we cannot call ourselves
disciples. Remember, disciples take on the very beliefs of their rabbi. Jesus proclaimed clearly
that He and the Father were one; He had existed from time immemorial, just as the Father had. As
Christians, we need to stand up for the divinity of Christ. If we don’t really believe that Jesus Christ
was the Son of God who came from heaven to live on earth, and who died and rose from the
grave, our faith has absolutely no foundation.

PRAYER and MEDITATION
1. Meditate on Jesus’ divinity and why its truthfulness is so imperative to our faith. Do you fully
believe that He is who He says He is?
2. How should your belief in Christ and your belief that He is who He says He is affect the way
that you live? Listen in prayer about this.
3. Meditate on God’s self-given name, I AM. What does this mean? Why do you think He
expressed Himself with these words?

Foundations October 11, 2011

The Law in 90 Days: Numbers 7-8
SCRIPTURE READING
John 8:31-32 (ESV); “If you abide in My word, you are truly My disciples, and you will know the
truth, and the truth will set you free.”

Do you believe this passage? Not just part of it, but all of it? Snippets of these verses are universally
exalted; even Hollywood will tell you that “the truth will set you free” when it’s convenient. A character
on the big screen realizes that she has fallen out of love with her husband and claims that this new
truth has set her free. It really is an abomination when the Word of God is taken out of context and
used so irreverently.
Perhaps we should start from the beginning. IF we abide in Jesus’ word THEN we will be His
disciples and we will KNOW the truth, and HIS truth will set us FREE. First we must abide in His
word. We must daily search the Scriptures for the person of Jesus Christ and commit ourselves to
seeking His voice and direction in all things. If we make this our concern, we will know the truth. The
Word of God will come alive to us; we will live it out and our faith will grow as we come to understand
from our own experiences that God’s Word is totally true. And then the truth that HE has revealed
will set us free. So the truth that you are unhappy in your marriage gets put into context by God’s
truth. The Word reveals that God fights FOR marriage and is serious about covenants. THEN you
are set free; not to drift further from your spouse, but to move towards repentance and reconciliation.
The truth will set you free; not what you wish to be true, but what is true according to God. Truth
reveals the lies and disillusionments we are holding on to. Like light shining into darkness, the
revelation of truth is not always delightful, but it is freeing as it enables us to see ourselves and our
situation through the eyes of Christ.

PRAYER and MEDITATION
1. According to this verse, and according to how you live right now, are you a true disciple of
Christ? Why or why not?
2. Ask God to show you any lies that you believe in the following areas: personal character,
marriage, friendship, family, children, career, and church.
a. How are these lies affecting the way that you live?
b. What is God’s truth about each of the lies? How can this truth bring you freedom?

Foundations October 10, 2011

The Law in 90 Days: Numbers 5-6
SCRIPTURE READING
John 8:12 (ESV); Whoever follows Me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.

Light and darkness is a common theme in the gospel of John. John said of Jesus, “In Him was
life, and that life was the light of men.” (1:4) Jesus said to Nicodemus, “Light has come into the
world but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who
does evil hates the light and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed.”
(3:19-20)
Jesus uses such a practical thing – light and darkness – to show us the foolishness of our
ways. Who would ever want to live in utter darkness, when a lamp is available? Jesus likens
this strangeness to living in sin. People hide their sin, burying it deep in the darkness for fear of
being found out, and eventually the darkness becomes a cloak of safety – a warm place where
our sins can live devoid of confrontation. Denial enables us to remain in the dark without the
pain of remembrance. Blame allows us to live unhindered by regret. But beneath it all is a fear
of what would happen if the truth was revealed, the sin exposed.
Light can be blinding, especially after one has dwelt in darkness, but the aftermath is good.
The light of Christ is a healing light. Yes, it forces us to admit our sin, but because Christ is the
Source of the light, the revelation is gentle and brings freedom from all that the darkness has
kept hidden.

PRAYER and MEDITATION
1. How have you experienced the light of Christ in your life? Can you share your story with
someone today?
2. What lurks in the darkness of your heart? Ask the Holy Spirit to show you what keeps you
in darkness. Are you willing to allow the light of Christ to reveal the truth? Is it time to deal
with the issue? Can you share it with a trusted friend or leader today?
3. Ask God how you can walk in the light. How can your relationship with Jesus affect you in
such a way that you live victoriously in the light? Meditate on John 8:12 and 3:19-20.

Foundations October 9, 2011

SCRIPTURE READING
John 8:11 (ESV); Neither do I condemn you

To condemn is to pronounce judgment on someone, to proclaim them as guilty and give an
appropriate sentence. Our sin condemns. It resides on the witness stand, accusing us of guilt and
proclaiming our punishment: eternal separation from God. But Jesus, though He holds the authority
to judge and condemn, did not come to do so. He came to bring truth: to break people out of their
chains to sin. Our sin condemns us, but Christ sets us free!
The first eleven verses of John 8 tell a poignant story. An adulteress is cast at the feet of Jesus
accused by the religious leaders who are trying, as usual, to trap Jesus in their questioning. Jesus
made it clear to all those present that the authority to condemn belongs only to those who are perfect.
This left no one in the running but Himself, and when the two of them were left alone, He spoke
these words to her. Jesus – the standard of perfection – does not condemn us. We are unrightfully
condemned by others and by ourselves, but the One whose opinion actually matters stands with
arms outstretched, offering freedom and forgiveness to all who would come.
A day is coming when Christ will return. This time it will be in all His glory, honour and authority, and
this time He will judge and condemn. He will judge all who have ever walked the earth, and He will
condemn to eternal separation those who chose to disregard His lordship. Jesus did not condemn
the adulteress, but He did tell her to go and sin no more. This is what He tells us. He forgives us of
our sin when we repent – He wipes us clean and casts our sin as far as the east is from the west
– and then He empowers us to turn from our wicked ways and seek His face. So let’s stop kicking
ourselves. Let us accept the forgiveness of Jesus, and let us turn from our sin and walk in the
freedom of the Son.

PRAYER and MEDITATION
1. What is your picture of Jesus? Is he angry and condemning? Is He lovey-dovey, never
convicting you of anything? These are two extremes. Ask Him to give you a true and biblical
view of Himself.
2. Surely you know the character struggles and hardships in your life. Listen in prayer and ask
Jesus what He wants to say to you regarding these things.

Foundations October 8, 2011

The Law in 90 Days: Numbers 3-4
SCRIPTURE READING
John 6:68 (NIV); Lord, to whom shall we go?

While others were walking away, offended by Jesus’ teaching, the Twelve committed themselves
fully. Fittingly, it was Peter who piped up with this response, and what a surrendered response it
was!
If there is anywhere we would rather go than to Jesus Christ, we cannot say we are fully
surrendered. True disciples are in it for the long-haul. When Peter dropped his net, when
Nathaniel arose from under the fig tree, when Matthew turned from the tax collector’s table, there
was no going back. They had left father and mother and career to follow this man; family and
friends already knew their allegiance. They were in.
But it is so easy to go elsewhere. If we are offended by Christ, there are certainly many other
options offered us by the world. But all of them lead to death. The mind of sinful man leads to
death. An alternative religion, an addiction, a relationship, a lust, a possession a fantasy may
offer temporary solace but only Jesus has the words to eternal life. The mind controlled by the
Spirit – the Spirit of Jesus – is life and peace!
We know that the disciples tasted the waters of life apart from Christ, even after this commitment.
Peter’s denial brought about great guilt and shame and Judas’ betrayal drove him to suicide, the
dirty money for which he sold the Lord – his alternative to Christ – was a curse on him.
Jesus gives you the opportunity. He sees the stagnancy in the church today and says, “Do you
want to leave too?” The stout of heart and the doubtful man must go in search of all alternatives
before he is convinced of Christ. But the surrendered disciple responds immediately in love and
devotion saying, “Lord, to whom shall I go?”

PRAYER and MEDITATION
1. Is there anywhere you would rather run to than Jesus? Think about some of your struggles
and anxieties. Where do you run to first for relief? Is it the TV, books, coffee, etc? Run to
Jesus. Take some time to seek His heart on the matter.
2. Have you denied God, or broke a commitment you’ve made? Is this keeping you from
running back to Him? He wants you to return. Ask God to forgive you for any denial. Ask
Him to show you His heart for you.
3. Spend some time in the word, searching for refuge in Christ.

Foundations October 7, 2011

The Law in 90 Days: Numbers 1-2
SCRIPTURE READING
John 6:61 (NIV); Does this offend you?

Offense is a grave problem in the church. To offend is to irritate, annoy, or anger; it is to cause
resentful displeasure in someone or something. The definition itself makes the one who feels
offended the victim. But in our day and age where everyone plays the blame game, to take
offense is as much a sin as to offend another. We dislike an opinion or the way something is said
and we feel it is our right to walk away offended. We feel judged by a message and are offended
by the speaker. A friend doesn’t comment on our obviously new hairdo and we are offended. Our
guests don’t eat the casserole, someone takes our parking spot, we lose a board game and we
take offense. This is the state of society and the church and it is a sorry one.
Do Christ’s words offend you? What have you heard preached that crossed a boundary for you?
Have you honestly searched the Scriptures to see if, perhaps, the pastor was relaying the word
of God? When people remind you of the word of God, do you take offense? “You know that if you
don’t forgive her, God won’t forgive you.” “The sexual sin you are living in is blatant rebellion.” “I
think we should stop gossiping now.” “If we don’t love each other, we show we don’t love Christ.”
“God hates divorce.” Do the words of our Lord offend you? Jesus’ followers were having a hard
time accepting his words, “This is hard teaching. Who can accept it?” they said. And from then on
many turned away from Him.
It’s true that some people are tactless in their approach, but we are not held accountable for
their insensitivity. We’re held accountable for how we respond to God’s truth, however we maybe
enlightened to it. The words of Christ may be hard to swallow, but chew on them and you will find
that they bring life to the soul!

PRAYER and MEDITATION
1. Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you areas where you have been offended by Jesus through
the messages at church, the words of others, or through Scripture itself. Spend time in
repentance, turning from your ways.
2. Ask God for a strategy, a way to root out offense in your life. Commit to obedience in
whatever He asks of you.
3. Pray that you’d have a forgiving and merciful spirit today.

Foundations October 6, 2011

The Law in 90 Days: Leviticus 25-27
SCRIPTURE READING
John 6:5-6 (ESV); Jesus said to Philip, “Where are we to buy bread, so that these people may
eat?” He said this to test him, for He Himself knew what He would do.
God knows what He is doing. As all-knowing, all-powerful Creator God, who is above all else in
authority and glory and honour, God knows how to respond in every situation before the situation
even occurs. God is not an improviser who must just settle with whatever is thrown at Him; He’s
not a man on stage asking the audience to call out random scenarios to which He should respond.
He is above all things. He knows all before it happens, and He never scrambles for ideas or
solutions. But do we believe this?
Jesus tests His disciples. They knew His power and authority from what they had seen with their
eyes and heard with their ears; they witnessed miracles and listened to stirring teaching. But where
was their faith? Many times, their actions would display a lack of faith. Jesus was not puzzled over
the hungry mass; the Father had relayed the plan of action. But Jesus often probed deeper in
order to reveal the truth of men’s hearts. And so more than satisfying physical hunger, more than
miraculously multiplying a meagre lunch, more than showing a willing little boy purpose, Jesus
shone light directly into Philip’s heart, testing His faith with a question. Would Philip plunge into
discipleship and respond, “You are the Son of God! You know a way!”? No, this test Philip would
fail.
We shouldn’t doubt that God would test us. His testing is never for His own learning – He already
knows us entirely. He tests us for our benefit, that we would see the reality of our hearts and
respond to Him.

PRAYER and MEDITATION
1. Take some time to worship God for who He is; for His knowledge, power and authority.
2. Do you believe God is what you just worshipped Him for? How should your belief stimulate
you to live differently?
3. Ask the Holy Spirit to speak to you about testing. When has the Lord tested you? When have
you failed? When have you passed? Are you in the middle of test right now? Ask God to grow
your faith and your faithfulness. Practice listening for Jesus intently today.

Foundations October 5, 2011

The Law in 90 Days: Leviticus 22-24
SCRIPTURE READING
John 3:12 (NIV); I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you
believe if I speak of heavenly things?

For the remainder of this month, we’re going to walk through the book of John, looking at what it
means to be a disciple of Christ. If we look strictly at the Bible, what does it mean to be a Christian?
As Christians, what does Jesus say we should expect? What does He expect of us? Jesus is
coming back, and we want to prepare ourselves by doing all that we can to further His kingdom!
Once in a while we find ourselves in a position where we are overwhelmed by the Spirit of Truth. We
hear a powerful message, read an inspirational biography or participate in Spirit-filled worship and
are moved to a place of want. We want to know God and we want to see His power in our lives, yet
we’re often not fully fledged followers. We’re not committed to seeking Him, or to the effort of being
in His circle.
Jesus explained to Nicodemus the concept of being “born again”; that one who wants eternal life
with the Father must be born of water and of Spirit, that is, he must have a spiritual birth where
he is cleansed of sin and given a new heart with right desires (see Ez. 36:25-27). Surprisingly,
Jesus called this concept an “earthy thing,” as it had already been spoken about by the prophets.
Therefore “heavenly things” would be notions of even more staggering proportions.
Understanding doesn’t always come quickly or easily. The enemy uses laziness, boredom,
unfaithfulness and doubt to keep us from seeking to understand who God is and what He says. But
let us press on to know Him; let us make the effort to be in the inner circle of Jesus, to sit at His feet
and learn from Him: to be disciples.

PRAYER and MEDITATION
1. When was the last time God revealed a staggering truth to you, or overwhelmed you with His
presence by His word? How did you respond to the experience?
2. How have you neglected to let God’s word, character and truth transform you? How have you
responded lazily to conviction? Repent of those things that have led you astray.
3. In prayer, recommit yourself to Christ today. Choose to be full-fledged follower.

Foundations October 4, 2011

The Law in 90 Days: Leviticus 19-21
SCRIPTURE READING
Matthew 3:3 (ESV); For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah when he said, “The
voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord; make His paths straight.’”

John the Baptist’s message was simple: “Repent and be baptized!” When he saw the Pharisees
– those religious leaders who valued outward behaviour while inwardly fostering pride and
impenitence – John called out, “You brood of vipers!” “Bear fruit in keeping with repentance!” In
a religion where people were taught by their leaders that God cares only about appearances,
John’s message was much needed: fruit without repentance is false. The message of the baptizer
was prophesied over 800 years before he was born by the prophet Isaiah, who said that one
would come who would prepare the people for the coming of the Messiah. Jesus would do the
redemptive work, but God will not enter into a hard heart where He is unwanted. John’s testimony
was necessary to show the people their need for a Saviour.
Repentance prepares our heart for the work of Jesus. It readies us to receive His forgiveness and
transforming power. It clears a path for Jesus to really get to work in us. Reading on in John’s
instruction, we see him telling the people that their credentials as “sons of Abraham” are not
enough. And so the people ask him, “What then shall we do?” John’s advice is simple. Get rid of
greed. He tells the man with two tunics to share one, the tax collector to take only what is due, and
the soldier to be content with his pay.
John made it clear that he was not the Christ, but his message was necessary. One was coming
who would baptize with the Holy Spirit and with fire. In order to be full of the Spirit, we must be rid
of those things that hinder: the greed, pride and selfishness that so easily entangles.

PRAYER and MEDITATION
1. Ask the Holy Spirit to show you anything that is obstructing the way of what He wants to do in
your heart. Confess these things.
2. Ask God what the people asked John: “What shall I do, Lord?” Ask God what He desires from
you as His follower.
3. How can you be a voice for the Lord today? Pray that you would consciously lead people
closer to Jesus today.

Foundations October 3, 2011

The Law in 90 Days: Leviticus 16-18
SCRIPTURE READING
John 6:40 (NIV); For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in Him
shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.”

For a number of years, the evangelical Christian’s mandate has been: believe in Jesus. If we can
just get someone to believe in Jesus, they will be saved. But we’ve watered down the meaning of
the word. We treat belief as a one-time deal. Like a carnival game, if you can just knock the pin
down one time you will win the giant teddy bear; if we can just get someone to “believe” in Jesus
one time then they’re good to go. But a confession of faith is not a formula or a magic phrase.
The early church understood “believe” to be a continual action, not a one-time thing to be done, but
rather something that you are doing. This is why Jesus said that whoever believed in Him would
OBEY His commands. This is why He said that in the last days many would fall away, but it would
be those who endured till the end who would be saved. Paul strove to practice his own preaching so
that he himself would not be disqualified from eternal reward and the prize of heaven.
To believe is to have confidence in the truth or reliability of something. A disciple of Christ holds to
this truth: he trusts the reliability of the faithful God; she is confident in the promises of Scripture.
It is God’s will that all who seek Jesus will believe in Him: will continually trust the reliability of His
character and daily put their confidence in Him as the perfect Rabbi.

PRAYER and MEDITATION
1. In what area of your life do you need to actively believe in Jesus today? Ask the Holy Spirit to
empower you to trust firmly in the Lord, and to be confident in Him.
2. Ask God to reveal aspects of His character to you that you can focus on today. Let Him show
you through words, pictures and Scripture.
3. Is there someone you’ve lead to Christ, or influenced spiritually? Have you dropped the ball in
any way, thinking that a one-time confession of faith was enough? As we grow as disciples, we
need to bring others on the journey. Confess any laziness and ask God who He wants you to
bring on the journey today. How can you do it?

Foundations October 2, 2011

SCRIPTURE READING
Luke 4:10 (NIV); Then Jesus said to Simon, “Don’t be afraid; from now on you will catch men.” So
they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed Him.

Many of today’s professed “Christians” have deemed the word little more than a title, or a religious
classification. In reality, the word “Christian” simply means “follower of Christ”; a disciple.
First century disciples understood the meaning of the word. Being a disciple meant total
submission to the rabbi. The boy would take on the beliefs, opinions and even the mannerisms
of his rabbi. The rabbi’s word would be binding to the disciple, to be obeyed no matter what. The
disciple embraced the rabbi’s views and willingly gave up any of his own ideas that contradicted
the rabbi’s. The disciple trusted the rabbi’s interpretation of Scripture and of righteous living and
acted accordingly. This definition of the word and this rabbi-disciple relationship has not changed.
For those who truly desire to follow Christ, He is our rabbi and we are His disciples.
In our culture, men and women will go to great lengths to be the “best in the business”. The
aspirant surgeon pours over papers and plunges into practica for years before she stands at the
operating table. The professional golfer practices incessantly, his golf club becoming a third arm
before he makes it to the PGA. Yet when it comes to being a Christian, we think we can prop up
our feet and wait for salvation to fall into our lap. We expect our Christianity to thrive without much
effort. We assume that we can save our energies for personal passions, and Jesus will just “bless
us” in the process because we claim His name. But Christianity is discipleship; it is the disciples of
Luke 4, leaving everything for the sake of following Christ.

PRAYER and MEDITATION
1. How does this bit of information change your outlook on the meaning of being a Christian?
How does it compare to your definition from yesterday?
2. Are you willing to be a totally devoted disciple? Ask Jesus what it means for you to leave
everything for the sake of following Him.
3. How have you put other pursuits ahead of being a devoted disciple of Christ? Confess these
things and take time to refocus.