Foundations Feb 1, 2011

Tuesday, February 1, 2011
END TIMES READING PLAN: 1 Thessalonians 4-5

SCRIPTURE READING

Acts 9:18 (ESV); And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he rose and was baptized

The Apostle Paul is probably the second most important New Testament character next to our Lord. On his missionary journeys he spread the gospel to many provinces in the Mediterranean, admonishing and encouraging the believers and, equipping the church. His letters remain as essential to the expansion of God’s kingdom today as when they were written. But Paul’s pursuits were not always leading him in this direction. Trained under the great Jewish rabbi, Gamaliel, Paul was devoted to the Jewish teaching, and saw the rise of Christianity as heretical. Blessed with a great mind and astute leadership, Paul used these things in opposition to the Church until the risen Christ appeared to him on the road to Damascus. That moment with Jesus of Nazareth, the Son of God, changed the course of Paul’s life – and Christianity – forever.

Paul’s encounter with Jesus left him completely blind, and he fasted for three days until the disciple, Ananias, prayed over him and, “something like scales fell from his eyes and he regained his sight.” This verse holds a twofold meaning: Certainly what is described happened in the physical, but scales also fell from Paul’s spiritual eyes. He had devoted himself to something completely opposite of God’s design, and yet he had been so certain that he was doing the will of the Almighty. When Ananias prayed spiritual scales fell, and Paul’s eyes were opened to the truth of God.

PRAYER and MEDITATION

1)    What are you currently pursuing in your life? Think about your career, school and relationships. If asked, how would you best define your calling?

2)    Ask God to reveal any spiritual blindness in your life. Really listen. Revaluate your answer to question 1 together with Him. Perhaps you are pursuing exactly that which He has asked of you, but maybe there are some things you are doing that He wants you to change.

3)    After his eyes were opened, Paul was baptized and starting moving in ministry. Ask God how you can walk confidently in your calling and pursuits today. How can you walk in His power and authority?

Foundations Jan 31, 2011

Monday, January 31, 2011
END TIMES READING PLAN: 2 Corinthians 5

SCRIPTURE READING

Matthew 1:23 (NIV) “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him
Immanuel” (which means “God with us”).

 

When sin entered mankind in the Garden of Eden, man was severed from the presence of
God. God was never again with His people in the way that He had been with them in Eden
– walking and talking with them. Certain individuals experienced the closeness of God, such
as Moses, Abraham and David, but the nearness and intimacy offered in Eden was no more.
When Abraham entered the Tent of Meeting, they stood at the entrances of their homes.
When the Tabernacle was constructed, only the high priest was allowed entrance into the
Holy of Holies, and even then only once a year! The Tabernacle was constructed in the
wilderness that God could come down in the presence of the people for them to worship, but
the people always remained at a distance. But the work of this Child on the cross married
the Spirit of God to the people once and for all! At the moment of Jesus’ death the Temple
curtain was ripped in two, signifying that God was no longer going to live separately from
His people. The Child of the prophecy was the Son of God who made a way for us to reunite
with Mighty God!
The Apostle Paul said that God’s mystery had finally been revealed. What was it? “Christ in
you, the hope of glory.” Jesus was called Immanuel because His death allowed for the Spirit
of God to indwell every individual who lives by faith in Jesus Christ. This manifestation of God
in us is our hope for a future glory and eternity with Christ!

PRAYER and MEDITATION

1. Ask God to reveal to you areas in your life where you are pursuing other things instead of
    him (friends, food, entertainment, recreation, career, etc). Confess as necessary.
2. Are you ready to keep pursuing God on your own? Now that you are finished these thirty
    devotionals, what is the next step for you devotionally?
3. Thank God that He has designed you to get fulfillment in your personal relationship
    with Him, that He intends for you to experience the joy of walking with Him through every
    circumstance.

Foundations Jan 30, 2011

Sunday, January 30, 2011
END TIMES READING PLAN: Matthew 25 & 1 Corinthians 15

SCRIPTURE READING

John 3:16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever
believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

 

Jesus loves the world and He loves the Church. We have a choice that is before us, we can
respond to His love and spend our lives laying up treasures in Heaven or we can waste our
lives in sin, compromise, passivity and the cares of this life. How do you focus this life on
Jesus? It’s really no secret, you get into His presence, confess sin, cry out to Him in prayer,
lift your soul to Him in worship and meditate on His Word. This takes time, there is no short
track, you must patiently wait in His presence, and there is no substitute. You will have to
forgo some of the less important things in life in order to make more time to cultivate your
relationship with Him.
Hebrews 4:16 Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may
receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
We have been invited to approach God’s throne of grace with confidence and we need to
go there often to meditate, to gaze, to expose our spirit to the majesty and holiness of our
glorious King. This puts earthly things into perspective, as you bring your needs and cares,
your confessions before Him, you will find grace, and you will find mercy for your failures
and help in your time of need. The Lamb purchased you by His own blood. Would you like
to walk up to the thrown and bow before your King? You can, you are not trespassing on
forbidden ground…you have been invited to come here!

PRAYER and MEDITATION

1. Are you willing to rearrange your schedule to make more time for Jesus? What will this
    look like for you? What sort of things are you going to need to pass up in order to focus
    your life on Jesus?
2. What are some of the glorious blessings of focusing your life on Jesus instead of wasting
    it in sin, compromise, passivity and the cares of this life? Ask God to show you
    specific benefits.
3. What is keeping you from approaching God’s throne of grace? Is it fear? Shame?
    Timidity? Laziness?

Foundations Jan 29, 2011

Friday, January 29, 2011
END TIMES READING PLAN: Luke 17, 21

SCRIPTURE READING

Luke 19:17 And he said to him “Well done, good servant; because you were faithful in a very
little, have authority over ten cities”

 

God has called us to be faithful over small things, which tells us that small things are relevant
because they are esteemed and remembered by God. He evaluates and rewards our lives
in eternity based on the small things we have done in this age. This gives us a sense of
significance and has a powerful affect on our hearts, motivating us to pursue lasting impact in
this age and in the age to come.
We can easily become preoccupied with seeking what looks and feels significant to us while
devaluing faithfulness in the small things. Only a few people in history will have an international
platform like Billy Graham. Of the billions of people in history, all of them were called to be
faithful in small things; this is not synonymous with insignificance or irrelevance. God promises
that if we are faithful in the everyday mundane stuff he will esteem and remember that stuff
forever. We can make a lasting impact in God’s Kingdom by being faithful in small things.
God is looking for people who will partner with Him to bring about His purposes on Earth. God
has big plans for His people. God is looking for people who want to make a deep and lasting
impact, people who will partner with Him on a level far exceeding just working a job or pursuing
personal happiness. It doesn’t matter how small the task, if it is done out of a heart of love for
Jesus, it will be rewarded.
Matthew 10:42 Whoever gives one of these little ones only a cup of cold water in the name of
a disciple, assuredly, I say to you, he shall by no means lose his reward.

PRAYER and MEDITATION

1. What small things has God been calling you to be faithful in? These could relate to
    serving your family or serving in the church. It might also include other areas of obedience.
2. Are you willing to partner with God to bring about His purposes on Earth? What are you
    going to have to sacrifice in order to make an eternal impact? Are you willing to follow His
    path, even if you don’t get recognition?
3. Thank God that He remembers and rewards the small things, that even when we don’t
    think we are making an impact, He remembers the intent of our heart to love and serve Him.

Foundations Jan 28, 2011

Friday, January 28, 2011
END TIMES READING PLAN: Matthew 24 and Mark 13

SCRIPTURE READING

Matthew 22:37-40 Jesus said to them “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart,
with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the
second is like it, You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments
hang all the Law and the Prophets.

 

The time is coming when followers of God will follow Him with wholehearted love, not
mindless ritual or casual indifference. God is creating a people who love Him with all their
heart, mind, soul and strength. There is a joy and a power in being lovesick for Jesus.
Loyal, holy love frees us from the burnout of spiritual boredom.
Our emotional capacity for love is immense. We were created for love and God will
empower us to receive His love, love Him in return and love others. It’s the supernatural
work of the Holy Spirit that empowers us to walk in full obedience. Romans 5:5 The
love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit pours
God’s affection into the human heart regardless of personality type, history of bondage,
woundedness or brokenness. It’s a supernatural activity that transcends the human
condition.
The Gospel message of holiness is not centered around gritting our teeth and trying
harder. When a person’s heart is exhilarated by receiving holy love from Jesus and feeling
holy love toward Him, holiness is the result. When Jesus is our magnificent obsession,
material and peripheral rewards become secondary. We become powerful and fearless
in the grace of God when our primary purpose of loving God is fulfilled. Our greatest
reward in this love is being loved by and loving God because no matter what happens,
even if we lose everything, we still have Him. No pleasure is more satisfying than when
God communicates His love, His passion, His heart to your spirit. Nothing compares to
wholehearted love of God!

PRAYER and MEDITATION

1. Where are you at in your journey toward wholehearted love for God? Is this something
    that you have ever thought about pursuing before?
2. Ask God to impart in you a deeper desire to walk in a love relationship with Jesus. Ask
    Him to increase your capacity to experience His love, love Him back and then to
    love others.
3. Thank God for his endless love for you.

Foundations Jan 27, 2011

Thursday, January 27, 2011
END TIMES READING PLAN: Matthew 13

SCRIPTURE READING

John 17:21-23 That they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they
also may be one in Us…the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be
one just as We are one…that they may be made perfect in one…

 

Most people live with a devastating sense of loneliness in this life. Tragically, many people
live without sharing their joys and sorrows with anyone. This is not God’s plan for us.
God’s people are meant to have intimacy and unity with each other, because the Father
has permitted Jesus to pour His glory out on us now in part, and in fullness in the age to
come. Because of Jesus we can have no fear of being left to experience the mysteries and
the ups and downs of life alone.
The human heart longs for intimacy and the enemy exploits it by bringing people down
roads of false intimacy that lead to shame. God longs to be intimately connected to
broken people. It seems unimaginable that such a Great God feels this way. He trusts us
with the deep things of His heart. Intimacy is so much more than physical union; it is the
empowering confidence people have in one another that allow them to share the deepest
parts of their hearts – their hopes and dreams, their fears and failures, their feelings
and frustrations. Most people hold back in these areas because they have experienced
betrayal. Nothing hurts like intimacy exposed.
We can be sure that intimacy with Jesus is safe, He will not betray us, He will embrace us.
He will keep our secrets. Intimacy with Jesus is not one-sided, He has secrets of His own
– His plans, feelings and emotions that involve us. Psalm 25:14 The secret of the Lord is
with those who fear Him…
God has walked with us through every sin in our lives. He forgives us, feels our pain
during failure, and protects us by not disclosing the vast majority of our sin. He knows our
shameful deeds, yet believes in us and treats us with the honor we have not deserved or
earned. Now that is intimacy!

PRAYER and MEDITATION

1. Have you accepted God’s desire to have intimacy with you? Do you trust that intimacy
    with Jesus is safe?
2. Ask God to reveal to you things that have happened in your life that have prevented you
    from feeling intimacy with Him. Ask Him to show you the truth about what happened,
    where He was and how He feels about you in spite of that circumstance.
3. Thank God for His forgiveness and that He treats us well, in ways that we don’t deserve.

Foundations Jan 26, 2011

Wednesday, January 26, 2011
BIBLE IN A YEAR: Malachi 1-4 and Revelation 22

SCRIPTURE READING

Isaiah 9:6 (NIV) And he will be called Wonderful Counselor…

 

Matt 5:19 …Whoever does and teaches them [God’s commandments], he shall be called
great in the Kingdom of Heaven
Revelation 5:10 He…made us kings and priests to our God…we shall reign on earth.
We were destined for greatness and it is within our grasp if we choose it. Jesus wants us
to be great. Jesus never rebuked anybody for wanting to be great, only for fulfilling it in the
wrong way. We were made for greatness and honour but the only way into greatness is
through the cross of Jesus and by walking in meekness.
Matthew 20:26-27 Whoever desires to be great among you, let him be your servant. And
whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave.
Matthew 18:4 Whoever humbles himself…is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
Jesus said that the true path to greatness is found in being a servant. Many of us have so
much invested in this life that we are unable to let it go and pursue the assignment that God
has for us in the next age. We live in a constant tension between weighing our assignment
in this life against our long-range assignment in the age to come. This life is just an
internship that prepares us for the age to come. Our next stage of life starts in the Millennial
Kingdom, this is our primary ministry assignment and it lasts for 1000 years. The measure to
which we develop love, meekness and relationship with God during our lives now determines
our positions and functions in His government in the life to come (Matt 7:14; 19:30; 20:16,
26-27; 22:14; Luke 13:24).
The calling to greatness is issued to every human being. It is in the potential destiny of each
individual to reign with Christ. We must do it God’s way; we must become humble servants
in this life and look forward to reigning with Christ in the next.

PRAYER and MEDITATION

1. Do you want to be great in God’s sight? Do you want to be wealthy eternally? Are you
    willing to forgo greatness in this life in order to receive it in eternity?
2. Ask God to reveal to you where pursuing greatness has prevented you from living as a
    servant of others, in humility. Confess as necessary.
3. Ask God to give you the desire and strength to live this life with an eternal focus.

Foundations Jan 25, 2011

Tuesday, January 25, 2011
BIBLE IN A YEAR: Zechariah 7-10 and Revelation 20-21

SCRIPTURE READING

Isaiah 61:1-3 The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me, because the Lord has anointed Me to
preach good tidings to the poor…to give them beauty for ashes…
 

Ashes are good for absolutely nothing. What does it mean to have ashes and why is it
that we have them? Ashes are the by-product and result of burning our passions on wrong
things. Some believer’s lives are like ash heaps even after they have known the Lord for
many years. Most people don’t realize how much they have lost by making sinful choices.
They find themselves halfway through life with nothing to show for it, or even worse, having
accumulated a jumbled mess of wrecked relationships, disappointment and debt. Nobody
wants our ashes. Nobody, that is, except God. And when He takes them, He will trade
them for His beauty.
God will take the mess that we have made of our lives and He will give us the beauty of
God. When you became a believer, you weren’t just saved from Hell; you were made to be
beautiful and to show God’s beauty to the rest of creation.
Psalm 149:4 For the Lord takes pleasure in His people; He will beautify the humble with
salvation.
Psalm 45:11 The King will greatly desire your beauty; because He is your Lord, worship
Him.
God takes pleasure in you. He takes great joy in beatifying you. Feeling beauty is not
natural for most people. When instead of feeling ugly, you feel beautiful before God,
something powerful is released. You become free of your self-imposed shackles; you
become a Bride of the Holy One because He surrounds Himself with beauty. Being desired
by God mandates that we are truly beautiful!

PRAYER and MEDITATION

1. Are you convinced that God sees you as beautiful? Why or why not?
2. Ask God to tell you truth of how He feels about you, ask Him to give you a work, thought
    or picture about how beautiful you are to Him. Thanks Him for what He shows you.

Foundations Jan 24, 2011

Monday, January 24, 2011
BIBLE IN A YEAR: Zechariah 1-6 and Revelation 19

SCRIPTURE READING

1 Corinthians 2:9-12 However, as it is written: “No eye has seen, no ear has heard,
no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him”— but God
has revealed it to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of
God. For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the man’s spirit within
him? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. We
have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may
understand what God has freely given us.
 

In every human heart there is a craving to marvel. We long to be filled with endless
wonder. The secular entertainment industry has targeted this commercially but even
what they can create is no match for the fascinating God of the Universe. Our highest
imagination cannot perceive what He has in store for those who love Him.
We have a beautiful God beckoning us to encounter His beauty, but we must understand
that it takes time and energy to begin plumbing the depths of God. It takes time and
energy to fast and study Scripture. Those who expend all their energies in their jobs and
ministries, and then pursue entertainment and recreation, quickly find themselves depleted.
Many of God’s people find themselves without the time or energy to fast, pray or read
Scripture. We cannot throw ourselves into a hundred other pursuits at the expense of
searching out God. We cannot over saturate ourselves with activity.
One of the greatest problems in the church today is Spiritual boredom. We are so filled
with entertainment and recreation that we have sacrificed eternal fascination for the latest
blockbuster movie. As we increase our intake of earthly entertainment we dull our capacity
to be fascinated with God. Pornography, riches or self-promotion do not appeal to a person
fascinated with Christ Jesus. There is more to serving God than simply gritting your teeth
and trying to avoid evil. Being fascinated with God serves as a holy protection mechanism
from all the deceptions of the enemy, and it strengthens believers to reach for beauty that
will not fade.

PRAYER and MEDITATION

1. Ask God to reveal to you where pursuing recreation and entertainment has overcome
    your desire to pursue Him. Confess as necessary.
2. Are you so busy with activity that you don’t have any time for God? What things does
    God want you to put on hold so that you can spend more time with Him in prayer
    and reading the Word?

Foundations Jan 23, 2011

Sunday, January 23, 2011

SCRIPTURE READING

As a bridegroom rejoices over [his] bride, so your God will rejoice over you. Isaiah 62:5
 

Our culture does not understand a God that enjoys people. God has been portrayed in a
variety of ways, but usually as a grumpy old man who looks stiffly on fun-loving humans.
Many believers are not entirely sure that God ever thinks of them.
The Lord jealously desires that we understand and believe He sincerely enjoys us in a
personal way. We were created for this. God certainly forgives us, each time we repent,
but He also enjoys us. He truly desires our fellowship. He desires and delights in us
for reason bigger than our dedication or achievement. The Father has affection for His
children and Jesus has passion for His bride. We can feel enjoyed by God and exhilarated
in God’s love!
Our lives have importance because God loves us. We are defined not by what we do
but by the fact that the God of the universe likes us, this gives us great worth. We have
great worth because of how God feels about us. We are not just the sum total of what we
accomplish. Our ministry may never be large, we may never have a lot of money, or even a
lot of friends, but the fact that He enjoys us answers the greatest need of our hearts. When
we comprehend this and accept this truth, our hearts are set on fire.
The misunderstandings many people have about God have led to confusion about what
it means to be a person of value. We assume that our ultimate value is derived from our
contributions. While we gain recognition from our peers, the value is usually placed on our
work and not our person. This is not true of our relationship with God – you have great
value because you are desired by God. He enjoys you beyond measure.

PRAYER and MEDITATION

1. Ask God to reveal to you how you portray God – is He grumpy, mean, unloving or is He
    full of love for you?
2. Ask God to reveal to you any areas of unbelief in receiving God’s love for you. Do you
    know that He loves you or do you feel His love for you?
3. Do you get your value as a person from your contributions to the world or do you get
    your value from your relationship with God?

Foundations Jan 22, 2011

Saturday, January 22, 2011
BIBLE IN A YEAR: Haggai 1-2 and Revelation 17-18

SCRIPTURE READING

2 Cor 13:14 May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship
of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
 

What does it mean to fellowship with the Holy Spirit? To fellowship with the Spirit means we
talk to Him, it means we have a two way dialogue with Him. The Holy Spirit will never force
us to have a relationship with Him, if we do not want it. This relationship must come out of
our voluntary love for God. The Holy Spirit waits to be beckoned into a deeper and more
continual conversation with us.
We need to quiet our souls, take our foot off the gas pedal and listen. An overactive soul
keeps us out of sync with the subtle movements of the Spirit. We must quiet our souls to
connect with the Spirit’s whisper in our heart.
Five Phrases to Use When Talking to the Holy Spirit:
1. Thank You - Thank Him for His presence in you, tell Him you love His presence,
    that He renews your passion for Him, that He is leading you into righteousness, that
    He is releasing power in your heart etc…
2. Release Insight - Ask Him to give you insight into the heart of God and into His Word
3. Use Me - Ask the Spirit to use you more and more in the spiritual gifts to minister to
    others. God gives us spiritual gifts for the edification of the church.
4. Strengthen Me - Ask the Spirit to strengthen your mind, emotions and speech with His
    might. His power is already in us therefore we just need to tap into it. Ask Him for the
    ability to obey the scriptures.
5. Teach Me - Ask the Spirit to teach you about God’s will and His ways that He
    may show you His leadership in every area of your life including finances, schedule,
    circumstances, emotions, physical body (diet, health), relationships, alignment of
    people you are responsible for (at home, office, ministry), future, greatness
    in God, opportunity with divine appointments, fears, addictions and shortcomings.
    Ask that He would establish God’s order in your home, job and ministry.

PRAYER and MEDITATION

1. Spend some time in prayer using the above five things as a guideline. Enjoy your
    time with God. You are having a conversation with the King of the Universe and He is
    exceptionally glad to spend time with you!

Foundations Jan 21, 2011

Friday, January 21, 2011
BIBLE IN A YEAR: Zephaniah 1-3 and Revelation 15-16

SCRIPTURE READING

Matt 25:1-13 ”At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their
lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish and five were wise.The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. The wise, however,
took oil in jars along with their lamps. The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they
all became drowsy and fell asleep. ”At midnight the cry rang out: ‘Here’s the bridegroom!
Come out to meet him!’ ”Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. The
foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.’ ” ‘No,’
they replied, ‘there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead, go to those who sell
oil and buy some for yourselves.’”But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the
bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet.
And the door was shut.”Later the others also came. ‘Sir! Sir!’ they said. ‘Open the door
for us!’ ”But he replied, ‘I tell you the truth, I don’t know you.’ ”Therefore keep watch,
because you do not know the day or the hour.”
 

There are several interpretations of this parable, but for our purposes we look at it this
way. In this parable, the virgins represent believers and the lamps and oil represent their
relationship with Christ. The return of the bridegroom represents Jesus second coming.
The foolish ran out of oil, in other words, they started out with a vibrant relationship with
Jesus but they didn’t endure until the end. The wise virgins pursued their relationship with
Jesus until the very end, it was their first priority and they sought a personal relationship
with God their entire lives.
Notice that they all slept and all trimmed their lamps. Sleeping in this parable is not bad.
This speaks of living in context to the natural processes of life. We must sustain our
relationship with Jesus in the midst of the rigors and routines of everyday life. Notice that
the wise could not give their oil to the foolish, this represents that each one of us must have
an ongoing personal relationship with Jesus.
We fuel our personal relationship with Jesus by regularly feeding on God’s Word and by
spending time in prayer and devotions. The Lord values our journey to grow in love for
Him. We must not give up in our relationship with God.

PRAYER and MEDITATION

1. Ask God to help you endure in your relationship with Him. Ask Him to help give you
    strength to sustain this relationship all the days of your life.
2. Ask God to reveal to you if there is anything in your life that would keep you from
    enduring in your relationship with Him. Ask Him how to remove that barrier and live
    victorious in that area.

Foundations Jan 20, 2011

Thursday, January 20, 2011
BIBLE IN A YEAR: Nahum 1-3 and Revelation 13

SCRIPTURE READING

Matt 5:6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled
 

One of the ways we can grow in our walk with God is through fasting. Fasting helps our
hunger for God grow faster. Fasting is a call to embrace voluntary weakness in order to
experience more of God’s presence. We embrace weakness in our natural resources to
position ourselves to receive strength from the Spirit. The normal use of our strength is to
increase our own comfort, wealth and honour. By fasting we bring our natural strengths to
God as we express our love to Him and trust Him to “return” our strength back to us in a
way that transforms our heart and blesses our circumstances.
There are five main areas where we can fast:
1. Giving – Our money is a significant part of our financial and social strength. When
    we give money away to build God’s Kingdom, our resource base becomes weaker
2. Serving – In serving, we invest our time and energy in God’s purpose in others that
    could have been used to further our own interests.
3. Praying – When we invest time in prayer, we pass up opportunities to network,
    socialize, or be entertained and instead focus on spending time talking with God.
4. Forgiving (blessing enemies) – We fast our words and reputation by refusing to
    come to our own defense, we fast our social strength by not defending ourselves
    but rather blessing our enemies.
5. Food – We fast physical and mental strength by abstaining from food. There are
    many types of food fasts. You may fast one meal a day, one day or several days
    per week. Consult a doctor if you have underlying health conditions, before you
    begin to fast food.

PRAYER and MEDITATION

1. Ask God to reveal to you which one or two of the above areas He would like you to fast
    in.
2. Ask Him specifically what type of fast and for how long
3. Pray a prayer of commitment to completing this fast, ask God to give you strength to see
    it through

Foundations Jan 19, 2011

Wednesday, January 19, 2011
BIBLE IN A YEAR: Nahum 1-3 and Revelation 13

SCRIPTURE READING

“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better
than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the
interests of others. Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being
in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made
himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And
being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death—
even death on a cross! Philippians 2:3-8
 

Jesus’ love for us is expressed through His humility. Understanding Jesus humility inspires
and shows us that we need to ask for the Spirit’s help to live lives full of humility. We are
by nature preoccupied with ourselves and desire to be recognized for our good traits. That
was not true of Jesus, who embraced a position where everyone totally underestimated
Him and His abilities. When they saw Him they saw nothing to distinguish Him. He was
totally ordinary in every sense, yet He was God.
God wants to root pride out of our lives and grow the fruit of humility in us. The main form
that pride takes in our lives is when we live our lives in such a way that we don’t need Him.
When we say we are wholehearted Christians yet don’t go to God with all aspects of our
life it is due to pride. When we don’t go to Him with our problems and ask Him about our
decisions we are in essence telling Him that we know better than Him. A prayer-less life is
full of pride.

PRAYER and MEDITATION

1. Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you areas where pride has a foothold in your life.
    Confess as necessary.
2. Ask God to teach you to be humble, to put others first, to get your primary identity
    through how He sees you and not how others view you.

Foundations Jan 18, 2011

Tuesday, January 18, 2011
BIBLE IN A YEAR: Micah 5-7 and Revelation 12

SCRIPTURE READING

As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him.
“Good teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”… You know the
commandments: ‘Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false
testimony, do not defraud, honor your father and mother.’” ”Teacher,” he declared, “all
these I have kept since I was a boy.” Jesus looked at him and loved him. “One thing
you lack,” he said. “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have
treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” At this the man’s face fell. He went away
sad, because he had great wealth Mark 10:17,19-22 (NIV)  
 

The first thing to notice about the man in this story is that he came running after Jesus.
He knelt before Jesus and asked what he needed to do to become saved. This man was
intense! This man was serious about getting saved. Now hear how Jesus responds
to this young man. Jesus quotes six of the Ten Commandments, all of which deal with
man’s relationship with other people. However, Jesus purposely omitted the first four
commandments, the ones that deal with a man’s relationship with God – to have no other
gods or idols before God. This young man had fulfilled six out of the Ten Commandments
but his obedience did not come out of his relationship with God, it came out of legalistic
duty. What good is fulfilling six of the Ten Commandments? This young man completely
missed out on the most important thing – to have a God as the first thing in his life. For this
young man, wealth had become an idol, which is why he went away sad.

PRAYER and MEDITATION

1. Ask God to reveal to you whether or not your obedience comes out of a relationship with
    God or out of legalistic duty. Are you like the rich young man who obeyed most of the
    Ten Commandments, yet failed obeying the commandments that deal with your
    relationship with God?
2. Ask God to help you re prioritize your life so that He is in first place. Tell Him if you
    struggle giving Him the first place position in your heart. Ask Him to help you make the
    changes necessary to put Him first. Tell him if this scares you, tell Him if it is
    hard for you to give up the things that are giving you enjoyment. Ask
    Him to supernaturally empower you to obey what He has shown you.

Foundations Jan 17, 2011

Monday, January 17, 2011
BIBLE IN A YEAR: Micah 1-4 and Revelation 11

SCRIPTURE READING

I will love You, O LORD, my strength. Ps. 18:1 
That you…may be able to comprehend…what is the width and length and depth and
height… to know (experience) the love (affection) of Christ… Eph 3:18-19
 

Loving God with all our heart means that we love Him with all our emotions or affections.
We can set our affections on anything that we choose. We can determine some of our
emotions by setting our heart. Our emotions will follow whatever we set ourselves to
pursue. We can set our heart to be filled with zeal for God.
We can intentionally set our affections to love Jesus. This requires that we remove
everything that diminishes our affections (bitterness, lust, entertainment etc) and it requires
that we focus on pursuing love for Jesus more than gaining things and influence. We set
our heart to love Him by committing to walk in obedience even when it is costly. We set
our heart on loving God by regularly asking for supernatural help to love Jesus. Ask God to
pour His love for Jesus into your heart and to help you love Him more.
The Lord values our journey to grow in love. If you do not quit then you win. We must
press forward in learning to love Jesus with the same love that He has for us.

PRAYER and MEDITATION

1. Ask God to reveal to you what you are setting your heart on (often evidenced by where
    you spend the majority of your time and energy). Are you set on gaining things and
    affluence or on pursuing Jesus?
2. Ask God to show you specific steps that you can take in regards to setting your heart on
    Him. What specific things does He want you to start doing or stop doing?
3. Write a prayer to God thanking Him for the width, length and depth of His love for you.
    Ask Him to deepen your love for Him so that you and really know Him and experience
    Him.

Foundations Jan 16, 2011

Sunday, January 16, 2011

SCRIPTURE READING

John 14:15-23 ”If you love me, you will obey what I command…Whoever has my
commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me… If anyone loves me, he will
obey my teaching.”
 

We must love God on His terms, not our terms. Jesus wants love from us that allows Him
to take over our lives. There are many definitions of love in our culture and the culture of
the church but God’s definition of love includes obedience.
Many are searching to know the will of God. God’s will is to strengthen the response of
our heart to Him in love. This is more important to Him than our ministry assignment, job,
success rate etc. Jesus is after our hearts. He wants to wake us up to reveal and impart
His love to us. Everything that God does He does for love.
The greatest call in ministry is to wholehearted love of God. You can be one of the greatest
people in history simply by living in deep love for God. You won’t be the most famous but
you can be one of the greatest.

PRAYER and MEDITATION

1. Ask God to reveal to you in what areas He has called you to obey but you have had
    trouble obeying? Ask for specific examples. Confess as necessary.
2. How do you feel about God calling you to wholehearted love for Him? Are you willing to
    let God take over your life and submit to Him?
3. Write a prayer telling God how you feel about all of this. Tell Him if you have any
    reservations and ask Him to increase your desire to love Him more.

Foundations Jan 15, 2011

Saturday, January 15, 2011
BIBLE IN A YEAR: Jonah 1-4 and Revelation 10

SCRIPTURE READING

One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: ”Teacher, which is the
greatest commandment in the Law?”Jesus replied: “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all
your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest
commandment. Matthew 22:35-38
 

God’s ultimate eternal purpose for creation is to provide a family for Himself that includes
faithful children for Himself and a Bride equally yoked to Jesus. God wants us to love Him
with all our heart and mind because He loves us with all His heart and mind. Jesus wants
us to love Him the way He loves us. He will supernaturally empower us to love Him this
way.
People who love Jesus will love others much more. We must put the first commandment
before the second commandment (love your neighbor as your self – Matt 22:39). It is
impossible to love Jesus and not love people. The second commandment (love others)
flows out of the first (love God). We must have our priorities straight.
This requires continually realigning our lives and ministry to make the First Commandment
a priority. We must invite Him; He will not force Himself into a relationship of voluntary love.
He will wait until we invite Him into the matters of our heart. We must intentionally pursue
Him with diligence.

PRAYER and MEDITATION

1. What does “loving God with all your heart, soul, mind & strength” mean to you?
2. What is one thing God calling you to do (action step) as a result of this passage?
3. Write a prayer, thanking God that He loves us with His entire heart and mind. Pray that
    you will learn how to love Him back in this way.

Foundations Jan 14, 2011

Friday, January 14, 2011
BIBLE IN A YEAR: Obadiah and Revelation 8-9

SCRIPTURE READING

Many people, when they repent of sin, deal only with the fruit, not the root! We want to
sever the roots of our sin so that it will not return. In order to achieve this, we must repent
of the heart that produces the fruit of sin. Sin is self-motivated. The love of God, on the
other hand, seeks not its own 1 Cor 13:5.
 

God wants to change us from being people who are motivated by our own selfish desires to people who are motivated by the love of God, flowing in us and through us. It all starts with loving God. How can we love God?
John 14: 15 “If you love me, you will obey what I command. (NIV)
Upon reading this scripture, most of us think that God is saying “if you love me, you will
PROVE it by keeping My commands”. But this isn’t really the essence of what God is
saying. What God is really saying is “if you fall head over heels in love with me you will
be ENABLED to keep My commandments”. It’s a relationship, not a law! If our hearts are
rooted in intense love for Him then keeping His commandments is not burdensome but a
delight! So the question now becomes: How do we fall in love with Him and stay in love
with Him?

PRAYER and MEDITATION

1. Think about your own relationship with God, in what ways have you been motivated by
    selfish desires (they could be wanting him to just “zap” our bodies, marriages,
    finances, etc.) instead of being motivated by growing in love for God
    (treating Him more like a genie than a God). Repent as necessary.
2. Ask God to reveal to you what you are seeking. Are you seeking earthly things (success,
    pleasure, comfort, entertainment, recreation etc) or are you seeking things that are
    above? Where is God on your priority list? Often your priorities are reflected in where
    you spend the majority of your time and energy.
3. Thank God that He has designed us to be in relationship with Him. Pray that you will
    obey Him out of love for Him instead of out of duty.

Foundations Jan 13, 2011

Thursday, January 13, 2011
BIBLE IN A YEAR: Amos 7-9 and Revelation 7

SCRIPTURE READING

And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned…and am no longer worthy to be called your
son.’ “But the father said…, ‘Bring out the best robe…, and put a ring on his hand ....And bring the fatted calf here and kill it, and let us eat and be merry; for this my son
was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ And they began to be merry. Luke
15:21-24 NKJV
 

These verses come from the Parable of the prodigal son. In this parable the youngest son
asked for his inheritance early, this son is basically rejecting his father; he doesn’t want to
spend his life living on the farm, working with his dad. The son goes to the city and blows
the money on parties, sex, drugs - he wasted it all. In verse 21, the son returns home and
repents.
Notice that upon repentance, the Father gives the son a robe, a ring and throws a big party.
The robe represents a position of honour, a status thing. The ring gives the son authority
to engage in business transactions of the household and farm. The party represents the
father rejoicing.
Jesus is calling us to feel the gladness of the Father in our hearts when we repent. Jesus
isn’t just telling a nice story here for the entertainment of His disciples. He is revealing how
the father feels when a son (believer) returns from a season of compromise. This parable
is about how the Father feels when he loses a son to compromise and the son returns
(repents).

PRAYER and MEDITATION

1. Ask God to show you how He has been merciful to you when you have repented. Ask
    Him to show you a specific time when upon repentance, He forgave and restored you.
2. Ask God to help you accept His forgiveness and restoration and to accept the gladness
    that He feels towards you when you repent.
3. Write a prayer to God, thanking Him for His gladness and that we can run to Him when
    we sin instead of hide from Him.

Foundations Jan 12, 2011

Wednesday, January 12, 2011
BIBLE IN A YEAR: Amos 4-6 and Revelation 5-6

SCRIPTURE READING

“What man…having a hundred sheep…does not leave the ninety-nine…and go after the
one…? When he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. …he calls together
his friends…saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!’I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents…”
Luke 15:4-7 NKJV
 

This parable gives us insight into God’s heart for His children. Notice that it is a sheep that
has gotten lost – a born again believer, someone who is part of the flock of God. Jesus is
the shepherd and when He finds the sheep he puts the sheep on his shoulder (because it
has been stuck in the mud and is weary, dirty and weak) and Jesus marches back to the
right path. He carries that sheep on His own strength. Notice that He is rejoicing all the way
back to the sheepfold. He says “Rejoice WITH me”. This is a great day! I have found my
lost sheep – which means that the believer has come to terms with that area of compromise
and now they are ready to rage war on that area of sin, they are asking for help, and the
Lord is intervening and helping them. This is a parable about the Lord’s intervention, to
come along and help them and carry them.
This gives us confidence to run TO God instead of AWAY from God when we discover our
sin and weakness. Many people, upon discovering their sin, feel shame and run away from
God and hide from God. This is not how God wants us to respond. He wants us to allow
Him to intervene, allow Him to be our strength, allow Him to pick us up, allow Him to carry
us. We were never meant to war against sin on our own strength.

PRAYER and MEDITATION

1. Is the idea of God intervening, carrying you, helping you a new concept to you? How
    does it make you feel?
2. Does the idea that God rejoices when you repent something that motivated you to
    confess your sin or do you struggle confessing sin because you feel guilt and shame?
3. Ask God to give you deeper understanding when it comes to His response when you
    repent. Ask Him to help you run to Him instead of away from Him when you fall.

Foundations Jan 11, 2011

Tuesday, January 11, 2011
BIBLE IN A YEAR: Amos 1-3 and Revelation 4

SCRIPTURE READING

As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named
Martha opened her home to him.39She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet
listening to what he said. 40But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to
be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to
do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!” 41”Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “You
are worried and upset about many things, 42but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen
what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.” Luke 10:38-42 NIV
 

It is unbelievable to think of who was in the home of Mary and Martha. In this story, we find
Mary seated among Jesus and His disciples (keep in mind the culture of the day – it was
not appropriate for women to be sitting and receiving from a teacher, never mind sitting with
the men). However, Mary knew who was in the house and sat at His feet with an adoring
gaze. Mary clued in right away. She would let nothing hinder her from sitting at the feet of
God. He touched her deep within, and she was greatly moved.
Martha, however, had not yet clued in to the amazing gift of His presence. God himself was
present, but she didn’t get it. Martha was unable to understand the significance of sitting
at His feet. Jesus is saying to Martha: distraction has consumed you to the point that you
are unable to see who is standing in front of you. Your eyes are blinded; you are unable to
recognize the identity of the One in your house.

PRAYER and MEDITATION

1. Martha was a believer and follower of Christ. How was she seeking to honor Jesus?
    Mary was also a believer and follower of Christ. How was she seeking to honor Jesus?
    Ask the Holy Spirit to give you deeper insight into each of these women’s heart posture
    before Jesus.
2. Ask God to reveal to you the ways you sometimes find yourself busy serving like Martha
    instead of worshiping and loving Him like Mary? Has busyness affected your closeness
    with Christ? Is your first spiritual priority loving God or serving God?
3. Write a prayer to God thanking Him for His presence and committing to spending time
    with Him. If you struggle in this area, ask Him to help you desire to be with Him.

Foundations Jan 10, 2011

Monday, January 10, 2011
BIBLE IN A YEAR: Joel 1-3 and Revelation 3

SCRIPTURE READING

”I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much
fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. ”As the Father has loved me, so have I loved
you. Now remain in my love. If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just
as I have obeyed my Father’s commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so
that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. John 15:5, 9-11 NIV
 

Take a minute to reflect on verse nine. What is Jesus saying here? As the eternal Father
has loved Me (Jesus) – as the Father has looked down on Me and I have felt His affections
resting upon Me, as My heart has been expanded because of His devotion, His desire, and
His longing, as we interact together with overwhelming love for one another – as the Father
has loved Me, so I love you, just as you are.
The very devotion, desire, longing that the Father has for the Son is the same that Jesus
has focused on you. There is no deeper relationship then the one the Father has with His
Son and with this same intense delight and love He looks upon YOU!
This is what Jesus is saying to you today: your weakness is not a surprise to me at all, in
fact, I know all your strengths and weaknesses, and nothing is a surprise to me. Even in
knowing these things - your propensity to sin – desire bursts forth from My heart to you. I
chose you in the midst of your weakness, not in the midst of great strength or when you
felt like you had something to offer. As the Father has loved Me, so I now set my affections
upon you. I want you to abide in My love.

PRAYER and MEDITATION

1. Ask God to give you a deeper revelation of how deep His love is towards you. Ask Him
    to give you a word, thought or picture about how He feels about you.
2. Ask God to show you if you actually believe that what His Word says about all of this is
    true. Confess any unbelief as necessary.
3. Thank God for His great love for you. Write a prayer thanking Jesus that He has the
    same desire, devotion and longing for you as the Father Has for Him.

Foundations Jan 9, 2011

Monday, January 9, 2011

SCRIPTURE READING 
Psalm 36:8 You give them drink from the river of Your pleasures. (NKJV)
 

”I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2He 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 fruitful.3You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you.4Remain in
me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine.
Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. John 15:1-5 NIV
This is the last bit of teaching that Jesus gave His disciples before His death. Jesus looked
into their eyes and told them the Key to lasting freedom. This is the truth that you need to
remember and focus on: Jesus and you abiding in each other. Jesus is talking about you
and Him having life flowing back and forth between you, revelation and life pouring into
your spirit from His. His words resonating within you, closing your eyes and having Him
speak to your heart. If you do that, if you and Jesus abide in life together, you will have
fruit. He is the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Him bears much fruit. For
without Him, you can do nothing.

PRAYER and MEDITATION

1. In what ways can you abide in Christ? Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you what things
    you can do to have this sort of relationship with Him? (Having devotions, spending
    time in prayer, listening to worship music, etc)
2. Ask God to show you what things are hindering you from spending time with Him.
    Where are you spending the majority of your time and energy that is taking away from
    time you could spend with God?
3. Write a prayer asking God to help you remain in Him. Ask Him to pour life into your
    spirit, to fill you with His Spirit and lead and guide you. Ask Him to bear much good
    fruit in you.

Foundations Jan 8, 2011

Saturday, January 8, 2011
BIBLE IN A YEAR: Hosea 11-14 and Revelation 1-2

SCRIPTURE READING

Psalm 36:8 You give them drink from the river of Your pleasures. (NKJV)
 

The pleasures of God are a banquet set before us, a table of spiritual delights that once
tasted; deliver us from the emptiness of seeking earthly pleasure. The way to free the heart
from the domination of sin is by delighting in God. Holiness is a superior pleasure that
transcends anything that sin can offer us.
Holiness is not the result of gritting our teeth as we set our hearts to resist sin. If we try
to fight sin primarily with prohibition we will fail. Throughout history the church has tried
to create endless lists of threats and warnings of the consequences of sin. Clearly, the
Word of God teaches about the consequences of deliberate, sinful rebellion. The Bible
is full of don’ts and prohibitions but these laws and rules were never designed by God to
supernaturally transform the human heart. Shame and fear traditionally have not been the
best motivators. It is important to warn people of the consequences of sin but rarely does
that in itself result in holiness.
We sin because it provides us with immediate pleasure. We sin because we believe that
it will provide a pleasure that is superior to the pleasure of obeying God. The power of
temptation is a deceptive promise that sin will bring more satisfaction than living for God.
We will only win the battle of temptation as we enjoy God. The secret to conquering sin is
satisfaction in God.
Psalm 16:11 In Your presence is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures
forevermore (NKJV)

PRAYER and MEDITATION

1. Is the concept of freeing the heart from the domination of sin by delighting in God new to
    you? How does it make you feel?
2. How does the idea that you can experience pleasure that is superior to sin, as a result of
    your relationship with God make you feel?
3. Thank God that He is showing you that the road to lasting freedom comes from having
    a deep and intimate relationship with Him. Thank Him that we can be delivered from the
    emptiness of seeking earthly pleasure and find pleasure in Him

Foundations Jan 7, 2011

Friday, January 7, 2011
BIBLE IN A YEAR: Hosea 6-10 and Jude

SCRIPTURE READING

“And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with
all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to
know this love that surpasses knowledge–that you may be filled to the measure of all the
fullness of God.” Ephesians 3:17b-19 NIV
 

God enjoys us even when we are in the midst of our immaturity and weakness. Some of us
think “God will enjoy me in heaven, but never while I am on earth”. Others of us admit that
God may enjoy us on earth but only once we are spiritually mature like the apostle Paul.
But the truth is that God actually enjoys us while we are maturing. The knowledge of this is
vital in growing towards spiritual maturity.
We must not however confuse God’s enjoyment of us while we are maturing with
His approval of everything that we do. Jesus enjoys me, while at the same time He
disapproves of the sin in my life. It is not an all or nothing relationship. Some think that
God either approves or disapproves of us but this is not simply incorrect. It would be like
if a parent stopped loving their child when their child broke a rule. We realize how absurd
that is, yet that is often how we view God! We believe that God likes us only when we are
acting holy but as soon as we sin, we think that God stops liking us. We must repent when
we sin and seek restoration with God, but God never stops loving us. He loves all His
children, all the time!

PRAYER and MEDITATION

1. Is the concept of God loving you as you mature new to you?
2. Have you had times when you have struggled believing that God enjoys you? How has
    this affected your personal devotions and your relationship with Him?
3. Do you feel like God stops loving you when you sin?
4. Write a prayer thanking God that He loves you in the midst of your immaturity. Thank
    Him for the restoration that comes when we repent and that He loves all His children, all
    the time!

Foundations Jan 6, 2011

Thursday, January 6, 2011
BIBLE IN A YEAR: Hosea 1-5 and 3 John

SCRIPTURE READING

Psalm 13:5 I have trusted in Your mercy; My heart shall rejoice in Your salvation. (NKJV)
 

God delights in showing us loving kindness (Jer. 9:24). He actually wants to be merciful
towards us, but this is an extremely difficult message for some of us to receive. We are
often hard on ourselves, thinking that condemning ourselves will somehow make it all better
or will help God love us more. It is actually quite ridiculous to think that the more shame
and guilt we feel the more forgiven we are.
Ps. 103:10-14 10 He has not dealt with us according to our sins, nor punished us according
to our iniquities. 11For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is His mercy
toward those who fear Him; 12as far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed
our transgressions from us. 13As a father pities (has compassion, NIV) his children, so the
LORD pities those who fear Him. 14For He knows our frame; He remembers that we are
dust. (NKJV)
When sincere lovers of Christ stumble due to weakness or immaturity, they often hold it
against themselves for months or even years. When we ask for forgiveness, the Lord
forgives us instantly. His tenderness towards us far surpasses our own. The enemy works
overtime against the revelation of God’s mercy so we won’t accept His full forgiveness and
accept His tender mercy towards us.

PRAYER and MEDITATION

1. Thank God for His never ending mercy towards you and that He forgives us every time
    we repent.
2. Ask God if you are too hard on yourself, whether you are trapped by condemnation or
    whether shame and guilt have a grip on you. Ask Him to show you a specific example.
3. Write a prayer to God telling Him that you have accepted His forgiveness and that you
    want to live in freedom from guilt. Ask Him to show you how much He loves you and to
    show you the depth of His mercy towards you.

Foundations Jan 5, 2011

Wednesday, January 5, 2011
BIBLE IN A YEAR: Daniel 10-12 and 2 John

SCRIPTURE READING

Proverbs 3:12 “For whom the LORD loves He corrects, Just as a father the son in whom he delights” (NKJV)
 

God is so committed to us that He is determined to remove all the things in our lives that
hinder love. There is a huge problem Western churches today with sins such as immorality.
This creates the necessity for God’s correction. Many people confuse God’s correction
as rejection, but there is no rejection in God’s discipline. He disciplines us because of His
passionate and jealous love for us. He will not allow anything to continue in our lives that
hinders the development of our love for Him. So, because He delights in us, He disciplines
us. This flows out of His passion for us, not His rejection of us.

PRAYER and MEDITATION

1. Ask God if there have been times when you have misinterpreted his correction as
    rejection. Ask Him to show you a specific example.
2. Ask God to show you the truth of what He was doing in that circumstance. How was His
    correction actually Him showing His loving kindness to you?
3. Write a prayer thanking God that He wants to remove everything that hinders our
    relationship with Him so that we can experience His fullness.

Foundations Jan 4, 2011

Tuesday, January 4, 2011
BIBLE IN A YEAR: Daniel 7-9 and 1 John 5

SCRIPTURE READING

Psalm 149:4 For the Lord takes pleasure in His people; He will beautify the humble with
salvation. (NKJV)
 

In order to grow in your relationship with God, you need to realize that God likes you. He
wants to enjoy you through spiritual encounters with Him. The infinite God of glory is truly
in love with us, even in our weakness and brokenness. The God who created one billion
galaxies says that He especially likes you.
Many of us know in our heads that God loves us, we even sing since childhood “Jesus
loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so” but many of us don’t actually FEEL His love.
Knowledge of God’s love is one thing but experiencing it is a very different thing.
Many of us as believers are so disconnected from the reality of God’s astonishing, frightfully
lavish love for us that we totally miss out on 99% of what we could experience in our
everyday relationship with God. We treat God like an employer, a business partner, a
judge, a cop – anything but a lover*. Perhaps we have convinced ourselves that feeling
love for God isn’t really important, that as long as we are obeying His commands, reading
the Bible, and keeping good spiritual disciplines. We believe that those things are enough;
yet, these things lead to spiritual dryness without experiencing the love of God

*We are using the term “lover” simply defined as “one who loves”. It is simply the best term to describe
the closest and most loving of relationships, as God desires in our relationship with Him

PRAYER and MEDITATION

1. Do you feel disconnected from the reality that God loves you? Do you FEEL His love?
2. Ask God to give you a picture of what your perception is of God. (Bad boss, business
    partner, judge, cop, trusted friend, etc).
3. Ask God to open your heart to see a true picture of who He is and how He feels about
    you.

Foundations Jan 3, 2011

Monday, January 3, 2011
BIBLE IN A YEAR: Daniel 4-6 and 1 John 4

SCRIPTURE READING

Genesis 2:8 (NKJV) The LORD God planted a garden eastward in Eden, and there He put
the man whom He had formed.
 

In Genesis, God personally planted a garden for Adam to live in. God chose a garden as
the place where He would meet with man, the place of relationship and encounter with
God.
Man’s primary task was to tend the garden, the place of relationship, the place of
encounter. Delighting in relationship with God was man’s primary occupation. He was to
nurture the place of encounter with God, to feed the place of passion, to weed its beds and
to aid its seasons of beauty. Humans were made for encounter with God.
Genesis 2:15 (NKJV) Then the LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden
to tend and keep it.
The most important thing man can do is nurture the place of encounter with his Maker.
Nurture will not come through the depth of your knowledge about God but by cultivating a
life of relationship with God. Humanity can not function outside of communion with God.
Man was made for God to reflect God.

PRAYER and MEDITATION

1. Ask God to show you practical, specific things you can do to nurture the place of
    encounter with Him. This may include having daily devotions, spending time in prayer,
    going to the prayer room, going to After Service Prayer, etc.
2. Ask God to help you follow through on the things that He has shown you.
3. Write a prayer to God, thanking Him that you were made to have a relationship with Him
    and to encounter Him. Thanks Him that He is not distant but that He desires a
    relationship with you.

Foundations Jan 2, 2011

Sunday, January 2, 2011

SCRIPTURE READING

“He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing.” Zephaniah 3:17 
“He brought me out into a spacious place; he rescued me because he delighted in me.”
2 Samuel 22:20

God has always existed in relationship with Himself. In the middle of the relationship between the Father, Son and Spirit, no need or lack ever existed. God, within Himself lacked nothing; there was no void in His heart since He is perfect in love and pleasure. It was out of this perfect wholeness that God created humanity – not to fill a void in Himself but to share His fullness with us. In Him there is no absence but only presence, no vacancy but only fullness. Therefore, we know that He did not create humanity out of His need but out of His desire. Think about that for a minute. God created you because He desired you. The only reason you exist is pleasure. It is the only reason you were made. He doesn’t need you to do anything for Him. Of everything that the Lord created, you are the one creature made to dig into the depths of the living God through relationship with Him.

PRAYER and MEDITATION

1. God created you because He desired you. Is this a new concept for you? How does it
     make you feel?
2. Write a prayer to God thanking Him for His desire to have a relationship with you