April 18-30

Monday, April 19, 2010
Devotions: Ps 9, 15, 25; Exod 18:13-27; 1 Pet 5:1-14; Mt 3:1-6

I give thanks to YHWH with my whole heart; I will tell of Your wonderful deeds, and I will be glad and exult in Your; I will praise Your holy name, Most High! God judges righteously, and He has maintained my just cause. God will rebuke and dismiss my enemies, and they will vanish. My Lord is enthroned for ever, a stronghold for the oppressed. I know His name, and I trust Him, Who has never forsaken me. I will tell everyone of the goodness of God on my behalf. I will not be forgotten or perish, for God will defend me. Amen. Let me walk blamelessly and do what is right; let me speak heart-truth and do no evil. I fear only YHWH, and will not do harm to anyone. I will not be moved. Lord, I lift my soul and my whole self to You; let me not be put to shame, nor let my enemies exult over me. Make me know your ways, O Lord; teach me Your paths, my Savior. Hold mercy in Your mind; overflow with Your steadfast love, my God. Remember not the sins of my youth or my more recent transgressions; according to Your steadfast love and for Your goodness’ sake, my Lord, remember me! Pardon me for Your name’s sake, O Lord, for my guilt is very great. I do fear You, and only You. Relieve the troubles of my heart and bring me out of my distresses; help me learn from my affliction and trouble; Holy Lord, forgive my many sins! Guard my life and deliver me, I pray, Father; let me not be put to shame, for I take refuge in You. May integrity and uprightness preserve me, for I wait upn You. Redeem all Your people, Lord, from all our troubles.

While Jethro, his father-in-law, was visiting, Moses spent a day in judgment before the people. Jethro questioned him afterward, and told Moses, ‘You’ll wear yourself out doing this. Listen to my counsel: you represent the people before God, and bring their cases before Him. Teach them God’s statutes and decisions, and train them how to decide and conduct themselves. Also, choose able me from among the people, God-fearing, trustworthy, honest—and put them in charge of divisions of thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens. Let these men judge the people in most cases; when they come to something they cannot manage, let those few cases be brought to you. Thus, you will endure, and God’s people will live in peace.’ Moses listened to this good advice, and did as Jethro had suggested.

Peter exhorted the elders in the Diaspora: As a fellow elder and a witness to Christ’s suffering and a partner in the glory to be revealed, I tell you: tend the flock of God in your charge; do this willingly, as examples to the flock—not in fear or for personal gain or glory. When the Chief Shepherd is manifested, you will obtain an unfading crown of glory. Let the younger be subject to the older; all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble. Therefore, humble yourselves under God’s mighty hand, that He may lift you up in due time. Stay alert and sober: your adversary the devil prowls like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experience of suffering is required of your brotherhood throughout the world. After you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to His eternal glory in the Messiah, will Himself restore, establish and strengthen you. To Him be dominion for ever and ever. Amen. May God’s peace be with all of you who are in Christ.

John the Baptist began preaching in the Judean wilderness: ‘Repent, for the kingdom of God is at hand!’ He was the one Isaiah spoke of: ‘The voice of one crying in the wilderness: Prepare the way of the Lord; make His paths straight.’ John’s raiment and lifestyle recalled Elijah: camel’s hair garment, leather belt, eating locusts and wild honey. All Jerusalem and Judea and the region around the Jordan were baptized by him in the Jordan, confessing their sins.

Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Devotions: Ps 26. 28, 36, 39; Exod 19:1-16; Col 1:1-14; Mt 3:7-12

I beg Your vindication, YHWH. Unlike David, I cannot claim to have walked in integrity or to have trusted You without wavering. You keep Your steadfast love and faithfulness before me, and I survive because I respond in faith. I will not sit with false men, or consort with dissemblers. I seek moral and spiritual cleansing, that I may approach Your altar in good faith, and may testify to Your goodness with clean hands and heart. Lord, I love You; please, don’t sweep me away with sinners, nor my life with bloodthirsty men, whose hands work evil and whose right hands are full of bribes. Cover me with Christ’s integrity, Lord; redeem me and be gracious to me. By Your grace, I stand on level ground; in the great congregation, I will bless the Lord. My Lord, don’t be deaf to me; I implore You, hear my supplication. I have acknowledged my sins; requite them according to their work and their evil deeds. YHWH is my Strength and my Shield. My heart trusts in Him, so I am helped and my heart exults! YHWH is the strength of His people, and He saves His anointed ones. Lord, save Your people; bless Your heritage; be our Shepherd and carry us with you, forever. When sin calls the wicked, it blinds him to God; he flatters himself that his iniquity cannot be found out and hated. He speaks mischief and deceit; he has ceased to act wisely and to do good. But You, Lord: Your steadfast love reaches to the heavens, Your faithfulness beyond the clouds. Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains; Your justice rolls like the ocean depths. How precious is Your steadfast love, O Lord. Sustain my salvation, lest I perish under the arrogant foot of the wicked. I have tried to hold my peace, but my concerns are like a fire in my innards. So I cry out to You, Lord—the One to Whom I can appeal: keep me aware how mortal, how ephemeral I am. My hope is all in You; keep me from the scorn of the fool; I am guilty before You, and I hold my peace—I have no defense except Your mercy and redemption. Remove the lash from me; I am spent by the blows of Your discipline. I am a pilgrim; bring me home to You by the path of righteousness, I pray.

Israel journeyed, following Moses, who was obeying God’s call, into the wilderness of Sinai, and they camped near Mount Sinai. Moses presented himself, and God said to him: ‘Tell the people of Israel: You have seen what I have done to the Egyptians, and how I brought you to Myself as on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself. Now, if you will obey My voice and keep My covenant, you will be My special treasure among all the peoples, for all the earth is Mine; and you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests, a holy nation. These are the words you must say to Israel.’ Moses conveyed the message, and the people answered as one: ‘All that YHWH has spoken we will do.’ When Moses returned this answer, YHWH said to him, ‘Lo, I Am coming to you in a thick cloud, that the people may hear when I speak with you and may also believe you for ever.’ Moses told this to the people and instructed them to prepare for God’s presence by three days’ consecration, washing their garments and abstaining from sexual contact. God warned Moses to set boundaries around the mountain, so that no person or animal from Israel would touch it, upon the pain of death by stones or arrows. The people carried out God’s instructions given through Moses. And on the morning of the third day, the mountain was shaken with thunder and lightning; a thick cloud settled on the mountain, and at a very loud trumpet blast, all the people in Israel’s camp trembled.

Paul, with Timothy, wrote to the church at Colosse: ‘As an apostle of the Messiah Jesus according to God’s will, with Timothy my brother, I address the saints and faithful in Christ at Colosse: grace and peace to you from God our Father. We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus the Messiah, when we pray for you, because we have heard of your faith in the Messiah Jesus and of the love you bear for all the saints, because of the hope laid up for you in heaven. You have heard of this already, in the gospel which has come to you—that gospel is bearing fruit throughout the world, just as among you, from the day you first heard and understood the grace of God in truth, as you first learned from Ephaphras, our beloved fellow servant, a faithful minister of the Messiah on our behalf. He has made known to us your love in the Spirit. Consequently, we have not ceased to pray for you since the day we first heard of it, and we repeatedly ask God to fill you with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you may lead a life worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, and bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God. May God strengthen you with all power, according to His glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy, giving thanks to the Father, Who has qualified us all to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. He has delivered us from the dominion of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, in Whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.’

When John the Baptizer saw many Pharisees and Sadducees coming for baptism, he turned on them: ‘You brood of vipers, who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? Bear fruit that is fitting to real repentance. Don’t dare presume to rationalize to yourselves that you have Abraham as a father; because I tell you, God is able to raise up children for Abraham from these desert stones! At this very moment, the axe is laid to the root of the trees; and every tree that does not bear good fruit is hewed down and thrown into the fire. I baptize you with water for repentance, but He Who is coming after me is mightier than I. I am not worthy to carry His sandals! He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and gather His wheat into the granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.’

Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Devotions: Ps 38, 119:25-48; Exod 19:16-25; Col 1:15-23; Mt 3:13-17

Lord, You have soundly rebuked my sin, and Your indignation saps me altogether! I am prostrate before You, utterly spent and crushed. Father, You know all my longing and sighing. I am opposed by snoops and spies who lay snares for me—their livelihood is destroying mine. But I wait upon You, Lord; I pray You will not let them rejoice over me, who boast against me when I slip. I confess my sins, and I am sorry. Don’t forsake me; stay close; come to my help, Savior! Strengthen me with Your word; I will walk in the way of faithfulness; I will run in that way when You enlarge my understanding. I need that, in order to obey Your law; Father, turn my heart to Your testimonies and not to gain. Turn my eyes from gazing at vanities, and give me life in Your ways. Turn away the reproach that I dread; in Your righteousness, give me life. I will respect You and keep Your commandments, Lord.

Israel prepared for God’s presence for three days, as YHWH had instructed Moses. And on the morning of the third day, Mount Sinai was shaken with thunder and lightning; a thick cloud settled on the mountain, and at a very loud trumpet blast, all the people in Israel’s camp trembled. Moses led the people out to the foot of the mountain. Mount Sinai was wrapped in smoke and the whole mountain shook. The trumpet sound grew louder and louder. Moses spoke, and God answered him in thunder; the Lord descended to the mountaintop, and called Moses, and Moses began to ascend. YHWH told Moses, ‘Warn the people lest they try to break through to see Me and many of them perish. Let the priests consecrate themselves, to prevent their destruction by Me.’ Moses reminded the Lord that the people had already been instructed to stay off the holy mountain. And God told Moses to bring Aaron with him, and to warn the other priests and people not to follow. Moses went down and carried out these instructions.

Paul wrote to Colosse: Jesus is the image of the invisible God; He is the First-born of all creation. In Him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, invisible and visible alike, including all the orders of spiritual beings—thrones, dominions, principalities and authorities. All things were created through Jesus and for Him. He Is before all things; and in Him all things cohere. He is the Head of His body the church; He is the Beginning, and the First-born from the dead, so that in every single thing, Jesus might be pre-eminent. In Him all God’s fullness is pleased to dwell; through Jesus God has reconciled to Himself all things on earth or in heaven, making peace in the creation through the blood of the cross of Jesus. Now, He has reconciled you, who once were estranged and hostile in mind, doing evil things. God’s objective is to present you holy and blameless and irreproachable before Him; your part is to abide in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel which you heard—the gospel preached to every creature under heaven, of which I, Paul, have become a minister.

Jesus came from Galilee, to be baptized by John in the Jordan. John objected: ‘I need to be baptized by You, and instead You come to me.’ But Jesus replied, ‘Let it be so now, for this is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.’ Then John consented. When Jesus had been baptized, immediately He went up from the water, and the heavens were opened and the Spirit of God descended upon Jesus like a dove, alighting on Him, and a Voice from heaven proclaimed, ‘This is My beloved Son, with Whom I Am well pleased.’







Thursday and Friday, April 22 and 23, 2010
Devotions: Ps 37, 40, 51, 54; Exod 34:1-35; 1 Thess 2:13-3:13; Mt 5:21-37

Don’t fret because of the wicked; God will blow them away. Trust in YHWH and do good, so you will live in the land and be secure. Delight in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord; trust in Him and He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun. Wait patiently before Him; let go of anger and bitterness—leave your enemies to God’s judgment and disposition. Soon, you’ll see the wicked no more, and the meek will possess the land and prosper. The wicked labor against God’s elect, but the little the righteous have is better than the wealth of many wicked. God cares for those who trust Him. The righteous become generous and rejoice; I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread. YHWH loves justice and kindness; He keeps His own forever. Speak wisdom, walk in God’s way, and wait upon Him to act. There is a future for the man of God; He saves us and provides refuge in troubled times. God has delivered me from the pit; He put a new song in my heart, a praise-song for our God. Blessed is everyone who trusts in the Lord; I delight to do Your will, my God. Pour out Your mercy and kindness upon me; don’t let the blues swallow me, Lord. Put my accusers to shame; let their plots turn back on them. I know my sins, and they are heinous; but You can purify me and restore to me the joy of Your salvation; uphold me with a willing spirit. Deliver me from blood guilt, and let me give myself to You. Hear and bless me, Lord; You are my Helper, and I am Yours. I give myself and all I am to You, and I will look in triumph upon my enemies, by Your power and grace!

After the rebellion, YHWH said to Moses, ‘Cut two tables of stone like the first; I will write on these all that was recorded on the first tables, which you broke. Be ready in the morning and come up to Me on Sinai, and present yourself to Me on the top of the mountain. Moses did as God directed and began to ascend the mountain with the tablets of stone. God descended onto the mountain and stood there with Moses and proclaimed His Name: ‘YHWH, YHWH, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children down to the third and fourth generation.’ Moses bowed to the earth, and worshiped, and said to God; ‘If I have Your favor, O YHWH, let the Lord, I pray You, go amid the people. Though they are stiff-necked, pardon our iniquity and sin, and take us for Your inheritance.’ YHWH declared, ‘See! I make a covenant. Before all your people I do marvels, beyond anything done in all the earth or in any nation; and all the people among whom you abide shall see YHWH’s terrible deeds with you. Observe what I command you today, and I will drive out before you the Amorites, Canaanites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivits and Jebusites. Take heed to yourself, lest you make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land wherever you go, and that connection become an impediment to you. Tear down their altars, break their pillars, cut down their Asherim (for you worship a jealous God—YHWH’s name also is Jealous. I abhor it when the current inhabitants of the land play the harlot after their gods, and sacrifice to these idols, and one invites you to eat some of his sacrifice, and you take their daughters for your sons, and their daughters play the harlot after their gods and lead your sons to do the same. Make no gods of molten metal. Keep the feast of unleavened bread; eat it for seven days, at the appointed time in the month of Abib, the month in which you came out of Egypt. All that opens the womb is Mine—all your firstborn rams and bulls; you may redeem a newborn jackass with a male lamb—otherwise, you must break its neck. All your firstborn sons you must redeem; none shall appear before me empty. You’ll work six days, but on the seventh day you must rest, seedtime and harvest. Observe also the feast of weeks, Firstfruits, and Ingathering. Each year, all your males must appear before Me, YHWH Sabaoth, God of Israel. I will cast out nations before you and enlarge your territory; no one will desire your land when you go up to appear before YHWH your God three times each year. Offer no blood sacrifices along with leaven; and leave none of the Passover feast until morning. Bring to My house the firstfruits of all your crops. And never boil a kid in its mother’s milk.’ YHWH also told Moses, ‘Write these words, for they constitute My covenant with you and with Israel.’ Moses was with YHWH on the mountain forty days and nights, and neither ate nor drank, and he recorded on the tablets the Ten Words or God’s covenant. As Moses descended Sinai, carrying the two tablets, he was not aware that the skin of his face shone like a beacon, because he had be conversing with God. When Aaron and the people saw Moses, they were afraid because his face shone, and they would not come near him. But Moses summoned them and Aaron and the community leaders came near, and Moses passed along to them all that God had commanded him on Mount Sinai. And then Moses put a veil over his face. Whenever Moses went in before YHWH, he took off the veil; but when he came out, he again would veil his face.

Paul wrote: We constantly thank God that when you received God’s word from us, you accepted it for what it is: not the word of men, but the Word of God, which is at work in you believers. You became like all the churches of God in the Messiah Jesus who are in Judea. You suffered the same things from your countrymen that the Judean Christians suffer from the Jews, who killed the Lord Jesus and many of His prophets, and who drove us out, and who displease God and oppose all men by hindering us from speaking to the Gentiles that they may be saved—so that they always fill up the measure of their sins. Now God’s wrath has come upon them at last. Since we were separated from you, brothers and sisters—in person, not in heart—we tried all the harder and all the more eagerly to see you face to face. But Satan hindered us. For you are our hope and joy and crown of boasting before our Lord Jesus at His coming; you are our glory and our joy! So when we couldn’t bear the separation longer, we accepted being left behind at Athens, and sent Timothy our bother and God’s servant in the gospel of the Messiah, to establish you in your faith and to exhort you, so that no one be moved by these afflictions. You know that this will be our lot. We told you beforehand, when with you, that we would suffer affliction, as has come to pass. So when I could bear it no longer, I sent to discover your faith, fearing that somehow the tempter might have tempted you and our labor would be in vain. But Timothy has come with the good news of your faith and love, and reported that you always remember us kindly and long to see us, as we long to see you. For this reason, dear friends, in all our distress and affliction we have been comforted because of your faith. We live as you stand fast in the Lord. What thanksgiving can we render to God for you, for all the joy we feel for your sake before our God? We pray earnestly night and day that we may see you face to face, and supply whatever is lacking in your faith. Now may our God and Father Himself, and our Lord Jesus, direct our way to you; and may the Lord make you grow and abound in love to one another and to all people, as we do to you, so that He may establish your hearts blameless and holy before our God and Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all His saints.

Jesus said to His listeners on the Mount: You have heard the ancient commands, ‘You shall not kill; and whoever kills shall face judgment.’ But I say to you that anyone who is angry with his brother is liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother shall be liable to the council; and whoever says “You fool” risks the first of hell. If you find yourself at the altar to offer a gift, and remember there that your brother has something against you, leave your gift at the altar, go and be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer God your gift. Make friends quickly with your accuser, lest he hand you over to the judge, the judge to the guard, and the guard to the warden. I tell you truly, you won’t escape such punishment until you have paid the last penny. You’ve heard it said, “You shall not commit adultery.” But I tell you that anyone who looks lustfully on a woman has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and throw it away—it’s better to lose one organ than to perish in hell. If your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away; it is better to lose one member than that your whole self be cast into hell. It has been said, “Whoever divorces his wife must give her a certificate of divorce.” But I tell you that everyone who divorces his wife, except on grounds of unchastity, makers her an adulteress; and anyone who marries a divorced woman commits adultery. You know that our ancestors were told, “You shall not swear falsely, but perform whatever you have sworn to the Lord.” But I tell you, don’t swear at all, by heaven, God’s throne, or by Jerusalem, the city of the great King. Nor swear by your head, for you cannot even make one hair white or black. Let your response be simply Yes or No; anything more than this comes from evil.


Saturday, April 24, 2010
Devotions: Ps 30, 32, 42, 43; Exod 25:1-22; Col 3:1-17; Mt 4:18-25

I praise You, God, for you have lifted me out of the mess! Let all God’s saints sing His praises! His anger is brief, but his favor is lifelong. Weeping may abide for a season, but joy comes with the morning. My God, YHWH, is my Helper. You have turned my mourning into dancing; You have brought me up from sadness to joy. YHWH, I will thank You forever! Happy is the man to whom God imputes no sin, and whose spirit harbors no deceit. I have confessed my sins to You, Lord, and You have graciously forgiven and purged me. Many are the pangs of the wicked, but steadfast love surrounds all who trust in YHWH. Lord, I long for You as a thirsty stag would pant for water in the desert wasteland. How I long for You, my God! I exhort my soul to be lifted up; let me ponder the goodness of God and His provision in times past; let me wait patiently for my Lord to vindicate me. Hope in God, and praise Him, Who is my Refuge. Hope in Him, my Helper and my God.

YHWH told Moses, ‘Speak to Israel; tell them to take an offering for Me of gold, silver, bronze, and fabrics of blue, purple and scarlet, fine linen, goatskins, acacia wood, oil for lamps, spices for anointing oils, onyx and other precious stones. Let them make a sanctuary for God to dwell in their midst! Make it all just as I have shown you. Make an ark of acacia wood, 2 ½ cubits long, 1 ½ cubits high and wide. Overlay it with pure gold, and make a gold molding around it. Cast four rings of gold and attach them to its feet at each corner; make poles of acacia, overlaid with gold, to carry the ark by fitting them into the rings; leave the poles in the rings always. Put into the ark the testimony I will give you. Make a mercy seat of pure gold for the top of the ark. And make the figures of two cherubim of hammered gold. Place them on either end of the ark, of one piece with the ark itsef. The cherubim shall have their wings spread over the mercy seat, with their faces turned inward toward the seat and toward one another. It is at that point, above the mercy seat and under the wings, that I will meet with you and give you My commands for the people of Israel.’

If you have been raised with Christ, seek what is with Him, where He is seated at God’s right hand. Focus your mind on heavenly things, not earthly things. You have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God! When the Messiah appears, Who is our Life, you also will appear with Him in glory. Therefore, put to death all that is earthly in you: fornication, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness—which is idolatry. These occasion God’s coming wrath; once you conducted yourself in these ways, but no put them away, along with all anger, wrath, malice, slander, and foul talk. Don’t lie to one another, since you have put off the old nature with all its practices and have put on a new nature, constantly renewed in knowledge after the image of its Creator. In this holy place there cannot be divisions, Greek or Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave and free—but the Messiah is all and is in all. As God’s elect, put on holy and beloved compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience. Forbear one another and forgive always, as the Lord has forgiven you. Over and above all these, put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. Let Christ’s peace rule in your hearts, for to this you were called, in the one body. Be thankful; let Christ’s word dwell in you richly; teach and admonish one another in all wisdom; sing songs and psalms and hymns with thankfulness to God in your hearts. Whatever you do or say, let it be accomplished in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.

Walking along the Sea of Galilee, Jesus saw Simon and Andrew casting nets into the sea, for they were fishermen. He said, ‘Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.’ Immediately they left their nets and followed Him. Soon, He came to two other brothers, James and John, in a boat with their father Zebedee, mending nets. Jesus called them, and immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed Jesus. He went all around Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every disease and infirmity among the people. In this way, His fame spread throughout Syria; and the people brought to Jesus all the sick—those afflicted with various diseases and pains, demoniacs, epileptics, and paralytics—and He healed them all. Great crowds followed Him from Galilee and the Decapolis and Jerusalem and Judea and the trans-Jordan.

Monday and Tuesday, April 26 and 27, 2010
Devotions: Ps 41, 44, 45, 47, 48, 52; Exod 32:1-34; Col 3:18-4:6; 1 Thess 1:1-10; Mt. 5:1-16

Blessed are those who consider the poor; YHWH delivers them in the day of trouble. For myself, Lord, I beg Your healing, for I have sinned against You; my enemies are waiting for my death and disappearance. They imagine the worst for me. They believe I cannot survive; but I depend on You alone, Lord. May God be blessed forever! We know You have kept Your people throughout the millennia; our victories come from You, my King and my God, who ordained victory for Your people. But when God’s people fall away, no one is in greater jeopardy—no fate is worse than to be abandoned by God! I am immersed in disgrace, though I have not forgotten You. So, Lord, I pray for Your vindication once again; for the sake of Your steadfast love, deliver me, I pray, YHWH! I will praise Jesus the Lord, fairest of men, full of grace, mighty in battle, ruler forever. The church, His bride, adorns herself for His coming. How we praise our God and King! Let all peoples celebrate and shout to God with loud songs of joy! YHWH, Lord Most High, is terrible, awesome. He ascends with shouts of praise and reigns over the nations; he is highly exalted. How lovely is Zion, God’s footstool on earth. There, God’s presence is obvious, and we muse on God’s steadfast love: this is our God for ever, and He will guide us always. God will break down the plotters; there is no refuge in human wealth or power. But I am like a green olive tree in the house of my God; I trust in His steadfast love forever. I will thank You, Lord, for You have accomplished all that is needed, and I will praise Your name in the presence of the godly.

Moses was on Sinai with YHWH for forty days and nights, and the people became restive. They demanded of Aaron to make a god for them to take the place of the God of Moses, who had disappeared. Aaron collected the golden earrings of all the people, and crafted a molten calf; he presented it: ‘These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt!’ Aaron built an altar before the golden calf and proclaimed a feast day ‘to YHWH.’ The people got up early, offered sin and peace offerings, and they began to party. On the mountain, YHWH told Moses about the rebellion and apostasy and sent him back down the mountain; God said to Moses, ‘Now let Me alone, that My wrath may burn hot against them and I may consume them; but I will make a great nation, starting with you.’ Moses begged God to relent, pleading the names of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and the promises God had made to them. So YHWH relented and agreed not to destroy the people. Moses carried the two stone tablets down the mountain, inscribed on both sides. When Joshua heard the noise of the people, he said to Moses that there was war in the camp; but Moses replied, ‘No, it is the sound of singing and revelry.’ When he came to the camp, Moses saw the calf and the people dancing. He was furious and threw down the two stone tables and broke them in pieces. Then he took the calf, burned it, and ground it to powder; Moses scattered it on the waters and made the people of Israel drink the water and the gold they had profaned. Moses confronted Aaron, and Aaron tried to explain what he had done, blaming the people. Moses took his stand at the gate of the camp, and called for any who were on YHWH’s side to come to him. The sons of Levi, Moses’ own tribe, responded and came to him. Moses directed them in YHWH’s name, ‘Let every man put on his sword and go throughout the camp; kill your brothers, friends and neighbors!’ The Levites obeyed, and more than three thousand men died that day. Moses said to the Levites, ‘Today you have ordained yourselves for YHWH’s service, at the cost of your own sons and brothers—and God will bless you.’ The following morning, Moses addressed the people: ‘You have sinned a great sin! I will go up to YHWH and try to atone for your sins.’ So Moses again ascended Sinai, and spoke with God: ‘Alas, this people have sinned a great sin, make for themselves idols of gold. Now, if You will, forgive their sin; and if not, I pray You, blot me also out of the book You have written.’ But YHWH said to Moses, ‘I will blot out those who have sinned against Me. But you go down and lead the people to the place I have mentioned to you, and My angel will go before You. And when I visit them, I will inflict the penalty for their sins.’ And YHWH sent a plague on the people because of the calf-idol which Aaron had made.

Paul counseled the Colossians: Wives, be subject to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. Husbands, love your wives and treat them kindly. Children, obey your parents in all things, for that pleases the Lord. Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged. Subordinates, obey your earthly masters with singleness of heart, in fear of the Lord. Whatever your task, work heartily as serving the Lord and not human authorities, knowing that you will receive the heavenly inheritance from Him as your reward; it is the Lord Messiah you are serving! God shows no partiality, and every wrongdoer will be paid back. Masters, treat those under your authority justly and fairly—remember that you have a Master in heaven! All of you: continue steadfastly in prayer, watching as you pray, and giving thanks. Pray also for us, that God may open for us a door for His word; may we declare the mystery of the Messiah, on account of which I am in prison, that I may make it clear, as I ought to speak. Conduct yourselves with wisdom toward outsiders, making the most of the time. Let your speech be gracious at all times, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how properly to answer every one.

And Paul wrote to the Thessalonians: Brothers and sisters, you know that our visit to you was fruitful. We already had suffered and been shamefully treated at Philippi, yet in God we found courage to declare God’s gospel to you, despite great opposition. Our appeal does not spring from error, or uncleanness, or guile. Since we are commissioned b God and entrusted with His gospel, just so we speak, not to please men but to please God Who tests our hearts. We never used flattery or spoke out of greed—God is my witness. Nor did we seek glory from men; we made godly demands as apostles of Christ. Instead, we were gentle among you, like a nurse caring for her children. Being affectionately concerned for you, we were ready to share with you God’s gospel and our own selves, because you had become very dear to us. You will remember how hard we worked among you, night and day, so that we might not burden any of you while we were preaching God’s gospel to you. You are witnesses, as is God, how holy and righteous and blameless was our behavior to you believers. We exhorted each of you like a father with his children, and encouraged and charged you to lead lives worthy of God, Who calls you into His own kingdom and glory.

Jesus began His great sermon on the mountain: Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven; blessed are they who mourn, for they will be comforted; blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth; blessed they who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy; blessed the pure in heart, for they will see God! Blessed are peacemakers, for they will be called God’s own sons and daughters. Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is God’s kingdom. Blessed are you when people revile and persecute and slander you falsely on My account. Rejoice and be glad, for you have a great reward in heaven—and people persecuted the prophets before you in the same ways. You are the salt of the earth; but if you lose your saltiness, how can your savor be restored? Such seasoning is good for nothing except to be cast out and trodden underfoot by men. You are the light of the world; a city on a hill cannot be concealed! People don’t light lamps and then hide them under baskets; no, they are put on a stand to light the whole house. So let your light shine before everyone, that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father Who is in heaven.

Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Devotions: Ps 49, 119:49-72; Exod 33:1-23; 1 Thess 2:1-12; Mt 5:17-20

Let all who will hear my thoughts: there is no reason to fear in troubled times, when I am persecuted by enemies who trust their wealth and boast of their abundant riches. No one, rich or poor, can ransom himself from God. The rich and the wise remain mortal; no faith except faith in God can deliver from eternal death. But God will ransom my soul from Sheol. So neither fear nor envy the wealthy and powerful in the world; they die and their wealth and power perishes with them. Lord, I take comfort in Your word; I cling to You and to Your law. YHWH is my Portion, and I accept God’s grace as my blessing. I am friend to all who fear God and keep His word. The universe overflows with the steadfast, holy love of God. I keep Your word, Father, and affirm Your judgments; they are better than riches and fame to me.

YHWH directed Moses to lead Israel up to the land of Canaan, promised to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. God said, ‘I will send My angel with you, but I will not go Myself, lest I consume you along the way, because you are a stiff-necked people.’ This grieved the people, and they stripped themselves of adorning jewelry from that time onward. Moses used to take the tabernacle of God and pitch it outside the camp—he called it the Tent of Meeting. Everyone who sought YHWH would go out to the tent; and when Moses went, all the people would stand in reverence at their own tent doors. When Moses entered, the pillar of cloud would descend and stand at the door, and the people would worship in their places. YHWH spoke with Moses face to face, as if they were friends. When Moses returned to the camp, his assistant Joshua would remain in the tent of God. Moses said to YHWH, ‘You have told me to bring up this people, but You won’t say whom You will send with me. You have said You know me by name, and I have found favor in Your sight. If so, I pray You, show me Your ways. Consider, too, that this nation is Your people.’ So YHWH said to Moses, ‘My Presence will go with you, and I wil give you rest.’ Moses replied, ‘If You are not going, tell me now, Lord. Your Presence is the only sign of Your favor, the only source of authority I have to lead this people, and the only distinction between us and the other peoples and tribes of the earth.’ YHWH said, ‘The very thing you have said I will do, for your have found favor in My sight, and I know you by name.’ Moses, emboldened, said ‘Show me Your glory, I pray.’ And God said, ‘I will make all my goodness pass before you and will proclaim my name, YHWH; and I will be gracious and show mercy to you and all on whom I have mercy. But you must not see My face, for mortals cannot see My face and survive. While My glory passes by, I will put you into a cleft in the rocks and cover you with My hand until I have passed by. You will see My back, but My face shall not be seen.’

And Paul wrote to the Thessalonians: Brothers and sisters, you know that our visit to you was fruitful. We already had suffered and been shamefully treated at Philippi, yet in God we found courage to declare God’s gospel to you, despite great opposition. Our appeal does not spring from error, or uncleanness, or guile. Since we are commissioned b God and entrusted with His gospel, just so we speak, not to please men but to please God Who tests our hearts. We never used flattery or spoke out of greed—God is my witness. Nor did we seek glory from men; we made godly demands as apostles of Christ. Instead, we were gentle among you, like a nurse caring for her children. Being affectionately concerned for you, we were ready to share with you God’s gospel and our own selves, because you had become very dear to us. You will remember how hard we worked among you, night and day, so that we might not burden any of you while we were preaching God’s gospel to you. You are witnesses, as is God, how holy and righteous and blameless was our behavior to you believers. We exhorted each of you like a father with his children, and encouraged and charged you to lead lives worthy of God, Who calls you into His own kingdom and glory.

Jesus taught: Don’t think I came to abolish the law and the prophets; rather, I came to fulfill them. Heaven and earth will pass away, but not an iota, not the least pen-stroke, will pass from the law until all is accomplished. So anyone who sees to relax the least of the commandments and teaches others to do so will be called least in heaven’s kingdom; but whoever obeys the laws and teaches others to do so will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. Listen to Me: unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

Thursday, April 29, 2010
Devotions: Ps 50, 114, 115; Exod 34:1-17; 1 Thess 2:13-20; Mt 5:21-26

The Might One, YHWH God, summons all the earth; His perfection shines forth from Zion. Our God comes; He is not silent; devouring fire precedes Him, a mighty tempest surrounds Him, and all heaven and earth proclaim that God is Judge of all. God does not reprove our sacrifices, but He accepts no gift, for everything already is His. He needs no food from mortals; what God wants is our thanks and faithfulness. Rather, call on God for all you need, and He will deliver you and glorify Himself. To the wicked, God says, ‘You have no right to recite My statutes or My covenant. You hate discipline; you cast My words behind you and keep company with adulterers. You speak evil and deceit; you slander your brothers and sisters. Now hear My rebuke! Whoever brings thanksgiving to Me does Me honor, and I will show My salvation to those who conduct themselves by My commands. When Israel came forth from Egypt, I made Judah and Israel my special possession. The sea fled and the Jordan turned back; the very mountains skipped away like frightened lambs. The mighty presence of YHWH awes even the forces of nature and the everlasting hills, for He turns rock into springs of water! Lord, glorify Your name among us; our God is the living Lord; all other ‘gods’ are lifeless idols or skittering demons. Let all God’s people trust YHWH, Who blesses us. May God bless our children and grandchildren! We will bless the Lord forever.

YHWH told Moses, after he had quelled the rebellion in Israel’s camp, to hew out two more stone tablets and return to the top of Sinai. As God had promised, He revealed His glory and His name to Moses: ‘YHWH! YHWH! Merciful and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness toward thousands, forgiving iniquity and sin and transgression, but visiting the penalty of ancestral sin on third and fourth generations.’ Moses worshiped, and spoke: ‘O YHWH, if I have Your favor, go amid Your people and pardon our iniquity and sin, though we are a stiff-necked people.’ And YHWH said, ‘Behold, I make a covenant. I will do marvels before Your people that have never before been witnessed anywhere; all your people will see the mighty deeds I will do with you. Now observe My commands, and I will drive out the Amorites, Canaanites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites before you. Be careful not to enter covenant with the peoples of the land, for that would be a snare to you. Tear down their altars, smash their pillars, cut down their Asherim—for YHWH is a jealous God—My very Name is Jealous! Keep separated when the peoples of the land play harlot in worshiping other deities, and sacrifice to them, and invite you to join their worship, or to take their daughters and sons in marriage with your sons and daughters, lest your children become idol-worshipers and earn My enmity. Make no molten images to worship!’

Paul wrote the Thessalonians Christians: We thank God constantly, that when you heard God’s word, you accepted it as such, not as the word of men, so that the word may work in you. You became imitators of the churches of God in the Messiah Jesus that are in Judea. You suffered persecution from your countrymen just as they did from the Jews, who killed both the Lord Jesus and the prophets, and who drove us out—they displease God and oppose all other mortals by hindering us from speaking to the Gentiles so that they may be saved. Thus they fill to overflowing the measure of their sins. And God’s wrath has come upon them at last! Since we were separated from you for a short time—in person if not in heart—we strove all the more eagerly to see you face to face; yet Satan hindered us. You are our hope, our joy, our crown of boasting before the Lord Jesus when He comes; yes, you are our glory and joy!

Jesus taught: You have heard from men of old, ‘Do not kill; and whoever kills is liable to judgment.’ But I say to you, everyone who is angry with his brother is liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother is liable to community censure, and whoever says ‘You fool’ to his companions faces hellfire in judgment! So if you are offering a holy gift at the altar, and recall there that your brother has something against you, leave the gift and the altar, and go to be reconciled with your brother; then return and offer your gift to God. Make friends quickly with your accuser, on the way to the court, least he hand you over to the judge, and the judge remand you to the guard, and the guard put you in prison. I tell you solemnly, you won’t get out till you have paid the last penny!’

Friday, April 30, 2010
Devotions: Ps 40, 51, 54; Exod 34:18-35; 1 Thess 3:1-13; Mt 5:27-37

God taught me to wait patiently for Him, and then He drew me up out of the bog and put me high and safe, singing a new song in His mouth and a song of praise to our God. Happy are all who make God their trust. Lord, I delight to do Your will; Your law is in my heart. I will share Your saving news with anyone who will listen. YHWH, pour out Your mercy on me, Your love and faithfulness. May all who seek You rejoice in finding You. Blot out my sins, and wash me thoroughly from my iniquity. I know my sins, Lord, and I know You want truth in the inward being. So purge me with hyssop; wash me in the holy blood of Jesus; fill me with the Holy Spirit; and heal my brokenness. Create a clean heart and upright spirit within me! I give myself to You, Lord, for You have delivered me from every form of trouble, and I look in triumph on all my enemies.

God directed Israel through Moses: Keep the feast of Unleavened Bread for seven days in the month of Abib, when you came out of Egypt. Recall that every firstborn is Mine; you may redeem firstborn donkeys with lambs—if not, break their necks. Redeem all your firstborn sons. None shall appear before Me empty! Work six days, but the seventh day is a holy Sabbath; rest on that day throughout the year. Observe also the feast of weeks and of ingathering. Your males shall appear before Me three times each year. For I will cast out nations before you and enlarge your borders, and I will protect your territory while the men are attending to Me. Offer me no leaven with the blood of My sacrifices; be sure you consume all the Passover feast—leave none till morning! Bring to My house the first fruits of your crops. And do not boil a kid in its mother’s milk. God made sure that Moses wrote down all the terms of His covenant. While at this labor, Moses had neither food nor water for forty days! When Moses again descended Sinai, he didn’t know that the skin of his face was luminous; but Aaron and the elders saw that Moses’ face was shining, and they feared to come near him. But Moses called to them and they came to him and he talked to them; later, Moses passed along to all the people all that YHWH had spoken to him on Mount Sinai. When Moses completed his talk, he put a veil over his face. Thereafter, whenever Moses went before YHWH, he uncovered his face until he came out and told the people whatever God had commanded. The people saw that Moses face shone, and Moses would again veil his face until he went in again to speak with the Lord.

Paul wrote to the Thessalonians: When I could bear the separation and suspense no longer, I sent Timothy to you, so that no one would lose heart because of my hardships. I told you when I was with you these things would happen; so I sent Timothy in fear that the tempter might mislead you and our labor might be in vain. But now he has returned from you, with the good news about your faith and love; he says you always remember us kindly, and long to see us, as I long to see you. So I am comforted, dear friends, despite distress and affliction. I really live, as long as you stand fast in the Lord! I give thanks day and night to God for you, for all the joy I feel for your sake in God’s presence, and pray that I may see you face to face and supply whatever may still be lacking in your faith. Now: may our God and Father Himself, and our Lord Jesus, direct our way to you; and may the Lord make you increase and abound in love to one another and to all men, as we do to you, so that He may establish your hearts without fault in holiness before our God and Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all His saints.

Jesus taught: You have been commanded not to commit adultery. But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it away; it is better to lost one part of your body than for your whole being to be case into hell. If your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away; it is better to lose one of your members than for your whole body to go into hell. You have been taught that whoever divorces his wife must give her a certificate. But I tell you, everyone who divorces a wife, except on grounds of unchastity, makes her an adulteress; and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery. You have been taught not to swear falsely, but to keep every oath you make to the Lord. But I tell you, do not swear at all—not by heaven, God’s throne, or by earth, His footstool, or by Jerusalem, the great King’s city. Don’t swear by your own head—you cannot make one hair white or black. Just say simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No.’ Anything beyond that comes from the evil one.