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The Singing Revolution

Read: Psalm 42:1–5 (NIV) | Bible in a Year: 2 Samuel 9–11; Luke 15:11–32

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Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God. Psalm 42:5

What does it take to ignite a revolution? Guns? Bombs? Guerrilla warfare? In late-1980s Estonia, it took songs. After the people had lived under the burden of Soviet occupation for decades, a movement began with the singing of a series of patriotic songs. These songs birthed the “Singing Revolution,” which played a key role in restoring Estonian independence in 1991.

“This was a non-violent revolution that overthrew a very violent occupation,” says a website describing the movement. “But singing had always been a major unifying force for Estonians while they endured fifty years of Soviet rule.”

Music can also play a significant part in helping us through our own hard times. I wonder if that’s why we so readily identify with the psalms. It was in a dark night of the soul that the psalmist sang, “Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God” (Psalm 42:5). It was in a season of deep disillusionment that Asaph, the worship leader, reminded himself, “Surely God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart” (73:1).

In our own challenging times, may we join the psalmists with a singing revolution for our hearts. Such a revolution overwhelms the personal tyranny of despair and confusion with faith-fueled confidence in God’s great love and faithfulness.

How do you respond when life is overwhelming? What songs bring you the most comfort and why?
Father, I thank You that Your mercies are new every morning and Your faithfulness is great. Empower me to sing the song of Your great love—even when I must sing it through my tears.

INSIGHT

Psalms 42 and 43 fit together seamlessly and may have been written as one song. The concluding verse of Psalm 43 mirrors Psalm 42 verses 5 and 11. In these psalms we gain a window into the human spirit as it engages in profound emotional struggle. The author copes with his personal crisis by first acknowledging his desperate need of God. Then he outlines his problem. He’s in a dark place (42:3) and so he recalls better days (v. 4). Aware of God’s unfailing goodness to him in the past, he challenges himself: “Why, my soul, are you downcast? . . . Put your hope in God” (vv. 5, 11; 43:5). Yet questions linger (42:9; 43:2). In our spiritual struggles, our emotions must be acknowledged. It’s healthy to be completely honest before God, and it’s vital to keep our focus on Him in our emotional anguish.

By |2020-04-17T11:54:11-04:00April 20th, 2020|
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The Forecaster’s Mistake

Read: Jeremiah 23:16–22 (NIV) | Bible in a Year: 2 Samuel 6–8; Luke 15:1–10

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Let the one who has my word speak it faithfully. Jeremiah 23:28

At noon on September 21, 1938, a young meteorologist warned the U.S. Weather Bureau of two fronts forcing a hurricane northward toward New England. But the chief of forecasting scoffed at Charles Pierce’s prediction. Surely a tropical storm wouldn’t strike so far north.

Two hours later, the 1938 New England Hurricane made landfall on Long Island. By 4:00 p.m. it had reached New England, tossing ships onto land as homes crumbled into the sea. More than six hundred people died. Had the victims received Pierce’s warning—based on solid data and his detailed maps—they likely would have survived.

The concept of knowing whose word to heed has precedent in Scripture. In Jeremiah’s day, God warned His people against false prophets. “Do not listen [to them],” He said. “They fill you with false hopes. They speak visions from their own minds, not from the mouth of the Lord” (Jeremiah 23:16). God said of them, “If they had stood in my council, they would have proclaimed my words to my people” (v. 22).

“False prophets” are still with us. “Experts” dispense advice while ignoring God altogether or twisting His words to suit their purposes. But through His Word and Spirit, God has given us what we need to begin to discern the false from the true. As we gauge everything by the truth of His Word, our own words and lives will increasingly reflect that truth to others.

What’s the standard I use when I decide whether something is true? What in my attitude needs to change toward those who disagree with me?
God, so many claim to speak for You these days. Help us learn what You really have to say. Make us sensitive to Your Spirit, not the spirit of this world.

INSIGHT

In Jeremiah 23, God spoke through the prophet Jeremiah against the “shepherds” (kings and priests, vv. 1–2) and prophets (vv. 9–40) for their continued disobedience and for leading the people astray. The shepherds were called to be godly leaders who guided and protected; instead, they’d destroyed and scattered “the sheep of [God’s] pasture” (v. 1). And rather than speaking God’s truths, the prophets “prophesied by Baal and led [God’s] people Israel astray” (v. 13). They “live[d] a lie” and strengthened “the hands of evildoers” so that they didn’t turn back “from their wickedness” (v. 14). God warned the people not to listen to the false prophets who weren’t speaking for God and offered only “false hopes” (v. 16). Because of their refusal to listen, Judah would be exiled at the hands of the Babylonians. Yet God wouldn’t forsake them forever (vv. 3–8).

By |2020-04-16T12:10:43-04:00April 19th, 2020|
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Being Cared For

Read: Psalm 46 (NIV) | Bible in a Year: 2 Samuel 3–5; Luke 14:25–35

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The Lord Almighty is with us. Psalm 46:11

Debbie, the owner of a housecleaning service, was always searching for more clients to build up her business. On one call she talked with a woman whose response was, “I won’t be able to afford that now; I’m undergoing cancer treatment.” Right then Debbie decided that “no woman undergoing cancer treatment would ever be turned away. They would even be offered a free housecleaning service.” So in 2005 she started a nonprofit organization where companies donated their cleaning services to women battling cancer. One such woman felt a rush of confidence when she came home to a clean house. She said, “For the first time, I actually believed I could beat cancer.”

A feeling of being cared for and supported can help sustain us when we’re facing a challenge. An awareness of God’s presence and support can especially bring hope to encourage our spirit. Psalm 46, a favorite of many people going through trials, reminds us: “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble” and “Be still, and know that I am God; . . . I will be exalted in the earth. The Lord Almighty is with us” (vv. 1, 10–11).

Reminding ourselves of God’s promises and His presence with us can be a means to help renew our hearts and give us the courage and confidence to go through hard times.

How does it encourage you to know that Jesus became one of us to identify with us and help us? What difference does knowing that He “walked in our shoes” make during this season in your life?
For what trials are you depending on God for strength? What Bible verses help you?

To learn more about why life can sometimes feel unfair, visit bit.ly/2YeZilB.

INSIGHT

Given the dire language of its introduction, this psalm was likely written during a significant crisis. But which crisis? Many scholars believe it occurred during the reign of Hezekiah when the Assyrian army had surrounded Jerusalem. The situation looked dismal for God’s people, but the city had two advantages the Assyrians knew nothing of. Hezekiah had protected the spring of Gihon, located outside the city, by tunneling through stone to the water source. Then he concealed the spring. This life-giving spring may be the inspiration for the line, “There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God” (Psalm 46:4). Most important, however, the psalmist knew the ultimate source of the city’s safety. Jerusalem enjoyed the presence of the one true God. His miraculous intervention on behalf of the city meant they had only to be still and await His deliverance. He’s the life-sustaining Spring.

By |2020-04-16T12:04:02-04:00April 18th, 2020|
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Able to Help

Read: Hebrews 2:14–18 (NIV) | Bible in a Year: 2 Samuel 1–2; Luke 14:1–24

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Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted. Hebrews 2:18

Joe’s eight-week “break” from his job as a crisis care worker at a New York City church was not a vacation. In his words, it was “to live again among the homeless, to become one of them, to remember what hungry, tired, and forgotten feel like.” Joe’s first stint on the streets had come nine years earlier when he arrived from Pittsburgh without a job or a place to stay. For thirteen days he lived on the streets with little food or sleep. That’s how God had prepared him for decades of ministry to needy people.

When Jesus came to earth, He also chose to share the experiences of those He came to save. “Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might break the power of him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil” (Hebrews 2:14). From birth to death, nothing was missing from Christ’s human experience—except sin (4:15). Because He conquered sin, He can help us when we’re tempted to sin.

And Jesus doesn’t need to reacquaint Himself with our earthly cares. The One who saves us remains connected to us and is deeply interested in us. Whatever life brings, we can be assured that the One who rescued us from our greatest foe, the devil (2:14), stands ready to help us in our times of greatest need.

How does it encourage you to know that Jesus became one of us to identify with us and help us? What difference does knowing that He “walked in our shoes” make during this season in your life?
Father, help me to remember that You’re ready to help me in all areas of my life.

INSIGHT

The New Testament letter to the Hebrews was written to help Jewish believers in Jesus understand the danger of taking their eyes off the One who came to rescue them and all humanity from our universal fear of death (2:1, 14–15). Only Christ can give us the courage to freely live without the fear of dying. Nothing less than the public record of His life, death, and resurrection can overcome Satan’s twisted suggestion that God can’t be trusted because He isn’t as good as He wants us to believe. It took Jesus’ suffering and death to reveal a God who’s merciful enough to forgive the worst of our wrongs. It took His resurrection from the dead and the changed lives of His witnesses to expose the lie that when we’ve taken our last breath, all hope is gone.

By |2020-04-16T11:55:53-04:00April 17th, 2020|
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Hungry for God

Read: Jeremiah 15:15–21 (NIV) | Bible in a Year: 1 Samuel 30–31; Luke 13:23–35

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When your words came, I ate them; they were my joy and my heart’s delight. Jeremiah 15:16

A new believer in Jesus was desperate to read the Bible. However, he’d lost his eyesight and both hands in an explosion. When he heard about a woman who read Braille with her lips, he tried to do the same—only to discover that the nerve endings of his lips had also been destroyed. Later, he was filled with joy when he discovered that he could feel the Braille characters with his tongue! He had found a way to read and enjoy the Scriptures.

Joy and delight were the emotions the prophet Jeremiah experienced when he received God’s words. “When your words came, I ate them,” he said, “they were my joy and my heart’s delight” (Jeremiah 15:16). Unlike the people of Judah who despised His words (8:9), Jeremiah had been obedient and rejoiced in them. His obedience, however, also led to the prophet being rejected by his own people and persecuted unfairly (15:17).

Some of us may have experienced something similar. We once read the Bible with joy, but obedience to God led to suffering and rejection from others. Like Jeremiah, we can bring our confusion to God. He answered Jeremiah by repeating the promise He gave him when He first called him to be a prophet (vv. 19-21; see 1:18–19). God reminded him that He never lets His people down. We can have this same confidence too. He’s faithful and will never abandon us.

When have you experienced joy in reading the Scriptures? What can help you regain your hunger and thirst for God?
Faithful God, thank You for speaking to me through the words of the Bible. Help me to seek You earnestly and to obey You faithfully.

INSIGHT

The prophet Jeremiah is known as “the weeping prophet.” One reason is that he openly weeps over his wayward Jewish brothers and sisters and the discipline their disobedience requires. The word weep appears twelve times in Jeremiah, including 9:1: “Oh, that my head were a spring of water and my eyes a fountain of tears! I would weep day and night for the slain of my people.” Jeremiah also bears this title due to his book of laments, which we call Lamentations. In the book, Jeremiah uses the word weep three times, including Lamentations 2:11: “My eyes fail from weeping, I am in torment within; my heart is poured out on the ground because my people are destroyed.”

By |2020-04-15T16:51:15-04:00April 16th, 2020|
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From Pity to Praise

Read: 2 Timothy 4:9–18 (NIV) | Bible in a Year: 1 Samuel 27–29; Luke 13:1–22

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But the Lord stood at my side and gave me strength. 2 Timothy 4:17

At a coat drive for children, excited kids searched gratefully for their favorite colors and proper sizes. They also gained self-esteem, an organizer said, with new coats boosting their acceptance by peers and school attendance on winter days.

The apostle Paul seemed to need a coat, as well, when he wrote Timothy, “Bring the cloak that I left with Carpus at Troas” (2 Timothy 4:13). Held in a cold Roman prison, Paul needed warmth but also companionship. “No one came to my support, but everyone deserted me,” he lamented, when he faced a Roman judge (v. 16). His words pierce our hearts with the honesty of this great missionary’s pain.

Yet in these final words of Paul’s last recorded letter—his closing thoughts after an astounding ministry—he moves from pity to praise. “But the Lord stood at my side,” he adds (v. 17), and his words rally our hearts. As Paul declared, “[God] gave me strength so that I might preach the Good News in its entirety for all the Gentiles to hear. And he rescued me from certain death” (v. 17 nlt).

If you’re facing a crisis, lacking even the right clothing for warmth or close friends to help, remember God. He’s faithful to revive, provide, and deliver. Why? For His glory and for our purpose in His kingdom. 

In what “cold” area of your life do you need God’s great and warming strength? As you praise Him, how does your outlook change?
Our strong God, when life’s circumstances overwhelm us, stand with us, stir our praise, giving us Your strength to overcome.

INSIGHT

The book of 2 Timothy was written from Rome as Paul was awaiting execution. The clear sense of his impending death is seen in 2 Timothy 4:6: “For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time for my departure is near.” His tone is very different in his prison letters (Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, Philemon), where he’s under house arrest awaiting trial (see Acts 28:30–31). This difference of tone contributes to the view of many scholars that Paul experienced two imprisonments—the first leading to trial and the second (seen here) leading to execution.

By |2020-04-14T21:21:58-04:00April 15th, 2020|
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Healing Words

Read: Proverbs 16:20–24 (NIV) | Bible in a Year: 1 Samuel 25–26; Luke 12:32–59

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Gracious words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones. Proverbs 16:24

A recent study has shown that encouraging words from a health-care provider can help patients recuperate faster from their ailments. A simple experiment exposed volunteer study participants to a skin allergen to make them itch and then compared the reactions between those who received assurance from their physician and those who didn’t. Patients who received encouragement from their doctors had less discomfort and itching than their counterparts.  

The writer of Proverbs knew how important encouraging words are. “Gracious words” bring “healing to the bones,” he wrote (Proverbs 16:24). The positive effect of words isn’t limited to our health: when we heed the wisdom of instruction, we’re also more likely to prosper in our efforts (v. 20). So too encouragement buoys us for the challenges we face now and may encounter in the future. 

We may not yet fully understand why or even how much wisdom and encouragement bring strength and healing to our daily lives. Yet the cheers and guidance of our parents, coaches, and colleagues seem to help us endure difficulty and steer us toward success. Similarly, the Bible brings us encouragement when we face trials, equipping us to bear up under even the most unthinkable circumstances. Help us, God, to be strengthened by Your wisdom and to, in turn, offer the healing and hope of “gracious words” to those You’ve placed in our lives.  

Who has spoken “gracious words” into your life? Why is it vital for you to share words of encouragement with others?
Dear Father, thank You for Your words of healing and hope.

INSIGHT

In Proverbs 16 we find two examples of Hebrew poetry. In verse 20, we see “synonymous parallelism,” in which the same idea is repeated using slightly different words. The key connector for the comparison is the word and. Verse 22 is an example of “antithetical parallelism,” a device that uses opposite ideas set in terms of contrast. Here the key connector for the contrast is the word but. See if you can find other examples of these poetic devices in Proverbs 16.

By |2020-04-09T16:54:33-04:00April 14th, 2020|
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Seeking God

Read: Psalm 63:1–8 (NIV) | Bible in a Year: 1 Samuel 22–24; Luke 12:1–31

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You, God, are my God, earnestly I seek you. Psalm 63:1

It’s inspiring to watch people’s passion and dedication in pursuing their dreams. A young woman I know recently graduated from college in just three years—a task that took total commitment. A friend wanted a particular car, so he worked diligently baking and selling cakes until he reached his goal. Another person who’s in sales seeks to meet one hundred new people every week.

While it can be good to earnestly seek something of earthly value, there’s a more important kind of seeking that we must consider.

In desperation, struggling in a desert, King David wrote, “You, God, are my God, earnestly I seek you” (Psalm 63:1). As David cried out to Him, God drew close to the weary king. David’s deep spiritual thirst for God could only be satisfied in His presence.

The king remembered meeting with God in His “sanctuary” (v. 2), experiencing His all-conquering love (v. 3), and praising Him day after day—finding true satisfaction in Him that’s not unlike enjoying a full and satisfying meal (vv. 4–5). Even during the night he contemplated God’s greatness, recognizing His help and protection (vv. 6–7).

Today the Holy Spirit convicts us to earnestly seek after God. As we cling to Him, in power and love God holds us up with His strong right hand. By the leading of the Spirit, may we draw close to the Maker of all good things.

How has the Holy Spirit been prompting you to seek God? What are some things you can do this week to grow closer to Him?
Thank You, God, for drawing me to seek after You. To know You better. To love You more. To recognize Your greatness. I’m so grateful for Your presence in my life.

INSIGHT

Cause and effect. That’s what forms the pattern of Psalm 63:1–8, which traces David’s inner spiritual journey while in the wilderness of Judah. Verse 1 is the acknowledgment of his need for the presence and power of God. David’s need is deep and fundamental. Like water in the desert, God is the one thing he needs for survival. In verse 2, he has found this “water.” He’s discovered the power and glory of God. With the need and discovery expressed, verses 3–8 now chronicle the psalmist’s response: praise, satisfaction, singing, thinking about God, and clinging to Him. David shares his desire for God, which leads to his discovery of God, and results in his declarations about God.

By |2020-04-09T16:48:30-04:00April 13th, 2020|
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Grief Overturned

Read: John 20:11–18 (NIV) | Bible in a Year: 1 Samuel 17–18; Luke 11:1–28

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I have seen the Lord! John 20:18

According to Jim and Jamie Dutcher, filmmakers known for their knowledge of wolves, when happy, wolves wag their tails and romp about. But after the death of a pack member, they grieve for weeks. They visit the place where the pack member died, showing grief by their drooping tails and mournful howls.

Grief is a powerful emotion we’ve all experienced, particularly at the death of a loved one or of a treasured hope. Mary Magdalene experienced it. She’d traveled with and helped support Jesus and His disciples (Luke 8:1–3). But His cruel death on a cross separated them. The only thing left for Mary to do for Jesus was to finish anointing His body for burial—a task the Sabbath had interrupted. But imagine how Mary felt when she found not a lifeless, broken body but a living Savior! Though she hadn’t at first recognized the man standing before her, when He spoke her name, she knew who He was—Jesus! Instantly, grief turned to joy. Mary now had joyful news to share: “I have seen the Lord!” (John 20:18).

Jesus entered our dark world to bring freedom and life. His resurrection celebrates that He accomplished what He set out to do. Watch a special devotional video below, “Jesus, the Resurrection” to learn more about the joy of a new life in Christ. We too can celebrate His resurrection and share the good news: He’s alive!

When have you experienced a time when your sadness turned to joy? How will you share the news of Christ’s resurrection this week?
Jesus, I celebrate Your resurrection and the new life I can experience in You.

INSIGHT

The name Mary is the English rendering of the Greek Maria or Mariam (from the Hebrew Miriam) and was one of the most common female names in New Testament times. The first Mary we meet is the mother of Jesus (Matthew 1:16). Other women bearing this name include Mary of Bethany, the sister of Martha and Lazarus (John 11:1–12:8; Luke 10:38–41); Mary, the mother of James (Mark 15:40); Mary, the mother of John Mark (Acts 12:12); Mary, the wife of Clopas (John 19:25); Mary of Rome (Romans 16:6); and Mary Magdalene, who is featured in John 20:11–18. All the gospel writers place this Mary at Jesus’ death or resurrection or both (Matthew 27:56–61; 28:1–10; Mark 15:40, 47; 16:1; Luke 24:10; John 20:1, 18).

By |2020-04-09T16:42:57-04:00April 12th, 2020|
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Feed My Sheep

Read: John 21:15–19 (NIV) | Bible in a Year: 1 Samuel 17–18; Luke 11:1–28

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Jesus said, “Take care of my sheep.” John 21:16

In a lecture in 1911, Oswald Chambers reflected on being a young shepherd in the highlands of Scotland: “When you have to carry across your shoulders a dirty old [goat] and bring it down the mountain-side, you will soon know whether shepherding is poetry or not.” He didn’t want to romanticize this form of labor as “poetry” but rather called it “the most taxing, the most exhausting, and the most exasperating work.” The hard work of shepherding people is what Jesus entrusted to Peter, for Peter would face criticism, misunderstanding, and other challenges in caring for His flock.

Chambers reflected, “To whom did He say, ‘Feed My lambs’? To Peter. Who was Peter? A very wayward sheep.” Even though Peter had denied knowing Jesus (see John 18:15–27), Jesus met him on the beach and lovingly restored him in front of the other disciples (21:15–19). Peter’s bitter experience taught him how to be tender and watchful over the Lord’s sheep. Having received the Holy Spirit, he was ready for the toil and joys of being a shepherd to people.

Like Peter, we may have failed Jesus through denials, wrongdoing, selfishness, or pride. But He seeks us out and forgives us, just as He did Peter. Watch Meno Kalisher’s, Daniel Kalisher’s, and Debby Nalbandian’s devotional video in Episode 7 of In Pursuit of Jesus below and learn more about God’s forgiveness and restoration. He restores us and gives us a new commission—helping us care for others. As we follow Jesus, we share our love for Him with those we meet.

How does the truth that Christ’s death provides access to God give you confidence when you worship and pray? What else does His death provide believers?
Jesus, give us strength to keep trusting You in the hard times.

INSIGHT

Some scholars speculate that John 21, while fully inspired and no doubt written by John, was actually written later and added to the original first twenty chapters. Clearly, the ending of chapter 20 could serve as an adequate conclusion to John’s gospel record. Commentators suggest one purpose for adding chapter 21 as a “second” ending is to show how Jesus restores Peter after his denial. Additionally, verses 20–23 clarify a misunderstanding about Christ’s return. When Jesus told Peter that it shouldn’t be his concern if John were to live until He returns, people drew false conclusions. So John wrote: “Because of this, the rumor spread among the believers that this disciple would not die. But Jesus did not say that he would not die; he only said, ‘If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you?’ ” (v. 23).

By |2020-04-09T16:18:32-04:00April 11th, 2020|
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