TODAY IN THE WORD

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: 2 Corinthians 8:1-15; 9:6-15
They urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the saints. - 2 Corinthians 8:4
TODAY IN THE WORD
Several decades ago, a traveling evangelist had a fundraising technique known as “if you love your momma.” He would begin by asking people to give to support his work if they had been blessed by his preaching. Then he would ask them to give if they wanted the unsaved to be rescued from hell. The level of emotional intensity in the appeal would increase—“if you love your momma!”—as he tried to persuade everyone to give him money.

Paul didn't need to manipulate or beg and plead with the Macedonian churches to contribute to the collection he was taking among the Gentile churches for the church in Jerusalem. They weren't asked to give; they offered (vv. 3-4). The Macedonians were not a wealthy church, but they didn't swear off responsibility for the collection simply because times were hard and money was tight (v. 2). They were eager to give because they counted it a privilege (v. 4). They would have taken offense at Paul had he not given them this opportunity!

In mentioning the eagerness of the Macedonia churches, Paul knows full well that he is spurring the Corinthian churches on by a dose of healthy competition (v. . He wants the Corinthian churches to follow the Macedonians' example. He encourages the other evidences of God's work in the lives of the Corinthian believers, and now he says to excel in the practice of giving.He actually calls this the “grace of giving” (v. 7). Similarly he talks about the “grace” evidenced in the Macedonian church because of their giving (v. 1).

This kind of generosity, just like the love and forgiveness we've mentioned the past two days, is a measure of our health as both individual believers and churches. We measure what we've received from God by the extent to which we return it to others. If we've truly received God's forgiveness, we can't help but forgive. And if we've begun to experience the reality of riches in salvation in Jesus Christ (v. 9), we will gladly use our financial means to help other believers in Christ.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
What is your attitude when a worthy ministry or missionary asks for your financial support? Do you decide solely based upon your checkbook ledger? Do you give begrudgingly or generously? Are you at first enthusiastic about the idea but lazy with the follow-through? Imitate the Macedonians' great faithfulness (v. 2). They gave beyond their means and pleaded for the privilege of doing so! Their arms weren't twisted. They weren't driven by guilt but by devotion to Christ (v. 5).

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: 1 Thessalonians 1:1-10
You became a model to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia. - 1 Thessalonians 1:7
TODAY IN THE WORD
Just follow the pattern sounds like easy advice for anyone who wants to sew. It's simple for the seamstress or tailor, maybe, but many amateurs find sewing patterns far from simple. To open the pattern package, unfold the tissue, and then read and make sense of the corresponding instructions is a feat itself! What helps is a good pattern. It offers clear directions, visual aids, and sketches of the final product.

Paul has high praise for the church in Thessalonica. Their example of faith, hope, and love is a pattern for others to follow. As our key verse says, they have become a model for other churches. In fact, in many ways, the Thessalonians exemplify many of the healthy qualities that we have already discussed should be expected of the churches of Jesus Christ.

First, the Thessalonians are a church because of their identity in Jesus Christ (v. 3). Although their work and service are commendable, these don't make them a church. They are a church because they have believed the gospel message (v. 5; see March 2).

This belief, then, is proved genuine by their repentance (v. 9; see March 3). They gave up their former idolatry. When they turned toward Christ for salvation, they turned away from the idols they once worshiped. They didn't add God to a palette of various religious preferences. They accepted Christ as true and rejected idols as false.

Repentance leads to a resemblance to Christ (v. 6; see March 4). They now have different values, choices, and priorities—they want to imitate the Lord and walk in His steps. The Thessalonians are a good pattern for us to follow because they're following the pattern set before them of Christ Himself.

Finally, the Thessalonians embraced their mission from God. Their faith produced service and missionary zeal (v. . They jumped into God's purposes with both feet after their conversion.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Sometimes people like the Thessalonians make us envious. We wonder why we're not growing and spiritually maturing as they are. It's challenging to know that the Thessalonians aren't held up as an example because they are in some way extraordinary, “super-spiritual” people. They're just like us—if we are in Christ, being both loved by God and chosen by God (v. 4). We can be these kinds of churches when we surrender ourselves fully to the Lordship of Christ.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: 2 Timothy 3:14-4:5
In the presence of God and Christ Jesus . . . I give you this charge: Preach the Word. - 2 Timothy 4:1, 2a
TODAY IN THE WORD
Martin Luther, the great reformer, said, “God's people cannot be without God's Word, nor can God's Word be without a people.” He, like Christians from all centuries, recognized how vital Scripture is to the church of Jesus Christ. Our reading today helps us to see why we the church depend so completely on the Word of God.

One word captures why the church cannot survive without the Bible: “God-breathed” (v. 16). All Scripture originates with God. From Genesis to Revelation, the Bible isn't a book of human ingenuity. It is a record of divine communication, the thoughts of God communicated by the Spirit of God through human authors. We serve a personal God, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. He has always revealed Himself to His people, and He continues to reveal Himself today through His Word. This Word is not a dead historical record but a living Word today (cf. Heb. 4:12).

The church survives by this Word. How can we the church, and especially the leaders of the church, live up to the commands of this passage without the authority of God's Word? We have no basis from which to teach, rebuke, train, correct, or encourage without the authority of the Scriptures (3:16; 4:2).

These tasks would be impossible without God's Word. Without the Bible, any correction or any rebuke could be reduced to mere human opinion and could consequently be rejected or dismissed as just another way of looking at things. There is a qualitative difference between, “My pastor says . . .” and “God says . . .”

The church cannot exist without God's Word. The church is the community of the saved, and how could any of us be saved apart from the Scriptures making us “wise for salvation” (v. 15)? And if the church is a community of mission, how can we be equipped by the instruction and encouragement of God without the Scriptures to make us “thoroughly equipped for every good work” (v. 17)?
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
When tempted, Jesus reminded Satan that, “Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God” (Matt. 4:4). Does your church fulfill the command to “Preach the Word”? Events like the ordination of a gay bishop in the Episcopal Church remind us that we are in an era already where “men will not put up with sound doctrine” (v 3). The need now is even greater to be rooted in the truth of God's Word!

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: 1 Corinthians 11:23-26
For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes. - 1 Corinthians 11:26
TODAY IN THE WORD
Americans engage in rituals particular to our country. For instance, celebrating Thanksgiving with a traditional turkey feast and pumpkin pie is an American tradition. On July 4, many Americans attend a parade and watch fireworks to celebrate American independence. We also describe some things “as American as baseball and apple pie!”

Today's reading features the two most important practices or rituals for Christians—the celebration of the Lord's Supper and baptism. Both of these are prefigured in the Old Testament, and both proclaim the central message of Christianity.

Paul reminds us that the Lord's Supper began with Jesus' final meal with His disciples (v. 23). On the night that He was betrayed, Jesus celebrated the Passover meal with His disciples (cf. Luke 22:7-23). This meal commemorated God's deliverance of the Hebrews from the hands of the Egyptians (cf. Ex. 12). The slaughtered Passover lamb whose blood was spread on the doorframes of each Jewish house caused the angel of death to “pass over” that house.

Now because of Christ's blood shed on the cross, we, like the Israelites, escape death. When we eat the bread and drink the cup of the Lord's Supper, we remember how Christ, the Lamb of God (cf. John 1:29), was sacrificed for us. When we sit at the Lord's table, we remember this salvation and our great Savior. Remembrance becomes proclamation, announcing a message of life through the death of Jesus Christ (v. 26).

Similarly, baptism signifies salvation and is designed for proclamation. Matthew records the final commands of Jesus to His disciples, and baptism figures into Christ's final instructions. Clearly, all disciples should be baptized, not because baptism saves but because Christ was Himself baptized. It also symbolizes our union with Christ in death to sin as well as resurrection and redemption (cf. Rom. 6:4).
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
We can't seem to escape the fact that the church is group of people saved by God and now commissioned by God to witness and work for Him. Even the Lord's Supper and baptism demonstrate this. Does your church regularly baptize new believers? Have you been baptized? Do you regularly celebrate communion in your church? These essential aspects in the life of the church keep us grounded in the truth of our message.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: 1 Corinthians 5
Don’t you know that a little yeast works through the whole batch of dough? - 1 Corinthians 5:6
TODAY IN THE WORD
“There is room in this expansive church of ours for all—for those who agree with us and those who disagree, for those who seem to be innovating and those who see themselves as conserving the tradition—because it's not our church, it's the Body whom Jesus has called together.” This quote from an Episcopal bishop who supported the ordination of Gene Robinson (an openly gay man) as Bishop of New Hampshire, represents how many churches today have strayed from understanding judgment and church discipline.

This isn't a new phenomenon, however. The Corinthians were equally ignorant. The particular context here in Corinth was a case of grievous sexual immorality. This wasn't a gray issue. A man had sinned in such a way that it shocked even the pagans! Yet the Corinthians not only permitted the sin, they boasted of it!

In this passage, Paul outlines how and when it is proper to exercise Christian judgment. First, this doesn't apply to those who don't have the redeeming power of the Holy Spirit (v. 12). We shouldn't be surprised that unbelievers sin, nor should we disassociate ourselves from them (v. 10). But it can be expected that in the family of God we no longer deliberately engage in practices of immorality, greed, slander, or idolatry (v. 11). Such sin is “improper for God's holy people” (Eph. 5:3).

Judgment is necessary within the church to stop the pervasive and perverse influence that sin has on others (vv. 6, 7). Especially in a case like Corinth where the sin was quite public, such permissiveness has the effect of diluting the importance of Christian holiness. Moreover, confronting the sinner and excommunicating him from the fellowship was intended to have a restorative effect (v. 5).

For the health of the body, the leaders of the church must decide to “put out of . . . fellowship” (v. 2) those within the church who, with impunity, disregard the commands of God's Word for personal purity.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Does the act of excommunication seem unnecessarily harsh to you? Maybe it's because we've been so afraid in our churches to “pass judgment” even in matters of clear biblical teaching. Pray for such denominations as the Episcopal Church and the United Methodist Church who are waging war over such issues as homosexuality. Pray for a return to biblical authority and proper Christian judgment. And pray fervently for your church leaders as they have this difficult task of judging and disciplining those in your church.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: 1 Corinthians 3:1-5; Hebrews 5:11-6:1
Brothers, I could not address you as spiritual but as worldly–mere infants in Christ. - 1 Corinthians 3:1
TODAY IN THE WORD
When a baby is just born, her parents feed her milk exclusively. With only gums and immature swallowing reflexes, she is hardly ready for green beans and steak. Her stomach cannot yet digest solid food. The milk nourishes her until her body demands more calories to thrive.

We as believers and churches begin as newborn babes in Christ (cf. 1 Peter 2:2). Our diet consists of the milk of God's Word, the elementary teachings about Christ (Heb. 6:1). This diet is perfectly suited for our immature spiritual digestive systems. But the time must come for maturity and development. The body begins to grow and require solid food (1 Cor. 3:2; Heb. 6:12, 14).

When this doesn't happen, when believers stagnate in spiritual immaturity, they are like babies who fail to thrive. Both of the passages in today's reading point out several symptoms of this underdevelopment, when the believer or church is more worldly than godly (3:1). First, the patterns of thinking and behaving aren't spiritually adult or mature; rather, there is a lack of faith, purity, and hunger for the meat of God's Word. Second, where there should be unity and agreement, there is instead jealousy and arguing. When they should be rallying around the common cause of Christ, they are instead dividing themselves into factions (1 Cor. 3:3-4). Third, where there should be promotion from student to teacher, there is instead spiritual inertia (Heb. 5:12).

You can hear the frustration from the authors of these letters to the Corinthians and the Hebrews when they have to address these kinds of churches. Paul demonstrates that the immaturity of the Corinthians was an obstacle to his preaching and teaching: “I could not address you as spiritual” (3:1). The author of the Hebrews calls his readers “slow to learn” (5:11). The apostles want to “go on to maturity,” to throw away the spiritual pureed peas and get to the solid meat of discipleship (Heb. 6:1). They want to feed these churches solid food, but immaturity and underdevelopment prevents that.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
The only way a baby begins to learn to digest solid food is by a slow but consistent introduction of it. Spiritually speaking, the writer of Hebrews calls this the “constant use” of the Word of God (5:14).

We need “meals” of God's Word each day. Think of creating times of spiritual meals and snacks throughout your day by pausing to pray and read the Word several times a day.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Colossians 2:6-23
So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him. - Colossians 2:6
TODAY IN THE WORD
Almost three months have passed, and most of us have probably forgotten our New Year's resolutions. We meant to lose a few pounds and serve more at church, and for a couple of weeks, our resolutions paid off. But we turned the corner to February, then March, and our best intentions have failed us. It's often easy to begin a project, resolution, or task—but much harder to continue and finish.

The same is true for us spiritually, especially in the realm of faith in Christ. We do not depend upon our performance to begin this race; neither can we trust our own efforts to run this race. Yet churches find it so easy to fall into the trap of legalism. Where we begin in faith, we try to continue by works.

The Colossians faced this kind of heretical teaching in their church. That's why Paul's command to them is to “continue to live in [Christ]” (v. 6). In other words, he didn't want them exchanging faith for a works-oriented Christianity. He aims to help them see the contrast between trusting in Christ and trusting in rules.

Genuine salvation and sanctification happen because of Christ alone (vv. 6, 7). He is God (v. 9), and He is our victory over sin (vv. 12, 13). He is the source of our spiritual vitality and growth (v. 19). Our only hope for holiness is to stay connected with Christ. Everything—from the initial moment of salvation to our final sanctification—depends upon our union to Christ. The body must stay vitally connected to the Head.

The heretics at Colossae, on the other hand, emphasize “human commands and teachings” (vv. 8, 22), specific rules and prescriptions regarding matters from what one should eat to how one should observe the Sabbath (vv. 16, 20). The result was harsh condemnation against believers. What they said seemed right. Their rules had an “appearance of wisdom,” but because they originated with men and not Christ, they were powerless to restrain sin and promote holiness (v. 23).
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
It's much easier to follow rules than to follow the Rule Maker. That's why churches fall prey to legalism. Rules don't require that we think, pray, or keep learning. They are static and manageable. We are meant to feel in control when we master the rules. Following Christ, the Rule Maker, might be less predictable—but it's certainly more fulfilling and the only way to grow spiritually. Identify your own tendencies towards legalism and confess that as sin to God.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Matthew 24:36-51
Continue in him, so that when he appears we may be confident and unashamed before him at his coming. - 1 John 2:28
TODAY IN THE WORD
The first rule for a job interview: be on time! First impressions count, and what is your future employer to think if you arrive late? Best-case scenario, he'll figure that you may have gotten lost. Even still, he'll wish you had driven the route the day before and verified your directions. Worst-case scenario, he'll consider you lazy. Either way, you certainly can't count on getting hired.

Our passage today illuminates how the church needs to be ready for Jesus' second coming. Will He find us prepared, like the wise and faithful servant (vv. 45, 46)? Or will we resemble the wicked and foolish servant who failed to expect His master's return (vv. 48-50)?

The church of Jesus Christ can make herself ready for His return in three different ways. First, we should prepare for His coming just as Noah did (v. 37). Noah believed God when He said that He would flood the earth. He obeyed God by building an ark. For a period of many, many years, he woke up every day with a future reality as his compass. The flood is coming; I've got to be ready. Are our lives characterized by that kind of urgency? Are we fulfilling our individual callings? Are we warning our lost friends and neighbors about eternal punishment apart from Christ?

Second, the church can be ready by keeping watch. The entire chapter of Matthew 24 describes the events that foreshadow the coming of Christ. Are we looking at today's events with an eternal perspective? We don't know when Christ will come (vv. 36, 42), but we can and should be watchful.

Finally, we can be ready by choosing obedience rather than sin in our daily lives (v. 44). We don't know when to expect Christ. Will He come and find us shamefully disgracing His name and neglecting our responsibilities (v. 49)? Or will He find us faithfully and wisely executing His business?
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Consider the faithful example of Noah. He spent many years building the ark. He didn't get preoccupied with the stuff of life so much that he forgot what God had called him to do. In fact, his calling became the very stuff of his life. He also didn't allow himself to be influenced by the wickedness of his generation (cf. Gen. 6). Are you, like Noah, faithfully working for God day by day? Are you, like Noah, walking with God rather than the crowd?

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Revelation 21:1-4, 22-27
“Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God.” - Revelation 21:3
TODAY IN THE WORD
When a construction project begins, a lot of work happens before the first scoop of dirt is excavated. Before the framing, the concrete pouring, or the digging, the architect must design the blueprints for the house. Those blueprints are but a shadow of the reality of that house. But what satisfaction comes when the house is built and the architect can sit back to admire his work!

We started our study this month with God's blueprint for the world. “I will build my church,” Jesus announced (Matt. 16:18). We're still in the construction phase of the project, but this passage from Revelation gives us the rewarding glimpse of the finished product to come.

The church will be the radiant bride of Christ (v. 2). She will finally be made perfect (v. 27). There will no longer be a need for forgiveness and conflict resolution. This glorified church will never have to practice the discipline of its members. We will be completely free from sin and its power to destroy us and our relationships. And freedom from sin will open the way for the completion of God's plan of redemption. From the beginning of time, God has intended to walk with His people. The church of Jesus Christ today is but a partial fulfillment of this plan; here in Revelation we see the final completion of that plan. God will finally live with us and among us. He will be our God and we will be His people (v. 3).

Notice the centrality of the Lamb in this final vision of the church. He is our access to his holy city (v. 27). He is our temple, and He makes His dwelling with men along with God Almighty (v. 22). He is the triumphant glory that illuminates the church (v. 23). The church exists for the worship of Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, and we can look forward to the day when we'll do this face to face.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
The redeemed church, as we see here in Revelation 21, is glorious—but it still doesn't compare to the glory of the Lamb (v. 23). Spend time reflecting on what you've learned about the church this month, and in particular about Christ, the Head and Husband of the church. Worship Him for His love and loyalty to His people. Thank Him for His plan of redemption that He began in the Garden of Eden and that He will finally accomplish!

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Matthew 28:18-20
May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. - 2 Corinthians 13:14
TODAY IN THE WORD
The movie Star Wars follows the adventures of young Luke Skywalker, who rescues the beautiful princess Leia and saves the galaxy from the evil Darth Vader. In the process, the aged Obi Wan Kenobi instructs Luke in the ways of “the Force”—a power that mysteriously guides and protects Luke as he battles evil. Throughout this movie, the defenders of good encourage one another with the benediction, “May the Force be with you.”

Unlike the impersonal Force, the Holy Spirit is a Person who intimately lives within believers. Yet for many Christians, the Holy Spirit seems more like the nebulous Force of Star Wars than the third Person of the Trinity. This false thinking impacts the way that we relate to the Holy Spirit and understand His ministry. We can never appreciate God's great gift of the Holy Spirit if we think of Him as some impersonal force or power!

Many Christians have a hard time understanding the Holy Spirit, so this month we'll explore what the Bible teaches us about Him and His ministry. We begin by stressing that the Holy Spirit is completely equal with the Father and the Son, as our passage from Matthew affirms. Before His ascension, Jesus charged His disciples to make new disciples. Then He instructed them to baptize and teach new converts. Baptizing in “the name of” signified the allegiance of the converts to the triune God: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

It's clear from this command that the Holy Spirit is an equal member of the Godhead. This same truth is expressed in Paul's benediction to the Corinthians, our verse for today. It may be helpful to think of the three members of the triune God in this way: 1 x 1 x 1 = 1. Each member of the Trinity is one person and together they comprise the one God.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Describing the Holy Spirit as the third member of the Trinity helps to understand His ministry. The Father sends His Son to pay for our sin; then the Holy Spirit makes Jesus Christ's atoning work effective within us. In his book, The Holy Spirit, Billy Graham writes, “If we wish to . . . live victoriously, we need this two-sided gift God has offered us: first, the work of the Son of God for us; second, the work of the Spirit of God in us.”

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Genesis 1:1-2; 2:7; Psalm 104:24-30
The Spirit of God has made me; the breath of the Almighty gives me life. - Job 33:4
TODAY IN THE WORD
Have you ever tried to explain the wind? You can't see the wind, but you can feel it, either as a gentle breeze or as a gale-force storm. But what exactly is the wind? Where does it come from? Wind is a form of solar energy created when the atmosphere circulates around the earth. But even those who can explain the wind can't predict its behavior. Weather forecasters can tell us that it will be a windy day, but they can't tell us what exactly the wind will do at any given time of day or in any given place!

Scripture uses the image of wind to help us understand the Spirit. We can see the effects of the Spirit in people's lives, even though we can't physically see the Spirit Himself. In the Old Testament, the same Hebrew word, ruach, can be used to mean either “wind,” “breath,” or “spirit.” The same is true for the Greek word, pneuma, used in the New Testament.

We can see this overlap in the creation account. Genesis 2:7 tells us that after God formed Adam, He breathed the breath of life into him. Apart from this breath of life, the work of the Spirit, Adam wouldn't have been alive.

Notice also today's verse from Job, where the Spirit is described as the breath of God in words that echo Genesis 2:7. In Genesis 1:2 we are told that the Spirit was hovering over the waters. Here we have another image of the Spirit, like a hen brooding over her eggs, both to bring forth life and to protect the young chicks.

Psalm 104 extends our understanding of the Spirit and the creation of all living things. Here we see that when God takes away His breath or Spirit, creatures die (v. 29). Verse 30 tells us that the Spirit is active in both creating life and in renewing, or sustaining, life.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
In Life in the Spirit, Thomas Oden writes, “The Spirit of God moves to bring order from chaos, elegance from emptiness, making beautiful in its own way each creature touched.”

This also describes the Spirit's work in our new life as believers. Just as the Spirit hovered over creation to bring new physical life, so too He hovers over our lives, making us a new creation in Christ (2 Cor. 5:17).

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Isaiah 63:7-14
I am with you . . . [as] I covenanted with you when you came out of Egypt. And my Spirit remains with you. - Haggai 2:5
TODAY IN THE WORD
On July 9, 2005, a special birth occurred. Initial photos showed a tiny pink object, weighing about four ounces, clinging to its mother. Weeks later, when the baby's eyes began to open, new photos emerged, and the public fell in love with Tai Shan—Panda fever began!

Because baby panda bears are so helpless, the mother must hold the baby next to her for its first few weeks, constantly suckling and licking the tiny cub, which squeals often and loudly!

This care and devotion helps us to picture God's grace and mercy with His children. Exodus 12-18 records how God powerfully rescued His people from bondage in Egypt. Centuries later, the prophet Isaiah reflected back on the Exodus in light of God's coming judgment upon the sinful nation Judah. Isaiah helps us to understand the Spirit's constant presence during the Exodus.

Today's passage begins with praise for God's numerous kindnesses on behalf of the house of Israel. Because God had called His people from Egypt as His very children, He expected that they would remain faithful to Him (v. . As He led them forth, their distresses became His very own distresses. Like a devoted parent, He lifted His people and carried them.

But instead of gratitude, God received rebellion! The Exodus account records that the Lord sent His angel before His people to guide them, sternly warning them not to rebel against this angel (Ex. 23:21). Yet the people did rebel, repeatedly, and Isaiah 63:10 shows that this rebellion was actually against the Holy Spirit. The consequences were horrific: God had to contend with His own people as He would with an enemy.

Despite this rebellion, God continued to deal with His people with grace and mercy, as today's passage shows. With the Holy Spirit in their midst, God led Moses and the people through the Red Sea and to a place of rest (vv. 11-14).
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Isaiah 63 teaches us three important aspects of the Holy Spirit's work. First, He guides God's people. This is no less true today than it was during the Exodus. Second, our rebellion grieves the Holy Spirit. Paul identifies this rebellion as unwholesome speech, anger, bitterness, slander, and malice (Eph. 4:30). Finally, the Spirit leads us into God's promised rest. Just as cattle eagerly enter a grassy plain, so too the Spirit leads us into God's Sabbath rest (Heb. 4:9).

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Exodus 31:1-11; 35:30-35
The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being. - Hebrews 1:3
TODAY IN THE WORD
The cathedral in Chartres, France, completed in 1223, is one of the most beautiful cathedrals ever built. Inside, a sense of lightness and soaring space was designed to draw one's eyes toward heaven. Stained glass windows portray Bible stories. Outside, ornate stone carvings depict Christ's glorious return. These medieval architects understood the power of the physical materials to portray the spiritual reality.

This is a very biblical perspective, as we see by looking at God's purposes for the tabernacle. As the people wandered through the wilderness, God commanded Moses to build a tabernacle where God could meet with His people. Today's passages record how the Spirit of God came upon two individuals, Bezalel and Oholiab, to give them the skills, abilities, and knowledge necessary to construct the tabernacle according to God's plan.

The instructions that Moses received from God for the tabernacle (outlined in Ex. 26) specify that its curtains were to be made of fine blue, purple, and scarlet linen with cherubim woven into them, and were to be hung with gold clasps. The supporting beams of the tabernacle were covered in gold. Inside the tabernacle, the altar of incense and the table of showbread were also covered with gold, and the lampstand was made of pure gold. But the most beautiful object was the ark of the covenant, inside the Holy of Holies, which was also covered entirely with gold. These were the objects that the Spirit of God came upon Bezalel and Oholiab to make, as well as all the tabernacle's other objects, made of silver, bronze, stone, and wood.

The tabernacle was exceedingly beautiful. But God's purpose was not just to construct a beautiful building. Instead, the tabernacle, constructed by means of the Spirit, gave a physical picture of God's holiness, glory, and order—a stark contrast to the barren desert all around! Located in the center of the camp, the tabernacle also showed that God was the center of every aspect of life.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
The Spirit filled Bezalel and Oholiab to make beautiful objects that portrayed God's eternal glory and holiness. John Calvin wrote, “The tabernacle was a sort of visible image of God.” The fullest image of God, however, is revealed in Jesus Christ, as seen in today's verse from Hebrews. John 1:14 could be translated, “The Word became flesh and tabernacled among us.” Using a Bible dictionary, learn more about how the tabernacle and the account in Exodus 24-31 anticipate Jesus Christ, the radiance of God's glory.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Numbers 11:4-29
My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest. - Exodus 33:14
TODAY IN THE WORD
Some people may think of the apostle Paul as a kind of lone ranger, always off doing his own thing. Nothing could be further from the truth! The New Testament records nearly one hundred individuals who were connected with Paul's ministry in one way or another. Although we can only imagine how Paul might have encouraged his coworkers, we get a glimpse of it in his words to the Ephesian elders: “Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God” (Acts 20:28).

Centuries earlier, Moses also learned the valuable lesson that he also needed Spirit-led leaders. All along, the Lord assured Moses of His presence, as today's verse records. Significantly, the Lord gave Moses this assurance just after the people worshiped the golden calf; today's passage follows another rebellious episode. After weeks of miraculous manna and supernatural water, the people complained because they had no meat! Their constant grousing brought Moses to the end of his rope, and he prayed that God would end his life right then and there!

The Lord heard Moses' real prayer (v. 14), and raised up elders to help Moses. These seventy elders weren't to minister in their own strength, so the Lord promised that the same Spirit that rested upon Moses would be on them.

The text doesn't explain why the elders prophesied or what they said (v. 25). Later, two elders, Eldad and Medad, who hadn't been at the Tent of Meeting, also prophesied when the Spirit came upon them. Perhaps this was a way of letting others know that the Spirit was indeed upon these men.

More important, Moses recognized that the Spirit wasn't limited to one individual, but was to be shared by all leaders appointed by God. This explains Moses' wish in verse 29; he knew that God's people could never have too much of the Spirit's leading.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
As we've seen, throughout the Old Testament the Spirit rested upon specific individuals for specific tasks. Yet Moses' wish (v. 29) anticipates the Spirit's coming at Pentecost. Since then, all believers receive the Holy Spirit at their conversion. Even so, it's right to pray that the Spirit would be with our spiritual leaders in a special way, enabling them to guide God's people with wisdom. Take time this week to pray for your pastor and other spiritual leaders.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Judges 13:24-15:20
But [Samson] did not know that the Lord had left him. - Judges 16:20
TODAY IN THE WORD
The successes and scandals of televangelist Jim Bakker are well-known. By the early 1980s, the PTL Club had over twelve million viewers and Heritage USA was the third most popular theme park in the United States. Yet somewhere along the line, the Bakkers lost sight of the Lord. In 1989, Jim Bakker was convicted of fraud and tax evasion. A journalist wrote: “[The Bakkers] epitomized the excesses of the 1980s; the greed, the love of glitz, and the shamelessness.”

That comment could well apply to Samson, Israel's final judge. The book of Judges presents the following cycle. First, the people fall away from the Lord and are oppressed by foreigners. Then they cry out the Lord, who sends a “judge,” or deliverer. Once delivered, the people enjoy rest . . . until they rebel again.

In the midst of this depressing cycle, the Lord faithfully provided leaders upon whom His Spirit rested, such as Gideon, Deborah, and Samson. Samson's birth was a miracle, because his mother was barren. Despite being led by the Spirit early on (13:25), Samson was a man driven by his own lusts.

An ominous omission begins the Samson cycle—the people do not cry to the Lord for deliverance! Apparently they're content to live with the Philistines. Even worse, Samson wants to marry a Philistine instead of delivering the Israelites from them! Later, when he kills thirty Philistines, it's for his own revenge (14:19), not the Lord's name. The same is true in the incident involving the foxes.

It is also significant that Samson fails to give glory to God for his Spirit-enabled strength; when he kills a lion, he keeps the incident to himself (14:6). Later, when the Israelites bind their “deliverer” to hand him over to the Philistines, Samson takes credit for breaking the ropes, when it was clearly the Spirit's work. Although he eventually destroyed many Philistines (16:30), it was again for his own revenge. Samson's life is a sad picture of greed, glitz, and shamelessness.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Of all the judges, Samson had the greatest potential, but his lack of concern for spiritual things and his misappropriation of God's gifts eventually caused the Lord to depart from him. After Pentecost, the Spirit no longer rests on individuals temporarily, but is always with a believer. Even so, it's still possible for a Christian to stumble badly. Thankfully, even after our most grievous, embarrassing, public falls, repentance and restoration is possible if we call out to the Lord.