Day 23: When You Can't Take The Credit

Read
Judges 7:1-7

Think?
When did I try something and did it myself and when did I try something and God pulled it off? I know there were times when I was leading worship where I did it in my own strength and others where it was God. I was teaching the junior high Sunday school class was Sunday and didn't have a lesson prepared (bad teacher, I know!). I opened the Bible to Romans 8 and started reading, beginning at verse 1. What unfolded was one of the deepest conversations I've ever had about the Christian life and it was with junior highers! It was totally a God moment.

CJ

Day 22: An Unqualified Yes

Read
Joshua 24:16-24

Pray/Think/Live
I can so relate to Israel in this passage. They're extremely passionate about worship God, saying they'll never forsake Him and worship other gods. But if you look at history (their future), they did not keep the promise. Time and again, they strayed off the path and then came back around. I can honestly say that I've done that before, being really close to God for a while and then let my relationship grow cold. I hate that can say that, too. I think we have to realize that it takes a conscious effort to stay close, we have to work at all the time (just a lot like other things in life). I feel like God has been working on me in several things and for all of it to really stick, I have to work at remaining close to Him. I'm willing to do the work.

CJ

Still a slacker!

I obviously didn't get back on the wagon "tomorrow," which would have been March 27th. So now a month later, I resume the Solo.

Slacker!

I have been such a slacker lately! I haven't done my devotions in a
while and I missing them. I'll get back on the wagon tomorrow.

CJ

Day 21: God Encounters

On this seventh day, review and reflect on all you have read this week. Take the time to revel in the ways you've encountered God in the past six days.

Day 20: Slow Down and Inquire

Read
Joshua 9:3-9,11,14-16

Pray
God of Peace, please show me any attachments that keep me from doing your will. Whether they are people, tasks or organizations, please show me. I want above all things to do you will and to be rid of those things that keep me from it. Amen.

CJ

Day 19: Courageous When It Counts

Read
Joshua 1:1-9

Think
Embracing the words of verse 9 is not hard for me. I've seen God guide and protect my family so many times throughout the years that to not trust Him seems silly. Its human nature to get scared over the unknown, but God helps you overcome that. When my wife and I moved to Orlando, I knew God would be with us, guiding us, and would not allow us to fall because it was His will.
I get scared when I think about the future and making sure I can provide for my family. It's not just human nature, it also comes with being a man.

Pray
Provider of All Things, You know what I get scared about - providing for my family and the future. I know You that You've heard me and I thank You for that. I know that You will provide in Your perfect time and I thank You for that. Amen.

Live
When you find yourself i situations that expose your fears, remember the promises of God - His presence and his guidance for you into the future.

CJ

Day 18: Leaving a Legacy

Read
Deuteronomy 34:1-4

Think
I think God takes disobedience (i.e. sin) so seriously because He knows what's He's doing and He's always right. When we disobey or sin, we're following the commands of God. I am really learning how to trust the promises of God. If He's always right and knows what He's doing, I have to listen and trust Him.

Pray
Payor of Sin-Debt, I need Your help to live a life of faith and obedience. Doing it on my own doesn't work. I have to Your help, Your guidance, Your love to do it. Help me honor You at all times. I love You and thank You for all You've done. Amen.

Live
Think of Moses-like people you kow - older, godly individuals living faithfully for God. Consider connecting with them and getting to know them and their stories.

CJ

Day 17: You Were Once Slaves

Read
Deuteronomy 24:10-15,17-22

Think
The common theme that links the scenarios is that God is providing ways to take care of the destitute, foreigner, orphan and widow. He takes care of the lowly, meek, forgotten, helpless.

Pray
More often than not, I've ignored the homeless beggar. There have been a few times when I've felt God nudge me to give something (either my lunch or some money). Anymore I think things like "I wonder where his/her Lexus is parked?" (thanks Dateline) or the typical "he/she just wants alcohol" and haven't given anything.

Live
Now look back at the theme you wrote down from the passage and at the traits you noticed about God. How do you picture this God responding to you as you think about the situation you faced? Do you sense Him speaking a personal message to you? What is it? (If you have a tendency to assume what God's response would be, say, something similar to what an authority figure in your life might say, resist that.) IF you feel clueless about what God might be saying to you, offer this up to Him and ask Him to show you in the coming weeks.

CJ

Day 16: Live In His Presence

Read
Deuteronomy 10:12-21

Think
Read the passage alound slowly again.

1. What phrase is the most memorable? But it was your ancestors who God fell in love with; he picked their children - that's you! - out of all the other peoples.
2. What quality of God stands out to you? He takes loving care of foreigners by seeing that they get food and clothing. Why? As citizens of heaven, we are foreigners on this world and my God is a God who provides for foreigners.
3. What command stands out to you? You must treat foreigners with the same loving care. Why? We have to learn how to treat our fellow man well - they're foreigners, too.

Pray
Here are some ways to pray back the passage. Use as many of these suggestions as you wish.

• Express to God your thoughts about living in His presence. Has living in His presence been important to you or not?
• Express to God those areas in which you would guess he considers you "hardheaded." (Pause and let this come to you. Don't necessarily go with the first thing that comes to mind.)
• Express to God your feelings about the have-nots you know (widows, orphans, foreigners). Talk to God honestly about how willing or unwilling you've been to include such people in your life.

Live
Experiment with living in God's presence while acring for the rest of the world. Relax. Quiet yourself. Just be.

CJ

Day 15: Listen!

Read
Dueteronomy 6:1-9

Think
How seriously do you take the words of God? Wow, this is a hard question. If I took it seriously, I would be following all of God's commands but I have to be honest and say that I'm not following all of them. I can't beat myself over it though. God works on different things at different points in your life, sometimes using scripture you've read a hundred times before to teach you something new. I can say I'm growing to love the words of God more and more.

Pray
Slowly and reverently, pray the words found in verse 4 and 5: "Hear, O Church! The Lord is our God, the Lord alone! Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength." (I used Deuteronomy 6:4-5 and Luke 10:27 with footnoes from the NIV and changed Israel to Church to make it more personal). Repeat those words over and over again, letting what the words ask of you to sink into your heart.

Live
Memorize the words you just prayed, and pray them as often as you memorize them.

Day 14: God Encounters

On this seventh day, review and reflect on all you ahve read this week. Take the time to revel in the ways you've encountered God in the past six days.

Day 13: God of the Asylum-City

Read
Numbers 35:9-15

Think
Spend time thinking about the God who is making Himself known here. Jot down a few words to describe Him.
Just
Merciful
Kind
Refuge

Pray
For a moment, set aside this passage. CHeck in with yourself-explore recent thoughts, feelings, and events in your life and how you're responded to them. Bring your thoughts to the God who created asylum-cities. Read the verses again. As you do, picture God entering the room. How do you relate to His presence? Does sharing your thoughts make you uncomfortable? Why or why not?
I want to start telling Him what is on my mind. I know He knows it already, but I also know He wants us to tell Him. He cares for and loves us and wants to be involved in the everyday activities.

Live
Think about what it's been like for you to be with the God who is both a God of justice and a God of refuge. Has it left you with questions or with new thoughts on how you want to deal with your sin in the future?
When I'm feeling tempted, I need to run to the God of Refuge. He's there to protect from it and to give me strength to run away from it. When I do sin, I need to run to the God of Forgiveness and repent of my sin.

CJ

Day 12: A Different Story

Read
Numbers 14:17-24

Think
What impresses me most about God is that He forgives even when we doubt Him. If I was god, I would probably would have zapped the whole human race out of existence for all the times we've doubted, sinned, gone astray, worshipped false idols, etc.
What impresses me most about Caleb is that he followed God passionately and was rewarded for it.

Pray
Forgiver of sin and doubt, I know I am more like the children of Israel in this story and I ask for Your forgiveness. Give me a spirit like Caleb, to live passionately for You, to not doubt You, to take risks for You. Amen.

Live
Imagine what it would feel like to have such trust in God that you would be willing to take whatever next steps God presents to you. Imagine what it would be like to be so different from others that you might be excluded because of it.

CJ

Day 11: Don't Forget

Read
Numbers 9:4-5,9-12

Think
I am most prone to forget who God is or what He's done when I get stuck in a rut or get in a period where I'm just going through the motions. I get stuck sometimes just doing or being and my mind wanders from God. I know that's where He longs for me to realize He's with me just like He is when things are bad or busy or great or or or or.... He loves me so much that He wants to be in the middle of the good times and the bad times and the come-whatever times.

CJ

Day 10: My Holy Name

Read
Leviticus 22:1-8

Think
The instructions state to notice if you're drawn towards or repelled from God as you read the passage. To be honest, I don't feel either. I know that I'm not a descendant of Aaron, I'm not a priest, I don't live under the Law and that Jesus fulfilled the Law so I can live under grace. I'm unclean after I have sex with my wife? God gave us marital sex so how can it make me unclean? I've never touched a corpse and don't plan on it. If I have a skin disease or discharge, I'm going to the doctor for some antibiotics. I find it difficult to have a reaction to this passage because I feel like it doesn't apply to me.

CJ

Dasy 9: Letting Go of Sin

Read
Leviticus 16:20-22

Think
The practice in this passage may seem odd today. It was also odd in those days because instead of killing a near-perfect animal, this animal would be allowed to live.

Read the passage again.

1. Picture yourself laying your hands on this precious animal's head. Even better, hold a stuffed animal, figurine, or even your pet, and put your hands on its head.
2. Confess to God your acts or rebellion, your bad attitudes, and your harsh thoughts about others.
3. Experience the feeling of transferring your sin to this animal. (Don't feel sorry for the animal. God didn't give it the capacity to take on hurt or guilt from your sin.)
4. See yourself sending it off as it takes your sin away from you.

Pray
No amount of words will ever be adequate or quite right, but thank you for taking away my sin and allowing me to be in relationship with You.

Live
Quiet your mind and wait on God to show you situations in which you need to remember what you just did. Practice resting assured of God's love in those situations as you are resting assured now.

Day 8: The Necessity of Sacrifice

Read
Leviticus 4:32-35

Think
I don't know why God required sacrifices and offerings were to be done in such a unique manner. All I know is that "without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness" (Hebrews 9:22). No, I don't think God was cruel for requiring animals to be killed as offerings to Him. He created them all and put us over them. I can only trust that He knew what He was doing. Jesus fulfilled the Law (i.e. sacrifices) when He died on the cross. There is now no Holy of Holies, there is now no temple veil, there is now no priest I have to go through to talk with God. All we have to do is accept Jesus' offering and follow His commands. God takes sin so seriously because it separates us from Him. He created us to be in relationship with Him and sin keeps that from happening. The sacrifices God looks for now are a "broken and contrite heart" (Psalm 51:17), confession (Psalm 38:18), and repentance (Acts 2:38).

Pray
Ask God to help you understand the severity of your own sin. Thank God that He sent Jesus, the Lamb of God, to come and be the sacrifice for your sins.

Live
Knowing that God has provided the ultimate sacrifice through His Son, Jesus, consider sharing this great truth with someone today. As your drive, walk, work, and relax, whisper under your breath, "Thank you, Jesus," each time you remember the sacrifice He made for your sins.

Day 7: God Encounters

On this seventh day, review and reflect on all you have read this week. Take the time to revel in the ways you've encountered GOd in the past six days.

Day 6: God Reveals Himself

Read
Exodus 33:21-34:7

Live
Envision the way God is present to you right now.
What posture does He have? He's sitting with me at the computer.
What expression is on His face? A look of fatherly love, concern, jealousy ("How He Loves" is coming to mind).
If He speaks to you, what tone does His voice hold? Joy
Ask Him to enhance-and correct, if necessary-in the coming months this picture of how you see Him, through the Bible passages you read and through your experiences.

CJ

Day 5: The Bread God Has Given

I want to share today's devotion instead of my response to it. What I've complained about can't be discussed out in the open yet, if ever. It's nothing bad, but I'm waiting for a change.

Read
Exodus 16:9-16
Read the passage aloud. Have fun pronouncing man-hu in different ways. If you'd like, read the expanded passage to get a picture of the complaining that came before this and the obsessive hoarding that came after (Exodus 16 from The Message). Both give us a picture of the neediness of the Israelites at this time.

Thinking
Read the passage again slowly, pausing to feel each emotion of the Israelites:

• the deep neediness of complaining
• the excitement of seeing the glory of God visible in the Cloud
• the perplexity of seeing this strange bread from heaven
• the satisfaction of having enough

Then consider: If you were to complain to God right now, what would your complaint be? (Don't choose this yourself; wait and let it come to you.) In what ways, if any, have you been perplexed by God's response to your complaining? How might God have truly provided enough but you didn't recognize it as God's bread from heaven-exactly what you needed?

Pray
If you haven't formally complained to God about this matter, do so. Ask God to show you how he has provided you with enough, even though you still might wonder.

Live
Sit in the quiet and feel God's "enoughness" in your body. Where do you feel it? In arms that are full? In a quiet mind? In a stomach that feels full? In muscles that work well? If you can really mean it, try delighting in this enoughness.

CJ

Day 4: Learning to Pay Attention

Read

Exodus 3:1-6

Think
I have experienced God in a unique manner several times in my life. I remember being at the ocean in Souther California while on vacation with my parents and sister, gazing out of the overcast sky and rolling ocean. I became overwhelmed as a sense of insignificance rolled over me. My burning bush that day was the ocean and God was reminding me of His holiness and power. I was teaching the high school Sunday School class and one Sunday, I had not prepared for it. I grabbed my Bible and we started discussing our way through Romans 8. My burning bush that day was a group of teens and God spoke and moved through all of our lives that day.
I have never really understood why God said or what He meant when He said, “Remove your sandals from your feet. You’re standing on holy ground,” but I have heard Him say to it me before. I was the worship leader at my church and remember several worship services where the Holy Spirit was moving, people were being saved and healed and I distinctly remember hearing God say to me, “Remove your shoes from your feet. You’re standing on holy ground.” It felt so natural and right to do in those circumstances.

CJ

Day 3: A Picture of Forgiveness

Read

Genesis 50:15-21

Think
When Joseph received their message, he wept.

Pray
I have been on both ends of forgiveness. There have been points in my life where I know people intended me harm but God used that situation for good, either to bless or teach. My dad has said that until you take someone off your hook, God can’t put them on His – meaning He won’t do what He needs/wants to until we’ve done our part and forgiven that person for what they did. There have also been points in my life where I have sinned against people. If someone has the grace and mercy to forgive you something, no matter how grievious it was, it’s a reminder of the forgiveness God has extended to us, even when we don’t deserve it.
After reading this scripture several times this morning, I believe God is reminding me that I’m forgiven and that He wants me to live for Him now and not in the past.

CJ

Day 2: Wresting In The Night

Read
Genesis 32:22-32

Pray
God, I desperately want to know you more. You are the creator of the universe and I want to know my Creator. You are the Giver of Life and I want to know life and that more abundantly. You are the Savior of the World and I want to know my Savior. You are the Risen Lamb of God and I want to know that resurrection power. You are Sovereign over everything and I don’t want to be in charge anymore. You are my Banner and I will follow You. You are the Bread of Life and I will look to You to provide. You are eternal and I am a vapor. You are the Holy Spirit and I want You in my everyday life. Amen.

CJ

Day 1: Desire for Reconciliation

Read
Genesis 3:1-10

Think
Lately, I’ve felt like my relationship with God has been lacking. Yeah, I’ve felt Him move at church and in my small group’s discussions but it’s felt like I’ve just been going through the motions (great song, by the way). God tells us to give of our money, so I give. God tells us to use our talents, so I use my talents. God tells to worship, so I worship. But after reading Genesis 3:1-10, I wonder if I’ve been doing just enough to hear God because I’m really scared of what He might do if He came close, so I hide from him. My small group has been going through Francis Chan’s book Crazy Love. Chapter 4 talks about how lukewarm Christians want to be in control and play it safe. But there’s a cost to following God. 1 Chronicles 21:24 states: “But King David replied to Araunah, “No, I insist on paying the full price. I will not take from the Lord what is yours, or sacrifice a burnt offering that costs me nothing.” I feel like my relationship with God so far has cost me nothing. It’s scary to say this, but I’m ready for God to move in my life, to know His crazy, overwhelming love, and to respond to it with all that I am.

CJ

Day 0: The Beginning

In response to a discussion question at my small group last night, I've decided to blog my way through Eugene Peterson's (uncommon) devotional The Message//Remox: Solo. It uses an ancient practice (which I love learning about) called "lectio divina," or divine reading. It provides 4 tools to dive into each day's assigned reading. They are:

Read - Uncover biblical wisdom and revelations as you learn to read without the typical limitations that often cut Bible reading short.

Think - Immerse yourself in the passage as you place yourself in the story or meditate on words and phrases.

Pray - Connect with him through listening prayer and praise as you encounter new ways to communicate with God.

Live - Rest, reflect, or do as you discover how to take the Word with you throughout the day.
(taken from amazon.com's description of the book)

I will post my responses to 1 or more tools each day. Feel free to
comment, or better yet, start your own journey through scripture and
closer to God and His crazy love.

CJ