Team Daily Bible Reading for September 2023

316Judith

September 1, 2023

Bible Reading:

Romans 5:2-4
1 Corinthians 1

Commentary Thoughts:by Tony Evans

DAY 3

The apostle Paul took his commitment to
telling the truth seriously. That’s why we
read in his own words a pretty stark summation of his life, showing how God has cared for him amidst a mass of suffering, as found in 2 Corinthians 1.

In contemporary language, that would be classified as severe depression. There’s no way to sugar-coat someone writing that they “despaired even of life.” And yet, what I find interesting in all of this is that Paul is also probably the most mature Christian who has ever lived.

He stands head and shoulders above most others when it comes to boldly declaring the faith, representing Jesus and suffering for His cause.

I want to remind all of us whose hearts may hurt that we are not talking about a bad man in pain when we reference Paul and learn from him.

We are looking at a good man hurting—a godly man hurting. He’s a man hurting even as a result of the things he was doing to advance God’s kingdom in the world!

See, a lot of believers think that if they follow Jesus, serve Him and love Him, they are not supposed to hurt.

This world comes with trouble. It just does.

The sooner we can accept that reality and stop ourselves from trying to spiritualize every painful situation, loss or difficulty we encounter, we will be better positioned to weather it well.

People get sick on this planet. People die.

People get abused. Go hungry. Lose relationships. Accidents happen. Careers go south. Loneliness lingers.

As I referenced earlier, Jesus reminded us that this world comes with troubles and tribulations (John 16:33).

But the difference for kingdom followers
comes in knowing that because of Jesus in us, we can overcome the onslaught of hurtful scenarios we face.

316Judith

Bible Reading for Saturday and Sunday:

Job 23
James 1:2-4
James 1:12

Commentary Thoughts

DAY 4

One of the most well-known biblical characters who understood and wrote about hurtful seasons is Job. During his darkest days, he said that he did not sense God’s presence. Even though he was known as a righteous man, he felt alone, lost and in pain.

In Job 23 we read, “Behold, I go forward but He is not there, and backward, but I cannot perceive Him; When He acts on the left, I cannot see Him; He turns to the right, but I cannot see Him” (vs. 8-9).

Don’t be fooled. Life does hurt. There are different levels at different times for different people, but suffering is something we all share. We all cry. No matter how much we love Jesus, we all find ourselves in times of tears and sorrow, even periods of depression.

But like Paul, who had even reached what many would term a suicidal level of depression, having “despaired even of life” we can discover how to dignify our difficulties through one key decision: focusing on God.

It is in God where we will find the comfort we need.

Paul reminds us of this time and again in the same chapter where he outlines his pains and struggles (2 Corinthians 1).

Comfort.

The Greek word for “comforter” used in 2 Corinthians 1 is the word paraclete. It is the same root term used about the Holy Spirit when Jesus said God will send us someone to help us in John 14:16, “I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever….”

Thus, in every affliction, trouble, hurt, pain, distress or difficulty of life that you may be facing, there is a Comforter. God comforts those who
need it most.

316Judith

Bible Reading

Judges 6:1-24

Commentary Thoughts

In Judges, the people of Israel had entered the Promised Land; however, as a result of their rebellion against God, they found themselves perpetually under the rule of other tribes. 

In the midst of one of these periods of judgment, God called out a man named Gideon to deliver Israel from the rule of the Midianites (Judge 6:1-24).

Gideon faced tremendous odds in leading a rebellious people against an overwhelming enemy—an enemy described as 

“Like locusts for number; both they and their camels were innumerable” (Judges 6:5).

Like Gideon, we can rest assured that even in the face of incredible turmoil, God can still be known as Jehovah Shalom (the Lord is peace) when the ultimate source of turmoil and the true source of peace are understood. 

316Judith

Bible Reading

Judges 6:1-6
Judges 6:13
Judges 6: 8-10
Isaiah 57: 20-21

Commentary Thoughts: From Jehovah Shalom, New Daily Bible Reading from Tony Evans

Israel’s ultimate source of turmoil was the sin of idolatry.

The Hebrew word shalom (peace) can be defined as a life put together, a life characterized by a sense of wholeness and well-being.

Certainly, this term could not be applied to the Israelites who were cowering in the caves of their land under the oppressive power of the Midianites (Judges 6:1-6). When the angel of the Lord came to Gideon to commission him to fight the Midianites, Gideon gave voice to Israel’s sense of turmoil and desperation:

“O my lord, if the Lord is with us, why then has all this happened to us? And where are all His miracles which our fathers told us about, saying ‘Did not the Lord bring us up from Egypt?’” (Judges 6:13).

The answer to Gideon’s question, however, had already been given in Judges 6:8-10 through the mouth of an anonymous prophet sent to Israel:

“Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, ‘It was I who brought you up from Egypt and brought you out from the house of slavery…’ I said to you, ‘I am the Lord your God; you shall not fear the gods of the Amorites in whose land you live. But you have not obeyed me.’”

In other words, Israel’s turmoil was self-inflicted. Instead of following the one true God into the victory that He had promised them and had already miraculously displayed in leading them from slavery in Egypt, they turned aside to worship other idols, the gods of the tribes and nations that they were supposed to conquer.

Idolatry is defined as the act of looking to anything other than God as our true source. Today, we are constantly assaulted with this same temptation to remove God as our true source and to give our hearts and our attention to other sources such as our jobs, our education, our relationships, and other things of this world. In so doing, we find, like Israel, that our lives are opened up to the chaotic, churning turmoil that comes from following other masters and other lords. The prophet Isaiah similarly noted that “the wicked”—those that reject God—are

“Like the tossing sea, for it cannot be quiet, and its waters toss up refuse and mud. ‘There is no peace,’ says my God, ‘for the wicked’” (Isaiah 57:20-21).

316Judith

Bible Reading

Judges 6:15
Isaiah 26:3-4
Judges 6:16
Judges 6::4

Commentary Thoughts:

Gideon and Israel had to learn that the true source of shalom or peace is the experience of the presence of God.

When God summoned Gideon to deliver Israel from the Midianites, Gideon stared into the reality of the chaos and turmoil of his people and confessed,

“O Lord, how shall I deliver Israel? Behold, my family is the least in Manasseh, and I am the youngest in my father’s house” (Judges 6:15).

God’s response to Gideon’s confession of inadequacy was not the promise of great personal power or wisdom to lead, nor did God assure Gideon that there would be unlimited military resources or a strategic plan against his enemy. Rather, God simply promised Gideon that regardless of the overwhelming odds that he was facing, He would be with Gideon:

“But the Lord said to him, ‘Surely I will be with you, and you shall defeat Midian as one man’” (Judges 6:16).

Gideon and the people of Israel had to learn that God’s promise of His presence was sufficient to face whatever challenges, including the Midianites, they would encounter.

Israel’s idolatry was fundamentally a lack of trust in God, and as they looked to other gods, masters, and lords to supply their needs and win their battles, they found themselves returning to the bondage and slavery from which they had been redeemed in Egypt.

To find peace in the midst of their turmoil, Gideon and Israel needed to return to the promise that God would be with His people and learn, like the prophet Isaiah, that

“The steadfast of mind You will keep in perfect peace because He trusts in You. Trust in the Lord forever, for in God the Lord, we have an everlasting Rock” (Isaiah 26:3-4).

For Gideon, this reaffirmation of God’s presence
with him and the trust that this promise evoked
led him to build an altar as a memorial, a visible witness to all of Israel; the inscription of that altar read, “The Lord is Peace” (Judges 6:24

316Judith

Bible Reading

John 14:27
Romans 5:1
John 16:33
Philippians 4:7

Commentary Thoughts

Today is a reminder to you that we, as believers, can always rely on Jesus’s promise in the Gospel of John that states,

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful” (John 14:27).

Because of Christ’s sacrifice for us on the cross, we are reconciled to God and have ultimate peace with Him:

“Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:1).

This does not mean that we will not face troubles or tribulation but that we will know peace in the midst of turmoil because God is with us:

“These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world,” (John 16:33).

As we learn, like Gideon, to smash our idols and find true shalom in the presence of our God, we will find that the peace of God that surpasses all comprehension will guard our hearts and minds through Jesus (Philippians 4:7).

In obedience, we will trust God even in the midst of our turmoil, and we will learn to call Him Jehovah Shalom.

316Judith

Bible Reading

Mark 11:22
Mark 12-14

Commentary Thoughts

Spiritual authority is rooted in the knowledge of your God.

Jesus’s specific response to Peter’s surprise at the withered fig tree was a command to have faith in God:

"And Jesus answered saying to them, 'Have faith in God.'"(Mark 11:22).

In other words, the power that Peter observed in the withering of the tree flowed from a single power source: God.

Authority simply means the right to use an already existing power, but the key is to know how to access that power source.

Throughout His life, Jesus had modeled to the disciples how His own power and authority flowed out of His intimate relationship with God as His Father.

If the disciples were to exercise the authority to move mountains, they must first know the God who has the power to move the mountains.

A believer’s lack of spiritual authority can often originate from a lack of intimacy with the Source of all authority.

Are you struggling to scale an insurmountable
obstacle in your life without first going to the
Source of all power and authority?

316Judith

Bible Reading

Mark 11:24
2 Peter 1:3

Commentary Thoughts

Spiritual authority is activated by the believer’s response of faith.

Faith can be defined as not only the content of what we believe, but the action taken, based upon who God reveals Himself to be.

As we come to know God more intimately through prayer and study of Scripture, we can confidently respond in faith to whatever spiritual struggles, or mountains, we face.

Faith is the word for the action of exercising spiritual authority. If we are to pray with spiritual authority, asking for all things and believing that we have received them (Mark 11:24), we must first appropriate in faith what God has already done.

When speaking to unbelievers, we will often encourage them to come to faith by assuring them that God has already paid the price for their sins and has accomplished all that is needed to be reconciled to Him.

What we often forget is that this is no less true for the believer: God has already given us all that we need for every spiritual struggle we may face (2 Peter 1:3).

As you plunge deeper into an intimate relationship with God, will you act on the truth that He reveals to you? Will you come to trust God more, so that you are emboldened to respond in obedience to what He calls you to do?

316Judith

Bible Reading

John 17:4
Colossians 4:17
Joshua 1:7-8

Commentary Thoughts

SUCCESS—GOD’S WAY

“Success,” said General George S. Patton, “is how high you bounce when you hit bottom.”

That’s not a bad definition, but here’s a better one: Success is faithfully tackling and accomplishing the work God gives us day by day.

In biblical terms, success has nothing to do with wealth, position, power, respect, or awards. God promises to grant us success in life, but He views success as finishing the work He has assigned us.

Colossians 4:17 says, “Say to Archippus, ‘Take heed to the ministry which you have received in the Lord, that you may fulfill it.’”

The Bible tells us to persevere in obedience: “Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you. . . that you may be successful wherever you go.

Keep this Book . . . meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful” (Joshua 1:7–8 NIV).

Don’t worry about failure; just be faithful in your Christian walk and work.

That’s SUCCESS in capital letters.

316Judith

Bible Reading

John 8:32
1 Peter 3:15
John 14:6
John 17:17

TRUE TO THE WORD

Christians are often questioned about their faith.

It happened in the first century as well as in our day, which is why the apostle Peter encouraged believers to “be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you” (1 Peter 3:15).

But what if you aren’t sure? What if you don’t know an answer to a question? You will never go wrong by simply saying what the Word says—the living and written Word of God.

Jesus called Himself “the truth” (John 14:6) and “He who is true” (Revelation 3:7).

Therefore, saying what Jesus said is to say what is true.

A Christian will never go wrong by agreeing with Jesus.

But Jesus also called God’s Word “the truth.”

He knew that the psalmist had written, “The entirety of Your word is truth” (Psalm 119:160), and he borrowed those words in His prayer to the Father: “Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth” (John 17:17).

So Jesus called Himself the truth and He called the Word of God the truth.

Jesus was the human embodiment of the eternal truth of God.

If you want to speak the truth, quoting Jesus and the Bible is the best place to begin. If what we say departs from those two sources, we have departed from the truth.

316Judith

Bible Reading

Revelation 1:7
2 Peter 3:14

Commentary Thoughts

SOMETHING TO LOOK FORWARD TO

What are you looking forward to? An upcoming trip? The end of a medical treatment? A visit with your children? A new car? The birth of a child?

A sense of anticipation is vital for mental health, and that’s why the Bible ends with the book of Revelation. Without Revelation, the Bible would have no ending. Or rather, it would end with the book of Jude, which is a wonderful book about contending for the faith. But it’s not a book that heralds God’s future. It doesn’t leave us with descriptions of the new heavens and new earth. It doesn’t end with the city whose builder and maker is God.

In times like these, the swift return of Christ fuels our anticipation of coming events— and we’re living in days when we need all the reassurance we can find. Peter said, “Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent” (2 Peter 3:14).

Don’t live in the past, and don’t become so bogged down with present burdens that you forget your future glory.

Things are going to get better—much better!

Jesus is coming! Let’s look forward to that day!

316Judith

Bible Reading

John 12:32
Numbers 21:4-9
John 3:14-15
1 Corinthians 11:26

LIFTING UP CHRIST

Preachers stand on platforms; flags are raised to the top of poles; signs are put high up on billboards. Raising something high makes it visible to more people and gives it a sense of importance. That’s why God told Moses to make a serpent out of bronze, set it on a pole, and raise it up so the Israelites could see it. God had punished their sin by allowing serpents into their camp, and Moses’ bronze serpent became a source of deliverance for them when they gazed on it and believed (Numbers 21:4–9).

Knowing the Jews would grasp the metaphor immediately, Jesus said that He would be “lifted up” and become a source of salvation to all who looked to Him (John 3:14–15; 12:32). By “lifted up,” He was referring to the Roman cross that lay ahead of Him. His words were prophetic—His death on a cross has drawn millions to Him for two thousand years. We continue to lift up Christ today in the Lord’s Supper, “[proclaiming] the Lord’s death till He comes” (1 Corinthians 11:26).

We also lift Him up as we praise Him for His blessings in our lives.

Our lives should continually point the world to Jesus Christ—lifting Him up for all to see and be saved.

316Judith

Bible Reading

Jeremiah 9:23-24
Galatians 6:14

Commentary Thoughts

BRAGGING RIGHTS

As Christians, we have bragging rights. We have something to boast about. We have something to be proud of, to be thankful for, and to glory in. We may never be music superstars or cultural icons. Fame and fortune may not come our way. But we are sons and daughters of God, and we can boast of our relationship with Jesus Christ.

The New Living Translation renders Jeremiah 9:23–24 like this: “Don’t let the wise boast in their wisdom, or the powerful boast in their power, or the rich boast in their riches. But those who wish to boast should boast in this alone: that they truly know me and understand that I am the Lord.”

The apostle Paul said something similar in Galatians 6:14: “But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Lasting inner satisfaction doesn’t come from the externals of life— education, wealth, and power. It comes from a personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ, and with the kind of wonderful lifestyle we develop as He reforms, remolds, and renovates our lives for His glory.

Boast today— of Him!

316Judith

Bible Reading

Micah 4:5

Commentary Thoughts

Like any healthy Christian, you want to know God. You want to really knowHim—not just know about Him. And in order to increase your intimacy with God, you've worked to encounter Him in several different ways. You've studied His Word. You've prayed. You've worshiped Him. You've made connections and built relationships with His children as a member of the church. All of these are good and helpful activities.

But let me ask you a simple question: do you know God's Name?

That's not a trick question. As modern Christians, we have many ways of addressing the divine Being we think of as God. We understand Him in terms of the Trinity—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We recognize Him as our Creator. We speak the name of Jesus, and we proclaim Him to be the Christ, our Lord and Savior.

Most of these are titles that certainly do belong to God. However, many Christians today have little knowledge of God's deeper Name—or I should say, His Names.

In Scripture, names often carry a sense of purpose, authority, makeup, and character. In fact, names were often used in the Bible almost as an equivalent to a person or a thing. The name of a thing carried almost as much weight as the thing itself. That's why when Jesus said He had made God's "name known to them, and will make it known" (John 17:26), He was talking about more than just sounds put together in a word. Jesus, having come to earth in the flesh, unveiled God's heart, mind, will, character, and being—all through the revelation of His Name.

Because of God's depth of character, He has a name to reflect His different attributes and capacities for relating to humanity. He has many names and here are just a few:

· Elohim

· Jehova

· El Elyon

· El Shaddai

· Adonai

· Immanuel

· And many more.

What I want you to understand is that God has a name for any and every situation you can find yourself in. I encourage you to get to know the names of God, because it is in knowing His character and His capacity that you will learn to rest and discover peace and power in His covenantal care.

In other words, learn God's Names so that you can truly know Him.

316Judith

Bible Reading

Exodus 3:13-14

Commentary Thoughts

Maybe you’re curious about the high number of God’s names represented in Scripture. Maybe you’re wondering, Why does God have so many names in the first place? Why can’t we know Him simply as God?

One reason God gave us so many names to refer to Him is so that we can gain a better perspective on who He is. In other words, the reason we need so many names is that one name by itself doesn’t fully describe God’s majesty and power. One name alone can’t fully communicate all of who He is.

You can see this principle at work in the way our culture responds to superstar athletes. When an individual rises above the rest and becomes truly great, we typically respond by giving him a nickname.

That’s how a defensive tackle in the NFL named Charles Edward Greene became Mean Joe Greene. He was too good for just one name.

That’s how Wayne Gretzky became The Great One in the National Hockey League. And that’s why you rarely hear about a basketball player named Julius Erving; you hear about Dr. J instead.

We use multiple names to highlight the unique attributes of people we consider great. It’s appropriate, then, that God uses multiple names to communicate His many attributes and the majesty of His greatness to us.

In over four decades of ministry and six decades of life, I’ve become increasingly convinced that God desires for us to know Him for all He truly is. As we understand and experience the many aspects of His goodness and power, our hearts are opened to worshiping Him.

God wants us to come face-to-face with the many layers of His significance and identity. His names reveal various facets of His character. In fact, throughout the Bible, when God wanted to reveal a new part of His character to His people, He often did so by revealing a new name.

That’s what happened with Moses during his encounter with God at the burning bush:

Moses said to God, “Behold, I am going to the sons of Israel, and I will say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you.’ Now they may say to me, ‘What is His name?’ What shall I say to them?” God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM”; and He said, “Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’ ”
Exodus 3:13-14

Moses knew he couldn’t take command of the Israelites and lead them out of Egypt based on his own name and his own authority. That’s why he needed to know God’s name. Moses needed to connect himself to a specific attribute of God in order to display the power attached to God’s name.

God responded to Moses by revealing one of my favorite names in Scripture: “I AM WHO I AM” (v. 14).

God told Moses all he needed to know about
Himself for Moses to respond in obedience, and He did it by revealing His name.