DAILY, WEEKEND, AND HOLIDAY INTERNET EVANGELIZE TO THE WORLD MINISTRY

November 29: Revitalization: Moving Beyond the Catch Word 2 Kings 22:1–23:27 ; Ephesians 5:1–33 ; Proverbs 9:1–12 Ideally, spiritual renewal wouldn’t be necessary—we would continually grow closer to God . But that’s not the case. There are ups and downs in our walk with Yahweh . We experience times of intimacy and times of distance. We lose focus, energy, or the desire to obey. These highs and lows could be the result of our fallen world or our taking God for granted, but whatever the reason, we need renewal. Spiritual revitalization is essential. We can always grow closer to God . During his reign, King Josiah launches a reformation—a revitalization of the way God’s people think and act. He even changes the people’s understanding of God Himself . After finding a scroll (likely of Deuteronomy ), Josiah tears his clothes in remorse and repentance and instructs the priests to inquire of Yahweh on behalf of the people ( 2 Kgs 22:8–13 ). Yahweh is aware of their misdeeds. Then J...

November 28: The Unity of Believers 2 Kings 20:1–21:26 ; Ephesians 4:1–32 ; Proverbs 8:27–36 It’s easy to sort believers in a community based on the quantity of their service. Most of us could roll out the masking tape and divide those who contribute their time and efforts from those who don’t. If we’re honest, the topic itself easily divides us—it makes us feel used, over-tasked, and resentful. But that’s not the picture of unity of purpose that Paul presents in Ephesians. He describes the church as a body—one in which “each single part” is needed for the growth of the whole. “But speaking the truth in love, we are to grow into him with reference to all things, who is the head, Christ , from whom the whole body, joined together and held together by every supporting ligament, according to the working by measure of each single part, the growth of the body makes for the building up of itself in love” ( Eph 4:15–16 ). We are each given unique abilities for the growth of the ...

November 27: When Hezekiah Gave Away the Farm 2 Kings 18:13–19:37 ; Ephesians 2:1–3:21 ; Proverbs 8:19–26 After the announcement that Hezekiah “did right in the eyes of Yahweh ,” the next description comes as a surprise: “At that time, Hezekiah cut off the doors of the temple of Yahweh and the doorposts which Hezekiah king of Judah had overlaid, and he gave them to the king of Assyria” ( 2 Kgs 18:3 , 16 ). For a moment Hezekiah was a strong king over Israel—he abolished idolatry and refused to obey the king of Assyria ( 2 Kgs 18:4 , 7 ). As 2 Kings 18:6 describes, “He held on to Yahweh ; he did not depart from following him , and he kept his commands that Yahweh had commanded Moses.” But Hezekiah did not possess fortitude ( see 2 Kgs 18:13–18 ). In an attempt to gain peace, he gave away not only treasures, but even pieces of Yahweh’s temple itself ( 2 Kgs 18:15–16 ). We’ve all been in situations where it’s tempting to do anything for peace. Perhaps we’ve even compro...

November 26: A Moment to Reflect 2 Kings 17:6–18:12 ; Ephesians 1:1–23 ; Proverbs 8:9–18 Anyone will admit that wisdom is more than just knowledge. We think of wisdom as thoughtful insight acquired with life experience. However, Paul and the author of Proverbs tell us that it is not something we gain with a little age and some good direction. Wisdom is inseparable from the fear of God . The author of Proverbs tells us wisdom is “knowledge and discretion” ; it’s associated with the desire to fear God , and it is a reward to those who seek it out. “I love those who love me ,” says Wisdom personified. “Those who seek me diligently shall find me ” ( Prov 8:17 ). Paul speaks of wisdom in light of understanding the grand story of salvation we’re part of. When writing to the Ephesians, Paul prays that they will receive a certain type of spirit so they can grow in faith— “that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ , the glorious Father , may give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation in...

November 25: You Have to Mean It 2 Kings 15:1–17:5 ; Galatians 5:1–6:18 ; Proverbs 8:1–8 Wisdom really isn’t all that difficult to find. We think of this attribute as hidden or fleeting, but the book of Proverbs portrays Wisdom calling out to us: “Does not wisdom call, and understanding raise its voice? Atop the heights beside the road, at the crossroads she stands. Beside gates, before towns, at the entrance of doors” ( Prov 8:1–3 ). When we seek Wisdom , she shows up. She’s everywhere. She’s waiting—not to be found, but to be embraced. The intelligence of Wisdom , the prudence she teaches, is at our fingertips. In Proverbs 8:3–5 , Wisdom cries out, “To you, O people, I call , and my cry is to the children of humankind. Learn prudence, O simple ones; fools, learn intelligence.” Maybe the real problem is that few of us are wise enough to be what Wisdom requires us to be. The folly of humankind may not be in a lack of seeking, but a lack of doing. If we really want somethin...

November 24: The Ties that Bind 2 Kings 13:1–14:29 ; Galatians 4:1–31 ; Proverbs 7:21–27 We don’t often consider our former lives as enslavement. We characterize our lives before Christ by bad decisions and sinful patterns, but not bondage. We like to think of ourselves as neutral beings. But Paul paints another picture. The things or people we once put our trust in were the things that enslaved us. Paul asks the Galatians why they would ever want to return to bondage. “But at that time when you did not know God , you were enslaved to the things which by nature are not gods. But now, because you have come to know God , or rather have come to be known by God , how can you turn back again to the weak and miserable elemental spirits? Do you want to be enslaved to them all over again?” ( Gal 4:8–9 ). Paul tells the Galatians that turning back to the things they trusted formerly—whether the law for the Jews or spiritual beings for the Gentiles—is choosing enslavement. For us, i...

November 22: Counterfeit Gospels 2 Kings 9:30–10:36 ; Galatians 1:1–2:21 ; Proverbs 7:1–9 We’re fine with the idea of God being our savior , but we’re not always keen on the notion of letting Him transform every area of our lives. We often emphasize sharing the gospel , but do we consider the reality of the outcome? It’s a question Paul poses to the church in Galatia. Typically, when Paul opens a letter to a church, he follows his greeting with a prayer of thanksgiving for the members of the community. But in his correspondence with the Galatians, he skips the niceties and opts for a biting remark, signaling that something is drastically wrong. “I am astonished that you are turning away so quickly from the one who called you by the grace of Christ to a different gospel, not that there is a different gospel , except there are some who are disturbing you and wanting to distort the gospel of Christ ” ( Gal 1:6–9 ). Paul’s message is especially cutting because the Galatia...

November 21: Walk Like the Shunammite 2 Kings 8:1–9:29 ; Mark 16:1–20 ; Proverbs 6:28–35 Trust is a fickle matter. What does it take for us to trust another person—especially with our livelihood? Our decision to trust someone can usually be determined by whether we see God in that person. When the Shunammite woman must decide whether to trust Elisha, it is a simple choice. God has already worked in her life through Elisha—giving her a son and then resurrecting him—so she understands that what he says is from Yahweh. When Elisha says to her, “Get up and go, you and your household, and dwell as an alien wherever you can, for Yahweh has called for a famine, and it will come to the land for seven years,” she trusts him ( 2 Kgs 8:1 ). She goes to Philistia ( 2 Kgs 8:2 ). Would we do the same—leave everything and go to a foreign land at one godly person’s word? What does it take for us to trust someone with our lives? What does it take for us to trust God with our lives? We wi...

November 20: Rejected and Despised by Men 2 Kings 6:1–7:20 ; Mark 15:16–47 ; Proverbs 6:20–27 In Mark’s Gospel , Jesus’ crucifixion and death occur in stages of mockery and humiliation. The story is propelled by those who scorn—the soldiers, the chief priests and scribes, and even those who pass by. Jesus is spat on, stripped of His clothing , and mockingly forced to wear a purple robe with a crown of thorns. Throughout, He silently receives His undue punishment . It’s not until Jesus nears death that Mark slows the narrative: “And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, ‘ Eloi , Eloi , lema sabachthani?’ (which is translated, ‘ My God , my God , why have you forsaken me ?’)” ( Mark 15:34 ) These words have been spoken before, and this pain and humiliation has previously been told. In Psalm 22 , the psalmist cries out to God in the midst of being mocked and scorned by his enemies. The song of lament relates the bitter anguish the psalmist experiences at t...

November 19: Pain, Anguish, and Resurrection 2 Kings 4:18–5:27 ; Mark 14:51–15:15 ; Proverbs 6:12–19 Pain and anguish resound in the narrative of the Shunammite’s son and Elijah ( 2 Kgs 4:18–37 ). Reading the story, we can’t help but feel empathy for the Shunammite woman whose son has died. Yet Elisha seems so cavalier. What would prompt him to act this way? What is Elisha teaching us in this series of events? Even those who have experienced miracles struggle to accept that God can handle anything. The Shunammite woman remarks to Elisha, “Did I ask for a son from my lord? Did I not say that you must not mislead me?” ( 2 Kgs 4:28 ). Elisha seems to recognize God’s capability , however, even when his colleague, Gehazi, and the Shunammite woman fail to see it. Elisha is so confident in God’s work that he remarks to Gehazi, “Gird up your loins [meaning ‘get ready’] and take my staff in your hand and go. If you meet anyone, you must not greet them; if anyone greets you, you must...

November 18: Warring Tendencies and Spiritual Airs 2 Kings 3:1–4:17 ; Mark 14:22–50 ; Proverbs 6:6–11 “I will do this!” I declare as I resolve to get in shape, eat better, save money, study and meditate on the Word more, journal more, read more. My plans escalate, growing grander in scale and depth. Although I succeed in them for a while, I easily become overwhelmed when I can’t live up to the inflated vision I’ve projected for myself. It’s especially easy to do this spiritually. It’s simple to hand out godly advice with a spiritual air, to speak wise words about past failings (read subtext: “Look how far I’ve come!” ), and to talk about personal growth. But when we mess up on a colossal scale, it’s humiliating and surprising to all—especially ourselves. “What happened?” we might ask. “I was doing so well!” Simon Peter had a tendency to make grand plans: “Even if they all fall away, certainly I will not!” he declared, proclaiming his loyalty to the Savior ( Mark 14:29 )....

November 17: When in Need 2 Kings 1:1–2:5 ; Mark 13:24–14:21 ; Proverbs 6:1–5 When we encounter trouble, we tend to look wherever we can for help: We turn in whatever direction seems most promising at the moment. In doing so, we may unwittingly walk away from Yahweh . Should practicality or convenience stand between God and us? When King Ahaziah falls through a lattice and is injured, he seeks help from a foreign god rather than Yahweh —likely because it seems natural or right. He thinks the god of Ekron, Baal-Zebub, can provide the healing he needs. But what Ahaziah sees as a desperate situation is actually an opportunity for Yahweh to act; Yahweh plans to use this situation for His glory . When Ahaziah sends messengers to Ekron, Yahweh intercedes. Elijah approaches them bearing a word from Yahweh that had been spoken to him by an angel: “Is it because there is no God in Israel that you are going to inquire of Baal-Zebub, the god of Ekron?” ( 2 Kgs 1:3 ). When we experi...

November 14: Staying the Course 1 Kings 19:1–20:25 ; Mark 11:1–33 ; Proverbs 4:18–27 “May your eyes look forward and your gaze be straight before you. May the path of your foot be balanced and all your ways be sure. Do not swerve right or left; remove your foot from evil” ( Prov 4:25–27 ). These verses reflect someone who has incredible purpose. I imagine an acrobat walking a tightrope—knees bent, one foot carefully placed in front of the other, and nothing but a slender rope keeping him from plummeting to the ground. Such efforts would require incredible calm, effort, and focus—especially focus. The body naturally follows the path of our eyes, which is detrimental if we’re focused on the wrong thing. The idea of staying the course illustrates God’s path and purpose for us. When we act, speak, and follow that path, we are carrying out His will for our lives. But there’s a problem: We can’t. All of our efforts are tainted. Our knees are bound to buckle, we’re sure to misst...

November 13: The Spiritual Battle 1 Kings 18:1–46 ; Mark 10:17–52 ; Proverbs 4:8–17 Sometimes our work for God requires severe actions. In these times—ones that we can’t possibly prepare for—we need to rely on the Spirit and its work to empower us. I have always admired Elijah the prophet because he goes into firestorms with little, if any, preparation. The Spirit of God is his leader, sword, and shield. One of the most frightening moments in Elijah’s life is his encounter with the prophets of Baal at Mount Carmel. How could Elijah prepare to face 450 prophets from the enemy nation who are endorsed by Elijah’s own king? He faced certain death. Perhaps he had even reconciled himself to the idea that his life would end on that mountain. Elijah’s supreme confidence in Yahweh is inspiring. He instructs the prophets of Baal, “Choose for yourselves one bull and prepare it first, for you are the majority, and call on the name of your god, but don’t set fire under it” ( 1 Kgs 18:2...

November 12: Exclusivity 1 Kings 15:25–17:24 ; Mark 9:38–10:16 ; Proverbs 4:1–7 We often think that God needs us—that we are His arms rather than His agents . When we see our work as integral to God’s kingdom , thinking that God needs us, our vision, our doctrines, or our ideas in order to further His kingdom , we might be guilty of something else entirely. These feelings are often motivated by our own feelings of inadequacy. We can sometimes be more concerned with proving ourselves than honoring God . When the disciples learned that others were casting out demons in J esus’ name , they tried to prevent them. “We saw … and we tried to prevent him because he was not following us,” they told Jesus ( Mark 9:38 ). But Jesus only rebuked them: “There is no one who does a miracle in my name and will be able soon afterward to speak evil of me. For whoever is not against us is for us. For whoever gives you a cup of water to drink in my name because you are Christ’s, truly I say to...

November 11: Traditions and Miracles 1 Kings 14:1–15:24 ; Mark 9:2–37 ; Proverbs 3:23–35 In the face of perplexing situations, we naturally respond with what we know and understand—we even take refuge in familiar traditions. This is precisely how Jesus’ disciples respond when Jesus is transfigured before them. After Jesus is transformed and Moses and Elijah appear, Peter says, “Rabbi, it is good that we are here! And let us make three shelters, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah” ( Mark 9:5 ). Peter is drawing on the Festival of Tabernacles (or Booths), which celebrated God’s dwelling among His people ( Lev 23:42–43 ). Peter isn’t certain how to respond, so he evokes a tradition. At least Peter understands that this confusing event shows God at work among His people . But is Peter’s response the correct one? Mark gives us a hint in an aside: “For [Peter] did not know what he should answer, because they [Peter, James, and John] were terrified” ( Mark 9:6 ). ...

November 10: Take Up Your Cross 1 Kings 13:1–34 ; Mark 8:11–9:1 ; Proverbs 3:13–22 The way we respond to desperate circumstances often clarifies what gives us hope. Jesus’ followers faced the very real threat of death by choosing to follow Him —something He warns them about: “And summoning the crowd together with his disciples, he said to them, ‘If anyone wants to come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life on account of me and of the gospel will save it’ ” ( Mark 8:34–35 ). In Jesus’ time , “taking up the cross” would have been associated with a shameful death at the hands of the ruling Roman powers. To risk suffering this type of shameful death required more than lukewarm commitment. Jesus doesn’t limit this calling to His disciples ; anyone who “wants to come after” faces this uncertainty and must hold a faith that displays this loyalty. For some Christ ians to...

November 9: Fear Not What’s Outside but Inside 1 Kings 11:9–12:33 ; Mark 7:14–8:10 ; Proverbs 3:6–3:12 How should we respond to a miraculous experience? Worshiping God for His goodness is the right place to start, but our ongoing response is every bit as important as our initial reaction. We see this play out in Solomon’s life. “ Yahweh was angry with Solomon, for he had turned his heart from Yahweh , the God of Israel who had appeared to him twice. And [ Yahweh ] commanded [Solomon] concerning this matter not to go after other gods, but he did not keep that which Yahweh commanded” ( 1 Kgs 11:9–10 ). Despite Solomon’s experience with Yahweh , he chose to deny Him . This angered Yahweh —not just because of the general disobedience, but also because, after Solomon’s miraculous experience, he had more reason than anyone to stay devoted. Solomon’s refusal of the opportunity to turn back to Yahweh only aggravated the situation. We don’t know exactly what led Solomon to diso...

November 8: Traditions and a Priority Problem 1 Kings 11:9–12:33 ; Mark 6:45–7:13 ; Proverbs 3:1–5 Traditions make us feel secure. They give us a sense of camaraderie with those who came before us, and they can build a sense of community with those around us. But traditions handed down unexamined can be dangerous. We can apply them in contexts that differ from those in which they were born—often leading to disastrous results, offenses, and misunderstanding. More dangerously, we might consider these human traditions to be the commands of God —or above His commands . In doing so, we hold the opinions of people to be higher than God’s . We commit the same type of idolatry we find rampant in the OT . In many communities, traditions can carry the heavy weight of religiosity, as if God were the very author of the tradition. Many of the Pharisees in Jesus’ time were known to “tie up heavy burdens and put them on people’s shoulders” ( Matt 23:4 ). When the Pharisees confront Jesus b...