God sometimes speaks to us by hiding truths in phrases, stories, riddles, and circumstances. The meaning is there for us to find. When we lean into God, anticipating His voice, it becomes easier to discern when those circumstances are from God or are merely unusual events in life. This unique language from God is an invitation to enter His great adventure. 

Proverbs 25:2 (Passion)

God conceals the revelation of his word in the hiding place of his glory. But the honor of kings is revealed by how they thoroughly search out the deeper meaning of all that God says.

Matthew 13:10-13 (Passion)

Then his disciples approached Jesus and asked, “Why do you always speak to people in these hard-to-understand parables?”

He explained, “You’ve been given the intimate experience of insight into the hidden truths and mysteries of the realm of heaven’s kingdom, but they have not. For everyone who listens with an open heart will receive progressively more revelation until he has more than enough. But those who don’t listen with an open, teachable heart, even the understanding that they think they have will be taken from them. That’s why I teach the people using parables, because they think they’re looking for truth, yet because their hearts are unteachable, they never discover it. Although they will listen to me, they never fully perceive the message I speak.

Questions: ~ How do I lean into God? What is God telling me about learning from Him? ~ What puzzles does God want me to work through with Him? What have I done today to work on the puzzles?

Prayer:

Education 7 of 16

We were not commissioned to look into the clouds for His coming (see Acts 1:11). We were commanded to “occupy” until He comes (Luke 19:13 KJV). Occupy is a military term. And according to Kingdom values, occupation is always for the purpose of advancement. 

Isaiah 9:6-7 (NJKV)

For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace Of the increase of His government and peace There will be no end, Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, To order it and establish it with judgment and justice From that time forward, even forever. The zeal of the Lord of Hosts will perform this.

Acts 1:9-11 (NJKV)

Now when Jesus had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel, who also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.”

Luke 19:11-27 (Passion)

At this time Jesus was getting close to entering Jerusalem. The crowds that followed him were convinced that God’s kingdom realm would fully manifest when Jesus established it in Jerusalem. So he told them this story to change their perspective:

“Once there was a wealthy prince who left his province to travel to a distant land, where he would be crowned king and then return. Before he departed he summoned his ten servants together and said, ‘I am entrusting each of you with fifty thousand dollars to trade with while I am away. Invest it and put the money to work until I return.’

“Some of his countrymen despised the prince and sent a delegation after him to declare before the royals, ‘We refuse to let this man rule over us! He will not be our king!’

“Nevertheless, he was crowned king and returned to his land. Then he summoned his ten servants to see how much each one had earned and what their profits came to.

“The first one came forward and said, ‘Master, I took what you gave me and invested it, and it multiplied ten times.’

“‘Splendid! You have done well, my excellent servant. Because you have shown that you can be trusted in this small matter, I now grant you authority to rule over ten fortress cities.’

“The second came and said, ‘Master, what you left with me has multiplied five times.’

“His master said, ‘I also grant you authority in my kingdom over five fortress cities.’

“Another came before the king and said, ‘Master, here is the money you entrusted to me. I hid it for safekeeping. You see, I live in fear of you, for everyone knows you are a strict master and impossible to please. You push us for a high return on all that you own, and you always want to gain from someone else’s efforts.’

“The king said, ‘You wicked servant! I will judge you using your own words. If what you said about me is true, that I am a harsh man, pushing you for a high return and wanting gain from others’ efforts, why didn’t you at least put my money in the bank to earn some interest on what I entrusted to you?’

“The king said to his other servants, ‘Take the money he has and give it to the faithful servant who multiplied my money ten times over.’

“‘But master,’ the other servants objected, ‘why give it to him? He already has so much!’

“‘Yes,’ replied the king. ‘But to all who have been faithful, even more will be given them. And for the ones who have nothing, even the little they seem to have will be taken from them. Now, bring all those rebellious enemies of mine who rejected me as their king—bring them here before me and execute them!’”

Questions: ~ Do I occupy my field for the advancement of the Kingdom? How do I do that? How has God inspired me to do that?  ~ Am I stewarding my gifts and talents well? Am I investing in kingdom principles here and now so that I have something to show for it later? 

Prayer:

The call of God is important, not because of the title it carries (or doesn’t carry). It’s valuable because of the One who called us.

1 Peter 4:7-11 (Passion)

Since we are approaching the end of all things, be intentional, purposeful, and self-controlled so that you can be given to prayer.

Above all, constantly echo God’s intense love for one another, for love will be a canopy over a multitude of sins.

Be compassionate to foreigners without complaining.

Every believer has received grace gifts, so use them to serve one another as faithful stewards of the many-colored tapestry of God’s grace.

For example, if you have a speaking gift, speak as though God were speaking his words through you. If you have the gift of serving, do it passionately with the strength God gives you, so that in everything God alone will be glorified through Jesus Christ. For to him belong the power and the glory forever throughout all ages! Amen. 

Matthew 28:16-20 (HCSB)

The 11 disciples traveled to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had directed them. When they saw Him, they worshiped, but some doubted. Then Jesus came near and said to them, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Questions: ~ Does my service to others and the world reflect God’s grace and love? What can I do differently to reflect God to the world? ~ What is the call of God in my life currently? How would I define it? What is God speaking to me right now about that call? 

Prayer:

It is grievous to see an empty wheelchair with someone walking, a formerly depressed person rejoicing, or one who could not hear now hearing and giving praise while the bystander still wants proof those were really miracles. I realize that charlatans exist. But the massive effort to protect ourselves from being fooled is more a sign of unbelief than it is of our wisdom keeping us from deception. Such a fear only exists where unbelief has reigned for a long time.

However “Love believes all things” (1 Cor. 13:7 NASB).

A deeper encounter with the love of God frees a person from the tendency to protect themselves out of fear through unreasonable caution.

1 Timothy 1:6-10 (Passion) 

I’m writing to encourage you to fan into a flame and rekindle the fire of the spiritual gift God imparted to you when I laid my hands upon you. For God will never give you the spirit of fear, but the Holy Spirit who gives you mighty power, love, and self-control. So never be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor be embarrassed over my imprisonment, but overcome every evil by the revelation of the power of God! He gave us resurrection life and drew us to himself by his holy calling on our lives. And it wasn’t because of any good we have done, but by his divine pleasure and marvelous grace that confirmed our union with the anointed Jesus, even before time began! This truth is now being unveiled by the revelation of the anointed Jesus, our life-giver, who has dismantled death, obliterating all its effects on our lives, and has manifested his immortal life in us by the gospel.

1 Corinthians 13:4-13 (Passion)

Love is large and incredibly patient. Love is gentle and consistently kind to all. It refuses to be jealous when blessing comes to someone else. Love does not brag about one’s achievements nor inflate its own importance. Love does not traffic in shame and disrespect, nor selfishly seek its own honor. Love is not easily irritated or quick to take offense. Love joyfully celebrates honesty and finds no delight in what is wrong. Love is a safe place of shelter, for it never stops believing the best for others. Love never takes failure as defeat, for it never gives up.

Love never stops loving. It extends beyond the gift of prophecy, which eventually fades away. It is more enduring than tongues, which will one day fall silent. Love remains long after words of knowledge are forgotten. Our present knowledge and our prophecies are but partial, but when love’s perfection arrives, the partial will fade away. When I was a child, I spoke about childish matters, for I saw things like a child and reasoned like a child. But the day came when I matured, and I set aside my childish ways.

For now we see but a faint reflection of riddles and mysteries as though reflected in a mirror, but one day we will see face-to-face. My understanding is incomplete now, but one day I will understand everything, just as everything about me has been fully understood. Until then, there are three things that remain: faith, hope, and love—yet love surpasses them all. So above all else, let love be the beautiful prize for which you run.

Questions: ~ What am I trying to protect myself from, rather than letting God be my champion and defender? What am I afraid of? ~ What is God teaching me about love - about its depth and fullness and healing ability? What is He speaking to me about today? 

Prayer:

Entertainment 6 of 12

All art finds its origins in the person of God; more specifically, it’s found in His holiness. The Scriptures say, “in the beauty of holiness” (Ps. 29:2).

It’s tragic that holiness gets such poor treatment from the people of God. It is God’s nature, His person. Beauty pours forth from that one attribute.

“And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed those who should sing to the Lord, and who should praise the beauty of his holiness.” - 2 Chronicles 20:21

Psalm 29 (Passion)

King David’s poetic praise to God for the last days The Feast of Tabernacles

Proclaim his majesty, all you mighty champions,    you sons of Almighty God,    giving all the glory and strength back to him! Be in awe before his majesty. Be in awe before such power and might! Come worship wonderful Yahweh, arrayed in all his splendor,    bowing in worship as he appears in the beauty of holiness. Give him the honor due his name. Worship him wearing the glory-garments    of your holy, priestly calling! The voice of the Lord echoes through the skies and seas. The Glory-God reigns as he thunders in the clouds. So powerful is his voice, so brilliant and bright,    how majestic as he thunders over the great waters! His tympanic thunder topples the strongest of trees. His symphonic sound splinters the mighty forests. Now he moves Zion’s mountains by the might of his voice,    shaking the snowy peaks with his earsplitting sound! The lightning-fire flashes, striking as he speaks. God reveals himself when he makes the fault lines quake,    shaking deserts, speaking his voice. God’s mighty voice makes the deer to give birth. His thunderbolt voice lays the forest bare. In his temple all fall before him with each one shouting,    “Glory, glory, the God of glory!” Above the furious flood, the Enthroned One reigns,    the King-God rules with eternity at his side. This is the one who gives his strength and might to his people. This is the Lord giving us his kiss of peace.

2 Chronicles 20:20-28 (VOICE) 

Early the next morning they went out to the wilderness of Tekoa. There Jehoshaphat’s message to Judah was not about courage in battle.

Jehoshaphat: Listen to me, Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem. Trust in the Eternal One, your True God, not in your own abilities, and you will be supported. Put your trust in His words that you heard through the prophets, and we will succeed.

Having addressed his people, Jehoshaphat asked those who sang to the Eternal to lead the army and praise His magnificence and holiness.

Chorus (singing): Give thanks to the Eternal because His loyal love is forever!

As they sang and praised, the Eternal was ready to cause great confusion in battle for the men from Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir (in Edom) who had come to attack Judah. They were utterly defeated, turning on one another. The Ammonites and Moabites attacked the men from Mount Seir, destroying them completely. Then, the Ammonites and Moabites turned on each other. When all was quiet, Judah looked out of the watchtower in the wilderness and saw a great army of corpses fallen on the battlefield. No one had escaped. Then Jehoshaphat and his people took various goods, clothing, and valuables off the dead bodies and seized the abundant livestock. There was so much that it took three days to recover it all. On the fourth day, they assembled in the valley of Beracah, where they had blessed the Eternal and where He had blessed them with a victory, and named the place, “The Valley of Beracah,” as it is still known today.

Every man of Judah and citizen of Jerusalem followed Jehoshaphat back to Jerusalem, joyous because the Eternal defeated their enemies. They paraded into Jerusalem with harps, lyres, and trumpets and up to the Eternal’s house.

Questions: ~ What is my understanding of holiness? What is my understanding of beauty? What is God teaching me about holiness and beauty? ~ What am I currently creating right now? Am I writing, speaking, singing, drawing, drafting, etc. something new or something that needs to be touched by holiness?  ~ If I’m not creating right now - why not? Or do I need to expand my understanding of what “creating” is? 

Prayer:

Entertainment 2 of 12

Entertainment is a mountain of influence that must be invaded. The indictment of that realm being “unholy” was accurate, but unfortunately it is also a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Anywhere we do not invade becomes darker in our absence. 

We are the “light of the world” (Matt. 5:14)

Matthew 5:14-16 (VOICE)

And you, beloved, are the light of the world. A city built on a hilltop cannot be hidden. Similarly it would be silly to light a lamp and then hide it under a bowl. When someone lights a lamp, she puts it on a table or a desk or a chair, and the light illumines the entire house. You are like that illuminating light. Let your light shine everywhere you go, that you may illumine creation, so men and women everywhere may see your good actions, may see creation at its fullest, may see your devotion to Me, and may turn and praise your Father in heaven because of it.

Proverbs 119:105 (Passion)

Truth’s shining light guides me in my choices and decisions; the revelation of your word makes my pathway clear.

Questions:  ~ In what dark places have I been set, so they are illumined, so I can perform good actions, so God will be praised? ~ What areas do I view as “unholy” and how can I step into them to make them “holy”? ~ What is God teaching me about how He works in dark places? What have I learned recently that I need to put into practice?

Prayer:

Entertainment 1 of 12

The Church has often fallen to the notion that darkness is stronger than light.

John 1:1-10 (Passion)

In the very beginning the Living Expression was already there.

And the Living Expression was with God, yet fully God.

They were together—face-to-face, in the very beginning. And through his creative inspiration    this Living Expression made all things,    for nothing has existence apart from him! Life came into being because of him,    for his life is light for all humanity. And this Living Expression is the Light that bursts through gloom—    the Light that darkness could not diminish! Then suddenly a man appeared who was sent from God,    a messenger named John. For he came to be a witness, to point the way to the Light of Life,    and to help everyone believe. John was not that Light but he came to show who is.    For he was merely a messenger to speak the truth about the Light. For the Light of Truth was about to come into the world    and shine upon everyone. He entered into the very world he created,    yet the world was unaware.

Questions: ~ What have I stopped fighting for that needs to have light shined on it?  ~ Where in my life do I need to address darkness, and allow Christ’s light to shine in?

Prayer:

The honor we give to one another must not be only to those who have obvious spiritual occupations.

Honor must be given to those who are faithful in the call no matter what it is. 

Isaiah 25:1 (NIV)

Lord, you are my God;    I will exalt you and praise your name, for in perfect faithfulness    you have done wonderful things,    things planned long ago.

Galatians 5:22-24 (NIV)

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.

Proverbs 28:20 (Passion)

Life’s blessings drench the honest and faithful person, but punishment rains down upon the greedy and dishonest.

Questions: ~ Do I recognize when someone is faithful to their Kingdom calling? Do I verbally recognize their faithfulness? How can I both recognize and verbally affirm faithfulness better? ~ How am I faithful to my call? What habits do I need to change to be more faithful to my calling?

Prayer: