The Treasure in Tomb 7

In 1932, Mexican archaeologist Alfonso Caso discovered Tomb 7 at Monte Alban, Oaxaca. He found more than four hundred artifacts, including hundreds of pieces of pre Hispanic jewelry he called " The Treasure of Monte Alban." It is one of the major finds of Mexican archaeology. One can only imagine Caso's excitement as he held a jade cup in it's purest form.
     Centuries earlier, the psalmist wrote of a treasure more valuable than gold or rock crystal. He said, " I rejoice in your promise like one who finds great spoil." ( Psalm 119:162 In Psalm 119, the writer knew how valuable God's instructions and promises are to our lives, so he compared them to the great treasure that comes in hand with the victory of a conqueror.
      Caso's name is remembered today because of his discovery in Tomb 7. We can enjoy it if we visit a museum in Oaxaca. However, the psalmist's treasure is at our fingertips. Day by day we can dig into the Scriptures and find diamonds of promises, rubies of hope, and emeralds of wisdom. But by far the greatest thing we find is the person whom the book points to: Jesus Himself. After all, He is the Author of the book.
      Let us seek diligently with the confidence that this is the treasure that will enrich us. As the psalmist said, " Your laws are my treasure; they are my heart's delight."
     Father, I want to value the Scriptures as a treasure. Help me enjoy Your Word everyday.
     God's Word is a valuable possession and a guide to life.

I'm Rich

Perhaps you've seen the TV ad in which a person answers the door and finds someone who hands over a check for an enormous amount of money. Then the amazed recipient begins shouting, dancing, jumping, and hugging everyone in sight. "I won! I can't believe it! My problems are solved!" Striking it rich evokes a great emotional response.
      In Psalm 119, the longest chapter in the Bible, we find this remarkable statement: " I rejoice in following your statutes as one rejoices in great riches". What a comparison! Obeying God's instructions for living can be just as exhilarating as receiving a fortune! Verse 16 repeats this refrain as the psalmist expresses grateful gladness for the Lord's commands. " I delight in your decrees; I will not neglect your word."
     But what if we don't feel that way? How can delighting in God's instructions for living be just as exhilarating as receiving a fortune? It all begins with gratitude, which is both an attitude and a choice. We pay attention to what we value, so we begin by expressing our gratitude for those gifts of God that nourish our souls. We ask Him to open our eyes to see the storehouse of wisdom, knowledge, and peace He has given us in His Word.
     As our love for Jesus grows each day, we indeed strike it rich!
     Dear Father, open our eyes that we may see wonderful things in Your law. Thank You that Your instructions give wise advise.
     Rich treasures of God's truth are waiting to be discovered in His Word.

What about You?

Emily listened as a group of friends talked about their Thanksgiving traditions with family. " We go around the room and each one tells what he or she is thankful to God for," Gary said.
      Another friend mentioned his family's Thanksgiving meal and prayer time. He recalled time with his dad before he had died: " Even though Dad had dementia, his prayer of thanks to the Lord was clear." Randy shared, " My family has a special time of singing together on the holiday. My grandma goes on and on and on!" Emily's sadness and jealous grew as she thought of her own family, and she complained: " Our traditions are to eat turkey, watch television, and never mention anything about God or giving thanks."
      Right away Emily felt uneasy with her attitude. You are part of that family. What would you like to do differently to change the day? She asked herself. She decided she wanted to privately tell each person she was thankful to the Lord that they were her sister, niece, brother, or great-niece. When the day arrived, she expressed her thankfulness for them one by one, and they all felt loved. It wasn't easy because it wasn't normal conversation in her family, but she experienced joy as she shared her love for each of them.
      "Let everything you say be good and helpful," wrote the apostle Paul, " so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them." Our words of thanks can remind others of their value to us and to God.
      Dear Lord, show me how I can be an encouragement to others with my words.
     The human spirit fills with hope at the sound of an encouraging word.

Sacrificial Faith

It's Sunday afternoon, and I'm sitting in the garden of our home, which is near the church where my husband is the minister. I hear wafts of praise and worship music floating through the air in the Farsi language. Our church in London hosts a vibrant Iranian congregation, and we feel humbled by their passion for Christ as they share some of their stories of persecution and tell of those, such as the senior pastor's brother, who have been martyred for their faith. These faithful believers are following in the footsteps of the first Christian martyr, Steps.
     Stephen, one of the first appointed leaders in the early church, garnered attention in Jerusalem when he performed " great wonders and signs" and was brought before the Jewish authorities to defend his actions. He gave an impassioned defense of the faith before describing the hard-heartedness of his accusers. But instead of repenting, they were " furious and gnashed their teeth at him." They dragged him from the city and stoned him to death-even as he prayed for their forgiveness.
     The stories of Stephen and modern martyrs remind us that the message of Christ can be met with brutality. If we have never faced persecution for our faith, let's pray for the persecuted church around the world. And may we, if and when tested, find grace to be found faithful to the One who suffered so much more for us.
      May we find grace to walk in the Master's steps.

A Facade

Kerri tries hard to get people to admire her. She acts happy most of the time so that others will notice and compliment her on her joyful attitude. Some affirm her because they see her helping people in the community. But in a transparent moment Kerri will admit, " I love the Lord, but in some ways I feel like my life is a façade." Her own sense of insecurity is behind much of her effort of trying to look good to others, and she says she's running out of energy to keep it up.
     We can probably all relate in some way because it's not possible to have perfect motives for how we live the Christian life are sometimes mixed with our desire to be valued or praised.
     Jesus talked about those who give, pray, and fast in order to be seen. ( Matthew 6:1-18). He taught in the Sermon on the Mount to " give your gifts in private," to " pray to your Father in private," and " when you fast, don't make it obvious".
     Serving is most often done publicly, but maybe a little anonymous service could help us learn to rest in God's opinion of us. He who created us in His image values us so much that He gave us His Son and shows us His love each day.
     Dear Lord, please forgive me for desiring praise from others more than from You. Please help me as I struggle to keep my motives pure.
     Our desire to please God should be our highest motive for obeying God.

A New Purpose

Jacob Davis was a tailor with a problem. It was the height of the Gold Rush in the 1800s American West and the Gold miners' work pants kept wearing out. His solution? Davis went to a local dry goods company owned by Levi Strauss, purchased tent cloth, and made work pants from that heavy, sturdy material-and blue jeans were born. Today, denim jeans in a variety of forms ( including Levi's) are among the most popular clothing items in the world, and all because tent material was given a new purpose.
     Simon and his friends were fishermen on the Sea of Galilee. Then Jesus arrived and called them to follow Him. He gave them a new purpose. No longer would they fish for fish. As Jesus told them, " Come, follow me,....and I will send you out to fish for people." ( Mark 1:17)
       With this new purpose set for their lives, these men were taught and trained by Jesus so that, after His ascension, they could be used by God to capture the hearts of people with the message of the cross and resurrection of Christ. Today, we follow in their steps as we share the good news of Christ's love and salvation.
      May our lives both declare and exhibit this love that can change the lives, purposes, and eternal destinies of others.
      Help me, Lord, to represent You well so that others might be drawn to Your love and salvation.
      With our new life in Christ we have been given a new purpose.
Please read Jeremiah 48-49 and Hebrews 7

Signs and Feelings

A young man known as a habit of asking God for signs. That's not necessarily bad, but his prayers tend to seek confirmation of his feelings. For instance, he'll pray, " God, if you want me to do X, then You please do Y, and I'll know it's okay."
     This has created a dilemma. Because of the way he prays and the way he thinks God is answering, he feels that he should get back with his ex-girlfriend. Perhaps unsurprisingly, she feels strongly that God doesn't want that.
      The religious leaders of Jesus's day demanded a sign from Him to prove the validity of His claims. They weren't seeking God's guidance; they were challenging His divine authority. Jesus replied, " A wicked and adulterous generation looks for a sign". The Lord's strong response wasn't a blanket statement to prevent anyone from seeking God's guidance. Rather, Jesus was accusing them of ignoring the clear prophesies in Scripture that indicated He was the Messiah.
      God wants us to seek His guidance in prayer. He also gives us the guidance of the Spirit and His word. He provides us with mentors and wise leaders. And He's given us the example of Jesus Himself.
      It's wise to ask God for clear direction, but He may not always give it in ways that we expect or want. Perhaps the larger point of prayer is that we learn more about God's nature and develop a relationship with our Father.
      The best way to know God's will is to say, " I will" to God.
Please read Jeremiah 46-47 and Hebrews 6