S – Then Moses called for Joshua, and as all Israel watched, he said to him, “Be strong and courageous! For you will lead these people into the land that the Lord swore to their ancestors he would give them. You are the one who will divide it among them as their grants of land. Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord will personally go ahead of you. He will be with you; he will neither fail you nor abandon you.”

Deuteronomy 31:7,8  CSB

O – Moses transfers the leadership over to Moses.  He tells him how to lead, what he will accomplish, how to deal with challenges and what God will do for him.

A – This is a great primer for any change of leadership.  God wants us to lead with strength.  We need to know what we are trying to accomplish.  We will face challenges and we have to have “an attitude” of resolve.  Finally, we need to know that God is not only with us but He goes before us to work on our behalf.

R – Heavenly Father, thank you that when we face change or leadership challenges, you go before and with us.  We invite you to move and do what you will.  Empower us mentally, physically and emotionally.  We love you today!

S – The hidden things belong to the Lord our God, but the revealed things belong to us and our children forever, so that we may follow all the words of this law

Deuteronomy 29:29 CSB

O – Commentary:

Moses ends his prophecy of the Jews’ rejection, just as St. Paul ends his discourse on the same subject, when it began to be fulfilled, Ro 11:33. We are forbidden curiously to inquire into the secret counsels of God, and to determine concerning them. But we are directed and encouraged, diligently to seek into that which God has made known. He has kept back nothing that is profitable for us, but only that of which it is good for us to be ignorant. The end of all Divine revelation is, not to furnish curious subjects of speculation and discourse, but that we may do all the words of this law, and be blessed in our deed. This, the Bible plainly reveals; further than this, man cannot profitably go. By this light he may live and die comfortably, and be happy for ever. 

Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary 

A – God wants us to walk in obedience today. Yet, as we grow closer to Him, more things will beI revealed to us. There will be principles and character traits that God will unveil to us so that we may grow more in Him.  Similar to knowing my wife for 36 years.  She has revealed more of her character, attitude and desires so I can walk alongside her as her husband.  It is the same concept with God.

R – Heavenly Father, I ask that your Holy Spirit will reveal more of who you are to me today.  Please help me to obey your Word and will.  Let my curiosity lead to more growth with You.

S – Knowing their thoughts, he told them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is headed for destruction, and a house divided against itself falls.

 Luke 11:17 CSB

O – Jesus shares the principle that if a group member attacks another group member, it weakens the group.  If it continues, it will be destroyed.

A – Unity is worth fighting and working for in a group.  The strength of a group is the diversity and the ability to maximize those different ways of thinking and action.  The danger is when it goes beyond accomplishing the group vision and individual or sect interests are prioritized over the group.  Fight for unity – that is where the blessings and results are!

R – Heavenly Father, I surrender my will today.  I want to be in unity with your vision and plan.  You know my heart and dreams.  Help me to align them with you.  Thank you for empowering me to accomplish all that you have for me today.

S – He said to them, “Whenever you pray, say, 

Father, 

your name be honored as holy. 

Your kingdom come.

Luke 11:2 CSB

O – Commentary: 

In this model prayer Jesus began with an intimate direct address, Father. This was somewhat characteristic of the way Jesus referred to God in His prayers (cf. 10:21). He then made five requests. The first two dealt with God’s interests. The first request was that God’s name be hallowed (hagiasthētō, from hagiazō, “to set apart or sanctify” or, as here, “to treat as holy”). Thus the request was for God’s reputation to be revered by men.

“Luke,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures

* “When we approach a holy God, there is only two responses – worship and surrender.” Daryl Black

A – What would our prayers and daily life look like if we recognized God’s holiness?  Would our thoughts, words and actions be different if we knew an unlimited, unbound Creator of the universe knew us by name?  God is big and we can easily make him small.  It is beneficial to keep the intimacy with God while maintaining reverence for who He is.

R – Father, I worship and surrender to you today.  I honor and reverence all that you are.  You have no rival or equal.  Yet, you know me intimately.  Let me bring glory to You today in my thoughts, words and actions. Let me be a light of the love that you have for others so they may come to know you in a relationship.

S – A person will be satisfied with good by the fruit of his mouth, and the work of a person’s hands will reward him.

Proverbs 12:14.

O – The fruit of a person’s mouth is his words. The work of his hands is what he produces. What we say and do has an impact on us and others.

A – Two great tools the Lord has given us are our speech and actions.  Adding our thoughts to it gives us a solid progression.  When our thoughts, words and actions align with God’s Word and will, we put ourselves in a healthy place to be used by God.

R – Heavenly Father, we surrender and worship You today.  We ask that our thoughts, words and actions align with your Word and will for us today.  Let us be a light in the world.  Give us courage and strength to accomplish all that you have for us.

S – The one who works his land will have plenty of food, but whoever chases fantasies lacks sense.

 Proverbs 12:11 CSB

O – “Sense” – lêb, the heart; also used (fig.) very widely for the feelings, the will and even the intellect; likewise for the center of anything:

The New Strong’s Dictionary of Hebrew and Greek Words

The person who works diligently and consistently will see the fruit of his labor.  Those who pursue empty, worthless endeavors do not heart.

A – Hard work is good for us physically and spiritually.  It provides us with what we need and also reveals the things in the heart that exemplify our character, integrity and goals.  Pursuing empty endeavors reveals a lack of sense and direction.  

R – Lord, thank you for the Holy Spirit helping us to know what is worth pursuing today.  We desire to do your will and work hard.  We ask for your knowledge, understanding and wisdom.

S – John responded, “Master, we saw someone driving out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him because he does not follow us.” 

⁵⁰ “Don’t stop him,” Jesus told him, “because whoever is not against you is for you.”

Luke 9:49–50 CSB

O – Commentary:  

Coupled with this discussion on greatness was John’s attempt to stop someone else who was driving out demons in Jesus’ name. John’s reason was that the man was not one of us. John must have thought that the disciples’ own greatness was diminished if others who were not of the Twelve could also cast out demons. Jesus’ reply, Whoever is not against you is for you, suggested that the Twelve were not to see themselves as God’s exclusive representatives. Rather they should have rejoiced that the power of God was being manifested on earth by others as well. If they manifested that attitude, it would show that they were truly trying to be of service to the Messiah

“Luke,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures

A – We are all different and unique in the eyes of God.  Our gifts and faith will manifest themselves differently as well.  We can celebrate others because we know that we are secure in who we are in Christ.  When God’s love and power flow through others, the body of Christ is strengthened and grows.

R – Lord, thank you that we each have a different expression of how we receive and show your love.  Help us to be secure in that.  Let us celebrate each other – all working together to serve and honor you.  Let those who need to know you in a relationship be impacted by your love and the unity of the body.

S – Then he said to them all, “If anyone wants to follow after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow me. ²⁴ For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life because of me will save it

Luke 9:23–24 CSB

O – Commentary: 

Jesus then discussed the deaths of His followers. They were to have the same attitude toward death and life that He had. Each one must deny himself, that is, not think about his own good. Also he must take up his cross daily, that is, admit that the One for whom he carried the cross was right (see comments on 14:27). And he must follow Jesus, even to death.

The words Jesus spoke in this setting must be understood in their historical context. Not long before this the disciples had been actively engaged in telling the nation about the Messiah and His kingdom program. No doubt many thought the disciples were throwing their lives away. They had given up their sources of income and were in danger because they associated with Jesus. Jesus assured His disciples that they were doing the right thing. 

“Luke,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures

A – Following Jesus is not easy.  It counter-intuitive to our way of thinking.  It puts things that we deem important in a different priority.  If we believe that Jesus is the Son of God, who came to earth in human form, crucified and resurrected, then we deny ourselves of our own thinking, ways of doing things and will for our lives. 

R – Heavenly Father, we recognize that Jesus is who claimed to be.  That causes us to surrender our thoughts, words and actions to align with Him.  We choose Jesus as our Savior.  We accept You as our God.  We will serve you today.

S – God, who is like you? ²⁰ You caused me to experience many troubles and misfortunes, 

but you will revive me again. You will bring me up again, even from the depths of the earth. 

²¹ You will increase my honor and comfort me once again. 

Psalms  71:19–21 CSB

O – Commentary: 

The rhetorical question, Who, O God, is like You? is asked several times in the Psalms, with slight variations in wording (cf. 35:10; 77:13; 89:6; 113:5; also note Ex. 15:11; Micah 7:18).

God had shown the aging psalmist that He, being able to deliver from troubles, would restore his life again, bringing him up from the depths of the earth, that is, from the point of death (cf. Pss. 30:1; 130:1). Therefore he was confident that God would honor and comfort him once again

“Psalms,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures

A – In this Psalm we see the “cycle” of blessing and challenge.  The author has experienced both.  It developed a faith in God that elevates Him to an incomparable place.  We need that faith in our lives in the peaks and valleys.  God is good in all situations.

R – Heavenly Father, we surrender and worship you today.  You alone are worthy of our praise and honor.  We put our faith in you.  Thank you for knowing us intimately and empowering us to walk in your ways.  

S – Look, today I set before you a blessing and a curse: ²⁷ there will be a blessing, if you obey the commands of the Lord your God I am giving you today, ²⁸ and a curse, if you do not obey the commands of the Lord your God and you turn aside from the path I command you today by following other gods you have not known.

Deuteronomy 11:26–28 CSB

O – Blessing:  b^erâkâh,  benediction; by impl. prosperity:— blessing, liberal, pool, present.

      Curse:  q^elâlâh, vilification:— (ac-) curse (-d, -ing).

 The New Strong’s Dictionary of Hebrew and Greek Words 

If we obey God’s word, there will be blessing.  If we disobey His word, there will be a curse

A – There are true benefits to obeying God and having a relationship with Him.  Blessings from God include access to God and all of His attributes.  The curse that comes from disobedience is a lack of relationship and no access to His attributes.  In the middle of this principle is God’s ability to see a person’s heart and motive and account for their actions.  He moves in authority, truth, grace and mercy…it is amazing and challenging to comprehend.

R – Lord, thank You for Your love for us that draws us to You.  We want to obey Your words and the blessings that come with them.  We desire relationship with You.  Help us today to know You more and do what you ask us to do.