VERSE OF THE DAY:
AMOS 5:24
Instead, I want to see a mighty flood of justice, an endless river of righteous living.
REORDERING OUR PRIORITIES
The northern tribes of Israel in Amos' time seemed like they were doing all the right things. They offered sacrifices to God and were exact in their religious observations. And yet, the book of Amos is written to them as a warning—a warning that destruction that would befall them if they refused to change?
Why?
Because they had neglected the true heart of loving and worshiping God.
While they were doing many of the "right" things, it's what they weren't doing that drew God's ire. They failed to take care of the poor and needy. They turned their eyes away from injustice. Many had turned to idols for help and prayer.
Through Amos, God told the people of Israel that it is just as important to be righteous inwardly as it is outwardly. We cannot say we love God and others when we fail to help people who are within our power to help.
Just as James 1:27 tells us, true religion includes helping orphans, widows, and those who are in distress. James goes on to write that faith without works is a dead faith (James 2:26). In short, faith is both believing in the Lord and doing the things He has told us to do.
Take some time to think about your own life: How much time do you prioritize on your own spirituality versus serving others?
What ways can you begin to take steps toward serving in your church, your neighborhood, or your school in order to help those in need. All of these are ways that our faith becomes complete in Christ as we follow after Him.
SHARE YOUR FAITH
Don't just say you love righteousness and justice- show it with your actions.
Today, let justice roll through your speech, your decisions, and your influence. Let righteousness be the stream that defines your life.
God, You desire a world that is marked by righteousness and justice. Help me to be a part of shaping that world by living a life that's pleasing to You. Give me opportunities to make a difference-to care for those who are hurting and reflect Your loving character. In Jesus' name, Amen.
God, You are so good to me! When I look around me, I am amazed at how great you are. I see evidence of Your power and love everywhere I turn. You are great and worthy to be praise! Today, help me to pause. be still, and notice Your greatness. Today, I want to worship You. In Jesus' name, Amen.
JAMES 5:16
Confess your sins to each other and pray for each others so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.
Pause and consider what you need God to do in your life today.
PSALMS 73:26
My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak, but God remains the strength of my heart; he is mine forever.
Bring to mind where you need God's strength.
Then, read this verse out loud and make this passage your prayer for protection.
DAILY BIBLE READING:
ESTHER 9-10
ACTS 7:1-21
THE VICTORY OF THE JEWS
THE FESTIVAL OF PURIM
THE GREATNESS OF XERXES AND MORDECAI
STEPHEN ADDRESSES THE COUNCIL
EXODUS 34:29-35
Moses wasn’t aware that his face had become radiant because he had spoken to the Lord.
Moses called out to them and asked Aaron and all the leaders of the community to come over, and he talked with them. 32Then all the people of Israel approached him, and Moses gave them all the instructions the Lord had given him on Mount Sinai. the people of Israel would see the radiant glow of his face. So he would put the veil over his face until he returned to speak with the Lord.
INSIGHT
In Exodus 34, Moses’ face was literally shining after his encounters with God captured the intensity of His glory. It revealed that God was truly with His people through Moses and that His revelation could be trusted. In the ancient Near East, shining faces were believed to indicate someone was divine. Aaron and the Israelites were frightened by Moses’ appearance (v. 30), perhaps thinking he’d become a god himself. By allowing his shining face to be seen only when delivering God’s instructions to the people and veiling it the rest of the time (vv. 34-35), Moses may have been trying to prevent the people from worshiping him instead of God.
In 2 Corinthians 3:12-18, Paul suggests that because of Jesus, anyone can encounter God’s glory like Moses did. Those who “contemplate” Christ’s glory are “transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory” (v. 18)—reflecting Him more and more. As we spend time with God, our faces will “shine” with His love.
By: Monica La Rose
SHINING FACES
“He has a sugar face!” our vet exclaimed as she gave our young dog his annual checkup. “A sugar face?” I asked. “It’s a term used for retrievers whose faces turn prematurely white,” she replied, smiling. “It’s just a sign of the sweetness inside.”
Reflecting on that moment later, I thought about what shows up on my face when others meet me. Do they catch a glimpse of “the sweetness inside,” the transforming power of Jesus’ love in my heart and life? The Bible tells of the breathtaking moments when Moses came down from Mount Sinai after spending days in God’s presence. Moses “was not aware that his face was radiant because he had spoken with the Lord,” so radiant that the people “were afraid to come near him” (Exodus 34:29-30). To avoid frightening them further, Moses “put a veil over his face” and removed it when “he went in to speak with the Lord” (vv. 33, 35).
Moses was of course literally speaking with God “face to face” (33:11), a unique moment in the Bible. But Scripture also reminds us that we who know God through Christ “are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory” (2 Corinthians 3:18). His presence within us can be winsome to others—a work of God’s love. Our faces may not shine like Moses’ did, but as we spend time in God’s presence, He’ll become increasingly evident in us.
By: James Banks
REFLECT AND PRAY
How is God’s love evident in your life? How might you share it with others today?
Please let my face shine with Your love, dear Father, that others may love You too! in Jesus' name, Amen.
