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September 18
Christ Formed in You

Today’s Scripture Readings: Psalms 105:8-15 | Isaiah 28:14-30:11 | Galatians 3:23-4:31| Proverbs 23:19-21

Today’s Scripture Focus: Galatians 3:23-4:31

“My dear children, for whom I am again in the pains of childbirth until Christ is formed in you…” (Galatians 3:19 NIV)

The law was given to us as our tutor or guardian to lead us to Christ. In Christ, we find freedom as heirs to the promise by faith. We are adopted as sons and the Spirit of God within us cries out “Abba, Father.” The Christian life is not one of bondage to rules and regulations, but a life of freedom and fullness as we live in freedom as the children of God.

While some might try to steal our joy and place us in bondage, Christ has come to set us free. “What has happened to all your joy?” Paul asks (4:15)…

From Open Up Your Heart by Jeff Syverson

September 17
Practicing His Presence

Today’s Scripture Readings: Psalms 105:1-7 | Isaiah 25:1-28:13 | Galatians 3:10-22 | Proverbs 23:17-18

Today’s Scripture Focus: Psalms 105:1-7

Seek the Lord and his strength; seek his presence continually! (Psalm 105:4 ESV)

Prayer begins as we open our heart to Jesus. We worship, we adore, we share our heart’s deepest burdens and longings, we confess, we listen, we intercede, we ask, we enjoy his presence. We say, “Amen.”

Amen doesn’t have to be the end of our prayer time. It can be only the beginning. If we linger in his presence as we begin the day, we can take his presence with us wherever we go—whatever we do. We can continue to seek his presence—his face. Daily we find Him to be “Emmanuel—God with us.”

Paul spoke of “praying continually.” The Psalmist here describes the same experience…

September 16
The Real Thing

Today’s Scripture Readings: Psalms 104:31-35 | Isaiah 22:1-24:23 | Galatians 2:17- 3:9 | Proverbs 23:12

Today’s Scripture Focus: Galatians 2:17-3:9

“I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.” Gal 2:20

The real thing—the heart of the gospel—is Christ living in you and me. The key to living the Christian life is not trying hard to live by the rules in my own strength and power. It is all about a grace based relationship with the one who loves me most—Jesus.

By faith we exchange our life for his; our desires for his; our strength for his. By faith we rely on the power he supplies through the Holy Spirit. By faith we recognize that we are dead to the “self-life”—all of our attempts to do it on our own, all of our selfish motives, even our self-righteous…

From Open Up Your Heart by Jeff Syverson

September 15
Stealing Freedom

Today’s Scripture Readings: Psalms 104:19-30 | Isaiah 19:1-21:17 | Galatians 2:1-16 | Proverbs 23:13-14

Today’s Scripture Focus: Galatians 2:1-16

This matter arose because some false brothers had infiltrated our ranks to spy on the freedom we have in Christ Jesus and to make us slaves. [5] We did not give in to them for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel might remain with you. (Galatians 2:4-5 NIV)

Be careful of any system that adds requirements to the gospel. One common form of such a system is legalism. Legalism attempts to place people in bondage to a religious system of rules and to take away the freedom that flows from a relationship with Christ. The legalist focuses on appearances—trying hard to impress others (and presumably, God) by how well they keep the rules. It is a…

September 14
Good News

Today’s Scripture Readings: Psalms 104:10-18 | Isaiah 15:1-18:7 | Galatians 1:1-24 | Proverbs 23:12

Today’s Scripture Focus: Galatians 1

I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel– [7] which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ. [8] But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned! (Galatians 1:6-8 NIV)

Did you notice how abruptly Galatians begins? Paul normally begins with a long thanksgiving passage and then a prayer for the church. But this time, he gets right to the point. His words are pointed and passionate. That should tell you that he was very concerned…

September 13
Passing the Test

Today’s Scripture Readings: Psalm 104:1-9 | Isaiah 12:1-14:32 | 2 Corinthians 13:1-14 | Proverbs 23:9-11

Today’s Scripture Focus: 2 Corinthians 13

“Test yourselves to make sure you are solid in the faith. Don’t drift along taking everything for granted. Give yourselves regular checkups. you need firsthand evidence, not mere hearsay, that Jesus Christ is in you. Test it out. If you fail the test, do something about it . . .We’re rooting for the truth to win out in you.” (2 Corinthians 13:5-9 The Message)

Paul reminds us that we sometimes need to check our progress in the faith. Are we growing up in the faith? Are we becoming more and more like Jesus? Or are we just drifting along without any apparent progress, or worse, losing ground?

Paul’s measuring stick is this: “Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves: that “Jesus…

September 12
The Big Picture

Today’s Scripture Readings: Psalm 103:20-22 | Isaiah 10:1-11:16 | 2 Corinthians 2:11-21 | Proverbs 23:6-8

Today’s Scripture Focus: Isaiah 11

A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit. The Spirit of the LORD will rest on him—the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of might, the Spirit of the knowledge and fear of the LORD. (Isaiah 11:1-2 NIV)

When what we see with our eyes doesn’t seem to make sense, it is time to look at the big picture—to get an eternal perspective. For Isaiah, that meant pointing to the hope of the coming Messiah. In earlier chapters he warned of judgment, but even in all that he points to the hope that one day the Messiah will come.

He declares that the Messiah will come from the family of…

Quote from Open Up Your Heart by Jeff Syverson

September 11
He Will Reign

Today’s Scripture Readings: Psalm 103:6-19 | Isaiah 8:1-9:21 | 2 Corinthians 12:1-10 | Proverbs 23:4-5

Today’s Scripture Focus: Isaiah 9 & Psalm 103

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. [7] Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. (Isaiah 9:6-7 NIV)

“The Lord has established his throne in heaven, and his kingdom rules over all.” Psalm 103:19

On the one-year anniversary of 9-11, I went with some friends to minister to the families of victims of the 9-11…

Quote from Open Up Your Heart by Jeff Syverson

September 10
Holy Love

Today’s Scripture Readings: Psalm 103:1-5 | Isaiah 6:1-7:25 | 2 Corinthians 11:16-33 | Proverbs 23:1-3

Today’s Scripture Focus: Isaiah 6 & Psalm 103

“Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory.” Isaiah 6:3 (NIV).

Understanding both God’s holiness and his loving goodness brings a balanced focus to our lives. Like Isaiah, we need a vision of the holiness of God. Like the psalmist, we also need to understand God’s heart of love towards his people. While they seem to be in stark contrast, they come together in a unity that brings balance to both.

In Isaiah’s vision, angels are awestruck by the holiness of God and continually cry out, “holy, holy, holy.” Isaiah too, is struck by the holiness of God. To get a true vision of God is to…

September 9
Boasting in Weakness

Today’s Scripture Readings: Psalms 102:18-28 | Isaiah 3:1-5:30 | 2 Corinthians 11:1-15 | Proverbs 22:28-29

Today’s Scripture Focus: 2 Corinthians 11

“If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness.” (2 Corinthians 11:30 NIV)

Most of us spend a lot of energy trying to keep up a good front– to appear strong. We try very hard to pretend that everything is perfect. We try very hard to hide our weaknesses. Paul said, “I boast in my weakness.”

A number of years ago I heard John Maxwell, a powerful communicator, share that one of his most dynamic messages was to a group of pastors when he spent the whole message sharing the worst mistakes he had made in ministry. They laughed and cried and related to him at a deeper level than they might otherwise have. Then they were ready to…