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From Open Up Your Heart by Jeff Syverson

August 8
The Hand of the Lord

Today’s Scripture Readings: Psalms 84:9-12 | Ezra 7:1 – 8:20 | 1 Corinthians 4:1-21 | Proverbs 20: 28-30

Today’s Scripture Focus: Ezra 7:1 – 8:20

This Ezra came up from Babylon. He was a teacher well versed in the Law of Moses, which the Lord, the God of Israel, had given. The king had granted him everything he asked, for the hand of the Lord his God was on him. (Ezra 7:6 NIV)

In yesterday’s reading we saw that the “eye of God” was upon his people. He was watching over them–he knew their problems and was acting on their behalf. It is a comforting truth that we all need to hear.

This passage repeatedly mentions the “hand of the Lord.” God blessed Ezra in extraordinary ways because “the hand of the Lord” was “on…

From Open Up Your Heart by jeff Syverson

August 7
The Eye of God

Today’s Scripture Readings: Psalms 84:5-8 | Ezra 5:1 – 6:22 | 1 Corinthians 3:5-23 | Proverbs 20: 26-27

Today’s Scripture Focus: Ezra 5:1 – 6:22

“But the eye of their God was watching over the elders of the Jews, and they were not stopped.” (Ezra 5:5 NIV)

God has been watching his people. As they’ve begun to turn to him, he’s turned toward them; he’s watching out for them.

The story of Ezra is the story of God turning his face of blessing toward his people after a time of judgment. The people had been idolatrous and rebellious under the Kings of Judah and had been taken into exile by Nebuchadnezzar, the wicked king of Babylon.

Prophets like Jeremiah and Habakkuk saw it coming, and lamented and wept that the people of God could fall so…

From Open Up Your Heart

August 6
Nursery Duty

Today’s Scripture Readings: Psalms 84:1:4| Ezra 3:1 – 4:24| 1 Cor. 2:6 – 3:4|Proverbs 20:24-25

Today’s Scripture Focus: 1 Corinthians 2:6- 3:4

“But as for right now, friends, I’m completely frustrated by your unspiritual dealing with each other and with God. You’re acting like infants in relation to Christ, capable of nothing much more than nursing at the breast. Well, then I’ll nurse you since you don’t seem capable of anything more. As long as you grab for what makes you feel good or makes you look important, are you really much different than a babe at the breast, content only when everything’s going your way?” (1 Corinthians 3:1-3 The Message)

I love kids, but I have often been glad that my preaching and teaching schedule conflicts with the nursery schedule—because I’d be horrible in the nursery. Once they can walk…

From Open Up Your Heart by Jeff Syverson

August 5
The Foolishness of Brilliance

Today’s Scripture Readings: Psalm 83:9-16 | Ezra 1:1 – 2:70 |
1 Corinthians 1:18 – 2:5 | Proverbs 20:22-23

Today’s Scripture Focus: 1 Corinthians 1

“I know very well how foolish the message of the cross sounds to those who are on the road to destruction. But we who are being saved recognize this message as the very power of God. As the Scriptures say, “I will destroy human wisdom and discard their most brilliant ideas.” (1 Corinthians 1:18-19 NLT)

I was invited to the home of two college professors to fellowship with one of their colleagues. They all had advanced degrees in science—mostly chemistry. Often the conversation moved toward advanced topics in chemistry. I’m sure the conversation was brilliant. But to me it seemed like foolishness. It was over my head. I didn’t get it.

From Open Up Your Heart by Jeff Syverson

August 4
Plastic Prayers Make Plastic Churchgoers

Today’s Scripture Readings: Psalm 83:1-8 | 2 Chronicles 35:1 – 36:23 | 1 Corinthians 1:1-17 | Proverbs 20:20-21

Today’s Scripture Focus: Psalm 83

“God, don’t shut me out; don’t give me the silent treatment, O God. Your enemies are out there whooping it up, the God-haters are living it up; They’re plotting to do your people in, conspiring to rob you of your precious ones.” (Psalm 83:1-2 The Message)

Ron Mortoia, in his book Morph! tells of a conversation on the golf course with an unchurched man. The man’s observation:

“People who go to church just aren’t real. I don’t think they’re trying to be deceptive, they just seem fake and act like their lives are better than I know they really are.”

Ron comments: “The charge against the church used to be that it…

From Open Up Your Heart by Jeff Syverson

August 3
Amazing Grace!

Today’s Scripture Readings: Psalm 82:1-8| 2 Chronicles 33:14 – 34:33| Romans 16:8-27| Proverbs 20:19

Today’s Scripture Focus: 2 Chronicles 33:1 – 34:33

“In his distress he sought the favor of the Lord his God and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers. And when he prayed to him, the Lord was moved by his entreaty and listened to his plea. So he brought him back to Jerusalem and to his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the Lord is God.” (2 Chronicles 33:13 NIV)

Grace always amazes me—especially when I find it’s sweet sound in unexpected places. There was a day when I was surprised to find grace in the Old Testament at all, but now I see it all the time. But this story of Manasseh is more unexpected than most—I’m still amazed by it. Here…

From Open Up Your Heart by Jeff Syverson

August 2
The Mountaintop

Today’s Scripture Readings: Psalm 81:8-16 | 2 Chronicles 32:1 – 33:13 | Romans 15:23 – 16:7 | Proverbs 20:16-18

Today’s Scripture Focus: 2 Chronicles 32:1 – 33:13

“In everything that he undertook in the service of God’s temple and in obedience to the law and the commands, he sought his God and worked wholeheartedly. And so he prospered.” (2 Chronicles 31:21 NIV)

The crisp, cool air blows through your hair as you as gaze upon the majestic beauty of other mountain peaks. You are above them all. You are on the mountaintop. It’s an exhilarating place to be, a dangerous place. It was quite an adventure to get there and even more difficult to stay there.

Hezekiah found the way to the mountaintop. “In everything that he undertook in the service of God’s temple and in obedience…

August 1
Blessing Instead of Bleeping

Today’s Scripture Readings: Psalm 81:1-17 | 2 Chronicles 30:1 – 31:21 | Romans 15:1-22 | Proverbs 20:13-15

Today’s Scripture Focus: Romans 15

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit” (Romans 15:13 NIV) 

There seems to be a whole lot of bleeping going on these days. You know that high-pitched bleep that somehow tries to cover over certain words—curses, mostly (but you don’t have to be a lip reader to know what is being covered over). In the movies or on cable, we get the full effect of the curse in all of it’s glory (or lack thereof). Of course, what should we expect from the mouths of a world that is living under the curse.

There’s a lot of cursing…

July 31
Thank God For Broccoli

Today’s Scripture Readings: Psalms 80:8-19 | 2 Chronicles 29:1-36 | Romans 14:1-23 | Proverbs 20:12

Today’s Scripture Focus: Romans 14:1-23

“If you eat meat, eat it to the glory of God and thank God for prime rib, if you’re a vegetarian, eat vegetables and thank God for broccoli.” (Romans 14:6 The Message)

I met a man in India whose first words after baptism were, “Does this mean I now have to eat beef?” The thought was utterly repulsive to him. Years of believing that eating beef was a sinful act—perhaps the most sinful act in his system of belief—meant that this young believer had a very sensitive conscience and many scruples when it came to his diet. It seems to me that this is exactly the kind of believer Paul has in mind in the text. If you were to invite him into…

From Open Up Your Heart by Jeff Syverson

July 30
Starting and Finishing Well

Today’s Scripture Readings: Psalm 80:1-7 | 2 Chronicles 26:1 – 28:27 | Romans 13:1-14 | Proverbs 20:11

Today’s Scripture Focus: 2 Chronicles 26:1 – 28:27

Uzziah was off to a great start. Things were going extremely well, maybe too well. Then he crashed and had a hard time finishing the race. He had good intentions and a great start, but lost his way near the end of the race.

Uzziah, the King of Judah, started out young—he started out well. One of the keys to the race is finding the right advisors. He had a great one: Zechariah. “He sought God during the days of Zechariah, who instructed him in the fear of God. As long as he sought the Lord, God gave him success.”

Don’t underestimate the importance of spiritual advisors in your life, people…