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Quote from Open Up Your Heart by Jeff Syverson

November 28
The Power of a Good Reputation

Today’s Scripture Readings: Psalm 132:1-3 | Daniel 5:1-31 | 2 Peter 2:1-22 | Proverbs 28:19-20


Today’s Scripture Focus: Daniel 5

There is a man in your kingdom who has the spirit of the holy gods in him. In the time of your father he was found to have insight and intelligence and wisdom like that of the gods. Your father, King Nebuchadnezzar, appointed him chief of the magicians, enchanters, astrologers and diviners. He did this because Daniel, whom the king called Belteshazzar, was found to have a keen mind and knowledge and understanding, and also the ability to interpret dreams, explain riddles and solve difficult problems. Call for Daniel, and he will tell you what the writing means.” (Daniel 5:11-12 NIV)

Confronted by a mystery that could not be solved by the wisest advisors of the kingdom, King Belshazzar seeks for another source. The Queen tells him about Daniel who had proved his integrity and wisdom under King Nebuchadnezzar. In glowing terms, the reputation of this man of integrity is presented to the King.

David is brought in to read the mysterious words written on the wall: Mene, Mene, Tekel, Parsen. Daniel must have known that the words of judgment he needed to give would not be easily received. Still with characteristic integrity and boldness, even rejecting the promised gifts of the King, he reads and interprets the words confronting King Belshazzar for his pride and sin.

He reminds Belshazzer how Nebuchadnezzar was brought down from his place of power because of his pride. But he had not learned the lesson of his father’s downfall. His ultimate act of arrogance would be to set himself up against God Almighty himself. He desecrates the sacred vessels from the temple by toasting false gods rather praising the Almighty God. This act of defiance would be his downfall.

He is told the meaning of the words: Your days are numbered and soon coming to an end. You have been weighed in the balance and found wanting. Your kingdom will be divided among the Medes and the Persians.

Pride, arrogance and abuse of power find their day of reckoning. God sees and he will make it right. Integrity, obedience and courage likewise come to light before God and men and find their reward.

November 27
Everything We Need

Today’s Scripture Readings: Psalm 131:1-3 | Daniel 4:1-37 | 2 Peter 1:1-21 | Proverbs 28:17-18

Today’s Scripture Focus: 2 Peter 1:2-8

Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. (2 Peter 1:2-8 NIV)

God, by his divine power has given us everything we need for living a godly life. Sometimes the idea of a “godly life” or a “Christ-like life” seems so far off—so impossible. Perhaps that is why we settle for so little and don’t pursue godliness.

We don’t need to settle. God has given us his word, filling it with promises of the good things he would do in and through us as we grow in our “knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.”

Begin to seek out the promises of what God would do in and through you. Begin to “plead the promises”—praying for God to work in you and in other believers you know. As you pray and intercede, God will begin to work out those promises in your life.

Then you will see the spiritual growth that is described in these verses: faith and goodness and knowledge and self-control and perseverance and godliness and mutual affection and love. Possessing these qualities in greater and greater measure will keep us from being ineffective and unproductive in our walk with Christ. Or to put it the other way: as these qualities, promised by scripture, are produced by God’s power we will live effective and productive lives as Christians. We become participants in the divine nature. Don’t settle for anything less. He has given us everything we need!

From Open Up Your Heart by Jeff Syverson

November 26
Cast All Your Cares

Today’s Scripture Readings: Psalm 130:5-8 | Daniel 2:24-3:30 | 1 Peter 4:7-5:14 | Proverbs 28:15-16

Today’s Scripture Focus: I Peter 4:7-5:14

Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings. And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. (1 Peter 4:6-10 NIV)

What do you do when life gets tough? How do you handle the curve balls thrown at you by life?

Peter gives some good advice. First, from the place of humility look with expectation for God to lift you out of this pit when the time is right. Humbled by life’s experiences you may be tempted to despair. But the humbling is meant to get you looking up to the source of our hope.

This leads us naturally to Peter’s next point: “cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.” Recognizing that God loves and cares for you, what could be more natural than to cry out to God—to bring him all your cares and anxieties?

It is also a reminder that we have an enemy that must be resisted. The same trial that God would turn around into a blessing, can be the source of frustration and temptation by your enemy the Devil who prowls around like a lion looking for someone to devour. Don’t let it be you. Don’t give into discouragement. Don’t give into undue worry. Don’t despair. These are the tools of your enemy. Resist him and stand in firm in your faith.

Peter gives us the wonderful promise that when the time is right, God “will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.”

You may be struggling now to see light at the end of the tunnel. Know that the God you serve is a God of hope. He hasn’t forgotten you. Look for his hand to rescue and strengthen you. Cast all your cares on the one who cares for you!

November 25
Standing Strong

Today’s Scripture Readings: Psalm 130:1-4 | Dan 1:1-2:23 | 1 Peter 3:8-4:6 | Proverbs 28:14

Today’s Scripture Focus: Daniel 1

“But Daniel resolved that he would not defile himself with the king’s food, or with the wine that he drank. Therefore he asked the chief of the eunuchs to allow him not to defile himself. And God gave Daniel favor and compassion in the sight of the chief of the eunuchs.” (Daniel 1:8-9 ESV)

Daniel is an example of integrity in the midst of a culture of compromise. His own people, the people of Judah, had drifted from God and were suffering the consequences of being under judgment: Nebuchadnezzar’s armies had taken them into exile. Still, the compromise and iniquity of Judah paled in comparison to the wickedness Daniel found in pagan Babylon. In the midst of this spiritual darkness, the integrity of Daniel and his friends stands as a beacon of light.

The depth of his integrity and unwillingness to compromise is seen already in the first chapter when he refuses the king’s food and wine. Offered the best the King had to offer, Daniel refused to compromise his principles. So he asked to be given vegetables and water.

God granted Daniel favor. His request was granted. His integrity was further rewarded by God’s favor in the good health Daniel and his friends enjoyed. Amazingly, his vegetarian diet was making him “better in appearance and fatter in flesh than all the youths who ate the king’s food” (15).

God further blessed them with learning, skill and wisdom. Even at their young age and with this limited (though extensive) training, the king found them “ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters that were in all his kingdom” (20).

The world in our day needs men and women like Daniel who will be people of integrity–who will stand up for their beliefs at any cost. They too may expect the blessing of God to do great exploits for God. Daniel 11:32b (KJV): “the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits.”

From Open Up Your Heart by Jeff Syverson

November 24
Unjust Suffering

Today’s Scripture Readings: Psalm 129:1-8 | Ezekiel 47:1 – 48:35 | 1 Peter 2:11-3:17 | Proverbs 28:12-13

Today’s Scripture Focus: 1 Peter 2:11 – 3:17

“But if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God. For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example so that you may follow in his steps.” (1 Peter 2:20-21 ESV)

Life isn’t always fair and it isn’t always easy. Suffering and persecution were an everyday reality for the readers of Peter’s letter. They are a reality for many believers, even today. While the injustices and sufferings we face may pale in comparison with those suffered by Peter’s original readers, we all know the sting of injustice and suffering. But unjust suffering is no excuse for taking revenge, retaliation or cursing our persecutors. It is an opportunity to be a testimony to others of the life of Christ within us.

Jesus, in dealing with the unjust suffering of the cross, set the example for us: “He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly” (23).

As we follow in Christ’s steps, we too can expect suffering (“to this you have been called”). As he was treated unfairly, so we can expect to be treated unfairly. How do we handle it? By drawing from the life we have in Christ. Jesus set the example and they key to getting through these times with our faith and testimony intact is his indwelling power and presence. Leaving the matter in God’s hands to judge justly is another key. He will take care of the injustice–that is his job, not mine.

Life may be difficult; it may be unfair. This should not surprise us. These are opportunities to grow in our faith and opportunities to be a testimony to the world around us. As they see our Christ-like attitudes in the most difficult of situations, lives are touched by the power of the gospel.

From Open Up Your Heart by Jeff Syverson

November 11
Spurs of Encouragement

Today’s Scripture Readings: Psalm 119:161-168 | Ezekiel 23:1-49 | Hebrews 10:18-39 | Proverbs 27:13

Today’s Scripture Focus: Hebrews 10:18-39

Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. [24] And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. [25] Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another–and all the more as you see the Day approaching. (Hebrews 10:23-25 NIV)

We all need encouraging words. Often those words of encouragement are ones that we want to hear such as a word of hope when we are going through a tough time; a word of affirmation when we are discouraged. Yet, encouragement doesn’t always mean flowery words of praise for another. Sometimes encouragement requires a spur–a painful poke in our backside that spurs us on to action.

Anyone whosever seen a “Western” movie remembers the cowboy with spurs on the back of his boots. When it’s time to get the horse moving, he gives a jab of the spurs and the horse is off and running full speed in no time.

Sometimes we all need to be spurred on. We need the encouraging words that move us beyond apathy and complacency to a full gallop toward the goal.

It’s reckless to get too busy for church–to give up on meeting together. You need the words of encouragement. You need the fellowship. Sometimes you need the spurs.

Do you know someone who is drifting? Complacent? Growing tired in the race and tempted to give up? God has given you the responsibility of spurring them on toward love and good deeds.

Now don’t go overboard. The spur is meant to prod, not to cause permanent hurt. In the hands of the wrong person, a spur can have a detrimental effect. So our attempts to spur on others to love and good deeds can have a detrimental effect when we aren’t loving and tactful.

Encourage one another daily. When necessary, use spurs.