Pastor Bob DuPar
April 7, 2008

Journal Entry


Scripture

Deuteronomy 31:1-32:27; Luke 12:8-34; Psalm 78:32-55; Proverbs 12:21-23.

Observation

Deuteronomy 32:4 just about says it all:

“He is a Rock, His works are perfect, and all His ways are just. A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is He.”

The NT reading spoke to me the most today:

“…a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.”
Luke 12:15

“And do not seek what you will eat and what you will drink, and do not keep worrying. For all these things the nations of the world eagerly seek; but your Father knows that you need these things. But seek His kingdom, and these things will be added to you. Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has chosen gladly to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions and give to charity; make yourselves money belts which do not wear out, an unfailing treasure in heaven, where no thief comes near nor moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Luke 12:29-34

I love the balance in Jesus’ words here. Jesus is not condemning us for wanting or needing the same things that the world wants and needs. He is commanding us to not have these wants and needs be the driving force of our life. “Seek first God’s kingdom, and these things will be added to you!” And, I love the line “Your Father knows that you need these things.” It’s not the “things” as much as it is how we go about getting these things. And, what a statement: “Your Father has chosen gladly to give you the kingdom!” Why settle for lesser things when we’ve been offered the kingdom?


Application

I need to pay more attention to “how” I go after things. Do I trust God to provide what I need? Or, do I seek to provide for myself? Do I really trust that God wants to bless me with good things? Or, do I secretly hold views of God as the Great denier of all things fun and materially oriented?

Prayer

“God, help Me to trust You for all things. I know You see my needs and You have the power to meet them. May I trust and rest in Your perfect timing.”

Pastor Bob DuPar
April 6, 2008

Journal Entry


Scripture

Deuteronomy 29:1-30:20; Luke 11:37-12:7; Psalm 78:1-31; Proverbs 12:19-20.

Observation

Today’s reading was fantastic. I love how God says in Deuteronomy 30:11 that His commandments are “not too difficult for us, nor are they out of our reach.” God never asks us to do things that are unattainable – especially through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Deuteronomy 30:19-20 spoke to me as well:

“I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. So choose life in order that you may live, you and your descendants, by loving the Lord your God, by obeying His voice, and by holding fast to Him; for this is your life and the length of your days, that you may live in the land which the Lord swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give them.”

God encourages us to choose life. It is a choice! And, how do we choose life? We choose life by loving God, obeying His voice and by holding fast to Him. How beautiful! The text adds, “For this is your life…” Like don’t forget that you have no other life, you will not find life in anything else.

Psalm 78 is one of my favorite Psalms. I love to command to pass the baton of faith to the next generation “that they should put their confidence in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep His commandments.” (vs. 7) It reminds me of the old saying: “Christianity (faith) is only a generation away from extinction.” We have a responsibility to be faithful in transferring our faith.

Proverbs 12:20 is golden: “Counselors of peace have joy!” Not counselors who say what people want to hear. But, counselors who speak God’s Word and God’s wisdom to bring peace and healing in broken lives.

Application

May I be a counselor of peace. I am committed to actively look for ways to live-out my faith in a winsome way with my kids/family. I am a firm believer in the saying that “faith is better caught than taught.” I can talk until I’m blue in the face, but if I’m not living what I preach – there’s no fruit. Furthermore, I’m committed to choosing life everyday through loving God, obeying His voice and holding fast to Him.

Prayer

“God, thank You that You are the Good Shepherd of John 10 who holds tightly on to me – and that no one and no thing can snatch me out of Your grasp. Help me to never forget the source of my life and the means to this life.”

Pastor Bob DuPar
April 5, 2008

Journal Entry


Scripture

Deuteronomy 28:1-68; Luke 11:14-36; Psalm 77:1-20; Proverbs 12:18.

Observation

Proverbs 12:18 grabs me the most today:

“There is one who speaks rashly like the thrusts of a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.”

Careless, hurtful words are like the thrusts of a sword. Wow! That’s pretty graphic and straightforward. We underestimate the power of our words – for good and for bad. Critical words leave wounds and wounds take a long time to heal. But, the words of the wise bring healing. Words are never neutral. Words have consequences. Sometimes words can slip out of my mouth so quickly, so effortlessly, so thoughtlessly. It’s hard to trust words when they are not consistent or supported by a history of reliability.


Application

I need to choose my words carefully and wisely. I want my words to bring healing and encouragement.

Prayer

“God, help me to weigh my words – to realize the power of words. May I speak Your words and not the careless impulses of my emotions or selfish desires. Thank You for Your Word which guides my words.”

Pastor Bob DuPar
April 4, 2008

Journal Entry


Scripture

Deuteronomy 26:1-27:26; Luke 10:38-11:13; Psalm 76:1-12; Proverbs 12:15-17.

Observation

I liked the last verse in our OT reading today the best:

“Cursed is he who does not confirm the words of this law by doing them…”

I liked this verse simply because the message is that we confirm God’s Word by doing it – by putting it into practice. This may not sound very earth-shaking, but how practical!

I found Proverbs 12:15 very helpful and insightful as well:

“The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man is he who listens to counsel.”

This verse reminds me of Proverbs 24:6, “…in the abundance of counselors there is victory.”

I never understood the parable about persistence in Luke 11 until someone explained to me that this story is not teaching that we have to nag God to death to get Him to respond. The point of this parable and others like it is “how much more” will your heavenly Father respond to your needs – not because He feels obligated or pestered, but because He wants to.

Application

Well, the application from Deuteronomy 27:26 is clear: confirm your belief by acting upon it. Proverbs: it’s smart to seek counsel vs. acting solo. And, in Luke, God wants to give good things to those who ask Him. So, I need to ask more.

Prayer

“God, thank You that You love me more than I can comprehend. Help me to trust You more and to anticipate the good that You desire for me.”

Pastor Bob DuPar
April 3, 2008

Journal Entry


Scripture

Deuteronomy 23:1-25:19; Luke 10:13-37; Psalm 75:1-10; Proverbs 12:12-14.

Observation

O.K. there was more gross stuff recorded in today’s OT reading than I even want to mention. How do I even begin to comment on things that I am too embarrassed to repeat?

I love the excitement of the 70 disciples when they return to report to the Lord the success of their God-appointed powers. I wonder if the image of Satan falling from heaven like lightning is figurative of the blow which the enemy is dealt every time Christians boldly use their gifts for God’s glory.

Luke 10:22 is a great proof text for the deity of Jesus, though often overlooked. No one truly knows the Father except the Son, and vice versa. When you consider the intimacy conveyed in the Bible’s use of the word “know” it becomes clear that an inseparable communion of deity is implied.

Application

I often wonder if Christians today (myself included) have miraculous powers which go unnoticed and unused from lack of faith and fear of embarrassment. I would love to tell a lame person to stand to their feet, or a blind person to throw away their walking stick – if I knew for sure that God was going to heal them; otherwise, the victims might potentially feel more condemnation and I might feel the embarrassment of empty claims and needlessly adding to someone’s pain. But, have I tried and failed? No. So, I guess my prayer is for boldness.

Prayer

“God, give me the courage to follow the leading of Your Spirit to work miracles and change things which You wish to be changed. May I not shrink back in fear or doubt when I sense Your prompting.”

Pastor Bob DuPar
April 2, 2008

Journal Entry


Scripture

Deuteronomy 21:1-22:30; Luke 9:51-10:12; Psalm 74:1-23; Proverbs 12:11.

Observation

Today’s OT reading was rough. You don’t expect stuff like this to be in the Bible. So many of the laws and provisions seem antiquated, humanistic and down-right degrading. I trust that God was giving His people laws to help them in the situation and culture in which they found themselves and not a standard for future generations. For example, when God/Moses says,

“If a man has two wives…” (Deut. 21:15)

Is God condoning polygamy? Of course not.

Or, the man who meets a virgin not pledged to be married and rapes her. He is fined and then told that he can never divorce her as long as he lives (Deut. 22:28-29). This sounds more punishing to the poor girl who is raped. First, she is violated. Then second, she is forced to spend the rest of her life with this monster. And, the hardest part for me is that the man who rapes a woman is stoned to death if she is pledged to be married, but only fined if she is not pledged to be married. How is the violation and offense to the woman any less damaging or scarring? Tuff stuff. I don’t pretend to understand it.

On a lighter note, I like Proverbs 12:11, “He who works his land will have abundant food, but he who chases fantasies lacks judgment.” This verse seems to speak to a lot of the get rich quick schemes we are bombarded with today.

Application

I don’t understand all of Scripture, but I trust the God who wrote it. Many times the Bible doesn’t make sense to me, but then I don’t expect a multidimensional, infinite, God to always make sense to my one dimensional, finite, mind and reasoning. I guess at the end of the day, I’m more concerned and fearful of a god who always makes sense to me and does things just like I would do them.

Prayer

“God, thank You that Your ways are higher than my ways and Your thoughts than my thoughts. Help me to continue to trust You for the things that I don’t understand. And, please give me wisdom and insight as I try to explain difficult things to those who have questions.”

Pastor Bob DuPar
April 1, 2008

Journal Entry


Scripture

Deuteronomy 18:1-20:20; Luke 9:28-50; Psalm 73:1-28; Proverbs 12:10.

Observation

What an amazing experience for the disciples to witness Jesus transforming before their own eyes. “His face changed and His clothes became as bright as a flash of lightning!” And then, to think that as 2Corinthians 3:18 says, “We are being transformed moment to moment, glory to glory into His image!”

Finally, I love Psalm 73 – especially verse 26:

“My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.”

Two of my former college students from the Bay area put this verse and other portions of Psalm 73 to music and I hear it every time I read this passage.

Application

God is my strength when my strength fails – He is always enough! I need to focus more on the transformation that’s taking place in my life and the things I do which hinder this process or encourage it.

Prayer

“God, thank You that You’ve promised that You won’t stop working on me, perfecting me, until the day that Christ returns and I am transformed into Your perfect image in the twinkling of an eye.”