November 1: Psalm 32 – What stands out to you from this important Psalm? What does it have to do with the communion meal? Why? “Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, ‘I will confess my transgressions to the Lord’ — and you forgave the guilt of my sin.” (verse 5) This whole Psalm applies to preparing for communion, but this specific verse talks about the importance of confession. When we acknowledge to God something he already knows, it pleases him. If we pretend to have a secret that we keep from him, it impedes our growth. What do you need to confess as you anticipate partaking in the Lord’s Table? How honest are you with God?

I invite you to join me as we read the Book of Colossians this week. There are only four chapters, but I want to break up these four chapters into smaller, bite-size pieces for you to really take in the message of this letter written by the Apostle Paul. This is the right book for us this week as I prepare a message entitled “The Greatest Bridge of All.” Paul wrote to the Church of Colosse to help them realize that Christ is supreme. “For in Christ all the fullness of deity lives in bodily form, and you have been given fullness in Christ, who is the head over every power and authority.” (2:9,10) That’s our theme.

November 2:    Colossians 1:1-14 – What verse stands out to you in these 14 verses? Why? “For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.” Verses 13 & 14 are my theme. This is probably the greatest benefit that Jesus offers us. We are given the invitation to be rescued from the grip of the enemy. Christ wants to buy us back. This gives us freedom from sin and no fear of judgment. Thank God for what you and I have received in Jesus. What is so great about what Jesus has done for us? What are some of the benefits that are mentioned by Paul for all believers because of Christ? Which one do you appreciate? Why?

November 3      Colossians 1:15-2:5 – What verse catches your attention? What does it mean to you? “We proclaim him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ. To this end I labor, struggling with all his energy, which so powerfully works in me.” (vv. 28 & 29) These are theme verses for me. Just like Paul, I want to see each believer mature spiritually. I work so hard at preparing a teaching from God’s Word so that God might use it to pour truth and grace into your hearts. What are you doing to help that happen in the people you know? Is this your greatest ambition, to help people grow in Christ? Why is it so important that people grow stronger in the Lord? What would be the end result? Why is a strong church so important?

November 4:    Colossians 2:6-23 – What stands out to you in this section? Which verse gets your attention? “When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross.” (vv. 13 & 14) I am especially conscious of the phrase “dead in your sins.” Sometimes I wonder why people do the things they do. But many times people do what comes natural to them. They are dead in their sins. If it wasn’t for Christ what would come natural to you would be selfishness, sin . . . a slave to your own desires. The message of Christ is that he came so that we could be made alive in him. How are you alive? What do you enjoy about your new life in Christ? Do you know others that need this kind of life? What should your gratitude make you want to do?

November 5:    Colossians 3:1-17 – Of all these marvelous verses, which one gets your attention? Why are you drawn to it? What is so impressive about this chapter? “Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.” (verse 12) This is one of my favorite verses. The progression is clear. We have been chosen by God; we are loved by him, so that we might be clothed with what he has to offer. I am not naturally compassionate, kind or gentle. But that’s who Christ becomes in me. Knowing that you are love and chosen, live out what Christ gives you. Share this life with others. How will you do that? What does this verse say to you? Where do you go from here?

November 6:    Colossians 3:18 – 4:1 – What does this say about relationships? Which verse gets your attention? Why? “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men.” (verse 23) We are called to make an impact in this world. We can’t make the kind of impact God had in mind on our own. We must be in close relationship with Christ and empowered by his Spirit. But nonetheless, we are called to make an impact. God has given you and me something to do. Whatever it is, do it with all your heart as unto the Lord. What has God called you to do? How will you invest in your life? How does that affect your relationships . . . the people you love?

November 7:    Colossians 4:2-6 – What stands out to you in this paragraph? What seems important? Why? “Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity.” (verse 5) I want to challenge you to memorize that verse or any of the other verses in this paragraph. This paragraph is the theme of our series in the month of November. The series is entitled “Bridge Building.” What does this say about bridge building? What does it mean to make the most of every opportunity? How are we to make an impact? What does it mean to be full of grace in your concern for others? Please pray for our Sunday morning gathering tomorrow as I begin a new series.

November 8:    Colossians 4:7-18 – What gets your attention from these final greetings? Why are these greetings important? “Jesus, who is called Justus, also sends greetings. These are the only Jews among my fellow workers for the kingdom of God, and they have proved a comfort to me.” (verse 11) I just picked one of these statements from the list of those that Paul was recognizing to the church of Colosse. There was a man named Jesus who was known to be called Justus. I thought that it was interesting, not just that he was named Jesus, but that I don’t know anything else about him. Most likely he was not the Justus that was known as the twelfth disciple, also named Matthias. Justus was an unknown man that the Apostle Paul appreciated, but he wasn’t unknown to God and he served Paul and he professed Christ as a Jew. Justus is in heaven. He lived out his purpose. He was recognized by Paul. You may feel like you are insignificant, that no one notices you, but God notices you. What might the Lord say about you? How would he appreciate you?

I hope you enjoyed reading Colossians last week as much as I did. Colossians has so much to say about the theme that we are studying on Sunday mornings. II Corinthians is also a letter that emphasizes the importance of us being ambassadors for Christ. That means that we represent the Lord wherever we go. In our series entitle “Bridge Builders,” another word for that would be Christ’s ambassadors. Here is the theme verse from II Corinthians, “We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.” (5:20) With that in mind, let us launch into this letter written by Paul to the Christians in Corinth.

November 9:    II Corinthians 1 – What stands out to you from this chapter? What verse gets your attention? “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.” (vv. 3 & 4) This verse is about relational connection. It is being uniquely equipped by God to help someone who is going through something that we had previously gone through. We can comfort people the best with those things that we can relate to the most. Going through a challenging time in marriage when Wendy and I were first married helps me to have empathy for those that struggle with their marriage right now. God has put me in a place to help people who are troubled in their marriage because of the comfort that I received from him going through a troubled marriage in our beginning days as husband and wife. What do these verses teach you? How do they relate to making a difference in this world?

November 10:  II Corinthians 2 – This shorter chapter is a powerful illustration about forgiving a sinner. What stands out to you from this chapter? Why? “If you forgive anyone, I also forgive him. And what I have forgiven—if there was anything to forgive—I have forgiven in the sight of Christ for your sake, in order that Satan might not outwit us. For we are not unaware of his schemes.” (vv. 10 & 11) We are never to respond in an unforgiving way. When we confront people about their sinful behavior, we do it with a desire for them to be restored to fellowship and to living wholeheartedly for Christ. We must be cautious that personal anger is not vented as we confront someone who has sinned. What does this say about forgiveness? Why is unforgiveness such an important issue? How does Satan use unforgiveness in the church?

November 11:  II Corinthians 3 – What verse stands out to you in this chapter? Why? It is not difficult for me to find verses in II Corinthians. It is one of my favorite letters. For example, verse 18: “And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.” I am attracted to the word “transformed.” We reflect the Lord’s glory as he changes us from the inside out. The more closely we follow Christ the more we will be like him. The more that we are like him, the more that he will be seen through us by others. What does transformation mean to you? How is God transforming you by his Holy Spirit? How are you different because of what Christ has done in you? Do you think people notice? Why or why not?

November 12:  II Corinthians 4 – Which verse stands out to you? What does it mean to you? “But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.” (verse 7) This is a marvelous verse about being human. God wants to use frail, fallible human beings. In our natural interaction with people, as followers of Jesus Christ, God can use both our strengths and our weaknesses to show himself. God can use both our victories and our defeats to help people realize how much God helps us and how much others need him. This is all part of God’s plan. What does it mean that we are jars of clay? How does God use our weaknesses to shine his strength? Why is this a chapter about bridge building?

November 13:  II Corinthians 5 – What verse seems most important to you? What is God’s message through that verse? “For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.” (vv 14 & 15) I know our theme verse that I mentioned in the beginning of this reading schedule is verse 20, when it says that we are Christ’s ambassadors, but I was drawn to these verses because they say Christ’s love compels us . The motivation of our life is the love of Christ for us and our love for him. It can mean both. We know that Jesus, out of his great love for us, has given up his life for our sakes. We then, because of our appreciation, would do the same. Because we appreciate and love Christ we want to give our lives away for others like he did for us. This leads to the ministry of reconciliation and sharing the message of Christ with the world. Does this make sense to you? If you really love Christ what will you do? What is the most important thing you can do for Christ?

November 14:  II Corinthians 6 – Which verse impresses you? What is God saying to you through it? “Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?” (verse 14) The whole time I have been talking about the importance of us reaching out to unbelievers. But here there seems to be a contradictory statement from Paul about associating with unbelievers. It obviously refers to a very strong kind of relationship that has ongoing ramifications. Business partnerships, marriage, dating relationships and so on, have been referred to in this way. Paul wants believers to be active in their witness for Christ to unbelievers, but they should not lock themselves into personal or business relationships that would cause them to compromise the faith. That’s the message here. Does that make sense to you? How would this verse be applied in your opinion? Is there anywhere in your life where you are unequally yoked?

November 15:  II Corinthians 7 – Which verse stands out to you? What is the message given? “Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.” (verse 10) It is interesting to realize that there are two kinds of sorrow. A sorrow or remorse that makes you feel sorry for being caught; compare this to a genuine repentance that leads to change. You can think of Peter and his remorse, which led to repentance; and Judas’ sorrow which led to suicide. One repented and was restored to faith and service; the other took his own life. We know people who are sorry for what they have done but they have no intent of changing. What is God’s message to you about repentance? Is there anything in your life where you need to repent and change? Why must repentance also be accompanied with change for it to be genuine?

We will finish the letter known as II Corinthians, along with one chapter from the Gospel of John that presents the significance of building bridges to people who need the good news. II Corinthians is a great book to go along with our theme of reaching people. “We have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.” 4:7 was one of the verses we read this past week. It is all about God reflecting himself through us using our generosity, hardships, witnessing and our love for people. You will read about these themes this week as we begin with chapter 8

November 16:    II Corinthians 8 – What stands out to you from this chapter? What do you want to apply to your life? “But just as you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in your love for us—see that you also excel in this grace of giving.” (verse 7) The word “excel” stands out to me. It means to give our best. Earnestness is really the word for zeal . . . to be passionate for God. When someone is enthusiastic about their relationship with God, it is contagious. How enthusiastic are you about your faith these days? Do you think people notice Christ in you? Why or why not?

November 17:    II Corinthians 9 – What verse gets your attention from this chapter on generosity?  How generous are you? “Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” (verse 7) There is no other verse about giving that is clearer than this one. There is a process of prayerfully deciding what to give and doing it with joyfulness verses obligation. God is concerned about how you give even more than how much you give. Do you have a difficult time letting go of your money? What might help you to be more generous? What is your obstacle in generous giving?

November 18:    II Corinthians 10 – What verse stands out to you from this chapter? What does this chapter say about ministry? “The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” (vv. 4 & 5) God’s mighty weapons are available to us as we fight against Satan’s “strongholds.” In other places in the Bible it calls it “Satan’s foothold.” Both are the same idea. What are the weapons that God has provided? How are they mentioned in Ephesians 6:10-18? I think of “prayer” when I think of the greatest weapon that Christ has given us. Others have suggested the Word of God which is mentioned as the sword of the Spirit. How does Satan try to get a foothold in your life? How have God’s weapons helped you? What does it mean to put on the full armor of God?

November 19:    II Corinthians 11 – What gets your attention from this chapter? Why? “And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. It is not surprising, then, if his servants masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve.” (vv. 14 & 15) Again, there was a reference to Satan’s activities in trying to defeat what God wants to do. When we want to reach out to other people in ministry to them so that they might see the love of Christ in us, there will be opposition. The opposition might come from them, but sometimes it comes through the circumstances of life. Sometimes it comes through people. Sometimes he uses our own thought life. Satan is disguising himself as an angel of light so often. At the same time, the Bible calls Satan the prince of darkness. How does Satan try to deceive you? How does this affect your excitement to reach out to others? How can you overcome the opposition of the devil?

November 20:    II Corinthians 12 – What verse stands out to you? What truth gets your attention? How might you apply it to your life? “But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.” (verse 9) This has to be one of my favorite verses. All of us have struggled with challenges in life. We have prayed prayers that seemingly God doesn’t answer. What are we to do next? The answer is to “trust God.” We must rely on the Lord. Our weakness not only helps develop us into stronger Christians, it also deepens our dependence on God as we rely on the strength of the Lord. This will produce an effective witness. How can God use our weakness as well as our strengths? What do these verses teach you?

November 21:    II Corinthians 13 – What verse gets your attention?  What might God be saying to you through it? “May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.” (verse 14) This very last verse in II Corinthians is one that I often share at the close of a service. I like that it includes God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. The grace of Jesus, the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit are all such important parts to our spiritual lives. If you have ever questioned the validity of the Trinity, you can see it right in this verse so clearly. The grace of the Lord Jesus seen through his sacrificial death, the love of God that he would extend himself to us through his Son, and the ongoing presence of God in our lives is this internal fellowship with the Holy Spirit. There is no other blessing that would sustain your life more than having the activity of our triune God alive in you. How do you respond to this blessing? Which aspect of our three-in-one God blesses you the most?

November 22     John 4 – What part of this story impresses you most? What do you learn from Jesus’ interaction with the woman at the well? “Jesus answered her, ‘If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.’” (verse 10) This is one of many powerful statements that Jesus shares with this woman. I am looking at the whole story and realizing that it is such a strong example for us in “bridge building,” which is our theme for the month of November. How does this story begin? What are some of the most important parts of the conversation? What are the results of this story? How might you live by Jesus’ example as presented in this chapter?

For the next three weeks I want us to read the last half of the Book of Isaiah. These 27 chapters in the second half of Isaiah generally bring the message of forgiveness, comfort and hope. This message of hope looks forward to the coming of the Messiah. Isaiah speaks more about the Messiah than does any other Old Testament prophet. He describes the Messiah as both a suffering servant and a sovereign Lord. The fact that the Messiah was to be both a suffering servant and a sovereign Lord could not be understood clearly until Jesus came. Through Jesus we have the opportunity to receive forgiveness, comfort and hope. May these chapters help you prepare for the Christmas season.

November 23:    Isaiah 40 – Which verse stands out to you? Why is it meaningful to you? “But those who hope in the Lord  will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” (verse 31) I refer to the very last verse in a chapter that is exceptional. If you ever watched the movie “Chariots of Fire,” I want you to realize that Eric Liddell was reading from this chapter in that movie. These are very inspiring words about the greatness of God. Hoping in the Lord is really the response that the prophet is looking for. Hoping in the Lord is expecting that his promise of strength will help us to rise above life’s distractions and difficulties. Do you believe God loves you and wants the best for you? What does it mean to put your hope in him? How does hope give strength?

November 24:    Isaiah 41 – Which verse jumps out at you? Why? “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” (verse 10) The very first message I ever gave in seminary was from this verse. I don’t remember much about it, but I do remember how often I cross-referenced the idea of fear. We do not need to fear. God is with us. We are recipients of his strength, help and victory. There is never any reason to fear. Why is fear not helpful? What would be the opposite of fear? What does this chapter teach you about leaning on God?

November 25:    Isaiah 42 – I hope you are enjoying reading these uplifting verses from the pen of Isaiah. What verse stands out to you? Why is it important to you? “Sing to the LORD a new song, his praise from the ends of the earth, you who go down to the sea, and all that is in it, you islands, and all who live in them.” (verse 10) Tomorrow is Thanksgiving and it would be a day of praise. When we realize the marvelous things that God has done for us, it puts a song on our lips. Do you appreciate the good that God has done for you? What are you most thankful for? Why do you have reason to praise the living God?

November 26:    Isaiah 43 – Which verse gets your attention? Why is it encouraging to you? There are many marvelous verses to highlight in this chapter. I especially like how the chapter begins. However, when I look at verse 19: “I am remembering something about the beginning days of our church. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland.” I’m remembering about the beginning of New Harvest. We used this verse as the reason for beginning our church. The Lord has done something new in my life and these last five and a half years have been a delight for me as a pastor. I am grateful for New Harvest today on this Thanksgiving Day. Thank you for being my church family and allowing me to be your pastor. May the best days of our church lie ahead. What are you thankful for? What are some of the new things that God has done in your life? How is it like “streams in a wasteland” for you?

November 27:    Isaiah 44 – Which verse stands out to you? Why does it get your attention? How does it encourage you? “One will say, ‘I belong to the LORD’ another will call himself by the name of Jacob; still another will write on his hand, ‘The LORD’s,’ and will take the name Israel.” (verse 5) There is a real sense of pleasure in being known as a child of God. I remember a friend getting a tattoo that read the words we read in this verse, “I belong to the Lord.” It actually encourages us to write it on our hands. If you are truly God’s, you will be unashamed and delighted to let everybody know about your relationship with him. It sounds like the subject of our series that will conclude this Sunday. How many people know that you are the Lord’s? How important is it to you? How might you tell people your story about what God has done in our life?

November 28:    Isaiah 45 – Which verse gets your attention? What is meaningful from this chapter? “Woe to him who quarrels with his Maker, to him who is but a potsherd among the potsherds on the ground. Does the clay say to the potter, ‘What are you making?’ Does your work say, ‘He has no hands?’” (verse 9) You can understand the message of this verse. I am always drawn to the fact that God is the potter and we are the clay. Potsherd is the word for a broken piece of pottery, which is essentially useless. How have you made God Lord of your life? What is the Potter shaping in you? How would you want the Potter to work in making you the person he intended you to be?

November 29:    Isaiah 46 – Which verse stand out to you in this shorter chapter? How might you apply it to your life? “To whom will you compare me or count me equal? To whom will you liken me that we may be compared?” (verse 5) This reminds me of all that the prophet said in Isaiah 40, with a question like: “Who is like the Lord?” What do you think that question means? Why would the prophet continue to ask the kind of question about our perception of God? Does your picture of God ever get small or confusing? When Job questioned God, the Lord gave his longest sermon in all the Bible. One question God asked in Job 38:4, “Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation? Tell me, if you understand.” And it goes on with those kind of statements. How big in your God? What can he do for you and others? How might you worship him today in church?

You will notice in our readings this week that there are several references to a future redeemer. He is the servant of the Lord. In the last chapter we read this week the Messiah is presented as a suffering servant. The culmination of these prophecies from Isaiah is this marvelous picture of Jesus that is so clearly connected to what he did for us that the prophecy is the strongest one in all the Bible. (Isaiah 53) When it says that he was pierced for our transgressions and crushed for our inequities there is a message that points to what, in theology, we call the substitutional atonement. How could an Old Testament prophet understand the idea of the Messiah dying for our sins? The answer is, he couldn’t. He was truly speaking by the Holy Spirit. This is amazing. May God bless you as you read the chapters that progress to this culmination of prophecy about the Messiah.

November 30:    Isaiah 47 – Which verse stands out to you? Why? In this chapter Isaiah predicted the fall of Babylon more than 150 years before it happened. At this time, as Isaiah is writing, Babylon had not yet emerged as the mightiest force on earth but God gave Isaiah revelation. “All the counsel you have received has only worn you out! Let your astrologers come forward, those stargazers who make predictions month by month, let them save you from what is coming upon you.” (verse 13) The people of Babylon sought advice and help from astrologers and stargazers. God, through the prophet Isaiah, challenged them to continue to rely those means of getting direction from the gods. It is a futile effort. People in our world will often look for a sign that will give them a sense of what they should do next. We have a very superstitious world. Do you feel affected by the superstitious world we live in? Do you run into people that are mystical about life and look for signs? How are we to understand the future?