There was a song in the musical Fiddler on the Roof called “Tradition.” As this Jewish father sang this song, this message was immediately conveyed: Life is full of traditions.

Traditions can be meaningful, but sometimes they get in the way of the effectiveness of God’s Word in our lives, and they can become very burdensome. As you listen to the song “Tradition” in the film, you can hear the frustration and weariness in the voice of the father. He too had worn himself out trying to keep all the traditions. Keeping traditions can also sometimes prevent us from seeing the newness and freshness of life.

In this passage Jesus makes an amazing statement. He says, “You make the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which you have delivered and many like things that you do.” (See verse 13.) Traditions occur simply when we keep repeating the same thing over and over again. God offers much more to us than tradition. He offers newness of life. His Word is life; however, we can quench the life in the Word through our own traditions.

Religions are full of traditions, and Christianity has many. There were certain experiences God did instruct us to repeat over and over again. One of these is the partaking of the Lord’s supper on a regular basis. When a tradition overshadows the life-giving Word of God, the Word of God is not effective. How many times have you sung the doxology or repeated the Lord’s Prayer? If we are not careful, even the words we speak and sing can be repeated so often that we take them for granted and are not affected by them.

Our goal as we daily walk with the Lord is to keep our spiritual eyes and ears open to the new fresh things He wants to impart to us. Each day He seeks to give us fresh manna, but if we leave the Word on the shelf and do not partake of it, it will have no effect upon us. Never allow the way you worship God to become tradition. Worship in church should never be the “same old, same old.” Each time we gather corporately to worship the Lord, there should be an expectancy of something new from God’s Word or the songs we sing that will touch and change our hearts. Guard yourself against letting your worship and quiet times becoming simply routine.

Lord, each day You have something new for me. Help me to have ears to hear and eyes to see the new things You want to speak to me and show me. I enter this day with excitement because it is a new day, and You make all things new.

READ: Leviticus 15:1-16:28; Mark 7:1-23; Psalm 40:11-17; Proverbs 10:13-14

Psalm 81:1-16 Today’s reading includes a promise of God I’ve been claiming for years: “I removed his shoulder from the burden: his hands were delivered from the pots” (v. 6, KJV).

I am the mother of three sons, and I have spent forty years in the kitchen cooking. If there is such a thing as a cross to bear, I guess this might be one of mine. With four hungry men to satisfy, I often felt that I was one giant feed bag. Saturday was not my favorite day, because I would just get through serving a big breakfast when one of the boys would always ask, “What’s for lunch?” I could feel the tingles of resentment crawling up my spine when this was asked, and I always had to pray, “Lord, give me strength.”

We had the opportunity to have a Russian exchange student live with us, and I was hoping we would get a girl who could help me in the kitchen. After reviewing several essays written by Russian students, the Lord led us to choose a boy. We got a boy who could eat instead of a girl who could cook. We have had Vladimir with us now for seven years, and he is a bodybuilder who can put away the food. I’m still standing on this promise, but I have yet to be delivered from the pots.

It was only after the fall of man in the Garden of Eden that cooking was necessary. God originally gave only the herb-bearing seed and every tree that yielded fruit as meat in the diet of Adam and Eve. When He killed the beast to cover Adam’s and Eve’s nakedness, man became meat eaters and cooking became necessary. Mankind received the curse of having to cook. Although this was not spelled out as a curse for Eve, I believe it was. Laboring over a hot stove is not as hard as laboring to have a baby, but it is still labor. Adam also received his curse, which was to toil in the fields when before the fields only needed tending. Weeds now grew, and if they were not pulled, the good seed would be choked and not bear fruit.

Recently I released my bad attitude about cooking to the Lord, and an interesting thing happened. I began to enjoy cooking, and what was a curse to me became a special calling. God always blesses whatever we release to Him, and He can cause our cares and burdens to become blessings.

Is there a burden or something you consider a curse in your life? Do you feel your work is a curse? Today release every care and whatever you feel you are cursed with to the Lord. You will find what seemed to be a curse can become a special calling in your life.

READ: Joshua 5:1-7:15; Luke 15:1-32; Psalm 81:1-16; Proverbs 13:1

Luke 14:7-35 Jesus shares in this passage the cost of discipleship. He says clearly that discipleship requires forsaking all. He shares the parable about the man who prepared a great supper and invited many to come. Those invited had excuses for not attending the dinner. One man was too busy with his possessions, another was too busy with his business, and another was too busy with his family.

If the devil cannot make us sin morally, he will keep us so busy with things that we are of no value in the kingdom of God. We are the salt of the earth, and when we are too busy to do the Father’s will, we lose our savor. Others see our lives, and we are no different from the people in the world. We can even be so busy with church work that we are not a good witness to our next door neighbor.

Jesus told His mother at the temple when He was twelve years old that He had to be about His Father’s business. He, however, did not leave His family as a young boy of twelve. He returned to His family and grew in stature and favor with God and man. Jesus could not skip the discipline of being in a home where He received instruction from both parents and was required to obey. We know little of Jesus’ childhood days, but He had to go through every stage a child goes through, even the teen years. This is why He can identify with us so well. He knows everything about maturing from infancy to adulthood. It was not until He was thirty that He began His earthly ministry.

When Jesus says in verse 26 that “if anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple,” He is sharing simply that He must come first in our lives.

To be a disciple of Christ does not mean that we no longer value our business, our possessions, our family, etc., but they should not be our top priority. Our first allegiance is to the Lord and to seek Him first in all areas of our lives. What Jesus wants us to forsake is our own will to busy ourselves instead of seeking Him first. Remember also that Jesus set us the example of submitting to His family through the years of His childhood and early adulthood until His ministry began. If we neglect our own family to do what we feel is the will of God, I believe we are not doing the will of God. He desires for our families to be growing together in His kingdom.

Today, I challenge you to be about the Father’s business, which is to do His good pleasure (sharing His kingdom) in the work place, market place, family and neighborhood. Be willing to forsake your busy life to spend time with the One who should be number one in your life. Then spend quality time with your family sharing the together God’s Word, His wonders and His works.

READ: Joshua 3:1-4:24; Luke 14:7-35; Psalm 80:1-19; Proverbs 12:27-28

Deuteronomy 34:1-Joshua 2:24 So many seek success and desire to prosper. Financial seminars are held to teach people how to invest and make the most of their money. Training seminars on selling yourself to the interviewer are attended by those who desire to advance in the business world. The Lord sees prosperity and success totally opposite of the way the world sees it.

To be successful in God’s sight one must do the will of the Father. God is one who promotes and demotes. The most successful person in God’s sight is the one who is a servant to many. The way up is the way down in the sight of the God. The person who humbles himself will be exalted.

I heard a wonderful definition of prosperity once. Prosperity is having enough to meet your own needs and to give to others. Money in God’s sight is only a means of exchange. The real treasures in God’s sight are people in His kingdom who are righteous and have peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. These treasures are eternal. We are prosperous in God’s sight when we enter into His kingdom and when we share His kingdom with others.

So many spend their whole life climbing the ladder of success, only to find in the end they have been climbing the wrong ladder. The ladder of worldly success causes the one climbing to step on others to make it to the top. The ladder God wants us to climb causes us to lift up others in order to make it to the top. We have to esteem others higher than ourselves or God will never consider our lives as successful.

When asked how he would have spent his time better on earth, a dying man replied, “I wish I had spent more time with my family and friends and reading God’s Word and less time watching TV, playing golf and working.” This man realized he had been climbing the wrong ladder.

Lord, forgive me for climbing the wrong ladder of success. I want to climb Your ladder of success. Forgive me for times I spent on the golf greens or watching TV instead of spending time with those I love. Help me to share Your good news with others and help me begin to meditate on Your Word day and night. I know when I do this I will be making an investment of time that will go with me into eternity.

READ: Deuteronomy 34:1-Joshua 2:24; Luke 13:23-14:6; Psalm 79:1-13; Proverbs 12:26

When we were in St. Petersburg, Russia, for an evangelical music festival designed to reach Jewish people, one of the musicians sang a song that I’ll never forget. The phrase “He is my defense” was repeated over and over again in the song. That phrase still resounds in my spiritual ears.

God truly is our defense, and David knew this even though his enemies surrounded him and used their tongues as swords against him. He knew that God was his strong defense. David said, “God shall let me see my desire upon my enemies.”

David also knew the secret of dressing himself in the garment of praise continually. After reviewing what he wanted God to do to defeat his enemies, he said, “But I will sing of Your power; yes, I will sing aloud of Your mercy in the morning; for You have been my defense and refuge in the day of my trouble for God is my defense” (Ps. 59:16-17).

When we sing aloud to the Lord, demons are put to confusion, and all of our enemies have to flee. Praise is the devil’s death knell. When we praise the Lord, we place an invisible shield around us, and we can say with David, “You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies” (Ps. 23:5).

My twin sister one time had a vivid picture of just how the Lord’s table looks as it is prepared in the midst of our enemies. She saw a table beautifully set with gold and silver, and laden with different kinds of fruits. The Lord Himself was at the head of this huge table. Above Him and all the people gathered was a shield that resembled a glass enclosure. The shield was in reality just a shelter of light. It was God’s glory shield over all those present at His table. Just past this shield was total darkness. The people gathered, however, could see through the darkness, and they saw that although Satan with all of his demonic spirits was trying to penetrate this shield-they could not. Those dining were singing beautiful songs of praise as they partook of their wonderful feast.

God is our defense. He is our rock, our high tower and our hiding place. The clothing worn by the guests at this wonderful feast were garments of light that glistened brighter as the guests began to praise the Lord. These were the garments of praise mentioned in Isaiah 61:3—the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness.

The Bible tells us that God dwells in the midst of our praises. Something supernatural happens when we praise the Lord. As we praise Him, we are dressed in these special glory garments. We cannot see it, but Satan sees it, and he hates it because he knows he is unable to get to us.

One morning as I was singing an old hymn, “Oh worship the King all glorious above,” the phrase “pavilioned in splendor, and girded with praise” stood out to me. At that moment I heard the Lord speak this to my spirit: “Yes, I do dwell in the midst of the praises of My people. As they praise Me, I too am dressed with the glory garments of praise. My glory intensifies as My saints on earth praise Me.”

READ: Numbers 24:1-25:18; Luke 2:1-35; Psalm 59:1-17; Proverbs 11:14

Luke 13:1-22 This passage in Luke has special meaning to me because the plea of the vine dresser became a prayer my husband and I prayed for a church we were attending. In this church the pastor was open to the things of the Spirit, but most of his congregation were not. They did not want any changes. We were in this church for three years when we attended a Sunday school retreat. The retreat was in Calloway Gardens in South Georgia, and we were in charge of getting the speaker.

The first night of the retreat the speaker delivered a powerful message about his work in Indonesia. He shared many of the miracles he had seen with his own eyes in this land. Many of those present were not able to receive what the speaker shared, and some even packed their things and left to return to Atlanta. The Bible speaks of people who have a form of religion, but who deny the power thereof. Whenever a person denies the power of the Holy Spirit to work in the church today, he usually is bound by religion and tradition. Needless to say, my husband and I were discouraged and even wondered if anyone would be present to hear the speaker the following morning.

That night we prayed with a preacher friend of ours whom we had invited to come to the retreat. He was the pastor of another church. We asked him if he felt the time was right for us to move on to another church since the one we were in seemed to not want to move in the things of the Holy Spirit. He drew aside and prayed alone about our situation and then read us Luke 13 and shared a word to us from the Lord. As we read this passage together we were struck with the fact that the vine dresser had worked with this fig tree for three years, and we had been in this church for three years. The Lord of the vineyard wanted to cut it down, but the vine dresser asked permission to dig the tree for one more year and then if it did not bear fruit, he would cut it down. We were led by this word to stay one more year at this church and see what happened.

We knew our assignment was to attempt to plow up the hard ground around the hearts of the people in this church. The only way to do this was to keep teaching God’s uncompromising Word no matter what people thought. Our hope was that the hearts would be softened and would receive the seed of God’s Word and that seed would then germinate, grow roots and then spring up and eventually produce fruit. We fulfilled our assignment, and sadly at the end of one year all those who seemed to begin to grow in their faith because of the Word left the church; those who remained stayed closed to the Spirit of God. They even dismissed the pastor who was open to the things of the Holy Spirit. We also felt led to leave just before this pastor was dismissed because we knew our assignment in this church was over. I still pray this church will begin to grow in God’s Word and Spirit. Be sure this morning you have a soft heart to receive God’s Word.

READ: Deuteronomy 33:1-29; Luke 13:1-22; Psalm 78:59-72; Proverbs 12:25

Luke 12:35-59 Remember the game “hide and seek”? One child closes his eyes and counts to ten while the other child hides. At the count of ten, the child opens his eyes and begins his search by saying, “Coming ready or not!” Then this child diligently searches high and low to find where the other child is hiding. I recall being a child hiding, and the moment the one who sought me found me, my heart jumped and I always yelled loudly “Boo” to scare him.

Jesus is coming ready or not! He is seeking after faithful people who will be ready for His coming. In my earlier years as a Christian the thought of Jesus’ coming frightened me. I always felt I was not ready, and I prayed, “Lord, just give me a little more time to get it together before You come.” I felt that I had to be perfect in every way, and I knew I was not. I remembered what the Scriptures said about Jesus coming for a bride (the church) who was without spot, wrinkle or blemish. I knew I had all three.

It was not until later in my Christian walk that I became excited instead of fearful when I thought of Jesus’ return. What happened to change my attitude? I realized that no matter how much I tried, I would never have it all together. Only Jesus could perfect those things in my life that concerned me. After all, He is the author and finisher of my faith. The word author means “the source or well-spring of all things.” If He authored my faith, He surely planned to finish it. He never leaves the book of our lives half finished. Whatever He had written in my book of life, He planned to accomplish. My part is to stay filled with the Spirit and faithful to His calling.

In this passage in Luke Jesus speaks of the faithful steward: “Who then is that wise and faithful steward, whom his master will make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of food in due season?” (v. 42).

Jesus said, “My meat is to do the will of the Father.” Just yesterday, we learned what the Father’s good pleasure is. We are to share the good news of the kingdom with others and dispense the meat of God’s Word in the proper portion to others. The wise steward is able to discern just the amount of meat his household needs. My constant prayer as a Bible teacher is:

Lord, help me to give those who hear my teaching just the right portion of Your Word at just the right time.

“Coming ready or not!” You will be ready for His coming if you are faithful in your sharing His Word with others. Jesus will finish your book of life, and you will be found faithful.

READ: Deuteronomy 32:30-52; Luke 12:35-59; Psalm 78:46-58; Proverbs 12:24

Luke 12:8-34 My life verse is Philippians 2:13: “It is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.” It was such a joy to have this understanding when I was twenty-six years old. I was at a retreat, and our leader instructed us to go out by the lakeside and be quiet and still before the Lord. We were instructed to ask the Lord questions and then wait for answers. Waiting for an answer when I prayed was a new experience for me, as usually all my prayers were one-way conversations with the Lord. What happened in a twenty-minute span of time changed my whole life.

As I sat on a log by the lakeside, I asked the Lord what was wrong with my life. I was not experiencing the joy other Christian friends seemed to have. He answered in a still quiet voice within my soul. “Linda, what is wrong with your life is you have been trying to earn My love. My love is free. I gave it to you two thousand years ago. Receive My love today; rest in My love and relax. Instead of working for Me, allow Me to work through you. If you did nothing but sit on that log the rest of your life, I would still love you.”

When He shared His answer with me, I was bathed not only by the sunlight around me, but also by His love that was so unconditional. I realized I did not have to prove myself to God. No longer would I have to try to emulate the life of Jesus. He now was my life. I could say with Paul, “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me” (Gal. 2:20, KJV). On that day I was set free from my own efforts to follow Jesus, to a life of yielding to His grace. Paul said, “It is grace that labors through me.” On that day I ceased from my own labor and entered what is called the Sabbath rest. The only labor I experienced after that day was prayer, which is our spiritual exercise and obedience, which requires the laying down of my own will and desires. I was set free now to do the good pleasure of God.

What is the good pleasure of God? Today’s reading in Luke reveals the answer to this question. “Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom” (Luke 12:32).

The kingdom of God is righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Ghost. I will be doing God’s pleasure when I share with others God’s kingdom, which is found in Christ Jesus.

READ: Deuteronomy 31:1-32:29; Luke 12: 8-34; Psalm 78:26-45; Proverbs 12:21-23

Proverbs 12:19-20 Counselors of peace have joy.” Romans 14:17 tells us, “For the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.” In yesterday’s reading we learned that Jesus is the kingdom of God. He is all righteousness, all peace and all joy, and we can enter into the kingdom when we ask Jesus to come into our hearts and take over our lives. I do not know a person on earth who does not desire to be right with God and his fellowman, to have peace and to experience joy. Jesus came preaching the kingdom of God, and sometimes we forget this is our message also. In addition to preaching the kingdom, we also now can tell of the crucifixion, death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ, who now sits in heaven making intercession for us. The gospel should contain all of these facts.

Jesus preached the kingdom of God, and our first appeal to people as we share the gospel is to introduce them to the kingdom and then to the King. When we ask a person if he wants to be right with God and others, to have peace and to experience joy every day of his life, you will definitely get his attention. We live in a very troubled world, and the possibility of experiencing joy and peace daily appeals to us. The fruit of righteousness is peace, and the manifestation of peace is always joy.

This proverb tells us that the counselors of peace have joy. Jesus said, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God” (Matt. 5:9). Most children under the age of six are joyful. They love to play and laugh. Jesus also said, “Except you become as a little child, you shall not enter the kingdom of God.” (See Matthew 8:3.) A little child is totally dependent upon his parents, and God desires for us to be totally dependent upon Him. A little child also trusts his parents. God wants our complete trust. Could it be that if we totally trusted God with everything we face in this life and were dependent upon Him at all times, we also would experience joy every day of our lives?

To be a counselor of peace one has to be dependent upon God, because only God can impart lasting peace to the soul. The counselor of peace is able to receive from God whatever the one counseled needs, and then he is able to transmit those things to the one he counsels. In reality Jesus Christ, who is the kingdom of God in its fullness, is all a person ever needs. Jesus said, “My peace I give to you, not as the world gives do I give to you” (John 14:27). Jesus has already given us His peace, but some people need to know how to receive it. The first requirement to receiving His peace is to enter into His kingdom by becoming a little child. Once we have taken this step, then it is even possible that we may become a counselor of peace. Today you may meet someone who desperately needs peace in his life. I recently had a dream in which I was witnessing to a very anxious and troubled woman. I told her what she needed was Jesus. Isn’t that what we all need? He is truly all we need, and we must make the decision to choose the one thing that is needed.

READ: Deuteronomy 29:1-30:20; Luke 11:37-12:7; Psalm 78:1-25; Proverbs 12:19-20

Luke 11:14-36 One of the favorite expressions in our family is, “Well, nobody is perfect.” We all make mistakes, and I am so ever grateful for our Lord Jesus Christ, who is our redeemer. He is able to take our messes and make something worthwhile out of them. As I was reading this morning about another ministry Jesus had, I recalled an incident I experienced in India.

India is a land filled with demons, and some people have physical manifestations in their body caused by the work of demons. Our pastor, his wife and we were in India ministering to the sick, unsaved and demon-possessed. Often the same people whom we ministered to would be in the line each night because they just wanted another touch from God. On one night I especially remember praying for a mother who carried a four-year-old boy in her arms. The boy was lame. On that same night another mother of a boy of four presented her son for prayer, and he was dumb and deaf. I prayed for them both. Nothing happened that night. On the next night the same mothers with their four-year-old sons were in line to be prayed for again, and I got them mixed up. I prayed for the dumb boy to walk, and I prayed for the lame boy to talk. It was not until we were in the taxi on the way back to the hotel that I realized my mistake. I prayed, “Lord, You’ll have to redeem my mistake.” He did!! The following night the mother of the dumb and deaf boy said her son spoke his first word. God saw my mistake, but He heard my heart and prayer, and He delivered the dumb boy.

Today’s reading in Luke tells us that dumb people spoke when Jesus cast out demons. Of course not everyone who is hearing impaired has a demon, but there is such a thing as a dumb and deaf spirit that can affect our speech. The good news is that Jesus has all power and authority over the power of the enemy, and He also has given us that same authority in His name. When Jesus cast out the demon in this passage, some accused Him of having a devil Himself. His response was that He cast out demons with the finger of God, which revealed the kingdom of God had come. Jesus was and is that kingdom. Jesus came to set the captives free, and it is exciting to know we have that same power to liberate people. It truly is God who gives us such power. This should challenge us all to pray for people who are bound by demons. We can do all things through Christ who gives us the strength, and this includes liberating people from demon harassment and possession. What a privilege to see people set free.

Lord, help me to operate in all the fullness of Your power. Your desire is to set people free from any influence of the enemy. Use me to set the captives free.

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