Mining for Gold: Going Deeper in the Word Day by Day

By R A Hudson

Exploring the depths of Scripture helps us grow in faith and wisdom, drawing us closer to the Lord. Mining for Gold is an exciting adventure weaving through the whole Bible, one day at a time. Each reading focuses like a laser beam on the essential truths, demonstrating why they are relevant for life today. You will find them interesting, inspiring, and challenging.

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: Feb 3, 2015
• ISBN: 9781490867632

R A Hudson

Dr. Hudson holds numerous degrees, including a PhD in higher education from UCLA and a biblical studies certificate from Moody Bible Institute. She enjoyed a successful career in higher education and served as a missionary in several countries. She lives in Southern California and loves to study and teach the Bible.

Book preview

1

Start at the Beginning

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. (Genesis 1:1)

Jumping into the middle or end of a story just will not do. You’ve probably said, Start at the beginning, as someone excitedly rambles through some confusing details of an account. As surely as we want to know how it ends, we want to know how a thing started.

The Pentateuch is the collection of the first five books of the Bible and makes up the Jewish Torah. It is a collection of the history of the people of Israel and the laws given to them. In these first verses of the Bible, we are told how it all began—in the beginning—and we are told who is responsible—God. God was already in existence in the beginning. The use of the Hebrew word Elohim for God, which is the plural form of the word, gives us a glimpse of the triune God at work. We see a God with awesome power bring created order into existence. We learn at the beginning there was a useless, empty mass filled with darkness. The Spirit of God hovered over it, waiting to bring forth life. God gave earth the perfect balance of water, oxygen, temperature, and atmosphere to sustain the life He was about to create. Of all the planets, earth is the only one with the perfect combination of these elements necessary to sustain life. The perfect triune God, by His Word, Let there be, created day and night, sky and waters, land and sea and vegetation, sun and moon and stars, sea creatures and birds, and animals and humans. And God saw it was good.

God desires that we know the beginning of the story, and we find Him central to it. He reveals Himself and wants us to know Him and love Him as He knows and loves us. Time in His Word daily will lead us to that end.

Personal reflection: Ponder the greatness and majesty of our all-powerful God. Lift your heart in praise to the Creator of all things.

2

Walk the Talk

No, O people, the LORD has told you what is good, and this is what he requires of you: to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God. (Micah 6:8)

We all know people whose lives don’t match their words. Hypocritical Christians, for example, are probably the number-one stumbling block to people coming to Christ. People look for authenticity in their lives.

In the days of Micah, the people of Israel had lost their moorings. The people followed in the footsteps of their leaders, who were oppressive and corrupt. They sought wealth by any means and followed false prophets.

As Micah sounded the warning bell of their coming des-truction, they sought to avoid it by seeking to appease God in the same way they had appeased the false prophets. They asked, What can we do? Should we bring our offerings of calves, rams, and olive oil? They were even willing to sacrifice their own children, influenced again by pagan practices. All these things, of course, were empty rituals. There had no intention to walk the talk.

The resounding response came to their inquiry: No! The Lord has already told you what is required. They were to act with justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with their true God. This response applies to us today. When we walk with God, He leads us to successfully walk the talk. We will exhibit His characteristics more and more with just and merciful acts. An intimate relationship with Him will govern our walk and assure we will relate to others as we should.

Personal reflection: Do you sometimes get overwhelmed by attempting to keep all God’s commandments and standards? Focus on walking humbly with God and then living in justice and mercy as He leads you.

3

Wisdom that Is Foolishness

The message of the cross is foolish to those who are headed for destruction! But we who are being saved know it is the very power of God. (1 Corinthians 1:18)

We all admire intelligent and wise people. Of course, these two characteristics do not always go together. Intelligence is the ability to learn or understand. We think of a knowledgeable person as intelligent. Wisdom goes beyond knowledge to having good sense and discernment in the application of knowledge. Wisdom cannot be gained through ordinary study; it comes from experience and observation. There is worldly wisdom based on human knowledge and experience and godly wisdom based on godly knowledge and experience.

Human intelligence is often a source of pride. We have all known those who are described as know-it-alls. Interestingly enough, this sense of being all knowing first hits in the teenage years. The older one gets, the less one seems to claim to know. This occurs as wisdom increases and sheds light on the limitations of our knowledge.

God does not want anyone to have grounds to boast before Him. The message of the cross is foolishness to the unrepentant mind. How can an intelligent person accept that the death on the cross of a criminal could be the source of salvation for the world? To believe the message of the cross, we must be emptied of ourselves. So God chose the cross so that no one would ever come to know Him through human wisdom. His plans are wiser than all human wisdom, and human wisdom is mere foolishness to God.

Personal reflection: Are you too wise to believe in the wisdom of God? Pray that scholars and thinkers will surrender to the wisdom of God.

4

Love Your Neighbor

Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against a fellow Israelite, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD. (Leviticus 19:18)

If you were to spend a day observing in your local small claims court or watching the latest episode of Judge Judy, you would soon understand, if you didn’t already, that many neighbors do not get along. We all know neighbors can make or break a good and peaceful residence.

The book of Leviticus lays out hundreds and hundreds of laws to guide the people of Israel. Today’s verse, love your neighbor as yourself, is reiterated by Jesus in the New Testament. In fact, Jesus describes it as the second-greatest law, the first being, Love the Lord your God with all your heart.

In Leviticus the law is expounded to include not only to love your neighbor but also not to seek revenge or bear a grudge. When we are wronged by someone, our human nature provokes us to hate, want vengeance, and hold a grudge. God knows His creation so well. He understands these responses do more harm to the one holding them than to the one who is their object.

In the story of the Good Samaritan, Jesus explains who our neighbor is and what love looks like. Our neighbor includes the person living next door but extends to anyone we meet. We show love through acts of kindness. Grudges and revenge must be buried in God’s love for us. We love because He first loved us.

Personal reflection: Do you find it difficult to love your neighbor? Only God’s love can make it possible.

5

Avoid the Bit and Bridle

The LORD says, I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you. Do not be like a senseless horse or mule that needs a bit and bridle to keep it under control. (Psalm 32:8–9)

Mt. Rainier in Washington state towers over the Cascade Mountain range at 14,410 feet. Each year approximately ten thousand mountaineers attempt to reach its summit, but it is reported less than half make it to the top. Hiring a guide can greatly improve the odds, and it is not difficult to understand why. They have the knowledge and experience necessary to make others successful, including route information, weather conditions, avalanche conditions, and other information to make the ascent successful. They not only have experience, but they also know what it takes for others to make it.

Living life day in and day out can be equated to a mountain climb. Some days are calm, beautiful, exhilarating. When storms and dangers come, life itself is endangered. The good news is that God has offered to be our guide and guarantees that He finds the best path for us, one He has chosen for us personally. Not only will He advise and teach us along the way, but He also promises to watch over us. Why would we risk attempting the climb without Him? If we reject Him as our guide, we experience the fate of the horse or mule and must have the bit or bridle in our mouths. The horse is not lovingly instructed and taught when and where to go. It is commanded and led as the rider desires. The choice is ours, and it seems easy, yet many go through life needing to be pulled and directed as a senseless animal.

Personal reflection: Are you like the climber, willingly following the guide, or the horse with the bit leading the way? God wants to show you the best path and watch over you.

6

Pray Instead of Worry

Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6–7)

Sometimes we get advice from people and feel if they really understood our situation, it would not be so easy for them to do as they say we should do. This is not the case as Paul implores the Philippians to pray rather than worry. Yes, the Philippians were experiencing great difficulty. They were struggling to cling to their faith as those around them persecuted them and made life very difficult for them. The more faithful they were, the more they were persecuted.

Paul also knew very well what it was to experience persecution. He had faced it many times. At the time Paul wrote this letter to the Philippians, he was actually held in prison. Prison life in those days was far more despicable than we can imagine. The conditions were disgusting, with the stench of human waste, the darkness of the underground cells, and often the pain of shackles. Paul would probably have thought that mere persecution on the outside would be a welcome relief. And yet he understood that whatever the circumstances in our lives that bring us worry, they are painful, damaging, and unwelcome.

The antidote for a believer’s worry is prayer, and prayer brings us to a place of peace. This was true for Paul and the Philippians and is also true for us. Whatever it is in our lives that causes us to be anxious and troubled should be given over to God through prayer. As we leave our burdens at His feet, we experience the peace of God that is beyond human reason or understanding. Praise God!

Personal reflection: Are you carrying a worry that you have not left at the feet of Jesus in prayer? Pray instead of worry and the peace of God will fill you.

7

Where Did You Get That?

O our God, we thank you and praise your glorious name! But who am I, and who are my people, that we could give anything to you? Everything we have has come from you, and we give you only what you first gave us! (1 Chronicles 29:13–14)

From the nation’s foundation, the American Declaration of Independence acknowledges that the unalienable rights we share originate from God the Creator. Listed are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. These resonate with every human being across the globe, whether outwardly spoken or merely hidden in the depth of the heart. We want freedom to pursue and achieve our dreams.

In today’s verse we look upon one of the greatest celebrations of the people of Israel. King David desired to build a temple for God. Because of David’s involvement in bloodshed and war, however, God designated David’s son Solomon to be the actual builder of the temple. Even so, David was allowed the honor of planning and preparation, and the celebration in today’s verses communicates his joy in seeing the fruit of this come together.

As David called for the people to bring their offerings to build the temple of God, the response was astonishing. David and all the people gave freely and wholeheartedly to the Lord. They brought tons of gold, silver, bronze, and iron, along with numerous kinds of precious stones. In this amazing act of worship, David reminded them of the source of all the blessings they enjoyed: everything we have has come from God. This principle has not changed. We give back to God only what He has first given to us. May we give joyfully and generously.

Personal reflection: Do you tend to attribute your success to your own efforts or give stingily to God? Remember that God is the source of all we have.

8

Avoid Foolish Discussions

Do not get involved in foolish discussions about spiritual pedigrees or in quarrels and fights about obedience to Jewish laws. These things are useless and a waste of time. (Titus 3:9)

We all know someone who loves to argue. Maybe you are that person. Sometimes it seems they just like the sound of their own voices. Sometimes the goal is winning an argument or looking superior to someone else. When it comes to spiritual discussions and arguments, we are fighting for a cause. We want to defend the truth as we know it. In any given gathering of Christians, there are differing points of view on certain issues. Paul tells us in today’s Scripture that some of those discussions are a waste of time. He names two specific areas—spiritual pedigrees or genealogies and matters of Jewish laws. Likely these came from the Jewish practice of using one’s genealogy to establish one’s spiritual heritage and position of authority and the practice of Jewish laws as ritualistic. He calls such discussions foolish and a waste of time.

When there is a danger of division in the church over these issues, Titus and the church are instructed to give a warning and then disassociate with those who are causing the division. Those people are described as sinners who have turned from the truth.

When we focus on devotion to God and living our lives in obedience to Him, we will see the waste and uselessness of arguing about issues that are peripheral to the gospel.

Personal reflection: Do you monitor your spiritual discussions with others? Do they build up rather than divide? Are they anchored in truth? Avoid wasteful discussions.

9

The Perfect Rest

So there is a special rest still waiting for the people of God. For all who have entered into God’s rest have rested from their labors, just as God did after creating the world. So let us do our best to enter that rest. (Hebrews 4:9–11a)

Are you in need of some rest today? No matter what our age, we often feel like we have reached our limit. If you are young, you have the ability to recharge quickly—maybe just needing to sleep in for a day or two. The older we get, the longer it takes to recharge. When we suffer from mental or emotional tiredness, these can lag on despite the amount of physical rest we get.

It is comforting to know that from the very beginning we see that God valued rest. He Himself rested from His work of creation on the seventh day. He ordained a Sabbath Day of rest for us, recognizing that it is important to take time from our busyness and focus on Him. Jesus tells us, Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest (Matthew 11:28). Here we see Jesus’ call to find rest in Him from the emotional and mental burdens we carry. This appreciation for rest is preparing us for the best rest we will ever know—perfect rest, the final eternal rest God has prepared for us from the beginning of time, prepared for those who trust in Him.

Personal reflection: Are you taking time to find the rest you need? Jesus is the source of rest for those who know Him in this life and throughout eternity.

10

A Steady Hand Holds You

The LORD directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives. Though they stumble, they will never fall, for the LORD holds them by the hand. (Psalm 37:23–24)

Do you remember the first steps of your child? Perhaps you looked on in wonder, excitement, and anticipation, wanting to run and protect him or her from falling yet holding yourself back. As your child started to falter, out went your hand to steady him or her. Sometimes a steady, helping hand is all we need to stay on our feet. This is the picture of the Lord in today’s verse. We are told that the Lord directs the steps of the good and godly person. Verse thirty-one helps define who the psalmist is referring to: Someone who has made God’s law their own. In other words, it refers to someone who knows God and follows His Word in his or her life. Of course such a person will be well directed. The Hebrew word translated as directed can also mean ordered, stable, and secure. As a parent delights in the first steps of a child, God delights in the godly steps of His children.

The psalmist also recognizes the reality of life and that there will be times when we stumble. A stumble, however, does no damage. It alerts us to be more careful and to be more attentive to our surroundings and the dangers of the path. God’s steady hand holds us through the rough roads, and we have nothing to fear.

Personal reflection: The Lord takes pleasure in the steps of His godly children. His hand is ready to steady you.

11

Language Becomes a Barrier

In that way, the LORD scattered them all over the world, and they