Begin by Faith, Live by Faith

The Christian faith is no place for legalists; not at the beginning, not in the middle, not at the end. This is Paul's contention in Galatians 3.3. The people who were teaching in opposition to Paul seemed to be arguing that, even if we began life in Christ by faith, we must keep the Mosaic Law as we grow in the faith. Paul's response? Wrong, wrong, wrong.

If we began life in Christ by faith, argues Paul, then how is it that we suddenly transition to being perfected by the flesh? We do not. In a sentence Paul's thesis is this: Begin by faith, live by faith.

We are not inclined to make the argument of the Judaizers these days; however, we are susceptible to the same philosophy. We preach grace, but we subtly live out Law. We are legalists at heart. It is an insidious sin for which we must ever be on the alert.

What Hannah Starts, David Finishes

I'm reading in 2 Samuel 22.2,3, this morning. David lists 9 characteristics of God, describing all that God is in his life. It's a list that would take a lot of meditation time to get through. According to David, the Lord is: my rock, my fortress, my deliverer, my God, my shield, my salvation, my stronghold, my refuge, my savior. At any rate Thomas Constable points out the similarities between David's song and Hannah's song. It's as if the author meant to make Hannah's song the starting point of his great book about God's working through Israel, and David's song as the ending point (ya think?). He writes: This psalm records David’s own expression of the theological message the writer of Samuel expounded historically. Yahweh is King, and He blesses those who submit to His authority in many ways.

It's an important point for interpretation of the book of Samuel (In the original it is all one, large book). The author put the two songs there for a purpose, and undoubtedly to understand the book, we have to understand why he did that. It was not an accident. Certainly, we must start where Hannah and David started: That the Lord is strong; that the Lord is my rock; and that the Lord will deliver his people. Vital words and life-sustaining strength to all of God's people.

Wisdom and Pride

There is, according to Ezekiel 28.17, no intersection between wisdom and pride. You cannot have both. The passage is speaking of the King of Tyre. It says of him, you corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your splendor. In other words, your desire to see yourself lifted up affected your wisdom, and that desire won out. Therefore, what wisdom you had was null and void.

This is why it is so important to be on guard against pride. God gives us wisdom, but if we allow our pride to get in the way, the gift that he gives us will be of no help in understanding how to live in the world in a God-honoring way.

As Jonathan Edwards put it: Remember that pride is the worst viper that is in the heart, the greatest disturber of the soul's peace and sweet communion with Christ; it was the first sin that ever was, and lies lowest in the foundation of Satan's whole building, and is the most difficultly rooted out, and is the most hidden, secret and deceitful of all lusts, and often creeps in, insensibly, into the midst of religion and sometimes under the disguise of humility.

• Jonathan Edwards, To Deborah Hatheway, Letters and Personal Writings (Works of Jonathan Edwards Online Vol. 16) , Ed. George S. Claghorn

Crucified in Weakness; Living in Power

So writes Paul in 2 Cor 13.4. The Corinthians—or some of them anyway—appeared to have questioned Paul's authority to "tell them what to do." Paul says that the demonstration of his authority is in the power with which he speaks and writes. It is a power that he firmly establishes in Christ.

His argument goes in this manner. Christ was crucified in weakness, but he lives by the power of God (who raised him from the dead—how is that, O Corinthians, for a demonstration of power?). In the same way, Paul was weak in Christ, and yet the same power that raised Christ from the dead, was available to Paul. Paul lived, preached, and wrote, by that power.

We, also, are weak in Christ, we are no different than Paul. However, the power that raised Christ from the dead and that sustained Paul in his ministry—God's power—is available for us as we do the work that God has called us to do.

Savoring the Sobering News...

...of Psalms 73.26, this morning. My heart and my flesh may (read "will") fail. If there is one thing certain about life, it's that if I live long enough my heart and flesh (Hebrew euphemisms for "body" and "soul") are going to fail. I'll be taken down by old age, illness, or incapacitation. Anyone can see that this is the course of life. Indeed, one might say that old age is one of God's ways of demonstrating to us that we are not God.

However, there is good news. While my body and soul may fail, there is hope for those who follow Christ because God is the strength of my life and my portion forever. John Calvin makes this comment about what it means that God is my portion:

The portion of an individual is a figurative expression, employed in Scripture to denote the condition or lot with which every man is contented. Accordingly, the reason why God is represented as a portion is, because he alone is abundantly sufficient for us, and because in him the perfection of our happiness consists.

I gladly join the Psalmist in claiming that God is my portion, that he is the lot with which I am most completely contended. He is sufficient for me. He is sufficient for you.

Is he sufficient for you?

If You Think that the Lord is Fickle...

...you may want to sit down and think about Ezekiel 24.14 for awhile. It is perhaps the clearest and most exhaustive verse in the Scriptures in which God lays out his character in regards to his word. I am the Lord. I have spoken. It shall come to pass. I will do it. I will not go back. I will not spare. I will not relent. The fact that the Lord tarries when it comes to judgment is not an indication that he is waffling in regards to doing what he has spoken. It is a demonstration of his grace and mercy. John Piper posted the following tweet that bears on the subject in the past week: 40,399 citizens of Japan are over 100 years old. Twenty more years of grace beyond 4 score and 10 to find life in Christ. This is just the way we ought to look at God's word. It will come to pass, the fact that he tarries in regards to what he has said is not an indication that he won't act, it is an act of grace!

Reality Check

We are all going to die and there is nothing that we can do to stop it. This world will come to an end for us, or, as Paul puts it in 2 Cor 4.16, our outer self is wasting away. The gospel (and Paul!) gives us hope despite this harsh fact. Paul doesn't leave us with the fact that the outer self is wasting away. He writes that, if we have come to faith in Christ, then the inner self is being renewed day by day. Where the one version of life on this earth is temporal, for Christians, eternal life not only awaits, but we are being prepared for it day-by-day now! Wrap your brain around that fact!

Sufficient? Me? Nope.

Sometimes when Paul writes (actually when any of those who penned the Scriptures write) they construct things so well, so clearly, so obviously parallel to my own experience that I can feel the truth without even thinking about it. Thus 2 Corinthians 3.5. Am I sufficient to do the things God has called me to do? Am I competent to reach teens for Christ? To love my wife? To help my kids grow in Christ? Answer: (Resoundingly—No). I used to think that I was, but life and experience disabused me of that notion.

This is why it is so comforting to hear Paul say that neither he, nor anyone else, is sufficient (competent) to claim that any of his work spreading the gospel comes from his own sufficiency. It does not. Bingo! I have the exact same testimony. What work for the gospel that gets done in my own life, comes from and is attributable to, God and God alone.

Adam Clarke, commenting on the passage, writes: We do not arrogate to ourselves any power to enlighten the mind or change the heart, we are only instruments in the hand of God.

Just so. Thank you, Lord, that I do not have to be sufficient, or competent, or wise, or smart, or impressive, or perfect. I am content to allow you to be all that, and use me as you see fit.

Fragrance of Life/Fragrance of Death

Enjoying thinking through the implications of 2 Corinthians 2.15,16, this morning (SEA). When the good news of Jesus Christ is preached or lived out for all to see, we are either a sweet fragrance or a death odor. To those who are being saved, we are the fragrance of life, sweet and attractive. To those who are perishing we are the fragrance of death, horrible and ghastly. We cannot choose which it will be, this is a function of the one who hears the gospel.

What to do? Preach (and live) the gospel and pray that the Holy Spirit will turn some so that they receive a fragrance of life.

Vain Faith?

Thinking through 1 Corinthians 15.13,14, this morning. Paul lays out a clear path to vain faith here. Some people are saying that there is no resurrection from the dead? Let's ponder the implications of that. No resurrection = Christ has not been raised = My (read all) preaching is vain = Your faith is vain. The path to vain faith begins with Christ not being raised from the dead and ends up squarely in my own lap. Everything, and I do mean E-v-e-r-y-t-h-i-n-g, rests upon Christ's resurrection, or, as one commentator put it: Take out the resurrection of Jesus, and there is nothing left on which to rest faith—only the decomposing corpse of an itinerant Jewish carpenter-turned-rabbi.

Fortunately, since Christ did rise from the dead, we do not have vain faith.

Thank you, Lord God, for raising Christ from the dead so that our faith is not in vain; we are not still in our sins; and we have vibrant hope for eternity.

God Will Do What He Says

In Ezekiel 12.25, this morning. God tells his own people that the word that he speaks will be performed. In other words, he is saying that what he has prophesied will come to pass. It will not be good for Judah. The problem was that prophets had prophesied before of the coming destruction and exile of Judah, but nothing had happened. Why should it happen now? Thus the people's reasoning. They turned out to be wrong. God's judgment fell on their generation, as he said it would. This brings to mind Hudson Taylor's words: “There is a living God, he has spoken in the Bible. He means what he says, and will do all that he is promised”. Taylor was speaking in a different context, but the principal applies. God speaks. He will do what he has promised, whether it be for good or for evil.

The question for us that arises from this passage is: "Do we truly believe that what God has spoken will come to pass?" If we do it is going to radically alter our thinking and behavior. Is Christ going to return? If he is, then that shapes our life, actions, and philosophy. We will not live for today. We will not waste our life. We will work, and leave the rest and recreation for heaven (cognizant of the fact that rest and recreation are God-ordained, we just do not enslave ourselves to them).

Lord God, may we believe your word, and with Hudson Taylor believe that you mean what you say, and that you will do all that you have promised.

How to Ensure You Gain Nothing

Thinking about 1 Cor 13.3 this morning where Paul lays out a clear path for us to ensure that we gain nothing. It's quite easy. Whatever else one does, be it helping our fellow man, having great faith, being filled up with knowledge; if we want to gain nothing we just need to do the opposite of what Mother Teresa said. I believe she said, "We can do no great things, just little things with great love."

Do you want to gain nothing? Do ginormous things without love.

"Death is Your Shepherd"

This is the message (Psalms 49.14) from the Sons of Korah to those who live their lives for themselves and reject God. It is a harsh message and it is necessary. Men do not normally evaluate their lives and contemplate their end—they are appointed for Sheol—without being forced to do so. The writer of this Psalm tells them what they do not want to here: You are going to die; in fact, death is your shepherd (notice the stark contrast between these people and David: The Lord is my shepherd. Psalms 23.1); in the grave your form will be consumed; you will have no place to go (which is the essence of the grave).

May we take from this Psalm the stark message of the brevity of life, the certainty of the grave, and the absolute necessity of living for our God and not for ourselves.

Do A Walkabout

Reading in Ezekiel 48.12,13 this morning where the Psalmist tells us to do a walkabout. God's people were to walk about Jerusalem as a way of sparking their imagination about all that God is for his people. The citadels and ramparts ought to evoke memories of entering the land and taking it; of the many times Jerusalem was delivered from her enemies; and of faithful King David, type of the deliverer to come. They were to pass the lesson learned from this on to the next generation: This is our God.

I would have to say that our walkabout these days ought probably to be done in the Scriptures since we are not living in Jerusalem. The Scriptures contain the clear message: This is our God.

Run to Win

In Vestaburg, MI, on day 2 of DALMAC contemplating 1 Cor 9.24. Paul tells us to run (the Christian life) in such a way that we win the prize. He doesn't really use the word "win," he uses the word "obtain" or "grasp.". I just like the word "win," here.

What Paul means is that we should give diligence to how we live the Christian life so that we are not disqualified from the race. So many of us work hard at jobs or education or relationships but when it comes to the faith we are content to be mediocre. Don't settle for mediocre faith!

God Accepting More Responsibility

Ezekiel 6.10 (actually all of chapter 6) is another example of God taking responsibility for evil. He brought judgment, destruction, and exile on his own people because they turned away from him to worship other idols. He states three times in this chapter that he brings all of the difficulties so that his people would know that he is the Lord.

One of the reasons that we might find ourselves in difficulty is if we stray from the Lord. He brings us back to himself by reason of putting us in places that cause us to cry out to him. For some of us it takes a little prodding, for others it takes a lot. God will do whatever it takes.

God's Timing and Patience

How easy it would have been for David to claim the kingdom from Saul as recounted in 1 Samuel 26.10. Spear him in his sleep and what God had promised would come about. Quite a temptation. David fortunately resists the temptation, indeed, from the text it hardly seems like it was a temptation at all. David firmly rejects Abishai's suggestion because he does not want to put out his hand against the Lord's anointed.

It is often difficult to wait for the Holy Spirit to move—the salvation of an unbelieving spouse, a child who is in rebellion, illness, we want to force God's hand and get him to do what we want him to do now! God's timing is the best, but it often requires more patience than we would like. Lord, give us the heart of David to willingly accept your timing and plan.

God and Responsibility for "Bad Stuff"

There is a somewhat stunning acceptance of responsibility on the part of God in Ezekiel 5.16,17. He will bring about a lack of food and water for his own people! They will rot away because of their punishment. God brings this upon his people for their unwillingness to follow him and his commands.

This is a sobering truth, but one that we find again and again in the Scriptures. Like a good shepherd, God will keep his people close to him, even if that means he must humble them through difficulty to do so. Staying close to God does not mean that our lives will escape difficulty; it does, however, mean that our difficulties will not come because of our disobedience, and that is a good thing.

How I Do Not Want to be Described!

In Ezekiel 3.7, this morning. God's description of his own people is that they are hard of forehead and stiff of heart. It is a shocking indictment when we understand that Pharaoh was described in the exact same way. The people would not be willing to listen to Ezekiel because God had sent him. In the same way Israel had rejected Samuel in favor of a king, so they would now reject Ezekiel because they did not want to hear God's message.

Strong words to make us search out our hearts again and again so that we do not become hard of forehead and stiff of heart, because that is a sign of a people who have gone their own way and will not listen to God any more. Lord, give me a soft forehead and a pliable heart!

God is the Righteous Judge...

...therefore no passing judgment on other believers, or unbelievers for that matter. Paul says in 1 Corinthians 5.4,5, that God will judge him. It doesn't matter what the Corinthians think of him, or even what he thinks of himself. What matters is what God thinks of him.

We do not serve man, nor do we seek to serve man. Nor ought we to serve or please ourselves. We serve God. He is our final judge.

In Demonstration of the Spirit and Power

In 1 Corinthians 2.4 this morning. Paul made a deliberate decision not to present the gospel in a way that accorded with what the Greeks perceived as human wisdom and eloquence (he was smart enough that he certainly could have). Rather, Paul decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. This ensured that the results that came would be by way of the Holy Spirit and demonstrate God's power.

The obvious question for us is: "Do we do the same in our presentation of the gospel and in our lives?" It is rather easy to allow worldly thinking and arguments into our lives in a vain attempt to "get results." Paul consciously rejected this approach. The message was Jesus Christ and him crucified. Always.

Preaching the Cross

I am struck reading through 1 Corinthians 1.17-25, that what stands out as clearly as a bell tower is that what Paul preached above everything else was Christ crucified. Sure he spoke about love, and faithfulness, about God's judgment and justice. He taught about the second coming of Christ. He taught about the law in relation to the gospel. However, he taught as most important Jesus Christ and him crucified.

If our preaching and teaching are not saturated with the cross of Christ; if we don't, as Spurgeon once said, "wherever I start in the Scriptures, I make a beeline for the cross, then we are not preaching the gospel as Paul preached it. Let us proclaim to the world until our last breath that the only answer to the question of who we are, and why we are here, and what is our purpose, lies at the foot of the cross.

Saul Fails (in Sin) Where David Succeeds: Mysterious are the Ways of the Lord

I came across 1 Sam 18.17 this morning in my Bible reading. Saul hates David and wants to kill him, but realizes that he can't just murder him. What to do? Send him out to fight against the Philistines so that perhaps the Philistines will do what Saul himself cannot do. Despite Saul's best efforts, David is not killed.

Contrast this story with 2 Samuel 11.14,15, where David does the exact same thing when he gets Bathsheba, Uriah's wife, pregnant. David, in contrast to Saul, is successful. Uriah is killed in the battle (with a little help from Joab, commander of the army).

In one case, God protected David from the designs of Saul. In the other case God did not protect Uriah from the designs of David. Why the difference?

I have no clue. God could certainly have prevented David from being successful in his attempt to have Uriah killed. He chose not to do so. Events like these are why it is so useless (not to mention foolish) to try and put God into a box and say, "in situation a, God will always do b." In fact, in situation a, God does not always do b. Sometimes he prevents us from enduring the consequences of our sin, and sometimes he allows us to endure the consequences of our sin.

What is very clear from both stories is that God is ultimately just in both of them. Saul is eventually punished for his wickedness by losing not only the kingdom, but his life as well (along with the life of the rest of his household). David's child dies after it has lived for a week, and God's punishment on him is very severe.

May we take a lesson from the stories of Saul and David's sin. God will not allow sin to go unpunished, and in his grace he sometimes (but not always) prevents us from succeeding in our sin. He is, however, always a righteous judge.

The Essential Step to the Wealth and Riches (of God)

The essential step to God's wealth, or as the Hebrew more directly puts it in Lamentations 2.14, to having our captivity turned away, to restoring our fortunes, is having our sin exposed. Sin and success are mutually incompatible in God's design. We cannot have both. This is the blessing of having our sin exposed.

Wicked = Sorrow; Righteous = Surrounded

From Psalms 32.10 this morning, where David contrasts the wicked with those who trust in the Lord. The wicked will have many sorrows, or, as Charles Spurgeon put it: He who sows sin will reap sorrow in heavy sheaves. How empirically true this is. It doesn't matter what their station in life is, or how much money they have, or how well they appear to be doing, their sorrows are many.

Those who trust in the Lord, on the other hand, are surrounded, by God's steadfast love. Spurgeon again works out what that means quite well: Faith in God is the great charmer of life’s cares, and he who possesses it, dwells in an atmosphere of grace, surrounded with the bodyguard of mercies. May it be given to us of the Lord at all times to believe in the mercy of God, even when we cannot see traces of its working, for to the believer, mercy is as all surrounding as omniscience, and every thought and act of God is perfumed with it.

May we believe in the mercy of God, even when we cannot see traces of its working. This is the life of faith.

On Not Assuming God's Goodness

Psalms 31.19 has a precious promise, but we must not miss the careful prescription that is included. Oh how abundant is your goodness! Ah. Here is great news. God's goodness is like a spring that keeps bubbling up from who knows where that fills up it's cistern and then overflows and runs over the sides and down to the ground creating a brook. It just keeps coming and coming forever.

But. His goodness is abundant for those who fear you. This is what we must not miss. God's goodness is abundant with qualification—towards those who fear him. We must not expect God's goodness to overflow if we don't fear him, but this is exactly what we often do. We presume upon God's goodness even when our heart is far from him, and then are baffled that we don't receive it.

Is your life miserable? God's goodness is a spring waiting to fill up your life so that you cannot contain it, but it certainly won't, if you do not fear, reverence, honor, and glorify him.

Created By Power, Wisdom, and Understanding

The Scriptures are remarkably consistent in their claims concerning how the world was created. Jeremiah 51.15 agrees with John 1.1-3. The universe was made by the power of God. As he spoke it came into being. This is a theological description of origins, not a science textbook, so the mechanics of the world coming into being are only described in the vaguest way. The reason for this is that the Scriptures' emphasize who created the world, not how it was created.

The world was created by God's power, wisdom, and understanding and this is self-evident by simply looking at what is around us. This is exactly Paul's argument in Romans 1.20. It is a measure of how deep God's wisdom is, how great his power is, and how rich his understanding, that the deeper we delve into the mystery of nature, the more complex it becomes. Our God is great!

The Lord Will Hear Us...

...else we have no hope. The essential message of Psalms 28.1. David cries out to the Lord that the Lord would not be deaf to him. Why? Because that is all he has. If the Lord does not hear David, who will hear him?

Just so for us. We have one place to go for help in trouble, to the Lord our God. If he will not hear us, then we are without hope. This is why God is our only rock. If God is silent, then we are hopeless, just like those who go down to the pit. Hear us, O Lord, when we cry out.

The immutable Jehovah is our rock, the immovable foundation of all our hopes and our refuge in time of trouble: we are fixed in our determination to flee to him as our stronghold in every hour of danger. It will be in vain to call to the rocks in the day of judgment, but our rock attends to our cries. Charles Spurgeon

If God is for Us

Romans 8.31 this morning. This introduces my favorite part of my favorite chapter in the NT.

Paul begins the most sublime section of all of his writings with this question: "If God is for us, who can be against us?" It is a conclusion drawn from what he has just argued, from the Scriptures, from history, and from his own experience. Who can be against us? No one can be against us if God is on our side, meaning, no one can prevail against us. As JFB says in their commentary, "If God be resolved and engaged to bring us through, all our enemies must be his." Just so. My enemies are God's enemies and it is a solemn and desperate thing to be an enemy of God. If God sets his face against you, then your destruction is sure and certain.

As followers of Christ we rest in the fact that God will vindicate us. God is the rock upon which we stand, and to which we cling in the storms and trials of life. He is for us. Why worry about who or what is against us?

The Ugly Truth

Nothing good dwells in us. This is the truth of Romans 7.18. Like Paul, we have the desire to do what is good, to honor God, to be obedient to him, but we find that nothing good dwells in our flesh and we have no ability to carry out God's commands. It's all pretty humbling as Paul freely admits here.

The good news is contained in chapter 8. What the law could not to because of the weakness of our flesh, God did do. Through his Son the requirments of the law were fulfilled and now, we too can fulfill the righteous requirements of the law as we walk according to the Holy Spirit and not according to the flesh.

Humility and How the Remnant did not Attain It

Jeremiah 44.10 this morning. Despite Jeremiah's faithfully proclaiming the word of the Lord to those left in the land by the Babylonian army, they would not listen to his message and fled to Egypt for safety and then took up their practice of sacrificing to the queen of heaven, vowing that they would continue to do so! As Jeremiah describes their situation he gets to the crux of the problem. Even though God had brought all of this calamity on Judah, they did not humble themselves. They did not fear God. They did not walk in his ways and according to his statutes.

From this we can easily see that God's aim for God's people is to fear him, to walk in his commandments, and to walk in humility before him. So...how are you doing?

The Dangers of Man's Logic

In Jeremiah 43.2 this morning. The remnant who had been left in the land promised Jeremiah that whatever God spoke through him, they would do. “Then they said to Jeremiah, “May the LORD be a true and faithful witness against us if we do not act according to all the word with which the LORD your God sends you to us.” (Jer 42:5 ESV) Jeremiah comes back in 10 days and tells them to remain in the land of promise. Jeremiah 43.2 is their response. "Jeremiah, you are lying!"

Why this response? Human logic and reason. There were two great powers in the world at the time. Babylon and Egypt. If Babylon was your enemy, then Egypt was your friend. For protection from Babylon, you go down and live in Egypt. They took everyone and moved into Egypt. In 568 BC, Babylon conquered Egypt, just as Jeremiah prophesied.

This is the danger of Man's logic and reason, and the necessity of faith. Sometimes the proper thing to do is not to rely on your reason, especially when there is a conflict between what seems smart, and what God calls you to do.

Grace as a Gift

I was struck this morning by the verse after Romans 3.23. Have we heard the message of Romans 3.24? We are justified by his grace as a gift. Certainly as followers of Christ this is a concept that we've heard again and again...and again. Has it sunk in? We cannot earn grace. We cannot work for it. It is given. A gift. A gift is given and received, not earned. May we receive the gift of God's grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, with wonder and thanks and God-glorifying excitement, but without thinking we earned it.

Grace is the glory of God, not the merit of him who has been freed. Prosper of Aquitaine

A "Graced" Woman and a Servant of The King

Two compelling biblical characters today. First from 1 Samuel 1.20, we see Hannah whose name means "grace." She thought that her name was a mockery, since she was childless which was about the worst thing that could happen to a Hebrew wife. Yet in due time she who thought she was "graced-less" received a son of the Lord. He would be the greatest judge in Israel's history and a type of Christ (see Galatians 4.4). She who thought she was cursed of God discovered that her name was true. Hannah was graced by God in a marvelous and unmistakable way.

From Jeremiah 39.16 we find Ebed-melech, an Ethiopian whose name means merely "servant of the king." We aren't even told his Ethiopian name. Ebed saved the life of Jeremiah, no doubt because he believed Jeremiah's word and honored the God whom Jeremiah served. Ebed-melech is in some danger—he is fearful of those who oppose him at the (now destroyed by Babylon) court. Jeremiah promises him that he has nothing to fear because God will deliver him from these evil men. So the one who is nothing more than the "servant of the king," is proven to be the "servant of the True King."

Like Hannah, may we find God's grace in our greatest difficulties, and may we serve the True King with the devotion and commitment of Ebed-melech.

Unexpected Blessings

Thinking through the implications of Acts 28.9, this morning. The people of Malta gladly accepted and cared for the 276 survivors of the shipwreck, among whom were Paul and Luke. Because of this treatment when they brought their sick to Paul, he healed them. They provided sustenance to people in need, and in turn their own people's needs were met.

We do not provide aid and comfort for what we can get in return; we do it because that is who we are and what Christ calls us to do. However, sometimes God brings unexpected blessings to us when we do these things.

One further interesting note that Barclay makes in regards to this passage: Paul could exercise the gift of healing; and yet Paul had forever to bear about with him the thorn in the flesh. He healed others while he could not heal himself. Like his Master, in another sense, he saved others when he could not save himself.

A People of (Very) Hard Hearts

Thinking about Jeremiah 37.2 this morning. The people of Israel had everything that they needed to repent and turn away from their sins. They had the prophecy that Nebuchadnezzar and the army of Babylon would destroy them. They had Jeremiah's repeated warnings of God's impending judgment. They would not listen.

A couple of thoughts. First, God will do what he says. All of the hope in the world will not undo what he has said that he will do. King Zedekiah was hoping that the withdrawal of the Babylonian army after their first venture into Israel meant that Jeremiah was wrong. Zedekiah was the one who was wrong.

John Calvin makes the second point: For he intimates, that though God did not appear from heaven, it was sufficient to condemn the unbelieving, that he spoke by his Prophets. Hearing God's word through Jeremiah ought to have been enough to make them repent. They did not need for God to appear to them. The lesson for us is that we have God's word. It ought to be sufficient for us to repent of our sins and follow God.

Third, as Calvin also points out, the people exhibit a strange blindness to their position. They have already seen the king's own sons slain before his eyes by the Babylonians, and yet they do not listen to God's word through Jeremiah.

One Verse Gospel

From Acts 26.20 this morning. Paul summarized his message to all men in this way: Turn away from your sins. Turn to God. Prove the change in your life by doing good works.

Meditation = Groaning

Reading in Psalms 5.1 this morning. The ESV translation is pretty good here. My groaning is the noun form of the Hebrew verb ‏ הגה‎which means to groan or mutter or growl, or even to coo as a pigeon. It is the same word used in Ps. 1.2, and in his law does he meditate day and night, as well as in Josh 1.8, this book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night. To my way of thinking this gives a certain color to meditation. We think of it as silent prayer or silent thought, but to the Hebrews it was more thought and prayer that was so deep and focused that it came out as groaning, or muttering.

May I meditate/groan/mutter/coo/growl ever more deeply on the Scriptures.

Delight in God's Word

Reading in Psalms 1.2-3 this morning, and I'm struck that the way to prosper is to delight in the law of God, or as we see it in the Church Age, in the Word of God.

Indeed the contrast between the righteous person and the wicked person seems to rest on whether or not they delight, treasure, desire God's Word. Thus the importance of being saturated, drenched, and bathed in the Scriptures.

Are you struggling with doubt? Get thee to the Word. Questioning God's character? Take and read. Wrestling with truth? Tolle Lege - Take up and read.

Samson's Death

In Judges 16.28 this morning where Samson brings God's judgment on the Philistines when they bring him to a giant party to mock him. One commentator points out that this is the only time we ever see him praying before he uses his superhuman strength, so the gouging out of his eyes and the time in prison, enslaved, have—we think—brought him to repentance. Did he have his own motives for vengeance in addition to bringing God's judgment? It's certainly possible. He wouldn't be the first follower of God to act by both God's direction, and personal motives, nor the last.

The things that stand out to me here are:

1. God accepts his prayer and answers it, so whatever else we can conclude, the event was God-ordained to bring exceptional judgment on the Philistines.

2. In the process, it is clear from the incident that Dagon did not bring about Samson's capture and humiliation, God Almighty, the God of Israel brought it about for his own sovereign purposes.

3. This is the only time we see Samson praying before he uses his greath strength.

4. When God's judgment falls, it is often swift and immediate.

5. As Matthew Henry puts it: That strength which he had lost by sin, he recovers by prayer. That it was not from passion or personal revenge, but from holy zeal for the glory of God and Israel, appears from God’s accepting and answering the prayer.

6. The Lord acts in response to prayer by his people.

Not What I Will

Christ praying in Mark 14.36. A fascinating picture of Christ's humanity as he approached the cross. He fully understood both the physical and mental suffering he would undergo. I suspect that the separation from his father was the worst pain of all, for to be righteous, God as the supreme judge had to punish sin.

Christ's willingness to suffer stands out clearly. "Not what I will but what you will." This is the foundation of the Christian life, that we submit our lives and livelihood to Christ and with him say, "not what I will, but what you will."

Raising Samson

Thinking through the implications of Judges 14.4. Samson demanded that his parents get him a Philistine as wife even though God had prohibited intermarriage. This was of the Lord though his parents did not know it.

Though Samson was sinning God would use that sin to bring judgment against the Philistines, meanwhile his parents would suffer the agony of watching him make poor decisions.

1. God might call us to raise a Samson.
2. God might call us to raise an Absalom.
3. God is sovereign even when our kids make poor choices.
4. We will still suffer when we see our kids make poor choices.
5. Thus the importance of resting in the reality of God's providence and control over all of life.

Manoah's Extraordinary Wife

From Judges 13.23 this morning. Manoah's wife is unnamed but the angel appeared to her alone both times. When Manoah thinks they will be killed because they saw the angel of God, she reasons that all of this wouldn't have happened if God was going to kill them. She becomes the mother of Samson an extraordinary but flawed judge.

We learn from her example that:

1. God shows up in unusual places.
2. Reason is important and God-honoring as long as it doesn't usurp faith.
3. Being a faithful mother does not guarantee that one's child will be faithful to God.

Pierced By the Lord

Jeremiah 25.33 today. One of those verses we'd rather not have in the Bible. God's judgment comes down on his own people. Those who are slaughtered by the Babylonian army "shall not be lamented, or gathered, or buried."

How foolish we are if we do not take God's judgment seriously. He is righteous. He cannot let sin go unpunished or he would not be.

Be careful of Your Stubborn Heart

Reading in Judges 11.35 this morning where Jepthah says that he cannot take back his vow "For I have opened my mouth to the Lord and I cannot take back my vow." According to Lev 5.4-6, he certainly could have confessed his rash vow.

One can only conclude that he was either 1. Ignorant of this possibility, or 2. Too stubborn to confess that his vow was rash. I am inclined to think it was number 2.

This is an incredible level of stubborness, and a lesson for our own lives. How many times have I been too stubborn to confess a sin? Answer: Many. Beware oh hard-hearted one, lest you end up like Jepthah.

The Danger of Prosperity

Thinking through the implications of Jeremiah 22.21 this morning. I spoke to you in your prosperity, but you said, "I will not listen." The Hebrew word translated "prosperity" ‏בְּשַׁלְוֹתַ֔יִךְ is one that means "a time of ease or unconcern." So God is saying, "when things were going well for you, I tried to get your attention, but you would not listen." This is the danger of prosperity, the danger of having it too good. When all of our needs are met; when we are not in a crisis, we tend to forget God and rely on ourselves. It's no use damning the people of Judah if we do not bother to search through our own hearts and ask, "Lord, is this me?"

My own heart is prone to wander in prosperity; prone to forget about God, or, as the songwriter put it, Prone to wander, Lord I feel it; Prone to leave the God I love. Just so. What can keep us faithful? What can keep us obedient? My own theory is that saturation in the word of God is the first key, because it exposes our heart again and again as the Holy Spirit uses it—it is, after all, sharper than any two-edged sword (Heb 4.12)—to get at our heart and motives and remind us again and again how essential it is to obey God's word.

Are you saturated in the Word of God? If not, you are treading a thin plank indeed.

The Lord is...

The hope of Israel. The fountain of living water. Our healer. Our Saviour. The focus and end of our praise, all taken from Jeremiah 17.13, 14. One could chew on those truths for a while, couldn't one?

Thoughts on Anxiety, Worry, Concern, Etc.

The daughter of one of my high school teacher's is headed for Papua-New Guinea for 5 weeks to work with missionaries there. Alone. Think her mom is worried about the situation? Yeah, so do I. I got to thinking about worry after she posted a comment about it on her blog. This is how I commented.

If my daughter were headed for PNG for several weeks and I couldn't be in control of the situation, I'd be wrestling with worry too! Of course not being in that situation doesn't stop me from worrying. Give me 30 seconds and an issue and I'll find something to worry about. Seriously.

My view of worrying changed when I read through A. W. Pink's study of the life of Elijah. How could a guy who had just seen God work in one of the most powerful ways in history be running for his life virtually in the next instant? Pink says that God brought this about to keep Elijah humble and dependent (that worked pretty well - "Elijah, what are you doing here?"). In other words, God was responsible for the worry because he wanted to shape Elijah in a way that he couldn't without the worry.

This doesn't mean that we are free to delve into our worries and let them take control of our lives. To me it means that our worries humble us; they give us a chance to demonstrate our dependence on God; they keep us from pride. In this sense then, worries can be God-given and good, they force us to run to our Father again and again and again...and for me again!

Eyewitnesses to the Resurrection

So Peter describes both himself and the rest of the disciples in Acts 2.32. Christ has been gone only about 50 days and central to the testimony and preaching of his followers is that he rose from the dead; that he is not in the grave, but ascended into heaven and will return. Christ's followers will never change their testimony. He has risen; they were eyewitnesses of that fact.

Harsh Words for "Shepherds"

Harsh words for the shepherds in Jer 10.21, but then, everywhere in the Scriptures those who lead God's people are held to a higher standard. Here they are described as "stupid." The Hebrew word is ‏ ּ֙ורֲעְבִנ‎and means to be stupid, or in Syriac, "uncultivated." It's use in the OT always implies stupidity, not mentally, but is connected with those who do not believe in God, or those who do not do what he says. So the shepherds whose main job is to inquire of the Lord and explain to the people what God expects of them, do not do it. Because they do not inquire of the Lord, they have not prospered.

This is a sobering thought for anyone who aspires to be a shepherd, and for any man who heads a family because God calls him to be a shepherd of his household. High responsibility which we should accept gladly. May we (men) be good shepherds of our households and inquire of the Lord.

Irony or Obvious Command?

Reading through Matt 23.1-3 this morning. Is Christ' s command to practice and observe whatever they [scribes and Pharisees] tell you, an instance of a clear command delineating the difference between what they say [good] and what they do [bad]? I think I side with those who think that Christ is using biting irony here (Expositor's Bible Commentary for one), because Christ does emphasize whatever they tell you, then he proceeds to condemn all that they do. The Pharisees and scribes lived not only according to the Torah (Gen - Deut), but also according to the oral traditions which Christ condemns over and over.

Tom Constable describes the passage this way: Assuming the consistency of Jesus’ teaching we should understand His words here as ironical. This interpretation allows the Greek aorist verb ekathisan (“to sit,” v. 2) to have its natural force. This view also explains the chiasm in verses 2–4 in which the first two statements constitute irony and the second two give non-ironical advice.

A The leaders presumed to take on Moses’ teaching authority. v. 2

B Do what they say. v. 3a (irony)

B’ Do not do what they do v. 3b (non-irony)

A’ Their teaching merely binds people v. 4

Worshipping the Creator Rather than the Creation

In Psalm 148.13 this morning. I take the Psalmist to mean that the name of the Lord is exalted above every name to the point where it is the only name exalted. The reason for this is then stated his majesty is above earth and heaven. His majesty is above earth and heaven because he created them. This is why it is so foolish to worship the sun, moon, stars, or man (like the modern world). There is something far greater than creation in the universe, the creator of the universe.

This agrees completely with Paul: “For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.” (Rom 1:20-23 ESV)

Praise Bubbling Forth

Into Psalm 147.1 this morning. For the people of the Lord it is good to sing praises to our God. The Psalmist does not say why it is good because he does not need to; the point is self-explanatory. He just says that giving praises is fitting and pleasant. We give praise to God because we cannot help ourselves, God created us to praise and so out it comes much like a fountain that is constantly overflowing.

C. S. Lewis gets the point correct - I think we delight to praise what we enjoy because the praise not merely expresses but completes the enjoyment; it is its appointed consummation.

Exalting God To Eternity...and Beyond

This is the stated purpose of David in Ps 145.1. Forever and ever was just that—for as long as David could imagine—his aim, purpose, goal, and delight was to magnify, exalt, lift up, and make high, you, my God and King. David's aim and desire ought to be our goal and desire since we love, serve, and worship the same God.

The Curse of Riches

Isn't that what Christ is implying in Matt 19.23? Nothing is impossible with God—we will definitely see rich people in heaven—however, riches shield one to some extent from the difficulties of life which so often lead one to trust Christ for salvation. Thus what seems to be a great blessing (wealth) might turn out to be a curse. We in the West have great wealth. We are spiritually poor.

Mother Teresa agrees with me. Mary Poplin comments about this issue in her fantastic book Finding Calcutta: "Mother told me how people in the West are poor. In fact, she considered us the poorest of the poor spiritually because our physical comfort makes us believe we do not need God and our busyness makes us ignore him."

Greatness in the Kingdom of Heaven

Greatness in the kingdom of heaven is inextricably linked with humility (Matt 18.4)

Becoming What We Pursue

Thinking through the implications of Jer 2.5 this morning. Pursuing worthlessness leads to becoming worthless. A strong statement from the Scriptures. Israel, in the process of pursuing worthless things, had become what it pursued. This is a forthright message to us that we will value the most what we pursue the hardest. Will we pursue God and his glory, or be content to pursue the creation rather than the creator?

Sovereign Over All Things in All Places

From Ps 135.6. A pretty clear statement on God's sovereignty over all things. He does whatever he pleases wherever he pleases. Heaven, earth, seas, and all deeps indicate that his will extends to every place in the known or imagineable universe. He does not need to ask anyone for permission to act; he does not seek any approbation for what he does. He will act whether we understand what he is doing or not, and he always takes responsibility for his actions, without shame or trying to hide it. I find this remarkable and profound.

Growing Slowly, Permeating All

My summation of Matt 13.33. The lesson of this parable is essentially the same as the parable that immediately precedes it. The kingdom of heaven will grow slowly and permeate the world and affect all that it touches. Like leaven, its effect will be obvious when it is mixed into the world.

What does this mean for us? Chiefly, I believe it means patience. If we do not see the gospel taking root in lives immediately, we turn to this parable for hope. The gospel's effects, like leaven, are many times not obvious.

Rebuking the Wind and Sea

Matthew 8.26 this morning. Normal people do not rebuke the wind and sea. They can and sometimes do curse at the wind and sea, but normal people do not talk to nature as if it were a little child that needed correction. This is just the way that Christ addresses nature, as if he were it's father and they were in subjection to him, which he was and they are.

Listen and Obey.

In Matthew 7.25 this morning. Listen! It behooves us to listen when Christ speaks that the one who hears and heeds! his words is like a wise man. I take several things from the point that Christ makes here. First, it is possible to hear and know all Christian dogma and not heed it. Second, Christ assumes that rain and floods will come into one's life, not if, but when. Third, Christ assumes that if my life is founded on the rock (of hearing and heeding Christ's words) then I can be assured that when difficulties come, my house (my life) will not fall. I take this as a promise from Christ. Fourth, any person who makes the claim Christ makes here is either the biggest egomaniac in history, or speaking the truth. Once again an absolutely stunning and mind-boggling claim from Christ...unless it's true.

God and...

While Christ uses the example of God and money in Matt 6.24, when he says "No one can serve two masters," the principle stated obviously applies to all things. You cannot serve God and...anything. In the life of faith it is never God and [insert anything] it is always God alone, God first, last, and always. Christ gives the warning here because he understands that we are prone to make our lives "God and..."

Blessed are the Pure in Heart

Augustine commenting at Matt 5.8: Whatever we do, whatever good deeds we perform, whatever we strive to accomplish, whatever we laudably yearn for, whatever we blamelessly desire, we shall no longer be seeking any of those things when we reach the vision of God. Indeed, what would one search for when one has God before one’s eyes? Or what would satisfy one who would not be satisfied with God?

Plodding Through The Valley of the Shadow of Death

Psalms 119.50 gives solid fuel for wading through the Valley of the Shadow of Death. God's promise gives me life.

Come, Thirsty One!

The first verse (Isaiah 55.1) in one of my favorite chapters. Here is an evangelical call to all: Come whoever is thirsty and partake of God's grace because it is free to whoever will have it.

If you are thirsty, come. If you have no money, come and purchase the stuff of life. It won't cost you money, it won't cost you anything. It will cost the Messiah everything. Such is the message of the gospel. Such is the nature of grace.

Worship Might Cost You Something

Reading through Matthew in my devotions and I came across Matt 2.11. The wise men saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. A couple of thoughts here. First, the wise men had come a long and difficult way. They could have used any number of excuses why they should not come to find Christ. "It's too far." "It's too dangerous." "I'm too old." They were willing to travel, to risk being put upon by thieves, to come and worship Messiah.
Second, when they had the opportunity, they worshiped!

Worship might (and often does) cost us something. No barrier was too great for these wise men to come and worship Messiah. No barrier should be too great for us. Also, we need to heed these traveler's examples, when we have the opportunity to worship, we should (must!) worship.

The Lord is On My Side...

...as helper. Wow, what else do I need to know? The God who created the universe, who spoke the words and it was done. He is on my side. Do I need to fear anything? Psalms 118.7.

Strength for the Journey

Revelation 21.3 is a precious promise and the hope of all believers. It gives us strength for the journey of life. There will come a day when we will dwell in the presence of God for all eternity. That promise gives us purpose in this life, and endurance in the ever present difficulties that come our way, patience in adversity, and confidence in the future. It's a promise that should fire our imagination and keep us from wasting our lives on trivialities. God is God and our God and the eternal God.

Plumbing the Depths of God's Mighty Deeds

I believe what the Psalmist is getting at in Psalms 106.2, is that it is impossible to plumb the depths of God by declaring all of his deeds or proclaiming all his praise. Which song writer penned the words, "In vain the first-born seraph tries to plumb the depths of love divine?" Just so, says the Psalmist. We will never get to the end of God's praises. Never exhaust the declaration of his mighty works.

He says this not to discourage us; he writes it to spur us on to more and more praise because we can never get to the end of it, and he wants us to understand the limitless depths of God's power and character.

As always, Spurgeon is great: Those who praise the Lord have an infinite subject, a subject which will not be exhausted throughout eternity by the most enlarged intellects, nay, nor by the whole multitude of the redeemed, though no man can number them.

Assignment for Old People...and Young!

Thinking through the implication of Psalms 92.14,15, this morning. There is a message that we are to be proclaiming when we are old, namely that God is upright; that God is my rock; and that there is no unrighteousness in him. Steve and Bonnie Opper, stuck in severe difficulty to which God has assigned them, are doing that incredibly well! Of course it is an assignment, not only for the aged, it is something every Christian should be declaring.

Steve: God has assigned this difficult task to us, particularly for Bonnie. He takes great care to make sure the assignment is the exact amount; measured and controlled.

Giving to God What is Due

Moses clearly explains to the Israelites in Deut 8.17, that success, wealth, and by inference, talent and opportunity, come from God. They (and we) ought to be very careful that, when they became successful, they not sit back and pat themselves on the back and say, "look what an incredible person I am." Unfortunately, the human tendency is to do just that.

Fuel for the Journey

Reading through Isaiah 35.4 this morning. The fuel that sustains God's people in difficulty—when they experience pain and suffering—is God himself; the promise that God will come and save us. The promise!

Calvin comments: That strength of which he spoke is breathed into our hearts by God through his word, as “by faith alone we stand” (2 Corinthians 1:24) and live; and therefore he adds the promise of grace yet to come.

Dependence

Meditating on Isaiah 33.2 this morning. (By the way, the Hebrew word for "meditate" means "to growl, or mutter," implying that we ought to ponder and chew on God's word aloud in some sense). It's a verse that screams out "dependence," which is exactly what we do not want to be. This is probably the most difficult part about growing in the faith. We want to continually be our own god, at the root of things. The people of Judah are in deep trouble and independence is not an option when the Assyrian army is literally knocking on the gates of Jerusalem. Thus God severs us from our inclination to depend upon ourselves.

This is our God!

The song that we will sing to our God on the day of salvation as described in Isaiah 25.9. We (saints) have waited for God and on the day of salvation, we will wait no longer. God will finally and fully save his people and we will sing with every breath that we have of his salvation. We will be glad. We will rejoice. This is our God!

Exultation, Jubilance, Gladness

Three characteristics of those whose hope is in God from Ps 68.3.

Called to Suffer

Peter is quite clear in 1 Pet 2.21, we are called to suffer if we are true followers of Christ. No one wants to suffer. We are not Christian masochists. This is simply the reality of being who we are. The world hates us. We will suffer. As one commentator puts it:

Peter does not ask us to view suffering as inevitable in the world under the curse. He does not ask for stoic resignation. A life of suffering is our calling, not our fate. It is our calling just because we are God’s people. It is our calling because it was Christ’s calling. He calls his disciples to follow him.

Rejoicing in the Lord (and in Him Alone)

Thus David implies in Ps. 64.10. David calls for those who are God-followers to rejoice in the Lord. He does this because there is no higher nor more worthy being in which to rejoice. By rejoicing in God we are putting our satisfaction as high as it can possibly be. There is nothing inside or outside of the universe in which we can rejoice that will give us more satisfaction than in God alone. I'm happy to follow David's admonition here.

Living By Faith in God's Word

I was reading Psalm 56.4 this morning and struck by David's statement of trust in God and his word. When David was running from Saul, he fled to Gath and there pretended to be crazy so that he could both escape Saul, and not be killed by his mortal enemies, the Philistines. Note that David does not lay responsibility for his escape from the Philistines at the wiliness of his actions. He lays it at the feet of God. In God I trust, I shall not be afraid. The primary cause of his safety in Gath, was not dribbling on his beard like a madman, but God and his promises.

Hardened By Sin

The writer of Hebrews warns in Heb 3.13-14, for his readers not to become hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. This is such a dangerous trap. I do what I want to, and the more I do it, the less real God becomes. This is something which Dietrich Bonhoeffer saw clearly. He once wrote, "When lust takes control, then God becomes unreal." Just so. Beware, Oh Christ-follower that you do not become hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. Beware, O my heart, that you do not become hardened by the deceifulness of sin.

God and Mystery

3000 years after Solomon penned Ecclesiastes 11.5, we still have no clue how the spirit gets implanted into a child in the process of pregnancy, just that it does. Men have learned a lot about science and how the world works, and yet we still cannot understand the complete working out of God's plan for man. This is very humbling.

Trusting in "His holy name"

Bible reading highlight is from Ps. 33.21 today. Spurgeon comments: The root of faith in due time bears the flower of rejoicing. Doubts breed sorrow, confidence creates joy.

A Wise Heart

I love the way the ESV translates the last half of Ecc 8.5: The wise heart will know the proper time and the just way. While this is set in the context of interaction with the king, it is applicable to any person at any time. For this reason, we ought to cultivate a wise heart, by fearing the Lord, so that we will know the right thing to do, and the proper time to act. Lord, give me a wise heart!

Inhabiting the Praises of Israel

Reading in Ps 22.3 this morning and the ESV translates the second line as "enthroned upon the praises of Israel." This is not a very exact translation. It is put more literally as "inhabiting the praises of Israel." The point, however, is not changed. God inhabits or is enthroned upon the praises of his people. I like to think of it this way. Since it glorifies God to lift him up as the only infinitely holy and worthy being, in doing so God himself dwells or is enthroned upon those praises. When God's people praise him, God is glorified.

Christ, Our Hope

Reading in 1 Tim 1.1 this morning where Paul simply describes Christ as our hope. On this beautiful Easter morning, just so. Christ is risen! He is our (only) hope. He who knew no sin, became sin on our behalf. I praise God for the hope we find in Christ.

An Anchor in the Storm

Paul tells the Thessalonians in 2 Thess 3.3, that in contrast to wicked and evil men (who are not faithful), God is faithful. This is such a solid anchor of truth for us to lash ourselves to in the inevitable storms of life. God's character is that he is faithful. We can rely upon that. We can believe it. We can count on it.

Jesus Wants the Rose

This is a beautiful illustration from Matt Chandler's life of thinking correctly about the mercy and grace of Christ. Very moving. We need to really live out grace rather than preaching grace, but living law.

The Virtue of Patience

My Bible reading highlight was from 1 Thess 5.14 today. Paul tells the Thessalonians to admonish the idle, help the weak, and encourage the fainthearted. Then he says, be patient with them all. I believe that he says this because he understands men. Few people who have deeply rooted problems change quickly. It takes many starts with a lot of stops on the way; it takes failure; it takes starting over. Thus the virtue of patience. Patience means understanding that people are human and frail.

The Christian's One Calamity

I was reading 1 Thess 4.1 this morning and Chrysostom had a great comment on that verse:

There is only one calamity for a Christian, this being disobedience to God.

Fervent Prayer

Reading in Col 4.12 this morning and I was struck by Epapharas' fervent prayer for the church in Colossae. Paul calls him a "slave of Christ Jesus" and says that he was "agonizing in prayer" for the church. This humbles me because I struggle to "agonize in prayer" for my family, more less anyone else. Thomas Constable, commenting on this passage writes: Epaphras’ fervent agonizing in prayer (cf. Luke 22:44) reflects his understanding that God would provide illumination and continued growth in proportion as people requested these of Him (James 4:2). This is spiritual work that only God can do. Just so. However, if only God can do it, then why am I not praying more fervently for those to whom I minister?

Christ to Mary Magdalene: Don't Cling to Me!

One of the first statements that Christ makes after his resurrection is to command Mary Magadalene not to cling to him (John 20.17). What to make of this command? Commentators have offered different opinions and who knows who is correct. I tend to agree with Thomas Constable. He says that Mary was holding onto Jesus as if she would never let him go and he needed to point out that there was work to be done on her part and on his part as well. He is also implying that there will be a new relationship to him soon, one in which his disciples will not be able to see and speak to him.

Constable: Thomas needed to touch Jesus to strengthen his faith. Mary needed to release Him because He would not depart immediately, and Jesus had something else for her to do.

Tongues That Cut/Tongues That Heal

How powerful the tongue is to do either harm or good. Whoever came up with the childhood ditty—Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me—had probably never been hurt by words. Words are often more powerful than sticks and stones and do more lasting damage. This is certainly what Solomon is getting at in Prov 12.18. May we have a tongue that brings healing and encouragement, an honest tongue, but a healing tongue.

Avoiding the Washing Machine

I was reading in Eph 4.13-14 today and was struck by the word that Paul used which is translated "tossed to and fro by the waves (κλυδωνίζομαι)." It's a good translation of this passage and brings to mind body-surfing in L. A. when I was a kid. You would get caught in one of the waves and flipped over and over, sometimes so badly that you didn't know which way was up for awhile. We called it, "being in the washing machine." It was a terrifying experience as a kid. The aim of Christian maturity is that one is not dumped into a crisis of faith every time one hears—as Paul puts it—every wind of doctrine. May we grow to maturity so that we can withstand the inevitable attacks that come against the teachings of Scripture.

Don't Give Up!

Paul gives us the law of the reaper in Gal 6.9. The promise is that we will reap in due time if we do not give up. It is a call to perseverance in the work of ministry, in the things that God has called us to do. John Brown commented that "Christians frequently act like children in reference to this harvest. They would sow and reap in the same day." True enough. God's way seems to be just the opposite, we do not always see the result of our ministry. God often only shows us this years down the road. Persevere. Stick with it. Don't give up.

The Heart of a Pharisee

My Bible reading highlight today was John 9.34. It is the Pharisees' response to the man who was born blind and healed by Christ. They make a tacit admission that the man was healed by Christ without even realizing it! In addition, in the Greek they emphasize the second person singular: "YOU were born in utter sin, and would YOU teach us?"

We need to be very careful that we do not have the heart of a Pharisee. The Bible Speaks Today makes this point in its commentary on this section:

The Pharisees are not an extinct breed. Whenever we find ourselves valuing the letter of God’s law above its spirit; whenever we find ourselves unable to rejoice in the saving and renewing of lives simply because the instrument used was not someone who dots all the i’s and crosses all the t’s of our theological group; whenever we lose the daily, hourly sense of joy in the grace of God by which alone we know him and live before him, then we need to beware.

I Am the Light of the World

Reading in John 8.12 this morning where Christ makes the (now) familiar claim, I am the light of the world. In a day without electricity, where the world was lit only by fire and where darkness reigned half of the time, light was perhaps the key commodity one could have. It is a metaphor that would resonate with the people very strongly since light was not taken for granted so much as it is now.

Throughout Israel's history, light was associated with God as Johnson points out in his commentary at this verse. The people understood what his claim was. It is one of several statements in John that are breathtaking. What kind of person makes claims like this? Either one who is indeed the light of the world, or someone who is crazy or a liar. Christ's works, message, and resurrection attest that what he said was true.

Ministry of Reconciliation/Message of Reconciliation

Paul says in 2 Cor. 5.18-19 that God gave us both the ministry of reconciliation and the message of reconciliation with the motivation for our own ministry of reconciliation being the pattern of how God reconciled us to himself through Christ. Reconciliation here is the word καταλλάσσω which means to reestablish proper friendly interpersonal relations after these have been disrupted or broken (the componential features of this series of meanings involve (1) disruption of friendly relations because of (2) presumed or real provocation, (3) overt behavior designed to remove hostility, and (4) restoration of original friendly relations) — ‘to reconcile, to make things right with one another (Louw and Nida).
Is our ministry of reconciliation here one of reconciling other people to God, or reconciling other people to ourselves? Judging from the very next verse it would seem that Paul is speaking of the reconciliation between God and man because he calls it the message of reconciliation. So we are to both do (live out) reconciliation and preach reconciliation of God to man through Christ.

Children and the Kingdom of Heaven

Reading in Luke 18.16-17 this morning. As usual when Christ sees a teaching moment, he seizes it. In this case the disciples obviously assumed that Christ couldn't be bothered with little children since he had much more important things to do, like healing the sick and preaching the gospel. Christ demonstrates both compassion and concern for little children as well as teaching the disciples that if one were to enter the kingdom of God, one must do it with child-like faith.

It seems to me that one of the key ingredients of the faith of a child is dependency. The child is dependent upon his parents and doesn't spend a lot of time wondering how or where the next meal is going to come from, that is for parents to worry about, not children. As Thomas Constable puts it:

Obviously infants are not humble in the same sense that adults show humility, but infants are humble in the sense of being totally dependent and unable to provide for themselves. They receive rather than provide, and in those qualities they are good examples of humility.

The Purpose of Prayer

Reading 2 Cor 1.11, this morning where Paul gives a short lesson in prayer. We are to pray, first so that the one we are praying for gets the help that they need. In this case it was for Paul and his traveling companions to be spared from "deadly peril." However, another purpose in prayer is so that those who pray and see God answer, will glorify God. Pretty cool. We both see God move and are blessed by seeing that he answered our prayers.

Two interesting words in this verse. The beginning of the sentence is συνυπουργούντων, which is a compound word consisting of three words meaning, "with," "under," and "work." So Paul implies that prayer is a working together with, or as Thomas Constable put it, "It paints a picture of laborers bowed down under some heavy burden that they are working hard together to lift." Beautiful imagery.

The second interesting word is one you don't see in the English. Again from Thomas Constable, "“Persons” (Gr. prosopon) is literally “faces.” A literal rendering presents the attractive picture of many faces turned upward toward heaven offering thanks to God for His answers to the united prayers of Paul and his readers." Got to love the Scriptures!

The Heart of a Pharisee

Reading in Luke 15.2, this morning.  The Pharisees and scribes—in contrast to Christ—did NOT receive, nor eat with sinners.  The heart of a Pharisee says, "I will not be infected by consorting with filthy sinners."  The heart of Christ says, "I will go where a physician is needed most desperately."  May I have the heart of Christ.