Archive for the ‘God’s Word’ Category

Day 256: Psalm 119:66-176; 1 Corinthians 10:23-11:16 — The Way

Monday, September 13th, 2010

The longest chapter in the Bible, but every verse praises God for His leadership, His law, instruction for life. So many verses! so many memory verses come from this chapter. What does it all mean? Paul’s approach to the church in Corinth tells it all. God has created a way to live now and forever. Short short comment today, long readings. Put the law and will of God into your mind, understand, your heart, be committed to His way, and life, show His will in your decisions and walk of life.

Prayer: Guide me today so that may walk in Your ways, not my own; let Your church show your love to each other and the world, that the world may believe.

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Day 224: Psalm 1 — “The Gateway To The Psalter”

Thursday, August 12th, 2010

Just this week, I had to obtain my transcripts from the different colleges I attended. I was looking through my completed courses and I saw the Psalms class listed that I had taken. The first Psalm that came to mind was Psalm 1. I still remember my professor telling me that Psalm 1 is “The Gateway to the Psalter.” Why? It is the first Psalm collected and it introduces us to the rest of the Psalms. In class we went on to do an exegetical study that pointed out that in life there are two paths that we can take. Psalm 1 points out that one really isn’t a path at all.

As we begin to read through the Psalms, we will learn a lot about the path of God. Which path are you on? Do you spend most of your time with wicked men and woman? Do you surround yourself with those who would mock God or your belief in Him? Does your life seem to be like the chaff from wheat that is tossed around and blown away because it is worthless? This my friend is the path that really isn’t a path at all and will end in nothing worth mentioning. The real path is grounded in the Word of God. It is like a beautiful tree next to a stream and it produces good fruit. This tree never withers and up above God watches over the tree. Now this is the path I want to be on. How about you? Welcome to ”Gateway to the Psalter!” May God bless you as you enter in and experience our God.

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Day 202: Nehemiah 8:1-18 — Please Stand

Wednesday, July 21st, 2010

How many times has your mind wandered during a public reading? We sometimes read scripture aloud during an assembly. But it is just something we do or does the passage read really touch our heart? Does the passage read express a completed thought or are they just verses with no context that fill the allotted time?

I can remember early one Sunday morning still trying to decide what to preach on. Yes, I know that is cutting it really close to the wire, but that was where I was at the time. I wound up reading Romans chapter eight. Without warning, tears were running down my face. I had my sermon for that morning. I still find it hard to read Romans eight without the tears flowing.

As I age I’m finding new meaning in more passages of scripture than ever before. Read about Christ on the cross and tears flow. Read about how people mourned over the loss of a loved one and the tears flow. Public reading of scripture — in Nehemiah 8:9 as the law was read to the people of Israel they stood and wept. They didn’t stand so they could weep; they stood out of respect for the “Law of God” that was being read. They wept because as they listened, they understood how far they had wandered from the truth.

The next time someone asks you to stand for the reading of God’s word, get prepared to listen and be moved. Moved to greater faithfulness, greater understanding, and greater realization of God’s love. It’s o.k.if the tears flow; that just means the heart has been moved.

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Posted in God's Word, Humility, Nehemiah | 1 Comment »

Day 132: Luke 21:25-36 — Good News, Jesus is Coming Back!

Wednesday, May 12th, 2010

Second Coming of ChristI have preached many funerals and have noticed two things. First, a person who did not believe in Jesus makes for a difficult service. Second, a person who was faithful to the Lord makes the funeral service easy for the family and for me. I don’t know why but it seems more and more sermons stay away from the topic of the Second Coming. The coming of the Son of Man is one of the important themes of Jesus’ teaching. It is emphasized over and over in the New Testament (e.g., Mark 13; Matthew 24; John 14; 1 Corinthians 15; 1 Thessalonians 4; 2 Thessalonians; 2 Peter 3; Revelation 22, etc.).

The old joke tells us that there are two inescapable aspects of life: we pay taxes and we will die. Death lends urgency and significance to each new day. For those who have no faith and no knowledge of God, death stands as a final denial of life. All that we may attempt or do is eventually swept away by time. The unavoidable philosophy of those who do not believe is the desire to make the most of every moment (“Go for the gusto”) with no respect for others. On the other hand, the Good News of Jesus Christ is that He is returning and that beyond the end of our time is the Lord, who has come among us in the person of Jesus. We believers live expectantly, filling each day with activity that is meaningful because this life is a precursor to something better and we hold our heads high, knowing that our redemption is near (Luke 21:28). These verses encourage me. When the very foundation of life seems to be shaken and times are tough (Luke 21:26) we read:

“And then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.” Luke 21:27, ESV

Our redemption is near (Luke 21:28), God’s Word will never pass away (Luke 21:33), Good News, Jesus is coming back!

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Posted in faith, God, God's Word, Jesus, Judgment Day | 2 Comments »

Day 131: Luke 21:5-19 — Don’t be Fooled!

Tuesday, May 11th, 2010

the end is nearThe other day, I was teaching a class with some teens. They had a fascination about the end of times. It seems they have experienced the teachings of the pseudo-religious prophets that manifest themselves in contemporary entertainment genres. The force of Jesus’ warning in Luke 21:7-11 is that disciples of Christ should not be misled by the false prophets who will come claiming authority and saying that the time is near. Such claims are the words of charlatans who prey upon the innocent. Nevertheless, the dangers and hardships that we experience are real. Truth is tested and faith is confirmed not in idle speculation but in the crucible of hard times. In Luke 21:5-19 Jesus foretells the coming destruction of the temple with a warning of the wars, earthquakes, famines, and plagues that will come and a warning to the disciples of the persecutions they must endure. We need to distinguish biblical teachings and sound biblical interpretation from the sensational claims carried by the media and popular religious best-sellers. We are not waiting for a call to ministry, we already have a call to disregard the false prophets; do not be led astray, and do not go after them (Luke 21:8). Those who wish to find a more energetic religious experience, therefore, should look not for signs of the future but for signals that it is time to live by Jesus’ call for obedience and faithfulness here and now.

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Posted in Discipleship, faith, God's Word, Judgment Day, Luke, Trust | 4 Comments »

Day 126: Luke 18:35-19:10 — Interruptions

Thursday, May 6th, 2010

Don’t you just hate it when there is an interruption? Seems just as the show gets really interesting, here comes a commercial. In today’s world those commercial breaks have been extended from the old two minutes to sometimes as much as five minutes. Sure makes it hard to follow the flow of the show, doesn’t it?

Every once in a while those who decided where chapter breaks in the Bible should be, kind of interrupted the flow. It seems we automatically think that chapter numbers means the subject has changed, yet many times that is not the case. In Luke 18:35-19:10 there is one of these unfortunate breaks.

Luke 18:35 starts the narration of a blind man who doesn’t know what is going on so he asks. Upon hearing the answer he begins to yell louder and louder trying to get the attention of Jesus. He is asked to hush to no avail- he just keeps yelling. Jesus hears him and asks for him to be brought forward and asks him what he wants. The man, knowing exactly what he wants, has no hesitation, he immediately asks for his sight.

Then there is this break for the words Chapter 19 but it is actually the same time frame. Entering Jericho we read of a man who was “short” Luke 19:3 (NASB95) – Zaccheus was trying to see who Jesus was, and was unable because of the crowd, for he was small in stature. His disadvantage in height did not stop his desire to see Jesus so he climbed a tree. Oh, he saw Jesus, and Jesus saw him.

Two different stories of the same thing. Two men who sought Jesus and would not let circumstances stop their quest. Both got what they wanted and more. One not only saw Jesus; he was able to see everything. The other also wanted to see Jesus and he did, but he never expected to become His host for the day.

Dear ones, when we honestly seek Jesus, pushing aside obstacles, we will still find Him today and what we get for our efforts always far exceeds our expectations.

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Day 124: 1 Samuel 20:1-42 — Torn Between the Two!

Tuesday, May 4th, 2010

How many times have we been torn between our loyalties to two people? It is a good question and I know I have. What do we do? Who do we side with? How do I let one down? Our reading is a fascinating and moving story and it has a significant part in David’s life. Jonathan was in such a predicament. He loved his father Saul and was a good friend with David. I suppose it would be easy to criticize Jonathan for this but I really do think we have had a similar problem. Saul was driven by excessive fear and by a paranoid jealousy of David and David was set to be king but continued to show loyalty and respect to Saul as the Lord’s anointed. So, how do you resolve the dilemma of being torn in two?

It is easy to answer the question in Jonathan’s case. As readers of the text, we are privy to the outcome. We know that David is ultimately to be king. So, we side with David. But what do we do in our relationships? I think this story may point us in a spiritual direction. We might should take some time to think about what God’s plans are. What does God want me to do? I think in my own case these situations have been resolved more easily when I look at it from this perspective. I get in trouble when I look at it from my point of view, from my feelings, or from what most benefits me. Just one more thing, it may be beneficial for us to be respectful to the one in authority even if we disagree. We succeed like David did when we stay within the realm of God’s plan through His Word.

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Posted in 1 Samuel, God, God's Word, Loyalty | Comments Off

Day 104: Joshua 23:1-16 — Have We Learned the Lesson of History?

Wednesday, April 14th, 2010

history collageAs I read our text for today from Joshua 23:1-16, I thought this might be the text I would liked used for my funeral. This is sometimes called “The last sermon of the dying hero and leader.” It is a literary form used to preach to an audience. Covenant theology is an important theme in these texts. In the context of Joshua’s day, the message is a warning. Rest is not the final word for life in the promised land. Temptation is still present and can easily overpower the people if they are not careful. Blessing can last only as long as total faithfulness to Yahweh continues. When Israel begins to experiment with other gods, trying to be like the nations and worship every god possible, trouble is imminent. They could lose the promised land. They could end up wandering around searching for a home. They could experience destruction, death, and disintegration of their identity as the people of God.

The sad thing is that this is exactly what happened. Israel was lured in by her culture. The temptation to be like others resulted in a divided monarchy, a loss of the land, a loss of their worship system, and judgment by God. During the exile, Israel must have wondered if their God has fought and lost? If so, maybe they need another god, one who can fight and win with modern weaponry and in modern political reality? The answer to this question is that it is the wrong question to ask. The answer is not in political power in the short term. The answer is the longer historical perspective. God proved his power to conquer long ago. The exile only proves God’s power to be self-consistent as he fulfilled His word even when it had negative consequences. The real issue is whether Israel has learned the lesson of history.

I wonder if we have learned from our history. The amazing thing is that we seem to be experiencing the same historical difficulties. Have we let the false gods of our world intermingle among us to the point that the church is now a pluralistic entity? Are we ready to face our own disloyalty, our own faithlessness, are we ready to repent, are we ready to recommit to our God and trust in Him through thick and thin? I wonder as a Christian that mourns our loss of values, morals, and identity if God is not trying to provide us with the grace of a warning to return to Him? God has proved his power to conquer long ago. Our exile only proves God’s power to be self-consistent as He continues to fulfill His word even when it may have negative consequences. The real issue is whether we have learned the lesson of history.

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Posted in Deuteronomy, God, God's Word, Joshua, Obedience, Rest, Worship | 1 Comment »

Day 90: Luke 2:21-40 — Old Dead Limb Or A New One Sprouting?

Wednesday, March 31st, 2010

dead limbJoseph and Mary went about fulfilling the requirements of Jewish law. They had Jesus circumcised and named (Luke 2:21); Mary was purified (Luke 2:22); they took Jesus to Jerusalem to be presented to the Lord and offered a sacrifice (Luke 2:22-23); and they received God’s blessing at the temple (Luke 2:27-32). These rituals of commitment to God’s law appear to be a blessing for this young family. It is not the place of Jesus’ birth that seems to be important. It is not the wealth or status of the family that presents the King of Kings. Instead, there was just this ordinary couple going about doing the things of God. Here in this story of Jesus being presented at the temple is a nugget of the Gospel story. In Luke 2:34-35, we find that Jesus will be a sign. A sign of what? Later in Luke 11:29-30, we find that just as the sign of Jonah was judgment against Nineveh, the sign of Jesus will bring judgment to this generation. In Matthew 12:39-41, the sign is Jonah in the belly of the big fish for three days. As Jonah was spit out or vomited up, death will not hold Jesus and He will rise. I wonder what would happen if we were content to live our lives according to God’s Word? Would we find blessings along the way in the people we meet? Would we find the Gospel story of grace and judgment?

I was out in the yard working this past week. Clearing the old dead limbs out of tress. Some just hung there rotting away. I notice new limbs sprouting with new life. In this ordinary act of everyday work, I began to see grace and judgment. There was judgment as I cut the old limbs and threw them off in a burn pile. They had long been separated from the real live branch. I saw grace in the new life beginning to grow as spring approaches. I was left wondering which one was I?

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Posted in Discipleship, God, God's Word, Jesus, Luke | 1 Comment »