Good Grief

Nehemiah 1-4

When we grieve over the things that grieve God we have good grief... grief that has a purpose and a value. Nehemiah had good grief. He grieved over the state of his father's homeland and went to God in prayer. The result was that God blessed his efforts to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem and return a faithful remnant.

Do Not Be Afraid

Deuteronomy 20-22

After 40 years of close fellowship with God, Moses knew that God could be trusted and that there was no need to fear or be afraid of anything that stood in the way... as long as God's commands were followed. He tries to pass on that knowledge to the Israelites, but they don't really get it. They, like we, think that he is simply espousing a righteous way of life, but he really is telling them to trust in the Lord. It is sooooo hard to really convey to others a heartfelt belief that does not conform to the ways of the world in a way that others will truly believe. Most people march to the beat of the world's drum and are incapable of comprehending a different beat.

Is That Good?

Acts 19-20

A group of Jews was traveling from town to town casting out evil spirits in the name of the Jesus that Paul preached. The spirits were not impressed. They responded that they knew Jesus and that they knew Paul, but they didn't know these Jews. So my questions is... Is it good or bad if the evil spirits don't know you? It would seem that they know and fear their enemies, so if they don't know you, they don't fear you and thus don't worry about you... they can attack and destroy at will, but don't care to expend the energy unless you bother them.

Primitive Knowledge

Psalms 137-139

Too often I have heard people speak of how much more intelligent we are now than our ancestors... how our knowledge has superseded their knowledge... not just adding to it, but making it obsolete. To some extent, they look down upon this primitive knowledge with an arrogance that would throw out everything known by our ancestors as mistaken thinking while embracing everything we know now as perfect truth. How easily they forget the truths of the last decade that have been trumped, or the truths of the previous century that have come 'round again.

The psalmist speaks of some of these ancient truths of the creation of a child in terms that many modern thinkers should revisit. Instead, in their attempt to rid themselves of a moral law-giver, they would strip the psalmist of his truth and claim a purely biological cause (without ever stopping to consider whence biology came). The psalmist may not have had the detailed medical knowledge of today's OBs, but his incomplete knowledge was rooted in the same truths... truths that God instantiated in the beginning.

The Last Announcement

Malachi

The Book of Malachi ends with the last announcement of the one who is to come...

“Look, I am sending you the prophet Elijah before the great and dreadful day of the Lord arrives. His preaching will turn the hearts of fathers to their children, and the hearts of children to their fathers. Otherwise I will come and strike the land with a curse.”

It would be several hundred years before the fulfillment of this prophesy, but there were those who waited patiently for the coming Messiah. They didn't want to miss out on God's answer to man's problem, so when John arrived proclaiming the pending arrival of the Day of the Lord they were ready... ready to receive the promised blessings, instead of the curse. Even today we are faced with the same choice... life or death.

Incomplete Knowledge

Ecclesiastes 9-10

Solomon was filled with wisdom, but that doesn't mean he knew everything. In fact, his incomplete knowledge led him to draw conclusions that were incorrect... It seems so tragic that everyone under the sun suffers the same fate. Like many of his contemporaries, Solomon did not know that heaven awaited... that a Savior would deliver us from the same fate that awaited everyone else. As the wisest and wealthiest man to have ever lived, he found that knowledge and wealth provided no meaning or advantage over the rest of the people. God's gift of wisdom and wealth to him was to show, once and for all, that true happiness and meaning could not be found through earthly goods. Then having shown that the world cannot provide the answer, he unveiled his solution... his son.

Scarlet Letters

Ezra 6-10

When Ezra realized how the Israelites, including their leaders, had polluted the Jewish race by intermarrying with natives, he tore his clothes and begged God's forgiveness... then called all of the Israelites together to find out how extensive the sin was. They conducted a survey of all people to determine who had sinned and then named each one in scriptures for all time and all people to see... the ultimate scarlet letter. The punishment for each... to divorce their wives and children. A heavy price to pay, but the Lord demands that we be willing to sacrifice everything to follow him, obey him, love him.

Thou Shalt Not Lie?

Deuteronomy 16-19

The more I read the scriptures, the more I am amazed at how the modern church has modified the word to suit their own tastes and desires. The ten commandments contain the command that "thou shalt not bear false witness," but we have modified that to refer to lying in general. But, as our reading today reveals, there is a special importance to the command not to bear false witness. It only takes two witnesses to condemn a man to death by stoning, therefore if one bears false witness, there could be a miscarriage of justice that results in a man's death. I'm not saying that lying is okay, for clearly the scriptures (e.g., Psalms, Proverbs, James, etc.) speak about the problems of a deceptive tongue, but the law spoke of something different.

Live, Move, Be

Acts 17-18

The Greeks in Athens had a long history of philosophical debate and thought in the centuries leading up to Jesus' birth. About the time the Israelites were coming out of exile, Socrates came on the scene as the greatest philosopher... his best student was Plato... and his best student was Aristotle... and his best student was Alexander the Great. It was into this environment that Paul stumbled upon a monument to An Unknown God... a God that Paul describes as one in whom we live and move and have our being.

His Faithful Love Endure Forever

Psalms 134-136

Through it all, whatever the circumstances, wherever we are, his faithful love endures forever. If there is any lesson to be learned from Psalm 136, we can't help but see his faithful love endures forever.

Meaningless Writing

Ecclesiastes 7-8

Why if everything is so meaningless, did Solomon write so many words about how meaningless it is?

Most Important of All

1 Peter 4-5

Peter was the bold one who stepped out of the boat to walk on water... who declared that Jesus was the Christ... who denied Christ three times and who preached a sermon and instantly created a mega-church. So what would Peter say was the most important of all?

The end of the world is coming soon. Therefore, be earnest and disciplined in your prayers. Most important of all, continue to show deep love for each other, for love covers a multitude of sins. Cheerfully share your home with those who need a meal or a place to stay.

Prayer is important, very important, but most important of all, Peter says, is to show deep love for each other. How do we do that? By sharing our home with those who need a meal or a place to stay. When I think about the stalwart Christians I know, very few score well against those criteria. I can even here some of them now... "God wouldn't want me to place myself (my wife, my kids, etc.) at risk by inviting those people to eat and sleep at my house, would he?" I don't know, what does scripture say?

Separation of Church and State

Ezra 1-5

I don't think that King Cyrus of Persia got a copy of the letter that Thomas Jefferson wrote to the Danbury Baptists regarding a "wall of the separation between church and state" because as the leader of the Medes and Persians he wrote the following proclamation...

“The Lord, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth. He has appointed me to build him a Temple at Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Any of you who are his people may go to Jerusalem in Judah to rebuild this Temple of the Lord, the God of Israel, who lives in Jerusalem. And may your God be with you! Wherever this Jewish remnant is found, let their neighbors contribute toward their expenses by giving them silver and gold, supplies for the journey, and livestock, as well as a voluntary offering for the Temple of God in Jerusalem.”

The wall he created was not a wall of separation, but rather the walls of the Temple of God at Jerusalem... and he ordered the neighbors of the people of God to pay for it. God will be sovereign even if it means working through an enemy king.

Intolerance

Deuteronomy 13-15

There is much talk about tolerance these days. In general, tolerance is viewed as a "good" thing and conversely intolerance is viewed as a "bad" thing. So countries that allow complete religious freedom are viewed as tolerant and good, while countries that punish those who reach out to inhabitants on behalf of another religion are viewed as intolerant and bad. Imagine then the label placed on the Israelites by their detractors.

Suppose someone secretly entices you—even your brother, your son or daughter, your beloved wife, or your closest friend—and says, ‘Let us go worship other gods’—gods that neither you nor your ancestors have known. They might suggest that you worship the gods of peoples who live nearby or who come from the ends of the earth. But do not give in or listen. Have no pity, and do not spare or protect them. You must put them to death!

These are not the rantings of some pumped up priest, televangelist, or imam, but rather the Word of God. God commands that His people be intolerant of other religious views because he knows the Israelites will succumb to the temptations. So where does that leave us?

Just Curious

Acts 15-16

So Paul and Silas head to Philippi where they meet Lydia and her "church" down by the river. They preached the gospel and her heart was opened and she was baptized. Since they were down by the river already, it is easy to presume that the baptism occurred in the river. When Paul and Silas were later jailed and subsequently miraculously released, the jailer came to Christ. He and his whole household were baptized. Just curious if there is any reason to believe that they went down to the river versus sprinkling or pouring, and how old were his children? Hmmm.

Harmony

Psalms 131-133

Scripture makes it clear that harmony and unity in the Body of Christ is part of God's plan. Where there is disunity in the body, sin is often lurking around the corner. The psalmist declares...

How wonderful and pleasant it is when brothers live together in harmony! For harmony is as precious as the anointing oil that was poured over Aaron’s head, that ran down his beard and onto the border of his robe. Harmony is as refreshing as the dew from Mount Hermon that falls on the mountains of Zion. And there the Lord has pronounced his blessing, even life everlasting.

This same thought is expressed in Jesus's pastoral prayer in the Gospel of John. It is his heartfelt desire that all of his disciples live and work in harmonious unity... dedicated to spreading the Gospel and ringing in the Kingdom of Heaven. God's message to us today is no less clear, we are called to be one.

Are We Done Yet?

Zechariah 1-7

Seventy years into Judah's exile, in the fourth year of King Darius' reign, the people of Bethel asked a question of the Lord regarding whether they should continue in mourning or if the exile would end. God's response was probably not what they wanted to hear... he asked if their hearts had turned to him or if all of their sacrifice was for themselves and for show. We must remember, even today, that we may be able to fool our neighbors with our pious displays, the the intended audience of our worship is not fooled or amused... he knows our heart. Our only true choice is to turn to him with everything that we are or else we are turning away from him.

Meaningless

Ecclesiastes 5-6

It is meaningless to desire that which you do not have. God blesses those whom he will bless and if he blesses you with a gift, then enjoy the gift, share it with others and be filled with joy. But if curse instead is your lot, then be satisfied with what you have and be merry. To wish for different is to place your hope in meaninglessness. This then may be the true secret of the Beatitude Blessed are the poor... the blessedness comes in joyful acceptance of our lot whatever that is.

True Happiness

1 Peter 1-3

What would it take to bring true happiness to your life? Growing up, I just knew that true happiness could be found the the annual Sears Christmas Wish Book. Evey year when it arrived at the house, we would take turns (maybe nicely because Christmas was almost there) going through the Wish Book and developing our personal Wish Lists. Times haven't changed much, children (and sadly some adults) still think that true happiness comes from getting all the toys you want, but Peter had a different idea...

Now we live with great expectation, and we have a priceless inheritance—an inheritance that is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay. And through your faith, God is protecting you by his power until you receive this salvation, which is ready to be revealed on the last day for all to see. So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you have to endure many trials for a little while.

 God has a present waiting for us in Heaven, there may be trials first, but the end is so worth it.

There Is That

2 Chronicles 33-36

Nebuchadnezzar totally destroyed Judah, he... killed the young men and young women, the old and the infirm, took all of the treasures from the temple and the palace, then burned them, tore down the walls of Jerusalem, completely destroyed everything of value, and took the few who survived were taken captive. How can there possibly be a bright side?

So the message of the Lord spoken through Jeremiah was fulfilled. The land finally enjoyed its Sabbath rest.

Oh, right... there is that... the land enjoyed the rest that God had always intended. Although he has given us freewill, we cannot thwart God's will, only delay it through our sin. His will be done.

Stop Being Stubborn

Deuteronomy 10-12

Moses is running through a synopsis of everything that has happened over the last 40 years to the Israelites as they sit across the Jordan from the Promised Land. He explains to them that all they need to do is to fear and love God, do what he says and everything that the Lord has (and he has everything) will be theirs. That's when he says... change your hearts and stop being stubborn. I think if Moses were here today he'd say the same thing. In our stubborn pride we toss out God's priorities for our own and then make up a story about how God would want it this way. It is easy to wonder at how the Israelites could have been so stupid... the hard part is seeing ourselves in the Israelites sandals.

Marks of Belief

Acts 13-14

I am struck by some of the marks of the believers in the New Testament church... the believers were filled with joy and the Holy Spirit. You'd think that our churches would similarly be filled with people who were full of joy and the Holy Spirit, but that really seems to be more the exception than the rule in the modern church. I wonder if somewhere along the way we traded the glory of God for some paltry worldly substitute and it can never fill us with the joy that Christ gives because it is a sham. Seems to me that if this is so, we need to throw out the substitute and get the real thing and we'll know when we succeeded by the marks of joy.

How Much Do We Long?

Psalms 128-130

When the psalmist claims that he longs for the Lord, he quantifies that longing as... more than the sentry longs for dawn. It may not seem like a long time from the outside, but the minutes creep by so slowly, and eyelids weigh so much when you pull the midnight watch... and nothing seems better than the approaching dawn. How much do we really long for the Lord? Would we give anything to have him? Would we abandon all we have? He tells us we must.

Biblical Inerrancy

Ecclesiastes 3-4

There are a few biblical texts that give me pause in the area of biblical inerrancy... for me, it is not Jonah and the Whale, or Creation, or Noah's Ark or any of the miracles that some find so hard to believe. For me it is Paul's admonition "to the married I give this command (not I, but the Lord)..." (1 Corinthians 7:10) and parts of today's reading in Ecclesiastes.

I also thought about the human condition—how God proves to people that they are like animals. For people and animals share the same fate—both breathe and both must die. So people have no real advantage over the animals. How meaningless! Both go to the same place—they came from dust and they return to dust.

How does one treat these texts under the lens of biblical inerrancy? In the case of the passage from Corinthians Paul clearly says that this is his command, not the Lord's, while the second seems to more Solomon's opinion rather than God's. I guess it really comes down to what inerrancy really means. I lean towards the definition that says that the Scriptures are always right in fulfilling their purpose: revealing God, God's vision, God's purposes, and God's good news to humanity rather than the literalist view that focuses on the legalism of each word being exactly right. Just a thought...

Living Life in the Zone by Kyle Rote Jr and Dr Joe Pettigrew

Growing up in South Central Texas, the Kyle Rote name was very familiar to me, but when I moved away from Texas and started playing rugby the name dropped out my field of vision, that is, until I picked up a copy of his latest book Living Life in the Zone: A 40-Day Spiritual Gameplan for Men. Kyle Rote Jr teams up with Dr Joe Pettigrew in this 40-day devotional study aimed at sports-minded men.

For the man who feels guilty sitting at home on Sunday morning watching sports while his wife and kids attend church, this may just be the book that helps you put down the remote and get off the couch. The authors don't preach, but instead gently encourage you to re-examine the choices you make with compelling anecdotes and sound scriptural backing. Before the forty days are up you may just find yourself with a better relationship with your wife, your kids and your Savior. Pastors looking for sermon illustrations will also find a treasure trove of interesting stories that may just help to keep the Sunday sports fanatic coming back for more and men's groups looking for new study material will be thankful to find a study that speaks to men where they are. I've already loaned my copy out to my pastor and can recommend this study to any man searching for a simple bible-based study on marriage, kids, work and faith.

Disclosure of Material Connection: As a blogger, I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Final Words

James 4-5

The sermon series that we just finished at church was on the Book of James and how it provides a practical how-to guide for Christian living. But reading the last two chapters, it seems more like the last words that a parent is trying to get out as their child leaves for camp or college. "Do this, and oh by the way, don't forget to do this and that and that, and oh yeah I almost forgot that you need to make sure that you don't forget to do this because it's really important, oh and ..." James is all over the place wanting to make sure that he gets everything in before his time runs out.

Pride Goes Before Destruction

2 Chronicles 29-32

Perhaps as much as any other ruler, Sennacherib met defeat as a result of his arrogance. Outside Jerusalem, Sennacherib taunts Judah saying that their god cannot protect them anymore then the gods of all the other nations that he has conquered. His arrogance was in thinking that his ability to defeat non-existent gods, would help him in defeating the one and only God. Sennacherib went home with far fewer men. That should have been a lesson for Hezekiah, but he too fell to pride. Through grace and Hezekiah's decision to humble himself before the Lord, he was spared, but his great wealth and success would not bode well for his son to follow.

His Favorites

Deuteronomy 7-9

Who says God doesn't play favorites... "When the Lord your God brings you into the land you are about to enter and occupy, he will clear away many nations ahead of you: the Hittites, Girgashites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites. These seven nations are greater and more numerous than you. When the Lord your God hands these nations over to you and you conquer them, you must completely destroy them. Make no treaties with them and show them no mercy."

Since the beginning of recorded history, God has definitely played favorites. He accepted Able's sacrifice, but rejected Cain's,,, he loved Jacob, but hated Esau... he has mercy on whom he has mercy and compassion on whom he choose too. This fact seems to offend some people, namely, I think, because they don't want to follow after God, but they still want his blessings (if he exists). If he doesn't exist (like they think) then I wonder who they think is being unfair? The creator has always had the creative freedom to discard one piece and keep another, without securing the permission of the pieces, why is it so surprising that God would have a similar choice? ... and he chose Israel, and then broadened the invitation to anyone who would put their faith in his son. What more could we ask for?