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?