365 Reflections

When Adam and Eve sinned, they hid from God.  It says, Genesis 3:8–10 (ESV) And they heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden. 9 But the LORD God called to the man and said to him, “Where are you?” 10 And he said, “I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked, and I hid myself.” They hid from the presence of the Lord in shame, and when God called to them, His words were intentional and important for the work Jesus would accomplish: "Where are you?" To which Adam and Eve said, "I was naked and I hid myself."  In other words, I am distant. I am not where you want me. I am unavailable.  But when the angel Gabriel announces the news to Mary that she will give birth to the Savior... her response is the opposite of Adam's.  She said, "Behold, I am the Lord's servant."  That...

I don't want to go to far in creating some sort of pseudo Christian "magic formula" to get what we want from God.  But the birth of John the Baptist was a miracle which happened when certain things came together.  It should be noted that the miracle Zachariah and Elizabeth received wasn't even something the texts mentioned them asking for.  So again, this is not twisting the arm of God. Luke 1:8–11 (ESV) Now while he was serving as priest before God when his division was on duty, 9 according to the custom of the priesthood, he was chosen by lot to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense. 10 And the whole multitude of the people were praying outside at the hour of incense. 11 And there appeared to him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense. First, Zechariah and Elizabeth were devout people "walking blamelessly in all the commandments and statutes of the Lord." VERSE 7.   But also: Verse 8 says he was serving...

Luke 1:4 (ESV) that you may have certainty concerning the things you have been taught. Why do we study the life and work of Jesus?  The same reason Luke put his Gospel together: That we may be CERTAIN of the things we have been taught. Luke is writing to a man named, "Theophilus" - lover of God.  Either that is his given name or one he came to have after conversion.  But I want to use it to make an important distinction.  There are many who say they "love God" in their own little way and for their own idea of what He's like.  But having a generic "love for God" is not what the Bible asks of us.  We are called to KNOW Jesus.   But we have never been called to know a generic idea we may have of what god is like "to us."  That God is easy to like and easy to ignore and easy to get upset with when life doesn't go our way.  The problem is, our idea of God is often not the God of the Bible.  Certainly not Jesus. ...

2 Peter 3:14 (ESV) Therefore, beloved, since you are waiting for these, be diligent to be found by him without spot or blemish, and at peace. Our purity means our peace.  We don't simply wait for the return of the Lord.  We don't idly hope for His return to the effect that our faith becomes a passive venture.  No.  We are to be diligent in our preparations for His return.  Notice, "be diligent to be found by him". Where there is sin, there is no peace.  When David slept with Bathsheba and killed her husband and tried to cover things up.  His house knew very little peace from that moment on.  Sin put an example for his sons to follow, his kingship to be vulnerable, and his children to die.  Sin costs more than just you.   I heard it put like this... We are made in the image of God.  That is we are made to reflect God.  Our being made in His Image means first that we are not God and second that we are representatives...

Today I long for home.  More than most days.  More than I have in a long time. I don't mean where I live.  I'm actually there right now writing these words in our den.  Today I long for heaven.  My heart is grieved by the state of our Nation, and where it's going.  Sad stories filled the news today.  It was heart breaking in more ways than I can say.  This Nation has lost its way.  It celebrates what God calls evil.  People turn on each other.  A national sports figure accused of murder. Sad. Then I think about my own shortcomings.  How often I miss the mark and have to rely on God's grace I feel like I'm drawing on a bank account so much the owner is tired of me.  I know its not true, but sometimes the ache of sin is just there.  Lingering.  I long to be righteous myself.  I'm sick of letting my Savior down.  I want to be better than this. I pray. So when I sat down to read the scriptures fro...

We have quoted this verse an enormous amount of times in church: 2 Peter 3:9 (ESV) The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. I have read hyper-Calvinists dance around with this verse suggesting that the "you" is carried into the word, "any" in regards to those who perish.  That God is patient with them that any of them should not perish.  This is done to justify the argument that God has only desired to save the elect.  But look at the next sentence: "but that all should reach repentance."  Come on!  If Peter is talking about only the elect, why then do the elect need to "reach repentance"?  Any way.  I imagine that we could argue this back and forth in some way, shape or form.  I know what I believe and I think correlates with the heart of Jesus in the parables.  This verse encompasses the largen...

2 Peter 2:1–3 (ESV) But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction. 2 And many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of truth will be blasphemed. 3 And in their greed they will exploit you with false words. Their condemnation from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep. False teaching IN the body is as old as the church.  Peter turns from compelling believers to trust in the written words of Prophecy to warning them against "new" and false prophecies from within their ranks ("among the people .. among you").  This has been the reality of the movement of God from the beginning.  Wherever there is a Moses, there is a Korah.  Where you have a David, there is an Absolom.   In the early times after the New Testament, a he...

And we have something more sure, the prophetic word, to which you will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts, knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone's own interpretation. (2 Peter 1:19, 20 ESV) I read something interesting today from one of the early church fathers Athanasius. I think it pertains to what Peter says here about the assurance of the prophetic word that we have concerning Christ and his coming. He said something like this: prophecy about the coming Messiah stopped after Christ came. If there was still to be a Messiah why is there no longer any prophetic writing about his coming taking place?  And the temple sacrifices ended shortly after Christ came. It is clear in the scope of history that Jesus is coming was the coming witnessed to by the prophetic words of Scripture. There has been no other and there will be no other. This is wh...

There are some who deny the existence of evil spirits and the devil.  They think its old fashioned and out of date.  Now everything is a pathological disorder of brain malfunction.  I'm not denying those at all.  But I refuse to deny the very real reality of evil spirits. Peter says something interesting in the last chapter of his first epistle: 1 Peter 5:8 (ESV)  Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. He says "be sober-minded" - which can mean, "come to your senses". Peter uses this word three times in this letter alone.  First he uses it to call them to action in 1:13.  He then uses it of praying in light of the Lord's return in 4:7.  Now he uses the term "come to your senses" about something people think is non-sensical - the devil. I would suggest that any great victory militarily happened because cooler heads captained the winning army.  They didn't frea...

There's no doubt, suffering could erode or deepen our trust in God. Notice the language Peter uses: 1 Peter 4:19 (ESV) Therefore let those who suffer according to God’s will entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good. You could say 1 Peter is the Job of the New Testament just like Ephesians is the Deuteronomy Joshua of the New Testament.  Peter is the answer to many of Job's questions.   Sometimes, it is God's will that we should suffer.  What is our response?   Do we demand answers? Do we look for a quick resolution? Do we whine and cry? Do we give up? No.  We entrust our soul to a "faithful Creator." Peter harkens back to the idea of God as Creator.  Interestingly, only here in the New Testament (1 Peter 4:19) is God called "Creator."  Think Peter is saying something??? He's saying: God is the architect of this universe.  His design and details are what matters.  Sometimes, suffering for t...

You're never done with sin until you fully realize the cost it brings you. And you don't know the cost until you've tasted the goodness of The Lord. That's what I think Peter is trying to convey here: Since therefore Christ suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves with the same way of thinking, for whoever has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin , so as to live for the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for human passions but for the will of God. ( 1 Peter 4:1, 2 ESV ) The cost of sin is deterioration and demise.  Suffering comes standard. Some effects take a long time to realize, like the smoker who "gets away with it" for 20 years. Other costs are quick and painful. Like the adulterer who must say goodbye to his happy home and children. There is a cost of sin, always, no matter who we are.   Consider the evolving effects of sin from the fall of man.  Adam lived centuries, Abraham lived one century, by the time of Jesus men were lucky to hit 50.  Sin ...

1 Peter 2:23 (ESV) When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly. 1 Peter 3:9 (ESV) Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing. 1 Peter 3:14 (ESV) But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, Why does Peter repeatedly call us to return good for evil?  Simple.  Because you belong to God. First, you must remember that Christ did not revile because He entrusted the Father to do the judging.  Jesus' mission was not thwarted by those who brought evil upon Him, rather, it was used by God for the redemption of the world.  Second, there is a blessing in paying back evil with blessing.  God has called us to this.  Why?  Because the world is full of curses, we are the answer and...

For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people. Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God. Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor. (1 Peter 2:15-17 ESV) We represent God to those who do not know Him.  It is vitally important that we take this responsibility seriously.  We know this because Peter puts this concept right up there with the "will of God" language that gets our attention. And how do we do this? By being subject "for the Lord's sake" to the authorities of our world.  Today in America, this is easy to hear, for first century persecuted Christians, it must have seemed impossible.  But yet it was the example set by Christ and commanded in the Sermon on the Mount. But they were to see all authority as God's servants.  God is sovereign over all.  He has put in place what He has determ...

Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul. (1 Peter 2:11 ESV) This is war.  And the problem is not just the devil, the problem our flesh. The old carnal nature of our bodies.   The answer is abstinence.  Not easy but oh so necessary.   What does Paul say? Romans 13:14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.  There is no doubt the only solution is to say no to what our flesh wants. To remember that every time you say yes to the flash it's like you're choosing to lose a part of your soul. For that is what Peter says, the passions of our flesh wage war against our soul.  What does James say? James 4:1 What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you?  James give this a good clue here. He tells us that our passions are the result of looking at what other peopl...

1 Peter 2:2–3 (ESV) Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation— 3 if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good. Every parent on Earth knows what happens when a baby is delayed in getting the milk of its mothers breast or the bottle.  It is an understatement to say this is not passive experience for those involved.  Hungry babies tend to make their desires known and heard... very well. It is for this reason that new parents often do not get much sleep.  There can be no long break between feedings.  The desire it again almost as soon as they have finished it off.  And this is what Peter exhorts the newborn Christians to do without apology.  LONG FOR THE WORD...  Because the same word that brought you to Christ is now the Word that will nourish you in Christ. How often I have heard this testimony before from a newborn Christian.  You cannot get enough of God's Word. ...

Peter gives us one of the best pictures of the Work of God in salvation I think in the whole Bible.  It's a beautiful detailing of te Gift we have through Faith in Christ - the crowning of God's plan from the beginning... 1 Peter 1:10–12 (ESV) Concerning this salvation, the prophets who prophesied about the grace that was to be yours searched and inquired carefully, 11 inquiring what person or time the Spirit of Christ in them was indicating when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the subsequent glories. 12 It was revealed to them that they were serving not themselves but you, in the things that have now been announced to you through those who preached the good news to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, things into which angels long to look. First, think about what this is saying.  Prophets searched this out and found out they were simply pointing to Christ for our good!  So that we could look at their lives and see Christ revealed in their writings an...

Peter had a testimony. Of course you only get a testimony when God has delivered youfrom the things that could have or would have otherwise overwhelmed you. Look at how he opens his letter: 1 Peter 1:3–5 (ESV) Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, 5 who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. "We are born again" - sounds like a second chance.  And this from the man who knew a lot about second chances. "To a living hope." - Hope not settled in us or on paper, but a living hope.  A hope that has wings and substance to it.  Not wishful thinking.  It's hope inside you.  Hope that affects you and carries you and produces in you the ability to withstand ob...

Six times in Titus the phrase, "good works" shows up.  Six times!  It's the most of any book in the New Testament and Titus only has 3 chapters.  And each time it's mentioned, it's in reference to what we are to do because of what Christ has done. But what kind of good works?  Are we to sit in church and pray a lot?  Are we to teach sunday school and greet people at the door?  Sure.  But I think there's more to it than that. First, Paul makes the most clear presentation of salvation in the entire New Testament. Titus 3:4–7 (ESV) But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, 5 he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, 6 whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. He did this. ...

Titus 2:14 ESV (He)  gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works. Why are we saved? Do we truly understand the purpose behind God's saving us? Or do we sometimes feel like God saved us for our own sakes? How we answer that question is severely important. Paul reminds Titus why we were saved. If we believe that we are saved for our own sakes then God becomes a means to our ultimate ends. That He saved us so we could have that life we always dreamed of and then go to heaven when we die. This is not what the Gospel teaches us. This is not what the Old Testament teaches us either. One of our favorite Psalms contains a phrase to help us understand the theme of redemption. Psalms 23:3 " He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake. " In Titus, as he usually does, Paul backs up the teachings of the Old Testament through the new covenant persp...

Titus 2:1 (ESV) But as for you, teach what accords with sound doctrine. Five times int he Pastoral epistles Paul uses the phrase, "But as for you" right after describing the evil ways of the world.  Here's another one.   The word "Sound" in greek is the word from which we get "hygiene" from.  It means to be healthy.  When it comes to teaching, the teaching needs to be "healthy."  I like that.   Health is maintained by one particular attribute above all else: Balance. You eat, but you balance your diet. You balance your time, not over doing it. You balance your relationships, knowing when to say no and yes. You balance your energy.  Taking rest, and giving your all when necessary. This is true when it comes to teaching, Paul says, keep it balanced.  Keep it balanced doctrine.  Too much of one sort of food can be bad for you.  Too much of one emphasis in the Bible can do damage to the body as well.  Paul was...

Titus, like Timothy had been left in a city that was in bad need of godly leadership. Right from the third verse to Titus in the letter, Paul makes clear that Titus's job is to bring order where there is much chaos. A pastor's job is to straighten out the church. God is a God of order. One of the Cretans, a prophet of their own, said, "Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons." This testimony is true. Therefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith, (Titus 1:12, 13 ESV) I just realized, Paul uses a prophet of the people's country to call out their character.  If you did the for America you'd have plenty of material.   The early church fathers testified that this came from Epidimes of Crete. Paul also calls this testimony true.  All truth is Gods truth no matter where it comes from. And the response for Titus the man of God... " rebuke them sharply". The man of God must be firm and quick in his reproof of those who sprea...

Titus 1:1–3 (ESV) Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, for the sake of the faith of God’s elect and their knowledge of the truth, which accords with godliness, 2 in hope of eternal life, which God, who never lies, promised before the ages began 3 and at the proper time manifested in his word through the preaching with which I have been entrusted by the command of God our Savior; Did you see it?  You may have to read it again.  This is an amazing scripture regarding the power and importance of preaching God's Word. Paul says what he often says, this whole thing was planned from before the Earth was formed.  God promised the salvation of the elect and their knowledge of the truth before the ages began.   YET... how did it finally come about?  "Through the preaching" he was entrusted by Christ to do! Preacher... PREACH! You are the voice through which God fulfills His purposes in the lives of those He has called. ...

2 Timothy 4:9–11 (ESV) Do your best to come to me soon. 10 For Demas, in love with this present world, has deserted me and gone to Thessalonica. Crescens has gone to Galatia, Titus to Dalmatia. 11 Luke alone is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, for he is very useful to me for ministry. There is such humanness to this passage.  Paul in chains, writing a final letter for our reception as the Church of Jesus is closing out with regards to his friends.  He is lonely and isolated.  One has fallen from faith because of the world's offerings.  Others have gone to minister elsewhere.  He sent Tychicus to Ephesus.  Later he speaks of Alexander who hurt him terribly.  When he was attacked by Alexander, no one defended him.   Paul need Timothy to come.  He and Luke are all alone.  And Paul knows the end is near. This is the last testimony we have of Paul in scripture.  History tells us he was beheaded in Rome.  But ap...

Sometimes it's hard to do what God called you to do. The reason is we often forget Jesus Christ and the Father are there.  Timothy needed this reminder in the mist of a wicked and immoral city as he pastored this church. Paul reminds Timothy: I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching . (2 Timothy 4:1, 2 ESV) It's not what you have Timothy, it's who is with you.  The power to live Gods way if found in acknowledging Gods immanence and involvement in our lives. To linger in the presence of Jesus.  There's only one way a preacher will be prepared to preach no matter what.... By spending time in the presence of Jesus. There will be conflict. Paul tells Timothy that men will not put up with sound teaching very soon. You're going to have to learn how to preach wh...

We are called to march to the beat of a different drummer. Romans 12:2 (ESV) "Do not be conformed to this world"  We are not of this world and we are not to let it squeeze us into its mold.  The fight is relentless, strenuous, and continuous.  Who doesn't find themselves at times unwittingly driven by the moorings of our world's system.  It's pervasive and contagious. And so we need someone to come along and say, "But as for you."  Paul does this for Timothy twice in  5 verses. 2 Timothy 3:10 (ESV) You, however, have followed my teaching, my conduct, my aim in life, my faith, my patience, my love, my steadfastness, 2 Timothy 3:14 (ESV) But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it I know they look different in English but they are the same words in Greek.   Timothy had heard about all the things the world would be doing.  Paul warned him as to what was coming up next....

2 Timothy 3:1–5 (ESV) But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. 2 For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, 4 treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people. Four of the 19 qualities Paul lists concerning the difficult times of the last days contain the word "Love."  I've never seen it before, but looking at our world today, this totally makes sense. Today it is no longer "God is love."  Today people live as though "Love is God."  Love will make everything better, love will solve your loneliness, love will never make you feel bad about something you do, love is something you cannot help and cannot control... ie. you ...

2 Timothy 2:20–21 (ESV) Now in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver but also of wood and clay, some for honorable use, some for dishonorable. 21 Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from what is dishonorable, he will be a vessel for honorable use, set apart as holy, useful to the master of the house, ready for every good work. The ball is in our court.  I think we can forget about that at times.  God does sanctify us but we have the responsibility to take part in that process as well.  The word "if" here is a big one.  If you cleanse yourself from the things of this world, then you will be useful to the master.  So many see Christianity as a free ride to heaven.  It's more than getting to heaven.  It's about life here as God intended.  And there are people in the great house of God who have yet to experience God's best because they never clean their life. Paul is talking to Timothy, a preacher.  He's sayin...

One of my common worries as a church leader is what happens to people when the wrong person gets in there here. Will they be deceived? Will they fall away? Will they be loaded up with things that are unnecessary and make them bear a burden that will pressure them to  shipwreck their faith? Paul the apostle had the same concern and pass that concern onto Timothy.  (2 Timothy 2:16-18)  But avoid irreverent babble, for it will lead people into more and more ungodliness, and their talk will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus, who have swerved from the truth, saying that the resurrection has already happened. They are upsetting the faith of some.  He saw the faith of some being upset by the bad teaching of two people that he knew by name. He worried about it. But he didn't worry too much for look at what he says next: Verse 19: But God's firm foundation stands, bearing this seal: "The Lord knows those who are his," and, "Let everyone who names...