365 Reflections

Josiah is a king like no other before him or after him in the Old Covenant. His reforms clean house in a nation utterly corrupted. His passion to obey God was unparalleled even by David and Hezekiah. He not only brought Israel to national repentance, but he also restored the sacred meal that signified who they were.  2 Kings 23:21–23 (ESV) And the king commanded all the people, “Keep the Passover to the LORD your God, as it is written in this Book of the Covenant.” 22 For no such Passover had been kept since the days of the judges who judged Israel, or during all the days of the kings of Israel or of the kings of Judah. 23 But in the eighteenth year of King Josiah this Passover was kept to the LORD in Jerusalem. The Passover for Israel was what the Lord's Supper is for us. It is the meal that God's covenant people ate with their deliverer (Jesus for us/Moses for them). Both meals were inaugurated on the night before the death of the firstborn (of God for us/of Pharoah for the...

No matter where you are, seek God and good things will result. Josiah is case in point. What's amazing is that he comes from a line of self-centered kings. Yet he will stand out. What's more amazing is who was involved in making Josiah King. His father Amon was betrayed and killed and the people struck back at his assassins and placed Josiah, his son on the throne.  2 Kings 21:24 (ESV) But the people of the land struck down all those who had conspired against King Amon, and the people of the land made Josiah his son king in his place. What's even more amazing is that Josiah became king at a younger age than even Manasseh. 2 Kings 22:1 (ESV) Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned thirty-one years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Jedidah the daughter of Adaiah of Bozkath. The turn about that Josiah will bring to Judah begins in his 26th year of life when a simple decree to care for the temple is sent out. 2 Kings 22:3–5 (ESV) In the eighteenth ...

John 1:1–5 (ESV) 1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4 In him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. I love what N.T. Wright says about this Gospel. He talks about how grand it is compared to the Synoptics. How John wants to make sure you're going to get a wide-angle lens shot at the life and being of Jesus. No manger, no census, no magi, no shepherd. One statement every Jew would have immediately recognized. "In the beginning." Wright says, "This book is about the creator God acting in a new way within his much-loved creation." Again and again we are reminded how God works in His world. His activity is through the spoken word. He communicates creation in the heavens and earth and now at last H...

Some sickness are not physical... they ARE spiritual.  We have to begin admitting this with confidence if we are going to be effective workers in the Kingdom of God. Luke 13:11–13 (ESV) And behold, there was a woman who had had a disabling spirit for eighteen years. She was bent over and could not fully straighten herself. 12 When Jesus saw her, he called her over and said to her, “Woman, you are freed from your disability.”  Jesus is in Synagogue on Sabbath and a woman has come to worship but cannot straighten up.  She has come bent over ... not because of a physical ailment but because of a spiritual attack.  Jesus makes sure to point out it was "Satan" who had her bound for 18 long years.  Luke 13:16 (ESV)  And ought not this woman, a daughter of Abraham whom Satan bound for eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath day?” There are those who deny healing is for today.  They say God only heals spiritually.  But thi...

There can be no doubt Jesus spent a lot of time talking about how we talk.  He made it clear, the most dangerous element of the Pharisees was their teaching.  They taught what they didn't practice. They taught men burdensome things.  While they were unwilling to help anyone do them. In Luke 12, Jesus goes on a long discourse concerning the tongue. Some of the scariest verses of scriptures are found here: Luke 12:2–3 (ESV) Nothing is covered up that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. 3 Therefore whatever you have said in the dark shall be heard in the light, and what you have whispered in private rooms shall be proclaimed on the housetops. And then just a few verses later: Luke 12:8–10 (ESV) “And I tell you, everyone who acknowledges me before men, the Son of Man also will acknowledge before the angels of God, 9 but the one who denies me before men will be denied before the angels of God. 10 And everyone who speaks a word against the Son ...

Luke 4-5 contains several snippets of the power Jesus' Word carries in various ways... I want to list them here: His Word astonishes the listeners: Luke 4:31–32 (ESV) And he went down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee. And he was teaching them on the Sabbath, 32 and they were astonished at his teaching, for his word possessed authority. His Word cast out demons: Luke 4:35 (ESV) But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be silent and come out of him!” And when the demon had thrown him down in their midst, he came out of him, having done him no harm. His Word removes sickness: Luke 4:39 (ESV) And he stood over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her, and immediately she rose and began to serve them. His Word silences demons: Luke 4:41 (ESV) And demons also came out of many, crying, “You are the Son of God!” But he rebuked them and would not allow them to speak, because they knew that he was the Christ. His Word attracted great and eager crowds who presse...

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 Timothy 2:12–15 (ESV) I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man; rather, she is to remain quiet. 13 For Adam was formed first, then Eve; 14 and Adam was not deceived, but the woman was deceived and became a transgressor. 15 Yet she will be saved through childbearing—if they continue in faith and love and holiness, with self-control. W come to one of the most confusing passages in the New Testament for our day.  Many a churches have relegated women to sub-standard roles in the church because of these verse.  At the same time, many churches, seeking to be all things to all people have overlooked Paul's admonition here in this text. This passage presents for us questions and at the same time, answer a question we may not actually be asking at first glance, but should.   What is the role of women in relation to man? If women are saved through childbirth, what about women who cannot give birth? It cannot be any clearer for Paul ...

When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, for he taught with real authority—quite unlike their teachers of religious law. (Matthew 7:28, 29 NLT) He taught different. And His teaching is still being taught. One of the ministries often neglected about Jesus was His teaching. Absolute. Firm. To the point. And life-changing. Perhaps because Jesus practiced what He taught. Matthew 7:6 Do not give dogs what is holy, and do not throw your pearls before pigs, lest they trample them underfoot and turn to attack you. The teaching authority of Jesus was rooted in His reverence for the Scriptures.  To remember the Psalmist declaration: for you have exalted above all things your name and your word. Psalm 138:2 How often people want Bible-bites to make our life better. How often they come looking for a "spiritual" side to life But Jesus calls for much more. Jesus held that even casting out demons and prophesying were unknown t...

One of the fundamental tactics of our enemy is to use Gods Word against us. He even has the audacity to use the Word against the "Word made flesh" (John 1:14) . Evidently the enemy of our souls knows full well there aren't many other BETTER ways to really mess with Gods people that to twist His Word in our ears. The devil knows the power of the Word. Do we? To Eve, the devil's first words were "Did God really say?" To Jesus: and (the devil) said to him, "If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down, for it is written, ""He will command his angels concerning you," and ""On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone."" (Matthew 4:6 ESV) How many of us are leaping off the "pinnacle of the temple" in our own lives because we foolishly listen to a twisted word rather than knowing it well enough to sniff out a lie in the making? How many times we recklessly run ou...