365 Reflections

Paul, the Apostle, informs Timothy that all who wish to walk with Jesus will be persecuted.  2 Timothy 3:12 (ESV) Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, Jeremiah was of course, no exception.  Jeremiah 20:1–2 (ESV) Now Pashhur the priest, the son of Immer, who was chief officer in the house of the LORD, heard Jeremiah prophesying these things. 2 Then Pashhur beat Jeremiah the prophet, and put him in the stocks that were in the upper Benjamin Gate of the house of the LORD. For telling God's people what God wanted them to know, Jeremiah was beaten and imprisoned by the very people who claimed to work for God. Notice it was "Passhur the priest" who instigated this attack on Jeremiah.  Jeremiah responds by changing Pashur's name.  Jeremiah 20:3–4 (ESV) The next day, when Pashhur released Jeremiah from the stocks, Jeremiah said to him, “The LORD does not call your name Pashhur, but Terror on Every Side. 4 For thus says the LORD: ...

So many of us know about Jeremiah's first visit the the Potter's house in Jeremiah 18. It's a picture of God's ability to restart and renew our lives. Although in context the image spelled disaster for the nation and after that, they would be renewed. But Jeremiah 19 also contains a visit to the potter's house. This time Jeremiah is a customer and he shares a very strong message with those he brings along.  Jeremiah 19:1–2 (ESV) Thus says the LORD, “Go, buy a potter’s earthenware flask, and take some of the elders of the people and some of the elders of the priests, 2 and go out to the Valley of the Son of Hinnom at the entry of the Potsherd Gate, and proclaim there the words that I tell you. The location of this moment is important. The Valley of the Son of Hinnom was the trash heap of ancient Israel. This will become the place Jesus refers to as Gehenna in the New Testament. It contained trash residing in a smoldering fire that never went out.   Matthew 18:9 (ESV)...

Esther 9:1–2 (ESV)  Now in the twelfth month, which is the month of Adar, on the thirteenth day of the same, when the king’s command and edict were about to be carried out, on the very day when the enemies of the Jews hoped to gain the mastery over them, the reverse occurred: the Jews gained mastery over those who hated them. 2 The Jews gathered in their cities throughout all the provinces of King Ahasuerus to lay hands on those who sought their harm. And no one could stand against them, for the fear of them had fallen on all peoples. Esther 9 is the complete opposite of every other chapter in this book before it. Thus far we have seen the Jews as a helpless people, with Mordecai targeted for death, Esther as the harem girl for the king's pleasure. But all that has changed. Now Mordecai and Esther are ambassadors of the King and writing the laws of the land into effect to not only save the Jews from extermination but to empower them for triumph over their enemies.  It's a wond...

We have discussed that Esther may have taken the long way to gain the proper audience with the King, but we see that God works through it both to deliver the Jews and grow her in boldness and faith. Esther 7:2–3 (ESV) And on the second day, as they were drinking wine after the feast, the king again said to Esther, “What is your wish, Queen Esther? It shall be granted you. And what is your request? Even to the half of my kingdom, it shall be fulfilled.” 3 Then Queen Esther answered, “If I have found favor in your sight, O king, and if it please the king, let my life be granted me for my wish, and my people for my request. Let us not miss that wine and feasting were involved here. There are three ways to a man's heart and this verse involves two of them. But Esther's grace always wins the day. At every moment the king sees her he is pleased with her and welcomes her in to his presence and offers to answer whatever request she has. We have already mentioned that this is a picture...

For all the fear and hesitation in Esther's life regarding her approach to the King in Esther 4, the response of the King to her mere appearance suggests she's living completely disconnected from reality. The king sees her and instantly favors her and invites her into the throneroom. Then, when she arrives, he's more than willing to give her whatever she may desire: Esther 5:3 (ESV) And the king said to her, “What is it, Queen Esther? What is your request? It shall be given you, even to the half of my kingdom.” Perhaps we need to realize something about God here. He WANTS us to approach Him with our requests. He wants us to ask and not doubt. He wants us to be bold in our approach and grand in our desires of Him. This whole event reminds me of the parable Jesus tells of the widow who cried out to the unjust judge who cared neither about God nor man but saw that she got justice because she never stopped asking.  Now what Esther asks for here is NOT what she really wants. Es...

Hey readers! My book is out! I believe it will give you the tools you need to get moving in the right direction. Don't let worry, fear, and comparison call the shots in your life,  Get a copy and get MOVING WITH GOD! One of my favorite commendations from Christ is found in Matthew 10:16. Jesus says to the disciples, “Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise (shrewd) as serpents and innocent as doves.” This is not a typical memory verse for most. It also failed to make it into any Sunday school lesson I can remember. For some reason, it’s often avoided. After all, Jesus is asking us to act in some ways and some times as serpents? Was not the serpent the source of our original temptation? But there’s wisdom in hearing Jesus on this point. You have to do more than simply “pray and trust God” with your life and your calling. You have to act. And when you act, please bring some measure of strategy and wisdom to the table.  Nehemiah does this wonderfu...

When David's kingdom is established and he has set in place the proper offerings of Israel before the Temple you would think anything this man wanted would be his. Here David has subdued Israel's enemies. He has learned his lesson concerning the Ark of the Covenant and brought in right sacrifices and leaders. Now David, the great king, and hero has it in his heart to do something noble in 1 Chronicles 17. He's going to set out to build a glorious Temple for the Lord.  At first Nathan the prophet is with him. He encourages him to do whatever is in his heart for the great history of his life is proof positive that God is with him (see verse 2). But the very next verse presents Nathan, the prophet with a complete turnabout.  1 Chronicles 17:3–4 (ESV)  But that same night the word of the LORD came to Nathan, 4 “Go and tell my servant David, ‘Thus says the LORD: It is not you who will build me a house to dwell in. Could you imagine being Nathan in this moment? You have just sp...

1 Samuel 16:18 (ESV)   One of the young men answered, “Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite, who is skillful in playing, a man of valor, a man of war, prudent in speech, and a man of good presence, and the Lord is with him.” Where do we get the idea that a safe and conflict-free environment is the best arena in which to raise a child or grow ourselves? This is not how the Lord grows His children. Why do we kick against God's repeated manner of training in hopes that we can spare our loved ones and/or ourselves the hardship of conflict when we KNOW it will ultimately come our way? What does the servant of Saul say about David? Mind you, Saul is looking for someone to play the harp so he can get through wicked fits brought upon him for his rebellion. And you would have it in your mind (as I do I) that a harp player is someone who has not exactly had a rough and tumble upbringing. Surely the harp player in YOUR mind is someone with no callouses and smooth skin....

It is one of cinema’s great quotes. From William Wallace played by Mel Gibson to the rightful albeit hesitant king Robert the Bruce of Scotland. While contemplating his next move for strategic political maneuvers, Robert is challenged by William with the following words, “Men do not follow titles, they follow courage.” The quote proves to be a game changer for Robert the Bruce and Scotland after the death of William Wallace according to the fictional recounting of the movie Braveheart. It is nonetheless true in the scriptures and true today. We are meant to be courageous but everything within and without us seeks to stop it. In 1 Samuel 14, while Saul is watching his army dwindle down to next to nothing, Jonathan poses a question to his armor bearer that brings about a sea-change for the nation of Israel. Instead of hiding and whimpering in the caves with the rest of the nation, Jonathan does what we all need to learn how to do. He challenges the status quo, he steps out from the s...

What if the daughters of Zelophehad had never asked their question? Numbers 27:1–4 (ESV) Then drew near the daughters of Zelophehad the son of Hepher, son of Gilead, son of Machir, son of Manasseh, from the clans of Manasseh the son of Joseph. The names of his daughters were: Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah. 2 And they stood before Moses and before Eleazar the priest and before the chiefs and all the congregation, at the entrance of the tent of meeting, saying, 3 “Our father died in the wilderness. He was not among the company of those who gathered themselves together against the Lord in the company of Korah, but died for his own sin. And he had no sons. 4 Why should the name of our father be taken away from his clan because he had no son? Give to us a possession among our father’s brothers.” Surely approaching Moses in the sight of 600,000 other Jewish men was intimidating. They also could have assumed that their father was cursed with no son and they were bear...

We will all have detractors and attackers. We will all have someone not like us or despise us. The Psalmist did in Psalm 139. The interesting thing about this Psalm is that it's so beautiful we lose the context. The Psalm was sung while the author was facing adversarial animosity. He cries out toward the end: Psalm 139:19 (ESV)   Oh that you would slay the wicked, O God! O men of blood, depart from me! Here's the power of the Truth of this Psalm. In the face of his enemies, what is his confidence? The fact that God made him, knows all about him, and will always be with him. Note the following very familiar passages: Psalm 139:1–2 (ESV) O Lord , you have searched me and known me! 2 You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from afar. Psalm 139:5 (ESV) You hem me in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon me. Psalm 139:7–8 (ESV)  Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence? 8 If I ascend to...

Psalm 16 has been called a song of confidence . And I love this Psalm. When you read it, the Psalmist is confident that God is His first and foremost priority. Subsequently, He brims with confidence for a number of things in life. He is confident that his life is where God wants it to be, no more and no less. Psalm 16:6 (ESV) The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance. He is confident the Lord will give him counsel that stays with him through the night. Psalm 16:7 (ESV) I bless the LORD who gives me counsel; in the night also my heart instructs me. He is confident that nothing will shake him. Psalm 16:8 (ESV) I have set the LORD always before me; because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken. He is also confident that other gods yield only sorrow while the presence of the Lord is full of joy, pleasures and true life. Psalm 16:11 (ESV)   You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there i...

Peter and John are brought before one of the most prestigious Jewish families in the entire nation. Notice the details Luke gives us in their trial before the court convened about them after healing the lame man at the Beautiful Gate: Acts 4:5–6 (ESV) On the next day their rulers and elders and scribes gathered together in Jerusalem, 6 with Annas the high priest and Caiaphas and John and Alexander, and all who were of the high-priestly family. These were the "movers and shakers" of Judea at this time. Annas was the most powerful political person in the Nation at this time. He was kind of the "Godfather" of this clan of very important people. John also served as high priest. Caiaphas (the current High Priest) will forever go down in history for being the High Priest that put into works to Crucify Christ and then to attack and threaten his church. He has been long dead but at the time he was the longest tenured High Priest in History. Then it records ...

An interesting request from Paul to Timothy here: Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God, who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began, (2 Timothy 1:8, 9 ESV) Of corse we know that being ashamed of Christ has no place in the life of a believer. But do we realize that we are not to be ashamed to associate with other believers who suffer for the name? Paul has few friends left. Sadly this giant of the faith has need deserted by almost everyone... He states: You are aware that all who are in Asia turned away from me, among whom are Phygelus and Hermogenes. (2 Timothy 1:15 ESV) History tells us Paul had been re-arrested for Christ.  I can imagine this new movement struggling to handle such peculiarities to the mission.  Are we to expect this? Is Paul not doi...