365 Reflections

What Christian hasn't been there? You live with those nagging doubts that perhaps you misheard God, perhaps you didn't follow the plan He wanted, perhaps you messed up at some juncture in the past and the pain you presently feel is a sign you're off target.  If you've been there, you're in good company. Jeremiah was there in Jeremiah 20.  Jeremiah 20:7 (ESV)  O LORD, you have deceived me, and I was deceived; you are stronger than I, and you have prevailed. I have become a laughingstock all the day; everyone mocks me. The first thing we do when our ministry or lives don't go as planned when we have set out to serve God is to question whether or not God actually spoke or even if we misheard him. Jeremiah takes it a step further, he claims God deceived him. What does it mean to be deceived by someone but to consider that your actions were the result of someone deliberately leading you down the wrong path. Jeremiah feels overpowered by God's Word.  Perhaps Jerem...

One of the Bible's most favored sentences comes from Isaiah 6. Isaiah beholds the Lord seated on a throne in the Temple and is so moved by this experience that he is ready to do whatever the Lord needs.  Isaiah 6:8–9 (ESV) And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Then I said, “Here I am! Send me.” How does he get here? First, he's overwhelmed by the image of the Lord. And what an interesting image to consider. The God of Israel is not in a palace but in a temple. He's not standing but seated on a Throne. The Temple of Israel did not have seats. The reason is that the Priest's work was never done. He was on his feet working for as long as he was there. But this Lord will become our final and true High Priest. Isaiah is given an image he may not have fully understood. There will be a final sacrifice to end all sacrifices. And when it is complete, the great high priest and LORD will take his seat. It is finished.  Isaiah 6:3 (...

How do you know what God has called you to do? Perhaps you need to pay more attention to what's missing around you.  Isaiah 6 is the account of Isaiah's calling: Isaiah 6:1 (ESV) In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the temple. The context here is the death of Uzziah, a righteous king who was skillful in advancing the nation's national security interests. The Chronicler records his contributions to Israel's prosperity and defense: 2 Chronicles 26:14–15 (ESV) And Uzziah prepared for all the army shields, spears, helmets, coats of mail, bows, and stones for slinging. 15 In Jerusalem he made machines, invented by skillful men, to be on the towers and the corners, to shoot arrows and great stones. And his fame spread far, for he was marvelously helped , till he was strong. Earlier in that chapter, Chronicles records this: 2 Chronicles 26:7 (ESV) God helped him against the Philistines ...

There's a very short story in 2 Samuel 2 that you may miss because of its brevity and the number of strange names it contains. Three brothers are part of David's army. Joab, Abishai, and Asahel. Now, these three men just won a hard-fought battle against the insurgent forces of Ish-Bosheth who has been thrust to the kingship by Abner, Saul's right-hand man. The text lets us know that after the battle, Abner flees. But here's where the story gets interesting. Asahel has a particular gift. He's fast. Look at the unfolding drama. 2 Samuel 2:18–22 (ESV) And the three sons of Zeruiah were there, Joab, Abishai, and Asahel. Now Asahel was as swift of foot as a wild gazelle. 19 And Asahel pursued Abner, and as he went, he turned neither to the right hand nor to the left from following Abner. 20 Then Abner looked behind him and said, “Is it you, Asahel?” And he answered, “It is I.” 21 Abner said to him, “Turn aside to your right hand or to your left, and seize one of the ...

When you think about it, the first act of the Spirit in accordance with the Word of God is to create! The universe and all that makes Earth wonderfully unique was created as the Spirit hovered over the surface of the deep. Now the temple needs to be wonderfully unique for the presence of God to dwell with man. And God fills a man with the Spirit to bring it to pass. Exodus 31:1–5 (ESV)   The Lord said to Moses, 2 “See, I have called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, 3 and I have filled him with the Spirit of God , with ability and intelligence, with knowledge and all craftsmanship, 4 to devise artistic designs, to work in gold, silver, and bronze, 5 in cutting stones for setting, and in carving wood, to work in every craft. When you think of being filled with the Spirit of God, what comes to mind? I was raised in a church where one word was the answer: tongues. I believe in tongues. I speak in tongues. I am thankful for the gift of tongues...

Cross reference Acts 7's opening verses about Abraham with Genesis 11 and something interesting becomes very clear. In Acts 7 Stephen declares: Acts 7:2–4 (ESV) "Brothers and fathers, hear me. The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia, before he lived in Haran , 3 and said to him, ‘Go out from your land and from your kindred and go into the land that I will show you.’ 4 Then he went out from the land of the Chaldeans and lived in Haran. And after his father died , God removed him from there into this land in which you are now living. Then in Genesis 11, right before the promise to Abraham: Genesis 11:31–32 (ESV) Terah took Abram his son and Lot the son of Haran, his grandson, and Sarai his daughter-in-law, his son Abram’s wife, and they went forth together from Ur of the Chaldeans to go into the land of Canaan, but when they came to Haran, they settled there. 32 The days of Terah were 205 years, and Terah died in Haran. Ab...

2 Corinthians 2:12–14 (ESV) When I came to Troas to preach the gospel of Christ, even though a door was opened for me in the Lord, 13 my spirit was not at rest because I did not find my brother Titus there. So I took leave of them and went on to Macedonia. 14 But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere. Paul writes something incredibly interesting here. An open door for Him in the Lord (preaching and teaching) in Troas was given to him. Yet the circumstance was uncomfortable. Why? His partner and friend Titus was not there.   How true it is that we need our brothers/sisters in Christ!  Do you want to be effective for the Lord? Get some brothers in the battlefield. You can't do this alone. Think about this... Paul who lived and died to preach the Gospel (1 Cor. 9:16) couldn't find comfort in preaching the Gospel without his friend and partner Titus. Do you...

The episode when Jesus goes home to preach on the Sabbath in Luke is confusing upon first sight.  He reads from Isaiah and sits down, they marvel, he tells them the scripture is now fulfilled in their midst.  They marvel more. Then He sharply rebukes them all: Luke 4:22–27 (ESV) And all spoke well of him and marveled at the gracious words that were coming from his mouth. And they said, “Is not this Joseph’s son?” 23 And he said to them, “Doubtless you will quote to me this proverb, ‘Physician, heal yourself.’ What we have heard you did at Capernaum, do here in your hometown as well.” 24 And he said, “Truly, I say to you, no prophet is acceptable in his hometown. 25 But in truth, I tell you, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the heavens were shut up three years and six months, and a great famine came over all the land, 26 and Elijah was sent to none of them but only to Zarephath, in the land of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow. 27 And t...

Galatians 1:15-16 (ESV) But when he who had set me apart before I was born, and who called me by his grace,  16 was pleased to reveal his Son to me, in order that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately consult with anyone; God works in mysterious ways.  I know that's not in the bible, but it's still true for many of us.  Jesus shows up to this man named Paul.  He is the leading Hebrew scholar of his day.  He is advancing beyond his peers in Judaism and zealous for the traditions.   God sends him  to the Gentiles who know nothing of the law.  But he only got to the Gentiles because he was able to start churches through local Jewish synagogues where he proved Jesus was the Christ from the scriptures he knew so well.  Could you imagine getting into a debate with Paul?  That would be no contest!  Yet this passion and zeal was not his ultimate calling.  It was God's programming...God used hi...