365 Reflections

This is our calling... to love one another. Christianity is first and foremost a relational faith. Our relationship with God is made right by faith in Christ, and the implications of which lead to right relationships with one another. What does God want for His family? He wants us to get along! Psalm 133:1–3 (ESV) Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity! 2 It is like the precious oil on the head, running down on the beard, on the beard of Aaron, running down on the collar of his robes! 3 It is like the dew of Hermon, which falls on the mountains of Zion! For there the Lord has commanded the blessing, life forevermore. We are in the midst of the ascent Psalms, the songs sung by Israel as they came to Jerusalem to celebrate one of the national feasts. This Psalm would have been sung when they finally met together in the Temple. It was a reminder that though they came from different tribes and walks of life - they all had a bond of brotherhood in thei...

Have you ever been to one of those churches where they wash each other's feet? How gross. I mean, I can appreciate the sentiment... taking Jesus' words from John 13:14 literally and baring our toes for those who would willingly wash one of the top 5 nastiest parts of our bodies. But really, we need to dig a little more into what Jesus did before we lose our socks. The job of washing feet was the job of a slave, and Jews were barred from doing so at all for each other. Simply put, the lowest member of society washed feet, no one else. Jesus does this for His disciples as an illustration of the cross. He's going to serve as a slave and hang as a criminal though he is truly neither... for us. In washing their feet He is illustrating the cleansing work His death will accomplish for them. That is why He rebukes Peter (something a slave could not do) with the statement:  John 13:8 (ESV) “If I do not wash you, you have no share with me.” The washing of water and bl...

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...

Christian unity is essential for any church. And the Corinthians didn't have it. 1 Corinthians 11:18–19 (ESV) 18 For, in the first place, when you come together as a church, I hear that there are divisions among you. And I believe it in part, 19 for there must be factions among you in order that those who are genuine among you may be recognized. The heart of division and sectarianism in any local church is a desire for someone to "feel" or seem important. That is what Paul is saying here. They Corinthians divided among themselves in a way to look down on others. At it's heart, that is what division is about. Consider Satan - who created the first division in heaven sought to be important, "I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.’" Isaiah 14:14. And so a third of the angels divided from the rest and fell. To remedy the division of the body, Paul brings them back to the Lord's table. Its time to r...

Luke 3:22 (ESV) and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form, like a dove; and a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.” Paul says this in regards to our adoption: Ephesians 1:6 (ESV) to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. The Father expressed His love for the Son before the Son did anything in terms of public ministry.  Of course, the Father and Son and Spirit have all enjoyed loving fellowship with one another from eternity to eternity.  But this voice was for the benefit of those who were there.  It is for the benefit of we who read from Luke's Gospel as well.  We get a peak into the relationship of Father, Son and Spirit.  A relationship where each member unconditionally loves and takes pleasure in the others.  This is the relationship we are called to partake of as the people of Jesus' family. It is no mistake that Luke goes right into the genea...

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...

I'm amazed at how often the New Testament tells us to look after the spiritual health of our brothers and sisters in Christ.  I am more amazed at how little we do it and how much we don't think we need to do it. "Do not judge" seems to be the mantra of too many Christians.  A bad interpretation of three words out of context has kept the church from doing what it is called to do in many places throughout the New Testament.  We are our brothers/sisters keeper. Notice what Hebrews says: Hebrews 12:15–16 (ESV) See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no “root of bitterness” springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled; 16 that no one is sexually immoral or unholy like Esau, who sold his birthright for a single meal. Remember Esau's response to God? "Am I my brother's keeper?"  The answer is a resounding yes!   We have to get busy in the business of helping one another live lives of holiness and honor fo...

What do you need to survive? Air, Water, Food, Fire, Shelter?  In that order if you watch Survivor Man. What do you need to survive if you are a scientist?  Vitamins, trace minerals, etc... What do you need to survive as a Christian?  You need other Christians. Hebrews moves right from admonishing us to encourage each other and meet together to warning us about sinning and falling away... Hebrews 10:24–27 (ESV)  And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.      26 For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, 27 but a fearful expectation of judgment, and a fury of fire that will consume the adversaries. The conjunctive word in this passage is "for"... Keep stirring each other up, keep encouragi...

"It's none of my business" is not in the Bible. Galatians 6:1–2 (ESV) Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. 2 Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. Paul as usual toward the end of his epistles starts to get practical.  Here he talks about those we know who are trapped in a sin.  And our job is to be spiritual EMT's to each other.   We cannot ignore someone else's faults.  I know we want to.  We want to be "nice".  We want to be "friends" who never "offend."  But the commandment of scripture implores us to reach out and touch another person who's life is under bondage to sin.   Cain was dead wrong: We are our brother's/sister's keeper. The hard part of this deal is what Paul says in verse 2.  It is that we bear one another's burdens .  It is the h...

We all have people we just cannot love in our own power. John says: 1 John 4:7 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. 10 In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us. First, love is not FROM you, love is from God. Feelings of infatuation can be from you, feelings of desire can be from you, but love, sacrificial letting my life come second to you - love, THAT is from God. Ask Him for it. Father, help me to love the unlovable in my life.  I have not power in me to love the...

Since he rose from the dead and ascended, people have been trying to deny the divinity of Jesus Christ. John opens his first Epistle (1 John) with the strongest defense possible.  He was there, he saw Jesus, he knew Jesus, Jesus is God. 1 John 1:1–2 (ESV) That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life— 2 the life was made manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was made manifest to us— Why does it matter so much that Jesus is God? First: Because if He isn't, then we are hopeless to change.  We are stuck being who we are and living as we are trying to follow the teachings of a wise sage but knowing deep down He was one of a kind. But if He is God.  And if He has all the power of God.  And if He lives in us and will be with us till the end of the age, the...