365 Reflections

Just when you think it's all over for Jeremiah, as the nation comes against him en masse, as the officials and priests want him to die, some really great things happen on his behalf. Some leaders come to his defense.  Jeremiah 26:16 (ESV) Then the officials and all the people said to the priests and the prophets, “This man does not deserve the sentence of death, for he has spoken to us in the name of the LORD our God.” Just a few verses earlier the priests and "prophets" were calling for his execution. But verse 16 teaches us that there is always someone who will hear the Word even when we do not see it.  Not only do these officials hear the Word of the Lord, they know the history of the Word of the Lord. This is not the first time God prophesied disaster for the nation.  Jeremiah 26:17–19 (ESV) And certain of the elders of the land arose and spoke to all the assembled people, saying, 18 “Micah of Moresheth prophesied in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah, and said to a...

Hey readers! My book is finally out!  Get a copy and tell me what you think! I've always loved this proverb: Proverbs 27:6 (ESV) Faithful are the wounds of a friend; profuse are the kisses of an enemy. Jehoshaphat was "kissed" by Ahab in the last chapter and it nearly cost him his kingdom and his life. In 2 Chronicles 19, however, Jehoshaphat is wounded by a friend named Jehu. The way back to God is often found through relationships. Such is the case with Jehoshaphat. This noble and powerful and blessed king had made a horrible decision in 2 Chronicles 18. He aligned with the wicked Ahab. Perhaps he felt too secure, perhaps he felt the need to be friends with the neighbors to the north ignoring their rampant immorality. Perhaps he sought international peace through allegiance. Whatever the reason, Jehoshaphat drifted from God. But with the horrible experiences behind him in chapter 18, the next chapter opens with the rebuke of a friend. 2 Chronicles 19:1–3 (ESV) Jehoshap...

2 Samuel 23:14–17 (ESV)   David was then in the stronghold, and the garrison of the Philistines was then at Bethlehem. 15 And David said longingly, “Oh, that someone would give me water to drink from the well of Bethlehem that is by the gate!” 16 Then the three mighty men broke through the camp of the Philistines and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem that was by the gate and carried and brought it to David. But he would not drink of it. He poured it out to the Lord 17 and said, “Far be it from me, O Lord , that I should do this. Shall I drink the blood of the men who went at the risk of their lives?” Therefore he would not drink it. These things the three mighty men did. This passage seems to be a contradiction in terms. David at war with the enemies of Israel longs for water from his hometown. His three best men get through to get the water and David pours it on the ground. What gives? If I was one of those men I'd be pretty upset. But of course, there's more to t...

David makes an interesting calculation in his flight from Absalom. While he also waited on the Lord's kindness and grace for his return (see 2 Samuel 15:25-26), he didn't simply let things happen naturally. On his way out of the city, he meets his friend Hushai. 2 Samuel 15:32–33 (ESV) While David was coming to the summit, where God was worshiped, behold, Hushai the Archite came to meet him with his coat torn and dirt on his head. 33 David said to him, “If you go on with me, you will be a burden to me. Hushai is broken up about the events in Jerusalem. He's sad for the king and his friend. Notice what David asks him to do: 2 Samuel 15:34 (ESV) But if you return to the city and say to Absalom, ‘I will be your servant, O king; as I have been your father’s servant in time past, so now I will be your servant,’ then you will defeat for me the counsel of Ahithophel. Now Ahithophel posed the most trouble for David. Later the text informs us that Ahithophel's adv...

1 Samuel 17:55–56 (ESV)   As soon as Saul saw David go out against the Philistine, he said to Abner, the commander of the army, “Abner, whose son is this youth?” And Abner said, “As your soul lives, O king, I do not know.” 56 And the king said, “Inquire whose son the boy is.” 1 Samuel seems to contain a contradiction. Earlier in 1 Samuel 16, when Saul's servants seek out a man to play the harp for his terrifying spirit, Saul is made well aware of whose son David is and he even sends word to Jesse to keep him in his service. So this question after the Goliath event sounds contradictory. Didn't Saul already know this?  This is not hard to explain, however. In the first instance, Saul was looking for relief for a terrorizing spirit. Now having received that relief he may have altogether forgotten how it came about that David was taken from Jesse's house. Another reason he asks for this information here is that of the promises he now has to keep for Dav...

One of the things Christians have to realize is that although we are called to love even our enemies, not everyone is someone who will be our friend. We will not be able to be "liked" or appreciated by a lot of people. This has been the record of the Bible since Abel spilled his blood. Genesis 31 begins with an attitude that Laban has for Jacob and ends with an official accord for them to go their separate ways. Jacob learned, there are times to walk away. Genesis 31:2–3 (ESV) And Jacob saw that Laban did not regard him with favor as before. 3 Then the Lord said to Jacob, “Return to the land of your fathers and to your kindred, and I will be with you.” There are a number of factors that lead to this disassociation.  1. Though Jacob's presence only prospered Laban, Laban eventually resented him. 2. Even Jacob's wives (daughters of Laban) saw their father's greed realizing they were given no inheritance and in basically sold (as slaved) to Jacob for his ...

Psalm 55:22 (ESV) Cast your burden on the Lord , and he will sustain you; he will never permit the righteous to be moved. Psalm 55 is one that many will resonate with. David has been backstabbed by his closest advisor during his own son Absalom's rebellion. In response to this mess, David does what he always does... he sings a song.  The Psalm has 4 main sections that show the different approaches David takes with this painful situation. In the first section, he complains and groans to God, talking about all the harm that his enemy has done to him. That's a popular approach for many. In the second section, David looks to escape:    “Oh, that I had wings like a dove! I would fly away and be at rest; 7 yes, I would wander far away; I would lodge in the wilderness; VERSES 6–7 . He wants out. He's looking to leave it all behind. When we are hurt by those who should have been our friends, we want to just get away from everything sometimes. In the third sect...

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...

One of the parts that makes me laugh during the trial of Christ is what happens to Pilate and Herod. Luke 23:12 (ESV) And Herod and Pilate became friends with each other that very day, for before this they had been at enmity with each other. Even as He's falsely accused tried and condemned to an unjust death, Jesus brings people together. Think of it... a Jewish king and a Gentile watch-dog are suddenly... friends!? What is going on? I think I know the answer... The cross is coming! The cross means reconciliation. It means enemies can now be made friends. Yes, Pilate and Herod, but more importantly YOU and God! We are by our very nature at odds with God. The reason is because we are born in sin and filled with self from the very day of our birth. The opportunity for us to reach up to Him in goodness is beyond us completely. God reached down in Christ and through His death made peace between us by wiping our sins away! But this uniting of Jewish king and Gentile ruler was ...

Some people think you need to have a certain amount of faith for God to do anything for you.  Especially when it comes to healing.  Harm has been done to many on this teaching alone!  Yet it was a not man's faith that move the Lord to heal in Luke 5, but the faith of his friends... Luke 5:20 (ESV) And when he saw their faith, he said, “Man, your sins are forgiven you.” When Jesus saw the faith they had in Jesus being the answer for their friend, their friend was forgiven and healed.  Of course this passage shows the power of Jesus to heal AND forgive.  But it also highlights the importance of forgiveness over healing.   First, to Jesus, the more important matter for this lame man was forgiveness.  We don't think this way.  We think he's crippled and he needs to walk.  Walking, we think would make his life immeasurably better.  But Jesus full of power to heal, doesn't delve right into the physical problem before Him.  He f...

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...