365 Reflections

There's a problem in your life for sure. That problem is you.  Hard to hear in our seeking-to-feel-good culture, but healing.  Proverbs 29:1 (ESV) He who is often reproved, yet stiffens his neck, will suddenly be broken beyond healing. Wise living comes from more than just hearing it. You have to receive it. And sometimes we don't receive wisdom because we don't have the ability or willingness to let ourselves be challenged in what we assume is right.  This is the person described in Proverbs 29:1 along with other passages from the chapter. The image of a person not willing to receive correction. This is the person who is so utterly convinced they are right there is no changing them. And this person is their own worst enemy. Because disaster comes eventually and if we don't turn and change, it will come for us.  There are three proverbs that describe the person who cannot receive instruction in the chapter: Proverbs 29:9 (ESV) If a wise man has an argument with a f...

2 Kings 20:1 (ESV) In those days Hezekiah became sick and was at the point of death. And Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz came to him and said to him, “Thus says the LORD, ‘Set your house in order, for you shall die; you shall not recover.’ ” The life of Hezekiah is one many Christians can relate to. He had his moments of great faith and trust in the Lord, but he also had moments of pride and selfishness. At this moment, he's on the verge of death. Now in this weakened state the prophet Isaiah comes along with the worst news possible. He's going to die. Consider being in Hezekiah's shoes. You're weak and ill and the only word you get from the prophet is impending death. Yikes.  What would you do if God's servant told you you were going to die? I imagine many of us would resign ourselves to God's diagnosis. After all, it is God's decision, and who can change it? I think we'd suppose He has reasons and that we perhaps deserved it and there's no chan...

Ok. Leviticus 13 is a mind bender. Here's a sample: Leviticus 13:24–28 (ESV) “Or, when the body has a burn on its skin and the raw flesh of the burn becomes a spot, reddish-white or white, 25 the priest shall examine it, and if the hair in the spot has turned white and it appears deeper than the skin, then it is a leprous disease. It has broken out in the burn, and the priest shall pronounce him unclean; it is a case of leprous disease. 26 But if the priest examines it and there is no white hair in the spot and it is no deeper than the skin, but has faded, the priest shall shut him up seven days, 27 and the priest shall examine him the seventh day. If it is spreading in the skin, then the priest shall pronounce him unclean; it is a case of leprous disease. 28 But if the spot remains in one place and does not spread in the skin, but has faded, it is a swelling from the burn, and the priest shall pronounce him clean, for it is the scar of the burn. Now, if you don't feel b...

Psalm 116:1–4 (ESV)   I love the Lord , because he has heard my voice and my pleas for mercy. 2 Because he inclined his ear to me, therefore I will call on him as long as I live. 3 The snares of death encompassed me; the pangs of Sheol laid hold on me; I suffered distress and anguish. 4 Then I called on the name of the Lord : “O Lord , I pray, deliver my soul!” The writer of this Psalm was saved from a near death sickness by the Lord. He cried out, God heard and responded and healed him. It's a fairy tale story of sorts. It's the we all would love our sickness to end, with answered prayer and healing.  But why doesn't it always happen?  To answer that question, we should regard the second verse of this Psalm. The Psalmist makes an astounding vow before the Lord - to "call on Him as long as I live." He's healed. He could do anything now. He could "get on with life" on his terms and wait for heaven. That's what most do. If you don...

Psalm 32:1–5 (ESV) Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. 2 Blessed is the man against whom the Lord counts no iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit. 3 For when I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. 4 For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was dried up as by the heat of summer. Selah 5 I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not cover my iniquity; I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord ,” and you forgave the iniquity of my sin. Selah This Psalm is about the blessing of forgiveness. When we come clean with God, there is blessing. It means that sin is not only something you do against God, it is something you do against yourself. You cannot carry it, handle it, and live with it as a member of the family of God. You waste away, you have no joy, your peace is gone. But the good news is you are only a confession away. The Psalmist came clean. I would suggest...

Acts 3:25–26 (ESV) You are the sons of the prophets and of the covenant that God made with your fathers, saying to Abraham, ‘And in your offspring shall all the families of the earth be blessed.’ 26 God, having raised up his servant, sent him to you first, to bless you by turning every one of you from your wickedness.” This is now the second sermon in the Book of Acts. It's an amazing study to look at what the Apostles and disciples talked about in their sermons throughout this book. For all our "smart ideas" and "clever wisdom" of how to get people to our churches and get them to love Jesus, there is no beating the sermons of Peter and others in these pages. The Bible is clear from the very first page, God makes it all things happen by His spoken Word. God's actions are tied up in God's speaking. That is why proclaiming Christ and Him Crucified is the power to change a heart, a family, a community, a town and ultimately a nation and the wor...

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...

Mark 5:35–36 (ESV) While he was still speaking, there came from the ruler’s house some who said, “Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the Teacher any further?” 36 But overhearing what they said, Jesus said to the ruler of the synagogue, “Do not fear, only believe.” Jairus the synagogue leader has come to Jesus in desperate need of his daughter's healing.  A man who associates with those looking to get rid of Jesus has found himself in absolute need of Him. Funny how life can do that to anyone. Along the way to the home of Jairus a woman with a severe hemorrhaging issue comes up and touches Jesus' clothes believing that one touch will heal her for sure.  It does heal her, but it also stops Jesus, right in His tracks on the way to Jairus' home.  He wants to know who she is - even though He already knew.  He wants her to not only benefit from Him, He wants her to MEET Him.  That's the heart of God.  He doesn't just want to GIVE you His g...