365 Reflections

You can have a kid without intention. But you cannot be a child without God's direction. He has a purpose for you from before you are even born.  Jeremiah 1:4–5 (ESV) Now the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 5 “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations.” Jeremiah was a priest, but something more significant defined him. He was known by God and THEN formed by God. Notice the order. God knew him, THEN formed him, THEN consecrated him, and THEN after all that, he was born. It's almost as if birth was a foregone conclusion with God. To us, birth is such a huge deal, to God it's the last on the list of why you came to be. Consider that the next time you feel worthless. God has no accidents.  It's also good to see that even this great man Jeremiah struggled with this idea. Because he offers God an excuse as soon as he learns of God's coordination of his birth. Jeremiah 1:6 (ESV) Th...

Isaiah 32:1–2 (ESV) Behold, a king will reign in righteousness, and princes will rule in justice. 2 Each will be like a hiding place from the wind, a shelter from the storm, like streams of water in a dry place, like the shade of a great rock in a weary land. Isaiah 32 is talking about Hezekiah but it's also pointing to Jesus, the true Son of David who reigns in righteousness. Who are His princes? Those who rule with Him in life because of the righteousness He gives them. Notice their role. And dear Christian, this is your role in Christ Jesus. They will be hiding places from the wind and shelter from the storm. They will be streams in the dry place and shade in a scorching land.  Too many Christians have a low opinion of themselves. They think they are nothing or nobody. But they are so much more than they realize. The problem is they look to themselves for who they are when they need to look to Christ.  Notice the impact the body of Christ has in the next verses. Isaiah 32:...

1 Chronicles 1:1–4 (ESV) Adam, Seth, Enosh; 2 Kenan, Mahalalel, Jared; 3 Enoch, Methuselah, Lamech; 4 Noah, Shem, Ham, and Japheth. I was tempted to skip over the long and seemingly ambiguous genealogical records of the first several chapters of 1 Chronicles. But I remember "all scripture is God-breathed and profitable." So here we are and in four verses I get an idea of what is happening in 1 Chronicles from the start.   Israel will produce the books of 1 and 2 Chronicles during their return from Exile in Babylon. The narrative of 1 & 2 Kings ends with the nation cast into exile and we aren't given the contextual details of 1 Chronicles on the first page because Israel had greater issues to deal with as they made their way back to the Promised Land after 70 years.  How do you live again where you once died?  To answer that question, Chronicles takes Isreal's exiles on a journey to where they come from. We must note the book does not open with Abraham but rather...

Judges 8 ends with an important caveat about the family Gideon leaves behinds. He has 70 sons, no doubt by more than one wife and he also has a son born out of wedlock. Judges 8:29–31 (ESV) Jerubbaal the son of Joash went and lived in his own house. 30 Now Gideon had seventy sons, his own offspring, for he had many wives. 31 And his concubine who was in Shechem also bore him a son, and he called his name Abimelech. Abimelech is going to become the chief antagonist of Israel for the entire next chapter. He will slaughter his half-brothers, he will demand kingship and hold to power with cruelty and threats. His name is interesting, it means, "My Father is king." Abimelech is constantly trying to prove to the world who he is no matter the cost. He is a case study for the inevitable chaos born in one generation by the sexual immorality of the previous generation.  This is a theme of the Bible. Men, even God's men have sexual relations with women outside of marriage ...

Joshua 5:2–3 (ESV) At that time the LORD said to Joshua, “Make flint knives and circumcise the sons of Israel a second time.” 3 So Joshua made flint knives and circumcised the sons of Israel at Gibeath-haaraloth. If there is one moment in Joshua where we learn that God's ways are most definitely not our ways it is here in Joshua 5. Having freshly crossed the Jordan, the Israelite nation have come armed for battle and ready to do business with the nations their parents were far too intimidated by 40 years earlier. They had also been stuck in the vicious waiting game for 40 years after that previous generation's failure to believe. Now they are here at the cusp of war and occupation. But what does God have them do? Get circumcised.  Now, this whole schedule would have reminded them of the story concerning Jacob's sons who had the men of Shechem get circumcised deceitfully so they could overwhelm and kill them in retributive vengeance for the violation of their ...

Psalm 60 was written by David during an interesting moment in his life. He is leading the Israelites in many successive victories and gaining a reputation. Here's the contextual verse: 2 Samuel 8:13 (ESV) And David made a name for himself when he returned from striking down 18,000 Edomites in the Valley of Salt. David was fighting well in the North. However, during this time the southern area of the kingdom was getting heavily attacked and losing badly. This Psalm was written in response. Whenever you see someone making a name for himself or "themselves" in Scripture, things go poorly. Even here in Psalm 60, David seems to acknowledge the Lord bringing destruction on his armies in the south... Psalm 60:1–2 (ESV) O God, you have rejected us, broken our defenses; you have been angry; oh, restore us. 2 You have made the land to quake; you have torn it open; repair its breaches, for it totters. Have you ever wondered why God isn't a fan of us making a ...

John 4:4 (ESV) And he had to pass through Samaria. In Jesus' time, Jews NEVER needed to go through Samaria. They avoided it like the plague. Samaritans were half-breed sell-outs who had their own temple and their own version of the Bible. And Jesus had need to go through there to sit at the well and minister to a woman of ill-repute.  For as blind as Nicodemus was, that is how passionately Jesus searched out the lost and lonely. The ones others avoided (like a woman coming to draw water at 12 noon in the beating Palestinian Sun) are the ones Jesus sought to save. How different Jesus is from us. We would look at a rich and powerful man like Nicodemus and bend over backwards to impress him and capture his attention for our self-fulfillment - be it a sports star or rich friend, etc. Jesus instead confronts Nicodemus with difficult truth and then moves on to someone who has nothing to offer Jesus or His ministry.  Why is Jesus like this? Because He knew Hi...

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...

We would have spent our vacation in a cramped hotel room. Three days and four nights in Vermont, just the two of us. And we would have enjoyed our accommodations fairly well as they were a gift from someone else. Never look a gift horse in the mouth! But thanks to a broken air-conditioner I had to talk to the front desk. While mentioning that the first attempt at fixing it didn't work, I brought up the fact that we were expecting a bit more than a simple hotel room when the reservation said, "Suite". The attendant informed me that our key opened the room next door to ours as well! So we got another two-room Suite with a working air conditioner and spent our vacation according to a reality we almost missed. Too many Christians live like we were about to that weekend in September. Cramped in a confining space of limits. This is the reason Paul writes Ephesians. For the first three chapters he proclaims the wonderful realities of a new life in Christ to this wond...

1 Corinthians 7:17 (ESV) Only let each person lead the life that the Lord has assigned to him, and to which God has called him. This is my rule in all the churches. A great rule indeed. It should be a motto for Christians in all circles everywhere. Stop worrying about someone else's life and lead the one you have. It's been assigned by God! Evidently Paul wrote this during a period of strong anti-semitism. Some Jewish boys in Corinth were having an operation done to hide their circumcision and get ahead in society.  Could you imagine the pain and agony they went through without anesthesia just to impress others?!   But we do the same. We go through pains to please people, to make more money, to get ahead, to be important. All the while forgetting that our Lord has assigned us to where we are. You have to get to a point where you accept it. Not settling for less... no, I'm talking about being great with what God puts in your hands! You may feel gifted to do ...

When we aren't giving God our all, we abdicate our human responsibility and leave our lives open to the use and abuse of almost anyone else.  Plus, we become jerks. Look at what happens to some random guys in Luke 20 who failed to give God their all. (Oh, how do we know they weren't giving God their all? Jesus tells them in verse 25, we'll get there). First, they become tools of the religious leaders.  Notice how they were "sent" and nameless.  Faceless drones carrying out the whims of religious hypocrites. Luke 20:19–20 (ESV) 19 The scribes and the chief priests sought to lay hands on him at that very hour, for they perceived that he had told this parable against them, but they feared the people. 20 So they watched him and sent spies, who pretended to be sincere, that they might catch him in something he said, so as to deliver him up to the authority and jurisdiction of the governor. Second, we act differently than we really are!  Notice the words, the...

Luke 17:5 (ESV) 5 The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!” The disciples ask for more faith... probably because of the difficult teachings Jesus had just given them in Luke 17:1-4.  That is, don't cause people to sin, rebuke those who do sin, and forgive as often as someone sins against you even if in the same way and on the same day.   They aren't prepared for this seemingly immense task to follow Jesus in the kingdom.  They need to have Jesus do something for them to be able to do what He asks.  "Jesus, that's pretty hard, give us some faith to get it done." What they are expecting is a feeling.  Faith is not a feeling.  Faith is not doing what you feel like doing because God has somehow superseded your emotions.  Your emotions are always going to be based on what you see or experience.  Faith is not based on what you see or experienced in the past, it's based on God.  That's why more faith is never the issue, God an...

Having just returned a successful missionary journey the name of Jesus, the disciples return with joy over the amazing productivity that they experience in His name. Jesus is quick to redirect their enthusiasm. Luke 10:20 (ESV) Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.” When Jesus tells you to be happy about something, it's a good idea happy about something. It's also a good idea to prioritize what makes you happy. For ministerial success, professional success, Christian success will come and go at differing times. We cannot base our happiness only on what we accomplish. Jesus quickly reminds them, "I have given you power."   This didn't come from your success.  Apart from HIM we can do nothing!   Jesus teaches us that our joy should not be rooted in what we are able to do but rather on who we become in following Him. We become the children of God, with names...

Philippians 2:5–8 (ESV) Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. That Christ chose humility as the way to live on this Earth is an understatement.  He went as far low as you could get, "even death on a cross."  He who was the author and originator of all things made Himself no-thing.   Paul says, we must do the same.   Humility is our job.  Keeping ourselves seeking to serve and give ourselves for the sake of others to the glory of God is our calling in Christ.  It's not for us to seek to be first.  Jesus said do not assume the best seats and the places of honor.  Seek rather the lowest place and let others ho...

Philippians 1:1 (ESV) Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus,  To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, with the overseers and deacons: In Paul's greeting to the church in Philippi he says a mouth full.   First, he and Timothy regard themselves as slaves .  They were leaders who counted themselves servants of all.  Just ask Christ diagnosed for the disciples. Second, he calls them "saints." Saint in Greek is "hagios" it means holy or pure.  Paul refers to what they are NOW in Christ.  It is of utmost importance that we remember what Christ has made us before anything else.  Before we learn our "Spiritual A, B, C's, we need to see what Jesus did in making us holy and pure before the Father forever.  Our task is to live up to what is our reality.  As children adopted into his family, we have new privileges and new responsibilities.  We are holy, that is separated unto God for His purpose an...

Mark 10 , Jesus is full on heading into Jerusalem.  He's going to suffer and die, laying His life down as a "ransom for many."  This is also the time where the nature of discipleship comes clear. Having just challenged a man to sell all and follow, the disciples (Peter) declare how they have left everything to follow Jesus.  Jesus promises rewards a plenty for such acts of faith and commitment.  But He suddenly turns to the reality of His death and resurrection.   What happens next is so hard to believe.  Right after Jesus foretells His death, James and John come asking to sit at the right and left hand of Jesus in His Kingdom.  Did they not hear what Jesus was just talking about? It would be completely unbelievable if there weren't a lot of this attitude in all of us.  We say we are disciples, but we all have shadow missions for our own benefit.  James and John are at least up front about it.  The ten are angered w...