365 Reflections

Often times, when we think about the prophets of the Old Testament, we perceive them as a sort of grumpy, dour, negative doom and gloom sort of individual. But have you ever thought where the nation, and even the world, would be if it were not for a prophet willing to tell us the truth?  Amos 7 introduces us to the response of the prophet as God declared His intentions to judge faithless Israel. He is first presented with the image of a locust plague devouring the nation. The prophet, who we may mistake as an angry doom-sayer, intercedes on behalf of the people.  Amos 7:2–3 (ESV) When they had finished eating the grass of the land, I said, “O Lord God, please forgive! How can Jacob stand? He is so small!” 3 The Lord relented concerning this: “It shall not be,” said the Lord. Another prophesy of doom comes to the prophet from the Lord. This time fire swept across the land and devoured it. Once again, the prophet intercedes.  Amos 7:4–6 (ESV) This is what the Lord God show...

Jeremiah is known as the weeping prophet. The reason is simple: His ministry seemed to have no impact on the generation in which he ministered. Imagine preaching for 23 years and seeing no one respond.  Jeremiah 25:1–3 (ESV) The word that came to Jeremiah concerning all the people of Judah, in the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah (that was the first year of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon), 2 which Jeremiah the prophet spoke to all the people of Judah and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem: 3 “For twenty-three years, from the thirteenth year of Josiah the son of Amon, king of Judah, to this day, the word of the LORD has come to me, and I have spoken persistently to you, but you have not listened. Jeremiah has preached "again and again" the same word to the same people and they haven't budged. There are few clearer presentations of human hard-heartedness in the Bible. And to think the name Jeremiah is heralded now. His ministry is honored. His contrib...

Jeremiah is a man of God and a man of truth. Those two must go hand in hand as to be the former you must be devoted to the later. The proof? He wasn't afraid to call out the entire nation for her sins against the Lord. He brought everyone's actions into account. He spoke against the political leaders, the religious leaders and even the "so called" spiritual leaders.  This was God's calling and design for him if you remember back to Jeremiah 1.  Jeremiah 1:18 (ESV) And I, behold, I make you this day a fortified city, an iron pillar, and bronze walls, against the whole land, against the kings of Judah, its officials , its priests , and the people of the land. Jeremiah's ministry would offend the gamut of Israel's populace. So it should come as no surprise when he turns his target on the priests of prophets of Israel in Jeremiah 6. Jeremiah 6:8 (ESV) Be warned, O Jerusalem, lest I turn from you in disgust, lest I make you a desolation, an uninhabited land....

We esteem men like Jeremiah today. But when he ministered the word of the Lord he was despised by the culture and he was demoralized by what he saw around him. We will see many glimpses of this man's heart as we walk through this book. One of the first times we see it is in Jeremiah 4.  Jeremiah 4:19 (ESV) My anguish, my anguish! I writhe in pain! Oh the walls of my heart! My heart is beating wildly; I cannot keep silent, for I hear the sound of the trumpet, the alarm of war. Jeremiah repeats the phrase, "my anguish" to emphasize his inward pain. He is torn apart for God's people as they await judgment.  Never listen to someone who claims to know that God's judgment will come and they do not weep for those on whom it falls. Judgment from God is a destructive reality. Any Earthly judgment we ever see is only a preview of the judgment to fall on all who reject Him. We who know the Lord should join Jeremiah is sorrowful anguish over the state of our nation.  Jeremia...

There's a verse in 1 Chronicles 26 that James Boice, the great theologian, and pastor of the last Century shares about a Seminary dropout who ridiculed the Bible based on a verse within it. It sounds like a useless verse in a book that we say is inspired by God Himself.  What's the verse? 1 Chronicles 26:18 (ESV) And for the colonnade on the west there were four at the road and two at the colonnade . Boice points out that in older Bible translations, the Hebrew word, " Parbar " was simply used because translators were unfamiliar with its meaning.  1 Chronicles 26:18 (NKJV) As for the Parbar on the west, there were four on the highway and two at the Parbar . Modern translators use colonnade .  But here's the context of the verse in 1 Chronicles 26. Every ministry matters in the house of God. The chapter is spelling out the specific direction God has in mind for the maintenance men of the Temple, the janitors if you will. The verse comes after the chapter highlig...

1 Chronicles 6:1 (ESV)  The sons of Levi: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. The Tribe of Levi is central to the genealogical record in 1 Chronicles. This pattern reflects the central location of the tribe in their placement among the other tribes and dispersed around the tabernacle. The priestly tribe of Israel was to have a key function in mediating the presence of God for the people of God. First Chronicles not only outlines the genealogical records but also the roles and responsibilities of the families within the Levite tribe. There are three families in the tribe of Levi as we see from verse 1. Gershon was responsible for the care and furnishing of the tabernacle. They were also the largest family of Levites. The Kohathites were responsible for the services of the tabernacle - sacrifices, and offerings. Aaron's family (the high priests) descended from them. The Merarites were responsible for the structure of the tabernacle. They carried the pillars, bars, bases, and accessories....

2 Kings 5:26 (ESV) But he said to him, “Did not my heart go when the man turned from his chariot to meet you? Was it a time to accept money and garments, olive orchards and vineyards, sheep and oxen, male servants and female servants? These are the words Elisha speaks to Gehazi after he returns from trying to make money on the ministry Elisha provided to Naaman in healing him from his leprosy. Gehazi secretly runs off to Naaman, invests a story about visiting guests and takes clothing and money for himself which he then tries to hide from Elisha.  He should have known by now you cannot hide anything from Elisha.   Gehazi has been faithful to Elisha in so many other respects. Why now does he suddenly see an opportunity to enrich himself through the ministry? I think it's because there's a weakness in all of us that when we are presented with an opportunity to indulge, we will. For Gehazi, it was monetary gain. Perhaps he realized the golden opportunity before h...

No matter what you do, no matter how careful you are, no matter how much you seek to honor the Lord, some people will just not like you. Such is the case for Elisha, fresh off the healing of the Waters of Jericho he comes to Bethel. He is retracing the steps he took with Elijah before the ascension. What was wonderful ministry and impact in one city becomes a place of disparagement in the next. That is how it can be at times: 2 Kings 2:23–25 (ESV) He went up from there to Bethel, and while he was going up on the way, some small boys came out of the city and jeered at him, saying, “Go up, you baldhead! Go up, you baldhead!”  What you have here is a group of worthless sons who see no value in the prophet or those older than they. They pick out his appearance and vent their disrespect. Scripture identifies them as scoffers. Psalm 1:1 (ESV) Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers ; Our wo...

The Church is an intergenerational movement built on the leading fathers and mothers investing in and believing in the sons and daughters of successive leaders. Yet one of the great obstacles of many future leaders is their own lack of confidence once the torch has been passed. It's very hard to start in ministry. You go in a moment from being brothers and sisters with the flock of God to being their shepherd and spiritual parent. This hurdle keeps many great leaders from reaching their potential. Yet Elisha wonderfully exhibits the pathway forward by taking the mantle from Elijah and using his God-given authority to serve the needs of those Elijah left in his care. First, after the departure of Elijah, Elisha takes the cloak that fell from Elijah and performs a repeat of Elijah's last miracle: 2 Kings 2:13–14 (ESV) And he took up the cloak of Elijah that had fallen from him and went back and stood on the bank of the Jordan. 14 Then he took the cloak of Elijah that had fal...

Numbers 8:14–16 (ESV)   “Thus you shall separate the Levites from among the people of Israel, and the Levites shall be mine. 15 And after that the Levites shall go in to serve at the tent of meeting, when you have cleansed them and offered them as a wave offering. 16 For they are wholly given to me from among the people of Israel. Instead of all who open the womb, the firstborn of all the people of Israel, I have taken them for myself. Numbers 8 shows Moses consecrating all the Levites to the Lord for His service and to shelter His tabernacle from intruders. Something interesting happens. The Levites are substituted for the firstborn sons of Israel. From now on, they will be the "living sacrifices" before God from among the people. This is a further reason to believe that the Old Testament Levites point to the New Testament believers. Numbers 8:17–18  (ESV)   For all the firstborn among the people of Israel are mine, both of man and of beast. On the day that I s...

Exodus 29:35–37 (ESV)   “Thus you shall do to Aaron and to his sons, according to all that I have commanded you. Through seven days shall you ordain them, 36 and every day you shall offer a bull as a sin offering for atonement. Also you shall purify the altar, when you make atonement for it, and shall anoint it to consecrate it. 37 Seven days you shall make atonement for the altar and consecrate it, and the altar shall be most holy. Whatever touches the altar shall become holy. Exodus 29 describes the long and extremely costly price to consecrate Aaron and his sons to serve as priests before the Lord. This was to be a seven day process with a bull offered each day on the altar. This is in addition to the consecration offerings listen in the beginning of the chapter: Exodus 29:1–3 (ESV) “Now this is what you shall do to them to consecrate them, that they may serve me as priests. Take one bull of the herd and two rams without blemish, 2 and unleavened bread, unleavened cakes...

Exodus 6 contains a short conversation between God and Moses that seems like a rehash of what transpired at the burning bush a few chapters earlier. It has the same statements but there are contextual differences that make it plain: this is a new conversation about an old topic. Exodus 6:10–13 (ESV) So the LORD said to Moses, “Go in, tell Pharaoh king of Egypt to let the people of Israel go out of his land.” But Moses said to the LORD, “Behold, the people of Israel have not listened to me. How then shall Pharaoh listen to me, for I am of uncircumcised lips?” 13 But the LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron and gave them a charge about the people of Israel and about Pharaoh king of Egypt: to bring the people of Israel out of the land of Egypt. Moses has been in active ministry now for a few days. They have been hard days. He's been believed and rejected in a matter of moments. The words he speaks to the people are falling on deaf ears. Notice the horrible stature of their hearts in v...

Ministry is sweet and sour. Being a follower of Christ in the truest sense of the word brings about a gigantic dichotomy of experience in life. The sweet and the sour. John experiences this having received the revelation of Jesus Christ to a world hopelessly in love with itself. Revelation 10:8–11 (ESV) Then the voice that I had heard from heaven spoke to me again, saying, “Go, take the scroll that is open in the hand of the angel who is standing on the sea and on the land.” 9 So I went to the angel and told him to give me the little scroll. And he said to me, “Take and eat it; it will make your stomach bitter, but in your mouth it will be sweet as honey.” 10 And I took the little scroll from the hand of the angel and ate it. It was sweet as honey in my mouth, but when I had eaten it my stomach was made bitter. 11 And I was told, “You must again prophesy about many peoples and nations and languages and kings.” John hears the voice from heaven. It tells him to eat t...

One of the craziest questions in the Bible is posed to a man who was paralyzed for 38 years... John 5:5–9 (ESV) One man was there who had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. 6 When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had already been there a long time, he said to him, “Do you want to be healed?” 7 The sick man answered him, “Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up, and while I am going another steps down before me.” 8 Jesus said to him, “Get up, take up your bed, and walk.” 9 And at once the man was healed, and he took up his bed and walked. Now that day was the Sabbath. Jesus asks and there is no enthusiastic "yes, please!" There are only excuses. Somehow, the physical condition of this man and the other invalids surrounding him have shaped his mind. He became mentally what he was physically. Invalid. Jesus doesn't pay much attention to the excuse. He tells him "Get up!" in emphatic terms from the...

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...

God's people aren't like our people. They aren't the ones you'd pick first in flag football or at the high school dance for king and queen. They aren't the ones man looks at. God's people are the people we least expect. The have-nots of society, the ones others discount and discredit. The people who know they are poor in spirit and have no shot outside of His grace. That was the Corinthians. Amazingly, God comes to Paul to tell him something powerful right as he begins ministry in this very pagan city. Acts 18:9–10 (ESV) And the Lord said to Paul one night in a vision, “Do not be afraid, but go on speaking and do not be silent, 10 for I am with you, and no one will attack you to harm you, for I have many in this city who are my people.” Paul is emboldened by this, stays 18 months establishing a church in the city who would later become the recipients of 2 Canonized letters... 1 & 2 Corinthians. And this church needed a lot of help. Yet what an ...

If you want to last in the work of God you are going to have to learn to handle conflict. Maybe it was the Jerusalem council that wore on their nerves. Perhaps the hours of endless preaching and raising up leaders in every city where they travelled. For whatever reason Paul and Barnabas got into a very heated dispute over John Mark... Acts 15:36–41 (ESV) And after some days Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us return and visit the brothers in every city where we proclaimed the word of the Lord, and see how they are.” 37 Now Barnabas wanted to take with them John called Mark. 38 But Paul thought best not to take with them one who had withdrawn from them in Pamphylia and had not gone with them to the work. 39 And there arose a sharp disagreement, so that they separated from each other. Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed away to Cyprus, 40 but Paul chose Silas and departed, having been commended by the brothers to the grace of the Lord. 41 And he went through Syria and Cilicia, str...

The rest of the story is going to be about what Paul does for Jesus Christ. He's going to reach the ends of the Earth with the Gospel message. He's going to be used far more than anyone except Jesus. He is going to suffer terribly, be delivered remarkably, and empowered tremendously for the sake of Christ. His Holy Spirit inspired writings will inspire Billions if not Trillions of Christians worldwide to love Jesus with all their heart. But before his story gets started, there was a man we hardly ever mention. Ananias. I've titled this post after him because he doesn't get much notoriety in the church. Yet his obedience in what seemed absolutely crazy proved to be the manner through which the Apostle Paul would be turned fully to the Lord. He puts up a fight at first. He tries to explain to the Lord what Paul was all about... as if the Lord needed the information... But in one simple act, Ananias' faithfulness in going to this former enemy with the words, ...

Acts 8:13 (ESV) Even Simon himself believed, and after being baptized he continued with Philip. And seeing signs and great miracles performed, he was amazed. Simon was a former magician who placed his faith in Christ, or so it seemed after Philip the former Deacon turned evangelist came to the Samaritans and preached Christ. It is evident that Simon from the first was one of those people awed by the supernatural. Of course, he was a magician, and carried a notable reputation before Philip arrived. But Simon is case in point that the supernatural is not something God wants to awe us with. It is to assist in leading people to Christ! When the supernatural supersedes the Gospel, we fall prey to envy, pride, and self-centered "religion." And we need to repent. Notice what happens after the Apostles come and lay hands on people who receive the Holy Spirit and speak in tongues... Acts 8:18–19 (ESV)  Now when Simon saw that the Spirit was given through the laying...

How are we going to stand in the midst of a society increasingly at odds with the ways of our God? Ephesians 3:14 (ESV) For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, 16 that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, 19 and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Can you see Paul on his face in a roman prison calling out to God? What a picture of faith and what an example for us all. The scripture records a lot of prayers. But the most heartfelt prayers are those uttered when one is bowed before God. It is utter desperation and hopelessness apart from God's i...