365 Reflections

1 Samuel 8:3–5 (ESV)   Yet his sons did not walk in his ways but turned aside after gain. They took bribes and perverted justice. 4 Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah 5 and said to him, “Behold, you are old and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now appoint for us a king to judge us like all the nations.” The passage above describes the sons of Samuel. How often men and women of God in one generation struggle to produce God-fearing children. It's in the scriptures here to show us that even a man as noble as Samuel can fail to raise up children who disregard righteousness.  But there's another aspect of this passage I want to investigate. You should notice the error of the young men was seeking after "gain." Was this because the righteous life of Samuel was one that shunned material possessions for the call of God? Where his sons sick of being "poor" for the Lord's sake? It may be speculation but I would...

Numbers 10 opens with a passage about Silver Trumpets to be made for signaling the way of the camp. Numbers 10:1–7 (ESV) The LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “Make two silver trumpets. Of hammered work you shall make them, and you shall use them for summoning the congregation and for breaking camp. 3 And when both are blown, all the congregation shall gather themselves to you at the entrance of the tent of meeting. 4 But if they blow only one, then the chiefs, the heads of the tribes of Israel, shall gather themselves to you. 5 When you blow an alarm, the camps that are on the east side shall set out. 6 And when you blow an alarm the second time, the camps that are on the south side shall set out. An alarm is to be blown whenever they are to set out. 7 But when the assembly is to be gathered together, you shall blow a long blast, but you shall not sound an alarm. The trumpets were the instruments that moved God's people in the right direction. They priests, directed by Moses, w...

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...

In 1 Corinthians 9, Paul illustrates the concept of paid church leaders using "secular industries. When someone works hard at something: farming, cooking, plowing, they are the first to share in the material reward of that work - it's called pay. He says Apostles and church leaders have the same right. But he goes deeper... 1 Corinthians 9:11 (ESV) If we have sown spiritual things among you, is it too much if we reap material things from you? He says we planted spiritual blessings among you... that's a BIG DEAL and a HUGE BENEFIT to your life.  Because of that benefit to you we have a right to receive back material benefits from you. Why? Because God's Word sown in any context is a tremendous blessing. The problem in many churches is that they simply don't pay their pastors properly. I know, we see the rare abuses on TV from the guy probably taking advantage of the sheep to line his own pockets. But let us not put that burden on the local farmer in God...