365 Reflections

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...

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...

Apart from Jesus we cannot understand the Scriptures. The Lord has to open our minds and our hearts to receive what this  very ancient text says to give us understanding and knowledge of him. Incidentally, this is the first thing that Jesus does for the disciples when he rises from the dead. Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, (Luke 24:45 ESV) Now there are four Gospels for a reason, and you have to go to John's Gospel to see this event in the fullest picture. John says about the same moment: And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld.” (John 20:22, 23 ESV) Jesus breathed on them and gave them the Holy Spirit. And it would be through that God-breathed spirit that they would have the power to understand and use the word of God. Notice also the parallels to the creation account in Genesis. That God created a ...

This is why I love studying the Bible through the lens of Jesus as the Son of God.  It burns in our hearts... That was the response of the men on the road to Emmaus: Luke 24:32 (ESV) 32 They said to each other, “Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures ?” There are many who study the Bible apart from that lens, purely academic... I honestly don't know why they bother. Scripture outside of the context of the revelation of Christ is empty and hollow. For even Jesus said of the Pharisees they studied the scriptures diligently and missed Him! Scripture and Jesus are a combination of combustible power in the heart of a Christian. Seeing Christ in the pages of scripture sets us ablaze with passion! Take Daniel in the lion's den. A great story no doubt. But now see the event as a type of Christ... - The rulers conspire to put him to death out of jealousy (like the Pharisees). - He descends into the pit (lik...

1 Peter 2:2–3 (ESV) Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation— 3 if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good. Every parent on Earth knows what happens when a baby is delayed in getting the milk of its mothers breast or the bottle.  It is an understatement to say this is not passive experience for those involved.  Hungry babies tend to make their desires known and heard... very well. It is for this reason that new parents often do not get much sleep.  There can be no long break between feedings.  The desire it again almost as soon as they have finished it off.  And this is what Peter exhorts the newborn Christians to do without apology.  LONG FOR THE WORD...  Because the same word that brought you to Christ is now the Word that will nourish you in Christ. How often I have heard this testimony before from a newborn Christian.  You cannot get enough of God's Word. ...

We are called to march to the beat of a different drummer. Romans 12:2 (ESV) "Do not be conformed to this world"  We are not of this world and we are not to let it squeeze us into its mold.  The fight is relentless, strenuous, and continuous.  Who doesn't find themselves at times unwittingly driven by the moorings of our world's system.  It's pervasive and contagious. And so we need someone to come along and say, "But as for you."  Paul does this for Timothy twice in  5 verses. 2 Timothy 3:10 (ESV) You, however, have followed my teaching, my conduct, my aim in life, my faith, my patience, my love, my steadfastness, 2 Timothy 3:14 (ESV) But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it I know they look different in English but they are the same words in Greek.   Timothy had heard about all the things the world would be doing.  Paul warned him as to what was coming up next....

1 Timothy 4:7–8 (ESV) Have nothing to do with irreverent, silly myths. Rather train yourself for godliness; 8 for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come. The biggest oversight in the Christian life - "Training oneself in godliness".   We want Pastors to help us.  We look to counselors to help us.  We ask for others to pray for us, speak to us, lead us, feed us, give us some advice.  The scriptures tell us to train ourselves.   Of course our self-training is not based on our intuition or self-worth or self-appointed philosophies of life.  We do not rely on our hearts or intuition.  Jesus made it clear what our heart is full of: Mark 7:21–23 (ESV) out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, 22 coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. 23 All these evil thin...