ALL – Psalm 119:129-152
ALL – Proverbs 28:21-22
OT – Daniel 6:1-28
NT – 2 Peter 3:1-18
Interesting passage for the day: This will be their line of argument: “So Jesus promised to come back, did he? Then where is he ? He’ll never come! Why, as far back as anyone can remember everything has remained exactly as it was since the first day of creation.” – 2 Peter 3:4, The Living Bible
Thought: We’re on the brink of 2011. And Jesus still hasn’t returned. Our expectation for His return is getting laughed at more and more in this modern/post-modern world, especially as the news highlights various “prophetic” claims to know the date of Jesus’ return. Of course, each date flies right by with no fulfillment.
Generations of Christians have passed away, waiting for our Lord’s return. It can be easy to question His promises, and it’s certainly tempting to believe scientists, philosophers and other scholars who announce to us that everything has simply followed the earth’s natural processes pretty much forever—since whenever the world was formed, anyways (and not by God, they say).
I love how the next verse begins in 2 Peter: “They deliberately forget this fact…” Peter mentions one unnatural change the world went through: the flood. When God sent His flood on the earth to cover the whole globe, that was a supernatural act of judgment. Secular people don’t want to believe it ever happened.
Here’s another event they deny: the Son of God’s incarnation, life, death and resurrection. The way that God entered human history certainly didn’t seem to change the world on the outside. Jesus looked like any other man, and His death looked like any other crucifixion. But His death was a history-changer, another of God’s acts of judgment against sin. The flood destroyed all humanity with our sins, except for Noah and his seven family members. But it could not conquer sin, because Noah himself was not pure. But Jesus’ death destroyed and judged all sin while leaving men and women around the world untouched—except for Jesus Himself, who died for us. Yes, we still experience sin today, but the cross was Part 1 of God’s judgment on sin, removing sin from everyone who trusts in Jesus without removing us from life. That’s a pretty significant historical change that those without faith deliberately forget.
And why do they forget it? Because they want to continue in their sins without remember Part 2 of God’s judgment on sin, when Jesus comes back. On that day, it will again be like the flood. God will send a flood of fire as a judgment to finally exterminate sin from among all the living. The fire will consume all sinners. Men and women will survive, but not sinners. The only survivors will be those whose sins were judged when Jesus died on the cross, those who will be transformed when Jesus returns so that not even a trace of sin remains in them. There will be no one to carry sin forward into the new creation at all.
Jesus is coming back. For sure. History has changed. All is not the same as it has always been. God has interacted with men. God has judged our sins before, and He’s planning one more major act of earthly judgment. Let’s not deliberately forget anything God tells us. Let’s listen. And let’s live accordingly.
Question: Does Jesus’ promised return scare you? Delight you? Trouble you? Bore you? How is your life different because Jesus has promised to return? If your life’s not different, why not?
To review the Bible reading plan options, please visit http://tinyurl.com/yj2o7jz.
Showing posts with label change. Show all posts
Showing posts with label change. Show all posts
Monday, November 29, 2010
Friday, October 29, 2010
Brother-Slave
ALL – Psalm 101:1-8
ALL – Proverbs 26:20
OT – Lamentations 1:1-2:19
NT – Philemon 1:1-25
Interesting passage for the day: Perhaps you could think of it this way: that he ran away from you for a little while so that now he can be yours forever, no longer only a slave, but something much better—a beloved brother, especially to me. Now he will mean much more to you, too, because he is not only a servant but also your brother in Christ. – Philemon 1:15-16, The Living Bible
Thought: Slave – noun – a human being whose primary purpose in life is to do the will of another human being known as master, and who can be treated in any way the master deems appropriate.
Brother – noun – a valued family member, ally, partner and friend who is loved and needed, and for whose sake you would put your own life on the line
Slave. Brother. Brother-slave. Words make such a difference in how we see one another.
When Paul wrote this letter to Philemon about his slave Onesimus, we can hope that Philemon was already being a good master to his slave, because he was a godly Christian who was apparently known for kindness. But in his mind, Onesimus’ identity was bound up in the word “slave”. Maybe “good slave.” Probably “bad slave.” Either way, “slave.”
But Paul wrote to tell Philemon that Onesimus had a new identity: “brother.” Legally, he was still Philemon’s slave. Slave was still his role. But his identity was now “brother.” And Paul was asking Philemon to treat Onesimus like the spiritual brother he had become.
Could you allow your brother to remain a slave? Especially to you? No wonder slavery was eventually abolished!
But we do the same thing with our labels. We look at those around us, even in the church, and we think of each other in ways that allow us to avoid expressing the love that Christ has created us to express.
Here are some possible labels we’ve used for those around us: “Legalist.” “Pleasure-seeker.” “Young.” “Old.” “Strange.” “Too friendly.” “Irresponsible.” “Stiff.” “Gossip.” “Withdrawn.” All of these words may be true of the people we’re describing, just as “slave” was true of Onesimus. But we can’t define anyone’s identity with these words when we’re looking at fellow-believers. Fellow-believers’ primary identities in our minds should always be “father,” “mother,” “brother,” “sister” (Philemon 1:16; compare 1 Timothy 5:1-2).
Question: Is there a fellow-believer that you just can’t get along with—perhaps don’t even want to get along with? What is your label for him or her? What identity should you be using for this person who has been redeemed by Christ with you? How might your attitude change? How might your choices and actions change?
To review the Bible reading plan options, please visit http://tinyurl.com/yj2o7jz.
ALL – Proverbs 26:20
OT – Lamentations 1:1-2:19
NT – Philemon 1:1-25
Interesting passage for the day: Perhaps you could think of it this way: that he ran away from you for a little while so that now he can be yours forever, no longer only a slave, but something much better—a beloved brother, especially to me. Now he will mean much more to you, too, because he is not only a servant but also your brother in Christ. – Philemon 1:15-16, The Living Bible
Thought: Slave – noun – a human being whose primary purpose in life is to do the will of another human being known as master, and who can be treated in any way the master deems appropriate.
Brother – noun – a valued family member, ally, partner and friend who is loved and needed, and for whose sake you would put your own life on the line
Slave. Brother. Brother-slave. Words make such a difference in how we see one another.
When Paul wrote this letter to Philemon about his slave Onesimus, we can hope that Philemon was already being a good master to his slave, because he was a godly Christian who was apparently known for kindness. But in his mind, Onesimus’ identity was bound up in the word “slave”. Maybe “good slave.” Probably “bad slave.” Either way, “slave.”
But Paul wrote to tell Philemon that Onesimus had a new identity: “brother.” Legally, he was still Philemon’s slave. Slave was still his role. But his identity was now “brother.” And Paul was asking Philemon to treat Onesimus like the spiritual brother he had become.
Could you allow your brother to remain a slave? Especially to you? No wonder slavery was eventually abolished!
But we do the same thing with our labels. We look at those around us, even in the church, and we think of each other in ways that allow us to avoid expressing the love that Christ has created us to express.
Here are some possible labels we’ve used for those around us: “Legalist.” “Pleasure-seeker.” “Young.” “Old.” “Strange.” “Too friendly.” “Irresponsible.” “Stiff.” “Gossip.” “Withdrawn.” All of these words may be true of the people we’re describing, just as “slave” was true of Onesimus. But we can’t define anyone’s identity with these words when we’re looking at fellow-believers. Fellow-believers’ primary identities in our minds should always be “father,” “mother,” “brother,” “sister” (Philemon 1:16; compare 1 Timothy 5:1-2).
Question: Is there a fellow-believer that you just can’t get along with—perhaps don’t even want to get along with? What is your label for him or her? What identity should you be using for this person who has been redeemed by Christ with you? How might your attitude change? How might your choices and actions change?
To review the Bible reading plan options, please visit http://tinyurl.com/yj2o7jz.
Monday, October 4, 2010
Worldwide Transformation
ALL – Psalm 76:1-12
ALL – Proverbs 24:21-22
OT – Jeremiah 2:31-4:18
NT – Colossians 1:1-19
Interesting passage for the day: The same Good News that came to you is going out all over the world and changing lives everywhere, just as it changed yours that very first day you heard it and understood about God’s great kindness to sinners. – Colossians 1:6, The Living Bible
Thought: This statement was written about 2,000 years ago, but it’s just as true today as it was then. People who learn about God’s great kindness to sinners are still being transformed entirely—from their hearts to their hands. Jesus Christ is still making all things new. Through Him we have not only been created, but we become a new creation all over again.
This change is happening in every nation on earth. The gospel is still the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes. Jesus Christ is still building His church, and the gates of hell are still not prevailing against it.
Question: How has your life been changed by Jesus Christ? How have you seen Him change others?
To review the Bible reading plan options, please visit http://tinyurl.com/yj2o7jz.
ALL – Proverbs 24:21-22
OT – Jeremiah 2:31-4:18
NT – Colossians 1:1-19
Interesting passage for the day: The same Good News that came to you is going out all over the world and changing lives everywhere, just as it changed yours that very first day you heard it and understood about God’s great kindness to sinners. – Colossians 1:6, The Living Bible
Thought: This statement was written about 2,000 years ago, but it’s just as true today as it was then. People who learn about God’s great kindness to sinners are still being transformed entirely—from their hearts to their hands. Jesus Christ is still making all things new. Through Him we have not only been created, but we become a new creation all over again.
This change is happening in every nation on earth. The gospel is still the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes. Jesus Christ is still building His church, and the gates of hell are still not prevailing against it.
Question: How has your life been changed by Jesus Christ? How have you seen Him change others?
To review the Bible reading plan options, please visit http://tinyurl.com/yj2o7jz.
Saturday, September 4, 2010
Sorrow-Motivated Life
ALL – Psalm 48:1-14
ALL – Proverbs 22:17-19
OT – Ecclesiastes 7:1-9:18
NT – 2 Corinthians 7:8-16
Interesting passage for the day: For God sometimes uses sorrow in our lives to help us turn away from sin and seek eternal life. We should never regret his sending it. But the sorrow of the man who is not a Christian is not the sorrow of true repentance and does not prevent eternal death. – 2 Corinthians 7:10, The Living Bible
Thought: We just looked at our motivation for doing right, and found that the promises of God give us a desire and a drive to obey Him. But what about our motivation for turning away from what’s wrong? I mean, let’s be honest. Sin is often pleasurable. Temporarily pleasurable, but still. We often have plenty of desire to do what is wrong. Finding the motivation to turn away from it—a motivation above and beyond the bare truth, “I know I shouldn’t be doing this”—can be pretty difficult.
And so we find that while God’s promises are one form of godly motivation, sorrow is another. Yes, that’s right. Sorrow can motivate us to turn away from wrong. Sorrow can motivate repentance. Sorrow sparks in us a deep desire to set things straight, to reconcile broken relationships, to mend what we’ve destroyed. In sorrow we can finally set aside our pride enough to admit what we most hate to admit: “I was wrong.”
When you sin, do you care that you’ve sinned? When you hurt someone, do you squelch that feeling of regret that begins to rise up in your gut? Do you perhaps even add literal insults to injury, talking yourself and everyone else into the twisted belief that your hateful words and behaviors are justified?
May God give us hearts that can still feel deep, genuine, true sorrow. Not the kind of sorrow that people sometimes wallow in—more a mire of despair, really. But the kind of sorrow that motivates us to make a move, to change course, to commit our lives into Jesus Christ’s hands, to seek forgiveness, to deal with our sins. May our sorrows move us to gladly walk by the Spirit, praising God for freeing us from the lives that apart from sorrow we would still live.
Question: Which sins and pains especially lead your heart into change-motivating sorrow? And once you’ve answered that question, consider this one: Which of your own personal sins leads you into repentance-motivating sorrow? Some of us may not sorrow over that kind of sin in our lives as we should. Help us to understand how destructive your particular sin can be. Please. Lead us into godly sorrow.
To review the Bible reading plan options, please visit http://tinyurl.com/yj2o7jz.
ALL – Proverbs 22:17-19
OT – Ecclesiastes 7:1-9:18
NT – 2 Corinthians 7:8-16
Interesting passage for the day: For God sometimes uses sorrow in our lives to help us turn away from sin and seek eternal life. We should never regret his sending it. But the sorrow of the man who is not a Christian is not the sorrow of true repentance and does not prevent eternal death. – 2 Corinthians 7:10, The Living Bible
Thought: We just looked at our motivation for doing right, and found that the promises of God give us a desire and a drive to obey Him. But what about our motivation for turning away from what’s wrong? I mean, let’s be honest. Sin is often pleasurable. Temporarily pleasurable, but still. We often have plenty of desire to do what is wrong. Finding the motivation to turn away from it—a motivation above and beyond the bare truth, “I know I shouldn’t be doing this”—can be pretty difficult.
And so we find that while God’s promises are one form of godly motivation, sorrow is another. Yes, that’s right. Sorrow can motivate us to turn away from wrong. Sorrow can motivate repentance. Sorrow sparks in us a deep desire to set things straight, to reconcile broken relationships, to mend what we’ve destroyed. In sorrow we can finally set aside our pride enough to admit what we most hate to admit: “I was wrong.”
When you sin, do you care that you’ve sinned? When you hurt someone, do you squelch that feeling of regret that begins to rise up in your gut? Do you perhaps even add literal insults to injury, talking yourself and everyone else into the twisted belief that your hateful words and behaviors are justified?
May God give us hearts that can still feel deep, genuine, true sorrow. Not the kind of sorrow that people sometimes wallow in—more a mire of despair, really. But the kind of sorrow that motivates us to make a move, to change course, to commit our lives into Jesus Christ’s hands, to seek forgiveness, to deal with our sins. May our sorrows move us to gladly walk by the Spirit, praising God for freeing us from the lives that apart from sorrow we would still live.
Question: Which sins and pains especially lead your heart into change-motivating sorrow? And once you’ve answered that question, consider this one: Which of your own personal sins leads you into repentance-motivating sorrow? Some of us may not sorrow over that kind of sin in our lives as we should. Help us to understand how destructive your particular sin can be. Please. Lead us into godly sorrow.
To review the Bible reading plan options, please visit http://tinyurl.com/yj2o7jz.
Sunday, April 25, 2010
Blog Changes
This is especially for those few who read this blog regularly: Changes are coming.
First, let me explain what's going on. This blog began as a journal. I would jot some thoughts down while I read the Scriptures. As I became aware of some spiritual siblings who needed encouragement in their walks with Christ, I began to email my journal thoughts to them--one, then a couple more, then a few more... Soon I got the idea to post my journal thoughts on a blog as an encouragement to anyone who could use it.
Something else began to happen, too. I began to feel responsible to write more. More frequently. More thoroughly. More interestingly. To make a long story short, writing this blog now takes a lot of time.
I love writing (as you can probably tell every time I wax eloquent, whether you think I'm all that good a writer or not). And my deep desire is that everyone would be encouraged to walk more closely with Jesus through what I write.
At the same time, I'm investing too much time into this blog. I'm neglecting other things...including my health, at times. And my kids. Whatever time I invest in this blog is time I can't invest in other aspects of life.
So, am I quitting?
No.
But the blog is changing. At least, I hope I can be disciplined to change the way I blog. I also hope that it becomes more of a discussion blog. My goal is still to encourage people to keep up with daily Scripture readings. But rather than explaining the Scriptures the way I have been, I'm going to try to post a verse or passage, a concise thought about that passage, and a question inviting your thoughts.
We'll see how it goes. Please pray for me, that I invest my time wisely. And pray for one another, that each of us deeply, passionately pursues our relationship with Jesus Christ through His Word, prayer, obedience, etc.
Grace and peace -
Matt
First, let me explain what's going on. This blog began as a journal. I would jot some thoughts down while I read the Scriptures. As I became aware of some spiritual siblings who needed encouragement in their walks with Christ, I began to email my journal thoughts to them--one, then a couple more, then a few more... Soon I got the idea to post my journal thoughts on a blog as an encouragement to anyone who could use it.
Something else began to happen, too. I began to feel responsible to write more. More frequently. More thoroughly. More interestingly. To make a long story short, writing this blog now takes a lot of time.
I love writing (as you can probably tell every time I wax eloquent, whether you think I'm all that good a writer or not). And my deep desire is that everyone would be encouraged to walk more closely with Jesus through what I write.
At the same time, I'm investing too much time into this blog. I'm neglecting other things...including my health, at times. And my kids. Whatever time I invest in this blog is time I can't invest in other aspects of life.
So, am I quitting?
No.
But the blog is changing. At least, I hope I can be disciplined to change the way I blog. I also hope that it becomes more of a discussion blog. My goal is still to encourage people to keep up with daily Scripture readings. But rather than explaining the Scriptures the way I have been, I'm going to try to post a verse or passage, a concise thought about that passage, and a question inviting your thoughts.
We'll see how it goes. Please pray for me, that I invest my time wisely. And pray for one another, that each of us deeply, passionately pursues our relationship with Jesus Christ through His Word, prayer, obedience, etc.
Grace and peace -
Matt
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