The Benefits of Humility - Zephaniah 3:12

"Those who are left will be the lowly and humble, for it is they who trust in the name of the Lord." Zephaniah's prophecy graphically describes the future day of God’s judgment. On "the day of the Lord" God's terrible judgment will be carried out against the rebellious people of Israel and all nations of the earth. Therefore, God’s people must repent immediately in the hope of finding a place of refuge in that day. The faithful remnant of God's people must be humble and patiently await God’s day of restoration (vs. 8), which accompanies the day of judgment. Jesus expressed this same sentiment in the Sermon on the Mount: "God blesses those who are humble, for they will inherit the whole earth" (Matthew 5:5). The day of the Lord--the second coming of Jesus--can occur at any time and according to both Zephaniah and Jesus, the best way to be prepared for that day is to live humbly before God. The humble will not only escape God's wrath, they will reign with Jesus over the earth!

The Eternity Connection - 2 Samuel 14:14

"All of us must die eventually. Our lives are like water spilled out on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again. But God does not just sweep life away; instead, he devises ways to bring us back when we have been separated from him." These words were spoken to King David by a woman with a reputation for great wisdom (vs. 2). With advice from this wise woman, King David was persuaded to reconcile with his son, Absalom. The woman encouraged David to restore his relationship with Absalom as God seeks to reconcile with and restore His people. She reminded King David that God does not leave His people in exile but rather He devises plans to rescue them from their separation from Him. Our lives on this earth can seem short and insignificant, like water that is spilled on and absorbed into the ground. But God gives our lives significance because He has devised a plan for our redemption. God rescues, restores, and redeems us, and, thereby, connects our lives on earth to eternity. When God redeems you, your life becomes forever significant--eternally meaningful--because it is preparation for your eternal life.

The Pretender - Galatians 1:6-7

"You are following a different way that pretends to be the Good News but is not the Good News at all. You are being fooled by those who deliberately twist the truth concerning Christ." We know from explanations later in this letter to the Galatians that some were teaching that Gentile Christians had to follow the Mosaic law. The Apostle Paul absolutely rejected any requirements for salvation besides faith in Jesus: "Jesus gave his life for our sins, just as God our Father planned, in order to rescue us from this evil world in which we live" (vs. 4). Paul was shocked that the Galatian Christians were following teachings that added other requirements to the gospel of Christ. Paul classified it as a pretend gospel--one that is hypothetical, even fraudulent. So, Paul reminded the Galatians that they received the Holy Spirit because they believed the message of Christ and not because they adhered to the requirements of the Mosaic law (vs. 3:2,5).  Don't be fooled by any gospel that adds other requirements to salvation. We are saved and receive the Holy Spirit only through God's grace and not because of anything we can do. Then, we respond to God's mercy by righteous living that is enabled and empowered by the indwelling Spirit: "Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives" (vs. 5:25).

Complete Confidence - Habakkuk 1-3

"Should you be silent while the wicked swallow up people more righteous than they?" (vs. 1:11). It seemed to Habakkuk that God was indifferent and unresponsive to the evil permeating society in ancient Judah (vs. 1:2-4). So Habakkuk candidly expressed his concerns about the injustice and unrighteousness he saw all around to God. God’s answer to Habakkuk’s question was quite startling. God planned to send the Babylonians, a godless, cruel and violent people, to deal with the injustice in Judah (vs. 1:6). Habakkuk found it difficult to harmonize God’s answer with what he understood about God’s character. How could a holy and just God chastise Judah by using a people more unrighteous than the Jews were? God is sovereign and almighty and His plans are supreme, even to the extent that He can use the evil acts of people and the devil himself, to work His good purposes. The evil one is actively working to disrupt God's plan: "The thief's purpose is to steal and kill and destroy" (John 10:10a). God’s plans, however, are not thwarted by acts of evil. God is actively working to declare His salvation to humanity and His redemptive plan is undiminished by the existence and activity of evil in the created order: "My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life" (John 10:10b). Like Habakkuk, we should have complete confidence in God to work His good purposes in our individual lives and in His created order no matter the circumstances: "Even though the fig trees have no blossoms, and there are no grapes on the vines; even though the olive crop fails, and the fields lie empty and barren; even though the flocks die in the fields, and the cattle barns are empty, yet I will rejoice in the Lord! I will be joyful in the God of my salvation! (vs 3:17-18).

It's Not About Me - Romans 14:5-12

"For we don’t live for ourselves or die for ourselves. If we live, it’s to honor the Lord. And if we die, it’s to honor the Lord. So whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord" (vs. 7-8). The Apostle Paul makes a plea for unity among the Roman Christians based on their individual and collective accountability to God. Paul said we come from different backgrounds and are at different places in our walk with God. While some are more mature in their faith than others, no one should say or do anything that castigates the faith of another in Christ even though the brother or sister may be spiritually immature. No matter how advanced one's faith may or may not be, all of us belong to God and so we should respect others who are God's possessions: "Who are you to condemn someone else’s servants? Their own master will judge whether they stand or fall. And with the Lord’s help, they will stand and receive his approval" (vs. 4). So my life on earth is not about me and my faith, it's about honoring and pleasing God in all things I say or do. One way I do that is by supporting and encouraging other Christians no matter how different they are from me or how spiritually undeveloped I think they are. Because we are all God’s servants, we are all ultimately and eternally accountable to Him: "Yes, each of us will give a personal account to God" (vs. 12). Therefore, my desire should always be to please God, not to live for myself or be critical of others who are not like me. After all, they are becoming like Jesus, not me.

Whatever It Takes - Romans 11:32

"For God has imprisoned everyone in disobedience so he could have mercy on everyone."

The Apostle Paul has been addressing the problem raised by the unbelief of so many Jews to the Roman Christians (Romans 9-11). If God had promised salvation to Israel, His chosen people, why were so few Jews being saved and how could Jesus truly be the fulfillment of God’s plan?

This verse epitomizes the theological defense that Paul makes for the future or ultimate salvation of Israel (and all people who trust in Jesus).

Paul explains that it was beneficial for all people when Israel, God's chosen people, were disobedient to God because God then extended His mercy to the Gentiles (or all people).

So redemption and restoration are the way God works His purposes in His creation. God can best show His love by having mercy on sinners.

And God's mercy is best received by those who are sinful. So it is in our sinfulness that we realize our need for God's salvation.

Jesus explained it like this: "Healthy people don’t need a doctor—sick people do. I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners” (Mark 2:17, Matthew 9:12-13; Luke 5:32-32).

In his first letter to Timothy, the Apostle Paul gets to the crux of the matter when he unabashedly declares: "Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—and I am the worst of them all" (1 Timothy 1:15).

Think of it this way: God does whatever it takes to show mercy to you, even dying on a cross.

Divine Symmetry - Romans 8:26-28

"And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God’s own will. And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them." People (including myself) often try to comfort someone who is suffering or grieving by quoting a phrase from one these verses: "all things work together for good." However, in the middle of tragic circumstances, these words probably bring little consolation to the one who is hurting and the sentiment may even seem to trivialize one's loss or grief. While at some cosmic level the theology is correct--all things do work together for God's good purposes--people in distress aren't looking at the big picture, they are only feeling their pain. Maybe a better approach would be to reassure hurting people that God understands their pain and His love can strengthen and sustain them in their suffering. Nevertheless, we should interpret Romans 8:28 within its proper context. In these verses Paul is explaining how the Holy Spirit works in us, especially in our weakness. The work of the indwelling Holy Spirit is to appropriate spiritual life, God's life, to God's people. From a trinitarian perspective, Jesus represents the concerns of humanity to God the Father and the Holy Spirit represents the concerns of God the Father to humanity. In other words, the Holy Spirit works in us to bring a divine symmetry to our lives--to bring us into harmony with God's will. One way the Holy Spirit does this is by praying for us with groanings or utterances that are "too deep for words" (ESV) because they are expressed by our spirit through the indwelling the Holy Spirit. Some people call this a prayer language. When we do not know how to pray because of our human weakness, the Holy Spirit intercedes to God the Father in our behalf. As God's Spirit intercedes to bring our lives "in sync" with God's will, then we are assured that God's good purposes are being worked out through the circumstances of our lives. The Holy Spirit is imparting divine symmetry to our lives.

The Walking Dead - Romans 8:11

"The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, he will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you." In this verse, the Apostle Paul describes Christians as being like the walking dead. We live in mortal bodies and death begins its work in us from the day we are born. But when we experience supernatural birth, the Spirit of God gives immortal life to our mortal bodies. When the Spirit of God is alive in us, then the Holy Spirit will resurrect our physical bodies to eternal life just as Jesus was raised from the dead. The work of the Holy Spirit is to bring eternal life into this present age—to bring God’s future Kingdom into our present reality. The presence and life of God lives in and through us by the Holy Spirit in this present world in anticipation of what will be our future. When God’s Holy Spirit lives in us, we begin to participate in eternal life. The Holy Spirit enables us to live according to God’s will in our present life and in preparation for our eternal life: "We have the Holy Spirit within us as a foretaste of future glory" (vs. 23).

Marvelous Plans - Isaiah 64:4

"For since the world began, no ear has heard and no eye has seen a God like you, who works for those who wait for him!" To the prophet Isaiah, the plans and purposes of God were formulated outside of His creation--in other words, without the help of human wisdom. Isaiah says that God's hidden plans and purposes work in behalf of people who wait for God to work His will--people who place their faith and trust in God. The Apostle Paul quotes this verse in 1 Corinthians 2:9 to contrast human wisdom with God's wisdom: "That is what the Scriptures mean when they say, No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him" (I Corinthians 2:9). But Paul raises the stakes by indicating that God not only works for those who trust Him, but His plans and purposes for His people are marvelous! Paul also states that what was incomprehensible is now understood because it is revealed to those who have received God's Spirit: "But it was to us that God revealed these things by his Spirit. For his Spirit searches out everything and shows us God’s deep secrets" (I Corinthians 2:10). In other words, God’s plans and purposes are not understood through human wisdom or philosophy, but through God’s own Spirit, who alone can reveal His thoughts to His people. God has graciously given his Spirit to his people so they can know the marvelous plans He has prepared for them. God will, indeed, show you the marvelous plans for your life if you trust Him and and wait for Him to do His work through you.

Unplugged From Sin - Romans 6:6

"We know that our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives." When you are joined with Christ, your old source of power--sin--gets unplugged and you plug into a new source of power--the Holy Spirit. When you have “died with Christ” you live your present new life with Christ in anticipation of the day when you will live with Him forever: "So you also should consider yourselves to be dead to the power of sin and alive to God through Christ Jesus" (vs. 11). The Apostle Paul tells us we that sin no longer controls us: "Do not let sin control the way you live; do not give in to sinful desires. Do not let any part of your body become an instrument of evil to serve sin" (vs. 12-13).Your have power over sin because you have a new source of power. When you get plugged into Jesus, you unplug from sin!

Shine - Isaiah 60:1-2

"Arise, Jerusalem! Let your light shine for all to see. For the glory of the Lord rises to shine on you. Darkness as black as night covers all the nations of the earth, but the glory of the Lord rises and appears over you. All nations will come to your light; mighty kings will come to see your radiance." When Jesus told His disciples to be the light of the world and compared them to a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden (Matthew 5:14), He may have been reminding them of Isaiah's description of the future glory of Jerusalem as a point of comparison. Isaiah says that when God comes to be with his people, His glory transforms their outlook, their destiny from one of darkness that covers this world to one of light where God's truth and righteousness reigns. When God abides with His people, the radiance of His glory casts its shine on them so they become light in a darkened world. When God's radiant glory shines through your life, people are attracted to your light and will come to find out the source of your light. So let your light shine!

Gospel Farmers - Isaiah 55:11

"It is the same with my word. I send it out, and it always produces fruit. It will accomplish all I want it to, and it will prosper everywhere I send it." Crops grow and become both food to nourish those who are hungry and seeds to plant for the farmer (vs. 10). God's Word grows just like crops, but always produces results. God's Word is the expression of His will and is efficacious in accomplishing His plans and purposes. Whether God's Word nourishes like food or reproduces like seed, it is always effective. Therefore, we should ingest God's Word for nourishment like those who are hungry and and plant it like farmers so it will grow more crops. We are gospel farmers. We consume God's Word by reading and studying the Bible and we sow the seed of God's Word by proclaiming it to people. While we may not always understand how the seed of God's Word that we plant grows and develops ("my ways are higher than your ways," vs. 9), we are assured that planting it always produces fruit and accomplishes God's plans and purposes.

In Defense of Hell - Romans 1:32

"They know God’s justice requires that those who do these things deserve to die, yet they do them anyway. Worse yet, they encourage others to do them, too." There's been a lot of controversy lately among Christians on theological questions about universal salvation, hell, and who occupies it (or not). While an exhaustive discussion of these theological issues is beyond the scope of this blog (and beyond the capability of this amateur theologian), I would, however, like to submit a short defense of hell. In this verse the Apostle Paul states a fundamental proposition that is prerequisite to any theological discussion of universal salvation and hell. Some question how a good God could sentence anyone to eternal separation from Him, but Paul clearly tells us that God's justice demands God's judgment. People who refuse to acknowledge the truth and reality of God as revealed in Christ in this world are actually joining in the cosmic rebellion of Satan and his cohorts against God and humanity (Revelation 20:10, 15). Under any fair system of justice, conspirators receive the same judgment and sentence as perpetrators of a crime because they share the same nefarious intent. When people refuse to love God's truth in this world, why would they be any different in eternity? Jesus illustrates this point in the well-known parable of the final judgment (the sheep and the goats) in Matthew 25:31-46. The parable distinguishes between people who want to please God and those who want to live for their own satisfaction. It establishes that those who live their lives with an attentiveness toward eternity also begin to live out their eternal life in their present life. And it urges us to demonstrate in our present lives what we are becoming and will be in God’s eternal kingdom. The parable also specifies that hell is a place prepared for the devil and his demons and twice indicates that those who don't serve God in this world receive the same judgment as Satan (and not in allegorical terms). In other words, if Satan has chosen to rebel against God, how could he spend eternity with God? So, if people choose not to accept God's rule and reign over their lives in this world, how could they spend eternity with God? It doesn't even make sense and hell makes complete sense--God's justice requires it! "There is no judgment against anyone who believes in him. But anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God's one and only Son. And the judgment is based on this fact: God's light came into the world, but people loved the darkness more than the light" (John 3:18-19).

Unashamed! - Romans 1:16

"For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes—the Jew first and also the Gentile." In the mid-1990's the contemporary Christian music group, DC Talk, recorded a song entitled "Jesus Freak." With its alternative rock sound, the song put a positive spin on the disparaging 1970s term. Lyrically, the song is about standing up for belief in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior:

What will people think
When they hear that that I'm a Jesus freak?
What will people do when they find that it's true?
I don't really care if they label me a Jesus freak.
There ain't no disguising the truth.

The song provides a sort of hip-hop version of Paul's affirmation of belief in the transforming power of the gospel of Christ. Paul says he is completely unashamed of the gospel because it is God's power saving us and giving us who believe its message of redemption a new life in Christ. Our lives should proclaim that we are followers of Jesus, even to the extent that people might think we are Jesus freaks!

Going to Gilgal - 1 Samuel 11:14-15

"Come, let us all go to Gilgal to renew the kingdom. So they all went to Gilgal, and in a solemn ceremony before the Lord they made Saul king."

Saul was the first king of Israel.He was the son of a wealthy landowner and became king unexpectedly and rather reluctantly.

The people had requested a king to help them fight their battles. They were happy with Saul because of his regal stature--he was a head taller than anyone else (vs. 10:23).

God spoke to Samuel about anointing a king over Israel and Samuel met privately with Saul and declared him the new king.

The Virtues of Weakness - 2 Corinthians 11:30

"If I must boast, I would rather boast about the things that show how weak I am."

Paul found it necessary to justify his actions because of his love for the Corinthian church and because false teachers were enticing the Corinthian believers away from Christ.

In chapters 10-12 of 2 Corinthians Paul may be responding to charges from people claiming to be apostles who arrived in Corinth and launched a vicious attack against him and his apostleship. These false teachers accused Paul of not being a real apostle or even a true Christian!

Just In Time - Isaiah 49:8

"At just the right time, I will respond to you. On the day of salvation I will help you. I will protect you and give you to the people as my covenant with them." In this chapter Isaiah continues a description of the suffering servant. This chapter has traditionally been regarded as the second of four suffering servant songs. God declares that He will make a way for Israel’s sin to be atoned and for their fellowship with him to be restored. And He will do it at just the right time. The way He will do it is the promised servant, who will come to save Israel and all people. God doesn't necessarily fulfill His promises when we think He should. God acts at just the right time to accomplish His purposes. Have you ever been praying for things to happen a certain way and all the circumstances are in line, if only God would bring it to pass. When God doesn't do things like we planned, then it seems to us like a missed opportunity for God to work. But God doesn't work according to our plans for Him. God is never late and He is always on time in carrying out His own plans and purposes. Don't make plans for God to accomplish, but rather bring your life in line with doing His will and then He promises to empower you to accomplish His plans: "The Father alone has the authority to set those dates and times, and they are not for you to know. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you" (Acts 1:7-8).

You Can't Have It Both Ways - 1 Samuel 7:3

"If you are really serious about wanting to return to the Lord, get rid of your foreign gods and your images of Ashtoreth. Determine to obey only the Lord; then he will rescue you from the Philistines." Samuel had gathered all of Israel together to repent of their idolatry and rededicate themselves to God. While Israel was assembled, the Philistines attacked them. Samuel prayed and God helped the Israelites defeat the Philistines because they had repented and rededicated themselves to serving and obeying God. Consequently, the Philistines didn't attack Israel again until after Saul became king. Samuel clarified to the Israelites that they could not have an allegiance to both God and idols. Idol worship of Asherah was an ongoing problem throughout Israel’s history and especially during the time of the judges. Ashtoreth (also called Asherah) was the Canaanite goddess of fertility associated with Baal. However, idolatry can take many forms. The prosperity we enjoy can lead to idolatry when we let the accumulation of possessions become the focus of life. What you spend your time and resources thinking about and doing indicates where your allegiance is. Your life in this world is a zero-sum game—whatever time or money you spend on one priority takes away from the time and money spent on another priority. So you can't have it both ways, God and something else. A relationship with God is an exclusive one and you can't expect to receive God’s blessing unless you get rid of what is contrary to His will.