Pay It Forward - Malachi 3;10

"Bring the full tenth into the storehouse  so that there may be food in my house. 'Test Me in this way,' says the Lord of Hosts. See if I will not open the floodgates of heaven for you and pour out a blessing for you without measure."

The prophet Malachi accuses the people of Israel of robbing God (vs. 8) because they did not pay their tithes.

The tithes were used to support the priests and Levites, whose ministry was essential if Israel was to be faithful to God in its calling as His chosen people.

Because their land was cursed by drought and pestilence (vs. 9,11), they felt justified not giving their tithes.

Although their negligence to give their tithes may have seemed justified, God reveals, quite dramatically, that these natural disasters were not the cause of their disobedience but the result of their disobedience.

So God dared them to pay it forward!

Updating Your To-Do List - Haggai 1:5

"Now, the Lord of hosts says this: 'Think carefully about your ways.'" 

The work of rebuilding the Temple had ceased for about ten years by order of King Artaxerxes of Persia (Ezra 4:24). Near the end of this ten-year cessation period, Haggai the prophet received a message from God to incite the repatriated Jews to complete the rebuilding of the Temple.

Haggai told the people in no uncertain terms that their priorities were out of order and as a result, nothing was working right in their lives. They sow much but harvest little; they never have enough to eat or drink to satisfy themselves; they can't hold on to the money they earn (vs. 6).

Why does nothing go right in their lives?

The Complacency Conundrum - Revelation 3:15-16

"I know your works, that you are neither cold or hot. I wish that you were cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I am going to vomit you out of my mouth."

While the church in Sardis was chastised for its dearth of spiritual vitality, the spiritual condition of the church in Laodicea was repugnant because it was lukewarm--neither cold nor hot.

So why is the reprimand of the lukewarm Laodicean church more severe than the reprimand of the dead Sardisian church?

The Edge of Darkness - 1 John 5:17

"We know that we are of God, and the whole world is under the sway of the evil one."

The book of I John is a book of contrasts.

John begins by contrasting darkness and light. He declares that "God is Light and there is absolutely no darkness in Him" (vs. 1:5).

In addition to the contrast between light and darkness (see also vs.2:8-11), John makes several other contrasts: the world vs. God's will (vs. 2:15-16); obedience vs. disobedience (vs. 2:4-6); truth vs. lie, passing away vs. remaining forever (2:17); Christ vs. antichrist (vs. 2:22); God's children vs. the devil's children (vs. 3:7-10); love vs. hate (3:11-15); the Spirit of Truth vs. the spirit of deception (vs. 4:1-6); life vs. death (5:12).

It seems that from John's perspective, there's not a lot of gray area to the Christian lifestyle. With John, it's light or dark, truth or lie, right or wrong.

Walking in the Light: Getting a Tan or Getting Sweaty? - 1 John 1:7

"But if we walk in the light as He Himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin."

There's a saying we use quite often in religious circles to describe one's spiritual transformation. We say "I've seen the light."

In this verse the Apostle John clarifies that being a disciple of Jesus is a matter of walking in the light not just seeing the light.

Is John saying we have to act in a certain way to earn our salvation? Absolutely not!

Fruit or Foliage? - John 15:1-2,5

"I am the true vine, and my Father is the vineyard keeper. Every branch in Me that does not produce fruit He removes, and He prunes every branch that produces fruit so that it will produce more fruit...I am the vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in Me and I in him produces much fruit, because you can do nothing without Me."

These verses contain the last of seven "I am" declarations made by Jesus in John's Gospel.  "I am" is an allusion to God's name by which God identified Himself to the Israelites: "God replied to Moses, "I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: I AM has sent me to you" (Exodus 3:14).

Here's the analogy Jesus makes in these verses: Picture a vineyard. Jesus is like all the grapevines in the vineyard. His followers are like all the individual shoots attached to the vines. And God the Father is the vineyard keeper, the viticulturalist.

God's X-Ray Vision - 2 Chronicles 16:9

"For the eyes of Yahweh roam throughout the earth to show Himself strong for those whose hearts are completely His."

These words were spoken by a prophet named Hanani to Asa, king of Judah and Solomon's great grandson, when he rebuked the king for forming an alliance with King Ben-Hadad of Damascus.

Israel's King Baasha was at war with Judah and was beginning to fortify the town of Ramah, near the border of Israel and Judah, to block access to Jerusalem. Additionally, Baasha had formed an alliance with Ben-Hadad, king of Aram (Syria).

But King Asa emptied the treasuries of the temple in Jerusalem in order to bribe Ben-Hadad to break his treaty with King Baasha of Israel.

So Ben-Hadad attacked several cities in Israel and forced King Baasha to stop his work on Ramah. King Asa then disassembled Ramah and used the materials from the city to fortify his own towns to protect Jerusalem.

Straight Talk - 2 Chronicles 13:18

"The Israelites were subdued at that time. The Judahites succeeded because they depended on the Lord, the God of their ancestors."

We spend a lot of effort trying to understand what God is saying to us through His Word, the Bible. And then sometimes the Bible makes it real easy for us to understand what it is saying and how to apply it to our lives.

That's certainly the case with this verse.

The context of this verse is that Israel had split into two kingdoms, Israel in the north and Judah in the south, and they were at war with  each other. Judah was the smaller of the two and maintained an army about half the size of Israel's army.

The kingdom of Israel had fallen into apostasy and formed it's own idolatrous religion. But Judah's king, Abijah, was King David's great grandson and the heir of God's covenant with David. And when the armies faced one another in battle, Abijah stood on a mountaintop and proclaimed these facts for everyone to hear (vs. 4-12).

God's Anger = God's Mercy - John 11:33-35

"When Jesus saw her crying, and the Jews who had come with her crying, He was angry in His spirit and deeply moved. 'Where have you put him?' He asked. 'Lord,' they told Him, 'come and see.' Jesus wept."

These verses come from the well-known story of the raising of Lazarus from the dead.

When Jesus arrived in Bethany after Lazarus had died, He encountered family and friends mourning over the death of Lazarus.

These verses describe a wide range of emotions that Jesus exhibited as He shared in the sorrow of Lazarus' death felt by family and friends.

Just Let Him Die - John 11:5-7

"Now Jesus loved Martha, her sister, and Lazarus. So when He heard that he was sick, He stayed two more days in the place where He was. Then after that, He said to the disciples, 'Let's go to Judea again.'"

Jesus heard that Lazarus was sick and so He stayed where He was two more days...

What?

These verses are, of course, from the familiar story of the raising of Lazarus. But at first glance, Jesus' behavior in response to the news of Lazarus' terminal illness is somewhat puzzling, even enigmatic.

You would expect the story to go something like this: Jesus loved Lazarus and his sisters so when He heard the news that Lazarus was very sick, He stopped what He was doing and rushed to Lazarus' side to heal him.

Instead, Jesus stayed where he was and let Lazarus die!

That's right. He just let him die!

A Cheerful Giver - 1 Chronicles 29:5-6,9

"Now who will volunteer to consecrate himself to the Lord today? Then the leaders of the households, the leaders of the tribes of Israel, the commanders of thousands and of hundreds, and the officials in charge of the king's work gave willingly...Then the people rejoiced because of their leaders' willingness to give, for they had given to the Lord with a whole heart. King David also rejoiced greatly."

In preparation for building the temple, King David accumulated precious metals and stones and wood for its construction. In addition to all the materials he accumulated as King, he gave a substantial amount of gold and silver from his personal wealth.

Then he asked the leaders of Israel what they would give!

And what's interesting is the way King David asked them to give.

What Makes God Happy - Ezekiel 18:23

"'Do I take any pleasure in the death of the wicked?' This is the declaration of the Lord God. 'Instead, don't I take pleasure when he turns from his ways and lives?'"

Sometimes people think that God is somehow out to get them.

In Chapter 18 the prophet Ezekiel provides a highly detailed explanation to refute the notion that God punishes the innocent for the sins of others. Ezekiel clarifies that each individual bears personal responsibility for his or her own sin (see also 33:7-20).

But God's desire for human beings is that they repent of their sin. 

Doing Right Things Right - I Chronicles 17

"Now when David had settled into his palace, he said to Nathan the prophet, 'Look, I am living in a cedar house while the ark of the Lord's covenant is under tent curtains'" (vs. 1).

Doesn't building the temple of God seem like the right thing for a man of God like David to do?

David had built himself a permanent home, a king's palace, and the ark of God still resided in a tent, a tabernacle. So David thought the right thing to do was build a permanent home, a temple, for the ark of God.

And Nathan, the prophet of God, even endorsed the plan because he knew David wanted to do what was right (vs. 2).

Neither David nor Nathan consulted God about the construction plan and God had a different plan in mind (vs 3-4). God's plan was not for David to build the temple, but for David's son, Solomon, to build the temple (vs. 11-12).

In the end, both Nathan and David listened to God and did the right thing (vs. 15-27).

But God expects His people not only to do the right thing, but to do the right thing right!

What Is God Up To? - John 5:17, 19

"But Jesus responded to them, 'My Father is still working, and I am working also' ... 'I assure you: The Son is not able to do anything on His own, but only what He sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, the Son also does these things in the same way.;"
 
This somewhat cryptic response to the Jewish religious leaders was given by Jesus as a defense for healing a man on the Sabbath who had been sick for 38 years.

So why did Jesus answer their accusations in this way?

First, Jesus meant that God is always at work in this world, 365/24/7.

God is perpetually at work in His created order!

God is omnificent. He has unlimited powers of creation.

God, who created the universe, sustains it by His creative power and energy.
     God, who created the universe, is still at work in His creation.

Sometimes we think God is up in heaven watching over His creation like an unconcerned observer. Jesus affirms that is not the case, that God is an active participant in His creation.

The Defectors - 1 Chronicles 12:1-22

"At that time men came day after day to help David until there was a great army like an army of God."

1 Chronicles 12 records the assembling and organization of David's army during the years that David was in hiding from King Saul.

What's interesting about these warriors that joined up with David was that they were defectors!
     They changed loyalties!
          They transferred their allegiance!

Most or all of them were formerly followers of King Saul, even Saul's relatives.

There were ambidextrous archers from the tribe of Benjamin (vs. 2-7) and desert warriors from the tribe of Gad that crossed the Jordan River to join David (vs. 8-15).

And when even more Benjamites defected, David was reluctant to trust them until they swore allegiance to him under the inspiration of the Spirit of God (vs. 16-18).

Men as far away as Manasseh defected and joined David's army  (vs. 19-21).

All these defectors were skilled and brave warriors. They defected to David because they believed David was God's chosen king and they wanted to join him in his cause.

So the numbers of defectors grew until they became a great army. And, this army of defectors became the army of God!

A Glorious Display - John 2:11

"He displayed His glory and His disciples believed in Him."

When Jesus worked His first miracle at the wedding at Cana, changing the water into wine, the Apostle John concludes that it was a glorious display!

Although this first miracle was a quiet miracle--large pots of water suddenly were turned into wine--it apparently didn't go unnoticed by Jesus' disciples.

They must have heard  Jesus tell the servants to fill six pots with water and then watched as the servants poured twenty to thirty gallons of water into each of the pots. They must have listened as the chief servant described how fine the wine tasted after the water became wine.

Living for the Future in the Present, Part 3 - 1 Timothy 6:18-19

<<Living for the Future in the Present, Part 1
<<Living for the Future in the Present, Part 2

"Instruct them to do what is good, to be rich in goods works, to be generous, willing to share, storing up for themselves a good reserve for the age to come so that they may take hold of life that is real."

In Part 1 of this three-part SBM mini-series, Paul instructed Timothy to train himself in godliness in this present life in order to prepare for eternal life. In Part 2 Paul told Timothy to fight for his faith and start living the lifestyle of eternal life in the present.

In these verses Paul alludes to Jesus' admonition from the Sermon on the Mount to store up treasures in heaven: "Don't collect for yourselves treasures on earth... But collect for yourselves treasures in heaven... For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also" (Matthew 6:19-21).

Jesus was saying that there are parallel universes at work in our lives that are in conflict with one another because the physical world in which we live is in rebellion against God's Kingdom.

Living for the Future in the Present, Part 2 - 1 Timothny 6:11-12

<<Living for the Future in the Present, Part 1

"But you, man of God, run from these things, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance, and gentleness. Fight the good fight for the faith; take hold of eternal life that you were called to and have made a good confession about in the presence of many witnesses."

This three-part SBM mini-series examines what the Apostle Paul had to say to Timothy about living in this present life in anticipation of and in preparation for eternal life!

In Part 1 Paul instructed Timothy to use this present life as an opportunity to prepare for eternity with God by becoming more like God. To accomplish this, Paul told Timothy to train himself in godliness through disciplined, rigorous practice in personal devotion and service to God.

Now Paul tells Timothy that he should fight for the faith and take hold of eternal life!

Take hold of eternal life means take on the lifestyle of eternal life.

But, it's not something you do when you are dying. It's something you do while you are living!

Living for the Future in the Present, Part 1 - 1 Timothy 4:7-8

"Train yourself in godliness for the training of the body has a limited benefit, but godliness is beneficial in every way, since it holds promise for the present life and for the life to come."

This is the first installment of an SBM mini-series. In this three-part series I will examine what the Apostle Paul had to say to Timothy about this theological supposition:

We live our lives in our present existence in anticipation of and in preparation for eternal life!

In other words, our present life is preparation for eternity.

This supposition is most apparent in the teachings of Jesus, particularly in His parables and proclamations of the near and coming Kingdom of God. When Jesus spoke of the Kingdom of God, He usually meant it as both present and future, already but not yet!

Paul's John 3:16 - 1 Timothy 2:3-6

"God our Savior...wants everyone to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and one mediator between God and humanity, Christ Jesus, Himself human, who gave Himself--a ransom for all, a testimony at the proper time."

If you are one of those laconic people who likes things stated simply, concisely, and succinctly, then you definitely like this summation of the gospel written by the Apostle Paul in his first letter to Timothy.

Paul sums up the gospel in just two sentences. God's cosmic, redemptive plan for humanity is stated in the first sentence and the theological basis for the plan is stated in the second sentence.

In this concise explanation of the gospel, Paul says that God wants everybody to be saved, to be in a covenant relationship with Him. Since we are separated from God by sin, then we need a Savior to mediate our sinfulness. Jesus Christ, God's Son, became human and paid the ransom (or penalty) for our sinfulness by His death on the cross.

Hold On! Part 3 - 1 Peter 4:10-11

<<Hold On! Part 1 
<<Hold On! Part 2

"Based on the gift each one has received, use it to serve others, as good managers of the varied grace of God." If anyone speaks, it should be as one who speaks God's words; if anyone serves, it should be from the strength God provides, so that God may be gloried through Jesus Christ in everything."

In Part 1 of this SBM mini-series on grace, we learned from the Hebrews writer in Chapter 12 that God's redemptive plan is for us to enter into fellowship with Him through a relationship or covenant based on receiving God's grace through Christ. God didn't intend to institute a permanent ritual sacrificial system under Old Testament law.

The Hebrews writer admonished us to actively hold on to God's grace when we receive it and allow it to become the source of our strength for serving God and His Kingdom.

God's sovereignty can best exert its rule and reign over our lives when Christ is manifested in our lives as a result of holding on to the grace God has shown us.

While the Hebrews writer told us to hold on to grace to see us through all the circumstances of life, Peter says in these verses that we are also the managers of God's grace that rules over our own lives.

Hold On! Part 2 - Hebrews 12:28-29

<<Hold On! Part 1

"Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us hold on to grace. By it, we may serve God acceptably, with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire."

In Part 1 of this SBM mini-series on grace we saw how the Hebrews writer assembled an argument showing that God's grace demonstrated to us through Christ is superior to the Old Testament law and temple worship because Christ was its culmination.

Thus, the new covenant is superior to the old because now we enter into God's presence through a relationship or covenant based on receiving His grace through Christ (what the Hebrews writer called approaching Mt. Zion), not on adherence to the law (what the Hebrews writer called approaching Mt. Sinai).

So, when we receive God's grace through believing in Christ as our Savior, then we must hold on to it! And then, the grace of God becomes the source of our strength for serving God and His Kingdom.

Although the Hebrews writer has argued that God's grace is superior to Old Testament law, in his final analysis in Chapter 12 he notes that while God's grace abounds, He is still the God of the Old Testament--a consuming fire! This reference to God's attributes comes from Deuteronomy 4:24: "For the Lord your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God."

Hold On! Part 1 - Hebrews 12:28-29

"Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us hold on to grace. By it, we may serve God acceptably, with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire."

(This is the first installment of a three-part SBM mini-series on grace.)

Have you ever walked over some rocks that weren't firmly set in the ground or on a wobbly platform or a floor with rotting wood. Or maybe you've been in an earthquake where you could feel the actual ground beneath you moving.

Whenever our footing becomes unsure, our first instinct is to grab something that seems more stable and hold on.

 The Hebrews writer points out that in the past, in the Old Testament, when human beings encountered God it could be a terrifying experience. When the law was given on Mt. Sinai, even Moses was terrified and trembled at God's appearance (vs. 21).

A God Thing - Jeremiah 32:8

"Then my cousin Hanamel came to the guard’s courtyard as the Lord had said and urged me, ‘Please buy my field in Anathoth in the land of Benjamin, for you own the right of inheritance and redemption. Buy it for yourself.’ Then I knew that this was the word of the Lord."

Jeremiah was in prison because he had proclaimed to King Zedekiah and the people of Jerusalem that the Babylonians were going to conquer Jerusalem.

Although Jeremiah foretold of the coming Babylonian conquest and deportation of many of the Jews including the Jewish royal family, he also spoke of a bright future for Israel after the time of captivity:
"Look, the days are coming...when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah...I will put my teaching within them and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be My people...Look, the days are coming...when the city...will be rebuilt for the Lord" (vs. 31:31,33,38).

Through the circumstances and events of his life, God confirmed His word to Jeremiah.

When Second Is Best - Hebrews 10: 1-18

"He takes away the first to establish the second" (vs. 9).

In these verses the Hebrews writer makes a wonderful theological argument that the sacrifice of Christ on the cross replaced the Old Testament system of blood sacrifices and burnt offerings.

The Hebrews writer says that the Old Testament law was a representation of God's reality, not the reality itself: "The law has only a shadow of the good things to come, and not the actual form of these realities" (vs. 1).

In other words, the blood sacrifice and burnt offerings of animals had to be offered continually because they could never actually atone for human sins.

To reinforce his argument, the Hebrews writer asked a rhetorical question: If these sacrifices could atone for sin, then wouldn't they have stopped being offered once the worshipers were purified by the sacrifices?

Heavenly Invasion - Hebrews 6:4-5

"Those who were once enlightened, who tasted the heavenly gift, became companions with the Holy Spirit, tasted God’s good word and the powers of the coming age..."

I've lifted this phrase out of its context for a couple of reasons. The context of the verses is, of course, the (actual or rhetorical, depending upon your theological perspective) apostasy of believers in Christ.

First, it is beyond the scope of this meditation to defend one side or the other in  this long-standing debate over a doctrine of apostasy. Second, in the process of pointing out the effects of unfaithfulness, the Hebrews writer provides a comprehensive description of the way of life of the faithful follower of Christ, part of which I would like to consider here.

The Hebrews writer names five characteristics of a faithful follower. The faithful follower knows God's will, has received God's forgiveness and grace, has received the indwelling Holy Spirit, has been transformed by God's Word, and has experienced the powers of the coming age working in his or her life.

It is on the last item on this list of characteristics of faithful followers of Christ, "tasted... the powers of the coming age," that I want to focus in this meditation.

When God Whispers - 1 Kings 19:9-15

"Then the word of the Lord came to him, and He said to him, 'What are you doing here, Elijah?' ... Then He said, 'Go out and stand on the mountain in the Lord’s presence.' At that moment, the Lord passed by...but the Lord was not in the wind...the Lord was not in the earthquake...the Lord was not in the fire... And after the fire there was a voice, a soft whisper. When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. Suddenly, a voice came to him and said, 'What are you doing here, Elijah?' ' ... Then the Lord said to him, 'Go and return by the way you came to the Wilderness of Damascus.'"

I have unpacked the verses in this passage to illustrate a lesson that God is trying to teach the prophet Elijah. But first a little background information is needed.

Elijah had just confronted the 450 prophets of Baal on Mt. Carmel. He had challenged them to build an altar and sacrifice a bull and call on their god to consume the sacrifice with fire.

And Elijah would do the same. But Elijah would ask God, Yahweh, to consume the sacrifice he had made.

Despite their raving--their loud shouts, wild dancing, and cutting themselves--nothing happened to the sacrifice of the prophets of Baal. However, God sent fire to consume the sacrifice Elijah had made and all the water that Elijah had poured over the sacrifice and the altar.

Life or Death? - Jeremiah 21:8-10

"This is what the Lord says: Look, I am presenting to you the way of life and the way of death. Whoever stays in this city will die by the sword, famine, and plague, but whoever goes out and surrenders to the Chaldeans who are besieging you will live and will retain his life like the spoils of war. For I have turned against this city to bring disaster and not good—this is the Lord’s declaration. It will be handed over to the king of Babylon, who will burn it down.

King Zedekiah of Judah was depending on Pharaoh Hophra of Egypt to defeat Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon. Nevertheless, King Zedekiah sent one of his officials, Pashhur, and the priest, Zephaniah, to the prophet, Jeremiah, to ask him to foretell what the outcome of the Zedekiah's rebellion against Babylon would be.

King Zedekiah was hopeful that the Lord would perform wonderful works for Judah as He had done in the days of Hezekiah (see 2 Kings 18-19) and Jehoshaphat (see 2 Chronicles 20).

The phrase, "the way of life and the way of death," may be intended to call to mind Moses's challenge to the Israelites when they renewed the covenant with God before entering the promised land: "I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you today that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Choose life so that you and your descendants may live, love the Lord your God, obey Him, and remain faithful to Him" (Deuteronomy 30:19-20).

But Jeremiah puts a different spin on it! Jeremiah's challenge results in the opposite consequences from Moses's challenge.

The Secret of Happiness - Philippians 4:11-14

"I don't say this out of need, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. I know how to have a little, and I know how to have a lot. In any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of being content--whether well fed or hungry, whether in abundance, or in need. I am able to do all things through Him who strengthens me."

In reference to their faithful financial support of his ministry, the Apostle Paul expressed his appreciation to the Philippians by making the well-known and oft-quoted declaration that he can do all things through Christ who strengthens him.

This assertion seems to be an unlikely way to tell the Philippians thank-you, because it doesn't acknowledge the financial support they gave Paul to conduct his ministry.

But, that's precisely Paul's point, I suppose. Read on and you will see what I mean.

Be Prepared - Ephesians 5:15-17

"Pay careful attention, then, to how you walk—not as unwise people but as wise— making the most of the time, because the days are evil. So don’t be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is."

One of the recurring themes in my book, The Kingdom Order: Living for the Future in the Present, is that we should live our life in the present as though it is preparation for eternity. We must allow our hope for an eternal future to impact the way we live in our present reality.

The Apostle Paul reinforces this outlook on life by admonishing the Ephesians (and us) to make the most of the time we have on this earth. If our time is not used for good--for accomplishing God's will--then it can be used for evil.

According to Jesus, God's Kingdom is not an inaccessible place far away in the heavens but is close to where we live—it is near. God has approached us and announced that His Kingdom has entered the world where we now live.

The Perfect Way - 2 Samuel 22:31,33

"God--His way is perfect...He makes my way perfect."

Do you ever wonder if you are doing the right thing? If you are accomplishing God's will in your life?

2 Samuel 22 is a song of thanksgiving composed by King David. It is very similar to Psalm 18. So these two verses are also found in Psalm 18:30,32.

In these verses David reasons that God's ways are perfect and by following God's own way it makes his own way perfect.

David declares that God illuminates the way he should follow and God also enables David to follow in His way.

Quality of Life Checklist - Ephesians 1:3-14

There is a quality of life that Christians enjoy that results from being a believer and follower of Jesus.

The Apostle Paul expounds on the spiritual blessings that God supplies His people in the opening chapter and verses of the book of Ephesians.

These verses are formed from one long sentence in the Greek. So I have organized them into a checklist that enumerates the various spiritual blessings God supplies to every Christian as mentioned in these verses.

Use my checklist to perform a spiritual checkup to determine the quality of your spiritual life:

God's "Yes" Man - 2 Corinthians 1:19-22

"For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us—by me and Silvanus and Timothy—did not become 'Yes and no'; on the contrary, a final 'Yes' has come in Him. For every one of God’s promises is 'Yes' in Him. Therefore, the 'Amen' is also spoken through Him by us for God’s glory. Now it is God who strengthens us, with you, in Christ and has anointed us. He has also sealed us and given us the Spirit as a down payment in our hearts."

Do you ever get down and depressed because you feel like you've got so much to handle and you just can't do it all?

And then you get all locked up inside and you don't do anything. I call it "gridlock of the soul." Why even try, you wonder.

It seems like life is saying to you, "No you can't. No you can't. No, no, no!"

When life keeps telling you "No," there is something you can do to escape soul gridlock.

Revelation - Galatians 1:11-12

"Now I want you to know, brothers, that the gospel preached by me is not based on human thought. For I did not receive it from a human source and I was not taught it, but it came by a revelation from Jesus Christ."

In his letter to the Galatians, the Apostle Paul refutes those who add or change the original message of the gospel he preached to them, particularly those who were teaching the Galatians to keep the requirements of Jewish law, like circumcision, to be justified before God.

Notably, Paul points out that he himself was well advanced in the teachings of Judaism and was once more zealous for the Jewish traditions than most Jews.

Yet, all his learning and all his zeal didn't seem to matter to Paul any more when the Lord Jesus Christ was revealed to him.

No Bad Behavior in Heaven - Romans 13:11-14

"Besides this, knowing the time, it is already the hour for you to wake up from sleep, for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed. The night is nearly over, and the daylight is near, so let us discard the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. Let us walk with decency, as in the daylight: not in carousing and drunkenness; not in sexual impurity and promiscuity; not in quarreling and jealousy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no plans to satisfy the fleshly desires."

In my book, The Kingdom Order: Living for the Future in the Present, I contend that Christians today face a dilemma they have faced for the last two thousand years since the first generation of Christians died—that of living in an age in which an anticipated future has erupted into the present reality.

Biblical scholars often refer to the era in which we live as “between the times,” meaning that period in time between the beginning of the end of the world as we know it and its actual consummation—what Christians would define as the time between Christ’s first coming and His second coming.

While the first generation of Christians, the New Testament believers, were closely connected to Christ’s first coming, all Christians since have had to address the ambiguity of living in the time between His first and second comings.

Heavenly BreakThrough - 2 Samuel 5:19-21

"Then David inquired of the Lord: 'Should I go to war against the Philistines? Will you hand them over to me?' The Lord replied to David, 'Go, for I will certainly hand the Philistines over to you.' So David went to Baal-perazim and defeated them there and said, 'Like a bursting flood, the Lord has burst out against my enemies before me.' Therefore, he named that place the Lord Bursts Out. The Philistines abandoned their idols there, and David and his men carried them off."

In a previous post entitled, God's Outbursts from I Chronicles 14 and 15, I wrote about this interesting phenomenon described as an outburst by God. First, God "burst out" against the Philistines (or empowered King David to burst out against them) and then God burst out against His own people when the Ark of the Covenant was improperly handled as it was transported to a new destination.

We see these same stories of God's outbursts recounted in the life of King David in 2 Samuel 5 and 6.

Wrath Versus Mercy - Romans 9:22-24

"And what if God, desiring to display His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much patience objects of wrath ready for destruction. And what if He did this to make known the riches of His glory on objects of mercy, that he prepared beforehand for glory--on us, the ones He also called, not only from the Jews but also from the Gentiles?"

These verses do not mean that God desires to show His wrath on those who deserve it.

It means that God desires to show His mercy by saving those who deserve His wrath.
     It means that God can best show His love by having mercy on those who deserve His wrath.

So God's wrath begets God's mercy! "In Your wrath remember mercy" (Habakkuk 3:2).

God Did! - Romans 8

"What the law could not do since it was limited by the flesh, God did." (vs. 3).

Some consider Romans 8 the greatest, most theologically eloquent chapter in the New Testament. Certainly, some verses from Romans 8 are the most often quoted, often taught, and often preached of any in the Bible. Here's just a few examples:

"We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God: those who are called according to His purpose" (vs. 28).

"If God is for us, who is against us?" (vs. 31).

"In all these things we are more than victorious through Him who loved us" (vs. 37).

Romans 8 describes the new way of life we have in Christ, particularly in regard to the work of the Holy Spirit in the believer. It teaches us that in Christ we have become people of the Spirit, people who live "according to the Spirit" ( vs. 4, 5).

So, Romans 8 tells us how to "be spiritual!"

The Normal Christian Life - Romans 5:1-5

"Therefore, since we have been declared righteous by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. We have also obtained access through Him by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. And not only that, but we also rejoice in our afflictions, because we know that affliction produces endurance, endurance produces proven character, and proven character produces hope. This hope will not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us."

Commentators differ as to whether Romans 5 belongs thematically with Chapters 3 and 4 where the Apostle Paul argues for the imputation of righteousness through Christ or with Chapters 6-8 where Paul describes the new life in Christ.

I see it as a transition from one theme to the next because it summarizes Paul's case for righteousness in Christ and then briefly describes how this new life of righteousness in Christ is applied in our personal lives.

It's a concise narrative of the normal Christian life.

What's In a Name? - Isaiah 56:5-6

"I will give them, in My house and within My walls, a memorial and a name better than sons and daughters. I will give each of them an everlasting name that will never be cut off. And the foreigners who join themselves to the Lord minister to Him, love the name of 'Yahweh' and become His servants."

The Shakespearian character, Juliet asked Romeo: "What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet."

When Juliet asks what's in a name, she means that what really matters is not what someone is called but what someone is.

While undoubtedly true, the Bible indicates that one's name is actually closely associated with what one is or will be.

The View from the Balcony - 1 Samuel 16:7

"But the Lord said to Samuel, 'Do not look at his appearance or his stature, because I have rejected him. Man does not see what the Lord sees, for man sees what is visible, but the Lord sees the heart.'"

In 1 Samuel 16:1 God told Samuel to go and anoint David as the new king over Israel. From biblical descriptions, David and Saul had contrasting appearances. Saul was tall and striking in appearance while David was likely shorter and smaller and had a ruddy appearance.

King Saul had turned out to be completely untrustworthy as king. Samuel had anointed Saul as the first king over Israel and he was saddened by the fact that Saul had not been obedient to God and was irresponsible in his duties as king.

God told Samuel to put it behind him because He had rejected Saul as king. God wanted Samuel to go and anoint a new king.

Prime Directive - 1 Samuel 14:12-14; 36-37

"'Follow me,' Jonathan told his armor-bearer, 'for the Lord has handed them over to Israel.' Jonathan climbed up using his hands and feet, with his armor-bearer behind him. Jonathan cut them down, and his armor-bearer followed and finished them off. In that first assault Jonathan and his armor-bearer struck down about 20 men in a half-acre field... Saul said, 'Let’s go down after the Philistines tonight and plunder them until morning. Don’t let even one remain!' 'Do whatever you want,' the troops replied. But the priest said, 'We must consult God here.' So Saul inquired of God, 'Should I go after the Philistines? Will You hand them over to Israel?' But God did not answer him that day."

At the beginning of 1 Samuel 14, Jonathan, King Saul's son, and his attendant attacked a Philistine garrison. Meanwhile, Saul remained encamped on the other side of the pass with about 600 Israelite troops. In that assault Jonathan and his attendant killed about twenty Philistine soldiers.

Then panic erupted in the Philistine camp. Saul and his troops noticed the commotion among the Philistine troops.

How To Be Led by the Spirit - 1 Samuel 10:6-7

"The Spirit of the Lord will control you, you will prophesy with them, and you will be transformed into a different person. When these signs have happened to you, do whatever your circumstances require because God is with you."

In these verses the prophet Samuel is giving king-designee Saul instructions on what to do shortly after he had been chosen as the first king of Israel. But one of the first things that happened to Saul upon his selection as Israel's king was that it was confirmed by the anointing or being filled with the Spirit of God.

It was the anointing of the Holy Spirit that validated Saul's kingship!

This infilling of the Holy Spirit not only empowered Saul to prophesy alongside a group of prophets, but this infilling would change his life so much that he would be a different person!

When a person is filled with the Holy Spirit, he or she is transformed into a different person--an agent of God's will.

Truth Management - 2 Corinthians 13:6

"For we are not able to do anything against the truth, but only for the truth."

The Apostle Paul is telling the Corinthians that regardless of their opinion about him, the truth of the gospel will prevail.

Paul said that as an apostle he had exercised no power over those who received the truth of the gospel. And any apostolic power he had exercised was to defend the truth of the gospel by instructing, reproving, or censuring those that opposed, denied, or contradicted it.

As followers of Jesus we are in the truth business. Therefore, we should approach the handling of truth of the gospel, and any truth for that matter, with great care.

Compelled By Love - 2 Corinthians 5:14-15

"For Christ’s love compels us, since we have reached this conclusion: If One died for all, then all died. And He died for all so that those who live should no longer live for themselves, but for the One who died for them and was raised.

There are two ways to live a holy life, two versions of sanctification.These verses describe the right way our sanctification should be manifested or lived out in our lives.

In one version, we try to find favor with God by being good. In the other version, we are good because we have received God's favor, His mercy, His love!

Yet, there is an important yet subtle distinction between these two versions of sanctification.

Evil Intentions - 2 Corinthians 2:11

"I have done this so that we may not be taken advantage of by Satan. For we are not ignorant of his schemes."
 
Prior to this verse the Apostle Paul had just admonished the Corinthians to forgive the person among them who had sinned and caused them pain (vs. 5).

Paul may have been referring to the man who was in a relationship with his father's wife in 1 Corinthians 5:1-5 or an incident involving the the false apostles in 2 Corinthians 11:1-5.

In either case Paul explains that the discipline administered to the offender by the Corinthian church was punishment for his sin, but was also meant for restoration. They should "forgive and comfort" (vs. 7) and "reaffirm your love" (vs. 8) to the offender.

What Are You Doing With Your Immortality? - I Corinthians 15

"What you sow does not come to life unless it dies. And as for what you sow--you are not sowing the future body, but only a seed, perhaps of wheat or another grain. But God gives it a body as He wants, and to each of the seeds its own body...For this corruptible must be clothed with incorruptibility, and this mortal must be clothed with immortality...Therefore, my dear brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always excelling in the Lord's work, knowing that your labor in the Lord is not in vain" (vs. 37,53-54,58).

Some in the Corinthian church were apparently denying the resurrection from the dead. The Apostle Paul argued that all they believe is in vain if there is no resurrection from the dead: "If we have put our hope in Christ for this life only, we should be pitied more than anyone" (vs. 19).

The Love Test, 2nd Edition - 1 Corinthians 13:4-7

(The following meditation is a re-posting of one of the more popular posts on this website, The Love Test. As I read I Corinthians 13 again this year, I think the original meditation warrants publishing again. However, I have posted it with some revisions based on the language used in the HCSB and as it specifically relates to the discussion of spiritual gifts presented in Chapters 12 and 14.)

I Corinthians 13 is known as the "Love Chapter" in which the Apostle Paul describes how love should be the primary influence or motivating factor for serving in the Church. It is embedded between Chapters 12 and 14 where Paul explained the different spiritual gifts God has given to the Church in order to unify and strengthen it.

Paul says that spiritual gifts are good for building and strengthening the Church, but love is a better way. Spiritual gifts will end some day but love and what one does from love are eternal, lasting forever (vs. 9).

What if Paul's description of love were made into an eligibility test for ministry to determine if our faith and our desire to serve God, the Church, and one another is motivated by love? Would you be qualified? Should you get the job?

It's a Wonderful Life - Judges 13:18-19

"'Why do you ask My name,' the Angel of the Lord asked him, 'since it is wonderful' ... and he did a wonderful thing while Manoah and his wife were watching."

Manoah and his wife were unable to conceive and had no children. But Manoah and his wife (we're never told her name) eventually became the parents of Samson through God's intervention into their lives.

One day the Angel of the Lord appeared to the woman and said she would give birth to a son who would save Israel from the Philistines.

The woman told Manoah and he prayed for God to send His angel again to instruct them in what they should do for the boy who would be born to them.

A second time the angel appeared to Manoah's wife but this time she ran and got Manoah and they both had an encounter with this messenger from God.

Fallen - Judges 7:2

"The Lord said to Gideon, “You have too many people for Me to hand the Midianites over to you, or else Israel might brag: ‘I did it myself.’"

Having proven to Gideon that He was present with him, God next demonstrated that His presence was all Gideon really needed to defeat the Midianites.

But, if an Israelite army of 32,000 won against the innumerable hordes of the Midianites, Israel might take credit for the victory.

To show that the victory was entirely His doing, God had Gideon reduce the size of his army dramatically to only 300 men!