Afleveringen
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JOSHUA 20-21:
Yesterday we read the details of land allotment and cities for the remaining seven tribes with their families. Last of all, Joshua himself received a city.PSALM 76:
It only makes sense to know God and to be firmly on His side. As verse 10 says, âHuman defiance only enhances His glory.â The second line of that verse is very unclear in Hebrew. NLTâs translation makes good sense, saying that God uses human defiance as a weapon against the same defiant ones.ACTS 26:
In yesterday's story in Acts, Festus took his position as governor and tried Paul. Afterward King Agrippa and his sister came, and the stage was set for Paul to defend himself again.NLT Translation note:
Acts 26:18 to open their eyes, so they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God. Then they will receive forgiveness for their sins and be given a place among Godâs people, who are set apart by [fully believing//faith] in me.âUnless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
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JOSHUA 18-19:
Yesterday we heard the details about Mannaseh and Ephraim's allotment of land. I suggest that it will be very helpful for your understanding of these chapters in Joshua to do an Internet search for âmap tribes Israel.âPSALM 75:
Do you remember what Paul talked to Felix about from yesterdayâs reading? Asaphâs psalm takes a similar theme today.ACTS 25:
Paul's accusers came, and Paul defended himself before the governor. The governor put off making a decision, and never got around to making one. One day at the beginning of that time, he and his Jewish wife came to listen to Paul for a little entertainment. But Felix cut the discussion short when Paul meddled a little too much. Paul stayed there in jail for two long years, and never gave a bribe to Felix. Finally Felix left Paul in prison when he was replaced by Festus.NLT Translation notes:
Ps. 75:2 [Youâ O God, say,//God says,] âAt the time I have planned, I will bring justice against the wicked.
5 Donât raise your fists in defiance [against//at] the heavens or speak with such arrogance.
6 [Yes, Lord,//For] no one on earthâfrom east or west, or even from the wildernessâ should raise a defiant fist [against You!//.]
7 It is [You//God] alone who judge[0//s]; [You decide//he decides] who will rise and who will fall.
8 For [You, O Lord hold//the Lord holds] a cup in [your//his] hand that is full of foaming wine mixed with spices. [You pour//He pours] out the wine in judgment, and all the wicked must drink it, draining it to the dregs.
9 But as for me, I will always proclaim what [You have//God has] done; I will sing praises to the [Youâ] God of Jacob.
10 For [You say//God says], âI will break the strength of the wicked, but I will increase the power of the godly.âUnless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
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Zijn er afleveringen die ontbreken?
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JOSHUA 16-17:
Yesterday Caleb received his special portion within Judah's allotment of land, and then we heard the detailed list of Judah's boundaries and towns. Chapter 15 may be the most challenging passage in all the Old Testament to read out loud!PSALM 74:
Could this psalm really have been written by Asaph?! If so, Asaph was a prophet as he seems to describe events that happened hundreds of years later in the Babylonian conquest. It is possible he could have been a 100 year old man when writing this, speaking of the destruction caused by Pharaoh Shishak. It must also be observed that the attributions in the Psalms were written centuries later than the Psalms themselves and are not to be considered part of the inspired text. (However, I still think that Asaph was a prophet!)ACTS 24:
A plot was made to kill Paul. Paul's nephew âjust happenedâ to get wind of it. The Roman commander ordered that Paul be taken to the governor in Caesarea.NLT Translation notes:
Ps. 74:21 We no longer see your miraculous signs. All the prophets are gone, and no one can tell us when [this//it] will end.
Ps. 74:21 Donât let [us/the] downtrodden [people] be humiliated again.
Instead, let the poor and needy praise your name.
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Acts 24:24 A few days later Felix came back with his wife, Drusilla, who was Jewish. Sending for Paul, they listened as he told them about [fully believing/faith] in Christ Jesus.Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
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JOSHUA 14-15:
Yesterday in Joshua we heard an inventory of the kings conquered so far and details about the allotments of land for the 2 1/2 tribes east of the Jordan.PSALM 73:
This is one of my favorite psalms because it speaks to an intellectual problem that so often bothers me. The turning point is verse 17 in this poem by Asaph.ACTS 23b:
Paul before the council cried out words that divided the council, âBrothers, I am a Pharisee, as were my ancestors! And I am on trial because my hope is in the resurrection of the dead!â Note that no one said, âBut who says that Jesus has risen from the dead?!â The leaders could produce no proof that Jesus had not risen from the dead, and this fact also refuted the teaching of their sect, the sect of the Sadducees. So the resurrection of Jesus touched a very raw nerve for them. In the night, Jesus came personally to encourage Paul.NLT Translation notes:
Ps. 73:15 If I had really spoken this way to others, I would have been a traitor to your people[â O God].
26 My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak, but [You, O] God remain[0//s] the strength of my heart; [You are//he is] mine forever. Ps. 73:27 Those who desert [You, O Lord//him] will perish,
for you destroy those who abandon you.
28 But as for me, how good it is to be near [You, O] God!
I have made [You O//the] Sovereign LORD my shelter,
and I will tell everyone about the wonderful things you do.Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
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JOSHUA 12-13:
As we heard yesterday, God fought for Israel, even causing the sun and moon to stand still. Basically the main central body of land was conquered in only two campaigns. It is important to remember that the total destruction of the people groups listed was commanded by God because of their disgusting pagan and idolatrous practices. Joshua 10:40 â⊠This was what the Lord God of Israel had commanded.â See also 11:20.PSALM 72:
It is clear that this psalm, written by King Solomonâ or more likely written about King Solomon, goes beyond Solomon, giving adoration to the King of Kings.ACTS 23a:
Paul gave his defense from the top of the stairway leading to the military headquarters. In spite of the miracles in his story, the mob was not impressed. It was the word âGentilesâ that caused the final violent reaction.NLT Translation notes:
Ps. 72 A psalm [for/of] Solomon.
[NET tn The preposition could be understood as indicating authorship (âOf Solomonâ), but since the psalm is a prayer for a king, it may be that the superscription reflects a tradition that understood this as a prayer for Solomon.]
Ps. 72:6 May [our/the] kingâs rule be refreshing like spring rain on freshly cut grass,
like the showers that water the earth.Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
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JOSHUA 10-11:
The king of Ai trusted in appearances, and was defeated. And the leaders of Israel trusted in appearances and failed to ask God for guidance, leading to a problem that would later cause more pain.PSALM 71:
This is a poem written by an senior citizen with examples for our prayers that are appropriate for âyouthâ of all ages.ACTS 22:
In the last part of Acts 21, people from the Roman province of Asia recognized Paul and started a riot in the temple. Paul was arrested and now gives his speech to the angry mob.NLT Translation notes:
Josh. 10:39 He captured the town, its king, and all of its surrounding villages. He completely destroyed everyone in it, leaving no survivors. He did to Debir and its king just what he had done to Hebron and [0/to ] Libnah and [their kings//its king].
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Ps. 71:6 Yes, you have been with me from birth;
from my motherâs womb you have cared for me.
No wonder I am always [singing your praises//praising you]!
Ps. 71:22 Then I will praise you with music on the harp,
because you are faithful to your promises, O my God.
I will sing praises to you with a [harp//lyre],
O Holy One of Israel. [Who knows what a lyre is these days. But people still know what a liar is.]
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Acts 22:11 âI was blinded by [that/the] intense light and had to be led by the hand to Damascus by my companions.
28 [The commander scoffed, âOh yeah, Iâve heard that one before! Now youâre gonna say, âIt cost me pleanty to buy my citizenship.ââ //âI am, too,â the commander muttered, âand it cost me plenty!â]Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
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JOSHUA 8-9:
Yesterday the walls of Jericho âcame a-tumbling downâ after some skillful trumpet playing while marching around the city for 7 days. The city was devoted to destruction, meaning that this was God's judgement upon them, and that everything was to be destroyed. Right after this amazing victory, Israel learned through a man named Achan that keeping treasures devoted to destruction makes oneself devoted to destruction.PSALM 70:
David pleads in this psalm for help against his enemies. And this poem is a repetition of the last part of Psalm 40.ACTS 21b:
Paul, Luke, and the other companions arrived in Jerusalem. On the way, Paul heard the prophecies that he should not go to Jerusalem. Once there, he received advice from James and the others which turned out to be disastrous in the end. Should Paul have followed the advice he was given by prophecy? My opinion is that he did the will of God which had already been revealed to him before those prophecies. In other words, the information in those prophecies that Paul would be arrested and beaten was from God. The interpretation that Paul should not go there was added by people, and Paul was right in not following their advice.NLT Translation notes:
Ps. 70:2 May those who [are trying//try] to kill me be humiliated and put to shame. May those who take delight in my trouble be turned back in disgrace.
5 But as for me [now], I am poor and needy; please hurry to my aid, O God. You are my helper and my savior; O Lord , do not delay.Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
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JOSHUA 6-7:
In yesterdayâs reading, Joshua lead the people across the Jordan on dry ground, and they set up 12 stones in two places to be memorial reminders for the people of this miracle. All the men were circumcised, and the angel who is the commander of God's army revealed himself to Joshua.PSALM 69:
In yesterdayâs reading, I appreciated that the writer appealed to God based on the Lordâs âconstant loveâ. Letâs continue the reading of Ps 69 with four verses appropriate to Jesusâ life. Note that verse 22 is quoted by Paul in Romans 11.ACTS 21a:
Yesterday we heard Paul's speech to the Ephesian elders. The Holy Spirit had revealed to him that they would never see him again. He warned them to be faithful in shepherding the people and to watch out for false teaching. In Revelation 2 we find out that they did as Paul commanded, but in their zeal to protect from error, they forgot to be loving.NLT Translation notes:
Ps. 69:30 Then I will praise [Your name, O God//Godâs name] with singing,
and I will honor [You/him] with thanksgiving.
31 For this will please [You/the] LORD more than sacrificing cattle,
more than presenting a bull with its horns and hooves.
32 The humble will see their [You, O] God[,] at work and be glad.
Let all who seek [your help, O God//Godâs help] be encouraged.
Acts 21:4 and 12 NLT has 'not go on' and I read 'not go'. My mistake! But many other translations do not have the word 'on' and I didn't see it both times.Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
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JOSHUA 4-5:
In yesterdayâs reading, Joshua sent out two spies. Rahab, who was a prostitute and later became an outstanding example of God's grace, protected them and eventually became a full member of Israel. The people of Israel crossed the Jordan miraculously on dry groundâ even though the river was in flood stage, as Joshua leads following God's instructions.PSALM 69:
This poem contains words that were quoted about Jesus (v. 4 and 9). Those verses give us an inside view of the nature of Jesusâ suffering while on earth in his public ministry.ACTS 20:
In yesterdayâs reading, Paul left Ephesus and prepared other churches for his departure. In Troas, Paul preached all night. Eutychus had trouble staying awake. And today we will hear all of Paul's speech at Miletus to the elders from the church at Ephesus.NLT Translation notes:
Josh. 5:13 When Joshua was near the town of Jericho, he looked up and saw a man standing in front of him with sword in hand. Joshua went up to him and [asked him//demanded], âAre you friend or foe?â
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Ps. 69:3I am exhausted from crying for help;
my throat is parched.
My eyes are swollen with weeping,
waiting for [You] my God to help me.
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Acts 20:18 When they arrived he [began his speech//declared], âYou know that from the day I set foot in the province of Asia until now
21 I have had one message for Jews and Greeks alikeâthe necessity of repenting from sin and turning to God, and of [fully believing//having faith] in our Lord Jesus.
25 âAnd now I know that none of you to whom I have preached the [Good News about Godâs] Kingdom will ever see me again.
28 âSo guard yourselves and Godâs people. Feed and shepherd Godâs flockâhis church, purchased with his own bloodâover which the Holy Spirit has appointed you as [elders//leaders].Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
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JOSHUA 2-3:
Yesterday we started the book of Joshua, named after the man God chose as Mosesâ successor. In this book we will see the victory of the Chosen People in conquering the Promised Land (chapters 1-12) and then the occupation of the Promised Land (chapters 13-24). Three times i n Deuteronomy 31, we heard the charge, âBe determined and confident,â and that command was repeated three more times to Joshua in chapter 1.PSALM 68b:
This psalm starts with the words Moses spoke whenever the Ark of the Covenant was taken up to be moved to another place:
â1 Rise up, O God, and scatter your enemies.â
And David adds, âLet those who hate God run for their lives.âACTS 20a:
Yesterday we heard of how Demetriusâ the silver-smith shrine-making businessman, incited a riot against Paul.NLT Translation note:
Ps. 68:31 NLT Version difference in Line B: let Ethiopia bow in submission to God.
Acts 20:25 âAnd now I know that none of you to whom I have preached [this news about//the] [Godâs] Kingdom will ever see me again.Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
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JOSHUA 1:
Yesterday we read the conclusion of Deuteronomy with Moses blessing eleven of the twelve tribes with a prophetic blessing. And then Moses died and the Lord buried him in an unknown location in Moab.Now we turn to Joshua, the book named after the man God chose as Mosesâ successor. In this book we see the victory of the Chosen People in conquering the Promised Land (chapters 1-12) and then the occupation of the Promised Land (chapters 13-24). Three times in Deuteronomy 31, we find the charge, âBe determined and confident,â and that command is repeated to Joshua in the beginning of this book.
PSALM 68a:
This beautiful song of praise is filled with poetic imagery celebrating the victories God gives his people. So this song is very appropriate for us to read as a preface to the book of Joshua. This starts with the words that Moses spoke whenever the Ark of the Covenant was moved. Paul quotes from v18 and 20 in Eph 4.ACTS 19b:
Apollos was introduced in yesterday's reading. And Paul returned to Ephesus and had a miraculous and fruitful ministry there for three years.Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
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DEUTERONOMY 33-34:
In yesterday's reading, Moses showed Israel that the leadership was given to Joshua, and he gave the command that this book of Deuteronomy be kept near the Arc of the Covenant. Then God gave Moses a long song to teach people, to help them remember. In this song, God described some future events as happening in the past tense. This is a feature many prophetic writings. Here is one detail you might want to notice today in chapter 33: In Mosesâ blessings for the tribes of Israel, only 11 are listed. So Iâm giving a digging deeper challenge: Which tribe is left out, and what theory do you propose for that one being left out?
PSALM 67:
The theme of this beautiful psalm is that the salvation that God gives is to be made known to people everywhere, to every ethnic group.
ACTS 19a:
Yesterday in Acts 18, Paul met and began working with Aquila and Priscilla in Corinth. When put on trial before Gallio, God defended him so that he didn't even need to speak. Then that night Jesus strengthened him to keep on speaking boldly.
NLT Translation note:
Ps. 67:7 Yes, [You, O ] God will bless us,
and people all over the world will fear [You/him].Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
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DEUTERONOMY 31-32:
Yesterday in Deuteronomy Moses reviewed the covenant and again stressed that the choice is between life and death, and between experiencing blessings or curses. Be aware that in the poem dictated to Moses by the Lord, the Lord speaks of things that were in Israelâs future as if they had already taken place. This is called propleptic past tense, and is a feature of prophetic writings.PSALM 66:
Our glorious God deserves glorious praise. Note that this psalm shows the importance of confessing our sins to God.ACTS 18:
In Acts 17, opposition hounded the steps of Paul, Silas and Timothy, first in Thessalonica and then in Berea. The people of Berea are an example for us all, and thatâs why so many churches are named after their city. Then Paul in Athens debated with the philosophers of his day.NLT Translation notes:
Deut. 31:51 For both of you betrayed me [before/with] the Israelites at the waters of Meribah at Kadeshm in the wilderness of Zin. You failed to demonstrate my holiness to the people of Israel there.
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Acts 18:5 And after Silas and Timothy came down from Macedonia, Paul spent all his time preaching the word. He testified to the Jews that Jesus [is/was] the Messiah.Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
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DEUTERONOMY 29-30:
Yesterday in Deuteronomy Moses ratcheted up the fear index to the red level. And the scary thing about the threats he used to motivate the people to obedience is that they later all came true, as we will see in books like Judges and 2 Kings.PSALM 65:
Todayâs Psalm is a hymn of joy and mighty praise.ACTS 17:
Yesterday we heard of how Paul and Silas were beaten and put in jail. This was as a result of freeing a slave girl from demonic bondage. Their overnight in jail led to the jailer and his family becoming followers of Christ. But the next day, as requested, Paul and Silas left town.NLT Translation notes:
Ps. 73:27 Those who desert [You, O Lord//him] will perish,
for you destroy those who abandon you.
28 But as for me, how good it is to be near God!
I have made [You O//the] Sovereign LORD my shelter,
and I will tell everyone about the wonderful things you do.Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
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DEUTERONOMY 28:
Yesterday we read of the ceremony that Moses commanded the people to perform when they entered the promised land. The Levites were to loudly proclaim curses from Mount Ebal over anyone who violates the laws.PSALM 64:
If you feel that people are looking for opportunities to slander you, this psalm is for you.ACTS 16b:
Yesterday in in this chapterâ via the change of pronouns, we understood that Luke joined with Paul as one of his traveling companions. Also note that the Holy Spirit can also be called the Spirit of Jesus. These are one and the same Spirit of God.NLT Translation notes:
Deut. 28:20 âThe Lord himself will send on you curses, confusion, and frustration in everything you do, until at last you are completely destroyed for doing evil and abandoning [him//me].
Deut. 28:51 Its armies will devour your livestock and crops, and you will be destroyed. They will leave you no grain, [no//new] wine, olive oil, calves, or lambs, and you will starve to death.
Ps. 64:9 Then everyone will be afraid; they will proclaim the mighty acts of God and realize all the amazing things he [has done//does].
Acts 16:18 This went on day after day until Paul got so exasperated that he turned and said to the demon within her, âI command you in the name of [ Christ Jesus// Jesus Christ] to come out of her.â And instantly it left her.
31They replied, âBelieve in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved. [And the same is true for//, along with everyone in your household.â]Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
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DEUTERONOMY 27:
Yesterday in Deuteronomy, Moses continued with miscellaneous regulations. One repeated in the New Testament is to not muzzle an ox to keep it from eating when it is treading out grain. Paul used that as a metaphor for something else.PSALM 63:
This is another poem of David, including beautiful imagery. Pray like David, if you want to be blessed like David or need protection as David did.ACTS 16a:
Yesterday in Acts we heard how Barnabas and Paul with Silas and Judas/Justus delivered the letter from the leaders in Jerusalem. And afterward, Paul and Barnabas had their falling out over the issue of whether to take John Mark along on their next trip. Silasâ who evidently had come back to Antioch, became Paul's new ministry partner.NLT Translation notes:
Ps. 63:11 But the king will rejoice in [You, O ] God.
All who trust in [You/him] will praise [You/him],
while liars will be silenced.
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Acts 16:18 This went on day after day until Paul got so exasperated that he turned and said to the demon within her, âI command you in the name of [Christ Jesus//Jesus Christ] to come out of her.â And instantly it left her.Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
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DEUTERONOMY 25-26:
Yesterday we read some laws for what kind of people could not enter into the congregation of Israel, and how long before their descendants could enter into the congregation of Israel. And we heard laws about cleanliness based on the fact that God was living with the Israelites. And, God wanted his people to be kind, fair, and thoughtful of the needs of the poor.PSALM 62:
Here is a psalm to pray and an example to follow when you feel the world is against you.ACTS 15b:
Yesterday in the first half of this chapter we heard how the controversy over circumcision started and we heard the speeches of Peter and James.NLT Translation notes:
Ps. 62:11 But the king will rejoice in [You, O ] God.
All who trust in [You/him] will praise [You/him],
while liars will be silenced.
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Acts 15:18 This went on day after day until Paul got so exasperated that he turned and said to the demon within her, âI command you in the name of [Christ Jesus//Jesus Christ] to come out of her.â And instantly it left her.Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
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A few years ago I published a YouVersion reading plan entitled Buckling the belt of truth. In this podcast Iâm reissuing the first episode of that reading plan.
Here I am at 72. I'm beginning to not be so surprised at my own age. Being so very elderly, perhaps it is time to share some grandfatherly advice.
Maybe I have some of you fooled. Some of you may think that an elder missionary like me has it all together and that I don't ever sin. You might think that I have conquered all weaknesses and no longer have episodes of sinful thoughts. You would be wrong. And I suspect that I donât fool everyone. People who really know me have seen my weaknesses.
However, if I am working with the right information, a lot of you have struggles with sin the same way I do. So let me start by calling our attention again to these frequently quoted verses:
2 Peter 1:3-4 NLT'15
3 By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence. 4 And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the worldâs corruption caused by human desires.2 Peter 1:3-4 ESV:
3 His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, 4 by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.Those are great verses, but they leave me asking, even crying out, âWhich promises?! I don't think I have âescaped the world's corruptionâ yet! Have I been overlooking a key promise somewhere?!â
Peter follows verses 3-4 by urging his readers to take steps for spiritual maturity found in verses 5-8. While Peter gives great advice in those verses (which I hope you will study), I still keep coming back to verses 3-4 and asking, âHow do I put golden promises found somewhere in the Bible into effect?â so that through them, I can âshare in Godâs divine natureâ and truly âescapeâ from bondage to sinful desires. What are the practical steps to do that?â Where can I find the promises that unlock moral excellence and self-control?
Just like any college curriculum, before you start advanced courses, you need to take the prerequisites. So also, for you to get the most from this study, here are the prerequisites.
This study is for true believers in Christ who are mature enough in following Jesus to have experienced the frustration I just explained above. The 5-7 studies I am starting with this session wonât be much help to you if you are living in gross disobedience to basic commands in Godâs Word. Using an extreme example, if you make your living by stealing packages, you need to get an honest job before taking this course. This course is for those seeking spiritual maturity. The first step in becoming a maturing follower of Jesus is for you to repent of all openly disobedient life-styles. Another foundational step toward maturity is being a member of a local Bible-believing church, being baptized, and taking part in the Lordâs supper with your fellow believers. I can imagine some readers complaining about my saying this. I urge you to understand that membership in an organized fellowship of believers is a baked-in part of how God designed humans to live. The picture of community life starts in Genesis and goes through the whole Bible. You will not be successful in your quest for spiritual maturity if you are attempting to live as a Lone Ranger Christian. Other readers will say, âI donât want to be a lone ranger, but there isnât a Bible believing church near me.â I recognize that finding a church that is faithfully teaching the Bible will become increasingly difficult at this timeâ especially in some countries, but also anywhere in the increasingly post-Christian world. Look for a home fellowship that you can join. Finally, an important foundational prerequisite step is to cultivate a scheduled Bible reading habit.If you fit this profile, please continue to listen/read.
1. My first step to finding the golden promises Peter mentioned and escaping moral corruption is to Put on the belt of truth. This is one of seven parts to the Christianâs armor found in Ephesians 6. But I suggest that we make this clarification: Buckle the belt of truth by believing what God says about you in the Bible.
NLT'07 Ephesians 6:14:
14 Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth âŠIf you are a Christian, you believe a lot of true things already about Christ and the Bible. (You believe Christ came to earth to save us. You believe the Bible is Godâs message to us.) But do you reject believing other things the Bible says about you? If you do, it is like putting on a beltâ putting it through your belt loops, but not buckling it. So letâs learn how to buckle the belt of truth.
In this lesson, I want to sensitize you to realize when you donât actually believe it when the Bible says incredibly awesome things about YOU as a believer in Christ.
Having the realization is often the hardest part. After that, ask God to renew your mind to fully accept the new truth.
Letâs make one thing clear about believing. Believing isnât something that just sort of happens. Believing is an act of the will. You decide if you believe something or believe in Somebody, or not. This is why in Scripture we read that God commanded people to believe and do what He told them, and He punished them for a stubborn refusal to believe His commands.
Just look at the people of Israel who followed Moses all the way from Egypt and through the wilderness. They got all the way to the border of the promised land, knowing all the time what they would have to do. But when the Lord, âNow itâs time to enter and conquer that land,â they said, âSurely you couldnât mean us!â
Letâs go back to where we started. Peter said, âhe (God) has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the worldâs corruption caused by human desires.
Hereâs the basic principle I hope you will learn: When you encounter âgreat and precious promisesâ in your Bible reading, telling you about wonderful things God has done for you or given to you, ask God to make those things real to you. Ask him to open your mind to receive that truth about you, and help you live in the light of that truth. You will need to pray asking God for such help, because for your whole life, Satan and his friends have been feeding lies to you.
Now letâs turn to Ephesians 1. You might want to follow the episode notes so that you can see the words I have highlighted.
NLT'15 Ephesians 1:1-23:
1 This letter is from Paul, chosen by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus. I am writing to Godâs holy people in Ephesus, who are faithful followers of Christ Jesus.
2 May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace.This letter written to the normal believers in Ephesus, is therefore written to us too. For now letâs skip the idea that Paul called them âholy peopleâ, because Paul comes back to that idea more than once below.
3 All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ. 4 Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. 5 God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure. 6 So we praise God for the glorious grace he has poured out on us who belong to his dear Son. 7 He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins. 8 He has showered his kindness on us, along with all wisdom and understanding.
This paragraph turns our normal understanding upside down. I think that most people think of God as the angry judge that will destroy us. But these verses have God as the actor doing all these wonderful things, which are too many for me to comment on now. Let me highlight just two of them: God loves us and called us in advance. Change what you think about God and yourself: Tell this truth to yourself: God loves even me. God called me long ago, before I was born (amazingly, before He made the world).
Letâs claim another truth here: As a believer in Christ, you are united with Christ. A literal translation will say, âin Christâ. Jesus spoke of this unity when He said, âI am the vine and you are the branches.â (John 15:5)
NLT'07 John 15:4:
4 Remain in me (joined to me), and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me.This idea of being âjoinedâ to Christ (or âin Christ) is spoken of in many places in Paulâs writing, and it becomes one of the themes of this letter. But, dear friend, itâs time for you to start believing this idea about yourself! This is a key concept in believing that you are accepted as âholyâ in Godâs sight. If you see yourself as separate from Christ, sadly, you will act like you are not connected to Christ.
Now with this connection, we also have the reason we are holy. Itâs not that we are in any natural sense âsaintsâ, but we have been made holy by Christ. We have received his holiness.
Out of the incredible richness of this paragraph, I want to pull out one more gem. God has adopted you and me into his family. In the Greek Paul used a legal term here which means you have been given âsonshipâ or âlegally adopted as a sonâ. In Roman law, the adoption of a son could not be undone. It was permanent. (Ladies, in this spiritual reality, donât let the male gender of this term rob you from considering yourself permanently adopted.) Dear friend, it's time to revise how you think of yourself. Youâre not a nobody. Youâre not unloved. You are a permanent member of the most powerful royal family!
Letâs skip down to the middle of v.13.
And when you believed in Christ, he identified you as his own by giving you the Holy Spirit, whom he promised long ago. 14 The Spirit is Godâs guarantee that he will give us the inheritance he promised and that he has purchased us to be his own people. He did this so we would praise and glorify him.
Think about this: God has given you a guarantee that he is going to give you a wonderful inheritance. Stop saying, âWell, as long as I get to heaven I donât need an inheritance.â God wants us to think about that inheritance. It is healthy for us to think longingly for our inheritance in heaven.
Our guarantee is not some flimsy card that we will misplace. Our guarantee is the presence of the Holy Spirit in our hearts! Our text says, âwhen you believed in Christ, he (God) identified you as his own by giving you the Holy Spirit,â
It is crucial that you have a sense of belonging to God given by the Holy Spirit. Think of how personal and intimate is this bond we now have with God. I think you will find that this intimate bond is something you want to keep. This is one of our main motivations in seeking to live a holy life in Godâs sight.
NLT'07 Romans 8:9:
9 ⊠(And remember that those who do not have the Spirit of Christ living in them do not belong to him at all.)Itâs no wonder that in the John 15 passage we quoted about Jesus being the vine and we the branches, He mentions prayer:
NLT'07 John 15:7:
7 But if you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted!If we arenât praying, then we arenât believing the truths I just listed for you.
Power points:
God is for us and loves us. God is the actor for most of this chapter. This love from God the Father is counter-intuitive for us. We wonât believe it unless we realize our lack of belief and pray to God asking Him to make it real to us. God went to great lengths to put his plan into action. This gives us great confidence that we have really been called by Him. We are one with Him, joined to Him. We are united to Christ, so much so that He considers us actually part of his body. We have a powerful guarantee, the Holy Spirit, which is not an external thing, but an inward witness that we are joined to Christ. We are Godâs holy people, not because we have the power to be holy. But God has made us holy by our unity with Christ. This is our identity! Take this identity. Believe and preserve this identity by taking care of the unity you have with the Holy Spirit. Paul wants us to understand all these things so that we understand that God will use his power to help us.Homework:
2PE.1.3-4
EPH.6.10-18
EPH.1
EPH.2.1-10
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DEUTERONOMY 23-24:
Yesterday we read an odd collection of regulations: Cleansing the land from unsolved murder, marrying a captive woman after a war, rights of a first-born son when a man has more than one wife, the responsibility of helping neighbors, and various problems concerning adultery.
PSALM 61:
This is one I love to sing.
ACTS 15a:
In Acts 14, we heard of the incredible turn of events for Paul and Barnabas. At one moment they were hailed as gods, but after a very short time Paul was stoned. As they tell the believers, âWe have to go through many hardships before we enter God's kingdom in heaven.âNLT Translation notes:
6 [Since you have made me king, O Lord,]
Add many years to [my life.//the life of the king!]
May [my//his] years span the generations!
7 May [I/he] reign under [your//Godâs] protection, [even] forever. May your unfailing love and faithfulness watch over [me//him].Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
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DEUTERONOMY 21-22:
Yesterday we heard an explanation of why cities of refuge were needed. And we heard interesting rules concerning war. In the war and conquest of Canaan that we will read about in Joshua, I urge us to remember that God spoke repeatedly about the wickedness of the Canaanite nations that Israel would conquer (beginning with what He said to Jacob way back in Genesis 15:16). Included in the detestable customs of the nations mentioned, is that they sacrificed human babies, burning them alive, plus all of the other sins Moses told the people not to imitate.PSALM 60:
This poem is again based on Davidâs experiences. I think that this psalm must show how David prayed before the victories mentioned in the rabbinical title.ACTS 14:
In chapter 13 we completed the story of Paul and Barnabas' short but successful ministry in Pisidian Antioch. They were too successful, so were run out of town. This is just the first time that will happen!NLT Translation notes:
Deut. 21:6 âThe elders of the town must wash their hands over the heifer whose neck [has been//was] broken.
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Ps. 60:6[O] God [You have/has] promised this by [your/his] holiness:
âI will divide up Shechem with joy.
I will measure out the valley of Succoth.
12With [Your help O God,//Godâs help] we will do mighty things,
for [You/he] will trample down our foes.
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Acts 14:22 where they strengthened the believers. They encouraged them to continue [believing in Christ//in the faith], reminding them that we must suffer many hardships to enter the Kingdom of God.
23 Paul and Barnabas also appointed elders in every church. With prayer and fasting, they [surrendered//turned] the elders over to the care of the Lord, in whom they had put their trust.
27 Upon arriving in Antioch, they called the church together and reported everything God had done through them and how he had opened the door of [belief//faith] to the Gentiles, too.Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
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