Afleveringen
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Today we will read Ephesians 1:7 and 8. These verses say âWe have redemption in Him through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace that He lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding.â
Weâve been spending time in Ephesians 1. Paul has a knack for writing soaring poetry about Jesus to open his letters and this may take the cake. In fact in the original Greek, these 11 verses about Godâs blessing are one long sentence. Weâve seen that God has taken all the responsibility to choose and execute His good plan to redeem. Weâve seen that He did this before you were even born, or anything at all was created! Weâve seen that He loves you intensely. Weâve seen that Heâs adopted us. But we must ask the question, from what has He adopted us? From what has He chosen us? How has this adoption occurred and whatâs the flip side of the coin?
These verses tell us. We have redemption in Him through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses. Here we come face to face with the shocking claim of the gospel. Godâs method of redeeming you is through His blood. That is, through He Himself suffering, shedding blood, and dying. Why? Why would God need to do that? It tells us - because our trespasses need to be forgiven. We donât use the word âtrespassâ often - at least not in the archaic sense. To trespass is to commit an offense, to sin, or to break the law. To do wrong. We could use the modern sense as well - going where we should not.
And here we have a problem. This passage is claiming that our behavior, our very self, isâŠwrong. Itâs so wrong, that it requires God-blood to forgive. Itâs not trivial. Itâs not a minor error. This is a systemic lawbreaking problem on our part which requires the King Himself to suffer and die in order to fix. So I must ask, does that bother you? Specifically are there behaviors you indulge in and (more importantly) dismiss or excuse as right even if revelatory scripture claims that theyâre wrong? Think of it this way, would you be so bold as to call good what the God of Creation shed blood to redeem? Thatâs incredible hubris. And yet I fear that more and more our culture is claiming just that. This passage, and scripture as a whole doesnât apologize for calling sin sin. Of course there are thoughts, behaviors, and habits that both you and I have that are shameful and that He shed blood for. Thatâs obvious. And itâs enough that we do them. But letâs not delude ourselves into thinking something is good just because our twisted selves desire it.
This adoption doesnât come easy or cheap. The riches of His grace that He lavishes on us cost Him greatly. And He seems incredibly overjoyed to do it. Still thereâs another piece to consider - the last part of the passage. How does He lavish this grace? âWith all wisdom and understanding.â God shed His blood, lavishes grace, forgives trespasses, and redeems, with not just some wisdom and understanding, but with all of it. He is completely thorough in His wisdom and understanding regarding the entire matter. He knows the exact nature and extent of the problem. He knows all that must transpire in order to transform you into the beloved. He knows how much energy, and cost it requires. And Heâs made all the provision. And as weâve said - He will get what He wants.
Our role at this point is quite simple. Itâs to agree with Him. Itâs to take at face value that He has chosen, shed His blood, forgiven our trespasses, and lavished us with grace and riches. And strangely that He seems to enjoy it! You could call this belief, or faith. What a God we have!
God I believe You. I believe that You have done all of this. I believe that I need it because Iâm a sinner. But I believe Youâre bigger than my sin and way better than I could imagine.
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Today we will read Ephesians 1:5 and 6. Hereâs what they say⊠âHe predestined us to be adopted through Jesus Christ for Himself, according to His favor and will, to the praise of His glorious grace that He favored us with in the Beloved.â
Predestination. We tend to recoil at the idea of fate. We want freedom - the opportunity to better our circumstances, pick ourselves up, or at the very least, if we are to suffer, to suffer for our own misdeeds. Let the debt be our own to pay. What feels most repulsive is the idea that we would enter this world through no choice of our own, and ultimately burn in hell also seemingly through no choice of our own. It is this view that runs the risk of making God appear wanton, capricious, and arbitrary. Have you thought of God this way? Iâll be honest, whenever I hear the word âpredestinationâ, I have to resist my initial impulse to think these dark thoughts. Perhaps itâs how the concept was initially presented to me. I donât know. I donât think Iâm alone. I wonder how many have turned away from God due in part to thinking this way.
So itâs at this point we need to carefully consider what the text is actually saying. Of course there are many verses on the topic of predestination, and here we only have two. But whenever we face a difficult concept in scripture, we have choices in how to address it. We can ignore it. We can claim the author is wrong - or that God is wrong (heaven forbid). We can cling to our system of belief and force fit it in. We can cry out âMystery Mysteryâ. Or we can receive it with open hands and allow our thinking to be changed and accommodate the revelation.
So what does it say? He predestined us to be adopted. We were outsiders, and parentless. But God chose us. And to what end did He choose us? For His own end. We are adopted forâŠGod! God literally wants us. He wants you - Heâs made all the provision, and Heâll get what He wants. Is there anything in here about hell? Anything about not choosing some? Anything about a moody God Who couldâve just as easily destroyed you? No. Thereâs nothing like that. Only His favor and will. His will is a good one. And this is not only for you, but you receive this favor by being part of a collective whole - the beloved.
There are numerous passages about Christâs (Godâs) beloved, or body, or bride. You pick your favorite word. The point is that God so deeply loves this collection of the redeemed and it is His object of passion, romance, and unending favor and love. You are in that. And you had nothing to do with it. Youâve won the multi-billion dollar lottery a million times over because God is that good. He chose it for you. You couldnât nullify His love for you if you tried. And you do try. So do I. But no matter how screwed up we are, or how much we mess up, it is simply steps along the way to making us what He chose long ago for us to be - the objects of His love - His beloved.
Congratulations beloved of God! Go live it out!
God are you really that good? I have to pinch myself. Youâre incredible.
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Zijn er afleveringen die ontbreken?
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Today we will read Ephesians 1:3 and 4. Hereâs what they say, âPraise the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavens. For He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, to be holy and blameless in His sight.
Weâll be spending some time in Ephesians 1. I wonât pretend to be a Greek expert but itâs worth noting that these verses all the way down to verse 14 are one long, run-on sentence. They express an idea about Jesus. Itâs almost like Paul is looking at a diamond and as he rotates it the facets look slightly different from each angle - but itâs still one diamond. Paul lavishes praise on God. His mind seems captivated and carried away by Christ and ever surprised by Godâs methods. In Paulâs mind, things just get better and better the more we know God. He is better than we could have imagined. But letâs not get ahead of ourselves. Time will let us get there but for now, verses 3 and 4.
âPraise the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.â Jesus has a Father - and Heâs your Father. There is something unique between the Father and Son. There is a relationship and itâs a good one. Whatâs the nature of the difference? I havenât got a clue. Neither does anyone else. Weâre talking about a Being wholly different than anything we can possibly behold. But scripture is unapologetic about it. Personally, Iâm often tempted to swerve toward modalism - the idea that One God expresses Himself cosmically as Father and humanly as Son. And while I believe there are merits to this idea, Paul doesnât let me rest comfortably in it. There is something to the Trinity. There is something to the differences (if Iâm even using the right word - or thought) between the Father and Son. Letâs just receive it. Isnât it a wonderful thing to have the God we do? Not a distant self-absorbed, static unfeeling Being. Far from it. We have a dynamic, relational, moving, feeling God Who has done an incredible thing! On to verse 4.
He chose us! And when did He choose us? When we had faith? When we were born? When Christ was crucified? When He created the universe? As mind-numbing as it is, it was before the Creation itself. Is âbeforeâ even the right word? There was no time before matter. So even now weâre far outside of our capacity to understand. But He chose us. You - He knew you and chose you. Some donât like this idea of God choosing. Itâs easy to immediately jump to the question, âBut what about those He didnât choose?â In time weâll address it all. But for now just accept what it says. It does not say He choose You and ignored others. It simply says He chose you. You are chosen. Your standing with God could have been left up to you. And we all know the darkness in our own souls. No - God is a preemptive God. God had it all worked out before a single thing was created. It was His good plan to bless you with EVERY spiritual blessing in the heavens. And to choose you to be holy and blameless in His sight.
Are you there yet? Are you holy and blameless in His sight? Well, in Christ you are. Your behavior may not reflect it at the moment. But you are subject to a God-sized force that is greater than all your self-destructive behavior. God has chosen you. You had nothing to do with it. Why? Because Heâs that good. Nothing will stop Him from lavishing you with EVERY spiritual blessing in the heavens! Nothing will stop God from getting what He wants - and He wants you.
Does that excite you? Does it scare you? If so, are you open to the idea that you are not yet thinking of God as good as He is? He is far better than you can imagine. And by His own choosing, He will prove it to you. Heâs just getting started.
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Today we will read Hebrew 7:25-27 which say, “Therefore, He is always able to save those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to intercede for them. For this is the kind of high priest we need: holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens. He doesn’t need to offer sacrifices every day, as high priests do - first for their own sins, then for those of the people. He did this once for all when He offered Himself.”
What is Jesus doing right now? And what does Jesus do when you or I sin? The shocking claim of the writer of Hebrews, is that right this very moment, Jesus Himself is interceding for you. That’s a great word - intercede. It means to intervene, to beg on your behalf. He’s interceding for you while you sleep, while you worship, while you look at porn, and even in those moments you’re most deluded and think He’s impressed with you and that you’re doing pretty well.
If there’s anything the old testament sacrificial system showed us, it’s that it takes a lot of sacrificial lambs to keep us in good standing with God. There were whole burnt offerings that covered everything, and then one-off sin offerings for those regrettable moments, and offerings for the priests, and fellowship offerings… and it never ended - day after day after day. Not only that, but the sacrifices were still just animals. Unable to do anything for you except suffer the responsibility of your sin. Brutal, but true.
But Jesus is not only sinless, and a sacrifice, but He’s also quote “Exalted High Above the Heavens!” Yes! Our sacrifice is the King of the Universe. But unlike other kings He doesn’t passively sit on a throne collecting tributes. Nope, He is still actively, energetically, unapologetically pleading on your behalf. He is arguing for blessing on you. He is constantly working for your good before God Himself. How does this work? No clue. But the implication is that you have the God-man on your side right this second! He is even now arguing on your behalf as though you were Him!
Now, what are the implications? If the King Himself were making arguments to the king for you, then what in the world are you doing not going to the King at every moment for everything? What do you lack? You have it all! Now believe it - and act like it.
Jesus, You’re my intercessor. I love You! It’s too good to be true! I worship You and I boldly ask You for the following… -
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Today we will read Romans 14:22 which says, “Do you have a conviction? Keep it to yourself before God. The man who does not condemn himself by what he approves is Blessed.”
Here we have a very practical message from Paul. Do you have a conviction? Or better - faith? Do you have something that by faith you believe to be from God and good? Is it something that someone else disagrees with? Is it something that doesn’t overtly have a command against or for it? Is it a gray-zone negotiable issue? Fine. Keep it between you and God.
No need to broadcast your opinion or flaunt it. In fact Paul would say there’s a blessing in not broadcasting it. No need to prove yourself right, or get facebook likes from the choir. Just have the confidence between you and God that all is well.
But is there some doubt in your mind? Are you on the fence? Do you go back and forth for some reason? Well that sounds like it might not be out of conviction, or rather out of faith. And Paul says what it is when you do a thing that isn’t of faith - it’s sin. That may seem harsh but what else would you call it?
So Paul is helping you live wisely in light of God’s incredible grace. Live by your convictions in light of God’s watchful eye. No need to shout it from the mountaintops. But be introspective at the same time and honest if you feel convicted not to do a thing. And in this way walk sensitively with God.
God, all things are from You. But show me day to day, even moment to moment, how You want me to live. -
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Today we will read Isaiah 42:14 which says, “I have kept silent from ages past; I have been quiet and restrained Myself. But now, I will groan like a woman in labor, gasping breathlessly.”
Where is God? And why is He so silent? This is certainly one of the greatest questions and problems for a believer. It’s been asked countless times for thousands of years. And we’re not going to figure it out here. But we can add our anguish to the mighty human outcry and our tears to the ocean.
On one hand, there is a universe. It’s here. Why? If there’s no God it makes no sense why there’d be anything at all. But this is a logical explanation to a spiritual and emotional problem. If God is so good, and so personal, why is He so quiet?
For the believer in the biblical God, we appeal to the Bible. But the Bible itself implies hundreds upon hundreds of years, thousands or even exponentially more of utter silence from God. And even when He does speak, it’s to an individual or to a very few select individuals. The silence from God is deafening.
God admits this Himself. He says “I have kept silent from ages past.” Those are His words. You and I hold our tongues for a few seconds and feel we might explode. God keeps it in for ages! And when He finally speaks, it’s like a woman in labor. Something has been growing, steadily, quietly in the dark. And a moment comes when not even God can keep it in! It’s unmistakable and loud. Such is how God communicates. He stays quiet. But don’t mistake quiet for static. There is something new on the horizon even as ages go by. We’re a part of a much bigger, much greater story. Faith then isn’t so much waiting for Him to do a particular thing, but the confidence that He is up to things that are better than we can imagine. We may not see it in a hundred lifetimes but it’s there.
In the meantime, we find strength in what has been communicated. We worship, and wait in anticipation of the new thing He is doing.
God, I yield my assumptions about You to that which You actually are. I get the smallest glimpse. And You are wonderful. I’m grateful for what has been communicated. And I wait excitedly for what You will do! -
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Today we will read Psalm 51:10 - a Psalm of David which says, “God, create a clean heart for me and renew a steadfast spirit within me.”
How are you? On top of the spiritual world? Have you made strides in your spiritual life such that would make the angels sing? Or have you in some way or another fallen off the bandwagon and in desperate need of getting back on?
There’s a consistent nagging temptation to avoid God especially when what we most need is to go to Him. Let’s add some context to this verse. David has just been confronted by the prophet Nathan over his adultery and murder. Not to put too fine a point on it, but David stole his buddy’s wife, and put him in the kill zone to cover his tracks. David abused his power to steal a woman, and kill his friend. I’m sure you’ve done a lot that you’re ashamed of. I sure have. But have you done that?
And yet, it’s in this moment that David asks what we find too often impossible to ask ourselves, “God, create a clean heart for me…” David doesn’t promise to do better. He doesn’t appeal to the fact that he hadn’t killed any of his other friends or stole their wives in the last 12 months. He doesn’t attempt to clean himself up. He appeals to God Himself to do the work. God is the One creating the clean heart. And more, God is the one to renew a steadfast spirit.
I like that word - steadfast. It means resolute and unwavering. When I’m tempted in ways I’ve fallen a million times, what I really need is to be steadfast. If I was always steadfast I’d never fall. So do I need to work on my steadfastness? Sure - but more importantly - I need to appeal to God to do it. David does and he’s a man after God’s own heart.
God, this isn’t pretty, but it’s what I need. I need a clean heart from You. I need steadfastness from You so that I stay clean before You. I don’t have any collateral to offer up. I have nothing else but to ask. So here I am. -
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Today we will read Leviticus 12:2-5. These verses say, “Tell the Israelites: When a woman becomes pregnant and gives birth to a male child, she will be unclean seven days…She will continue in purification from her bleeding for 33 days. She must not touch any holy thing or go into the sanctuary until completing her days of purification. But if she gives birth to a female child, she will be unclean for two weeks as she is during her menstrual impurity. She will continue in purification from her bleeding for 66 days.”
There are a lot of weird things in scripture. And this one ranks near the top. Just to summarize incase you missed it, a woman is essentially unclean for 40 days if she has a boy and 80 days total if she has a girl. 40 days, unclean, for a boy, and 80 days for a girl.
Why is this in the bible? I have no clue. We already believe that scripture is inspired of God but is also written within the context and agendas of the writers. Is this saying that little girls are twice as impure as little boys? I sure hope not.
We’re by far not the first to question this passage. Ancient Hebrew scholars came up with some very creative, and in some cases hysterical explanations. Including but not limited to: the length of time it takes for the woman to repent of swearing off ever having sex again. I kid you not. Supposedly this time is less for a boy because male babies were more preferable. You can’t make this stuff up.
Other explanations include the biological idea that if sperm goes to one side a male is produced, and on the other side a female, and it takes half as long for quote “rotted blood” to leave the body from the male side verses the female side. Sheesh.
I prefer the Adam and Eve explanation. Whatever your particular views of Genesis 1-3, the narrative states that Adam was in the garden first. And then later Eve is revealed as a mystery hidden within Adam. In a sense then Adam has a head-start in exploring God’s world. The females get a little more time then.
Whatever the explanation notice a few other things. First, Leviticus, far from being mean, is giving a new mom time to bond. There is no rush back to work, or any additional responsibilities given other than laying low and spending time with the new baby. Second, while we didn’t read it, the verses following spell out the need for an atonement offering. It’s the same for males and females. There’s not an extra offering for females. All humanity requires the same thing to be right with God, a sacrifice. And this sacrifice is offered before the baby has done anything immoral. It is necessary and provision is made even without the baby’s consent.
And finally, the females get a longer period of time. And while this could understandably be viewed as a knock against females, just consider that everything in creation led up to a female - not to a male. The crowning moment of goodness didn’t come with Adam but with Eve. When a man and woman get married, the groom walks in unceremoniously and without fanfare. But then everyone stands to attention, and marvels at the glory of the beautiful bride in the white dress. And in the future, Jesus will get His bride. Yes He’s made all the provision, He did all the sacrificing and suffering…Yes He’s the King and the Savior…but all His attention and romantic energy is aimed in one direction - the female - the bride - the church - the humanity that He is reconciling back to Himself.
God even in strange passages we can see You and marvel at You. I am part of Your bride. Show me more of what this means. -
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Today we will read 1 Peter 5:6-7. These verses say, “Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, so that He may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your care on Him, because He cares about you.”
Often overlooked is the first part of the passage. Verse 6 contextualizes our posture as we cast our anxieties on God. It tells us how to treat God and others. First, to humble ourselves under God’s hand. How? Well in large part in how we treat others as the first part of chapter 5 tells us - not in resistance to those who are our elders. There’s a deference we should pay to those who are older, more mature, and in positions of leadership. And this should inform how we treat those who are younger, less mature, or in a lower level of leadership. We should be humble, and deferential to both groups and in this way show humility to God. This is the context in which we are invited to cast our cares on God.
He cares about you. God cares about you - dear worshipper. He cares about you. Do you need to hear it again? The God of the universe, the Creator of all things, cares…for you. You! It’s an interesting play on words in English. It says “Cast our cares on Him for He cares.” It’s as though what we give God is the same thing He gives us. But it’s not exactly the same in the greek. The care we give God is our anxiety. It’s the fear we have mainly for our own self-interest. The pressure, the existential angst. It is that messiness in our soul that we are invited to give.
And what does He give in return? His care. But not anxiety. His deference. His humility. His willingness to set aside His rights and High Holy desires in order to accommodate you and me small as we are. The kind of care that a shepherd gives his flock. A desire for our good. We have a desire for our good without the wisdom to inform it or the power to accomplish it. Whereas He desires our good but has perfect wisdom to understand all the variables and all the capacity to bring it about. This God, in all His goodness and perfection, cares for you!
God I can hardly believe it’s true. That You, mighty and good as You are, actually care for me. Here then are my anxieties. -
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Today we will read Hebrews 10:26-27 which says, âFor if we deliberately sin after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins but a terrifying expectation of judgment and the fury of a fire about to consume the adversaries.â
Well this one is scary isnât it? And to be clear, this affects us all. There is no one free of intentional sin. Weâre all guilty, including the great apostle Paul himself. So is this passage teaching that weâre all doomed if/when we intentionally sin after receiving Jesus as our Savior? You could interpret it that way. Itâs bleak and hopeless but an interpretation.
Perhaps a better way is through the lens of the Old Testament sacrificial system - something weâre sadly distanced from in Christianity.
In Leviticus, the first offering is the Burnt Offering. This is an all-purpose, thorough atoning sacrifice. Itâs offered when a baby is born. Itâs a pleasing aroma to God. Itâs a sacrifice that seems to cover literally anything and everything and is offered regularly. None of the animal is spared. None is eaten. It is completely consumed by fire.
And while there are other sacrifices to be eaten and enjoyed as a family, or just given out of gratitude, the Sin Offering is the other serious big one. The Sin Offering, also a burnt offering, is offered case by case when someone sins unintentionally and becomes aware, or sins intentionally and repents. Either way, it requires the individual to take responsibility, repent, and offer the sacrifice. There is however the sin of defiance, or âHigh Handednessâ in Numbers 15:30 and seems to describe an ongoing obstinance and resistance to repentance that no offering could cover.
Jesus being the ultimate sacrifice fulfills these requirements and also informs the New Testament Jewish understanding of His work. So back to our passage. Jesus serves as the thorough Burnt Offering. Heâs covered it all. And when we go on to sin, which we do, He is also the Sin Offering covering each and every misstep. If we sin quote âintentionally,â I take this to mean an attitude of resistance - the opposite of repentance - the sin of âHigh Handedness.â
Imagine a husband in a room with his wife, and he just willy nilly flips on porn. No shame, no remorse, nothing. What would happen? He has knowledge of the truth - his wife is in the room. And yet heâs obstinate. In that moment, the intimacy of the marriage hits a brick wall and all that remains is her consuming wrath and judgement. Itâs either destruction of the relationship that could have been, or repentance and sacrifice. Those are the only options.
Itâs no different with God. All provision has been made but you will not find intimacy with Him while in defiant intentional sin. You are right for feeling the impending weight of His wrath. The Sin Offering is however available whenever you repent. You can play that card a million times and never exhaust Godâs grace. But it will always require a turning from your resistance and repenting. Destruction or repentance. Those are the only options. And the more time goes by, the clearer those destinies become in each of us.
God, I know my own heart. There are times I do sin intentionally, and Iâm hard hearted. Forgive me. I repent again. I want You.
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Today we will read John 16:7 which says, âNevertheless, I am telling you the truth. It is for your benefit that I go away, because if I donât go away, the Counselor will not come to you. If I go, I will send Him to you.â
Happy Post-Resurrection! Calendar-wise, we are still in the period of time after Jesusâ resurrection, and before His ascension. That will come in a few weeks. And then will be Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit, the Counselor, was poured out not onto humanity, but into humanity.
Of course Jesusâ words here to His disciples were before He was crucified. And they are jarring. Better Jesus? Itâs better that You go away? I cannot imagine a scenario where itâs better for a parent to leave so that some immaterial, inaudible version of the parent can be around. Jesusâ words can feel, well, out of touch with normal human needs, and emotions. And yet He says them. And this is where we have to make a hard choice to take Him seriously and press into what might be being said.
He says itâs âbetterâ for us. There are many things which are in fact better for us that donât feel like it at the time. Certainly as children it was difficult to believe our parents when they said âItâs better this wayâ about a million things. So by faith we can believe Jesus. But what is actually better?
Perhaps a bit of conjecture can help. Use your imagination and go back to a time before Jesus, before scripture at all. There was God, and there was creation. What does it look like when God interfaces with something that is not Himself? It looks like creation. And we see His power and invisible qualities. He is worthy of worship, seeking out, and fear, but distant and unapproachable.
Fast forward, and in fulfillment of the revelation of God in scripture, Jesus arrives! Heâs incredible! Heâs everything the perfect God/man would be. If youâre curious what God thinks, talks like, acts like, and doesâŠlook at Jesus. What does it look like when God interfaces with humanity? It looks like Jesus. But thereâs still only one of Him. And Heâs still outside of us.
Then Jesus promises to deliver something even better, the Holy Spirit. How does God bring a dead spirit back online? How does the ultimate Spirit not overwhelm a human spirit and destroy it? How does God create in us new hearts and make us like Christ? The answer seems to be with the Holy Spirit - that is, God Himself uniting to our spirit and bringing it back to life. What does it look like when God interfaces with our spirits? It looks like the Holy Spirit, and we are only beginning to get a sense of all that means in our lives.
Fast way forward, and there will come a time when we will not only see God face to face, but we will see Him as He is for we shall be like Him. Only God knows all that it takes to get us there, but that is where weâre headed. Is it better that Jesus leave? Only in the sense that God is coming ever nearer - and Heâs always better than we think. There is more happening in our universe and in our own souls than we can see with our eyeballs. God knows this and says itâs better.
God, Iâm amazed by You! Keep showing me more. I want more.
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Today we will read Psalm 96:1-3 which says, âSing a new song to the LORD; sing to the LORD, all the earth. Sing to the LORD, praise His name; proclaim His salvation from day to day. Declare His glory among the nations, His wonderful works among all peoples.â
These are not the words of a tired, bored church-goer. This sounds like someone who canât keep their mouth shut. Theyâre excited! The songwriter sees God in everything and they want to talk about Him, and sing about Him. Later in the psalm they tell the heavens, the sea, the fields, and even the trees to worship. I love the word in this translation - exult. The psalmist is telling creation to exult, literally to feel and show triumph in God.
He (or she) tells us to sing. Do you sing? Are you a good singer? It doesnât matter. Itâs not the point. You have a voice. Just like you have 2 legs to walk and run on. But do you use them? Itâs human to walk just as it is human to sing. And you, like the trees, and the sea, are reflecting the glory of God. Itâs just that you are the shining expression of His glory. You are His image. So sing! And donât just sing - sing something new. Find a new feeling, a new thought to exult in God. Do so when you feel it. Do so when you donât. God is there and God is worth it either way.
God I exult in You! I sing about You. I want to experience You in a new way. I love You.
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Today we will read Leviticus 21:16-20 which says, âThe LORD spoke to Moses: âTell Aaron: None of your descendants throughout your generations who has a physical defect is to come near to present the food of his God. No man who has any defect is to come near: no man who is blind, lame, facially disfigured, or deformed; no man who has a broken foot or hand, or who is a hunchback or is a dwarf (or emaciated), or who has an eye defect, a festering rash, scabs, or a crushed testicle.â
Strange right? Does this surprise you to be in the Bible? Not only because it forbids a priest from coming near to God for having a crushed testicle, but because so many things in this list wouldnât even be the fault of the priest. Deformity, blindnessâŠno one would choose that. And yet the priest is restricted through no fault of their own. One could read this as petty, and unfair. Too high a bar.
But consider the role of a priest. A priest becomes the representative of people before God. And God Himself demands perfection, or wholeness. In fact the idea of Godâs holiness is not entirely that He is sinless (although He is). Holiness has more to do with God being unique, special, utterly set apart. And therefore whatever comes into His presence is to also be set apart, special, and perfect.
Which brings us to the defective priests. The passage goes on to say that they may eat the priestly food, and still participate in priestly activities. They are not cut off or treated cruelly for their limitations. But to come near and present the offering before God, to enter His Presence, to be the perfect representative has nothing to do with the priests feelings, but their perfection. Only a perfect human can come before God. A whole, fully functioning, morally pure, truly human priest may adequately offer the sacrifice.
Who does that sound like? Yes - it is Jesus. Once again we get to the One and only perfect High Priest - the perfect human - the only One capable of representing us to God perfectly. It is wonderful too to reflect on Jesus work on earth. He made the lame walk, the blind see, the deaf to hear. He straightened withered hands. He fed the emaciated. He brought defective people back to wholeness physically, and spiritually. And He is actively doing that even now before God. What a Priest we have.
Jesus, You can come before God. And in You, I can come before God. Thank You.
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Today we will read Psalm chapter 2, verses 1-4 and then 10-12. They say, âWhy do the nations rebel and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth take their stand, and the rulers conspire together against the LORD and His Anointed One: âLet us tear off their chains and free ourselves from their restraints.â ⊠So now, kings, be wise; receive instruction, you judges of the earth. Serve the LORD with reverential awe and rejoice with trembling. Pay homage to the Son or He will be angry and you will perish in your rebellion, for His anger may ignite at any moment. All those who take refuge in Him are happy.â
Thereâs a lot here. Not the first of which is that this Psalm, the second Psalm, so obviously points to the LORDâs âAnointed Oneâ - the Son. The One to receive the nations as His inheritance? Sound familiar? Sound like Jesus? Should we be surprised? All of scripture, if youâre willing to see it, is pointing to Him. The nations are His.
But you, like so many grieving prophets before you, might be lamenting that as you look around, speak with friends, speak with family, engage people on social media, watch the newsâŠthat so many, seemingly the majority at times, ignore, malign, and disregard God, or at least His design and rule. Many are quote âtearing off their chains and freeing themselves from their restraints.â In the effort to achieve freedom they rebel against the very One Who can give true freedom.
And the Lord responds in a way we may not like. He laughs. He ridicules and mocks. He is angry. And like a pile of wood which before the fire was cool to the touch and seemingly unmoved forever, suddenly the spark ignites and the heat is unbearable. And there is a promise to the faithful. Unlike the rebels who will encounter the Lordâs wrath, those who take refuge in Him, areâŠsafe? Secure? Morally affirmed? No - they are happy. Do you want to be happy?
In closing, notice who the warning is aimed at. Itâs the kings - the rulers. They are the ones actively throwing off Godâs restraints. Are you a king or a ruler? If not, recognize then that your capacity to influence is limited. Do not fret or take ownership for something that is not yours. Pray for your rulers - pray for your kings. But you do rule something. At the very least you rule yourself. Your business. Your home or family. You may help oversee an organization. Take the warning then in verses 10-12. Be wise, receive instruction, serve the Lord with awe. Pay homage - literally - kiss the Son - worship. The warning is stern if you donât - you will perish in your rebellion. So donât rebel - donât perish. Take refuge in Him and be happy.
God, I choose to take ownership of whatâs mine. I donât want to refuse You or Your rule over me. You are the King and I take refuge in You. Show me how to do that and what it means for me.
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Today we will read Lamentations 3:22-23. Hereâs what they say, âBecause of the Lordâs faithful love we do not perish, for His mercies never end. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness!â
These are popular verses. And for good reason. They are soaring, beautiful statements of the unending faithfulness of God and the instantaneous access we have to His mercy. I fear though that the context is lost. You might have noticed the name of the book - Lamentations. The writer - Jeremiah - is lamenting. What is he lamenting? The destruction of his city and his people. Why was Jerusalem destroyed? Because of its sin. And yet heâs appealing to the ever-available mercy of God.
How are you? Have you conquered those gnawing sins and imperfections once and for all? Are you on the mountaintop? Or have you fallen off the wagon and slammed into the rocks? Probably depends on the day. Itâs all too human.
I have sobering news and good news. Letâs start with the sobering. You are real. Your decisions and actions are real. The universe, the laws of physics, this world, relationships, consequences - they are all too real. God does not magically erase your memories. He does not turn a bullet into an angel feather. As much as my heart breaks to say, too often the consequences of our sin hurt ourselves and others. And it would be unwise to presume on God to violate the norms of the world He has made. This is a sobering, but powerful consideration as you and I are are often tempted to willfully sin.
But the good news - the mercies of God are immediately, unflinchingly, generously, freely available to you right now. You donât have to sit alone with your failure. The grossest sin, as crushing as it is for you, is an absolute pleasure for God to deal with. Only He has all the resources, and has already made all provision to deal with every last bit of your imperfection and issues. Your junk is not shocking to God. That which horrifies you was on His mind and on the cross long ago. You honor Him most by boldly going to Him. As you are now.
This shouldnât surprise us. Relationships are serious business - most of all with God. Note then the reality and the soaring character of God as you set out on your day.
âGod, have mercy on me - a sinner. And while I boldly ask that you spare me from the natural consequences of my sin, I understand the realities on the ground. Thank You for Your mercies which are far more substantive and lasting than this current life. And give me wisdom, and a willing spirit not to sin, but to obey, and follow You into the flourishing Youâve intended for me all along.â
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Today we will read the first part of Acts 17:28 which says, âFor in Him we live and move and exist.â
How are you doing today? Did you feel great yesterday but today is a different story? Maybe life is more like that than we care to admit. Whatâs the answer? All too often it seems our go-to is to push through. Pull up our bootstraps and press on. And in fairness, we need to do a lot of pressing on in life to function. But behind the pressing on, where is the energy? Is it from you? The ability to maintain a healthy marriage, kids, and family - is that from you? The ability to earn an income - is that from you? The energy it takes to stay alive - is it really from you?
We wouldnât even be considering these questions if it werenât for God. Your life, and all the beauty in it would be non-existent but for God. This world, and the billions of unique lives and stories - nothing - absolutely nothing without God.
At the most basic level, God is all there is. And we exist only as a derivative of His desire. Itâs not a surprise then that Paul would say, âIn Him we live and move and exist.â We are animated by Him. We are endowed with life, spirit and vigor by Him.
And Paul would argue with you, just as he did in this passage with the Athenians, and say that God is not far from you. He is so near. And your existence is in large part, perhaps entirely, organized so that you would seek Him and find Him.
Imagine that today is filled with extra animating spiritual energy from God. Would you want that? What could you experience, and accomplish, and give to others if you lived today with fresh energy from God? Amazingly Paul tells us what to do to get it. âReach out and find Him.â Youâre doing that now. And as we always say, itâs a brave thing to do. So letâs continue to do it.
âGod I boldly, without apology, and brazenly reach out to You now. I need You so much more than I even realize. Give me more. I love You!â
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Today we will read Genesis 4:6-7. âThen the Lord said to Cain, âWhy are you furious? And why do you look despondent? If you do what is right, wonât you be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is for you, but you must rule over it.ââ
The brothers, Cain and Able, had just made their sacrificial offerings. God âregardedâ Ableâs, but not Cains. Able got an A while Cain failed. Now Cain is upset.
Yet even in this moment God is pursuing relationship with Cain. He asks âWhy are you furious?â And then God answers His own question. âIf you âDoâ what is right wonât you be accepted?â It seems the offering itself wasnât the issue but rather the conduct of the worshipper. Whatever Cainâs conduct was, it kept him from being acceptable.
Then comes the sinister line, âSin is crouching at the door. Its desire is for you, but you must rule over it.â And of course this is foreshadowing the next verse where Cain kills his own brother. But notice, sin is given a sense of agency and desire. It desires Cain. What is Godâs remedy against this corrosive force? Cain must rule over it. God doesnât take it away. He doesnât magically change Cainâs heart. The onus is on Cain to do whatâs right in the face of sinâs desire. And he tragically fails.
This is heartbreaking. But we would be wise to learn from it as millions have for thousands of years. First, sin is also crouching at your door and mine. It desires you and me. Do you feel guilty for the temptation? The dark thoughts? The attitude? The destructive desires? Donât feel guilty. Donât be surprised. And do not feel alone because youâre not. There is an active agent at work in you that is distinct from you.
And second, know that sin does not have the upper hand. You have all the resources in God to rule, to dominate it. You are the master, not it. And you are empowered to rule. It is a choice you and I will have to make every day every moment of our lives. And it is this moment to moment surrender to God, and resistance to sin that will ultimately make us into the humans God desires all along. Donât curse the process. Recognize it for what it is and keep going.
God I can feel sin at my door. But Iâm not surprised. I want to experience You in the resistance. Give me more of You.
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Today we will read Proverbs 4:23 which says, âGuard your heart above all else, for it is the source of life.â
This couldâve said a lot of things. âStay trim, for it is the source of life.â âSave for retirement, for it is the source of life.â âWin friends and influence people, for it is the source of life.â Nope. Guard your heart. What is the heart? We know what it feels like to have a broken heart or to pull on our heart-strings. The heart is the seat of being. Itâs more than our mind. Perhaps itâs all in our brain, but maybe more, at the least it certainly transcends our conscious thoughts. The heart is the most important part of you.
The heart is the source of life. Not to push the metaphor too far, but it doesnât even say, âGuard your relationship with God, for it is the source of life.â No no. This proverb is imploring us to carefully cultivate the core of our being, to guard and protect, because IT is the source of our life. To be careless with our heart, to allow just anything in, is to forfeit the life we were meant for.
Perhaps we appeal to God for that which He has equipped us to deal with already. Have you ever noticed that if you yield to a particular vice, look at what you ought not, say what you know you shouldnât, do what you know is forbiddenâŠyou can seek forgiveness. You can make amends. You can pay the piper, but you canât forget. How I wish we could forget. But itâs a cold truth of being. Our minds work as designed - too well even. The heart knows.
We ask God to forgive which He does in a flat second. And forgiveness is His to give. But to guard the heart is the task Heâs given us, and He doesnât seem to do it for us. It is our burden. It may seem too heavy a burden but just considerâŠyou have power to guard, and shape the orientation of your heart. Itâs your choice. Rome wasnât built in a day, neither is the source of your life. But if God has empowered you with the spark of life, and calls you to actively guard your heart, then youâre capable. The question is, what do you want your heart to look like? What will you allow in?
âGod I want to honor the life Youâve given. I need to take a more active role in guarding my own heart. I wonât ignore the task given me. Give me wisdom, and vision, as I participate with you in living.â
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Today we will read Psalm 24 verse 1 - âThe earth and everything in it, the world and its inhabitants, belong to the Lord.â
There are days when the sun shines a little brighter. Life is a bit more wondrous and free.
And then there are the other days (perhaps most of the other days) - when the pressure of everything weighs on our shoulders - and try as we may and as much as we want to hoist ourselves into that carefree realm, our minds race from thing to thing.
ButâŠdear worshipperâŠthe earth and everything in it, the world and its inhabitants belong to the Lord. The cure for our low-grade anxiety is the same cure for everything else - God. God is the cure. How? Because itâs all His anyway.
Your problems - your issues - your family - your friends - even your enemies - they all belong to God. Your body, your ailments, your home and itâs needed repairs - your money and resources - your future plans - the nation - the politics - all of itâŠit ALL belongs to God. Thereâs nothing that doesnât belong to God.
You - you belong to God. Perhaps you could even repeat it. âI belong to God.â Letâs say it - âI belong to God.â
Heâs got you. Heâs got you better than you ever could. You are never wasting time with God.
âGod, I love You. You have me. I belong to You. I trust You. Help me feel and know that this is so.â
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Today we will read a lengthier and challenging passage. Romans 2:6-11 says, âHe will repay each one according to his works: eternal life to those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor, and immortality; but wrath and indignation to those who are self-seeking and disobey the truth but are obeying unrighteousness; affliction and distress for every human being who does evil, first to the Jew, and also to the Greek; but glory, honor, and peace for everyone who does what is good first to the Jew, and also to the Greek. There is no favoritism with God.â
Itâs okay for scripture to bother us. If it never did, then scripture is as imperfect as we are. That or weâre perfect already. So itâs actually a good thing to be bothered by scripture. Why do certain passages bother us? This one is bothersome because the typical evangelical mantra is that for those who put their faith in Jesus, regardless of ongoing conduct, receive eternal life. And Iâm certainly not here to call that into question. But if true, it must live alongside this passage as well. Here Paul is putting onus on each of us to attain glory, honor, and immortality.
Of course this passage lives within Paulâs larger argument for Christianity. If time permits, weâll explore the glory and mystery of Godâs plan as revealed in Romans. But for now we have these few verses.
You and I are not puppets. Weâre not inanimate objects blowing in the winds of fate. We are real beings participating with God. And He will reward each one according to his or her works. This is simply summed up by the phrase âdoing good.â But the good Paul refers to is seeking glory, honor, and immortality. Good is anything from God, and it is metaphysically greater than anything we can experience on earth. Those who persistently seek this good - as you are right now - will be rewarded with that which you seek.
But there is a flip side. There are those who do not seek God. What do they seek? Themselves. Imagine having the source of all at your disposal and instead of seeking Him, you opt to shrink ever inward into yourself. And along the way these self-seekers disobey truth and obey unrighteousness. It is interesting to note that everyone must obey something. Itâs your choice.
The good news is that there is no favoritism with God. Your background with all its baggage, race, gender, abilities, resources or lack of resources simply do not factor into how He feels about you. You have just as much opportunity to seek God now as anyone. And while not in this passage overtly, the thrust of Romans on the whole is that Jesus has Himself made it so that God stands at the ready to receive you as a lover the moment you seek Him. But just as all true loves go, itâs your choice.
âGod I choose to seek You. And Iâll keep seeking You.â
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