Category Archives: Bible

October 8

Luke 7:18-35, 36-8:3, 11:14-26; Matthew 11:1-19, 12:22-45; Mark 3:20-30

Luke 7:23 always puzzled me.

Blessed is the man who does not fall away on account of me.

Jesus was talking about the things he was doing like healing the sick, raising the dead, preaching the good news. Wouldn’t people be drawn to him because of those things? Why would he express concern that some would “fall away” because of him?

As I sit here and think about that this morning it occurs to me that people still stumble because of Jesus. In the New Testament times the Jews were looking forward to the Messiah who would take the throne and return them to their former glory. They just knew their enemies would get what’s coming to them. Many of those Jews rejected Jesus when it became clear that was not his purpose. There are people yet today looking for that material kingdom.

People like to hear that God wants them to be healthy and wealthy. They like to believe that if they do good things God will accept them. They get tripped up when they hear Jesus calls his people to take up a cross and follow him, that he is the only way to the Father. They reject God because they refuse to humble themselves and accept Jesus as their Savior.

Blessed are we who confess our sin and enjoy fellowship with God through his Son.

October 7

8 Replies

Luke 6:17-49, 7:1-10, 11-17; Matthew 8:5-13; John 4:46b-54

I think one of the most misinterpreted verses these days is Luke 6:37.

Do not judge and you will not be judged. Do not condemn and you will not be condemned. Forgive and you will be forgiven.

So often we are told “Don’t judge”. But is God telling us we are not to recognize sin? That doesn’t even make sense in light of all of Scripture. How can the God who commands holiness of his people also tell us not to recognize sin? That’s foolishness.

Is adultery a sin? I can say without hesitation – yes. Is murder a sin? Absolutely. What about homosexuality, greed, gluttony, lying, idol worship, dishonesty? Without a doubt.

So if I say to a gay friend that their lifestyle is sinful am I judging them? I didn’t make the law. God did. God makes it clear he judges sin. And don’t even think for a minute that he creates any of us to sin. I would be wrong if I didn’t try to turn my friend from sin by pointing it out in love.

If I point out to my married friend that her affair with a male co-worker is wrong , am I judging her? What about a neighbor who beats his children or a son who lies? Do I turn a blind eye because I am afraid someone will accuse me of judging them?

However, if I befriend a lesbian or have dinner with a friend who is an atheist – don’t judge me. If I go into a bar with an unsaved friend – don’t condemn me. If God has asked me to invest myself in their lives in order to bring them to him, that’s something you cannot know.

Christian, we need to stand for the Truth of Scripture. There are serious consequences for sin as spelled out in God’s Word. It is our responsibility to warn people of those consequences and point them to the Savior.

And… don’t use verses 41-45 as an excuse not to confront someone. If there is sin in your life – a plank in your eye – you need to confess it and get right with the Lord. Whether or not you witness to a friend you need to confess sin. Period. But you also have a job to do. Your friend who has no interest in the God of the Bible or who has twisted Scripture to rationalize sin is going to hell. Do you understand that? I didn’t make that up. I’m not judging them. They are already judged by their actions.

I know this is not a popular subject these days and it certainly is not politically correct in our “tolerant” society. But ignoring sin in ourselves or in the lives of our loved ones doesn’t change God. He is serious about sin. I pray that we will be as well.

October 6

October 5

1 Reply

Mark 3:1-19; Matthew 12:9-21, 4:23-50; Luke 6:6-16

I am so glad God inspired Matthew to record Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. There is something for us in every sentence. Do you want to be blessed by God? Jesus tells us how.

Be humble, meek, merciful, hunger for righteousness. Be a peacemaker. And rejoice when you are persecuted for Jesus’ sake. God blesses his children with all we need… comfort, mercy, eternal life.

Jesus tells us we are the salt of the earth and the light of the world. Do you realize your value? As God’s children we have the privilege of representing him and pointing lost souls to the Savior. Nothing is more important in this life time. And nothing more precious to our Lord.

Although Jesus was very careful to hide his true identity to the masses, he began to explain his ministry here in Matthew 5:17-20. God gave the law to Moses centuries before and Jesus wants us to know that law is still in effect. The bar was set and remains too high for us to reach. Holiness is still God’s standard and his demand. But Jesus explains that it is his job to fulfill all the requirements of the law for you and me.

You see, he can reach the bar!

And what he is going to do will enable us to stand before God with a righteousness that exceeds that of the Pharisees. We will be able to wear Jesus’ righteousness.

Dear one, as we read Jesus’ words, know that they were said with you in mind. Let Jesus speak to you as we revisit the Sermon on the Mount. Let him share his heart with each of us. And may we be encouraged in our walk with the Savior.

October 4

6 Replies

Mark 2:1-28; Matthew 9:1-17, 12:1-8; Luke 5:17-39, 6:1-5

Do you worship on Saturday or Sunday? To what extent do you go to make that day holy? Do you style your hair and put on makeup? Do you shop? Do you mow the lawn? If you get snow overnight, do you shovel? Do you cook dinner for your family or check your email? Do you go to a ball game? Are you a doctor, a nurse, a salesperson who has a job that requires you to work?

What does it mean to keep the Sabbath holy?

Here’s another question. WHY do you refrain from doing certain things on the day you set aside to worship God with fellow believers? Is it a sin to do work on that day? Do you think God gives you bonus points for refraining from work that day? Is your salvation tied to what you do or don’t do on Sunday?

Jesus said, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.” God set an example from creation to take a day of rest. He put that in his top ten commandments but the extent to which a person was to go to keep that commandment was nearly impossible. What does that mean for us today?

Jesus himself picked grain on a Sabbath because he was hungry. And we know Jesus did not sin.

Personally, I choose not to shop or mow on Sundays. Not because I think to do those things is sinful. I choose not to in order to follow God’s example. But I cook on Sunday. I go to ball games on Sunday afternoons. I might pull a weed in my walkway or pick up a towel off the floor. But generally speaking, I consider Sunday a day of rest.

That’s what it was intended to be. A day to focus on God without the distractions of work. God doesn’t need the day. But we do.

If you have a job that requires you to work on Sunday, I hope you go to work guilt-free. And I hope you take another day to rest, to spend added time with the Lord, to refresh yourself for the demands in the days ahead. Remember… the Sabbath, a day of rest, is a gift God gave us. And he wants us to use it.

Dear God, I pray that your people will honor you every day. But may we follow your example and spend a Sabbath day’s rest in our week. I thank you for Sundays, the day I am able to go to church, to worship with fellow believers and hear your Word preached from the pulpit. I thank you for the times I spend with my family on those lazy afternoons. I thank you that on those days, my focus on you is an extended time. It refreshes me and challenges me and prepares me for the week ahead. You must have known how important that would be or you would not have rested yourself when you created us. You would not have placed that in the Ten Commandments. But help us not to put so much emphasis on the day that we forget what it is intended to be. It’s your gift to us. Thank you.

October 3

2 Replies

John 4:27-42, 43-46; Mark 1:14-15, 21-28, 1:29-39, 40-45; Matthew 4:12-17, 8:14-17, 1-4; Luke 4:14-15, 16-20, 31-37, 38-44, 5:12-16

Jesus prayed. He found a quiet place and spent time alone, talking to his Father. I wonder what those prayers were like. Did he pray for himself? For strength and safety? For health? Did he pray that Satan would be defeated so Jesus’ ministry would know success? Did he pray for Nicodemus and Peter and the woman at the well? For the leper he healed in one of the towns? And when he prayed for them did he pray for their physical health or their eternal souls? Or both?

We don’t know the words Jesus used when he prayed. But just the fact that he prayed speaks to me today. His example shows me that I, too, need to find that quiet place and talk to my Heavenly Father. Jesus prayed before continuing on to other towns. I think he’s telling me I need to pray before continuing my day, too.

The other thought that comes to me today is that Jesus is still praying. He is our mediator, our high priest who goes to the Father on our behalf. Jesus prays for me!

Father, forgive me when I neglect prayer. Thank you for reminding me today how important it is that I quiet myself in your Presence. Hear my prayers and answer them according to your will. Use this time alone with you to draw me close and strengthen me for what you have in store for me today. In Jesus’ name and because of his example, I pray. Amen.

October 2

1 Reply

John 2:1-4:26

Do you know anyone who believes Jesus was a prophet and not the physical Son of God? Some people believe he was a good man, a gifted preacher, just one more person pointing us to God along with Buddha, Mohammed, or the Dalai Lama. How do you talk to those who reject Jesus as God in the flesh?

The book of John is full of proof. Jesus’ loving conversation with Nicodemus is a gentle introduction of God’s plan through the Son. Jesus spoke of our need to be born again, he foretold about the crucification, he explained that God so loved the world that whoever believes in the Son will have eternal life. Even John the Baptist testified in 3:36 that eternal life only comes through the Son.

We who know the end of the story know that those words were about Jesus. But Jesus was careful not to reveal himself as the promised Messiah to too many people at the beginning of his ministry. He had a lot to do in a short time and he knew if the Jews recognized him as the Promised One they would want to make him King. And that is not why he was there.

Jesus protected his identity to most. But he revealed himself to a Samaritan woman. Not a Jewish priest or powerful king. A Samaritan woman who had been married multiple times and who was living with a man she wasn’t married to. She was, however, looking forward to the coming of the Messiah. I am so thankful for the words Jesus spoke to her that day because there can be no mistake. There needs to be no interpretation. The woman spoke of the Messiah and the fact that he would explain everything when he comes. Jesus answered her:

I who speak to you am he.

Is Jesus the Messiah? Is he God in the flesh? How much clearer could he be?

Dear Jesus, Son of God and Son of Man, Eternal One, Creator, the Word who became flesh, we bow to you today as our Holy God in human form. Thank you for your plan of salvation and for coming to us, to walk with us, to feel what we feel and experience what we experience. Thank you for those who recorded your stay on earth so that there can be no mistake as to who you are. Thank you that because of your written word, we can get to know you a couple of thousand years later. And thank you that because of you we can know the forgiveness of sin and fellowship with you right this minute. May we be faithful to share you, the truth of your life on earth, with people who don’t as yet know you. May you be glorified in all we do and say today.

October 1

2 Replies

Mark 2:9-11, 12-13, 16-20; Matthew 3:13-17, 4:1-11, 18-22; Luke 3:21-22, 4:1-13, 5:1-11; John 1:29-51

So they pulled up on shore, left everything, and followed him. (Luke 5:11)

Jesus’ ministry begins with his baptism and the choosing of the twelve disciples who would be closest to him for the next three years. Andrew decided to follow Jesus and the first thing he did was to go and tell his brother. He brought Simon, who we know as Peter, to Christ. Philip heard Jesus’ call and went and found Nathanael and both men followed Christ. When James and John heard Jesus they immediately followed him.

Luke describes a night of unproductive fishing for Peter. He was out all night and had nothing to show for it. And fishing was his income. I am sure he was tired and discouraged and frustrated. According to Luke, Jesus taught a group of people there by the sea side and when he was done he told Peter to row out into the lake again and drop his net. I love Peter’s response.

I’ve tried all night to catch a fish and used every trick I knew and I have nothing to show for it. I’m tired. But, ok. Since you’re telling me to go out again, I’ll do it your way.

The result was so much fish it took two boats to haul it all in. Jackpot!

Now here’s what blows me away. Peter was looking at the mother lode of fish, probably enough for him to live quite comfortably on for a while. But his thoughts went right to his heart. He recognized his sin in the presence of Jesus and he left all that fish right there on the shore and followed Christ.

God is asking me today if I am as eager to follow him. Or are there some things I am holding on to, some dream I want to come true, some goal I’ve made for myself that I haven’t realized yet? Do I say to my Lord, I’ll give my life to you later. I’m going to live my life my way for a while. I’ll come to you when I’m ready.

The God of the Universe wants you. He wants you to follow him today. Yes, it might mean giving up on a dream or walking away from ungodliness. But he promises that what you will receive from following him is so much better than what you have without him. Ask Peter. I don’t think we’ll find a moment of regret on Peter’s part as we read on in the New Testament.

My prayer is that each of us will be as eager and willing to follow Jesus, to go where he wants us to go and be who he asks us to be. May we be fishers of lost souls. And may our catch overload the boat today.

September 30

September 29

3 Replies

Matthew 1:1-25; Luke 2:1-40, 3:23-38

I can never read Luke’s account of Jesus’ birth without hearing the voices of little children. When my nieces and nephews were first graders they took part in their school’s Christmas tradition. The teacher helped the students memorize Luke 2:1-20 every year and the first graders would recite it together at the Christmas concert. Dressed in their white robes and big red bows, their little voices would rise and fall, pause and crescendo at just the right time. Twenty years later they could still recite these precious verses. And I can say with thankfulness my nieces and nephews grew up to love the One who was born in that manger.

Jesus was God at conception. We saw how Elizabeth’s baby reacted to being in his presence before he was born. Today we see where Simeon and Anna recognized this baby would change the world.

What about us? When we read about this baby do we step back and say, “Ah, isn’t he adorable?” like we do when we’re standing in the checkout line behind a stranger’s newborn in a stroller? Or do we gaze into his face, study the shape of his head and the color of his eyes like we do when we look at our own newborn or a grandchild? Do we try to see ourselves in the shape of his nose or chin? How personal is the baby Jesus to you?

This baby does what no other baby can do. He loves you totally. This baby in the manger will grow up to suffer and to die a horrible death because of that love. This baby was born so that you can live. You.

I’m not sure we can grasp the extent of the true meaning behind the birth we read about today. Our holy God who demands holiness of us became a human being so that he could fulfill all of his own demands. He loves us that much. And all he asks of us is that we love him, too. Accept his grace. And live eternally with him with in glory.

I want to see myself in this baby’s face. But not because he looks like me. I want to look like him!

Dear God, as we consider your Son as an infant today, I pray that we would have a personal connection, understanding that Jesus was born that day because of love for each of us. For me. Thank you for this baby, God with us. It’s an amazing truth I pray we will each hold on to as we recognize how intimate our relationship with you can be. You came to change the world, it’s true. But my prayer is that you will change me. May I look like Jesus, walk like him, talk like him, so others will know him, too.

alighttomyway

LOVING God's Word, LISTENING to God's voice, LEADING others to God's Son, Jesus Christ