Tag Archives: Bible

Should I Wear a Hat to Church?

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1 Corinthians 11:1-16

Are we wrong in the 21st Century Church to not adhere to Paul’s mandate about hats in worship? I hate to think there are 16 verses in God’s Word that have no meaning to us in 2025.

As I sat here and tried to make sense of it, and before I went to Amazon to look up “women’s hats” to buy, God seemed to draw my eyes to the word “tradition” in verse 2. I looked back at what Paul had written in chapter 10 and saw he’d just had a conversation about our freedom in Christ. Are these verses in chapter 11 a continuation of that theme? It seems so to me.

Eating food sacrificed to idols isn’t an issue for us in the modern church, but the wisdom in the lesson still applies: choose to do nothing that would trip up a weaker Christian, or give a non-believer a wrong idea about what it means to follow Christ.

The ancient tradition of head-covering has a lesson for us, too. If idolatrous men covered their heads while bowing to their false gods, Paul is calling Christian men to take off their hats when they worshiped God. If idolatrous women went to their false god bare-headed, Christian women should cover their’s. It wasn’t as much about the hat, as it was being totally separate from anything idolatrous, so as not to trip up a weaker Christian or give a non-believer the wrong idea about what it means to worship the one true God.

Does God care what we wear to church? The popular philosophy is, no. But I wonder if we should care. Does what I wear separate me from the world on a Sunday morning? If I go to church wearing my short shorts and tank top, am I going to hell? Of course not. (don’t worry. I don’t even own short shorts and tank tops anymore. Relax!) We have the freedom to wear just about anything.

But if my unsaved neighbor sees me getting into my car on a Sunday morning, will he automatically know I am going to worship God, or will he think I’m going to the beach or a ball game? If my approach to worship looks that casual, would a weaker Christian think it’s ok to take a casual approach to worship?

What is permissible is not always profitable.

I know when we talk about wearing our “Sunday best” to church, we are touted as old fashioned, out-dated, legalistic. Yes, there is no dress code for church. But shouldn’t I care about how I am perceived as a Christian woman? What do my clothes say about me and my worship of Holy God?

I will go so far to say that this lesson isn’t just for the Sunday morning worshippers. I hope we present ourselves every day as people separate from the world through our choice of what we wear to work, to play, or simply to walk through the neighborhood.

You might say, “I have a right to wear what I want.” Ummm, I question that. As Christians we are called to set aside our “rights” for the sake of the Gospel, for the sake of that weaker Christian, or for that unsaved person who is watching us.

I’m not advocating for the fashion police to guard the doors of our churches. But I think I’m advocating that we guard our hearts and our witness every day, and especially on Sunday when we have the privilege of gathering with our family of faith to worship our precious Savior, our Holy God.

What does your choice of clothing say about you? Do you blend in with the world? Could people mistake you for a non-believer? Or are you living a life that is separate from the world, and looking like it?

The Parable of the Virgins

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Matthew 25:1-13

It occurred to me today that all the virgins believed the bridegroom was coming. We’re not talking about believers and non-believers. The difference was between those who did something about their belief and those who didn’t.

A.W. Tozer said a preacher can preach the Truth, but if it doesn’t “alarm, arouse, challenge” the hearer, he might as well be teaching the multiplication table. Those are truth, too. (from Mornings with Tozer daily devotional readings; complied by Gerald B. Smith; Moody Publishers, 1991, 2008; see July 26)

This parable teaches belief is not enough. We know the demons believe and they shutter. (James 2:19)

The question isn’t, “do I believe?” but rather, “am I living as though I believe?” I have to ask myself if my choices, my words, my attitudes reflect the fact that I believe Jesus is the Son of God who loves me, died in my place and rose again so that my sins can be forgiven, AND that that same Jesus is coming again.

Am I ready? Are you? Because this parable is also a warning to people who believe but haven’t let that belief change them.

Paul says in Romans 10:9-10 that if we believe and confess, we are saved. To confess means to speak the words from our hearts. But throughout Scripture we are told that we also confess Jesus by our actions. James says our faith in Jesus is dead without a life that backs it up by what we do.

I’m going to ask again, are you ready? Jesus is coming again. Life on Earth is coming to a close. And once the Bridegroom (Jesus) comes it will be too late to get ready. The sad end for those virgins who believed but who must have felt they had plenty of time to do something about their belief, was a closed Door. Hearing the words: “I never new you” will be the most devastating four words anyone will ever hear.

Let’s get ready. Let’s confess with our mouths and our life choices that Jesus is the LORD of our lives. Let’s do the work so that when – not if – He returns, He will welcome us into our eternal home, where our belief will be sight!

The Parable of the Vineyard Workers

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Matthew 20:1-16

I was sitting here this morning thinking about this parable, and how it speaks to death-bed-confessions like the thief on the cross. What is their reward? According to Jesus, the generosity of God rewards them the same as He does a Billy Graham. The newly saved person meets the Savior in the same way we who are seasoned Christians meet Him, as sinners saved by grace. The Kingdom of God is like that.

Oh we, like the early workers in the parable, think the longer we serve God, the greater our reward ought to be. We’ll certainly have more stars in our crowns and live in mansions next to their bungalows. Right? I mean, we’ve put in the time. That ought to count for something.

But this parable tells us our rewards will be exactly the same. So if that’s the case, what good is it to live a lifetime of faith in Jesus? What good is it to be separate from a world that offers so much, if in the end I’ll receive exactly what a last minute confessor gets?

I can’t begrudge a last minute convert’s eternal reward. In fact, I kind of feel bad for him. A person saved on his death-bed doesn’t know what he’s missed. He doesn’t know the joy of fellowship with the Creator in this lifetime. He doesn’t know the wonder of answered prayer, or the privilege of introducing a lost soul to his Savior. He never experiences the hand of God to guide, protect, comfort, and hold. The death-bed confessor doesn’t know what that’s like. But I do.

And I wouldn’t trade one minute of this walk with Jesus for anything. This precious time He has given me to experience Him, to serve Him, to get to know Him and love Him is a gift I cherish. May I be a willing and joyful worker in His vineyard no matter how long I have to serve Him in this lifetime.

The Rich Man and Lazarus

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Luke 16:19-31, 19:1-27

The Pharisees were “lovers of money.” (16:1) So, since Jesus knew their hearts He told them another parable that addressed that. Their money would not buy them a place in heaven. They were living their best life in this life. Eternity would be a different story.

I can’t help but think of Joel Osteen and other prosperity gospel liars who equate healthy bank accounts with God’s blessings. But was that Jesus’ message – ever?

Lazarus, whose health and finances were both bankrupt, went to heaven while the rich man found himself in hell. Neither man had their bank accounts with them. The rich man had his rewards during his short life on earth. Lazarus, whose short life had been hard, was just beginning to receive his rewards.

We – I – put so much thought and effort into what we have, what we invest, what we drive and where we live. We ought to be thinking about what comes next.

Now, here’s a question: is Jesus describing an “intermediate state,” an existence somewhere between earth and heaven where dead people wait for Christ’s return? Is that what He wants us to get out of this parable, this interaction between Abraham and the rich man? O’Donnell seems to think so. (The Parables of Jesus; Crossway Publishers; 2023; p 50)

Jesus told the repentant thief on the cross, “Today you’ll be with Me in paradise.” Was Jesus talking about a waiting room? Scripture tells us when Christ returns the dead in Christ will rise first. Are we to believe they will be raised from that waiting room?

We who are bound by time have to believe our loved ones are somewhere. Where has Mom been since 1996?

The answer is, she is outside of time.

A former pastor of mine said it may be we will all get to heaven at exactly the same moment. The “today” Jesus spoke to the thief will be the “today” I join Jesus in heaven.

There is no 2,000 years in heaven. There is no such thing as a second in heaven. It’s hard to wrap our finite minds around that. So don’t try. Satan loves nothing more than we follow rabbit trails rather than consider the real lessons God wants us to learn.

I’ve already thought about this intermediate state way too much this morning, when the thing Jesus wanted me to consider is my priorities. Am I focused on the now, or am I looking forward, eyes on Him and eternity where I will receive the riches of His glory… eternity in His presence!

And, when we see Him face to face, it will be exactly the right “time.”

The Good Samaritan

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Luke 10:1-37

Sometimes when people ask a question about our faith it is meant to show us up. The intention is to get into a war of words they’ve prepared to fight, and catch us unprepared to equal their “intellect.” Jesus, of course, was prepared for this man whose question was asked to test Jesus. But Jesus wasn’t about to prove His superior knowledge. This wasn’t about who had the best argument. Jesus was first and foremost concerned about the man’s eternal soul.

So Jesus answered the question with a question: “What do YOU know the answer to be?” Brilliant! Let’s start with where you are in the matter. Jesus knew the man would have to admit he hadn’t lived up to what his own answer demanded. So if he wanted to go to heaven, he would need someone to fix that.

After telling the parable, Jesus asked which character obeyed the Law. It must have been really uncomfortable for the man to have to admit that a Samaritan had it over the Jewish religious elite.

The study guide I’m using to look at these parables, (The Parables of Jesus, D. S. O’Donnell, editor; Crossway Pub, 2023), says this parable demonstrates our need for the gift of salvation. I think that’s accurate. It’s more than just a story about doing nice things for people, or handing money to a beggar. Jesus’ first and only priority was and is the salvation of the world. He wants our priority to be the same.

The injured man would likely have died if he was forced to lie there. He could not save himself. He needed a Savior.

The study guide goes on to say, in the case of the priest and Levite, merely being religious is not an indication of a “deep heart change.” A real and necessary change of heart will result in active compassion for any individual dying in their sin.

Remember, Jesus tells us to love our enemies, do good to them, pray for them to accept the grace of God. Jesus’ own earthly brother said that Jesus is compassionate AND merciful (James 5:11). Jesus doesn’t just have empathy or sympathy for a lost soul. He offers mercy from the cross for all who believe.

We all are or were that dying man by the side of the road. We all have sinned and fall short of God’s requirement of perfection, and the price to be paid for our sin is eternal death. It’s hard to believe that there are people who are refusing the compassionate and merciful hand of the Savior. They would rather die there by the road.

So our challenge is to BE that Samaritan. I recently finished a study on the Fruit of the Spirit, and in this parable, the love of God, His kindness, and goodness are clearly seen in and through the Samaritan. Let the same be true of me and you as we allow God to fill us with His Sprit, then let it flow as we stop and minister to a person dying in their sin.

The Parable of the Sower

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Mark 4:1-32

I’ve started doing a study using the book entitled The Parables of Jesus (Douglas Sean O’Donnell; Crossway Pub; Wheaton, IL 2023). And I am doing something I don’t often do… I’m actually filling in the answers to the questions the author throws out there. So far, the questions have challenged me to stop and really consider what Jesus is teaching under the surface. I think I’m going to like it, and I pray God will grow me as I look at some of Jesus’ parables through this study, with an open mind and teachable spirit. And I pray for discernment as I read the opinions of the author.

I think it’s an example of the brilliance of God and His beautiful plan for Jesus’ life on earth, that Jesus taught using parables. He spoke truth boldly, yet on the surface the parables seemed like good, if not confusing stories. Underneath there was and is a life-changing message that can be understood at just the right time.

If the people during Jesus’ lifetime on earth would have believed too soon that He was the Messiah they were waiting for, they would probably have prevented Him from going to the cross. Jesus’ teaching would all make sense after the cross, but until then He veiled the truth with word pictures that had most of them scratching their heads.

As I have considered the Parable of the Sower, I realize that in the past I have spent a lot of time considering the seeds and soil. But these last few days I’ve realized I might have been missing the point. As a believer, the seed has already taken root in the good soil of my repentant heart. Now, according to this parable, it’s my turn to sow.

The study guide challenged me to look at the Parable of the Mustard Seed in light of the sower. I went ahead and looked at all the verses in this section, the Parable of the Lamp, and the scatterer of seed. This whole section is about sharing God’s Word consistently, boldly, visibly, and without worrying about something over which I have no control – how it is received, or what kind of “soil” it’s landing on.

I may think that, well I’m not a preacher or gifted teacher so this doesn’t apply to me. WRONG! If you are a Christian, you are to be a sower.

Your’s might be the mustard seed, that takes the shape of an encouraging Scripture said to a hurting friend, or a personal testimony over coffee, or reading Bible stories to you kids. Your friendship might open the door for the chance to share the Gospel with just one person whose heart is ready to receive the seed you sow. Jesus is talking about A mustard seed in verse 31. ONE mustard seed that takes root and grows into a solid Christian who is used by God to minister to others.

Isaiah 55:11 assures us that God’s Word doesn’t come back void. Sow it. Let God handle the rest.

Self-Control

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Titus 2

The last aspect of the Fruit of the Spirit described by Paul in Galatians 5 is self-control. Those of you who know me know self-control flies out the window when I’m holding a bag of potato chips. I almost never have an open bag in my pantry because once I start, I can’t stop eating until the last chip is gone. I’m out of control. Or at least that’s what I tell myself.

Boy, am I under conviction today. Studying these facets of the Fruit of the Spirit these past few weeks has made me aware that because the Spirit lives in me, love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, and gentleness live in me. I’m ok with that. In fact, I welcome that and pray those aspects of Christ in me can be clearly seen by others.

But then Paul ends with self-control. (as the ladies in my Sunday School class would say: Now he’s meddling!)

Ugh! After today I can never again say I have no self-control when it comes to chips. Self-control lives in me.

Jonathan Landry Cruse, in his book entitled The Character of Christ; the Fruit of the Spirit in the Life of our Savior (Versa Press; 2014) says that self-control is the ability to be controlled, not by self, but by the Holy Spirit. (p 143). In other words I have the control to turn over the control to the Spirit.

Paul, in his letter to Titus, has a lot to say about the Spirit-fueled self-control. He doesn’t let any of us off the hook. In verse 11 he assures us that it is the grace of God that brings salvation, then shows us how to live sensibly and godly.

Jesus demonstrated self-control when He was tempted by Satan in the wilderness, when He didn’t call down fire from heaven at the suggestion of his disciples when some people rejected Him, when He stood quietly before Pilate and heard the lies told about Him, and when he didn’t turn the soldiers who beat Him and nailed Him to the cross into toads.

That same self-control lives in me. I can never again claim I have no self-control. I use my chip weakness as an example of any sin I allow to over-power me. If I give into a sin, I quench the Holy Spirit in me. I demonstrate I have SELF-control. And that’s a sin.

I don’t think it’s a coincidence Paul ended his description of the Fruit of the Spirit with self-control. Without choosing to relinquish my will, and the control over my life to the Spirit I cannot produce the Fruit of the Spirit in me. It’s not me producing anything by my own effort. It’s being firmly attached to the Vine, growing in grace and knowledge of Jesus, reflecting more of Him today than was evident yesterday, and allowing Him to fill me, and use me for His glory.

The Fruit of the Spirit. May it have fertile soil in my heart from which to grow, mature, and produce the harvest God intends. I pray the same for you.

Gentleness

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Matthew 11:25-30

Gentleness is not the same as weakness Actually, the aspect of gentleness in the Fruit of the Spirit is the power of God “properly used, not to crush or destroy or dismay, but to protect and build up.” (The Charter of Christ; The Fruit of the Spirit in the Life of our Savior; Jonathan Landry Cruse; Versa Press; East Peoria, IL 2014; p 126)

Jesus lays his heart wide open here in Matthew 11 and assures us He is gentle and humble (or lowly) and, instead of beating us up because of our sin, He invites us to come to Him and receive the rest we need from our battle with sin and its consequences.

Jesus is as gentle as a daddy pulling his crying child to himself to kiss away a boo-boo, or a wife who wraps her arms around her husband who’s had a hard day, or the embrace of a friend who understands we are hurting.

I wonder if this aspect of the Fruit of the Spirit is a bit under-used these days. We are busy people. We want to do something, fix something and move on. What if we allowed the gentleness of Jesus to reach out to others in the same way He’s reached out to us. What if we offered our arms to gently embrace someone whose soul needs rest.

If you are a child of God through the blood of Jesus, the Holy Spirit actually lives in you. I am challenged today to pay attention to the fruit of His presence and reach out to someone who is hurting, someone who is battling, someone whose soul needs rest and allow the gentleness of Jesus to flow through me.

As I was thinking about this fruit today, an old Gaither song came to mind. I’m going to leave it with you today, praying it with you, and challenging you to reveal the Gentle Shepherd to someone today.

Gentle Shepherd, come and lead us, for we need you to help us find our way.
Gentle Shepherd, come and feed us, for we need your strength from day to day.
There’s no other we can turn to who can help us face another day.
Gentle Shepherd, come and lead us, for we need you to help us find our way.

Faithfulness

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John 17

As I look at the Fruit of the Spirit these past few days I realize Satan is doing a pretty good job of making people believe these qualities are old-school, maybe even laughable. He’s convinced many that love is acceptance; joy can be gained at the expense of others; peace comes only if you agree with their delusion; patience is a one-way street; kindness is weakness; goodness is relative; and faithfulness is unnecessary.

I’m looking especially at faithfulness today, and I got to thinking that it might be a lost art. People aren’t faithful to marriage vows as evidenced by the fact more than half of all marriages today end in divorce – even among Christians. And even some Christians have had multiple marriages like the Samaritan woman at the well.

People aren’t faithful to their children when they adopt a hands-off, gentle parenting mode and expect their kids to raise themselves. Unfaithfulness is seen when parents are absent from the home, when they are too busy to support their children at games or concerts, or when they do attend, their eyes are on their phones.

Being faithful in the workplace? People change jobs like they are playing hop-scotch. The grass looks greener over there, so I’m out!

People aren’t even faithful to a church. Someone hurt my feelings, so I’m going to find another church (until someone hurts my feelings…)

Even being faithful to the Word of God is seen as a negative. Satan suggests we can tout the verses we like, either tweak or ignore the ones that make us uncomfortable, or claim God has a new revelation because the Bible is out-dated for our advanced society.

And yet, Jesus is our example of faithfulness. He was faithful to the Father, to the Father’s will, the Father’s message, the Father’s plan up to and including a very painful and humiliating death on the cross.

Jesus was faithful to His friends. He spoke truth to them, He protected them and provided for their needs. He never let them down, never threw them under the bus.

Jesus was faithful to the Words of God. He never altered the message to please different audiences. He spoke the same truth to lepers, tax-collectors, farmers, as well as religious leaders and even kings. He was always faithful to God’s Words.

The same faithfulness in us is an indication of Jesus’ Holy Spirit in our lives. Yes, that means being faithful to your spouse, faithful to train your children in the way they should go, faithful to those in authority over you, faithful to your Bible believing church, faithful to go and make disciples by standing on the truth found in the Bible. Faithful to God’s will, God’s message, God’s plan, and faithfully obedient to His commands.

The world might look at your faithfulness as archaic, but they will also see someone with integrity, someone who is different, better than they. They will see Jesus.

That’s what Jesus prayed right before He went to the cross. May God continue to answer that prayer in my life and yours.

Kindness

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Mark 6:30-44

The itinerate preacher was spent. Jesus and his disciples had clocked a lot of travel miles, and He had preached a lot of sermons to many crowds. And let’s not forget his cousin had just been executed. I imagine Jesus really needed to be alone to rest, recharge, and even mourn.

He invited his disciples to go with Him to a remote place. So they got in a boat and set sail for a much needed get-away. What did they see when they came ashore? Thousands of people clamoring for His attention! Put yourself in Jesus’ shoes. How would you have reacted?

You parents probably have an idea what that’s like. Your precious babies don’t consider what kind of day you’ve had. When you walk through the door they only know, “Daddy’s home!” They don’t understand the weight of trying to feed a family on a budget when the washer breaks down and the car insurance is due. It’s still “Read me another story, Mommy.” “Fix this.” “Find this.” “I’m hungry.” “She hit me.” “I want…” “I don’t want…”

Calgon, take me away! (Google it, young ones)

Here’s where Jesus’ kindness is on display. He looked at those people and had compassion on them. Instead of demanding, “Me time,” he taught them. He set aside His needs, didn’t scold or complain. He didn’t even just smile and pat them on the head. He taught them until late in the day.

Then He did the most talked about miracle in Scripture… He fed 5,000 men plus women and children with five loaves of bread and a couple of fish. They ate until they were satisfied. (Didn’t say Jesus needed to feed Himself before He could feed them. Just sayin’)

Jesus served them despite a bone-tired, mentally exhausted, emotionally drained reality. His compassion was expressed in kindness because that’s who He is.

That’s the kindness aspect of the Spirit’s Fruit. It’s Jesus in us who acts and reacts out of kindness, who considers others before self, who just does the right and good thing out of a right and good heart. It’s being kind. Thinking kind. Reacting kind. Doing kind. Because kindness lives in us who know Jesus as our Savior.