Tag Archives: the Bible

The Bible Hurts My Feelings

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God is speaking through Jeremiah concerning those prophets who claim to speak for God  – but don’t. (Jeremiah 23) These liars are preaching a health and wealth gospel at the same time Jeremiah is telling them how angry God is, and how God is going to punish them for their disobedience. 

The false prophets tell them they are ok: “Don’t worry! The Lord says you will have peace!… No harm will come your way.” (23:17)

The thing is, God’s Word is not a “feel good” book. In fact, in verse 29 of the same chapter, God asks, “Does not my word burn like fire?… Is it not like a mighty hammer that smashes a rock to pieces?”

I think that’s why there are so many different religions out there. I mean, who wants to worship a God who makes you feel bad about yourself? So let’s make up a theology that tells us how great we are, how worthy, how powerful we are in and of ourselves to become better and better. We want to believe we are ok just the way we are. If you listen, you’ll recognize those lies in some of the most popular churches spewed by some of the most famous preachers of our time. Maybe even in your home town, in tiny churches, that go unnoticed expect for the faithful few who attend.

But have you ever experienced that heavy blow that comes from the realization that you are wrong? Have you felt the convicting fire of the Holy Spirit over unconfessed sin? It’s not comfortable, is it? It might even hurt your feelings, big time.

When you are at that point, you have a choice. You can tell yourself you’re ok, you can repeat a mantra to make yourself feel better, you can self-medicate, or even learn to live with the discomfort. Or you can accept what Jesus died to give you.

Forgiveness.

Then you can know the spiritual health that comes from having a pure heart. You can enjoy the wealth of having the God of Creation living in you, the sure hope of eternity with him. No false theology can come close to it!

So I challenge you read the Bible for yourself. But get ready to have your feelings hurt. If you ask God to speak to you through his Word, he will. He will tell you you are lost without him. He will tell you you are a sinner. He will tell you you are wicked, self centered, unclean. But he will also tell you about his love and his grace. He will tell you about how he went to the cross to pay for your sins. And he will ask you to come to him, to say you’re sorry and mean it, to allow him to turn your life around…

And bless you beyond what you could ever ask or even think.

God, thank you for tearing down all my defenses, for making me look at myself the way you see me. I am a sinner. There is nothing good in me. And I have to tell you, that hurts my feelings a little. But, God, I also want to thank you for lifting me up, for forgiving me when I asked you to, for blessing me with yourself. Thank you for your Word that cuts… and heals. Thank you for you!

Psalm 22

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God revealed to David what Jesus would experience hundreds of years later. There is such detail in Psalm 22 that I am amazed anyone would think the disciples could orchestrate Jesus’ death as a hoax. 

David tells us Jesus’ enemies would lie about him. Beat him. Pierce his hands and feet (and that was written before crucifixion was an accepted form of capital punishment). David saw Jesus thirst. His strength gone. His life poured out like water as Jesus’ side was pierced. God showed David the guardsmen casting lots for Jesus’ clothing. And David heard Jesus cry out to God – why have you forsaken me?

Coincidence? I think not.

Only God could have whispered those details in David’s ear. Is this book I am reading alive, active, powerful, true? Absolutely! Does it reveal a God who loves me and gave himself for me? On every page!

Dear God, may your Holy Spirit find fertile ground as people read your Word today. Touch hearts. Break wills. Hear our prayers as we cry out to you. Forgive us in Jesus’ name. Thank you for the cross. Thank you for your Word.

A Blessed New Year

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Ok. I said I wasn’t going to blog every day in 2014 but I guess old habits die hard. I just want to encourage all of us to be in God’s Word this year. I pray you will read it, meditate on it, pray over it, and apply it to your day-to-day so that your faith will be strengthened and others will find the Savior through you. We have a treasure in these pages. God’s Word, God’s love letter, God’s rules for living are here. It truly is a gift. Let’s not squander it.

May you know his blessings this year. May he keep you and yours safe. May you lean on him in whatever circumstances you find yourself. And may your relationship with the Lord blossom as you spend time in the pages of the Bible.

December 31

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Revelation 19-22

“It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To him who is thirsty, I will give to drink without cost from the spring of the water of life. He who overcomes will inherit all this, and I will be his God and he will be my son.” (21:6-7)

John’s description of heaven in 21:11-21 is something, isn’t it? Jeweled foundations, a city of pure gold, twelve gates made of twelve single pearls. It sounds pretty amazing. But you know what thrills me more than all that glitters? Jesus will be there!!

Revelation 21:1 says there will be NO MORE SEA. Remember when Solomon built the temple in the Old Testament, the ark was surrounded by a trough filled with thousands of gallons of water? That was so no one could get to where God lived. 

But John tells us that in heaven there will no longer be that separation. God will be as accessible as a husband to a wife. I will be able to touch Jesus’ side, put my fingers in the holes left by the nails that hung him on the cross. When he wraps his arms around me I will feel his warmth. God will be my father and I will be his child. 

No more sea! No more separation! I will finally be in the presence of the One who loved me and gave himself for me. I will know him as I am know. Now that’s truly amazing!

I want to thank you for stopping by my blog in 2013. And if you went on this journey with me to read through the Bible this year, I trust your walk with the Lord has matured. I don’t feel God would have me continue this daily blog in 2014. I’m going to begin again tomorrow with Genesis 1 with the goal of reading the end of Revelation one year from today. And I will continue to journal what God is teaching me each day, but I won’t be posting every one.

I am going to keep this blog active, however, and if I feel led to share something I’ll add it to what is already here. And I will continue reading so many of your blogs, ones I look forward to and learn so much from.

My prayer is the same prayer I’ve said every day this year. And that is that you, dear ones, will make reading the Bible a priority every day. That you would open these precious pages with open hearts and minds and allow God to encourage or convict. I pray that you will find yourself eager to share your Savior with lost souls around you. As you read God’s Word, I pray that you will allow it to penetrate, to strengthen, to draw you closer to the Lord.

God bless you in 2014. I’m praying for you.

December 21

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2 Timothy 2-4; Hebrews 1

I love baseball. I am a die-hard Cleveland Indians’ fan and am one of my nephew’s biggest fans whether he is on the mound, behind the plate, or covering second on his high school’s team. 

I played softball for a lot of years. But the older I got, the longer it took me to get from one base to the next. So I came up with a great idea. If the goal of every batter is to wind up at home plate, it makes more sense to hit the ball, then run to third. Why waste time and effort and take the chance of making an out while going to first, then second, then third in order to get home? I figured if I cut out the first two steps I’d have a better chance of scoring.

Well, that might seem logical to someone who doesn’t know the game. But the game has rules. And so does life. Paul tells Timothy in 2 Timothy 2:5 that an athlete doesn’t receive the victor’s crown unless he competes according to the rules. He is talking about the Gospel, about God’s Word. 

Here is the condensed version:

1.  You are I are sinners. There is no one righteous – not even one.

2.  The wages, or the result of sin is death, hell, eternal separation from God.

3.  You and I can never be good enough to erase the sins we’ve committed. We need a Savior.

4.  Jesus lived, died, rose again, and ascended into heaven so that anyone who accepts his grace can be saved from the sentence of hell.

5.  There is no other name by which we can be saved. Jesus is the Way, the Truth, the Life and no one can get to God except through him. Period.

You might be tempted to take another route. But, just like in baseball, if you hit the ball and go to third… you will be out. God has put it all out there, he wrote and rewrote the rules in every book of the Bible. There is no excuse. And like it or not, there is just no other way.

Heavenly Father, I thank you once again for your written Word, the Bible in which you have so lovingly spelled out the rules. May we recognize our helpless condition and turn to you. May we confess our sins, accept your grace, and live lives that honor you in every way. Forgive us if we are tempted to take short cuts. I pray you will find us, the soldiers in your army, the athletes on your team, pleasing our commander, our coach, our Savior and Lord by following your rules.

November 6

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Matthew 27:1-14; Luke 23:1-12; Mark 15:1-5; John 18:28-38

Years ago my dad bought a CB radio for his truck. I was a teenager at the time and thought it was great fun to hear him talk to other drivers with their funny language. Dad’s “handle” was PlumBob. He was a plumber. And his name was Bob.

We were on a divided highway going north when I saw a white panel truck with the words “TRUTH” painted in big black letters going south. In those days there was a Christian musical group by that name and I figured it was their equipment truck. Pretty soon we heard, “Breaker” on the CB and then, “Does anyone see that truck? What is the truth?” No one answered. Again we heard the question repeated and still no reply. To this day I wish I had told that seeker about Jesus.

At Jesus’ trial Pilate asked, “What is truth?” People have been asking that question for centuries. Some even deny the existence of truth.

Do you believe that 2+2=4 every time? It does. Do you believe the earth rotates so that the sun rises in the east and sets in the west? It did this morning and it will again tomorrow. 

Herod was excited about seeing Jesus. He was looking forward to seeing Jesus pull a rabbit out of a hat. He believed Jesus could do miracles but he didn’t believe Jesus was the Truth.

Do you? Whether or not you believe that truth exists, or that the Bible is God’s infallible word or that Jesus is God and the only way to the Father doesn’t change the Truth.

But knowing the Truth will change your life.

Dear God, I want to pray for that man who asked “What is truth” over the CB that day. I pray that if he didn’t know you then, that your Holy Spirit will find a place in his heart. May he know Jesus, the Truth. I pray the same for everyone reading this blog today. Reveal yourself to each of us, may we recognize that what we read in the Bible is True, and that Jesus died so that we might live. May the Truth take up residence in our lives and pour out into the lives of everyone we meet.

September 21

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Psalm 119:73-176

I think it’s amazing that the psalmist could come up with 176 reasons he loves God’s Word. He uses words like “laws”, “statutes”, “precepts”, “promises”, “commands”, “decrees”, and in 119:105 he says:

Your word is a lamp to my feet and light for my path.

And yes, that’s where I got the name for this blog. Back in the day (late 50’s early 60’s) I was a Pioneer Girl. It was the church’s equivalent of Girl Scouts. Psalm 119:105 was our signature verse, and we recited it each week with some pretty nifty hand motions. It’s a verse that has stayed with me for somewhere around 50 years.

It has been my experience that this verse is true. I am thankful for learned scholars, pastors, ordinary men and women who have written commentaries, Bible studies, and insightful books. I have been encouraged by the writings of C S Lewis, Eugenia Price,  John MacArthur and others. But if I lost my library today I’d be ok. I would not, however, be ok if I lost my Bible.

Nothing gives me more insight into God’s heart and mind, a deeper understanding of his will for me. Nothing gives me more encouragement or conviction. And nothing gives me more joy than the precious Word of God.

Dear one, let’s continue to dig into these pages. Let’s commit to memory verses that are meaningful for us at this time of life. Let’s seek God’s face and his wisdom above all others. As you read Psalm 119 today make these words the desire of your own heart. 

Father, thank you for your Word, these precious pages that share your heart. Give us understanding as we read. Give us direction as we seek you. And use us as you will. May we cherish this Book as your intimate love letter to each of us.

September 20

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Psalms 111, 112, 117, 119:1-72

The psalmists knew how important it is for us to be in the Word, to know what is there and to live by it. These authors loved God’s Word and trusted it completely. Do I? Really?

I have to say I am a woman who looks forward to reading God’s Word each day and finding out what he would reveal to me through it’s pages. But I also have to admit it is much easier to be faithful to that since I retired from teaching. If I look back at the journals I kept during my working years I would see an irregular pattern. And sometimes days and weeks would go by when I wouldn’t even open the Bible.

I think back then I thought of my daily Bible reading as just one more thing on my already busy “to-do” list. It has turned into thinking about it as a privilege these days, though.

I encourage you to read these psalms today and catch the love of Scripture these men had. Do you realize the words recorded here are God’s words to you, personally? Every time I open these precious pages I can envision a letter addressed, “Dear Connie” and signed, “Love, God”. It’s that personal.

What would God say to you today? Open his Word and find out. Catch the excitement of a child opening gifts on Christmas morning. In these pages is something amazing just for you. I pray you won’t miss it.

August 12

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Ezekiel 10-13

God had a lot to say about false prophets in Ezekiel’s vision. He calls them foolish and liars and says very plainly that he is against them. They may claim to have had a word from God, they may “whitewash” their message but the reality is they’re dressing up a flimsy wall that will come crashing down in the wind. Their lies just can’t stand up to the truth of Scripture.

Once again God is challenging me to identify what it is that I believe. Maybe it would do us all some good to sit down and define where we stand on the subjects of sin, of Jesus, of the accuracy of Scripture, of creation, of other religions, salvation, grace. 

There are false prophets yet today. There are luke-warm theologies. There is a politically correct version of the Bible. We need to know what we believe and why we believe it so that we don’t fall for Christian-sounding words straight from the mouths of Satan’s servants. 

My heart’s desire is that each of us would spend time in God’s Word, reading it for ourselves, praying over it and meditating on it, memorizing it, and talking about it. May we hold on to the truth as revealed in its pages so that we can recognize and reject Satan’s attempt to deceive us.

Please remember God is against false prophets and, in turn, those who follow them. Don’t let that be you.

August 2

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2 Kings 24:1-4; 2 Chronicles 36:6-7; Daniel 1:1-2; Jeremiah 36:1-32, 25:1-38, 45:1-5

Did you shake your head at King Jehoiakim’s audacity? As Baruch read God’s Word, the king cut off a portion of the scroll and threw it into the fire until the entire scroll was destroyed. Baruch was reading God’s warning to the people of the devastation that was to come because of disobedience. 

What was Jehoiakim’s reaction? Get rid of the warning. Jehoiakim could not, however, stop God. God just gave Jeremiah the same message to rewrite (and added a couple more words for good measure).

There have been powers in the past that have tried to get rid of the Scriptures. But in every case God has preserved his written Word. I have multiple copies myself and several translations in my home.

However, as I read today God impressed on me another attempt to destroy his Word. And it’s coming from our pulpits. We are just as guilty as Jehoiakim when we don’t hold the entire Bible up as God’s inspired, unquestionable authority. We cut out a verse here and there if it makes us uncomfortable or doesn’t fit in with our politically correct agenda.

I know why Jehoiakim wanted that scroll destroyed. The words pointed out his sin and warned of God’s wrath. Let’s face it… the Bible doesn’t always make us feel good about ourselves. It isn’t intended to. 

In fact, the Bible is intended to show us how vile, how guilty, how dirty we are. It’s intended to show us our need of a Savior. And then it introduces us to that very One who can… who wants to… clean us up.

Do you believe the Bible is God’s inspired Word to us? All of it? Even the parts that end up revealing our deepest sin? Let’s not pick and choose which verses we like and throw out the ones we don’t. 

Because in the end, God’s Word will remain. And it doesn’t change with the times or with the desires of men. 

Dear God, I want to thank you for inspiring men to write your words down so that we in 2013 can know your heart. I pray for pastors and teachers. May they present your Word as Truth and not skip over or try to re-write verses that are hard for us to hear. Preserve your Scriptures in our time, Lord as you did in the days of Jeremiah. Give us ears to hear and hearts willing to be broken. Thank you for Jesus and his work on the cross that writes a happy ending to this story! May reading the Bible drive us to our knees and into his arms when we repent of the sin you reveal through the precious pages of your Word.