Our Majestic Lord! - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in Isaiah 6:1-4,

"In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord, high and exalted, seated on a throne; and the train of his robe filled the temple. Above him were seraphim, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. And they were calling to one another: 'Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory.' At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke."

This begins the account of Isaiah's commision as a prophet. It is certainly a dramatic vision which portrays the Lord in his heavenly temple in stark contrast to sinful man. Isaiah was most certainly an honorable man who had caught the Lord's attention as being well-equipped for the ministry he was called for. And, yet, not quite.

Upon seeing this vision of the Lord in his glorious splendor, Isaiah recoiled in frightful horror. As he exclaims, "'Woe to me!' I cried. 'I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty.'" This required the intervention of one of the seraphim who brought relief for Isaiah as a sinful man who needed his sins atoned for. "Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar. With it he touched my mouth and said, 'See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for.'"

What captures my attention this morning, which the contrast of sinful man's (Isaiah's) condition only adds to, is the splendor, the brilliancy and magnificence of the Lord's glorious presence. This view of the grandeur of majesty and resplendency reminds me of how exalted our Lord is! How far beyond mankind is his Creator God!

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

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God Planted A Vineyard - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in Isaiah 5:1b-3,

"My loved one had a vineyard
    on a fertile hillside.
He dug it up and cleared it of stones
    and planted it with the choicest vines.
He built a watchtower in it
    and cut out a winepress as well.
Then he looked for a crop of good grapes,
    but it yielded only bad fruit.
'Now you dwellers in Jerusalem and people of Judah,
    judge between me and my vineyard.'"

I have had a subscription to Biblical Archeology Review for decades. I don't find much of anything within its pages that is necessarily edifying to my faith or my understanding of God's Word. It is just that I enjoy reading about the current events in that field of study and the finds that take place. The reason I find little within its pages is that there are not many contributors (if any??) that are true believers in Jesus Christ and embrace the concept of the inspiration of the Scriptures.

Most all of them have this view that the origin of the Jewish nation is that of a nomadic people that simply borrowed religious ideas and materials from various other nations they had contact with that led to their establishing their own concepts of God, of temple worship, the priesthood, the Mosaic law and the Scriptures, the religious calendar with its feasts and festivals, ect. Not lost on them is the uniqueness of the monotheistic outlook of the Jews, but they do not see a unique people planted in Palestine by God. They simply see Israel as a small nomadic people that settled in Palestine that never attained the status we read of with David, Solomon and the exploits we read of in our Bibles.

In the above verses, Isaiah speaks of how God, his "loved one" planted Israel as his vineyard. Israel, as a nation, was not a people that simply bubbled up from humanity and became a nation, but was the object of a plan executed by God himself to create a vehicle through which he would bring his Son, Jesus Christ, into the world to pursue his redemption of mankind. We read of the beginnings of the nation of Israel as God's own hand-crafted people through the accounts of Abraham in the book of Genesis.

In order to make Israel the vehicle he needed for his Son (not a perfect people - but a people suitable for bringing his Son into the world -- the perfected people would come from the outcome of bringing his Son into the world), he had to make course corrections to their sinful predilections they shared with all mankind. Here Isaiah brings God's indictment against the nation.

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

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Where Arrogance Leads - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in Isaiah 4:1,

"In that day seven women will take hold of one man and say, 'We will eat our own food and provide our own clothes; only let us be called by your name. Take away our disgrace!'"

In Isaiah 3:25 we read, "Your men will fall by the sword, your warriors in battle." So horrific will be the judgment of God upon his people that there will be few men left. In 4:1 the prophet tells us the women of Israel will be so desperate, they will beg what few men are available to take away their disgrace of being single. In that culture, remaining unmarried was looked down on.

So desperate these women will be that they promise to be no burden whatsoever to the few men they can find - if they would but take them and remove the stigma and disgrace of spinsterhood. What a far cry from the arrogance Judah and Jerusalem had toward the Lord! "The Lord Almighty has a day in store for all the proud and lofty, for all that is exalted (and they will be humbled)," Isaiah 2:12.

In their arrogance, "They have forsaken the Lord; they have spurned the Holy One of Israel and turned their backs on him." Isaiah 1:4b.

Here is a great quote from John N. Oswalt in the New International Commentary on the Old Testament, "The situation would become so desperate that the ratio of men to women would be one to seven. No longer would there be any dependence upon flirtation and allure to 'catch.' Now the women would not even ask for support if they could only have some legal and social identity. Here is the final end of our desire to avoid dependence. We will become dependent in the most degrading and disadvantageous ways. Instead of the exaltation and building-up which comes from glad submission to God and one another (60:1–62:12), our drive to be sufficient in ourselves brings only humiliation, despair, and bondage."

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

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God's Righteousness Brings His Judgment - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in Isaiah 3:8-9,

"Jerusalem staggers, Judah is falling; their words and deeds are against the Lord, defying his glorious presence. The look on their faces testifies against them; they parade their sin like Sodom; they do not hide it. Woe to them! They have brought disaster upon themselves."

An easy way to think of the term "righteous" is that, whatever is consistent with God's character and nature is "righteous". When we say God is righteous ("The Lord is righteous in all his ways and faithful in all he does." Psalm 145:17), what we are saying is that God is consistent with himself at all times. He never changes.

Here in Isaiah 3:8-9, the observation is made of Jerusalem and Judah that has brought the Lord's judgment of them. While the Lord has differing purposes for various nations, like the United States versus Israel in Isaiah's day, nevertheless, God's judgment is something that should be expected to be consistent, and especially consistent with his intentions.

Given that, how comfortable do you feel America's prospects are with the slaughter of over 62 million babies since the nation embraced abortion in 1973? Seeing how God dealt with Israel, particularly in "defying his glorious presence", how will America fair with the "gay pride" celebrations and parades, the changing cultural views on gender fluidity, the rejection of God's presence from our nation? How about the move from "In God We Trust" to the embrace of Marxism in Critical Race Theory and the Black Lives Matter movement? How about the lawlessness embraced through the acceptance of rioting, destruction, looting and the "defund the police" movement?

God's righteousness brings his judgment where mankind's rebellion offends him. "They have brought disaster upon themselves."

Be prepared!

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

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Woe To The Deluded - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in Isaiah 2:21,

"Stop trusting in mere humans, who have but a breath in their nostrils. Why hold them in esteem?"

As the Lord brings his indictment against "the descendants of Jacob", verse 6, he takes note of their pride and arrogance. He warns them a day is coming when they will be humbled, "The Lord Almighty has a day in store for all the proud and lofty,
for all that is exalted (and they will be humbled)", verse 12.

The Lord tells them, "Stop trusting in mere humans, who have but a breath in their nostrils. Why hold them in esteem?"

I would argue we suffer from the very same malady today. As we look about, it can't be helped but to notice that God has been dethroned in the eyes of many and mankind has displaced him there.

The Scriptures declare that life comes from God and is therefore sacred; mankind claims they will decide who lives and dies through the practice of abortion. The Scriptures declare that God has created mankind as male and female; mankind claims gender is fluid and they will decide whatever they want to be. The Scriptures declare that the Son of God created the world (John 1:3) and maintains it all (Hebrews 1:2-3); mankind claims the ability to restructure weather patterns, the ocean levels, etc. and that they are the sole custodians of Mother Earth. The Scriptures declare the righteousness of God to be the sole origin and source of morality and virtue; mankind declares his own perverse, twisted and ever-changing rules for living.

You get the drift here. Mankind's delusion of displacing God will be forever destroyed when the Son of God returns on a day he has in store. "I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and wages war. His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. Coming out of his mouth is a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. 'He will rule them with an iron scepter.' He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS." Revelation 19:11-16.

Woe to all the deluded who think they have displaced God on his throne!

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

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Israel At Odds With the Lord - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in Isaiah 1:2-3,

"Hear me, you heavens! Listen, earth!
    For the Lord has spoken:
'I reared children and brought them up,
    but they have rebelled against me.
The ox knows its master,
    the donkey its owner's manger,
but Israel does not know,
    my people do not understand.'"

God elected to bring into his family all mankind who would embrace him in faith. He found Abraham as a man who expressed that kind of faith he desired in people, so he made a covenant with Abraham that he would make a great nation of him. Initially this nation would be comprised of his own physical offspring. (Eventually it would include all people who emulate the faith of Abraham, his "spiritual offspring". See Romans 9:6-8; 30-33) His specific purpose for that nation, Israel, was to be the vehicle through whom he would bring his Son, Jesus Christ, into the world to pay for the sins for all mankind.

When God called Isaiah to his prophetic ministry, sometime around 740 B.C., Israel was in great need of a course correction, hence the need for Isaiah's ministry. In the verses above we see the Lord as very unhappy with his people. They were on a trajectory that would preclude them as profitable for his purposes (bringing Jesus Christ into the world). He sent Isaiah as a warning, and as things worked out, it was a formidable and horrific change in direction God charted for them. God's will and his purposes would not be thwarted.

I have to ask myself this morning: am I useful to God for what he intends of me? Am I due a course correction in my life? I would hate to find myself in the predicament Israel placed herself in.

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

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Glorifying the Lord - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in John 21:18-19,

"'Very truly I [Jesus] tell you [Peter], when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.' Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God."

This passage is found in the closing chapter of John's gospel just after Jesus told Peter to feed his sheep. John says Jesus indicated here the "kind of death by which Peter would glorify God." How would, or how could Peter's death glorify God?

Paul alludes to this same theme in Philippians 1:20, "I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death." Here Paul says he hopes his courage will lead to the exaltation of Jesus Christ by either his living or dying. To exalt is to glorify and that is precisely what Paul longed to do for the Lord and did.

We express our praise, our exaltation of the Lord by giving ourselves to him. We are communicating we value him so highly, and that he is worthy of that height, by the giving of ourselves to him. As we think of our lives here on earth, we do that by living for him, sacrificing what others won't on his behalf. And, were we given the opportunity to give our lives on his behalf, we exalt him in our death.

Jesus was willing to give himself for us. Are we willing to give ourselves to him, whether by living for him or dying for him?

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

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John's Pause - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in John 20:1-8,

"Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance. So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple [John, the author of this gospel], the one Jesus loved, and said, 'They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don't know where they have put him!' So Peter and the other disciple started for the tomb. Both were running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. He bent over and looked in at the strips of linen lying there but did not go in. Then Simon Peter came along behind him and went straight into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there, as well as the cloth that had been wrapped around Jesus' head. The cloth was still lying in its place, separate from the linen. Finally the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went inside. He saw and believed."

John writes in his gospel his memory of that morning when it was discovered that Jesus was raised from the dead. He says that although he outran Peter to get to the tomb when Mary reported to them that Jesus' body was missing, he stopped (the pause) and didn't go in the tomb until Peter caught up with him and went in ahead of him.

Why did John pause? It may seem a trivial detail, but I have found there are no trivial details in Scripture. Everything we read within the pages of our Bibles is there for a reason. What is the reason for John's account of his pause?

In March of 2005, Christopher M. Rossomondo wrote an excellent article on John's pause. It is found at a Roman Catholic website:  https://oldarchive.godspy.com/reviews/The-Pause.cfm.htm Rossomondo provides three reasons he has considered. It is a great article until you get to the third reason, which you can just skip if you want (it is a reflection on the primacy of the first pope to enter the empty tomb before anyone else, so John had to wait - something most of us would reject out of hand.) Outside of that it is a great article. Here is a snippet:

"But what if St. John was afraid of the Empty Tomb because he realized what that would truly mean? What if in that moment St. John became aware of the reality of the Resurrection? His pause may have been the instant when he first grasped the possibility that Christ had been raised from the dead. Entering the tomb and finding it empty would mean that Jesus was the Messiah, the Son of the living God, and that his promises—all of his promises—would be fulfilled. The weight of that reality at once understood would give any of us pause."

Why do you think John paused?

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

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"Where, Jesus, do you come from?". - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in John 19:7-9,

"The Jewish leaders insisted, 'We have a law, and according to that law he must die, because he [Jesus] claimed to be the Son of God.' When Pilate heard this, he was even more afraid, and he went back inside the palace. 'Where do you come from?' he asked Jesus, but Jesus gave him no answer."

It appears Pontious Pilate had no stomach for putting Jesus to death. We read he became more fearful as he heard additional details of the complaints from the Jewish leaders. Upon hearing from the Jews that Jesus claimed to be the Son of God, Pilate asked Jesus where he was from. Jesus didn't answer. His purpose was to be put to death to provide payment for the sins of mankind.

It truly is a question for the ages, "Where, Jesus, do you come from?"

Some might say he was born in Bethlehem. Some might say he came out of Egypt. Most would say he was a Galilean from Nazareth. While all these may have some reference in fact, they fail miserably to inform us where Jesus Christ actually came from.

In Jesus' own prayer in John 17:5, Jesus tells the Father, "And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began." Jesus came from the Father! He is from the heavenly realms and existed there as God the Son before the world began! In verse 3 of his prayer we learn that the Father had sent Jesus, and in verse 4, that he was to complete the work the Father had given him.

In John 17:8, Jesus told the Father that his disciples knew where he had come from, "They [Jesus' disciples] knew with certainty that I came from you, and they believed that you sent me." Jesus acknowledged the Father had sent him into the world, "As you sent me into the world..." John 17:18. He went on to pray that the disciples would be brought into unity such that it would result in the world recognizing the Father had sent the Son into the world, John 17:23.

Given that Jesus Christ, as the Son of God, came from the Father and died for our sins, what might that mean to each of us?

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

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Reconciliation and Reinstatement - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in John 18:26-27,

"One of the high priest's servants, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, challenged him, 'Didn't I see you with him in the garden?' Again Peter denied it, and at that moment a rooster began to crow."

The account of Peter boastfully declaring he would lay down his life for the Lord, and Jesus prophesying that, to the contrary, he would disown him three times that very night is insightful. We read of the boast and the prophecy in John 13:37-38. Peter's disowning of Jesus the three times is found in John 18:17, 25 and here in John 18:26-27. The account is one that is captured in all four gospels.

The story finds its conclusion at the end of John's gospel, where many of us see Jesus reinstating Peter to his important ministry which will soon begin, John 21:15-17. Three times Jesus asks Peter if he loved him and with Peter's affirmation with each, Jesus commands him to care for his lambs, his sheep.

It is an intimate account of something very personal between Jesus and Peter and yet it is captured in Scripture for us all to read throughout the age. It seems to me it is a helpful account for those of us who, during a time of weakness may disappoint the Lord, disappoint ourselves and disappoint others.

The thrust of the story to me is not so much the lesson to not boast (a good lesson) but one of healing and reconciliation when we have run off the rails, reinstatement by our Lord who loves us, forgives us, and inexplicably chooses to use us for our own fulfillment, sense of purposefulness and satisfaction in life.

It really is quite an amazing account. How wonderful the Lord has had it provided for us!

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

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Is It A Roster Or What? - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in John 17:24,

"Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world."

In Jesus' prayer to the Father, he speaks of those the Father has given to him. In this passage it is a group that comes from among all mankind. Earlier in this chapter he speaks of these, "For you [Father] granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him." Verse 2. Likewise here in verse 24 it is apparent he is speaking of the same group. This we see from verse 20 where he shifts his focus to all who would come to embrace him through the apostolic message.

However, in verses 6-8, as he speaks of those the Father had given him, his focus is on his disciples that are with him at the time, "I have revealed you to those whom you gave me out of the world. They were yours; you gave them to me and they have obeyed your word. Now they know that everything you have given me comes from you. For I gave them the words you gave me and they accepted them. They knew with certainty that I came from you, and they believed that you sent me." We know the names on this roster: Peter, James, John, Andrew, Nathanael, James the lesser, Thaddeus (Jude), Matthew, Philip, Simon the Zealot, Thomas (Judas Iscariot, one of the 12, didn't make the cut, so we're looking at 11 here at the time of Jesus' prayer).

So, who is in the much bigger group of all those the Father gave the Son? Did the Father give the Son a list of names on a roster? No. What he did was to give the Son all those of mankind who would embrace him in faith. Jesus' death paid for the sins of all people, "He [Jesus Christ] is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world." 1 John 2:2. However, that payment is only credited to the account of those who embrace Jesus Christ in faith, "Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God." John 1:12.

The Scriptures speak of this as God's election, God's choice. God decided, he chose (he elected) that only those who embrace him in faith will cross over from death to life. "Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life." John 5:24. "The elect" are all those who have embraced Jesus Christ in faith because they are the ones the Father gave the Son.

It is a big issue in the Scriptures because many have felt that we enter into God's kingdom by being "good enough." That is not God's decision - his decision is based on whether we embrace him in faith.

Anyone can become a part of God's elect. The only way that happens is when someone responds to him in faith. Any of us can choose to do so. Unfortunately, too many choose to cling to their sin.

I am obviously at odds with some of the current popular theology being passed around these days... (and, no, I am not Arminian.)

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

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The Lord Has Much More To Say - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in John 16:12,

"I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear."

Jesus told his disciples he would be providing them with things beyond what he had told them so far, things he wanted them to know. This he would do later as they were not yet equipped to bear it at this point.

That equipping would come in the form of the Holy Spirit that would indwell each of them later. This took place on the Pentecost following Jesus' ascension to heaven. We read of it in Acts 2. When the Holy Spirit came to them, it gave birth to the church;, launched the world-wide gospel enterprise and enabled the production of the New Testament books we now have in our Bibles.

Jesus' statement, that he had "much more" to say to his disciples speaks to me of something beyond just the volume, the amount of teaching Jesus determined his followers needed. It seems to me he was saying there were important things that were vital for them to know, but that those things would have to wait for the chain of events that were to unfold.

I am confident the material we have in the twenty-seven books of our New Testaments accounts for much of what Jesus told his followers they would need, and through them to all the rest of us who follow Jesus Christ.

If Jesus has "much more to say to you", I read it as he has "much more to say to me". This establishes the vital importance of what our Scriptures have to say to us. Lord have mercy on me if I ever let it lie in dusty condition on my coffee table!

"All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work." 2 Timothy 3:16-17. "And we also thank God continually because, when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as a human word, but as it actually is, the word of God, which is indeed at work in you who believe." 1 Thessalonians 2:13. "For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart." Hebrews 4:12.

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know.  

Getting Pruned - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in John 15:1-2,

"I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful."

Jesus used the picture of a vineyard: the Father is the gardener, Jesus is the true vine and people are branches of the vine. If branches don't bear fruit, they are cut off for the burn pile. Those branches that do bear fruit get "pruned" by the gardener so they produce even more fruit.

About those branches that are removed, he said, "If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned." Verse 6.

I see two outcomes here for us as branches. If we don't bear fruit because we don't find life's sustenance in Jesus Christ as the vine, we go into the burn pile. If we do bear fruit, we get pruned so that we bear even more fruit. A simple binary outcome based on what we produce (or don't produce) in our lives.

It's one outcome or the other: burned or pruned!

I don't know if branches scream when they are being pruned, but I do know that when the Lord works in our lives to produce fruit it can be painful. A go-to passage for me on this is found in Hebrews 12:7-11 where a different simile is used, that of a disciplining father raising children. "Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father? If you are not disciplined—and everyone undergoes discipline—then you are not legitimate, not true sons and daughters at all. Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of spirits and live! They disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in his holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it."

I don't know why some preach that becoming a Christian is nothing but a bed of roses, all things wonderful and easy, just a blissful existence in this life. Somehow or other, I missed that boat. I find myself getting pruned all the time. Who knows? Maybe those who preach the "bed of roses" life that should be ours are already producing baskets full of fruit! No need for pruning!

As I say, I find myself getting pruned, and I wouldn't have it any other way! How about you?

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

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Jesus Christ Brings Life! - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in John 14.19b,

"Because I [Jesus Christ] live, you also will live."

Here is the wonderful promise of our Savior! Because he lives, we will live! Because he has life within himself, so we also have life within ourselves!

Following the arrest of the apostles by the high priest, an angel of the Lord freed them in the middle of the night. He told them "Go, stand in the temple courts,... and tell the people all about this new life." This they did as we read in Acts 5:20. "This new life"! Paul reminded his readers, "God ... gives life to the dead and calls into being things that were not." Romans 4:17. In the following chapter he says that "those who receive God's abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ!" Romans 5:17. Reign in life!

Life is the gift of God, eternal life! Romans 6:23. It is the Spirit who gives life, Romans 8;10. In 1 Corinthians 15:45 we read that the last Adam [Jesus Christ] is a life-giving spirit.

2 Corinthians 5:4 says that while we are burdened by our coming physical death, we look forward "to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life."

Paul tells Timothy to command rich people to do the right thing, to "do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share." The result of this is, "In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life." 1 Timothy 6:18-19. "Life that is truly life"!

This life is promised to us in Jesus Christ, "Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, in keeping with the promise of life that is in Christ Jesus..." 2 Timothy 1:1.

We read in 2 Timothy 1:9-10, "This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel." Jesus Christ has destroyed death and brought life and immortality!

Jesus Christ brings life!

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

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Servanthood - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in John 13:3-5,

"Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples' feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him."

When Jesus removed his outer clothing and wrapped a towel around himself to wash his disciples feet, he assumed the role of a servant. Later, he asked them to do the same with one another, "Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another's feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them." Verses 14-17.

Jesus' entire earthly ministry, to provide redemption for mankind, was one of servanthood, "In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God  something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross!" Philippians 2:5-8.

Serving one another is the perspective we should have as followers of Jesus Christ. In Galatians 5:13 Paul says, "You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love."

In 1 Peter 4:10, Peter exhorts us, "Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God's grace in its various forms."

Additionally, of course, to serving one another, we are to serve God, "How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!" Hebrews 9:14.

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

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Need Some Assurance Or A Wake-Up Call? - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in John 12:26,

"Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me."

Jesus said this as a follow-on to his observation that those who indulge themselves with the things of their earthly life ("loves" their earthly life) will lose it, but anyone who subordinates the things of this life ("hates" their earthly life) has eternal life. His point is the subjugation of the pleasures of this life to pursue eternal life. This is done by following what he said in the verse above, we will serve and follow Jesus if we are his.

It appears to me that Jesus is talking about a measurement here. How do we know we have embraced Jesus Christ in faith for certain? Here is a measure of that: we serve Jesus Christ and follow him (to the exclusion of exploiting the pleasures of this life where appropriate.) In his first letter, John observes, "We know that we have come to know him if we keep his commands." 1 John 2:3. In the following verse he says, "Whoever says, 'I know him,' but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in that person."

We are saved by embracing Jesus Christ in faith and not by doing "good works." However, a changed life helps us recognize we have done so. Placing our faith in Jesus Christ is a subjective thing, and it just may be that we want some assurance from time to time. The way to do that is to look at our lives. Do we live as though we are followers of Jesus Christ? How was that demonstrated during, say, the previous week?

In 1 John 2:29 we read, "If you know that he is righteous, you know that everyone who does what is right has been born of him." Again, it is a measure, a yardstick for our lives to recognize the reality of our faith in Jesus Christ.

We see this also in 1 John 3:10, "This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not God's child, nor is anyone who does not love their brother and sister." Again, in 1 John 3:14 we read, "We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love each other. Anyone who does not love remains in death."

Years ago, I counted some 30 plus statements by John in his first letter that tell us how we can know we have embraced Jesus Christ in faith. It really is a good place to go when we may feel we need a little assurance, or, on the other hand, in great need of a wake-up call.

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

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Witnessing The Glory of God - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in John 11:40,

"Then Jesus said, 'Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?'"

Just at the time Jesus was going to raise his friend, Lazarus, from the dead, he told Martha (as well as possibly all who were there) that if she believed in him she would see the glory of God. Having made this statement he called to Lazarus to come out of the tomb -- which he did!

What exactly does it mean to "see the glory of God"? In this case it meant to witness a reversal of the natural order of things. When people die, their body begins the process of putrefaction. The body decomposes into the natural elements it consisted of. This is the natural course of events and the way God has ordained things.

Not so with Lazarus. He had died and his body had undergone the process of putrefaction for four days. Jesus reversed that natural course of events and called Lazarus back to life.

The veil that shrouds our view of God on his heavenly throne and the existence of the heavenly realm itself has been penetrated a precious few times that allowed a select audience a view. Seeing the Creator God reverse the natural order of things, as in the raising of Lazarus, is a glimpse of this. It is a limited view of the massive power and authority God has over all things.

Witnessing the glory of God has taken different forms and different views to differing degrees for those fortunate enough (and unfortunately enough!) for those who have had the experience. We can think of examples of this, such as Moses and the "burning" bush, John and the revelation given him in the last book of our Bibles.

One view of the glory of God that has always attracted my attention is the commissioning of Isaiah as prophet to Israel. We read of it in Isaiah 6. Here is a fascinating portion from that chapter: "In the year that King Uzziah died, I [Isaiah] saw the Lord, high and exalted, seated on a throne; and the train of his robe filled the temple. Above him were seraphim, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. And they were calling to one another: 'Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory.' At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke. 'Woe to me!' I cried. 'I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty.'" Isaiah 6:1-5.

Notice Isaiah's reaction to witnessing the glory of God!

On another level, many of us look around at what we can see naturally, and recognize the glory of God embedded within his creation as well.

What additional examples from Scripture can you think of?

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

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Looking At Deeds and Words - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in John 10:19-21,

"The Jews who heard these words were again divided. Many of them said, 'He is demon-possessed and raving mad. Why listen to him?' But others said, 'These are not the sayings of a man possessed by a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?'"

We read here that there was a divided response to Jesus among the Jews. The one group, pointing to what Jesus had to say, rejected him, claiming he was demon-possessed and a raving lunatic. Think about that for a minute... the Son of God, appearing before this group was unrecognizable to them. They were in such a spiritual darkness they could not see anything at all of the things of God. They were entirely and utterly lost in this spiritual darkness just as so many are today.

The second group, pointing to the things Jesus had done (opened the eyes of the blind) argued that Jesus was who he claimed to be. The rejecting group was looking at what Jesus said, and the embracing group looked at what Jesus had done. That second group was legitimate in looking at the miracles of Jesus as the basis for their faith. In verses 36-38 Jesus said, "Why then do you accuse me of blasphemy because I said, 'I am God's Son'? Do not believe me unless I do the works of my Father. But if I do them, even though you do not believe me, believe the works, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me, and I in the Father."

I suspect the reason the former group pointed to the things Jesus was saying (as opposed to looking at his miracles) was that Jesus left them with nothing they could question concerning his miracles. All they were left with was the attempt to misrepresent and mislead others on the things Jesus was saying.

Such is spiritual blindness, spiritual darkness. People prefer that darkness in their effort to obfuscate on who Jesus Christ is. I am reminded of what we read in John 3:19-20, "This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed."

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

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Self Promotion - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in John 9:34,

"'You were steeped in sin at birth; how dare you lecture us!' And they threw him out."

A man born blind was healed by Jesus. The religious set, the "Pharisees", feeling their standing in the community might be in jeopardy, had the man brought to them to question him about Jesus. Not satisfied with his answers (meaning the man didn't disavow Jesus), they called in his parents who failed to provide them with satisfaction. So, they summoned the healed man in again in an attempt to invalidate what Jesus had done for him. Again, not providing them satisfaction, they "threw him out."

I notice that about the religious set these days. When someone can further whatever it is they are promoting (usually just themselve), that someone becomes a darling among them. As soon as that someone fails to further the religious set's interests, they are unceremoniously dumped - thrown out.

At a church of a friend of mine, overweight women are not allowed to participate in the "praise team." They don't promote the "look" the leadership is interested in conveying to the community. In churches I have participated in (which in part prompted me to leave), people with children in trouble have been prevented from participating in activities during services (it might make the church look bad.) Likewise, with those experiencing marital difficulty (even when the culprit in the marriage was the spouse and not them).

For many in the religious set, when we don't add to, or contribute toward the interests of their agenda, we get "dumped." Just like the man born blind and healed by Jesus. He didn't further the cause of these religious Pharisees and was thrown out.

Where is the love? Where is the care and pastoral concern for those who don't benefit religious leaders? We have an enormous amount of religious leaders and "ministries" these days, but we really don't have many who are genuine followers of Jesus Christ in my view.

Show me someone who is willing to give up in behalf of others what they think they have acquired "in service" to the Lord, whether it be a built up ministry, a pulpit with a broad voice, a facility, a congregation, a televised ministry, etc. and I'll show you someone who has an undivided heart for the Lord.

These Pharisees were certainly unwilling to give anything up they felt important to them... and it led to their rejection of the Son of God! Self promotion in this life led them to the certainty of being cast into that fiery lake of burning sulfur in the next. (Some self promotion that was!)

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

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Don't Follow the Devil! - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in John 8:41b,

"'We are not illegitimate children,' they [unbelieving Jews] protested. 'The only Father we have is God himself.'"

Jesus pointed out to these unbelieving Jews that their father was the devil, verse 44, "You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father's desires." Jesus points out that those who do not belong to him belong to the devil. Two camps, and only two camps. We carry out God's desires or the devil's desires.

However, this brood thought they were God's children, that God was their father. They were utterly deceived in their thinking and their perception of things. Very religious, with the Scriptures in hand, they served the devil and carried out the devil's desires.

I believe there are a lot of people today that live their lives in a similar deceit, no doubt as convinced as these Jews were that they have God as their father when they only carry out the devil's purposes.

I am reminded of Jesus' words, "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?' Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'" Matthew 7:21-23.

The remedy for this is to ensure we are in fact following God and not the devil. Apparently many cannot tell the difference. I highly recommend Paul's exhortation, "Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth." 2 Timothy 2:15.

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

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Do We Know What We Know? - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in John 7:27,

"But we know where this man is from; when the Messiah comes, no one will know where he is from."

Here we see people who have a confidence in what they think they know. As they evaluated the claims of the Son of God, they felt they knew enough to know he was not the Messiah. Imagine being in the presence of God's one and only Son and determining he wasn't the One because he didn't check one of the boxes they mistakenly trusted in. They thought they knew that no one would know where the Messiah came from, and since they knew where Jesus was from, he couldn't be it.

Confidence is important. We should all be confident in what we believe. But evenly more important is placing our confidence in the right thing. Do we know what we really think we know?  Can we know things for certain? Absolutely!

An example: In 1 John 4:16 we read, "God is love." That is a simple, knowable truth. I can know that and I can have a legitimate confidence in knowing it. We can know things with confidence. Where we might get into trouble is to assume we know how God might act on that love in a given situation. I can't be confident I know that for certain. Some run with this knowledge that God loves us and then assume that God wants to "prosper" us because he loves us. We should have all the goodies the world has to offer. Some say that since God loves us, he doesn't want us to become sick, or he doesn't want us to have frustrations in this life... you get the drill. 

Some things we can know for certain, other things we can't. Wisdom dictates we distinguish between the two.

One thing I am entirely convinced of is that it is in the Scriptures: the reading, studying, meditating upon, memorizing, saturating our minds with, brings an ability to determine what we can know, as opposed to what we just might not know for certain in its pages.

"Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth." 2 Timothy 2:15.

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

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The Most Important Consumable! - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in John 6:50,

"Here is the bread that comes down from heaven, which anyone may eat and not die."

Jesus likened himself to a consumable, a very important consumable. In verses 53-58 Jesus said, "Very truly I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day. For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in them. Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven. Your ancestors ate manna and died, but whoever feeds on this bread will live forever."

The Son of God came down from heaven and took on humanity, "For this reason he had to be made like them, fully human in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people." Hebrews 2:17. This he did by giving up his physical life as a payment for the sins of all mankind.

As a "consumable", his body and his blood represent the sacrifice of atonement he made for our sins. In doing so he offers us eternal life if we place our faith and trust in him. I note in John 6:50 that this offer of his is for anyone, everyone, all inclusive - the one requirement is for us to embrace him in faith. The metaphor of eating his flesh and drinking his blood is a picture of us availing ourselves of the sacrifice he made of himself.

Not only does he make the offer, but he points out that the Father draws us all to him! "No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them, and I will raise them up at the last day." Verse 44. Those who respond to God's effort at drawing them are those he has given to his Son, "All those the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away." Verse 37. The Father uses the Son to draw all mankind to himself, "And I [Jesus Christ], when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself." John 12:32.

A fitting and important metaphor we all need to respond to!

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

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Jesus Christ Is God - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in John 5:18,

"For this reason they tried all the more to kill him [Jesus]; not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God."

Jesus made "himself equal with God." Next time someone asks you who you think Jesus Christ is, you can tell them very assuredly that he is God. God the Son, the second person of the Trinity.

The Scriptures clearly identify Jesus Christ as God.

"Theirs [the Israelites] are the patriarchs, and from them is traced the human ancestry of the Messiah [Jesus Christ], who is God over all, forever praised!" Romans 9:5.

"In the beginning was the Word [Jesus Christ], and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." John 1:1.

"For to us a child [Jesus Christ] is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." Isaiah 9:6.

"Thomas said to him [Jesus Christ], 'My Lord and my God!'"

"In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage..." Philippians 2:5-6.

"The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation." Colossians 1:15.

"It [God's grace] teaches us to say 'No' to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ..." Titus 2:12-13.

And so on....

Jesus once asked his disciples, "Who do you say I am?", Matthew 15:16. If we are ever asked that question, we should be able to answer that boldly and confidently just as Peter did, "You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God."

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

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Living Water - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in John 4:13-14,

"Jesus answered, 'Everyone who drinks this water [from Jacob's well] will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.'"

In John 7:37-39 we read, "On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, 'Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.' By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive."

Mankind was created to have an ongoing and immediate (meaning "close") relationship with his Creator. Following the fall of man in the garden, he has been estranged from God with a God-sized piece of emptiness dwelling within. A hunger, a thirst, a felt-need has existed within our hearts ever since. It is my belief that many of mankind's ills (addictions in life, etc.) find their origin in this emptiness. The impulsiveness to create religions, the drive to pursue philosophical schools of thought, the quest for meaning in life, I feel, are all motivated by this emptiness.

What Jesus Christ offers is to have that emptiness within us filled with what was originally intended in our creation, to a fulness of satisfaction, purposefulness, meaning in life and fulfillment through his presence in our lives by the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit never leaves us believers, never forsakes us, and becomes a spring of the mystical water of eternal life bubbling up and flowing within and through us.

How wonderful is that?!

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

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Don't Be A Goat! - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in John 3:19,

"This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil."

This statement explains a lot of things. The one that captures my thoughts this morning is the purpose of this life. This life is a proving ground where a great sifting, or winnowing of the hearts of all the members of the human race takes place. This is the primary, most fundamental purpose of this life under the sun. It is for this purpose that we find ourselves in this life. All other things in this life are subordinated to this one primary and overriding purpose.

This life provides the opportunity for people to express whether they love God more than their sinful lifestyle, (or the other way around.) In the following verse we read, "Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed." The purpose of this life is so this great "sifting" can take place.

We live in an environment where God has cloaked himself and so faith has the opportunity to express itself based on whether we love and want God more than our sin. God only wants those for eternity who want him, and he has determined that faith in him is the way to define that desire. We have to really want God in order to find our way to embracing him in faith.

We read in Matthew 25:31-41, "When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left... Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.'... Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.'"

People who desire God over their sin come into the light as we read about in John 3:21. Those who refuse God's offer die in their sins and go to "the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels."

This is the verdict! Don't be a goat!

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

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The Lord Makes Only the Best! - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in John 2:10,

"Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now."

This was the comment the master of the banquet made to the bridegroom after Jesus had turned water to wine at a wedding banquet. The wine Jesus created from water was "the best"!

This is what the Lord does. His hand turns out the best. I am reminded of what Jesus Christ does in our lives when we embrace him in faith. He takes plain old sinners like you and me and creates things of beauty of us. He transforms us and he perfects us into the best.

"For he [God] chose us in him [Jesus Christ] before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight." Ephesians 1:4. "Holy and blameless" is not something anyone would have accused me of, but he perfects us!

"The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control." Galatians 5:22-23. Anyone who is marked by these qualities certainly is a thing of beauty! He perfects us and makes a thing of beauty of us!

"You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy." 1 Peter 2;9-10. Look at the beautiful thing the Lord makes of us as a people! He makes us the best.

The Lord makes only the best.

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

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The Metaphysical Context of Following Jesus Christ - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in John 1:43,

"The next day Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. Finding Philip, he said to him, 'Follow me.'"

Early in John's gospel, in the first chapter, we are introduced to a few of the men that followed Jesus Christ. In that chapter we read of two of John the Baptist's disciples, one of whom was Andrew (Peter's brother). We see that Andrew brought his brother, Peter, to meet the Lord. Next we meet Philip in the chapter, to whom Jesus said, "Follow me." Afterward, Philip found Nathanel, who was stunned to learn that Jesus knew things about him that no ordinary person would know.

These men followed Jesus and it is what Jesus told Philip that catches my eye this morning, "Follow me." There are four verses in John's gospel that record Jesus telling his listeners to follow him and another verse where Jesus observes that those who belong to him, his servants, must follow him.

Jesus told his listeners that his sheep follow him, John 10:27. In John 12:26 Jesus said that those who serve him must follow him. Additionally, Jesus told Peter to follow him twice, John 21:19 and John 21:22 ("Follow me!", "You must follow me.")

Although John's two disciples asked Jesus where he was staying, verse 38, and Jesus invited them to come and see, following Jesus has a transcendent metaphysical context. We read in verse 43 that Jesus decided to leave Bethany on the Jordan for Galilee. When he told Philip to follow him, it meant far more than just the 4 day trip it would take.

The term "follow", used by the NIV in the passages cited above, is defined by Merriam-Webster (in addition to the simple meaning) as: "to engage in as a calling or way of life", "to be or act in accordance with", "to accept as authority : OBEY", "to seek to attain", to "imitate", "watch steadily, to keep the mind on, to attend to closely, to understand the sense or logic of".

As you can see, as we think of being followers of Jesus Christ, there are some considerations that need tending to.

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

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"You Must Follow Me" - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in John 21:20-23,

"Peter turned and saw that the disciple whom Jesus loved was following them. (This was the one who had leaned back against Jesus at the supper and had said, 'Lord, who is going to betray you?') When Peter saw him, he asked, 'Lord, what about him?' Jesus answered, 'If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? You must follow me.' Because of this, the rumor spread among the believers that this disciple would not die. But Jesus did not say that he would not die; he only said, 'If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you?'"

This is the last exchange between Jesus and his disciples recorded in John's gospel. Following Peter's earlier denial of Jesus three times after his arrest, we read of Peter's threefold reinstate in this chapter. Three times Jesus asked Peter if he loved him and three times he told Peter to pursue the ministry he intended for him: "Feed my lambs", "Take care of my sheep" and "Feed my sheep."

Following this exchange on the shore of the Sea of Galilee, Jesus told Peter to follow him. As they went, Peter turned and saw John (our gospel writer) following them. Seeing him, Peter asked Jesus, "What about him?" I find Jesus' response to be instructive for me today.

Jesus told Peter, "If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? You must follow me." Some sixty years after this event, the gospel writer had to clarify to his readers (which eventually includes us!), "Jesus did not say that he would not die; he only said, 'If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you?'"

A part of Jesus' response to Peter has to include the consideration for us all to follow the Lord: "You must follow me." And, that obedience is to surpass any concern we may have about what the future holds. The Son of God has his agenda, and whatever that agenda may be, we need to follow the Lord. This is first and foremost.

While I hold an interest, as many do, about the calendar of future events we attempt to decipher in the Scriptures, that must be subordinated to my focus on following the Lord. Gerald L. Borchert, in volume 25b of "The New American Commentary" makes an interesting comment about this: "The end of this Epilogue is therefore an implicit warning against chronologizing the eschaton [the calendar of future events], Just as the risen Jesus did not promise the beloved disciple control of the calendar of his lifespan, neither does he offer readers such insight. That knowledge belongs only to God."

All things have their importance. Refining the precision we may have on our understanding of the future events we read of in the Scriptures (and, maybe what we don't read in the Scriptures) falls well below the imperative we have to follow the Lord, "You must follow me."

A heated exchange (argument, dispute) between believers over, say, the timing of the Rapture, makes the point here. Are we following the Lord when we get angry at a brother for such a thing?

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

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Enabling the View - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in John 20:1,

"Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance."

The tomb Mary went to was the tomb Jesus' body was laid in following his crucifixion. We see that when Mary arrived she found the stone had been removed from the entrance to the tomb. She fetched Peter and John and they found the same. They each looked into the tomb and found it empty. Jesus' body was gone. Why had the stone been removed?

We might think because Jesus had been raised from the dead he needed to get out. Maybe the two angels that show up later in the story helped him for the purpose. That explanation quickly falls apart when we read later in this chapter that Jesus showed up in the midst of his disciples who were in a locked room! On two occasions! Jesus apparently had mobility through the impenetrable.

It seems to me the only rational explanation the stone had been moved was to enable the view into it. Jesus wanted Mary as well as Peter and John to look into the tomb so they could see it was empty. He was risen from the dead and he wants all to look into that tomb to see it is empty!

The resurrection of Jesus Christ changes everything! It proves his offering of his body through that crucifixion satisfied his Father's justice for the sins of mankind. Since all sin is now paid for, we can all have a right standing with God (all who embrace him in faith). "He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification." Romans 4:25.

He invites us all to look into the tomb to find it empty! It provides us all we need to know. "But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep." 1 Corinthians 15:20.

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

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The Greater Culpability - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in John 19:10b-11,

"'Don't you realize I [Pontius Pilate] have power either to free you or to crucify you?' Jesus answered, "You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above. Therefore the one who handed me over to you is guilty of a greater sin."

When Jesus was brought to Pilate following his arrest, Pilate interrogated Jesus. When Jesus remained silent when Pilate asked him where he came from, Pilate warned Jesus that he could either free him or have him crucified. Jesus informed Pilate that the only power Pilate had over him was what was given to him "from above." Just as Judas Iscariot, Pilate also had his part to play in the predetermined arrangements to bring about Jesus' own death (thereby effecting his atonement for the sins of all mankind.)

We read in verse 12 that Pilate set himself to free Jesus, "From then on, Pilate tried to set Jesus free, but the Jewish leaders kept shouting, 'If you let this man go, you are no friend of Caesar. Anyone who claims to be a king opposes Caesar.'" It was not to be and Jesus was crucified. Pilate had no real control as he had fallen into the hands of God's sovereign will and the atonement for mankind would be accomplished no matter what. "There is no wisdom, no insight, no plan that can succeed against the Lord." Proverbs 21:30.

I note the disparity of culpability Jesus informed Pilate of. Caiaphas, the chief priest who handed Jesus over to Pilate (or was Jesus speaking of Judas?), was guilty of a greater sin than Pilate himself. Why would that be? The NIV Study Bible points out that the one who handed Jesus over to Pilate to be crucified was guilty of a greater sin because it was carried out with willful, malicious intent. John MacArthur points out, "The critical point is not the identity of the person [either Caiaphas or Judas], but guilt because of the deliberate, high-handed, and coldly calculated act of handing Jesus over to Pilate, after having seen and heard the overwhelming evidence that He was Messiah and Son of God. Pilate had not been exposed to that."

It is that last thought of MacArthur that strikes me as an important point. It is one thing to not know and be guilty of some sin against God. It is another to have been exposed to the things of God and sin anyway. Both Judas and Caiaphas fit well into that thought.

How might we fit into that? Sobering, isn't it...

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

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What's In A Name? - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in John 18:4-6,

"Jesus, knowing all that was going to happen to him, went out and asked them, 'Who is it you want?' 'Jesus of Nazareth,' they replied. 'I am he,' Jesus said. (And Judas the traitor was standing there with them.) When Jesus said, 'I am he,' they drew back and fell to the ground."

As we read this passage, we find Jesus willingly turned himself over to the Jewish officials and soldiers for his arrest. In reading John's gospel we learn that, in fact, Jesus orchestrated the whole event. After dispatching Judas from the Last Supper to pursue his treachery for thirty pieces of silver, he took his disciples over to a place called Gethsemane, Matthew 26:36, where he knew Judas and the soldiers would find him.

As the Jewish officials and soldiers approached, Jesus went out to them. As he did so he asked who they wanted, and when they said, "Jesus of Nazareth" he told them, "I am he". Then, the strangest thing happened. These soldiers and officials drew back and fell to the ground. Why?

Recall when Moses, 1600 years earlier, asked the Lord for his name, who it was sending him to lead his people out of Egypt, the Lord told him to tell the Jews, "I AM". Tell them "I AM" has sent you. When these soldiers came for Jesus, he identified himself with that very name!

The NIV Quest Study Bible has a great comment about this scene in Gethsemane: "The soldiers, although they were trained to expect violence and physical force, were evidently caught off guard and struck by the power of Jesus' words and courage (7:45–46). But that alone doesn't explain why they fell to the ground. Somehow the divine authority and power of Jesus was revealed to these armed men, causing them to fall down in fear, panic or awe." This happened when he told them "I am he."

I think it is difficult for us, so removed by time and geography, to fully embrace the impact of Jesus Christ in the hearts, minds, and fears of those who had contact with him, both those who embraced him in faith, as well as those who rejected him.

Never lose sight of the fact that these were people who were actually interacting with their Creator God - whether they knew it or not!

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

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The Preexistent Son of God: Jesus Christ! - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in John 17:24,

"Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world."

This verse is part of an extended prayer of Jesus to the Father that takes up the entire seventeenth chapter of John. His prayer contains some amazing things that we learn from it. In the verse quoted above, Jesus talks to the Father about the love the Father had for him before the creation of the world. It helps us understand a little of the eternal nature of the Trinity.

John's gospel opens with the following about Jesus Christ, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind." John 1:1-4. "The Word" is Jesus Christ in John's introduction here.

In that the Trinity exists outside or beyond the dimension of time, whatever "beginning" is being contemplated, the Son of God is already there with the Father (and the Holy Spirit) in a relationship marked by love. Consequently John points out that the Son of God was existing "in the beginning" and that he was with the Father "in the beginning." We also read that the creation we know (as well as what we don't know) was created by the Son of God.

The writer of Hebrews also speaks of this as the writer wrote amazing things about the Son of God, "In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe. The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven." Hebrews 1:1-3.

In this passage in Hebrews we see the Son of God preexisting the creation of the universe, acknowledging him to be both the creator and sustainer (or maintainer) of it.

In connecting "the dots" of passages we read in Scripture, it helps me understand better who Jesus Christ is, how he fits into the Godhead, and his participation in acts of the Trinity and so on... that is, until the circuit breakers in my head start to blow (which appears to be early on!) I feel I know very little about it all but stand amazed at what that little speaks of!

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

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Is "In Jesus' Name" A Formula? - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in John 16:23b-24,

"Very truly I [Jesus] tell you, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete."

Some people think Jesus was telling his disciples here that if they were to use the "right words", as in some kind of incantation, the prayers get answered. "In Jesus' name I pray" and that is the formula - this gets it answered to our satisfaction. I'm afraid this is just a misunderstanding of what Jesus was saying.

When Jesus said to ask in his name, that refers to praying in the context of his will and purposes (as the NIV Quest Bible puts it.) Who he is, what his plans and intentions are, his agenda. Praying in Jesus' name is an attitude and outlook, not a formula of words.

Formulas of words are for Hollywood movie scripts where we see someone open a book of spells, invoking the devil to do nefarious things. Jesus is a real person and I am sure he is more interested in us approaching him with that understanding, rather than if he were some kind of a mindless force that springs into action if we get the formula of words just right.

I'm sure this doesn't sit well with the "Name it and Claim it" crowd.

The NIV Quest Bible has a great point on John 15:7, where someone might ask whether we can ask for whatever we want, "No. It is impossible to pray correctly apart from knowing and believing Jesus' teachings. As long as we remain in him and his words remain in us, our desires will be consistent with his will. Praying in [Jesus'] name (v. 16) refers to requests in line with who Jesus is and what will advance his work. Such prayers reflect total dependence on him."

If we have been frustrated with the outcomes of our prayers, we just might want to revisit these thoughts.

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

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