Provoking Jewish Leaders - 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 5:8-10,

"Then Jesus said to him [a paralytic at the Bethesda pool], 'Get up! Pick up your mat and walk.' At once the man was cured; he picked up his mat and walked. The day on which this took place was a Sabbath, and so the Jewish leaders said to the man who had been healed, 'It is the Sabbath; the law forbids you to carry your mat.'"

This healing provides for some interesting thoughts. For instance, one wonders why Jesus didn't heal everyone who had gathered at this pool, which purportedly provided angelic healings when the water was disturbed. We are told in verse 3, "Here a great number of disabled people used to lie—the blind, the lame, the paralyzed." So, we assume there were many people with infirmities there at the time. We don't know for sure that Jesus didn't heal them all, or at least some others gathered there, but as the account is provided, it suggests this man was the only one. We really don't know for sure as the Scripture doesn't mention one way or the other. (By the way, the account does not provide any veracity of angelic healings at this pool - this was apparently a traditional belief not based in fact: an old wives tale.) 

While the healing certainly was an act of compassion on Jesus' part, it doesn't appear that was Jesus' primary purpose for it. There is no reference to any expression of faith by the man healed. Further, Jesus warned him later to stop sinning, verse 14. The outcome of the healing was a provocation by Jesus that inspired the hostility of the Jewish leaders. In verse 18 we read, "For this reason they tried all the more to kill him; not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God."

It seems to me that this healing was to foster the resentment and hostility of the religious leaders that would culminate in Jesus' desired goal of offering himself as a sacrifice for the sins of all mankind on the cross. If so, this would follow on the earlier clearing of the temple courts in the pursuit of this outcome.

Just a few thoughts this morning...

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God's Will - 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 4:34,

"'My food,' said Jesus, 'is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work.'"

What is God's will?

Jesus told his disciples that he was to do the will of the one who sent him, and to finish his work. The Father sent his Son into the world to accomplish some very specific things, and as Jesus pursued those things he was finishing his Father's work. The work? The work was to accomplish the redemption of mankind. To provide a way for all who are willing - to have sins forgiven and a place in God's kingdom, eternal life.

Specifically, Jesus' earthly ministry was an ordered plan with a timeline as we learn in John's gospel. Jesus' time here was not guided by happenstance or coincidence, but, as I say, it was an ordered affair. He was to establish his bonafides as the Son of God through miracles and fulfillment of prophecy, teach through instruction as well as example, challenge the existing religious authorities and misguided notions of the purpose of the law, and finally, offer himself as a sacrifice of atonement on that miserable cross.

The result of the work was to provide an environment for faith to express itself in the hearts of those who are willing. Consequently, the work of the Lord was measured and precise. When Jesus ascended to heaven did not leave behind so much that anyone and everyone on planet earth would be absolutely convinced of his work, but he did leave enough for those who want him, who desire him, to place a reasonable faith in him.

The culmination of Jesus' earthly ministry set in motion the birth of the church on Pentecost and began the great command to evangelize the world. This was the will of the Father that Jesus was sent to do. And, he performed it magnificently!

We are to know God's will. Paul prayed for believers to know God's will, "For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light." Colossians 1:9-12.

Knowing God's will is life transforming!

As people discuss God's will these days, at times I feel too little is in view. Many have a myopic perspective of the will of God: "Should I buy the red Ford or the Green Chevy? Well, have you sought God's will on it?"

The will of God is grand! The will of God is lofty! The will of God is epic! It is magnificent and majestic! The will of God seizes upon God-sized things!

Paul prays for believers to know God's will. I propose we discover that in the Scriptures. The gospel of John certainly provides us much to ruminate on.

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 Spiritual Birth - 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 3:5-8,

"Jesus answered, 'Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, 'You must be born again.' The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit."

As Jesus taught Nicodemus that in order for anyone to enter the kingdom of God, they had to be born again, he spoke of the nature of the Holy Spirit's involvement. He likened the work of the Holy Spirit in facilitating this birth to the wind. You can't see wind, but you can see and hear the effect of wind on objects it impinges upon. We see the branches move and sway, we feel the wind in our face, but we don't actually see the wind.

As Jesus spoke of the second birth, he taught Nicodemus that it is the Holy Spirit who effects this birth, "So it is with everyone born of the Spirit."

With a physical birth we definitely see what happens. We can watch the process. The mom gets big, ultrasounds are done to view the baby within the womb, the little heartbeat is listened to, and then comes the chaos in the delivery room with nurses and doctors scurrying about and mom screaming and carrying on in excruciating pain. A physical birth is clearly witnessed by all the sights and sounds.

Jesus taught Nicodemus that a spiritual birth has to take place for someone to enter into the kingdom of God. A new life needs to be given birth to, the physical life needs to take on a spiritual life, and so Jesus used physical birth as a metaphor for this spiritual transformation. However, he qualifies his metaphor by saying that the birth brought about by the Holy Spirit can't be seen, can't be heard (I'm thinking of the actual spiritual birthing process, we may hear expressions of joy and rejoicing - although not necessarily - as a result of the birth, but not the spiritual birth itself.)

However, that spiritual birth will manifest itself, it's existence, by the impact it has in the life of the one who has taken it on. Just as wind is seen as it has it's impact on branches, limbs, on our faces, etc., the work of the Holy Spirit who brought about that spiritual birth in a person's life will be seen in the impact he has in our lives.

In Romans 8:9-11 Paul speaks of the Holy Spirit living within us. In that chapter he explains how life-transforming that reality becomes within us. In Galatians 5:22-25 he explains that transformation and what it looks like, "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit."

To enter the kingdom of God, we must be born again, we must take on a new spiritual life by the work of the Holy Spirit that Jesus Christ has made possible by atoning for our sins. It is a mysterious spiritual transformation that unmistakably manifests itself as we grow in this new life following rebirth.

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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No Go, Go - 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 2:4,

"'Woman, why do you involve me?' Jesus replied. 'My hour has not yet come.'"

At the time that Jesus' public ministry began to launch, there was a wedding in Cana. Mary, Jesus and his disciples were all there. Jesus and his disciples had been invited and some have speculated that Mary may have catered the event. We don't know for sure but this is suggested because during the course of the wedding, the wine served at the wedding had run out and Mary seems to take responsibility for finding a solution.

When the wine ran out, Mary approached Jesus to report it. In Jesus' response to Mary, as is pointed out by many commentaries, the language Jesus used to address his mother as "woman" in no way implies any disrespect. Our cultural norms and use of language today may lead us to think so, but in the language and culture of that day there was no disrespect expressed and it was entirely appropriate for him to address his mother in this way. This points to the need we all have to study and become more familiar with the customs and use of language that form the background of what we read in the Scriptures.

I find Jesus' response to Mary interesting. Mary brought a problem to Jesus: the wedding party had run out of wine. It seems we can safely assume that Mary was asking Jesus to provide a solution. I also assume Mary clearly thought Jesus could rectify the problem through performing some form of miracle. Otherwise approaching Jesus with the problem makes little sense. "Why do you involve me" expresses that Mary was looking to Jesus for a solution, which makes it reasonable to assume that Mary knew Jesus could perform one and resolve the issue.

Jesus responded to Mary, "My hour has not yet come" would cause us to think Jesus was going to refuse his mother. However, after he told her his hour had not yet come, he went ahead and performed a miracle by turning water into wine, and thus providing a solution to the problem.

It feels to me that Jesus was communicating he was not going to do anything about it - and yet then he did. There is another case of something similar when Jesus' brothers asked if he was going up to Jerusalem for the Festival of Tabernacles. We read in John 7:8-10, "'You go to the festival. I am not going up to this festival, because my time has not yet fully come.' After he had said this, he stayed in Galilee. However, after his brothers had left for the festival, he went also, not publicly, but in secret."

Interesting, isn't it? Twice, after saying his hour, or time, had not yet come, he seems to reverse himself, or at least do what he suggested he wouldn't. No, this doesn't mean the Son of God is deceptive or dishonest in any way. Most of the comments you read follow a common theme as seen in the NIV Biblical Theology Study Bible on the John 7 passage, "The apparent contradiction is superficial: because the Father's appointments regulate his life, Jesus is not at that time going to the festival in line with when and how his brothers want him to go. He will go when and how the Father sanctions the trip." For the wedding passage in John 2, the same volume says, "... his [Jesus] mission and its timing must follow the Father's schedule, not human ones."

What do you think about these two passages?

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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A Light Shining in the Darkness - 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 1:4-5,

"In him [the Word, Jesus Christ] was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it."

The term "overcome" in verse 5, "the darkness has not overcome it" carries a sense of the words "comprehending" or "attaining" or "lay hold of" or "appropriate". If you are interested in looking at other uses of the Greek term, look at it in Romans 9:30 ("obtained"), 1 Corinthians 9:24 ("to get"), Ephesians 3:18 ("to grasp"), Philippians 3:12-13 ("obtained").

I suspect you "get" the idea of the Greek term. (If you do, then you just accomplished what it means... pun intended.)

Anyway, John is saying Jesus Christ came as a great light into the darkness of mankind and that darkness has not (and select your favorite term here, the translators of the NIV -- whom I hold in very high regard -- have chosen the word "overcome") the light. The spiritual state of existence of mankind is referred to as darkness. Mankind is so far removed from God that the estrangement we exist in from him has left us blind to God, to his existence, to his purposes, to his kingdom. Mankind exists in darkness.

This was prophesied by Isaiah seven centuries prior, "The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned." Isaiah 9:2. Here we see that the "great light", Jesus Christ, was to come into the world and provide a way out of the darkness, to restore our relationship to God, to enlighten us to the things of God, his kingdom, his purposes.

Some refuse to come into that light as Jesus told Nicodemus, "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." John 3:19-20. However, Jesus came as the"great light", "But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God." John 3:21.

"I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." John 8:12.

Just 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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What We Don't Read About - 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 21:25,

"Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written."

This, to me, is a very fascinating verse. It should guide us in our reading and studying of all the narrative literature throughout the entire Bible. What John is saying here is that there were many other accounts of things not written down. His comment about the vast number of books it would take to document all Jesus did expresses how enormous the library would be. There were a lot of things that took place while Jesus was here that we don't know anything about. Based on John's statement, we don't know most of what happened when Jesus was here. Have you ever thought about that?

What this means is that we only have certain select accounts of things that took place that the Lord wants us to be informed about. In other words, we can read it all, but we only know some of the things that transpired. This tells me two things. First, what we do read is handpicked, curated by the Lord for us. The Lord wants us to know these things. Secondly, the events we do not have provided us are apparently deemed by the Lord as not important for us to know.

What we have is intentional. We read in 2 Peter 1:20-21, "Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet's own interpretation of things. For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit." The choice of things John wrote about were not chosen by John himself, but were the events and conversations, etc. the Lord wanted to make available to us. John was "carried along", that is inspired, to write what he wrote.

Something that arises from this is consideration of the value of "argumentum ex silentio" - an argument from silence in our interpretation of Scripture. You may have heard in a sermon or wherever, that because "x" is not found in Scripture then "this..." or "that...". Finding proof in something not mentioned in Scripture can be snare, and particularly in the narrative portions of Scripture like John's gospel.

In an article written by Steven Lewis from Southern Evangelical Seminary and Bible College, he says, "... the argument from silence is a fallacy of weak induction that treats the absence of evidence as evidence itself. This logical fallacy essentially takes an appeal to authority and flips it around. The appeal to authority says that because an authority A says x,  then x must be true; the argument from silence says that because an authority A didn't say x, then x must be false. In effect, the silence of the authority regarding some particular claim is taken as evidence against the claim itself."

I only take the opportunity here to mention the argument from silence because of the reality of what John said and because you hear people attempting it from time to time. A lot of other things happened that we don't read about in his gospel. That can make the study of John's gospel ripe territory for assuming, for instance, what else Jesus might or might not have discussed in his meeting with Nicodemus that night in John 3:1-21. Can we assume they didn't discuss, say, the weather since it isn't mentioned? No. Likewise we can't assume they did. Often it is pointless to make these kinds of assumptions or arguments. While musing on whether they discussed the weather or didn't is trivial, sometimes an argument from silence is brandished where there is real consequence.

Just some food for thought...

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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Resurrection! - 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 20:11-14,

"Now Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus' body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot. They asked her, 'Woman, why are you crying?' 'They have taken my Lord away,' she said, 'and I don't know where they have put him.' At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus."

Here is the account where Jesus' disciples first learned of the resurrection of their Lord. Jesus had been crucified and placed in a tomb on Friday. Following the Sabbath, on Sunday morning, Mary had gone to the tomb and found something that morning that still astonishes today: Jesus Christ had arisen from the dead!

This most amazing event changed the history of the world forever! It validated everything Jesus taught about himself and the kingdom of God he was introducing to the world:

Because of his resurrection we know his teaching about himself as the Son of God was truthful.

Because of his resurrection we know his teaching about why he came, to offer himself as a sacrifice of atonement for our sins, is truthful.

Because of his resurrection we know his teaching about faith in him bringing salvation is truthful.

Because of his resurrection we know his teaching about the looming judgment of mankind for sins is coming.

Because of his resurrection we know his teaching about him coming back for his own is truthful.

Because of his resurrection we know we have a resurrection awaiting us with a lavish inheritance he bestows upon us.

Because of his resurrection we know he lives to intercede with the Father on our behalf.

The most momentous event in the history of mankind was the resurrection of Jesus Christ. This one event changed the course of the world. Something to get excited about, 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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"It is finished" - 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 19:30,

"When he had received the drink, Jesus said, 'It is finished.' With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit."

After having been delivered over to Pilate by the Jewish leaders, Jesus was crucified. As he hung on that cross he said "It is finished." I understand that statement to mean Jesus had accomplished and finished all he came to do in his earthly ministry.

In Isaiah 53:4-6 we read about the sin-bearer, "Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered him punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all."

That God had laid on Jesus "the iniquity of us all" speaks of the substitution Jesus made of himself on our behalf. This is what he came to do when he entered the human race. We have all sinned and we all deserve the judgment of eternal death for that sin. However, God's penalty for sin is fungible and Jesus came to pay that death on our behalf. A few verses later in Isaiah 53 we read, "Yet it was the Lord's will to crush him and cause him to suffer, and though the Lord makes his life an offering for sin, he will see his offspring and prolong his days, and the will of the Lord will prosper in his hand.", Verse 10.

As chapter 53 in Isaiah concludes, we read, "For he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors." The Son of God came to ransom us from the Father's judgment of us for our sin, making a way for us into his kingdom, into eternal life with him.

All he asks of us is to embrace him in faith to have that payment credited to our account with God!

Just 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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What is Truth? - 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 18:38a,

"'What is truth?' retorted Pilate."

Following Jesus' arrest by officials from the chief priests and the Pharisees and following their questioning of him, he was brought to the Roman governor, Pontius Pilate. When the Jews brought Jesus to him, Pilate asked him what he had done. Jesus spoke to him of his kingdom and that he had come into the world to testify to the truth. Pilate's response was not a question but a retort.

Pilate's rhetorical question was to express his rejection of the very concept of truth, just as people do today. "Truth is whatever you make it to be." Or, "You have your truth and I have mine." The thought is that our conceptual perspectives are subject to our own interpretations and there really is no objective "Truth" that provides a factual basis for evaluating things. All is subjectivity. Consequently we have in our culture today people who, for example, gaze at their private parts and haven't a clue as to what gender they have decided to be. Since there is no truth, they get to decide for themselves.

It's a perfect prescription for those who cling to their sin, reject their Creator's claim on their lives and pursue the desires of their sinful natures without benefit of conscience or accountability. "The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness..." Romans 1:18.

What is such a hoot about the notion that there is no truth, is that it can't be expressed outside of a truth claim. "There is no truth"-- is that true or not true? In other words, if I were to claim there is no truth, I couldn't express it apart from exploiting what truth provides: an axiom. To get really silly here, you could not say there is no truth if there is no truth.

In any event, as believers are well aware, our entire existence is based on truth. In John 1:3 we read that all that exists was made through the Son of God, "Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made." In Hebrews 1:1-3 we read that the universe was created through the Son of God and that he sustains all things. Consequently, Jesus said he was the truth, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." John 14:6.

It is a fearful thing to reject truth. Paul speaks of the work of Satan and lawlessness in the last days resulting in many perishing fueled by a refusal to love truth, "They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness." 2 Thessalonians 2:10-12.

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!

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The Grand and Majestic Glory of the Son 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 17:5,

"And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began."

Chapter 17 of John is a prayer of Jesus, many call it "the prayer of Jesus" since it is an extended prayer at the end of his earthly ministry. In it, among other things, he prays for his disciples, as well as for those who would join his kingdom through their ministry (which is us!). "My prayer is not for them [his disciples] alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you." Verses 20-22.

I find it fascinating to read Jesus' prayer to his Father concerning us believers who have joined his kingdom through the outworking of the ministry of his disciples so long ago. Jesus Christ... praying for those of us in our day!

In this prayer he asks that the Father would restore his glory, the glory that he had with the Father prior to taking human form - before becoming fully human while still being fully God - to carry out his earthly ministry, as we see in verse 5.

In Philippians 2:6-8 Paul tells us of the Son of God laying aside his divinity to take on human form to perform his magnificent and horrible sacrifice to pay for the sins of all mankind, "[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!"

Now that his earthly ministry has come to its culmination and facing the cross, he asks the Father to restore him, to restore his glory. As he does he articulates one of the reasons for his request, "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." Verse 24.

Imagine! The Son of God displaying the majestic splendor of his manifold perfections to us is what was on his heart -- something he desires to share with us!

It is going to be stunning! Breathtaking!

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 Our New Testament Comes 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 16:12-15,

"I [Jesus] have much more to say to you [Jesus' disciples], more than you can now bear. But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. He will glorify me because it is from me that he will receive what he will make known to you. All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will receive from me what he will make known to you."

In 2 Peter 1:20-21 we read, "Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet's own interpretation of things. For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit." This was Peter's statement about why the Scriptures (the prophetic message) are completely reliable. In the previous verse he said, "We also have the prophetic message as something completely reliable, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts."

Peter was speaking of the Jewish Scriptures, the Tanakh, or what Christians call the "Old Testament" containing the 39 books we find there. (In the Jewish library these 39 books are arranged as 24, but containing the same material.)

However, Peter was also aware at that time that the Holy Spirit was producing new Scriptures in his day, what would become the 27 books found in what we call our "New Testament". Later, in his second letter, Peter explains that ignorant and unstable people were distorting a new collection of Scriptures written by Paul, "He [Paul] writes the same way in all his letters, speaking in them of these matters. His letters contain some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the other Scriptures, to their own destruction." 2 Peter 3:16. Note Peter refers to Paul's letters as "Scripture", meaning the inspired word of God. Other books were produced as well, having John, James, Matthew, Luke, Jude and others the Holy Spirit used to make up the complete set of new Scriptures. Peter himself participated in the production of some of these new books the Holy Spirit was having written, his two letters.

In John 16:12-15, we have an announcement from the Lord that these new books (without calling them as such) were on their way. Jesus himself would tell the Holy Spirit what was to be written and then the Spirit would "carry" the human authors, the "prophets" along to write what we have in our New Testament books. It was the very same process as to how the Old Testament was produced.

I don't subscribe to "red letter" editions of the Bible. The print in red are the quotes of Jesus Christ. I think it is misleading to elevate these passages above others. Every word in our Bibles (well, in the original languages anyway) is the very message the Son of God gave the Holy Spirit to produce in literature so that we would have direct communication from heaven, from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ! It should all be red! Since black is easier for me to read (with my reading glasses!), I'm happy to have non-red letter editions of the Bible.

How amazing is that?! Who would not want to invest much of their time in reading communiques intended for us from the environs of heaven, from the Son of God? I cannot think of a better use of my time!

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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Bringing Joy to Jesus - 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 15:11,

"I [Jesus] have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete."

Jesus told his disciples that if they remained in his love and kept his commands, they would be a source of joy for him, and, likewise, he would be a source of joy for them.

We don't often use the word "joy" much these days. Maybe it is due to people finding little cause for it lately. Among other definitions for "joy" in the online Merriam-Webster dictionary, we read "a source or cause of delight". To be embraced with joy we "experience great pleasure or delight : rejoice". Synonyms include delight, exuberance, to exult, to rejoice, blessedness, bliss, gladness and happiness.

While I find that knowing Jesus Christ and becoming his certainly produces great joy within us, this morning I'm thinking of the joy Jesus lays claim to when we remain in his love and keep his commands.

Specifically in this context Jesus told his disciples what his command is for them, "My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one's life for one's friends. You are my friends if you do what I command." Verses 12-14.

The thought of having the capacity to bring joy to Jesus Christ is beyond stunning to me. I cannot begin to tell you how astounding it is to me to think I can bring him joy! And look at what it takes to accomplish that: remaining in his love by loving those who are his!

Simply astonishing!

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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A Most Intolerant Statement by Jesus - 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 14:6,

"Jesus answered, 'I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.'"

Here is quite a statement of exclusivity Jesus told his disciples. In less than twenty words he refuted the validity of any of the world's religions and faith-systems. There is no other person, no other religion, no other religious leader, no other lifestyle, no other whatever other than himself that can provide for life after death. There is no access to heaven, no access to God (he is God, God the Son!), no access to eternal life except through Jesus Christ.

This is a very intolerant statement! No one may come to God except through Jesus Christ. God will simply not allow anyone access to him, into his realm, into his presence except through Jesus Christ. God will not tolerate anyone who does not embrace Jesus Christ in faith.

Even the saints who placed their faith in God before the Son came to his earthly ministry have their access to God through Jesus Christ. He is the only way, because he was the only one able to pay the penalty for their sins and ours and provide for a righteousness that can bring us into God's presence. The sacrifice Jesus made of himself expresses God's righteousness as he accepts sinners into his kingdom as well as providing us sinners our own righteousness before him - an imbued righteousness. "God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished— he did it to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus." Romans 3:25-26.

Jesus Christ: "the way and the truth and the 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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Washing Feet - 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 13:5-9,

"After that, he [Jesus] poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples' feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him. He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, 'Lord, are you going to wash my feet?' Jesus replied, 'You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.' 'No,' said Peter, 'you shall never wash my feet.' Jesus answered, 'Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.' 'Then, Lord,' Simon Peter replied, 'not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!'"

As many do, I love this account!

Back in the day, before cars and motorcycles, people walked everywhere. Considering they wore open sandals (before New Balance shoes came out!), their feet would need washing upon arriving somewhere. As a menial task, it might be one a servant would perform on the feet of arriving guests at a get together. It was a practical matter, and, as you can imagine, not something the guest of honor would perform.

Jesus Christ, the Messiah, the Son of God, the Teacher, Rabbi and Lord, donned a towel and with a basin of water in hand began to wash his disciple's feet at the Last Supper. He was teaching them to serve one another as he performed this task on the feet of his disciples. It was a very beautiful and apt portrayal of what he desires from all of us. "Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another's feet." Verse 14. Very simply, serve one another.

When he came to the ever impetuous Peter, Peter protested. No way he was going to allow his Lord and Master to perform this menial task on him. In a most beautiful way, Jesus told Peter that unless he allowed Jesus to wash him, to cleanse him, Peter could have no part with him. This, of course, was an allusion: the sacrifice of Jesus Christ cleanses us from all sin.

Peter's response is such a hoot! Upon being told this, he told Jesus to not stop just at the feet, but hands and head as well, as if to say, "Then give me a whole bath!"

Some churches today, missing the bigger point and ever looking for rituals and practices to perform within their services have turned this wonderful account of Jesus' very practical teaching into an ordinance to be performed within their church services. On those "special occasions" on the church calendar they actually wash each other's feet (in a day when we do have cars and motorcycles and New Balance shoes!). I find this cheapens the whole of it as the serving of one another should take place full time outside church "services", outside the church walls, outside Sunday mornings. Serving one another is something we should be doing as a lifestyle of love toward others on behalf of our Savior who has sacrificed all in service to us - cleansing us from all sin.

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 Triumphal Entry! - 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 12:12-15,

"The next day the great crowd that had come for the festival heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem. They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting, 'Hosanna!' 'Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!' 'Blessed is the king of Israel!' Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it, as it is written: 'Do not be afraid, Daughter Zion;  see, your king is coming, seated on a donkey's colt.'"

This account, which is provided in all four Gospels, is referred to as the "Triumphal Entry". It was a key event of Jesus' earthly ministry as prophesied in Zechariah 9:9, "Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion! Shout, Daughter Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and victorious, lowly and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey."

The event took place at the end of Jesus' time here and signaled both the completion (up to the passion week) of all he set himself to do and also to prepare publicly the events leading to his sacrifice on the cross and his resurrection as the King of kings and Lord of lords.

It is reminiscent of conquering generals at that time who were given a "triumphal entry" upon their return to their home city. The Quest Study Bible points out that palm branches were often waved during times of celebration and victory. This is seen in Psalm 118:26-27, "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. From the house of the Lord we bless you. The Lord is God, and he has made his light shine on us. With boughs in hand, join in the festal procession up to the horns of the altar."

We also see the use of palm branches in worship as prescribed in the law, "On the first day you are to take branches from luxuriant trees—from palms, willows and other leafy trees—and rejoice before the Lord your God for seven days." Leviticus 23:40.

Although, undoubtedly, many who were celebrating Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem were some of the same calling for his death a few days later, I still have to imagine this was a magnificent sight and a wonderful celebration.

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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Precision in Strategy and Timing - 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 11:8-9,

"'But Rabbi,' they said, 'a short while ago the Jews there tried to stone you, and yet you are going back?' Jesus answered, 'Are there not twelve hours of daylight? Anyone who walks in the daytime will not stumble, for they see by this world's light. It is when a person walks at night that they stumble, for they have no light.'"

When it came time in Jesus' ministry to raise Lazarus from the dead, he told his disciples they were going back to Judea where the leaders of the Jews were looking to kill him. His disciples protested as quoted above. Jesus responded to them with an interesting comment about daylight.

The Quest Study Bible has an interesting note about this. It says Jesus was calming their fears by pointing out that just as the day has fixed periods in it (daylight and night) so the time of Jesus' earthly ministry was preordained. All aspects of what he set himself to accomplish had their appointed times, just as walking is done in the daytime, not the nighttime (excuse me for pointing out this was before the invention of streetlights and flashlights).

John makes some interesting observations about Jesus' time on earth as a mission that was driven by exacting strategy and timing. For instance we read in John 7:6, "Therefore Jesus told them, 'My time is not yet here; for you any time will do.'" Two verses later we read, "You go to the festival. I am not going up to this festival, because my time has not yet fully come."

As I say, there are a number of clues in John's gospel that point to this precision of strategy and timing. "I am with you for only a short time, and then I am going to the one who sent me." John 7:33.

The next time you read John's gospel, note these clues to this strategy and timing. How many can you find? It appears there was nothing during Jesus' earthly ministry that was simply happenstance.

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 Good Shepherd - 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 10:16,

"I [Jesus] have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd."

The Quest Study Bible says, "This is one of Jesus' earliest and clearest references to Gentiles as members of his kingdom.

Jesus was talking with Pharisees that rejected his claim of being the Messiah. He used the analogy of a shepherd with his sheep. Jesus Christ is the true shepherd of all that embrace God in faith. As he makes his points, he says that he is the shepherd of the believing Jews. However, there are other sheep from another pen, and that would be Gentiles who would embrace him in faith.

What if God decided there would be only one demographic he would accept into his kingdom? Where would that leave many of us? Where would that leave you and me?

But he hasn't! Jesus Christ came to sacrifice himself for all mankind, so that all mankind has an opportunity to respond to him! "He 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.

Who among mankind does he want? All of us! "The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance." 2 Peter 3:9.

He wants all mankind! But he has made crystal clear that he will only be taking those who embrace him in faith to be his.

What an opportunity!

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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Reduced to Ad Hominems - 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,

"To this they [the Pharisees] replied, 'You [a blind man healed by Jesus] were steeped in sin at birth; how dare you lecture us!' And they threw him out.

Jesus healed a blind man on the Sabbath. The Pharisees were obligated to investigate the matter when it was brought to them. They found themselves backed into a corner because the miracle proved that Jesus had come from God. This didn't comport with their rejection of the idea that Jesus had been sent from God.

What did the Pharisees do? Just like so many leaders do when confronted about their poor decisions, they spewed ad hominems at the man when he claimed Jesus could not have healed his blindness unless he was from God.

Reduced to ad hominems! "You were steeped in sin at birth; how dare you lecture us?" Implied there is that the Pharisees were not steeped in sin. And, yet, here they are, eyeballs-deep in the worst sin of all: rejecting the Son of God!

I find the miracle of healing a man born blind to be very apt for the point Jesus was making. The Jewish leaders were blind themselves. Blind to the truth of Jesus Christ.

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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Freed From Slavery! - 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 8:34,

"Jesus replied, 'Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin.'"

Jesus taught that those who sin are enslaved to sin. This enslavement speaks to the inability of sinners to break free from their sin. Sin dominates and controls. And, we're all sinners! Paul tells us, "For we have already made the charge that Jews and Gentiles alike are all under the power of sin." Romans 3:9b.

What a sorry estate! The end result of that condition is eternal death following this life, "the wages of sin is death..." Romans 6:23.

Here is the very purpose Jesus, the Son of God, came to live among mankind: he came to free us from sin! He says in verse 31, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." In verse 36 Jesus said, "So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.

In Acts 13:39 Paul taught, "Therefore, my friends, I want you to know that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you. Through him everyone who believes is set free from every sin, a justification you were not able to obtain under the law of Moses."

Emancipation! Liberation! Manumission! All who have embraced Jesus Christ in faith are freed from the power of sin's domination as well as forgiven of every sin ever committed!

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!

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.

Living Water Flowing From Within - 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 7:38-39,

"'Whoever believes in me [Jesus], 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."

What an amazing promise that was fulfilled on Pentecost!

We read this prophecy in Isaiah 44:3-4, "For I will pour water on the thirsty land, and streams on the dry ground; I will pour out my Spirit on your offspring, and my blessing on your descendants. They will spring up like grass in a meadow, like poplar trees by flowing streams."

I recall what Jesus told the Samaritan woman at Jacob's well, "Everyone who drinks this water 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." John 4:13-14.

Peter addressed the crowd that showed up on Pentecost when the Holy Spirit came upon the believers following Jesus' ascension into heaven,
"In the last days, God says,
    I will pour out my Spirit on all people.
Your sons and daughters will prophesy,
    your young men will see visions,
    your old men will dream dreams.
Even on my servants, both men and women,
    I will pour out my Spirit in those days,
    and they will prophesy.
I will show wonders in the heavens above
    and signs on the earth below,
    blood and fire and billows of smoke.
The sun will be turned to darkness
    and the moon to blood
    before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord.
And everyone who calls
    on the name of the Lord will be saved."

Peter was quoting Joel 2:28-32. We today, likewise, participate in this very same prophecy when we embrace Jesus Christ in faith. We become indwelt with the Holy Spirit. Jesus told his disciples, "I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you." John 14:16-18.

Just 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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God's Great Expression of Love: He Draws Us to Himself! - 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 6:65,

"This is why I [Jesus] told you that no one can come to me unless the Father has enabled them."

Here is one of the most wonderful expressions of the love of God for mankind! I find it breathtaking. God so loves mankind that he has reached out to draw us to himself! He wants to give us eternal life with him!

This statement of Jesus to his listeners follows his line of teaching in this passage. In verse 44 he told them, "No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them, and I will raise them up at the last day."

The fact is that we are all sinners and not disposed to embrace God within our hearts, hence, he has to provide us some enablement to get us there. We read in Jeremiah 17:9, "The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?" Also in Romans 3:9b, "For we have already made the charge that Jews and Gentiles alike are all under the power of sin."  

A big piece of that enablement is the way he draws us to himself, meeting us more than half way to finding him in our hearts. Some have confused this drawing of God to mean God only draws special ones to himself. Not at all. God draws all mankind to himself, "And I [Jesus], when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself." John 12:32. God wants all mankind! "This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth." 1 Timothy 2:3-4. Likewise in 2 Peter 3:9 we read, "The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance."

As I say, God wants all mankind to come to him, but each person needs to make the personal choice to do so. Jesus died for the sins of all mankind, "He 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, after doing all the hard lifting, and drawing us to himself, enabling us to make a decision for him, some will and some will still not. "For my Father's will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day." John 6:40. On the other hand, "This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil." John 3:19.

Knowing that God draws us to himself is such an expression for his love of mankind! He gave us his Son, he has given us his invitation (the gospel message), and he has drawn us to himself! What more could we possibly ask for!

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 Really Believe the Scriptures? - 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 5:37-40,

"And the Father who sent me [Jesus Christ] has himself testified concerning me. You [the Jewish leaders] have never heard his voice nor seen his form, nor does his word dwell in you, for you do not believe the one he sent. You study the Scriptures diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life. These are the very Scriptures that testify about me, yet you refuse to come to me to have life."

Here is an amazing reality: people can study the Scriptures and never learn what they intend to communicate to us. What they intend to communicate, God's intention, is that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and came to give his life as a ransom for us all, providing us a way to eternal life. All the Scriptures point to Jesus Christ. He is the fulfillment of all they intend. In 2 Peter 1:20-21 we read that the writers of Scripture spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit - and in the Scriptures the Holy Spirit points us to the Son of God.

Jesus accused the Jewish leaders of not believing what Moses wrote, "But since you do not believe what he [Moses] wrote, how are you going to believe what I say?" Verse 47. In the previous verse we read, "If you believed Moses, you would believe me, for he wrote about me." Sincerely believing what the Scriptures say is required to get what God intends for us out of them.

Although these Jewish leaders studied their Bibles because they thought it would bring them eternal life, "You study the Scriptures diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life", it did them no good because they did not believe what was written there.

While reading our Bibles is a good thing, the activity really doesn't do anything for us if we don't believe what they have to say. The most erudite theologian, the greatest biblical historian, the top Hebrew and Greek scholars will never grasp the message of the Scriptures unless they believe from the heart what they have to say.

And, neither will we.

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.