The Word Is "Love" - 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 1 Corinthians 8:1-3,

"Now about food sacrificed to idols: We know that 'We all possess knowledge.' But knowledge puffs up while love builds up. Those who think they know something do not yet know as they ought to know. But whoever loves God is known by God."

Paul addresses a group of believers who are convinced they know a lot. I'm sure they did. However, Paul dresses them down here a bit, not for knowing little but as a reminder that it is love that trumps all in a believer's life.

There are a great many teachers and preachers we learn a lot from. They know their Bibles well, they have paid the sacrifice of years of study and learned the cultural backgrounds behind the Scriptures, the history, the original languages and so forth. I am quite certain the Lord has gifted them as they teach the rest of us to help us in our walk with him.

However, I have to say, as Paul reminds us here, it is not knowledge that builds up so much as it is love. Sad to say, some of those great teachers we have among us today appear to me to have a bit of a struggle with being "puffed up" as Paul says here. Paul doesn't say knowledge is a bad thing in itself. On the contrary, earlier in his letter he told them, "I always thank my God for you because of his grace given you in Christ Jesus. For in him you have been enriched in every way—with all kinds of speech and with all knowledge..." 1 Corinthians 1:4-5. Knowledge is enriching!

But, as Paul reminds these knowledgeable people, it is love that builds up. Love within the fellowship is what encourages us in Jesus Christ, energizes us, and demonstrates we have become a changed people by being indwelt by the Holy Spirit. As Paul told the churches of Galatia, "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control." Galatians 5:22-23. Note the first mentioned is love!

As Paul says later in the letter, "If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing." 1 Corinthians 13:2.

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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Sanctified Through A Believing Spouse! - 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 1 Corinthians 7:14,

"For the unbelieving husband has been sanctified through his wife, and the unbelieving wife has been sanctified through her believing husband. Otherwise your children would be unclean, but as it is, they are holy."

Here is a verse that has confused many, myself included. The notion that an unbelieving spouse can be "sanctified" through the believing spouse in a mixed marriage, and that their children are holy because of that believing parent seems out of line with all that we read in Paul's letters (all Scripture!). The issue is what Paul means here by "sanctified" and "holy". We understand from the rest of Scripture, outside this verse, that we become sanctified and made holy by embracing Jesus Christ in faith - our own faith as an individual, not someone else's like a spouse or parent.

1 Corinthians is not the first letter Paul wrote to this fellowship. We know this from 1 Corinthians 5:9 where he responds to the church in Corinth after they had received an earlier letter from him, "I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people". In the earlier letter Paul had told them not to associate with sinful people ("sexually immoral people"). We know they misunderstood Paul in the previous letter because he corrects them. They thought he was saying to stay away from all sinners. In his correction to them he said he only meant anyone who claimed to be a believer but openly sinful, "not at all meaning the people of this world who are immoral, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters. In that case you would have to leave this world. But now I am writing to you that you must not associate with anyone who claims to be a brother or sister but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or slanderer, a drunkard or swindler. Do not even eat with such people." 1 Corinthians 5:10-11.

Along these lines, apparently the discussion among the Corinthian believers included questions about the fellowship distancing themselves from outsiders. No intermingling with outsiders. Naturally, the closest outsider to a believer would be their spouse, if the spouse was not saved. And, how about the children of the marriage who had not yet embraced Jesus Christ? How to square that with what they thought they understood from Paul?

Additionally, from 7:1, we see in the Corinthian's response to Paul's earlier letter, that they misunderstood him to say a believer should abstain from sexual relations. How much more so if a spouse was an unbeliever. Would having sexual relations with an unbelieving spouse defile the believer?

Paul's answer is that the believing spouse would not be defiled by the unbelieving spouse. It is the other way around, the unbelieving spouse is "sanctified" through the believing spouse so that the marriage and family can stay intact, the children being made "holy" as well.

To understand Paul saying that an unbelieving spouse can be saved through the faith of their partner is precluded in verse 16, where Paul says, "How do you know, wife, whether you will save your husband? Or, how do you know, husband, whether you will save your wife?"

Here we see Paul's use of "holy" and "sanctified" not referring to salvation, but in the sense of "clean" as opposed to "unclean". He explains how we can live our lives without defilement in a mixed marriage where only one spouse responds to the gospel. Such a status should not necessarily destroy the marriage and family. However, Paul says, "But if the unbeliever leaves, let it be so. The brother or the sister is not bound in such circumstances; God has called us to live in peace." Verse 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!

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.

"Let It Go" (Get Over It) - 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 1 Corinthians 6:7,

"The very fact that you have lawsuits among you means you have been completely defeated already. Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be cheated?"

The fellowship in Corinth struggled. Paul observed, "you yourselves cheat and do wrong, and you do this to your brothers and sisters.", verse 8. As a result some had gone before the civil authorities to bring lawsuits against one another. Paul found it appalling that those redeemed from the world would go back to the world to find satisfaction against those within fellowship that had wronged them. Paul told them it would be better to let the matter go when being taken advantage of by a fellow believer.

Clearly, for Paul, the Lord's agenda of reconciliation of the world was far more important than receiving satisfaction in a civil court when wronged by a brother or sister in the Lord. These lawsuits would communicate to the world that becoming a follower of Jesus Christ didn't make a dime's difference between the believers before them or anyone else. It potentially resulted in a tarnished view of "The Way" before the very ones that needed the gospel.

In a letter to the fellowship in Colossae, Paul expressed it this way: "Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity." Colossians 3:12-14.

Has God provided all we need to employ that in our lives?

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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Tolerating Sin Within The Fellowship - 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 1 Corinthians 5:6,

"Your boasting is not good. Don't you know that a little yeast leavens
the whole batch of dough?"

Just as yeast works through a whole batch of dough, Paul here makes
the point that if a fellowship tolerates the sinful activity of a
believer within itself, sin would work its way throughout the
fellowship. Paul points to one of the members of the Corinthian
fellowship sleeping with his father's wife. He says to the whole
fellowship, "And you are proud! Shouldn't you rather have gone into
mourning and have put out of your fellowship the man who has been
doing this?" Verse 2. He goes on to say, "Get rid of the old yeast, so
that you may be a new unleavened batch—as you really are. For Christ,
our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. Therefore let us keep the
Festival, not with the old bread leavened with malice and wickedness,
but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth." Verses 7-8.

Currently we have a number of fellowships and entire dominations that
have been infiltrated with sin. I suspect many of these should be
labeled as something other than "Christian". The perpetrators demand
all within their various ranks endorse and support their sin. Passing
off the murder of infants (abortion) as a "woman's right" is clearly a
depraved sin that has engulfed many Christian organizations, synods,
denominations and church fellowships. Many once wonderful evangelical
ministries on campuses, in the inner cities, etc. are now rife with
sin among the ranks. The acceptance for and the endorsement of
homosexuality and gender bending among many Christian groups manifest
that Paul's concerns were well placed. Many church groups, ignorant of
God's sense of justice have adopted the language of the left to
support various causes that misuse the term "justice" while following
the drumbeat of an influence that is not Jesus Christ.

Paul doesn't say the man in Corinth was outside the fellowship, but
was within. He was a Christian! His direction was to have the
fellowship remove him from among their midst. The church in Corinth
was to deal with it, to take a stand, oppose the sin, and cast out the
believer caught up in unrepentant sin. Paul says, "hand this man over
to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be
saved on the day of the Lord." Verse 5.

The threat to the church today is that there are many that hold key
leadership positions who have no business holding them. Board members,
church officials, pastors and other church leaders who are either
spineless or, who have in fact, allowed themselves to be swallowed up
in the yeast of sin within their fellowships, are guiding their flocks
in a direction they really don't want to take.

However, I'm not wringing my hands. The thing is, the church belongs
to the Lord and he will have his way. "There is no wisdom, no insight,
no plan that can succeed against the Lord." Proverbs 21:30. This is
not going to go well for those who think they are on the cutting edge
of society by tolerating sin within the fellowship. It will be in the
Lord's own timing, but be assured, it will not go unaddressed by 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!

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.

Mysteries Revealed To The Apostles! - 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 1 Corinthians 4:1,

"This, then, is how you ought to regard us: as servants of Christ and as those entrusted with the mysteries God has revealed."

The "us" in the above verse refers to the apostolic presence during this time. Paul speaks further of the apostles of Christ, "For it seems to me that God has put us apostles on display at the end of the procession, like those condemned to die in the arena. We have been made a spectacle to the whole universe, to angels as well as to human beings. We are fools for Christ, but you are so wise in Christ! We are weak, but you are strong! You are honored, we are dishonored! To this very hour we go hungry and thirsty, we are in rags, we are brutally treated, we are homeless. We work hard with our own hands. When we are cursed, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it; when we are slandered, we answer kindly. We have become the scum of the earth, the garbage of the world—right up to this moment." Verses 9-13.

What Paul says about the apostles, in addition to their unenviable lives relative to comfort, is that they were "entrusted with the mysteries" God had revealed to them. It was their responsibility to carry that word to the world and to document it in the Scriptures. The prophets of old produced the Scriptures God intended prior to Christ, and with the birth of the church, God entrusted his word to the apostles. All Scripture in our New Testaments enjoy the apostolic imprimatur.

Paul speaks of the mysteries that had been revealed to him. In Romans 11:25 he says, "I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers and sisters, so that you may not be conceited: Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in..." In 1 Corinthians 2:6-7 he says, "We do, however, speak a message of wisdom among the mature, but not the wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. No, we declare God's wisdom, a mystery that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began."

Paul talks about the mystery of our coming resurrection in 1 Corinthians 15, "Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed." Verses 51-52.

In Ephesians 1:8-10 Paul talks about the mystery of what God intends to do at the end of this  age, "With all wisdom and understanding, he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ."

I count at least 16 locations a "mystery" is spoken of from Romans through Revelation. (4 of those are in Ephesians, chapter 3, counted as one location). You probably could find more. I think a fascinating study would be to focus on passages where a mystery is spoken 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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Are We Growing In 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 1 Corinthians 3:1-3,

"Brothers and sisters, I could not address you as people who live by the Spirit but as people who are still worldly—mere infants in Christ. I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready. You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere humans?"

In this passage Paul calls out members of the church in Corinth. He calls them "Brothers and sisters" because they are, in fact, believers. These are ones who have embraced Jesus Christ in faith, they have been redeemed, they have had all of their sins forgiven and they are indwelt by the Holy Spirit. However, they are living in an aberrant state: as though they were still a part of the world. They are not a part of the world but you wouldn't know it by looking at them. Paul claims they are "still worldly."

As Paul does so, he points to the dissension within the fellowship, something that should never take place there. He says, "For when one says, 'I follow Paul,' and another, 'I follow Apollos,' are you not mere human beings?" Verse 4. He also points out that he has had to address them as "infants in Christ" since at this time they are "still worldly" and having to be fed like an infant that lives on milk, not ready yet for solid food. They are immature believers, retarded in their growth in Jesus Christ.

The writer of Hebrews makes a similar observation about his readers, "In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God's word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil." Hebrews 5:12-14.

The Lord has an expectation of us that we grow and mature as his people. We come out of the world, with its ways of thinking and doing and being, and once born again, are expected to grow out of that "worldliness" into a spiritual maturity he has designed for us. Paul describes that in Romans 8:29 as he speaks of what God has in mind for us, "For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters." Living in dissention is not what that looks like.

A good picture of what that does look like is found in Colossians 3:12-14, "Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity."

It is incumbent upon me to ensure I am on that path of being conformed to the image of God's Son, 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!

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.

Two Spirits - 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 1 Corinthians 2:12,

"What we have received is not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us."

I read of two spirits in this verse, "the spirit of the world" and the "Spirit who is from God". I note the first "spirit" is named with a lowercase "s" and the second is capitalized - an uppercase "S". That is because the first is a thing, the second a proper noun, a name, a person. The "Spirit" in this verse refers to the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Trinity: the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.

The verse also tells me that believers receive one of these, and it is not "the spirit of the world." We don't receive that spirit because we are born into it and partake of the spirit of the world as we live our lives. However, for those who have embraced Jesus Christ in faith, that "spirit of the world" has been overtaken by the Holy Spirit. We are no longer of the world as we have received the Holy Spirit.

Paul talks about this in Romans 8:8-11 where he considers the impact in a believer's life when receiving the Holy Spirit. There he addresses "the realm of the flesh" as the existence of those who partake of the spirit of the world, "Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God. You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ. But if Christ is in you, then even though your body is subject to death because of sin, the Spirit gives life because of righteousness. And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you."

This reality explains why there are two differing influences among mankind. There are those who are influenced by the spirit of the world and order their lives accordingly, and there are those who are influenced by the Holy Spirit and order their lives accordingly. The difference is stark and informs our positions on things, our understanding of things, our viewpoints, our thoughts, our cares and our concerns.

This creates a palpable tension among people. Those who are influenced by the world cannot understand or accept the perspectives of those who are influenced by the Holy Spirit. Those who are influenced by the Holy Spirit reject the perspectives of those who are influenced by the spirit of the world.

The whole discussion Jesus had with the unbelieving Jews in chapter 8 of John's gospel illuminates the reality of two (and only two) influences among mankind. In verse 47 he said, "Whoever belongs to God hears what God says. The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God." A person manifests either one or the other of these influences based on whether they are "in the world" or "in the Spirit."

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.

An Amazingly Powerful Message! - 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 1 Corinthians 1:18,

"For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God."

The "message of the cross", the gospel message, is something that is thought foolish by those who do not respond to it. That is the point of it. God looks for those who will respond to it through embracing its message. Those who don't remain in their sin and will face eternal death following this life.

We all exist in this age with its primary purpose of the sifting out of mankind. God is building his kingdom and looks for all who desire him enough to change the trajectory of their lives, and so become a part of it. The people the Lord welcomes into his kingdom are those who, upon hearing the message of redemption, that God the Father has provided his Son to pay for our sins and credits that payment to our account with him, embrace the message while recognizing how powerful it is.

In Romans 1:16 we read, "For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile." The power of the message is embedded in Paul's words in Romans 10:17, "faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ." The message of the gospel is what prompts and inspires faith within the hearts of all those the message appeals to.

Many have a mistaken notion of how to enter God's kingdom. They view the approach as something akin to a ledger of credits and debits in how they live their lives. If there are more "credits" (from being good and doing good things) than "debits" (being bad and doing bad things) then they can enter God's kingdom. That is not the gospel message and there is no power there because that notion cannot transform us and it gets us nowhere. Paul tells us, "If you declare with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved." Romans 10:9-10.

As Paul reminded his Corinthian readers, "Now, brothers and sisters, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you." 1 Corinthians 15:1-2.

This is the most powerful message, a message that transfers us from God's looming judgment into his kingdom-- into eternal 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!

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.

The Journey Of Knowing God's Word - 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 Romans 16:17-19,

"I urge you, brothers and sisters, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Keep away from them. For such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the minds of naive people. Everyone has heard about your obedience, so I rejoice because of you; but I want you to be wise about what is good, and innocent about what is evil."

It seems to me that today we have many that fall into that group of "those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned." With all the divisions, the --isms and schisms among those who refer to themselves as "Christian", many are those that are the culprits Paul speaks of here. How is it that what Paul warned of has exactly happened?

The writer of Hebrews admonished his readers of their culpability in their ignorance of the teachings in Scripture, "We have much to say about this, but it is hard to make it clear to you because you no longer try to understand. In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God's word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil." Hebrews 5:11-14.

It is only by knowing God's word that we can protect ourselves from being deceived by others. There are those who have the appetite to lead us astray. We need to know God's truth to enable us to distinguish who those people are and to distinguish good from evil. I would not follow anyone, including me, without verifying what is said by comparing it to the Scriptures. Paul told his protege, Timothy, "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.

We must know the Scriptures or we will become fodder for the appetites of those who would lead us astray. We need to pick up that Bible off our coffee table, dust it off and study it well. If you don't know where to start, try the Gospel of John or the book of Ephesians. There are a number of great places to dive into to start the journey of knowing God's word.

Learning God's word really is more of a journey than a destination. Where do we find ourselves on that journey? As long as we are on that journey, it really doesn't matter how far we have made it so far, just that we are making that journey.

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.

Giving Ourselves For Others - 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 Romans 15:1-2,

"We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves. Each of us should please our neighbors for their good, to build them up."

We have no problem in the giving of ourselves to the people we love. We are happy to be there for them, do things for them, at times to provide for them. However, in this passage, Paul tells us to bear with the shortcomings, the failings and weaknesses of those beyond the circle of loved ones, those within the fellowship who lie outside that smaller group of loved ones, anyone that might be called "neighbor."

Paul's admonition here goes beyond bearing with these others, but in fact to "please" them for their own good (not necessarily ours). Obviously, the point could be made that when we please others to build them up for their good, it ultimately redounds to our good as we serve them and thereby please the Lord in doing so. Nevertheless, our building up of others is to be a choice from our hearts to benefit others beyond ourselves.

Paul goes on to say, in verses 5-7, "May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had, so that with one mind and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God." The attitude of mind Jesus Christ has for us should be the standard for which we care for others, including those we may regard as "weak". And, we all know how much of himself he was willing to give!

We might think in terms of a weak brother as not simply a newer Christian, but someone who just may not be the easiest to love because they are, in fact, spiritually stunted or difficult within the fellowship. I suspect Paul may have had just such a believer in mind, and I'll wager he had plenty of occasions in his own life to live out his admonition to us here.

So, my thoughts this morning have to do with how I measure up in this regard...

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.

Differing Opinions - 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 14:1,

"Accept the one whose faith is weak, without quarreling over disputable matters."

It seems to me we would have fewer denominations and ecclesiastical institutions if we were to follow Paul's admonition here. Not a smaller universal church but a more unified one. In his own prayer to the Father, Jesus prayed for unity within the church, "I have given them [believers] the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one— I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me." John 17:22-23. His purpose in church (the true church) unity is that the world be impacted positively for the gospel.

However, what we do, when we get to know another brother or sister, is to share the things of the Lord as we develop in our fellowship. This is great until we find where we have a difference of opinion on some matter, a "disputable matter." Then things go sideways. We dive into fellowship, share with one another, and when we inevitably find that point of disagreement we part ways.

Paul says don't do that. Recognize the difference and continue to accept one another. The caveat here is in defining what is a "disputable" matter versus one which is not. We each have to search our hearts and pray about those things. Clearly there are some things that force a break in fellowship: denying the resurrection, denying the deity of Jesus Christ, denying the inspiration of the Scriptures, you can build that list for yourself.

Psalm 133 is appropriate to think about in this regard,
"How good and pleasant it is
    when God's people live together in unity!
It is like precious oil poured on the head,
    running down on the beard,
running down on Aaron's beard,
    down on the collar of his robe.
It is as if the dew of Hermon
    were falling on Mount Zion.
For there the Lord bestows his blessing,
    even life forevermore."

Paul says later in the chapter, "Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification." Verse 19.

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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Taxes And Civil Authority - 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 Romans 13:6-7,

"This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God's servants, who give their full time to governing. Give to everyone what you owe them: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor."

Paul tells us that civil authority is established by God. Love it or hate it, the authorities are used by God for continuing his redemptive purposes. Civil authority maintains human existence in some form of order as the Lord accomplishes his will in building his kingdom. Some civil authorities are great and some not so much.

For the believer, it raises a lot of questions. What about when an official is dishonest and may be plundering through the authority he holds? What if an authority himself or herself breaks the law? What if the civil authority attempts to establish wickedness through their position of power (abortion comes to mind here)? What if those in power pursue that which I vehemently oppose because of my relationship to Jesus Christ? What if they try to force me to do something I cannot do in good conscience because of my faith in Jesus Christ (the owners of cake stores come to mind here)?

There are all kinds of questions we can ask and debate, but Paul's admonition is that we submit ourselves to the authorities. One very helpful guideline is to follow Jesus' famous teaching, "So give back to Caesar what is Caesar's, and to God what is God's." Matthew 22:21.

For me, I have to approach Paul's admonition as something directed to me personally. I need to obey the police, stop if they order me to and follow their directions. A lot of people these days would have fared much better if they adopted that as a wise guideline. Bad things happen when you don't, as Paul says, "rulers do not bear the sword for no reason", verse 4.

Likewise, I may not like the rate at which I am taxed and I may strongly disagree with the things tax dollars are spent on. That is not my responsibility. I'm responsible for obeying the law and paying my taxes (and not cheating on them).

There certainly is a case to be made that believers should be active in bringing God's principles to the public debate persuasively. The attempt to quiet Christians because they shouldn't be "pushing their Christianity" on others is simply a ruse from the dark side to keep us quiet as they attempt to enforce their agenda on us. And while our civil structures may ebb and flow in regard to godly principles, I need to follow Paul's direction here.

Good things to think about this tax season.

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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Zeal, Fervor And Serving - 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 Romans 12:11,

"Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord."

Some churches boast of successful ministry by pointing to the growth of their congregations, the many who have responded to the outreach, the programs, the opportunities, the exposure to God's word they have provided people. And, where those lead to the spiritual maturity of their members they ought to be commended. I'm sure there are many churches who do well.

On the other hand, many churches harbor folks who just may not know Jesus Christ personally. I have known (and I am sure you have as well) people who attend church because their spouses do or their families do. I have known people who have become active in a congregation because it provides a customer base for their business. Worse yet, there have been news stories where individuals have joined a church for predatory purposes.

We seldom are able to look into another person's inner soul and know the condition of their hearts. Should we even care? If we love one another, I think it is incumbent upon us to care for the spiritual health of those around us. How about our own spiritual condition?

Every once in a while, after someone we know has passed, you hear someone say (and we may say it), "At least he is in a better place now." Sometimes it causes me to feel a certain discomfort because, although he may have been a church member, the reality of the verse above was never apparent in their life. Of course it is not ours to judge and the Lord is the only one who knows our hearts. However, should there not be even a hint of zeal for the Lord in a true believer's life? Should there not be some "spiritual fervor" going on? Should there not be some labor in one's life that is recognized as a service for the Lord we know and love?

I'm sure I could be way off base here, but I have a hunch that many burgeoning congregations just may not be composed of many whose spiritual lives are marked by the health and spiritual vitality that would reflect Paul's admonition here.

But enough about others. How about me? Where is the needle on the gauge of my zeal? As I look back at the past week, is there a spiritual fervor for the Lord evidenced in my serving the Lord?

Some things should be evident in a spiritually healthy believer's life. Paul's admonition here provides some clarity.

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 Chosen Pursuit 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 Romans 11:7-8,

"What the people of Israel sought so earnestly they did not obtain. The elect among them did, but the others were hardened, as it is written: 'God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes that could not see and ears that could not hear, to this very day.'"

In this chapter of Romans Paul speaks to the issue of why so many Jews rejected the gospel of Jesus Christ, while the Gentiles were more receptive. One would think the nation God founded as his own people to pursue his redemptive agenda would be the people most receptive to the gospel message.

In the previous chapter Paul observed, "For I can testify about them [the Israellites] that they are zealous for God, but their zeal is not based on knowledge." Romans 10:2. There he pointed out that the Jews sought their relationship with God through law-keeping. Here Paul points out that only "the elect" obtained that relationship. "The elect" being those who pursue God in his chosen way (his elected way), of faith, not law-keeping.

Paul also points out here, as he quotes Deuteronomy 29:4 and Isaiah 29:10, that there are those who, in rejecting the gospel of faith, are hardened by God, a horrific position to find oneself in. This would render one incapable of later embracing the Lord in faith while in this life. This is a theme we find in John's quote of Isaiah 6:10 as well, where he speaks of God blinding the eyes and hardening the hearts of those who rejected Jesus Christ, John 12:30-41.. Dead men walking!

A lot of questions answered in this chapter!

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 Roman Road - 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 Romans 10:17,

"Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ."

Here Paul clearly tells us all where saving faith comes from. In the verse above he says that faith is our response to the gospel message, "the word about Christ." When we are presented the gospel message we either embrace Jesus Christ in faith or we don't. This is the way we are saved.

So clear was this message that the early church movement was called "the Way" in several places in the book of Acts. When Paul (earlier call Saul) was still persecuting the church, we read in Acts 9:1-2, "Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord's disciples. He went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem." Those who took the gospel message of Jesus Christ to others who had never heard it were engaging in "the Way" - the way to be saved.

Sometimes "the Way", the early church movement, brought a very negative reaction. In Acts 19:23 we read, "About that time there arose a great disturbance about the Way." It resulted in a riot in Ephesus. The gospel message had very strong reception in some areas and strong resistance in others. What message could bring such reactions?

The gospel message, which can be given in a variety of ways is important for believers to know and to share with others who are not believers. That message is not a recipe of specific words, but of specific principles and ideas. I recall being exposed to one approach in giving it decades ago called the "Roman Road." It is called that because it is consistent with the notion of a "way" as discussed above and is based entirely on a handful of verses found in the book of Romans. Here is one approach to the "Roman Road":

"There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God..." Romans 3:22b-23a. (We have all sinned.)
"There is no one righteous, not even one..." Romans 3:10. (None of us are fit for heaven.)
"For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 6:23. (We're all in trouble, but wait! There is a gift from God available!)
"God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5:8. (God provided Jesus Christ to pay for our sins!)
"If you declare with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved." Romans 10:9-10. (We have to embrace Jesus Christ as our Lord, believing God raised him from the dead and then declare it! The crux of the message.)
"Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus..." Romans 8:1. (Now we have God's favor and are headed on our way to heaven!)

A simple 6 step approach to the Roman Road (there are many variations to it). All these verses could be easily memorized within a couple of weeks and prepare anyone to be a "soul winner" for the Lord! The Roman Road!

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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We Have Every Confidence! - 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 Romans 8:31b-35a,

"If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?"

Paul asks some great questions in this passage. With five rhetorical questions, Paul reasons beyond any question the assurance every believer should ever need for total confidence of what the future holds for those who have embraced Jesus Christ in faith.

Paul points out that since God is for us, who could possibly come against us? He points to the provision of the Father, providing the Son of his love, Jesus Christ, to pay the penalty for our sins on that cross. Since God gave us his Son, how is it he won't give us all?

Paul says that since God chose us for himself for all eternity, we are beyond any condemnation. The scriptures teach us that God chose for himself all who will embrace his Son in faith. Since we are among that number no one can "separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Verse 29.

If this were not enough to provide us assurance of our place in the family of God, Paul points out that Jesus Christ himself is praying to the Father for each of us! Imagine, my name and your name being brought before God the Father by his Son, Jesus Christ!

This is simply astonishing and amazing assurance and confidence we have in 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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The Believer And The Ten Commandments - 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 Romans 7:13b,

"Nevertheless, in order that sin might be recognized as sin, it used what is good to bring about my death, so that through the commandment sin might become utterly sinful."

Here is Paul's response to a huge error that existed in his day, and is just as prevalent today, if not more so. The "it" in the above quote is the law God gave Moses, and specifically the decalogue, the Ten Commandments. As Paul discusses this he uses the tenth commandment as his illustration, however, he is looking at the entire Torah, all the law God gave Moses. Nonetheless, he uses the prohibition of coveting as his example.

In this passage, Paul points out that believers, Christians, are no longer under the law, and specifically the Ten Commandments. He says, "For when we were in the realm of the flesh, the sinful passions aroused by the law were at work in us, so that we bore fruit for death. But now, by dying to what once bound us, we have been released from the law so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit, and not in the old way of the written code." Romans 7:5-6.

Naturally it would be asked, if Christians are no longer under the Ten Commandments, then of what purpose was the law? Here he answers that. The law was given by God to Moses to expose the sinful condition of mankind. The point being that mankind, unable to keep the law and recognizing their sinful condition that was exposed by it, would be driven to throw themselves at God's mercy.

As Paul develops his discussion of this, he points out that no one could ever keep the law. It is a hopeless pursuit. In trying to keep the law, the sinful nature is exposed within a person's heart with the intention of prompting them to recognize the need for a savior. No one feels a need for being saved unless he recognizes he is in peril. That, specifically, was the purpose of the law.

Why then do so many churches teach that we all should seek to keep the law? Very simply, most churches subordinate God's word to their own perceived theology. The theology is in error, and unless people spend time in their Bibles, they will continue to pursue what their parents thought, what good 'ole pastor Brown taught and/or what they assume the Bible teaches.

The immediate question so many people ask when confronted with this truth is, "Then are you saying anybody can do whatever they want and still get to heaven?" My answer is a resounding "Yes!" Since the "new man", someone who has experienced the "second birth" Scripture speaks of, has the Holy Spirit dwelling within, the things we desire have changed.

In the following chapter Paul says, "You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ." Romans 8:9. And in verse 5 of that chapter he says, "Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires."

So then, yes! Those who have embraced Jesus Christ in faith do what they want, and it is not the same that sinners want to do. Believers may stumble, sin, disappoint themselves, God and others, but the indwelling Holy Spirit is faithful to prompt such a believer in such circumstance to get up, brush themselves off, and seek to offer their bodies as living sacrifices, the appropriate worship for us all. It is a more demanding approach in serving the Lord than keeping the law, but one in which the Spirit enables us.

Believers are to serve God in the new way of the Spirit and not in the old way of the law. For believers, the law has already accomplished its purpose.

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 Best Opportunity Offered In This 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 Romans 6:23,

"For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."

Several chapters back in Paul's letter to the church in Rome he made this observation, "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God", Romans 3:23. He now points out in the above verse that the penalty for sin is death. Eternal, everlasting death. As the descendants of Adam, we all come into this physical life as spiritually dead. Spiritually dead and headed for an eternity described, horrifically, in Revelation 20:8, "The cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death." In the previous chapter in Revelation this comment is made, "Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire." Revelation 20:15.

In this life we "earn" a horrific eternal wage due to our sinful condition, by just showing up. However, Paul explains that rather than ending up in that lake of fire, we can receive a wonderful gift from God: eternal life in his family, in paradise!

God's motivation for providing us with an opportunity to join his family, by having his Son, Jesus Christ pay the penalty for our sin is found in that famous verse, John 3:16. "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."

Simply by embracing Jesus Christ in faith is all God requires! Is there any better opportunity in life that we could possibly have offered to 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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An Amazing Grace! - 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 Romans 5:1-2a,

"Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand."

Through our faith in Jesus Christ we have gained access into a grace we stand in! Merriam-Webster defines access as "permission, liberty, or ability to enter, approach, or pass to... a place" It also means the freedom or ability to obtain or make use of something. Through the use of our ability to make choices, when we place our faith in Jesus Christ we gain access into this "grace."

The grace Paul speaks of here refers to what he just spoke of in the previous chapter. A tremendous "blessing". Grace is a gift and the gift is to have our transgressions forgiven, no sin held against us, Romans 4:7-8. There Paul quotes Psalm 32:1-2a,
"Blessed is the one
    whose transgressions are forgiven,
    whose sins are covered.
Blessed is the one
    whose sin the Lord does not count against them..."

Why would the Lord forgive us our sins? We have all sinned, every human who has ever walked the earth, save Jesus Christ. Why would the Lord forgive us our sins and make a way for us into his family? He forgives our sins because he loves us! God is a just God and he had his Son, Jesus Christ pay the penalty for our sins because he loves us.

A few verses later in Romans 5 we read, "You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5:6-8.

This, to me, is an unfathomable love! The heart of our God, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit is beyond measure, and impossible to comprehend. All that we can do is to know of it, submit ourselves to it, and enjoy it for all eternity!

What an amazing grace!

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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