Our Wonderful Matchless Savior! - 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 Timothy 4:10,

"That is why we labor and strive, because we have put our hope in the living God, who is the Savior of all people, and especially of those who believe."

Here is something I wrote on this verse in March 2014:

God is the Savior of all people! Not just some, not just the pretty ones, not just the intellectual ones, not just the wealthy ones, not just the accomplished ones, not just the religious ones and not just the famous ones. Not just the clergy, not just the pillars of the community and not just the powerful. God is the Savior of all people!

I understand this to mean that the sacrifice Jesus Christ made on that miserable cross to pay the penalty for our sins was for all mankind, all who have ever lived. I'll let those stew who cling to some odd idea that Jesus Christ only died for a few while I celebrate loudly, and exult in richly, the magnificent expression of love God manifested for all mankind when he sent us his Son to pay the penalty for all. "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."

This was a big sacrifice - not a little one! The burden Jesus bore on the cross was for all sins ever committed by all people for all time!

I also understand this to mean that while God is the Savior of all people, he is only so especially for those who believe. Although Jesus Christ paid the penalty for all people, that payment will only be credited to those who embrace him in faith. Kind of like a lifeboat. A lifeboat is a rescue for all who will jump in it when the ship goes down. As it sits birthed on the ship, it is a rescue for all, but especially for those who will jump into it when needed. Those who won't will go down with the ship.

After mankind had rebelled against God, after mankind had turned from him, spurned him - what a wonderful and astonishing love God has expressed by becoming our Savior. It is surely an expression of love that lies beyond our comprehension! Our rejected Creator has now become our Savior!

All he asks is that we place our faith and trust in him! 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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Who Are These Women? - 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 Timothy 3:11,

"In the same way, the women are to be worthy of respect, not malicious talkers but temperate and trustworthy in everything."

Who are these women Paul speaks of here? These particular women are to be worthy of respect by not being "malicious talkers but temperate and trustworthy in everything." These are women that are to be qualified. Qualified for what? 

This rendering of the verse comes from the 2011 version of the NIV. The footnote they provide for "women" says the term could mean either deacon's wives or deacons who are women.

In that this section of Paul's letter to Timothy is devoted to recognizing who might be qualified for leadership within the fellowship, "the women" as a reference to all women in the fellowship certainly seems out of place. That leaves either the wives of deacons or women who were to be appointed as deaconesses within the fellowship.

The fact that there is nothing mentioned about the qualifications for an elder's wife by Paul, it does seem odd that he would only reference the wives of deacons as needing certain qualities.

It seems to me a reasonable alternative to understanding who these women are that Paul qualifies must be those considered for a role as a deaconess. After Paul lays out the qualifications for an elder, he prefaces his comment about deacons with the introduction, "In the same way..." I note that is exactly how he prefaces his qualifications for these women.

Of course, if Paul is considering roles for women as deaconesses, it flies in the face of the accusation that Paul was a misogynist. Women, recognized as leaders within the fellowship???

What do you think? Who were these women? Might we need them today?

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 Woman's Role in the Church - 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 Timothy 2:11-14,

"A woman should learn in quietness and full submission. I do not permit a woman to teach or to assume authority over a man; she must be quiet. For Adam was formed first, then Eve. And Adam was not the one deceived; it was the woman who was deceived and became a sinner."

In March of 2014 I wrote the following about 1 Timothy 2:11-14. As I read what I wrote then this morning, I think it bears repeating (I'm sorry for the length of it):

In his letter to Timothy, Paul provides some instructions on worship relative to the two (and, there really are only two) genders.

How impolitic!! How sexist! What a misogynist! I can just hear the cacophony, the shrieks, the shrill indignation. Here is a statement that just won't square with today's culture. Paul says he does not permit women to teach or have authority over a man. Just wait for those gals who force their little boys to play with dolls and their little girls to play with toy trucks to hear this!

Unfortunately, for those little boys who played with dolls and somehow made it into the church without a spine, their futile attempts to salvage the authenticity, authority, and credibility of their Bibles by claiming Paul was addressing the cultural context of the day, Paul has taken away any attempt to correlate this teaching with the cultural proclivities of the day. His reference to Adam and Eve clearly lifts his teaching on the genders here out of any cultural context and places it squarely in the cosmic dimension of God's creation.

What Paul is saying is that the formulation of correct doctrine and teaching is not within the purview of the female gender. It is to be left up to the men. I have read way too many detractors of Paul, claiming he was, in fact, a misogynist. Nothing could be further from the truth. Paul loved women and held them in great appreciation and regard for their many wonderful contributions to God's agenda of redemption. Listen to his expressions of appreciation regarding some of the women who labored in the gospel, "Greet Tryphena and Tryphosa, those women who work hard in the Lord. Greet my dear friend Persis, another woman who has worked very hard in the Lord." Romans 16:12.

Note Paul's appreciation of Priscilla, "Greet Priscilla and Aquila, my co-workers in Christ Jesus. They risked their lives for me. Not only I but all the churches of the Gentiles are grateful to them." Romans 16:3-4. Note also Paul's acknowledgment of another woman, Mary, "Greet Mary, who worked very hard for you." Romans 16:6. Also Junia, "Greet Andronicus and Junia, my fellow Jews who have been in prison with me. They are outstanding among the apostles, and they were in Christ before I was." Romans 16: 7.

In Paul's concerns for Euodia and Syntyche, note his acknowledgment of their past efforts working with Paul, expressing his appreciation, "I plead with Euodia and I plead with Syntyche to be of the same mind in the Lord. Yes, and I ask you, my true companion, help these women since they have contended at my side in the cause of the gospel, along with Clement and the rest of my co-workers, whose names are in the book of life." Philippians 4:2-3.

Don't tell me Paul was a misogynist!

It wouldn't make any difference anyway, since the argument against not permitting a woman to teach or assume authority over a man is an argument with God through the Holy Spirit, not Paul. Paul's writings, what he had to say in Scripture was inspired. Listen to what Peter says of Paul's writings, "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. When Peter says unstable people distort Paul's writings as they do the "other Scriptures", it is an affirmation of Peter's knowledge that Paul's writings were Scripture, that is, inspired by God. Of this, Peter says in another place, "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." 2 Peter 1:20-21.

As I say, anyone who would argue that women not be limited from establishing doctrine and assuming authority over men in the church has an argument, not with Paul, but with God. Shall we accuse God of being a misogynist? I believe it was God that created women, as well as men and said it was all very good! In fact, God loves women so much that he sent his own Son to die a miserable death in order to pay for their sins. God loves women. And, just as he does for men, he has a role for them in the church - and it is not the formulation of doctrine or the assertion of authority over men.

Are you going to go with the pop culture of the day, or are you going to go with God? Are you going to yield to the insistent demands of our culture that we bow to political correctness, or have a spine and stand for God's truth? We have many issues that force us to choose: abortion, homosexuality, immorality, etc. God has provided a great "shaking out" of the church these days as we see whole denominations abandon God to follow the cultural dictates of the day.

For all you men who grew up as boys playing with dolls, it is time to man up! Same for the women (well, can I say woman up?). Proclaim your allegiance and loyalty for God and his perspective over the culture of our day. Let Jesus Christ be the Lord of your life. This is, after all, what this is all about.

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 Case of Hymenaeus and Alexander - 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 Timothy 1:18-20,

"Timothy, my son, I am giving you this command in keeping with the prophecies once made about you, so that by recalling them you may fight the battle well, holding on to faith and a good conscience, which some have rejected and so have suffered shipwreck with regard to the faith. Among them are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan to be taught not to blaspheme."

Holy smokes! How would you like to be either Hymenaeus or Alexander? Handed over to Satan by Paul! I don't know what this resulted in, and I am quite certain I would never want to find myself in their shoes.

These two engaged in blasphemy by rejecting faith and a good conscience. Paul says because of this they "suffered shipwreck with regard to the faith."

It appears both of these men may have made a profession of faith but ran off the rails by abandoning the apostolic faith Paul preached. We meet up with Hymenaeus again in Paul's second letter to Timothy. In 2 Timothy 2: 17-18 we find he is still in the false teaching business with a new derelict, Philetus, "Their teaching will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus, who have departed from the truth. They say that the resurrection has already taken place, and they destroy the faith of some."

I note Paul's motive in handing Hymenaeus and Alexander over to Satan was to bring them to restoration, that they "be taught not to blaspheme."

I don't know what motivates a person to buck apostolic teaching, the true gospel of Jesus Christ, but it seems to me that life is lived so much easier by simply embracing the truth of the gospel that Paul and the other apostles brought to the world. As we look at all the false teaching that floats around today, we apparently have a number of people who have been unable to learn from the case of Hymenaeus and Alexander.

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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Praying for Protection - 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 2 Thessalonians 3:2,

"Pray that we may be delivered from wicked and evil people, for not everyone has faith."

In this letter to the church in Thessalonica, Paul felt the need to ask this fellowship for prayer for himself and his team. He asked for safety from "wicked and evil people". As we read the accounts in the book of Acts of Paul's exploits, this request for prayer certainly had cause.

Paul asked for prayer from other fellowships in this regard as well. He asked the church in Rome to be praying for him as he looked ahead to taking a gift from the Gentiles to the impoverished believers in Jerusalem, "I urge you, brothers and sisters, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to join me in my struggle by praying to God for me. Pray that I may be kept safe from the unbelievers in Judea..." Romans 15:30-31a.

Paul was certainly having an impact in the world and the spiritual forces of evil took note of him. In Acts 19:13-16 we read about a demon who told the sons of a Jewish chief priest, "Jesus I know, and Paul I know about, but who are you?" We also know the world hates all believers. In 1 John 3:13 we read, "Do not be surprised, my brothers and sisters, if the world hates you." There certainly was cause for Paul to request prayer for himself and the others who worked with him. He was dangerous to the dark side.

From one standpoint, facing danger from unbelievers can be a mark that we are having an impact on the world around us. Worldwide we read of some of the horrific things that have been done to brothers and sisters. When the forces of evil feel threatened, they lash out at God's people. We, who are believers, should be mindful of what is possible in this life and seek God's help in prayer for protection, just as Paul did.

I can't help but wonder, if I seem to face no threat, maybe I'm not such a threat to the spiritual forces of evil as a child of God?

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

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Perverting Paul - 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 2 Thessalonians 2:1-2,

"Concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to him, we ask you, brothers and sisters, not to become easily unsettled or alarmed by the teaching allegedly from us—whether by a prophecy or by word of mouth or by letter..."

Paul tells the fellowship in Thessalonica not to be troubled by bad information. He says that whether the information comes from "prophecy" or word of mouth or a letter, allegidly from Paul and his team, don't fall for it.

It seems to me we have a lot of that going on today in the church. People claim to have special "insight" (as in prophecy), or they falsely quote "selected" verses from Scripture (as if they are passing along what Paul had said).

In an article on "Progressive Christianity", posted July 17, 2022, Michael Brown said, "progressive Christians" (henceforth, PCs) I had interacted with affirmed the validity of same-sex "marriage," supported a woman's "right" to abortion, and denied that salvation was found exclusively through Jesus."

In his article, Brown quotes the "White Horse Inn", "Progressive Christianity is a movement that is infiltrating and influencing the Evangelical church. Some of the most high-profile Christian leaders are a part of it. This movement seeks to re-interpret the Bible, re-assess historic doctrines, and re-define core tenets of the faith. While claiming the title 'Christian,' and boasting a high view of the Bible, it is sweeping up many unsuspecting Christians into a false view of who God is and how he saves people."

The United Church of Christ in Beaverton, Oregon, says the movement began in 2006 as "an alternative to the Christian faith portrayed in the public realm." And purports itself to be "Christian". Their second statement of faith is, "The Christian faith is our way of being faithful to God. Bit it is not the only way."

Brown makes the observation, "In short, PC, as defined by some of its leaders, denies the absolute authority of Scripture (stating that it is not the infallible Word of God). It denies that salvation and redemption come only through the cross of Jesus. It affirms the validity of same-sex 'marriage.' And it affirms a women's 'right' to choose abortion."

So, what has changed in the last two millenia? Based on Paul's letter to the church in Thessalonica, and what we see today, not much.

Forget Progressive Christianity, I'll stick with what Paul really had to say. He was Jesus Christ's emissary, unlike these Johnnie-come-latelys.

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 Cue from Paul: Faith and 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 2 Thessalonians 1:3,

"We ought always to thank God for you, brothers and sisters, and rightly so, because your faith is growing more and more, and the love all of you have for one another is increasing."

Paul expresses his thankfulness to God for the ever-increasing faith and love of the fellowship in Thessalonica. He points out their faith is growing more and more and their love for one another is increasing. This fellowship was on the move!

I note he didn't commend them for having built a big church building. He doesn't mention they developed great vestments for the leaders, a liturgy for the services or that they sang all the right songs. In fact, he doesn't acknowledge them for having the "right" church government that guided the fellowship.

He was thankful to God for their ever-increasing faith and love.

I'm not saying there is anything wrong with these other things, but maybe sometimes we get focused on things that don't necessarily lead to building up faith and love within the fellowship.

Maybe Paul has a cue here for us. A good reminder for me.

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 Faithfulness In Our Sanctification - 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 Thessalonians 5:23-24,

"May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it."

Here is something fascinating. Paul says that since God is faithful, he will do something amazing within us: he will sanctify us 'through and through." In the previous chapter Paul said that it was God's will that believers were to be sanctified, verse 3, and that it would be evidenced by avoiding sexual immorality. There he pointed out that to reject that instruction was to reject God, verse 8. He now says that because God is faithful, he will make sure that happens.

There is a team effort that is evident here. That effort requires believers to embrace God (by not rejecting him) and as we do so God will be faithful to sanctify us through and through so that we will be kept blameless when Jesus Christ comes for us.

In Ephesians 1:4 we read, "For he [God] chose us [believers] in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight." Even before God created the world, knowing about the fall of man ahead of time and his redemptive purposes for us, he decided that those of us who respond to his gospel message would be sanctified, "to be holy and blameless in his sight."

Here is how Paul puts it in another place, "He [God] will also keep you firm to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful, who has called you into fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord." 1 Corinthians 1:8-9. Note that just as Paul points to God's faithfulness to us as our guarantee of this in 1 Thessalonians 5:24, so he does here in 1 Corinthians 1:9. 

Jude's doxology says, "To him [God] who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy— to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen." Jude 24-25.

Pretty amazing, 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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Avoiding Sexual Immorality - 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 Thessalonians 4:3-8,

"It is God's will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; that each of you should learn to control your own body in a way that is holy and honorable, not in passionate lust like the pagans, who do not know God; and that in this matter no one should wrong or take advantage of a brother or sister. The Lord will punish all those who commit such sins, as we told you and warned you before. For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life. Therefore, anyone who rejects this instruction does not reject a human being but God, the very God who gives you his Holy Spirit."

Everybody seems to want to know what God's will is. Here is a piece of that very thing! It is God's will that we, as believers, should avoid sexual immorality. Paul says we should live a life that is "holy and honorable" which is a result of learning to control our bodies.

I'm afraid that many believers have bought into the lie that they cannot control their own bodies. "I have needs!" That should be the thinking of only "pagans", unbelievers who do not know God, who are consumed with "passionate lust".

It is a lie to believe we cannot control our own bodies! Believing that lie prevents us from ever growing spiritually. Some believers tell themselves they can't, and so they don't. Pastors behind the pulpit, leaders and elders within the church, supposedly mature believers who should manifest a spiritual maturity have failed the Lord in this regard.

Paul points out that when we reject the reality that we can control our own bodies, we reject the Lord who provides us the means and strength to do so: the Holy Spirit. To buy into the lie that we cannot control our own bodies is to deny the Holy Spirit that dwells within the hearts of believers. Here is where I think the problem lies for those who struggle in this way. They demonstrate either an ignorance or a refusal of the Holy Spirit's presence in their lives. As a result they find themselves ill equipped when temptation comes along. 

All the "leaders" over the years that claim to perform miracles of healing, speaking in tongues, prophesying in the name of the Lord all demonstrate they are not nearly as acquainted with the Holy Spirit as they claim to be when they fail in controlling their bodies. All the priests and bishops, those who claim to represent God to their congregations, whether inside or outside the organized church, manifest a distance to the God they claim to serve when they fail to control their own bodies.

Some seem to think that they will have reached a high level of spiritual maturity when they finally learn to control their bodies. Note what Paul says, the one who rejects the teaching of controlling our own bodies is rejecting God. Does that come at the end of a spiritual journey or at the beginning of it? If we allow the pursuit of learning to control our own bodies to consume our walk with the Lord for years, we will never move on to the weightier matters of becoming a child of God as we flail about in defeat.

Here is the truth of the matter. When we embrace Jesus Christ in faith, we become indwelt with the Holy Spirit. We may struggle for a time in this new arrangement, we may disappoint God, ourselves and others at times. However, at some point we demonstrate we are God's children by the changes the Holy Spirit brings to our lives. If we don't see those changes it becomes time to revisit whether we are indwelt with the Holy Spirit or not. Do we really know God? Here is how Paul puts it:

"You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other. 

So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.
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." Galatians 5:13-25.

We live in an evil age. Let's stop lying to ourselves and conform to God's will in avoiding sexual immorality.

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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Pain At the Pump of Spiritual Growth - 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 Thessalonians 3:2-4,

"We sent Timothy, who is our brother and co-worker in God's service in spreading the gospel of Christ, to strengthen and encourage you in your faith, so that no one would be unsettled by these trials. For you know quite well that we are destined for them. In fact, when we were with you, we kept telling you that we would be persecuted. And it turned out that way, as you well know."

Turn on your television on any Sunday morning to the "Christian" programming. There are a couple of great Bible teachers to be found there, but unfortunately, not many at all. On the other hand, you will find a bunch of great miracle workers asking you to send in your money to them so you too can be rich. There are others who promise peace and serenity from all of life's problems if you just join up with them.

For those of us who actually read our Bibles, we know what to think of 95% of the rotten messages heard on a Sunday morning. In our passage above, Paul clarifies what we can expect as believers in Jesus Christ. He speaks of trials, that we are destined for them. He speaks of persecution.

If this is what we are to expect as believers in Jesus Christ, how do these false teachers who make empty promises get away with their false teaching? Sadly, those who fall for it must not be reading their Bibles.

As children of God, we will face many difficulties. Most are designed by God to aid us in our spiritual maturity, others to simply be available as God carries out his agenda of redemption. Some think we become spiritual giants by entertaining the false teachings I mention above, but that is not God's normative way of bringing that about.

Listen to the writer of Hebrews (as he quotes Proverbs 3:11, 12), "In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. And have you completely forgotten this word of encouragement that addresses you as a father addresses his son? It says, 'My son, do not make light of the Lord's discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and he chastens everyone he accepts as his son.' Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father? If you are not disciplined—and everyone undergoes discipline—then you are not legitimate, not true sons and daughters at all. Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of spirits and live! They disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in his holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it."

Here is real Christianlity 101! You just might not find it in "Christian" programming on a Sunday morning.

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 Pushback 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 1 Thessalonians 2:14b-16,

"You suffered from your own people the same things those churches suffered from the Jews who killed the Lord Jesus and the prophets and also drove us out. They displease God and are hostile to everyone in their effort to keep us from speaking to the Gentiles so that they may be saved. In this way they always heap up their sins to the limit. The wrath of God has come upon them at last."

Note the urgent malevolent interest, the fixation Paul's opponents had in his work of bringing the gospel message to the Gentiles. Paul acknowledges this same opposition was what the Thessalonian believers experienced, as well as the prophets and the Lord himself. There has always been opposition to the things God does among mankind.

We might find cause for this opposition (as unjust as it has always been) in the fear of loss of power for these opponents as the purveyors of false religions, office holders, etc. Maybe their motivation might have been due to fear of loss of influence in the community. Possibly they saw potential for financial gain as they saw Paul's success in the fellowships he established. If Paul could establish a fellowship for his purposes, possibly greedy and unscrupulous people might find encouragement to do the same -- with the intention to fleece and plunder (as opposed to Paul's intentions).

Whatever the motivation of those people who oppose what God does among mankind, whether through Paul, the other apostles, the prophets, etc., I think the ultimate cause is more sinister than simply the avarice, the attempt at maintaining or attaining power, or whatever moves a sinful man's heart.

I believe those who oppose what God is busy doing in the lives of people are simply the "useful idiots" the spiritual forces of darkness use to oppose heaven's agenda. Here is a comment from Paul on just this very thing as he discusses the "devil's schemes": "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms." Ephesians 6:12.

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

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

Impacting 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 1 Thessalonians
1:7-9a,

"And so you became a model to all the believers in Macedonia and
Achaia. The Lord's message rang out from you not only in Macedonia and
Achaia—your faith in God has become known everywhere. Therefore we do
not need to say anything about it, for they themselves report what
kind of reception you gave us."

Paul thanked God continually for these believers in Thessalonica. He
said, "We always thank God for all of you and continually mention you
in our prayers. We remember before our God and Father your work
produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance
inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ." Verses 2-3. Faith, love
and hope.

God had chosen, decided, from eternity past (knowing all that would
transpire throughout all time) that anyone who would embrace him in
faith when confronted with the gospel would become a part of his
family, become one of his "chosen" ones. "For we know, brothers and
sisters loved by God, that he has chosen you, because our gospel came
to you not simply with words but also with power, with the Holy Spirit
and deep conviction." Verses 4-5a. The power, the Holy Spirit, and the
deep conviction displayed in the lives of these Thessalonian believers
were the proof of their new standing in God's family.

As a result of the Thessalonian believer's reception of the gospel,
they became a model to "all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia."
They formed a fellowship that could be viewed by others as an example
of what God can and will do for those who embrace him in faith.

Sometimes we may forget the impact our lives can have on others as we
model the same things these Thessalonian believers manifested in their
lives. Paul's words here should be a great encouragement to us all as
we recognize the impact we can have on others.

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.

"Remember My Chains" - 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 Colossians 4:18b,

"Remember my chains."

Paul had this letter to the Colossian fellowship penned by another while he dictated it. His opening salutation at the beginning of the letter let them know it was from him and carried the weight of his apostolic authority. And, yet, this man, Paul, who had an authority that was bestowed by the Lord himself, was bound in chains in Rome at the time.

At the end of the letter, he picked up the pen and signed his own name with a hand that was chained (presumably). One would think the act of picking up that pen with a bound hand might have prompted him to ask his readers to remember him in such a way, "Remember my chains."

Paul was a man who had a very dramatic personal encounter with the Lord and devoted the remainder of his life to serving him. Reading of the events surrounding his life in the pages of the book of Acts, and the passion in his heart for both the Lord and the Lord's people, contained within his thirteen letters is nothing short of remarkable.

Now, toward the end of his life, and toward the end of his amazing apostolic ministry that the Lord used to transform the world, we find Paul chained as a prisoner. Paul himself claimed that his imprisonment, his chains, were due to the gospel he had taken to the world, "pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains." Colossians 4:3.

I don't view Paul as a defeated man while he was in his chains in Rome. He says, "I want you to know how hard I am contending for you and for those at Laodicea, and for all who have not met me personally. My goal is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. I tell you this so that no one may deceive you by fine-sounding arguments. For though I am absent from you in body, I am present with you in spirit and delight to see how disciplined you are and how firm your faith in Christ is." Colossians 2:1-5.

In the same way, while imprisoned, Paul was ever the passionate worker for the Lord in his outreach for as many as he could have an impact with. In another letter he sent from imprisonment he said, "Now I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that what has happened to me has actually served to advance the gospel. As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ. And because of my chains, most of the brothers and sisters have become confident in the Lord and dare all the more to proclaim the gospel without fear." Philippians 1:12-14. Paul had an impact even on those who held him prisoner!

I think we today should not forget Paul's chains. As Paul's imprisonment encouraged and energized believers then, I suspect it can have the same effect upon us today. "And because of my chains, most of the brothers and sisters have become confident in the Lord and dare all the more to proclaim the gospel without fear."

Paul: an indomitable and passionate man of God! 

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

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.

Directing Our Focus - 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 Colossians 3:5-9,

"Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. Do not lie to each other..."

Here Paul lists the types of things that belong to our "earthly nature". It is called our "sinful nature" or "the flesh" in various places. What is clear is that mankind is defective when it comes to being what we were originally created to be. Following the fall of man in the garden of Eden, the heart of man has morphed into a dark, evil and corrupt state. Just pick up a newspaper (well, check your news feed on line), we see it on full display every day. Better yet, just look in the mirror - I can see it there.

There are many naive people who "feel" mankind is basically good and if we just did this or that, all that goodness and sunshine will flow and glow from within the hearts of us all. The war on poverty is a great example of a sorry and misguided attempt at social engineering to address what we all see. After the transfer of trillions of dollars, not one thing has changed an iota. We still have every bit of the wickedness and rot that was just as apparent in the 1960s. The naive idea was that if poverty was eradicated, mankind would become transformed. Mankind's efforts at fixing mankind's defectiveness has always been a fool's errand. But, I digress.

Paul assumes these nasty character traits within everyone. Note he says, "Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature..." without specifying the individuals he is talking to within the fellowship at Colossae. He doesn't need to. Every last one has an "earthly nature." This is why the cross of Christ is an offense. It indicts us all as having a sin-riddled life that needs redemption.

Some, who acknowledge the sinful condition within them that remains even after the regeneration of our new birth in Jesus Christ, have attempted to hold it in check by focusing on its traits. "Don't lust", "don't be greedy", "don't get angry", etc. That is not Paul's approach. He says to get your focus off the sinful nature and direct it on Jesus Christ:

"Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God." Colossians 3:1-3.

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.

Encouraged in Heart and United in 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 Colossians 2:2-3,

"My goal is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge."

Paul had a goal for these believers in Colossae as well as those in Laodicea, that they be "encouraged in heart and united in love." It was his purpose that they might have the "full riches of complete understanding." It seems to me that the greatest pursuit of us believers would be to have complete understanding in Jesus Christ.

Paul mentions that the complete understanding would include knowing the mystery of God, namely, Christ. Paul points out that it is in Christ that all the hidden treasures of wisdom and knowledge are to be found.

Now, is this simply flowery language? Lofty prose to adorn an apostolic letter, to simply sound "religious" or "spiritual"? Or, is Paul dead-serious here about an avenue we can take to gain the full riches of complete understanding, leading to us knowing the mystery of God, Jesus Christ, "in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge?"

It appears to me we need to be taking these statements of Paul to heart and insure what he says becomes a reality in our own lives. "Encouraged in heart" and "united in love." How do we begin that adventure in our relationship with Jesus Christ? How do we build these things into our lives? Do we do that, or does God do that? If God does it, might we not do what Paul did, and ask God for help with these things? Might we not seek out more mature believers to see how they have pursued that in their lives?

"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 1:9b-12.

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

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

Asking For Fullness From 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 Colossians 1:9b-12,

"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."

Paul told these believers that he asked God for a fullness for them. In verse 19 Paul says that God was pleased to have all of his fullness dwell in Jesus Christ, and now Paul asks God for a fullness for these believers.

This fullness from God would lead to other things in their lives:

Living a life worthy of the Lord, verse 10.

Living a life pleasing to the Lord, verse 10.

Bearing fruit in every good work, verse 10.

Growing in the knowledge of God, verse 10.

Being strengthened with all power, verse 11.

Having great endurance and patience, verse 11.

Joyfull thankfulness to God the Father, verse 12.

This fullness included a knowledge of God's will and the wisdom and understanding the Holy Spirit gives, verse 9. Paul asked for this fullness from God for these believers. Might we ask for a fullness from God for ourselves and others 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!

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.