Confidence, Assurance and Certainty - 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 Hebrews 13:6,

"So we say with confidence, 'The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?'"

Those of us who have embraced Jesus Christ in faith can echo these very same words. Here the writer of Hebrews quotes Psalm 118:6-7. It is a wonderful expression of the total confidence in the wellbeing we have as those the Lord helps. We have no need of fear for what circumstances may befall us or whatever the malintent that others might want to inflict on us- because it is the Lord who helps us.

Not all can come close to this kind of confidence or assurance in this life. In Psalm 53:5 we read of those who reject the Lord, "But there they are, overwhelmed with dread, where there was nothing to dread." Just the opposite! No wonder there are so many with mental and emotional difficulties in this life!

I have a thought that the dread the wicked have comes from something very real that is looming in their future. Not something they are consciously aware of, and would deny it coming... but the reality of it can still be felt by them even if subtly: the certain judgment of God that is headed their way. For me, their fear is palpable, no matter how well masked in the hostility within the hearts and minds of the enemies of the gospel. Certainly, what we read in Psalm 14:5 is true of them, "But there they are, overwhelmed with dread, for God is present in the company of the righteous."

Not so us! We have confidence, assurance and certainty, both in this life and the life to come, in our wellbeing as those the Lord helps! What a wonderful state we have come to when we embraced Jesus Christ in faith!

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

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What We Have Come To - 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 Hebrews 12:22-24,

"But you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem. You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly, to the church of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven. You have come to God, the Judge of all, to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel."

As we turn to Jesus Christ, we may have to leave some friends behind. We might even have to leave some family behind. We also leave behind some things that are incompatible with our new life in Jesus Christ. Vices, addictions, things that appeal to our own sinful natures. We might even have to give up some of the places we enjoyed, activities we engage in, and possibly some things we may have been working toward. We might have to abandon some of our goals and some of those things we devoted time and effort toward.

In the passage above, as the writer of Hebrews discusses the struggles and difficulties we face as those who have turned to Jesus Christ due to the discipline God brings into our lives (shame on Christian leaders who speak of our new life in Christ as "life on easy street" with no more cares and concerns!) he encourages us all in what we have come to as believers. God will bring difficulties into our lives (for our good!), but in light of what we have come to, his rewards are so much greater that it pales in comparison!

We have come to Mount Zion, the city of the living God! The heavenly Jerusalem!

We have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly!
We have come to the company of those whose names are written in the book of life!

We have come to God, the judge of all!

We have come to the spirits of the righteous!

We have come to Jesus Christ who gave his blood as a ransom for us!

What we have come to is simply breathtaking and those difficulties we face as believers fade in the magnificence of it!

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

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What is Faith? - 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 Hebrews 11:1,

"Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see."

Here the writer of Hebrews provides us a biblical definition of what faith is. The Bible is adamant that if we wish to spend eternity in heaven, it will be contingent on whether we embrace Jesus Christ in faith. Do-gooders need not apply here. Salvation is by faith and faith alone. Not just faith in anything, but specifically faith in the Son of God.

Since this is the case, we should be experts in what is meant when we are told, "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast." Ephesians 2:8-9. Also, Romans 3:22a, "This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe." Through faith! As I say, we should be experts in what faith is!

Mirriam-Webster tells us that faith is belief, trust and loyalty to God. It goes on to say, among other things, that faith is firm belief in something for which there is no proof, a complete trust. I certainly believe the creation provides more than adequate proof of God (see Romans 1:20, "For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse"), but I think we get a good idea of what faith is.

In Hebrews 11:8 we are told that Abraham's faith was a faith that prompted him to follow God, to obey God. This helps us understand the kind, or variety of faith God looks for within us. Paul talks about the kind of faith Abraham had in Romans 4:18-25. It was the nature of Abraham's faith that brought him a righteous standing with God, a faith that persuaded him to act on what he knew God wanted him to do. This is why Abraham is held up to us as our example of the faith God looks for within us. (It is also the reason Abraham and his descendants were chosen as the vehicle through which the Father would bring his Son into the world.)

This is the very faith that James speaks of in James 2:14, "What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them?" The rhetorical question points to the fact that it is the kind of faith Abraham had that brings us eternal life. It is not just any faith, but a faith that both informs us and prompts us in the choices we make and the things we do in this life as we look to God for eternal life.

Got faith?

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 Sacrifice of Perfection - 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 Hebrews 10:8,

"First he said, 'Sacrifices and offerings, burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not desire, nor were you pleased with them'—though they were offered in accordance with the law."

Now here is an interesting statement by the writer of Hebrews. He quotes Psalm 40:6-8 to say that the very sacrifices God provided for Israel, to atone for their sins, was something God didn't desire or was pleased with. That being the case, why did God ask they be made?

It is, as always, important to follow the writer's train of thought (hence, the ever present danger of cherry-picking verses to prove theological points of view). This verse needs to be read with some context, a context that includes what David went on to say in Psalm 40:6-8. The Hebrews passage begins with "First he said" in verse 8 and continues with "Then he said", verse 9. That verse continues what David had to say in Psalm 40:6-8. It is a prophetic utterance of the Son of God, Jesus Christ himself, a millenia prior to his coming into the world.

What that utterance is, is the Son of God speaking to God the Father, "Here I am, I have come— it is written about me in the scroll. I desire to do your will, my God; your law is within my heart." Psalm 40:7-8. That "will" of the Father was for the Son to enter into the human race and sacrifice himself for the sins of the world - once for all.

The Hebrews author's context is that from the perspective of the new state of the things of God when Jesus Christ had sacrificed himself to pay for the sins of mankind. It is from this perspective the Father was not satisfied with the reoccurring sacrifices the priests made at the altar. Those sacrifices would never provide the perfect atonement that Jesus made of himself. His sacrifice perfectly satisfied the Father's sense of justice. The old sacrificial system was only a symbol of what was to come, to help us recognize it when the time for it had come (in God's good timing).

The purpose of the sacrifices God gave Israel was to point to the perfect sacrifice for sins that would be coming in Jesus Christ. In a graphic way these sacrifices foretold the horrible death the Son of God would make on our behalf. They communicated God's justice in his requirement for the payment of sins, as well as expressing his boundless love for us in sending his Son to provide that perfect atonement.

It really is quite breathtaking to think 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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Access To 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 Hebrews 9:6-8,

Here is something I wrote about this passage in August, 2006:

"When everything had been arranged like this, the priests entered regularly into the outer room to carry on their ministry. But only the high priest entered the inner room, and that only once a year, and never without blood, which he offered for himself and for the sins the people had committed in ignorance. The Holy Spirit was showing by this that the way into the Most Holy Place had not yet been disclosed as long as the first tabernacle was still functioning."

We read in chapter 8 that the tabernacle was made after the pattern of what is in heaven. Here the writer of Hebrews says that because the high priest was restricted from entering into the "inner room" just once a year and never without blood, access to God was restricted.  

But in Hebrews 9:12 we go on to read that Jesus Christ entered the "Most Holy Place" of heaven by his own blood. With his blood (the death payment for sin that God had warned Adam and Eve of in the Garden of Eden) Jesus Christ has set us free from our sins, 9:15, so that we may "serve the living God", 9:14. 

We now have open access to God who calls us his children! No longer are we shut out from God, estranged from him and separated from his presence! The ultimate fulfillment of this will take place in the resurrection, "Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away." Revelation 21:3-4.  

Just how wonderful is that?!

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

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Our Great High Priest Intercedes! - 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 Hebrews 8:1-2,

"Now the main point of what we are saying is this: We do have such a high priest, who sat down at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven, and who serves in the sanctuary, the true tabernacle set up by the Lord, not by a mere human being."

Under God's previous covenant with the nation of Israel, a tabernacle was to be built with a priesthood that was to serve there. The work of the priests (from the tribe of Levi) was to offer gifts and sacrifices for the sins of the people. Here the writer of Hebrews makes a point, the "main point". The tabernacle with its accouterments, the priesthood and service performed there was only a shadow or symbol of what exists in heaven. The main point being that Jesus Christ is the high priest of that heavenly reality!

"They [the Levitical priesthood] serve at a sanctuary that is a copy and shadow of what is in heaven. This is why Moses was warned when he was about to build the tabernacle: 'See to it that you make everything according to the pattern shown you on the mountain.'" Hebrews 8:5.

The heavenly reality of what the earthly sanctuary (with its Levitical priesthood) was a copy or shadow of, is where our great high priest, Jesus Christ serves. Unlike the earthly sanctuary, where the priests continually offered sacrifices for sins, Jesus' sacrifice was a once for all eternity sacrifice for sins, "Unlike the other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people. He sacrificed for their sins once for all when he offered himself." Hebrews 7:27. How important the cross of Jesus Christ is!

In the passage above we are told that Jesus Christ, our "high priest", took his position at the "right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven" and now serves in the heavenly sanctuary. Since his sacrifice for the sins of all mankind for all time was a "once for all" sacrifice, what comprises his serving there?

One thing we can be certain of, and it is an amazing and exciting thing to contemplate, is that he intercedes for us believers with God the Father, "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." Romans 8:34b. This he does along with the Holy Spirit on behalf of us believers! "In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God's people in accordance with the will of God." Romans 8:26-27. 

It is just astounding to think that among the three persons of the Trinity, the Holy Spirit and the Son of God intercede for you and for me with God the Father! On our behalf! This is an astonishing thing to contemplate! Will your name or my name come before God the Father from our great high priest, Jesus Christ, or our advocate (John 14:26), the Holy Spirit 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 Different Order of Priesthood - 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 Hebrews 7:11-17,

"If perfection could have been attained through the Levitical priesthood—and indeed the law given to the people established that priesthood—why was there still need for another priest to come, one in the order of Melchizedek, not in the order of Aaron? For when the priesthood is changed, the law must be changed also. He of whom these things are said belonged to a different tribe, and no one from that tribe has ever served at the altar. For it is clear that our Lord descended from Judah, and in regard to that tribe Moses said nothing about priests. And what we have said is even more clear if another priest like Melchizedek appears, one who has become a priest not on the basis of a regulation as to his ancestry but on the basis of the power of an indestructible life. For it is declared: 'You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.'"

The writer of Hebrews is wonderfully considerate in helping us understand the things of Jesus Christ. Here he provides an explanation as to why Jesus Christ is recognized as our great high priest when he didn't descend from the tribe of Levi as the law God gave required. Jesus was from the tribe of Judah.

Earlier, in Hebrews 3:1 we read, "Therefore, holy brothers and sisters, who share in the heavenly calling, fix your thoughts on Jesus, whom we acknowledge as our apostle and high priest." Jesus is called our "merciful and faithful high priest in service to God", Hebrews 2:17. He is not just any high priest but our "great high priest", Hebrews 4:14.

A priest represents the people to God. The high priests offered gifts and sacrifices for their own sins as well as for the sins of the people, Hebrews 5:1-3. But the blood offered on the altar by the high priests under the law was the blood of animals. Jesus, however, offered his own blood as a sacrifice for the sins of all mankind for all time, thereby becoming our great high priest.

The writer of Hebrews quotes psalm 110:4 to explain that the levitical priesthood has not been the only order of priesthood in God's economy of things. We read of Melchizedek, king of Salem (Jerusalem) in Abraham's day, 2 millennia before the birth of Jesus Christ. In Genesis 14:18 we read, "He [Melchizedek] was priest of God Most High".

Jesus is likened to the order of Melchizedek in that he was not a descendant of Levi (Levi was not born yet!). In the Scriptures we read nothing of Melchizedek's parents, nothing about his lineage, nothing about his birth or death. Jesus Christ is the Son of God, and though he entered into the human race through Mary, as the God the Son, he has no beginning and no end recorded because he is eternal. This is why we read in verse 3 about Melchizedek, "Without father or mother, without genealogy, without beginning of days or end of life, resembling the Son of God, he remains a priest forever."

The Levitical priesthood is not the only priesthood in God's order of things as Hebrews points out. You and I are priests as well! "As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to him— you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ." 1 Peter 2:4-5. Also, 1 Peter 2:9, "But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light."

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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Two Unchangeable Things! - 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 Hebrews 6:13-20,

"When God made his promise to Abraham, since there was no one greater for him to swear by, he swore by himself, saying, 'I will surely bless you and give you many descendants.' And so after waiting patiently, Abraham received what was promised. People swear by someone greater than themselves, and the oath confirms what is said and puts an end to all argument. Because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of his purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised, he confirmed it with an oath. God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope set before us may be greatly encouraged. We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, where our forerunner, Jesus, has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek."

God provided Abraham, and through him us as well, his assurance through two unchangeable things: his promise and his oath! The writer of Hebrews wants his readers to know of the rock-solid assurance we have from God himself that his promise to us is absolutely secure.

There are no "maybes", no "gee, I hope so", absolutely no uncertainty in God's promise of eternal life through his Son, Jesus Christ! We, who are the spiritual descendants of Abraham, we, "who have fled to take hold of the hope set before us", have every reason to be "greatly encouraged"!

Eternal life, a life filled with "eternal pleasures" at the Lord's right hand (Psalm 16:11) is ours! Those of us who have embraced Jesus Christ in faith own this today as our certain future by God's promise and his oath!

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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Living On Solid Food? - 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 Hebrews 5:11-14,

"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."

As the writer of Hebrews talks about the preeminence of Jesus Christ as our great high priest and the sacrificial offering he made of himself on our behalf, he points to a bewildering disinterest of his readers. They "no longer try to understand." Considering all that Jesus Christ has done for us, to have believers fail to take the most avid interest in all their Savior has done for them exposes a distraction or disinterest of some nature. Certainly they have failed to heed the writer's admonition, "Therefore, holy brothers and sisters, who share in the heavenly calling, fix your thoughts on Jesus, whom we acknowledge as our apostle and high priest." Hebrews 3:1.

The writer goes on to say that "by this time" his readers should be teachers, but now needed someone to teach them "the elementary truths of God's word all over again." Clearly, there is an expectation that given a certain length of time, a certain maturity as believers, let alone interest in the things of Jesus Christ, should be evident in their lives.

He talks about the "milk" of Scripture, versus the "solid food" of Scripture. These believers were well beyond the appropriate time frame of living off the milk of Scripture. Picture a boy progressing through puberty with a baby bottle stuck in his mouth!

Our maturity as believers should be something that is beyond what it was a year ago, 5 years ago. The duration of time set against our growth in Jesus Christ due to our pursuit of him in the pages of scripture should manifest spiritual growth in our lives, "solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil."

So, I ask myself this morning, am I where I should be in the pursuit of my maturity in Jesus Christ? Do I have an avid interest in learning all I can of him in the pages of Scripture? Am I enjoying solid food, or do I have a bottle stuck in my mouth?

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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Our Choice - 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 Hebrews 4:11,

"Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will perish by following their example of disobedience."

The writer of Hebrews uses the phrase "God's rest" while speaking of salvation. He uses the picture of God resting from all his works following creation week and inviting others to join him in that rest. He then uses Israel entering into the promised land as a picture of entering into his rest as symbolic of our salvation.

In the verse above "their example of disobedience" refers to the Israelites' disobedience when they failed to put their trust and faith in God, resulting in them not being allowed to enter into the promised land (into God's rest). They had to wander in the wilderness until that generation passed away, not being allowed in.

We enter God's rest (we are saved) when we follow through on something God has asked of us. In verse 14 we read that we need to "hold firmly to the faith we profess." In verse 11 he says we need to make every effort to enter God's rest, failing to do so will result in us perishing by following the example of the Israelites in the wilderness, their disobedience. So important is this, that we read in verse 1, "let us be careful that none of you be found to have fallen short of it."

God has done all that is needed for our salvation. Jesus Christ paid for our sins on the cross. However, that payment does not get credited to our account with God unless we embrace him in faith. God's offer of eternal life to us is contingent upon our choice to place our faith and trust in him. I realize this runs counter to the theology of many these days, a theology the writer of Hebrews knew nothing of.

We have a choice to make, a choice that is available to all, and we need to make every effort to ensure we make the right choice!

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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Not All Faith Saves! - 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 Hebrews 3:19,

"So we see that they were not able to enter, because of their unbelief."

The writer of Hebrews points to those who were not able to enter into the promised land when the Lord brought them out of Egypt. Using Moses, the Lord freed the Israelites from bondage in Egypt. However most of these Israelites did not believe in God, in spite of the Lord freeing them and all the most amazing miracles the Lord manifested before them.

Their unbelief was demonstrated by their disobedience to the Lord. In the previous verse we read, "to whom did God swear that they would never enter his rest if not to those who disobeyed?" Verse 18. Disobedience manifests unbelief. The writer uses this as an illustration of the importance of saving faith for us today.

James speaks of a certain kind of faith that brings a person eternal life. Not all faith brings salvation. He says, "What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them?" James 2:14. He answers his own question in verse 17, "In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead." Faith that is manifested by a lifestyle change is saving faith. That is the kind of faith that Abraham had as he obeyed God.

James goes on to say, "Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds. You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder. You foolish person, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless?"

James uses Abraham as our example of faith to learn from, "Was not our father Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. And the scripture was fulfilled that says, 'Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,' and he was called God's friend. You see that a person is considered righteous by what they do and not by faith alone." James 2:21-24.

Not all faith saves! As James says, demons believe in God. Some have adopted a false dichotomy regarding faith and actions. They say that believing in God is fine, but to be an actively growing Christian, you need to receive the Holy Spirit in addition to being saved. This is just bad theology. Paul says, "if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ." Romans 8:9b.

The better perspective is that if my life does not indicate a vital and growing relationship with Jesus Christ and the active presence of the Holy Spirit, then it is likely my faith in God is not the kind of faith Abraham had. Maybe it is not much more than the belief demons have.

This is an important issue. Just ask those who accompanied Moses out of Egypt.

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

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No Escape! - 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 Hebrews 2:1-3a,

"We must pay the most careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away. For since the message spoken through angels was binding, and every violation and disobedience received its just punishment, how shall we escape if we ignore so great a salvation?"

The writer of Hebrews uses the example of God's covenant with Israel and Israel's violation of that covenant by turning their backs on the law that governed it. That did not turn out well for Israel. He points this out as an example of what will happen if we ignore what God has ordained. There is no escape by ignoring the great salvation God has provided for us.

What God has asked is for all mankind to place their faith and trust in Jesus Christ. Having had his Son make atonement for the sins of all mankind, the message (the gospel) must be responded to: put your trust and faith in Jesus. If not, just as Israel did not escape the judgment of God for turning their backs on him, so will all face the same fate who reject God's invitation to us.

There is no alternative. It is a simple binary choice: embrace Jesus Christ in faith and receive eternal life or don't and face eternal death. No other outcome exists for any human being on planet earth. There is no escape for ignoring so great a salvation.

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

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What a Chapter!! - 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 Hebrews 1:10-12,

"In the beginning, Lord, you laid the foundations of the earth,
    and the heavens are the work of your hands.
They will perish, but you remain;
    they will all wear out like a garment.
You will roll them up like a robe;
    like a garment they will be changed.
But you remain the same,
    and your years will never end."

The writer of Hebrews quotes Psalm 102:25-27 here. He uses this passage as one of a number of things that God the Father has said about his Son.

The writer has already pointed out that the Father has spoken to mankind through his Son, Jesus Christ. We also read that Jesus Christ is heir of "all things", fitting and appropriate since Jesus was the one who created the universe (see John 1:3, Hebrews 1:2, 10) and maintains all things, Hebrews 1:2-3. Jesus Christ is also the "radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being", verse 3. The writer of Hebrews also speaks of the fulfillment of the grand work of Jesus Christ, providing for the "purification of sins" for all mankind, verse 3. Having accomplished that, he now sits "at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven", also verse 3.

Following his own observations of Jesus Christ, the writer quotes some of the things the Father has said about the Son. He first points out the supremacy Jesus Christ holds over the angels. Following that the writer speaks of what the Father has said about the nature of Jesus' kingdom: it will be enduring, lasting throughout eternity and it will be marked and ordered by "a scepter of justice", verse 8.

In the above passage, verses 10-12, we read what God the Father has to say about the enduring nature of the Son himself, by comparing the creation, which is temporal, to the Son, who is eternal. For me, this is quite comforting to know that the Son of God, to whom I belong, is both never changing and eternal - One whose years will never end!

I find this to be an incredible chapter about the person and work of our Savior, 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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Good Things for the Sake of 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 Philemon 6,

"I pray that your partnership with us in the faith may be effective in
deepening your understanding of every good thing we share for the sake
of Christ."

This very crafty letter by Paul to Philemon, a slave owner, concerned
the run-away slave, Onesimus. Paul had a relationship with Philemon,
as he had apparently led him to the Lord, see verse 19. Somehow,
during Paul's imprisonment, Onesimus came into contact with Paul,
responded to his gospel message, and now Paul wanted to send Onesimus,
the new believer, back to Philemon.

What Paul asks of Philemon is that he receive back Onesimus, not as a
slave, but as a brother, forgiven by him. Paul asks Philemon to charge
anything Onesimus might owe to him, or if Onesimus had wronged him in
any way, to charge that to him. "If he has done you any wrong or owes
you anything, charge it to me." Verse 18.

What Paul is asking of Philemon is forgiveness, and beyond that, to
take a financial hit by not recouping any potential loss he took in
regard to Onesimus.

This brings me to the verse above, verse 6. In that verse, a part of
Paul's introduction in his letter, Paul makes mention of "every good
thing we share for the sake of Christ."

We often think in terms of the good things, the blessings, we share
because of our knowing Jesus Christ, as things for our own sake. We
naturally think in terms of "look how the Lord has blessed me", and
appropriately so. However, as a bit of arm-twisting, Paul points out
that our blessings are for the sake of Christ.

If the blessings we receive are for Christ's sake, then when we expend
those things for Christ, we really are not giving anything up at all.
If what we have, "every good thing" is for the sake of Jesus Christ,
then giving up something of that for him is entirely appropriate. It
really is a great nuance by Paul in reminding Philemon of it.

So, naturally, I ask myself, if my blessings are for the sake of Jesus
Christ, how should I order those things in my own life?

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

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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.

Don't Allow the Gospel to be Impeded! - 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 Titus 3:10,

"Warn a divisive person once, and then warn them a second time. After that, have nothing to do with them. You may be sure that such people are warped and sinful; they are self-condemned."

Paul tells Titus to avoid people he has warned a couple of times about being divisive within the fellowship. Some people argue about a lot of things, and if it isn't one thing, then it is another. I'm sure you have encountered just such people. Hopefully that does not describe you or me!

The reason they will argue about one thing or another constantly is due to what Paul tells Titus in verse 11, "You may be sure that such people are warped and sinful; they are self-condemned." They are just going to argue and can use up the energy and efforts of those who are engaged in promoting God's plan of redemption, rendering them less effective for the kingdom of God. I think they are Satan's "plants" he has put in place for his purposes of stopping or slowing the spread of the gospel message. Consequently, Paul tells Titus to have nothing to do with them.

Paul's last words in the previous chapter are, "Do not let anyone despise you." It is evident that when you decide to have nothing to do with someone who wants to always argue, there's going to be some despising going on, on the part of the divisive person. It would seem to me what Paul has in mind is that Titus is to comport himself in such a way there is no legitimate accusation that can be brought against him as he teaches God's truth to the fellowship, which could, likewise, hamper the spread of the gospel.

The whole of it is the concern that the gospel message not be impeded by our own actions or the actions of 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!

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Be Temperate - 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 Titus 2:2a,

"Teach the older men to be temperate..."

As Paul provides Titus instruction about teaching what is "appropriate to sound doctrine", he begins with the importance of teaching the older men to be temperate.

What does it mean to be "temperate"? When used by the meteorologist, temperate means a forecast of weather that lacks extremes, it will be a moderate day. This gives us a hint at what it means when we teach older men to be temperate.

The dictionary defines "temperate" as meaning that which is marked by moderation, not extreme or excessive, keeping within limits. It can refer to moderation when it comes to indulgence of appetite or desire, alcohol, etc. It can also refer to a disposition of absence or avoidance of extravagance, violence or extreme partisanship.

Within Paul's instruction to Titus as to what he is to teach, it also includes teaching the older men to be self-controlled, teaching the older women to urge the younger ones to be self-controlled, and encouraging the young men to be self-controlled.

It appears to me that temperance and self-control go hand in hand. In short, Titus was to teach the members of the fellowship to not be subject to those impulses that lead to extremes and to be restrained over one's own emotions and desires.

What does that look like in our day?

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 Wonderful Offer, Predestined! - 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 Titus 1:1-4,

"Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ to further the faith of God's elect and their knowledge of the truth that leads to godliness— in the hope of eternal life, which God, who does not lie, promised before the beginning of time, and which now at his appointed season he has brought to light through the preaching entrusted to me by the command of God our Savior, To Titus, my true son in our common faith: Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior."

Here is something I wrote on this passage in July of 2013,

Here in Paul's salutation to Titus, he speaks of something wonderful God predestined before the beginning of time: the hope of eternal life!

Paul says this hope has now been brought to light through the preaching God entrusted to him. He says he was set apart for the work of preaching this gospel, this "good news", Romans 1:1, and that this gospel had been promised beforehand through the prophets in the Scriptures, Romans 1:2. Paul was eager to preach the gospel, Romans 1:15 and that he was not ashamed of the gospel because it was God's power to bring salvation, eternal life, to all who will embrace it in faith, Romans 1:16. This is because those who embrace its message by faith, "by faith from first to last" receive a right standing with God, Romans 1:17.

The gospel is not just another religious message - it opens the door to eternal life for all who will respond in faith. So excited Paul was in proclaiming it he says, "So from Jerusalem all the way around to Illyricum, I have fully proclaimed the gospel of Christ." Romans 15:9. He says it is by the gospel people are saved, "By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you." 1 Corinthians 15:2. I note he didn't say people are saved by being do-gooders, or by being slipped a date-rape drug by God on the sly. Very simple: gospel given and either accepted in faith or rejected. Those who embrace it in faith inherit eternal life, those who reject it are cast in to a lake of burning sulfur at the end of the age. Very simple! Here is how Paul put it to the Ephesians, "And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession—to the praise of his glory." Ephesians 1:13-14.

Paul felt his primary responsibility from God was to preach the gospel, that he wasn't sent to baptize folks or anything else, 1 Corinthians 1:17. Paul even made the comment, "Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!" 1 Corinthians 9:16.

Paul, contrary to what is thought by many who reject its message, said the origin of the gospel is not something made up by some religious person, "I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that the gospel I preached is not of human origin. I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it; rather, I received it by revelation from Jesus Christ." Galatians 1:11-12.

What an amazing message the gospel is! It has its own power in its ability to save people, "For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes..." Romans 1:16. And, as Paul says to Titus, it was predestined by God before the beginning of time.

Here is the gospel message in Paul's nutshell, "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.

How wonderful is that?! Make sure you don't miss out on what is literally the offer of a lifetime!

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.

What Awaits Me? - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in 2 Timothy 4:6-8,

"For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time for my departure is near. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing."

As Paul confides in Timothy that his life is drawing to a close, he sums up his life in the briefest fashion and speaks of what awaits him following his death.

He tells Timothy he has fought the good fight, he has finished "the race" and kept the faith. His words here remind me of the writer of Hebrews who encourages his readers, "We have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original conviction firmly to the very end." Hebrews 3:14. Now, at the end of his life, Paul has become a model of what that looks like.

Paul completed the work Jesus had called him to do. It was a huge assignment, a work that continues to have impact on the world yet today. Now at the end, Paul says his reward awaits him, "the crown of righteousness". This is a crown, he says, the Lord will award him on "that day." He also points out that all who long for the appearing of Jesus Christ (at the end of the age) will receive the same.

As I read Paul's words here, I can't help but think of my own life. Have I completed all the Lord desires of me during my time in this life? Can I say of myself the things Paul said of himself? Does my confidence rise to the level of Paul's as I consider what awaits me "on that day"?

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.

Reading the Times - 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 Timothy 3:1-5,

"But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people."

In his letter to Timothy, Paul looked forward to a time he calls "the last days." It is a time that is marked by a pronounced level of depravity among mankind. It is a time, Paul says, when:

People will love themselves
People will love money
People will be boastful
People will be proud
People will be abusive
People will be disobedient to their parents
People will be ungrateful
People will be unholy
People will be without love (a time when abortion can thrive?)
People will be unforgiving
People will be slanderous
People will be without self-control
People will be brutal
People will not love the good
People will be treacherous
People will be rash
People will be conceited
People will be lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God
People will have a form of godliness but deny the power of godliness

Why have I repeated these observations when they are all contained in the passage as quoted above? Because I want to enumerate each one to be considered closely. The reason I do so is that I am fully convinced and persuaded that this day, our day, is the day Paul prophesied about. Not down the road, but right now - not some later time. Look at each one of these again and tell me you are not persuaded that this profile does not accurately describe the people of the world we live among today! I realize all generations have had those among them that exhibited these qualities to some extent, but previous generations were not known as being the personification of these things as a profile. What Paul does is to say that the last days will be marked and highlighted by these things. that the generation of the last days will be known by them.

People do all kinds of arithmetic solutions from Scripture to come up with where on the calendar the "last days" should be pegged. Paul didn't do that. What he did is what we read here. He described the generation that would mark the last days, and these days, I think, find their fulfillment in Paul's prophecy. I have sensed a tectonic shift in the influences and "drumbeat" the people of the world (and not just here in the U.S.) have conformed to just in the last few decades, especially the past few years. The wicked " freely strut about when what is vile is honored by the human race." Psalm 12:8.

We all acknowledge that every generation had those who said it was the last one - that the end of times had come upon them. We observe that so we don't get sucked into misreading the times as previous generations had. Let's hope the generation of believers that actually inhabit the last days will not misread its times and that they are alert enough to recognize Paul's prophecy. It would be an error of the same order.

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 Unchained Word 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 2 Timothy 2:8-9,

"This is my gospel, for which I am suffering even to the point of being chained like a criminal. But God's word is not chained."

Here is something I wrote about this passage in June, 2014,

As Paul writes this second letter to Timothy, he is not being held under house arrest as we read of in Acts 28:30. Now, at this time, he is held as a chained prisoner, quite likely in a dungeon or other facility of incarceration. As such he points out to Timothy that although he is chained, God's word, for which he had given his life and for which he was imprisoned, was not and is not chained.

God's word cannot be chained, cannot be contained, cannot be stopped. The gospel has its own power, "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 gospel is a powerful message, and as in Paul's day and ever since, the attempts to contain the gospel have been utterly futile.

I am reminded of Isaiah 55:10-11, "As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it."

In today's world, we see little puny man shaking his little puny fists up toward heaven, as pictured in Psalm 2:1-5, "Why do the nations conspire and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth rise up and the rulers band together against the Lord and against his anointed, saying, 'Let us break their chains and throw off their shackles.' The One enthroned in heaven laughs; the Lord scoffs at them. He rebukes them in his anger and terrifies them in his wrath…" This is expressed these days in the "global community" movement, such as what we read about in the tower of Babel story. Mankind is working to join forces "for the good of all mankind." In a rejection of God they seek to displace him by attempting to create "safety nets" for all. No need of God's blessing when we are assured the government will provide us an income, housing, medical care, etc. The drive to define what constitutes marriage, redefine homosexuality as legitimate, and the claim of the ability to control creation through a godless environmental movement, etc. all point to little man shaking his little fists in God's face.

However, as we read in Psalm 2:1-5, the Lord simply laughs and then will terrify those of the world in his wrath. No matter how hard mankind tries to "chain up", contain, control, limit God's word, it simply cannot be done. God's word will prevail and all mankind will have to give an account of themselves before his presence on judgment day. "For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account." Hebrews 4:13.

As believers, we all need to take great assurance in God's sovereignty, self-determination and his indomitable, ferocious and all-consuming power. All things will come together in his timing, so take heart and celebrate the new life we have in him. After all, we are on the winning team!

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 "Fountain of Youth" - 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 Timothy 1:9b-10,

"This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel."

Here is something that came to my mind on this passage in June 2014,

Wikipedia has an interesting article on the "Fountain of Youth", that begins with this comment, "The Fountain of Youth is a spring that supposedly restores the youth of anyone who drinks or bathes in its waters. Tales of such a fountain have been recounted across the world for thousands of years, appearing in writings by Herodotus (5th century BC), the Alexander romance (3rd century CE), and the stories of Prester John (early Crusades, 11th/12th centuries CE). Stories of similar waters were also evidently prominent among the indigenous peoples of the Caribbean during the Age of Exploration (early 15th century), who spoke of the restorative powers of the water in the mythical land of Bimini." I recall reading of Ponce de Leon and his quest for a fountain of youth in grade school when we studied the explorers of the world.

I am quite certain many folks over the years have looked in vain for some relief in facing the specter of death. As we read in Genesis 3, death was not a part of God's creation until Adam and Eve rebelled against God in the garden of Eden. The horror of death has spawned within man a gripping desire to cling to youth and to avoid death, even to the point of looking for a mythical fountain that would spare them the fate.

However, death is inescapable as we read in Hebrews 9:27, "Just as people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment..." we simply cannot avoid it. However, as the writer of Hebrews acknowledges, death is not the end of us. Physical life is followed by resurrection for all people. Some are resurrected to eternal life and some to eternal death. In Revelation 20:4b-6 we read, "They came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years. (The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended.) This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy are those who share in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years." From this we learn of the two resurrections, the first to eternal life and the second to eternal death.

In his letter to Timothy, Paul speaks of where we find our escape from death. It is through Jesus Christ, who has "destroyed death" and brought "immortality to light" in the gospel. It is not escape from physical death - as sinners, we all will face that occurrence (except for those still alive at the Lord's return to earth). However, it is through Jesus Christ that we can enter into what our Creator originally intended for us all: living our lives in eternal bliss and pleasure with him, see Psalm 16:11.

Jesus Christ is not just a religion. He is life itself, life as God has always intended for us. Life free from a shelf-life, life free from infirmity, sickness, disease, life free from a world dominated by a collective sin nature. Beyond the absence of the negative things of this life, eternal life will be a life of eternal pleasure, life lived in the presence of God himself, life full of purposefulness, satisfaction and fulfillment.

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.

Paul's Different Perspective - 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 6:1-2,

"All who are under the yoke of slavery should consider their masters worthy of full respect, so that God's name and our teaching may not be slandered. Those who have believing masters should not show them disrespect just because they are fellow believers. Instead, they should serve them even better because their masters are dear to them as fellow believers and are devoted to the welfare of their slaves. These are the things you are to teach and insist on."

Paul gives Timothy direction on things to be taught to the fellowship in Ephesus. The believers there would include both slaves and slave masters and so he provides guidance on how each should treat the other. Slave masters are to be considered worthy of respect and treated as such. the believing slaves should serve their believing masters "even better" as the masters should be considered dear to them as fellow believers. On the other hand, slave masters are to be "devoted to the welfare of their slaves."

Where is the justice in this? Why didn't Paul agitate for slavery to be abolished?

Forgotten in our day, perhaps, is the point of God's redemption of mankind in the world we live in. Certainly, many of the ills among mankind have been impacted for the good through the spread of Christianity. After all, it was Christian England and Christian America that brought the practice of slavery, as a world trade, to an end. Many of the wonderful accomplishments of lifting mankind out of depravity have been a result of the spread of the gospel.

However, those accomplishments are the byproducts of God's redemptive purposes and agenda. It is the spread of the gospel, the challenging of people everywhere to consider Jesus Christ as their savior, to embrace him in faith, that lies at the heart of God's redemptive purposes and agenda. - not the fixing of all the world's ills.

Note the reason Paul gives for his instruction to Timothy about masters and slaves, "so that God's name and our teaching may not be slandered." Paul's mission was not to bring about social justice or to cure all the world's evils, it was to shepherd the work of the gospel to bring about the salvation of souls. And, certainly, as that agenda had its impact in the world, it impacted the world's evils.

While Paul did not forbid slave ownership, he also did not condone it. His teaching in this area can be found in Ephesians 6:5-9, "Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect and fear, and with sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ. Obey them not only to win their favor when their eye is on you, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart. Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not people, because you know that the Lord will reward each one for whatever good they do, whether they are slave or free. And masters, treat your slaves in the same way. Do not threaten them, since you know that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no favoritism with him."

Rather than a social justice warrior, Paul had other priorities. It was because of those priorities Paul would say, " Nevertheless, each person should live as a believer in whatever situation the Lord has assigned to them, just as God has called them. This is the rule I lay down in all the churches. Was a man already circumcised when he was called? He should not become uncircumcised. Was a man uncircumcised when he was called? He should not be circumcised. Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing. Keeping God's commands is what counts. Each person should remain in the situation they were in when God called them. Were you a slave when you were called? Don't let it trouble you—although if you can gain your freedom, do so. For the one who was a slave when called to faith in the Lord is the Lord's freed person; similarly, the one who was free when called is Christ's slave. You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of human beings. Brothers and sisters, each person, as responsible to God, should remain in the situation they were in when God called them."

Don't look to Paul to see if he promotes your politics, and don't blame him if he doesn't. He had much higher priorities than getting this temporal world straightened out. He had an eternal perspective and wanted to insure the various fellowships would comport themselves in such a way as to promote God's agenda of the redemption of mankind with that eternal perspective in  mind.

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.

All Things Work Out Properly in the End - 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 5:24-25,

"The sins of some are obvious, reaching the place of judgment ahead of them; the sins of others trail behind them. In the same way, good deeds are obvious, and even those that are not obvious cannot remain hidden forever."

Here is an interesting observation by Paul to Timothy. In this letter Paul has laid quite a bit of responsibility on Timothy and the judgments he needed to make within the fellowship. Who should be considered for leadership roles based on their lifestyle choices, who should and should not be taken care of by the fellowship, how to rebuke others when needed, particularly elders who are caught in sin. Timothy was given some weighty responsibility, and it all rested on Timothy's judgments.

It appears to me that realizing all he is asking of Timothy may lead him into an anxiety over possibly erring in judgment at times, Paul provides some comfort for him here. Anticipating Timothy is thinking about the potential of making mistakes, that if he fails to recognize that which lies deep within the hearts of members of the fellowship and maybe not easily recognized or observed, there is still the certainty that all things will be made right in the end. Timothy was not alone and could take comfort in the reality that all things work out eventually and have their proper fulfillment in due time.

Some people's sins are easily seen for Timothy to act on, they "reach the place of judgment ahead of them", ahead of time, ahead of eternal judgment. However, those sins that are not easily seen trail behind what takes place within Timothy's judgments. They may not face repercussions  for them during Timothy's involvement with them, but eventually, it will catch up to them during the Lord's judgement of all, at the end of the age.

Paul also tells Timothy, that on the other hand, if he, at times, fails to recognize "good deeds", they will not go unnoticed by the end of the age. That recognition, although possibly missed in the presence of Timothy, would certainly be recognized at some point, and with Paul's view of things, certainly by the end of the age.

Paul's observation to Timothy reminds me that, although there may be difficult things required of us at times, we are never alone. The Lord will ensure all things work out to their proper conclusion.

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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