The Holy Spirit Enables Our Understanding - 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 Mark 4:10-11,

"When he was alone, the Twelve and the others around him asked him about the parables. He told them, 'The secret of the kingdom of God has been given to you. But to those on the outside everything is said in parables so that, "they may be ever seeing but never perceiving, and ever hearing but never understanding; otherwise they might turn and be forgiven!'"

This passage brings to mind a fascinating reality: only those who embrace Jesus Christ in faith have ability to understand the deeper things of the kingdom of God. Those who will not come to him through the gospel message lack the ability to understand spiritual things.

In 1 Corinthians 2:10b-15 , we read, "The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the man's spirit within him? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us. This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words. The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned."

God, in his wisdom, has enabled even simple people like me to understand spiritual truths. He has chosen to allow those of us who have become his children to understand things of him. It is not as though we have some innate spiritual insight or capacity on our own, but quite humbly have been enabled by the indwelling Holy Spirit to understand things of God.

I find this fascinating and wonderful! How about you?

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

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Jesus Christ Brings Clarity - 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 Mark 3:4,

"Which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?"

What a contrast! The Pharisees and Herodians were watching to see what Jesus would do on the Sabbath. Looking for a reason to accuse him they watched to see if he would heal someone. The passage tells us Jesus was angry and distressed with them. Knowing their hearts, he confronts them with the simplest reasoning in our verse above. Jesus then heals a man with a shriveled hand and the Pharisees and Herodians go out to plot how to murder Jesus. Jesus performs an act of compassion and those who are looking to protect their positions of authority plot to murder the compassionate one.

What strikes me this morning is the simple, clear reasoning of Jesus. Shouldn't anyone recognize the priority of doing good over doing evil? Particularly those who assumed the role of moral arbiter of the day? Driven by their envy or fear of losing what they had spent a lifetime to attain, their reasoning from our perspective seems so befuddled and misguided. In contrast, the perspective of Jesus is always clear. Simple, straightforward and piercing in its insight, the reasoning of Jesus Christ always brings clarity.

And this brings me to me. How clearly do I see things? Is my reasoning clear and insightful? Or do I struggle with the pull of motives or agendas I might not be so proud to boast of before the Lord? Clearly the Pharisees and Herodians acted shamefully. I suspect I have often as well. One thing I do know is that if I draw close to the Lord, listen to him, allow his thinking to influence mine, I will certainly be in a much better position to live my life in a way that is pleasing to him. And the wonderful thing is that he has chosen to share his thinking with me, with all of us! I don't have to rely on the dubious quality of my own insight, I can rely on his. Through the ministry of the Holy Spirit speaking to us in the pages of Scripture, we have all we need to "become fully equipped for every good work". He has provided all we need "for life and godliness." I for one find this wonderful!

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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Accommodating Our 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 Mark 2:9-12a,

"Which is easier: to say to the paralytic, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Get up, take your mat and walk'? But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins . . . . He said to the paralytic, 'I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.' He got up, took his mat and walked out in full view of them all."

As Jesus Christ carried out his earthly ministry proclaiming the advent of the kingdom of God, he performed a number of miracles. Here in this passage, Jesus addressed the greatest need we all have through this paralytic. Seeing the faith of the man and his companions he told him, "Son, your sins are forgiven."

Those present who lacked the faith of the paralytic and his companions took offense. How can anyone forgive sins but God alone? When we sin, we sin against God. It is for God to forgive sins - they were unable to recognize that God was right there within their midst!

In Isaiah we read that there was nothing about Jesus' appearance that would indicate he was anything other than just another man, "He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him." Isaiah 53:2.

But as we read in Mark's account, Jesus has already healed many by this time and cast out evil spirits. With our 20/20 hindsight we might even think folks should have had a clue just from the things Jesus said, "The people were amazed at his teaching, because he taught them as one who had authority, not as the teachers of the law." Mark 1:22. In spite of all this, from what I can't help but view as another act of compassion for those struggling with faith, he provides validation for his forgiving of sins: he heals the paralytic! If Jesus Christ can nullify the ultimate consequence of original sin in the Garden of Eden – sickness, disease and infirmity – he certainly has authority to forgive the sins of anyone!

I thank God Jesus Christ took compassion on all like me who might struggle with faith, and has accommodated us with so much revelation of himself, and the documentation of what he said and did, all that has been preserved for us in the pages of Scripture!

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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Baptized in the Holy Spirit! - 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 Mark 1:8,

"I [John the Baptist] baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit."

The Jews practiced a variety of baptisms and ceremonial washings. We know the Essenes, the Jewish sect that left us the Dead Sea scrolls, were baptized daily. In Jesus day, when Gentiles wished to convert to Judaism the Jews baptized them. John was sent before the Lord as the great prophet who would fulfill prophecies in Malachi 3:1 and Isaiah 40:3. He practiced a baptism of repentance to set the stage for the coming Messiah. Here John tells us that although he baptized with water, the coming Messiah would baptize with the Holy Spirit.

To me this is such an incredible thing! All of us who have embraced Jesus Christ have been baptized with the Holy Spirit! As the apostle Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 12:13, "We were all baptized by one Spirit into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink."

In Romans 8:9-11 Paul tells us, "You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ. But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, yet your spirit is alive because of righteousness. And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you."

Having been placed into the body of Jesus Christ by being baptized with the Holy Spirit he now has impact in our lives! The Holy Spirit in whom we have been baptized resides right within each of us. In Ephesians 1:13-14 we read, "And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having 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." The presence of the Holy Spirit within each of us is our guarantee that our inheritance is headed our way! We are sealed by the Holy Spirit as members of God's family!

Having been baptized by the Holy Spirit he is now a constant companion with us to whom we can take comfort from and be encouraged by. He intercedes for us with our Heavenly Father and produces fruit within our lives, wonderful things like love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.

What a magnificent mysterious spiritual reality this is… our Lord has baptized us with the Holy Spirit!!

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

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Jesus' Authenticating Resurrection! - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in Matthew 28:5-7,

"Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples: 'He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.' Now I have told you."
 
Jesus foretold his death and resurrection on a number of occasions, e.g. Matthew 20: 17-19, "Now as Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the twelve disciples aside and said to them, 'We are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and the teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death and will turn him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified. On the third day he will be raised to life!'"
 
Jesus' resurrection authenticates all he claimed to be and do, Acts 17:31, "For he [God] has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to all men by raising him from the dead."
 
Jesus' resurrection proves to me that his sacrificial death on the cross - to pay the penalty for my sin was acceptable to our Heavenly Father. His resurrection proves to me Peter's words, 1 Peter 1:3-5, "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade—kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God's power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time."
 
Jesus' resurrection guarantees my own resurrection from the dead, Romans 8:11, "If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you."
 
I can't think of anything more wonderful! Today I celebrate my Lord's resurrection! (I don't have to wait till Easter!)

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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Choosing Unwisely - 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 Matthew 27:3-5,

"When Judas, who had betrayed him, saw that Jesus was condemned, he was seized with remorse and returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders. 'I have sinned,' he said, 'for I have betrayed innocent blood.' 'What is that to us?' they replied. 'That's your responsibility.' So Judas threw the money into the temple and left. Then he went away and hanged himself."

I can't even begin to conceive the destruction this man Judas brought upon himself! In his avarice he sold out Jesus by conspiring with the Jewish leaders to bring them to him in the dead of night, to have him arrested and taken for crucifixion. This man who followed Jesus for 3 years without apparently ever understanding who he was, and never embracing him in faith, got 30 pieces of silver for the deed.

Jesus said of Judas earlier that night, "But woe to that man who betrays the Son of Man! It would be better for him if he had not been born." Matthew 26:24. What horrific words!

Judas didn't enjoy his 30 pieces of silver for long. He became seized with remorse, took the silver back to the chief priests and found anything but sympathy: "What is that to us?" His partners in crime had little use for him now. All alone and seized with such great remorse he threw the silver into the temple, went out and hanged himself and discovered what it means when the Son of God says it would have been better for you had you not been born in the first place!

Here is a man who made appalling choices that led to his miserable demise and discovered what it means when 'it can't get any worse than this!'

Yet, so many today share in a similar fate. Given Jesus' words, I suspect Judas' eternity is one of the worst anyone exists in, but look at the choice:  "They will throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth." Matthew 13:42, or "... you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand." Psalm 16:11b.

It's a choice we all get to make. Let's hope we all choose better than Judas!

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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Perspectives Require Recognition of Spiritual Context - 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 Matthew 26:6-12,

"While Jesus was in Bethany in the home of Simon the Leper, a woman came to him with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, which she poured on his head as he was reclining at the table. When the disciples saw this, they were indignant. 'Why this waste?' they asked. 'This perfume could have been sold at a high price and the money given to the poor.' Aware of this, Jesus said to them, 'Why are you bothering this woman? She has done a beautiful thing to me. The poor you will always have with you, but you will not always have me. When she poured this perfume on my body, she did it to prepare me for burial.'"

I am reminded from this passage that the perspectives we hold should recognize the potential spiritual context within which they reside.

Where there may be those who are rigid in their view of things, even though well-intentioned, there always exists a context within which considerations should be made. I am certain the impulses of Jesus' disciples were noble in their concern for the poor, however, they expressed those concerns without regard to the larger context within which this event took place.

I suspect I would have been right there with the disciples. I would like to think I'd be in sync with Jesus, seeing clearly what was afoot at this time. However, I tend to seek out those broader guidelines for decision making - and I am certain I have made decisions without regard for connecting some dots.

I am reminded that my perspectives, my considerations and my decision-making should never be taken without regard to a potential spiritual context within which they may exist: there just may be spiritual realities I could be missing!

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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How To Morph from a Goat to a Sheep - 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 Matthew 25:46,

"Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life."

Jesus provided teaching to help us understand the things of his kingdom. In the account of the sheep and goats he taught the following:

At the end of the age, Jesus, as the Son of God, will return "in his glory", verse 31, together with his angels. All the nations will be gathered before him and he will separate all people into two groups (the sheep and the goats). There will be two groups - not one and not three - two groups. One group will be cast into "eternal punishment" and the other group, the "righteous" will be escorted into "eternal life." Each and every last soul that has ever lived will be in either one or the other group.

This, of course, raises the importance of how to become a part of the group of the righteous, "the sheep". Today we have all kinds of people running around saying we need to do this or that, we need to behave, we need to follow certain religious practices, etc. That is not what we are taught in the Scriptures.

The Scriptures are very clear on how we join the company of the righteous. We read in Romans 1:16-17, "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. For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: 'The righteous will live by faith.'" We gain righteousness by responding to the gospel message, embracing Jesus Christ in faith.

It isn't by "doing" anything, but by believing something. "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, "When the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy." Titus 3:4.

Becoming righteous in God's sight is a matter of placing our faith and trust in him, "But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe." Romans 3:21.

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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Protecting Against Deception - 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 Matthew 24:4-5,

"Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name, claiming, 'I am the Messiah,' and will deceive many."

Jesus' disciples asked him when the destruction of the temple would take place, the signs of his second coming and the end of the age. The temple was destroyed in 70 A.D. and, of course, Jesus' second coming and the end of the age are yet future.

Jesus responded with a series of signs that would present themselves. These he described as "birth pains." I understand this to mean they will be painful events that will come in waves, just as a woman's birth pains. However, he began his answer to them with the above warning for us. Do not be deceived!

He explained that many would come in his name, claiming to be the Messiah. They do so in order to deceive people. Apparently they will have some measure of success in their deception as Jesus pointed out that "many" will be deceived. He prefaced his answers about future events with this warning. He declared it is important we not be deceived and be led astray.

How do we do that? How do we keep ourselves from being deceived? I am of the persuasion that there are all kinds of deceivers and deceptions around us, deceptions promoted in Jesus' name. Fake evangelists who are lining their pockets as they make false promises to even some of the most financially desperate among us. Fake religious leaders who have invented their own brands of "Christianity" starting new denominations, new -isms, new theologies, new movements within the church to garner big followings. Looking at those things, we have to agree with Jesus that many are being deceived in our day.

Paul gives us excellent direction on how we can avoid deception as we embrace Jesus Christ in our lives, "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work." 2 Timothy 3:16,17.

The dark side, "Team Cain", makes every effort to deceive those who would embrace the Lord in their lives. It is the Scriptures and our faithful consuming them that will guard our hearts and minds from being deceived by these deceivers. Reading the Scriptures, ruminating in them, memorizing them, knowing them, understanding them, focusing on them will keep us from this kind of deception.

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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Direct 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 Matthew 23:8-11,

"You are not to be called 'Rabbi,' for you have one Teacher, and you are all brothers. And do not call anyone on earth 'father,' for you have one Father, and he is in heaven. Nor are you to be called instructors, for you have one Instructor, the Messiah. The greatest among you will be your servant."

Jesus' comments here remind me of what Paul told his protégé, Timothy, "For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all people." 1 Timothy 2:5-6. One, and only one mediator!

Our contact with God, our reach to God, our relationship with God, is not something that finds itself facilitated by anyone other than the Son of God himself. We do not require anyone to stand in the breach between us and God, save the Son of God himself. The reason for this is that there need not be any breach between us and God, as the Son of God has made our reach to God immediate (not just in terms of time but in terms of distance). Jesus has closed the gap, making peace possible for us with our Heavenly Father.

We don't need a priest, as Peter points out we are members of God's spiritual priesthood, "As you come to him, the living Stone [Jesus Christ]—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. He goes on to say, "You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy." 1 Peter 2:9-10.

We have no need of a pope, we have no need of some kind of guru. No Muhammad, Joseph Smith or that TV evangelist  No "spiritual leaders" required here. Our access to God is through Jesus Christ himself - direct!

Reach out to him today, embrace him in faith. Something that can be done right from our own kitchen chair 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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Who Did God Choose? - 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 Matthew 22:11-14,

"When the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing wedding clothes. He asked, 'How did you get in here without wedding clothes, friend?' The man was speechless. Then the king told the attendants, 'Tie him hand and foot, and throw him outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.' For many are invited, but few are chosen."

This is a portion of a parable Jesus taught about the kingdom of heaven. In this parable a king puts on a wedding for his son but none of the guests came. So, he told his servants to go get anyone from the street corners they could find and invite them. When they did so, the above continues the story.

The parable is about how the Jews, as a nation, would reject Jesus, but foretold that the Gentiles would embrace him. Two things I see in the above verses:

The wedding clothes that were missing on one of the attendees from the street corner represent the "garment" of righteousness that is required to enter into the kingdom of God. Those who fail to be robed in righteousness (a reality that happens the moment we embrace Jesus Christ in faith in this life) will suffer the judgment of God.

Secondly, and again, it references the missing "wedding garments", the righteousness we become clothed in when we embrace the Lord in faith, "many are invited, but few are chosen." This is a reference to God's invitation to all through the gospel message. However, only those who embrace the Lord in faith will be chosen to enter in. Many believe we need to be "good enough", but it isn't about being good enough. None of us are good enough to get into heaven. The question is whether we have placed our faith and trust in Jesus Christ when the gospel message is made known. Those are the only ones who have been chosen by God. He didn't choose good deeds, but faith in the hearts of those he wants in his family. God wants all who place their faith in him.

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

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The Prayer of 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 Matthew 21:21-22,

"Truly I tell you, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, 'Go, throw yourself into the sea,' and it will be done. If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer."

Here is an amazing statement Jesus made about faith in prayer. If we have faith, whatever we ask in prayer will be given. I am reminded of James 5:16b, "The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective."

People of faith are tuned in to what it is God is doing in the world today. People of faith know what it is God wants to accomplish. They know his agenda and they know his priorities. Faith brings righteousness and the prayers of those who act in that righteousness receive what they ask for.

All too often we may ask for that which God does not intend to do, nor will he be compelled to do. Faith brings wisdom and prudence and informs us as to what we need to be seeking from God and it is from the position of a righteous person asking God in wisdom and understanding, that we find our answers to prayer as well as an amazement as to how God may choose to act on our behalf!

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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Blindness and Sight, Darkness and Light - 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 Matthew 20:33,

"'Lord,' they answered, 'we want our sight.'"

This cry from two blind men to Jesus, as he and his disciples were leaving Jericho, reveals his compassion for the infirm. In the account we learn that Jesus touched their eyes and healed them.

There is another blindness that afflicts mankind. We find that Jesus has great compassion for those who struggle with this blindness as well. This blindness is a spiritual blindness that John talks about in 1 John 2:9-11. "They do not know where they are going, because the darkness has blinded them." 1 John 2:11.

The blindness John speaks of is a result of our own sinfulness and estrangement from God. Sin separates us from God and results in this spiritual darkness or spiritual blindness. It prevents us from being able to perceive God and blocks us from understanding the things of God. We all come into this world in the midst of this darkness.

The two blind men from Jericho that pleaded with Jesus for their sight knew they were blind. However, those who remain in spiritual darkness do not realize their spiritual blindness and fail to recognize they are stumbling about in spiritual darkness.

On the other hand, those who have embraced Jesus Christ in faith gain spiritual enlightenment, spiritual sight. John tells us these have nothing to make them stumble in life, unlike those who walk "around in the darkness."

In a prophecy of the coming Messiah, seven centuries before the birth of Jesus Christ, we read, "The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned." Isaiah 9:2. This is why Jesus proclaimed, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."

Come out of the darkness and embrace the "light of life"! Cry out, as the two blind men did in Jericho, and Jesus will provide spiritual light, spiritual vision that only those who are his have.

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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Rejecting Our Creator Through Transgenderism - 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 Matthew 19:4,

"'Haven't you read,' he [Jesus] replied, 'that at the beginning the Creator "made them male and female..."'"

Some Pharisees came to Jesus "to test him", verse 3. They asked him a question that no doubt reflected some theological dispute of the day concerning divorce. "Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any and every reason?" Verse 3. Rather than resort to a formula that incorporated the various contemporary issues being argued at the time, he went directly to the Scriptures, the very pattern we should follow.

"Haven't you read..." refers directly to the source of all authority on the things of God: our Bibles. Jesus quoted Genesis 1:27 where Moses explains God's creative activity. (What I find fascinating about this is that the very member of the Trinity that created us humans as male and female and provided for the institution of marriage is the very person who was asked the question, and gave the straightforward answer, see John 1:1-3.)

In Genesis 1:27 we read, "So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them." In John 1:1-3 we read, "In the beginning was the Word [the Son of God, Jesus Christ, see verse 14], and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made."

In Genesis we read that God created mankind. When he did so he created mankind in two genders: male and female. Gender is a concept of God, his idea, his creation, his intention. It is not mankind's concept, it is not mankind's idea and it is not of mankind's creation. Just as mankind does not exist because mankind thought it up, so our gender is not something we thought up. Our gender is established at conception, entirely and completely at God's design and plan. We have absolutely no say in our gender and there is nothing mankind is capable of doing to make it any other way. We can mutilate our bodies, take hormones and play "pretend", but only fools do so.

Mental health is based in part on our acceptance of what really exists. When we begin to pretend things are other than what they really are, we mentally check out of the reality we exist in and inevitably become mentally and emotionally sick. I would add that we prove ourselves to be spiritually sick as well. The very definition of psychosis is flight from reality.

Those today who pretend we can all be whatever gender we identify for ourselves, are promoting a cultural psychosis. Homosexuality, gender-bending, all of it is a rejection of the God who created us as we are. May I remind us all that one day we will all stand before the judgment throne of God and give an account of ourselves. That will include what we all supported and encouraged here in this life.

I suspect that those of us who are courageous enough to oppose those who oppose our Creator God will have a warm welcome into the kingdom of God. Make sure you are among that group!

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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Mere Compliance or Our Hearts? - 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 Matthew 18:35,

"This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart."

Jesus spoke these words as the conclusion to his parable about an unforgiving servant. Because of the unforgiving attitude of a king's servant, he had the servant thrown into prison to be tortured. He likened that which happened to the king's servant to how our heavenly Father will treat us if we fail to be forgiving.

I note the kind of forgiveness Jesus talks of is that which is "from your heart." This is not the kind of thing one checks off his list of things to do in order to comply with the demands of a pastor's sermon on a Sunday. It is to be heartfelt. It is to be genuine. It is to be from the inside, from "the heart." This requires our lives to be changed from within through the regenerating power of the Holy Spirit.

Here is the problem do-gooders have. Compliance to a list is not the same thing as having a heart that is given to God. We read in the Scriptures that God wants our hearts and it is from deep within us that God seeks our fellowship. "He [God] 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 8:27. God is busy searching our hearts.

I am reminded of God's rebuke of his people, "The Lord says: 'These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is based on merely human rules they have been taught.'" Isaiah 29:13.

The kind of forgiveness Jesus spoke of is reflected in Paul's admonition, "Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity." Colossians 3:12-14.

God wants our hearts!

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

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Jesus In His Stunning Glory! - 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 ,

"After six days Jesus took with him Peter, James and John the brother of James, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light. Just then there appeared before them Moses and Elijah, talking with Jesus."

What a spectacle! Jesus transforms into his glorious appearance! This glorious appearance was something that was shrouded from all who saw him during his earthly ministry two millennia ago. However, on one occasion, Jesus' "inner-circle", Peter, James and John, were allowed to witness the Son of God in his glory. While in this state Moses and Elijah appeared and had a conversation with Jesus. Then a voice, the voice of God the father, spoke from a cloud, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!" Matthew 17:5.

At this, Peter, James and John fell face down to the ground in sheer terror! How might any of us react to such a spectacle? Breath-taking, terrifying, pure unadulterated amazement!

Far from the often lifeless, or, just as bad, theatrical productions often served up as "worship", the real things of God are astonishing, they are life-altering, breath-taking and stunning.

I am reminded the second coming of Christ will be the greatest of all events ever to be witnessed on planet earth. In a majestic, splendorous, fearful and stunning way, Jesus Christ will return to bring this age to a close and set up his kingdom from Jerusalem.

It matters not if we are Muslim, members of Wicca, Jews, atheists or agnostics. It doesn't matter if we are Catholics, Baptists or Presbyterians, we will all be stunned and amazed on that day! The Son of God will appear in all of his glory to take dominion over all the earth and place everything under himself!

What a glorious day that will be! What a glorious event to behold!

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

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Do we know what God is up 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 Matthew 16:23,

"Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns."

Jesus spoke these words to Peter. It just follows the account of when Peter acknowledged Jesus as being the Messiah, "You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God." Matthew 16:16. With this acknowledgement Jesus told Peter he was blessed, and told him he would give him the keys of the kingdom of heaven. Now, three short verses later, Jesus rebukes Peter.

Why was it that Jesus rebuked Peter? It was Peter's response to Jesus when Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he would be put to death, (and then raised to life.) Peter responded with "Never, Lord!"

It is apparent that Peter did not want to see Jesus suffer and die. I'm sure he wanted the best for Jesus, and responded in a way that reflected his lack of understanding all Jesus came to do. He was limited in his understanding of the things of God, the agenda of God and the intentions of God.

I have to ask myself today, do I understand the things of God? Do I understand his agenda and his intentions? If I don't, I may find myself doing a disservice to the advancement of the kingdom of God, the very thing Jesus came to engage in when he first came to planet Earth, the very thing Peter began to oppose, unknowingly I suspect.

How many people today really understand what God is doing in the world today? How many understand God's intentions and his agenda? Based on what we see coming out of a lot of churches these days, I suspect very few.

May we all study our Bibles and become knowledgeable of the things of God, of his agenda, of what he is doing today in the world - we don't want to find ourselves working against those things as Peter found himself doing in Matthew' account.

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.

For Those Who Make Up the Rules! - 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 Matthew 15:6-9,

"Thus you nullify the word of God for the sake of your tradition. You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you: 'These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are merely human rules.'"

"You gotta be baptized this certain way!" "You gotta do communion that way!" "You gotta talk in tongues!" "You gotta keep these five Biblical principles on [whatever...]!" You gotta have services just like we do!" "You gotta do...." this, that and the other thing!

These and so many other things are peddled about as imperatives by so many differing groups and individuals if we want to live our lives pleasing to God. No, I'm not talking about what God has revealed for us in the pages of Scripture, but the "derived principles" that divide the church so vehemently, one group against another. Nothing can quite touch the volume, the frequency, the passion and the insistence of so many groups, churches, denominations, "ministries", movements and theologies found in what is supposed to be Christendom in this regard.

When the Pharisees and teachers of the law confronted Jesus about his disciples not adhering to the traditions of the elders, Jesus returned the favor by asking them why they would adhere to them when at many points, the traditions actually conflicted with Scripture.

It would be a mistake to miss the point that the motivation for the development of these traditions were well-intentioned enough to begin with. The thinking was that if the Jews could come up with proscriptions and prescriptions regarding many things in life, they would never find themselves in a position where they would be in violation of the law God gave Moses. However, leave it up to man to improve on the things of God and the result is predictable.

A fool's errand. As such, as an example, in order to keep the Sabbath, spitting was proscribed because it would form a little farrow in the dirt and thus be considered farming on the Sabbath! Just about as silly as the many silly things we find being advanced in the church today.

What we see in the church today is not kind of like what the Pharisees and teachers of the law were doing, it is exactly like what they were doing. Jesus was pretty hard on them. Maybe we might learn something here?

Rather than the deriving of all of these principles from Scripture by the "deeply spiritual men and women" among us, how about we embrace the Scriptures as fully sufficient? Are they not good enough to stand on their own?

How about, "Accept the one whose faith is weak, without quarreling over disputable matters." Romans 14:1. I might argue the one who has the weak faith is the one who feels compelled to make sure the rest of us are "doing it right". Apparently, the sacrifice Jesus made of himself for us all lacks a bit of sufficiency, needs a little adornment. In any event, what a "disputable matter" is, is the devil in the details. Of course, leave it up to the one who foists his "distinctive" on the rest of us, and naturally, his is indisputable! Just ask him!

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

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