Humility In Using the Scriptures - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in John 7:52,

"Are you from Galilee, too? Look into it, and you will find that a prophet does not come out of Galilee."

This was the response the Pharisees gave Nicodemus when he was reminding them that a man should not be condemned without first being questioned, "Does our law condemn a man without first hearing him to find out what he has been doing?" Verse 58.

I'm sure their response to Nicodemus was driven by their blind hatred of Jesus, but they expressed a bit of ignorance here. The prophet Jonah was from Galilee (Gath Hepher) as we see in 2 Kings 14:25. There were very likely others as well.

Bearing in mind the Pharisees did not have concordances back in the day, or search engines, they might be forgiven a slight mistake here and there. I suspect it is possible to argue the Pharisees meant that in Jesus there has not now arisen a prophet from Galilee, but whatever the case, they were simply mistaken. Jesus, who had his home in Galilee, was the Prophet of prophets: the Messiah!

It is to the anger of the Pharisees and their attempt to use the Scriptures to win an argument with one of their own that catches my eye this morning.

Do people use the Scriptures to win their arguments today? Holy smokes! With all the divisions within the church, all the schisms and all the -isms, we see the resort to Scripture used to argue all kinds of things... and often done in error just as these Pharisees.

I just might be as given to do the same! In the heat of passion over some issue, I'm sure none of us want to be found in error in our use of the Scriptures, and it just might be in the heat of that kind of passion we discredit ourselves.

Possibly some humility in our use of the Scriptures may preclude many of the divisions that take place. Don't misunderstand me, the Scriptures speak nothing but truth and we all need to stand tall to defend those truths. However, I'm not sure all the divisions we see have arisen from correctly handling the Word of Truth. There has been some fumbling going on out there.

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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Assured and Secure - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in John 6:38-40,

" For I [Jesus Christ] have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me. And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all those he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. For my Father's will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day."

For us mortals, the answer to the question, "What is God's will?", Jesus provides it right here. The premier will of God for us is expressly that those who look to Jesus Christ and embrace him in faith "shall have eternal life". Some might ask, "What is it God wants?" Here it is. Believe in Jesus Christ and gain eternal life in him.

Later in John 14:6 Jesus says, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." The only access to eternal life is through Jesus Christ.

The thing that strikes me in this passage is Jesus' strong words about keeping all us believers safe in him. Because it is the Father's will that all who embrace the Son will have eternal life, Jesus says that he will not lose one single soul. Not one. Here is more definition to the will of God. Jesus said, "this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all those he has given me, but raise them up at the last day." All those!

God has given to his Son all of us who embrace him in faith, and it is the responsibility of the Son to not lose a single one of us! Not one! Jesus Christ will raise every last one of us believers "at the last day"! I have no question in my mind about Jesus executing just exactly what he says here he will do. It is something that is as good as done!

Now if this doesn't make you assured and secure, I don't know what possibly could!

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 Is Busy At Work Today - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in John 5:17,

"My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I too am working."

In Hebrews 4:3-4 we read, "... his [God's] works have been finished since the creation of the world. For somewhere he has spoken about the seventh day in these words: "On the seventh day God rested from all his works.'" It is a quote from Genesis 2:2, "By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done."

From Genesis and the writer of Hebrews we see God resting from his works, and yet Jesus said God is always at his work (right up to the present day). The harmony between the two lies in a careful reading of Genesis 2:2 (which the writer of Hebrews points to), "Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done." God's rest on the seventh day was a rest from his work of bringing the creation into being. That does not imply that God, when finished with his six days of creation, decided to take a divine nap.

As Ellicott's commentary points out, "The rest on the seventh day was the completion of the works of creation (see this stated emphatically in Genesis 2:2-3). It was not, it could not be, a cessation in divine work, or in the flow of divine energy. That knew nor day nor night, nor summer nor winter, nor Sabbath nor Jubilee. For man, and animal, and tree, and field, this alternation of a time of production and a time of reception was needed, but God was the ever-constant source of energy and life for all in heaven and earth and sea..."

God is very much active in his work, in his redemption of mankind, in the maintenance of the cosmos, in his provision for each and every one of us. "Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?" Matthew 6:26. We see the Son of God active in his work today as well, "The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word." Hebrews 1:3. Also, "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 8:34.

I never want to lose sight of the realization that every morning I wake up, God has to be actively engaged, working in his creation sustaining it. Every breath I take is a result of God being actively engaged to make it possible.

Here is a great error today: the thought that we, as mankind, are all on our own, that we are the only resource to keep planet earth and mankind's survival maintained. Really? We are such pipsqueaks! That is a God sized job and he is actively engaged in it! As Jesus taught, "Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?" Matthew 6:27.

The arrogance of mankind!

The magnificence of God and the wonders of his majestic great works!

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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Hard Working Sowers, Happy Reapers - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in John 4:38,

"I sent you to reap what you have not worked for. Others have done the hard work, and you have reaped the benefits of their labor."

Who were the "others" who had done the hard work that Jesus' disciples reaped from? John Chrysostom, an important church father from the 4th to 5th centuries who served as archbishop of Constantinople, made the comment that those who sowed were the prophets of the Old Testament, and those to reap were the apostles.

In any event, I am mindful this morning of our current day perspective. When it comes to salvation, of course, we look back to Jesus who did all the heavy lifting in his earthly ministry culminating in his death on that miserable cross. This is surely the greatest of all things to reap today that was sowed for us two millennia ago - Jesus atoning for our sins making salvation possible.

Additionally, there have been so many wonderful believers over the ages that have done so much that we reap from today. Men and women who suffered much and demonstrate what it means to be devoted to the Lord. Men and women who have displayed what the Lord can do in our lives, men and women who have pointed the way, who have taught us, who inspire us in the Lord. Foxe's Book of Martyrs provides many examples for us.

It is just like our Lord to leave us wonderful examples through those who have preceded us, who have done the hard work. Examples that inspire us as we pursue the work the Lord has given us as he builds his kingdom.

Surely we stand on the shoulders of amazing hard workers that came before us, workers we benefit from 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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John's Shrinking Role - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in John 3:27-30,

"A person can receive only what is given them from heaven. You yourselves can testify that I said, 'I am not the Messiah but am sent ahead of him.' The bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for him, and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom's voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete. He must become greater; I must become less."

This is how John the baptist responded when his disciples pointed out that Jesus had begun baptizing and that everyone was now going to him. John's point was simply that he had a role given him from heaven. That role was to prepare people for the coming of the Messiah by calling them to repentance from their sinful lifestyle. That repentance was both signified and celebrated by baptism. By this they would have prepared hearts to embrace Jesus Christ.

Now that the Messiah had come, John's role was ending, "He must become greater; I must become less." You sometimes hear people quote this verse in remembrance to submit or yield themselves to their Lord. I myself feel this kind of misses the point. There was nothing in John that required him to gain submission in his life to the Lord - he came into the world filled with the Holy Spirit and tasked with his mission. He was born a "submitted" believer. It was his role that was becoming less.

In Matthew 11:11, Jesus said, "Truly I tell you, among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist; yet whoever is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he." Now that provided John quite a bit of ground of which he could become less on. I don't think I hold much in the way of high ground to become less in.

John displayed true humility. I'm not always certain those who quote him share in that same humility sometimes.

Just a thought this morning...

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

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All About the Timing - Ruminating in the Word of God

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

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

Timing was an important issue for Jesus' earthly ministry. His activities and actions were driven by a plan, a strategy. Consider the following passages in John's gospel that speak to the timing of his ministry while here:

"Therefore Jesus told them, 'My time is not yet here; for you any time will do.'" John 7:6.
"You go to the festival. I am not going up to this festival, because my time has not yet fully come." John 7:8.
"At this they tried to seize him, but no one laid a hand on him, because his hour had not yet come." John 7:30.
"Yet no one seized him, because his hour had not yet come." John 8:20.
"Jesus replied, 'The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.'" John 12:23.
"It was just before the Passover Festival. Jesus knew that the hour had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father." John 13:1.
"After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven and prayed: 'Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you.'" John 17:1.

It appears to me that nothing about Jesus' earthly ministry was happenstance, but was driven by the timing inherent in strategy.

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 Wants Us! - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing,
majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of
him today and what came to my heart and mind in John 1:6-7,

"There was a man sent from God whose name was John. He came as a
witness to testify concerning that light [Jesus Christ, the Son of
God], so that through him all might believe."

John the Baptist was prophesied to come on the scene just before Jesus
Christ did, seven centuries prior to his arrival. We read in Isaiah
40:3-5, "A voice of one calling: 'In the wilderness prepare the way
for the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every
valley shall be raised up, every mountain and hill made low; the rough
ground shall become level, the rugged places a plain. And the glory of
the Lord will be revealed, and all people will see it together. For
the mouth of the Lord has spoken.'"

John prepared the way for the Lord by calling on people to repent of
their sins. "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.",
Matthew 3:2. We find that he was faithful to the Lord for what he was
called to do, "People went out to him from Jerusalem and all Judea and
the whole region of the Jordan. Confessing their sins, they were
baptized by him in the Jordan River." Matthew 3:5-6.

Something catches my eye in John 1:7, "He came as a witness to testify
concerning that light, so that through him all might believe." Not
that all would or will believe, but the intention is that all have the
opportunity to believe.

I realize that places me at odds with many, but a theme throughout the
Scriptures is that it is God's will that all mankind will turn to him
and be forgiven their sins. We find it in passages such as 1 Timothy
2:2, "This [praying for people] is good, and pleases God our Savior,
who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the
truth." Not some, but "all people." Also 2 Peter 3:9, "The Lord is not
slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he
is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to
come to repentance." Not some, but "everyone." It is God's desire we
embrace him - all of us.

Although it is the Lord's will to save all of humanity, God has
determined that only those who choose to place their faith and trust
in him will be forgiven their sins and receive eternal life in heaven.
"Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he
gave the right to become children of God..." John 1:12.

Paul tells us, "This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus
Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and
Gentile, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and
all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came
by Christ Jesus. God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement,
through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith." Romans
3:22-25. Also we read, "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." Romans 10:9.

God wants you, God wants me. God wants us all! He has left it up to
us: if we want him enough, we will place our faith and trust in him.
Others, sadly, cling to their sin.

God wants us!

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

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.