Category: Uncategorized

Our Inheritance

What I am saying is that as long as an heir is underage, he is no different from a slave, although he owns the whole estate. The heir is subject to guardians and trustees until the time set by his father. So also, when we were underage, we were in slavery under the elemental spiritual forces of the world. But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship. Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba , Father.” So you are no longer a slave, but God’s child; and since you are his child, God has made you also an heir.
-Galatians 4:1-7

What does it mean to be God’s heir?

Was it true I was no longer bound by the law, or enslaved by sin? Somehow, I was set free from legalism and death, so I could become everything I was meant to be. Not only to demonstrate the fruit of the spirit but to thoroughly enjoy it.

Now I was growing in faith, learning to trust God in all things. And when I did, peace and joy became increasingly evident.

Finally I was really learning to love people; not only those closest, but those whom I encountered out in the world everyday.

Glorifying God instead of Me was a new idea, one that started to really make sense when I surrendered my will to God’s.

By actually experiencing “amazing grace” I now understood it better than I ever could have before. Being considered by God to be His child was certainly undeserved but something I was very thankful for.

I came to see that my purpose was to live a life that pointed to Christ. As I followed in his footsteps, in His mercy and by His grace, I was set free to be God’s instrument, empowered to grow God’s kingdom. Christ was forming in me and my life was changing in ways I never expected, in the surprising opportunities that I couldn’t have previously imagined.

Now I thank God every day. And in my faith and gratitude I hoped the time would come when I thanked Him every moment of every day. Thank you God for everything!

For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
-Ephesians 2:10

1 Kings 4–5; Ephesians 2; Ezekiel 35; Psalm 85

Three Wishes

TOP- 150. Bible Verses about Wisdom. King Solomon was greater in riches and wisdom than all the other kings of the earth.

Today’s reading: 1 Kings 3; Ephesians 1; Ezekiel 34; Psalms 83–84

In 1955, Frank Sinatra released a song called If I Had Three Wishes.  It was on the back of the Capital Records single Learnin’ the Blues (Remember the 45 RPM records that had a hit song on the front and a horrible song they couldn’t even give away on the back?).  Learnin’ the Blues went on to be a hit song in the U.S., Great Britain and Australia, but If I had Three Wishes was a dud.  It never even hit the charts.

Oh, if I had three wishes, my first would be for you.  And if you became my love, I’d return the other two.

With those lyrics, it is obvious why this wasn’t a hit song.  It is the wrong answer to the three wishes question – if a genie grants you three wishes, the trick to getting everything you want is to ALWAYS wish for more wishes.  Duh!

Today’s scripture in 1 Kings 3 is not about a genie in a bottle granting three wishes.  It is, however, about God offering to grant King Solomon the desire of his heart.  God says to Solomon, “Ask me for whatever you want and I’ll give it to you” (1 Kings 3:5, International Standard Version).  The Bible doesn’t say exactly how old Solomon was in 1 Kings when he assumed the throne from his father David, but theologians estimate he was about twelve years old.  He was very young and inexperienced.  Accordingly, Solomon’s response to God’s offer was a request for wisdom – an understanding mind and the ability to discern good from evil.  He understood his shortcomings and wanted to be better.  His wish was bathed in humility and displayed maturity beyond his years.  Now look at God’s response.  He granted Solomon’s request, but also gave him more than he’d asked – Solomon received wisdom, greatness, riches and honor.

It pleased the Lord that Solomon had asked this. And God said to him, “Because you have asked this, and have not asked for yourself long life or riches or the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern what is right, behold, I now do according to your word. Behold, I give you a wise and discerning mind, so that none like you has been before you and none like you shall arise after you. I give you also what you have not asked, both riches and honor, so that no other king shall compare with you, all your days. And if you will walk in my ways, keeping my statutes and my commandments, as your father David walked, then I will lengthen your days” (1 Kings 3:10-14, English Standard Version).

I have a twelve year old son.  If God gave Freddy Armstrong the option to ask for whatever he wanted, I’m guessing he wouldn’t ask for wisdom.  He might ask for wealth and popularity, or maybe for a fancy sports car and a bunch of video games.  What would you ask for?  Would you ask for wisdom like Solomon?  I probably would, of course, because I learned from Solomon’s experience.  He asked for wisdom, and received wisdom, greatness, riches and honor.  If I asked for wisdom, there is a chance God is going to give me all those things too, right?  Wrong.  Here is the problem – my wishes are not bathed in humility, rather they reveal the true selfish desires of my heart.  God knows my heart, he sees through to my impure motives.

People may be pure in their own eyes, but the LORD examines their motives (Proverbs 16:2, New Living Translation).

Yes, I need to learn from Solomon’s experience.  Not figure out how to manipulate God to satisfy my selfishness, but to figure out how to transform my desires into reverence for and obedience to God.  Here is what Solomon did:

  • He started with a sacrifice to God (1 Kings 3:4).
  • Next, he acknowledged God’s faithfulness and steadfast love (1 Kings 3:6).
  • Finally, he confessed his need for God (1 Kings 3:7-8).

Solomon’s heart was focused on God, not on himself.  This is the right answer to the three wishes question:

Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you your heart’s desires (Psalm 37:4, New Living Translation).

Priorities

One of the major topics in the Harris household is talking about our schedule and priorities. There are always several things to choose from with regard to how we spend our time. We can invest in ourselves; school, exercise, spiritual training, music/arts, or enjoying various media forms such as reading, movies, television, and surfing the internet. We have those things that cause us to interact with others and each other such as socializing, meeting the needs of others, and family time. Then there are the commitments that need to happen to support our daily living; generating an income, maintaining the home, paying bills, and ensuring the budget is in order. If we don’t know our priorities, then everything is priority, which results in nothing being the priority.

Pay careful attention to your own work, for then you will get the satisfaction of a job well done, and you won’t need to compare yourself to anyone else. (Galatians 6:4 NLT)

Upon reading this verse, the phrase “satisfaction of a job well done” spoke to me first. Like my peer Jennifer Armstrong, I’m a list person. Nothing like a good list then knocking it down. Satisfaction!

Then the next part of the verse spoke a little louder: you won’t need to compare yourself to anyone else. Turning the sentence around, I take it to mean that if we don’t pay attention to our own work, we won’t have job satisfaction, and in doing this, we will measure ourselves by what others are doing. We’re not talking about the “good” focus on others here; I believe this is referring to things that turn to jealousy and unhealthy competition. God made each of us for a unique purpose; the more we seek and act on this purpose, the closer we can come to reaching our potential. The key here is what voice we are listening to: that of our own desires or that of the spirit because no matter the apparent result, we reap what we sow. What we put in is what we get out. Seeking after our own earthly desires yields corruption, seeking the will of the Spirit reaps eternal life.

“For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. (Galatians 6:8)

My main thought on this today is: What voice am I listening to? The guidance of The Spirit, my own desire for pleasure, or my desire to please others. Sometimes on the outside we may be attempting to please others, but on the inside we’re doing it to make ourselves feel good. Three pointers that I try to live and lead by to help “say no to the good things so we can say yes to the great things”:

  1. It is okay to say no. God gave us freewill. We’re responsible for our choices.
  2. Knowing my priorities helps me to say no.
  3. Sharing my priorities with friends and family helps them understand why I am saying no.

In closing, here’s a great reminder as to what God sees as priority, and I say amen to that.

What counts is whether we have been transformed into a new creation. 16 May God’s peace and mercy be upon all who live by this principle; they are the new people of God. (Galatians 6:15b-16 NLT) 

1 Kings 2; Galatians 6; Ezekiel 33; Psalms 81–82

Trusted Advisors

Photo of man with depression talking with counselor

1 Kings 1; Galatians 5; Ezekiel 32; Psalm 80

I have many good friends.  Even so, there are only a few that I also call trusted advisors.  One of these trusted advisors recently noticed my life accelerating into high gear.  He sent me a simple email asking, “Are you ready for me to begin meeting with you regularly to ask good questions, think outside the box & keep you oriented towards Jesus, your wife, and kiddos?”  When first read it, I wasn’t thrilled with the implications. Today, however, I have a new perspective. It comes from watching the Prophet Nathan.  His relationship with David was not simply friendship, he was a trusted advisor.  What are the characteristics of a trusted advisor?

  • Trusted advisors encourage us to lean into our dreams and vision

In 2 Sam 7:3 Nathan encourages David to run with his dream of building a Temple for God. He says, “Go, do all that is in your heart, for the Lord is with you.”

  • Trusted advisors help us align our activities with God’s will

In 2 Samuel 7:8-17, Nathan discerns the full will of God. Once he understands that David is not the one to build his Temple, he immediately relays the information accurately and rigorously to David.  His willingness to speak truthfully to David fosters alignment with God’s will, so that God can receive full glory

  • Trusted advisors hold us accountable

In 2 Samuel 12:1-31, Nathan learned that David caused Uriah’s death.  Cunningly, he led David to self-discover the truth of his actions. The result was David’s complete surrender to God, which paved the way for reconciliation.

  • Trusted advisors wake us up from our malaise

In 1 Kings 1:22-27, Nathan illustrates to an elderly King David the effects of his failure to name a successor. This wake-up-call causes David to reaffirm his commitment to Solomon. Realizing the indiscretion, David stepped up, announcing, “as I swore to you by the Lord, the God of Israel, saying, ‘Solomon your son shall reign after me, and he shall sit on my throne in my place,’ even so will I do this day.”

God has blessed me with several “Nathan’s.”  My guess is that you can name them in your life too.  Maybe it’s time to reconnect with them.  When we do, like King David, we are better able to focus our activities so that God receives all the glory.

Giving Thanks

So we thy people and sheep of thy pasture
Will give thee thanks for ever:
We will shew forth thy praise to all generations.
– Psalm 79:13

I really enjoy how Psalm 79 closes. After a long list of cries to our LORD the Psalmist ends with Praise. It reminded me of the reference to Isaiah 54:1 from our reading in Galatians 4 verse 27 that I had just read.

For it is written, Rejoice, thou barren that bearest not; break forth and cry, thou that travailest not: for the desolate hath many more children than she which hath an husband. – Galatians 4:27

This reference to Abraham, Sarah and Hagar, reads an encouragement to Sarah and a reminder to us all that even if things do not seem to be going according to what we think is best, our God is good and His promises are true. All we need to do is remember and believe, trust in Him and praise His name!

Today’s reading: 2 Samuel 24; Galatians 4; Ezekiel 31; Psalm 79

 

We are All One in Christ Jesus

Today’s  Readings: 2 Samuel 23; Galatians 3; Ezekiel 30; Psalm 78:38–72

 

26 for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith.27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. Galatians 3:26-28

I happen to have the TV on in the background and hear about the latest shooting that happens at a mall.  A news feed comes across my phone of protests and people getting hurt elsewhere.  I read an email about a child who is making  bad choices and needs to be spoken to on Monday.  It’s upsetting and I reflect on, ” How can I make more of a difference with others? How can we make a positive impact on our young adults and children?  I read back over these verses and know I need to share God more with others. I know  He will come like a thief in the night.  Beyond this breath of life, I want us all to be together for eternity by our relationship with God. 1 Thessalonians 5:2

I heard a statement that was made by Baltimore Ravens players Benjamin Watson that says, ” Our current president or whoever is elected in the future can’t save us.  The only one who can change the heart of man is the Lord!” I find comfort in this statement, I find faith, I find truth.  Today, as I reflect on the last few verses of Galatians 3. I know that we need to all work together to change our hearts.  God wants us to be prepared, there’s no time to fall asleep. Matthew 24:42

Trying to connect some dots I reflect on our small group study for last week on Baptism by Marcus Bieschke. It was a great reminder of the Almighty who is on our side how we can respond when we see everything unfolding around us.  In reflecting on baptism it was the acknowledgment that we need to be washed and put our trust in Christ.  For me it wasn’t baptism meant I had finally figured it out, but willing to make it a starting point to make a change my life. This change for you and for me will connect all people no matter our backgrounds.

We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. Romans 6:4.

In times of uncertainty, know that God is our stronghold and any fear can be brought to Him. He has given us the duty to adhere to and share His commandments.  Matthew 28:19-20. I know sharing our faith can be hard but I was hit with a gut check reminder Sunday when Pastor Mike Baker said to  “Follow the Lord today like it’s your last…, because it could be! Joshua 1:9

So my prayer is to “put on” Christ all the days he gives me.  If there are those who don’t know Him, I need to better to share his Love through my words and actions.  We are in need of a lot of love.  It’s a matter of us all sharing, doing, acting in a way that impacts everyone that you contact. Amen

We will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord. Psalm 78:4

For We Are ALL One in Christ.

(Watch this link on Baptism or on our last sermon on Unveiled)

The first words and the last

Go Deeper in God's Word

Today’s Readings: 2 Samuel 22, Galatians 2, Ezekiel 29, Psalm 78:1-37

2 Samuel 22

The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer,
3     my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge,
my shield, and the horn of my salvation,
my stronghold and my refuge,
my savior; you save me from violence.
4 I call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised,
and I am saved from my enemies.

Psalm 78

In spite of all this, they still sinned;
despite his wonders, they did not believe.
33 So he made their days vanish like a breath
and their years in terror.
34 When he killed them, they sought him;
they repented and sought God earnestly.
35 They remembered that God was their rock,
the Most High God their redeemer.
36 But they flattered him with their mouths;
they lied to him with their tongues.
37 Their heart was not steadfast toward him;
they were not faithful to his covenant.

Sometimes, when I’m writing for Bible Journal I copy down pieces of the day’s scripture in my little notebook. Throughout the week I go back to those groups of words and draw lines of meaning between them. There are endless ways to read God’s word. That’s why it’s truly His greatest gift to us. Even if you’ve read a certain verse over and over, on any given day it may take on new meaning in your life. Today, as I built a visual map of my post I realized that the verses that speak to me the most are the very first lines and last lines of our Bible reading plan. The message is so simple. It speaks to our fallibility and human nature. In the first reading from second Samuel we hear these familiar words:

“The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer…” (2 Samuel 22:2)

And we know the rest…it fills our sails. God is our rock, our refuge, our stronghold and our shield. We need these words. We get through our hardest moments with these words whispered under our breath. When I’m alone with our son and he is in pain, when there is nothing I can do to make it go away, I say these words. But in spite of all of this, I still sin. Psalm 78 is about me. It’s about you, and the guy next to you drinking his morning coffee. Our days are actually vanishing like a breath.  When we get into trouble, of course we repent and we run to Him. There are times when we seek him earnestly. There are times when our hearts are not as steadfast as they should be. We are not always faithful to our covenant with Him. In spite of it all we are still going to sin. Despite the miracles and wonders he performs in our lives, we still falter. I spent some time this weekend traveling for work. I used some of that time to write down the wonders God has created in my life. I also wrote down some times that I wasn’t as faithful as I wish I could be. Some times when I questioned his presence in my life and even questioned if he was punishing me. Finally, I took the time to hand write the first four verses of second Samuel 22. Taking this time to just write God’s word brings me closer to Him. It helps me to see the lines he’s drawing and connecting in my life. Connecting our beginnings and endings help us to see His grace. I pray that you’ll consider taking time this week to write down the times He’s been your rock, your refuge, your stronghold and your shield.  Connect His word to your heart!

 

 

The Bible: God’s Love Story

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

Does God love us enough to choose to communicate? I used to wonder about this, I no longer do.

Was the Bible written by man? In a sense, I suppose it was. But does it also have Divine origins? More fundamentally; is there a God who created us, who intervenes at times, having actually stepped into our world as one of us?

After a lifetime of contemplation and prayer, I can only conclude YES!

Christianity is often maligned for being exclusive and arrogant. But if in fact God exists, and has chosen a certain path of revelation, then doesn’t it follow that any information that brings that story into light is worth exploring?

The Bible offers this opportunity by sharing the amazing story of our reconciliation with God. Not for the pious and the self-righteous, but for those of us who are at times broken, struggling to understand morality and hungry for truth. I have found the Bible to be more than a codex for life. It is a powerful love story about rebellion, redemption and salvation. This is a story we all need to understand.

Man is man and God is God — holy and separate from us. Yet it is by His grace that we are redeemed. We are not called to seek adoration or please people, but to love others. Doing this isn’t easy in our limited power. But in our surrender and contrition we receive God’s power to love; not in our strength but in our weakness.

We are made to be the instruments of God — instruments of love.

In the Bible, Jesus instructs us to have genuine concern for ALL PEOPLE. Not in arrogance or judgement, but in humility, service and sacrifice. When I live with an attitude of grace and gratitude I demonstrate a spirit of peace, kindness, and warmth towards others. And this power comes from God.

It’s not surprising that only God demonstrates constant, pure and perfect love. As Christ, God provided the perfect and ultimate example. He calls out through time, to all humanity, inviting us to follow.

I would rather be a Christ Follower than anything else. In the Bible Jesus teaches us by His life, death, burial and resurrection; and that it is possible to be in harmony with God. It is also possible to love other people unconditionally. When I am able to do this I am able to truly love myself. Then my possibilities are aligned with my purpose. Only then am I able to achieve my fullest potential and to bare the fruit of the spirit.

Thank you God for loving me, so that I, in turn, am able to genuinely love you and others. May others see your love in me. Amen.

By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. -Matthew 7:16-18

Today’s reading link: 2 Samuel 21; Galatians 1; Ezekiel 28; Psalm 77

Self-Audit

Tax inspector investigating financial documents through magnifying glass forensic accounting or financial forensics inspecting offshore company financial papers documents and reports.

Today’s reading:  2 Samuel 20; 2 Corinthians 13; Ezekiel 27; Psalms 75–76

Have you ever been audited? Maybe by the IRS, an independent audit firm or even by your company’s internal audit team?  If you have, I suspect you will agree with my next statement – it isn’t an overly enjoyable experience.  While often a little painful, the process is actually pretty straight forward.  A person or team of people shows up to examine, or test, your records to determine if you have conducted your business in accordance with established guidelines.  Perhaps they are testing whether you upheld the law, followed company policy, or even whether you played by your own rules.

I believe an audit is one of the most valuable tools management has in its toolkit (this should be no surprise to you, feel free to refer to my April 30 post where I told you I was a dork). Think about it.  Management sets the direction for the organization, guidelines are published to help company associates carryout out activities that support this direction.  If the guidelines are well designed, if they are followed, and if external forces don’t derail everything, the company has a reasonable chance of meeting its objectives.  Unfortunately, if, if, if doesn’t really provide a whole lot of comfort.  Management doesn’t want to think they know, they want evidence, they want to really know.  How can they really know if they are on track?  …an audit, of course.

Did you see how audit theory showed up in our 2 Corinthians 13 text today?

1 Corinthians and 2 Corinthians are Paul’s letters to Christians who were struggling to live according to the faith they professed. They were a weak church.  One of the major issues they faced at the time was the presence of false teachers.  These “peddlers” (as Paul refers to them in 2 Corinthians 3:17) twisted the message, questioned Paul’s authority, and tried to lure Christians away from the truth in order to benefit themselves.  Much of the book of 2 Corinthians involves Paul defending his personal credibility and the validity of his message.  He was using all the tools in his toolkit to encourage Christians to stay on track.

2 Corinthians 13 records Paul’s final advice to the Corinthians as he is getting ready to wrap up his visit. He reminds them that they must turn from their sinful ways, as unrepentant sinners will eventually suffer harsh consequences.  Paul also talks about the mighty power of God that Jesus Christ has at his disposal.  He reminds the Corinthians that this same power is available to them if they genuinely put their faith in Jesus Christ.  This is the same “if” conundrum we talked about above.  If doesn’t provide them much comfort.  How can they really know if that power is available to them?  …an audit, of course.

Examine yourselves to see if your faith is genuine. Test yourselves. Surely you know that Jesus Christ is among you; if not, you have failed the test of genuine faith (2 Corinthians 13:5, The New Living Translation).

Paul is calling the Corinthian Christians to determine whether they have genuinely put their faith in Jesus by conducting a self-audit. A self-audit was a valuable tool for first century Christians, and it is a valuable tool for us today.  Similar to every other audit, the hardest part of this audit is going to be the planning – how do we decide what test in order to lead us to the right conclusion?  In this audit, we are looking for a series of personal characteristics or actions we can examine to determine if our faith is genuine.  A few ideas from the New Testament to consider:

  • Do you love others? By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another (John 13:35).
  • Do you serve others? …serve one another humbly in love (Galatians 5:13).
  • Are the fruits of the spirit evident in your life? But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things (Galatians 5:22-23).
  • What kinds of things consume your thoughts? Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things (Philippians 4:8).
  • Has your faith been tested? Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything (James 1:2-4).

I pray that the results of your self-audit reveal a genuine faith.  If they do not, will you have the courage to get on your knees and ask God for help today?  Having the mighty power of God at your back makes this a life worth living, you don’t want to miss out on it!

My Weakness

The Bible Journal team has been discussing and praying over what our approach to this site will be in 2017. Spending time thinking about this brings several realities to the forefront of my mind:

  1. Authoring blog posts is hard. Publishing every week is really hard.
  2. Writing with the intent to glorify the one who created the heavens and the earth comes with great joy and great responsibility.
  3. Without a strong commitment to this project, there is no way I would do this.
  4. I’m not a naturally gifted writer. For me personally, each week I struggle immensely with what to write.
  5. Authoring for Bible Journal has been my single most impactful spiritual habit of 2016, perhaps lifetime.

When writing these journals each week I come to a place where I feel extremely weak and helpless and pray these words, sometimes aloud, “I have nothing to say; I have nothing. Please help me God.” It is almost as though I am in a dark place, and sometimes fear and panic start to set in, but when I am at my very lowest and acknowledge my weakness and God’s tender mercy, that’s when I feel His strength. It has happened with each post, and I can only say this is a miracle.

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

This is teaching me to humbly turn toward Christ, where his power is made perfect in weakness. That verse so aptly fits because at the end of our own strength which is lacking, that’s where Christ wants us. Our strengths can often keep us from being in God’s will because we think we can do it all on our own. The faster we acknowledge him as the source or our strength, the faster we will align with his will and be able to glorify him, and that is a beautiful thing.

Dear readers, would you consider praying over writing for Bible Journal on a regular basis next year (or sooner as a guest author)? Do you think you’re weak? Good, you’re already on your way. Look around you, think about all of the stories in your life right now that can be used to glorify God. Observing these stories takes practice, but it also brings us closer to our maker and closer to our purpose for being on this earth, which is to glorify Him so that others may know his son Jesus Christ and be saved.

And finally, if you happen to have a birthday today then I double-dog dare you to consider this commitment to journaling… nudge nudge… (happy birthday to my sister Katie!).

2 Samuel 19; 2 Corinthians 12; Ezekiel 26; Psalm 74