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Hebrews 13 (ESV) by Wordle*

Today’s reading is Hebrews 13:1-25 and James 1:1-27.

“Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God” (James 1:19-20).

H.A.L.T. Hungry. Angry. Lonely. Tired.

I’ve known for some time now that these are dangerous times. Whenever I’m hungry, angry, lonely, or tired, I’m far more susceptible to temptation and triggers. James highlights one of these. Anger. I know that simply being angry is not a sin (cf. Ephesians 4:26). But at the same time, being angry can very easily lead to sin.

My anger does not produce God’s righteousness in me. When I’m responding out of anger, I’m not likely responding with God’s righteousness. When I’m acting in anger, I’m not likely acting with God’s righteousness. Oh, I know there is a holy anger. I’ve heard all about “righteous indignation” (by the way, can you find me the verse that mentions that?). There is a time to be angry. However, I need to be really, really careful. I have a tendency to think that anytime I’m angry is justifiable, but I’m probably biased. I’m guessing that even in response to sin, if I’m simply acting out of my anger, I’m probably not going to pursue God’s righteousness.

Therefore, today I need to check my motives. Am I just angry? Is that why I’m acting the way I’m acting? If so, I need to back up and slow down. What can I do to deal with my anger quickly and not give the devil any opportunity in my life?

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

PS. What struck you in today’s reading? You can add your input by clicking the following link: Post a comment.

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*Today’s illustration was generated by the creative tool at Wordle.net. You can find all my wordles here.

Hebrews 7-8 (ESV) by Wordle*

Today’s reading is Hebrews 7:1-8:13.

“Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will establish a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah, not like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt. For they did not continue in my covenant, and so I showed no concern for them, declares the Lord. For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my laws into their minds, and write them on their hearts, and I will be their God and they shall be my people” (Hebrews 8:8-10).

I think I’ve misunderstood the Hebrew writer’s use of this prophecy from Jeremiah 31:31-33. God says He is going to give a new covenant because they didn’t keep the old one. At one level, that doesn’t make any sense to me. Is He saying, “Well, you flubbed that one, let Me see if I can give you something you can keep.” Is the New Covenant a dumbing down? Is it just an easier law to keep? I don’t think so.

Rather, I think this hearkens back to Hebrews 7:11, 18-19. “Now if perfection had been attainable through the Levitical priesthood (for under it the people received the law), what further need would there have been for another priest to arise…” And also, “For on the one hand, a former commandment is set aside because of its weakness and uselessness (for the law made nothing perfect)…”

The issue is not, “Well, you people were disobedient to My first Law so let Me try an easier one.” The point was that the Law didn’t work in making us perfect. In fact, law doesn’t make anyone perfect. It can’t. Does that mean the Law failed? I don’t think so. God didn’t establish law to justify us, but to show us we aren’t perfect. The Law did its job well. It shut everyone up under sin. It did what it was intended to do. So, God’s new covenant is not simply just another law that He thinks we might be able to keep this time (though there is certainly law as part of this covenant). The new covenant is different. It is not just different in that some of the laws are different. It is different in that the way we draw near to God is different. Instead of drawing near to God via our attempts at keeping a law, we draw near to God through the One who did keep God’s law. We draw near to God through our faith in Jesus Christ (Hebrews 7:19, 25).

Here is the great part. As we draw near to God through Jesus Christ, God will work in our lives, writing His law in our hearts and minds. God will be working in us to accomplish His will. Isn’t that what Paul had said in Philippians 2:12-13? As long as we are trying to keep God’s law by our own strength, we will fail to attain perfection. When we give up on that and instead strive to draw near to God through Jesus Christ, then God will work righteousness in us. Again, that is what Paul said in Romans 9:30-10:4.

Today, I need to quit trying to prove how well I can keep God’s law (attempts to establish my own righteousness). Instead, I need to draw near to God through Jesus Christ, having faith in Him and what He has said (submitting to God’s righteousness).

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

PS. What struck you in today’s reading? Click the following link to add your input: Post a comment.

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*Today’s illustration was generated by the creative tool at Wordle.net. You can find all my wordles here.

Matthew 3-4 (ESV) by Wordle*

Today’s reading is Matthew 3:1-4:25.

“Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. And he said to him, ‘All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.’ Then Jesus said to him, ‘Be gone, Satan! for it is written, ” ‘You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve” ‘ ” (Matthew 4:8-10).

Don’t miss the real temptation. Satan is not tempting Jesus with kingship, rule, and power. According to Psalm 110:1-7, Jesus was already promised all this from His Father. He was going to rule all the kingdoms of the world anyway. The temptation was that God’s way to the throne was going to be hard. He had already had to leave heaven to accomplish it. He was going to spend 3 years wandering as an itinerant teacher. He was going to be rejected, mocked, ridiculed, and eventually crucified to get to rule. Satan essentially said, “Hey, why bother with all of that? Here is an easier, softer way. Just bow down and worship me once. Just once. You don’t have to do it for the rest of your life. If you just worship me here and now, you won’t have to take up that cross.” But Jesus refused. He chose God’s way, though it included the cross. And I’m so thankful, because God’s way allowed me to be saved. Satan’s way might have given Jesus rule of the world (though I’m convinced Satan is a liar and would have yanked it out from under Jesus instead of really giving Him the rule), but it would have kept me and you from being saved.

I’m so glad to see this. First, because it lets me know I’m not alone. Satan tempts me all the time. Sometimes I begin to think I’m the only one going through this pressure. But even Jesus went through it. Second, it lets me know how to defeat the temptation. Just rely on God, His Word, and His way. God’s way always works. Third, I’m glad to read it because it helps me really identify Satan’s temptations. I often overlook temptation and sin with a dismissive, “Oh, surely God wouldn’t have a problem with that.” What I need to look for is when my choices include God’s way and the easier softer way. Satan often promises me the very same thing God does. He simply says I don’t have pick up my cross to get the promise. I need to be able to say, “Not today, Satan. I’m going God’s way. It may be harder, but it works.”

Which way are you going today? God’s way or the easier softer way?

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

PS. What struck you in today’s reading? Add your input by clicking the following link: Post a Comment.

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*Today’s illustration was generated by the creative tool at Wordle.net. You can find all my wordles here.

Today’s reading is 1 Corinthians 10:1-11:34.

“Therefore let anyone who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall” (1 Corinthians 10:12).

“Oh, I’ll never do that.” “I can’t believe that so-and-so did such-and-such, I’d never do that.” “I used to have that problem. Now I’ve got it under control.” These are the words of those who think they stand. They are words that I’ve said far too often. Usually I’ve said them just before a colossal fall. It almost seems like Satan is just waiting around to hear these kinds of words so he can jump on the attack and prove us wrong.

The real problem here is not with standing. It is actually thinking we can stand on our own two legs. Not so. We must quit standing and instead lean on God. We will only overcome the tempter if we rely on God. Sadly, the world wants to tell us God is a crutch. When we hear that, we think it is a negative. The problem with the world is they desperately want to stand on their own. They think they can. Yet, they are falling. I need a crutch, not in the negative connotation of  the word. But, I need to recognize that I’m broken. If I try to stand without God as my crutch to lean on, I’m going to fall.

The moment I decide that I’ve healed enough and can stand on my own without the crutch of Christ’s cross to lean on, that is when I will crumble under the weight of sin again.

Today, I’m not going to stand. I’m going to lean.

ELC

PS. What struck you in today’s reading? Click the following link to add your input: Click Here.

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*Today’s illustration was generated by the creative tool at Wordle.net. You can find all my wordles here.

2 Peter 2-3 (ESV) by Wordle*

Today’s reading is 2 Peter 2:1-3:18.

“You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, take care that you are not carried away with the error of lawless people and lose your own stability. But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. to him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen” (2 Peter 3:17-18).

We spend so much time thinking about and talking against “falling from grace,” I wonder if we don’t push ourselves in that direction. The more we think about something, the more it occupies our hearts, the more it takes over our lives. I want to let this passage start to govern my thinking and meditating.

“Grow in grace.”

That’s what I want to focus on today. Instead of worrying about falling from grace, I’m going to focus on growing in grace. It stands to reason if I grow in grace, I don’t have to worry about falling from it. Peter says if I do that, I will not be carried away with the error of lawless people or lose my own stability. After all, I’m not even trying to have my own stability. Rather, I’m resting on God’s stability.

Keep the faith today and keep reading

ELC

PS. What struck you in today’s reading? Click here to add your input.

PPS. For a series of sermons that came from this very thought, click here.

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*Today’s illustration was generated by the creative tool at Wordle.net. You can find all my wordles here.

Mark 13-14 (ESV) by Wordle*

Today’s reading is Mark 13:1-14:72.

“Peter said to him, ‘Even though they all fall away, I will not’” (Mark 14:29).

I believe Peter was absolutely sincere when he made this promise. He could not possibly imagine any future event that would make him fall away from Jesus. He was ready to die with Jesus. There was no way he would deny his Master. I’m certain that is true because the guy who pulls out his sword in Mark 14:47 and struck the high priest’s servant was Peter (cf. John 18:10). Peter was ready to fight. He was ready to die. But he was only ready to die on his terms. When Jesus told him to put his sword away, he was confused. He couldn’t understand. He was ready to die in a fight, but it never occurred to him that death might come without a fight. He fled.

How many times have I said, “I’ll never do that”? How many times have I thought that there was some line I would never cross? How many times have I told God, “No matter what, you can count on me to avoid such and such”? Or how many times have I said, “Alright, God, I’ve got this figured out. I’ll never do that again”? How incensed I would get if someone suggested I needed to be a bit more humble. “Oh no, no matter what anyone else does, I’ll never do that (again). How dare you think that of me.” How puffed up with pride. How much I have tried to stand on my own feet. And it was as if Satan was just waiting for that opportunity so he could kick my legs out from under me.

I’ve had to learn some humility. God is teaching me to turn away from rash promises and rather to say, “By God’s grace, I haven’t done that yet. I pray that God will keep me from it.” That reminds me that I have to rely on God and His strength if I will keep from whatever it is. If I ever start relying on me, I realize I will do whatever it is I’m committed to not doing (cf. Romans 7:14-24).

So, today, I’m not making God any promises. Rather, asking God to fulfill His promise to me and grant me the strength to overcome.

Keep the faith today and keep reading,

ELC

PS. What struck you in today’s reading? Click here to add your input.

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*Today’s illustration was generated by the creative tool at Wordle.net. You can find all my wordles here.

Mark 11-12 (ESV) by Wordle*

Today’s reading is Mark 11:1-12:44.

“And he was teaching them and saying to them, ‘Is it not written, “My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations?” But you have made it a den of robbers’” (Mark 11:17).

So much for the mild-mannered, Caspar Milquetoast Jesus. This is the “I’ll be back” Jesus. He overturns tables. He clears out cheats. He runs off the insincere. What kind of emotions do you think we would have been able to read on His face in the midst of all this?

What I can’t help but think about is I Corinthians 6:19. My body is a temple of the Holy Spirit. In one sense, my body is a house of God. What does that mean for me? Is God’s house a house of prayer? Or have I made it into a robbers’ den? Or have I made it in to some other kind of den?

Am I willing to ask Jesus to overturn the money-changing tables in my own heart? Am I willing to ask Him to take up His scourge and cleanse me of the den of wickedness that is in my own heart? Or do I want the Caspar Milquetoast Jesus who just sadly looks the other way? The latter leaves me in my sins, in guilt, shame, misery, and despair. The former is painful, but I’ve learned it is less painful than just leaving the robbers’ den in my heart. Only being willing to let God do whatever it takes to cleanse me and keep me on His path works for me (cf Psalm 141:3-5).

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

PS. What struck you in today’s reading? Click here to add your input.

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*Today’s illustration was generated by the creative tool at Wordle.net. You can find all my wordles here.