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James 2-3 (ESV) by Wordle*

Today’s reading is James 2:1-3:18.

“But someone will say, ‘You have faith and I have works.’ Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works” (James 2:18).

That Wordle really makes the point, doesn’t it? Is that giving us the picture of faith and works? No, I can’t help but notice it demonstrates exactly what James says: “Faith works!”

My brother-in-law recently pointed out to me what I’ve often overlooked in this passage. James didn’t say, “I’ll show you my faith and my works,” as if these are two completely separate things. Rather, he said, “I’ll show you my faith by my works.” James is not actually saying that faith needs something added to it in order to justify us. Rather, he is telling us what kind of faith justifies us.

Mental assent, minor agreement, and mere acceptance do not justify. I can acknowledge the truth of God’s Word all day long. But that faith provides no victory at all. Even the demons do that. Justification comes from a faith that walks, a faith that works. Faith is the victory, but only when that faith changes my life, leading me to surrender to the one who I truly believe will justify.

At the same time, we do need to recognize that if I’m doing works without faith in Jesus, those works accomplish me nothing. After all, I can’t justify myself. I can get baptized, attend assemblies of the church, avoid adultery, give to charity all in the attempt to establish my own righteousness without faith in Jesus’ power to justify and I won’t be justified.

I need to see both sides of this. Faith alone (that is mere mental agreement) doesn’t justify. But then again works alone won’t justify either. Only a working faith justifies, because only a working faith surrenders to the only one who can justify.

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.

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.

2 Thessalonians 1 (ESV) by Wordle*

Today’s reading is 1 Thessalonians 5:1-28 and 2 Thessalonians 1:1-12.

“Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it” (1 Thessalonians 5:23-24).

How easy it is to get bogged down with fear that we aren’t going to make it. We mess up so much and we have been so blistered by the concept that one mistake can blast us to hell. Some of us just want to throw our hands up in the air and give up.

But Paul encourages us. We are not alone. God will sanctify us. He is setting us apart. He is growing us. He is working in us. He will keep us blameless. He is faithful. We can trust Him to do it.

We just need to hang on to Him. Don’t give up today. Hang on to God today. He is working on you. He will do it.

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

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

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.

Colossians 1-2 (ESV) by Wordle*

Today’s reading is Colossians 1:1-2:23.

“In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead” (Colossians 2:11-12).

In baptism we are circumcised with a circumcision not made with hands. In baptism, the body of the flesh is put off, the old man is crucified. According to Colossians 2:13-14, we are forgiven in baptism and made alive through baptism (not before). When we are baptized the record of debt that stood against us is canceled. Amazing.

Sadly, not many today recognize the very clear teaching of this passage. Why? Because too many people who do recognize it have put their faith in the wrong thing and taught this passage incorrectly. Too many people who recognize the wonderful things that happen in baptism have put their faith in the wrong place. They have put their faith in baptism.

Seeker: “Why are you saved?”

Christian: “Because I got baptized.”

Do you see the problem? When I put my faith in baptism, I’m actually putting my faith in my work. But notice what Paul said. He didn’t say we were “raised with him through faith in the powerful working of our obedience.” He said we were “raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God.” Where is your faith? In your baptism? In your praying? In your experiences? Or in God? When our faith is in the powerful working of God, we’ll get baptized because we know that is when God does His powerful work of circumcising the old body of the flesh, forgiving us, canceling our debt, and making us a live with Christ. We didn’t do that by baptism; God did.

Where is your faith?

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.

Romans 11-12 (ESV) by Wordle*

Today’s reading is Romans 11:1-12:21.

“But what is God’s reply to him? ‘I have kept for myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal.’ So too at the present time there is a remnant, chosen by grace” (Romans 11:4-5).

Have you ever noticed that God’s remnant is chosen by God’s grace? Wow! That is an eye-opener for me. Despite knowing intellectually about God’s grace, I have a tendency to see the remnant as those who have worked really hard and shown themselves to be worthy of remnanthood.

Not so. The remnant is so because of God’s grace. That means I’m not alone. I need God’s grace. I once heard a great line about what sin does to us. As we look around, our insides never measure up to the outsides of others. Because I get to see my insides, but only ever see your outsides, I can begin to feel alone, isolated, disconnected. I can begin to imagine that I’m the only one who is as messed up and in need of grace as I am. I can begin to think that you are part of the remnant because you are so good, but I can’t ever be part of the remnant because I am so bad.

Paul gives me comfort in this passage. Hopefully, he’s giving you comfort as well. Do you need grace? Don’t be ashamed of that. Instead, embrace it and through grace (not your hard work) become a part of Christ’s remnant.

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

PS. What struck you in today’s reading? You can add your input by clicking here.

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

Romans 7-8 (ESV) by Wordle*

Today’s reading is Romans 7:1-8:39.

“What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?” (Romans 8:31-32).

For some reason, I keep thinking I need to save myself. I want the reins of my life. I want to be the one in control. I need to get it all fixed and then bring it to God to show how pleased He can be with me. And I wonder why I continue to be covered up with stress, anxiety, and then wander back into sin. It’s like I want to be able to say to God, “What then shall you say to these things? If I’m for You, God, does it matter who else is against You?” I need to see that this is getting everything backwards.

Instead, God is for me. Who can be against me? Satan wants me to believe that my mistakes mean God is against me. He’s not. He is for me. He is so for me, He sent Jesus to die for me. If He did that, how will He not give me all I need to overcome? I simply have to let go of my control and grant Him control. I have to trust Him. When I do, then I start to have peace and joy.

I have a choice today. I can either focus on how bad I mess things up or I can focus on how powerful God is to fix things? The first leads to despair and sin; the second leads to peace and victory. Today, I want to focus on God and His power to fix things. How about you?

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

PS. The struggle with these two chapters is they are my two favorites, jam-packed with all kinds of helpful stuff to me. I return to these chapters over and over again. It was hard to pick just one thing to talk about . So, what struck you in today’s reading? I know something had to impact you on than what I mentioned. You can add your input by clicking here.

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