Today’s reading is Hebrews 13:1-25; 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. Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls” (James 1:19-21).

I have a tendency to equate “save” with “forgive.” While being forgiven is part of being saved, the two are not completely synonymous. Being saved means being made whole, being healed, being fixed. That is what I want. I don’t simply want to be forgiven. I want to be made well. I want the sickness of my sins removed. I want the control of sin removed. I want my defects discarded. I want to be fixed. I want to be saved.

Sadly, I have learned I do not have that power. I cannot save myself. No amount of my good works will do it. No amount of my decision making will do it. I’ve tried that path but I have already let myself become sin’s slave. What am I to do? James says the word of God is able to save me.

Today, if I want to be saved, I need to be in God’s word. I need to be quick to hear it. That is, not only letting its words enter my ears but also allowing them to impact my life. I need to be slow to speak, that is, slow to say the way I think things should be and slow to speak against what I hear. I need to be slow to anger. I may not like everything God’s word says. If I give myself to anger against it, I will not attain the righteousness of God.

I don’t read the word today because God has given me homework. I read it because the word is able to save me and I want saving.

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

PS. What struck you in today’s reading?

Today’s reading is Acts 17:1-18:28.

“Now a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was an eloquent man, competent in the Scriptures. He had been instructed in the way of the Lord. And being fervent in spirit, he spoke and taught accurately the things concerning Jesus, though he knew only the baptism of John. He began to speak, boldly in the synagogue, but when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him and explained to him the way of God more accurately” (Acts 18:24-26).

Being eloquent doesn’t mean I’m always right. Just because I can put words together well and make my position sound good, doesn’t mean I’m right. Just because I’m competent in the Scriptures, doesn’t mean I’m always right. Just because I’ve received good teaching doesn’t mean I’m always right. Just because I’m fervent doesn’t mean I’m always right. Just because I’m right some of the time doesn’t mean I’m always right.

I hope I can take the correction of those who know the will of God on some issue better than me as well as Apollos did. But it is so easy to get defensive if someone questions whether or not I’m right. I don’t know if Apollos was defensive at all, but it appears in the end, he came around to the truth on this baptism issue. I hope I do so well when someone corrects me with truth.

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

PS: What struck you in today’s reading?

Today’s reading is Acts 15:1-16:40.

“About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them” (Acts 16:25).

And here I am afraid or ashamed to sing and pray in front of people brought up in the Bible belt. There is no embarrassment, no shame, no fear. Just complete and total trust in the Lord. And that led to a new brother in Christ. I wonder what might happen if I refused to be ashamed and therefore sang hymns to God and even prayed where people could hear me. I’m not saying that I try to barge into people’s lives and be an annoyance with my spirituality. I’m definitely not suggesting I should take a “look how spiritual I am” approach. In fact, I don’t even think this was a calculated attempt at evangelism. It was just what they needed to do at the time and they didn’t have a problem with letting others overhear. If I could drop my guard and quit worrying about what people think of me, I might actually let something spiritual slip in front of someone who ends up wanting to respond to the Lord too.

As a friend of mine says, “It’s really none of my business what people think of me.” If they think I’m weird for praising the Lord, so be it. But what if they think, “Man, I wish I had what he has”?

Guess I better tune up my voice, I feel a song coming on.

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

PS: What struck you in today’s reading?

Today’s reading is Luke 23:1-24:53.

“And he said to them, ‘O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken!’” (Luke 24:25).

I like to think this rebuke doesn’t apply to me. I very readily accept the resurrection of Jesus. I have no problem with the prophecies that claim Jesus would come, live in the flesh, be a servant, die, be buried, then be resurrected on the third day. Then I recognize, that while I don’t have a problem with these things, there are numerous other prophecies I struggle with. Not the ones that talk about the future, but prophecy simply in the sense of a message from God.

For instance, “seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” Or “be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger.” Or “Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.” Part of me wants to hang on to my old, in the world, way of thinking. I will seek God’s kingdom first, right after I get my salary in order. Maybe a little sin while I’m angry is okay. After all I’m angry; surely that can’t be held against me. It’s not conceit; it’s conviction (what a laugh).

I’m a foolish one when I won’t just believe what Jesus said through His word and live accordingly. After all, God’s way works and mine doesn’t.

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

PS. What struck you in today’s reading?

Today’s reading is Luke 7:1-8:56.

“And as they sailed he fell asleep. And a windstorm came down on the lake, and they were filling with water and were in danger” (Luke 8:23).

What? God in the flesh asleep on the job? How can that be? Doesn’t He know we are in danger? Doesn’t He know we might perish? Doesn’t He know if He doesn’t act right now all will be lost?

I know that feeling. Too many times I’ve thought God was asleep on the job. Why doesn’t He fix this problem? Why doesn’t He resolve that issue? Why doesn’t He help me overcome some struggle? I can’t see the ends from the moment. But God does.

The disciples could have had faith that even while Jesus was asleep, God would do what was right by them and take care of them. I need that faith as well. It may seem to me like God is asleep because He isn’t calming the storm on my timetable. But God knows how to calm the storms. More importantly, God knows when to calm the storms. My job is to keep bailing water and turning to Him for help. I’m sure that He is probably giving me more help already than I even realize.

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

P.S. What struck you in today’s reading?

Today’s reading is Luke 5:1-6:49.

“And Simon said, ‘Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets’” (Luke 5:5).

What on earth could a carpenter turned itinerant rabbi know about fishing? That was Peter’s job. He had done it his whole life. He knew the good spots. He knew the good times. He even knew that some times you just came up empty netted. Now, here’s this guy telling him to let down his nets again.

But there is something about this Jesus. I don’t know what Peter’s prior experience with Jesus had been, but something convinced him to listen. Something convinced him to move his faith from his own experience, his own ability to measure, his own ability to see and grasp and get his mind around the directive. Something convinced him to place his faith in this man, Jesus. His doubts weren’t completely removed. He did make sure to voice an objection. But he had enough faith in Jesus to do what He said, even if Peter didn’t get it.

Peter surrendered to Jesus. Instead of fighting, he had faith–at least enough to surrender. Look at the payoff. That is the kind of faith I need today. I can’t always get my head around why Jesus asks me to do all that He does. I simply need enough faith to quit fighting against Him and surrender to what He says. I doubt I’ll end up with a netload of fish. But I’m certain the blessings will fill my nets to overflowing.

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

P.S. What struck you in today’s reading?

Today’s reading is Luke 3:1-4:44.

“And Jesus answered him, ‘It is written, “Man shall not live by bread alone”‘” (Luke 4:4).

What?! I don’t just need bread? Of course, I need eggs, bacon, ham, etc. If you’re just giving me bread, I at least need some jelly. But I don’t think that is what Jesus is talking about.

Actually, I need this reminder often. Life isn’t about this life. Life is about eternity. The biggest question for me today is not what do I need to eat to survive until tomorrow. The biggest question is what is the next right thing for me to do to walk Jesus’ path to eternity. What do I need to do to survive temptation, sin, and Satan. I need to remember that my spiritual life is hanging in the balance today. Follow my own path and death awaits. Follow Jesus’ path and life, liberty, joy, and serenity will comfort me. What will I choose today?

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

P.S. What struck you in today’s reading?

Today’s reading is Luke 1:1-2:52.

“But the angel said to him, ‘Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John’” (Luke 1:13).

How long has it been since Zechariah actually offered that prayer? Clearly, by his response, he didn’t think having children was possible at his age. He thought God had simply said, “No” and let it go at that. But now, in God’s good time, in the time that could most glorify God, He granted Zechariah’s request.

I’m so happy to read this today. I may think God is saying, “No,” when really He is simply saying, “In My time, not yours.” I have to learn to trust God’s judgment because He can see all ends and what will most glorify Him. Of course, what that means is today, I have to be more concerned about what will glorify Him in the long run than what I want in the moment.

I just hope I don’t have to be struck mute for 9 months to learn to trust God and His timing.

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

P.S. What struck you in today’s reading?

Hello brothers and sisters,

Thank you so much for your patience with me during my family’s recent transition. We are now getting settled in Indiana and it is time to get back to blogging. What a coincidence. It is time to get started with Give Attention to Reading again.

So, on Monday, we’ll open up to Luke and read the first two chapters. I’ll share what really struck me and look forward to your thoughts as well.

Have a great weekend. I look forward to studying with you.

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

Today’s reading is 2 Corinthians 10:1-11:33.

Lately, 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 has been very pointed to me: 

“For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ.”

We all know this means we don’t take up arms against non-Christians or Christian with whom we disagree. Rather, we take the gospel of Jesus to them. We persuade with the grace and gospel of Jesus, not the force of weapons. Yet, today, it seems that many Christians are neglecting part of this passage. They think that there is one fleshly warfare that is part of our lives. Those who have followed some of my other writings know exactly where I’m going with this. 

It seems today that the new battlefield is no longer the spiritual realm, fighting against the rulers, the authorities, the cosmic powers over this present darkness, the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places (Ephesians 6:12), but the political realm fighting against policy we don’t like. It is as if Christians are beginning to think the way to spread God’s gospel is to legislate it through our nation’s policies. 

Jesus said His kingdom is not of this world. If it were, His citizens would stand up and fight (John 18:36). Yet some Christians seem to be intent on denying what Jesus said as if the United States of America is God’s kingdom in this world. It is not. It never has been. It never will be no matter what our laws say. 

God has not asked us to take up political arms to spread His will. He’s asked us to take His gospel to our neighbor, loving them enough to talk to them about His grace and salvation in His name through His Son. If we do that, then it won’t matter what our national policies and laws are, we’ll have helped another person surrender to God and live by His will. Who cares what the nation’s laws are if we can convince individuals to live by God’s will? On the other hand, who cares what the nation’s laws are if we don’t convince people to live by God’s will? Have we accomplished any good if we get abortion and homosexuality outlawed but our neighbors are still practicing them?

Let’s not wage the war according to the flesh today. Instead, let’s ask for opportunities to share God’s gospel with someone. 

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

P.S. What struck you in today’s reading?