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?

Today’s reading is 2 Corinthians 4:1-5:21.

I was struck by 2 Corinthians 5:18. “All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation.” Then 2 Corinthians 5:19 says God entrusted us with “the message of reconciliation.”

To hear some Christians today, you might get confused and think the Bible message is one of condemnation. But that wasn’t Paul’s focus. Paul’s focus was reconciliation. Certainly, the scripture condemns sin and says those who remain impenitently in sin will be condemned, but the message of the Gospel is not about all the sins for which we’ll be condemned. Rather, it is the message of Jesus through whom we can find forgiveness, reconciliation and the strength to overcome our sins.

I want to focus on that today. The message of the Old Covenant was condemnation. The Old Testament condemned everyone under sin (Galatians 3:22). Our message is that of reconciliation with God through Jesus Christ. The fact is most of us know we stand condemned. We need to hear how we can be reconciled.

Jesus is the way for that.

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

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

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

What a great lesson at the end of today’s reading.

Discipline is tough to endure. I never quite believed my dad when he said, “Son, this hurts me worse than it does you.” I’ve been on the other side of that discipline now and I still don’t believe him. However, I understand that the purpose behind my parent’s discipline was not simply to hurt me. It wasn’t just to inflict some kind of pain or inconvenience. They intended it to be for my good. They were striving to teach me so I could grow up and be a productive part of society and God’s kingdom.

1 Corinthians 11:32 demonstrates that very same point about God and His discipline. “But when we are judged by the Lord, we are disciplined so that we may not be condemned along with the world.” A great judgment is coming. In the end, we will all stand before the judgment seat of God. Those who have surrendered their lives to Him will enter into His eternal glory. Those who haven’t will enter eternal destruction. Between now and then, God is striving to prepare us for eternal life. That means He is going to discipline us. He is going to offer temporal judgments (for lack of a better term). What happens in our life is for our long term good. No matter what is going on, whether good or bad from our perspective, we need to look for God’s discipline within it. What can we learn from what we are facing in order to submit to God more fully.

Even the hard things, the bad things, the tough things are for our good, if we’ll let them be. God will use all of these to conform us to the image of His Son (cf. Romans 8:28). But we must see the purpose behind God’s discipline. God doesn’t discipline because He enjoys inflicting hardship or pain. God disciplines because He wants us to grow and learn and not endure the same final judgment as those in the world. That means when difficult, hard things happen, especially as a consequence of my own wrong doing, I need to thank God for the opportunity to grow and avoid the final judgment by His grace.

Thank you, God, for Your continuing discipline.

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

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

Today’s reading is Philippians 3:1-4:23.

I’m glad to read Philippians 3:7-11 today. It reminds me of what is most important for me today. It is not most important that I make money today or that I sell any books today. It is not most important that I rub elbows with some important person today. It is not most important that I pass on some great knowledge and education to my children today. It is not most important that I solve some great problem facing our world. What is most important is that I get to know Jesus just a little bit better today. If that means I have to give up something else, then so be it. 

Only by knowing Jesus will I attain the resurrection and have my lowly body transformed to be like his glorious body. 

I think I’ll go spend a little bit more time reading His word and praying. Perhaps I should spend some time with His other brethren. I will probably also take some time to do some meditating on what I learn of Him through the word. All of these things can help me know Him better and draw me closer to Him. That is what is most important today. Maybe God will use me to do some other things today as well, but most importantly, I need to know Jesus.

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

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

Today’s reading is Romans 15:1-16:27.

I needed the reminder of Paul’s ending today.

“Now to him who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages but has now been disclosed and through the prophetic writings has been made known to all nations, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith–to the only wise God be glory forevermore through Jesus Christ! Amen” (Romans 16:25-27).

First, there is the reminder that today I need to glorify God. That is my job today, no matter what else my life is about, it should be governed by this overarching principle that everything I do should be to the praise of God’s glory.

Second, the passage describes God and God’s work. God is a strengthener. God will strengthen me. I don’t need to strengthen myself. I don’t need to be strong on my own. God will work in me to strengthen me. However, notice by what means God will strengthen me. It is not simply a sit on my thumbs and wait for God to drop some strength into my body. God strengthens me through the gospel and preaching of Jesus Christ. God strengthens me by that mystery which can now be found in the New Testament. God strengthens me by the message that was kept hidden for so long but has now been made known in the prophetic writings. Through that means, God will strengthen me to bring about the obedience of faith. 

In other words, having the righteousness that comes by faith in Jesus is not merely a mental assent to the person of Jesus, it is not merely a happiness with the concept of Jesus, it is not even merely a familiarity with the ideas of Jesus. God will only strengthen me to have His righteousness that comes by faith if I spend time in the gospel and preaching of Jesus revealed by the apostles and prophets that has become our New Testament. “Faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ” (Romans 10:17). 

This daily reading must not ever become a homework assignment. If it is nothing more than getting through the text so I can check it of my to-do list, then it won’t don me any good. However, if I’m in the word because I know that is how I can connect to the God who will strengthen me and produce His righteousness in me, then it might do me some good today as I fight the good fight of faith.

Thanks for joining me in this journey to faith.

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

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

We are wrapping up our trek through the New Testament this week. Never fear, there is more to learn and more comfort to receive out of God’s word. We’ll be starting again on January 4. 

Please tell your friends about our reading together and invite them to join us as we are comforted, encouraged, challenged by God’s word every day. 

Feel free to purchase the book that goes along with this reading. It will definitely be a benefit to you to take your own notes and keep them all in one place for the whole journey.

Enjoy this final week and pass the word about our new journey beginning on Monday, January 4.

***Question: Who are you going to invite to join us in the New Year?

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

Today’s reading is 1 Peter 5:1-15; 2 Peter 1:1-21.

How important is knowing Jesus? 2 Peter 1:2 says, “May grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.” How are grace and peace multiplied to me? Not just willy-nilly. If I want grace and peace, I have to know Jesus.

The next verses, 2 Peter 1:3-4, say, “His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.” Look at that. By knowing Jesus, I gain all things that pertain to life and godliness. By knowing Jesus, I receive glory and excellence. By knowing Jesus, I can become a partaker of the divine nature. By knowing Jesus, I can escape teh corruption that is from sinful desire. 

I want all of that. How do I get it? I have to know Jesus. The word translated knowledge in these verses means thorough, precise, and correct knowledge. It is more than simply a knowledge about Jesus. It is actually knowing Jesus, knowing what He thinks, knowing how He acts, knowing what He wants. It is the kind of knowledge we have of close friends.

Do you see what this means? All these blessings don’t come because I got baptized (though I must do that–Mark 16:15-16; Acts 2:38; Romans 6:3-4; et al). These blessings come from getting to know Jesus. Sadly, many people get baptized who never get to know Jesus. These blessings don’t come from “going to church” enough (though, I must certainly assemble with the saints–Hebrews 10:25). Sadly, many people “go to church” regularly, but never get to know Jesus. These blessings don’t come from avoiding the “big” sins (though I must certainly resist the devil and turn from sin–1 Peter 5:9). Sadly, many people avoid “big” sins but still don’t get to know Jesus. 

If I really want to overcome sin in my life, if I really want to have God’s blessing, if I really want to partake in the divine nature, I have to get to know Jesus. I only know of one way to do that. Get in His word. Open the pages of scripture and spend time studying them. Should we keep reading the Bible every day because it is today’s “Give Attention to Reading” homework assignment? No. We should do it because this is how we get to know Jesus. This is how we become close to Him. This is how we increase our faith, virtue, self-control, steadfastness, godliness, brotherly affection, and love (2 Peter 1:5-7). 

Think about what we noticed yesterday. Doesn’t this tie in. Don’t spend today trying to go to heaven. Spend today striving to get closer to Jesus and get to know Him better. I guarantee you’ll have a better day if you do.

***Question: What do you do to stay close to Jesus?

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

Today’s reading is 2 Timothy 2:1-3:17.

Perhaps it is because I’m now using the ESV but II Timothy 2:7 really grabbed my attention today. “Think over what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in everything.”

The word translated “think over” means to perceive with the mind or consider and ponder. This just really shocked me. Paul did not tell Timothy, “Don’t worry about what I’m saying, God will give you understanding.” Paul did not tell Timothy, “You can’t remotely understand this on your own, the Holy Spirit will provide the understanding you need.” No, Paul told Timothy to think about it, ponder it, perceive it with his mind. If Timothy wanted understanding from God, he needed to direct his mental effort toward understanding.

We need to make sure as we read scripture every day that we are not simply wading through a series of verses. Rather, if we want understanding, we need to turn the effort of our minds toward what is written. We need to think about it. We need to consider it. We need to ponder it. We need to meditate on it. 

Sadly, too many in the modern world have the idea that knowing God’s will just enters our minds if we are true Christians. Not so. If we are really going to give our lives over to Christ, then we are going to spend time in His word and spend time meditating upon and thinking about His word. When we do, God will give us understanding through that work and effort. 

Let’s keep getting into the Word. Let’s not just read, let’s meditate. Let’s gain understanding from God.

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

P.S. What did you get out of today’s reading?

Today’s reading is Hebrews 9:1-10:39.

Today, I am reminded about a principle of Bible study. That is, we have to keep things in context. I know I often like to get into discussions about scriptural principles and tell everyone else they aren’t keeping something in context. In that mindset, I can forget I make the same mistake.

Though they are there, it is not the earth shattering doctrinal truths that cut me to the quick today. It is the reminder that I can easily get so caught up in using a particular verse to make my point that I miss God’s point.

Hebrews 9:27 says, “And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment…” I have used that verse in sermons, classes, discussions numerous times. I don’t think I misused it. I used it to point out everyone dies and everyone will face judgment. It does say that. That is a valid point from the verse. However, I have so used that verse to make that point it is as if I forgot the Hebrew writer was using it in a greater context to make a greater point. 

In fact, he wasn’t writing that verse to teach something new. No, rather, he was writing what he believed everyone already knew and accepted. He wasn’t convincing them of that point. Rather, he was using that point on which everyone already agreed to make a point about Jesus’ death.

His greater point is that Jesus died, but like everyone else, He only dies once. He will appear a second time, but it will not be to die. Rather, in that second appearance, He will bring the salvation that His one death purchased for us.

Again, this is not something major in the sense that I found some new approach or position or help. It is just a reminder to me, and I hope to you, don’t get so caught up in our point from one verse that we miss the context. True, on this occasion, I don’t think my point from the verse was invalid, but if we let pulling one verse out become a habit, we will easily slide into abusing passages and misusing them to make our point instead of God’s.

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

P.S. What did you get out of today’s reading?