Matthew 1-2 (ESV) by Wordle*

Today’s reading is Matthew 1:1-2:23.

“…and Judah the father of Perez and Zerah by Tamar…and Salmon the father of Boaz by Rahab…And David was the father of Solomon by the wife of Uriah…” (Matthew 1:3-6).

Wow! Look at Jesus’ family. They are messed up. Tamar pretended to be a harlot to be impregnated by her disobedient father-in-law. Salmon married a harlot. David committed adultery, murder, and wife-mulitplying, then had a child by the woman of the man he murdered. This is where Jesus came from? Really?

Maybe something good can come from my family too.

I am comforted today. If God could make a silk purse out of the sow’s ear of Jesus’ family, then God can do great things through me and my family as well. I don’t have to despair because we aren’t good enough or like someone else’s family. The great issue is not how great my family is but how great my God is. That’s where I’m going to rest today.

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.

2 Thessalonians 2-3 (ESV) by Wordle*

Today’s reading is 2 Thessalonians 2:1-3:18.

“As for you, brothers, do not grow weary in doing good. If anyone does not obey what we say in this letter, take note of that person, and have nothing to do with him, that he may be ashamed. Do not regard him as an enemy, but warn him as a brother” (2 Thessalonians 3:13-15).

Nothing is much more discouraging than seeing brethren who disregard the Word of the Lord, especially if their lives don’t seem to be falling apart. I mean, sure, it’s one thing if they are being disobedient but everything is a mess for them. Then we can say, “See, God’s way works and yours doesn’t.” But when they seem to be living the good life, have a good job, looks like a decent family, making lots of money but not putting God first, then we start to get a little discouraged. We begin to wonder, “Does God’s way really work? Their way seems to be working okay.”

Paul says not to be discouraged. Don’t grow weary in doing good even when others around you are not doing good. Instead of letting hypocritical brethren bring you down, take note of them and avoid them. However, don’t be arrogant over them. Don’t treat them like enemies. Rather, warn them like brothers.

Here is the point. Doing good is right no matter the outcome. Doing bad is wrong no matter the outcome. Don’t let what others are doing bring you down. Serve the Lord and avoid those who discourage you with their impenitent sins. Yet, don’t shut the door on them. Rather, shine the light for them to a better way. Above all, stay encouraged that doing the right thing is the right thing. Don’t get tired of that. Just do the next right thing.

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.

Some Pre-post Encouragement

Before we get to today’s post, I just want to offer encouragement. If you don’t want any encouragement, then just skip to the post at the heading below. We’ve been at this reading plan for just over five weeks. We’ve read two books. If you’re like me, it’s easy to drop out about now. Life is happening. We keep meaning to get to our Bible reading, but for some reason we just haven’t made it. Listen, I know for me it’s easy. I get to sit in an office all day, all by myself and do nothing but study the Bible. For you, it’s a bit tougher. 

Even though it’s easier for me, I still have a hard time keeping up with it. That’s why I put this book together in the first place. What would always happen to me is I would get a plan going and then miss a day. That meant I had to catch up the next day. Well, then there was more and I didn’t have time to catch up. So I put it off another day. Each day the backlog piled up until it finally seemed insurmountable and I felt like I had failed once again at keeping up with Bible reading. Why bother?

Don’t let that happen to you. This isn’t a race to make sure you read the whole New Testament. This is just a plan to provide you with something to read today. We’re starting a new book in today’s post–Romans. If you got behind in Luke and Acts, don’t drop out thinking you have to catch up. Instead, just pick it back up today in Romans.

Finally, I just want to say thank you for dropping in here and reading. I hope it’s helpful. I invite you to let us know what you’re getting out of the readings.

Thanks. And now for today’s post.

Both Jews and Gentiles Need Jesus

Today’s reading is Romans 1:1-2:29.

Romans 2:17-29 is easily misunderstood. I know for years as I read the passage, I thought Paul was telling the Jews they were a bunch of hypocrites who needed to buck up and start keeping the law God had given them. They boasted in the Law, but they didn’t actually keep it. 

That was not Paul’s point. Paul was not encouraging the Jews to keep the Old Law. He was pointing out they couldn’t keep the Old Law. He was not accusing every Jew of being a hypocrite about stealing, adultery or idolatry. He was pointing out that while they taught the Law, every single one of them had violated it–without exception. Since they’d broken the Law, in what could they boast? Their circumcision didn’t help them any. Woohoo, they had kept one precept of the Law! How many others could be found that they had broken?

Paul was driving home that those who had been brought up under the Law, were actually no different from those who were without the Law. They were sinners. They could not boast in their Law because they hadn’t kept it.

Of course, our reading today doesn’t get to the main point. Paul will get to that later in this letter. But we know what it is. Both Jew and Gentile need Jesus. The Gentiles need Jesus because despite the clear evidence in the world around us, we have turned to worship the creature rather than the Creator. The Jews need Jesus because despite having the Law and the oracles of God, they couldn’t keep the Law.

Paul will sum it up in Romans 3:23. All have sinned. Then he’ll drive it home in Romans 3:26 we can all be justified by faith in Jesus.

Are you a Gentile? Are you a Jew? Your ancestry doesn’t matter. You need a Savior to cleanse you of your iniquities and set you free from your sins.

Keep the faith and keep reading.

ELC

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

II Timothy 1 is actually a great comfort to me. 

Perhaps I’m reading too much into it. However, in this chapter it appears to me that Timothy has been having some struggles. He has been dealing with some fears regarding doing his work as an evangelist. Paul is lifting him up and encouraging him to stay on track.

Paul lets Timothy know about how much he has prayed for Timothy. He reminds him of his legacy of faith. More than that, instead of shaming Timothy for any seeking lack of faith, Paul affirms he knows the faith really is there. Timothy just needs to rely on it. He reminds Timothy of the miraculous gift of the Spirit he has through the laying on of Paul’s hands. That is, Timothy is not alone but the Spirit is working through him therefore he does not have a spirit of fear but a Spirit of power, love and self-control. He reminds Timothy that there is no need to be ashamed of the suffering of the Lord or of Paul. This suffering is no reason to think Timothy has ended up on the wrong side. Rather, he is on the winning side and needs to join in the suffering because despite all the suffering, Jesus Christ can be trusted with what Timothy and Paul committed to Him, that is, their souls.

This gets into II Timothy 2, but Paul reminds Timothy of the grace that is in Jesus.

Of course, all this information is really good. However, what comforts me the most is knowing I’m not alone. Even a great evangelist like Timothy had times of struggle. He had times when he needed to be provoked to love and good deeds by the likes of Paul. How easy it is for me to hit moments of despair because I don’t have a 24/7/365 powerful motivation to do what is right and do my work. Sometimes I have fears and struggles with preaching the truth, talking to others about the gospel and just generally doing the work of the Lord.

Don’t misunderstand, this chapter doesn’t give me permission to wallow in that. Rather, it simply lets me know that I’m not a loser because I have struggles. Rather, I’m like every other person who works in God’s kingdom. We all need encouragement at times. We all need to be stimulated, stirred up, spurred on and provoked. I may have struggles, but those struggles don’t mean I’m lost. They just mean I’m still living on earth. 

Therefore, this passage has a twofold help for me. First, I see that Timothy went through what I go through and I don’t have to feel alone. Second, I can also read Paul’s encouragement and be provoked to love and good deeds myself.

Hope this encourages you as well.

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

There were a couple of things in today’s reading that stood out, but how can I bypass these chapters without following the command at the end of them to comfort and encourage you with these words:

But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to me the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord.

I Thessalonians 4:13-17 (ESV)

There are two things that comfort me in this passage. 

1. If we live by faith, we can die by faith.

We do not have to face death with fear. We believe Jesus died and was resurrected, we know we will be as well. We know death is not an end, but merely a transition. We are not abandoned by Jesus when we die. Rather, we go to be with Him and will always be with him. What a comfort.

2. There is more than this life.

Some days life is just frustrating. I wonder why anyone would remotely want to keep on dealing with it. The reason…there is more to life than this life. There is something worth striving for when this life is over. I don’t want to give up because a victory is coming and I want to be on the winning side when it happens. 

Be comforted. Life is tough, but the goal waiting for us is worth everything we go through. Death may be hard, but for us it is a victory.

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

“But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies.”

II Corinthians 4:7-10 (ESV)

I need this attitude. How easily I get distracted and discouraged in my service to God because things in life aren’t easy. I get sick. Someone gets mad at me. Someone says something unkind. Somebody leaves the congregation. Somebody misunderstands me. These things happen and I get depressed and sometimes wonder why I keep trying. 

But then I remember Paul. He went through real trouble. Shipwrecks, beatings, persecutions, imprisonments, attempts on his life, thorn in the flesh… He kept his head up. He kept on in faith because he could see the big picture. All these things happened, but none of them took salvation away. None of them took heaven away. None of them took the love of God away. 

Sure, bad things happened to him. But the worst thing didn’t happen. God did not forsake Him. God won’t forsake me. God won’t forsake you. 

I think too often we get bogged down about all the blessings we would like but haven’t received that we forget the great blessing we have received. Jesus died for us and washed our sins away. He has reserved a home in heaven for us who are protected by the power of God through faith. I’m not shopping for a car here. What more could I ask for to sweeten this deal any better? 

I just need to keep in mind that the life of Jesus is in me, if I stay in Him and don’t let Satan discourage me and get me to turn my back on my Savior.

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC