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2 Corinthians 4-5 (ESV) by Wordle*

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

“But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us” (2 Corinthians 4:7).

The Wordle above really says it all. Who is important in 2 Corinthians 4-5? Not me. Not you. God. Look at how small “self” is in that picture. Can you even find it? But look at how large “God” is. Look at how large “Christ” is. Look at how large “Jesus” is.

God has granted us exceeding great treasures through His ministry of reconciliation. We are growing from glory to glory. We can be ministers of reconciliation. We can accomplish amazing things in God’s kingdom and plan. How easy it is to get puffed up. I study with someone and think I’m special. I convince someone of the truth and I really think it was me. I baptize someone and I begin to think I saved them.

And yet, here we are still stuck in these earthly jars of clay. We still struggle and stumble. We still have troubles. We still lose jobs. Our bodies still get old and frail. Why? This is our ever-deepening reminder that the real power behind this ministry of reconciliation is God. Not us. God’s gospel is the power of God for salvation, not me. The surpassing power belongs to God, not me. I need to remember that.

Whenever I begin to think I’m starting to be pretty important in God’s eyes and plan. I need to come back to today’s Wordle and remember this is about God, not me. I can’t do anything apart from Him. He is the real power.

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

PS. What struck you in today’s reading? 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.

II Corinthians 2-3 (ESV) by Wordle*

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

“And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit” (2 Corinthians 3:18).

WOW! How awesome. The Old Law was great. It was glorious. So glorious in fact, that Moses had to wear a veil before the people after God had revealed Himself and given the Law. But we are part of something even more glorious. Here is why it is more glorious.

1. Only Moses was part of the glory under the Old Law. “We all” are beholding the glory of the Lord now.

2. The glory of the Old Law was fading away. In fact, Paul claims the reason Moses wore a veil was not to mute the reflection of God’s glory but to hide the fact that it was diminishing. We are part of a permanent glory. The glory of the Spirit’s ministry is about righteousness and will not fade.

3. We are not just taking part in something that is glorious, we are being glorified. The ministry of the Law couldn’t change us; it could only condemn us. But this ministry of the Spirit is actually transforming us step by step until we get to that final glory to be revealed to us in eternity (cf. Romans 8:18).

I’m totally stoked today to know that the Holy Spirit is working to take me from glory to glory. I think today, I’ll stick with God and just do what He says so I can be part of that glory.

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

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

Today’s reading is Revelation 3:1-4:11.

“And whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to him who is seated on the throne, who lives forever and ever, the twenty-four elders fall down before him who is seated on the throne and worship him who lives forever and ever. They cast their crowns before the throne…” (Revelation 4:9-10).

God is worthy. I’m not. He deserves glory. I don’t.

Whatever I carry and wear that I think represents my own worthiness and glory needs to be cast down in the presence of the almighty God. I must not come into God’s presence trying to impress Him with my supposed royalty. I must come into His presence supremely impressed and humbled by His.

Only when I get this perspective straight can I pray and worship as I need to, humbling myself before and surrendering myself to God, my only hope.

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

PS. What struck you in today’s reading?

Today’s reading is Romans 3:1-4:25.

“No distrust made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised” (Romans 4:20-21).

Over and over again the Bible stories make one strong point. God does what He promises. Abraham’s family became a great nation in the land He promised and He blessed all nations in Abraham’s seed through Jesus Christ. I need to remember that today. God is able and will do what He has promised me. I need to build my faith in that.

It appears one of the best ways to do that is to give glory to God. Today, I give glory to God for what He has done in my life, building my confidence that He will continue to work in my life accomplishing what He has promised–that I will be conformed to the image of Christ (Romans 8:28-30).

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

PS. What struck you in today’s reading?

Today’s reading is Acts 11:1-12:25.

“And the people were shouting, ‘The voice of a god, and not of a man!’ Immediately an angel of the Lord struck him down, because he did not give God the glory, and he was eaten by worms and breathed his last” (Acts 12:22-23).

Yikes! What a warning. Don’t misunderstand. I’m pretty sure if I were preaching and someone started shouting these words, I would know well enough to correct them. But in my day-to-day life, I can easily violate this same principle.

Most of my worrying comes from the egomaniacal thought that somehow I’m in control and I can fix everything. I see things going on with other people and think that I’m the one who get fix them and get them straight. I can sometimes think that I’m the one necessary to make the church grow. Do you see what all of this has in common? Far too often, I have the subconscious idea that I can do God’s job. Edwin Almighty!

Today is a day in which I need to be still and know that He is God…and I am not. He is the one that is allowing me to breathe today. He is the one by whom I’m moving today. He is the one that has granted me relationships today. He is the one providing me victories today. He is the one carrying me through my failures today. I must give God the glory because my voice is that of a man and not a god.

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

PS. 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?

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?

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

1 Corinthians 10:31 gave me something to think about today, as usual. “So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” Once again I’m reminded what my motivation is to be. My motivation is not do all so I can be rewarded. My motivation is not to be do all so I can look good. My motivation is not to be do all so others will think I’m awesome. My motivation is not to be do all so I can scrape by. My motivation is not to be do all that I want. My motivation is not to be do all that I can prove is lawful. 

My motivation is to be do all to the glory of God. Even some things that are lawful may not glorify God in some circumstances. That is the whole point of this chapter. It was lawful to eat those meats offered to idols because since the false gods were false, someone waving his hands over it and saying it was dedicated to Zeus didn’t matter. Nothing about the meat was changed. However, if someone was expressing how grand it was that it was meat offered to Zeus and giving it to me, then I need to refuse so that the person won’t think I honor Zeus. I especially need to take care around weaker Christians who don’t yet grasp how the nonexistence of Zeus makes the religious ritual of no effect. 

Everything I do must be for God’s glory. That will impact how I talk to my wife. Does it glorify God for me to be disrespectful, selfish, arrogant, and prideful in my attitude toward her? Does it glorify God if I respond with angry outbursts and malice? Of course not. That will impact how I raise my children. Does it glorify God for me to berate, belittle, and neglect my children? Of course not. That will impact how I drive. Does it glorify God for me to flout the laws of the land, respond with road rage at others mistakes, drive carelessly as if I own the road? Of course not. That will impact how I eat. Does it glorify God for me to be a glutton, using food as an escape from my feelings or from reality, eating myself into an early grave? Of course not.

Do you get the picture? I need to ask before every action, “Does this glorify God? ” If I can’t give an enthusiastic, “Yes,” then I need to back off. I don’t need to turn my choices into laws for everyone else. I simply need to make sure that I am fully convinced I’m glorifying God in everything I do, all day long. He deserves it.

***Question: How do you glorify God all day long?

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

Today’s reading is Romans 3:1-4:25. 

Romans 4:20-22 really struck me. “No distrust made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised. That is why his faith was counted to him as righteousness.”

I am 100% convinced by the greater context of this passage and others that anything amiss in my life will be overcome as I increase my faith in God and His working in the world and my life. When I keep thinking that victory will come from me trying harder, I always fall short. 

The question then becomes, how do I increase my faith. Obviously, I know Romans 10:17, “Faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.” But this passage provides another great practical suggestion for increasing my faith. Give glory to God. Abraham’s faith increased “as he gave glory to God.” 

The more I give God the glory, the more I acknowledge Him in all my ways, the deeper and stronger my faith will flow. As I give glory to God, I will become fully convinced He is able to do what He has promised and more fully convinced He will do what He has promised. The more convinced I am of that, the more I’ll keep my hand in His. 

What’s great is at that point, my faith is accounted as righteousness. As long as I’m simply trying to be more righteous on my own, I’ll fall short. When I put my faith in God, then I’ll be more righteous. Awesome.

***Question: What do you do to help increase your faith?

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

P.S. Don’t forget that in addition to answering the question, we would love to hear what stood out to you about today’s reading. Have a great week.