Today’s reading is Luke 9:1-10:42.

Jesus commissioned the seventy (some manuscripts say seventy-two) to go forth and prepare the way for Him by teaching and healing. When the disciples returned to Jesus, they said, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name!” (Luke 10:17). Jesus validates their joy but then pushes them to further maturity.

He let them feel joy in the work they were accomplishing by His name. But then He says something odd. “Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven” (Luke 10:20).

It seems odd that Jesus rejoiced with the disciples as He proclaimed, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven” (Luke 10:18), but then He said don’t rejoice in that. What’s up with that?

I believe Jesus is using a figure of speech called the ellipsis. That is He purposefully left out understood words in order to emphasize His point. If we were to supply the words He left out the statement would be something like this: “Nevertheless, do not merely rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but more importantly rejoice that your names are written in heaven.” Using the ellipsis figure of speech really highlights the point. It is as if to say, “As much as you are rejoicing in this, you need to rejoice so much that your names are written in heaven that it seems like your rejoicing over these miracles is no rejoicing at all.”

The point is that as great as being able to perform miracles is, it is greater that our names are written in heaven. This is important today. I believe the Spirit no longer use miraculous gifts because His will is now recorded for us. (If you disagree with me, perhaps we can talk about that sometime, please don’t get distracted by it just now, keep reading.) I remember studying with a woman who was certain they did exist. I was very saddened because as we studied the Scriptures, she said she saw that the Bible does say what I was teaching, but she simply couldn’t believe that was right because, “If God doesn’t give me miraculous gifts, then I’m not special.”

Even though that is not a scriptural argument, I understand the emotion behind it. We want to be special. I want to be special. In our minds, what could be more special than God granting me some amazing power that makes us stand out? I so desperately want to be worth something because as I look at my sins and as I consider how I’ve been treated by many people, I often feel worth nothing. I want to feel special and wouldn’t it be great if I could say the word and someone would be healed? Wouldn’t it be great if I could evangelize the hispanics because I can speak their language miraculously? Then I’d know I’m special.

Of course, I don’t believe God works that way in the modern day. So what do I do? I try to prove I’m special by still looking at all the things I do. Look at my preaching. Look at my writing. Look at the people I’ve baptized. Look at the folks I’ve helped. See, I’m special. I’ll give a nod to God’s strength and God working through me, but really I’m rejoicing in me trying to prove I’m special.

Jesus says, that isn’t the way I should think or act. Sure, God working through us to accomplish things is great. But I’m special without that. My name is written in heaven. God looked at me and sent His Son to die for me. He adopted me and redeemed me. My name is in His book of Life. It just doesn’t get anymore special than that.

I’m going to rejoice today because my name is written in heaven. I hope you can rejoice with me.

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

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

Today’s reading is Revelation 13:1-14:20.

Perhaps because of my Granddad’s recent death, I’m struck by Revelation 14:13. “And I heard a voice from heaven saying, ‘Write this: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.’ ‘Blessed indeed,’ says the Spirit, ‘that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow them!’”

For God’s child, meeting death is not frightening as it seems to most. Death is not a mystery. It is a door into eternity with the God we’ve been glorifying in our lives. It is the opportunity to be able to fully accomplish what we’ve been desperately striving to do in this life. We will be taken to paradise and then on to heaven at the judgment. In those arenas, we will gather around the throne of God and glorify Him with our incorruptible bodies, our new voices, and our perfect unity. 

I also can’t help but notice it says then we’ll rest from our labors. That means it is not time to rest from my labor today. Today, while I still have breath, I need to labor for the Lord. A rest is coming. It will be a glorious rest. But to prepare for that rest I need to labor now.

Let’s get to work for the Lord today.

***Question: What do you do to labor for the Lord each day?

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

Today’s reading is Revelation 21:1-22:21.

One of the most repeated themes of the Bible is of God’s children leaving, wandering, being disbursed and then returning.

Abraham traveled into Egypt from the promised land and then returned. Jacob went to Paddan-aram but later returned. Joseph went down into Egypt, but his body was later returned. Jacob’s family went down into Egypt, but later returned. Naomi went into Moab, but later returned to Judea, bringing Ruth. David fled Jerusalem before Absalom, but later returned in victory. Israel was led captive into Assyria and Judah led captive into Babylon, but later returned to Judea under Medo-Persia. Even Jesus’ story begins as He was taken down to Egypt, but then later returned to Nazareth.

Over and over again, God’s people are sent away from their home and later come back. Really then, it should be no surprise to see how Revelation ends. It is not just a fitting end for Revelation but for the whole Bible. In Genesis 3:222-4, God’s children were sent out of their home. God had made a garden. In the midst of the garden was the tree of life. God sent His children away from that tree. However, in Revelation 22:1-5, they return. God’s children are able to drink from the river of life and eat from the tree of life. 

It was a long time coming. It took tremendous planning. It took tremendous time. It took the sacrifice of God’s Son and the surrender of our lives to Him. However, in the end, we will return home. Christ is victorious. Satan loses. The battle began in the beginning, but Jesus has already won.

If we want to be in that homecoming, we need to be on Jesus’ side. I can’t wait to get home. How about you?

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

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

Today’s reading is 2 Timothy 4:1-22; Titus 1:1-16.

II Timothy 4:18 says, “The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed and bring me safely into his heavenly kingdom.” 

Paul was in prison. On the one hand, he claimed he was about to be poured out as a drink offering (II Timothy 4:6). Yet, here he says he’ll be delivered. Now which is it?

The reason folks struggle with trying to figure out if Paul would be delivered or if he would die, is because his perspective was different from ours. Paul viewed death as deliverance. If he died, he would go be with the Lord (Philippians 1:23). People can’t hold much over your head when letting you go is deliverance and killing you is also deliverance. 

If I could just grasp that for the Christian, death is not such a bad thing, living for Christ would become a much easier thing.

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

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

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

In Philippians 3:21, Paul talked about our lowly bodies. Every time I look in the mirror, I’m reminded, I have a lowly body. I mean really lowly. Big behind. Big gut. Wide thighs and hips. Flabby cheeks. I’ve been able to get a lot of things in check. Eating and exercise haven’t made it on that list yet. The result–a really lowly body.

No doubt, for my health and my family’s sake, I need to do something about that. If I work really hard, maybe I can transform my body into something more glorious.

That, however, is not what Paul is talking about. His point is about eternity. The fact is, no matter what I do with my body here on earth, it is still going to be lowly. I may work hard and attain super-model status (okay, that may be stretching it a bit), but I can really look a lot better. Yet, I still just have a lowly body that in the end will start to whither and decay. Sooner or later, no matter how hard I work, this body will lose its health and appearance. Eventually it will die. 

However, this life is not merely about this life. There is another life coming. We don’t actually end up in the graveyard. That is merely a transition to something else. If I’m in Christ, my lowly body will be transformed in the end into a really glorious body. No, it doesn’t mean I’ll be Charles Atlas. I won’t be a super-model. Women won’t swoon at the sight of me. Instead, I’ll have a spiritual body that doesn’t have the weaknesses of this flesh. My body will be transformed to be like Jesus’. 

No wonder bodily exercise profits only a little but godliness is profitable in all ways, both in this life and the next (I Timothy 4:8). Sure, I need to exercise. I’ll get to that tomorrow. Today, however, I better make sure I work on the godliness.

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

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

According to Revelation 7:9, the people of God in heaven, gathered around the throne, come from every nation, tribe people and language. That means there are Americans, Europeans, Arabians, Indians, Hispanics, Africans, Australians, Russians, Chinese, Japanese, Germans, etc. They all gather around the throne without notice of their differences. They do not argue over politics. They do not argue about heritage. They do not ridicule color, language or culture. They simply gather in unity to honor the God of heaven and the Lamb. 

That is what it looks like in heaven.

Why doesn’t it look like that in my home congregation? I obviously recognize if there is a language barrier the people may not be able to come together in the same congregation (cf. I Corinthians 14:13-15, 27-28). But, I can’t help questioning why are there black churches and white churches? Pockets of foreigners move into the country. They learn the language, but they still assemble with their “own people.” When will our own people simply be the people of God no matter nation, tribe, people or language?

When will our congregations look more like heaven?

I know some congregations are doing a great job with this issue. If you are part of one of those, that is awesome. Continue being an example for the rest of us. The majority of congregations, however, need some work here. I’m not talking about “affirmative action.” I’m just talking about getting the message out beyond the lines of people who look just like us.

I once heard a white brother say he was all for teaching a black man and bringing him into the congregation if the opportunity arose, but he didn’t think we needed to just make that our goal. If you have that thought, let me simply remind you of Acts 11:19-20. There were some people that spoke only to Jews. There were others that specifically made it their goal to speak to Gentiles. Maybe it is not so bad to make it our specific goal to get some diversity in a congregation. And yes, before some wounded white person trying to salve his conscience says it, I know this goes both ways. 

Let’s quit working on having congregations that look like our culture and start working for congregations that look like heaven.

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

Happy Thanksgiving! I hope you enjoy your family time and your feast. Most of all, I hope you remember the reasons you have to be grateful.

Today, I’m grateful we get to read God’s word and I’m grateful I got to read John 8:31-32.

“So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, ‘If you abide in my word you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth and the truth will set you free’“(ESV).

The truth. We need to know it. However, not for the reason for which I searched for it so long. For the longest time, I pursued the truth in order to know all the rules so I could be good enough to go to heaven. I’ve realized something. I can’t be good enough to go to heaven. When I go to heaven it will be because of God’s goodness, not mine.

Now I search for the truth because the truth is what will set me free. I can’t be set free if I’m following error. I can’t be set free if I’m satisfied with pidgin approach to religion. I need to love the truth, seek the truth and then live by the truth. Yes, Jesus is the truth, but in this specific context we are living in Jesus and the truth when we are abiding in His word. Of course, I know some people today want to say that doesn’t actually equal the Bible. However, I guess I’m still wondering where I’m going to get the word of Jesus apart from the Bible.

Here’s the deal. If I’m searching the truth to be better than everyone else and be good enough to go to heaven, I’m always going to come up short. If I recognize I can only be set free by the truth and therefore, hunger and thirst for it, then I will grow like God wants me to and I’ll go to heaven.

Perhaps it is a subtle difference, but it has made a major difference in my life.

What did you get out of today’s reading?

Keep the faith and pass the word along,

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 

I’m not sure that there is a more comforting set of verses than Philippians 3:12-14.

“Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (ESV).

Wow! You mean Paul, the apostle, wasn’t perfect? He didn’t do everything right? I mean I know before he became a Christian he did some really bad things. I’ve always been certain he did become great the first day he was a Christian. But here he is writing letters to let people know how to live in their service to God and he claims he is still not perfect. He still has to grow. 

That just comforts me. I’ve been a Christian now for 22 years. That is hard for me to imagine. When I consider how badly I still mess things up spiritually I get very discouraged. Some days I even am willing to just throw in the towel. Why keep trying? 

Surely Paul felt that way sometimes. Yet, his response was to just keep pressing on. Think about it. If Paul could say he wasn’t perfect, then just like me, he could pinpoint somethings that had just happened that demonstrated his imperfection. Instead of allowing that to make him stop, he pressed on. He kept going. He understood that serving God is not about where we are, but about where we are growing.

If you’re like me, you can pinpoint a dozen things and more that have happened in the past few days to remind you how imperfect you are. Don’t let those get you down. Keep looking forward. Keep pressing forward. Keep running the race. As long as you don’t quit, you will win the prize.

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC