Today’s reading is Ephesians 1:1-2:22.

I love Ephesians. There are so many things that jump out at me as I read this book. These first two chapters are no exception. However, I’m only going to comment on two of them for the sake of your time.

First, I am really struck by Ephesians 1:15-16:

For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers…

Paul gave thanks because of their faith in Jesus and their love toward the saints. Today, I need to work on both of those. I need to increase my faith in Jesus. I don’t need to increase His faith in me. I don’t need to spend my time trying to convince Him that He can trust me to always do what is right. I need to increase my faith in Him and through that, I’ll have the righteousness He gives. I also need to work on my love toward the saints. Again, I don’t need to focus on getting them to love me. I don’t need to walk around as a people pleaser trying to get them to like me or appreciate me. Instead, I need to work on genuine love and service. I need to work on treating others the way they want to be treated because it is right, not because they’ll like me for it. 

When I work on my faith in Jesus and my love toward the saints, then I become a person others can be thankful for.

Second, I am also struck by Ephesians 1:17-19:

…that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might…

In Paul’s prayer, I learn what I need to be praying for me and for you. Neither of us have all wisdom and insight. Rather, I need to pray that we may be granted wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Christ. We often wander in darkness and are so blind we don’t even know it. I need to pray that our hearts may be enlightened. Too often, we walk in despair. We get distracted by what is going on in the world and forget what Christ has done for us and what He is planning for us in the next. I need to pray that we may know the hope Christ is offering us that conquers our sadness and despair. We sometimes forget that this life isn’t really about this life. This life is not about having the best job, the biggest house, the nicest cars, the most comfortable clothes. This life is about what comes next. I need to pray that we can keep our eyes focused on the inheritance of true riches that Jesus has waiting for us. Sometimes, we begin to think it is not possible that we’ll make it. We mess up so much we just aren’t sure how God could possibly save us. I need to pray that we be kept by God’s power and also pray that we’ll know God’s power that we might have confidence in Him that we will make it, not because of our strength but because of His power. His power is so immense He raised Jesus from the dead and sat Him in the heavenly places above all things.

This needs to be my prayer today for both you and me. I hope you can join me in this prayer.

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

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

Today’s reading is Acts 27:1-28:31.

When Paul met with the Jews in Rome, they said, “We desire to hear from you what your views are, for with regard to this sect we know that everywhere it is spoken against” (Acts 28:22). 

I have a tendency to think if someone speaks against what I’m doing, that I must be doing something wrong. I start trying to look around and figure out how to conduct myself so that no one can possibly say anything against me. But Paul’s story reminds me that is impossible. If I’m following God’s way, someone won’t like me. That is amazing to me because when I’m following God’s way I’m humble, serving, merciful, helpful, loving, etc. However, I have to come to grips with the fact that not everyone is going to like Jesus’ way for one reason or another.

I’m amazed at how many websites are set up to blast away at Christians and churches. I’m equally amazed that the authors of those sites actually seem to believe they are making a difference in the world. My first thought is to jump in and try to defend or explain so folks will understand and still like me and my fellow Christians. However, I’ve learned that is practically pointless. Those who are open to Jesus Christ are not influenced heavily by the attacks. Those who are not open to Jesus Christ are not influenced by my defenses. The fact is, no matter what I do, someone won’t like me. No matter what we do, someone won’t like us. 

We’ll never get everyone to like us, we might as well just try to get closer to God anyway.

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

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

Today’s reading is Luke 9:1-10:48.

Before we get to the reading, I have had computer trouble over the weekend. For some reason, Friday’s post didn’t get published then. I just now got it to publish properly. So, if you have subscribed via e-mail, you have received two posts today. Sorry about that. Additionally, because my Macbook crashed over the weekend (which I thought was never supposed to happen) and I was traveling, I was unable to even do yesterday’s post. Sorry about that as well. But hopefully we’re back on track today. On to the reading.

Cornelius caught my attention today. As Luke was striving to explain why God chose Cornelius to be the first Gentile convert, he let’s us know what a good and God-seeking man he was. God chose Cornelius because Cornelius was already trying to find God. The text says Cornelius was “a devout man who feared God with all his household, gave alms generously to the people, and prayed continually to God” (Acts 10:2). Of course, I see the devotion, the fear of God, and the praying. What really caught my attention was the giving of alms to the people. Because I believe the church is a spiritual organization and not a social welfare organization, I often miss the passages that talk about being generous with material goods to other people. Of course, folks who view the church as a social welfare organization often miss these passages too. After all, they dropped a fiver in the collection plate on Sunday, they’ve done their part.

Yet, here it is. How did Luke know Cornelius was a man looking for God? Partly because he was giving his money away to others in need. If I’m right, it is not the local church’s job to provide social welfare. However, generosity to those in need (whether brethren or otherwise) is something someone who is actually seeking God will do naturally. He didn’t give his money to a church and let the church dole it out. He didn’t give it to the synagogue. He gave it to the people.

Apparently, if I want to be like Cornelius, a devout man, seeking God, then generosity to those in need should be on my short list of things to do today. This is not a matter of evangelism. It is not a means of giving someone a handout in hopes of getting a Bible study. No, it is a matter of caring about people. When God has blessed me financially, I need to use that to be a blessing to others.

What kinds of things can we do? Well, there’s Haiti, of course. There’s the homeless and indigent. There are numerous charities and organizations that could use time and money. There’s the neighbor, friend, family member, co-worker, brother or sister in Christ who has fallen on hard times. There are plenty of opportunities for us to be generous to the people. I need to start looking for them.

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

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

Today’s reading is Luke 17:1-18:43.

Little children and blind beggars. They are nuisances. They get in the way. They bug and bother. Why would anyone be interested in them. In fact, no one was. The disciples were disturbed by the little children. The crowds were bothered by the blind beggar. Why can’t these people be quiet and stay away? Why do they always have to horn their way in on our time?

However, there was one who was interested. Despite the disciples attempts to keep the children away, Jesus said, “let the children come to me, and do not hinder them…” (Luke 18:16). Despite the crowds attempts to quiet the blind beggar, Jesus stopped and asked, “What do you want me to do for you?” (Luke 18:41). Jesus did it.

Sadly, I often have little time for the children and blind beggars of the world. I’m too important. I’ve got too much important stuff to do. Don’t bother me with the trifling needs of the people around me. But Jesus is not like that. And I’m thankful. Because in reality in relation to Jesus, I am just a blind child begging for mercy and recovery.

Others may get in the way. They may try to convince me (some knowingly, some unknowingly) that I’m an embarrassment, that I’m not worthy, that I need to get my life together and then come back. But Jesus stops them and says, “Let him come to Me.” Thank you for that, Jesus. I love you.

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

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

Today’s reading is Luke 15:1-16:31.

I am once again reminded of the compassion God has given me and of the compassion I need to have for others.

For a long time, I’ve been enamored with the concept of “tough love.” Basically, what I thought that meant was if someone made their own bed, they had to lie in it. Sure, if someone through no fault of their own had a hard time in some area, emotionally, mentally, physically, financially, spiritually, then I would be there to help them out of their tight spot. That is, of course, the loving thing to do. However, if their trouble was in their own doing, my job was to be like wisdom in Proverbs 1:26, and laugh at their calamity. 

But then here is this story about a father and two brothers. This prodigal made his bed. He demanded his inheritance before the time. He wasted it on profligate living. He destroyed his own life. He comes back to his father. Will the father show tough love? Will he tell the son to pull himself up by the bootstraps and get out of his own mess he so willingly made? Will he accepts the son’s idea of being a servant and working his way out of it? That’s kind of an intermediate idea. “You have to work your way out of it, but I’ll help you get a job.” No. The father does none of these things. The father just shows love. He accepts the son back as his son. He shows mercy and grace.

The older brother, on the other hand, is livid. He’s all for tough love. “This son of yours” he calls the brother. He doesn’t deserve this. But of course not. If he deserved it, it wouldn’t be mercy and grace, would it? “He made his own bed. If he had been more like me, this wouldn’t have happened.”

I get two things out of this. I’m reminded that I am the prodigal. I’m not the son who stayed with the father the whole time (though, I think the older brother was not being honest with himself when he tried to claim he had always done what the father wanted, but that is another post). I’m the son who went into the far country, looking for meaning and fulfillment elsewhere. However, I never found it. Instead, I found things that left me broken and empty. I was eating pods with the pigs. I too came back to the Father with the idea that I could somehow be His servant, earning my keep. Then perhaps someday I could work my way up and deserve His love again…maybe. But, instead of demanding I earn my keep, He brought out the fattened calf and celebrated with me. He put a robe on my back and a ring on my finger and, because of His love, declared me His son. Wow! I needed that.

The second thing is I need to recognize that same thing with others. I’m a returning prodigal who has been shown mercy, grace and love. How can I show anything less to the other returning prodigals? Of course, I should not enable anyone to live in sin or continue with prodigal living. I should not be a codependent rescuer. That would be participating in their sin (Ephesians 5:11). If we keep the phrase “tough love” to mean we stay lovingly detached from those who want to stay in their problems and establish boundaries for our continued aid, then okay. But withholding mercy, grace, and aid from those who penitently seek it is not tough love. It is not love at all. We’ve all made our beds. If our Father forced us to lie in them, where would we be? If we do the same to our fellow returning prodigals, where would they be? 

I am reminded of two things today. I have been shown great mercy. I need to also be merciful.

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

Today’s reading is 1 Corinthians 12:1-13:13.

The reading ends with, “So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.” These encompass the greatest attributes by which we need to live.

We walk by faith and not by sight. Of course, this does not mean as atheists and agnostics would have us believe, that we walk contrary to reason and evidence. It simply means that we accept things based on evidence even when we haven’t seen them ourselves. When we walk by faith, we walk with our hand in God’s knowing that He will care for us.

We endure by hope. By our faith, we have earnest expectation of God’s enduring care for us. We are convicted that He will cause everything to work out for our good in the ultimate end. We understand that Jesus died to remove our sins and bring us to the resurrection in the end. We know that no matter what happens to us while we are on this earth, groaning for our adoption as sons, that God will bring us home.

We overcome by love. Because we love God we surrender to Him. Without love all our greatest works are really nothing. Of course, without love, we will rarely continue in God’s good works. Out of love we submit not because we want something in return but because God has already loved us. If we do all things great and small out of love for God, we will be drawn into His presence and protected by His peace that passes understanding.

So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

***Question: How do you increase your faith, hope, and love?

Keep the faith, hope, and love; and keep reading.

ELC

Today’s reading is 1 Corinthians 6:1-7:40.

Men love I Corinthians 7:1-5. They love to look at these verses and talk about how wives are supposed to take care of their sexual needs. “See, hon, you have to have sex with me whenever I want.”

Here’s the thing men, this passage wasn’t written to tell you what to tell your wives to do. This passage was written to you to tell you that you don’t have authority over your own body, but your wife does. Sadly, men often respond, “She doesn’t have to worry about that. I’ll have sex with her whenever she wants.” That just means you are missing the point. When this is your approach, you aren’t trying to submit to your wife, you are trying to force her to submit to you. When this is your approach you are actually depriving her of what she most needs, a gentle husband who is more concerned about her emotional needs and physical pleasure. Instead, you are only thinking about your own body. But remember, your body isn’t under your control. It is under your wife’s.

The main point I hope we can get from this, is this passage, like every other, is not written so we can tell anyone else what to do. It is written to teach us what to do. Quit browbeating your wife with this verse and start trying to figure out how you can fulfill your role within it.

***Question: What is the role of husband?

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

Today’s reading is Romans 13:1-14:23.

I am wading into the muddy waters of Romans 14. I certainly don’t believe I have all the answers to all the questions that come out of this chapter and I don’t intend to try to answer them on this blog. However, Romans 14:19 caught my attention today.

“So then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding.”

If we could follow this simple rule, so many things would be better and so much in congregations would run smoother. The problem is I don’t naturally want to pursue what makes for peace or mutual edification. I want to pursue what proves I’m right. I want to pursue what makes me look the best, the smartest, the strongest.  I assume if you are doing anything differently than I am that you are accusing me of something or, at the very least, claiming you are better than me. I can’t allow that. I have to prove I’m better than you.

Do I keep a day and you don’t? I have to prove why it is the right thing to do or at least the best judgment. Sure, not everyone has to do it. But if you don’t, you’re a loser. That attitude won’t produce much peace or edification, yet that is all too often the default attitude in my life.

I need to let this verse drill its way into my heart. I need this to be the default setting–peace and mutual upbuilding.

***Question: Why is it so hard to let this be the default setting? or How do you accomplish this as your default setting?

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

Today’s reading is Luke 5:1-6:49.

In these posts, I often say something like, “I don’t know how many times I’ve read such and such and never seen this.” Well, today, I have to comment on something I’ve seen over and over again. This is something I’ve preached on, taught on, and used on my kids over and over again. But today it hit me in a practical way as if I was seeing it for the first time.

Luke 6:31-36 says:

And as you wish that others would do to you, do so to them. If you love those who love you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who do good to you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. And if you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to get back the same amount. But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil. Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful.

Oh, I’ve read this before. I’ve even written part of a book about the parallel passage in Matthew’s account of the Sermon on the Mount. But today, it hit me where it hurts–my family.

I usually think about the extremes with this passage. I wonder if a person murdered my child could I love them. I try to say I will because God loved me even though my sins killed His Son. If someone stole my job or robbed my house, would I follow this passage? I say it would be difficult but I’ll try to bear up under it because I know that is the right answer. I feel for those who have actually had to face these things. Who knows, perhaps some day I may be tested on these.

But today, I thought about the issues I really do face. Let me give you just one example in just one relationship. Sadly, I can assure you this is not an isolated case.

I love my wife. She is wonderful. If you want me to name off the great blessings she is to me, I can do it easily. I often try to list the things I’m grateful for and just beneath “forgiveness in Jesus,” Marita always tops the list. But my family is no different from yours. Neither Marita nor I are perfect. We both sin, we both make mistakes, we both irritate each other. When Marita does things that bug the daylights out of me, this passage says something about how I should respond.

Here’s the typical Sunday morning. I like to leave at 8:00 so we can be at the assembly place 30 minutes early. I have things I need to get in order and then need to meet and greet folks as they arrive. Now, Marita, bless her heart (I’m allowed to say whatever I want about her now), doesn’t have a real grasp of time. I don’t care how much time she has to get ready, it will take her 10 to 15 minutes longer. Need to be ready in 10 minutes? She’ll be ready in 20. Need to be ready in 20? She’ll be ready in 30. Does she have a whole hour to get ready? She’ll be ready in an hour and a quarter. (By the way, all you women getting ready to jump to her defense talking about how she gets the kids ready–don’t go there. That is just not true in our house. The kids who need help getting ready are helped by me.) So, at 8:10, we are all sitting in the car, waiting for Marita. How do I act? It is not pretty.

I get hot under the collar. I make plans to just pull out of the driveway without her and then give her a tongue lashing when she acts upset about it. When she finally gets in the car, I give her dirty looks. I give her lectures. I’ve even developed a name for her that the whole family can call her–Pokemom. I’ll make sideways jabs to show my displeasure. I might bring up some other thing that bugs me. I’ll try to push her buttons so we can get a fight going and I can feel justified in really letting her have it. I’ll start behaving self-righteously as if I’m perfect because I was in the car first and waiting for her. Or maybe I’ll just give her the cold shoulder, isolating within myself and disconnecting with her because I want to punish her.

In short, I start treating her like she’s the enemy instead of the woman I’ve vowed to love, nourish, and cherish for as long as I live. Sure, I might be able to say, “Well, if she loved me, she would respect my desire to leave early.” I might say, “She’s supposed to do good to me all the days of her life (Proverbs 31:12). She should be out here when I need her out here.” I’m good at throwing Bible verses at her shortcomings. I’m sure if I tried hard enough, I could even make it look like she’s sinning by not being in the car when I want her to be. Then I can really blast her. But all this misses Jesus’ point, doesn’t it? 

Even if all the above were true, I’m supposed to love her and do good to her. I’m not supposed to shame her, berate her, belittle her, prompt the children to disrespect her, provoke her, humiliate her, or punish her. I’m supposed to treat her the way I want to be treated when I’m not perfect. But I rarely do.

Wow! If I’m not following Jesus’ advice with the person I’ve vowed to love, what makes me think I’ll follow it if someone really and truly did something really bad to me?

Just another reminder that I’m not as all that as I like to think.

***Question: When was a time you saw someone actually live this teaching, loving others even when they weren’t loved in return?

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

Today’s reading is II John 1-13; III John 1-15.

For years, I’m told preaching was focused so much on obeying and serving the Lord it merely filled folks with fear that they could never actually be saved. Gratefully, preachers, teachers, and Christians in general have begun to recognize the importance of love, grace, and mercy.

However, I fear that in the knee-jerk reaction to the preaching of hellfire and brimstone that caused so many to lose heart and abandon the faith too many are going so far the other way that there are more proclaiming faith, they just don’t have saving faith. Today we hear repeatedly that Christianity is just about love. Sadly, so many act as if this love is just having a warm fuzzy in their heart when Jesus is in the air. As long as they have great feelings about Jesus, they think they are good with God.

II John 6 says, “And this is love, that we walk according to his commandments; this is the commandment just as you have heard from the beginning, so that you should walk in it.”

Love is extremely important. No doubt, love is attitude and feeling. However, we must remember we can’t claim to love God without striving to submit to His commandments. Loving God means walking according to His commandments. 

I hope you have wonderful feelings about God. I hope you have a good attitude about serving God. But remember, loving God means actually doing what He wants not just whatever you want.

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

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