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I Peter 3-4 (ESV) by Wordle*

Today’s reading is 1 Peter 3:1-4:19.

“Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and  a humble mind. Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing” (I Peter 3:8-9).

How many of my own conflicts could be resolved if I would simply follow this instruction? If I sought harmony rather than vindication, if I tried to grasp what the other was feeling rather than vent my feelings, if I viewed my brethren as friends rather than enemies, if I offered compassion rather than vengeance, if I humbled myself rather than lifting myself up, and if I honored others even when they put me down rather than speaking in kind, then I’m guessing most of the conflicts I have had would just go away. And then I would know peace.

Instead, I often push that responsibility off on others. They are the ones that need to straighten up. Before I seek harmony, strive for sympathy, bestow friendship, offer compassion, and humble myself, I explain my demands. Here is what you must do before I will strive for these things. Guess what happens. The conflict just gets worse.

Here is the sad part. I don’t want conflict. I want peace. I want joy. Why can’t we all just get along? The problem is not that I want conflict. The problem is I want peace on my terms. I want peace on the basis that I come out looking like a rose, never once having to admit any of my own faults or ever trying to understand what the other person has endured from me. So, I keep pressing on trying to get peace by forcing others to be subject to me. But what I’m learning is that just doesn’t work. Maybe I should try God’s way and maybe that would get me a little more peace. What do you think?

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

PS. What struck you in today’s reading? Click here to add your input.

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*Today’s illustration was generated by the creative tool at Wordle.net. You can find all my wordles here.

Romans 5-6 (ESV) by Wordle*

Today’s reading is Romans 5:1-6:23.

“For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person–though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die–but God shows his love for us in that while were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:6-8).

If God did this for me, shouldn’t I do it for others?

What about my spouse? Too often I get mad at my wife and start to dwell in resentment and bitterness. I think if she would just get her act together, everything would be okay. I pray that God will fix her so I can love her. I expect her to grovel, beg, and earn her way to my good graces. But that isn’t good graces is it? You know what I’ve found? When I get in that place, my marriage doesn’t get any better. I need to offer her the same grace, at the same time, that God offered me. The 3 times I need to offer grace to her are while she is still 1) weak, 2) ungodly, and 3) sinful. After all, don’t I want her to do the same for me?

What about my brethren? Too often I get mad at a brother or sister and start to dwell in resentment and bitterness. They have committed some sin against me. They’ve hurt me. They’ve betrayed me. They’ve violated a boundary. I get in a huff. I think if they would just get their act together, everything would be okay. I pray that God will fix them so I can love them. I pray that God will make them apologize and grovel and some how earn their way back into my good graces. But that isn’t good graces is it? You know what I’ve found? When I get in that place, my relationships with brethren don’t get any better. I need to offer them the same grace, at the same time, that God offered me. The 3 times I need to offer them grace are while they are still 1) weak, 2) ungodly, and 3) sinful. After all, don’t I want them to do the same for me?

What about my co-workers? What about my neighbors? What about my parents? What about my children? What about…?

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.

Today’s reading is Jude 1:1-25; 1 Corinthians 1:1-31.

What a great reading today. Through Jude, God has told me four things I need to put on my checklist today and every day.

“But you, beloved, building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life” (Jude 1:20-21).

1. Build yourself up in the most holy faith.

What am I going to do today to build my faith? For starters, I’m spending time in God’s word. I think I’ll talk to some other Christians today and seek encouragement in the faith. I’m going to spend some time praying. I think I’ll write a gratitude list to remind me of the many blessings God is showering in my life.

2. Pray in the Holy Spirit

I don’t think this is a reference to prayer through some miraculous gift of the Holy Spirit, but rather a parallel to Romans 8:26-27, recognizing that in my weakness I don’t always know how to pray or for what to pray. However, as long as I’m hanging on to God, the Spirit intercedes with groanings too deep for words. When I pray today, I’m going to do so with confidence in the work of the Holy Spirit to intercede for me in my weaknesses.

3. Keep yourself in the love of God.

That also sounds like Romans 8:31-39. Nothing can separate me from God’s love. However, if I choose, I can walk out of His loving hands. Today, I’m going to work on drawing closer to God through His love. Instead of going my own way, I’m going to consider what God’s love suggests for my life. What would God have me do? I know He loves me and therefore His way will be best for me. 

4. Wait for the mercy of the Lord Jesus.

No matter what good or bad things happen in my life today, I’m going to remember that I am turning to God’s love, praying in the Spirit, building up my faith because I’m hanging on to an eternal hope. I love God not because He is giving me a good day or a good week. I love God because He has saved my soul for eternity. That is where my inheritance and reward are: in eternity. I won’t be turned aside from that hope no matter what happens today. I want to keep my mind firmly focused on heavenly things and eternity. 

Well, I guess my plate is full for today. How about yours?

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 Titus 2:1-3:15.

Titus 3:3-8 really hit me today. Consider what it says:

• vs. 3–We were once filled with bad works.
• vs. 4–God is good and loving and His goodness appeared to us.
• vs. 5–When His goodness appeared, He saved us. However, He didn’t save us because of our works done in righteousness. No, He saved us by His mercy. He saved us by a change brought about by the Holy Spirit.
• vs. 6–we received this Spirit when we entered Christ.
• vs. 7–having been justified by His grace, we have become heirs to eternal life.
• vs. 8–Because all this happened, we must devote ourselves to good works.

First, we see the contrast between us and God. While we were evil, God was good. While we rebelled against Him, He still loved us.

Second, we learn that we were saved because of His goodness and not because of our own.

Third, we learn that God changes the saved. He renews them through the Spirit that only those who are in Christ Jesus receive. 

Fourth, because God is doing this, we must devote ourselves to good works.

If you are like me and just read those statements above, with at least some of them you are probably saying, “Yes, but…” “We are saved by God’s goodness and not our own. Yes, but we had to obey to be saved.” “God renews us through the Spirit He gave us when we entered Christ. Yes, but that is about how much time we spend studying the Bible. The Spirit works in us through His word.”

If you are not like me, you probably said, “Wow, Edwin is finally getting it. We don’t do anything. It’s all about God working in us. If He works, we come around and work. If He doesn’t, we won’t.”

Once again, this is simply one of those passages that brings together what seems to be incongruous ideas. Depending on our perspective we’ll grab the parts we like and discount the parts we don’t, explaining them away.

What we need to notice is this passage contains both the idea that we can’t work to be good, rather God’s goodness works in us to change us. At the same time, it also contains the idea that we must devote ourselves to good works. We are responsible to devote ourselves to good works. If we don’t, we won’t have that change. 

Sadly, many religious people argue these two sides back and forth as if they are a dichotomy. The fact is the Bible presents both. If you and I are going to be saved, it will not ever be because we were good enough. It will be because our God is good enough. However, we are supposed to devote ourselves and work at doing the good works God has planned for us. We won’t ever accomplish that unless God is working in our lives. Yet, God will not accomplish that in us if we are not working.

We need to quit arguing these principles against each other and just accept them both. If you don’t accept that God must be merciful and work, then you will spend your entire life spinning your wheels wondering why you can’t ever seem to become good enough and despairing that God will ever save you because you aren’t good enough. On the other hand, if you don’t accept that you must devote yourself to good works and work at them because you are responsible, you’ll spend your life blindly thinking everything is okay while Satan is secretly having his way with you, leading you down the wide path to destruction. You’ll have a sad judgment day surprise. Only when we accept both can we continue on growing in Christ, having a certainty of salvation through the grace of Jesus.

As the old saying goes, “Without God, I cannot. Without me, God will not.” We need to understand, we can’t save ourselves. We can’t earn it. We can’t good works our way into heaven. However, God will not save us without our commitment and devotion to good work. We have to accept both of these if we are going to be saved.

 Enough Theory, Let’s Get Practical

What does this mean in my life? It means I have to spend time making a constant connection with God. God wants to change me. I’m given over to sin, to the flesh, to lusts. God, however, wants to correct all that. I don’t have to wait to correct all that myself in order to be saved. No, I can enter Jesus Christ and God will start working on all that if I’ll let Him.

However, I can’t merely say, “I believe in Jesus,” then walk on my merry way thinking God is just going to miraculously turn all the buttons in my head, heart, and hands to do the right things. I have to devote myself to God and His good works. I have to commit myself to growing in Christ. 

Will I be saved because I’ve done that enough? No. My salvation is not about me being good enough. I simply can’t be that good. My salvation is about God working in me to satisfy my hunger and thirst for righteousness. The problem is, if I’m not hungry and thirsty for righteousness, God won’t satisfy me. 

What do I need to do today? I need to connect with God. I need to pray for God’s renewing power through His Holy Spirit. I need to get into God’s word so I can understand His will. I need to surrender my will to His. I need to let Him have control. Then I need to be committed to whatever He asks of me.

This is Him and me together. It’s not God by Himself or me by myself. It’s both of us.

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

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

I always have a little trouble when I get to Ephesians 2:1-3.

And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience–among whom we all once lied in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. (ESV)

It reminds me of the trouble I also have when I get to Romans 3:10-18.

None is righteous, no, not one;
no one understands;
no one seeks God.
All have turned aside; together they have become worthless;
no one does good,
not even one.
Their throat is an open grave;
they use their tongues to deceive.
The venom of asps is under their lips.
Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness.
Their feet are swift to shed blood;
in their paths are ruin and misery,
and the way of peace they have not known.
There is no fear of God before their eyes (ESV).

 The problem I have is, I hear these descriptions and think, “I just wasn’t that bad.” I mean, I have done some really bad things. But I am not a bad person. I’m actually a pretty good person over all. I have great intentions. I really do fear the Lord. I don’t want to deceive. I have dallied in the passions of the flesh on occasion, but I don’t think I was really following the prince of the power of the air or was by nature a child of wrath. 

What’s amazing about that is that I have even done some exercises where I have tried to honestly lay out my sins and how far they went and I realize I really have done some really, really bad things. But to say I was like these verses describes always makes me come up short.

Perhaps it is some kind of subconscious trick so I won’t see how much I really need to surrender to God. I don’t know. Anyway, I was reading this passage and it hit me. These passages are not saying I am a sinner because I am this bad. They are saying, I am this bad because I sin. No matter how bad my sins are on some kind of scale; no matter how I compare with other sinners (there will always be someone worse in my book); no matter what I have or haven’t done, this is how I look to God when I commit any sin. This is why I need a Savior. Even when I have committed what seems to be the most harmless of minor infractions, I have turned from God to submit to Satan and followed the course of my flesh just like everybody else has done. In that moment, I have not just become a person who made a social faux pas, I have become a rebel. 

What amazes me even more are the verses that follow in Ephesians 2:4-7:

But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ–by grace you have been saved–and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus (ESV).

Despite how I looked to God because of my sin, He still sent Jesus to die for me so my sin could be removed and I could look holy, spotless, blameless and clean to God.

Thank you, God, for your love and mercy.

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC