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2 Corinthians 8-9 (ESV) by Wordle*

Today’s reading is 2 Corinthians 8:1-9:15.

“For they gave according to their means, as I can testify, and beyond their means, of their own accord, begging us earnestly for the favor of taking part in the relief of the saints–” (2 Corinthians 8:3-4).

What a powerful example. Outward compliance is one thing. This shows inward motivation.

This is what I need to have and instill in others. The Macedonians did not give because Paul convinced them it was a rule to give. They begged for the opportunity to take part in this. They saw obedience and sacrifice as an opportunity, a favor. They saw it as grace itself.

Too often I spend trying to figure out what the rules are to decide what I’m going to do or to manipulate others into doing what I think they should. But then what is accomplished? Simply a controlled compliance that is useless to our souls. I’m not saying there are no rules, but if we are only doing something because it is the rule, then our hearts are not right with God.

I need to thank God today for the favor of getting to serve and sacrifice for Him. He is the great and loving God who saved my soul, why would I want to do anything else?

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

PS. What struck you in today’s reading? You can add your input by clicking the following link: Post a Comment

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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 1 Corinthians 10:1-11:34.

“Therefore let anyone who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall” (1 Corinthians 10:12).

“Oh, I’ll never do that.” “I can’t believe that so-and-so did such-and-such, I’d never do that.” “I used to have that problem. Now I’ve got it under control.” These are the words of those who think they stand. They are words that I’ve said far too often. Usually I’ve said them just before a colossal fall. It almost seems like Satan is just waiting around to hear these kinds of words so he can jump on the attack and prove us wrong.

The real problem here is not with standing. It is actually thinking we can stand on our own two legs. Not so. We must quit standing and instead lean on God. We will only overcome the tempter if we rely on God. Sadly, the world wants to tell us God is a crutch. When we hear that, we think it is a negative. The problem with the world is they desperately want to stand on their own. They think they can. Yet, they are falling. I need a crutch, not in the negative connotation of  the word. But, I need to recognize that I’m broken. If I try to stand without God as my crutch to lean on, I’m going to fall.

The moment I decide that I’ve healed enough and can stand on my own without the crutch of Christ’s cross to lean on, that is when I will crumble under the weight of sin again.

Today, I’m not going to stand. I’m going to lean.

ELC

PS. What struck you in today’s reading? Click the following link to add your input: 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 Mark 11:1-12:44.

“And they brought one. and he said to them, ‘whose likeness and inscription is this?’ They said to him, ‘Caesar’s.’ Jesus said to them, ‘Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.’ And they marveled at him” (Mark 12:16-17).

The denarius was Caesar’s because it had his likeness on it. If I want to know what is God’s, I must discover what has His likeness on it. “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them” (Genesis 1:27). Where do I find God’s image inscribed? Not on 10% of my income or possessions. I find God’s image inscribed on me.

I may render taxes to the government. I must render me to God. When I give myself to God, the issues of money, behavior, allegiance, service, relationships, will follow naturally.

I must give myself to God today. Everything else will take care of itself.

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

PS. What struck you in today’s reading?

Today’s reading is Mark 7:1-8:38.

“For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it” (Mark 8:35).

The depth of scripture is astounding. The layers in one verse amazing.

Those who preserve their physical lives by stepping off of God’s path will lose their eternal lives. Those who so surrender to God even to the point of physical death will be granted eternal life.

Those who want to hang on to their lives by hanging on to their goals, wants, desires, plans, possessions at the expense of God’s goals, wants, desires, plans, possession will lose the life that matters. Those who give up their own ends for God’s will gain an abundant life they cannot imagine.

But today I recognized a third layer. Those who believe they can save themselves by their own strength, power, will, self-discipline, strict adherence, will lose their lives. Only those who understand they cannot save themselves and therefore give control of their life to Jesus (cf. Galatians 2:20) will gain eternal life. As long as I think I will save me by doing God’s will good enough, I will never make it. Once I concede I won’t do God’s will good enough and just give myself to Jesus, then God will grant me the grace, by faith, to overcome and be victorious.

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

PS. What struck you in today’s reading?

Today’s reading is Galatians 1:1-2:21.

“I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me” (Galatians 2:20).

I think I get it now. I’ve not allowed this verse to have its full impact in my life. I was baptized, crucified with Christ (cf Romans 6:1-6). Since then I’ve been telling Christ, “Watch this, see how I can live my life for You.” I was certainly sincere in this. I have wanted to serve Christ. I’ve been doing my best. But wasn’t that the problem that led me to Christ in the first place? My best only put me right back into sin (cf Romans 7:14-24). Why would it do any different now?

Paul doesn’t say to tell Jesus, “I’ll do my best to live for You.” Rather, Jesus is saying, “Quit trying to live. I’ll live my best for you.” I need to quit trying to live my life and simply start letting Jesus live through me. What does He want? Do that. Of course, that is going to take faith. Jesus won’t treat me like a puppet. It’s my choice to let Him live through me by my faith. But I have to make a conscious decision to quit trying to live my life, even if I’m trying to live it for Him. Instead, I need to let Him live my life through me. I need to surrender myself to Him, His will, His goals, His life.

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

PS. What struck you in today’s reading?

Today’s reading is Luke 21:1-22:71.

“Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done” (Luke 22:42).

For me, this should be the model prayer. I know I need to pray for my daily bread and for forgiveness, but at the heart of everything I do, I need this prayer. “Not my will but Yours be done.” I need a daily reminder that today is about God and not about me. A friend once shared a prayer he prays with me, “Lord, let me know your will for today and grant me the strength to do it.”

That’s really all I need for today. I need simply to do the next right thing. What does God want me to do next and may I surrender to God’s strength and power to accomplish it.

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

PS. What struck you in today’s reading?

Today’s reading is Luke 19:1-20:47.

“The scribes and the chief priests sought to lay hands on him at that very hour, for they perceived that he had told this parable agaisnt them, but they feared the people” (Luke 20:19).

How sad. Jesus had not told this parable “against them” to attack them, but to warn them. It could have saved their eternal lives. Instead of letting it save them, they fought against it and let it be a means to condemn them.

But that leaves me with a question. How do I respond when God’s word says something “against me”? Do I listen humbly and let the warning and direction save my life? Or do I turn against the messenger somehow? Do I figure out why that part of the Bible doesn’t really apply to me?

I have two choices today. I can either surrender to Jesus and what He warns me and directs me or I can keep fighting against Him. But where will that second option take me? Better to just give up the fight and gain the victory.

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

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

Today’s reading is Galatians 5:1-6:18.

Paul said, “For even those who are circumcised do not themselves keep the law, but they desire to have you circumcised that they may boast in your flesh. But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world” (Galatians 6:13-14).

I think I’ve often viewed this passage as talking about how hypocritical all the Jews must have been. They wanted the Christians to be circumcised, but they didn’t actually want to keep the law themselves. I’m not sure that is the case. I think there were plenty of sincere Jews who wanted the Christians to be circumcised. I think plenty of them tried to keep the law. The issue was not that they didn’t care about the law. The issue was that everyone sins and falls short of God’s glory (Romans 3:23). All those who claimed they could be justified by the law had simply proven over and over again that they would fall short of the law no matter how much they attempted to follow it. That is why those who try to be justified by the law only end up under a curse (Galatians 3:10). Really, anyone who tries to boast in keeping the law is eventually going to have to get around to admitting, “But I messed up here, and here, and here…” Of course, that is why those who boast in the law eventually get to the point of boasting that they are better at law keeping than someone else. Can anyone say “Pharisee and Publican?” 

Instead of boasting in law-keeping, Paul would boast in Christ and not simply in Christ but in the cross of Christ. All those sins Paul had committed while striving to keep the law were taken out of the way by the cross. That was where his righteousness came. It wasn’t his own, it was a gift from God through the death of Jesus Christ because of Paul’s faith.

Here is my fear for me. In what do I boast? Do I boast in how often I “go to church”? Do I boast in how much money I give in the contribution? Do I boast in how many sins I haven’t committed? Do I boast in how many acts of righteousness I have done? Do I boast in how well I hold to the pattern of sound words? Or do I boast in the cross of Christ? Sadly, some hear this and think I’m saying how I live doesn’t matter. That is not the case at all. If I live by faith (Galatians 2:20), I’ll live by the pattern of sound words. I’ll assemble with the saints, contribute to the work of the church, strive to overcome sin, strive to live by righteousness, etc. The question is in what do I boast? Do I look at all the great things I do under the New Covenant and boast in that? Or do I look at the cross of Christ and boast in that?

The fact is, whether old law or new, if I’m going to boast in my law-keeping, I’m only going to be able to admit that I’m a sinner and really have nothing in which to boast. I need to put my faith in Christ. When I put it in me, I fail. 

So, today, I’ll boast in Christ and not me or my law-keeping. Certainly, I’ll strive to obey Christ, but I won’t stand before Christ and try to act like He should forgive me because look at how awesome I am. That just won’t work.

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

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