Today’s reading is 1 Timothy 6:1-21; 2 Timothy 1:1-18.

“But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content” (1 Timothy 6:8).

I spend too much of my time wondering when I will get to own an iPad, flat panel TV, the latest Mac, a car that doesn’t squeek or leak, a house with a playroom, an office, and a bed and bath for each family member. I want. I want. I want. In fact, I’m pretty sure it is more than want. I need these things. Then I get into entitlement and resentment. I cannot possibly grow in peace and joy when this is how I approach my life and material blessings.

However, I look at myself and notice that I am clothed. I have a full stomach from eating today. I even have a full fridge which means I’ll eat for the rest of today. I’m worried about tomorrow, but God has taken care of me today, which is the only day I really have. I should be content. God has given me more than enough. If I want to have peace, I need to spend more time today thanking God for what He has given me than complaining about what He hasn’t.

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

PS. What struck you in today’s reading?

Today’s reading is Luke 17:1-18:43.

“Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice; and he fell on his face at Jesus’ feet, giving him thanks. Now he was a Samaritan” (Luke 17:15-16).

God has healed me of more than leprosy. However, I find it is easy to forget about that as I press on with my daily life and routine. How quickly I can take for granted God’s precious gifts. When I take the time to write out a gratitude list and then pray it, I can’t believe the grace that fills my life. I am reminded that God really isn’t picking on me with the bad things but is abundantly supplying me with good things. How can I be depressed and despairing when I remember these blessings? My fears that God won’t take care of me tomorrow start to abate. Thanksgiving is good for me. 

An example: Right now I’m breathing deeply and there is still oxygen. My fingers are able to move across this keyboard. I am able to get out of bed and drive to the office today. I still have food in my refrigerator and pantry today. I have clean clothes to wear today. My children are sleeping healthfully this morning; so is my wife. But more than these physical blessings, I’m able to pray today, read my Bible today, be in fellowship with loving brethren today. I am cleansed today by Jesus’ blood. I am an adopted son of God. My Father owns the universe. (That beats out your Father, unless you are my brother or sister, then we can be thankful together.)

Let me quickly add something. This is not just about our relationship with God. I’ve found great benefit in being thankful to others. Write thank you notes, make thank you calls, send thank you e-mails, just plain old say, “Thank you,” when people provide a benefit to you. Be amazed at how actually saying thanks lifts your day and your outlook on life.

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

PS. What struck you in today’s reading?

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 1 Corinthians 4:1-5:13.

1 Corinthians 4:7 caught my attention today. “For who sees anything different in you? What do you have that you did not receive? If then you received it, why do you boast as if you did not receive it?”

If I understand this verse properly, Paul’s point is the Corinthians were boasting as if the message they taught was simply given directly to them instead of something they were given by teachers like Apollos and especially, Paul. Yet, they were boasting as if they had no teachers.

However, the statement itself hit me. How many different ways could this statement apply to me? Did I come up with the message I teach? Absolutely not. It came from the scripture. I like to consider myself creative. I like to think I have great sermon ideas. However, if I’m doing my job right, they aren’t mine. I received them from the Lord through His word. The same could be said about any of these blog posts. What about my physical strength and abilities? Do I do these things on my own? Absolutely not. It is by God that I live, move, and have my very being. How can I act like I haven’t received this strength from God. What about my family, my friends, my brethren? Are they not also a gift from God. In fact, what about every good thing I can think of? Can I act like there is anything I have accomplished on my own as if I didn’t receive it as a blessing from God? No.

That is why, as Proverbs 3:6 says, I must acknowledge God in all my ways. I need to give thanks consistently, continually, and constantly. How can I act as if I have something I have not received?

***Question: What are you thankful for today?

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