Ephesians: Renovating This Old House

When Bekah and I signed the papers on our first house, we already knew there were certain renovations that needed to be made. The hall bathroom had a rotten spot on the floor near the bathtub where water had been leaking. There were no lights in the living room, so we decided to install recessed lighting. There were no lights in the attic, so we installed lighting up there. Over the next few years we would paint the entire house, paint the kitchen cabinets, replace the kitchen floor, completely remodel the hall bathroom, and finally replace all the carpet throughout the entire house. It was a lot of work.

I couldn't have done it all at once; I didn't have the time, energy, or money to do it all at once. But slowly and surely we made that house better. Of course, things broke here and there. Toilets needed fixing, the kitchen faucet needed replacing, and a huge leak appeared in the rusted-out chimney cap. We had to deal with each of these problems as they came up. Some were higher priority than others. But they all needed work.

Paul wrote to the Ephesian brethren and said the Christian life needs renovation. It needs to be renewed (Ephesians 4:23). There is an old man of sin which must be cleaned up. We used to walk "as the Gentiles also walk, in the futility of their mind, being darkened in their understanding, excluded from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardness of their heart; and they, having become callous, have given themselves over to sensuality for the practice of every kind of impurity with greediness" (Ephesians 4:17-19).

Each of us is a house in need of repairs. Some of us just need to understand the FACT we need work done on the house! How many times did Bekah have to tell me that something needed to be done in the house before I really came to terms with it? I might think, "That toilet is really not leaking badly enough yet." Until I AGREE that there is work to be done, I won't do the work.

Some of us understand there is work to be done, but we prefer to remain in the dark about WHAT needs to be done. We think ignorance is bliss. If I think about it too hard, I might realize some specific problems in my life, but as long as I don't think about it I can always say, "I guess I never thought about it." Unfortunately, Paul says we are "excluded from the life of God because of the ignorance."

So...let's think about renovating this old house. I know I need to change some things...what do I need to change?

• Lying? Renovate by learning to speak truth (4:25)
• Anger? Renovate by learning to deal with the anger in wholesome ways (4:26)
• Stealing? Renovate by learning to work hard, earn money, and give (4:28)
• Filthy or Evil Speaking? Renovate by learning to edify and build up with my tongue (4:29)
• Bitterness, Wrath, Anger, Clamor, Slander, Malice? Renovate by learning kindness, tenderness, and forgiveness (4:31-32)

God bless,
Nathan

Tomorrow's Reading: Philippians

2 Timothy & Titus: What is "Sound Doctrine"?

First, what is "doctrine"? There seems to be a distinction between "doctrinal issues" and "moral issues" these days. Many think "doctrinal issues" include such topics as divorce, taking the Lord's Supper, praying, fasting, musical instruments in worship, the head covering (1 Corinthians 11), spiritual gifts, etc. In fact, all of these things ARE doctrinal, but doctrine is not limited to these things. "Doctrine" simply means "teaching." That's it. There is no difference between the words. Everything in Scripture is "teaching" isn't it? The New American Standard Bible says, "All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching..." (2 Timothy 3:16). The New King James Version on the same verse: "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine..." Teaching is doctrine and doctrine is teaching. When someone says, "I have a doctrinal question," he has probably pigeon-holed a certain set of teaching in his mind as "doctrine." He is probably about to ask a question about a topic such as found in the list above. But let's attempt to use Bible words in Bible ways. Otherwise we will end up with a FALSE doctrine!

Second, what is "sound doctrine"? In our reading today we find, "But as for you, speak the things which are fitting for sound doctrine" (Titus 2:1). The word "sound" means to be healthy or whole. To be "sound of mind and body" means your head and body are working like they are supposed to work. To speak "sound doctrine" is to teach God's teachings as they are supposed to be taught. We speak the WHOLE counsel of God. We don't change the teaching.

But Titus goes on in the chapter to define some items of study under "sound doctrine." What is he going to list? Will it be lectures on grace, faith, or justice? Will he tackle the worship of the church? Let's scan through the rest of Titus 2 to see what is included in "sound doctrine."

Verse 2 - teach the older men to be "temperate, dignified, sensible, sound in faith, in love, in perseverance"

Verse 3 - teach the older women to be "reverent in their behavior, not malicious gossips nor enslaved to much wine, teaching what is good"

Verse 4-5 - teach the younger women to "love their husbands, to love their children, to be sensible, pure, workers at home, kind, being subject to their own husbands"

Verse 6-8 - teach the younger men to be "sensible; in all things show yourself to be an example of good deeds, with purity in doctrine, dignified, sound in speech which is beyond reproach"

And so on it goes. These are moral teachings. This is pure doctrine! Titus was to preach these things, and we should follow his lead today in teaching every age group what they need to DO in service to God. In all things, our character and actions should glorify the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit!

God bless,
Nathan

Tomorrow's Reading: Ephesians

1 Timothy: Foremost of Sinners

What if I always kept in the front of my mind that I have been immoral, immature, and rebellious against my God? The apostle Paul has to be one of the strongest human examples of Christ there has ever been. And yet, in writing to his special friend Timothy (his son in the faith), he wrote these words:

It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost of all. Yet for this reason I found mercy, so that in me as the foremost, Jesus Christ might demonstrate His perfect patience as an example for those who would believe in Him for eternal life. Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.

- 1 Timothy 1:15-17

What if I had a heart like Paul? How could that change my perspective?

1. I would have a better appreciation for God's amazing grace. I think we see this in Paul's statement above. Look at the praise Paul gives to God in this little paragraph! He is completely appreciative of his salvation.

2. I would use my life to better glorify God. If I don't have an appreciation for how LOW I am ("such a WORM as I"), I won't have an appreciation for how HIGH God is. But when I see myself as a creature of bad habits and sinful, I will reach out to my Savior to depend on Him and praise Him.

3. I would want to share my story with others. Sometimes we scorn the idea of giving testimonies. But isn't that what Paul does right here? He uses his life as an example for others. He doesn't gloat about the "good old days" when he was into sinful activities. He doesn't tell his story as if he enjoys it. But he tells it as a warning to others - and an encouragement to others. "If God can save me, He can save you, too!"

4. I would not look down on people in the world. I would appreciate their struggles with sin, even if they struggle with sins with which I've never wrestled. I know I have my own problems! I would be more interested in reaching out to them and bring them to the great Healer.

I'm going to try to go forward remembering I living among sinners...among whom I am the foremost of all.

God bless,
Nathan

Tomorrow's Reading: 2 Timothy & Titus

Acts 27-28: Is this Passage for Me?

Matthew 11:25 At that time Jesus said, "I praise You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent and have revealed them to infants.'

Paul was an apostle, assisted by the direct working of the Holy Spirit in his speech...but not all the time. When Paul delivered a message from God, it was resolute, firm. But Paul also spoke sometimes while not under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. One of those occasions is recorded in Acts 27:10 when he said, "Men, I perceive that the voyage will certainly be with damage and great loss, not only of the cargo and the ship, but also of our lives." When I first read this, I thought these men were fools not to listen to Paul, an inspired apostle. The centurion who was guarding Paul listened to the captain of the ship, an experienced seaman, instead of Paul. I probably would have, too. He was the authority on these things. He wouldn't intentionally send his precious ship into danger.

But back to our first thought: how do we know Paul was not speaking by the authority of the Holy Spirit at this time? Because later he DID speak by the power of the Holy Spirit a contradictory message. It was revealed to him while they were lost at sea that there would be NO loss of life aboard the ship (Acts 27:22). This was exactly opposite what Paul had said at the beginning, and the Holy Spirit does not contradict Himself.

There are lessons to be learned from this on how to interpret Scripture. We must look at all the pieces of the puzzle before we can claim a command or statement is relevant to us.

FIRST: Are we looking at a statement given by the Holy Spirit? If it is not an inspired statement, it may or may not be wise to listen to it. I think of the advice of Gamaliel in Acts 5:38-39 in which he said, "if [this plan] is from God, you will not be able to overthrow them; or else you may even be found fighting against God." He was right, but there is no indication he was speaking by the power of the Holy Spirit.

SECOND: Does the statement apply to me? There are many statements and commands in Scripture.

• Many of them apply to all Christians. When we put together statements found in Acts 2:38; 8:12; 8:36-38; 9:18; 10:47-48, etc, we see that baptism was a universally-applied condition to salvation for the Jew and the Gentile. This would include all men.
  
• Many of them contain universal principles which apply to all Christians, but maybe the command itself does not apply to me, specifically. Jesus said to the rich, young ruler, "Sell all you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven" (Mark 10:21). I understand there is a principle here for me: nothing must stand between me and my Lord. But the command to sell all I have and give to the poor is not to be universally applied to all men. The command to "greet one another with a holy kiss" (Rom. 16:16; 1 Cor. 16:20; 2 Cor. 13:12; 1 Thess. 5:26) is found four times among Paul's letters. We understand a great principle of greeting one another in a holy and loving way, but we understand this was a tradition of the people at the time to greet each other with a kiss.
  
• Many of them were commands given only to specific individuals. These don't apply to me at all. "Take up your bed and walk," Jesus said to the man with palsy. In Acts 21:11 the prophet Agabus relayed a message from God: "This is what the Holy Spirit says: 'In this way the Jews at Jerusalem will bind the man who owns this belt and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.'" This was a message directly from the Holy Spirit - but it was intended only for Paul. I can learn some lessons by seeing how Paul responded to the revelation, but this message is not for me to follow today.
  

God intends for us to discover His will for us by examining the pattern given in His word and using our common sense.

God bless,
Nathan

Tomorrows Reading: The letter of 1 Timothy

Acts 18-20: In Jesus Name

There are two complimentary stories found in Acts 19 which illustrate what the phrase "in Jesus name" means. I hear this phrase (and similar phrases) tossed around like it holds some sort of magic.

"Jesus led me to this understanding."

"Karate for Christ."

Before a baptism: "We anoint this child in the name of Jesus Christ."

So...do I just have to say the words and Jesus' name blesses my way?

The first example in Acts 19 is the twelve disciples who didn't know the baptism of Jesus. They only knew the baptism of John. As Paul asked them questions, he realized they had not been baptized in the NAME of Jesus. Remember, when Jesus gave the apostles the great commission in Matthew 28, He commanded them to baptize "in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit." These men had not been baptized in the right name - in the name that saves. Remember, also, Acts 4:12 - "there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved." After Paul taught these men the correct way, "they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus" (Acts 19:5). That is, by the authority of Jesus. Jesus had commanded this baptism, and these men had to submit to His authority. They had already been baptized in the baptism of John, but that was not a faithful response to the death of the Lord Jesus - for they had yet to hear the gospel message.

The second example is the seven sons of Sceva who were attempting to cast out a demon by invoking the name of the Lord Jesus. They said, "I adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preaches" (Acts 19:13). Here's a clear attempt at using the name of Jesus, right? And it's for a good work, right? But these men had not been granted the AUTHORITY from Jesus. Even though they called on His name and invoked His name, it was useless. The demon-possessed man jumped on them, tore their clothes off, beat them, and they fled from that house naked and wounded. It was CLEAR they had stepped out of their realm of authority. The name of Jesus held no power for them because they did not use it the way Jesus had established.

"Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father" (Colossians 3:17). It's not, "whatever you want to do, make sure you SAY the name of Jesus, and Jesus will bless it." It's "make sure you do ONLY that which Jesus has authorized!" Make sure you walk according to His ways and by His rules.

Jesus said, "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. Many will say to Me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?' And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.'" (Matthew 7:21-23).

We'll consider ourselves warned!

God bless,
Nathan

Tomorrow's Reading: Acts 21-23

Acts 15-17: Beaten with Rods

As a child, I endured the switch, but I highly doubt a switch compares with the rods of Acts 16:22-24:

22 The crowd rose up together against them, and the chief magistrates tore their robes off them and proceeded to order them to be beaten with rods.
23 When they had struck them with many blows, they threw them into prison, commanding the jailer to guard them securely;
24 and he, having received such a command, threw them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks.

This was probably more akin to caning. They removed their robes, so the blows fell upon the bare flesh of their backs and legs. Paul and Silas must have had severe bruising and broken skin - major damage to the surface of their bodies. They must have been in terrible pain. After they had been thrown in prison, their feet locked in stocks (an added discomfort), you'd think they would secretly curse those responsible for their mistreatment.

But they SANG! They PRAYED! They praised God with their mouths; they did not curse men.

What a great lesson! When have I ever suffered like this? We went door-knocking last Saturday. There were a few people who made it clear they were not interested in listening to God's word. Did I grumble against them on my way to the next house? Did I praise God, thanking Him for the opportunity to serve Him?

What we say with our mouths shows where our hearts are. It shows our focus and our thoughts. If there is a lack of praise coming from my mouth, I should examine my standing before God. If I cannot praise God in my comfort, will I praise Him in my discomfort?

Will I praise Him though beaten with rods?

God bless,
Nathan

Tomorrow's Reading: Acts 18-20

Acts 13-14: What Amazes You about the Bible?

Paul and Barnabas set sail for the island of Cyprus. It was their first big journey as world-traveling missionaries. Perhaps they chose Cyprus first because it was Barnabas' home country (Acts 4:36).

The proconsul of the city of Paphos, Sergius Paulus, a man of intelligence, summoned Paul and Barnabas to hear the word of God (Acts 13:7). A Jewish false-prophet and sorcerer (magician) evidently enjoyed some control over Sergius Paulus because he quickly tried to step between Paul and Paulus.

[SIDE NOTE: Incidentally, it was at this point that Saul's name was changed to Paul. Saul was a Jewish name, but it was laid aside in favor of the Greek name "Paul." This was appropriate because Paul was the apostle to the Gentiles.]

Did Jesus every do a miracle to strike someone blind? Did Jesus ever exert Spiritual power to hurt someone? Wasn't every miracle of our Lord for the purpose of healing, saving, and helping? But Peter was instrumental in the death of Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5), and now Paul is instrumental in striking this magician blind - both by the power of the Holy Spirit. I don't think we have the same authority to get in someone's face and say, "You who are full of all deceit and fraud, you son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, will you not cease to make crooked the straight ways of the Lord?" (Acts 13:10). We can't see men's hearts today, but Paul could, directed by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Would you have believed if you saw Paul work this miracle? Sergius Paulus saw it, and he believed. But the wording of Acts 13:12 is interesting: "Then the proconsul believed when he saw what had happened, being amazed at the teaching of the Lord." I would have expected it to say he was "amazed at the power of the Lord" or "amazed at the working of the miracle." But he was AMAZED at the TEACHING of the Lord!

We can get all bent out of shape wondering why we can't have the privilege of SEEING a miracle with our own eyes. If God would give us a miracle, then we'd believe. The fact is, we are saved the SAME WAY as those who saw the miracles. It wasn't the miracle that saved. It wasn't the miracle that had the saving power. It was God's word! It was only those men and women who were amazed by the WORD who were saved. We have the same power today - the power of the Holy Spirit through the revealed will of God.

AMAZING!

God bless,
Nathan

Acts 10-12: Comparing Man with God

I cannot help but think of all the people who have compared our current President with Jesus, calling him "messiah." I cringe each time I hear this reference. To my knowledge, President Obama has not said these things himself, but it sure would be nice to hear him say something like the Apostle Peter said, "Stand up; I too am just a man" (Acts 10:26).

The struggle of man against God has been in process since the beginning of time. Jacob wrestled with the angel. Pharaoh said, "Who is Jehovah that I should listen to Him?" God said of Israel, "There is no fear of God before their eyes" (Romans 3:18). Why are we always testing God? Why are we so hard-headed? Why do we refuse to listen, to obey, to submit?

At the end of Acts 12 there is an humbling reference to a small historical event. King Herod publicly addressed the people of Tyre and Sidon. Wanting to flatter King Herod they began shouting, "The voice of a god and not of a man!" (Acts 12:22). Herod SHOULD have shown the same humility Peter had just shown in the house of Cornelius. He should have raised his hand and said, "No, I am but a man." But he allowed the praise to continue; he accepted it. "Immediately an angel of the Lord struck him because he did not give God the glory, and he was eaten by worms and died" (Acts 12:23). Poor, little, insignificant MAN, who dared to compare himself to God. He suffered a painful and dishonorable death at the hand of the true God.

It doesn't matter how great a man becomes on this earth, he still must give homage to the King of heaven and earth! Psalm 2:10-12 says:

10 Now therefore, O kings, show discernment; Take warning, O judges of the earth.
11 Worship the LORD with reverence And rejoice with trembling.
12 Do homage to the Son, that He not become angry, and you perish in the way, For His wrath may soon be kindled. How blessed are all who take refuge in Him!

This passage is addressed to the kings of the earth! We may have big plans down here on earth, but they are so limited, so small, in comparison to Jehovah's plans and power.

Immediately after the verse which records Herod's death, is the simple statement of comparison: "But the word of the Lord continued to grow and to be multiplied" (Acts 12:24). The name and reputation of Herod is long gone, but the word of the Lord continues to this day.

God bless,
Nathan

Tomorrow's Reading: Acts 13-14

Acts 3-5: [Any Other Name] vs. Jesus

Sam says, "I can see how you have faith in this Jesus, and that's fine for you, but it's just not for me."

I say, "How can that be fine for me but not for you? Is there such a thing as absolute truth any more?"

Sam says, "No, there is no such thing as absolute truth."

I say, "Are you absolutely sure about that? If there's no absolute truth, how can I believe what you just said that there is no absolute truth? Do you expect me to take you at your word when you just told me, basically, that words only mean what we want them to mean?"

Sam needs to be convinced against this perversion called "relativism," where truth comes from within a person - your truth is different from my truth. This THEORY pervades our times. It can be heard in simple phrases such as: "What this verse means to ME is..." I realize that not everyone who uses that phrase means it in the relative way, but many do. Many leave the impression that I can have my interpretation and you can have your interpretation and that's just fine. We'll agree to disagree and we'll all get along because truth is what we make of it, not something outside of us that we must discover. The problem with this theory is that GOD is outside of us. And GOD has set the rules. God's word is truth. We MUST wrestle with it and come to terms with it.

The apostles said in Acts 4:12, "There is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved." What does that mean? It means there is absolute truth. It means there is only ONE way of attaining eternal life. It is through Jesus Christ. Jesus said, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me" (John 14:6). That doesn't leave many other options, does it?

Muhammad is not the way. Buddha is not the way. John Smith is not the way Mary Baker Eddy is not the way. Moses is not the way. JESUS is the way! And there is no other way.

I just love that verse - Acts 4:12.

God bless,
Nathan

Acts 1-2: Baptism of the Holy Spirit

Do you know what the baptism of the Holy Spirit is? The word "baptize" means to immerse. If there is no qualifier (i.e. "baptism of fire" or "baptism of the Holy Spirit"), it is rightly assumed the immersion is in water. If I said I immersed myself, you would automatically translate that to "I dunked myself in water." But if I said I immersed myself in a book, you would understand something different. The same is true in the Bible. When you read that someone was baptized, you can immediately know he was immersed in water. But there are a couple of times in Scripture where the word "baptize" is qualified and used in a different way.

I say these things because there are some religious folk who understand almost every passage on baptism as referring to the baptism of the Holy Spirit. But the baptism of the Holy Spirit was a very special baptism, and it's easy to see exactly what it was by using the Book of Acts.

1. Jesus promised the Baptism of the Holy Spirit to His apostles. "John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now" (Acts 1:5). By looking at Acts 1:1-2, you can see the ONLY men who were in conversation with Jesus were the apostles. This promise was not a blanket promise given to all of mankind. It was given only to Jesus' choice messengers.

2. The Baptism of the Holy Spirit would come not many days from when Jesus ascended. "John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now" (Acts 1:5). This was going to be a one-time event. It would not be years in the future...or even weeks. The time was measured in days. We can look ahead into chapter 2 and see where the Holy Spirit came upon the Apostles in a powerful way. Could this be the baptism of the Holy Spirit? It's not told us directly at this point...we must look farther in Acts to find the answer.

3. The Baptism of the Holy Spirit caused men to have spiritual gifts without the laying on of men's hands. The Holy Spirit fell upon Cornelius and his family and caused them to start speaking in tongues - just like the apostles had done on the day of Pentecost. Peter did not lay his hands upon them. The Spirit just took control. Peter ties everything together for us in Acts 11:15-17:

15 And as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them just as He did upon us at the beginning.
16 And I remembered the word of the Lord, how He used to say, 'John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.'
17 Therefore if God gave to them the same gift as He gave to us also after believing in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could stand in God's way?

Peter shows that what happened to Cornelius and his house WAS Holy Spirit baptism. He also tied it together with what happened to the apostles "at the beginning" (on Pentecost) - that, too, was the baptism of the Holy Spirit.

4. We only have two recorded baptisms of the Holy Spirit. The Apostles and Cornelius are the only two verifiable Holy Spirit baptisms. From here on out the power of the Holy Spirit (the power of spiritual gifts) was passed on through the agency of the Apostle's hands only (Acts 8:14-19). I have to assume the apostle Paul was also baptized by the Holy Spirit - unless one of the other apostles laid hands on him. But if he was, it's not recorded for us.

5. The Baptism of the Holy Spirit was intended as a sign. On the day of Pentecost (Acts 2), the sound as of a mighty rushing wind and tongues as of fire on the heads of the apostles drew a great crowd. They realized something BIG, something GREAT, was going on, and they wanted to see the action. This was a sign to the Jews that these men really did have a message from God. And about 3000 obeyed the gospel message! When Cornelius and his family were baptized in the Holy Spirit, this was also a sign to the Jews - but it was a sign that "God has granted to the Gentiles also the repentance that leads to life" (Acts 11:18).

Let's not get befuddled and bent out of shape when someone wants to treat the Baptism of the Holy Spirit as some mystical thing that must happen to every Christian. It's not. It was intended for a specific purpose, and it fulfilled its purpose in a mighty way!

God bless,
Nathan

Tomorrow's Reading: Acts 3-5

Luke 23-24: A Burning Heart

Don't you wish you could have been on that road to Emmaus and heard Jesus explaining "to them the things concerning Himself in all the Scriptures" (Luke 24:27)? Don't you wish you could have been with the apostles when Jesus "opened their minds to understand the Scriptures" (Luke 24:45)?

Moses and the prophets wrote about Jesus. The Old Testament is ripe with Messianic (Messiah = Christ = "the anointed one") prophecy and Messianic figures. Jesus is all over the Old Testament. When you see the beauty of the Bible, how it is put together, and how deep it is, your heart burns! When you see the Bible has a POINT to make - and that point is CHRIST - you marvel, you grin, you swell up with emotion and joy. These two men on the road to Emmaus said, "Were not our hearts burning with in us while He was speaking to us on the road, while He was explaining the Scriptures to us?" (Luke 24:32).

Anyone who has been in a good Bible study understand that feeling when your light comes on, when you see the truth, when you realize you have seen into God's great mystery! We can have this same burning within us. We don't need Jesus right beside us to explain the Scriptures to us because He has already explained it by His own mouth and by the mouths of His apostles. When we read we can understand His mystery. When we read we can have our hearts burn within us today.

We have finished the gospel of Luke and tomorrow we start the book of Acts, also written by Doctor Luke. Let me encourage you in a couple of points:

1) Read with a Purpose. As you read Acts, make a couple of notes. Note (a) a FAVORITE PASSAGE, (b) something NEW, and (c) a PRACTICAL APPLICATION.

2) Share it with the Group. It would be great to get more people commenting on the readings. Share one (or more) of your notes with everyone.

3) Don't get Burnt Out. If you find you have skipped a couple of days of reading, just pick up on TODAY'S reading. Don't feel like you have to catch back up on everything that was skipped. Lord willing, you will read back through this again later. You can also use Sunday to catch up on a day or two of reading, if you want.

God bless you in your reading of His word! May He create in us Burning Hearts. :-)

Nathan

Luke 21-22: This Hour and the Power of Darkness

I don't think I've ever ruminated over this phrase in Luke 22:53. When the crowd came to arrest Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane He said these words: "This hour and the power of darkness are yours."

Jesus had been teaching publicly in the temple all week long, but they didn't come against Him in the temple for fear of the people. The people loved Jesus and His teaching. So these degenerate leaders took the coward's way and arrested Him under cover of darkness in the middle of the night. Jesus could have started a battle between His disciples and this small band of soldiers. Peter, at least, was ready to start swinging. But Jesus did not come to start a war. He came to die. He had to go with these men.

In His statement, "This hour and the power of darkness are yours," doesn't He speak as if He is GRANTING them this hour? It's like He's saying, "I'll go with you now; I'll let you take Me."

How dark were the hearts of men at this hour! They were like those wicked vineyard keepers (Luke 20:9-18) who killed the servants of the land-owner. Now they saw the Son coming, and they conspired to kill Him so the vineyard would be theirs. What do you think the land-owner (the Father) would do with these men? The answer Jesus gave in His parable was: "He will come and destroy these vine-growers and will give the vineyard to others" (Luke 20:16). He would depose the Jews from being God's exclusive "special people." He would give that right to any who would believe in His Son - these would become "spiritual Israel."

But the great thing about the mercy of God is THIS HOUR would pass, and those who arrested Jesus on this occasion would have a future opportunity to repent and turn to the Lord! Now they were under the power of darkness, guided by Satan. God has not promised us any future hour, but how many of us have been granted time to repent? Each one of us has fallen under the power of Satan. Each one of us has given himself to the power of darkness. God has allowed us to fall into sin through our own choices. But He also grants us ways of escape and TIME to come to our senses!

Thank You, Father, for giving us time to seek You and Your kingdom.

Let's make sure we are seeking Him.

God bless,
Nathan

Tomorrow's Reading: Luke 23-24 (Finishing up Luke!)

Luke 14-16: Inviting Sinners to My House

I want to be more like Jesus in the way I look at people. When I walk through the grocery store, sometimes I find myself subconsciously identifying who would be a good candidate for teaching the gospel and who wouldn't. Often I gravitate more towards those who look and act most like me. There's the young man with a couple of little kids. I can talk to him. He's like me. There's a young lady with a nice smile. She would fit right into my neighborhood, so I can easily talk with her. There's an older couple who are holding hands. Surely they wouldn't have to do much to get into the kingdom of heaven - they are good prospects.

But then there's the lady in a sharp suit, a no-nonsense look about her. Looks like it would be hard to break through that shell; no use trying to approach her. There are a couple of sullen teenagers bickering over some frozen pizza. They obviously don't have a clue or good attitudes. Who wants to talk to them? There's the unshaven bum sitting on the curb outside the store. I doubt I have anything in common with him, so I'll just keep walking.

How unfortunate that I don't have the mind of Christ when looking at the people around me! So often the ones who NEED the gospel message (okay, so everyone needs it, but these KNOW they need it) are the very ones I categorize as "too hard" or "not my type." And often the ones I THINK are my type and easier to talk to are the ones who are already satisfied their lives are going well and are convinced they DON'T need any spiritual help right now. What I have really done is judged their hearts. I have decided who is a good prospect and who isn't.

Jesus makes it clear that the kingdom is open to EVERYONE. In fact, many who had the first chance (specifically the Jews, in this context) rejected the kingdom, and God rejected them from His table. Look at these quotes from our Master:

Luke 14:13-14 - "When you give a reception, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed, since they do not have the means to repay."

Luke 14:21, 23 - "Go out at once into the streets and lanes of the city and bring in here the poor and crippled and blind and lame...Go out into the highways and along the hedges, and compel them to come in, so that my house may be filled."

God is interested in those who are destitute, who are at rock-bottom, and who KNOW IT. These are the ones with whom Jesus spent His time. He ate with sinners and tax collectors. He thanked and praised His Father because He had "hidden these things from the wise and intelligent and [had] revealed them to infants" (Luke 10:21).

We are to broadcast the seed of the word. Let it fall on all types of ground, on all hearers. Let us not presume who will listen and who will not. We should be using megaphones, but instead we sometimes use telephones. We single people out and work on them for years thinking, "I just know these friends will come around one day." I'm not saying we should quit trying with someone. I'm saying we should try with EVERYONE! Tell your reprobate boss that you have been praying for him or her. Ask your trash man if he would like to read the Bible with you. Ask your crotchety old neighbor if he will come eat with you.

These are all things I need to do.

God bless,
Nathan

Tomorrow's Reading: Luke 17-18

Luke 12-13: Unnecessary Ulcers

I'm reading a book called Liberty and Tyranny by Mark R. Levin. It's about the current state of the government, how the government is wildly out of control, how the government has seized much more power than the founding fathers ever intended for it, etc. It's a good book, but it's all too easy to start worrying about liberty, freedom, and the future.

If you watch the news, it might disgust you to see the level of evil in men's hearts: theft, murder, rape, child abuse, abortion, adultery, homosexuality, and the general blackness of the human heart. They love to report when people die in unusual ways because it's shocking! Headlines today on Fox News:

• Italy Quake Rises to 260
• Bingham Massacre: 98 Shots in a Minute
• GM Speeding Toward Bankruptcy
• 5 Killed in Taliban Gunbattle With Pakistan Police
• 4 Shot, 1 Killed at California Religious Retreat Center

We are a people obsessed with pain, suffering, and evil. It will get you down, if you let it. It will make you worry for yourself, for your kids, for the country in general.

But Jesus says, "Do not worry about your life, as to what you will eat; nor for you body, as to what you will put on" (Luke 12:22). He points out that God clothes the birds of the sky and the flowers in the field, which are much more transient even than a human. So don't you think God will provide for His children if He provides for the birds? Won't He take care of you if He takes care of a flower?

What we SHOULD be concerned about is seeking His Kingdom: "But seek His kingdom, and these things will be added to you" (Luke 12:31). Seeking the Kingdom is seeking God. It is trying to learn what pleases Him (Ephesians 5:10). We try to have a Kingdom attitude (seeking others' interests above our own). This is also called "godliness." We don't focus our eyes at our feet or on all the trouble surrounding us; we look toward God and toward Heaven. Don't look down; look up!

"Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has chosen gladly to give you the kingdom" (Luke 12:32). This sentence makes me happy and strengthens my faith.

God bless,
Nathan

Tomorrow's Reading: Luke 14-16

Luke 10-11: You Don't Have to SEE Jesus

It would be so great to walk with Christ. I mean to REALLY walk beside Him while He was on earth. I wish I could see His face, see His expressions, see how He dealt with men and women, see His miracles - THEN I would believe! If I could just observe my Savior in the flesh, that would do so much for my faith.

I don't think I'm alone with this thought. Individuals down through history have had this same thought, and many today are looking for a sign from Jesus. If they could only have something TANGIBLE, something they could see with our own eyes or touch with their hands, THEN they would believe.

Ironically, there were Pharisees during the time of Christ who DID see Him and His miracles...and who didn't believe. "He casts out demons by Beelzebul, the ruler of the demons," (Luke 11:15) some said, thus attributing the work and power of the Holy Spirit to Satan and the forces of evil (this is blasphemy of the Holy Spirit). They looked for a sign. They had already seen miracles, but they wanted more. They were not satisfied with JUST JESUS. Jesus said to them, "This generation is a wicked generation; it seeks for a sign, and yet no sign will be given to it but the sign of Jonah" (Luke 11:29).

And then there were the women who said, "Blessed is the woman that bore You and the breasts at which You nursed" (Luke 11:27). They had the same idea. How blessed would be the MOTHER of Christ or the BROTHER of Christ. Surely blood relations were super-special. Surely those closest to Christ had the most spiritual advantage. But Jesus, as was His custom, completely overturned man's thinking. He said, "On the contrary, blessed are those who hear the word of God and observe it" (Luke 11:28).

And so it's not those who SAW Jesus and observed His miracles first-hand who have a fast-pass into heaven. It's not those who were His best friends on this earth, not even His parents, who were truly blessed. If you want to be blessed of God, you will simply observe the word of God when you hear it. It's that simple!

"Because you have seen Me, have you believed? Blessed are they who did not see, and yet believed" (John 20:29).

Which MEANS: You and I can be truly blessed of God today!

God bless,
Nathan

Tomorrow's Reading: Luke 12-13

Luke 8-9: Jesus Scares People

Jesus said His purpose was not "to destroy men's lives but to save them" (Luke 9:56). So why are people so scared of Him?

In Luke 8:26-39, Luke recorded Jesus' encounter with "Legion," the man with many demons. What did this man desperately need? He needed the forces of evil cast from his life. He needed a power much greater than his own. These demons had complete control over him. He was literally out of his mind because something (someone?) else had taken over his mind. What a terrible place to live!

When Jesus came along, the demons were NOT happy to see Him. They knew Jesus had power greater than their own. They knew when the Son of God gave the word, they had to obey. They begged to be sent into a herd of swine nearby and not into "the abyss," which I suppose is where all demons are locked away today.

And after Jesus cast the demons out of this man, and when the Gadarenes found the man dressed and in his right mind once again, they asked Jesus to LEAVE! They were not happy with Him either, as astounding as that is.

This event is illustrative of the human heart. Many today act just like the Gadarenes. Jesus did not come to hurt, but to heal. He did not come to condemn, but to save. So why does Jesus scare people? In truth, each one of us could be called "Legion" - we have many SINS which leave us naked and exposed to Satan's forces. We do many terrible things. We walk among the tombs in the grave yard; we are among the living dead, zombies of the power of darkness (Colossians 1:13). We need Someone who has POWER greater than our own. We need Someone who has POWER greater than the forces of evil. We need deliverance! And Jesus has that power. He reaches through the darkness to take hold of us and bring us into His kingdom of light. He gives us direction and purpose.

Those of us who have taken the hand of Jesus and allowed Him to lead us out of the darkness LOVE Him with a great love. We know Him. But those who don't know Him are scared. They see His power in our lives. They see the power He holds over the forces of evil. They realize, on some level, they need that same power, but accepting Christ Jesus would mean great changes in their lives. They are scared of getting out of their "safety" zones. They are fearful at the power they see before them. All they want is for Jesus to leave them alone so they won't have to face the TRUTH of their own sins.

Jesus scares people. And for good reason. If they don't obey Him, they have every reason to be fearful! Woe to those who refuse Him now - because they WILL bow the knee later (Romans 14:11; Philippians 2:10). Let's not be like those Gadarenes. When we see the great power of Jesus to save and to heal, let us ask Him to STAY and perform His great work of salvation in us.

God bless,
Nathan

Tomorrow's Reading: Luke 10-11

Luke 4-5: Master Yourself

Jesus is Master! That is what I see in these two chapters.

3. He is Master of the crowds (Luke 4:28-30). They dragged Him out of the city to stone Him, but He just passed through their midst. Jesus had complete control over His surroundings.

4. He is Master of the demons (Luke 4:33-36, 40-41). The people recognized His power and authority over evil.

5. He is Master of sickness (Luke 4:39, 5:13). He rebuked a fever and it fled. He touched a leper and healed him.

6. He is Master of the elements (Luke 5:4ff). Peter, Andrew, James, and John were staggered by the large catch of fish, which threatened to sink their boats.

7. He is Master of sin (Luke 5:24). He proved that He could forgive sin. He also proved He was willing to forgive!

You might be wondering why I started the list with number 3. It's because I wanted to save the first two things I noticed until the end. This taught me a special lesson this morning (as the Bible often does).

1. He is Master of Himself (Luke 4:1-12). Jesus first proved He could control Himself, even under great stress and temptation. This is important! If I am to get anywhere in my life, if I am to be worthwhile at any valuable level, I need to master myself. I will get nowhere if I don't have control over my own mind and body.

2. He is Master of the Word (Luke 4:14-21). I'm not sure if this one should be number 2. The only way to truly master yourself is if you have the proper tools and understanding of HOW to master yourself. What needs to be changed? Where does my focus need to be? Which characteristics to I need, and which do I avoid? All of this comes from the teachings of the Bible.

One last point at the end of chapter 4 (Luke 4:43), Jesus said, "I must preach the kingdom of God to the other cities also, for I was sent for this purpose." Jesus knew His purpose! How many of us have such an understanding of a definite PURPOSE for our lives? That's empowerment. That's someone who has understanding, has a compass, has direction. Let us search to know God's purpose for us, as Fathers, Mothers, Sisters, Brothers, Sons, Daughters, Grandparents, Husbands, Wives, etc. God has specific purposes for these roles. Let's try to understand them and fulfill them.

But first, we must master ourselves.

God bless,
Nathan

Luke 2-3: What's In A Genealogy?

And all my readers throw their hands in the air and wonder, "There are so many great things in these two chapters, and Nathan picks out the list of boring names?!"

I'll tell you what: you guys can bring up some of the other wonderful tidbits from the rest of the two chapters. I thought I would point out something in the genealogy of Christ in Luke 3:23-38.

It's good to know there are two genealogies of Christ - one in Matthew 1 and one in Luke 3. You would think these two would be identical, but if you glance through them together you will quickly find they are not. Here are a couple of differences:

1. Matthew's genealogy starts with Abraham and works its way down to Jesus. Luke's genealogy starts with Jesus and works backwards all the way to "Adam, the son of God."

2. The names of the men from Abraham to David are identical, but Matthew traces Jesus' lineage through David's son Solomon. Luke traces His line through David's son Nathan. From David, these two genealogies are completely different, obviously tracing two separate lines.

The question is: what does this mean? The most reasonable explanation is one genealogy lists Jesus line through his earthly father, Joseph; and the other follows Mary's ancestry. I believe Matthew is Joseph's genealogy and Luke is Mary's. This would mean that Mary was a descendant of Nathan, son of David, and Joseph was a descendant of Solomon, son of David. They BOTH came through David, of the tribe of Judah.

So, Jesus had a claim to the throne in a LEGAL sense through his earthly father, Joseph. But, if anyone wanted to be picky in that Joseph wasn't REALLY His father, He also had a claim to the throne in a BLOOD sense through His mother, Mary. There is no way to say Jesus is NOT a descendant of David! This was to fulfill prophecy (Luke 1:32, 33: "He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David; and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end").

Hebrews makes a big deal out of the fact that Jesus is a high priest, but not from the tribe of Levi. He's from the tribe of Judah (Hebrews 7:11-19). This is a NEW priesthood with new rules: a new covenant.

Anyway, those are some thoughts to consider. It IS so cool to see God's plan unveiled. I hope we can all get worked up and be passionate about seeing these things in the word - even in the genealogies!

God bless,
Nathan

Luke 1: Two Faiths Challenged

The angels were busy. The key to God's master plan for the salvation of His children was about to be sent to earth. God had prepared for this day meticulously, and I'm sure it was with great satisfaction He sent His angel Gabriel on two missions to announce the births of two cousins: John and Jesus.

Gabriel appeared to Zacharias while he was offering incense in the temple. Zacharias and his wife, Elizabeth, were growing old, so when the angel said they would have a son, he said, "How will I know for certain?" He asked for a sign. His faith was challenged, and he disbelieved (Luke 1:20). Earlier Luke recorded for us that Zacharias and Elizabeth "were both righteous in the sight of God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and requirements of the Lord" (Luke 1:6). You'd think his faith would have been stronger.

Gabriel also appeared to Mary (Luke 1:27). When the angel told her "you will conceive in your womb and bear a son," her question was, "How can this be, since I am a virgin?" (Luke 1:34). At first glance, this might seem a statement of disbelief like Zacharias'. But this was a perfectly logical question. How can a woman who has had no relations with a man bear a child? God has always answered the honest, seeking question. When Moses kept asking questions (how will Pharaoh believe me? how will I speak, since I'm slow of tongue?), God answered him. When he simply said, "But I don't want to do this; please get someone else," then God became angry with him. Gabriel answered Mary: "The Holy Spirit will come upon you" (Luke 1:35). Mary simply said, "Behold, the bondslave of the Lord; may it be done to me according to your word" (Luke 1:38). Now THAT is a statement of great faith and trust. She could probably imagine some of the trouble which would come her way when she suddenly got pregnant. But she bowed to the Lord's wishes.

Wouldn't you think an older person would have more faith than a younger? Wouldn't you think an older person could do much more in the kingdom of God than a younger? Mary was probably still a teenager at this point. If you put a teenager beside a Levite who ministered in the temple, who would you put forth as the "most useful in God's service"? Perhaps we should never even THINK this way! Age does not matter. Ability does not matter. Knowledge does not matter. Faith matters. Teenagers can be just as useful in God's kingdom as Elders in the church.

God bless,
Nathan

Did anything jump out at you in today's reading?