Author: Timothy Sullivan

Welcome to this Bible Study Blog. It is my desire to encourage your reading of the Word of God each day and to encourage you along the journey of faith in our Lord Jesus Christ....

Verse of the Day – 02/10/19

1 Corinthians 13:1-3

If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.

This passage from 1 Corinthians 13 (commonly referred to as the “love” chapter) should be familiar to most of us.  If not, I encourage you to read Chapter 12 and then read Chapter 13 in order to have some additional context for what Paul develops for us in his discourse on brotherly love.  In Chapter 12, Paul focuses on the spiritual gifts and how these are to operate within the Church (Body of Christ).  He discusses and comments on the diversity of gifts appropriated by the Holy Spirit to believers, but emphasizes the unity and wholeness their exercise should create for the benefit of all believers.  Paul finishes his thoughts and instructions on these matters by encouraging believers to desire spiritual gifting for the edification of the Church … but then remarks in 1 Corinthians 12: 31 … “And yet, I will show you the most excellent way.”

The most excellent way to what?  In the context of Chapter 12, Paul moves on in Chapter 13 the most excellent way for believers to work together and use their individual giftings for the Church. These opening verses set the stage regarding the preeminence of love in our relationships.  One or more manifestations of the Spirit are given to each of us for the common good. So regardless of which manifestation has been determined and distributed to each of us according to the Holy Spirit, it has not been given for the purpose of “personal benefit.”  In other words, your spiritual gift(s) or roles (offices within the Church) are not for your personal edification or glory. If sincere love is not the highest motivating factor for exercising spiritual gifts, then Paul asserts our gifts will accomplish very little of value to the community of believers.  To be sure, we are called to operate in our gifts for the Church, but loving one another is the only reason they were given in the first place.  Without love in our hearts, the gifts of the Spirit are essentially useless in effectuating the common good: developing, discipling, equipping, encouraging, or ministering to the community of believers.

Paul will continue to provide some practical definitions for love to give us essential references on how love will manifest itself through our spiritual giftings, but I will save that for our next lesson….

So Now You Know….

Have a Blessed Day!

Verse of the Day – 02/09/19

2 Thessalonians 1:3

We ought always to thank God for you, brothers and sisters, and rightly so, because your faith is growing more and more, and the love all of you have for one another is increasing.

This verse is a nice reminder to be thankful for our brothers and sisters in the Lord.  Paul indicated to the Thessalonian Church that his offering of gratitude to God for fellow believers was the right thing to do in light of their faith; its perseverance; its ever-increasing growth and maturity; and its abounding love for others.  Paul said he boasted to other bodies of believers about their perseverance and faith in all the persecutions and trials they were enduring.  Wow!  What kind of testimony do you think Paul would give to Second Chance Church?  Other churches in our community?  What kind of prayer would he offer for the Church today?  Well, I’m glad you asked because I think Paul would offer the same prayer for us that he did for the Thessalonians:

2 Thessalonians 1:11-12 (NIV)

11 With this in mind, we constantly pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of His calling, and that by His power He may bring to fruition your every desire for goodness and your every deed prompted by faith. 12 We pray this so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Let’s examine his prayer a little more:

1. With this in mind ….

What is Paul referring to with this phrase? In Verses 5-10, Paul discusses the challenges and suffering the Thessalonian church was experiencing from non-believers and the culture around them. Sound familiar?  Yet, he offered them hope that justice would be accomplished when Jesus returns and explains how that will occur.  Perhaps, we should take note….

2. We constantly pray for you….

What a great comfort to know that another person is praying for you.  Even better, like Paul, tell other people you are praying for them … and often.  And let them know what you are praying for them … and asking God to do in them and for them….

3. That our God may make you worthy of His calling…

This is an interesting petition.  Notice the implication of what Paul is saying here.  You and I do not make ourselves worthy of the call God places upon us; rather HE makes us worthy. The questions here become: “How does God make us worthy of His calling?” and “Why is it important for us to pray for worthiness?”  My thoughts are that worthiness  is something we cannot accomplish within ourselves; however, we can respond to His call upon our lives by living a life worthy of the calling we have received.  You see this phrase and similar petitions in other epistles of Paul.

4. That by His power He may bring to fruition your every desire for goodness and your every deed prompted by faith. 

Again, note that it is the power of God that brings fruition our desire for goodness; to our desire for holiness; to our service and ministry for others prompted by our faith.  So this verse corroborates that our salvation is by grace through faith … and not of works.  Our desire for goodness and serving others is fulfilled by the power of God working in us.  His Spirit will equip us for being effetive and productive … living lives worthy of our calling (Cf. 2 Peter 1:8)

5. We pray this so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in Him,

Notice that the purpose of his prayer is for the name of the Lord Jesus to be glorified in His disciples and followers … AND each of us to be glorified in Him!

I thought this opportunity to examine a powerful prayer was too important for us to miss.  And I hope that you will consider how your prayers for fellow believers will not only encourage them – but will strengthen your own faith as you petition the Lord and observe His grace and power unfold in the lives of His people according to your prayers.  So I have reprinted some additional prayers of Paul for other churches below.  Note the similarities and content of his prayers.  I hope these examples will “reset your mindset” regarding prayer and inspire you and I to pray more intentionally and powerfully.  For you know these prayers will be answered because the Lord Jesus will be glorified through the fruit we bear as we live lives worthy of the calling we have received.  Amen!.

Ephesians 1:15-19 (NIV)

15 For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all God’s people, 16 I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. 17 I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know Him better. 18 I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which He has called you, the riches of His glorious inheritance in His holy people, 19 and His incomparably great power for us who believe.

Ephesians 4:1 

As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received.

Colossians 1:3-12 (NIV)

3 We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you,4 since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints, 5 because of the hope laid up for you in heaven. Of this you have heard before in the word of the truth, the gospel, 6 which has come to you, as indeed in the whole world it is bearing fruit and      increasing—as it also does among you, since the day you heard it and understood the grace of God in truth, 7 just as you learned it from Epaphras our beloved fellow servant. He is a faithful minister of Christ on your behalf 8 and has made known to us your love in the Spirit. 9 And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, 10 so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to Him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; 11 being strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy; 12 giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. 

1 Thessalonians 1:2-5 (NIV)

2 We always thank God for all of you and continually mention you in our prayers.3 We remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and  your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. 4 For we know, brothers and sisters loved by God, that He has chosen you,5 because our gospel came to you not simply with words but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and deep conviction. 

1 Thessalonians 2:11-13 (NIV)

11 For you know that we dealt with each of you as a father deals with his own children,12 encouraging, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of God, who calls you into His kingdom and glory. 13 And we also thank God continually because, when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as a human word, but as it actually    is, the word of God, which is indeed at work in you who believe. 

Philippians 1:3-11 (NIV)

3 I thank my God every time I remember you. 4 In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy 5 because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, 6 being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. 7 It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart and, whether I am in chains or defending and confirming the gospel, all of you share in God’s grace with me. 8 God can testify how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus. 9 And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, 10 so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, 11 filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God.

So Now You Know….

Have a Blessed Day!

Verse of the Day – 02/08/19

Matthew 5:43-48

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same?  And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so? Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.

The passage presents another lesson on the command of Christ Jesus to love another as He has loved us.  In this passage, I observe that Jesus raises the bar.  The expression of love to others is not limited only to those we love or those that love us.  No, the expectation is higher – that we would love even our enemies and those who hate us or persecute us. Why? Because that is how God treated us! God loves the whole world … even those who express hatred toward Him or Jesus, His Son.  He is not willing that anyone should perish but that everyone would come to repentance. (Cf. 2 Peter 8-10) To be sure, judgment and condemnation will come to those who do not believe in Christ Jesus. But in His patience and long-suffering, God is benevolent to all … displaying the riches of His grace and kindness in order to lead people to repentance. (Cf. Romans 2:4) So in this passage, Jesus shares a couple of simple examples of this kindness: He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.

Think about what Jesus is saying here.  God is good and gracious to all people regardless of the intent of their hearts or their manner of life.  Everyone on the earth experiences the sun rise each day.  Everyone receives the rain when it falls. The goodness of God is evident in His creation regardless of whether a person recognizes it. So Jesus implies that we are to be like-minded in our attitudes and conduct toward others.  While it may be hard to fathom … much less perform … we are called to be indiscriminately gracious and kind to all.  We are not to love others based on whether they deserve it; rather, we are to be merciful to the ungrateful and the evil like our Father in Heaven.  When we reflect the nature of God … when we imitate His benevolence to others …  we show that we are His children.  As Jesus said, “By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” (Cf. John 13:35) I want us to look at this same passage in the Gospel of Luke because (true to form) it has a little more detail in the narrative:

Luke 6:27-38 (NIV)

27 “But I say to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. 29 To one who strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also, and from one who takes away your cloak do not withhold your shirt (tunic) either. 30 Give to everyone who begs from you, and from one who takes away your goods do not demand them back. 31 And as you wish that others would do to you, do so to them. 32 “If you love those who love you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. 33 And if you do good to those who do good to you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. 34 And if you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to get back the same amount. 35 But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for He is kind to the ungrateful and the evil.36 Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful. 37 “Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven; 38 give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.”

In reading this passage in its comparative context, I think there is a lesson that we might miss with just a casual reading.  Yes, we know that we are to be nice people as Christians.  We are to be merciful, kind, forgiving, and generous toward others; but just as I said earlier, Jesus raised the bar!  He said to lend, expecting nothing in return.  He said to judge not and condemn not because you and I will be held to the same standard of judgment or condemnation we “assess” on others.  Yet, notice that Jesus indicated there would be reward for those who follow His instruction.  As we find recorded in Verse 35, when we love our enemies and do good and lend without expectation for reciprocation, we will receive “great reward” as children of the Most-High God.  If we do not judge others, we will not be judged.  If we do not condemn others, we will not be condemned. If we give, it will be returned by God in ways that will overflow in abundance to us!  And please observe that Jesus does not qualify whether the person we encounter is worthy of such mercy or kindness … on any level.  These are imperatives with high expectation for fulfillment … and with promise of great reward in doing so. (Cross reference with Psalm 19).

I cannot emphasize this point enough. If we intend to be followers of Christ, our actions … our words … our conduct with others should not be based on their worthiness.  It is based on mercy … the same mercy that we have received from God through Christ Jesus our Lord! Paul addressed this point for us:

Romans 5:8-11 (NIV)

8 But God shows His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Since we have now been justified by His blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through Him! 10 For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to Him through the death of His Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through His life! 11 Not only is this so, but we also boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

Sinners are justified by the blood of Christ!  There is no other justification acceptable to our Holy Father.  So no amount of focus and hostility toward others with a self-righteous attitude is going to lead them to the reconciliation they want and need.  It is by grace we have been saved, through faith – and this is not of ourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works so that no one can boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9) None of us is worthy … I repeat … none of us is worthy of the price that was paid for our sin. It was the kindness of God our Savior who gave Himself for all who would come to faith.  And those who are ungodly (like we were) need our Savior …  not our judgment or condemnation! In fact, neither of these indictments were the intent of our Lord Jesus when He was sent by the Father into world:

John 3:16-17 (ESV)

16 “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through Him.

John 5:21-23 (ESV)

21 For as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so also the Son gives life to whom He will. 22 For the Father judges no one, but has given all judgment to the Son, 23 that all may honor the Son, just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him.

John 8:15-16 (ESV)

15 You judge according to human standards; I judge no one. 16 Yet even if I do judge, my judgment is true, for it is not I alone who judge, but I and the Father who sent me.

John 12:46-48 (ESV)

46 I have come into the world as light, so that whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness. 47 If anyone hears my words and does not keep them, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world. 48 The one who rejects me and does not receive my words has a judge; the word that I have spoken will judge him on the last day.

So we need to understand the heart of this message.  When God took the judgment for our sin and removed the condemnation for our own darkness and unbelief (Cf. John 3:18; Romans 8:1), He did so out of mercy and love.  His pardon of our sin was unmerited and undeserved!  So who are we to pass judgment or condemnation on anyone? Jesus called us to be merciful, even as our Father is merciful.  We need to have this attitude (mindset) in our relationships with others. As Paul wrote in Romans 14:1, we are to accept the one whose faith is weak, without quarreling over disputable matters. The verse implies there are matters of faith which are indisputable, but that is not a focus of this particular lesson.  Still, it is in this context that Paul continued:

Romans 14:10-13 (NIV)

10 You, then, why do you judge another believer? Or why do you treat them with contempt? For we will all stand before God’s judgment seat. 11 It is written: “‘As surely as I live,’ says the Lord, ‘every knee will bow before me; every tongue will acknowledge God.’” (Cf. Isaiah 45:23) 12 So then, each of us will give an account of ourselves to God. 13 Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in the way of a brother or sister. (See Also 2 Corinthians 5:9-11)

Jesus Himself modeled an excellent example for us on how we are to express His mercy to others who are living a sin-filled life:

John 8:2-11 (NIV)

At dawn Jesus appeared again in the temple courts, where all the people gathered around Him, and He sat down to teach them.  The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group and said to Jesus, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?” They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing Him. But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with His finger. When they kept on questioning Him, He straightened up and said to them, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” Again He stooped down and wrote on the ground.  At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?”  “No one, sir,” she said. “Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.”

My thought is that we need to focus less on the sin of others and more on leading them to Jesus – the One who was sent by the Father not to judge or condemn the world but to save the world.  The woman in this passage had transgressed the law and committed adultery, and yet, Jesus did not condemn her; rather, He showed mercy and in doing so led her to repentance and faith in Him.  That is all God has asked of any of us: Repentance and Faith! Yet, please do not misunderstand what is being said here.  Jesus has made it clear that there WILL be a Day of Judgment.  And we will all give an account of our lives. The distinction between those who receive eternal life and those who receive the second death (Cf. Revelation 20:14-15) is based on how a person responds to the truth and love of God.  A person who dismisses the love of God … who rejects His Son … who does not believe the testimony of His Word … will be thrown into the lake of fire (His words not mine).  Those who believe God and receive the gift of His Son as Lord and Savior through repentance and faith will receive eternal life.  It is God who will judge and condemn … or rather … the Word of God that will judge and condemn a person. (Cf. John 3:18; John 12:48)

1 John 5:6-13 (NIV)

6 This is the One who came by water and blood—Jesus Christ. He did not come by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth. 7 For there are three that testify: 8 the Spirit, the water and the blood; and the three are in agreement. 9 We accept human testimony, but God’s testimony is greater because it is the testimony of God, which He has given about His Son. 10 Whoever believes in the Son of God accepts this testimony. Whoever does not believe God has made Him out to be a liar, because they have not believed the testimony God has given about His Son. 11 And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. 12 Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. 13 I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.

This is the Gospel!  This is the good news we have through Jesus Christ!  This is the truth!  Therefore, let us speak the truth in love to everyone we encounter. (Cf. Ephesians 4:15) And let us be wise in the way we act toward outsiders; making the most of every opportunity. Let our conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that we may know how to answer everyone. (Cf. Colossians 4:6) Like you … like me … like the woman caught in adultery … every person is intuitively aware of and will be convicted of the sin and ungodliness within their heart through the role of the Holy Spirit. (Cf. John 16:8) Yet, there is another truth to proclaim: “There is, therefore, now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” (Cf. Romans 8:1) So instead of engaging people specifically about their particular sin(s) … I believe we should be engaging them to encounter the only One who can save them from their sin. What they have done or continue to do is far less important than who Jesus is! The works of the flesh (Cf. Galatians 5:19-21) are just symptomatic of the greater problem in a person’s heart … rejection of the Truth!  Faith comes by hearing the message (testimony), and the message is heard through the word about Christ. (Cf. Romans 10:17)

Think about it, did you or I come to faith in Jesus because someone kept badgering us, judging us, or condemning us for our sinful and unrighteous living?  I doubt that was the reason. Your conscience … my conscience … already instinctively knew right from wrong.  This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil.  Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed.  But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God. (Cf. John 3:19-21) No, you and I and every believer surrendered to Christ Jesus because we heard the truth and received the testimony God had given about Him. We understood that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. (Cf. Romans 3:23) And the truth convinced us that we needed Jesus … a Savior who is willing and able to forgive us of all our sins. (Cf. Hebrews 2:17-18; 4:14-16)

So like our former experience, those who still live in darkness are probably aware of their sin but are slaves to its deception and darkness. What they need to see is the Light of the world!  They need to see Jesus first and foremost! Like the woman at the well … like the one caught in adultery … like Zacchaeus the dishonest tax collector … those who encountered Jesus were changed forever. The grace and truth of Jesus … His passionate, persistent love … will inspire unbelievers and draw them toward the assurance of things hoped for, and the conviction of things not seen (Cf. Hebrews 11:1).  Like other believers, they too will respond in repentance and come to faith in Jesus.  And the Holy Spirit will guide them into all truth and sanctify them by the truth.  As the writer of Hebrews asserts: “For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” (Cf. Hebrews 4:12) Yes, the Word of God … the Gospel … conveys the love of God in its purest and deepest form. For God our Savior desires all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. For there is one God and one mediator between God and people, the man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time. (Cf. 1 Timothy 2:4-6) Yes, I believe this is the message all people need to hear … much more so than our judgment and condemnation. Amen!

So Now You Know….

Have a Blessed Day!

Verse of the Day – 02/07/19

Psalm 97:10

Let those who love the Lord hate evil, for He guards the lives of His faithful ones and delivers them from the hand of the wicked. (NIV)

You who love the Lord, hate evil! He preserves the souls of His saints; He delivers them out of the hand of the wicked. (NKJV)

I thought our Verse of the Day had some great key points for us to consider … and embrace.  As disciples of Christ Jesus, we have been called to love Him and to keep His commands.  We have been chosen by God to receive salvation through His Son.  He has promised us the inheritance of eternal life.  He has empowered us to walk in step with His indwelling Holy Spirit.  And God has enjoined us to love one another just as He in Christ demonstrated His loved toward us.  Wow! And yet, here we have another response to the love of God to consider: HATE EVIL. Look at the text.  If you love the Lord … you will HATE evil!  This is very strong language….

Now, perhaps we think that the “ability” to hate evil should be inherent in the hearts and lives of those who have received Jesus as Lord and been born again of the Spirit.  Yet, how many of us as Christians continue to struggle with temptation and fall short … fail … sin?  The Apostles James and John both addressed this spiritual challenge:

James 1:12-16 (ESV)

12 Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love Him. 13 Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and He Himself tempts no one. 14 But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. 15 Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death. 16 Do not be deceived, my dear friends. 

John 1:5-10 (ESV)

5 This is the message we have heard from Him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all. 6 If we say we have fellowship with Him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin. 8 If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.

So my thought is that our “struggle” becomes complicated because we simply do not HATE evil.  We still allow evil thoughts within our hearts (Cf.  Genesis 6:5) to drive the desires and behaviors that lead us into sin….  The Psalmist indicates that if you love God … you should HATE evil.  But he states that the Lord “guards” the lives (souls) of His faithful ones (saints) and delivers them from evil.  Likewise, James assures us that God will bless those who remain steadfast (faithful) under temptation with the “crown of life” which He has promised to give those who love Him.   And John advises us that if we walk in darkness … we cannot have fellowship with God.  But praise God, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness if we CONFESS our sins to Him….

Yes, we need to recognize and realize that evil is ever present around us.  It is hostile to our souls whether inflicted from within or experienced from without.  Oh, we readily hate the sins of others and the evil their sin inflicts upon us and others.  But do we truly hate our own sin … in all of its variant forms, subtleties, and deception?  Jesus warned us to examine ourselves – to see if we sincerely hate all evil:

Matthew 23:25-28 (ESV)

25 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and the plate, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. 26 You blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and the plate, that the outside also may be clean. 27 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead people’s bones and all uncleanness. 28 So you also outwardly appear righteous to others, but within you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.

I gather from the tone of this passage, Jesus was quite passionate in His delivery of this message to the religious hypocrites.  The deception of hypocrisy is that it is truly darkness. If we say we have fellowship with Him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.  So it is with hidden sin(s) … which is not ever hidden from God.  We are all exposed before Him … and He knows the truth.  He knows whether we truly hate evil … or if we are merely pretending … especially in front of others.

But I would like to revisit the assurance found in our Verse of the Day that I believe we need to embrace: “He guards the lives of His faithful ones and delivers them from the hand of the wicked.”  This message reminded me of another verse we have studied that offers a similar message of hope:

1 Corinthians 10:12-14 (ESV)

12 Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall. 13 No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and He will not let you be tempted beyond your ability (what you can bear), but with the temptation He will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it. 14 Therefore, my dear friends, flee from idolatry.

Well, I hope this Verse will challenge each of us to sincerely examine ourselves … our inner thoughts and convictions … to determine if we truly HATE evil in every form of darkness it manifests itself.  You who love the Lord – hate evil!  It is something that you must expressly and intently do in your thought life before it will ever manifest in your personal conduct or manner of life. Remember, God sees and knows the truth.  But know this: God is for us on this one!  He will guard our souls and delivers us from the evil one…. What a wonderful promise for those who love Him! Amen.

So Now You Know….

Have a Blessed Day!

Verse of the Day – 02/06/19

Proverbs 21:21

Whoever pursues righteousness and love finds life, prosperity and honor.

I woke up earlier than usual this morning … prompted to pray for a friend who is undergoing brain surgery to remove a tumor.  I ask you all to join me in prayer for his life; his wife and children; and his family; as they surrender and trust in our Lord Jesus for a successful outcome and full healing.  Pray there will be no complications…. Pray there will be no infections…. Pray that all thanks and glory for complete healing is offered to the glory of our God and Savior….  This is how we love another as Christ has loved us – Pray!

Our verse today continues to focus on our conduct … how we interrelate with other people … how we love one another. But here we find another aspect … the benefits we receive for ourselves as we endeavor to demonstrate our love to God through love for others.  Whoever pursues righteousness and love finds life, prosperity and honor.  There you go!  When our hearts are turned toward righteousness in our conduct … when we love our neighbor as we would ourselves … there is great reward God has promised those who make it their aim to live with these qualities in heart.

Life:          Jesus said, “For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.” (Cf. Matthew 16:25; Mark 8:35; Luke 9:24) When you and I pursue righteousness and love, we will lose our lives for the sake of Christ Jesus … only to find true life … eternal life in Him. (Cf. 1 John 5:20)

Prosperity          We need to be careful with our thoughts here.  Prosperity is defined as “a successful, flourishing, or thriving condition.”  This could be, and is often applied to financial success or good fortune; however, the Apostle John afforded us some perspective here when he wrote: “Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.” (2 John 1:2) When you and I pursue righteousness and love in and through our lives, we will find ourselves flourishing and thriving in body and soul….

Honor          The word honor here is used as a noun.  It means to have high respect; great esteem.  So as we pursue righteousness, mercy, and love in our relationships with others, we will find and receive honor.  King Solomon commented on this issue a great deal in his proverbs:

The fear (reverence) of the Lord is the instruction of wisdom, and before honor is humility. (Proverbs 15:33)

By humility and the fear (reverence) of the Lord are riches and honor and life. (Proverbs 22:4)

A man’s pride will bring him low, but the humble in spirit will retain honor. (Proverbs 29:23)

I want to look at a few other translations of our verse to see the variation of words used:

He who follows righteousness and mercy finds life, righteousness, and honor. (NKJV)

Whoever pursues righteousness and kindness will find life, righteousness, and honor. (ESV)

Whoever tries to live right and be loyal finds life, success, and honor. (NCV)

He who earnestly seeks righteousness and loyalty finds life, righteousness, and honor. (AMP)

Here is what I believe Jesus wants us to discover in this verse:

John 12:25-26 (NKJV)

25 Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. 26 If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.

Do we want to find life, righteousness, and honor for our lives?  These are gifts that we receive from God when we pursue righteousness, mercy, and love for one another.  These are the benefits we receive when we serve Jesus and follow His command to “love one another as I have loved you.” (John 15:12) Jesus affirms that our responses to Him … our decisions to follow Him … will result in imputed righteousness … will result in eternal life …  and will result in honor that the Father will bestow.  Can you imagine?  God will honor us? The One who created all things will have high respect and great esteem for us? For sinners that He saved through His own mercy and grace? Yes!  If we pursue the fullness of Christ Jesus in our lives through the power and anointing of the Holy Spirit … we will receive His righteousness when we stand before God; we will receive eternal life in Him; and we will receive honor from God the Father.

So Now You Know….  

Have a Blessed Day!

Verse of the Day – 02/05/19

Psalm 33:4-5

For the word of the Lord is right and true; He is faithful in all He does. The Lord loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of His unfailing love.

Sometimes we just need a reminder….

His Word is right and true … it is most trustworthy!  He is faithful in all that He does … even when we are not faithful.  He loves righteousness and justice … and calls us to follow Him to administer the same to one another.  The earth is full of His unfailing love … His deep, passionate, and everlasting love! I pray we will all meditate on these things….

So Now You Know….

Have a Blessed Day!

Verse of the Day – 02/04/19

Psalm 18:1-2

[ Psalm 18 ] [ For the director of music. Of David the servant of the Lord. He sang to the Lord the words of this song when the Lord delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul. He said:] I love you, Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.

Another Psalm of praise for us to reflect upon … perhaps even sing within our spirits.  Beautiful words of affirmation that God is indeed the refuge for our souls.  He is trustworthy!  He is a sanctuary to all those who love Him.  I sense someone reading this blog needs this verse for confirmation! Someone needs to feel assurance that God is for them! My friend, if you ever doubt that God is for you … just read this Psalm of salvation and know that your enemies are defeated!  Call upon God in your distress. Ask for help.  He will hear from His holy temple.  He knows your voice.  He knows your name.  He will deliver you.  Trust in Him!  His love is faithful.  It is unfailing.   It is everlasting.  He is worthy of all praise!

So Now You Know….

Have a Blessed Day!

Verse of the Day – 02/03/19

Psalm 59:16 (NIV)

But I will sing of your strength, in the morning I will sing of your love; for you are my fortress, my refuge in times of trouble.

This is a beautiful excerpt from Psalm 59.  David wrote this Psalm when King Saul had sent men to watch David’s house in order to kill him.  If you read the entire Psalm, you will see the context is a plea for deliverance from his enemies.  It is a petition for God to deal with his enemies and to bring consequences for their evil intent.  But at the end of his prayer, David sings praise and thanksgiving to God for His power, love, and protection.  Look at Verses 16-17:

16 But I will sing of your strength, in the morning I will sing of your love; for you are my fortress, my refuge in times of trouble.

17 You are my strength, I sing praise to you; you, God, are my fortress, my God on whom I can rely.

Though I find little eloquence in this Psalm (much of the tone is harsh to me), I do find a zealous message of reliance upon God … a sense of dependence upon God … and a profession of faith and trust in His vindication.  My observation is that David sees God in control of the situations he faces, and he trusts God to protect him.  David praises God because He is reliable and faithful to meet his needs.  So while the passage does not have great theological weight, it does convey two important aspects of how to exercise our faith: Prayer and Praise!

So when you come under duress or under attack … when you face physical, emotional, or spiritual battles … find a quiet place to get still before God and ask Him to deliver you.  Share with God your concerns … your feelings … your hurts … your needs. Then humble yourself under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care (anxieties) upon Him, for He cares for you. (Cf. 1 Peter 5:6-7) And then remember to praise Him.  Praise Him because He is your fortress … your place of refuge. Praise Him because He is your strength.  You can rely upon Him to bring you through the situation you face!  For Jesus Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” So you can boldly say: “The Lord is my helper;
I will not fear. What can man do to me?” (Cf. Hebrews 13:5-6) Oh my friend, you CAN trust Him!  God has your back … and He loves you far beyond all you can imagine or conceive….

I am thankful that David was transparent and shared his own personal experiences for us. His writings enable us to draw upon the inspiration God imparted to him.  I hope each of us will endeavor to seek God with the same boldness that David did.  You might just be surprised at what honest prayer and joyful praise might do for your life…. Maybe we just need to realize it could be a great time to reset our mindset!  I pray we will … and that we will submit to what God has desired to do in us and for us all since the foundation of the earth … enjoy oneness with Him.

So Now You Know….

Have a Blessed Day!

Verse of the Day – 02/02/19

1 Corinthians 2:9

However, as it is written: “What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived”— the things God has prepared for those who love Him—

I love our Verse of the Day because of the hope it expresses to us regarding our future … our eternal life with Christ Jesus in heaven.  Actually, Paul uses language here quite similar to that used by the Prophet Isaiah; so I will reprint the “original” passage from the O.T. for your reference:

Isaiah 64:3-5 (NKJV)

When you did awesome things that we did not look for, you came down, the mountains quaked at your presence.  From of old no one has heard or perceived by the ear, no eye has seen a God besides you, who acts for those who wait for Him.  You meet him who joyfully works righteousness, those who remember you in your ways.

1 Corinthians 2:9 (NKJV)

But as it is written: “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him.”

Obviously, the quote is not exact, but Paul applies the concept that Isaiah affirms: We just do not know the mysteries of God.  We have not seen or heard or conceived what God has prepared for us who have placed our faith in His Son, Christ Jesus!  It defies the imagination because we cannot even fathom the visible universe much less the detail of what is not seen.  What Isaiah targets is the unbelievable thought that the Creator would act on behalf of those who wait on Him … who call upon Him … who believe and trust in Him.  These mysterious experiences will follow those who have relationship and fellowship with God … i.e. those who love Him! Yes, it is hard to believe because it is hard to conceive … but Jesus Himself affirmed there is a place prepared for us – and He would come again to take us there:

Matthew 25:33-34 (NKJV)

 33 And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left. 34 Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:

John 14:1-6 (NKJV)

“Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. 2 In My Father’s house are many dwellings (mansions); if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. 4 And where I go you know, and the way you know.” 5 Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way?” 6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.

I pray that each of us will meditate of this truth from Scripture:  There is a place prepared for us in heaven by our Lord and Savior.  Its beauty and composition surpass anything we could ever conceive or imagine.  And Jesus is returning to take us there at the appointed time of the Father.  So we just need to believe …  anticipate the supernatural … and be ready as the sheep of His right hand for the blessing that awaits us!  Amen.

So Now You Know….

Have a Blessed Day!

Verse of the Day – 02/01/19

Deuteronomy 6:4-5

Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.

This verse from is probably a familiar one for most of us.  It is a doctrinal pillar for the Judeo-Christian faith and distinguishes monotheism (belief in a single God) and pantheism (belief in many gods).  If we went back into human history, Adam and Eve, would have testified to only one God … the One who walked and fellow-shipped with them in the cool of the day each morning.  Noah believed in the one God; and his reverence compelled him to build an ark to save all living creatures from the appointed judgment (Epic Flood) God would inflict upon the earth for the continual evil intentions and thoughts of their hearts … including the worship of other gods and idols. If we continue up until the time of Abraham, there are diverse human cultures and civilizations had developed belief systems that included multiple gods – most of whom represented celestial bodies, animals,  forces of nature, and human ideas which led to the creation of idols.  Except for a remnant of the Adamic lineage, it appears most people had abandoned the one, true God who is the Creator … who is the Lord.

In some of the earliest literature contained in our canon of Scripture, we can find this philosophical and theological chasm between monotheism and pantheism.  The Book of Job, for instance, is the oldest inspired narrative recorded in the Bible according to most scholars.  It was written before Moses even penned the Torah (Pentateuch – the first five books of the 24 Books of the Tanakh).  Job believes in and dialogues with one God; and of course; Moses develops an entire structure of worship for the “I AM” or self-existent One under holy inspiration.   And so along with other records from the contemporary period (Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob) we find the Jewish descendants holding firm to faith in the “one” true God.  He is not a plethora or composite of many gods, but a single, self-existent being who created all that is seen and unseen – with a unique, revealed purpose for the people He created “in His image”.

While we understand and believe that God is One … there is language found in the Scriptures that might suggest something other than one unique, self-existent Creator.  We can find it in the Book of Genesis … the foundational construction (the beginning) and explanation of how human existence came into being.  The first sentence … Verse 1 … states, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.”  The word translated “God” here in our English bibles is the word “Elohim”.  It is a plural form of the general name “El” as used for God in the Ancient Near East.  So when we arrive at Verse 26, we see the plural form used again, “Let US make man in OUR image, according to OUR likeness….”  Yet, in Verse 27 we read the singular form, “God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.”  I mention these distinctions not to imply an inconsistency in the concept of God or His nature; rather, the two forms to me will actually affirm a singleness or oneness of the revealed nature of God in the whole of Scripture.  The trinity (Father, Son, and Spirit) and the unity (God) are evident in the inspired language used to impart this theological concept to us.

While the word “trinity” is not used in the Bible; its applicability to our understanding of the “One” God is revealed when Jesus Christ boldly declares His oneness with the Father in John 10:30.  And when Jesus spoke of the Holy Spirit in Luke 12:10, He taught that anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven.  In essence, Jesus implied that blasphemy against the Holy Spirit was blasphemy against God.  When the resurrected Jesus gave “parting” instructions to the disciples in Matthew 28:19, He instructed them to go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit…. 

The name of God is the unifying image or concept of three beings of the same substance or nature … if you will.  God is One, but He manifests or reveals Himself as Father, Son, and Spirit.  Jesus taught us that God is Spirit in John 4:24. When Jesus prayed for His disciples as recorded in John 17:11-12, He said, “I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name, the name you gave me, so that they may be one as we are one. While I was with them, I protected them and kept them safe by that name you gave me.”  I find it interesting that we can infer here that the name of the Holy Father is the name given to the Son – Jesus.  The interpretation here does not have to literal (i.e. the name Jesus).  But think of it in these terms, the name (image or nature) of the Father is the same name (image or nature) given to the Son.  The concept is still the unity of oneness of the Father and the Son … as well as the Holy Spirit as we will see.

So where am I going with this train of thought?  The OT Scripture declares God is one – but it reveals that God is plural in His nature and in the sense of His self-revelation to man.  Mankind is commanded to love God … the Lord our God … with all of our heart, soul, and strength.  Contrast with the NT Scripture and the declaration in 1 John 5:1 which reads, “Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves the Father loves His child as well.  When you and I love Jesus with all of our heart, soul, and strength … we fulfill the commandment of God.  Perhaps the following passage will better explain what I am trying to share here:

John 16:7-15; 25-28 (NIV)

7 But very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate (Holy Spirit) will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you. 8 When He comes, He will prove the world to be in the wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment: 9 about sin, because people do not believe in me; 10 about righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer; 11 and about judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned.

12 “I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. 13 But when He, the Spirit of Truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on His own; He will speak only what He hears, and He will tell you what is yet to come. 14 He will glorify me because it is from me that He will receive what He will make known to you. 15 All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will receive from me what He will make known to you.”

25 “Though I have been speaking figuratively, a time is coming when I will no longer use this kind of language but will tell you plainly about my Father. 26 In that day you will ask in my name. I am not saying that I will ask the Father on your behalf. 27 No, the Father Himself loves you because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God. 28 I came from the Father and entered the world; now I am leaving the world and going back to the Father.”

So, the message I want to share is that God (Father, Son, and Spirit) has revealed Himself to us … to all people … in “forms” or “persona” that we can understand in order to have the fellowship and life He desires for us to have and experience.  He has made known His passionate, everlasting love for us.  And though we should respond with like passion … I believe if we were honest… we often fail to love God as we ought … with ALL of our heart, soul, and strength.  But I hope we might consider that God has given us relational ways to experience Him AND to express our love to Him.  Profoundly and literally, Jesus the Son, has truly shared our human form.  And Jesus said “the Spirit will receive from me what He will make known to you.”  So, again, we have an Advocate who is relational to us as well.  And as we pray to the Father, I believe our own spirits can feel connected to Him as approach His throne of grace to receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. (Cf. Hebrews 4:16)

There is so much we do not know and will never know about God.  But instead of focusing on what remains mysterious, let us delight ourselves in all He has revealed.  We have creation itself which reveals God’s invisible qualities – His eternal power and divine nature. (Romans 1:20).  We have Jesus Christ the Son who is the image of the invisible God. (Colossians 1:15) And we have the Holy Spirit … the gift from God (cf. Acts 1:8; 2:4; 2:38; Romans 5:5; 1 Corinthians 6:19).  He is the seal of our redemption through Christ Jesus … who is the only way to the Father.  I pray that we will walk in the knowledge we do have … and love the Lord our God with ALL of our hearts, souls, and minds as He has empowered us to do….  Amen.

So Know You Know….

Have a Blessed Day!