Devotionary

Ep 1024 – John 1:1-5 Feb 12, 2021

Today we begin a brand-new series on the Gospel of John. This remarkable book will take us on incredible journey of discovery that that begins with the very first day of Jesus’ earthly ministry when He was baptized by John in the wilderness, all the way to His death, burial, and resurrection more than 3 years later. And along the way, John will provide us with his first-person account of all that he witnessed along the way. As one of Jesus’ hand-picked disciples, John had a unique vantage point from which to observe and assess all that Jesus said and did. Like the other disciples, he would struggle to grasp exactly who Jesus was and what He had come to do. In his heart, he longed for Jesus to be the long-awaited Messiah of Israel. And that hope carried certain expectations. But his gospel account, written years later, will reveal how his understanding of and belief in Jesus changed over time. John learned that Jesus was far more than a man sent to sit on a throne in Israel. He was the Son of God and the Savior sent to redeem a lost and dying world.

Ep 1021 – Deuteronomy 33:18-22 Aug 23, 2020

In today’s passage, Moses blesses four more of the tribes. This time, he calls out Zebulun, Issachar, Gad, and Dan. There were four of the smaller tribes of Israel and the each had a less-than-stellar record when it came to faithfulness to Yahweh. So, in Deuteronomy 33:128-22, Moses will keep his blessings short and sweet, and leave a great deal up to the imagination, in terms of the meaning of his words. While these tribes had been set apart by God and provided with an inheritance of land, they had each proved to be unfaithful. God every reason to judge them for their disobedience and, one day, he would. But He would also prove to be faithful, eventually choosing to use them – in spite of them. Their disobedience would result in the darkness of God’s judgment. But, ultimately, God would send the light of the world, His Son, to penetrate the darkness with the hope of salvation by grace along through faith alone.

Ep 1023 – Deuteronomy 34:1-12 Aug 06, 2020

At the end of chapter 33, Moses made the compelling confession, “There is no one like the God of Israel.” He wanted the people to know that they served a great and incomparable God. But at the same time, the author of the book of Deuteronomy seems to want his readers to know that Moses was also unparalleled and without equal. “There has never been another prophet in Israel like Moses,” he writes. Moses was flawed, yet faithful. He could be stubborn and hard-headed, and yet, he never stopped believing in and relying upon God. Now, his day of reckoning has arrived and he will go to be with God. There will be no promised land in Moses’ future, but there will be an eternity spent in fellowship with God. And while Moses would disappear from the scene, the people of Israel would find themselves guided by another one of God’s chosen servants. Because He was not yet done with them. But that’s another story.

Ep 1022 – Deuteronomy 33:23-29 Aug 05, 2020

Moses was fully convinced that Israel served an incomparable God, who had no equals and, therefore, deserved His peoples’ unwavering commitment. But in Deuteronomy 33:23-29, as Moses wraps up his blessings of the tribes with an address to Naphtali and Asher, he reminds them of God’s goodness and greatness. Like all the other tribes, these two would be blessed by God and given every opportunity to enjoy the benefits of living in the land He had given them. But they would prove unfaithful and unsuccessful in keeping their end of the bargain. Once they entered the land of promise, they would fail to eliminate the pagan inhabitants, choosing instead to take the path of compromise and complacency. God, always faithful to keep His covenant promises, would continue to bless the tribes of Israel. But would they return the favor?

Ep 1020 – Deuteronomy 33:12-17 Aug 03, 2020

In Deuteronomy 33:12-17, Moses continues his blessing of the 12 tribes of Israel. And in these verses, he focuses his attention of the tribes of Benjamin, Ephraim and Manasseh. These were three of the smaller tribes in Israel, but their diminutive size did not mean they were unimportant. Speaking by the inspiration of the Spirit of God, Moses reveals that God’s sovereign hand had been upon these three relatively insignificant tribes from the very beginning. It would be within the territory allotted to the tiny tribe of Benjamin that the Savior of the world would be born – in the remote village of Bethlehem. But the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh, both equally small and insignificant, would play a less-auspicious role in the history of Israel. And it would all be according to God’s sovereign will.

Ep 1019 – Deuteronomy 33:6-11 Aug 02, 2020

In Deuteronomy 33:6-11, Moses begins to issue his blessings upon the 12 tribes of Israel. While he will not be entering the land of promise with them, he still feels like their spiritual father and wants to communicate his last words of encouragement to each of them. He will echo the words of Jacob, who hundreds of years earlier had issued his blessings to his 12 sons. During the centuries that had passed, God had been working behind the scenes, divinely fulfilling the words spoken by Jacob, and eventually, He would ensure that the blessings of Moses came about as well. These two men had actually been speaking on behalf of God, issuing His divine decrees regarding His chosen people. He would end up blessing the 12 tribes of Israel, in ways neither Jacob or Moses could ever have imagined.

Ep 1018 – Deuteronomy 33:1-5 Aug 01, 2020

Moses is fully aware that his days on this earth are quickly drawing to a close. But with a shepherd’s heart, he wants to leave his flock with one last message. And it will come in the form of a blessing. The one who led them out of Egypt and guided them through the wilderness and all the way to the land of promise wanted to pronounce a blessing over them. But knowing that the people were despondent over the thought of his pending death, Moses reminded them that their true leader was God. In Deuteronomy 33:1-5, the shepherd of Israel focuses their attention back on the one who had always been their true deliverer and King: God Himself. While Moses was going away, God would be going before them. The one who had redeemed them would continue to guide and rule over them. They were not alone.

Ep 1017 – Deuteronomy 32:48-52 Jul 31, 2020

As the Book of Deuteronomy draws to a close, it also brings an end to the leadership of Moses. But God had more in store for Moses than simply turning over the reins of leadership to Joshua. He was going to give up far more than his role as deliverer of Israel. Moses wouldn’t have the option of retiring from office and fading into the background as one of the millions of Israelites who crossed the Jordan into Canaan. God was going to ban him from ever setting foot in the land and, instead, would ensure that the wilderness would be his final destination. In Deuteronomy 32:48-52, God once again reminds Moses of the painful consequences of his earlier indiscretion. Moses had treated God with disrespect and was now going to pay the ultimate penalty for his sin.

Ep 1016 – Deuteronomy 32:39-47 Jul 30, 2020

God doesn’t make idol threats. Whatever He says, He does. When He makes a promise, He keeps it. When He issues a threat, He follows through with it. And in Deuteronomy 32:39-47, God lets His people know that they can believe all that He has said to them. They were to take His words seriously and memorize them carefully, teaching them to their children and grandchildren. As Moses continues to prepare the people of God for their entrance into the land of Canaan, he reminds them that the words of the song God had given them are to be remembered and sung for generations. It is to stand in judgment of them, a constant reminder of God’s call to faithfulness and their failure to heed that call. More than just a song, it is to be an everlasting memorial set to music. A reminder of who God is and all that He has called them to do.

Ep 1015 – Deuteronomy 32:28-38 Jul 29, 2020

God will not tolerate disobedience from His chosen people. He has warned them repeatedly that their failure to remain faithful to Him will have dire consequences, including their ultimate fall to foreign powers who will destroy and enslave them. But in Deuteronomy 32:28-38, God has a few choice words of warning for those very same nations. He knows human nature and is well aware that these powerful nations will see their successes over Israel and Judah as their own doing. Puffed up with pride, they will claim the God-ordained judgment of Israel and Judah as something accomplished in their own strength and power. And so, God warns them that the day will come when the tables will be turned, and they find themselves on the receiving end of God’s wrath and judgment. And God assures His people that, when that day comes, He will once again shower them with His undeserved grace and mercy.

Ep 1014 – Deuteronomy 32:19-27 Jul 28, 2020

Nobody likes to talk about the wrath of God. But, interestingly enough, God has no problem discussing His anger and wrath. And as we’ll see in Deuteronomy 32:19-27, He doesn’t hesitate to discuss His anger or the consequences it will bring about. But God’s anger is anything but capricious. He is not one to fly off the handle or allow Himself to be easily provoked by the slightest indiscretion. No, He is holy and just. And He has clearly communicated to His chosen people what He expects from them. Moses has spent an inordinate amount of time describing the expectations God placed upon His people. And now, through the words of a song that God has given him, Moses is letting them know exactly what will happen when they fail to live up to His holy standards. And God isn’t apologetic or hesitant when He lays out the consequences for their rebellion. They will get exactly what they deserve from the hands of a just and righteous God.

Ep 1013 – Deuteronomy 32:10-18 Jul 27, 2020

This song that God has given to Moses is an unpleasant one. It will not be a joy to sing or hear. But it comes from the lips of God Himself, so its words are true, and its meaning is clear. The chosen people of God were going to experience the horror of captivity once again. They would enter the land God had promised as their inheritance, but their time there would prove to be short-lived. Despite God’s abundant blessings and His patient tolerance of their repeated acts of unfaithfulness, they would continue to live in stubborn rebellion to His will. And in these verses, we hear another stanza of the song Moses was to teach to the people of Israel. Deuteronomy 32:10-18 is intended to remind them of God’s gracious deliverance of them from their captivity in Egypt. But it also paints the very painful picture of their ungrateful response to all He had done for them.

Ep 1012 – Deuteronomy 31:30-32:9 Jul 26, 2020

It was Neil Diamond who recorded the 1972 hit, “Song Sung Blue.” It was a memorable tune that opened with the lines, “Song sung blue, everybody knows one, Song sung blue, every garden grows one.” But while this song hit number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, the song we’re going to look at today never enjoyed the same degree of popularity. It was a “song sung blue,” but it didn’t have a happy ending. And I doubt anyone found this tune particularly catchy or easy to dance to. Found in Deuteronomy 31:30-32:9, this song was written by God Himself and given to Moses to teach to the people of Israel before they entered the land of promise. And it’s not a song of celebration. When sung, this song would not bring to mind happy memories or good feelings. It would remind them of their rebellion against God that was not just a potential possibility, but a foregone conclusion. They would sing this song, and every time they did they would recount their own unfaithfulness.

Ep 1011 – Deuteronomy 31:23-29 Jul 25, 2020

What should have been an exciting new day for Joshua was quickly turning into a day worth forgetting. He was about to take over for Moses and was going to have the distinct privilege of leading the nation of Israel in their conquest of the land of Canaan. But before he could take over the reins of leadership, Moses had a few last-minute words of warning for the people of Israel. He wasn’t going to lead them into the land of promise, but that wasn’t going to stop him from sharing some rather harsh news. And poor Joshua had to stand in the background, listening as Moses delivered a stinging indictment against the people he was about to lead. In Deuteronomy 31:23-29, we get a glimpse of Joshua’s less-than-ideal day of commissioning. It wasn’t pretty and it probably wasn’t very enjoyable for Israel’s new leader. But the truth isn’t always pleasant to hear.

Ep 1010 – Deuteronomy 31:14-22 Jul 24, 2020

A new leader. A new land. A new opportunity to enjoy the blessings of God. This was to have been a great day in the history of the nation of Israel. But when Moses and his successor met with God in the tent of meeting, the joy of the moment was overshadowed by some unexpected news from the Almighty. Deuteronomy 31:14-22 contains one of the most depressing sections in the entire Old and New Testaments. God drops a bombshell pronouncement on Moses and his newly appointed replacement. And God puts His message in the form of a song that He expects Moses and Joshua to teach to the people of Israel. But this is not a happy song with an up-tempo beat. It’s a dirge, a literal funeral song that tells of the future destruction of Israel for their inevitable unfaithfulness. Before they ever entered the land, God announced that they would one day leave it as slaves – and all because of disobedience.

Ep 1008 – Deuteronomy 31:1-8 Jul 22, 2020

Moses was a natural-born leader, but what made him so effective was his calling and anointing by God. He had spent nearly half a century leading some of the most difficult to lead people that had ever walked the planet. Now, just as they were getting ready to enter the land of promise, he was having to announce that he would not be going with them. This highly effective and seasoned leader had made what amounted to be a rookie mistake. He had lost his temper and allowed his anger to rob God of glory – a costly error in judgment that would keep him on the wrong side of the Jordan and outside the land of promise. But in Deuteronomy 31:1-8, rather than finding Moses throwing a pity party, we see him introducing the people to their newly appointed leader: Joshua. But the main point he wanted Joshua and the people to understand was that, when all was said and done, it was God who had been leading them all along. And it would be God who brought them safely into Canaan.

Ep 1009 – Deuteronomy 31:9-13 Jul 22, 2020

A large portion of the Book of Deuteronomy is dedicated to Moses’ recitation of the law to the people of Israel. It was vital to Moses that they understood the seriousness of the law and God’s expectation that they live in obedience to it. He was determined that they have the right kind of leadership in place to ensure their compliance with all of God’s commands. And in Deuteronomy 31:9-13, as Moses prepares to turn over the reins of leadership to Joshua, he calls on the priests and elders to assist Israel’s new leader in the faithful execution of his God-given responsibilities. The entire nation was expected to do all that God had called them to do, and Moses was letting the priests and elders know that they had a vital part to play. He supplied them with a copy of the law and commanded that one day every seventh year it be read to the entire nation.

Ep 1007 – Deuteronomy 30:11-20 Jul 21, 2020

In Deuteronomy 30:11-20, Moses continues to deliver his closing remarks to the people of Israel. They are poised to enter the promised land, but he is making one last attempt to prepare them for what lies ahead. He will not be going with them and so, he is making an extra-special effort to make sure they understand the conditions surrounding their acceptance of God’s inheritance. For Moses, everything he had told them could be boiled down to a simple matter of choosing to do the right thing. They were going to have to make a decision whether they would obey or disobey God. And that decision would have to be a daily and ongoing one. Every day of their lives, they would have to consider what God had commanded and decide whether they wanted to live according to His will or their own. And Moses makes it clear that their daily choices would have long-term consequences, resulting in either life or death. The choice would be theirs. But the outcome would be up to God.

Ep 1006 – Deuteronomy 30:1-10 Jul 20, 2020

Why is it that the people of God have a nagging tendency to make everything about themselves? We declare God to be the one we worship, then turn around and make ourselves the center of attention. Even when it comes to our salvation, we wrongly assume that It’s all up to us. It’s all contingent on what we do or don’t do. If we believe, we’re saved. If we don’t believe, we remain lost in our sins and condemned to an eternity apart from God. And while our belief plays a vital role in our salvation, it is shortsighted to view our acceptance by God as dependent upon something we do. In Deuteronomy 30:1-10, Moses seems to convey the idea that, should the Israelites prove unfaithful to God and suffer His divine judgment, they will be able to restore their relationship through self-effort. But God knew something Moses and the people didn’t know: Their future restoration would be His doing, not theirs. He would prove to faithful to the covenant, not them.

Ep 1005 – Deuteronomy 29:16-29 Jul 19, 2020

Everyone loves a secret. That is, if they’re in on it. But no one likes to be the last to know or to be kept in the dark. So, it is only natural that the Israelites were anxious to know how things were going to turn out when they finally crossed over the Jordan River and entered the land of Canaan. They had all kinds of questions and concerns. They were plagued by all kinds of fears and doubts. But Moses reminded them that they didn’t need to worry about the future because that was in God’s hands. What they needed to focus their attention on were the things they DID know. Like the commandments handed down by God. Moses had just spent a protracted period of time reciting all the commands, in order to make sure they were fresh on the minds of the people of Israel. They knew everything they needed to know to accomplish what God had given them to do. If they would simply obey His instructions, they could leave the future in His fully capable hands.

Ep 1004 – Deuteronomy 29:1-15 Jul 18, 2020

God Is Faithful. Are You?

With the close of chapter 28, Moses is officially done with his recitation of God’s law and his declaration of God’s blessings and curses. Now, it’s time for the people to recommit themselves to keeping God’s law. They had made a covenant with God some 40 years earlier. Actually, it had been their parents who had ratified the covenant that God had made with them. But they were long gone, having died off in the wilderness because of their refusal to trust God and enter the promised land. But despite their departure, God’s covenant was still valid because God had kept His part of the commitment. And He was expecting the next generation to their part. He had proven Himself to be faithful, but would they do the same? Here they were, some 40 years later, standing on the eastern bank of the Jordan, waiting to enter the land God had promised to give them. They knew God’s law and they were painfully aware of the curses and blessings that accompanied either disobedience or obedience. Now, what would they do?

Ep 1003 – Deuteronomy 28:58-68 Jul 17, 2020

Deuteronomy 28 is a long chapter and it contains its fair share of depressing news. A great portion of its 68 verses have to do with the curses God warns He will bring upon the nation of Israel should they prove to be unwilling to keep His law and to faithfully worship and serve Him alone. And in verses 58-68 Moses wraps up his lengthy list of curses with the grand finale. If the people remain obstinate in their rebellion against God, He will see to it that they end up right back where they started: As slaves in the land of Egypt. Not only will they experience some of the same plagues that God had brought upon their former taskmasters, but they will find themselves living in the same abysmal conditions their ancestors had experienced. It will be the exodus in reverse. And their return to Egypt will be marked by the absence of rest, a lack of abundance, and a loss of the peace that accompanies God’s presence.

Ep 1002 – Deuteronomy 28:52-57 Jul 16, 2020

Deuteronomy 28:52-57 is one of the most difficult passages in all of Scripture. In it, Moses explains to the people what will happen if they choose to disobey God. He has already warned them that God will bring curses upon them, but these verses describe something that would have sent chills up their spines. The judgment of God was going to be so severe and the ramifications of it, so intense, that they would end up committing atrocities that were beyond their ability to comprehend. Moses tells them that, when the city of Jerusalem comes under siege by the Babylonians, the people will end up starving and then resorting to cannibalism in order to survive. The self-destructive nature of sin was going to run its full course, producing a kind of barbarism among the people of God that was unthinkable, yet unavoidable. Failure to remain faithful to God was going to prove deadly, in more ways than one.

Ep 1001 – Deuteronomy 28:36-51 Jul 15, 2020

hen Israel finally made it into the promised land, they would end up living life in 3D. And those 3 Ds would be disobedience, discipline, and destruction. While God had promised them an abundance of blessings if they would simply obey His commands, they were going to choose disobedience, which would eventually bring the loving discipline of God. That discipline was designed to bring repentance. But when the people of Israel failed to repent, the end result would be their ultimate destruction, brought upon them by God. In Deuteronomy 28:36-51, Moses continues to warn the Israelites about the very real consequences that will accompany their refusal to remain faithful to God. Things will go from bad to worse. Their rebellion against God will force Him to fulfill His promise of judgment. And it will not be a pretty picture when it happens. In fact, their disobedience will result in their ultimate destruction.

Ep 1000 – Deuteronomy 28:25-35 Jul 14, 2020

How would you like to have been in Moses’ sandals, forced to deliver a less-than-appealing message of doom and gloom to the people of Israel? He was having to deliver some significantly bad news to the nation, warning them of what was going to happen should they choose to disobey God’s commands. And it wasn’t a pretty picture. In Deuteronomy 28:25-35, Moses continues to describe just how bad things were going to get in Israel should they decide to ignore God’s law and live in rebellion to His clearly communicated code of conduct. Moses presents a prophetic description of the future, complete with the defeat of Israel before her enemies, a plethora of devastating plagues, financial loss, destroyed homes, and domestic ruin. Things are going to go from bad to worse. And all because the people of God will refuse to obey the word of God.

Ep 999 – Deuteronomy 28:15-24 Jul 13, 2020

Moses has given the people of Israel the good news. If they obey, they will be blessed. But now, in Deuteronomy 28:15-23, he delivers the bad news. If they choose to disobey God, they will a experience a long list of curses that will come in a wide variety of forms, but all extremely negative and uncomfortable. The list is designed to stand diametrically opposed to all the blessings God promised if the people will only obey His commands. They have a clear choice to make. And to make their decision easier, God provides a black-and-white contrast between the two options facing them. They can obey and experience the blessings of God. Or they can disobey and feel the full weight of God’s wrath in the form of very tangible curses. You didn’t have to be a rocket scientist to figure this one out. But the people of Israel weren’t the brightest bulbs in the box. In virtually no time at all, they would make their choice known and experience an unfortunate, but unsurprising reversal of fortunes.

Ep 998 – Deuteronomy 28:1-14 Jul 12, 2020

The warning about the curses came first. But Moses quickly follows it up with a list of blessings that will accompany obedience. If the Israelites will simply do what God has commanded, they will experience a life beyond their wildest imaginations. They will be blessed beyond belief. Even the pagan nations will become jealous when they see all that God does for His chosen people. But as Deuteronomy 28:1-14 makes painfully clear, they would have to obey God if they wanted to be blessed by God. Hearing was not enough. Familiarity with God’s laws was not going to cut it. He was expecting His people to hear and obey. Not only that, He was demanding that they love His laws as much as they say they love Him. As Jesus told His disciples, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments” (John 14:14 ESV). Obedience is an expression of love. And God loves to reward those who prove their love for Him by obeying Him.

Ep 997 – Deuteronomy 27:11-26 Jul 11, 2020

Moses has spent a great deal of time telling the people of Israel what God expected of them. He has given them a lengthy to-do list and now, he’s going to tell them what will happen if they choose not to follow God’s commands. In Deuteronomy 27:11-26, we have the first of the curses that God warns will come upon the people of Israel should they decide to disobey His laws. And, as we’ll see, the list is lengthy and highly specific. It seems that God is quite particular about the behavior of His people. He didn’t simply command them to “be holy.” He told them exactly what holiness was to look like in daily life. And to ensure that they took His commands seriously, He attached to them some extremely serious-sounding curses. Holiness was going to be non-optional. Oh, they could choose to live unholy lives, but they would soon discover that to do so would cost them dearly.

Ep 996 – Deuteronomy 27:1-10 Jul 10, 2020

Israel’s status as God’s chosen people was not something they were to take for granted. They enjoyed a privileged position unlike any other people group on the planet. And as they prepared to enter the land promised to them by God, Moses commanded them to construct a stone monument that would serve as a memorial to God’s holiness, as reflected in His law. Their relationship with God had been His doing. They had done nothing to deserve His goodness and grace. But now, as they prepared to enter the inheritance He had provided for them, they were going to be expected to live up to their status as His precious possession. In Deuteronomy 27:1-10, Moses calls them to live up to their identity as the people of God by willfully obeying the commands of God.

Ep 995 – Deuteronomy 26:12-19 Jul 09, 2020

Love for God. Love for others. Both of these things were to be considered non-negotiables for the people of God. And as Moses prepared the nation of Israel for their imminent entry into the land of Canaan, he wanted them to understand just how important it was that they care for the needy among them. To claim a love for God while ignoring those less fortunate in their community, whom God had made, was nothing less than hypocrisy. Deuteronomy 26:12-19 contains a powerful reminder regarding God’s law concerning the offering for the Levites, the sojourner, the fatherless, and the widow. These individuals had been designated by God to be the recipients of a special offering that was to be collected every third year and distributed on an as-need basis. The neglect of these four groups would be viewed as a personal affront to God. They were near and dear to Him and He had provided for them by blessing the rest of the community with more than they needed.

Ep 994 – Deuteronomy 26:1-11 Jul 08, 2020

The recitation of rules and regulations is finally over. All of that had been intended as a preface, preparing the people of Israel for the moment when they would finally cross over the Jordan and enter the land of promise. And in Deuteronomy 26:1-11, Moses provides them with instructions concerning the offering of the first fruits. One of the very first things they were to do when they set foot in the land was to present an offering of praise and thanksgiving to God – made up of the first fruits of the very first harvest they gathered. This wasn’t a matter of if, but when. There was no doubt in Moses’ mind that God was going to get them into the land and bless them with a bountiful first harvest. And when He did, Moses expected the people of Israel to show God the gratitude He deserved for all that He had done for them. This offering would be an expression of thanksgiving for all God had done, and a declaration of faith in all that He was going to do.

Ep 993 – Deuteronomy 25:11-19 Jul 07, 2020

The various scenarios that Moses presents in Deuteronomy are almost comical in nature. His seemingly endless list of strange situations and the particular laws that apply to them is truly amazing. But it just goes to show how deeply God cares about the holiness of His people. He leaves nothing to chance. And in Deuteronomy 25:11-19, Moses deals with three seemingly dissimilar and disconnected scenarios that appear to have little in common. But, in reality, they all deal with personal holiness as exhibited in the day-to-day interactions between the people of God. Their status as God’s chosen people was intended to make a difference in the way they lived their lives. Interpersonal relationships are so important in God’s family. The proper care and concern for each other’s well-being was mandatory. And all those who treated Israelites poorly were to be dealt with severely.

Ep 992 – Deuteronomy 25:1-10 Jul 06, 2020

All of creation is the handiwork of God. And He chose to place mankind as stewards over all that He made. So, as Moses delivers to the Israelites God’s rules for regulating their behavior, he includes instructions regarding their care of domestic animals. But, oddly enough, he sandwiches it in-between rules about the proper punishment of criminals and the care of widows. All stewardship, whether of laws regarding the punishment of criminals or those regulating the proper care of widows, was important to God. He expected His people to watch over all the He held near and dear, including everything He had created and placed under their care. The actions of God’s people reflected back on Him as their Creator and Father. They could either honor or dishonor Him by the way they lived their lives. He had set them apart so that they might be holy as He is holy. And when they lived according to His will, everyone and everything stood to benefit.

Ep 991 – Deuteronomy 24:14-22 Jul 05, 2020

We hear a lot of talk about justice these days. And rightfully so. God cares about justice and so should we. But it is important that we define justice according to God’s terms and not those of the world. So, in Deuteronomy 24:14-22, Moses continues to outline God’s expectations for the people of Israel concerning their treatment of one another. These verses concentrate on the needs of the less fortunate and the under-represented who were part of the family of God. These individuals, whether they were widows or hired workers, had few rights and were dependent upon the goodness of others to survive. In God’s grand scheme, everyone deserved to be treated fairly and justly, regardless of their social status or ability to contribute to the well-being of the nation as a whole. Caring for the needy, the downtrodden, and the underdogs of life was critical to the nation’s spiritual health. No one was a second-class citizen. Everyone had value in the eyes of God.

Ep 990 – Deuteronomy 24:5-13 Jul 04, 2020

Individuality and community. Both are important to God. And nowhere is this made more clear than in Deuteronomy 24:5-13. In these verses, Moses outlines some very specific rules and regulations regarding life within the corporate community of Israel. This collection of individuals was made up of people all ages and from every walk of life, but they shared a common faith and the very same ancestry. They were to function as a unified whole, but never at the expense of the individual. Membership in the community of faith did not obliterate the rights of the individual. And in these verses, Moses reminds the people of Israel that a big part of life within the community is based on extending one another common courtesy. People matter to God. And He expects His children to love one another and to dwell together in unity. For God, protecting the rights of the individual while maintaining the health of the community was non-negotiable.

Ep 988 – Deuteronomy 23:15-25 Jul 03, 2020

It would be a rare occasion for an Israelite to encounter a situation where he had to ask the question: What would God have me do? That’s because God had provided His people with a very detailed and comprehensive list of rules and regulations for life. And Deuteronomy 23:15-25 contains yet one more compendium of commands that cover a wide-ranging set of circumstances. These were essentially regulations for real life that covered virtually every conceivable situation they might encounter along the way. From how to treat a runaway slave to the making of vows. Everything was important to God, including the lending of money, the moral integrity of children, and care of the less fortunate. So, He made sure that the people of Israel had a comprehensive list of clearly understood instructions that left no room for speculation or confusion. The topic of holiness was too important to leave to chance.

Ep 989 – Deuteronomy 24:1-4 Jul 03, 2020

Moses spent a great deal of time elaborating on a host of “what-if” situations that might occur within the nation of Israel. It wasn’t that he doubted that these scenarios could or would take place, he was simply covering any and every imaginable circumstance that might result in the people of God committing sins and blaming their actions on ignorance. He wanted them to know that God had an interest in every area of their lives and had provided them with rules and regulations to govern all their behavior. And in Deuteronomy 24:1-4, Moses outlines God’s laws concerning divorce. But, in this case, he gets very specific, dealing with a very particular issue regarding divorce that, at first glance, seems unlikely to be a major problem. But God knew better. He knew the hearts of His people and so He provided detailed restrictions that covered even the most unlikely of circumstances. If a sin could be committed, the Israelites would figure out a way to do it.

Ep 987 – Deuteronomy 23:9-14 Jul 02, 2020

Purity was to be a high-priority for the people of God – in every area of their lives. There was no place or potential circumstance where the pursuit of holiness was either unnecessary or failed to apply. And as we’ll see in Deuteronomy 23:9-14, even the front lines of battle were to be considered holy unto the Lord. These verses provide the men of Israel with God’s clear instructions regarding times of war. When they were called to assemble for battle, they were to remember their status as God’s chosen people – set apart for His glory and tasked with honoring His holy name. And, as always, God gets very specific, providing them with detailed instructions regarding their personal holiness and hygiene during wartime. The battlefield was not to be used an excuse for spiritual apathy or moral laxness. The priority of personal and corporate holiness took precedence over everything, including war.

Ep 986 – Deuteronomy 23:1-8 Jul 01, 2020

The worship of God is serious business. And not everyone is worthy to enter into His presence. When God set apart the nation of Israel as His chosen possession, he also provided them with His law. Those decrees and commandments were intended to regulate their behavior, so that they could remain unstained by sin and capable of worshiping alongside the rest of the assembly. And the sacrificial system was the God-ordained means by which those who committed sins could receive atonement and cleansing – once again, making it possible for them to worship God in the manner He deserved. But in Deuteronomy 23:1-8, Moses provides the people of Israel with additional rules designed to restrict the access of some from the God-ordained times of corporate worship. This has less to do with the unworthiness of those who were restricted and more to do with the holiness and worthiness of God.

Ep 985 – Deuteronomy 22:22-30 Jul 01, 2020

Moses isn’t done dealing with the topic of marriage. In Deuteronomy 22:22-30, he provides further rules and regulations governing the institution of marriage among the people of Israel. Their view on marriage was to be radically different than that of the pagan nations around them. For them, marriage was to be a living illustration of their covenant relationship to God. If they couldn’t remain faithful to their marriage partner, how in the world could they hope to remain faithful to God. So, Moses provides them with a series of scenarios designed to illustrate just how serious God was about the sanctity of the marriage covenant. What was considered acceptable behavior among the pagan nations occupying the land of Canaan was to be off-limits for the Israelites. There was no point at which adultery should be justified or rape be treated as normal behavior. Acts of wickedness had no place within the covenant community of God’s people.

Ep 984 – Deuteronomy 22:13-21 Jul 01, 2020

In Deuteronomy 22:13-21, we have yet another strange scenario presented by Moses to the people of Israel. This one involves the institution of marriage, something near and dear to the heart of God because it was His idea. As we look at this particular regulation, it is essential that we keep God’s view of the sanctity of marriage in mind. He knew full well that the Israelites, due to their sinful dispositions, would be prone to treat the marriage covenant flippantly, and to view any commitments they made as essentially non-binding. Lust would tend to overshadow love. Infidelity would become commonplace, with the all-male leadership of Israel developing all kinds of work-arounds and loopholes that would allow them to violate God’s ban on divorce with impunity. But God wasn’t going to make it easy on them. For Him, the holiness of His people was non-negotiable and the sanctity of the marriage covenant would be key to them living set-apart lives.

Ep 983 – Deuteronomy 22:1-12 Jun 16, 2020

As Moses continues to inform the people of Israel about God’s laws regulating every aspect of life within their corporate community, the rules seem to get stranger and ever-more specific. In Deuteronomy 22:1-12, Moses deals with everything from the care of livestock and regulations concerning horticulture to, believe it or not, a ban on cross-dressing. All in the context of 12 verses. But we have to remember that God was interested in every area of Israelite life. There was to be no secular-sacred split when it came to the people of God. This lengthy list of rules and regulations was intended to provide direction for all of life, from the home to the workplace. God’s interest in Israel’s holiness was all-encompassing and non-negotiable. He refused to leave anything up to their imaginations or sinful inclinations. God’s people were expected to live according to God’s will.

Ep 982 – Deuteronomy 21:22-23 Jun 10, 2020

In Deuteronomy 21:22-23, Moses follows up his teaching concerning the inheritance of the firstborn son and the death of the rebellious son with a rather short instruction regarding the body of an executed criminal. This is another example of God giving very detailed laws concerning what seems to be a point of minutiae. But as always, God was concerned with every detail of the Israelites’ lives. Nothing escaped His notice and there was no activity surrounding daily life in which He did not take an interest. Including the death of executed criminals and the proper disposal of their bodies. And, as always, we’ll see that there was much more behind God’s law than met the eye. He was concerned with the holiness of His people and provided them with very detailed laws to govern every aspect of daily life. For their good and His glory.

Ep 981 – Deuteronomy 21:15-21 Jun 04, 2020

Today’s passage is a doozy. It deals with two potential scenarios involving the relationship between a father and his son. And these two sample situations could not be any more different or disparate in their outcome. One involves how to handle an inheritance when a man has more than one son because he has more than one wife. There was to be no place for favoritism. God had rules concerning the inheritance of the firstborn and He expected those rules to be followed. The second scenario also involves a son receiving what he justly deserves. Except in this case, rather than an inheritance, he is to receive a death sentence for his stubborn and unrepentant behavior. In one case, God is preserving the rights of the firstborn. In the other, God is preserving the spiritual integrity of the community. But in both cases, He is expecting His people to live according to His laws – for their own good.

Ep 980 – Deuteronomy 21:10-14 May 14, 2020

Reading the book of Deuteronomy can be like watching a game of Rubgy. It looks vaguely familiar but then, all of the sudden, you find yourself asking, “What in the world just happened? “This isn’t football!” you shout. “There’s no rules! It all makes no sense!” And in Deuteronomy 21:10-14, you’re going to find yourself questioning what Moses has to say to the people of Israel. He gives them some counsel that appears to contradict the expressed will of God as found in His law. Moses seems to be giving them permission to take wives from among the pagan nations they conquer. Something God has clearly forbidden them to do. So, what’s going on? Is Moses outlining the rules for a different kind of game than the one we’ve been watching? No, as we’ll see, God is consistent but He is also considerate, always taking into account the propensity of His people to give in to temptation.

Ep 979 – Deuteronomy 21:1-9 May 13, 2020

In Deuteronomy 21:1-9, Moses presents a strange, yet very specific scenario involving what to do in the case of a murder where the guilty party remains unknown. Like the law of God, Moses was leaving few, if any, loopholes that would allow the Israelites to permit sin to remain in the camp. In this particular circumstance, while the name of the guilty party was not known, the guilt of their crime remained. And because God viewed the Israelites communally, He held the entire nation responsible for the crime committed. Atonement must be made. Justice must be served. And, just because the identity of the murderer remained a mystery, it did not relieve the condemnation the crime had brought upon the people of God. One man’s sin had contaminated the entire body. And it was up to them to rectify the situation by doing what was right in God’s eyes by purging the sin from their midst.

The Risen Lord Apr 12, 2020

The cross is barren. The tomb is empty. The Lord is risen. The price has been paid and God has been fully satisfied. Sin and death have been conquered. Salvation has been provided, and all our sins have been taken care of once and for all. Forgiveness has been made available. Mercy has been meted out. Underserved grace has been extended. Eternal life has been granted. And the unfailing love of God has been expressed to all men through the unwavering faithfulness and unquestionable sinlessness of Jesus Christ.

Ep 978 – Deuteronomy 20:10-20 Jan 05, 2020

Reading the Old Testament can be a bit disconcerting at times. After all, within its pages are found countless stories of men perpetrating all kinds of evil against one another. And oftentimes, their seemingly godless actions are in keeping with God’s commands. They are simply doing what He has told them to do. Which can make reading the Old Testament a challenge for those of us who understand God to be a gracious and loving God. And in Deuteronomy 20:10-20, Moses gives the people of Israel some rather disturbing instructions concerning the occupants of the land of Canaan. In those areas that God had deemed as their inheritance, the people of Judah were to completely wipe out the inhabitants. No one was to be left alive. But as harsh as it all sounds, God had a method to His seeming madness.

Ep 977 – Deuteronomy 20:1-9 Jan 04, 2020

Once the people of Israel crossed over the Jordan and entered the land of Canaan, the real work would begin. They would be expected to do battle with the current occupants of the land, defeating them and dispossessing them from their homes, villages, towns, and cities. It was going to require a great deal of effort and, as with any war, there would be casualties. So, God had Moses inform the people of Israel about a series of exemptions from battle designed to protect the family unit. While everyone would be expected to do their part in the conquering of the land, God graciously provided His people with legal exemptions from military service. At the end of the day, any victory they enjoyed would be because God was fighting for them. So, He could afford to give some of His people time off from doing battle.

Ep 976 – Deuteronomy 19:14-21 Jan 03, 2020

God had set apart the people of Israel, deeming them to be His treasured possession. As such, they were expected to live differently than the other nations around them. And to make sure they understood just how distinctive their lives were to be, God had given them His law as a code of conduct. He had left nothing to chance. They were not free to establish their own rules or to live according to their own standards. God had given them an extremely detailed list of rules intended to regulate every area of their lives – from the minuscule to the major and the common to the holy. And in Deuteronomy 19:14-21, Moses provides the people of Israel with some last-minute reminders about God’s law and His expectation that they hear and fear them. In other words, obey them.

Ep 975 – Deuteronomy 19:1-13 Jan 02, 2020

Nothing surprises God. There is never a moment when He is caught off guard or finds Himself asking, “How did that happen?” And we’re going to see that truth lived out in Deuteronomy 19:1-13, as God reveals His plan for the cities of sanctuary that were to be established by the Israelites once they entered the land of Canaan. God was preparing for future events, long before they ever happened. He was lovingly protecting His people from unknowingly committing a sin. The Israelites were only human and God knew they would be prone to act according to their emotions. He knew the land of promise was going to be filled with people who could and would hurt one another – even kill one another. So, He had Moses provide them with His plan for the inevitable so that they would not do the unthinkable.

Ep 974 – Deuteronomy 18:15-22 Jan 01, 2020

The Bible is one book that emanated from a single source: God. Yes, He used a variety of human authors to pen the words, but each did so under the influence of the Holy Spirit. The words they wrote were, as Paul put it, God-breathed (2 Timothy 3:16). And what makes the Word of God so unique is its unbelievable continuity and cohesiveness, even though its content was written over a lengthy period of time by a diverse array of individuals from different backgrounds and living in different centuries. When reading the Bible in its entirety, one is able to see the divine authorship of God as he weaves a narrative that points to His plan of redemption for mankind. And there are few places where this is made more clear than in Deuteronomy 18:15:22.

Ep 973 – Deuteronomy 18:9-14 Dec 31, 2019

Holiness is a non-negotiable as far as God is concerned. It is not a suggestion that He has left up to our discretion or according to our definition. He has a strong opinion about what holiness is and how His people are to pursue it. And in Deuteronomy 18:9-14, Moses is going to remind the people of Israel that God had high expectations for them when it came to their lifestyle. He had set them apart as His own treasured possession, given them His law as a code of conduct, and He fully expected to live according to His standards and not those of the world. They were to live distinctively and differently. There was no room for compromise and complacency. And as God’s people, they were to resist the temptation to blend in with the world around them.

Ep 972 – Deuteronomy 18:1-8 Dec 30, 2019

The Levites were one of the 12 tribes of Israel. But they were different from all the rest. God had set them apart and ordained them to care for the tabernacle and to meet the spiritual needs of His people. But how did this one tribe receive this illustrious responsibility? What was it about them that earned them the privilege of acting as God’s priests? To understand Deuteronomy 18:1-8, where Moses addresses the role and responsibilities of the Levites, we have to go back to the book of Genesis. This tribe, the descendants of Levi, were under a curse, pronounced on them by their own father. But it was well-deserved. Yet, God would redeem this unlikely and undeserving tribe, setting them apart for His service and honoring them with the responsibility of caring for His tabernacle and the spiritual needs of His people.

Ep 971 – Deuteronomy 17:14-25 Dec 29, 2019

God is omniscient. That’s a theologian’s fancy way of saying that God knows everything. He is all-knowing. There is nothing that escapes His attention. And unlike us, God doesn’t find out about things as they happen. He knows about them in advance. So, when Moses told the people of Israel that there was a day coming when they would demand to have a king just like all the other nations had, he was letting them in on a little secret that no one but God knew. At this point, they weren’t even thinking about kings and kingdoms. They were just hoping to survive their takeover of the land of Canaan. But in Deuteronomy 17:14-25, God provides Moses with a glimpse of the future that he shares with the people of Israel. In time, the Israelites would decide they wanted a king. But God wanted them to know that He was going to be very particular about the kind of man who would rule over His chosen people.

Ep 970 – Deuteronomy 17:8-13 Dec 28, 2019

We live in an age when tolerance is the mantra of the day. Acceptance is the new sign of true enlightenment. There is no such thing as truth, because truth is relative. And we are told that we have no right to push our version of the truth on anyone else. But God would beg to differ. He is the one who established the rules for life and determines the basis for all truth. It is not arbitrary or left up to the imaginations of men. That’s why Moses provided the people of Israel with a much-needed reminder, encouraging them to take God’s laws seriously and to keep them diligently. In Deuteronomy 17:8-13, we find Moses urging the people of Israel to purge the evil from their midst, not tolerate it or cozy up next to it. There was no room for compromise or complacency. God was not going to allow His people to live according to their own set of standards. He had rules and He expected them to be followed.

Ep 969 – Deuteronomy 17:1-7 Dec 27, 2019

As Moses attempted to prepare the people of Israel for their entry into the land of promise, he covered every imaginable topic. In Deuteronomy 17:1-7, he addresses the issue of committing an abomination to the Lord. But what exactly does that mean? The Hebrew word actually means “disgusting thing” and was used to refer to anything having to do with the worship of God that was unacceptable. But it also included the worship of false gods. It was an extension or elaboration of the very first commandment of God. The people of Israel were not free to worship false gods. But they were also not free to worship the true God in a false or inappropriate manner. Anyone who did so would be deemed disgusting and unacceptable by God. And the men who would be appointed as judges over the various tribes would be held accountable to deal with such people promptly and severely.

Ep 968 – Deuteronomy 16:8-22 Dec 26, 2019

God has always chosen to use men to accomplish His will. Over the centuries, He has placed certain men in positions of leadership over His people, even though those men were far from perfect and, at times, anything but holy. They were commissioned by God to act as His representatives on earth, providing His people with leadership, direction, care, and even discipline, when necessary. And in Deuteronomy 16:18-22, Moses provides the people of Israel with God’s directives concerning the establishment of leadership once they arrive in the land of promise. Yes, God was their sovereign and the one to whom they owed their unwavering allegiance. But God wanted them to appoint judges and officers who would render righteous judgment and prevent perverted justice. They would act as His agents, dispensing His divine will at the local level and in relevant, easy-to-relate-to ways.

Ep 967 – Deuteronomy 16:9-17 Dec 25, 2019

Moses continues his exhortation of the Israelites to keep the various feasts and festivals instituted by God. These annual events were non-optional and every single Israelite was to participate in them, from the oldest to the youngest and the richest to the poorest. In Deuteronomy 16:9-17, Moses outlines the seven feasts that were to be celebrated each and every year. But even he was oblivious to the hidden meaning behind each and every one of these festivals. They were to act as precursors, pointing the way to the coming Messiah. In one way or another, He fulfills and completes each one of the festivals, providing mankind with more than enough cause to celebrate. At least for those who have placed their faith in Him. These feasts and festivals were to be times of joy, celebration, and thanksgiving, providing God’s people with the opportunity to rejoice in all that God had done for them, over the previous year and the many generations since He had made them His own.

Ep 966 – Deuteronomy 16:1-8 Dec 24, 2019

Forgetfulness. We all suffer from it at one time or another. But for the people of Israel, forgetting God was going to be a constant problem. And Moses knew that it would be. So, in Deuteronomy 16:1-8, we have recorded his words warning the Israelites to never forget all that God had done for them. And the way they were to keep all His mighty acts seared into their memory was by keeping the various feasts and festivals He had prescribed for them. From the Passover to the Feast of Unleavened Bread, God had provided a host of annual commemorative ceremonies designed to keep the memory of God’s goodness alive and well. While God had great things in store for the people of Israel as they prepared to enter the Promised Land, He also wanted them to never let all His past deeds on their behalf fade from their memories. Remembering was going to be a great way of reminding the Israelites to keep trusting.

Ep 965 – Deuteronomy 15:19-23 Dec 23, 2019

In Deuteronomy 15:19-23, Moses is going to bring up the topic of the firstborn again. He first addressed it in chapter 12 and then again in chapter 14. But this time he is going to discuss the sacrifice of the firstborn of the flock and the herd. The doctrine of the firstborn was to have strong significance for the people of Israel, providing a link all the way back to the days before the exodus from Egypt. As a result of God sparing the firstborn son of every Hebrew family, as well as the firstborn of their sheep and bulls, the Israelites were to dedicate these animals as offerings to God. They belonged to Him. And the presence of the Levites among the other tribes was to act as a constant reminder that they stood as substitutes for every firstborn male among the Israelites. The tribe of Levi had been dedicated to God for His service. And the firstborn of the flocks and herds also belonged to God – as tokens of thanks and expressions of worship.

Ep 964 – Deuteronomy 15:12-18 Dec 22, 2019

Poverty and need are nothing new. They have been a part of the human condition ever since the fall. In fact, they’re both a byproduct of sin’s entrance into the world. With sin came death. And not just the physical kind. Poverty is a form of economic death that leaves an individual, a family, or even a community experiencing the slow and debilitating loss of life. When the resources necessary for experiencing fullness of life are unavailable, it results in a host of people who become like the walking dead, robbed of their dignity and devoid of any real hope of change. In Deuteronomy 15:12-18, Moses addresses the issue of poverty among the people of Israel and gives them God’s divine plan for alleviating it. In a nation that was guaranteed the blessings of God, there should be no one who suffered want. God’s blessings were meant to be shared.

Ep 963 – Deuteronomy 15:1-11 Dec 21, 2019

God is a gracious God, and no one should have known that better than the people of Israel. He had repeatedly extended to them His grace and mercy and, in most cases, in spite of them, not because of them. He had chosen them as His own, not because they deserved it, but because He wanted to express His love for them. And God expected His chosen people to treat others with the same graciousness and goodness that they had received from Him. In Deuteronomy 15:1-11, Moses encourages the people of Israel to care for the poor and needy among them. He had even come up with a plan for forgiving debt and allowing people a chance to start their lives anew, with no threat of prosecution or slavery should they fail to pay all they owed. These kinds of initiatives, ordained by God, were meant to set the people of Israel apart from all the other nations and to mirror the loving, gracious, and forgiving nature of their God.

Ep 962 – Deuteronomy 14:22-29 Dec 20, 2019

In Deuteronomy 14:22-29 Moses is going to remind the people of God of their obligation to keep the designated feast days that God had established for them. These were non-negotiable events in which every Israelite was to participate. But the feasts and the sacrifices that accompanied them were about more than law-keeping. They were designed to be communal festivals of celebration and thanksgiving to God. Three times a year, the nation of Israel was to gather at the site of the tabernacle and share the joy of being God’s chosen people. They had ample reason to rejoice and God wanted them to do it together – as a family. And He made sure that everyone was to be included, from the widow and orphan to the foreigner in their midst. They were to share their food and their common sense of gratitude to God for all that He had done for them.

Ep 961 – Deuteronomy 14:1-21 Dec 19, 2019

The Israelites were meant to stand out from the crowd. They were to be distinct and different, from their actions and attitudes to the way they dressed and the food they ate. God had called them to be His prized possession, having set them apart as uniquely His and having provided them with His law which would dictate every aspect of their behavior. He had even come up with regulations regarding their food consumption. They were not free to eat whatever they wanted to eat. Rather than allowing themselves to be driven by their appetites, they were to live in submission to the will of God. God knew what was best and by obeying His commands, they would express their trust in Him. While the rest of the world did whatever they deemed best, the people of God were to do what God had determined to be holy. And in Deuteronomy 14:1-21, Moses makes that point perfectly clear.

Ep 960 – Deuteronomy 13:1-18 Dec 18, 2019

As followers of God, we are under constant attack from the enemy as he attempts to deceive us and draw us away from our devotion to God. He will never be content with our faithfulness to God and will do everything in his power to cause us to defect. His attacks are relentless and merciless. His temptations are unending and his techniques are deceptive and deadly. And in Deuteronomy 13:1-18, Moses warns the people of Israel that the enemy will prove highly resourceful, using the least likely sources to convince them to abandon God. The call to commit idolatry doesn’t necessarily come from expected sources. Moses lists the prophet, a close friend or family member, and the society as a whole as three possible threats to their faithfulness to God. If the people didn’t remain alert to the threat, they would find themselves drawn in and dragged down the path of apostasy.

Ep 959 – Deuteronomy 12:29-32 Dec 17, 2019

God had intended for Israel to stand out as a nation. He had chosen them and set them apart as His own prized possession. Now, as they prepared to enter the land God had promised to give them, Moses warned them to maintain their set-apart status. They were not to blend in or cozy up to the nations occupying the land. There was no place for compromise or thoughts of coexistence with the Canaanites. In fact, God had made it clear that the Israelites were to eliminate every last Canaanite and to purge the land of anything and everything associated with them, including the altars and high places they had constructed to their false gods. In Deuteronomy 12:29-32, Moses reminds the people that emulating the Canaanites was a bad idea. Worshiping their gods was even worse. And any thought of adapting their forms of worship were to be avoided at all costs. In this case, imitation would NOT be the sincerest form of flattery.

Ep 958 – Deuteronomy 12:15-28 Dec 16, 2019

The sacrificial system, instituted by God, required the shedding of animal blood in order to atone for the sins committed by men. This seemingly barbaric and gruesome ordinance was required by God and practiced by the people of God so that they might remain in His good graces – in spite of their ongoing struggle with disobedience and unfaithfulness. During their years in the wilderness, the people were required to slaughter all their animals at the tabernacle. It was there and there only that blood could be shed. But, now that they were preparing to enter the land and the permanent home of the tabernacle would prove to be too far away for some of the tribes, God was providing a special dispensation. Deuteronomy 12:15-28 reveals that God would allow the people to slaughter animals within their own territories, but the divine ban on the consumption of blood held fast because the life is in the blood.

Ep 957 – Deuteronomy 12:1-14 Dec 15, 2019

As Christians, we tend to make a habit out of doing things our own way. Even when it comes to worship, we have strong opinions about what kind of worship we find most enjoyable and acceptable. But the problem is that worship was never intended to have man as its focus. We are the worshipers, not the ones being worshiped. So, our worship is meant to be God-directed, not man-centered. And in Deuteronomy 12:1-14, Moses warns the people of Israel that their worship of God was going to be according to God’s standards, not their own. Once they arrived in the land of Canaan, there was going to be one divinely approved place of worship. No more setting up shrines and altars wherever they felt like it. And they were to refrain from adapting and adopting the pagan shrines, converting them for the worship of Yahweh. That was going to be unacceptable. Doing what was right in their own eyes was not going to be an option. Their worship of God would have to be on His terms, or not at all.

Ep 956 – Deuteronomy 11:13-25 Dec 14, 2019

Wholehearted obedience to God flows from a heart of love for God. Without love, obedience becomes nothing more than legalism, a heartless attempt to do what God requires – out of fear rather than faith. Instead of viewing God as a loving Father who has our best interest in mind, we begin to view Him as a taskmaster who demands that we earn His favor through self-empowered adherence to His commands. But heartless obedience is doomed to failure. And that is what Moses attempts to warn the Israelites about in Deuteronomy 11:13-25. God wanted to bless them. But it was going to require that they obey Him. Yet God was not interested in an obedience motivated by fear and driven by a desire to earn good things from God while avoiding His bad side. No, God wanted the Israelites to obey Him because they loved Him. Their adherence to His commands was to be driven by their appreciation for His goodness and grace.

Ep 955 – Deuteronomy 11:1-12 Dec 13, 2019

God demands obedience from His people. But that expectation is not based on some need on His part to feel important. He doesn’t require affirmation and He is in no need of an ego boost. God’s demand that His people obey Him is based on His desire to bless them. In Deuteronomy 11:1-12, Moses will remind the people of Israel of God’s faithfulness. While the younger generation had an excuse, because they were not yet alive when God delivered Israel from captivity in Egypt, their parents had every reason to trust and obey God. He had more than proven His trustworthiness and His capacity to bless those who obeyed Him. But the next generation was going to have to learn to trust God on their own. If they wanted to enjoy all that the land of promise offered, they would have to walk in obedience to God’s commands. Because obedience brings blessings.

Ep 954 – Deuteronomy 10:12-22 Dec 12, 2019

We serve a great God. At least, that’s what we say. But far too often, our perception of God seems to be a lot less flattering. We tend to see Him as distant and disinterested in our lives. Worse yet, there are times we view God as simply good, but not great. We look at our circumstances and deem His power to be limited. Either that, or His love for us is insufficient. And when we have a less-than-flattering view of God, it changes the way we interact with Him. Our obedience becomes spotty. Our faithfulness can grow weak and wavering. And the same thing was true of the Israelites in Moses’ day. That’s why, in Deuteronomy 10:12-22, we have Moses reminding the Israelites of God’s greatness and the need for them to fear, love, and serve Him. Their lives were to reflect His nature, emulating His mercy, love, and justice. As His children, they were to exhibit His character in every area of their lives.

Ep 953 – Deuteronomy 10:1-11 Dec 11, 2019

If you’ve ever lost your job, you know how demoralizing that can be. Whether you were fired or laid off, the outcome is the same. You feel a sense of loss coupled with humiliation. Regardless of the circumstances, you find yourself entertaining thoughts of failure. But the best response at a time like that is action, not lethargy. Mourning over your loss, while natural, cannot become your long-term strategy. Our response will play a huge part in our ability to rebound and restart our life. In Deuteronomy 10:1-11, we have Moses retelling the story of Israel’s failure to keep God’s commands. While he had been on the mountaintop receiving the Ten Commandments from God, the people had decided to replace God with an idol. And their actions would bring judgment from God. Not only that, they would lose their job as God’s royal priesthood. Their sin would result in the forfeiture of their priestly role and their failure to enter the land of promise.

Ep 952 – Deuteronomy 9:13-29 Dec 10, 2019

Israel was totally unworthy of God’s goodness and grace. They were undeserving of all that He had done for them and had proven themselves incapable of living in faithfulness to Him. Yet, God had continued to bless them – in spite of them. Their entire history up until this point had been marked by rebellion and not righteousness. Even as they stood on the border of the land of Canaan, they had a long track-record of disobedience to God. Yet, in Deuteronomy 9:13-29, we will see Moses reminding them that God remained faithful to them because He was the covenant-keeping God. He had plans for them and those plans included their continued existence as a nation. God had promised that He would bless them and that they would be a blessing to the nations of the earth. It would be God’s plan to bring redemption to the world through a rebellious and unrighteous people. Because He is a faithful God.

Ep 951 – Deuteronomy 9:1-12 Dec 09, 2019

“I just want what I deserve.” How many times have you heard that or even said it yourself? And yet, we all know that if we got what we deserved, we’d probably be highly disappointed. But how easy it is to assume that we are better than we really are. Our false perception of our own self-righteousness can be highly deceptive. And Moses knew that the people of Israel suffered from an inflated sense of self-worth as well. And it was only going to get worse after they entered the promised land and began enjoying all the blessings God had in store for them. In Deuteronomy 9:1-12, Moses continues his address to the people of Israel, reminding them that all God was about to do was going to be in spite of them, not because of them. He was not rewarding them for their good behavior. His was extending His undeserved grace and mercy to a people who had proven their penchant for stubbornness and rebellion. They were unrighteousness and undeserving, but God would prove faithful and true to His promises.

Ep 950 – Deuteronomy 8:11-20 Dec 08, 2019

We’ve already covered the topic of forgetfulness, but it seems that Moses is not quite done with this point. In Deuteronomy 8:11-20, he is going to raise the issue of forgetfulness one more time, reminding the people of Israel that they needed to avoid it like the plague. God had done amazing things on their behalf and had even more He was going to accomplish as they prepared to cross the River Jordan and enter the land of promise. But Moses knew they ran the risk of suffering from short-term memory. Once they got into the land and began to enjoy all the fruitfulness and blessings it provided, they would begin to think that they had somehow earned or deserved their newfound prosperity. That is why Moses warned them to remember God. If not, forgetfulness of God’s role in their conquest of the land would lead to self-exaltation and self-reliance, robbing God of glory and rewarding themselves with credit they did not deserve.

Ep 949 – Deuteronomy 8:1-10 Dec 07, 2019

How easy it is to forget God. Even those of us who claim to believe in Him and have had our relationship restored to Him through faith in Jesus Christ, can find ourselves forgetting all He has done for us. We grow indifferent and immune to His goodness and grace. We can even find ourselves complaining about what we believe to be our unfair lot in life. And the Israelites were no different. Even though they had been rescued out of slavery in Egypt and delivered to the borders of the land of promise, they were guilty of forgetting all that God had done for them. Which is why, in Deuteronomy 8:1-10, we have Moses reminding them of God’s past acts of goodness, and encouraging them to believe that He will continue to provide for them in the days ahead. The land of promise was rich and abundant, but the blessings it provided would be from God. A point Moses did not want the Israelites to miss.

Ep 948 – Deuteronomy 7:17-26 Dec 06, 2019

Moses out of a burning bush. He had led the Israelites through the wilderness by making Himself visible as a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. When God had descended upon Mount Sinai to give the law to Moses, He had made His presence known both visibly and audibly through the means of thunder, lightning, fire, and smoke. And the people had been so impressed by this tangible show of force that they had refused to approach the mountain out of fear. Now, in Deuteronomy 7:17-26, Moses tries to encourage a new generation of Israelites to remember the Lord their God. As they prepared to enter the promised land, it was going to be essential that they not forget God. He may be invisible, but He was going ahead of them and would turn back their enemies before them. As long as they remained faithful to Him.

Ep 947 – Deuteronomy 7:7-16 Dec 05, 2019

God had big things in store for Israel. And all that He had promised to do for them was backed by His covenant commitment. He had told them what He would do and He could be trusted to keep His word. But the problem was that the covenant He had made with Israel had been a bilateral one. That means both sides had to keep their part of the commitment. Any hope they had of enjoying all the blessings God had promised was directly tied to their willingness to remain faithful to Him and fully obedient to all the requirements of the law. As a nation, they had given their word to do everything the Lord had commanded. But Moses knew they were a fickle people who had a track record of unfaithfulness. So, in Deuteronomy 7:7-16, he provides them with a much-needed reminder that their status as God’s chosen people was based on grace, not their own goodness. But if they wanted to continue to enjoy His presence and provision, they would have to be faithful.

Ep 946 – Deuteronomy 7:1-6 Dec 04, 2019

Being set apart as God’s chosen people was not enough. Just because God had designated the Israelites as His prized possession did not mean that they were inherently different or distinct from their pagan neighbors. In fact, they were very much like the other nations around them. The only thing that set them apart was their relationship with God and their possession of His law to guide their daily lives. It was the law that was to separate them from every other people group on earth. But it could do so only if they chose to obey it. And Moses knew that was going to prove a problem for the Israelites. So, in Deuteronomy 7:1-6, we have recorded his words reminding them of their status as a holy nation, and their need to separate themselves from the rest of the inhabitants of the land.

Ep 945 – Deuteronomy 6:20-25 Dec 03, 2019

Belief. As Christians, we talk about it a lot because it is central to our concept of salvation. But sometimes we fail to grasp the true significance of what it means to believe. We tend to think of it as a cognitive act, requiring some kind of mental assent to a given truth. But faith really begins in the heart. Head-knowledge alone won’t cut it. And in Deuteronomy 6:20-25, Moses is going to call the people to obey God’s laws, but to do so, they were going to have to believe in who He was and all that He had promised to do for them. Their obedience would need to be motivated by faith, not fear. And their faith was to rest on the character of God – as evidenced by His unwavering faithfulness to them. He had done all that He had promised to do, so He could be trusted. And that trust should result in willful, heartfelt obedience to His commands.

Ep 944 – Deuteronomy 6:10-19 Dec 02, 2019

Forgetfulness can be frustrating. The inability to recall a name or to remember an important piece of information can create a sense of vulnerability and weakness. It is as if we can’t fully depend upon ourselves. We can’t trust our mind to come through for us when we need it most. But just think how God feels when His people forget Him. When His people fail to remember all that He has done for them and begin to take Him for granted. That’s the worry Moses had concerning the people of Israel. So, in Deuteronomy 6:10-19, we have him warning the Israelites about the danger of forgetfulness. He wasn’t worried that they would forget an important date or the names of their children. He was afraid they would fail to remember God and all He had done on their behalf. Forgetfulness would lead to faithlessness. And that would be dangerous.

Ep 943 – Deuteronomy 6:1-9 Dec 01, 2019

What good is a law that goes unheeded? How effective is a regulation that is ignored? Unless it is obeyed, a law is little more than words on paper, carrying little weight or influence over the lives of men. And Moses knew that the people of Israel were going to be prone to ignoring and disobeying the laws of God. So, in Deuteronomy 6:1-9, we have recorded his call for the Israelites to hear and to heed the law. Obedience was going to be critical to their successful conquest of the land of Canaan. But knowledge of the law was not going to be enough. Head knowledge without a heartfelt desire to apply what you know to how you behave is of little use. Commandments written on stone are of little use if they never make their way into the heart of man.

Ep 942 – Deuteronomy 5:22-33 Nov 30, 2019

In Deuteronomy 5:22-33 Moses reminds his audience about the day when God gave His law on Mount Sinai. This historical reference point was intended to prompt the people of Israel toward obedience to that law. Their adherence to God’s commands was going to be critical if they wanted to enjoy all of the blessings associated with the land of promise. Their ancestors had sworn their allegiance to God’s law, but had proved unfaithful. Now, a new generation stood poised to enter the land and Moses was well aware that they were predisposed to follow the example of their predecessors. Obedience to God’s law would be impossible if their hearts were not in it.

Ep 941 – Deuteronomy 5:16-21 Nov 29, 2019

Deuteronomy 5:16-21 continues Moses’ recitation of the law. In it we have six more of God’s commands that are focused on man’s interrelationship with his fellow man. They are horizontal in nature, dictating the way in which the Israelites were to treat one another. These are practical laws dealing with everyday activities between God’s people. Not only were the Israelites to show reverence and respect for God, they were to treat one another as God’s creations, showing honor to one another through their attitudes and actions. By keeping God’s laws concerning their interpersonal relationship, the people of God were to reflect His holiness and righteousness to the pagan nations around them.

Ep 940 – Deuteronomy 5:1-15 Nov 28, 2019

In Deuteronomy 5:1-15, we find Moses reciting the Ten Commandments to the next generation of Israelites who were preparing to enter the land of promise. He had personally received this divine code of conduct from God Almighty on the top of Mount Sinai, and he knew how important it was that the people of Israel take these commands seriously. Any success they hoped to have in their conquest of the land of Canaan was directly tied to their willingness to remain obedient to God’s laws. Obedience would bring blessing. Disobedience would result in curses. But what about us? As believers living on this side of the cross, what is our relationship to the law? Have we been absolved from having to keep it? Or has our relationship with Christ simply changed the nature of our relationship to it?

Ep 939 – Deuteronomy 4:41-49 Nov 27, 2019

God thought of everything. But that shouldn’t surprise us. After all, He’s the all-knowing, all-powerful God of the universe. Nothing escapes His notice. And nothing takes place outside His sovereign will. So, in Deuteronomy 4:41-49, Moses reveals God’s plan for cases of unpremeditated murder. God knew it was going to happen. It was the inevitable outcome of fallen men and women living in a fallen, sin-marred world. Accidents would happen. But what were the Israelites supposed to do when they did? God had a plan. Because He did not want one sin leading to another. This section is going to cover God’s creation of the cities of refuge. This unique program of asylum for anyone guilty of committing murder, but without premeditation and malice, reveals a great deal about God and His justice and mercy.

Ep 938 – Deuteronomy 4:32-40 Nov 26, 2019

God is invisible and impossible for mere men to know or comprehend – unless He chooses to make Himself known. And in Deuteronomy 4:32-40, Moses is going to remind the people of Israel that their God had made a habit of making Himself known for centuries. From the first day He had appeared to Abraham in Ur, God had been revealing Himself to the descendants of Abraham in a variety of ways. In fact, it was to Abraham’s seed that God had chosen to make Himself known. And the nation of Israel represented the mighty nation God had promised to produce from Abraham and Sarah. He had kept His promise and now He was about to reward His people with the land He had set apart for Abraham’s seed. And Moses wanted the Israelites to never forget that God had proven Himself faithful and they had no reason to ever doubt His existence or presence.

Ep 937 – Deuteronomy 4:15-31 Nov 25, 2019

In Deuteronomy 4:15-31, Moses goes out of his way to remind the people of Israel that they needed to avoid idolatry at all costs. If they chose to worship other gods, their time in the land of promise would prove to be marked by curses, rather than blessings. And if they attempted to make an idol to represent Yahweh, they would find Him infuriated, not flattered. One of the things they needed to understand was their unique status as the image-bearers of God. They were His chosen people and He had set them apart so that they might reflect His glory and goodness through their willing obedience to His law. And the very first commandment He had given them was to have no other gods before them. No idols were allowed. In other words, no man-made representations of God were going to be tolerated. And, if they made the mistake of worshiping a false god made in man’s image, they would live to regret it

Ep 936 - Deuteronomy 4:91-4 Nov 24, 2019

Having God’s law and obeying it are two separate things. They shouldn’t be, but that it how any set of rules and regulation work. They establish a set of guidelines or a code of conduct, but they cannot guarantee compliance. And nobody knew that better than Moses. He had been the one to receive the Ten Commandments from God on top of Mount Sinai. Then he had faithfully passed on those commands to the people. But over the years, he had watched as the people repeatedly disobeyed God’s laws, even choosing to violate the first commandment prohibiting the worship of any other gods. Moses was fully convinced that the key to Israel conquering the land of Canaan and enjoying the inheritance promised to them by God was their obedience to God’s law. So, he begged them to not only remember those commands but to keep them.

Ep 935 – Deuteronomy 4:1-8 Nov 23, 2019

As Moses continues his little speech to the people of Israel, he reminds them of their obligation to keep the laws handed down to them from God. While Moses would not be joining them in their conquest of the land, he wanted them to know that they could not afford to ignore or disobey God’s commands. Any hope they had of successfully conquering the land of Canaan and of enjoying the blessings of God would come as a result of obedience to His law. And there was another aspect to their faithful keeping of the law that Moses wanted them to understand. God had given His law to the Jews alone and He expected them to keep every one of them. When they did, it would show the nations around them what true righteousness looks like. And the wisdom of God would be evidenced in the lives of the people of Israel, proving to the pagan nations living in Canaan that Yahweh was the one true God.

Ep 934 – Deuteronomy 3:23-29 Nov 22, 2019

In Deuteronomy 3:23-29, Moses reminds the people of Israel that he will not be going with them into the land of promise. He painfully recounts the story of when he attempted to rob God of glory and, in doing so, he treated God as unholy. This had been a serious mistake on the part of Moses and it had come with serious consequences. God had banned him from ever setting foot in the land of Canaan. After rescuing the people from their captivity in Egypt, leading them across the wilderness, then having to put up with 40 more years of wandering because they had refused to enter the land the first time, Moses was going to miss out on the joys of Canaan. But God provided Moses with the assurance that Joshua would complete what he had begun. The God of Israel would remain faithful to His promises. And while Moses would never spend a single, solitary moment in the land of promise, he could rest assured that the people of Israel would.

Ep 933 – Deuteronomy 3:12-22 Nov 21, 2019

Israel is still on the wrong side of the Jordan. They have yet to cross over and it was because God had work for them to do on the east side of the river. According to God’s command and with His divine help, they defeated the armies of Og and Sihon, capturing their cities and putting all their inhabitants to the sword. These battles on the eastern side of the Jordan had to take place before Israel could begin their conquest of Canaan. And God had good reasons for requiring these seemingly unnecessary battles. He was preparing the Israelites for the years of warfare that loomed before them and was revealing that what He did east of the River, He could do in Canaan as well. But before they had time to celebrate their God-ordained victories over the Amorites, Moses found himself faced with a potential problem. The tribes of Gad and Reuben approached him with a request to settle in the recently liberated lands located outside the land of promise. They saw an opportunity to settle in an area with prime pasture lands, perfect for their many flocks. But Moses saw a rebellious people refusing to do what God had commanded them to do, and he had been down that road before.

Ep 932 – Deuteronomy 3:1-11 Nov 20, 2019

God has His way of doing things and He fully expects His people to follow His lead. In accomplishing His will, He rarely requires our opinion or advice. He doesn’t seek our viewpoint or give us the option of replacing His divine plan with one of our own. But that doesn’t stop us from trying. And in the book of Deuteronomy, we have plenty of examples of Moses and the people of Israel attempting to help God out by opting for their own strategies in place of His. But this plan-B tactic rarely works out. We may not understand or even like what God has told us to do, but there is never a case where our preferred option will produce better results. It just won’t happen. A big part of being a child of God is learning to obey Him, which requires that we trust Him. We have to believe that what He is telling us to do will be for our good, whether we understand it or not. He knows what He is doing. And Moses and the people of Israel were going to learn that lesson time and time again as they began their conquest of Canaan. In fact, it would start before they entered the land.

Ep 931 - Deuteronomy 2:26-37 Nov 19, 2019

There’s a line in the closing chapter of the book of Judges that gives us a glimpse into what things were like in the days after Moses and Joshua were dead and the nation of Israel had been in the land of Canaan for some time. It simply reads: “In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes” (Judges 25:25). Everyone did what was right. That’s an interesting phrase, because the Hebrew word translated as “right” actually means “righteous.” They thought that what they were doing was righteous and good, but it was based on their own subjective viewpoint, not that of God. And this kind of self-righteous decision making was something they had begun long before they even arrived in the land. We see a case of it in Deuteronomy 2:26-37 and it involves Moses, their divinely appointed leader. In this passage, we’ll see Moses receive very specific instructions from God, but then watch as Moses attempts to do what was right in his own eyes. He probably thought he was going the right thing, but it was not God’s thing. While Moses might have had reservations concerning God’s plan, that didn’t give him the freedom to alter it.

Ep 930 – Deuteronomy 2:16-25 Nov 18, 2019

As Christians, we have been so inculcated with the doctrine that our salvation is by God's grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone, that we've almost become numbed by it. Yes, it's true and is a foundational doctrine of our faith, but if we're not careful, we can become complacent and lazy regarding our faith. The apostle Paul makes it quite clear that salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it (Ephesians 2:9). But the same man wrote, "Work hard to show the results of your salvation, obeying God with deep reverence and fear" (Philippians 2:12). And then Paul provides the undeniable tension that lies between our role and that of God. "For God is working in you, giving you the desire the power to do what pleases Him" (Philippians 2:13). While it's true we can't save our sanctify ourselves, we do have to participate and cooperate. And the Israelites were going to discover that their occupation of the land promised to them by God, was going to require some blood, sweat, and tears.

Ep 929 – Deuteronomy 2:1-15 Nov 17, 2019

In yesterday’s episode, we saw what happens when the people of God attempt to do the will of God, but in disobedience to His ways. It never works out well. He will not accompany those who refuse to do His will. He will not fight on behalf of those who choose to do things their own way and against His wishes. But now, God gives the next generation of Israelites another history lesson designed to show them how God had been with them all the way, ever since the days of Abraham. He will bring up the descendants of Esau and Lot, two groups of distant relatives, who were living near the land of Canaan. The Israelites were going to have to pass through the lands belonging to the Edomites (descendants of Esau), and the Moabites (descendants of Lot). The very existence of these two nations was tied to events that had happened long before the Israelites had ever arrived in Canaan. And yet, God, in His sovereignty, had pre-ordained that these two nations would be ready to assist the Israelites when the time came. God had been with the Israelites ever since the beginning, even before the people in Moses’ audience had been born.

Ep 928 – Deuteronomy 1:34-46 Nov 16, 2019

The Israelites had been led by God right up to the edge of the land of promise. The only thing that remained to be done was for them to enter and possess the land. But that was going to take faith because there were enemies in the land. And Moses knew from past experience, that when the going gets tough, the tough tend to get going – but in the wrong direction. That’s exactly what the first generation of Israelites had done when they had the opportunity to enter and possess the land. And their refusal had brought God’s condemnation and a curse. They would be doomed to wander in the wilderness until their entire generation died off. Then God would give the next generation the privilege of living in the land He had promised. But Moses recounts how that first group of Israelites attempted to prove to God just how obedient they could be. The only problem was they chose to disobey God to prove their obedience to Him. And, as a result, they would go into battle without His permission or His help. And that kind of thinking is never a recipe for success.

Ep 927 – Deuteronomy 1:19-33 Nov 15, 2019

Belief is a theme throughout the pages of Scriptures, from the book of Genesis, all the way to the last chapter in the final book of the Bible, Revelation. Belief is an integral part of faith. And as the author of Hebrews reminds us, “it is impossible to please God without faith.” As we make our way through the book of Deuteronomy, we will see that faith and belief were a necessary requirement for the people of Israel, if they wanted to fully experience the blessings God in store for them in the land of Canaan. They were going to have to take God at His Word and trust His command to enter a land filled with enemies whose armies were better equipped and whose cities were well-fortified. God had said the land was theirs, but they were going to have to fight to prove their faith. God had said He would go before them, but they were going to have to follow. And when they did, they were going to have to take the fight to the enemy. Obeying God always requires faith. But the temptation is to allow the circumstances of life to produce doubt in God’s Word. And when we do, the next thing that happens is disobedience, which always leads to defeat, and never blessing.

Ep 926 – Deuteronomy 1:9-18 Nov 14, 2019

Why can’t you all just get along? Oh, if I only had a dollar for every time my mother asked that question of my three siblings and myself. I would be a rich man. You see, we didn’t get along very often. We fought. We bickered and argued. And we seldom spent more than a few hours together without an argument breaking out among us. As you can imagine, family vacations were particularly fun for my mom and dad. Four kids crammed into the family car and forced to spend prolonged periods of quality time together in close quarters. Moses must have felt like my dad. Except his family numbered in the millions and the number of the daily disputes left Moses feeling overwhelmed and ready to turn in his title as the deliverer of Israel. This poor man was required by God to lead a veritable host of hostile, perpetually unhappy campers who had made a national sport out of bickering and complaining. And while Moses had hired extra help to handle the caseloads from all the disputes, the interpersonal climate among the people of Israel had not exactly taken a turn for the better. And Moses knew that if they couldn’t learn to get along, they would never get far in the quest to conquer the nations of Canaan.

Ep 925 – Deuteronomy 1:1-8 Nov 13, 2019

Today, we begin a lengthy and hopefully enlightening study in the Book of Deuteronomy. This incredible Old Testament book provides us with a glimpse into the preparations Moses went through in order to ready the Israelites for their long-awaited entrance into the land of Canaan. This was the “promised land” – the tract of property located between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River – that God had told Abraham would be the home of his descendants. And now, nearly half a millennium later, those descendants stood on the border waiting to enter in and take possession. But Moses had been here before and things had not gone so well. Forty years earlier he had watched as the previous generation had refused to obey God, choosing instead to listen to the dire warnings of the spies who came back with reports of a bountiful land filled with powerful armies made up of giants. Suffice it to say, they didn’t cross over the border and, therefore, they came under a curse from God. That reluctant and rebellious generation died off in the wilderness. Now, Moses stood in front of a new group of Israelites, who were going to have to take God at His Word and take Canaan by force. But before the first battle was fought, Moses gave his charges a few last words of encouragement.

My apologies Sep 11, 2019

Just a word to explain the delay in our recording schedule. Yes, I am well aware that we are behind and I am desperately attempting to catch up. But it is taking some time. So, please bear with me. In the meantime, if Devotionary has been a help to you, I would love to hear from you. My email is kendmiller55@me.com. Also, if you wouldn't mind, please got to the Apple Store and give us a positive review. That will go a long way to improving our position in their search engine.

Ep 924 - Sanctification – Colossians 3:1-3 Jun 27, 2019

Why do you do what you do? To ask it another way, what motivates your behavior? There is always a reason behind what we do. And it could be good or bad. But as followers of Jesus Christ we must constantly ask ourselves why it is we attempt to live the Christian life. We must regularly assess our motivation and the source of the strength we put into our efforts. You see, sanctification does require work on our part. But we must never forget that, at its core, it is the work of God. That is why Paul reminds us, “Work hard to show the results of your salvation, obeying God with deep reverence and fear. For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.” We must work hard, but never forget that God is working in us. We are working alongside Him, in the power of His Spirit, and in keeping with His will for us. And we must remember that the end goal of all our Spirit-empowered effort is our future glorification. We are not to pursue our best life now in the here-and-now, but the better life God has prepared for us in the hereafter.

Ep 923 – Sanctification – Romans 6:1-11 Jun 26, 2019

Imagine running a race without a finish line in mind. You’d be running with no objective and no hope of ever finishing the race, let alone, of winning it. A race without a finish line is not a race at all, but merely an exercise in futility and, ultimately, frustration. And the Christian life would be the same thing if it did not have a final objective or outcome. As we discuss the doctrine of sanctification, we must never forget that it is directly tied to two other major doctrines and cannot exist without them. One is our salvation. The other, our future glorification. And all three are dependent upon our resurrection. Paul told the believers in Corinth that “if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised either. And if Christ has not been raised, then all our preaching is useless, and your faith is useless.” And then he added, “if our hope in Christ is only for this life, we are more to be pitied than anyone in the world.” In other words, without our resurrection and glorification as our final goal, our sanctification will be like running in a race with no hope of victory.

Ep 922 – Sanctification – 1 Corinthians 1:1-2 Jun 25, 2019

Most Christians would have no problem admitting that they still struggle with sin. But there’s a huge difference between a Christian who is aware of their sin and a Christian who tends to see themselves as a sinner. As a Christian, your tendency to sin should not determine your identity. From God’s perspective, you are a saint or set-apart one. You have been consecrated by God and have been imputed the righteousness of Christ. Because of that, God considers you to be holy. Which is why Paul referred to the believers as saints in the various congregations to which he wrote. And he was constantly reminding them of their new identity as sons and daughters of God. He wanted them to live distinctively different lives based on their identity as saints, not as sinners. While there is value in remembering the past from which we were saved, we are not to dwell on it or to identify ourselves with it. Instead, we are to remember what Paul said, “The old has gone, the new is here!”

Ep 921 – Sanctification - 1 John 3:2-3 Jun 24, 2019

“I can’t wait until…” You fill in the blank. What kinds of things do you eagerly anticipate? A new season of your favorite TV show, the opening of a new blockbuster movie, the birth of a child? When I was a child, I couldn’t wait until Christmas. I looked forward to it all year long, and the closer it got to December 25, the more excited I became. And, interestingly enough, the apostle John expressed that same kind of eager anticipation when speaking of our future glorification when we receive our redeemed, sin-free bodies. And he wasn’t alone in his thinly veiled enthusiasm for this future event. The apostle Paul also expressed his determination to press on or focus all his attention on that future day when he would win the prize of the upward call of God. Paul longed for his resurrection. And his deep desire for it impacted the way he lived his life as he waited for its arrival. One of the things that will impact our current sanctification is to remember that it will culminate with our future glorification. God will complete what He starts. Paul and John knew it and believed it. Do we?

Ep 920 – Sanctification - 2 Corinthians 5:14-17 Jun 23, 2019

“I feel like a new man!” We usually hear or make that kind of statement in relationship to a change in circumstances. Maybe after a good nap or a much-needed vacation. When we attempt to repair something and our efforts turn out well, we say something like “Good as new!” That’s because, in our minds, new is good. If we see an advertisement that states, “New and improved”, we take it for granted that whatever it is that is being sold is somehow better than it was. But why is it, that when the Scriptures tell us we are “new creations” and that we have the power to “walk in newness of life”, we don’t believe it? The New Testament has a lot to say about the old nature and the new nature. Paul, in particular, seems to be always talking about putting off the old and putting on the new. But for some reason, we have a difficult time believing it because we don’t always feel or act like a new man.

Ep 919 – Sanctification – 1 Corinthians 3:1-3 Jun 22, 2019

The psalmist wrote, “There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death.” Those are powerful words and a bit foreboding. But do we believe them? Better yet, do we heed them? Do we fully understand that our way is rarely the right way? And the truth is, the counsel we receive from this world usually ends up less than successful. The means by which God has chosen to sanctify us doesn’t always make sense and, sometimes, it isn’t very attractive. But it is the best way because it is Gods’ way. Yet, we are constantly tempted to take another path, to pursue a different set of objectives, hoping for the same outcome. But God’s will can only be accomplished God’s way. And no matter how wise the ways of this world may sound, they can’t deliver what God has promised. God has great things in store for us, and while the world may offer tempting detours and shortcuts, they always end in death.

Ep 918 – Sanctification - Philippians 3:12-21 Jun 21, 2019

Life requires focus. We all know that. But it’s easy to get distracted along the way and to allow all kinds of things to take your eyes off what is truly important and necessary. The occasional distraction is not a problem, but they can easily add up and leave you wondering why you never get anything done. And the same is true in our spiritual lives. Paul had a lot to say about running the race of life with a goal in mind. He was a determined man who expected those who sat under his teaching to live with the same sense of purpose and potential. And he knew that the enemy was adept at distracting Christ-followers from what was truly important. Satan knows how to take the good things and make them the most important things in our lives. He is like a skilled magician who uses sleight-of-hand to refocus our attention on the trivial rather than the vital. And we end up missing what God has in store for us.

Ep 917 – Sanctification – James 2:14-20 Jun 20, 2019

Faith is meant to be productive. I know that sounds odd because faith is usually juxtaposed with works. As Christians, we’ve had it drummed into our heads that salvation is based on faith alone and is not the result of works. That way, none of us has any reason to brag or boast. But faith not only requires an object, but an objective. It is to produce fruit. When Jesus Christ died for our sins, He did so that we might experience newness of life. And for that to happen, He sent His Spirit to come and take up residence within us. It is the Spirit who produces fruitfulness from our faithfulness. The more we rely on His presence and power, the more fruit we will bear, all to the glory of God the Father. While some have pitted James and Paul against one another, claiming that each seems to contradict the other, they are actually saying the very same thing but from slightly different perspectives. Faith is always fruitful.

Ep 915 – Sanctification – Romans 14:17-19 Jun 18, 2019

When we think about the power of the Spirit of God, we tend to focus on the miraculous. You know what I mean. Those unbelievable, inexplicable outpourings of His power like we read about in the New Testament. Like what happened on the day of Pentecost when the disciples suddenly found themselves able to speak in foreign languages they didn’t previously know. Or how they were able to perform miracles such as healing the sick, giving sight to the blind, or even raising the dead. Now, that’s power. But one of the true miracles that accompanied the coming of the Holy Spirit was the radical transformation of the lives of the disciples. They went from being timid, cowering-in-the-corner followers of Christ to bold, Spirit-filled proclaimers of the gospel of Jesus Christ. And within days their number had grown from a handful to more than 3,000. And they had all things in common, including their love for Christ and for one another. All as a result of the power of the Spirit.

Ep 914 – Sanctification - Galatians 5:22-26 Jun 17, 2019

Fruitfulness. It’s a well-documented expectation in the New Testament. God expects His people to live fruitful and productive lives, but on His terms and according to His power, not their own. Yet, we tend to make fruit-bearing a competition sport, where we score points with God by producing more fruit than the believer next to us. It becomes an endless and hopeless endeavor to manufacture that which only God can produce. Jesus told His disciples that fruit-bearing required abiding. He clearly communicated that, apart from Him, they could nothing that even remotely bore the resemblance of the kind of fruit God was looking for. But when they did abide in Him, they would be productive and fruitful, giving ample proof that they were His followers. And their fruitfulness would bring glory to the Father because His Holy Spirit would be the ultimate source of their fruit.

Ep 913 – Sanctification – Romans 8:5-10 Jun 16, 2019

Most of us as Christians would agree with the premise that the Holy Spirit lives within us. Jesus promised it. The disciples experienced it. And the way we live our lives should reflect it. But in order for us to reveal the presence of the Spirit within us, we must learn to rely upon the power He has made available to us. And that is going to take a concentrated effort to recognize His presence and to understand our complete dependency upon Him for all that we have been called to do as Christ-followers. Paul calls us to set our mind on the Spirit. But what does that mean and how are we to do it? To have the mind of the Spirit is to live under His influence, to think as He thinks, and to act according to His will and in the power that He provides. The Holy Spirit is not just some disembodied force we can tap into and utilize for our own selfish desires. He is the Spirit of God who wants to radically alter our actions and our attitudes.

Ep 912 – Sanctification – John 4:10-14 Jun 15, 2019

If you’re like any other red-blooded western Christian, you’ve probably asked yourself the question: What’s the key to living the Christian life? And, no doubt, you’ve come up with a varied list of answers, most of which you have tried – to one degree of success or another. But have you really discovered the secret to successful Christian living? Is it more effort, increased faith, greater sacrifice, or a larger expenditure of selfless love? It seems that Jesus gave us the key to living the Christian life and it was the presence and power of the indwelling Holy Spirit. He referred to is as “living water” – “a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” And His disciples experienced the life-changing nature of this spiritual water when the Holy Spirit of God came upon them at Pentecost. They learned that the Spirit within them was meant to empower them so He could flow out from them. They would be like PVC pipes through which the life-transforming power of God’s Spirit flowed to the world around them.

Ep 911 – Sanctification - 1 Timothy 6:11-16 Jun 14, 2019

You are a new creation. You have experienced new birth and have been given a new nature. How many times have you heard those truths? But how much do you really believe them? There is a part of each and every one of us as Christ-followers that embraces those Scriptural realities intellectually, but still find it difficult to live them out in everyday life. We don’t feel new. We don’t always act like new creations. And our old nature seems far more in control than whatever new nature we received. So, our doubt turns to duty. In the face of what appears to be a less-than-new lifestyle, we tend to look for a list of things we need to do in order to grow up, measure up, and muster up some much-needed righteousness in our life. But Paul would have us look up - to God. He has done it all. He not only saved us, but He has provided everything necessary to sanctify us.

Ep 910 – Sanctification - 1 Corinthians 3:1-3 Jun 13, 2019

Most Christ-followers know that their life is to be characterized by progressive spiritual growth. But the question is, do their lives reflect that understanding? Do they display an ever-increasing spiritual maturity that reveals their ongoing transformation into the likeness of Christ? The New Testament is filled with allusions to the growth that should take place in the believer’s life, comparing it to the physical growth of an infant to adulthood. A baby that does not grow is abnormal, an anomaly. The same is true of a Christian who does not display a steady increase in spiritual maturity. And the sad thing is that we are told that we have everything we need to grow spiritually. It is not as if we have been left to survive and thrive on our own. We have all the resources necessary to grow from innocent infancy to full-blown adulthood. But are we taking advantage of them?

Ep 909 - Sanctification – 1 John 4:13-21 Jun 12, 2019

Love one another. We’re all familiar with those words, but do we live them out in real life? If so, are we guilty of pre-determining who the “other” is referring to? Do we tend to make our own list of who we want to love, conveniently leaving off all those we find unlovable or simply unlovely? A big part of the doctrine of sanctification is learning to allow the love that God shows us, to not dead-end on us. In other words, He loved us so that we might love others. And Jesus commanded that we love others in the same way that He loved us: Selflessly and sacrificially. Jesus didn’t love as long as He was loved back. He didn’t withhold His love from those who lacked the capacity to love Him back. In fact, Jesus loved us when we were at our worst. He loved us when we were mired in our sin and lacking any capacity to reciprocate. Love is to be a non-negotiable mark of what it means to be a Christ-follower. We love because He first loved us. And we love because His love resides within us and must flow out from us.

Ep 908 - Sanctification - John 14:15-21 Jun 11, 2019

Remember that exchange between Peter and Jesus, just days after His resurrection? Jesus had just finished having breakfast with the disciples, when He asked Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” And Peter responded, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” Then Jesus preceded to repeat His question to two more times, and in each instance, Peter gave the same answer. Jesus’ questions were accompanied by three imperatives: Feed my lambs, tend my sheep, and feed my sheep. And Jesus ended the conversation with the same two words He had used more than three years earlier, when He had called Peter to be His disciple: “Follow me.” It’s important to note that Jesus was about to leave them, but He was asking Peter to follow Him. Not to a destination, but in the pursuit of the Father’s will. And Peter and the rest of the disciples would soon find themselves empowered to follow Jesus in full obedience, proving their love for Him as they followed His example by feeding His sheep.

Ep 907 – Sanctification – Romans 8:1-11 Jun 10, 2019

Living the Christian life is essential, but not always easy. Yet, the reason we find it so difficult is not because God has made it hard, but because we fail to do it in the manner He has prescribed. We attempt to live godly lives without God’s help. And when we do, we not only find it difficult, but impossible. We may succeed for a time, but it won’t last long and it won’t produce lasting results. In Romans 8:1-11, Paul reminds us that there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. We have been set free from the penalty of death that accompanies a life of sin. By placing our faith in Christ, we received forgiveness and stand before God as fully righteous in His eyes. But we are expected to live up to our new standing or identity. God is not demanding perfection from us in this life, but a growing awareness of our need for His Spirit’s power.

Ep 906 – Sanctification - 2 Corinthians 12:5-10 Jun 09, 2019

God’s grace. We talk a lot about it, but I’m not quite sure we fully appreciate it. And when we read passages like 2 Corinthians 12:9, where Paul describes God’s grace as being sufficient, we’re not quite sure what to do with that information. How is His grace sufficient? Exactly what is it sufficient for? For Paul, it had to do with strength in his moments of weakness, contentment in times of calamity, and confidence even when facing uncertainty. Grace was enough. Paul didn’t need to add anything more. Because God’s grace was fully sufficient, Paul could rest in the knowledge that he was in no way deficient. As Peter put it, Paul had everything he needed for life and godliness. Which is why Paul could boldly claim, “I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength” (Philippians 4:13 NLT). Paul’s confidence came from God, not himself.

Ep 905 – Sanctification - 1 Corinthians 15:9-11 Jun 08, 2019

The grace of God is a remarkable thing. But we sometimes take it for granted. It’s almost as if we think we somehow deserve God’s grace, which would end up making it something other than grace altogether. Grace is undeserved and unmerited. You can’t earn it. It’s not payment for services rendered. And the more we recognize that it is a free gift bestowed on us by God, the greater its value will grow in our estimation. Paul understood grace and never took it for granted. He knew his entire life, from his birth to his new birth, his apostleship to his sonship, were the result of God’s grace and mercy. Rather than giving Paul what he deserved, God had graciously given Paul what he could have never merited on his own: A relationship with Himself based on the saving work of Jesus Christ. Paul knew who he was and he had no problem admitting that it was because of God.

Ep 904 – Sanctification - John 15:1-11 Jun 07, 2019

When it comes to the topic of sanctification, most of us know that it has to do with what we call Christlikeness or being transformed into the image of Christ. Or to put it in simpler, easy to understand terms, to grow in spiritual maturity. But no matter how you describe sanctification, one of the things that should accompany your definition is the need for fruitfulness. Someone who is being sanctified should also be producing fruit – the fruit of the Spirit. And in John 15, we have recorded the words of Jesus as He ties fruitfulness to abiding. And it is important that we keep those two things permanently linked. Abiding is required for fruitfulness to take place. In other words, you don’t produce fruit on your own. Just as a branch can’t produce grapes unless it abides in the grapevine. Fruitfulness is not the byproduct of human effort. It is the result of dependence upon God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.

Ep 903 – Sanctification - Romans 13:14 Jun 06, 2019

One of the major debates concerning our sanctification revolves around roles and responsibilities. Who is ultimately responsible for your sanctification or growth in Christlikeness? Is it all up to God? Does it all fall on your shoulders? Or is it some combination of the two? As you read the New Testament, especially the letters of Paul, you can’t help but sense that we have a significant part to play in our sanctification. After all, he uses imperative statements like, “put on…”, “put off…”, and “grow up…” He commands us to “strive…for holiness.” So, it sure sounds like we have our work cut out for us. But are these commands meant to tell us we are somehow insufficient? Is Paul suggesting that our sanctification is incomplete and our quotient of righteousness somehow lacking? No, Paul is not telling us to fill up what is missing, but to live out what is ours in full.

Ep 902 - Sanctification - Exodus 3:13-14 Jun 05, 2019

In this episode we are going to continue to explore how Jesus was comfortable in His own skin. He knew who He was and was fully aware of His God-ordained purpose in life. Jesus was at peace with His identity and did not allow the enemy to tempt Him into believing He deserved better and could have more. He was the Son of God who took on human flesh. He became a man and, of His own admission, He came to serve, not be served. He viewed Himself as a humble servant who faithfully fulfilled the will of His Heavenly Father. And the apostle Paul encourages us to have the same attitude that Jesus had. We are to come to grips with our true identity, made available to us through our relationship with Jesus. And we are to let our knowledge of that identity dictate the way we live our lives. Knowing who you are can go a long way in helping you accomplish your God-given purpose in life.

Ep 901 – Sanctification – John 8:48-59 Jun 04, 2019

Do you know who you are? I’m not suggesting you’ve somehow lost touch with reality and are living some kind of fantasy, devoid of a clear understanding of your true identity. But I am suggesting that you may be a bit confused about who you really are and makes it so. In our world, our identity tends to get wrapped up in all kinds of superficial things. From the brand of clothes you wear to the make of car you drive. But, as Christians, our identity is not determined by material possessions, the color of our skin, the address of our house, the size of our bank account, or the number of friends we have on Facebook. We derive our identity from our relationship with Christ. It is because of Him that we are deemed righteous by God and called His sons and daughters. In this episode, we’re going to continue to explore the firm grasp Jesus had on His identity. He didn’t let what others thought of Him or did to Him determine His identity. He was comfortable in His own skin and at peace with His Father’s will for Him.

Ep 900 – Sanctification - Luke 4:1-13 Jun 03, 2019

Doubt is a powerful weapon in Satan’s arsenal, and he uses it against the people of God on a regular and relentless basis. It was doubt in God’s word that caused Eve to listen to the lies of the serpent and disobey the warning not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Satan began his temptation of Eve by raising doubts about what God had said. And he tried the same tactic with Jesus in the wilderness. But on that occasion, his efforts failed because Jesus knew who He was and what He had been sent to do. One of the things that makes us particularly susceptible to the temptations of the enemy is an unhealthy understanding of who we are in Christ. Satan began each of his temptations of Christ with the words, “If you are the Son of God…” He wanted to cause Jesus to doubt His identity. Because he knew if Jesus failed to recognize who He was and why He had come, he could be distracted by false promises of pleasure, power, and prominence. But He refused to buy what Satan was selling. And so should we.

Ep 899 – Sanctification – 1 Corinthians 2:14-16 Jun 02, 2019

In Philippians 2, Paul told his readers to have the mind or attitude that Christ had. In other words, they were to think about themselves in the same way that Jesus thought about himself. They were to recognize their new identity made possible by Christ’s death and resurrection, and empowered by the indwelling Holy Spirit. But in 1 Corinthians 2, Paul provides the incredibly good news that we already have the mind of Christ. It is not something we have to seek out. It exists within us because of the presence of the Holy Spirit. And, as a result, we can understand the things of God. We have been given the Spirit-empowered capacity to understand spiritual truths. That means we are able to read God’s Word and not only understand it, but we can apply what it says to our lives. And while there is much about faith that we may still find difficult to comprehend, we can rest easy knowing that the Spirit of God will reveal what we need to know when we need to know it.

Ep 898 – Sanctification – Philippians 2:5-11 Jun 01, 2019

You’re familiar with the phrase, “think before you speak.” Most of us have heard it after we have said something particularly stupid, that was lacking tact, or a case of bad timing. It always pays to engage the mind before you put the mouth in gear. And the apostle Paul puts a high priority on the mind as well. Except, he wants believers to put thought into the reality of their relationship with Christ and all that it makes possible in their lives. In Philippians 2, he challenges us to have the same mind that Christ had. Rather than calling us to follow the example of Christ by emulating His behavior, Paul encourages us to think like Jesus did. And the thoughts Paul has in mind are focused on Jesus’ understanding of His identity. He knew who He was and what He had come to do. And that knowledge influenced His actions. Jesus never lost sight of His identity and never stopped thinking about His God-given mission. And neither should we.

Ep 897 – Sanctification – Romans 6:8-14 May 31, 2019

Paul encourages us to consider ourselves dead to sin, but that sounds like so much spiritual-speak. How in the world are we supposed to pull that off when our lives seem so alive to and allured by sin? This is the part of sanctification that we find not only difficult but, at times, impossible. Like Paul, we find ourselves doing what we don’t want to do and failing to do what we know God would want us to do. Our sin nature seems far from dead. It’s interesting to note that Paul reminds the believers in Rome that they were no longer under sin’s dominion. It had lost its power to rule their lives. Why? Because Jesus paid the penalty for sin with His death on the cross. The only hold sin had was the penalty of death. But Christians are alive to God in Christ Jesus. But we must constantly remind ourselves of this new reality. Sin has lost its hold. Death has lost its sting. Christ has made us new creations. And we should live like it.

Ep 894 – Sanctification – 1 Peter 1:1-2 May 30, 2019

There is a story recorded in the gospel of John that tells of the death of Lazarus and his miraculous resuscitation back to life by Jesus. When Lazarus had become ill, his two sisters had sent word to Jesus, hoping that He might come and heal their brother. But Jesus delayed and Lazarus died. By the time Jesus showed up in Bethany, Lazarus was long dead and buried. But Jesus commanded that the stone be removed. And Martha responded, “Lord, by now he stinks. It has already been four days.” Lazarus, once alive and well, was dead and decaying. But Jesus spoke a word and restored his dead friend to life. And that is exactly what Jesus does for the spiritually dead. Through the indwelling presence of His Spirit, Jesus regenerates the life of those dead in their trespasses and sins. And the stink of spiritual death gets replaced with a Christ-like fragrance rising up to God.

Ep 895 – Sanctification – Romans 5:1-5 May 30, 2019

Do you love God? I hope your answer is a resounding and unapologetic, “Yes!” And if I was able to ask you why you love God, I assume you might say that it is because of all that He has done for you, especially for providing the gracious gift of salvation made possible through His Son’s death, burial and resurrection. But do you realize that your capacity to love God is also a gift from Him. The apostle John would have us remember that we love because God first loved us. In other words, our ability to express love to God and others is not self-manufactured or the product of our own determination. It is the result of Christ’s redemptive work on our behalf and the indwelling presence of the Spirit of God in our lives. As we’ll see in this episode, God has poured His love into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who He has given us. And, as a result, we now have the capacity to love the one who first loved us.

Ep 893 – Sanctification – 1 Peter 2:21-25 May 28, 2019

The believer’s unity with Christ is an essential, yet often overlooked topic that is meant to provide us with a strong sense of assurance and hope in this life. Jesus came to earth and took on the very nature of a man. He was born as a helpless baby and spent His early years navigating the ups and downs of childhood and adolescence. He worked alongside his father, Joseph, and no doubt enjoyed the company of friends and companions in His hometown of Nazareth. But as He reached the age of 30, Jesus began His earthly ministry, fulfilling the will of His heavenly Father. Jesus became a man so that He might one day complete the task given to Him by His Father from before the foundation of the world. Jesus came to live as a man, but more importantly, so that He might die in the place of sinful men. And because He lived in perfect obedience to His Father we are able to live to righteousness.

Ep 892 º Sanctification – Hebrews 2:8-11 May 27, 2019

In this episode, we continue to discuss the topic of our union with Christ. In Hebrews 2:8-11, we are going to see that this union has tremendous ramifications for us. By placing our faith in Christ, we become one with Him, sharing in His death and resurrection. All our sins were put to death on the cross and, when He was raised from the dead, we were raised along with Him. Just as He enjoyed new life, so do we. We have been raised to walk in newness of life. And our union with Christ also results in our sanctification. As the author of Hebrews would have us remember: “he who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one source.” Jesus was set apart by God and given a specific role to play. And the same is true of us. We too have been set apart and deemed holy by God. We are one with Christ. And we share in all that is His – both in this life and in the one to come.

Ep 891 – Sanctification – Romans 6:3-5 May 26, 2019

Union with Christ. It’s a comforting idea, but rather difficult to get our heads around. It has a religious-sounding ring to it that can often end up producing more sizzle than steak. For all the verses that speak about the Christian being united with Christ and Christ indwelling the believer, we sometimes find ourselves wondering just what all the talk is about. When we read the words of the apostle Paul: “Christ in you, the hope of glory,” we can easily find ourselves questioning whether Christ has vacated the premises. His presence seems difficult to discern. And, far too often, the glory His presence is supposed to ensure, seems in short supply. But one of the amazing things the doctrine of sanctification guarantees is our unbroken union with Christ, made possible through the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit.

Ep 890 – Sanctification – 2 Thessalonians 2:13-15 May 25, 2019

The New Testament is fairly clear about the fact that the Holy Spirit comes to dwell within those who place their faith in Christ. Jesus promised it, the book of Acts describes it, and generations of Christians can give testimony concerning it. And yet, we still find it hard to imagine the third person of the Trinity actually taking up residence within us. Especially when we consider how unsuitable our earthly tents can become at times. After all, we still find ourselves committing sins that grieve the Holy Spirit. And, far too often, we do things that end up quenching the full weight of His power in our lives. And yet, as we will see in today’s episode, His presence within us is guaranteed, and proof that we have indeed been made fully righteous and holy by the blood of Christ.

Ep 889 – Sanctification – Ephesians 4:1-10 May 24, 2019

Most people prefer the light of day over the dark of night, unless they’re trying to sleep. Darkness is great if you’re trying to rest, but when you need to see where you’re going, the lack of light can be a big problem. And the Bible has a great deal to say about darkness and light. It’s a reoccurring theme used to juxtapose the righteousness of God and the wickedness of this fallen world in which we live. And a big part of the message of sanctification is that God has made a way for people, who once were overwhelmed by the darkness of sin, to step into the light of His glory and grace. God sent His Son to be the Light of the world. Jesus took on human flesh, penetrating the gloom and despair left as a result of man’s rebellion against a just and holy God. And those who place their faith in Him are delivered from the domain of darkness and redeemed as children of light – sons and daughters of God.

Ep 888 – Sanctification – Hebrews 10:19-21 May 23, 2019

Most Christians have no problem acknowledging their ongoing struggle with sin. It’s hard to deny it when the natural proclivity to sin is so obvious and seemingly unavoidable. In fact, the apostle John said, “If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth.” But he went on to say, “if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.” So, sin is an ever-present reality for every believer. But because of the presence and power of the indwelling Spirit of God, we have the capacity to resist sin and pursue righteousness. But that brings up an important aspect of sanctification that is sometimes misunderstood. Does God expect His people to sin less so that He might love them more? In other words, does our ability to live righteously make us more acceptable to God? Or is God already fully satisfied with our sanctification?

Ep 889 – Sanctification – Matthew 9:10-13 May 22, 2019

How righteous do you have to be? When it comes to salvation, how good does God expect you to be? These kinds of questions have plagued believers for more than two centuries. Few of us would deny the fact that we are sinners who tend to sin regularly. And we know that God is holy and cannot tolerate sin in the lives of His people. So, it only stands to reason that we must live righteous lives if we hope to have any kind of a relationship with God. But is that what the Bible teaches? Is that what the doctrine of sanctification is all about? In Matthew 9:10-13, Jesus reveals that He came not to call the righteous, but sinners. He didn’t die on behalf of those who had their spiritual act together, but for those whose lives were marked by sin, not sanctification. Jesus died for sinners. And it was His death that made righteousness available to those who could never have produced it on their own. When we come to faith in Christ, we receive His righteousness, and by virtue of that, we receive a right standing with God the Father.

Ep 886 – Sanctification – 2 Corinthians 7:1 May 21, 2019

Are you already sanctified, in the process of being sanctified, or in a temporary holding pattern as you await your future sanctification? If you answered yes, you’re absolutely correct. That’s right, all three are true. And that’s just one of the many mysteries surrounding the doctrine of sanctification. As we’ll see in today’s episode, our sanctification is much deeper and multi-faceted than we might have imagined. According to passages like 1 Corinthians 1:2, followers of Christ are already sanctified by virtue of their union with Christ. But in 2 Corinthians 7:1, Paul tells us to cleanse ourselves so that we might bring our holiness to completion. And according to Hebrews 12:22-23, we’re already enrolled in heaven where we stand as perfect before God. So, whether you refer to your sanctification in the past, present, or future, you’re covered. And that’s good news.

Ep 885 – Sanctification – Leviticus 10:10 May 20, 2019

What does God want from you? What are His expectations? If salvation is by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone, what could we possibly do that adds anything to our relationship with God? Well, while we can do nothing that will earn us a right standing with God, that does not mean there is nothing left for us to do. We have been called to live holy lives. That is, we are to conduct ourselves in a way that lines up with our status as God’s children. And in Leviticus 10:10, God provides a necessary prerequisite for living a holy life: We have to know the difference between the holy and the common, the unclean and the clean. Otherwise, we will tend to live our lives in a state of constant moral compromise. God is holy and He has set us apart as His own, fully expecting us to live lives marked by holiness. But if you don’t know what holiness looks like, living a holy life will be impossible.

Ep 884 – Sanctification – Leviticus 11:44-45 May 19, 2019

Be holy! You won’t find two other words like these that are as capable of striking fear into the life of a Christian. Whether you read them in Leviticus 11:44-45 or 1 Peter 1:14-16, they carry the same weight and produce the same impact. In either case, God is calling His people to be holy, as He is holy. That’s a seriously lofty standard that would leave anyone questioning the sanity behind the command and the viability of anyone ever pulling it off. And yet, both the Old and New Testaments call us to be holy. So, what exactly is God’s expectation of us? Is He demanding that we become what we are not, or is He encouraging us to live as who we already are? The doctrine of sanctification has gotten a bad rap because too often we assume that our spiritual growth is up to us. God saved us, but we somehow have to perfect ourselves. But nothing could be further from the truth.

Ep 883 – Sanctification – 2 Peter 1:3-4 May 18, 2019

“He looks just like you!” How many times has a father heard that said of one is own children and felt his chest fill with pride? And God, our Heavenly Father is no different. He receives great joy when His children reflect His character and live out their lives in such a way that they bear His divine image. And in 2 Peter 1:3-4, the apostle reminds us that God has provided us with everything we need to do just that. We share His divine nature. We have His Holy Spirit dwelling within us, and the righteousness of Christ imputed to us. So, we have no excuse if we fail to live godly lives. God has set us apart as His own, provided us with the power to live holy lives, and assigned us the task to bear His image in a world mired in and marred by sin. Adam and Eve lost their image-bearing capacity when they sinned. But, because of our faith in Christ, we are able to reflect His glory because we share His divine nature.

Ep 882 – Sanctification – Hebrews 12:14-17 May 17, 2019

God has deemed us holy, because of the righteousness we have received from Christ. Then why does the author of Hebrews tell us to “strive…for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord”? Are we holy or not? Have we already been sanctified or is it something we are to pursue? The answer is, “Yes.” As we saw in yesterday’s episode, we have been and are being sanctified. And in Hebrews 12:14-17, we discover that God expects us to strive to live a life of holiness. We are not to rest on our laurels or bask in the joy of our status as God’s child. We are holy, because God has deemed us so. And He has made a life of holiness possible because He has placed His Holy Spirit within us. Not only do we enjoy our status as God’s set-apart ones, we rely upon the power He has made available to us, so that we might live with holiness as our constant obsession.

Ep 881 – Sanctification – 1 Corinthians 1:2 May 16, 2019

Past, present, future. When it comes to your sanctification, which is it? According to 1 Corinthians 1:2, your sanctification is a past-tense reality. But that’s not Paul’s final word on the topic. It seems that the doctrine of sanctification can’t be relegated to the past, present, or future. It is ongoing. In one sense, we have been sanctified. Yet, we are also in the process of being sanctified. And, one day, we will stand before God as completely and finally sanctified. But the one reality most Christians seem to overlook is their status as having been sanctified or set apart by God at the point of their salvation. He has deemed them holy and, rather than seeing them as sinners, He views them as saints. And it is that unbelievable reality that should prompt us to live lives that are in keeping with our new identity in Christ.

Ep 880 – Sanctification - 1 Corinthians 1:26-31 May 15, 2019

In 1 Corinthians 1:26-31, the apostle Paul reminds his readers of their privileged position as God’s chosen people, but he also reminds them that it had nothing to do with them. In other words, God had not chosen them because they deserved it. They had not earned His favor or worked their way into His good graces. Paul describes them as having been weak, foolish, low, and despised. It was because of Christ that they had access into God’s presence. Their faith in Christ was the sole reason they enjoyed a right standing with God. There was no reason for them to boast in their own merit. Their right to come into God’s presence was because they had received the righteousness of Christ.

Ep 879 – Sanctification – Acts 16:33 May 14, 2019

Salvation is intended to be simple, so that anyone might understand it and enjoy the incredible benefits that come with it. As we’ll see in today’s episode, when the Philippian jailer asked Paul what he must do to be saved, Paul simply stated, “Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved.” It doesn’t get any simpler than that. But we would be wrong to think that the Gospel message is simplistic or uncomplicated. Because, while salvation only required belief on the jailer’s part, there was far more involved behind the scenes to make his belief possible and effectual. Salvation is a miracle of God. And without His plan for it and His Son’s obedient role in it, the Philippians jailer would have had no hope of salvation.

Ep 878 – Sanctification – John 10:31-39 May 13, 2019

As we’ve stated before, sanctification is often described as the process of a believer increasing in Christlikeness. As they mature in their faith, they take on the character of Christ. They begin to act and think like Him. But one of the unique things about the doctrine of sanctification is that Jesus is described as having been sanctified or consecrated by God. So, was Jesus incomplete in some way? Was He in the process of maturing or growing in godliness? No, Jesus was 100 percent God from the moment He took on human flesh – even as an infant. Yet He was sanctified or set apart by God for a purpose. He was sent by God with a specific task to complete and He lived up to his God-ordained mission.

Ep 877 – Sanctification – Leviticus 11:44-45 May 12, 2019

For many of us, the doctrine of sanctification is all about movement or progress. We tend to think of it as a process that requires us to move from spiritual infancy to adulthood. We even refer to it as growing in “Christlikeness” or “spiritual maturity.” And it’s not that those designations are wrong. It’s that they are incomplete or insufficient. Sanctification is a much deeper, richer doctrine than most of us realize and, whether we recognize it or not, it is faith-based just like salvation. We have been set apart by God as His own and while we are expected to live in that reality, God does not demand or expect us to achieve holiness on our own. In fact, He tells us to be holy, not become holy. Why? Because He already sees us as holy.

Ep 876 – Sanctification – Genesis 2:3 May 11, 2019

One of the many problems facing mankind since the fall has been our insatiable desire for glory. Because we were made in God’s image and were intended to reflect His glory, we ended up becoming glory grabbers. In a sense, we chose to make ourselves like God. In fact, that’s exactly what Satan said would happen if Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit – “you will be like God, knowing both good and evil.” And ever since, mankind has been trying to play god. But the only problem is, God will not share His glory with anyone. And the doctrine of sanctification does not suggest that sinful man can become like God. It teaches that, because of Christ, we can once again do what we were created to do: Reflect the glory of God.

Ep 875 – Santification – Romans 1:22-23 May 10, 2019

Man was made in the image of God, but something happened that changed all that. And it was sin. Adam and Eve disobeyed God and ate of the fruit of the one tree in the garden He had made off-limits. And their decision to eat the forbidden fruit proved to be a life-changing one. While Satan had promised that, by eating the fruit, their eyes would be opened, they actually experienced a blurring of their spiritual vision. Yes, they now had the capacity to know good and evil, but they couldn’t tell the difference. They went from living in the light of God’s glory to wandering around in the darkness of sin. Which is why God sent the final Adam, Jesus Christ, to bring the light of God’s glory back to earth and restore sinful men and women to their former status as God’s image bearers.

Ep 874 – Sanctification – 1 Corinthians 15:44-49 May 09, 2019

Everybody is familiar with the story of Adam and Eve. But even some Christians don’t know that Adam was the first model off the assembly line. But, unlike many prototypes, Adam was made without a single flaw, because he was made by God. Even God deemed His creation, “very good!” But something happened. That Adam 1.0 model failed to live up to its creator’s expectations. He developed a glitch in his software. It began with Eve, the female version of this unique species. Made in the image of God, these two chose to disobey Him. In other words, they sinned, and it resulted in their expulsion from the garden and away from God’s presence. But while Adam’s system glitch was passed on to his successors, God introduced Adam 2.0, a totally new model, with the intent of eliminating the problem that plagued the original.

Ep 873 – Luke 4:31-32 May 08, 2019

We all want to make a difference in this life. It’s hardwired into us. In fact, most of us long for a sense of accomplishment and hate the idea of living our life with nothing to show for it when we’re done. And, that sense of impact and influence should be especially true for those who claim to be followers of Christ. We are to live with a sense of purpose and with a desire to leave a positive impression on those with whom we live and interact in this life. Just as Jesus did when He walked this earth. Jesus was an influencer. He made a difference. His life left an impression on everyone He met. And, as His followers, we are to do the same. But to make an impact in this life, we have to model our lives after His, seeking to bear the image of God to those who need to experience the love of God.

Ep 872 – Sanctification – 1 Corinthians 11:1 May 07, 2019

They say imitation is the greatest form of flattery. And the apostle Paul would say that the imitation of Christ is the greatest form of sanctification. To be like Christ was his greatest desire and his life’s passion. He was so confident in his determination to follow Christ’s example, that he confidently challenged others to step in line behind him. He was not afraid to offer himself as a reliable role model for Christlike behavior. But the secret to Paul’s confidence was his unwavering determination to follow the example of Jesus Himself. Paul lived in lockstep with His Savior, doing everything he could to follow in His footsteps and model not only His behavior but His perspective on life. Paul wasn’t bragging when he said, “Imitate me,” he was simply inviting others to join him in his imitation of Christ.

Ep 871 – Sanctification – Genesis 1:26-27 May 06, 2019

What does the creation account have to do with the doctrine of sanctification? Everything. In the beginning, God created the first man and woman – in His image. As the pinnacle of God’s creation, they were meant to reflect His glory. And for a short time, they did. In fact, immediately after making man God deemed His creation “very good.” He was satisfied with all that He had made. But something happened. The image bearers disobeyed the one whose image they bore. And their sin replaced the blessing of reflecting the image of God with the curse of being cast from His presence. Like the moon passing behind the earth and losing its access to the light of the sun, Adam and Eve lost their image-bearing capacity. But God sent another Adam to set things right.

Ep 870 – Sanctification – Introduction May 05, 2019

With today’s episode, we’ll be taking a detour from our normal approach of unpacking entire books of the Bible, verse-by-verse. Instead, this will be a topical study on a singular issue that will explore various passages of Scripture from both the Old and New Testaments.

The topic I have chosen to explore is sanctification. While the word may be unfamiliar to you, the topic won’t be, especially if you are a follower of Christ. All of us, regardless of whatever Christian denomination or church we grew up in or currently align ourselves with, will have a perspective on this critical topic. At its most basic, sanctification has to do with the spiritual growth or ongoing maturity of the believer. But as we will see, there is far more to this word than we might imagine. And we will be unpacking its rich and significant meaning in the weeks ahead.

Ep 869 – Isaiah 66:15-24 May 04, 2019

Mankind was made to bring glory to God. But the fall threw a wrench into that plan, placing mankind under a curse and incapable of glorifying God in any way whatsoever. So, God raised up a people, the nation of Israel, and set them apart as His own. They were to have been His royal priesthood, a holy nation who represented Him on this earth and whose lives were intended to reveal the glory of God as they lived in submission to His will and in obedience to His law. But they failed to live up to their calling. In fact, they proved to be just as wicked, stubborn, and rebellious as the rest of the world. And in Isaiah 66:15-24, the prophet of God wraps up his book by revealing a future day when God’s people finally do what they had been set apart to do: Bring Him glory. They will declare His glory, through their actions and their words. The chosen people of God will finally accomplish the will of God by declaring the glory of God with their lives. And the entire world will sit up and take notice. Psalm 19:1 says that the heavens declare the glory of God. And the day is coming when the new heavens, the new earth, and the newly restored people of God do the same thing – forever

Ep 868 – Isaiah 66:7-14 May 03, 2019

Everyone enjoys rejoicing. We like to celebrate, whether it’s someone’s birthday, a victory by our favorite team, the marriage of a friend, or the achievement of some life milestone. But the thought of rejoicing without a tangible reason to do so sounds crazy. It makes no sense. And yet, in Isaiah 66:7-14, the prophet calls on the people of Judah to rejoice – even though their present circumstances were far from rejoicing-worthy. They were facing the judgment of God in the form of the Babylonian empire. Their destruction was eminent, and their future looked far-from-appealing. But here was God’s prophet telling them to “rejoice with Jerusalem, and be glad with her.” They must have thought he was crazy. Somewhere along the way, he had lost his mind. Or had he? Isaiah was speaking on behalf of God, revealing to the nation of Judah the plans He had in store for them. And while the majority of those plans would not take place in their lifetimes, the people of Judah were still expected to rejoice in all that God was going to do. He was a faithful God who would follow through on every commitment He had made. They could count on it and rejoice over it. And there was no reason to wait for it. They could and should rejoice!

Ep 867 – Isaiah 66:1-6 May 02, 2019

God hates pride because pride is a form of self-glorification. It is an unhealthy and undeserved glory in one’s own worth or accomplishments. And God, as the Bible reminds us, is a jealous God who will not share His glory with anyone or anything. In Isaiah 66:1-6, we’re going to see that God will not even share His glory with the temple, which had been built by Solomon to contain His glory. The people of Judah had missed the point behind the temple and the sacrificial system and ended up putting far more value in the rituals and rites of their religion than they did in God Himself. And they wrongly believed that as long as the temple of God stood in Jerusalem, they had the approval of God. After all, it was His house, and His shekinah glory hovered over the mercy seat in the Holy of Holies. His presence was a permanent fixture among them as long as the temple stood in Jerusalem. But they were about to learn a very painful lesson. There was no place for pride among the people of God. And neither the temple or the sacrificial system was going to save them from the wrath of God.

Ep 866 – Isaiah 65:17-25 May 01, 2019

When God made the universe and all it contains, He repeatedly stated, “It is good.” At each phase of the creative process, He deemed all that He created as worthy of His seal of approval. That included the sun, moon, planets and stars, as well as all the plants and animals. And the crowning achievement of His creation was man, whom He made in His own image. All was good. All was unblemished and without any kind of flaw. Then, sin entered the scene, and everything changed. The sin of Adam and Eve put mankind and the rest of God’s creation under a curse. And it has been that way ever since. But the day is coming when God will make all things new, and in Isaiah 65:17-25, God presents a picture of what that marvelous day will look like. God is going to redeem and restore His wayward people, but He is also going to remake the heavens and the earth. He is even going to create a new and much-improved city of Jerusalem, where He and His Son will dwell among men. It will be a place marked by perfect righteousness and complete sinlessness.

Ep 865 – Isaiah 65:8-16 Apr 30, 2019

The Old Testament talks a lot about the concept of the remnant. And we see it demonstrated time and time again in the history of the Israelites, as God sovereignly spares a small number of His chosen people in order to keep the nation alive. When they deserved to be destroyed because of their unfaithfulness and unrepentant sin, God preserved a remnant, in order that He might keep the covenant promise He had made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. And in Isaiah 65:8-16, God reveals that there is yet another remnant He is going to spare and, this time, because they had remained faithful to Him while all their friends and neighbors had turned to false gods. This faithful few had stood against the rising tide of disobedience that had flooded the nation of Judah. And God was going to reward them for their courage and tenacity in the face of overwhelming pressure to capitulate and compromise. And, as we will see, God also has plans for another remnant of His chosen people, a group who will one day witness the restoration of their nation and the arrival of the New Jerusalem.

Ep 864 – Isaiah 65:1-7 Apr 29, 2019

God pursues His people, but He also loves when His people pursue Him. After all He had done for the people of Judah, God every right to expect them to seek Him with all their hearts. But they had done just the opposite. Rather than seek and serve God faithfully, they had proven to be unfaithful and spiritually adulterous. And, after Isaiah pleads with God to show them mercy, God responds by declaring their guilt and labeling them as without excuse. They had been His chosen possession, but rather than respond in love and adoration to the one who set them apart as His own, they had treated Him with contempt and drug His holy name through the mud. He had called them to repentance, but they had refused to listen. He had lovingly declared to them, “Here I am,” but rather than return, they had chosen to reject Him for other gods. In Isaiah 65:1-7, God is going to warn the people of Judah that He is about to repay them for their deeds. He is going to punish them for their wickedness. But, even then, God will not stop calling, “Here I am!” He will never stop offering Himself as the solution to their problem.

Ep 863 – Isaiah 64:8-12 Apr 28, 2019

The potter and the clay. This imagery is used throughout the Bible and is always intended to juxtapose the sovereignty of God over His creation, especially humanity. And this relationship between the potter and the clay is used repeatedly to remind the people of God that they are to live in willful submission to God. In Isaiah 64:8-12, the prophet addresses God as the divine potter and confesses that he and the rest of the people of Judah are little more than clay in the Almighty’s hands. He recognizes that their circumstances were out of their control and that any hope they had of redemption and restoration was up to the one who had made them. Their fate was in God’s hands. So, Isaiah pleads for God to be lenient and to remember that they are His chosen people. The prophet appeals to God as a Father, calling on Him to show mercy to His children. And Isaiah paints the scene surrounding Judah in a very tragic light, describing the city as a desolation, Mount Zion as a wilderness, and all the pleasant places as ruins. Isaiah saw Judah as clay in need of the potter. They were flawed and required reshaping at the hands of the Master.

Ep 862 – Isaiah 64:1-7 Apr 27, 2019

Let’s face it. It’s hard to say, “I’m sorry.” And poor Isaiah has been trying to get the people of Judah to confess their sins and express their sorrow to God for 63 chapters. Now, as if in a last-ditch attempt to assuage the anger of God, Isaiah takes it upon himself to act as the corporate confessor for the nation of Judah. He stands in as their representative, presenting himself before God and begging the Almighty to accept his humble confession on behalf of his fellow citizens of Judah. But Isaiah not only hopes for forgiveness and restoration from God, he longs to see God in all His glory. Isaiah 64:1-7 reveals Isaiah expressing his desire For God to come out of hiding and to reveal Himself with all the pomp and circumstance He displayed on Mount Sinai. We’re talking thunder, lightning, earthquakes, smoke, and fire. Isaiah was looking for a show from God. But he had a reason for his request. He wanted the people of Judah to see God for who He was: The all-powerful, holy God of the universe. Maybe if they could see God, they would learn to fear, honor, and obey Him.

Ep 861 – Isaiah 63:7-19 Apr 26, 2019

Sometimes, when going through a time of difficulty, we seem to forget that God has been good to us in the past. The present pain seems to induce long-term memory loss, causing us to doubt God and His goodness. We call out, demanding that God rescue us, but we fail to remember all the times He has done so in the past. But present pain should be a good reminder of God’s past mercies. He has always been there and, if we look closely, He has always come through for us. Maybe not according to our liking or our preferred timing, but He did come through. In Isaiah 63:7-19, the prophet is going to call out to God, pleading for Him to rescue His people. But Isaiah will show no signs of memory loss. Instead, he will recount to God the many examples of His grace and mercy and beg Him to rescue His wayward people yet again. Isaiah wasn’t attempting to jog God’s memory, but he was trying to remind his own people of the faithfulness of their heavenly Father. They were His children and He would care for them. Yes, they had been rebellious, but their God was gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness.

Ep 860 – Isaiah 63:1-6 Apr 25, 2019

Christians are encouraged to long for the coming of Christ. We are to eagerly anticipate His return, first for His bride, the church, and then in His second advent, when He returns to earth as the King of kings and Lord of lords. And in Isaiah 63:1-6, Isaiah is given a glimpse of that future day, when Jesus returns in all His might and glory, bringing the final judgment against Satan, Antichrist, the false prophet and all the nations of the world that stand opposed to God. Isaiah records the words of Jesus Himself as He declares that His day of redemption has come. He will finish what He began, completing the divine plan for the redemption of His chosen people, the recreation of the world, and the removal of Satan and all those who follow him from the scene. The final phase of God’s judgment, unleashed during the seven years of the Tribulation, will come to a close as Jesus defeats the forces of evil and establishes righteousness on earth once and for all. And nobody longs for that day more than Jesus Himself.

Ep 859 – Isaiah 62:1-12 Apr 24, 2019

Forgotten and forsaken. That’s exactly how the people of Judah felt. While Isaiah has spent the last 61 chapters pointing out their sins and warning them about the coming judgment of God, they couldn’t help but feel like they were the ones who had been ignored. They saw themselves as the forsaken ones. It wasn’t that Isaiah had failed to expose their guilt and corporate culpability. It was that they just couldn’t bring themselves to believe that their circumstances were of their own making. Yet, in spite of their refusal to take responsibility for their sins, God is going to offer them the promise of His future restoration. Isaiah 61:1-12 reveals that they were going to experience the unbelievable and totally undeserved joy of being redeemed by God. God had not forsaken or forgotten them. He had not turned His back on them. He had great things in store for them, and He wanted them to keep their eyes focused on the future, when they would become once again, the holy people, the redeemed of the Lord, sought out, and a city not forsaken.

Ep 858 – Isaiah 61:4-11 Apr 23, 2019

As Christians, we talk a lot about the glory of God. Sometimes, I’m not even sure we quite know what we mean. We talk about giving God glory. We sing of His glory. We refer to Him as being glorious. But are we sure what we mean when we say these things? The people of Israel thought they were giving glory to God by going through the motions of keeping His law and offering the sacrifices He had prescribed. But their hearts were far from Him. They called Him glorious but didn’t treat Him as such. But in Isaiah 61:4-11, we hear of a day when God will get all the glory He deserves and not just from His chosen people. The entire earth will glorify Him for who He is and all that He has done. And He will bring glory to Himself by restoring His rebellious people to Himself – all by Himself. The nations will sit up and take notice. The world will recognize Him as God and marvel at the glorious nature of His power, mercy, and grace. All to His glory.

Ep 857 – Isaiah 61:1-3 Apr 22, 2019

The Bible is a story. A single story with a clear beginning and an end to it. But in spite of the opinions of some, it is not a work of fiction. It is history. Or, as some like to say it HIS story. The story of God’s redemption and restoration of sinful mankind. And in Isaiah 61:1-3 we are given a glimpse into the future when that final chapter of the story will be written. It involves the servant of God. This individual will play a starring role in the culmination of God’s story and will bring about the final phase of His redemptive plan. And, as we will see, Jesus Christ was and is that servant. He came the first time to pay the price for the sins of man. He gave His life as a ransom for many. He sacrificed His own life that those who were enemies of God might be made friends of God. Not only that, so that they might become children of God. And while the majority of the Jews, His own people, rejected Jesus as their Messiah, there is a day coming when He will return again. When He does, He will restore His rebellious fellow Jews to a right relationship with God. And that’s the rest of the story.

Ep 856 – Isaiah 60:17-22 Apr 21, 2019

Today’s passage contains three little words that carry a punch: But the Lord… In Isaiah 60:17-22, God reveals His future plans for the people of Judah. While the near-term prognosis looked bleak, with judgment hovering over their heads, the people of Judah could rest in the promise that God had something remarkable in store for them. Their immediate prospects were less-than-ideal, but His long-term plans were better than they could have ever hoped or imagined. The future would feature a complete reversal of fortunes, turning the circumstances surrounding Judah and Israel on their heads. God was going to do great things for them. But the events described in this passage are still yet to be fulfilled. They remain on the distant horizon – a part of His end times strategy that will bring His redemptive plan for mankind and the world to a final dramatic conclusion. While it can be easy to look at the current state of affairs in the world and lose hope, we must always remember those three powerful words that hover over all time and history: But the Lord… He has a plan and He will bring it about.

Ep 855 – Isaiah 60:1-16 Apr 20, 2019

As the book of Isaiah begins to draw to a close, the prophetic tone of the book seems to increase in intensity. While the people of Judah were facing some serious judgment from God, He was letting them know that the future was bright. In spite of their rebellion, God was going to do great things among them. As He had spoken through the prophet, Jeremiah, “I know the plans I have for you. They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” From their limited perspective, things looked bleak, but God could see all the way to the end, the literal end, and He knew how the story would eventually unfold. Isaiah 60:1-16 is a marvelous reminder of God’s promise to be Israel’s Savior and Redeemer. And while the people of Israel had initially rejected His Son when He came to earth the first time, God is going to make sure that His Son’s second advent results in the salvation of His people. Despite generations of rebellion and a lengthy track record of rejecting God, the people of Israel would one day find their darkness illuminated by God’s light and their status as His chosen people restored.

Ep 854 – Isaiah 59:16-21 Apr 19, 2019

Chapter 59 of Isaiah is full of strong words of condemnation against the people of Judah and they come from the lips of Isaiah himself. Deeming himself the spokesperson for the entire nation, Isaiah confesses their corporate guilt and places all the responsibility for God’s judgment of them squarely on their own shoulders. Their predicament was of their own making. They deserved all that God was doing and He was righteous and just in all His actions. But in verses 16-21, there is an interesting twist that takes place. While the people of Judah had refused to extend justice to one another and had failed to help the oppressed in their midst, the God of the universe was going to show them justice and provide them release from their oppressors. He would do what they had refused to do. And He would do it even though they were undeserving of it. The two little words, “God will…” reveal so much about God’s character. They wouldn’t, but He would. And the fulfillment of that promise lies yet unfulfilled. But no need to worry, because, as Isaiah said, “God will.”

Ep 853 – Isaiah 59:9-15 Apr 18, 2019

It’s amazing how we will demand justice from God but refuse every opportunity to extend justice to those around us. We find it easy and justifiable to berate God for His lack of deliverance when we call, but when someone we know begs us for assistance, we’re quick to turn a blind eye and a deaf ear. In Isaiah 59:9-15, the prophet is going to do what no one else in Judah seemed ready and willing to do: accept personal responsibility for the sad state of affairs in Judah. While Isaiah was not complicit in the sins of his people, he saw himself as culpable. After all, he was a member of the tribe of Judah and knew that, together, they stood before God as a community guilty of abandoning Him through their repeated acts of unfaithfulness. Isaiah had the guts to admit that God was in the right and fully justified in bringing judgment upon His disobedient children. And they had no reason to complain about unfulfilled justice or delayed deliverance. After all, they were the ones who were guilty of refusing to dispense justice and offer deliverance to the poor and needy among them. And God had had enough.

Ep 852 – Isaiah 59:1-8 Apr 17, 2019

Peace. We all long for it, but it seems to be increasingly more difficult to come by. We live in an age of turmoil, tension, increasing polarization, and intensifying animosity. But peace is available. The problem is, there’s only one source for peace: God. And the people of Judah had long ago forgotten that lesson. They had a long history of longing for peace, but always ended up seeking peace in all the wrong places and from the most unreliable sources. But in Isaiah 59:1-8, we see God, once again, offering His wayward people a chance to experience peace, if they will simply return to Him. But they remained obstinate and unwilling to turn to the one source where peace was in abundant supply and hope never returned empty handed. The problem with the people of Judah was that the peace they desired remained elusive, because their sin remained more attractive to them. It was all they could think about. And, as a result, they had no peace, no joy, no justice, and no righteousness. Their world remained dark and their future looked dim because they preferred pleasure over peace.

Ep 851 – Isaiah 58:1-14 Apr 16, 2019

Denying self is difficult, whether you’re talking about passing up your favorite dessert or refusing to satisfy an immoral urge. More often than not, we tend to give in to our inner desires, because the alternative is much harder. But God is all about self-denial and self-sacrifice. In His economy, self is not a god to be worshiped, but a false idol to be avoided at all costs. And one thing God particularly loathes is when His people give Him lip service, pretending to honor Him through acts of self-denial, when all the while their own needs remain their number one priority. In Isaiah 58:1-14, God is going to level some serious charges against the people of Judah, exposing their hypocrisy and false displays of self-denial and sacrifice. They were doing all the right things, but for all the wrong reasons. And yet, they thought their acting had been good enough to fool God. But He was not impressed by their fasting and pious-looking displays of religious zeal, because He could see into their hearts.

Ep 850 – Isaiah 57:14-21 Apr 15, 2019

It’s difficult for most of us to admit when we have a need. We have been hardwired to be self-sufficient. And we’ve been trained to believe that any confession of need is an admission of weakness or failure on our part. But when reading the Bible, it becomes increasingly clear that God tends to pour out His favor on the weak, the needy, the helpless and the hopeless. He has a soft heart for the down-and-out and the underdogs of society. Even Jesus, during His earthly ministry, tended to spend much of His time with those whom the world considered outsiders and outcasts. He was accused of befriending prostitutes, tax-collectors and sinners of all kinds and He was more than willing to plead guilty as charged. And in Isaiah 57:14-21, God is going to call on the people of Judah to admit their need for Him. He wants them to humble themselves, confess their sin, and admit their need for His help. They could turn to their false gods, but it would not turn out well. Or they could humbly turn to God and trust that He would do what was best. They were sinners. That was non-debatable. But were they willing to confess it and place their hope and trust in the only one who could save them?

Ep 849 – Isaiah 57:3-13 Apr 14, 2019

We love having choices. While dining at our favorite restaurant or shopping online at our favorite retailer, we prefer having a wide range of items from which to choose. To a certain degree, it gives us a sense of control. We can customize our meal or our outfit to fit our tastes at that particular moment in time. But when it comes to choosing a deity, God has a fairly strong opinion that options are out of the question. He is a jealous God and He will not tolerate the worship of anything or anyone other than Him. And since He is the one and only true God, there really are no other options. Yet, in Isaiah 57:3-13, we will see God hammering the people of Judah for their seemingly insatiable need to have options when it comes to deities. God Almighty was just not enough. They wanted more. And God is going to give them an ultimatum. He was going to challenge to make their final choice. Which god were they going to serve? If they wanted options when it came to which god to worship, God was willing to let them, but they were going to have to live with the consequences of their choice.

Ep 848 – Isaiah 56:9-57:2 Apr 13, 2019

In our day and age, everyone is concerned about security. You can’t even get on an airplane anymore without first going through “security.” For most of us, it is just a necessary inconvenience and a sign of the times. And while we might complain about the delay this kind of security creates, all of us recognize the need and most of us prefer that the TSA agents doing the screening do their job well. After all, what use is the process if those in charge of it don’t take their job seriously? And in Isaiah 56:9-57:2, God is going to level some serious charges against the security forces of Judah – namely the spiritual shepherds of the flock of God. These men had a God-given responsibility to care for God’s people, but they were like night watchmen who made a habit of falling asleep on the job. They were unreliable and failing to warn the people of Judah about the coming judgment. While Isaiah was preaching a message of repentance, these men were saying that all was well, there’s nothing worry about. Claiming to speak for God, they were actually lying in the name of God. Something God takes quite seriously.

Ep 847 – Isaiah 56:1-8 Apr 12, 2019

Walk the talk. I’m sure you’ve heard that phrase before. It’s meant as a challenge and, in some cases, as an indictment against those who are quick to declare their strong beliefs about a given topic, but whose lives don’t seem to align with their words. In other words, they’re hypocritical. They say one thing and do another. And God hates hypocrisy, especially in His people. So, in Isaiah 56:1-8, God is going to challenge the people of Judah to walk the talk. He is going to call them to live out what they say they believe in real life – in the form of obedience to His commands. And, in particular, when it comes to their treatment of non-Jews. The people of God saw themselves as special, and they were. They were His chosen possession. But that did not give them the right to look down their noses at those around them. God did not choose them because they were special or somehow deserved His attention. He chose them in spite of them. And now, He wanted them to extend the same kind of mercy to all those around them. He wanted their external behavior to live up with their expressed beliefs, and with the character of compassion found in their God.

Ep 846 – Isaiah 55:1-13 Apr 11, 2019

Everyone loves to receive an invitation in the mail or, in today’s online world, an evite. We like getting invited to things. But an invitation is useless if no one accepts it and shows up as a result of it. An invitation that goes unheeded and unaccepted is pointless and of no value. And in Isaiah 55:1-13, God is going to extend an invitation to the people of Judah, not once, but five separate times. He is serious about them accepting His offer and taking advantage of all He has in store for them. But God has extended invitations before, only to have them ignored. He has offered the people of Judah countless opportunities to repent and return to Him. But their response has always been to ignore His gracious offer and to turn to other gods whose invitations sounded more attractive. The amazing thing about God’s offer is that it is absolutely free. No cost involved. Just acceptance. And a belief that God is good for His word and will do all that He has promised to do. In a world filled with people who are dying of spiritual thirst and trying to quench that thirst with anything and everything but God, He continues to offer the spring of the water of life without payment. But the offer only has value if it is accepted.

Ep 845 – Isaiah 54:1-17 Apr 10, 2019

Faithfulness seems to be in short supply these days, whether you’re talking about the relationship between a husband and a wife, an employee and his employer, or a politician and his constituency. When the going gets tough, everyone seems prone to bail on the relationship and to seek greener pastures. There is no doubt that people let us down and we do our fair share of failing those who depend upon us. But God would have us be a people of our word, committed to sticking it out regardless of whether the circumstances are ideal or not. And in Isaiah 54:1-17, He is going to use Himself as the greatest example of faithfulness, describing His multifaceted relationship to the people of Israel over the centuries. He had played the role of their Maker, served them as their faithful Husband, and rescued them time and time again as their Kinsmen-Redeemer. In the face of repeated acts of infidelity, God had continued to love His people with an unconditional love. The book of Isaiah has made it clear that God brought His loving discipline upon the people of Israel, but He had never given up on them. He had made them, married them, repeatedly rescued them, and He assures them, one will one day He will restore them.

Ep 844 – Isaiah 53:1-12 Apr 09, 2019

When reading the book of Isaiah, one must never lose sight of the fact that it is a prophetic book. While it provides an accurate historical record of the fate of the people of Judah, it also revealed many things that had not yet taken place. It provides a vivid portrait of future events that God had planned for His people. Some of these events took place not long after the book was written, but many of them would remain unfulfilled for centuries. And Isaiah 53:1-12 provides us with a glimpse into God’s revelation concerning His coming servant, Jesus Christ, the Messiah. This chapter is a Messianic passage, containing God’s promise concerning the coming servant and much of it deals with Jesus’ gruesome death. While other prophetic passages promise the coming of the Messiah in much more glowing terms, portraying Him as the conquering king, Isaiah 53 portrays Jesus as the Suffering Servant. He would suffer and die, paying the debt owed for the sins of mankind. And His faithful submission to God’s will was to be an example for the people of Judah as they faced difficult days ahead.

Ep 843 – Isaiah 52:1-15 Apr 08, 2019

We like to think of God as being in control of all things. But the problem is, we don’t really believe that it’s true. As we look at all that is going on in the world, it is so easy to conclude that God is not in control. In fact, things appear to be spiraling out of control. Even within the context of our own personal affairs, we can begin to feel like God has somehow vacated the premises or somehow lost His grip on the reigns of our life. That’s exactly how the people of Judah must have felt as they assessed their situation and attempted to figure out where God was in all that was going on around them. But in Isaiah 52:1-15, God is going to assure His people that He rules and reigns, in spite of all that their circumstances may say to the contrary. He wasn’t asleep. He hadn’t been distracted. And their difficult situation was not a sign that He didn’t care. He was simply sticking to His divine plan and keeping to the timeline He had established before the foundation of the world. God wasn’t in a panic and He was in no rush. The times were difficult, but the message was simple: Your God reigns.

Ep 842 – Isaiah 51:16-23 Apr 07, 2019

Nobody likes to wait. Impatience seems to be bred into the human DNA and affects each and every individual to one degree or another. And yet, the Bible is full of admonitions from God encouraging His people to wait on Him. And in Isaiah 51:16-23, God encourages the people of Judah, reeling from the news of their pending fall to the Babylonians, to wait on Him. He has plans for them. While the coming days were filled with the threat of God’s punishment, He wanted them to know that there was good news on the horizon. It might not arrive immediately, but it would come in time, according to God’s perfectly orchestrated plan. God even issues a much-needed wake-up call to His people, challenging them to come to grips with the reality of their situation and to acknowledge their culpability for their circumstances. They had sinned against Him, and yet He was going to do great things for them. Not right away. Not even in their lifetime. But they were expected to wait in Him, trusting that He would implement His plan at just the right time and in perfect compliance with His promises to them. Waiting can be hard, but when we wait for the Lord we know we will not be disappointed.

Ep 841 – Isaiah 51:1-15 Apr 06, 2019

If I were able to ask you if you believed God to be powerful, you would likely respond with an enthusiastic, “Yes!” But the truth is, there have been plenty of times in your life when you doubted the power of God. And, more than likely, your assessment was based on your circumstances. When things take a turn for the worst, we tend to doubt God’s power or question His love. But God would have us remember that His love never wavers and His power never diminishes. And that is the message He tried to convey to the people of Judah as recorded in Isaiah 51:1-15. In these verses, God addresses a small remnant of His faithful followers. In all of Judah, there was only a handful of those who pursued righteousness and remained true to God. And God wanted them to know that they could trust Him, in spite of all that was going on around them. He knew that they were beginning to have their doubts. They were looking around and starting to question whether God was going to come through for them. And God wanted them to know that His righteousness was drawing near. They could count on it. It may not be in their lifetime, but they could rest in the knowledge that God never abandons His own.

Ep 840 – Isaiah 50:4-11 Apr 05, 2019

You’ve probably heard someone refer to history as His story, the story of God and His relationship with mankind. And the Bible is a record of that story, beginning with God’s creation of the first man and woman and spanning across the generations to His call of Abram and His choosing of the people of Israel as His chosen possession. And if you fast-forward to the end of the book, you come to the literal end of the story, where God sends His Son to bring judgment to the nations and restoration to His chosen people. And in Isaiah 50:4-11, God reveals to the people of Judah that He has plans to send His servant, the Messiah, to shine as a light in the darkness brought on by own their sin and rebellion. But there is a sense in which the Jews were going to have to embrace the light that God was sending, refusing to live by the dim glow of their own self-righteousness. The arrival of the servant was centuries away, but they were expected to take God at His word and trust His promises. God had already told them, “The people who walk in darkness will see a great light,” but they were going to have to believe that it was true.

Ep 839 – Isaiah 50:1-3 Apr 04, 2019

There is no situation so bad or circumstance so hopeless that God is not able to step in and bring help and rescue. His power is never limited or His strength insufficient to handle whatever it is we are facing. And yet, how easy it is to look at our circumstances and draw the conclusion that God is either too weak or too busy to deal with our problem. But sometimes our suffering is due to our own sin. Our poor choices end up bringing the discipline of God and then we try to make Him responsible for our situation. And in the first three verses of Isaiah 50, that is exactly what we see the people of Judah doing. Unhappy with their lot in life, they try to blame God for their less-than-satisfactory situation. They attempt to hold Him responsible for the sorry state in which they find themselves, but God will not allow them to pass the buck. While He would be the one responsible for sending the Babylonians, it would be because of the sins of the people of Judah. Their circumstances were not to be seen as proof of God’s weakness or as evidence of His lack of love for them. It was all a reflection of His holiness and His hatred for sin. He had the power to deliver, but He also had the responsibility to discipline those whom He loves.

Ep 838 – Isaiah 49:8-26 Apr 03, 2019

There are times in the life of every child of God when they feel abandoned by Him. The circumstances surrounding their life seem to indicate that God has turned His back on them. The darkness feels overwhelming and the light of God’s presence seems distant and dim. And it at those moments, we are tempted to say, “My Lord has forgotten me.” That is exactly what we see happening in Isaiah 49:8-26, as the hopelessness and helplessness of the people of Judah are made painfully apparent. But God, speaking in prophetic terms, assures His people that their feelings are unreliable and their conclusions about Him are inaccurate. He has not forgotten or forsaken them. He has not abandoned them. Yes, their immediate circumstances were bleak and the outlook for the foreseeable future wasn’t any better. But God has long-term plans in place of which they were unaware. And He wanted them to know that He could be trusted because He is faithful, just, and committed to His covenant promises. While their immediate comfort and happiness was all they could think of, God had greater plans in store that included eternal life, not just temporary relief from pain.

Ep 837 – Isaiah 49:1-7 Apr 02, 2019

One of the joys that comes from reading the Old Testament books of prophecy is that you discover some of the things that remain still unfulfilled. The messages given by God through His prophets and concerning future events, have not all taken place yet. There are aspects of God’s prophetic word that remain on the horizon of world history. But God is faithful and He always keeps His word. What He says will happen will happen. What He promises to do, He will do. And in Isaiah 49:1-7, we are given a glimpse into a future day when God sends His special servant to accomplish some amazing things on behalf of the people of Judah and Israel. This Old Testament passage reveals the future work of Jesus, the Messiah, when He returns at His second coming. On that day, He will complete the decrees outlined by God in these verses, doing for the people of Israel and Judah all that God has promised. Jesus, who came the first time as the Suffering Servant, will come again, but this time He will come as the all-victorious

Savior.

Ep 836 – Isaiah 48:12-22 Apr 01, 2019

It’s easy to slam the wicked. Finding fault with the faithless comes naturally to most of us. But, as Christians, we sometimes fail to understand that even our sin has ramifications. Just because we are followers of Christ doesn’t make us immune to the consequences of sinful choices. When we sin, there are ramifications. Yes, we enjoy forgiveness, but that doesn’t mean we can sin with impunity and without any fear of consequences. In Isaiah 48:12-22 God is going to let the people of Judah know that He had plans for them. Some of those plans had to do with their destruction at the hands of the Babylonians. But it didn’t have to be that way. God had repeatedly offered them the chance to repent and return to Him, but they had refused. They could have enjoyed a restored relationship with God, if they would have heeded His warnings and humbly returned to Him with penitent hearts. Now, they would suffer similar fates as the wicked pagans from Babylon. And they would learn the painful lesson that there is no peace for the wicked, even those who are called by God’s name.

Ep 835 - Isaiah 48:1-11 Mar 31, 2019

No one in their right mind would want to have God as their enemy. But as we have seen throughout the book of Isaiah, the people of Judah seem to have gone out of their way to get on God’s bad side. They had regularly and repeatedly disobeyed Him, even being so bold as to replace Him with false gods. And in Isaiah 48:1-11, God is going to spell out His disfavor with His chosen people. They were little more than hypocrites, claiming that they still honored and worshiped Him as their God, but proving otherwise by their actions. As we will see, they were quick to confess Yahweh as their God, but not in an honest and just manner. In essence, they were lying, saying one thing and doing another. They claimed allegiance but demonstrated their true colors by their actions. They were disobedient and unfaithful. And yet, God promises to redeem and restore them, not because they deserved it, but because of His own reputation. They had dishonored God, dragging His reputation through the mud by virtue of their infidelity. But God would protect the honor of His name by redeeming them in spite of them.

Ep 834 – Isaiah 47:1-15 Mar 30, 2019

There’s no place for cockiness or arrogance in the life of a Christ-follower. And for anyone who believes in the sovereignty of God, it makes no sense for them to think of themselves as being self-made. Yet, how easy it is to become infatuated with our own significance and over-confident in our own abilities. And this tendency to place far too much weight on our own worth is nothing new. The people of Judah struggled with this same tendency. And, as we’ll see in Isaiah 47:1-15, they were not alone. God is going to reveal that the Babylonians were going to struggle with inflated self-worth and a false sense of security. Operating under the sovereign will of God, they were going to enjoy unprecedented military success, defeating virtually every nation who dared to oppose them. Even the nation of Judah would fall before the forces of Nebuchadnezzar. Yet, they had no reason to gloat. Their boasting was uncalled for and premature, because God had other plans in store for Babylon. No matter how much success they enjoyed, they were no match for God Almighty.

Ep 833 – Isaiah 46:1-13 Mar 29, 2019

Judah’s very existence as a nation was due to the will of God. If God had not called Abram out of Ur and led him to Canaan, there never would have been a people known as Israel. And the kingdom ruled by Solomon would never have split in two, resulting in the creation of the southern kingdom of Judah. So, as Isaiah continues to deliver his message of repentance to the rebellious citizens of Judah, he attempts to remind them of their total reliance upon God. He was their maker. Without Him, they would not exist. And in Isaiah 46:1-13, God will personally confront the people of Judah, reminding them of His unequalled status as the God of the universe. There are no other gods besides Him. He has no equal. In fact, God has already addressed the unparalleled nature of His existence. Back in chapter 40, Isaiah records God’s rhetorical question: “To whom will you compare me? Who is my equal?” And here in chapter 46, God reiterates His incomparable nature, reminding the people of Judah that He has made them, and that it is He who will bear, carry, and save them.

Ep 832 – Isaiah 45:14-25 Mar 28, 2019

Sometimes we think of the gospel as being relegated to the pages of the New Testament. But the good news of God’s redemptive plan for mankind is found throughout the Bible, from the pages of Genesis to the closing chapters of the book of Revelation. God’s plan for the world and its inhabitants is redemptive in nature. God created all things for His glory, including man, and He will not be satisfied until all creation worships Him for who He is: The One True God. And in Isaiah 45:14-25, God reveals that a day is coming when all men will acknowledge Him as God. In the meantime, the world continues to reject His Lordship and substitute Him with a wide array of false gods and unreliable saviors. The people of Judah had turned their backs on God and were suffering His judgment as a result. But God wanted them to know that He would remain faithful to them in spite of their unfaithfulness to Him. He was going to redeem them and restore them to a right relationship with Himself. And He wanted them to know that the day was coming when all nations would honor Him as the one true God.

Ep 831 – Isaiah 45:1-13 Mar 27, 2019

Everybody has opinions and most of us have no problem sharing them – even with God. Let’s be honest, there are times when we find ourselves at odds with what appears to be God’s will for our lives. And when things happen that we don’t particularly like, we are quick to let God know. We even give Him unsolicited advice on how to the remedy the situation. But in Isaiah 45:1-13, God is going to let the people of Judah know that His will for their lives is not up for debate and He doesn’t require their permission or approval. God is all-knowing and so, He is never at a loss as to what to do. He never finds Himself stymied by a problem and in need of advice. He is never surprised or caught off guard by the events surrounding our lives. He is in control of all things, at all times – even those things that we see as unwelcome and of no apparent value. In the case of Judah, God was even going to use an unlikely source to accomplish His will regarding His people: The pagan king of a foreign nation. He will even refer to this king as His servant. And while none of this made sense to the people of Judah, it was the sovereign will of God Almighty.

Ep 830 – Isaiah 44:21-28 Mar 26, 2019

No one likes to be forgotten. Whether it’s remembering our birthday or noticing when our presence is missing, we all want to be remembered. But there are those times when we can feel neglected or simply taken for granted – as if we don’t really matter. But in Isaiah 44:21-28, God wanted the people of Judah to know that He had not forgotten or forsaken them, in spite of all that was happening to them. It was only natural for them to assume that the presence of the Assyrian army in their backyard was a sign that God had abandoned them. It appeared as if He had turned His back on them. But He wanted them to know that He was there and that He cared. Yes, He was punishing them for their sin and rebellion, but He was not giving up on them. And in these verses, we have a series of powerful statements from God, designed to remind His people of His persistent presence in their lives throughout the centuries. The same God who created the heavens and the earth had formed them into a nation. And while defeat and exile was in their immediate future, restoration and redemption were part of God’s long-term plan for them

Ep 829 - Isaiah 44:9-20 Mar 25, 2019

They say, “Ignorance is bliss.” They also say, “What you don’t know can’t hurt you.” But both of aphorisms, while containing a degree of truth, are actually quite deceiving. Ignorance can actually be quite painful. Not knowing that touching a hot stove can result in a nasty burn can leave a toddler vulnerable to harm. And ignorance of a topic doesn’t provide you with some magical protection from pain. I may not know that others are spreading lies about me, but when the news finally reaches my ears, it will be just as painful as if I had heard it first-hand. In Isaiah 44:9-20, God is going to confront the people of Judah about their ignorance concerning idols. They were seemingly blind to just how ridiculous their love affair with false gods really was. So, God goes out of His way to expose the absurd nature of their infatuation with false gods. Yet, they couldn’t see it. They were ignorant of it. So, they just kept doing it. Sin has a way of deluding us and destroying our ability to see reality. They could take a single log and use part of it to create a god to worship, and another part to create a fire for warmth. And never see the absurdity of it all.

Ep 828 – Isaiah 44:1-8 Mar 24, 2019

Anyone who has spent much time in and around the church, recognizes the significance of the term, “Redeemer.” It’s a common term, most often used in reference to Jesus Christ. He is the one who died on the cross, offering His Himself as a substitute for sinful mankind. In so doing, He provided a means of redemption for sinful men and women, offering them the opportunity to be freed from their captivity to sin and death. But redemption, while a familiar concept to most Christians, is not always fully appreciated or understood. And in Isaiah 44:1-8, God is going to reveal Himself as the Redeemer of the people of God. Despite their deception, lies, and dependence upon their own human effort, God would one day redeem them. The redemption of sinful man by a holy God is not something we should take lightly or treat flippantly. God doesn’t have to redeem. He is not obligated to rescue sinful men. But He chooses to do so because He is a faithful, loving God who wants to manifest His glory and magnify His name among the nations of the world.

Ep 827 – Isaiah 43:14-28 Mar 23, 2019

There’s something about newness that appeals to all of us. Who doesn’t love that new-car smell or enjoy seeing a newly released movie you’ve been dying to see? And while some of us don’t mind the status quo or business as usual, most of us would prefer the new-and-improved over the tried-and-true every time. And in the 43rd chapter of Isaiah, verses 14-28, God is going to tell the people of Judah about something new He is going to do. They were mired in their same old habits of sin and rebellion. As a result, they were suffering the righteous judgment of God. In other words, they were going through the same old thing their ancestors had experienced. It was a case of déjà vu. But God was letting them know that He had plans in store for them that they would never have guessed. He was going to do something new. This merry-go-round of sin, rebellion, judgment, and restoration was going to one day come to an end. Their treadmill-like existence, running fast but never getting anywhere, was about to be replaced with something new and exciting. Something they didn’t deserve, couldn’t earn, and would hardly believe when it happened.

Ep 826 – Isaiah 43:1-13 Mar 22, 2019

Sadly, in our modern-day context, saviors are like opinions – we all have one. And in some cases, we have saviors for virtually every circumstance and day of the week. But in Isaiah 43:1-17, God is going to remind His chosen people that they were to have no other saviors but Him. He was the one who had called them and set them apart as His own. He had showered them with His grace and mercy, redeeming them from slavery in Egypt and providing them with a land they could call their own – a land flowing with milk and honey. In other words, overflowing with natural resources and filled with the presence of God. But over the years, the people of Judah had decided to seek out their own saviors – in the form of false gods, military alliances with pagan nations, and an assortment of not-so-godly kings and leaders. But when all was said and done, God wanted them to understand that He was their only Savior. And He had promised to one day send His Son as the Servant/Savior who would rescue and redeem them once again. This time, not out of physical slavery in Egypt, but out of spiritual slavery to sin and death.

Ep 825 – Isaiah 42:18-25 Mar 21, 2019

I sometimes refer to myself as being in God’s remedial school for slow learners. It just seems that God keeps holding me back, not allowing me to move on to the next grade level because I haven’t quite picked up the lessons He wanted me to learn. Sometimes, this is just a case of stubbornness on my part, not stupidity. And the nations of Israel and Judah suffered from the same tendency. As we read the Old Testament history of God’s interactions with His chosen people, we can’t help but notice that they seemed to go through the same painful lessons over and over again. But they never seemed to learn. And the book of Judges provides one of the greatest illustrations of the cyclical tendency of the people of Israel. They would sin and then suffer the consequences. That prompted them to cry out to God, who would send them a rescuer in the form of a judge. God would redeem and restore them. But, in a matter of time, the people would rebel again and the cycle would repeat itself. Ad nauseum. And in Isaiah 42:18-25, we have the serial unfaithfulness of Judah juxtaposed with the faithfulness of God.

Ep 824 – Isaiah 42:10-17 Mar 20, 2019

In Isaiah 42:10-17, the prophet offers up a song of praise to God, sung in response to the news of Yahweh’s future restoration of the people of Judah. God has promised to send His servant, a clear reference to the coming Messiah, who will rescue and restore the people of God. This prophetic word from God, received while Judah was surrounded by Assyrian troops and still reeling from the news of the coming Babylonian invasion, was just what Isaiah needed to hear. He was beside himself with joy and gratitude to God for His gracious offer of future redemption. Yes, God was still going to punish His people for their rebellion against Him, but He was also going to redeem His people and crush their enemies one. Not because they would somehow deserve or earn it, but simply because God is a covenant-keeping God. In a sense, God was going to give the people of Judah what they deserved: Judgment for their sins in the form of the Babylonian invasion of their land and their exile as captives. But God was also going to give them what they didn’t deserve: Their future restoration to the land and to their place as His chosen people. And for Isaiah, that was news worth singing about.

Ep 823 – Isaiah 42:1-9 Mar 19, 2019

God has established Himself as the one true God. He has ridiculed and lampooned the false gods of the world, exposing them for what they were: Lifeless and powerless. And because God is the sovereign God of the universe, He has a plan for that universe, and in Isaiah 42:1-9, He reveals that a day is coming when His Servant will show up on the scene, with a God-ordained commission to accomplish His redemptive plan on behalf of sinful mankind. Not only does God have plans for Israel and Judah, He has plans for the world He has made and for all humanity. The omnipotent, omniscient God knows how the story ends, because He wrote it. He is going to send His Servant, the Messiah, not once, but twice. He will come the first time as God incarnate, God in the flesh. And He will die a sacrificial death on behalf of condemned mankind. But because Jesus died and rose again, there is a day when He will return again. And when He does, He will come as the King of kings and Lord of lords. God has decreed it, and God will do it.

Ep 822 – Isaiah 41:21-29 Mar 18, 2019

False gods have one major flaw: The are lifeless. Which means they have no power. They lack any capacity for speech, let alone any power to perform miracles. They can’t predict the future because they aren’t even aware of the present. In fact, they aren’t aware of anything, because they are mindless. And in Isaiah 41:21-29, God calls the idols of the world to task, demanding that they be physically dragged into His divine courtroom, where they are commanded to defend themselves. This chapter is full of sarcasm, as God exposes the lunacy of idolatry. He condemns His own people for their love affair with false gods and reveals in embarrassing detail the glaring inadequacies of these man-made gods they have chosen to worship in place of Him. The contrast between the sovereign, all-powerful, and all-knowing God of the universe and these lifeless, mindless, and powerless idols is meant to expose and embarrass the people of Judah for their unwarranted faithlessness to their creator. And by the time this mock trial is complete, it will be clear that there is no god but Yahweh.

Ep 821 – Isaiah 41:1-20 Mar 17, 2019

When you serve an incomparable God, you should learn to expect the unexpected. After all, He’s the Creator of the universe and so, there aren’t a whole lot of things that are beyond His pay grade. But sometimes we need a reminder that our God is truly great. In the midst of the difficulties of life, it can be easy to question His power or to doubt His ability or willingness to save. But, as we will see in Isaiah 41:1-20, God’s greatness becomes most visible and believable when we come to grips with our own smallness. His power is made perfect in our weakness. His glory shines best in the gloom of our own darkness. And while the people of Judah were struggling with their lot in life, God wanted them to know that He was there for them. But He also wanted them to know that He was behind all that was happening to them. When it came to the question of who was behind the looming threat of Babylonian invasion, God replied: “I, the Lord, I am He.” The people of Judah may not have liked what was going on, but if they would only trust God, they would learn that His ways were always best.

Ep 820 – Isaiah 40:12-31 Mar 16, 2019

Whenever someone says, “Trust me,” it almost always elicits a natural reaction of doubt. The very fact that they are asking you to trust them makes you think they might not be trustworthy. And, the truth is, a lot of people aren’t. But what about God? Can we trust Him? Well, in Isaiah 40:12-31, we’re going to get a primer on the trustworthiness of God, and it’s all based on the unequaled, unparalleled nature of God. He is trustworthy and true because he is holy. He is deserving of man’s trust because He is perfectly righteous and beyond reproach. He has never given man a reason to doubt his goodness or question His integrity. And yet, even His own chosen people doubted Him regularly and repeatedly. That was the whole reason He had threatened them with destruction at the hands of the Assyrians. And, while He had removed that nation as a threat, the Babylonians were next in line, because the people of Judah still found it difficult to trust God. But the difficulties they faced were meant to drive them back to the always reliable and trustworthy arms of God.

Ep 819 – Isaiah 40:1-11 Mar 15, 2019

While the people of Judah were ecstatic at having been spared defeat at the hands of the Assyrians, the future was not as bright as they had hoped. Because Isaiah has just delivered the news from God that the nation of Judah and the city of Jerusalem will one day fall to the Babylonians – the very same nation to which Hezekiah pridefully revealed all the riches in his treasury. So, what is Isaiah supposed to tell these people? He has spent years trying to warn them about the coming judgment of God which would manifest itself in the form of the Assyrian army. But now, the Assyrians were gone and the next bully on the block was Babylon. And, this time, God says the nation will fall and the city will be destroyed. The people of Judah were facing the undeniable prospect of a life of captivity in a foreign land. But in Isaiah 40:1-11, God gives Isaiah a rather strange message for the people of Judah. And it begins with the words, “Comfort, comfort my people.” While the future looked dim, God wanted His people to remember that the future was in His hands. And He had a plan in place.

Ep 818 – Isaiah 39:1-8 Mar 14, 2019

Hezekiah has been healed by God. His physical infirmity was gone and he had a guarantee from God of another decade and a half of life. But the king had another problem. Pride. Which manifested itself in an inordinate love affair with power, possessions, and prestige. In Isaiah 39:1-8, Hezekiah’s pride problem gets put on full display for all to see. And it’s not a pretty picture. Here was a man who had been given a second chance by God, but rather than living in humble gratitude and singing praises to God in the temple like he promised to do, he sang his own praises and flaunted his own glory. Never a good move for any God-appointed leader. And it shouldn’t be overlooked that in chapter 38, Hezekiah had been just days from death and faced with the possibility of losing everything he held near and dear. But now that he had received a reprieve from God and an additional 15 years to enjoy life, he reveals what he loved the most: Power, possession, and prestige.

Ep 817 – Isaiah 38:9-21 Mar 13, 2019

Let’s face it, It’s easy to sing God’s praises when everything is going your way. When all is right with your world, praise comes naturally and effortlessly. It’s only normal. But what about those times when things don’t turn out quite the way you expect or desire them to? Does your praise for God flow quite as easily when the going gets tough? In today’s passage, Isaiah 38:9-21, we have recorded a song of thanksgiving, written by King Hezekiah in response to God’s announcement that, rather than immediate death, he would enjoy an additional 15 years of life. The king is ecstatic and expresses his gratefulness to God. He also shares the range of emotions he experienced while waiting to see if God was going to answer his prayer. In these verses, Hezekiah displays a natural human reaction to suffering and pain. He wanted deliverance from it. But the real lesson to be learned from this story is whether we are ready, willing, and able to praise God, even when the circumstances of life give us no reason to do so.

Ep 816 – Isaiah 38:1-8 Mar 12, 2019

You’ve probably seen the bumper sticker that says, “Prayer changes things.” But the real question is whether prayer changes God – His mind that is. When we pray, do we have the capacity to alter the will of God? There are more than a few cases in Scripture where we seem to see it happen. And Isaiah 38:1-8 appears to contain one of them. Hezekiah has been given a message from God by Isaiah, telling him to get his affairs in order because he has only a short time to live. This bad news comes as Hezekiah was having to deal with the presence of the army of Assyria, camped outside the walls of Jerusalem. But upon hearing this shocking report, Hezekiah doesn’t panic, he prays. And we’re told that God hears his prayer and tells the king he will live an additional 15 years. In grateful response, Hezekiah writes a song of thanksgiving to God. But the question remains: did Hezekiah change God’s mind or was it the other way around. It’s a matter of perspective. And a case of the sovereignty of God.

Ep 815 – Isaiah 37:21-38 Mar 11, 2019

God is the god of the impossible. There is no challenge too great, no problem too large, and no enemy too powerful, that God is not greater, larger, and more powerful. He is incomparable. He is unconquerable. He is all-powerful. And in Isaiah 37:21-38, King Hezekiah is given an up-close-and-personal glimpse of just how great God really is. After he took the problem of the Assyrian siege to God, Isaiah gave King Hezekiah a message from God. He was going to deal with the Assyrians quickly and effectively. Despite all their arrogant boasts, they would never breach the walls or get beyond the gates of Jerusalem. God would deal with Sennacherib and his mighty army. In fact, He would delegate the job to one of His angels, revealing just how sovereign He really is. And, for all this to happen, Hezekiah simply needed to turn to and trust in God. In response to Hezekiah’s simple, yet passionate prayer, God answered and brought about a salvation that had to have left the people of Judah slack-jawed and awe-struck. Practicing humble faith when faced with trouble unleashes the God of the impossible.

Ep 814 – Isaiah 37:14-20 Mar 10, 2019

At some point, everybody thinks they’re god. Even those who express belief in God can find themselves acting like they’re in control of their own lives, calling the shots and living according to their own self-centered agenda. And in Isaiah 37:14-20, King Hezekiah of Judah receives a much-needed primer on the sovereignty of God. He alone is God. Not only are there no other gods but Him, there is no reason for anybody to act like they’re God besides Him. King Sennacherib had a god-sized ego that led him to believe he was invincible. And the people of Judah had a long track record of placing their hopes in a variety of gods besides Yahweh. But in these verses, we have recorded a prayer directed to God by Hezekiah, in which he acknowledges God’s status as the one and only God of the universe. The king, faced with the threat of Assyrian troops knocking down the city walls and taking all the people captive, found himself kneeling before his God in abject humility and helpless reliance. He needed the one true God to do what only He could do: Save His chosen people.

Ep 813 - Isaiah 37:1-13 Mar 09, 2019

Everybody has a bad day now and then. But for King Hezekiah of Judah, the bad days were beginning to stack up and looked like they were about to fall and crush his kingdom under their weight. The Assyrians were knocking at the gates of Jerusalem, threatening invasion if the people of Judah didn’t take their advice and surrender. The emissary for King Sennacherib had been taunting Hezekiah and the people; ridiculing their pitiable army, scoffing at their alliance with Egypt, and mocking their God. For Hezekiah, it was a day of distress, rebuke, and disgrace. But God had other plans. And Sennacherib was in for a rude and unpleasant surprise. In Isaiah 37:1-13, Hezekiah finally decides to see the help of God and he receives some incredibly good news that reveals the paltry power of the Assyrians when faced with the omnipotent God of Judah. They were no match for God Almighty, and Isaiah provides King Hezekiah with some much-needed encouragement in the midst of all the pending doom and gloom. God was still on His throne, and the Assyrians were powerless to do anything outside His will or without His permission.

Ep 812 – Isaiah 36:1-21 Mar 08, 2019

As God’s chosen people, the members of the nation of Judah were to have turned to Him for help in times of need. But they had made a habit out of seeking and serving false gods, not only for worship, but for rescue. And in Isaiah 36:1-21, God is going to indict them for their misplaced trust. Over the centuries, Judah had regularly placed their hope and trust in false gods and turned to foreign nations for assistance when facing difficulties. And most recently, they had turned to Egypt, forming an alliance with their former captors and paying them a large financial settlement in order to guarantee their help against the Assyrians. But none of this had been God’s will. He had never instructed them to pay their money or place their hope in the Egyptians. And even Sennacherib, the Assyrian king, knew that this costly arrangement between Judah and Egypt would prove to be a waste of money, because Egypt would prove to be an unreliable savior. Pharaoh had been quick to take Judah’s money, but would be slow to offer any form of aid in return. And the people of Judah were going to learn a very painful lesson about misplaced trust and their missing faith in God.

Ep 811 – Isaiah 35:1-10 Mar 07, 2019

Proverbs 14:12 reads, “There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death.” Yet, ever since the fall, mankind has chosen to go his own way, ignoring the path prescribed to him by God. Even the people of Judah and Israel, the chosen people of God, had a difficult time staying on the path God had set out for them. He had called them to walk in all His ways, but they tended to wander off the path and take detours that landed them in hot water with God. So, in Isaiah 35:1-10, the prophet reveals some exciting news for the people of Judah. In spite of their wandering ways, God will bring them back and place them on His way of Godliness. There will be a future time of restoration and renewal that will impact not only the people of God, but the entire planet. God will strengthen the hands of the weak, make firm the knees of the feeble, open the eyes of the blind, and restore to the mute the ability to speak. In short, God will put His chosen people back on the path He originally planned for them. He will seek them in their lostness and restore them to the Way of Holiness, where they will make their way back to Him and experience true gladness and joy.

Ep 810 - Isaiah 34:1-17 Mar 06, 2019

When you come to a passage like Isaiah 34:1-17, it can be somewhat disconcerting, because it reveals aspects of God’s nature that we can find difficult to reconcile. Especially if we prefer to see God as all-loving, all the time. These verses are full of imagery that reflects God’s wrath and righteous indignation. He speaks of slaughter and vengeance, death and destruction. But while this chapter may be difficult to accept, it must be taken with the rest of God’s Word. The prophetic pronouncements God makes within chapter 34 must be balanced with the other, much more encouraging portions of the Scriptures that provide us with the rest of the story. Speaking through His prophet, Isaiah, God makes it quite clear that His judgment is coming against Judah. And that judgment will be harsh and unavoidable. But God has also provided more than enough assurance that His divine will includes a day of future restoration and renewal. God will punish sin. He will judge His rebellious people. But the day is coming when He will make all things new.

Ep 809 – Isaiah 33:7-24 Mar 05, 2019

There is only one kind of salvation that really matters: The kind that comes from the hand of God Almighty. Any other kind of salvation is short-lived and insufficient to bring lasting results. The people of Judah might find temporary relief from the threat of Assyrian invasion by trusting in the Egypt, but it wouldn’t last. Especially since the destruction they faced was coming from God Himself. Isaiah knew that the only hope for Judah’s salvation was if the people repented or God relented. The first one showed no signs of taking place. Isaiah had begged and pleaded with the people of Judah to repent and return to God, but to no avail. And so, the only option available was if God decided to extend mercy to His rebellious people. In Isaiah 33:7-24, the scene is bleak and the prospects look grim. But in the midst of the doom and gloom, God sheds a light of hope. He promises to show His power and might. And He pledges to deal with the Assyrians, turning the tables on them and making them the victim, not the victor. In spite of Judah’s failure to repent, God promises to restore them one day. He announces a time when He will be their Mighty One – their king, judge and lawgiver, restoring them to a right relationship with Himself – out of His love, mercy and grace.

Ep 808 – Isaiah 33:1-6 Mar 04, 2019

The whole reason the nation of Judah was seeking the help of Egypt was because they longed for someone to save them from the looming attack of the Assyrians. But sadly, they never seemed to think about taking their problem to God. Maybe it was because they knew He would require them to change their ways. He would demand that they give up their sinful lifestyles and begin living as who they were supposed to be: The chosen people of God. So, when trouble came their way, they looked for a savior, but they refused to consider God. In a way, they were looking for someone to save them from God, because the Assyrians had been sent by Him for the express purpose of punishing the people of Judah. But God is in the salvation business. He would ultimately save Judah from the threat of Assyrian invasion. And, even after Judah fell the Babylonians, God would save them from captivity and return them to the land of Canaan. In Isaiah 33:1-6, Isaiah begs God to extend mercy to the people of Judah. He longs for God to save them from themselves. And, one day, God will. His Son will save them and make it possible for them to be restored to a right relationship with their heavenly Father.

Ep 807 – Isaiah 32:9-20 Mar 03, 2019

etimes God’s promises sound too good to be true. They can come across as so “out there” that they lose any sense of reality. We begin to doubt that they will ever happen and, as a result, we start looking to things other than God to bring us joy, hope, satisfaction and significance. That was the problem in Judah and it was pervasive. In fact, in Isaiah 32:9-10, Isaiah is going to address the women of Judah, using some pretty colorful and offensive language to make his point. These women were guilty of finding their fulfillment and identity in material things. They had grown comfortable and complacent, enamored by their material possessions, and totally forgetting that they belonged to God. They were His possession. He had chosen them and made them His own, but they lived like they were independent agents who had full control over their lives and their futures. They were the masters of their own fates – or so they thought. God was going to humble these proud and arrogant women, along with the rest of the nation. But the day was coming when He would pour out His Spirit upon them, making it possible for them to willingly seek and serve Him and Him alone.

Ep 806 - Isaiah 32:1-8 Mar 02, 2019

Waiting on God can be difficult, because He operates on a different time schedule than we do. In fact, He operates outside of time. For Him, the past, present, and future are all one and the same. He sees it all as if it is happening right before His eyes. But we are human beings and burdened by the limitations of our temporal existence. We are bound by time and space. We can’t see or know the future. That is, unless God reveals it to us. And in Isaiah 32:1-8, Isaiah is going to share some exciting news with the people of Judah, letting them know that God has some pretty amazing plans in store for them. While their present circumstances were anything but ideal, God wanted them to know that the day was coming when they would sit under the rule of a righteous king who would restore their nation to power and prominence. And better yet, He would restore righteousness to the land, making it possible for all men to live in perfect, unbroken fellowship with God Almighty. God was going to extend His grace and mercy to the people of Judah, in spite of their centuries-worth of rebellion against Him. He would be faithful, even though they were not.

Ep 805 – Isaiah 31:1-9 Mar 01, 2019

The old saying states, “when the going gets tough, the tough get going.” Bu that can mean a lot of different things. When difficulty comes, some people just bolt and run. Others stand their ground. We can be tempted to fight or take flight. But when it comes to God’s people, they are called to stand firm in the faith. Rather than run, they are to trust God. And, while the future may require them to fight, they will do so knowing that it is God who fights for them and with them. He will provide the victory. But in Isaiah 31:1-9, we see another option that every child of God faces when confronted by difficulty: Seeking help from something or someone other than God. The people of Judah were in a tough spot, but rather than turning to God, they chose to put their trust in Egypt. Instead of relying on God Almighty, they decided to place their hopes in the might of Pharaoh and his army. But they would be severely disappointed. Human help is never a good alternative to the holy help God offers. The power of men is no match for the omnipotence of God. And the people of Judah were going to learn that lesson the hard way.

Ep 804 – Isaiah 30:18-33 Feb 28, 2019

Judging the presence of God based on the condition of our current circumstances doesn’t always produce accurate results. Sometimes, our situation may give the impression that God is nowhere to be found. But, in time, we come to realize that He was there all along. What appeared to be a lack of His presence was simply a deficiency in our faith. There are times when God allows His people to experience the pain of brokenness so that He might pour out His love and bind up their wounds. In Isaiah 30:18-33 God calls out to His people, begging them to return to Him so that He might restore them. He longs to pour out His compassion and shower them with His blessings. But time and time again, the people of Judah had revealed the hardness of their hearts and the stubbornness of their dispositions. Yet, God was and is patient. He has a long-term strategy that entails both their discipline and their blessing. He was going to punish them, but the day was coming when He would restore them. They had brought down His judgment upon themselves. But the day is coming when He will bind up the broken.

Ep 803 – Isaiah 30:8-17 Feb 27, 2019

Screwing something up always seems to come easy to us. But finding a solution or remedy can be next to impossible. And when it comes to the predicament in which the people of Judah found themselves, they had ended up there with virtually no trouble at all. It had come easy and naturally to them. Like hard-headed children who stubbornly refused to listen to the warnings of their Father, they found themselves in a serious bind. But the remedy was easier than they thought. And in Isaiah 30:8-17, God reveals that all they had to do to get out of their difficult situation was to repent and return to Him. But for some reason, they found this simple solution impossible to carry out. They just couldn’t bring themselves to confess their guilt and admit their need for God’s help. They would rather turn to Egypt than trust God. They would prefer paying an exorbitant fee to have Egypt rescue them than sacrifice their pride and return to God in brokenness and humility. God longed to restore them, but they refused to heed His words of warning and His call to repentance. And they would live to regret their decision.

Ep 802 - Isaiah 30:1-7 Feb 26, 2019

Where do you turn when the going gets tough? Is God your go-to source for help and hope, or do you find yourself seeking rescue in something or someone other than God? For the people of Judah, faced with the reality of God’s pending judgment in the form of defeat at the hands of their enemies, they decided to turn to Egypt for help. What an ironic development. Here was the nation that had been rescued from captivity in Egypt by the hand of God, turning to their former captors, in a futile effort to escape the coming judgment of God. And in Isaiah 30:1-7, the prophet will reveal just how ridiculous this plan really was. Egypt had not been able to stand up against God before, so what made the people of Judah think they could do it now? Worldly powers were no match for Almighty God. The Pharaoh may have been worshiped as a god, but he would prove anything but divine when he tried to thwart the will of the one true God. Judah would have been much better served by repenting of their rebellion and returning in humble submission to God. But they were like stubborn children and would rather turn to Egypt for help than turn back to God in repentance.

Ep 801 – Isaiah 29:17-24 Feb 25, 2019

The Bible is a book of history and prophecy. It is full of stories about the past and predictions about the future. It tells us how the universe was created by God, how sin entered into the scene, and how mankind went from being made in the image of God to being the enemies of God. In its pages, the Bible reveals the on-again-off-again nature of Israel’s relationship with God. It tells us about God’s promise to send a Messiah or Savior to restore fallen mankind to a right relationship with Himself. And then it shows how that promise was fulfilled in the birth of Jesus Christ. The Bible, while thousands of years old, is a timeless book that deals with far more than ancient history. It is about the future and its impact upon the present. And in Isaiah 29:17-24, God gives the people of Judah a much-needed reminder that His plans for them extend well beyond their current circumstances. They were facing judgment because of their sin, but He promises them future blessing because of His grace and mercy. They couldn’t seem to stop rebelling against Him, but that would not stop God from pouring out His blessings upon them – in the future and according to His divine will.

Ep 800 - Isaiah 29:9-16 Feb 24, 2019

Everybody likes to think they are in control of their own lives. We love the idea of being the masters of our fate and the captains of the ship of our life. And the people of Judah were no different. They wanted to live according to their own agendas and thought they could fool God into believing that they were being obedient to Him, when they were living in open rebellion to Him. They were so confident, that they believed they had God fooled. They had pulled the wool over His eyes and convinced Him that they were really good and faithful children. But Isaiah 29:9-16 reveals that nothing was further from the truth. God knew everything and He was well aware of their disobedience. He was not the one who was ignorant and deceived. They were. But in their arrogance and pride, they felt they had every right to tell God what to do. They operated under the misguided idea that He somehow worked for them and existed to serve their needs. But they were in for a rude awakening. The potter rarely takes advice from the clay. He was in full control and they were in full subjection to His will, whether they liked it or not.

Ep 799 - Isaiah 29:1-8 Feb 23, 2019

By now, we should have a firm grasp on the reality that God never treats sin lightly. In spite of Judah’s status as God’s chosen people, He was not going to put up with their rebellion against Him indefinitely. He warned them repeatedly that their judgment was coming, unless they repented and returned to Him. And in Isaiah 29:1-8, God makes it clear that their refusal to repent would bring not only His judgment but their own deaths. Their disobedience was punishable by death. And while He had provided them with the sacrificial system as a means of receiving atonement for their sins, they had even treated it with disdain. They had even defiled the temple of God itself by setting up idols to false gods within its walls. This blatant disrespect for God, His house, and the sacrificial system He had provided, was not something He could overlook. So, Isaiah is forced to warn the people of Judah that their rebellion was going to turn the sacrificer into the sacrifice. Rather than seeking atonement through a lamb, bull or goat, the guilty people of God would be forced to shed their own blood and give their own lives as payment for their sins.

Ep 798 – Isaiah 28:20-29 Feb 22, 2019

When a farmer plants, he does so with the expectation that one day he will be able to reap. Otherwise, there would be no reason to go through all the effort of preparing the soil and sowing the seeds. Planting is done because reaping is the expected outcome. And the same is true of God and His chosen people. In the 28th chapter of Isaiah, verses 20-29, God reveals through His prophet that a day is coming when He will reap the fruit of righteousness from the people of Israel. While their current spiritual condition was more like an unfruitful field full of weeds and incapable of producing any kind of harvest, God was not done with them. In fact, He was going to have to prune and cultivate them in order that, one day, they might yield the fruit for which they were made: The fruit of righteousness. God is always about the outcome. He focuses on the long-term and, because He is all-knowing, He has an unobstructed view of how things are going to turn out. And while He was forced to thresh His disobedient children to prepare them for future fruitfulness, He did so with the harvest in mind.

Ep 797 - Isaiah 28:14-19 Feb 21, 2019

You don’t have to know a lot about construction to understand the necessity of having a firm foundation. It’s the primary source of stability for whatever is being built, whether it be a single-story house or a high-rise office building. A solid foundation is what provides a stable and reliable footing on which the entire structure stands. And a good foundation begins with a well-laid cornerstone. It is around this single stone that the rest of the foundation is oriented. It serves as the primary point of reference for the rest of the structure, so if the cornerstone is off, the rest of the building will be as well. In Isaiah 28:14-19, God has some strong words to say to the leaders of Judah, referring to them as scoffers, arrogant, pride-filled individuals who were guilty of building the nation of Judah on the wrong foundation. Through the misguided leadership of these men, Judah had started relying on other nations as sources of support and stability. But God was letting them know that their world was about to be rocked. Their little kingdom, built on lies and deception was going to prove unstable and unsustainable. When the storms of God’s judgment came, their walls would fall because their foundation was faulty.

Ep 796 – Isaiah 28:1-13 Feb 20, 2019

Everybody loves success. And there’s nothing we love more than self-made success. It’s part of the American work ethic. Stories of self-achievement have been around as long as we’ve been a republic. The image of the self-made man is a popular icon in American culture, but it certainly isn’t unique to our nation or this century. It has been around since the beginning of time. In fact, this love affair with self-elevation and self-preservation is as old as time itself. And in Isaiah 28:1-13, we are going to see God address the runaway attitude self-importance that marked the Northern kingdom of Israel. Repeatedly referred to as Ephraim, the ten northern tribes had a long track record of pride and arrogance that was based on their unique status as God’s chosen people. It didn’t seem to matter to them that the way they lived their lives in no way reflected their position as the children of God. They were rebellious and disobedient, but they were also drunk on their own success and self-importance. Believing that they were somehow immune from God’s wrath, they refused to repent and continued their love affair with the world.

Ep 795 – Isaiah 27:1-13 Feb 19, 2019

Isaiah is living in the midst of a time period when the people of Judah are facing the eminent judgment of God. They have spent years living in open rebellion against God, proving to be unfaithful to Him and living lives marked by ungodliness. Now, Isaiah has warned them that God is going to punish them for their years of stubborn disobedience to His will and persistent resistance to His calls that they repent. But at the same time, God has given Isaiah a message of hope to deliver to His rebellious people. And in Isaiah 27:1-13, the prophet will repeatedly speak of “that day” – a future period of time during which God will show unmerited favor toward His people. He will shower on them unprecedented acts of kindness and mercy, restoring them to a right relationship with Himself and fulfilling every promise He has ever made to them. And while they would eventually experience days marked by the judgment of God, they could rest assured that their future will feature the unmerited favor of God. That day, while still distant, is not to be discounted or dismissed. It will happen, because God has said it will.

Ep 794 – Isaiah 26:10-21 Feb 18, 2019

Those who express belief in God must constantly strive to maintain their awareness of His omnipotence and His timelessness. God is all-powerful and operates outside the confines of time and space. He is not relegated to any particular time period and His knowledge is not limited to what has happened in the past. He exists outside of any time constraints, so to Him, the past, present and the future are all equally accessible and knowable. So, when God spoke to and through His prophets, He was delivering information that revealed future events as if they were present reality. In Isaiah 26:10-21, the prophet speaks as if the prophecies of God, dealing with as-yet-to-happen events, have already happened. He writes of future promises concerning the people of Judah with a confident assurance that they can and will happen. In fact, he almost gives the impression they have already taken place. He speaks of them as if they are in the past tense. It wasn’t that Isaiah didn’t know what God had in store. He knew that the fury of God had to fall before the mercy and grace of God could be experienced. But he wanted the people of Judah to have confidence that, once the fury of God had passed, the blessings of God would fall.

Ep 793 – Isaiah 26:1-9 Feb 17, 2019

As Christians, we know we should praise God. The Bible makes that perfectly clear. But we don’t always do it. In fact, far too often we find ourselves whining and moaning to God, rather than singing His praises. Our circumstances can leave us complaining about our lot in life, and failing to recognize the grace, mercy, and kindness of God happening all around us. In Isaiah 26:1-9, we are going to hear a song being sung by the people of Judah, but it’s a song that has yet to be sung, because it is prophetic in nature. What we will see in these verses is a glimpse into the Millennial Kingdom, that 1,000-year period of time that comes at the end of the seven years of Tribulation that will come on the earth. The Millennium will feature Jesus Christ ruling in Jerusalem from the throne of David. He will be the King of kings and Lord of lords, and all those who live within His kingdom will sing His praises. The people of Israel and Judah, the Old Testament Saints, the Tribulation martyrs, and all those who come to faith in Christ during the church age, will worship God the Father and God the Son, singing their praises for all that they have done.

Ep 792 – Isaiah 25:1-12 Feb 16, 2019

Current conditions have a way of clouding our understanding of God’s sovereignty and power. What we are going through any given moment of the day can easily lead us to believe that God does not have a plan. We can begin to think that He has lost control. But Isaiah would have us remember that God has plans that were formed of old – in other words, they have been around from before the world was made. God is not up in heaven reacting to conditions in the world with surprise. He is not knee-jerk reacting to unforeseen situations and circumstances. He is all-knowing and fully in control of all things, all the time. And in Isaiah 25:1-12, the prophet is going to provide us with a glimpse into the distant future, where we will see God’s redemptive plan played out in all its glory. At no point in time, has God’s plan been in jeopardy. And there has never been a time when He has been forced to alter His plans in response to some unexpected event that caught Him off guard. No, His divine strategy for the future restoration of this world is safe and secure. We may not always see what He is doing. We might not always think that He has His hands on the wheel. But God is in full control and His plans have not changed.

Ep 791 – Isaiah 24:14-23 Feb 15, 2019

There is a sense in which the people of God should always be singing the praises of God. If we truly believe that He is all-powerful and sovereign over all things, then we can rejoice in the fact that our God reigns over all – all the time. There has never been a time in history where God was out of control. And there never will be a time when the will of God fails to take place just as He has preordained it. When reading a passage like Isaiah 24:14-23, we are reminded that our God deserves our praise. Even in the midst of looming destruction, brought on by the blatant disobedience of His people, God reveals that He has a plan in store that will involve the restoration of a remnant. The judgment of God was coming, but so was the grace and mercy of God. The people of Judah would be disciplined severely for their sins, but they would one day experience the undeserved favor of God. And this incredible reality would leave the people of Judah rejoicing and praising God for His majesty. Like so many other passages in Isaiah, this one has a now/not yet aspect to it. Some of God’s promises have already been fulfilled in part. But there are still some as yet fulfilled elements to this passage for which the people of Judah can still eagerly anticipate.

Ep 790 – Isaiah 24:1-13 Feb 14, 2019

There’s a lot of talk these days about the condition of the environment. Politicians and pundits of all stripes use the earth’s ecological condition as a means to push various policies and political agendas. And there is little doubt that our world is suffering because of man’s abuse and misuse of this incredible resource provided for us by God. But Isaiah 24:1-13 is going to reveal that there is a greater problem behind the sorry state of the earth’s environment. It is sin. Ever since the fall, the sins of mankind have had a dramatic impact on this planet on which we live. Rather than acting as God faithful stewards, caring for the earth and all that it contains, we have tended to treat it with disdain and disrespect, taking advantage of its many resources and using them for our own selfish pleasures. And this passage is going to support the fact that a day is coming when God will renew His creation and return it to its original, pristine, pre-fall state. While we should care about the environment and do all that we can to clean up and care for the earth, God lets us know that it is irredeemable and unrepairable. He won’t just fix it. He will replace it. He will make all things new.

Ep 789 – Isaiah 23:1-18 Feb 13, 2019

One of the things that even Christians find easy to forget is that God has a plan. And that plan is not only long-term in nature, it is unchanging and unstoppable. What God has purposed will take place. What He has planned will come about. And that includes blessings and curses, the good and the bad. As we continue to look at the oracles delivered to the nations by Isaiah on behalf of God Almighty, we will see the recurring theme that His plans concerning the nations have been fully thought out and will be completely fulfilled. In Isaiah 23:1-18, God brings bad news to the nation of Tyre. Unlike Babylon and Assyria, Tyre was a relatively small player on the global stage. It was not a military powerhouse and posed no real threat to Judah or any other nation. But it enjoyed unprecedented wealth, exercised tremendous influence over that part of the world, and had built a reputation as a financial force to be reckoned with. Yet, God was going to bring their pride to an end. He had plans for them. Including their eventual restoration and, in the end times, their worship of the one true God.

Ep 788 – Isaiah 22:15-25 Feb 12, 2019

Authority, power, influence. Everybody wants these things, but few people can handle them. They can become a powerful temptation in the life of any man or woman, causing them to turn inwardly and to seek profit from their position. It can be quite easy to succumb to the lure of lust that so often accompanies a position of authority. With great power comes great responsibility. But that responsibility is to be outwardly focused. It conveys the idea of using your power and position to better the lives of those under your care. But in Isaiah 22:15-25, we are going to get a real-life lesson from a man who let his power go to his head. He used and abused his authority in such a way that it led to God to remove him. He was replaced and, while his successor proved to be a much better leader who used his newfound power more justly and selflessly, he too would eventually give in to the temptation to use his power for self-advancement. The two men we will see in this passage were representatives of the king who had a responsibility to use their power and position for the betterment of the kingdom. But they failed. As believers, we represent the King of kings on this earth. How well are we using the power and authority left to us by Jesus Christ?

Ep 787 – Isaiah 22:1-14 Feb 11, 2019

It was Jesus who spoke of the valley of the shadow of death in the sample prayer He gave to His disciples. The use of the valley as a metaphor for difficulty was common in Jesus' day. It was used to juxtapose the experience of the breathtaking heights of the mountain that loomed over the valley. And in Isaiah 22:1-13, God is going to use the metaphor of the valley to refer Mount Zion, the elevated height upon which the city of David, Jerusalem, sat. This spiritually lofty locale was going to experience dramatic change in its circumstances – all because of disobedience to God. While Jerusalem was home to the temple and the seat of the royal dynasty of David, it was going to go through a major shift in its spiritual fortunes. The presence of the temple was not going to protect them from the wrath of God. The city's reputation as the holy mountain of God was not enough to counter their years of rebellion against Him. Judgment was coming because the people of Judah had continually rejected God's calls to repent. And the holy mountain was about to become the valley of vision. And the scene surrounding Jerusalem's fall would not be a pretty or pleasant one.

Ep 786 – Isaiah 21:11-17 Feb 10, 2019

If you stop and think about it, trying to run from God makes no sense at all. If He is indeed, all-knowing and all-powerful, any attempt to hide from Him will be unsuccessful. And if God intends to do something, any thought of escaping His judgment is wishful thinking. It was King David who wrote, based on his own personal experience, “I can never escape from your Spirit! I can never get away from your presence!” (Psalm 139:7 NLT). David went on to say, “even in darkness I cannot hide from you” (Psalm 139:12 NLT). If this is true, then why is it we spend so much time trying keep things from God or attempting get out from under the will of God? In Isaiah 21:11-17, Isaiah is going to deliver yet another oracle from God. This time to the nation of Arabia and lesser-known nation called Dumah. As we will, this is a somewhat veiled reference to the Edomites, who were close relatives of the people of Israel. One by one, God is eliminating every nation in Judah’s proximity as possible options to be their rescuer. God was bringing judgment on Judah and there was nowhere they could run and no place they could hide from His inevitable will.

Ep 785 – Isaiah 21:1-10 Feb 09, 2019

Repeatedly throughout the Scriptures, we read the words, “Fear not.” And they are almost always in relationship to some troubling trial or difficulty. When the people of Israel were standing at the shore of the Red Sea with the army of Pharaoh bearing down on them, Moses had told them, “Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the Lord.” Years later, when the Israelites were preparing to enter the land of Canaan, God told them, “Listen, Israel! Today you are moving forward to do battle with your enemies. Do not be fainthearted. Do not fear and tremble or be terrified because of them” (Deuteronomy 20:3 NLT). Paul would later encourage Timothy by reminding him, “God did not give us a Spirit of fear but of power and love and self-control” (2 Timothy 1:7 NLT). But the truth is, we fear far more often than we would like to admit. And the people of Judah did as well. In Isaiah 21:1-10, we will see God calling His people to exhibit faith, rather than fear. Even with all that was going on around them, God wanted them to see His sovereign hand at work. If they had faith in Him, they would have a difficult time fearing what was taking place around them. Faith is the antidote for fear.

Ep 783 – Isaiah 19:16-25 Feb 07, 2019

Discipline and mercy. Wrath and love. Judgment and justice. Rebuking and restoration. The Bible is full of paradoxes that make us shake our head in confusion. Throughout the entire book, we see God presented in ways that appear contradictory and difficult to reconcile. And in these last few chapters of Isaiah, there has been a steady stream of oracles warning of God’s pending judgment against the nations. And yet, in Isaiah 19:16-25, we will hear God say some strikingly different things to Egypt than He did in the first 15 verses. In fact, this portion of the chapter presents a somewhat surprising scene that features Egypt receiving healing from the hand of God. And the Egyptian people responding in praise, adoration and worship. Obviously, these things have not yet happened. There are no altars to the God of Israel in Egypt at this time. But Isaiah describes a day in which the worship of Israel’s God will be commonplace. And many of the other nations mentioned in these oracles will worship God alongside the Egyptians. God will judge the nations, but He will also restore a remnant from among the nations representing every tribe, nation and tongue.

Ep 782 – Isaiah 19:1-15 Feb 06, 2019

Nobody likes being disciplined. And it doesn’t help when a parent tells the child they are about to discipline that, “This will hurt me far worse than it hurts you.” That well-used maxim has never been believed by any child of any age at any time in history. And the children of God are no different. Despite the fact that God assures us that He disciplines those He loves, we still avoid it like the plague. We will do anything in our power to escape the judgment and loving discipline of God – even if it means refusing to own up to the sin in our lives and rejecting His will for our lives. In Isaiah 19:1-15, we are going to encounter yet another oracle of God, this time delivered to the nation of Egypt. The nation of Judah had placed Egypt high on its list of potential candidates for the role of rescuer from God’s pending judgment. But God was going to let Judah know that Egypt would have enough problems of its own, and find themselves unwilling and incapable of doing anything to help Judah out of its predicament. We may not like the discipline of God, but we will never be successful in escaping it. He always disciplines those He loves.

Ep 781 – Isaiah 18:1-7 Feb 05, 2019

God made the world. The book of Genesis makes that perfectly clear. But sometimes it is easy to forget that fact and to view God as some distant deity who is out of touch with a world that seems to be increasingly out of His control. But Isaiah would have us realize that God still rules over all that exists and His sovereignty extends to the ends of the earth. And in Isaiah 18:1-7, we will see God deliver another oracle, this time against the nation of Cush. While we know little about this kingdom, we do know that, to the average Hebrew in Isaiah’s day, it represented the ends of the earth. It was a relatively unknown land that remained a mystery to the people of Judah. Yet, God has plans for Cush. In fact, He has plans for all the nations of the earth – past, present, and future. As the people of Judah faced the prospect of God’s pending judgment, they were looking for someone to step in and rescue them. And they weren’t that picky when it came to potential rescuers. So, God makes it clear that the nations to whom they might turn would prove less-than-satisfactory saviors, because God has judgment in store for them as well.

Ep 780 – Isaiah 9-14 Feb 04, 2019

Faithfulness is important to God, because He is faithful. And He expects those whom He chooses to call His own to respond to Him in faithfulness. But as we have already seen, the peoples of Israel and Judah found it virtually impossible to treat God with the honor and reverence He deserves. They were constantly pursuing false gods and putting their hopes in pagan nations. Regardless of the many occasions when God stood by His people, they continued to turn their backs on Him, treating Him with disdain and showing Him disrespect. And in Isaiah 17:9-14, God will accuse the people of Judah of forgetting Him, the God of their salvation. They will prove to have short-term memories, failing to remember all that He had done for them. And they will show a disregard for His involvement in their lives, thinking instead that they are somehow responsible for all the good things they enjoy. Their forgetfulness will bring upon them God’s justice. And while God would end up punishing their unfaithfulness, He will remain faithful to them.

Ep 779 – Isaiah 17:1-8 Feb 03, 2019

God is the only god there is. There are no others. And as the sole deity in the universe and the creator of all that exists within it, God demands and expects to occupy center stage in the hearts of those He has created. But ever since the fall, mankind has found itself on a trajectory away from God. Sin, at the core of which lies pride, has caused man to drift from God, and doomed humanity to a futile quest to find significance and meaning in life. But this journey of discovery never ends. Sinful, pride-prone man never finds that for which he is searching. And yet, God graciously calls out, offering Himself as the sole source of man’s joy, comfort, meaning, and hope. He alone can deliver what man so desperately seeks. And in Isaiah 17:1-8, God continues His judgment against the nations. He delivers yet another oracle, this time pertaining to Syria. He lets them know what He has in store for them because they had allied themselves with Israel and had plotted to overthrow the nation of Judah. And God uses this verbal assault on Syria to remind His people to trust in Him. No nation in the world could stand against Him, so why wouldn’t the people of Judah trust in Him? In light of all He was going to do on behalf of them, why did they still refuse to seek Him?

Ep 778 – Isaiah 16:1-14 Feb 02, 2019

In Isaiah 16:1-14, God continues His oracle concerning the nation of Moab. He has much more to say regarding this long-standing enemy of Judah. And much of what God reveals in this chapter has to do with events surrounding a future day that has yet have taken place. There is little doubt that God did eventually judge the Moabites for the role they played in Judah’s defection from God. He could not excuse them for the influence they had in leading the people of Judah astray. They would turn to their false gods for help, but would find them to be impotent to do anything to help them. They would prove no match for the omnipotent God of the universe. As we have seen before, God speaks of a day when the tables will be turned and the people of Moab will find themselves on the receiving end of God’s judgment. They will be the ones to weep and mourn over their loss. Like all the other nations who stood opposed to God and His people, the Moabites would learn the hard way that they were helpless against the righteous Judge and King.

Ep 777 – Isaiah 15:1-9 Feb 01, 2019

It seems to be a universal principle that every truth has its counterfeit that shows up in the form of a lie. Everything that is real seems to have its false alternative. And this principle applies to God as well. According to the Scriptures, there is only one true God, but that has not stopped the proliferation of thousands upon thousands of false gods over the centuries. The Bible offers one objective standard of truth and righteousness, but that has not prevented the propagation of countless counterfeit alternatives. And, as we will see in Isaiah 15:1-9, this tendency of mankind to promulgate all kinds of substitutes for God and His Word has always been around. The people of Moab worshiped their own god, and they lived by their own set of moral standards. But the sad reality is that their preference for false gods and fraudulent ethical standards had caused the people of God to reject the one true God for a lie. The Moabites had proven to be a stumbling block to the people of Judah, causing them to turn away from God and pursue what would prove to be a false and faulty alternative. But Judah and Moab would soon learn that, not only does God have no alternative, He has no equal.

Ep 776 – Isaiah 14:28-32 Jan 31, 2019

Humanity seems to be hardwired to rejoice at the fall of an enemy. We take a perverse pleasure in seeing someone we dislike get what we believe to be their just desserts. Whether we call it revenge, payback, retribution or comeuppance – it all means the same thing. And in Isaiah 14:28-32, God has a word for the nations, warning them about celebrating over the apparent fall of Judah too quickly. He specifically addresses the Philistines, the perennial enemies of the people of God, letting them know that their day of judgment was coming as well. So, while they might see the fall of Judah as good news worth celebrating, they needed to know that God was going to pay them back for the roles they had played in opposing the people of God and, in some cases, leading them away from God. While the book of Isaiah is primarily a message of God to His chosen people, it contains prophetic pronouncements concerning humanity as a whole. Even the land of Philistia would one day experience the judgment of God, because He rules and reigns over all.

Ep 775 – Isaiah 14:24-27 Jan 30, 2019

Humanity has a pride problem. Ever since the fall, mankind has displayed an uncanny ability to make far too much of itself. While we are the byproduct of God’s creative powers, we tend to believe the lie that, somehow, we are self-made men and women. We have convinced ourselves that, when it comes to our many achievements and advancements in everything from medicine and healthcare to science and technology, we deserve all the credit. But this pride problem has been around for a long time. In fact, Isaiah 14:24-27 deals with the pride of the nation of Assyria and provides God’s perspective regarding it. Let’s just say that the Assyrians were going to discover the hard way, that their power would prove no match for the omnipotent God of the universe. While He would allow the Assyrians to inflict pain and suffering on the people of Israel, God would not give them free reign to do as they wished. This pagan nation, like every other nation that has ever existed, were subject to the sovereign will of God Almighty. And no matter how prideful or powerful they became, they were completely subject to the plans and purposes of God.

Ep 774 – Isaiah 14:12-23 Jan 29, 2019

The world has always been full of people and organizations that stand opposed to God. And that makes sense when we consider that the god of this world is Satan, who has long aspired to set himself up in place of God. And because Satan rules this fallen world, he has influence over unredeemed mankind, causing them to follow his ways and live with the same sense of pride and arrogance that marks his own nature. The nations of this world have long emulated the ways of Satan, coveting the power, position and possessions he offers them in return for selling out to him. And in Isaiah 14:12-23, we get a look at the impact Satan’s influence has on the nations of the world during the end times, particularly Babylon. God provided Isaiah with insight into the fall of Babylon that would take place in the not-so-distant future. But He also revealed details concerning the destruction of a future Babylon, that would exist during the days of the Tribulation. The kingdom of Satan and the kingdoms of men have no chance against the power of Almighty God.

Ep 773 – Isaiah 14:3-11 Jan 28, 2019

God always has the end in mind. He knows the outcome of all things and, because He operates outside the restrictions of time and space, God is fully aware of how the story ends. Mainly, because He is the author of the story. There is nothing that happens on this planet that surprises God or catches Him off-guard. Every single aspect of human history has been pre-ordained by God and, as we will see in Isaiah 14:3-11, even the ultimate outcome of that history has been pre-determined by God. But, while God knows how the story ends, we as human beings tend to live with our eyes focused on the here-and-now, mesmerized by the current events that make up our lives. And the people of Judah were no different. All they could think about was the pending arrival of the Babylonians, as decreed by God and prophesied by Isaiah. From their vantage point, everything looked bleak. They had already seen their northern neighbors, the nation of Israel, fall to the Assyrians and end up in captivity. Now, it seemed like only a matter of time until they suffered a similar fate. But little did they know that God had a far different end in mind.

Ep 772 – Isaiah 14:1-2 Jan 27, 2019

required to wait. We may even begin to wonder and doubt whether He is going to come through for us, but He always does. And in Isaiah 14:1-2, we have yet another promise from God that assures the people of Judah that their future will be bright – all because God has decreed it. He has made a covenant commitment and He will not go back on His word. These two short verses are pregnant with meaning and literally overflowing with encouragement. Yet, how easy it is to read them and miss all that God is trying to convey through them. For the people of Judah, the news of God’s pending judgment and the approaching armies of Babylon weighed heavy on their minds. They couldn’t see past the current predicament in which they found themselves. But over and over again, God assures them that He has great things in store for them. His plans for them include blessings that will far over-shadow any suffering they may have to endure. And they will happen because He is the covenant-keeping God.

Ep 771 – Isaiah 13:17-22 Jan 26, 2019

God stands outside of time. He is eternal, having no beginning or end. And, as the eternal, transcendent God, He is just as knowledgeable of future events as He is of those that happened in the distant past. So, as we look at Isaiah 13:17-22, God is going to provide some insights into the future judgment of the nation of Babylon. And some of what we will see will include events that predict Babylon’s more immediate fate. From our vantage point, they are ancient history, having already taken place. But there will be other prophetic pronouncements that remain unfulfilled. God is speaking of the Babylon as Isaiah knew it in his day, but He is also revealing what will happen to the Babylon that will appear at the end times, during the days of the Great Tribulation. When it comes to God judging the nations, there are clear indications that His wrath comes all along the historic timeline. Nations have come and gone. Dictators and kings who once ruled are now little more than footnotes in a history book. But God, because He stands outside of time, has plans in place that have yet to happen. But part of the purpose of God displaying proof of His wrath against sin in history is so that His people will trust His promises to deal with sin in eternity.

Ep 770 – Isaiah 13:10-16 Jan 25, 2019

Man has always had a unique ability to fabricate his own gods. Ever since the fall, humanity has made a habit out of creating false gods to replace the one true God. Yet, as Isaiah 13:10-16 will reveal, the day is coming when God will eliminate all the false gods from the face of the earth and judge all those who have chosen to replace Him with the lifeless products of their sinful imaginations. As Isaiah continues to discuss “that day” – the coming day of God’s judgment upon the world for their rejection of Him, he paints a rather bleak picture of the consequences of that judgment. God will deal harshly, but also justly. He will simply mete out the punishment rebellious mankind deserves. No one will be able to argue with Him or deny their guilt. His judgment will be just and sure. And while we may find the descriptions of this day disturbing and difficult to reconcile with our concept of an all-loving God, it is essential that we not diminish or downplay God’s hatred for sin and His righteous obligation to deal with those who have chosen to reject His rightful place as their God.

Ep 769 – Isaiah 13:1-9 Jan 24, 2019

God has plans for Israel, but He also has plans for all the nations of the earth, including all those who stand opposed to His will and who futilely attempt to thwart His ways. In these opening verses of chapter 13, Isaiah delivers a divine oracle against Babylon. This powerful nation was going to be used by God to bring His judgment upon the people of Judah. But God would also punish them for the role they would play in the destruction of God’s people and city. While acting as instruments in the hands of God, that would not excuse them for their actions, because they would thoroughly enjoy the part they played. They would find great joy in defeating the people of Judah and would take unfair and unnecessary advantage of them. And God would eventually repay them, along with every other nation that stands opposed to Him. This oracle reveals God’s plans for the nations of the earth, and reminds us that He is sovereign over all, including every king and country that has been or ever will be. He alone is God and the coming day of the Lord will find every tribe, nation and tongue coming under His divine jurisdiction.

Ep 768 – Isaiah 12:1-6 Jan 23, 2019

There is no greater praise of God than when His people are able to say, “He has done great things!” Deliverance by God and the provision of God are just a few of the many ways in which we can praise Him for His goodness and grace. As His children, there is not a day that goes by where we lack cause to praise Him. He is always active in and around our lives, oftentimes, in ways that we can’t even see. And in Isaiah 12, a very short chapter consisting of just six verses, Isaiah lets the people of Judah know that there is a day coming when they will give praise and thanks to God for His salvation. As with the last chapter, Isaiah is speaking of a future day when God will intercede for His rebellious and unrepentant people, replacing His well-earned wrath with undeserved mercy and grace. By the time God is done delivering and transforming them, they will know that it has all happened according to His power and in keeping with His promises to them. He will have done great things and they will gladly give Him glory.

Ep 767 – Isaiah 11:11-16 Jan 22, 2019

God makes promises. But, unlike man, God keeps His promises. In fact, Numbers 23:19 states, “God is not a man, so he does not lie. He is not human, so he does not change his mind. Has he ever spoken and failed to act? Has he ever promised and not carried it through?” And in Isaiah 11:11-16, we are going to see God remind His covenant people just how faithful He is going to be regarding His promises to them. While things may have looked dim from their perspective, God knew the future and was letting them know that He had a plan in place for them. He would not forget them. He would not permanently abandon them. In fact, He would one day restore a remnant of them to a right relationship with Himself. And He would do it by keeping the very promise He made to King David that there would one day be a permanent heir to his throne. God has promised that there will be a ruler, a Son of David, to sit on the throne of David. He has also promised a remnant of God’s people will one day rule alongside the Son of David is a restored Kingdom of Israel. And what God promises, He always brings about.

Ep 766 – Isaiah 11:1-10 Jan 21, 2019

One of the amazing things about the Scriptures is how well they display their divine inspiration. The 66 books contained within the Bible, while written by a variety of authors over a more than 1,400-year period of time, have a synergy and syncretism about them that is difficult to imagine. They reflect their divine origin and communicate a single story that reflects the redemptive plan of God for the world and its inhabitants. And, in Isaiah 11:1-10, we are provided with one of those amazing sections of God’s Word that reflects a far-greater scope to God’s message than first meets the eye. One of the truly great joys of reading God’s Word is to discover the remarkable connections that link the Old and New Testament. These hidden gems of truth provide evidence of the Spirit’s inspiration of the authors and God’s overarching agenda for mankind that goes far beyond any ethnic, regional, or historical confines. God has the big picture in mind. His focus is eternal in nature. And right when circumstances seem to indicate that God is done, He surprises us with His eternal plan.

Ep 765 – Isaiah 10:20-34 Jan 20, 2019

God does not do anything halfway. He is not in the habit of partially accomplishing that to which He sets His mind. He completes what He starts. He finishes what He begins. And when it comes to the peoples of Israel and Judah, God has long-term plans for their good that He has yet to bring to fruition. Centuries have passed and generations of Jews have come and gone, but God’s covenant promise to Abraham remains intact and His determination to fulfill what He promised remains unchanged. And in Isaiah 10:20-34, God will reassure His people yet again of His plan to reestablish them in their land and restore them to a right relationship with Him. When you consider all that the Israelites and their southern brothers, the people of Judah, had done to offend God, it is amazing to think that He is going to keep every single one of His promises to them. They had violated their covenant relationship with Him time and time again, but as the covenant-keeping God, He will remain true to His word – until a full end to His promises has come about.

Ep 764 – Isaiah 10:5-19 Jan 19, 2019

The sovereignty of God is difficult to understand, but, at times, even more difficult to accept. When things are going well, we find it easy to accept God’s sovereignty. We like the idea of an all-powerful, all-knowing and completely-in-control God when things are going our way. But as soon as things take a turn for the worse, we begin to question His control. And when the Bible reveals God as using pagan nations to punish His own people, we get uncomfortable. And, as if to make matters even more confusing, the Bible reveals that God punishes the very nations He used to do His bidding. That kind of control seems unfair and even unethical. But in Isaiah 10:5-19, we will see just such a situation as God warns the Assyrians of their coming judgment. They had been instrumental in His judgment of the nation of Judah, defeating and destroying many of their cities. Then they had besieged the capital city of Jerusalem. All according to God’s sovereign plan. But then God turns around and warns them that He was going to punish them for doing what He had ordained them to do. Is God capricious and fickle? Or is He sovereign and holy, and completely right in all He does?

Ep 763 – Isaiah 9:18-10:4 Jan 18, 2019

In our day and age, sin has become little more than an afterthought. We have so minimized the significance of sin, that we tend to refer to it with terms like, mistake. And we seem to think there is no need to confess our mistakes, because, in the grand scheme of things, they are just not that important. We have come to believe that God forgives and forgets. After all, He is a loving and gracious God. But Isaiah 9:18-10:4 paints a starkly different picture of God’s outlook on mankind’s sin. He doesn’t view it as some kind of an oversight or innocent mistake. No, God sees our sins as transgressions against His holiness. He views us as rebels, who stand in stubborn opposition to His divine decrees. He doesn’t excuse our sinfulness or take it lightly. His holiness will not allow Him to do so. He must punish sin. He must deal justly and righteously with rebellious men and women. Why? Because He knows that sin, if left unaccounted for, will spread like a cancer. It is deadly. And man is incapable of dealing with its devastating influence on his own.

Ep 762 – Isaiah 9:8-17 Jan 17, 2019

Things weren’t looking good in Judah. Of course, it depended upon your particular perspective. The people of Judah were bothered by the presence of enemies and the threat of invasion. But God was much more concerned about the presence of sin in the midst of His people. In fact, the very reason the people of God were having to worry about invasion was because they had sinned against God. He was the one who was bringing destruction in the form of pagan nations. And He was doing it because the entire nation was marred by sin. From the politicians to the religious leaders, corruption and immorality filled their ranks and trickled down to the people under their care. Spiritual darkness filled the land and, while God had promised to send the light of new dawn, there were going to be some lightless days in the foreseeable future. His judgment was going to fall on the nation. He was not going to tolerate or overlook their rebellion against Him any longer. Everyone was guilty and deserving of His divine wrath.

Ep 761 – Isaiah 9:1-7 Jan 16, 2019

Darkness. Sometimes it can be palpable, almost as if you can touch it. And when it comes to spiritual darkness, there is a very real and tangible aspect to it. Living in the darkness of sin can become a comfortable place. We can find ourselves believing that our sins remain out of sight and hidden from God’s view. The darkness becomes a place where we feel unexposed and our true condition, undetected. But God is all about exposing the darkness of sin in the lives of men. And in Isaiah 9:1-7, He informs the people of Judah, who were living in distress and darkness, that a light was going to dawn. The spiritual night of their circumstances was going to be broken by the dawn of a new day. God was going to do something new. He was going to shine a bright light into the darkened corners and hidden recesses of His chosen people, exposing their true spiritual condition and providing them with a means of being restored to a right relationship with Him. In spite of all that these stubborn and rebellious people had done to offend Him, God was going to show them His grace and mercy, redeeming them even in their unredeemable state.

Ep 760 – Isaiah 8:11-22 Jan 15, 2019

The author of the book of Hebrews provides us with the following statement intended to encourage us in our walk of faith: “The LORD is my helper, so I will have no fear. What can mere people do to me?” He was simply paraphrasing Psalm 118:6 which reads: “The LORD is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me?” Both authors were attempting to remind their readers not to fear men. With God on your side, there is no reason to fear mortal men. Even Jesus picked up on this theme when He told His disciples, “do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell” (Matthew 10:28 ESV). Sure, men can take your life, but they can do nothing to impact the eternal state of your soul. Those who have placed their faith in Jesus are guaranteed an eternal existence with God the Father, Jesus Christ the Son, and the Holy Spirit. But we face opposition in this life. We come under threats for our faith. So did Isaiah, and that is why, in Isaiah 8:11-22, God told the prophet to fear Him and not men. He was to stay faithful, even when tempted to compromise and cave in.

Ep 759 – Isaiah 8:1-10 Jan 14, 2019

Isaiah 8:1-10 continues the theme of God’s presence. In chapter 7, we were introduced to the child who would be born of a virgin, and whose name would be Immanuel. The future, long-term fulfillment of this promise would be Jesus Christ, the Messiah of Israel. But this chapter will reveal that another baby boy would be born to Isaiah, who would end up with two names. One name was decreed by God. The other was given by the boy’s birth mother. And we will see that both names were appropriate, because each represented an aspect of God’s relationship with the rebellious people of Judah. This infant boy would symbolize God’s pending judgment and His unfailing presence. Despite what they would see happening around them and to them, they could trust in the fact that God was there. He would remain Immanuel, God with us. Even the birth of this baby boy, in the face of the coming judgment was meant to be a sign of God’s good fortune and future blessing. He would live to see the fall of Judah, but his name was an assurance that God would be with them no matter what happened.

Ep 758 – Isaiah 7:10-25 Jan 13, 2019

A primary reason that men fail to trust God has to do with their failure to recognize that He is with them. They judge the reality of His presence based on the condition of their circumstances. If things are going well, He is with them and obviously happy with them. But if things happen to take a turn for the worse, the natural assumption is that God has vacated the premises or chosen to forsake His child. But Isaiah 7:10-25 makes it clear that the reality of God’s presence must be judged by His character and nature, not the conditions surrounding us. King Ahaz finds himself faced with the difficult choice of trusting God, when he could not clearly comprehend God. Things looked bleak. Conditions were less than ideal. But in the midst of all the confusing circumstances, God gave Ahaz a reassuring word. He promised to send someone to assist the people of Israel. But not just anybody. It would be Immanuel, whose name means, “God with us.” It was God’s way of letting Ahaz and the people of Judah know that His coming judgment of them would not be a sign that He was no longer with them.

Ep 757 – Isaiah 7:1-9 Jan 12, 2019

st me. How many times have you heard someone say that phrase and leave you feeling like it was the last thing you should do? People who ask you to trust them typically do so because they have given you ample reason not to trust them. Someone who has earned your trust through their actions shouldn’t have to ask for it. And yet, In Isaiah 7:1-9, God is going to expose the people of Judah’s lack of trust in Him, even though He had proven time and time again that He was a trustworthy God. One of the greatest signs of their lack of trust was their worship of false gods. Every time they did so, they were telling God they didn’t trust Him. They were putting their hopes in something or someone else. And King Ahaz was going to be faced with the task of taking God at His word, or allowing the circumstances surrounding him to dictate his decision-making. Would He trust God, in spite of what was going on around him, or would he allow his fear to overwhelm his faith in God.

Ep 756 – Isaiah 6:9-13 Jan 11, 2019

Free will. It’s a hotly debated topic in Christian circles and has been for centuries. But in our blatantly self-reliant, me-centered society, it seems to have taken on a life of its own. Modern man sees himself as thoroughly autonomous and self-ruled, vehemently opposed to any outside control and determined to be the master of his own fate. Even God-fearing Christians wrestle with the idea that God might somehow be in control of their lives. Self-rule and self-determination have become like badges of honor that we proudly display and strongly defend. But in Isaiah 6:9-13, we have one of those passages that seems to throw a wrench in our cherished concept of free well and self-determination. As God commissions Isaiah as His mouthpiece, He warns him that the people of Judah were not going to listen to what he had to say. They would prove to be spiritually deaf and blind – incapable of hearing and heeding the message of the prophet. And it would all be the sovereign work of God. The only thing the people of Judah would find themselves free to do would be to continue in sin.

Ep 755 – Isaiah 6:1-8 Jan 10, 2019

Isaiah was a messenger for God. He had been hand-picked by God Almighty and commissioned to carry a message of warning and a call to repentance to the people of Judah. But before Isaiah could fulfill His God-appointed role and point out the sins of the people of Judah, he had to have his own sins exposed and expunged. In Isaiah 6:1-8, we are shown how God prepared His spokesperson by cleansing him from his own unrighteousness and unworthiness. As God’s prophet, Isaiah was going to need purification before he could call the people to repentance. His lips would need to be cleansed before he could communicate the holy words of a righteous God. But, in spite of his awareness of his own unworthiness, Isaiah displays a remarkable enthusiasm to be used by God, saying, “Here I am, send me!” He wanted to serve Yahweh by offering his life in faithful service. And he was willing to go through the painful purification process required by God in order to become a mouthpiece for God. He had been given the privilege of seeing God, and now he wanted to serve Him with his life.

Ep 754 – Isaiah 5:8-17 Jan 09, 2019

Contentment. In some ways, it’s like the holy grail. For centuries, men have heard about its powers and desired to discover if it can really do all that its legend portends. But like medieval knights on a never-ending quest, most of us spend our entire lives in a vain search for the illusive prize of contentment. And the people of Judah were no different. In fact, in Isaiah 5:8-17, God pronounces a series of woes against the nation because their lives were marked by greed and an insatiable desire for more. They were anything but content, even though God had richly blessed them in a variety of ways. And their self-centered, self-pleasing determination to have more revealed a strong lack of love for God and others. And God condemns them, warning that they would experience His curses, because they refused to be satisfied with Him and all that He had graciously given them. Discontentment is a disease that is communicable. It can spread from one person to the next, infecting the entire family of God. Which is why God, like a surgeon, was going to extract it from their midst.

Ep 753 – Isaiah 5:1-7 Jan 08, 2019

Fruit and fruitfulness are common themes in the Bible. And, in His Word, God repeatedly uses imagery of the vine to describe His chosen people, Israel. Today’s passage, Isaiah 5:1-7, is a case in point. God often refers to Himself as the vinedresser and Israel as the vine. He planted them with the intention that they bear fruit. But God is rather particular about the kind of fruit they produce. They were to be fruitful, spreading through the land like a well-manicured vine planted in well-tended soil. But in this passage, God is going to reveal that His vine was producing unacceptable fruit – wild grapes that were not what He had expected and were absolutely good for nothing. He had created a vineyard with all the right ingredients to produce high-quality grapes that would result in sweet-tasting wine. But instead, Israel was guilty of producing unacceptable fruit. And that’s an important key to understanding what is going on here. They were producing fruit, but it was the wrong kind. It wasn’t what God intended and, therefore, it disqualified them as His vineyard.

Ep 752 – Isaiah 4:1-6 Jan 07, 2019

Judgment was coming. God had made that perfectly clear. And yet, in Isaiah 4:1-6, God also lets the people of Judah know that His favor was also coming. Yes, it would be preceded by their fall at the hands of the Babylonians. But there was a day coming when God would restore His people. He would show them His favor, even though it was totally undeserved and unmerited. But one of the truly amazing things about the book of Isaiah is that much of what God has promised the people of Judah has yet to happen. There is an aspect in which His promise has been partially fulfilled, but there is a far greater, far more substantial aspect to His promise that lies in the future, still awaiting fulfillment. But, because of what we know God did 70 years after the people of Judah were exiled to Babylon as captives, we can trust that His yet-unfulfilled promises will come to fruition. He will do what He has said He will do. He returned them to the land once, and He will do it again, showering them with His divine favor.

Ep 751 – Isaiah 3:10-26 Jan 06, 2019

Just desserts. Getting what you deserve. Reaping what you sow. However you want to describe it, we all seem to believe in the concept that payback is inevitable in life. And even when we see an individual getting away Scott free, there is a part of us that longs to see them get what they deserve. In Isaiah 3:10-26, God warns the people of Judah that they were guilty, and there was no way they were going to get away with it. Judgment was coming. Payback was on its way. God was going to mete out justice in the form of His righteous judgment. From the lowest peasant to the highest ruler in the land, all would feel the wrath of His holy indignation. Why? Because they had failed to follow His rules and keep His commands. The leaders had misled the people, even failing to care for the poor and needy. They had failed to show justice. They had taken advantage of the weak and the fatherless. They had abused the widows, forcing them to cry out to God for justice. And the people had become fat and happy, materialistic and addicted to their own sinful passions and desires. And God had had enough.

Ep 750 – Isaiah 3:1-9 Jan 05, 2019

Whether we want to admit it or not, we all struggle with misplaced trust. Especially when it comes to God. We say we believe in Him and we claim to trust Him, but there are so many times when we place our trust in something or someone other than him. We end up relying on ourselves or some other human being. We place our hope in our financial status or our capacity for hard work. We depend upon our own intelligence or that of someone we respect and of whom we seek counsel. But in Isaiah 3:1-9, God is going to warn the people of Judah that their misplaced trust was going to have drastic consequences. Their propensity to turn their back on God and turn to other forms of salvation was going to eventually blow up in their face. Their many false gods were going to be exposed for what they were: The fabrication of man’s imaginations and hands. And even the leaders the people of Judah had come to trust would be revealed as lousy replacements for God. When we forsake God and replace Him with gods of our own making, we will always end up disappointed and disillusioned.

Ep 749 – Isaiah 2:6-21 Jan 04, 2019

There is a day coming. That warning is repeated throughout the book of Isaiah, and in Isaiah 2:6-22, God warns of a future day when He will deal with the sins of mankind in a universal manner that causes every single pride-filled, sin-prone human being to hide in fear of His wrath. The book of Isaiah is prophetic in nature, and reveals to the people of Judah what God is going to do, both in the near-term and far-distant future. When we read this book, we have to carefully assess what has taken place and what remains yet unfulfilled. While a book of history, Isaiah also provides a prophetic glimpse into the future of not only Judah, but the entire world. God has a much larger plan in place than the people of Judah can even imagine. They are His people and He is concerned with their fate, but He is also concerned with the coming of His Servant, the Messiah, and the future redemption of the world. For the people of Judah, it was going to be easy to focus on their present circumstances, but God wanted them to have a future-orientation that was focused on His sovereignty.

Ep 748 – Isaiah 2:1-5 Jan 03, 2019

The Bible talks a lot about light and darkness. They represent the two extremes of spiritual reality in the world. God is light. He is the illuminating and enlightening agent of righteousness. While Satan represents the realm of spiritual darkness and moral depravity. In the Bible we are given a vision of this world as cloaked in a foreboding mist of darkness, caused by the presence of sin. The fall of Adam and Eve left their descendants with the curse of inherited sin and the death sentence that comes with it. But God, by choosing Abraham and promising to make of him a great nation, shed His light in the darkness of the world. He called the people of Israel to be His chosen possession and to illustrate what it meant for men to enjoy a right relationship with a holy God. That is why He set them apart and give them His law. It is why He provided them with their own land and demanded that they cleanse it of all spiritual impurity. But, the people of Israel failed to remain faithful to God. And their disobedience brought His displeasure and discipline. But He still longs to shine His light on them. And in Isaiah 2:1-5, He reminds them that one day, He will.

Ep 747 – Isaiah 1:21-31 Jan 02, 2019

Isaiah was a prophet, and like all the other prophets of God, he had a fairly simple message to deliver: Repent. If you boil down all that he had to say to the people of Judah, this was the core message he was trying to get across. He simply wanted them to return to God, in repentance, humility and dependence. And as Isaiah 1:21-31 will make painfully clear, God had some strong accusations against His people. They were guilty of some serious stuff, and God was not afraid to spell out their crimes in graphic terms. But one of the things we will see as we work our way through this book is just how stubborn fallen men and women can be. Granted, these were the chosen people of God, and they enjoyed a special relationship with Him that no other people group on the earth could claim. But like a father with rebellious teenagers for children, God was fed up with the actions and attitudes. He was calling them out and demanding that they repent or face the consequences.

Ep 746 – Isaiah 1:1-20 Jan 01, 2019

Today’s episode is the first in a new series on the Old Testament book of Isaiah. It is considered a book of prophecy and the author’s name, as the book’s title suggests, was Isaiah. Isaiah lived in the city of Jerusalem and was called by God to carry a message to the people of Judah concerning their future fate. He would outlive four of the kings of Judah and spend a large portion of his life attempting to persuade the rebellious people of Judah to repent and return to God. But his message would, for the most part, fall on deaf ears. God had even warned Isaiah that his ministry would prove fruitless, because the people were far too stubborn to heed what he had to say. While this book provides us with a historical narrative concerning the people of Judah, it is far from ancient history. In fact, because of its prophetic nature, there are aspects of the book of Isaiah that reveal future events that were to take place long after Isaiah was gone. And much of the message contained in the book remains yet to be fulfilled. At the core, this is a book of theology that covers such vital topics as God, man, sin, and redemption. Despite its age, this book carries a timeless and practical message for the people of God in all ages. And it should provide ample proof of God’s love, power, faithfulness and sovereignty. Today, we open with Isaiah 1:1-20. Hope you enjoy it.

Ep 745 – Number 36 Dec 31, 2018

The final chapter of the of Numbers is not quite what one might expect. Chapter 36 introduces us to five daughters of a man named Zelophehad. He had a problem. No, it wasn’t that his name was difficult to pronounce. It was that he was dead. And he had died without a male heir. So, according the Mosaic Law, his unmarried daughters would inherit his land. But some of the other Israelites expressed their concern over this plan. They raised the question: What if one of these daughters were to marry a man from another tribe? Then the land would become his and the inheritance of Zelphehad would be lostThey brought their issue to Moses, who then sought the counsel of God. And what we see is God implementing a solution that had an immediate impact and long-term implications. He instituted a plan that kept the inheritance of Zelophehad within his immediate family and that required his daughters to adopt a long-term, corporate mentality that was designed to meet the concerns of the entire community of Israel.

Ep 744 – Numbers 35 Dec 30, 2018

We all make mistakes. And sometimes our mistakes have costly consequences. But I think it’s safe to say that there is probably no mistake more costly than involuntary manslaughter – the accidental taking of another human being’s life. That’s something for which a simple, “I’m sorry” doesn’t seem quite adequate. And in the Numbers 35, we have God establishing a plan for dealing for just such an occasion. He ordered the Israelites to establish six cities of refuge, located throughout the land of Canaan, and occupied by members of the tribe of Levi. These cities were intended to act as sanctuary cities, where anyone who accidently and inadvertently committed murder could run for refuge. God had also established another important policy associated with murder, that allowed the blood relatives of a murder victim to seek revenge on the one who took the individual’s life. But to prevent the blood avenger from taking the life of an innocent person, the cities of refuge were established. And believe it or not, all of this has a lot of application for us today.

Ep 743 – Numbers 33-34 Dec 29, 2018

The people of Israel are poised on the edge of the promised land. The time has come for them to cross the border and take what was rightfully theirs. It had been given to them by God, but it remained just a promise as long as they stayed on the East side of the Jordan River. They were going to have go cross over and start the formidable task of ridding the land of its inhabitants and all vestiges of their pagan religions and false gods. This wasn’t so much about conquering as it was about cleansing. The land had been polluted and poisoned by centuries of occupation by people groups that worshiped everything from the sun, moon and stars to a litany of fabricated deities whose temples, shrines and high places dotted the landscape. In Numbers 33-34, God is going to give the people of Israel one final marching order before they cross over the Jordan River and begin their conquest of the land. And it would not prove to be an easy order to follow. Before they could occupy the land, they were going to have to purify it. And according to God’s plan, not their own. There was no room for compromise.

Ep 742 – Numbers 32 Dec 28, 2018

Sin, like nuclear fuel, has a half-life. Its impact doesn’t really ever go away. Its shelf life is measured in years, not minutes. And while sin’s impact may be invisible, it is far from inconsequential. When you least expect it, the ramifications of sin can appear out of nowhere, which has led to the oft-repeated warning: Be sure your sins will find you out. But did you realize that this popular parenting tip is from the Bible? It’s found In Numbers 32 and the context for its original implementation might surprise you. As the people of Israel were preparing to enter the promised land, the two tribes of Reuben and Gad approached Moses with a request that they be allowed to settle outside the borders of the land of Canaan. They had spied some lush pastureland on the eastern side of the border and wanted to settle their families and flocks there. And while Moses eventually agreed to their seemingly innocent request, time would reveal that their motivation was anything but innocent.

Ep 741 – Numbers 30-31 Dec 27, 2018

Sometimes, when reading the history of the people of Israel as recorded in the Old Testament, we arrive at a passage like that found in Numbers 30-31, and it makes us uncomfortable. In these two chapters we have God command that the people of Israel completely wipe out the Midianites. In essence, He orders them to commit genocide. And this image of God is not an easy one to reconcile. We see this portrayal of God as unattractive and, therefore, inaccurate. This can’t be the same God who sent His own Son to die for sinful man. After all, doesn’t the Bible say that God so loved the world, that He gave His one and only Son as an expression of that love? Yes, it does. But the Bible also tells us that God hates sin and, because of His holiness and righteousness, He must deal with sin. And while we might see God’s actions as somehow unfair or unjust, the real issue here is that of trust. Will we listen to what God is saying and do what He is commanding, because He knows best? It’s a matter of faith, not fairness. It’s a matter of trust, not trying to put God on trial for His actions.

Ep 740 – Numbers 29 Dec 26, 2018

The Old Testament sacrificial was costly. Not only did it cost the life of the animal that was used as a substitute or stand-in for the guilty sinner, it cost the one making the sacrifice. As required by God, each Israelite had to offer a sacrifice for their sins, and the sheep, goat or bull they brought would have had great financial value. There was a monetary price to be paid. But it was far less costly than the penalty God had placed on man’s sin: The penalty of death. When we read through Numbers 29, we are reminded that the sheer number of Israelites meant that the annual cost to the nation, in terms of livestock, was significant. And these animals were not the lame, the sick and the old. They were the best of the best. They were required to be without flaw and in excellent health. And once they were sacrificed, their value disappeared with their last breath. But what a picture this paints of the costliness of sin. And what a vivid reminder it provides of Christ’s priceless death on man’s behalf.

Ep 739 – Numbers 27-28 Dec 25, 2018

Unlike Phinehas, Moses is a household name. And this Old Testament character, who wrote the book of Numbers under the influence of the Holy Spirit, is someone with whom virtually everyone is familiar. His exploits in Egypt on behalf of the people of Israel are well-known. His four decades of leadership of the people of Israel are well-documented in the Word of God. But one of the less familiar and least understood aspects of his life’s story is his barring from entrance into the promised land by God. In Numbers 27-28, we are given a glimpse into this part of Moses’ storied life. And what we get to see is a man who was a consummate shepherd – all the way to the end – and in spite of the incredibly disappointing news that he would never step foot into the land he longed to see. This is a difficult story to understand. But the one thing that stands out is the shepherd’s heart of Moses. He never let his disappointment keep him from completing his divine assignment. He led well – all the way to the end.

Ep 738 – Numbers 25-26 Dec 24, 2018

Phinehas, not exactly a household name. But it’s a name that carries a great deal of significance with God. In chapters 24-25 of the book of Numbers, we are introduced to Phinehas and a pinnacle moment in the history of the people of Israel. They have returned to the border of the land of promise after a lengthy hiatus that left them wandering in the wilderness for 40 years – all because they had refused to enter the land the first time they had come to this place. News of giants in the land had caused them to fear and led them to doubt God’s promise that He would give them victory over their enemies. Now, four decades later, the people of Israel had another problem. This time, it wasn’t larger-than-life enemies, it was apostasy. The men of Israel had chosen to have sexual relations with the women of Moab and to worship their false god: Baal. As a result, God demanded that Moses and the leaders of Israel put to death all those who were guilty of apostasy and immorality. But it will be the actions of Phinehas that will earn the praise of God.

Ep 737 – Numbers 24 Dec 23, 2018

Can God be trusted? While we know the answer to this question should be a resounding, “Yes,” we must admit that there are times when we find it difficult, if not impossible, to trust God. We can easily find ourselves in situations where He seems unavailable or, at best, disinterested in our condition. But Numbers 24 provides us with a much-needed reminder that our God is always in control and always fully aware of what is going on in and around our lives. Even when we are oblivious to the invisible dangers surrounding us, nothing escapes God’s notice. He is faithful to protect us from both seen and unseen dangers. And He is faithful to keep each and every promise He has made to us. God had chosen Israel as His very own possession and, while they had proven themselves incapable of remaining faithful to Him, He would not abandon them. And when the enemies of Israel were busy making plans for their demise, God was actively interceding on their behalf – keeping His commitment to bless them.

Ep 736 – Numbers 22-23 Dec 22, 2018

It is Proverbs 14:12 that reads: “There is a path before each person that seems right, but it ends in death.” In other words, each of us has choices we face each and every day of our lives. We can do things our way or submit to God and do it His way. And, in Numbers 22-23, we get introduced to a man named Balaam, who was severely tempted to ignore the will of God and follow his own selfish desire for financial reward. In fact, Balaam became so blinded by his greed, that he couldn’t see the danger of his situation. God had clearly warned him, and had told what he could and could not do. But Balaam was strongly influenced by the offer of material gain. And, in one of those strange and quirky scenes found in Scripture, Balaam gets a much-needed lesson from the mouth of a donkey. God miraculously used a dumb animal to speak truth to an ignorant and money-hungry man. The apostle Peter used this story to warn his readers about the “way of Balaam,” the temptation to allow our greed to disregard the revealed will of God.

Ep 735 – Numbers 20-21 Dec 21, 2018

Been there. Done that. Sometimes, the Christian life can feel a bit repetitive, as if you’re going through the same lessons over and over again. It can begin to appear as if you’re in some kind of remedial school for slow learners, repeating the same lessons, all in hopes that you might one day learn whatever it is that God is trying to teach you. And in Numbers 20-21, the people of Israel were going to revisit a lesson they should have learned years earlier, at a place called Meribah. For the Israelites, their recurring lesson had to do with God’s provision and their tendency to complain. In spite of all that God had done for them, they found it easy to fall back into a pattern of ungratefulness and discontentment. And it usually stemmed from their unwillingness to trust God. Even Moses would find himself doubting the word of God and reacting in anger at the circumstances of life. And he would pay dearly for it. When we choose to disbelieve God, we tend to disobey God. And the results can be deadly serious.

Ep 734 – Numbers 19 Dec 20, 2018

The book of Numbers is full of references to sin and the need for cleansing. That was what the entire sacrificial system was all about. And in Numbers 19, God outlines a very specific kind of cleansing required for anyone who had become defiled by contact with a dead body. And, as is true of just about every single aspect of the Old Testament sacrificial system, this rite was intended to point toward an even more important cleansing that would become available when God sent His Son to die for the sins of mankind. He gave His life by dying in the place of sinful human beings, providing a cleansing from the contamination of death we inherited from Adam. And, unlike the sacrifices made in the tabernacle in the wilderness, Jesus Christ’s sacrifice was offered once and never had to be repeated. His purification of our impurity was permanent, not temporary. His sacrificial death was effective, making it possible for all who place their faith in Him to receive permanent cleansing from sin and release from the penalty of death they deserved.

Ep 733 – Numbers 17-18 Dec 19, 2018

Why is it that we can fail to recognize the hand of God in our lives, but still blame Him for everything that goes wrong in our lives? It’s so easy to miss His blessings and yet hold Him responsible for the seeming curses that come our way. And in Numbers 17-18, we will see God providing a somewhat strange visual lesson designed to put an end to the bickering of the Israelites. If you recall, in chapter 16, God dealt severely with a rebellion among the people of Israel that had instigated by a man named, Korah. He had stirred up trouble, accusing Moses and Aaron of setting themselves up as somehow more holy than everybody else. Korah claimed that every single Israelite was holy before God, and there was no reason for Moses, Aaron or the Levites to set themselves apart as any more special than anybody else. But Korah and his fellow conspirators had to pay for their attempted coup with their lives. And in chapter 17, God gives Moses instructions to ensure that there would no more questions concerning whom God had set apart as holy and as His special instruments.

Ep 732 – Numbers 16 Dec 18, 2018

There’s one in every group. That individual who just can’t seem to be satisfied with the way thing are. He or she takes it upon themselves to stand up to the injustices they see taking place around them. And it’s usually because they feel slighted in some way. But if they can make it a group problem, they’ll be more effective in bringing about the changes they’re looking for. And, in Numbers 16, we have just such a situation laid out for us. It involves a man named Korah, who has decided that he doesn’t like the way things are going in the camp of Israel. As a Kohathite, he had been set aside by God to help care for the tabernacle and everything associated with it. His clan was responsible for moving the sacred objects from one camp to another. But he wanted more. He was dissatisfied with God’s organizational structure and decided to make his grievances known. He began to spread his dissatisfaction among the people of Israel, causing an unnecessary degree of animosity toward Moses. But God was unwilling to tolerate Korah’s rebellion. He knew that one bad apple could end up destroying the whole barrel.

Ep 731 – Number 14-15 Dec 17, 2018

There are two words that no follower of God should ever say: God can’t. And yet, whether we express those words audibly or not, we allow them to creep into our subconscience and contaminate our outlook on God. The next thing that happens is a subtle, but spreading sense of panic. We begin to play the what-if game, wondering just what terrible outcomes lie in store for us because our God is too weak to handle our problems. In Numbers 14-15, that’s exactly the scenario we will see lived out in the lives of the people of Israel. They have already decided to listen to the majority report of the spies and refuse to enter the land of promise. They begin to let their minds get away from them, as they play out all the worst-case scenarios that could happen. It is not a pretty picture. And it is not an isolated one. The truth is, we do the same thing virtually every day of our lives. We start to doubt God, and the next thing we know, we’re making a mountain out of a mole hill.

Ep 730 – Numbers 12-13 Dec 16, 2018

Faith is a well-worn topic among most Christians. We talk about it constantly. But the problem seems to be that most of us struggle with exhibiting it in our own lives. We put a much higher stock in the facts. We take a look around us and determine that things are too difficult for God. We see our problems as insurmountable and our enemies as unconquerable. The Israelites had the same problem. As they stood on the edge of the very land God had promised to give them, they heard the reports of the 12 spies and started to get cold feet. There were giants in the land. The armies were large and formidable. The cities were well fortified and their walls insurmountable. In Numbers 12-13, we have the well-known story of the 12 men who spied out the land of promise and came back with good news and bad news. It was fruitful, but it was also filled with powerful enemies. And the people of God decided to listen to the facts and set aside their faith in God. And that decision would have long-lasting and deadly consequences for them.

Ep 729 – Numbers 10-11 Dec 15, 2018

t is one thing to share with God what it is you think you desire. But it is another thing altogether to demand of God what you believe you can’t live without. It is a sign of ingratitude and a lack of belief in God’s providence and wisdom. Yet, we do it all the time. And so did the Israelites. And in Numbers 10-11, we get an up-close and personal glimpse into their demand for more from God. He had miraculously provided them with manna. But they decided what He had given them was not enough. They wanted more. They had unmet appetites that were forcing them to voice their dissatisfaction with God and His provision. And that is a dangerous game to play. Rejecting God is risky business. Demanding more from our already generous and gracious God is not a tactic that ends well. Telling God you’re unhappy with His provision never ends well. And the Israelites were about to learn that lesson the hard way.

Ep 728 – Numbers 9 Dec 14, 2018

What does God want me to do? That’s a legitimate question that each of us has asked ourselves at some point in time. And in Numbers 9, we are going to see the Israelites having to react to the will of God when He let them know it was time to pack up and move out. God had let them know that He would lead them through the wilderness, all the way to the land of promise. He appeared to them in a pillar of cloud by day, and a pillar of fire by night. And when either one of the pillars moved from its place over the tabernacle, it was time for the Israelites to follow. They didn’t get a vote. They weren’t asked if it was convenient or fit into their schedule. When God said, “move,” they were to jump. It was all about obedience, and trusting that God knew what was best for them. Yet, the uncertainty associated with this kind of arrangement had to have left them frustrated at times. But that’s where trust was to come in. God knew best. He had a plan and was working it to perfection. All they had to do was follow.

Ep 727 – Numbers 8 Dec 13, 2018

The idea of substitutionary atonement is not new. Jesus Christ dying on the cross in the place of sinful mankind was not a novel idea that God came up with at the last minute. All throughout the book of Numbers, we see God allowing animals to stand in as substitutes for sinful men and women, sacrificing their lives so that atonement can be offered. And in Numbers 8, God continues to stress the role of the Levites who, as a tribe, were designated by God to be His substitutes, taking the place of the firstborns of Israel, each of whom had been claimed by God because of His sparing of them on the night of the first Passover, all those years ago in Egypt. They would be a foreshadowing of a greater substitute to come: Jesus Christ, who would offer His life as an atonement for many. He died so that men might live. He paid the penalty owed for mankind’s sin with His own life. The innocent died for the guilty. The sinless for the sinful.

Ep 726 – Numbers 7 Dec 12, 2018

Sometimes, within the body of Christ, we end up with a hierarchical structure that wasn’t necessarily intended by God. Yes, there are designated roles and responsibilities with God’s church, but that doesn’t mean that some are more important than others. It is a matter of responsibility and calling. And in Number 7, we are going to see how the people of Israel understood that they had a role to play in the everyday affairs of caring for the tabernacle. While the Levites were the ones responsible for the care and transportation of the tabernacle and its contents, the rest of the Israelites showed that they wanted to play a part as well. So, they provided the Levites with a gift of six carts and 12 oxen. This appears to be a freewill gift, unsolicited by God. But it shows that they understood that the tabernacle belonged to them as much as it did to the Levites. They benefited from it, so they wanted to give towards its care. And their gift was highly practical, making the job of the Levites much easier than it had been.

Ep 725 – Numbers 5-6 Dec 11, 2018

We know the Bible talks a lot about sin. But why? Because sin is an aberration. It was not what God intended when He made the world. That’s not to say that the entrance of sin into the world caught God by surprise. In fact, He had already made provision for it. He had determined before He had even created the world that He would send His Son to die for the sins of mankind. Sin was inevitable. Because man was given a choice as to whether He would worship God, he was free to choose a different path. And he did. The result was sin and the wages for sin is death. And in Numbers 5-6, God provides the people of Israel with some rather strange commands regarding the treatment of lepers, the diseased, and the adulterous. While God’s prescriptions for dealing with these things may sound harsh to our ears, they were meant to teach His people that He takes sin and its varied consequences quite seriously. Disease is nothing more than a sad byproduct of sin. So is death. Which is why God wants us to take sin seriously.

Ep 724 – Numbers 4 Dec 10, 2018

Have you ever thought about the fact that God gave the people of Israel the tabernacle, a fairly detailed and intricate structure, that they had to transport all over the wilderness for almost four decades. I’ve had to move a few times in my life, but none of my relocations come anywhere near the sheer size and level of sophistication the relocation of the tabernacle required. Not only was there a lot of pieces to pack and carry, they were all considered holy by God. In fact, there were some items that only the priests could pack, because if anyone else even looked at them, they would die. But each and every time God determined it was time to move, the Israelites were obligated to pack up the tabernacle, according to God’s very detailed instructions, and set out. And because He expected His people to treat His tabernacle with reverence, He established a protocol that ensured they did so. God was serious about holiness, and He made sure that His people were too.

Ep 723 – Numbers 2-3 Dec 09, 2018

Sometimes, we read the books of the Old Testament and assume they have nothing to with us. They are just ancient history, chronicling the exploits of the people of Israel as they stumbled their way through the wilderness on the way to the land of promise. But if we look closely, we will see so many lessons that apply to us, right here, right now. And in Numbers 2-3 we get a wonderful preview of God’s incredible plan for our redemption. In these two chapters we are introduced to the substitutionary role the Levites played in the lives of the Israelites. They took the place of the firstborns, serving in their place and fulfilling God’s claim that these individuals belonged to Him. As we’ll see, God had a right to expect the firstborn males of each family to serve Him alone. But rather than requiring their undistracted service to Him, He called on the tribe of Levi to act as substitutes or stand-ins. The Levites gave their lives so that others might live. Just as Jesus Christ has don for us.

Ep 722 – Numbers 1 Dec 08, 2018

This episode launches our new study in the book of Numbers. This book is part of what is called the Pentateuch, a section of the Bible that also includes, Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus and Deuteronomy. The word Pentateuch is from the Greek and simply means “five books.” These books are actually considered one book written by one author, Moses, and are referred to as the Torah by the Jews. They also go by the names, “The Law of Moses,” the “Book of the Law of Moses,” and “The Book of Moses.” The name of this book, Numbers, is derived from a translation of the Greek Septuagint title, Arithmoi. This name was chosen because of the two numberings or censuses commanded by God in the book. As the book opens up, we will see God providing Moses with instructions for the first of these two numberings, in order that the people might be organized for battle. The closer the people got to the land of Canaan, there was a growing need for structure and order. They would need to know how many men they had who could fight. God had a plan, and they would play an important role in it. But first, they would have to be organized and under strong leadership.

Ep 721 – Leviticus 26-27 Dec 07, 2018

In chapters 26-27 of the book of Leviticus, God gives the Israelites one last set of instructions. And they have to do with the making of vows. This particular issue doesn’t seem to be one that we struggle with – at least on the surface. But it really has to do with the commitments we make to God. Each of us has probably had a time in our lives where we told God we would do something if He would only help us out of a predicament. It goes something like this: God, if you’ll only help me out of this situation, I’ll read my Bible every day for a year. When the desired rescue takes place, we are usually grateful and may even intend to keep our commitment to God. But in time, we find that our fervor fades and our determination to keep our word slowly ebbs away. It seems that God would have us understand that He takes our vows seriously, even if we don’t. He wants us to be people of integrity, especially when it involves commitments made to Him. So, He provides His people with an escape clause.

Ep 720 – Leviticus 25 Dec 06, 2018

The Sabbatical Year and the Year of Jubilee. These two events on the Hebrew calendar are not exactly familiar to us. And it would be easy to assume that neither one of them has any application to our lives as modern Christians. But that assumption would be wrong. The truth is, like so many of the other commands given by God to the people of Israel, these two events provide us with some valuable lessons about dependence upon God. The Israelites were God’s chosen people and, as such, they were to look to Him for all their needs. He was not only their source for forgiveness from sin, He was the provider of all their needs. And yet, how easy it is to forget that God is our sole source of sustenance. So, these two recurring events were intended by God to remind the people of Israel that He was their provider and protector. He would meet all their needs. But they would have to learn to rest in and rely upon Him.

Ep 719 – Leviticus 23-24 Dec 05, 2018

The Feast of Pentecost is just one of the many feasts God ordained and gave to the people of Israel to keep in perpetuity. But of all the feasts, this one has a special significance that carries over to us as Gentile believers in Jesus Christ. On this one day of the year, the Jews were allowed to bake bread containing leaven or yeast and use it as part of their sacrifice to God. For the Jews, leaven was a symbol for sin. Its ability to spread through a lump of dough was an illustration of sin’s pervasive and permeating power. At the Feast of Passover, they were to remove all remnants of leaven from their home, essentially modeling their desire to remove sin from their lives. But on the Feast of Pentecost, they were commanded to bake bread with yeast and present it to God as a wave offering. There is so much symbolism in this passage and it points to a future date when the Holy Spirit would come upon the apostles and the church would begin. From that day forward, the body of Christ, the church would be made up of a surprising blend of Jews and Gentiles.

Ep 718 – Leviticus 22 Dec 04, 2018

Leviticus 22 appears to be more of the same. At first glance, it can appear as if God is in a rut, saying the same thing over and over again. But if we look closely and listen carefully, we will see that He is actually driving home a point that is all-too-easily overlooked by the people of God. If we’re not careful the concept of holiness can lose its significance. What God has deemed of great importance, we can end up treating as optional or of minimal importance. Too often, we define holiness on our terms, rather than God’s. We determine the least amount of effort required to keep God happy with us, but it usually doesn’t reflect God’s outlook. And in doing so, our lives become an unacceptable sacrifice to God. We go through the motions. We perform the expected duties and live up to the usual list of dos and don’ts. And all the while our hearts are far from Him. This complacent, minimalist approach to our own spirituality ends up giving our witness a poor reputation and God a bad name.

Ep 717 – Leviticus 20-21 Dec 03, 2018

Holiness or sinfulness. As the people of God, we don’t get to choose one over the other. Of course, we can and do sin. But from God’s perspective, sin is not an option for the child of God. We have been called to be holy as He is holy. Our lives are to be distinctively different than those who do not belong to God. And in Leviticus 20-21, we will see God continuing His call that His people live holy lives. But He qualifies and clarifies that call with the statement, “I am the God who makes you holy.” In other words, our holiness is something He accomplishes in us. But it requires our obedience to His will. We must strive to keep His commands. The life He has called us to is one of radical distinctiveness. It is intended to set us apart from the rest of the world. But, like the people of Israel, we can find it so easy to compromise our convictions, downplay God’s calling, and blend in with the world. We would rather fit in than stand out.

Ep 716 – Leviticus 19 Dec 02, 2018

Be holy. That’s a command and it comes from God. But, not only that, it comes with a qualification: We are to be holy as He is holy. Sound impossible? It is. But in Leviticus 19, God will tell the entire community of Israel, “You must be holy because I, the Lord your God, am holy.” He was to be their standard. And His rules and regulations regarding holiness were to be their guide to living holy, set-apart lives to Him. But this is about far more than religious rule-keeping and behavior modification. What God is interested in is heart change. He wanted His people to be different on the inside, not just the outside. In fact, Jesus would tell His disciples that it was not what goes into the body that defiles them, but what comes out of it – in the form of impure thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, lying and slander. These are what defile us and make us unholy. So, when God calls His people to be holy as He is holy, He is talking about far more than keeping a list of dos and don’ts. He is calling us to reflect His character – from the inside-out.

Ep 715 – Leviticus 17-18 Dec 01, 2018

In chapters 17-18 of Leviticus there is a great deal of emphasis placed on the significance of blood in the sacrificial system. Blood was integral to the whole program, because it was the shed blood of innocent and unblemished animals that made possible atonement. For the Jews, blood was to represent life, not just physical life, but spiritual life. The shedding of blood is what made it possible for sinful men to restore their relationship with a holy God. And God did not want them to take this matter lightly. So, He placed some strong conditions on their attitude toward blood. For one thing, they were not to consume the blood of animals. They were to completely drain the blood from any slaughtered animal before they ate it. This would help ensure that their attitude toward the blood remained pure and holy. As always, God was setting the people of Israel apart from the rest of the nations. He was placing on them restrictions that did not apply to anyone else. All so that they might enjoy their status as His chosen people.

Ep 714 – Leviticus 15-16 Nov 30, 2018

Chapters 15 and 16 of Leviticus contain an interesting juxtaposition. One has to do with impurity and uncleanness, while the other speaks of atonement, the forgiveness for sin made possible by God through the sacrificial system. Sin was an ever-present reality in the life of the people of Israel. They were the people of God, having been separated by Him from the rest of the world for His use. In other words, they were holy in His eyes. They belonged to Him. But sin had a way of getting in the way of their relationship with God. It made them unclean and unholy and, therefore, unable to come into His presence. Sin made them unacceptable and, in their impure state, they found God unapproachable. But God had made provision for this problem. He had created the Day of Atonement, a single day on the calendar when the people of God could have their sins cleansed for by God. But it required that they humble their souls, bowing down before Him in recognition of their sinful condition and their need for His cleansing.

Ep 713 – Leviticus 13-14 Nov 29, 2018

Leprosy. Not exactly something we worry about today. But in the book of Leviticus, chapters 13-14, God spends a great deal of time warning the people of Israel about the dangers of this deadly disease and providing very detailed instructions regarding how to spot it in their midst and deal with it. While we don’t have to worry about leprosy in our day and age, there are some valuable lessons we can take away from these two chapters. The threat of leprosy was an ever-present reality for the people of Israel. And it was a non-discriminatory disease. Anyone could get it, whether they were rich or poor. Which sounds a lot like sin. Except that sin infects each and every human being. It is the equal-opportunity spiritual disease of the soul. And just as the people of Israel were to take leprosy seriously, so we should take sin seriously. Leprosy was a threat to the whole corporate community. It was dangerous and deadly. So is sin. And while the symptoms of sin are not always as evident as leprosy, it is not to be taken lightly.

Ep 712 – Leviticus 12 Nov 28, 2018

Holy. Unholy. Clean. Unclean. Pure. Impure. The book of Leviticus is full of these contradictory concepts. The whole sacrificial system was designed to take those who were separated from God because of their impurity and provide a means by which their sins could be atoned for and their relationship with God restored. The impure had to be made pure. The unholy, separated from God because of their sin, had to be cleansed so they could once more be separated to God for His use. Purification from sin is a constant theme in the book and, in Leviticus 12, we see that even a woman who delivered a child was required to go through purification because of her contact with the blood of childbirth. And her male child could not be circumcised until she did. God takes purification from sin seriously. He places a high priority on holiness. And His greatest desire is that His people stand before Him as pure and spotless. Which is why He sent His Son to die on our behalf.

Ep 711 – Leviticus 10-11 Nov 27, 2018

Any time we read of God striking someone dead, we get a bit uncomfortable. It seems to go against our modern sensibilities and our preferred image of God as all-loving and all-forgiving. But we tend to forget that He is holy and has a strong hatred for sin. All sin is an act of rebellion against Him. Sin is not simply a mistake we make, but a willful choice on our part to disobey God. It is to live our lives counter to His commands and in keeping with our own self-centered agendas. We sin because we tend to think we know what is best. We do what we feel like doing. We willingly fulfill our desires, in direct violation of God’s commands, just because it feels good. And in Leviticus 10-11, we are going to see two priests who make the same mistake and lose their lives because of it. God doesn’t threaten to physically kill us when we sin, but our sin always results in death. Sin kills our joy. It robs us of our intimacy with God. It destroys our witness and brings God’s discipline. But the amazing thing is, that if we will simply confess our sin, He is faithful and just to forgive us. Just like that.

Ep 710 – Leviticus 8-9 Nov 26, 2018

Have you ever wondered what it must have been like for Moses or Aaron to see the glory of God? For most of us, that kind of experience seems far-fetched and unachievable. In fact, few of us ever anticipate going through anything remotely like what those two men experienced. And yet, in Leviticus 8-9, we are going to see the entire nation of Israel see the glory of God. Why? Because they did what He had commanded them to do. As a result of their faithful obedience to His commands regarding the sacrifices, He appeared before them in all His glory, just as He had promised to do. This wasn’t business-as-usual. What they experienced that day was out-of-the-ordinary and mind-boggling. In fact, it left them shouting with joy and falling down on their faces in reverence to God. This was like nothing they had ever experienced before. And it happened because they had been obedient. They had offered their sacrifices just as God had commanded. And He showed up in all His glory.

Ep 709 – Leviticus 6-7 Nov 25, 2018

God knows how to share. He is far from a selfish or self-centered God. And the gracious gift of His Son should be ample proof of this fact. Paul reminds us in his letter to the Romans, “Since he did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won't he also give us everything else?” In today’s passage from Leviticus 6-7, we see that God has always been a gracious and generous God, even allowing His people to share in the bounty of the peace offerings made to Him. Each and every peace offering given to God was to be shared by those who gave it. They could enjoy the very meat of the sacrifice they made, as long as they did it according to God’s terms. There were stipulations attached. And if these requirements were violated, the original value of the offering was negated. It became unacceptable to God. God, in His generosity, was allowing His people to join Him in the enjoyment of the sacrifice. He enjoyed the pleasing aroma of the burnt offering, while they enjoyed the meat that was left over. Their willingness to make this voluntary offering to God was met with God’s gracious willingness to share it with them.

Ep 708 – Leviticus 5 Nov 24, 2018

“Guilty as charged.” We’re all familiar with this statement. It’s typically spoken by a judge to an accused criminal, who stands in the courtroom awaiting the official declaration of his fate. And when those words are heard, the matter is settled. The accused becomes the condemned. The assumed innocence of the accused has been replaced with a sentence of guilt, and the guilt demands justice be served. A crime has been committed and restitution must be made. In the book of Leviticus, there are countless references to man’s guilt before God. Mankind has been marred by sin and each and every human being carries a predisposition towards sin that causes them to disobey God’s commands and leaves him standing before God guilty as charged. And while we can choose to deny our sin and ignore our guilt. God cannot and will not. Which is why He gave the people of Israel the sacrificial system. He provided a means by which their sins could be atoned. He made forgiveness possible. But first, guilt must be acknowledged and sins must be confessed.

Ep 707 – Levitcus 3-4 Nov 23, 2018

In chapters 2-3 of Leviticus, we run into a strange litany of disturbing images describing the sacrifices required by God in order for the people of Israel to experience forgiveness for their sins. These pages are filled with vivid details of the various offerings the Israelites were required to make in order to maintain a right relationship with God. There are peace offerings and sin offerings, involving the blood sacrifice of innocent and unblemished animals. And all of it seems so strange to our modern sensibilities. And yet, if we can manage to slog our way through all the graphic imagery, we will find ourselves exposed to the themes of God’s holiness and man’s sinfulness. Repeatedly, we read that the Israelites were to present their offerings “before the Lord.” These sacrifices were to be presented to the Most Holy One, as a pleasing aroma to Him. As the Israelites obeyed the commands of God concerning the sacrifices, they would be worshiping and honoring Him for who He is: The Holy God of Israel.

Ep 706 – Leviticus 1-2 Nov 22, 2018

The book of Leviticus is actually the third section of the Hebrew Torah or Law. It is a continuation of the book of Exodus and contains requirements of the Mosaic Covenant that relate to the Levites, the tribe that had been set apart by God to serve as priests for the people of Israel. Essentially, the entire book has to do with God’s commands concerning the proper worship of Himself. While primarily addressing the role of the priests, Leviticus reveals God’s expectations regarding the tabernacle, the sacrificial system, and the part the laity were to play in the whole religious life of the nation of Israel. Two of the key themes found throughout the book are those of holiness and unholiness. The book intends to show how Israel was to fulfill its covenant responsibility to be a kingdom of priests and a holy nation to the Lord. And while the content of the book speaks of a different dispensation than the one in which we live, it reminds us of God’s desire that His people, no matter the time period in which they live, live lives that are set apart and distinct from all those around them.

Ep 705 – Philippians 4:10-23 Nov 21, 2018

As Paul wraps up his letter to the believers in Philippi, he thanks them for a gift he had recently received from them, but he also lets them know he didn’t really need it. Philippians 4:10-23 presents an interesting and somewhat confusing reaction from Paul. He is grateful for the generosity of his friends in Philippi, but he reveals that their gift was unnecessary. It’s not that he didn’t have any physical needs. It’s that he was totally content with his circumstances because he was completely content with Christ. He lacked nothing. And as difficult as it is for us to comprehend that, it is exactly what Paul would have us believe and live out in our own lives. For the Christian, there is nothing in this life that we need, beyond Jesus. And, while we may nod in assent to that statement, our lives rarely reflect that we truly believe it. Yet for Paul, writing from house arrest in Rome, he was more than content with nothing more than Jesus.

Ep 704 – Philippians 4:1-9 Nov 20, 2018

The world is full of distractions. And, while not all of them are bad, they’re all capable of pulling the believer off course and into unchartered territory, where we quickly find ourselves struggling to maintain our faith and keep our focus. So, in Philippians 4:1-9, Paul provides us with more words of encouragement, designed to keep us from allowing the things of this world to distract us from our mission as ambassadors for Christ. Paul loved the analogy of the race. He used it repeatedly because it so well described the mindset a believer needs to have if they are going to make it through this marathon called life. If you’re going to make it to the finish line, you can’t allow the things of this life to lure you off course or tempt you to stop running altogether. And the worst thing you could do is allow the enemy to distract you with a detour that leads to a false finish line.

Ep 703 – Philippians 3:12-21 Nov 19, 2018

Are you satisfied with Christ? Be careful. It’s a trick question. On the one hand, we should be satisfied with Christ. He is all we need. He is more than enough. And Paul stressed the need for godly contentment. But he also warned of the danger of growing complacent or content with our current spiritual status. For Paul, there was such a thing as divine discontentment. And he refers to it in Philippians 3:12-21. It’s an attitude that is marked by a constant striving to know Christ better and to grow in our likeness to Him. When we come to know Christ, we receive the righteousness of Christ. But we don’t automatically receive the nature of Christ. We still retain our old sin nature and the propensity to live our old life styles. That is why Paul insists that we “put to death the sinful, earthly things lurking within you.” As long as we live on this planet, we will be faced with the constant need to grow more like Christ, and that will require a divine form of discontentment.

Ep 702 – Philippians 3:1-11 Nov 18, 2018

How well do you know Christ? For many Christians, we know Him well enough to know that we are going to heaven. But is that all He promised us? Is that the extent of what it means to know Him? For Paul, Christ was far more than a one-way ticket to heaven. Which is why, in Philippians 3:1-11, he stresses his desire to know Christ in an ever-increasing and ever-more intimate way. Paul knew Jesus as Savior, but he also wanted to know Him as Lord. He wanted to understand the power that came with a relationship with Christ. He wanted to experience the kind of suffering that Christ suffered. Not because he was a glutton for pain and punishment, but so that he could better experience God’s power in the midst of his own weakness. Paul wasn’t interested in knowing more about Christ. He wanted to know, intimately and personally, Christ Himself – on an ever-increasing basis.

Ep 701 – Philippians 2:19-30 Nov 17, 2018

There’s a shortage in the church today. And I don’t mean a financial shortfall. What we seem to be missing are godly young leaders who will help take the church into the next phase of its existence on this planet. It’s not that these men and women don’t exist, but that the church has done a less-than-stellar job of raising them up and preparing them for their future responsibilities. But, in Philippians 2:19-39, Paul was able to list the names of two young men who he knew were ready, willing and able to minister to the church long after he was gone. He knew, because he had helped to prepare them for their future roles. The church is always in need of godly leaders, but these kinds of individuals aren’t born, they’re made. It takes discipleship and the commitment of older men and women in the church who are willing to pour into the lives of the next generation. The church is only as strong as its leadership. But godly leaders don’t just happen.

Ep 700 – Philippians 2:12-18 Nov 16, 2018

We are in this together. As believers, we are not meant to be independent contractors, operating on our own and obsessed with our own individual relationships with God. We have been adopted into the family of God. We have brothers and sisters who we are intended to love and care for. And, because the body of Christ is a melting pot, made up of people from all walks of life and every conceivable background and personality type, we face a formidable challenge. Not all of us are lovely or loveable. We all bring our sin natures with us when we come to faith in Christ. And, while the penalty for our sin is taken care of, our propensity for sin remains. But we have the Holy Spirit to assist us. And Paul would have us recognize that our transformation into the likeness of Christ shows up best when we allow the Spirit of God to assist in loving the people of God. In Philippians 2:12-18, Paul will remind us we are to be lights shining in a dark world and our light shines brightest when we love one another.

Ep 699 – Philippians 1:27-2:11 Nov 15, 2018

What does it mean to have the mind of Christ? For Paul, it was to think like Christ thought and to live like Christ lived. It was to emulate the attitude that Christ displayed while He walked this earth: An attitude marked by humility, selflessness and obedience. We are not to use one another as our standard of holiness, but Jesus Christ Himself. And He set the bar high. He was sinless and perfectly obedient to His heavenly Father. But before we give up in despair, Paul would have us remember that we have the Spirit of God living within us. We have all the power we need to live the life we’ve been called to live. And in Philippians 1:27-2:11, Paul gives us a much-needed reminder that our lives are to look a lot like Christ’s. We are to share His mindset when it comes to the things of this world and our purpose for life in this world. We are to hve the mind of Christ. Which translates into a life of selfless service, willful obedience and humble submission to His will.

Ep 698 – Philippians 1:12-26 Nov 14, 2018

There is a huge difference between stubborn resignation and joyful acceptance of one’s lot in life. Saying you believe in the sovereignty of God does not mean you particularly like it or submit to it willingly. But for Paul, the circumstances of his life, whether good or bad, were ordained by His loving, all-powerful, and completely-in-control God. And in Philippians 1:12-26, Paul displays his confident trust in God by declaring his contentment with his imprisonment in Rome because he knew that it had resulted in the further spread of the gospel. Paul had longed to visit Rome. Now, he was there. Not in the kind of circumstances he had expected, but he was okay with it. Because he knew God was in control. Rather than focus on the perceived negative conditions surrounding his imprisonment, Paul chose to be motivated to make a difference. He saw his condition as the perfect opportunity to preach the gospel, and to encourage all those churches he had helped to start.

Ep 697 – Philippians 1:1-11 Nov 13, 2018

This is the first in our series on Paul’s letter to the Philippians. Written while he was a prisoner in Rome, this letter is one of what are known as the pastoral epistles, letters written by Paul and intended to encourage the churches he had helped to start. Paul had a pastor’s heart that showed up in his intense desire that the believers in Philippi grow up in their salvation. These people were near and dear to Paul. They had even provided him with financial support. Like a loving father, Paul wrote to his children in the faith, encouraging them to keep on growing in Christ-likeness. In the opening chapter, and the first 11 verses, we will see Paul lifting up a heart-felt prayer on behalf of his friends in Philippi. He may be separated from them by many miles and prevented from visiting them because of his imprisonment. But he could pray for them, and he did. He was grateful for their friendship and support, but also for their increasing faith in God and their determination to live lives that mirrored that of Christ.

Ep 696 – Colossians 4 Nov 12, 2018

As we come to the conclusion of Paul’s letter to the Colossian believers, we will hear him make a call that they live wisely. He will encourage them to make the most of every opportunity that faces them. For Paul, the Christian life was not simply about forgiveness of sins and the promise of eternal life. It was about visible life change and a tangible evidence of God’s power of redemption and renovation in the hearts of men. God saves us, not just to one day transfer us into His eternal Kingdom, but so that He mighty transform us, right here, right now. Our life on this planet, while transitory and temporary in nature, is not meant to be treated as some kind of a grab-all-the-gusto-while-you-still-can kind of moment. Our new life in Christ doesn’t start when we arrive in heaven, it began when we placed our faith in His sacrificial death on the cross. And when God saved us, He didn’t take us. In other words, He didn’t take us to be with Him. No, He left us here so that we might grow up in our salvation and share the good news we heard with others.

Ep 695 – Colossians 3:18-25 Nov 11, 2018

For Paul, faith in Christ was to have practical application. In other words, it was to reveal itself in actions and attitudes. The believer’s position as a representative of Christ required a lifestyle that reflected the character of Christ. And the fact that each and every believer has the Spirit of God residing within them, means that they have a ready power source available that makes Christ-likeness not only possible, but non-negotiable. In Colossians 3:18-25, Paul provides his audience with some tips on practical piety. This is where-the-rubber-meets-the-road kind of stuff. Christianity was intended to be life-transformative. Not based on human effort alone, but because of the indwelling presence of the Spirit of God. Paul demands lives that model mutual submission, selfless love, radical forgiveness, and a no-holds-barred pursuit of holiness. We have been called to live starkly different lives that act as lights in the spiritual darkness of this world. Lives of practical piety that bring glory to God, not us.

Ep 694 – Colossians 3:1-17 Nov 10, 2018

When was the last time you thought about heaven? Was it at a funeral or the result of a sermon you heard at church? For the apostle Paul, heaven was on his mind constantly, because he knew that was his ultimate destination. For him, this life was a detour on the way to some place much better. It was a temporary assignment where he was to live out his faith and fulfill his God-appointed assignment until such time as God called him home. He commonly referred to believers living in this world as sojourners, aliens and strangers. As the old song states, this world is not my home, I’m just a-passin’ through. But for too many Christians, the world is their home. It’s heaven that seems distant and difficult to comprehend. The very concept of a heavenly dwelling place where we will live for eternity is hard to get your head around. But Paul would have us make heaven our focus, not this life. This world, like our earthly bodies, is not meant to last. So, one day God will remake it. He’ll create a new heaven and a new earth. Perfect. Filled with His presence. Marked by perfect peace. And designed to last an eternity.

Ep 693 – Colossians 2:6-23 Nov 09, 2018

To be “in Christ” is a wonderful thing. It speaks of a relationship that is based on the finished work of Christ on the cross and that assures us of a restored relationship with a holy God. Being in Christ is what makes eternal life possible. But it is possible to be in Christ, and still fail to reflect Christ in our behavior. That’s why Paul challenged the believers in Colosse to “walk in him.” They were to follow the example of Christ, living their lives in the power of the Holy Spirit and according to the Word of God. And in Colossians 2:6-23, Paul goes out of his way to remind believers that we must never forget from where we’ve come, living lives that were marked by slavery to sin and carrying the weight of our guilt and shame. We were once dead, but Christ made us alive. He canceled the record of our debt and removed the death penalty under which we had lived. The key to our continued spiritual transformation isn’t more hard work, but an increased dependency upon Jesus. We must sink the roots of our lives deep into the reality of His love, grace and mercy.

Ep 692 – Colossians 1:24-2:5 Nov 08, 2018

Paul cared. Not passively, but actively. He put his life on the line so that others might hear the good news of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and grow in their likeness to Christ. Paul was a teacher, preacher, disciple-maker, and church planter. He had a passion for the people of God and a no-holds-barred style of ministry that kept him on the road or locked up in prison for his efforts. In Colossians 1:24-2:5, we have Paul’s strong words of encouragement, written to the believers in Colosse, and written from his house arrest in Rome. Here he was, unable to visit the brothers and sisters in Colosse, but using his pen to pass on a message designed to encourage spiritual growth among them. He actively cared for them. He personally invested in them. He sacrificed himself on their behalf, just as Jesus had done. In Paul, we have a powerful model of what it means to be a servant of Jesus Christ, putting the needs of others first, and doing whatever it takes to see that every believer is mature in Christ.

Ep 691 – Colossians 1:15-23 Nov 07, 2018

What does it mean to be a child of God? For far too many of us, it’s simply a designation that doesn’t seem to match the reality of our daily lives. Our actions tend to reflect a different reality. But in Colossians 1:15-23, Paul encourages us to see ourselves the way God does: As holy and blameless, without a single fault. Hard to believe? No doubt about it. What Paul declares us to be in Christ doesn’t seem to gel with how we behave in real life. But the point he is trying to get across is that our standing before God has little to do with us, and everything to do with Christ. He is the source of our righteous standing, not us. It was His death that satisfied the just demands of a holy God. He paid the price required to settle our sin debt with God. Jesus, the creator of all things, subjected Himself to live as a man, taking on human flesh and dying a sinner’s death, all so that we might be reconciled to God. And as a result, we are members in good standing of God’s family.

Ep 690 – Colossians 1:1-14 Nov 06, 2018

Today, we begin a new series on Paul’s letter to the Colossians. Like all of Paul’s letters, this one has a strong pastoral element to it. While he had not yet been able to visit the believers there in Colosse, he had a strong interest in their spiritual well-being. Most likely founded by Epaphras, the fledgling church there was facing strong opposition in the form of false teaching. These relatively new believers were having to deal with a range of dangerous heresies that were causing confusion and leading to doctrinal compromise. In his usual loving, but no-holds-barred style, Paul will confront them and challenge them to remain faithful to the gospel as it was presented to them. Paul had a strong opinion regarding anyone who attempted to add to the gospel of Jesus Christ in any way. And he was not afraid to call them out as exactly what they were: Heretics. The integrity of the gospel and the vitality of the local church were near and dear to Paul’s heart as Colossians 1:1-14 will clearly reveal.

Ep 689 – 1 Kings 2:10-12 Nov 05, 2018

This is it. In this episode, we will bring the remarkable story of David’s life to a close. Like all men, David’s long life had a time limit attached to it by God. His days were ordained by God, with both a beginning and an end. And while David’s life was particularly spectacular and marked by incredible accomplishments, what truly set his life apart was his relationship with God. It is the one consistent theme that flows throughout. That, and David’s humanity. In 1 Kings 2:10-12, we will learn that David reigned for 40 years. That’s a long time at the top. But he had to go through a lot to get there and, even after he ascended to the throne, things weren’t always easy. But through it all, God was with him. As a boy tending his father’s sheep, David knew what it was like to have God beside him. And the same was true when he found himself running for his life and hiding in caves. God was consistently, faithfully at David’s side, teaching him, preparing him, disciplining him, and molding him into the king he had appointed him to be.

Ep 688 – 1 Kings 2:5-9 Nov 04, 2018

David was near death, and getting ready to hand off his kingship to his son, Solomon. And as he prepared for the transition, he had given his son some sage advice. But, as we will see in 1 Kings 2:5-9, David also gave Solomon some unexpected chores to accomplish on his behalf, once he was dead and buried. David gave his son three pieces of unfinished business, two of which would put the newly crowned king in an awkward predicament of taking the lives of two men. This is a clear case of David passing the buck and leaving to his son a responsibility that was not his to handle. But, as we have seen before, David had a habit of shirking responsibilities. And he would pass on to his young son two duties he had been reluctant to take care of on his own. David was leaving his son a powerful and successful kingdom, but also a far-from-attractive set of instructions to do his dirty work for him.

Ep 687 – 1 Kings 2:1-4 Nov 03, 2018

What does a real man look like? What are the attributes of manliness? Every generation has had its own list but, for the most part, those lists almost always include a rugged independence, the search for power, a need for control, bravery in the face of danger, and a pull-yourself-up-by-your-own-bootstraps mentality. But when David prepared to hand over his kingdom to his son, Solomon, he shared some dramatically different concepts about manliness and manhood. In David’s mind, a real man was a godly man. He had a heart for God and willingness to submit to the will of God, no matter what. Rather than pridefully independent, he would be humbly dependent upon God. He would recognize that his strength came from God and his life was to bring glory and honor to God. Like any father, David wanted to see his son succeed in life, but he knew that the key to that happening was directly tied to Solomon’s reliance upon God.

Ep 697 – 1 Kings 1:41-53 Nov 02, 2018

David has decreed that Solomon will be his successor to the throne of Israel. But this was not just a dictate from the lips of David, it was the divine will of God Almighty. God was circumventing the normal succession plan, choosing to place Solomon on the throne rather than Adonijah, the next is line by virtue of age. Because God had a plan that was going to include a King like no other king Israel would ever have. This King would be a descendant of David, but His kingdom would last forever. And He would bring righteousness to Israel as no one else ever had or ever could. He would be the Messiah, the Savior of the world. The Son of Man and the Son of God. He would be Immanuel, which means, “God with us.” He would be the Lion of the Tribe of Judah and the King of kings and Lord of lords. David would appoint Solomon to be his successor, but God had already established Jesus to be the future King of Israel.

Ep 685 – 1 Kings 1:28-40 Nov 01, 2018

David is nearing the end of his life and reign as king of Israel. And he is being forced to step in and make an announcement regarding his successor. God had made it clear that Solomon was to be David’s replacement, but Adonijah, one of David’s other sons was conspiring to have himself named the next king of Israel. But this passage isn’t just about a battle for the throne. It’s about God’s desire to have the right kind of man wear the crown. As 1 Kings 1:28-40 will reveal, there is a huge difference between being a king and fulfilling God’s expectations of being a ruler over his people. Saul had been a king, but he had been a lousy ruler. He wore the crown, but did not wear the mantle of spiritual leadership well. So, God replaced him with David, a man after his own heart who shepherded Israel with integrity of heart and skillful hands. And it was God’s desire that David’s successor be the same kind of king and ruler.

Ep 684 – 1 Kings 1:11-27 Oct 31, 2018

We have already seen how David struggled with indecision. He had a flaw in his internal wiring that kept him from dealing promptly and forcefully when faced with important decisions. And in 1 Kings 1:11-27, David finds himself facing yet another son who is trying to take over his kingdom. This time it is Adonijah, who is following the script used by his deceased brother, Absalom. Adonijah has already recruited some of David’s key advisors and royal administrators, in the hopes of winning their support in his quest to follow David as king of Israel. Solomon was to be God’s appointed successor to the throne, but Adonijah was unwilling to accept that outcome. So, David was faced with yet another important decision to make. All eyes were on him. The future of his kingdom was at stake. What would he do? How would he respond?

Ep 683 – 1 Kings 1:1-10 Oct 30, 2018

With the opening of 1 Kings, we see David in the waning days of his kingdom and life. He is old and bed-ridden, and while Solomon was God’s appointed successor to David’s throne, he would face an unexpected challenger: His own half-brother, Adonijah. This scene is eerily reminiscent of Absalom’s attempt to usurp the throne from David. Once again, we see one of David’s sons exhibiting disrespectful and rebellious tendencies, all because David had failed to provide him with proper guidance and discipline in his life. In 1 Kings 1:1-10, Adonijah will mirror the methodology used by Absalom in order to win over some of David’s key advisors and leaders, including Joab, his former military commander and Abiathar, the priest. David, relegated to his bed, would be able to do little to stop what was about to happen. In his younger days, he had suffered from complacency and indecisiveness. Now, he was hampered by debility and helplessness.

Ep 682 – 2 Samuel 24:11-25 Oct 29, 2018

David had made a huge mistake and realized it. So, he confessed his sin to God. But there was still payment due for his sin. David’s actions had been representative of the heart of the nation. His trust in God, like that of the people, had begun to diminish. As his reign neared its end and his power and prestige had grown, he had begun to get cocky, believing that his military might was the reason for all his success. As a nation, they were enjoying the fruits of David’s military exploits. It was a time of peace. They had defeated all their enemies. And, as a result, they had become complacent about their relationship with God. David had seen the error of his way, but he was still going to have to pay the piper. And in 2 Samuel 24:11-25, we’ll see God giving a David a choice of judgments. His sin was going to require blood sacrifice. He had offended a holy God and, even with his confession, restitution would have to be made.

Ep 681 – 2 Samuel 24:1-10 Oct 28, 2018

Why is it that those who claim to have trust in God tend to struggle so much with trusting Him? We claim to believe He is all-powerful, loving, and kind. But then we turn around and place our hope and trust in things other than God. And David was no different. He was a man after God’s own heart who sometimes let his heart go after other things. And in 2 Samuel 24:1-10, we see David getting in trouble with God, because he decided to take a census that would reveal just how big a standing army he could muster if he needed to. And God didn’t take David’s decision too well. For one thing, it was not something God had ordered him to do. Secondly, it revealed that David had begun to believe his own press, thinking that it was his military power that made him great. When all along it had been God. Late in his life, David would learn the invaluable, yet painful, lesson that God is enough. No census necessary.

Ep 680 – 2 Samuel 23:24-39 Oct 27, 2018

It seems a bit odd that when David compiled the list of his mighty men, he conspicuously left off one name: That of his long-term friend and commander of his army: Joab. There is no doubt that David and Joab didn’t always see eye to eye. But that David would leave this one man out of his list of those who had performed mighty deeds on his behalf, shows that David had never gotten over Joab’s insubordination. But the truth is, Joab was the most likely candidate for a best friend that David had. He was willing to speak up. He wasn’t afraid to point out David’s faults and to call him on the carpet when he thought it was necessary. Joab wasn’t a fair-weather friend. And he wasn’t the type to ply David with false flattery. He loved him enough to say the tough things. But as we will see in 2 Samuel 23:24-39, Joab’s name is nowhere to be found.

Ep 679 – 2 Samuel 23:8-23 Oct 26, 2018

There is a lot said about friendship in the Bible. And in the story of the life of David, we are told about the friendship between David and Jonathan, the son of King Saul. When Jonathan was killed in battle against the Philistines, David mourned his loss. But 2 Samuel 23:8-23 makes it clear that David had other friends and companions along the way. His circuitous journey to the throne of Israel was not done in a vacuum. From the very moment he fled from Jerusalem, seeking to put some distance between himself and Saul, David found himself surrounded by men who not only loved him, but were willing to die for him. And these men would stick with David through thick and thin, all the way to the bitter end. Even when he made the ill-fated decision to seek refuge in Philistia, they refused to abandon their friend and leader. The godly life is difficult, and it only becomes harder if we attempt to live it without the help of friends who share our faith and are committed to our growth.

Ep 678 – 2 Samuel 23:1-7 Oct 25, 2018

David was a shepherd who became a king. But even as the God-appointed sovereign over the nation of Israel, David’s role was remained primarily that of a shepherd. He was to care for and protect the sheep of God’s flock. And according to Psalm 78:72, he did his job well. “With upright heart he shepherded them and guided them with his skillful hand.” But, as we come to the end of David’s long and action-packed life, we are going to see that his reign had a time limit. His days on earth were going to run out. But the promises God made to David would not. He would be faithful to place a descendant of David on his throne who would rule and reign forever. There was going to come another ruler from the lineage of David, who would also be a Shepherd King. He would prove to be the fulfillment of God’s covenant promise. And while He does not currently sit on the throne of David in Jerusalem, one day He will. And He will prove to be a just and righteous king.

Ep 677 – 2 Samuel 22:32-43 Oct 24, 2018

As we continue to unpack this incredible song written by David early in his career and revisited in the closing days of his reign, we can see just how highly David regarded God. In his mind, there were no other gods. Sure, there were idols, but they were nothing – merely statues made with human hands and devoid of any power. But his God was different. His God was real and totally reliable. He was powerful and providential. And, in spite of God’s other-worldly, transcendent nature, David knew Him to be intimately involved in every aspect of his life. His God was involved. In fact, nothing of value David had ever accomplished in life had happened without God’s help. David was a God-made man, not a self-made one. His life had been given to him by God. His reign had been ordained by God. His position as king had been appointed by God. And he never forgot it.

Ep 676 – 2 Samuel 22:17-31 Oct 23, 2018

If you had to write a song expressing your views of God, what would it say? If you had to write a poem describing your understanding of who God is and how He has worked in your life, would it be filled with words of flattery or frustration? It would probably depend on your most recent experience with God. If, in your mind, He had been good to you, you would probably sing His praises. But if things had not turned out quite like you wanted them to, you might be a bit less-than-positive in your assessment of Him. But in 2 Samuel 22:17-31, we continue to see the words David penned immediately after he had been delivered from the hand of Saul. Let’s face it, at that particular moment in his life, David had a lot he could have complained about. But rather than whine and moan, David glorified God and declared that His way is perfect. Pretty amazing when you consider all the things that had happened to him on his way to the throne.

Ep 675 – 2 Samuel 22:1-16 Oct 22, 2018

David was the king and spiritual shepherd of Israel. But he was also an accomplished musician who had a strong appreciation for a good tune and well-written lyrics. And in 2 Samuel 22:1-16, we have a song of his own composition that reveals his outlook on God. Written early on in his reign, not long after his deliverance from the hand of Saul and his establishment on the throne of Israel, this song communicates David’s feelings about his God. He had been through a lot. He had endured a great deal of suffering and put up with his fair share of difficulties over the years. Anointed by the prophet of God to be the next king of Israel, David had found himself running for his life – the focus of an ongoing and unrelenting effort on the part of King Saul to put him to death. And yet, David had nothing but praises to sing about his God. He knew Him well. If he had learned anything during his days as a fugitive, he had learned that his God could be trusted to guide and provide. He was a reliable resource in the most uncertain of times.

Ep 674 – 2 Samuel 21:15-22 Oct 21, 2018

These closing chapters of the book of Second Samuel contain a series of isolated vignettes from David’s life. They are not in any particular chronological order, but are intended to act as events along David’s timeline that summarize his reign. In 2 Samuel 21:15-22, the emphasis is on the war that David waged against the Philistines throughout his lifetime. From the day he had slain Goliath, the Philistine champion, to the last moment of his life, David had been forced to do battle with this perennial enemy of Israel. And as we’ll see, David and his men would face some formidable foes from the Philistine camp. These men were super-sized and larger-than-life. But regardless of their stature, these Philistines would be no match for David and his men, because they had God on their side. The Philistines were great, but God was greater.

Ep 673 – 2 Samuel 21:1-14 Oct 20, 2018

What happens when the people of God fail to seek the will of God? Nothing good. And that conclusion is fully supported in 2 Samuel 21:1-14, where we have the story of a severe famine in the land of Israel. This devastating natural disaster had been going on for three full years and, eventually, David decided to seek God in order to determine whether it was a form of divine punishment. And David would discover that the famine was directly tied to a sin Saul had committed years earlier. He had broken a covenant Joshua had made with the Gibeonites, putting some of them to death. The book of Joshua makes it clear that the Israelites had not sought God’s will in the matter. And Saul’s decision to kill some of the Gibeonites was also done outside the will of God, breaking the covenant commitment and reflecting poorly on God, because the oath the Israelites had sworn their oath before the Lord and in His name.

Ep 672 – 2 Samuel 20:14-26 Oct 19, 2018

You can surround yourself with successful people who appear to have their act together. But success is not a sign of wisdom. And we can see the truth of that statement in 2 Samuel 20:14-26, as we are introduced to a simple, yet wise woman. This unnamed individual will play a significant role in protecting the lives of the innocent and keeping powerful men from doing the ungodly and unthinkable. Joab was in the process of besieging a city in Israel where Sheba, the leader of yet another coup against David has sought shelter. Joab, like his boss, could be an impulsive man. And he didn’t always exhibit wisdom in his decision making. But we will see what happens when an obscure, yet wise woman, steps into a volatile and potentially deadly situation, defusing the tension and bringing about a God-honoring outcome. Wisdom really does work. And the wisdom that works best is that which comes from God.

Ep 671 – 2 Samuel 20:1-13 Oct 18, 2018

Technically, David has his kingdom back. His rebellious son, Absalom, had been defeated in battle and executed by Joab, David’s military commander. But things were far from stable in Israel. The ten northern tribes were upset over what they believed was a case of favoritism on David’s part. He had chosen his own tribe of Judah to escort him back into the capital. And the other tribes felt slighted. So, they were ripe for yet another uprising led by someone the Scriptures call a “worthless fellow.” In 2 Samuel 20:1-13, we are introduced to Sheba, a Benjaminite who convinced the people to turn against David and reject his kingship. Just when David was trying to solidify his hold on the kingdom, more civil unrest erupted. And all that was happening around David was directly tied to his illicit affair with Bathsheba. David had sowed to the wind and was reaping the whirlwind.

Ep 670 – 2 Samuel 19:31-43 Oct 17, 2018

What happens when you leave God out? Nothing good. That was a painful lesson David was going to continue to learn as he desperately tried to unify his fractured kingdom and restore the peoples’ trust in him. But in 2 Samuel 19:31-43, we’re going to see that David had a hard time getting out of his own way. In fact, he was his own worst enemy. His tendency to leave God out of his decision-making was leaving a trail of devastation in his wake. David was faced with all kinds of problems. He had 12 tribes that needed to be wooed and won over. He had damage control to do, in an effort to correct all the bad press Absalom had circulated about him. Not everyone was thrilled with David’s return to Jerusalem. While he seemed to believe that all the tribes were on his side, he was in for a rude awakening. And because he was making decisions without God’s input, some of his bright ideas were going to have dark outcomes.

Ep 669 – 2 Samuel 19:24-30 Oct 16, 2018

David may have been a man after God’s own heart, but he had his own fair share of short-comings and human weaknesses. He didn’t always make the wisest decisions. And he seemed to struggle with having discernment. He could be easily swayed and manipulated. He was influenced far too easily by the opinions of others or situational circumstances. And in 2 Samuel 19:24-30, as David continues to reunify his divided kingdom, he is faced with a dilemma. He must make a determination between Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan, and Ziba, the former servant of Mephibosheth. These two men presented David with two conflicting stories. One of them was clearly lying. But how was David to discern the truth? How could he make sure that he did the right thing? Being a leader is one thing. Being a wise leader is something else. And being a wise and godly leader is something different altogether. Godly leaders get their wisdom from God. And that seems to be something David had forgotten.

Ep 668 – 2 Samuel 19:11-23 Oct 15, 2018

Absalom was dead and David had finally decided to bring his prolonged state of mourning to an end. But David still faced a divided kingdom and had his work cut out for him as he tried to win back the trust of his own people. Absalom had done some serious damage to David’s reputation. He was seen as weak and incapable of meting out justice when needed. And as David faced the gargantuan task of winning back the trust of his people, he began to do what was expedient. Rather than seek the will of God, he made decisions aimed at pleasing the people of God. In 2 Samuel 19:11-23, David is shown to be making yet more poor decisions. There is no indication that he is seeking God’s will or prayerfully considering his options. He appears to be doing what makes the most sense. And, like always, David’s decisions will have long-term ramifications. His choices will come back to haunt him. As he faced a house divided, he was allowing his decision making to be divided by his desire to please the people.

Ep 667 – 2 Samuel 19:1-10 Oct 14, 2018

We’ve already seen how, at times, David could struggle with inaction. The only thing he seemed to do on a consistent basis, was nothing at all. And in 2 Samuel 19:1-10, David is shown in a state of unconsolable grief, unable to get over the loss of his rebellious son. But David’s mourning was having a negative influence on the kingdom. The people, who were ready to celebrate David’s victory over his enemy, found themselves down in the dumps because their king was disconsolate and depressed. And it was going to take the harsh words of a loving friend to wake David out of his lethargy and into action. Joab, the man who had taken the life of David’s son, would be the one to confront David about his excessive sorrow. It was time for David to wake up and put on a smile. His people needed to see him rejoicing over their great victory. But it was going to take an in-your-face encounter by a loving friend to help David do what needed to be done.

Ep 666 – 2 Samuel 18:19-33 Oct 13, 2018

David had lost his kingdom to his own son. And he had been forced to vacate Jerusalem, depending on a handful of spies to give him updates on conditions in the capital. When the armies of David eventually did battle with those of Absalom, David left word that his son was to be spared. But Joab, David’s military commander, ignored David’s orders and executed Absalom himself. The coup came to an abrupt end, and David was restored to his throne as the king of Israel. When the good news had finally made its way to David, rather than rejoicing over his good fortune, he went into mourning over the death of his son. Once again, we see David responding in a less-than-satisfactory way to the events surrounding his life. He didn’t deal with Joab’s insubordination. He didn’t take Absalom’s death as a sign from God. He simply went into the chamber over the gate and wept. And, as usual his actions would have serious repercussions.

Ep 665 – 2 Samuel 18:1-18 Oct 12, 2018

Absalom had stolen the kingdom from his father and deemed himself king. But God had anointed David as the true king of Israel. Now, the conflict was going to come to a final and costly conclusion. Only one man would be standing when the battle was over. And, it doesn’t take a better man to guess that David would be the one sitting on the throne when the day was done. But, as we’ll see in 2 Samuel 18:1-18, his return to the throne would not be without cost. His son would die, along with 20,000 other Israelites. Innocent men would give their lives in a senseless and needless civil war that could be linked all the way back to David’s indiscretion with Bathsheba. And the very fact that his son had been around to lead a coup against him was David’s fault. He had brought all of this on himself. But God, ever faithful, had stepped in and cleaned up David’s mess, restoring him to the throne, but not without the great loss of life.

Ep 664 – 2 Samuel 17:15-29 Oct 11, 2018

The hand of God. It’s impossible to see. Or is it? In 2 Samuel 17:15-29, we are given a wonderful lesson on the ever-present reality of God’s hand in the lives of men. He is always there, whether we can see Him or not. He is always at work, whether we realize it or not. And David was about to experience, yet again, the sovereign will of God, orchestrating events in such a way, that His power could be sensed even though His presence remained unseen. Sometimes, the best way to recognize the hand of God is through hindsight. It is after the fact that we get the clearest view of His handiwork. In the midst of the storm and in the heat of the battle, it can sometimes feel as if God is nowhere to be found. But when given the opportunity to look back, we can see His unmistakable fingerprints on all that has happened. The question isn’t whether God is at work, but only how.

Ep 663 – 2 Samuel 17:1-14 Oct 10, 2018

David was on the outside looking in. He had lost his kingdom to his own son. And now, he was living in self-imposed exile, watching and waiting to see what God was going to do about it all. He was unaware of just exactly what God had planned. But he was trying to trust God in spite of it all. These were dark days for the former king. The great warrior-king of Israel had lost his kingdom without a fight. Not a single battle had been fought. David had simply walked out and allowed his son, Absalom to walk in. And in 2 Samuel 17:1-14, we see that, while David was on the outside looking in, God was not. He was fully aware of all that was going on and, at the end of the day, He was in full control of all that had happened. God was not up in heaven wringing His hands with worry. He had not been caught off guard. Every single circumstance surrounding David’s life was under the sovereign control of Almighty God.

Ep 662 – 2 Samuel 16:1-14 Oct 09, 2018

David was on the way out. Literally and figuratively. He was being forced to flee Jerusalem because of the coup his own son had staged. But he was also on the way out as the king of Israel. The days of his reign had come to an abrupt and ignominious end. As he made his way out of the city, he was barefoot and in mourning. Gone were the trappings of his kingship. Now, he was just another citizen, submitting himself to the usurper to his throne, his own son, Absalom. In 2 Samuel 16:1-14, David will have yet another painful reminder of his dramatic fall from grace. On his way out of the city, he was accosted by a man, a relative of Saul, who saw David’s fall as just and well-deserved. David was simply getting what he deserved for having taken the crown from Saul. But David refused to allow this man’s words and actions to get to him. He was going to trust God. Regardless of the circumstances.

Ep 661 – 2 Samuel 15:13-37 Oct 08, 2018

Things were about to take a turn for the worse in David’s life. His son, Absalom had turned the people against him, and was poised to stage a coup that would wrest the kingdom from his hands. But rather than fight and bring civil war to the kingdom, David chose to vacate Jerusalem and allow his son to ascend to the throne. Second Samuel 15:13-37 reveals David’s somewhat depressing departure from the city, barefoot and with his head covered in mourning. He is having to walk away from his own capital, the city of David, relinquishing control to his rebellious son. It’s a sad day. And while David was deeply saddened by the chain of events that had led to his fall, he was not giving up. Even as bad as things appeared to be, he saw light at the end of the tunnel. He glimpsed a feint silver lining on the dark clouds hovering over his head. In spite of the dismal circumstances surrounding his life, he tried to keep his hope in the God who had anointed him king in the first place.

Ep 660 – 2 Samuel 15:7-12 Oct 07, 2018

Absalom was a man on a mission. He was ambitious and he had well-crafted plans in place that would ensure that his ambitions were fully realized. He had seen a flaw in his father’s reign as king and he was more than ready and fully willing to exploit it – all for his own personal benefit. Absalom, unlike his father David, was not a man after God’s own heart. His heart beat fast for one thing only: Himself. He was selfish and self-centered. Everything he did was aimed at elevating himself and he was willing to do whatever it took to make a name for himself. He was motivated by selfish ambition, but also a less-than-healthy dose of disdain for his father. And in 2 Samuel 15:7-12, we will see just how far this ambitious young man was willing to go to bring down his father and place himself on the throne of Israel. He knew the power of words and he was more than willing to put them to use in his quest for power, prominence and payback.

Ep 659 – 2 Samuel 15:1-6 Oct 06, 2018

The prodigal son had returned. But David, unwilling to punish Absalom for his murder of Amnon, had unknowingly created a monster. This son of his was going to wreak havoc on David’s kingdom by undermining his reputation among the people. In 2 Samuel 15:1-6, we begin to see some of the ramifications of David’s decision to leave his guilty son unpunished. His reticence to mete out justice was going to have serious repercussions. And David’s weaknesses as a leader were going to be exploited by his very own son. The man after God’s own heart had lost the heart of his son and would eventually find himself facing the potential loss of his kingdom. And all of this would have direct ties to David’s original sin with Bathsheba. God had warned David that, as a result of his affair with Bathsheba and his orchestration of her husband’s death, the sword would not depart from David’s house. He had already lost a son. Now, he stood the real possibility of losing far more.

Ep 658 – 2 Samuel 14:25-33 Oct 05, 2018

David’s son, Absalom, while guilty of murder, had been welcomed back in Jerusalem, but not with open arms. David had refused to meet with his long-exiled son and relegated him to a form of house arrest. Two years would pass with David doing what he normally did in situations like this: nothing. And his son would grow in his resentment toward him. In 2 Samuel 14:25-33, we’re going to see this less-than-ideal situation grow increasingly toxic, as David continues his pattern of inaction and Absalom reaches the tipping point. David’s lousy leadership was going to come back and haunt him. He had chosen to ignore the 800-pound gorilla in the room and now he was going to pay for it. And David was going to discover that, while he had been willing to do nothing, Absalom wasn’t. The son of the king, unimpressed with his father’s leadership, would begin to have aspirations for his father’s throne.

Ep 657 – 2 Samuel 14:18-24 Oct 04, 2018

Ignoring our sin is a constant temptation for the child of God. Sometimes, we think that if we just keep it out of sight and out of mind, it will go away. Once we’ve committed the sin, we are tempted to simply move past it and get on with our lives. And we hope that God will do the same. But in the life of David, we have a perfect example of sin’s insidious impact on our lives. It never goes away, no matter how much we try to ignore it. And in 2 Samuel 14:18-24, David will continue to avoid his God-given responsibility to discipline his own son for the murder of his half-brother. David will allow Absalom to return from exile, but will choose to sequester him away, refusing to see him or to deal with his sin. But, as we’ve seen before, David’s choice to do nothing will not make Absalom’s sin go away. And it will not prevent God from bringing just and righteous judgment on David and his house.

Ep 656 – 2 Samuel 14:1-17 Oct 03, 2018

Minimizing our sins is almost a national pastime. We love to figure out ways to play up our strengths and ignore our moral and spiritual failings. We can even find ourselves overlooking the sins in the lives of others. Most likely, because we would prefer that we would extend us the same courtesy. But God cannot and will not overlook sin in the lives of His people. And that was going to be another painful lesson learned by King David. In 2 Samuel 14:1-17, David is going to allow himself to be unknowingly manipulated by Joab. This friend was so concerned with David’s despair over Absalom’s exile and so desperate to see David move on with his life, he concocted a plan to persuade David to absolve Absalom of all guilt. This well-intentioned friend would go against the revealed will of God and counsel David to do what he believed to be best, for his family and the kingdom. But Joab failed to remember that God takes sin seriously.

Ep 655 – 2 Samuel 13:34-39 Oct 02, 2018

There’s something in all of us that makes us want to get away with anything we do that might be deemed unacceptable or inappropriate. Not getting caught is a powerful temptation. And escaping punishment for any wrong we commit is even more alluring. It seems to be wired into our DNA as human beings. And it’s all because of the sin nature we inherited from Adam. In 2 Samuel 13:34-39, we have the continuing story of Absalom, the son of David who murdered his half-brother, Amnon, for raping their sister. David, the king, should have punished Amnon for his crime, but had done nothing. His inaction had led to Absalom seeking his own form of vigilante justice, plotting and carrying out Amnon’s death. And, once again, David did nothing. As a father, grieving over his son’s actions, he refused to carry out justice as the king. He let Absalom get away. But the ramifications for the sins of his sons and David’s inaction would come back to haunt him, when Absalom eventually came back to Jerusalem.

Ep 654 – 2 Samuel 13:20-33 Oct 01, 2018

Committing sin comes naturally to all of us, because we have sin natures. But, the sad reality is that we also seem to be more than willing to tolerate sin, in our lives and in the lives of others. That’s exactly what we see in 2 Samuel 13:20-33. David, the king of Israel and the man after God’s own heart, had committed his own fair share of sins. And when sin started showing its ugly face within his own home, he showed a natural tendency to ignore it, rather than deal with it. This drama, with its soap-opera-like plot, reveals a growing list of sinful actions, committed by the children of David. One brother has raped his half-sister. Now, her blood-brother will seek revenge, plotting the death of their guilty sibling. And all because David refused to step in and do what he was obligated to do, as a father and a king. Rather than do his job, David decided to turn a blind eye. And his inaction would only make matters worse.

Ep 653 – 2 Samuel 13:1-19 Sep 30, 2018

Great leaders don’t always make great parents. And David is a prime example. He may have been a tremendous military leader, but as we’ll see in 2 Samuel 13:1-19, he wasn’t exactly adept at leading his sizeable clan of children birthed to him by his many wives. And many of the problems David would find himself facing as a parent were the direct byproduct of his own personal sins. There is an old adage that states, “What parents do in moderation, children do to excess.” And David family was going to prove that statement to be painfully true. Some of his kids were going to be chips off the old block, emulating some of David’s most egregious sins and bringing his moral failings right under his own roof. And one of the most telling proofs of David’s poor parenting skills will be his tendency to avoid rather than confront, to dismiss rather than discipline. David would turn a blind eye to the sins of his children and the results would be deadly.

Ep 652 – 2 Samuel 12:15-23 Sep 29, 2018

In 2 Samuel 12:15-23, we’re faced with a difficult story involving the death of the baby born to Bathsheba and King David. The passage makes it painfully clear that the baby’s death was the direct result of God discipline on David for his sin. But this kind of justice seems alien to us. It contradicts our sense of justice. After all, what had the baby done to deserve death? It had committed no sin. It was guilty of no transgression against God. And yet, the text tells us that the Lord afflicted the child…and he became sick. In time, the child died. And David mourned his loss, but also worshiped his God. He didn’t cast blame or shake his fist in the face of God. He knew he was guilty and that the child’s death was just punishment for his crime against God. While this story rocks our modern-day concepts of justice, we must be careful in passing judgment on God. He is not the one who sinned. He had not been unfaithful. But He was just.

Ep 651 – 2 Samuel 12:1-14 Sep 28, 2018

Sin has consequences, whether we want to admit it or not. And, so often, those consequences impact those around us. Our personal sins have corporate consequences. And while our sin may have been committed in secret, it rarely remains that way. As it states in Numbers 32:23, “be sure your sin will find you out.” And the ramifications of our sins usually spread out, touching the lives of the innocent and undeserving. Such was the case concerning David’s sin with Bathsheba. David had let his personal passions get the best of him. He had given in to his own lusts and taken what was not his. And while he tried to cover up and minimize the impact of his sin, God was not pleased. And God, being holy and just, could not allow David’s sin to go unpunished. In 2 Samuel 12:1-14, God used His prophet, Nathan, to convict David of what he had done, exposing the true condition of David’s heart and revealing the true victim of David’s sin: Himself.

Ep 650 – 2 Samuel 11:14-27 Sep 27, 2018

The temptation to sin is always accompanied by the misguided belief that our sin will do no harm. We somehow rationalize our decision to sin by convincing ourselves that no damage will be done, no long-term impact will be felt. It will all turn out okay. But those are nothing more than the lies of the enemy. In the heat of the moment, when the temptation to sin is at its strongest, he whispers in our ear and assures us that our actions are perfectly just and reasonable. We have needs. Our desires are meant to be met. It’s unhealthy to deny yourself that which you want and deserve. And in 2 Samuel 11:14-27, we are going to watch as David continues to deal with his sin, not with confession, but with rationalization and self-preservation. While David would survive the ordeal, his sin would leave a trail of dead bodies in its wake. His transgression would have drastic ramifications.

Ep 649 – 2 Samuel 11:1-13 Sep 26, 2018

We all have a sin nature. And David was no different. As a man, he struggled with many of the same temptations that all men face. One in particular was his love for women. And in 2 Samuel 11:1-13, this monster within was going to raise its ugly head and do some serious damage to David’s integrity and moral reputation. As revealed in chapter 10, David had developed a bad habit of delegating some of his responsibilities as commander in chief and, rather than leading his troops into battle, he was choosing to remain in Jerusalem. His decision to forego his God-given responsibilities as the leader of Israel’s armies was going to set him up for a moral failure of epic proportions. And like any other sin, this one was going to have long-lasting and, ultimately, deadly consequences. David would learn the painful lesson that obeying your passions was never a good alternative to obeying God.

Ep 648 – 2 Samuel 10 Sep 25, 2018

Even good men can develop bad habits. And, even as God’s hand-picked candidate to lead the people of Israel, David was just as susceptible to this problem as anyone else in the kingdom. Chapter 10 of 2 Samuel reveals a particularly dangerous bad habit that David had developed that was going to cause serious issues in the not-so-distant future. While some leaders struggle with delegating responsibility, David seemed to have no problem doing so. In fact, we’ll see him abdicating his God-given role as Israel’s commander-in-chief of Israel’s and leaving it all up to Joab, the commander of his armies. As King, David was responsible for protecting Israel from its enemies. He had a job to do and yet, it seems as if David was making a habit of staying home when he should have been at war. Bad habits don’t just happen. They’re developed over time and, in time, they can lead to seriously dangerous consequences.

Ep 647 – 2 Samuel 8:15-9:13 Sep 24, 2018

You can crown a man and call him a king, but that doesn’t guarantee that he’ll rule with integrity, wisdom or righteousness. In fact, far too often, men who are placed in positions of power end up proving true the old adage: Power corrupts; absolute power corrupts absolutely. Yet, in 2 Samuel 8:15-9:13, we are shown a side of David that reflects his shepherd’s heart and his approach towards leadership. As king, David enjoyed absolute power, but he did not allow himself to be corrupted by it. He was a man of integrity who refused to let his power go to his head and would not dream of using his God-given position in an ungodly manner. David was a man of his word, as we will see in his treatment of Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan. David was a gracious, merciful and compassionate king who, in spite of his faults, greatly desired to love and lead well.

Ep 646 – 2 Samuel 8:1-14 Sep 23, 2018

What good is it to be king if you allow your nation to live in fear and subjection to the enemies who surround it? As the king of Israel, David knew that he had a God-given responsibility to defeat the enemies of Israel. And as he looked back on Israel’s less-than-stellar track record, he knew that they had failed to obey God’s command and cleanse the land of promise of all the pagan nations that occupied it. So, one of the first things David did was to lead his armies against the Philistines and other nations who remained in the land and posed a threat to Israel’s physical and spiritual safety. In 2 Samuel 8:1-14, we see David doing what Joshua and the people of God should have done generations earlier. He performed a kind of radical surgery, cutting away the cancer of sin that had spread throughout the land. He was out to restore the spiritual integrity of the nation of Israel by removing the dangerous and deadly influences of wickedness that surrounded it.

Ep 645 – 2 Samuel 7:18-29 Sep 22, 2018

Being king comes with a lot of perks. It is a prestigious position that carries with it certain rights and privileges. But David seemed to understand that his status as king was nothing compared to God’s status as the Almighty. And in 2 Samuel 7:18-29, David prays a humble, God-focused prayer that reveals his great respect for the Lord and his understanding of his own undeserving qualifications to be the king of Israel. David didn’t wear his new crown with a sense of pride and arrogance. He didn’t flaunt his newfound power and prestige. He humbly acknowledged that all he had, he owed to God. And that there was no one else like God, including himself. But isn’t it interesting how often we struggle with making ourselves the gods of our own lives. We can become easily persuaded to believe that we’re somehow special. That we deserve recognition and honor. But David was blown away that God had promised to build him a house, a legacy that would last long after David was gone.

Ep 644 – 2 Samuel 7:1-17 Sep 21, 2018

We all desire to accomplish great things with our lives. And as followers of Christ, we hope to make an impact on the world through the way we live our lives. David, the newly crowned king of Israel was no different. He wanted to leave his mark on the nation and do whatever he could to make the name of God great. And in 2 Samuel 7:1-17, David reveals his plans to build a great edifice in which the Ark of the Covenant could be kept and the glory of God could dwell. But God had other plans. He had not asked David to build Him a house. In fact, God let David know that He didn’t need one. But He did promise to make David a great house, and he wasn’t talking about a palace. God was referring to David’s legacy. He would provide David an heir to his throne who would establish the Davidic dynasty forever. This covenant promise, partially fulfilled in Solomon, would be fully fulfilled in Jesus Christ. God was going to do for David and through David great things. When David said, “I will…,” God said, “No, you won’t, but I will.”

Ep 643 – 2 Samuel 6:12-23 Sep 20, 2018

David’s first attempt to relocate the Ark of the Covenant into his new capital, Jerusalem, had been an abysmal failure. And all because he had chosen to ignore God’s commands concerning the proper handling of the ark. David’s enthusiasm and haste had resulted in the death of Uzzah. But now, three months later, David would try a second time to bring the ark into the city. This time, he would do it God’s way. And yet, in his obedience, David would meet with resistance, from one of his own wives. In 2 Samuel 6:12-23, we have the story of David dancing before the ark and Michal looking on in disdain. This is a story filled with contrasts and conflicts. It reveals an interesting aspect of David’s life, who in his heart wanted to do what was right, but was always seeming to suffer from things he had done wrong. He would always find himself fighting against the consequences of his own impulsive tendencies and his human nature that too often led him to make unwise choices that resulted in uncomfortable outcomes.

Ep 642 – 2 Samuel 6:1-11 Sep 19, 2018

Enthusiasm can be a great attribute. But it can also get you in trouble. Especially if your excitement causes you to step out of the will of God. That’s what happened to David and we can read about it in 2 Samuel 6:1-11. It seems that David was so pumped about his new capital of Jerusalem, that he wanted to move the Ark of the Covenant there as soon as possible. But in his excitement, he got in such a hurry that he failed to do things according to God’s standards. And his over-zealousness had some deadly ramifications. David’s heart was in the right place. He was well-intended. But disobedience is disobedience. And being in a hurry to honor God is no excuse for disobeying Him. David was in a position that came with huge responsibilities. He was God’s shepherd over the entire flock of Israel. And His sins carried corporate weight. As king, when David sinned, everyone suffered. And even zeal for God was not an excuse.

Ep 641 – 2 Samuel 5:17-25 Sep 18, 2018

David had been crowned the king of all Israel, but that didn’t mean his problems were over. As a matter of fact, they were just about to begin. As the newly crowned sovereign over the state of Israel, David was going to discover that his list of potential enemies was long. And at the top of that list were the Philistines. They saw the crowning of David and the unification of the nation as a threat to their well-being. So, they set out to defeat David while his reign was in its infancy and the Israelites were getting over their recent internal battles. And in 2 Samuel 5:17-25, we see David approaching his problems with a slightly different perspective. Rather than taking matters into his own hands and acting impulsively, David took his problem to the Lord. He sought divine counsel. And He received it. Along with a rousing victory over his enemies. He was learning that God’s battles, fought on God’s terms and in God’s power, brought God-ordained victories.

Ep 640 – 2 Samuel 5:11-16 Sep 17, 2018

David was now the king of all Israel. God had brought about what He had promised so many years earlier. But now that David was king, he was going to learn that God would hold him to a higher standard. He was not free to rule and reign as he saw fit. Everything he did was going to be judged by God and would result in either blessing or discipline from God. His decisions would have consequences. His sins would have ramifications. As the king of Israel, David was expected to live a life of submission and obedience to God. He was to reign according to God’s standards, not his own. He was to do things God’s way, not his own. But David would find himself constantly challenged by his own desire to put his own personal touch on his reign. And in 2 Samuel 5:11-16, we’ll get a subtle glimpse into one of the areas where David will leave the fingerprints of his personal touch.

Ep 639 – 2 Samuel 5:1-10 Sep 16, 2018

David had waited a long time for this day. In fact, it had been seven years since he had been anointed king by the tribe of Judah. Now, he would finally receive the approval and anointing from the 11 other tribes, unifying the kingdom under his rule and reign. In 2 Samuel 5:1-10, we are provided with details surrounding this most important day in David’s life. We are also shown how he established Jerusalem as his capital. And if we look closely, behind the scenes, God is orchestrating His divine plan that will one day set up the arrival of the Son of David, the Messiah. He too would one day be crowned in the city of Jerusalem, but His crown would be made of thorns. He would be dressed in a royal robe, but only in an attempt to mock Him for His claim to be the King of the Jews. And one day, He will return to Jerusalem, where He will set up His kingdom on earth and rule from the throne of David.

Ep 638 – 2 Samuel 4 Sep 15, 2018

Sometimes, it’s when things begin to look up that we find ourselves getting into trouble. We see what we believe to be the light at the end of the tunnel, only to discover that it’s actually an oncoming train. In 2 Samuel 4, a relatively short chapter, we get an important insight into the potential train wreck that that seems to be headed David’s way. Ever since the death of Saul, things have not gone well. When David should have been experiencing great relief and extreme joy over his anointing as the king over Israel, he found himself facing stiff competition for the crown. And he tried to take matters into his own hands, making plans and alliances that only made matters worse. After years of learning to lean on God for provision and protection, David seems to have suddenly decided to do things his way. And in doing so, he only made things more difficult for himself and those around him.

Ep 637 – 2 Samuel 3:31-39 Sep 14, 2018

Why is it that we think that God somehow needs our help? And before you’re too quick to deny it, just consider how many times you’ve made decisions without God’s input. And yet, we’d all probably agree that God is sovereign and the one who is in ultimate control of all things. So, why is it that we think our plans are an improvement on His? David certainly felt that way at times. And in 2 Samuel 3:31-39, we see him orchestrating a whole series of events designed to turn the unexpected death of Abner into a positive PR opportunity. His main objective was the unification of the kingdom under his rule, and he was willing to do whatever it took to make that happen, whether his actions were God’s will or not. But when we take matters into our own hands, it rarely turns out well. Seeking to accomplish God’s will, but without seeking God’s input is a dangerous game to play.

Ep 636 – 2 Samuel 3:22-30 Sep 13, 2018

While sin is simple to commit, it is anything but simple in its ramifications. Sin brings consequences, regardless of the size of the sin. And in 2 Samuel 3:22-30, the sins of David and all those around him, were going to create a maelstrom of increasingly more complicated problems. Doing things apart from the will of God always produces less-than-satisfactory outcomes. David’s desire to have his wife Michal returned to him led him to make some bad decisions. He made unwise allegiances with a traitor. He refused to act as king and punish those who were guilty of murder. He became obsessed with expediency and was willing to do whatever he thought best to fulfill his own desires. Sin is complex and results in complicated outcomes. It may start out with a simple decision, but it has a way of growing in intensity and infecting all those around us.

Ep 635 – 2 Samuel 3:6-21 Sep 12, 2018

We all struggle with indwelling sin. It comes with being human. Even those of us who have placed our faith in Christ, still find ourselves battling the persistent presence of our own sin natures. And David was no different. In 2 Samuel 3:6-21, we see this man after God’s own heart making some rather ungodly decisions, because his thinking was clouded by sin. We have already seen that David could be impulsive. And, in his effort to unify the kingdom and establish his reign over all Israel, David made some unwise decisions that would come back to haunt him. He allowed himself to forget that his reign as the king of Israel was God’s will and, therefore, up to God to bring about. God didn’t need David’s help. But as David sensed the opportunity to help speed up the unification of the nation, he grabbed for it. He allowed himself to be swayed by the flattering words of Abner. But rather than make his life easier and establish his kingdom quicker, it was going to produce even greater problems.

Ep 634 – 2 Samuel 3:1-5 Sep 11, 2018

As we will see in 2 Samuel 3:1-5, there was conflict between the house of Saul and the house of David. Saul was dead, but Abner had made his son the king. Now, there were two kings over Israel, David and Ish-bosheth. But that wasn’t the only conflict brewing behind the scenes. David was battling his own inner demon, his love affair with the opposite sex. His attraction to women had proved to be an ongoing issue for him, resulting in his marriage to multiple women. And, now that he was king over the tribe of Judah, this predilection for the female sex was going to become a problem for him. David probably thought Ish-bosheth and Abner were the greatest threats to his kingdom, but he would soon find out that his inner passions were just as deadly as any outside threat he might face. David may have been a man after God’s own heart, but he was going to learn that God wanted all his heart.

Ep 633 – 2 Samuel 2:18-32 Sep 10, 2018

Division in the family of God is not only dangerous, it can be deadly. Polarization and conflict fueled by pride and self-centeredness can destroy fellowship and dishonor the name of God. Not only that, it grieves God. And when Abner, the military commander for the late king, Saul, decided to anoint Saul’s son, Ish-bosheth as the next king of Israel, it was motivated by self-interest. He was trying to maintain his position of power and prominence, and saw Ish-bosheth as the key to his future. But Abner’s efforts ended up diving the kingdom. He was placing his will over that of God. He had no business anointing or appointing anybody king, but his ego got the best of him. He wasn’t a big fan of David, and was willing to do just about anything to keep this former fugitive from justice from ascending to the throne of Israel. And for Abner, the will of God seemed to have meant nothing. He was going to do things his way, regardless the cost.

Ep 632 – 2 Samuel 2:8-17 Sep 09, 2018

It just seems like David can’t get a break. Everything came hard for this young man. Even with Saul out of the way, the path to the throne was still covered in land mines of all kinds. And while David may have thought that, with Saul’s death, the throne was now vacant, he was in for a big surprise. Because it seems that Saul had yet another son who, unlike Jonathan, had not been killed in battle, but was alive and well. And Abner, Saul’s military commander decided to anoint the surviving son of Saul as the heir to his father’s throne. The next thing David knew, he had a competitor for the crown and a civil war to fight. Not only had the people of Israel been defeated by the Philistines, now they were fighting among themselves. Not exactly the way David wanted to begin his reign. But, in spite of the circumstances, God was still in control. He was fulfilling His plan according to His sovereign will. None of this caught God off guard. And David was learning to trust God in spite of the circumstances.

Ep 631 – 2 Samuel 2:1-7 Sep 08, 2018

Saul was dead. And the path to the throne of Israel appeared to be free and clear for the first time. But David did not act rashly. He didn’t respond impulsively, but instead, sought the will of God. He had waited a long time for this moment, but he was in no rush to make things happen. He had done that before and had lived to regret it. This time, he was going to seek God and wait on His will to be done. No short cuts. No work-arounds. And while David might have been anxious for the long wait to be over, he was in no hurry to get ahead of God. He had learned a lot during the years he had spent running from Saul and living in self-imposed exile in Philistia. His view of God had expanded and his trust in God had deepened. There was nothing better than God’s will done God’s way and on God’s timeline. So David was willing to wait a while longer, allowing God to move the hearts of the people to accept David as their new king.

Ep 630 – 2 Samuel 1:17-27 Sep 07, 2018

What’s your normal response to anyone who tries to hurt you? Get even? Seek revenge? We seem wired from birth to respond to those who attempt to do us harm by giving them a bit of their own medicine. And when we read 2 Samuel 1:17-27, we’re a bit surprised to see David crying over the news of Saul’s death. And they were not tears of joy. He was legitimately upset that his former king and mentor was dead. Even after all Saul had done to him, David mourned his death and even composed a song about him. There’s a great deal we can learn from the response of this young man. He had every right to be angry with Saul. And it would only seem natural if he had exhibited a bit of joyful relief at this man’s death. But to the end, David showed Saul respect, continuing to view him as the Lord’s anointed, even in death. Keep in mind, David was not the king – yet. He still remained a faithful Jew, even though he was currently residing in Philistine territory. And he saw the death of Saul as a blow to the kingdom and the sad loss of someone he had loved like a father.

Ep 629 – 2 Samuel 1:1-16 Sep 06, 2018

As we open up the book of Second Samuel, the story of David continues. But the events surrounding his life are beginning to shift dramatically. Saul is dead. And while David is still living in the land of the Philistines, the path to the throne has been suddenly cleared of its greatest obstacle. But before David can become the next king of Israel, we are going to see how he reacts to the death of Saul. You would expect him to celebrate, rejoicing over the demise of his long-term adversary. But that’s not what David does. In fact, 2 Samuel 1:1-16 presents a somewhat ironic tale of a misguided Amalekite coming into contact with the future king of the Israelites. And this encounter will not turn out how the young man expected. Rather than receiving a reward, he’ll lose his life. His fictitious claim to have killed Saul will prompt David to kill him, not congratulate him. Because David still held Saul in high esteem.

Ep 628 – 1 Samuel 31:8-13 Sep 05, 2018

First Samuel 31:8-13 brings this portion of the life of David to a close. But it is far from the end. In fact, it represents a new beginning. Saul is dead and the path is now open for David to become king. God is implementing His divine will and setting in motion all the plans He has laid out for David’s ascension to the throne. But the book of 1 Samuel ends with a stark portrayal of Saul’s demise, and it is not a pretty picture. His body was mutilated and decapitated by the Philistines and hung on the wall of one of their cities. He was stripped of his armor, which was put on display in the temple of their god. The former king of Israel was ridiculed and mocked, his body hung as a public display of disdain for Israel’s king and a sign of disrespect for their God. And had the residents of Jabesh-gilead not risked their lives to rescue the body of Saul and his three sons, there would have been no funeral for this former king of Israel.

Ep 627 – 1 Samuel 31:1-7 Sep 04, 2018

The long ordeal between David and Saul was about to come to an abrupt and, for Saul, unpleasant end. His days were numbered and his reign as good as done. But Saul was going to lose far more than his kingdom. He was going to witness the deaths of his three sons and then be faced with the unenviable task of taking his own life. And in 1 Samuel 31:1-7, this sad end to the life of Saul stands in stark contrast to the recent victory God gave David over the Amalekites. While David and his men were busy celebrating the rescue of their wives and children, Saul was watching his sons die at the hands of the Philistines. Then, unable to convince his armor-bearer to take his life, Saul was relegated to falling on his own sword. He committed suicide rather than face mistreatment at the hands of the Philistines. His life had a far-from-ignoble end because he had chosen to live in disobedience to God. But David, in the midst of one of the worst moments in his life, had chosen to seek God. And was rescued.

Ep 626 – 1 Samuel 30:16-31 Sep 03, 2018

We know from many of the psalms he wrote, that David often felt like he had been abandoned by God. There were days he felt alone and forgotten. And in 1 Samuel 30:16-31, David was in a particularly dark period of his life. He was living in the land of the Philistines and his hosts were at war with his own people: the Israelites. And while he and his man had been away from Ziklag, the city in which the lived, the Amalekites had raided and pillaged it, taking all the women and children captive. As a result, his own men threatened to stone him. But In the midst of all his suffering and sorrow, David was learning an invaluable lesson: He was learning to trust God. And it began when he sought the will of God. Not only would he defeat the Amalekites and rescue all the those who had been taken captive, he would find himself given a second chance by God.

Ep 625 – 1 Samuel 3-:7-15 Sep 02, 2018

We all have had those moments in life when it feels like God has abandoned us. In the midst of difficult circumstances, we sense that He is nowhere to be found. He appears to be distant and disinterested in our predicament. And yet, in 1 Samuel 30:7-15, we are given an encouraging reminder from the life of David that God is always there. He never leaves us or forsakes us. He is simply waiting for us to cry out to Him. He is patiently biding His time, until we reach the end of our own resources and realize that our hope is in Him. And when we seek Him, we will find Him. When we turn to Him, we will find Him there – ready to assist us in our greatest times of need. But the challenge we all face is our proclivity to act as our own savior. We have the tendency to try to solve our problems in our own power. But we make lousy gods. Our solutions rarely produce the results for which we are looking. In fact, we tend to only make matters worse. But David was going to learn to trust God by learning to turn to Him in his times of need.

Ep 624 – 1 Samuel 30:1-6 Sep 01, 2018

If we’re honest, we all have to admit that there have been times in our lives when we made a royal mess of things. Through poor decision-making and, sometimes, pure disobedience to the will of God, we’ve found ourselves in less-than-pleasant circumstances, dealing with the aftermath of our choices. And in 1 Samuel 30:1-6, we find David faced with the task of having to clean up the mess left from one of his most disastrous decisions. He had returned to Ziklag, his base of operations in Philistia, only to find that it had been raided by the Amalekites. They had burned the city to the ground and taken all the women and children captive. And David’s men were so upset by this turn of events, that they began making plans to stone him. David had made a real mess of things. He was stuck in Philistia, having deceived King Achish into believing he was on his side. But now the Israelites and Philistines were at war and David’s little charade was blowing up in his face. But in spite of all his missteps, God was still there.

Ep 623 – 1 Samuel 29:1-11 Aug 31, 2018

A bad decision is a bad decision, whether it’s made by a faithful follower of God or a sin-prone pagan. And in 1 Samuel 29:1-11, we’re going to see that both Saul and David had made some particularly lousy decisions that had left them both in a lot of trouble. But the big difference was that David had not been abandoned by God, while Saul had. He was on his own. And his bad decisions were going to produce even worse outcomes. There would be no last-minute reprieve or a last-ditch rescue by God. But David was going to find himself miraculously rescued from the mess he had made because His God still had plans for him. David wasn’t always the brightest bulb in the box, but he had a love for God and a desire to do the right thing. And while he was fully capable of making some highly questionable decisions, his God was by his side, using his poor choices to teach David lifelong lessons about trust and faith.

Ep 622 – 1 Samuel 28:8-25 Aug 30, 2018

There’s a big difference between remorse and repentance. Sorrow for what you have done and the consequences your actions have caused is not the same as having a repentant heart. And in 1 Samuel 28:8-25, King Saul will regret his decision to seek wisdom from a witch. Since he could no longer hear from God, he took it upon himself to seek the counsel of a medium, a known practitioner of black magic and the occult. This woman should not have existed because God had commanded that all such individuals be driven from the land of promise. But not only was she there, Saul knew right where to find her and turned to her in his time of need. And when the spirit of Samuel the prophet appeared to Saul and confronted him for his disobedience to God, Saul fell on his face in fear. But it was too little, too late. He was not repentant. He was simply sorry that things had not turned out as he had hoped.

Ep 620 – 1 Samuel 27:1-12 Aug 28, 2018

The ways of God are not always understandable to us. The path He lays out for our lives may not always make sense or lead in the direction we had hoped. And there are times when we complicate matters by forcing our way onto God’s will. We try to help God out by coming up with our own plan of action, a self-created strategy that sounds so logical and yet ends up making matters worse. And in 1 Samuel 27:1-12, in the face of Saul’s never-ending attempt to kill him, David will revisit a plan he tried earlier in his life – with less-than-satisfactory results. He’ll seek refuge among the Philistines. And while this time the outcome appears to turn out for the better, it will be based on lies and deception, and eventually put David in a very difficult situation. While God’s ways may not always be appealing, the plans of man are never an improvement. God will always get His way. And when we try to circumvent His will, we always end up doing more harm than good.

Ep 621 - 1 Samuel 28:1-7 Aug 28, 2018

Up to this point in the story of David’s life, there has been a concerted effort on the part of the author to differentiate between David and Saul. Their lives have been purposefully juxtaposed by their antithetical natures. One was a man after God’s own heart, while the other was a man from whom God had removed His Spirit. David has been characterized by faithfulness and obedience, while Saul has been the poster boy for faithlessness and disobedience. And yet, in 1 Samuel 28:1-7, we are given a surprising glimpse into a similarity shared between these two men. They each had the habit of taking matters into their own hands. And in this one chapter, we’re going to see what happens when anyone refuses to seek the will of God and chooses to manage their life on their own. Autonomy, while extremely attractive, rarely turns out well. Being the master of your own fate may sound appealing, but it always has consequences, most of which are far from pleasant.

Ep 619 – 1 Samuel 26:13-25 Aug 27, 2018

It seems like every time David turned around, he was confronted with the temptation to take Saul’s life. For whatever reason, the unlikely, yet very tempting opportunity to rid himself of this thorn in his flesh kept presenting itself. This time, as recorded in 1 Samuel 26:13-25, it had been as Saul and his troops slept in their camp. David and Abishai had snuck into their midst, and had stood over Saul as he slept. Abishai had seen it as a God-ordained opportunity to kill Saul, even offering to do the dirty deed himself. But, as before, David refused to lift his land against the Lord’s anointed. But he was going to use this as an opportunity to prove to Saul that he was not a threat to his life or his kingdom. He simply wanted to make things right. If he had sinned against Saul, he would confess. He just needed to know what he had done. And David’s honesty seemed to make an impact on Saul, eliciting a confession of his own and a promise to allow David to live. But Saul’s words would prove unreliable and his offer of a truce, ephemeral.

Ep 618 – 1 Samuel 26:1-12 Aug 26, 2018

Fools are everywhere. We don’t always recognize them for what they are, but they’re there nonetheless. And David was about to discover that, while Nabal the fool was dead, there was another fool about to show up in his life. It was his old nemesis, King Saul. While David had enjoyed a much-needed break from Saul’s relentless attempt to kill him, Saul was far from done or gone. And in spite of his earlier encounter with David, Saul was none-the-wiser. In fact, he was as big a fool as ever, living his life as if God didn’t exist. He would continue to try to thwart God’s plans by eliminating God’s choice of David as his replacement. But, as usual, he would fail. And David would continue to learn some invaluable lessons from watching the life of this troubled man. As 1 Samuel 26:1-12 will reveal, sometimes the best way to learn how to live a godly life is by watching those who live ungodly. Saul, his life marked by foolishness and characterized by ungodliness will provide David with a powerful lesson on how NOT to be a king.

Ep 617 – 1 Samuel 25:39-44 Aug 25, 2018

Everybody has a weakness. At least one. And David was no exception. His personal point of weakness was his love for women. In fact, we might say he had an obsession for women. And Satan was going to have a field day using David’s obsessive preoccupation with the opposite sex to undermine his commitment to God. It’s not there was anything wrong with David, a red-blooded Hebrew male, from being attracted to women. It’s that he couldn’t seem to control his attraction. He had a lust problem. And he used women to satisfy his own desires. But not just physically. Women stroked David’s ego. They provided him with satisfaction and a feeling of significance. His conquest of them provided him with a sense of power and control. But they became a huge distraction in his life, keeping him from fully placing his hope and trust in God. And in 1 Samuel 25:39-44, we’re going to see David driven by his desire for Abigail and distracted from his God-given mission to become the next king of Israel.

Ep 616 – 1 Samuel 25:32-38 Aug 24, 2018

Save yourself! Sounds like good advice, especially if you find yourself in danger and have the option of getting yourself out of the situation. But sometimes, our attempts to save ourselves are motivated by a refusal to accept where God has placed us. We don’t like our circumstances, so we come up with a way to escape them. Rather than trust God and look for what He might be trying to teach us, we take matters into our own hands. And in 1 Samuel 25:32-38, David was going to see get a first-hand lesson on the difference between self-salvation and the kind God can bring. Men make lousy saviors. Because we lack the power to bring about true change. David could have dealt with Nabal on his own terms, but the outcome would have been less-than-satisfactory. He could have wiped out Nabal and all his men, but he would have destroyed his own reputation while doing so. David could try to save his own honor or let God do it for him. He could seek revenge or allow God to enact vengeance – according to His terms and on His timeline. But, like David, we all find ourselves wrestling with the subtle snare of self-salvation.

Ep 615 – 1 Samuel 25:18-31 Aug 23, 2018

We don’t always know what to do. And depending upon the given situation, we can sometimes run the risk of doing the wrong thing. That’s when it pays to have friends who can step in and give us wise input. In 1 Samuel 25:18-31, we find David so angry at Nabal’s disdainful treatment of his men and disrespectful attitude, that he is close to taking the fool’s life. But Abigail, the wife of Nabal, will step into the middle of the mess, providing wise and godly counsel to David that will prevent him from doing something he would later regret. Sometimes God places others in our life to direct and protect us – from ourselves. David was justifiably angry. But the worst thing he could do was allow a fool to goad him into doing something rash. Nabal had gotten the best of David, pushing all the right buttons to get the man after God’s own heart to respond in an ungodly way. But Abigail would preserve the life of her foolish husband and protect the integrity of David’s name by giving him wise and godly counsel.

Ep 614 – 1 Samuel 25:9-17 Aug 22, 2018

Fools can be exasperating. And their actions can cause even the wisest individual to respond in kind, making equally foolish decisions out of frustration or anger. And in 1 Samuel 25:9-17, we’re going to see David almost allow Nabal the fool to drag him down to his own level. Fools have a habit of breeding foolishness in others. They bring out the worst in the people around them, because they can be so frustrating to deal with. And David, put out with Nabal’s obnoxious treatment of his men and flippant disregard for his status as a warrior, comes close to putting an end to Nabal’s foolishness by bringing an abrupt and well-deserved end to his life. But, fortunately, the story doesn’t end that way. God will intervene, using Nabal’s wife to protect David from committing murder and providing David with a timely lesson on how to deal with the fool in his own life: King Saul. David was going to learn to fear fools because their foolishness was contagious. The best way to deal with a fool is to leave them in the hands of God.

Ep 613 – 1 Samuel 25:1-8 Aug 21, 2018

We all know fools. We may not recognize them as such, but their conduct speaks for itself. The Bible has a lot to say about fools, with the Proverbs of Solomon dedicating a great deal of space to the topic. And in 1 Samuel 25:1-8, we are introduced to a man whose very name meant “fool.” We’re not told why his parents chose to give him that name, but as the story unfolds, we’ll see that he had no problem living up to it. Even his wife will confirm his foolishness. But why is this story included in the Bible? And why did the Holy Spirit inspire the author of 1 Samuel to place it where it is in the story of the life of David. It should become apparent that the introduction of Nabal into the narrative is anything but a coincidence. He shows up at just the right time, providing an incredibly important insight into the heart of King Saul. Nabal was a fool, but so was King Saul. And David was going to get some helpful pointers on how to deal with a fool, straight from Nabal’s wife. She had learned not to suffer fools gladly, and so would David.

Ep 612 – 1 Samuel 24:11-22 Aug 20, 2018

The Bible puts a huge emphasis on the condition of the heart, not the physical organ that pumps blood through our bodies, but what the Hebrews understood to be the seat of man’s emotions, will and intellect. And you can’t read the story of David and not wonder why this particular man had been deemed by God to be a man after His own heart. Why? What was it about David that caused God to make this assessment? David, like all men, had plenty of flaws. And if you’re familiar with his story, you know that he was capable of committing some pretty serious sins, including adultery and murder. And he seemed to struggle with doubt just like the rest of us. So, why does God single him out as a man after His own heart? Well, in 1 Samuel 24:11-12, we get a small glimpse into the heart of the man, as he has a chance encounter with King Saul. Missing are any hints of hatred and bitterness. He doesn’t rail on Saul. He doesn’t shake his fist in the face of God. Instead, he placed his fate in the hands of God, trusting in the goodness and grace of God to decide between he and Saul.

Ep 611 – 1 Samuel 24:1-10 Aug 19, 2018

Taking matters into our own hands is always a constant temptation for the people of God. It’s an occupational hazard that comes with the territory. But we have to resist it, because doing things our way always results in less-than-satisfactory outcomes. And the other danger we face is misreading the circumstances around us, and determining something to be the will of God simply because it seems to be the most attractive option. In 1 Samuel 24:1-10, David is going to be presented with just such an occasion. He will find himself face-to-face with his arch-nemesis, King Saul, and provided with a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to eliminate this thorn in his side once and for all. But there’s only one problem: David doesn’t have permission from God. Yes, his friends assure him that this is a God-ordained chance to set things right, but they were speaking out of turn and without God’s permission. They were well-meaning, but ran the risk of causing David to violate God’s will. Had David listened, he could have eliminated his biggest problem, but sinned against God while doing so.

Ep 610 – 1 Samuel 23:15-29 Aug 18, 2018

Trusting God can be difficult, even in the best of times. But when things start to go south and our circumstances take a turn for the worse, it becomes virtually impossible see God, let alone trust in Him. We begin to doubt and despair. We question His presence and raise issues concerning His goodness. But one of the things we have to learn is that God is present in our lives at all times. He is there in the good times and the bad times. And it is often that in the bad times we end up seeing Him most clearly if we look for Him closely. In 1 Samuel 23:15-29, David will find himself in yet another difficult situation. He will be betrayed once again by the people of Israel. This time, it will be the Ziphites who try to turn him in to Saul. And just when it looks like Saul has David backed into a corner, God steps in and provides a way of escape. But you have to look closely. Because, at first glance, it looks like little more than a coincidence. But God is there, behind the scenes, proving His power and assuring David of His ongoing presence – even in the worst of times.

Ep 609 – 1 Samuel 23:1-14 Aug 17, 2018

When reading the story of the life of David, it is easy to make it all about the shepherd boy turned king. The tendency is to read the details of his life as history and seeing the various stories surrounding his life as purely biographical in nature. But it’s important that we remember that we are reading divinely inspired Scripture, and there is far more here than meets the eye. David was a real man and the accounts we have about him in Scripture are true. But, ultimately, these passages are about something far greater. They provide a foreshadowing of someone far more important to come. And, in the case of David, his life provides us with some fascinating parallels to the Good Shepherd and King of kings who was to come. If we look closely at 1 Samuel 23:1-14, we can see some similarities between David and Jesus that are far from coincidental in nature. They are meant to link the man after God’s own heart with the Son of Man in whom God was well pleased. David was a type of Christ, a man chosen by God to be king over His people and provide salvation from their enemies. Yet, like Jesus, David would find himself rejected by his own people.

Ep 608 – 1 Samuel 22:14-23 Aug 16, 2018

Have you ever experienced dark days? Of course, you have. We all have. Even as followers of Christ, we can find ourselves walking through what David once described as the valley of the shadow of death. Faith in Christ is not some kind of spiritual force field that protects us from days filled with difficulty or moments that bring despair. One of the things about faith is that it is based on what is unseen. The author of Hebrews put it this way: “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for, being convinced of what we do not see” (Hebrews 11:1 NLT). And in 1 Samuel 22:14-23, we will see David having to place his hope in God when everything around him seemed to be spiraling into a black hole of doubt and despair. His actions had resulted in the slaughter of the priests of God, their families and all the citizens of Nob. And he felt responsible, even though the genocide was the work of Doeg the Edomite, under the orders of King Saul. David couldn’t believe what he had heard. He was shocked at the ungodly actions of the man who was supposed to be the shepherd of Israel. But through it all, David was learning some costly, yet invaluable lessons about trusting God.

Ep 607 – 1 Samuel 22:6-13 Aug 15, 2018

There are few things as unattractive as self-pity. But the myopic, me-centered nature that accompanies feeling sorry for yourself is usually visible to everyone but the person having the pity party. They see their actions as justified and expect everyone around them to agree with their assessment of the situation. And in 1 Samuel 22:6-13, we get to see King Saul having a royal pity party, accusing all those around him of betrayal and demanding that they see him as the victim. But Saul’s problem was not a lack of compassion on the part of his servants, but the lack of a relationship with God. He was on his own. God had removed His Spirit from Saul and his ability to see things from a godly perspective had vanished at the same time. All that remained for him was a life of pervasive self-pity and paranoia. He could trust no one. Even his own family members. And, in spite of being the king, surrounded with all the royal trappings of success and comfort, he could find no joy or satisfaction in life. He had disobeyed God and was now experiencing what it was like to live without Him.

Ep 606 – 1 Samuel 22:1-5 Aug 14, 2018

The ways of God can be mysterious and, sometimes, even a bit strange. And nobody knew that better than David. Here was a man who had been chosen by God, anointed by the prophet of God, and yet found himself living like a fugitive with a bounty on his head. He went from being the son-in-law of the king to the top spot on Israel’s most-wanted list. And in 1 Samuel 22:1-5, we have the story of David seeking refuge in the cave of Adullam where he is joined by a ragtag group of disgruntled Israelites who want to make him their leader. Whether he liked it or not, David was going to be thrust into a leadership position by God. He was going to learn how to shepherd the flock of God by inheriting a motley group of misfits and malcontents who shared a common dislike for Saul. God’s school of leadership was not going to be easy. His preparation of David to ascend to the throne of Israel was going to be filled with difficult days and even more difficult people to manage. But David was going to learn to trust God. His increasing responsibilities were going to make him ever-more dependent upon God for wisdom, strength and direction.

Ep 605 – 1 Samuel 21:10-15 Aug 13, 2018

Sometimes, trying to live the Christian life can leave you feeling a bit crazy. It’s not exactly easy trying to live out your faith in the midst of a sin-filled world. And there are times when this life of faith leads us to do some crazy things in order to survive. Rather than trust God, we find ourselves taking matters into our own hands and the results are always less-than-satisfactory. David would learn that invaluable lesson when he made the fateful decision to run from King Saul and seek refuge among the Philistines – the sworn enemies of Israel. David’s strategy was not God-ordained and would end up putting him in a very precarious position. Seeking to preserve his own life by his own methods, he would end up risking death at the hands of his enemies. His solution would prove far from ideal. And it all began when he failed to trust God. The very same God who had anointed him king was fully capable of making him king. But David had his doubts. He let his outer circumstances determine his outlook on God. He saw his trials as evidence of God’s absence and his own need to take matters into his own hands. But God had not left him and God was not done with him.

Ep 604 – 1 Samuel 21:1-9 Aug 12, 2018

Where do you go when you have nowhere to go? Most of us have never been in the predicament, but that is exactly the scenario David was facing. He had fled from Jerusalem, afraid for his life and anxious to put as many miles as possible between he and Saul. But where was he supposed to go? Who could he turn to? He probably feared the presence of Saul’s spies everywhere he went. So, he headed to Nob, where the priests of God lived. Maybe they would be willing to show him some grace. But when David arrived the high priest was suspicious, wondering why David had appeared at their compound all alone, with no troops riding along with him. But David concocted a story that seemed to satisfy the priest’s apprehensions and, before he knew it, he was on his way with five loaves of bread and the sword of Goliath. But David had to resort to lies and deception to get what he needed. This was early on in the fugitive stage of his training with God and David had not yet learned the invaluable lesson of relying upon the strength of God. But in time, he would.

Ep 603 – 1 Samuel 20:35-42 Aug 11, 2018

Just when David thought it couldn’t get any worse, it did. He was about to lose everything, including his wife, best friend, and job, not to mention his dignity. He was going to become a man on the run, with a bounty on his head and that nagging feeling that someone was always out to get him. Nowhere would be safe. And, as we will see, Saul was not someone who would give up easily. David could run, but Saul would continue to pursue him – stubbornly and relentlessly. But all of this was part of God’s divine plan for David’s life. God wasn’t caught off guard. He didn’t have to come up with a plan B. This had been his plan all along. Because God had some invaluable lessons He wanted to teach David that could only be learned in the fires of adversity. David was about to be thrown into God’s furnace of purification. And the heat was about to get intense. God wasn’t punishing David, He was perfecting him. He was turning the shepherd of sheep into the shepherd of Israel. He was transforming a man of faith into a man of God. David had been anointed the next king of Israel, but God was going to teach him the value of suffering before glorification.

Ep 602 – 1 Samuel 20:16-34 Aug 10, 2018

By now, the stubbornness of Saul should be quite evident. Like a dog with a rag, he refuses to let go of his anger and resentment against David. Cooler heads have tried to prevail, but he remains determined to take the life of David and prolong his own reign. But his efforts will proof fruitless and futile. Whether he realizes it or not, he is foolishly attempting to fight the will of God Almighty. His efforts to kill David have failed time and time again, because God has a plan for David’s life. It doesn’t matter how many times Saul tries to stab David with a spear or how many bounties he places on his head, the will of God cannot and will not be thwarted. And Saul’s growing frustration will spill over in rage against his own son, whom he will try to kill with a spear. This is the portrait of a man possessed, both figuratively and literally. No longer controlled by the Spirit of God, Saul is obviously under demonic possession, and operating out of uncontrollable rage. And one of the saddest realities of this man’s rapidly spiraling life was his unwillingness to accept responsibility for the failure of his reign. He had blown it with God, having disobeyed His command, but never repenting for it.

Ep 601 – 1 Samuel 20:1-15 Aug 09, 2018

David is forced to flee for his life. And you would think that this brings any chance of him becoming the next king of Israel to an abrupt and ignominious end. But, in reality, this is just the beginning of David’s life story. And it is all part of God’s divine plan for his life. When David runs, he does so, filled with confusion and self-incrimination. He can’t figure out what he has done to make Saul so angry with him. He even begs Jonathan to help him determine how to make things right with his father. Jonathan is convinced that David is overreacting. He can’t bring himself to believe that his father is serious about his threats to kill David. So, David concocts a plan to expose Saul’s real agenda and to convince Jonathan that the threat on his life is real. But the most amazing part of this story is the way David handles himself throughout the entire ordeal. He’s confused, but shows no signs of anger or resentment. He doesn’t lash out at Saul or call on God to strike him down. If anything, he seems to be willing to take the blame for the conflict taking place between them. He exhibits the characteristics that led God to call Him a man after His own heart.

Ep 600 – 1 Samuel 19:11-24 Aug 08, 2018

Saul was relentless. He was obsessed with the idea of killing David. In his tormented mind, he truly believed that if he filled David, he could continue to rule and reign as the king of Israel – in spite of God’s pledge to remove and replace him with a man after God’s own heart. And in 1 Samuel 19:11-24, Saul will have his sinister plans to kill David thwarted by his own daughter, Michal. She will get wind of her father’s plot and assist her husband in escaping. And this story, full of deception, intrigue, lies and nail-biting, last-second escapes, is about far more than David’s too-close-for-comfort getaway. It’s about a cosmic struggle taking place in the invisible realms. In other words, it’s about spiritual warfare – a battle between God and Satan. While Saul and David are the primary protagonists in the story, they are not the primary focus. What we have here is a earthly glimpse into the epic struggle taking place between righteousness and wickedness. Yes, Saul is out to kill David, but there is far more going on here than meets the eye. Under the influence of Satan himself, Saul’s attempt to eliminate David is actually Satan’s effort to prevent the coming of the King of kings and Lord of lords.

Ep 599 – 1 Samuel 19:1-10 Aug 07, 2018

Saul had it out for David. His animosity, driven by his jealousy and fear of David, kept revealing itself in ever-more intense efforts to take David’s life. He had tried to kill David with a spear – twice. Now he was going to issue an order that all of his servants do whatever they had to do to see that David was eliminated. Saul even ordered his own son, Jonathan, to take the life of his best friend, David. All of this reveals Saul’s growing desperation and despondency. He had been rejected by God because of his disobedience. And he knew his days on the throne were numbered. Saul was seeking every opportunity to kill David, all in a futile effort to prolong his reign. And even when Jonathan convinced his father to rescind his order to kill David, it was little more than a delay. The calm before the storm. And 1 Samuel 19:1-10 ends with Saul trying, for a third time, to nail David to the wall with a spear. He missed, but David didn’t take any chances and fled for his life. It was about time for David to give up his position in the palace. His days of learning how NOT to be a king were quickly coming to an end. God was going to separate David from Saul and begin the process of divine preparation that would equip him for his God-ordained role as the shepherd of Israel.

Ep 598 – 1 Samuel 18:17-30 Aug 06, 2018

Saul had a love-hate relationship with David. At least, it started out that way. But it wasn’t long before any love for David was replaced by a jealousy-fueled, fear induced hatred. He saw David as a threat and was determined to rid himself of this winner of the peoples’ choice award. And it’s amazing the lengths Saul went to in his efforts to eliminate any possibility of David becoming the next king of Israel. He had tried to kill him. He tried relocating him. And, as we will see in 1 Samuel 18:17-30, Saul will try to take advantage of David’s unwavering allegiance, by deceiving him and exposing him to life-threatening situations. And yet, Saul would see all his efforts fail because God had plans for David. He was the Lord’s anointed. But that doesn’t mean all was going to go well for David or that his life would be trouble-free. A big part of what God was doing was preparing David for the day when he would assume the throne of Israel. These next months and years of his life were going to be difficult, but necessary. For him to be the kind of king God desired, David was going to have to endure God’s intensive training program for kings.

Ep 597 – 1 Samuel 18:10-16 Aug 05, 2018

How do you learn to be a king? Well, you can always do it by watching another king. And then there’s on-the-job training, where you learn as you go. Both have their pros and cons, but it seems that God was going to allow David to take the first route, allowing him to watch King Saul from an up-close-and-personal vantage point right in the palace. But most of the lessons David would learn from Saul would be of the negative variety. Saul would provide David with more than enough examples of how NOT to reign. And it wasn’t long before David found himself on the receiving end of Saul’s uncontrollable anger, a byproduct of the king’s growing jealousy. All of this was part of God’s divine strategy to provide David with a graduate-level education on kingship. David had been anointed the next king of Israel, but he was not yet on the throne, because he was not yet ready. There were many life lessons David would have to learn before he was ready to wear the crown and assume the responsibility of leading the people of God. His anointing was going to be followed by a period of testing and teaching, and one of the greatest lessons he would learn in the years ahead was the need to rely on and rest in God.

Ep 596 – 1 Samuel 18:1-9 Aug 04, 2018

Chapter 18 of 1 Samuel opens up with a description of the new and deepening friendship between David and Jonathan, the son of King Saul. This relationship will play a significant part in the unfolding story of David’s life. David, the unlikely hero who had defeated the Philistine champion, Goliath, suddenly found himself a full-time employee of the king and a friend to the king’s son. But it wouldn’t take long before David discovered his best friend’s father didn’t share his son’s affection for him. At least, not all the time. Saul would begin to exhibit wild mood swings and a meteoric relationship with his young shepherd turned warrior. David’s seeming penchant for success and growing popularity among the people would end up making Saul jealous. And it didn’t help that Saul could hear songs being sung in the streets of the city boasting of David’s accomplishments. David had made a friend and a foe in the king’s palace, and it was just a matter of time before Saul and his son found themselves in conflict over this young man who was a man after God’s own heart and whose exploits had won the hearts of the people.

Ep 595 – 1 Samuel 17:50-58 Aug 03, 2018

David had done the impossible. He had surprised any and all, especially the giant, Goliath, by scoring a not-to-be-expected victory over the Philistine champion. And King Saul had to have been beside himself with joy over the unlikely outcome of the confrontation between Goliath and the scrawny shepherd boy. But again, before we turn this story into an autobiographical record of the feats of David, we need to step back and take a look at the bigger story found in Scripture. What we have pictured here is a spiritual battle, between the evil forces of this world and God Almighty. And in the middle are the people of God, quaking in their boots and ill-equipped to do anything about the loud-mouthed, muscle-bound giant hurling curses at them. In many ways, the people of Israel, as portrayed in this story, were suffering from lousy leadership. They had chosen to turn their backs on God, rejecting Him as their true King, and choosing instead to have a king like all the other nations. Which is why God had given them Saul. But there was a new king to come. And that is the real story behind David’s defeat of Goliath. David would be a foreshadowing of Jesus, the King of kings, who would also be born in the city of Bethlehem. Like David, He would bring victory over the enemy, but this time, it would be Satan

Ep 594 – 1 Samuel 17:41-49 Aug 02, 2018

Everyone loves the story of David and Goliath, because almost everyone has a heart for the underdog. That’s why all the Rocky movies have been so popular for so long. It’s why we love to see the out-gunned and out-manned armies of the Alliance get the upper hand over the Imperial forces in every Star Wars movie. We like seeing the little guy win. We prefer to watch the neighborhood bully get his clock cleaned by the little kid with the thick glasses and a mean right hook. But we need to be careful that we don’t turn the story of David and Goliath into some kind of moralistic story about victories over the bullies of life. Yes, David was way out of his league when he stepped onto the field of battle with Goliath, but the whole point of this story is that the battle was not up to David in the first place. It was about the enemies of God getting what they deserved from God. The battle was the Lord’s and it had been all along. God had been willing to bring victory – if anyone would simply believe that He could. And David was the one who put his trust in God. It wasn’t about David’s sling and five smooth stones. It was about the power of God bringing victory over the enemies of God through a willing servant of God.

Ep 593 – 1 Samuel 17:31-40 Aug 01, 2018

David and Goliath. Those two names are so familiar to us that we almost always associate them with some moral story about facing the giants in life. And when we do, we forget the context of the original event and the true message that God is trying to convey through the lives of these two men. As we so often do, we take the stories found in the Old Testament and make them all about the individual involved. We stress the faith of Abraham and then try to emulate it. We study the leadership skills of Moses and attempt to apply them in our business. We read about David facing a literal giant in his life and we try to turn it into a lesson on fearlessness and faithfulness against all odds. And it’s not that we’re wrong for doing so. It’s just that we tend to miss the point of the passage. The story of David and Goliath is not really about either man. They aren’t the stars of this drama, God is. Yes, this is a story about insurmountable odds, formidable foes, and unlikely victories. But it’s also about the power of God. David was a shepherd boy. Goliath was a larger-than-life, battle-seasoned warrior. But David had something Goliath didn’t have. And it wasn’t his faith. It was his God.

Ep 591 – 1 Samuel 17:19-30 Jul 31, 2018

David has showed up at the front lines of battle, where the army of Israel is facing the Philistines and their larger-than-life champion, Goliath. And David is appalled at what he finds. Not a single man is willing to stand up to the taunts of the Philistine warrior, and take his challenge to hand-to-hand combat. Everyone is in fear and afraid to risk a confrontation with what appears to be an unbeatable foe. But in 1 Samuel 17:19-30, David will express his dismay at the lack of action on the part of Saul and his troops, including his older brother, Eliab. He will accuse David of showing up unannounced and without the permission of their father. In essence, he accuses David of shirking his shepherding duties at home. But, in reality, David had been sent by his father and, as the rest of the story unfolds, he was on a mission for God. This young, seemingly insignificant shepherd was going to do what no one else was willing to do: Stand up to the enemies of God in the power of God. And he would do so not for promise of reward, but to protect the name of his God.

Ep 590 – 1 Samuel 17:1-18 Jul 30, 2018

David had the anointing of the Holy Spirit and had been designated by God to be the next king of Israel. But, there was only one problem. Saul was still the official king. While God had removed His Spirit from Saul, He had not yet chosen to remove Saul from the throne. And God, in His inimitable way, chose to place David in the employment of the man he would eventually replace. But David was already setting himself apart as a man of valor. And in 1 Samuel 17:1-18, we have the opening of one of the most famous stories regarding David, his confrontation with Goliath, the Philistine champion. David, when not serenading the emotionally disturbed king by playing his lyre, was busy shepherding his father’s flocks. But God had something significant for David to do. He was about to confront one of the most ominous and intimidating enemies that Israel had ever seen. When the king was too afraid to stand up to the giant, Goliath, David would reveal his faith in God and his willingness to trust in the power of God. This young shepherd boy would display a courage and conviction that would put the king to shame and the enemies of Israel to flight. The least-expected was about to do the unexpected.

Ep 589 – 1 Samuel 16:11-23 Jul 29, 2018

David, the youngest of all Jesse’s sons, was a lowly shepherd, designated with the responsibility to care for the flocks and herds belonging to the family. In fact, when the prophet had shown up at Jesse’s home, David had not even been included in the gathering of all the sons. Instead, he hadh been left to tend the sheep. But when God had refused to accept any of the sons of Jesse as the next king of Israel, the prophet demanded that David be brought before him. And the rest, they say, is history. David would be anointed by Samuel, in the presence of his father and brothers. But it is not clear whether anyone but the prophet knew the significance of all that was taking place. One of the remarkable aspects of this story, found in 1 Samuel 16:11-23, is that David, upon his anointing with oil, was filled with the Holy Spirit. He had been divinely ordained by God to be the next king of Israel and had received the power of God in the form of the Spirit of God. But oddly enough, David didn’t ascend to the throne. He went to work for King Saul, the man he was to replace. And it would be years before he would ever bear the title, King of Israel. Because, despite the calling of God and his anointing with the Spirit of God, David was not yet ready to lead the people of God.

Ep 589 – 1 Samuel 16:1-11 Jul 28, 2018

Today we begin a new series on the life of David. Over the next few months we are going to be looking into the books of 1st and 2nd Samuel and 1st Kings as we unpack the life of this incredible character from the Old Testament. We’ll open up in this episode with God sending His prophet, Samuel, to the house of Jesse in order to select a successor for the disobedient King Saul. We are first introduced to David in 1 Samuel 16:1-11. And interestingly enough, he’s almost a no-show in this passage, having been left in the fields by his father, relegated to tending sheep while Jesse and his older sons entertain the prophet of God. This passage presents an interesting contrast, revealing a marked difference between God’s viewpoint and that of men. Samuel has been commanded by God to anoint the next king of Israel, whom God Himself had already chosen. But Samuel was in the dark as to who this new king might be. So, he went with his instincts and looked for the man who looked the part. He judged by outward appearances, falling into the old trap of judging a book by its cover. But God intervened and insisted that His choice would be unexpected and he would be a man after His own heart.

Ep 588 – Ephesians 6:10-24 Jul 27, 2018

As Paul sums up his thoughts in Ephesians 6:10-24, he calls on his audience to be strong and in the strength of His might. He isn’t telling them to gut it up, He’s encouraging them to look up, to Jesus. They must recognize that their strength is in Him. Their hope is in Him. And their guarantee of eternity is completely up to Him. Paul reminds them that they are in a battle and it is not against earthly enemies. It is against spiritual forces that operate in the invisible realm, but who are anything but figments of men’s imaginations. They are evil and they are powerful. But we do not have to fear them. We have been provided all the armor we need to do battle with the enemy. But Paul reminds his readers, and us, that we do not fight alone. We are in this together, with Christ, but also alongside every other child of God. We make up a divine army that answers to the Lord of Hosts. We get our marching orders from Him. We fight in His name and according to His strength. And we do so, side by side, with every other believer. We are brothers in arms, not independent free-agents, operating as some kind of spiritual mercenaries for hire. We are called to fight together, not alone.

Ep 587 – Ephesians 5:21-6:9 Jul 26, 2018

Submission. To many modern Christians, that might as well be a four-letter word. It carries the same impact and is viewed with the same degree of negativity. And yet, the Bible is replete with calls to submission. In fact, in Ephesians 5:21-6:9, Paul addresses this volatile topic in conjunction with his discussion of Spirit-filled living. He is out to change the way the believers in Ephesus thought about righteousness and its practical applications to all of life, including their relationships with others. Godly living was about far more than keeping a set of rules or maintaining a list of dos and don’ts. It was about life change. And for Paul, it was about a life of submission, first and foremost to God, but also to all those around you. Paul didn’t see submission as a dirty word or some kind of call to subservience and subjugation. It was an expression of love for God and others. Submission involves humility and requires selflessness. It operates under the mindset that all we do is to be done as to the Lord. Is it natural? Far from it. It goes against every part of our fallen human nature. But it is anything but a dirty word. It is God’s call upon His children and is only possible through His Spirit.

Ep 586 – Ephesians 5:15-20 Jul 25, 2018

Living the Christ-like life is all about control. The question has to do with who is in control. Far too often, even the most well-intentioned believers find themselves fighting for control of their lives rather than allowing the Holy Spirit to guide, direct and empower all that they do. And for Paul, living the Christian life was impossible without submission to the Spirit’s control. He alone provides us with the strength and the resources we need to live in keeping with God’s will and in step with Christ’s example. In Ephesians 5:15-20, Paul reminds us that we live in evil days, when there are countless forms of opposition that make our pursuit of righteousness impossible – unless we are relying on the indwelling power of the Spirit. Our will is no match for the flesh, the world and the enemy. We don’t stand a chance unless we choose to be filled with the Spirit. And it is a daily choice. It is a matter of control. Doing God’s will is only possible when we are controlled by God’s Spirit. He alone can help us walk wisely, righteously, obediently, joyfully and in humility.

Ep 585 – Ephesians 5:1-17 Jul 24, 2018

Light and dark. Sin and righteousness. These are key themes in Paul’s letter as he addresses the believers in Ephesus. He is calling them to live according to their calling as sons and daughters of God. They are to be holy as God is holy. They are to live righteously, according to the power of the Holy Spirit who dwells within them. In fact, Paul tells them that they are to imitate God. That’s a lofty ideal. But even more than that, they are to love in the same way that Christ did: Sacrificially and selflessly. Their lives are to be dramatically different than those of the lost who live all around them. Darkness and unrighteousness characterized their pagan neighbors who knew nothing about Jesus Christ and were still separated from God because of their sins. But they had been brought near by the grace of God and been made children of God. So, in Ephesians 5:1-14, Paul calls on them to as lights in the midst of a dark world. They were to expose sin by living in the light of God’s Word and in the power of God’s Spirit. Their righteous behavior would act as a bright light, illuminating the darkness and decadence that permeated their city, resulting in conviction of sin and attracting others to the forgiveness available in Christ.

Ep 584 – Ephesians 4:17-32 Jul 23, 2018

Self-improvement is a hot topic in our culture. Books and seminars abound on the topic and social media is rife with advertorials lauding the latest diet, exercise program, or business strategy designed to produce a new and improved you. And even within Christian circles, we hear a lot about the topic of self-improvement, from sermons that offer five keys to a better life to books that provide simple steps to increased spirituality. And while Paul was a big fan of spiritual self-improvement, he knew that the self had little to do with it. It was the work of the Spirit of God. So, in Ephesians 4:17-32 he encourages his readers to put off the old self and to put on the new self. He demands that they live differently and distinctively, in keeping with their new status as God’s children. But he also reminds them that the Holy Spirit is the key to their inner transformation and the power that makes possible any changes to their external behavior. He expected them to live dramatically different lives, but not based on self-effort. He was calling for complete reliance upon the Spirit of God so that they might live as sons and daughters of God.

Ep 583 – Ephesians 4:1-16 Jul 22, 2018

Unity. It’s a lofty ideal, but is it really achievable in this life? Can we really experience unity – the kind of unity that Jesus prayed for in the garden? Is it really possible for us to be one as He and the Father are one? I find it hard to believe that Jesus would have asked God to do something that was impossible. And we know from the Scriptures that, with God, all things are possible. God called us to Himself, but He didn’t leave us individual free-agents who operate independently and in isolation. He placed us in His family, the Church. And Paul reminds us that, as God’s children, we are to walk in a manner worthy of our calling. We are sons and daughters of God and our lives should reflect that reality. In Ephesians 4:1-16, Paul is going to stress the need for unity. We are one. That doesn’t mean we are all the same. In fact, Paul will emphasize that each of us has a different Spirit-given gift that allows us to minister to the rest of the body. We have been equipped by God to bless those around us in the church. That is our calling, and it is a high calling. One that should result in spiritual maturity for the entire family of God. We are to grow – together. We are to reflect Christ – together. All in a spirit of unity.

Ep 582 – Ephesians 3:14-21 Jul 21, 2018

The love of God. We’ve all heard about it. And most of us believe in it and are counting on it. But it is amazing how easily and quickly we can begin to doubt His love for us. As soon as something goes wrong in our lives, we tend to jump to the conclusion that God has fallen out of love with us. We assume He is angry with us. But Paul wanted the believers in Ephesus to grasp just how much God loved them. So, he prayed that God would somehow expose them to the greatness of His matchless love. It’s interesting that he prayed that God would give them strength to comprehend. But the love of God isn’t always easy to recognize. Oftentimes, it comes across to us as punishment or displeasure. But Scripture tells us that God disciplines those He loves. He loves us enough not to let us do those things that could harm our relationship with Him. So, He brings loving discipline into our lives. God uses the extremes of life – the good and the bad – to draw us closer to Him. His goal is our godliness. He loved us enough to redeem us and is in the process of radically transforming us.

Ep 581 – Epheisans 3:1-13 Jul 20, 2018

Paul wrote this letter while a prisoner in Rome, and he was unashamed to admit that his imprisonment was due to his sharing of the Gospel. He had been faithful to the commission Jesus had given to him, and had taken the good news regarding salvation to the Gentiles. And he makes it clear that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel. No one saw it coming. The ancient prophets had predicted it, but had failed to recognize the significance of their own Spirit-inspired words. God had done something remarkable and totally unexpected. He had opened up the door to the Gentiles, allowing them to become part of His family. And in Ephesians 3:1-13, Paul lets the Ephesian believers know that he had been given the privilege and responsibility of sharing the unsearchable riches of Christ to the Gentile world. Their salvation had been God’s doing. It had all been part of His divine plan, from the very beginning. And the church, made up of believers from all walks of life, every nationality and despite language and cultural barriers, was to be an example of God’s manifold wisdom.

Ep 580 – Ephesians 2:19-22 Jul 19, 2018

Membership in the family of God. Have you ever really stopped to think about the magnitude of that idea? We have become so used to hearing it that we risk taking it for granted. But Paul wanted the believers in Ephesus to understand just how radical a change had taken place in their lives. They were once enemies of God, deserving of His judgment, which included the death penalty. They had lived in open rebellion against Him and yet, now they enjoyed intimate fellowship with Him as His adopted sons and daughters. Rather than being strangers and aliens, they were members of the household of God. And they had done nothing to earn or deserve it. Their dramatic transformation had been the work of God, and it had been made possible through the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ, His Son. Ephesians 2:19-22 contains Paul’s inspiring reminder to the Ephesian believers that they are now citizens of God’s Kingdom. They, along with all the other saints who make up the body of Christ around the world, form a holy temple in the Lord. And Paul doesn’t want them to take their newfound status for granted.

Ep 579 – Ephesians 2:11-18 Jul 18, 2018

Nobody who has experienced a positive transformation in their life likes to think about how by they used to be. Dwelling on the negative seems like a non-productive pursuit. But in Ephesians 2:11-18, Paul is going to remind the believers in Ephesus to remember what they were like before they came to faith in Christ. He is particularly addressing the Gentiles in the church and encouraging them to recall their pre-salvation condition. This little exercise seems counter-productive, but Paul knew that a healthy awareness of our condition before Christ is essential to grasping the incredible nature of the gift we have received. Paul describes them as having been uncircumcised, separated from Christ, alienated from the people of God, without hope and without God. Not exactly a description that brings a smile to your face – unless you consider that, in spite of all those things, God saved you. He brought those who were far off near. He did for the Jews and the Gentiles what they could not do for themselves. And he formed from both groups one single body – the body of Christ. God created something remarkable and completely unattainable without His love, power, grace, and mercy. The Church.

Ep 578 – Ephesians 2:1-10 Jul 17, 2018

For anyone who has experienced salvation in Christ, the knowledge that it is a wonderful gift goes without saying. We have been taught to understand that it is something we could never have earned and in no way deserved. But Paul knew that even the most grateful believer was capable of taking the gift provided by God for granted. Not only that, he knew that each of us is fully capable of thinking we somehow deserved to be saved – at least just a little. So, he goes out of his way to warn the believers in Ephesus just exactly how bad off they were when God called them. He pulls no punches and doesn’t attempt to sugarcoat the fact that they were in a bad place when God extended His grace by offering His Son as the payment for their sins. Prior to their salvation, the Ephesian believers were in a really bad place – condemned by their sin and fully deserving of God’s judgment. But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loves them … made them alive together with Christ. God showed mercy. He extended grace. He provided the free gift of His Son, and no one has any right to brag about their right standing with God, because no one did anything to deserve it.

Ep 577 – Ephesians 1:15-23 Jul 16, 2018

The church at Ephesus was filled with people from all walks of life. Not only did it feature a seemingly toxic blend of Jews and Gentiles, there were slaves and masters, rich and poor, religious-minded do-gooders and former prostitutes – all thrown together into this mysterious thing called the body of Christ. And Paul knew full-well that this motley group of diverse individuals, while called by God, were also a potential time bomb. Their differences could easily become cause for dissension and disunity. So, Paul prayed. And he asked God to give them what he knew they were going to need to survive and thrive as a community: The Spirit of Wisdom and a knowledge of God. Paul was ecstatic that they had been chosen by God and had experienced the wonderful gift of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ. But he knew God expected more. They were to grow spiritually. They were to experience the full measure of the power made available to them through the Holy Spirit. And he wanted them to understand that they were under the direct supervision of Jesus Christ Himself, as the head of the body – the church. This small, fledgling congregation located in the heart of a spiritually dark city, had all that they needed to live in unity and love. God hadn’t just called them. He had fully equipped them with all that they would need to live as His children on this planet.

Ep 576 – Ephesians 1:1-14 Jul 15, 2018

Paul’s letter to the church in Ephesus is part of what has come to be known as his prison epistles – a collection of correspondence he wrote to various churches while under house arrest in Rome. This particular letter, written to the believers living in Ephesus is filled with references to love, unity and mystery. Located in a prominent pagan city, the Ephesian church was comprised of both Jews and Gentiles, a remarkable distinction that Paul describes as “This mystery … that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel” (Ephesians 3:6 ESV). This blending of Jews and Gentiles into a single entity which Paul refers to as the body of Christ, was unexpected by the Hebrews and unimaginable to those outside the Jewish faith. But God was doing a new thing. Through His Son’s death on the cross, He was redeeming for Himself a remnant from among sinful mankind and adopting them as His sons and daughters. Through a common faith in Jesus Christ, this diverse group of individuals found themselves bound together by the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit and the unmerited love of God. This letter provides a powerful reminder of the mysterious, yet glorious plan of God to redeem a people for His own. He did for them what they could not have done for themselves, and Paul wants them to live in a manner that reflects their calling by God.

Ep 575 – Joshua 24:29-39 Jul 14, 2018

And so, the story of Joshua ends. The closing verses of chapter 24 chronicles the death of Joshua, but it is far from the end of the people of Israel. Their leader was gone, but they had just begun their possession of the land. There was much work to be done. The Canaanites had not yet been eliminated, but God was still prepared to help them finish what they had begun. The real question would be whether they would remain faithful to God and trust Him as they continued to possess the land. But with Joshua’s death, a change began to take place within the people of Israel. Their leader was gone. The motivation and direction he had provided for years was no longer available. And as the rest of Joshua’s generation died off, a new generation rose up that didn’t know the Lord. They had not been trained in the ways of God. They had not been told the stories of God’s miraculous interventions. And as the book of Judges reveals, the people of God failed to follow God faithfully. And they suffered the consequences.

Ep 574 – Joshua 24:14-28 Jul 13, 2018

Will you remain faithful? That was what Joshua wanted to know. As he tried to prepare the people of Israel for his eventual death and the leadership vacuum it would leave, he called them to serve God faithfully. And the people seemed to offer their enthusiastic agreement to do just that. They appeared to be sincere. Their declarations of allegiance came across as legitimate and heartfelt and, yet, Joshua seemed to recognize that there was something missing. He was aware that the people did not have what it took to keep the commitments they were making. In Joshua 24:14-28, the God-appointed leader of Israel is trying to prepare them for the future, by calling them to a wholehearted, unwavering commitment to God. The key to their future blessing by God is tied directly to their present faithfulness to God. Before he passed from the scene, Joshua wanted to make sure the people took their relationship with God seriously and his call to faithfulness literally.

Ep 573 – Joshua 24:1-13 Jul 12, 2018

The grace of God. That phrase is so familiar to many of us that we take it for granted. It’s familiarity creates a certain sense of complacency and ingratitude, so that we no longer appreciate the sheer magnitude of what it truly means. The same was true of the people of Israel during the days of Joshua. In Joshua 24:1-13, God provides them with a powerful reminder of His matchless grace. He reminds them of all the ways in which He has graciously gone before them, preparing the way for them. He had called them, rescued them, led them and provided them with a land to call their own. Their story as a nation was filled with example after example of God’s gracious activity. They had no reason to brag. They had no cause to think highly of themselves. Their entire existence was the result of God’s grace. And God had a far greater purpose for their creation as a nation than they could have ever imagined.

Ep 572 – Joshua 23:1-16 Jul 11, 2018

Joshua is growing old and becoming increasingly more aware that his days on earth are coming to an end. So, he tries to prepare the people of Israel for his eventual departure. He has led them for many years, ever since he assumed the mantel of leadership from Moses. And as Joshua attempts to leave the people with a few words of encouragement and admonition, it’s interesting to see what he focused his attention on. He knew his flock well and was fully aware of their weaknesses and shortcomings. He had spent decades attempting to lead them and keep them faithful to God, and it had not always been easy. So, he knew that upon his departure, they would be prone to follow their own desires. Joshua 23:1-16 is a powerful message from a loving shepherd to his sheep, calling them to remain true to their God. Joshua knew that disobedience to the will of God would bring the discipline of God. And he longed for his people to remain true so that they could continue to enjoy the blessings of God for generations to come.

Ep 571 – Joshua 22:10-34 Jul 10, 2018

Miscommunication. It can be deadly. And in Joshua 22:10-34, we’re going to see just how bad it can get. After the three tribes whose land was located east of the Jordan had returned home, they made a decision to build an altar. Now, at first glance, this probably doesn’t seem like that big of a deal. After all, it seems like Abraham, Jacob, and even Moses were constantly building altars somewhere. But as this passage will reveal, this altar was going to cause a huge firestorm of controversy that almost boiled over into civil war. Wrong assumptions were made. Accusations were leveled. Tempers flared and swords were drawn, ready to mete out justice on what appeared to be three rebellious tribes. But it had all been a huge misunderstanding. Some poor decisions, coupled with even worse communication, had led to a near disaster. These 12 tribes, having a common bond of heritage and a sharing a mutual inheritance in the land of promise, found out that maintaining unity was going to be a real challenge.

Ep 570 – Joshua 21:43-22:9 Jul 09, 2018

By this time in the book of Joshua, it would be easy to assume that the whole storyline is nothing more than a synopsis of the Israelite’s conquering of the land of Canaan. After all, for 21 chapters, we have seen little more than battles and skirmishes taking place between the people of Israel and the nations occupying the land of Canaan. And as the book begins to come to a close, it would appear that the days of conquest are coming to a close. Instead of battles, the people should be planting crops, raising flocks, expanding their cities and enjoying the fruit of all their labors. But the battle was far from over. There were still enemies in the land. They couldn’t afford to rest on their laurels or go into early retirement. God had done His part and fulfilled His promise to give them the land. But now it was up to them to occupy the land, which included the continued work of clearing the land of any and all enemies. But by this point, they should have been confident in their prospects because of the miracles God had already performed on their behalf.

Ep 569 – Joshua 21:1-42 Jul 08, 2018

The tribe of Levi wasn’t just another tribe like all the others. It had been set apart by God and given a very special role to play in the lives of the people of Israel. Unlike the rest of the tribes, they were not given their own portion of the land of promise, but instead, were provided with a series of cities in which they could live among the rest of the tribes. Their role was to act as the spiritual leadership of the people of Israel, instructing them in the law and overseeing the tabernacle and the sacrificial system. These men were dedicated to God and would find that their daily provision would be His responsibility. They answered to God and would be held responsible for the spiritual and moral well-being of His people. Not exactly an easy task when you consider their track record up to this point. But God has always provided His people with spiritual leadership. Like sheep, they require guidance and instruction, protection and, at times, discipline. And the Levites had their work cut out for them.

Ep 568 – Joshua 20:1-9 Jul 07, 2018

In Joshua 20:1-9, we find a reference to what were known as the cities of refuge. These were six cities, designated by God, that were to serve as places of shelter for anyone who might be accused of murder. This aspect of the judicial system of Israel, while fascinating, seems a bit out of place in the context of the book of Joshua. Why did God choose to add a reference to these cities at this particular juncture? Part of the reason is that it reveals God’s understanding of human nature – especially man’s sin nature. Even though the members of the 12 tribes, as descendants of Abraham, shared a common blood line, God knew there would conflict between individuals and even entire tribes. Sin was going to happen, so God made provision for it. Even for cases of murder. But there is an even more significant purpose for God’s creation of the cities of refuge and their inclusion in the book of Joshua. They point to Christ. They provide us with a picture of the refuge from guilt and condemnation that would one day come through Jesus Christ. He would become the place where sinners found safety and eventually redemption for their sins. Jesus, our refuge.

Ep 567 – Joshua 19:1-51 Jul 06, 2018

In Joshua 19:1-51, we come to a section of Scripture that tends to leave us a little bit confused as to why it is part of the Bible. It appears to provide little or no spiritual insight that we can apply to our 21st-Century lives as followers of Jesus Christ. But if you look closely, you’ll discover that there is a lot we can glean from this list of difficult-to-pronounce city names and obscure geographic references. This entire chapter is about the allotment of the land of promise to the remaining tribes and every single acre of land was going to be doled out according to the sovereign will of God. Nothing was going to be left to chance. The eventual location of each and every tribe was predetermined by God and they all received exactly what God had deemed appropriate for their needs. There was no favoritism involved. And no tribe was treated unfairly or suffered inequity at the hands of God. The entire conquest of Canaan and the eventual dispersal of the land between the tribes was the sovereign work of God.

Ep 566 – Joshua 18:11-28 Jul 05, 2018

In the Bible, names hold a special significance. And in Joshua 18:11-28, we will see that the name given by Jacob to his youngest son, Benjamin had a particularly prophetic meaning. This story is just one more vignette that reveals the sovereign hand of God working behind the scenes in ways that are invisible to most of those involved. The birth of Benjamin was especially meaningful to Jacob because he would be the last child born to him by Rachel. She would die in childbirth. And Benjamin became the son to replace Joseph, whom Jacob thought to be dead, but who had actually been sold into slavery by his own brothers. All of these events, as dark as they appear to be, were in the hands of God. He was orchestrating the storyline in such a way that Jacob’s naming of his youngest son would take on a meaning and significance that Jacob himself was completely oblivious to. God was taking all that had happened to Jacob and transforming it into a beautiful story of redemption and blessing. Jacob had lost a son and a wife. He had been forced to take his family to Egypt to escape a famine. But God would restore them to the land of Canaan, greater in number and with a special inheritance reserved for the son of his right hand.

Ep 565 – Joshua 18:1-10 Jul 04, 2018

There’s a familiar saying: No rest for the weary. It attempts to convey the truism that those who work hard often find themselves never finished with their efforts. Their weariness is, more often than not, met with additional work rather than rest. Their job never seems to be completed. But in the Bible, rest is a common theme. After six days of creation, God rested on the seventh day. And He established the seventh day of the week as a sabbath, a day of rest for His people. God had also promised to bring the people of Israel into their rest, by leading them into the land He had promised to give to Abraham. There they would enjoy rest, not a cessation from work or effort, but an end to their years of slavery, wanderings, and nomadic lifestyle. They would come into their own, a land provided for them by God. And in Joshua 18:1-10, Joshua encourages the people by setting up the tabernacle of God in a place called Shiloh, which means, “place of rest.” The tabernacle, representing God’s abiding presence was to bring comfort and peace to His people as they continued their work of possessing the land He had given them. Their work was far from done, but they could rest in God’s presence and power.

Ep 564 – Joshua 17:3-18 Jul 03, 2018

One of the key themes found in the book of Joshua is the provision of the Lord, in keeping with His promise to Abraham to give to his descendants a land, a seed and a blessing. God had kept His Word and had brought the people of Israel into the promised land and was in the process of dividing up the land among the 12 tribes. And in Joshua 17:3-18, we will see further proof that God provides for His own. And in ways that we may not always recognize. God was willing to meet the needs of His people, coming alongside those in need and making sure that those needs were met. And in the case of those to whom much had been given, God expected much in the way of obedience and faithfulness to His will. He was willing to provide, but expected His people to do their part. And faith on the part of His people is always a major expectation of God for His people. They needed to trust Him enough to obey Him, doing their part in keeping with His faithful provision of their needs.

Ep 563 – Joshua 16:1-17:2 Jul 02, 2018

God is good. And while we might not always recognize or appreciate the extent of His goodness, it does not diminish the fact that God is good – all the time. And in Joshua 16:1-17:2, we are going to see God’s goodness displayed in the fulfillment of His covenant promise to bless the sons of Joseph. Throughout the story of the nation of Israel, the hand of God can be clearly seen moving behind the scenes, orchestrating events in such a way that His best is always accomplished, even in spite of the less-than-stellar behavior of those He has called as His own. The goodness of God is never diminished, even by the godlessness of His own people. Yes, He disciplines and punishes them for their sin and rebellion, but He never fails to do them good. Even His discipline is meant to bring about good outcomes. Sometimes God allows famine in order to bring feasting – at just the right time. Sometimes He allows suffering so that He might bring comfort. Because God is good.

Ep 562 – Joshua 15:20-63 Jul 01, 2018

It was Jesus who promised, “I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.” But His offer of abundant life can easily be missed if we fail to live in submission to His will and in dependence upon the Holy Spirit’s power. The blessings of God can become illusive and seemingly absent when we fail to rely upon Him for all our needs. And in Joshua 15:20-63, we are going to see that the tribe of Judah, like all the other tribes of Israel, seemed to have a difficult time resting in and relying upon the power of God to accomplish His will. They were to possess the land allotted to them, but to do so, they were required to dispossess the pagan nations that were currently occupying the cities and villages in the land. And yet, the text will tell us that Judah was powerless to possess the land. Which begs the question: Why? Was the enemy too strong or God too weak? What was the cause behind their failure to possess the land completely? Had God asked to much of them? Or were they expecting too little of God?

Ep 561 – Joshua 14:1-19 Jun 30, 2018

One of the greatest lessons found in the book of Joshua is the gift of the land to the people of Israel. The land was the result of a promise made by God hundreds of years earlier to their distant ancestor, Abraham. God gave them the land as a gift, undeserved and with the only caveat that they fight to possess the land and obey His commands concerning its use. It was theirs. And they weren’t just inheriting undeveloped property that was going to require extensive renovations. They were being given entire cities and villages, farms and orchards, along with rich pasture land and beautiful forests full of timber. It was a land flowing with milk and honey, cultivated and fully capable of meeting all their needs. And in Joshua 15:1-19, as Joshua begins the dividing up of the land between the various tribes, we will see that the land was intended to hold great value to the people of Israel, but it was never meant to have replace God in their hearts. God was not giving them the land as something to worship, but as a place in which to worship and live in obedience to Him.

Ep 560 – Joshua 14:1-15 Jun 29, 2018

Every now and then in the book of Joshua, we get introduced to a character whose life illustrates the kind of faith God is looking for in His people. They may seem few and far between, but they’re there. And in Joshua 14:1-15, we meet Caleb. As Joshua and the Israelites prepare to divide up the land of Canaan, Caleb approaches Joshua about a promise made to him by Moses more than 40 years earlier. Caleb, along with Joshua, had been one of the original 12 men who had been sent by Moses to spy out the land of Canaan. He and Joshua had been the only two who had returned from their mission and believed the land was not only abundantly fruitful, but conquerable. The other spies painted a bleak picture, describing the land as being filled with giants who were too strong for the Israelites to defeat. Rather than listen to Caleb and Joshua and trust God, the crowd had listened to the naysayers and refused to enter. But because of his faith in God, Caleb was promised his share in the inheritance.

Ep 559 – Joshua 13:14-33 Jun 28, 2018

One of the realities of God’s unique relationship with mankind is that He sometimes give us exactly what we want. While He is the sovereign God of the universe and totally in control of any and all things, He occasionally allows sinful men to have what their hearts desire. And we see this truth played out in Joshua 13:14-33, when God provides the tribes of Reuben, Gad and Manasseh the land they requested on the east side of the Jordan River. They had fallen in love with this land the first time they had set eyes on it. It was rich pasture land, perfect for their many flocks and herds. So, rather than wait to receive their allotment of land on the western side of the Jordan, these three tribes set their sights on what was already readily available. And the tribe of Levi, which had been chosen by God to serve Him in the tabernacle, received no land, but were blessed by God with cities spread throughout the land of promise and the assurance that God would meet all their needs as a form of payment for service rendered to Him.

Ep 558 – Joshua 13:1-13 Jun 27, 2018

There is really no such thing as partial obedience. Failure to obey completely is really nothing more than disobedience in disguise. It is a willful decision to do something other than what you were told to do or had agreed to do. It’s a form of compromise that tends to benefit the one making the compromise, not the one who made the initial command. And in Joshua 13:1-13, we are given an up-close and personal glimpse of what partial obedience looks like in the lives of the people of God. They weren’t completely ignoring or disobeying God’s command. But they certainly weren’t doing what He had told them to do. They had made some concessions, what they thought to be were logical alterations to God’s original command, that would make their job a lot easier. But they were about to discover that playing fast-and-loose with God’s word rarely turns out well. Partial obedience tends to bring God’s full judgment. Compromises and concessions sound good for the moment, but always have long-term consequences.

Ep 557 – Joshua 12:1-14 Jun 26, 2018

If you had asked Joshua what he thought about God, it is likely that his answer would have been full of superlatives and adjectives defining God as great, good, powerful, reliable, holy, righteous, faithful and gracious. But if you were to ask God how to describe Himself, He would use the four simple words, “I am the Lord,” He is God. He is the Creator-God, the maker of all things and the one who holds all the things he has made, together. In Joshua 12:1-24, we have what appears to be a list of Israelite conquests. It’s one of those passages we find temptingly easy to pass over when we come to it. There seems to be little value in all the names and places mentioned. What benefit do we have to glean from this ancient historical record? But it’s essential that we see this as far more than a history lesson. It’s a recitation of the accomplishments of God on behalf of the people who bear His name.

Ep 556 – Joshua 11:10-24 Jun 26, 2018

You would think that the title of this episode: Rest from War, would mean that the Israelites have finally conquered the land of Canaan and dispossessed all their enemies. But in Joshua 11:10-23, it doesn’t take long to see that the battle was far from over. There was rest, but only in the sense that God had given them a physical and moral victory over their enemies. They had conquered and captured a great many of the Canaanite cities, but they were far from finished with their job. The reputation of the Israelites had spread and their enemies lived in fear of them. They saw the Israelite God as a force with which to be reckoned. And there was a sense in which the Canaanites who still occupied the land were as good as defeated, because they knew they were no match for the Israelites and their God. The major battles were over, but there was still work that needed to be done in order to ensure that the land, in its entirety, became of the sole possession of God’s chosen people.

Ep 555 – Joshua 11:1-19 Jun 24, 2018

Every army that has ever existed has dreamed of having a secret weapon – some kind of unknown and previously unavailable source of power over their enemies. In World War I, the airplane proved to be a new weapon in the arsenal of both sides in the conflict. In World War II, Hitler believed he had the war won because of the development of another aviation innovation: The jet fighter. But in Joshua 11:1-19, we are going to see Joshua and his forces outnumbered and outmanned by superior enemy armies. They are going to lack the kind of sophisticated weaponry fielded by the opposite side. But Joshua was learning to recognize that their greatest source of strength and power was not going to come in the form of chariots or the latest, state-of-the-art weapons systems. It was going to come from God Himself. He was their secret weapon – a power so great that no army in existence could stand before Him. He was learning the truth behind the statement penned centuries later by the apostle Paul: If God is for us, who can ever be against us?

Ep 554 – Joshua 10:29-43 Jun 23, 2018

God hadn’t just pointed out the land of Canaan and told Joshua and the people of Israel to do their best. He had not led them to the land only to leave the conquering of the land up to them. He gave it to them. And that included His fighting on behalf of them. From the defeat of the kings of Og and Sihon on the eastern side of the Jordan River to the fall of Jericho, God had been leading the way and providing the means by which the people of Israel were able to take over a land from countless people groups that were more abundant and more powerful. Heavily fortified cities fell before them. Well-armed armies fled in terror from them. But it was all God’s doing. He was the one who, behind the scenes, was orchestrating every single victory that the Israelites enjoyed. God was giving His chosen people a decisive advantage over their enemies because He had plans for them. He was making them a light in the darkness, a an example of His abiding presence and almighty power among the nations who worshiped false gods and placed their faith in that which could not save.

Ep 553 – Joshua 10:16-28 Jun 22, 2018

One of the most difficult things for believers in Jesus Christ to do is to see life through God’s eyes. We believe in Jesus. We say we trust in God. But when life gets tough or things don’t go quite the way we expect them to, we can easily begin to doubt God’s goodness and even question whether He is really there at all. In reading through the book of Joshua, we are getting a steady dose of violent interactions between the people of Israel and the inhabitants of the land. Destruction and devastation seem to go hand-in-hand with their conquering of the land. In fact, God had given them specific instructions to destroy any and all inhabitants living within the land. And in Joshua 10:16-28, as part of Joshua’s clean-up operation after his defeat of the five-nation confederation, he orders the brutal execution of the five kings who joined forces against the Gibeonites. And it would be easy to see all this brutality as unnecessary and even ungodly. Unless we see it through God’s eyes.

Ep 552 – Joshua 10:1-15 Jun 21, 2018

We’ve seen Joshua make an unwise decision. Now we get to see the consequences that came as a result. In Joshua 10:1-15, the Gibeonites, who deceived Joshua into making an alliance with them, find that they are surrounded by a five-nation confederation, bent on their destruction. And, taking full advantage of his newly signed treaty with Israel, the king of the Gibeonites calls on Joshua, demanding that he honor their agreement and come to his aid. Now Joshua finds himself having to defend the very people he should have defeated. He ends up as an ally to a nation that God had deemed their enemy. But having sworn to keep his treaty with the Gibeonites by the name of God, Joshua had no other choice but to come to their aid. And God, bent on honoring His name, came to Joshua’s aid. He gave the people of Israel a great victory and even proved His power through an unmistakable miracle.

Ep 551 – Joshua 9:16-27 Jun 20, 2018

They say one bad decision leads to another. And most of us have learned the painful reality of that statement. Our mistakes have consequences. And when our mistakes are the result of sin, the consequences can be painful. In Joshua 9:16-27, Joshua’s decision to make an alliance with the people of Gibeon was going to lead to yet another, even more dangerous decision, that would have long-term ramifications on the nation of Israel. Joshua had failed to seek the counsel of God and it seems that he continued to make that same mistake in the days that followed. In an attempt to clean up his mess, he only made matters worse. Since he couldn’t destroy the Gibeonites, he chose to make them slaves, but assigned them to the tabernacle. He took a pagan and idolatrous people, who had knowingly deceived him, and gave them jobs that would place them in close proximity to the house of God. Everything about his decision was wrong, but when you fail to seek the counsel of God, things rarely turn out well.

Ep 550 – Joshua 9:1-15 Jun 19, 2018

Whether we want to admit it or not, those of us who claim to be children of God can often live as if we don’t really believe in God. We can acknowledge His existence and express faith in His love for us, but then, turn around and make decisions without His input. We can go through out day without giving Him a second thought. And in Joshua 9:1-5, we are going to see the Israelites do just that. Even after having built an altar to Him at Mount Ebal and having recommitted themselves to keeping His law, Joshua and the people of Israel will end up making an alliance with the Gibeonites. Sure, they were tricked into doing it. But the text makes it very clear that Joshua neglected to seek God’s advice. He made a decision without divine assistance – never a wise move for the child of God. And not only would Joshua’s ill-advised decision obligate the people of Israel, we will see that it obligated God, because it was made in His name. For the child of God, leaving Him out of the daily affairs of life is never a good plan. Failing to seek His counsel is a recipe for disaster.

Ep 549 – Joshua 8:30-35 Jun 18, 2018

After two major victories over the cities of Jericho and Ai, Joshua led the people of Israel to Mount Ebal and a place called Shechem, where they built an altar to God and offered sacrifices. This pause in the military action had been decreed by Moses years earlier and Joshua was simply doing what he and the people had been told to do when they finally entered the land. In Joshua 8:30-35 we are given a much-needed reminder that the people of Israel were to worship and revere God for all that He had done. He had set them free from slavery in Egypt. He had led them through the wilderness and into the promised land. And now, He had given them victory over their enemies. His provision for them deserved their worship of Him. So, an altar was built and the law of Moses was written on its stones – a permanent reminder of God’s requirement of holy behavior on the part of His people. The law was a non-negotiable part of their relationship with God. And, now that they were in the land, it was going to be important that they constantly recall His expectations of them, so that they might live holy lives.

Ep 548 – Joshua 8:3-29 Jun 17, 2018

Sometimes we read passages of Scripture and, in our hurry, we blow right past important details that seem of little importance to us. We ignore the cities with difficult-to-pronounce names and the people who seem little more than obscure characters in the storyline. And when we do, we miss the rich detail that God has provided in His Word. In Joshua 8:3-29, the people of Israel are going to get a second chance to do battle with the people of Ai. And while that fact is important, what’s even more important is that this city holds important significance for the nation of Israel. It’s not just another city among many that the Israelites have to conquer and possess. And there is another city mentioned in this passage that carries special significance as well: The city of Bethel. As we are going to see, these two cities and their history are critical to understanding all that is going on in this passage. So, rather than hurry through the story and rush to the details of the battle itself, let’s take time to see what we can learn about the unfailing promise of God.

Ep 547 – Joshua 8:1-2 Jun 16, 2018

Waiting can be difficult. Even having to wait on God can prove to be a challenge for most of us. And Achan, had he lived, would have learned the invaluable lesson that waiting on God can be rewarding. When he and his fellow Israelites had surprisingly and easily defeated the city of Jericho, he had helped himself to some of the spoil, in direct violation of God’s command. But his sin was exposed by God when the Israelites were routed by the much-smaller army of Ai. Achan and his entire family were put to death for his sin and with payment made for his transgression, God told the Israelites that He was going to give them victory over the city of Ai. Not only that, He was going to give them the spoil of the city. Had Achan only waited, he would have had all the spoil he could carry, and he wouldn’t have had to hide it in a hole dug in his tent. In Joshua 8:1-2, we get a glimpse of what happens when we are willing to wait and do things God’s way. He rewards us. Perhaps Achan thought the ban on spoil was a permanent condition. Maybe he just couldn’t wait. But had he trusted God, not only would he have been alive, he would have been rewarded for waiting.

Ep 546 – Joshua 7:10-26 Jun 15, 2018

Something had gone terribly wrong. The people of Israel had been routed by the much small army of Ai, and 36 of their men had died in the process. And to make matters worse, Joshua and the leadership of Israel placed the blame for their loss on God, assuming that He had somehow abandoned them. But in Joshua 7:10-26, we are going to see that the problem was theirs, not God’s. The fault was theirs. Someone had violated the command of God and taken plunder from the city of Jericho that was supposed to have been dedicated to God and placed in His treasury. One man sinned and the entire nation suffered. A single individual got greedy and the whole community was punished for his transgression. And while we may choose to label the response on God’s part as unfair and a bit over-reactive, Joshua and the people were going to learn an invaluable lesson about the danger of sin and the holiness of God. One man’s decision to disobey God had devastating consequences on the family of God. Sin is contagious and infects the corporate community like a cancer. So, God demanded that Achan be purged and the sin be atoned for.

Ep 545 – Joshua 7:1-9 Jun 14, 2018

How do you follow up a decisive victory over the enemy, made possible by the sovereign, all-powerful help of God? You go right back to war, choosing yet another enemy of God to conquer. And that’s exactly what the people of Israel did after their defeat of the city of Jericho. Fresh off their unexpected and inexplicable victory, the Israelites were ready to capitalize on their success and take on the next closest city they could find. That proved to be Ai. While this was a much smaller city with far-less-advanced fortifications, the Israelites found their confidence shattered when their forces were easily routed by Ai’s much-smaller army. That led to the blame game. Something had gone terribly wrong. And rather than look inwardly, searching for a possible reason for their unexpected defeat, Joshua blamed God. They lost the battle and Joshua lost faith. He questioned God’s integrity and began to fear for their future. In his mind, God had abandoned them. But he was going to learn that it was not God who had broken faith, but one of their own.

Ep 544 – Joshua 6:15-27 Jun 13, 2018

There are many who struggle with the God who is portrayed in the Old Testament. Some even suggest that it is a different God altogether, because He appears to be vengeful and violent, prone to fits of anger and quick to mete out harsh judgment in the form of what appears to be indiscriminate acts of genocide. And in Joshua 6, 15-27, we have recorded the story of the Israel’s defeat of the city of Jericho where God ordered His people to dedicate to destruction everyone and everything in the city. The text tells us that Israel obeyed the command of God, devoting all in the city to destruction, both men and women, young and old. No one was left alive except Rahab and those in her family who sought refuge in her home. This story is tough to read and even more difficult to understand. One can’t help but wonder why God was so harsh in His treatment of the people of Jericho. Why did the women and children have to be slaughtered along with the soldiers? What was their crime? How were they a threat to the people of Israel? But God’s seemingly harsh order of extermination had a purpose behind it: The protection of Israel’s moral and spiritual well-being.

Ep 543 – Joshua 6:1-14 Jun 12, 2018

The title of this episode is March. Madness. Sorry, I couldn’t help myself. This story, found in Joshua 6:1-14, has always fascinated me. There are those who would write it off as fiction, as some of kind of Hebrew fable told from one generation to another. But I believe it is a real story involving actual events that took place because of the sovereign will and unlimited power of God Almighty. You’re most likely familiar with Israel’s march around the walls of Jericho and the unbelievable outcome. They marched and the walls fell. Not a single spear was thrown. Not arrows were shot. There was no catapult hurling huge stones at the walls of Jericho. And there was no long, drawn-out siege. In fact, the whole thing lasted a week. Everything about this story is crazy – from the battle plan God gave to Joshua to the day-by-day carrying out of that plan by the Israelites. It was madness. But it was also God’s will. Their first conquest was going to involve questionable tactics and would require unwavering faith on the part of the people of Israel. But if they would do their part, God would miraculously do His.

Ep 542 – Joshua 5:10-15 Jun 11, 2018

The Israelites had entered the land of Canaan and were camped at a place called Gilgal. Their first target for attack would be the well-fortified city of Jericho. This was going to be a new period in the history of the people of Israel. No longer were they slaves living in subservience to their masters in Egypt. They were no longer vagabonds, wandering through the wilderness, with no place to call their own. With their crossing of the Jordan River, they had entered the land promised to them by God. And now, they were going to be charged with the task of taking over the land God had given them. But, as we will see, God wanted them to know they would not be alone. In Joshua 5:10-15, we have recorded a unique encounter between Joshua and the commander of the Lord’s army. This unknown and armed stranger would prove to be the Son of God Himself, Jesus Christ in His pre-incarnate form. And He would bring with Him an assurance that the people of Israel were far from alone. He simply told Joshua, “Now I have come.” And those words of promise were all that Joshua needed to hear.

Ep 541 – Joshua 5:2-9 Jun 10, 2018

It doesn’t pay to disobey God. That was a lesson the Israelites should have learned by now. And in Joshua 5:2-9, God is going to command His people to take care of a problem that was a glaring representation of their corporate disobedience to His will. They have just crossed over the Jordan River, in a miraculous show of God’s power. They are now standing in the very land God had promised to give Abraham, but there was one glaring issue that God could not overlook. He had kept His part of the covenant, but they were in violation. Not a single male who had crossed over the Jordan bore the sign of the covenant: Circumcision. During the 40 years the Israelites had been forced to wander in the wilderness due to their refusal to enter the land of promise the first time, they had stopped circumcising their male sons. And God was not going to let them take one more step until they rectified the problem. So, Joshua was commanded by God to have every male Israelite circumcised – immediately. This rather bizarre story shows us that God takes obedience to His commands seriously. The people of Israel were in the land, but they would not be allowed to possess it until they had set themselves apart through the God-ordained rite of circumcision.

Ep 540 – Joshua 4:15-5:1 Jun 09, 2018

There are those who fear God and then there are those who fear God. Sounds confusing, doesn’t it. But it’s actually a true statement, because God calls on His people to fear Him. But the enemies of God also fear Him. The demons cower before Him. And those who live in open rebellion to His rule and reign tend to experience a paralyzing dread of Him when they come into contact with Him. God is holy and righteous and required by His nature to deal with the sins of mankind. He cannot tolerate or excuse sin. He can’t turn a blind eye to the actions of those who refuse to acknowledge Him as God. But the fear God requires of His people is of a different kind. It is a reverence and awe for who He is and all that He has done. It is an awareness of His holiness that manifests itself in willful obedience to His commands. So, in Joshua 4:15-5:1, after God miraculously provides a way for the Israelites to cross the Jordan River on dry ground, Joshua calls on the Israelites to fear God. He is the all-powerful God who deserves their upmost respect and their undivided allegiance.

Ep 539 – Joshua 4:1-14 Jun 08, 2018

Forgetfulness can be frustrating. But being forgotten can be even worse. Nobody enjoys being forgotten or forsaken, including God. And it’s somewhat shocking to think that anyone who worships God would ever fail to remember Him for all He has done. But we all do. Which is why God consistently challenges His people to remember. He knows that we are prone to forgetfulness, which can lead to ungratefulness. Failure to remember what God has done in the past can result in an inability to trust Him for the present. So, in Joshua 4:1-14, we see God commanding Joshua to construct a memorial to commemorate their crossing over the Jordan River. They are to take 12 stones from the river bed and stack them on the western shore, creating “a memorial forever.” God wanted them to remember what He had done. And He wanted them to use these stones as an object lesson, passing on to the next generation the news of God’s provision of the miracle at the Jordan.

Ep 538 – Joshua 3:9-17 Jun 07, 2018

The Israelites once again found themselves facing of a body of water with no apparent means of getting to the other side. They had reached a barrier or boundary that stood in their way and kept them from experiencing the fulfillment of the promise God had made to their ancestor, Abraham. The land of Canaan was on the other side. It was there that their promised inheritance was to be found. But first, they would have to find a way across the River Jordan. Decades earlier, their ancestors had left Egypt and found themselves standing on the shores of the Red Sea, with the army of Pharaoh bearing down on them. They had nowhere to go and no way to get to the other side of the sea, where the path to God’s promise would be found. But the living God showed up and the waters of the sea opened up, providing a way of escape and a means by which God would make His promise attainable. In Joshua 3:9-17, we see God bringing His people to what appears to be another obstacle, but that will become an object lesson in faith.

Ep 537 – Joshua 3:1-8 Jun 06, 2018

The Israelites were about to go from wandering to conquering. This was the beginning of a brand-new era in the history of Gods people. They had started out as a single man and his wife, both old in years and her unable to bear children. But God had blessed Abraham, and his descendants had multiplied greatly during their 400 years of captivity in Egypt. But God had miraculously delivered them, with the intent of leading them to the land He had promised to Abraham hundreds of years earlier. And after having spent 40 years wandering in the wilderness, they now stood on the brink of an exciting new phase in their relationship with God. Gone were the days of manna and quail provided out of thin air. This was going to be show time. And in chapter 3:1-8, Joshua tells the people to prepare themselves, because God was about to do wonders in their midst. This time, it would not be about food appearing on the ground each morning with the dew. These wonders were going to involve miracles of might and power that involved battles and victories over enemies. But God would be in it all.

Ep 536 – Joshua 2:8-24 Jun 05, 2018

Rahab hid the two spies, but she asked for something in return: Her life and those of her household. This woman had heard about the God of the Israelites and while she was unfamiliar with who He was, she was convinced that He was great. She had heard the stories that had been circulating around Canaan about the miraculous escape of the people of Israel from Egypt. News of their defeat of the nations of Og and Sihon had reached Jericho and Rahab was convinced that the God of the Israelites was “the God in the heavens above and on the earth beneath.” In others words, He was the one true God. He was greater than any god she had ever worshiped or even heard about. And in Joshua 2:8-24, Rahab offers to deal kindly with the spies if they will deal kindly with her. She begs for her life. And to do so, she has to put her faith in the two spies, but also their God, who she knows is going to turn over the city of Jericho to the Israelites. The sign she is given is a simple scarlet cord that she is told to tie in her window. It will be a signal to the Israelite troops to spare all those inside her home. Rahab hung the cord out her window and then waited – in faith.

Ep 535 – Joshua 2:1-7 Jun 04, 2018

God works in mysterious ways. He operates on His own divine agenda, sometimes doing things in ways that we find difficult to understand. And in Joshua 2:1-7, we’re going to see God use a prostitute to accomplish His will. This woman’s choice of occupation was in direct opposition to God’s holiness and revealed law. But she was not an Israelite. She was a foreigner, an inhabitant of Jericho and, therefore, an enemy of Israel. And yet, God chose to use her to spare the two spies send in to check out the conditions within Jericho. Not only that, God used her to bring about the birth of the Messiah, Jesus Christ. Rahab was an imperfect person through whom a holy God chose to accomplish His perfect will. Rahab will be revealed to be a woman of faith. She knew little about the God of Israel, but she knew enough to trust in His power and might. She had heard about His exploits among the people of Israel and she had determined to place her faith in Him instead of the gods of her own people. Rahab, a pagan, will stand in stark contrast to the people of God, who struggled relentlessly when it came to trusting God.

Ep 534 – Joshua 1:10-18 Jun 03, 2018

What does it mean to enter God’s rest? It sounds appealing but can sometimes feel like an unachievable dream. For many of us, God’s rest is synonymous with heaven. And while there is little doubt that heaven will be a place of rest, joy and contentment, there is still an aspect of God’s rest that is available in this life. As Joshua and the people of Israel stood on the eastern banks of the Jordan River, looking over the waters into the land of Canaan, they realized that they were on the verge of entering God’s rest. The land on the other side of that river had been promised to them by God and He had declared that it would be a place of abundance, but also of rest. And yet, as we will see, God’s promise of rest was not a guarantee of a lack turmoil or conflict. There were still enemies in the land who would need to be defeated. Which meant there were battles to fight and wars to win. In Joshua 1:10-18, we will see Joshua preparing the people to enter God’s rest, but by warning them that it was going to take effort. The land was theirs, but they were going to have to fight for it. It was going to require obedient submission to God’s will and faithful trust in His power to provide.

Ep 533 – Joshua Introduction Jun 02, 2018

Today, we begin a new series on the Book of Joshua. It is one of the historical books of the Old Testament, and is named after one its primary characters, the man who assumed leadership over the people of Israel after the death of Moses. The book that bears his name chronicles Joshua’s efforts to lead the people of Israel in their conquest of the land that God had promised to their patriarch, Abraham. While Moses was charged with the deliverance of the people from their captivity in Egypt and leading them through the wilderness to the borders of the land of Canaan, it would be Joshua who would help their dream of a land flowing with milk and honey become a reality. But it is essential that we not read this book as simply an historical record, outlining the exploits of the people of Israel as they slowly conquered and came into the possession of the land. It is a continuation of the story of God’s redemption of Israel, revealing an important next phase in fulfillment of His covenant commitment to them.But this book is far more than a story about Israel making a home for themselves in the promised land. It is about the greater promise of a future inheritance that God provided through one of their own: Jesus Christ, the Son of God and the Savior of the World.

Ep 532 – Revelation 22:12-21 Jun 01, 2018

This is it. The final session on our study in the book of Revelation. Today, we wrap up this series with Revelation 22:12-21. This section begins and ends with the reassuring words of Jesus, “I am coming soon!” This is the key to the whole book of Revelation: the return of Christ. His second coming is the linchpin that holds the entire book together and points to the final phase of God’s redemptive plan for mankind and for the world. With all that John has seen and recorded in his book, these verses contain one of the most beautiful and hopeful passages found in the entire Bible. Jesus offers a simple invitation: “Come. And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price.” John has been shown what is going to happen during the days of the tribulation. He has been given a glimpse into the future that God has planned for sinful mankind and the creation that suffers as a result of the fall. There will be judgments in the form of plagues and cosmic disturbances of unprecedented proportions. Satan will be defeated and those who chose to follow his false messiah, the Antichrist, will be thrown into the lake of fire. But Jesus graciously offers all those who will read this book long before the events it records take place, an invitation to come to Him. In light of all that John has seen and recorded in his book, Jesus offers a chance for all to escape the wrath to come by accepting God’s gracious gift of grace.

Ep 531 – Revelation 22:6-11 May 31, 2018

The words contained in John’s book have been given to him directly from Jesus Christ and God the Father. They are divinely inspired and, as the angel tells John, “trustworthy and true.” John has received revelation concerning the end times – directly from heaven and the throne room of God Almighty. The information contained in this book is fantastic in nature and difficult to understand. It is full of bizarre imagery and mind-blowing descriptions that taxed the limits of John’s vocabulary and imagination. He has been shown things that no one has ever seen before, because they have yet to take place. And yet, their certainty is beyond question because they have been divulged by God Himself. And just as John was instructed at the beginning of his book, he faithfully wrote down all that he saw and heard. In Revelation 22:6-11, an angel tells John to keep what he has written unsealed, available for all to read. Because the time is near. The end is coming. It is not a matter of if, but when. These things are not possibilities or probabilities, but God-ordained certainties. They will happen just as God has said. And in that we can find hope, peace and confidence.

Ep 530 – Revelation 22:1-5 May 30, 2018

We all know about the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. That was the one tree in the garden of Eden that God declared off limits to Adam and Eve. They could eat of every tree in the garden, including the tree of life, but they were to avoid the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. The penalty for their disobedience was death. But not just physical death. In fact, after having eaten from the tree, they both lived long lives. But they suffered immediately from spiritual death as God cast them out of the garden and away from His presence. No longer could they enjoy daily fellowship with Him. And one of the reasons for their ban from the garden was to keep them away from the tree of life. God declared, “‘Behold, the man has become like one of us in knowing good and evil. Now, lest he reach out his hand and take also of the tree of life and eat, and live forever’ – therefore the Lord God sent him out from the garden of Eden.” In Revelation 22:1-5, we will discover that the tree of life still exists and will be present in the New Jerusalem. It still retains its life-giving properties and will not only be accessible but indispensable in the eternal state, as a source of eternal well-being to all who worship God and the Lamb.

Ep 529 – Revelation 21:9-27 May 29, 2018

As strange and difficult to believe as things have been to this point, the imagery and events that populate the close of John’s book seem to get even more out-of-the-ordinary and other-worldly. In Revelation 21:9-27, John is given a mountain-top view of the New Jerusalem. It descended from heaven and, from his vantage point, John is able to see all the unique attributes of this one-of-a-kind city. It is like nothing John has ever seen and his attempts to describe it at limited by his imagination and vocabulary. John is even given the unique task of measuring the city, personally walking its streets and taking precise measurements of its walls and gates. It is massive in size and yet contains jewels and precious metals in such quantities that they are used as construction materials, not for decoration. But the real glory of the city is God Himself. He and His Son are the primary focus of the city, which explains why there is no temple or tabernacle. The city is unmarred by sin and illuminated by the very presence of God. Holiness permeates its streets, buildings, gates and citizens. And while the New Jerusalem will have walls, they are not for keeping enemies out, because there will be none. And the gates will be open at all times, allowing all to enter freely at any time.

Ep 528 – Revelation 21:1-8 May 28, 2018

Sin has been in existence for some time now. And it has left its mark on the world. Paul tells us that creation groans because of the presence of sin and that believers long for the day when they will exchange these corrupted, death-prone earthly bodies for heavenly ones. Everything around us is in a constant state of decay, including our bodies, all as a result of sin. But there is a day coming when God will make all things new. In Revelation 21:1-8, John is given yet another glimpse into the future and provided with the reassuring news that God is going to create a new heavens and a new earth. He isn’t going to renovate and rejuvenate. He is going to start from scratch, just as He did at the beginning. The world will get a fresh, new start. And every individual who has placed their faith in His Son, will have received new, glorified bodies, in which they will live for eternity, free from sin, disease and death. All that was associated with the old world and mankind’s old way of life – including tears, sorrow, pain and death – will be eliminated, never to be seen or experienced again. He will make all things new.

Ep 527 – Revelation 20:11-15 May 27, 2018

There is judgment and then there is final judgment. All of the plagues, cosmic disturbances, and various forms of punishment meted out by God during the days of the tribulation are a form of His judgment. But they are not the final and permanent aspect of God’s judgment on sinful mankind. That will come at the end of the Millennial Kingdom of Christ, when all of the unsaved will stand before Jesus Christ at the Great White Throne Judgment. In Revelation 20:11-15, John is provided with a glimpse of this future event at which all those who have ever lived will stand before God in their resurrected bodies and be forced to have all their works judged by Him. The criteria of their judgment will be whether or not the deeds they did while on earth earned them a right standing with God. In other words, were their acts of righteousness worthy to merit God’s favor? But we know that God deems all our works of righteousness, apart from faith in His Son, Jesus Christ, as filthy rags. They don’t measure up. And so, all those who stand before the Great White Throne, facing the King of kings and righteous Judge of the universe will find that they lack the one work that could have earned them eternal life and forgiveness for their sins: Faith in Jesus.

Ep 526 – Revelation 20:7-10 May 26, 2018

So, what happens to Satan? He has been an essential actor in the great drama that marks the span of mankind’s existence. He was there at the fall and was the instigator behind it. He has been present throughout each generation, tempting, deceiving, and alluring gullible human beings to rebel against their Maker. He attempted to convince Jesus to walk away from His divine calling by the Father and forego His role as the Savior of the world. And in the period of the tribulation, Satan will be the force behind the Antichrist’s rise to power and his ill-fated attempt to exterminate the people of God. But Antichrist will fail. Satan will be defeated. In Revelation 20:7-10, we will see Satan’s release, after having been locked away for the entirety of Christ’s 1,000-year reign. Even after a millennium filled with peace and prosperity because of the righteous rule of Christ, Satan will have no trouble finding those who will join his last-gasp attempt at an insurrection. Satan never changes. He knows no repentance. And the lost of earth, those who have refused to accept Jesus Christ as their Savior, Lord and King, will still display the stubbornness and hardened hearts that have marked mankind since the fall.

Ep 525 – Revelation 20:1-6 May 25, 2018

The 1,000-year reign of Christ. This is a much-debated topic among theologians. There are those who take it literally and others who see it as figurative. But in Revelation 20:1-6, John is going to describe what appears to be a very real and literal 1,000-year-long period of time, during which Jesus Christ will reign from a literal throne in a very literal Jerusalem. This is what is referred to as the millennial kingdom of Christ. And one of the most amazing aspects of this period of time is the absence of Satan and his influence. Antichrist and the false prophet will already be imprisoned in the lake of fire or hell. But Satan will be captured and thrown into the abyss, where he will be kept imprisoned for the duration of the 1,000-year reign of Christ. At the end of that period of time, Satan will be released and allowed to mount one more insurrection against God. Yet, for 1,000 years, the earth and its inhabitants will know what it is like to live under a King who rules in perfect righteousness. He will be the king Israel never had, reigning over them with justice, equity, holiness and perfect righteousness.

Ep 524 – Revelation 19:17-21 May 24, 2018

Nobody likes to be on the losing side of anything, especially battle. But there is always a loser. In every war, there are those who win and those who walk away in defeat, if they make it out of the war alive. And the same will be true at the end of the epic war between God and Satan. It has been going on since Satan made his ill-fated attempt to wrest power away from God. He became a permanent adversary of God Almighty and has deceived billions of gullible human beings into taking his side and opposing the rule and reign of the one true God. And the struggle between the forces of righteousness and wickedness will reach its apex at the end of the seven years of tribulation, when Satan leads his forces against the Son of God in the Battle of Armageddon. The name of this event is a bit of a misnomer because it will not be much of a battle. It will actually be a devastatingly lopsided affair with Jesus Christ wiping out the entire army of Satan all by Himself. The heavenly host who accompany Him to the battle field will be mere spectators as they watch the King of kings bring about the fall of Satan, the Antichrist and his false prophet, as well as the millions of humans who chose to stand against God.

Ep 523 – Revelation 19:11-16 May 23, 2018

The return of Christ. If we had to boil down the message of the book of Revelation to one single point, that would be it. The entire book, up to this point, has been like the opening act for the star attraction. All that John has witnessed and written down for our benefit has been nothing more than a lead-up to the main event: The long-awaited and eagerly anticipated return of Jesus to earth. The second coming of Christ has been talked about for generations. Countless sermons have been preached, thousands of books have been written, and endless debates have been waged concerning this day. But contrary to what we may think about His return, there are a variety of things that must happen once He comes back, before the curtain finally falls on this era called the age of the Gentiles. His return will set in motion a series of predetermined, God-ordained events that will help usher in the close of the tribulation and the beginning of His Kingdom on earth. And Revelation 19:11-16 provides us with an exciting glimpse into the last moments of the last days, revealing the climax to the story, with Christ revealed in all His glory.

Ep 522 – Revelation 19:1-10 May 22, 2018

While the book of Revelation is full of images of judgment, it is also filled with songs of praise and celebration. And no other place do we see this truth evidenced like Revelation 19:1-10. In these ten verses alone there are five different songs of praise recorded. And they provide a stark contrast to all the misery, devastation and destruction taking place on the planet. While God is judging mankind for its rebellion and rejection of Him, there is reason for rejoicing because God is accomplishing His divine will and bringing the day of His Son’s earthly reign to its long-awaited fruition. It’s sometimes difficult to resolve the seeming contradiction of joy in the midst of judgment, but it is an acknowledgment of God’s goodness and grace. He is doing what He has long promised to do. He is bringing an end to sin and ushering in the righteousness of His Son’s Kingdom on earth. God is going to resolve the irresolvable. He is going to recreate what has been marred by sin and restore His creation to its former glory. The work of God is just, righteous, holy and unstoppable. And that is something worth singing about.

Ep 522 – Revelation 18:21-24 May 21, 2018

Verses 21-24 of Revelation chapter 18 provide us with one more glimpse of Babylon’s fall. This great city, the headquarters and capital of the Antichrist during the days of the tribulation, and the symbol of all that is immoral and godless during those days, will be destroyed by God. And its destruction will be so complete, that no one will ever inhabit it again. Its pride and prosperity will be devastated. Its reputation as a mighty city and as the home of the Antichrist’s godless government will be wiped out. The entire city will simply cease to be. In many ways, this is reminiscent of the scene that happened during the Old Testament, when God stopped the people of Babel from building their tall tower. They were attempting to make a name for themselves by building a great tower that would reach into the heavens. But that building project was brought to an abrupt end by God. And the city of Babylon, rebuilt and restored to power and prominence during the tribulation, will also have its days of glory cut short. Its wealth, renown, power and prestige will be destroyed by God. Never to be seen again.

Ep 520 – Revelation 18:9-20 May 20, 2018

It is not a minor thing to be judged by God. Whether you are an individual, a nation, a king or a false religion, as the author of Hebrews states, “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” Throughout the book of Revelation, we have seen what the judgment of God looks like, and it is not a pretty picture. God is holy, righteous and just, and He cannot and will not tolerate the rebellion of mankind forever. He has been patient. He has endured their ridicule and rejection of His rightful place as the God of the universe. He even allowed them to crucify His own Son. In fact, it was His plan that His Son die so that sinful men might have a means of being restored to a right relationship with Him through faith in His Son’s sacrificial death. But for all those who refuse His gracious offer of salvation, He will bring judgment. Their crimes against His sovereign rule will demand it. And as we will see in Revelation 18:9-20, the city of Babylon, capital of the Antichrist’s kingdom during the tribulation, will also come under the wrath of God, suffering utter destruction at His hands. Long the symbol of immorality and rebellion, Babylon will be laid waste, the well-deserving recipient of God’s righteous wrath.

Ep 519 – Revelation 18:1-8 May 19, 2018

There is only one God. While that point may sound quite plausible and acceptable to us, there are many who live as if it is anything but truth. And Satan himself has made a career of establishing himself as what he believes to be a competitive alternative to God. He sees himself as a god, on equal terms with God Almighty, and won’t be satisfied until he replaces God as the only god. But as we will see in Revelation 18:1-8, Satan’s plan for world and cosmic domination is going to fall short – far short. His plans to supplant God will end in defeat. And all those who choose to associate themselves with his false kingdom, false messiah and false prophet, will find themselves facing the truth of God’s judgment and the coming reality of Christ’s Kingdom. Babylon, the earthly kingdom of the Antichrist during the tribulation period, will find itself destroyed and its former power and prominence lying in rubble. While the world deceives itself into thinking it can stand opposed to God and live to tell about it, the book of Revelation lets us know that the Lord our God alone is mighty.

Ep 518 Revelation 17:7-18 May 18, 2018

The further we make it into John’s book, the more confusing it can become. There are so many images and visions flying at us, that it requires great effort to keep up. And much of the terminology or descriptors that John uses seem to do double duty, being used on more than one occasion to refer to more than one person or place. We have already seen that John uses the name Babylon in a variety of ways and in reference to a number of different things. The same is true of the designation, “The Beast.” So, as we move into Revelation 17:7-18, we have to watch carefully and cross-reference each use of these various terms by John. In the end, part of what we are seeing is the integral and interrelated nature of Satan, the Antichrist and the earthly kingdom over which he rules. It is difficult to separate these three things because they are so closely related and interdependent. But suffice it to say, that God has plans for all three, and John is getting a play-by-play description of their demise, complete with color commentary provided from the throne room in heaven.

Ep 517 – Revelation 17:1-6 May 17, 2018

False religions. They have been around since the very beginning. From the moment sin entered into the world, mankind developed a fascination with and fixation on coming up with their own gods. The journey away from the garden took them into dark places where false gods were available around every corner. Paul describes the downward trajectory of humanity as they found themselves alienated from God, cast out of His presence, and left with the option of making their own gods. So, Paul says that they “exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things” (Romans 1:23). And we know that during the period of the tribulation, the Antichrist will see to it that he becomes the next, and only object of worship on earth. Or at least, he’ll try. And his personal assistant, the false prophet, will play a major role in establishing an apostate church that worships Antichrist, instead of God Almighty. In Revelation 17:1-6, John is given a glimpse of this false religion in all its pomp and glory. Designated the great prostitute and given the less-than-flattering name of Babylon, this false religious system will find itself facing the wrath of God and its fall will take place faster than its rise to prominence.

Ep 516 – Revelation 16:17-21 May 16, 2018

On the cross, Jesus uttered the words, “It is finished.” In Revelation 16:17-21, we get to hear His heavenly Father say, “It is done!” Events associated with the tribulation are rapidly coming to a conclusion. God is getting ready to bring the judgments to an end and send His Son back to the earth in order to bring the great tribulation to a dramatic close. The Lamb of God is coming back like a roaring lion, ready to devour and destroy all those who stand against God. They can oppose His Kingdom, but they will find that they are out of their league when it comes to opposing His power. They will stand no chance against the King of kings and Lord of lords. And Babylon, the great city that becomes home to the Antichrist during the tribulation, will find that it incurs a special measure of God’s wrath as His judgments come to a close. The final days of the tribulation will be marked by cosmic changes and catastrophic events. Islands and mountains will literally disappear. The topography of the earth will be radically altered. And that will simply be just the beginning of the end.

Ep 515 – Revelation 16:1-15 May 15, 2018

With the outpouring of the seven bowl judgments, the intensity of the tribulation period picks up dramatically. These judgments come in waves upon the inhabitants of the earth, bring ever-more terrible pain and suffering on all those who have chosen to follow and worship the Antichrist. The sixth bowl will plunge the kingdom of the Antichrist into darkness, a fitting representation of the true spiritual condition of the people of their leader. But throughout all these horrific trials, the people on earth will remain stubbornly unrepentant. The unrelenting nature of God’s judgments make no impact on them. They would prefer to bow the knee to Antichrist and suffer greatly for it, than bow the knee to God and receive forgiveness and mercy. And so, God is forced to continue the outpouring of His wrath, until He has dried up the Euphrates River, in preparation for the great day of God the Almighty. There is clearly going to be no repentance on the part of the people. Antichrist is not going to surrender, and Satan is never going to give up his ill-fated quest to replace God. So, the judgments will continue and the suffering will only increase, until the final day of judgment arrives.

Ep 514 – Revelation 15:1-8 May 14, 2018

I can’t imagine what it was like for John to see vision after vision of God’s coming judgment. It must have been overwhelming. But in Revelation 15:1-8, John receives yet another vision, this one described as great and amazing. The intensity of God’s judgments increase over time. The closer the end of the tribulation period comes, the magnitude of His wrath grows greater. But there will be an end to it all. The judgments of God have a point of climax, when the full wrath of God will be expended upon rebellious mankind, by the hand of God’s own Son, Jesus Christ. One of the things that we must understand when reading this passage is that mankind has been storing up wrath for itself. This has been going on for generations, ever since the fall. The rebellion of mankind against God has been relentless and their determination to resist His will and reject His offer of salvation through His Son has never lessened. God’s wrath is not arbitrary in nature. It is the result of man’s stubborn refusal to acknowledge Him as God. And God has repeatedly warned the people He created that their sin against Him will come with dire consequences. They cannot escape unscathed or go unpunished for their rebellion against Him. And His deeds will be great, amazing, and well-deserved.

Ep 513 – Revelation 14:14-20 May 13, 2018

As Christians, we long for the return of Christ. We eagerly anticipate His eventual return for His bride, the church, when He will take us to be with Him. But we also know that there is another day coming when He will return to the earth as King of kings and Lord of lords. This is what is referred to as His second coming, and we will accompany Him when it happens. It will be a day of joy for all those who have placed their faith in Christ, because it will be the beginning of His vindication of God and His Kingdom. Those who are on the earth when this day happens, who have been redeemed by God, including the 144,000 Jews and countless tribulation saints, will also rejoice at His coming. But there will be countless millions, if not billions, of individuals, who see His return as anything but good news. Because He will come in judgment. In Revelation 14:14-20, John sees Jesus coming to earth with a scythe or sickle in His hands, and He is given a command to harvest from among the unbelieving people of the earth. He is the Son of Man, the God-Man, who gave His life so that men be restored to a right relationship with God. But for all those who reject His offer of salvation, He will one day bring the judgment they deserve.

Ep 511 – Revelation 14:1-16 May 11, 2018

With the opening lines of Revelation 14:1-6, a new vision is revealed to John that is far more bright and cheerful than most he has received thus far. This time, he gets a good dose of good news. He is given the privilege of hearing a new song, a song of deliverance, joy, and celebration regarding the mighty work that Jesus Christ is going to do on behalf of the people of God who are alive on the earth during the closing days of the tribulation. John will once again see the 144,000 Jews who have been called by God, but this time they will be standing side-by-side with Jesus. They will bear the seal on their foreheads, marking them as belonging to Him. And these 144,000 will be the only ones who are able to understand the words of the song being sung from heaven. It will be for their benefit, but ultimately to the glory of God. In this passage, we are given a wonderful reminder that God’s plan for His people is unwavering and unstoppable. He will do what He has promised to do. He is going to send His Son. He is going to bring an end to Satan and his forces. He will judge all rebellious mankind. And best of all, He will keep every promise He has made to the people of Israel and restore His creation to its former glory.

Ep 510 – Revelation 13:11-18 May 10, 2018

In the gospels, Jesus refers to Satan as the father of lies. He is a deceiver and deluder, the angel of light who can only attempt to mirror the power of God. And as we will see in Revelation 13:11-18, one of the things he does is in the closing days of the tribulation is create a false, unholy trinity, seemingly intended to replicate the relationship between God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Satan enlists the aid of the Antichrist and his false prophet, turning these two individuals into poor counterfeits for Jesus and the Spirit. Satan has always aspired to be god and, in an attempt to deceive the nations, he presents himself and his two companions as a kind of mirror image of the real Trinity. These three will wreak havoc on the world and bring a tremendous amount of pain and suffering on all those who refuse to bow down and worship the Antichrist or bear his mark. Their decision to reject his mark will prevent them from buying and selling, causing them great suffering as a result. While many have tried to speculate the identity of the Antichrist, the Bible does not provide us with any real insight into who this individual will be. But we do know that, because of his relationship with Satan, he will prove to be a formidable force during the days of the tribulation.

Ep 509 – Revelation 13:1-10 May 09, 2018

As we open up chapter 13 in the book of Revelation, the first ten verses introduce us to yet another strange creature, this one having ten horns and seven heads. According to John’s rather bizarre description of this beast, it had the features of a bear, a lion and a leopard. And John’s vision only gets stranger from there. But one of the worst part of these first ten verses is their portrayal of this beast’s dealings with those who have any association with God. This will include those who have come to faith in Christ during the days of the tribulation, as well as the Jews who are alive during those days. This beast will be given great power and authority by Satan, and he will rule over every tribe and people and language and nation. And all who dwell on the earth will bow down and worship this beast. And for all those who choose not to do so, he will make their lives a literal hell on earth, with many of them suffering death as a result. And strangely, in the midst of it all, John hears a call for the saints who are alive in those days to endure and maintain their faith. They must keep their trust in God and not allow the circumstances surrounding them to distract or dissuade them from their belief in God’s promise to right all wrongs, restore His creation, and return His Son to earth as the conquering King of kings and Lord of lords.

Ep 508 – Revelation 12:7-17 May 08, 2018

The tribulation period is permeated with the presence of Satan. Even when he is not visible, his influence is tangible and measurable. He deceives and distorts. He misleads and misinforms. He is the source of power behind Antichrist’s rise to prominence. He subtly and slyly uses mortal men to accomplish his immoral plans to overthrow the power of God and make himself the one and only god of this world. But God Almighty has plans for Satan. It is God who allows Satan the freedom to do the things he does. But God keeps Satan on a very short leash, always maintain complete control over all that he does. Satan can accomplish nothing apart from the sovereign will of God. Like Pharaoh in Egypt and Nebuchadnezzar in Babylon, God will use Satan as a tool to accomplish His divine plan for the final judgment of the world and its inhabitants. Satan will lead many in open rebellion against God, but it is God who will one day punish all those who have stood opposed to His will, His Son, and His people. And Satan will one day receive the full justice he deserves from a righteous and Holy God, who has allowed him to exist for all these years. But in Revelation 12:7-12, we see one of the first indications that Satan’s days are numbered, and God’s plan for his ultimate demise is coming together according to the divine timeline. He will remain defiant to the end, but his efforts to stand opposed to and in the place of God will ultimately fail.

Ep 507 – Revelation 12:1-6 May 07, 2018

In Revelation 12:1-6, John is introduced to three characters who will play significant roles in the end time story as it continues to be unveiled. One is described as a woman in childbirth. Second, is the child who will be born to her. And finally, there is the dragon, who will attempt to destroy the child. As we will see, the woman represents Israel and the child is Jesus, the Messiah, who was born into the lineage of David and was of the house of Judah. The dragon is none other than Satan himself. Israel, Jesus and Satan. All three of these characters are primary players in the tribulation narrative. Everything John has been shown and that he has recorded in his book involves these three. Just prior to the start of the tribulation, the church was raptured. Christ returned for His bride and took her to be with Him in heaven. But the people of God, the nation of Israel, were left on the earth and they would become primary participants in the tribulation period. And Satan would eventually make them the focus of his wrath, allowing his servant, the Antichrist, to persecute them and put them to death. But as John sees in his vision, God would also protect a remnant of His people during the darkest days of the tribulation, because He is not done with them. At one time, Satan had tried to eliminate the Son of God, but had failed. And during the tribulation, he will try to eliminate the people of God. But he will fail yet again. Because God must keep the covenant He made with His people.

Ep 506 – Revelation 11:15-19 May 06, 2018

One of the reasons Christians long for the second coming of Jesus Christ is because it is what has to happen before His Kingdom if fully and finally established on earth. While we, as believers in Christ, worship Him as our King and Lord, He is not recognized as such by the majority of the people on this planet, and never has been. Even when He came the first time, His own people, the Jews, refused to accept Him as their Messiah and Savior. Instead, when offered the choice between releasing Jesus or a common criminal, they chose Barabbas. And then they demanded that Pilate put Jesus to death. Since His initial arrival on this earth, Jesus has been rejected by mankind. For the most part, the rulers of this earth have consistently refused to acknowledge Him as King. And the vast majority of human beings have preferred to set themselves up as gods or have turned to something other than God as their deity of choice. But as we will see in Revelation 11:15-19, there is a day coming when Christ will reign over an earthly Kingdom. He will return to earth for a second and final time, in order to establish His Kingdom – a real, physical, earthly-bound Kingdom – in Jerusalem, where He will sit on the throne of His ancestor, David. All in keeping with the promise God made to David thousands of years ago. God told David, “I will raise up your descendant after you, who will come forth from you, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for My name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever” (2 Samuel 7:12-13). And John provides us with a welcome reminder that God’s promise will one day be fulfilled.

Ep 505 – Revelation 11:1-14 May 05, 2018

In Revelation 11:1-14, John is introduced to the two witnesses. These two unnamed individuals will appear on the scene during the waning days of the tribulation. They are revealed to John in a vision and he describes them as two olive trees or lampstands. They are sent by God and assigned the duty to prophesy for a period of 1,260 days or 3-1/2 years. We are not given the content of the prophecy, but like all prophets of God, they will encounter strong resistance from all those on earth. Their words will fall on deaf ears and when the Antichrist finally murders them, the world will rejoice over their deaths, exchanging gifts with one another in a macabre sort of holiday celebration. All of the events found in this chapter are fantastic in nature and have caused many to question their reality and even their validity. It is tempting to take what we see here and simply make it allegorical in nature. Men with the capacity to pour fire from their mouths us just too much for our human reason to accept. And then, to read that God somehow resurrects these two men, restoring them to life and then transporting them to heaven, is not only out of the ordinary, but out of the question. Or is it? We have to remember that we are dealing with the God of the universe. Nothing is too difficult for Him. And while we may find ourselves unable to explain what we read on the pages of Revelation, that doesn’t mean that what we read is not only possible, but highly probable, because our God is all-powerful.

Ep 504 – Revelation 10:8-11 May 04, 2018

So far, John has had to stand back and watch some rather bizarre and difficult-to-fathom visions take place before his eyes. And he has had to write down each and everything he has seen. But in Revelation 10:8-11, John is going to become an active participant in the vision taking place, no longer free to act as a spectator and passive chronicler of the divine description of the last days. John is going to be commanded to eat a small scroll, a book containing a message that he is then to prophesy over the nations of the earth. And the rather unique thing about this little book is that it will be sweet to the taste, but hard on the stomach. John will enjoy taking it in, but its content, whatever it is, will leave him feeling sick to his stomach. The message contained in this book, obviously from the throne of God Himself, will be pleasant to John. But to those who hear it proclaimed from John’s lips, it will be anything but good news. And the command that John communicate the message contained on the scroll to the people and nations and languages and kings, will prove to be difficult for the messenger and those to whom the message is directed. Even in these last days of the tribulation, God is still speaking. He has not gone silent. He has not shut off the people on earth, but continues to communicate to them regarding His will and their future.

Ep 503 – Revelation 10:1-7 May 03, 2018

We’re all familiar with the cartoon image of the man in the flowing robe with a long grey beard and carrying the sign that reads, “The end is near!” He is the proverbial prophet of doom, warning mankind about the coming day of the Lord. It is a caricature, a tongue-in-cheek image that is meant to lampoon all those who believe that there is a final day of judgment for the world. Many refuse to accept that reality. They see it as little more than the superstitious speculations of the religiously ignorant. But in Revelation 10:1-7, John is going to receive a difficult-to-ignore reminder that the end of the world is not a figment of man’s imagination or the fodder for cartoons and stand-up comedians. There is much about the last days that remain a mystery to us. Even when we take into account the vast array of Old and New Testament Scriptures that predict the end times, there is much about that day that will remain undisclosed and unknown to us. John has been shown a great deal up to this point. He has had the privilege of seeing things no man has ever seen before. There has been divulged to him a great number of once-hidden mysteries that are now clearly discernible. But God has not and will not tell all. He will keep some things hidden from our view until the day they actually take place. But while we may not know all that will happen, we can know one thing for sure. When God determines the time for the end to come, there will be no more delay.

Ep 502 – Revelation 9:13-21 May 02, 2018

As the second of the three woes is pronounced, John is going to get a ring-side seat to mankind’s sin-hardened heart. The dreadful wrath of God will fall on men, in the form of three devastating plagues that kill one-third of the earth’s population. But as incredible as this sounds, the more amazing thing is that those who survive this unbelievable event, will still refuse to turn to God in repentance. Revelation 9:13-21 provides a sad indictment on humanity and its stubborn refusal to acknowledge God as the one true God. The people who will be alive on the earth during these final days of the tribulation will reflect the same attitude that the rest of humanity has displayed for generations. In spite of God’s judgment against them, they will refuse to give up their false gods and arrogantly persist in doing things their way, seeking help and hope in anything and everything but God. And the list John provides of their false gods, includes demons as well as idols of gold, silver, bronze, stone and wood. None of which can see, hear or even walk. And yet, the survivors of this apocalyptic scene will continue to turn to false gods rather than place their hope in the God of the universe. The God who made them and who is bringing His judgment against them.

Ep 501 – Revelation 9:1-12 May 01, 2018

forgiveness for their sins and eternal life rather than eternal punishment? We call this offer the good news, but to many it is anything but that. In their darkness and sinfulness, they hear the words regarding God’s gracious gift of salvation and they reject it as unnecessary and undesirable. And as John will discover in today’s passage, even those going through the pain of God’s unrelenting judgment will continue to reject Him and refuse to turn to Him. Revelation 9:1-12 reveals the first of the three woes that are going to fall on the earth in the final days of the tribulation. Demonic activity will run rampant on the earth, with the forces of Satan tormenting all those who live on the earth who wear the mark of the beast. These will be all those who have refused Christ as their Savior. And their torment will be so great that they will wish for death and even attempt to take their own lives, but fail in their attempt to do so. They will be stuck in their misery and pain, completely unable to do anything about it. It will be foretaste of their eternal destiny, reserved for all those who fail to accept God’s gracious gift of salvation made possible through His Son. But all the tribulation saints, who have refused to bear the mark of the beast or bow down to the Antichrist, will be protected by God. During the darkest days of the tribulation, they will be preserved.

Ep 500 - Revelation 8:8-13 May 01, 2018

With the trumpet judgments, John is given a vision of the wrath of God as it is poured out on the fallen world, in a succession of devastating supernatural events. And accompanying their arrival, John hears the sound of a voice calling out, “Woe, woe, woe.” This will be a sorrowful time, filled with unrelenting pain and suffering upon the unbelieving world. And while we may find these judgments to be harsh, we must never forget that they are anything but undeserved. God has shown patience on sinful mankind for centuries, allowing them to continue to reject His sovereignty as God, and to refuse His gracious offer of salvation and forgiveness of sin made possible through His Son’s sacrificial death. Even during the tribulation, while some will respond to God’s offer and place their faith in Christ, the vast majority of people living during that time will worship the Antichrist instead. They will become part of an apostate church that no longer acts as the bride of Christ, but the sad victims of the great prostitute’s seduction. So, God brings on the people of earth the hard-earned and long-overdue retribution for their rebellion against Him. For those of us, who as followers of Christ, have long wondered when God will do something about the injustice and immorality in the world, John paints a vivid picture of that very time. It will be harsh and deadly in its impact, but God will be fully justified in His actions. As the righteous Judge of the universe, He will be righting all wrongs and punishing all wrong-doers, giving each of them the punishment they deserve.

Ep 499 – Revelation 8:1-7 Apr 29, 2018

So much of what we read in the book of Revelation seems far-fetched and impossible to fathom. It reads like some kind of a sci-fi fantasy novel, complete with fantastic creatures, supernatural events, otherworldly imagery and apocalyptic scenes. Many have struggled with the book of Revelation, refusing to see any of its words as literal, preferring to interpret that book as allegorical and metaphorical. It is merely the attempt of John to describe events in a way that provides symbolic imagery that tells a hidden and mystical story. But if our refusal to take this book literally is because its content is too difficult to believe or explain, we fail to recognize that it tells of events that are the work of Almighty God. In Revelation 8:1-7, John is shown the opening of the seventh and final seal, and with it, he is given a glimpse into the beginnings of the judgments associated with the blowing of the seven trumpets. With each trumpet blast, a new and ever-more intense judgment is poured out on the earth and its inhabitants. John sees hail and fire mixed with blood. He is shown devastating destruction descending upon the earth. A third of the earth, a third of the forests and a third of the grassland are burned up. And as unbelievable as this may sound, it is not only possible, but probable, because we worship a great and mighty God. Nothing is too difficult for Him.

Ep 498 – Revelation 7:7-19 Apr 28, 2018

The tribulation is going to be a very difficult time. And John is being given an up-close and personal look into just how difficult it is going to be. But in Revelation 7:9-17, John is provided with a glimpse into a heavenly reality that is meant to bring him hope. In the first eight verses of this chapter, he was shown the 144,000 Jewish converts to Christianity who are back on the earth. They represent a remnant from every tribe of Israel, who have been graciously and miraculously called by God and made followers of Jesus Christ. Their witness on behalf of Christ will have a major impact on the unbelieving world, resulting in many coming to faith. And John is shown some of these very same individuals standing in the throne room in heaven, as they sing praises to God for His salvation. They are clothed in white robes and waving palm branches. They are expressing their gratitude to God for their presence in His Kingdom and their deliverance from the persecution of the Antichrist. Each of them is a martyr, who has died for their faith at the hands of the Antichrist. And yet, their deaths have resulted in their transfer to heaven and their presence before God. But this is where John also receives a reminder that the difficult days are not yet done. There will be more people martyred for their faith before the Son of God returns. The Antichrist will continue to perpetrate his atrocities against any and all Christians, as well as the Jewish people. But his days are numbered. And the answer to the prayers of these martyred saints, that God enact justice, is right around the corner.

Ep 497 – Revelation 7:1-8 Apr 27, 2018

God keeps His promises. He is a covenant-keeping God who never fails to follow through on His commitments. And that is an important lesson found within the pages of the book of Revelation. Every aspect of the vision given to John was prophesied well in advance. The Old Testament Scriptures are full of God’s promises regarding His plans for the people of Israel and for the future judgment of the world. And yet, there are many who seem to believe that God is done with the people of Israel. There are those who read the book of Revelation and see all the promises described as being fulfilled for the nation of Israel as actually referring to the church. They interpret many of the references to the salvation of Jews as being symbolic of God’s ongoing redemption of man through the salvation made possible in Jesus Christ. And while there are many who will come to faith in Christ during the days of the tribulation, we cannot overlook the fact that God will do a unique work among His chosen people, the Israelites. And in Revelation 7:1-8, we will learn of His plans for the 144,000. This group of Jewish men will be graciously and miraculously converted, placing their faith in Christ. They will become witnesses to the world, including both Jews and Gentiles, resulting in the salvation of many, even during the darkest days of the tribulation. The story of the Bible is one of God always preserving and protecting a remnant of His people, and that includes His wayward child, Israel.

Ep 496 – Revelation 6:9-17 Apr 26, 2018

One of the most difficult things to come to grips with when reading the book of Revelation are the many references to believers being martyred for their faith. During these dark and difficult days, it will be extremely risky to be a confessing believer in Christ. The world’s animosity toward Christians will reach an all-time high. The Antichrist will be on a mission to eliminate any and all Christians from the face of the earth. And while the church will have already been raptured long before these events take place, there will be many who come to faith in Christ during the seven years of the tribulation. And, as we have seen before, many of these believers will become martyrs, for refusing to the take the mark of the beast and for worshiping Christ rather than the Antichrist. Revelation 6:9-17 reveals that, at their deaths, the souls of these martyred men and women will be ushered into God’s presence where they will call out to Him for justice and vengeance against their murderers. But God will give the surprising news that there are more who have yet to give their lives and join their ranks. The number of the martyred will continue to increase. But in the meantime, God will begin His just retribution against the unbelieving population on earth. He will punish them for their sins and pour out His righteous indignation against them. And no one will be able to stand before His righteous anger and that of His Son.

Ep 495 – Revelation 6:3-8 Apr 25, 2018

Three more horses carrying three more riders. That is what John sees as Jesus breaks the seals of the scroll and the content of the judgments are revealed. John will ultimately see four horses and their riders, each slightly different than the one before it. And each brings with it a different judgment to be meted out on the earth. This will be the beginning of God’s judgments upon the earth and its inhabitants, signaling that He is getting ready to bring to an end the reign of Satan on this earth. He will also judge all those who stand opposed to His will and in rejection of His Son as Savior. Revelation 6:3-8 signals the arrival of war, famine and death. These will be difficult days on the earth, with God bringing His long-anticipated judgment to bear on all those who are His enemies. With the breaking of each successive seal, a new aspect of God’s righteous wrath will be manifested on the earth. And we will see that one-fourth of the earth’s population will suffer death because of all that is going to happen in those final days. And it will continue to build in intensity and impact as time passes. But one thing we must not overlook is the clear assertion that all of this will take place according to God’s timeline and in perfect keeping with His will. The judgments only happen as a result of Jesus breaking the seals. And any and all power displayed by Satan and his forces is under the sovereign will and control of God. Nothing that John sees is happening is outside the purview of God. He is in complete control and the events described in these chapters are His doing.

Ep 494 – Revelation 6:1-2 Apr 24, 2018

In Revelation 6:1-2, we see the breaking of the first seal and the beginning of the judgments of God. With the first seal, we are introduced to yet another key character in the tribulation storyline. It is an abbreviated description, but when combined with the rest of the book and other prophetic passages of Scripture, we can piece together a fairly clear image of who this individual is and what his role in the end times will be. He will be the first a several riders who appear riding various-colored horses. There is a sequential nature to these seals, as each one reveals yet another aspect of God’s coming judgment, each following the other in chronological order. John is being given a glimpse into the future, and he shared all that he sees with us, his fellow members of the church of Jesus Christ. As we will see, these images are not meant to scare or intimidate us, but to inform us about all that God has planned. They are also intended to produce in us a growing faith and confidence that our God is in complete control of all things, both today and into the future. There is nothing that is going to happen that God has not ordained to happen. The seeming instability of the world and the increasing presence of evil in our world are not the result of our God’s indifference or inability to stop them. They are part of His sovereign plan. And we can trust Him.

Ep 493 – Revelation 5:6-14 Apr 23, 2018

What John sees and records in this section of his book is pivotal in terms of the outcome of the rest of Revelation. God is holding in His right hand the scroll sealed with seven seals. There is a period of silence and tension-filled anticipation as the entire citizenry of heaven await the coming of the one worthy to take and open the scroll. And then John was introduced to “the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David.” It is Jesus, the Son of God. And John sees Him in the form of a Lamb, a designation that brings to mind His sacrificial death on behalf of mankind. And John points out that the Lamb was “standing, as though it had been slain.” He is the crucified and resurrected Lord, who because of His willing obedience to offer His life as payment for the sin debt of humanity, is worthy to take the scroll from His Father’s hand and begin the process of opening it and revealing its content. Revelation 5:6-14 begins the release of God’s judgments upon the world. And it will set the stage for all that is to come in the days after the church has been raptured and the Antichrist has come to power on the earth. The Lamb who was slain will become the Judge who brings His judgments upon rebellious humanity. And, He will become the King who rules and reigns in righteousness and justice upon the earth, receiving blessing, honor, glory and might forever and ever.

Ep 492 – Revelation 5:1-5 Apr 22, 2018

We saw in chapter 4 that God is holy. The entire scene in heaven is a symphony of sights and sounds, declaring the holiness of God. And now, John is going to be introduced to another key player in the end time scenario: Jesus Christ, the Lion of the tribe of Judah and the Root of David. And while chapter 4 spoke of God’s holiness, Revelation 5:1-5 is going to focus on Jesus’ worthiness. He is the only one worthy to take the scroll from the hand of God, open its seals and reveal its content. At this moment, that scroll remains sealed and unopened. Jesus sits at the right hand of His Father in heaven, but the time has not yet come for Him to take the scroll and begin the process of unleashing the judgments contained within. But He is fully worthy to do so. Because He is the sinless Lamb of God. He has earned the right to do what no one else in heaven or on earth can do. Jesus is the fulfillment of all the Old Testament prophecies concerning the coming Messiah and the future King of the universe. That scroll belongs to Him. And the privilege to reveal its contents belongs to Him and Him alone. And while we may wonder and anxiously wait for God to deal with all the injustices in the world today, we must take comfort in knowing that the one who must open the scroll and usher in the end times, is already right where He needs to be. He is simply waiting for the divinely ordained moment to step forward and begin the process of judging the world in truth and righteousness.

Ep 491 – Revelation 4:1-11 Apr 21, 2018

John is seeing things that no man has ever seen before. He is undergoing a relentless assault on his senses, with sights, sounds and smells coming at him in rapid succession. And to his surprise and wonder, he finds himself standing in the throne room of God in heaven, surrounded by amazing imagery that defies human logic and description. But the most memorable aspect of this particular vision is the sheer volume of clues that point to the holiness of God. Yes, John is being given an opportunity to see “what must take place after this.” In other words, he is being provided with a preview of coming attractions – the events associated with the last days. But in spite of the fantastic nature of all that John is about to see and hear, what stands out in this chapter is the holiness of God. His very appearance is that of precious jewels. He is surrounded by colors and a host of characters who focus all their attention on Him. There are flashes of lightning and the sounds of thunder. John sees torches of fire and what appears to be a sea of glass. But even more impressive and impossible to ignore are the voices of the four living creatures singing of God’s holiness. And they are joined by the 24 elders, who sing of the worthiness of God to receive glory, honor and power. Revelation 4:1-11 is filled with imagery that speaks of God’s holiness. And it provides John and all who will read his book, with a powerful reminder that all that is to come in the book will come from the throne and through the hands of our holy, righteous, all-powerful, and sovereign God.

Ep 490 – Revelation 3:14-22 Apr 20, 2018

Self-sufficiency isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but it can lead to an attitude of independence and result in an unhealthy dose of pride. It is especially dangerous for believers, because we are meant to find our strength in Christ, not ourselves. It is when we become self-confident and seemingly autonomous, that we run into problems in the Christian life. And Jesus had some strong words to say to the final church on His list. This time, He is addressing a church that seems to have it all. In Revelation 3:14-22, John records the words of Jesus to the church in Laodicea. They were a relatively wealthy congregation who evidently saw themselves as relatively self-sufficient and in need of nothing. They had gotten cocky. Unlike some of the other fellowships, they weren’t having to deal with persecution or financial difficulties. Jesus accuses them of thinking too highly of themselves, claiming to be rich, prosperous, and in need of nothing. But they were actually blind to their true spiritual condition. And their blind spot had resulted in their inability to see their tremendous need for what Jesus had to offer. They were sick and didn’t even know it. They were measuring themselves by the wrong standard and drawing the wrong conclusions. But Jesus loved them enough to tell them the truth. And just as He had with all the other churches, Jesus lets this congregation know that He wants them to repent and recommit themselves to Him. They could still be conquerors, but only if they confessed their self-sufficiency and turned to Him in total dependency.

Ep 489 – Revelation 3:7-13 Apr 19, 2018

Philadelphia is known as the city of brotherly love. But it wasn’t the first city to have that designation. All the way back when John penned the Revelation, he included a section that was addressed to the church of Philadelphia in his day. It was one of the seven churches for which Jesus had a personal message. But the local congregation wasn’t feeling the love in Philadelphia. In fact, the synagogue in Philadelphia was treating the believers like second-class citizens and making their lives miserable. But Jesus encouraged them to keep up their morale and their morality. They weren’t to give in to the pressure or allow themselves to fall short of God’s expectations for them as a fellowship. And in Revelation 3:7-13, Jesus conveys some amazing good news to this struggling church. While they were experiencing their fair share of persecution and difficulty in this life, He assured them that they would be kept from the hour of trial that was coming on the earth. This is a reference to the seven years of tribulation that will come on the planet and all who live on it. But the church, including every single believer who is alive when Jesus comes to take His bride to be with Him, will be spared from having to endure the pain, suffering, persecution and even martyrdom that is going to come in those last days. Jesus was encouraging the Philadelphian believers to keep trusting, keep believing, and keep enduring, because their reward was going to include escape from future tribulation. Jesus holds the key of David and has the authority to open and shut the gate leading into God’s presence and His Kingdom. The enemy can try to keep us out, but he has no power to prevent what God has promised.

Ep 488 – Revelation 3:1-6 Apr 18, 2018

Spiritual deadness. What does that look like? It doesn’t sound too appealing though, does it? And when Jesus Christ accuses you of being spiritually dead, it’s not exactly a complement. But that’s exactly what the congregation in Sardis heard Jesus say about them. They had a reputation for being alive, but were really dead in the water spiritually. They were like a lifeless cadaver, painted up to look alive and well, and good enough to impress everybody but Jesus Himself. He saw through their hypocrisy. And He called them out for it. It wasn’t that the whole church was spiritually dead and without new life in Christ, but they had allowed the walking dead in their midst to have a negative influence on their congregation. And Jesus was particularly put out with the leadership in the church. They were responsible for the health and well-being of the church. But they had let their guard down and the unbelievers in. But while these lost individuals were giving the impression that they were saved, they were actually having a deadly influence on the health of the church. In Revelation 3:1-6, Jesus addresses the congregation in Sardis, providing the rest of us with some powerful warnings about spiritual complacency and the danger of moral infection from the presence of unbelievers masquerading as believers. Fake Christians can do some serious damage to a local fellowship, creating an atmosphere that wreaks of spiritual death and lulling the church into a state of spiritual stupor. Which is why Jesus says, yet again, “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”

Ep 487 – Revelation 2:18-29 Apr 17, 2018

The world is full of temptations of all kinds, and it is constantly casting its deceptively-enticing lures our ways, in hopes of distracting and catching us in a down moment. Even the body of Christ, the church, can find itself lured away from trusting in Christ alone through faith alone, and accepting Satan’s offer of satisfaction without sanctification, and happiness without holiness. In Revelation 2:18-20, Jesus is going to address yet another congregation, both commending and condemning them. He will applaud them for their faith and endurance, but warn them against their unhealthy toleration of immorality in their midst. Jesus is going to have some fairly serious words for an individual in their local congregation who was leading the fellowship astray. He would pull no punches or spare no pains in pointing out this woman’s evil influence on the flock. And He was not too happy with the church body for allowing her to have a platform from which to spout her false doctrine and spread her deadly influence on the rest of the fellowship. Their tolerance was intolerable to Christ. He demanded immediate action. And He called them to hold fast. They were not to allow this woman to pry their grips from the cross of Christ. Temptations tend to offer us something enticing that requires us to take our hands off the one that really matters: Jesus Christ and our faith in Him. Like a child with a favorite toy, we find ourselves offered something brighter, shinier and newer, but it requires that we let go of what we have. We trade in the source of joy for the promise of greater happiness. But Jesus will tell them to hold on to what they have. Because the reward to come is greater than anything the world could ever offer.

Ep 486 – Revelation 2:12-17 Apr 16, 2018

Compromise. It has always been a potential danger for the child of God. And compromise almost always takes a subtle form. It’s rarely blatant and obvious. Like Adam and Eve in the garden, our disobedience tends to be appear more like a form of clarification of the truth. Satan led Eve to compromise by questioning the word of God. He slyly asked her, “Did God actually say?” And she took the bait. She opened herself up to his deceptive reasoning. And the next thing she heard from the enemy was, “You will not surely die.” Satan flat-out denied the word of God. And he caused Eve to doubt God. In Revelation 2:12-17, Jesus addresses the church in Pergamum, and His primary bone of contention with this local fellowship is their spirit of compromise. Some within the church had allowed their convictions to cave in and they ended up selling out. But Jesus calls the rest of the church to remain faithful and true. He encourages them conquer, not compromise. And He lets them know that those who endure to the end can expect a more-than-adequate reward for their efforts. Compromise is nothing more than a selling out of what you say you believe and a selling short of the promises of God. Rather than take God at His Word, we listen to the lies of the enemy and settle for his offer of blessings without obedience, contentment without conviction, and fulfillment without faithfulness.

Ep 485 – Revelation 2:8-11 Apr 15, 2018

It’s easy to get discouraged. Even as believers in Jesus Christ, we can find ourselves hammered by the circumstances of life and begin to lose hope. This can happen churches as well, as is illustrated in Jesus’ words to the church in Smyrna reveal. Revelation 2:9-11 gives us a bit of insight and encouragement regarding churches that find themselves going through difficult days. It’s not always easy. The world doesn’t always like us or welcome us with open arms. And the church in Smyrna was a struggling congregation that was surrounded by worldliness and suffering from constant persecution. On top of that, they were poor. They were a financially strapped church made up of members with limited resources, but plenty of problems. So, what does Jesus have to say to these people? Well, He doesn’t assure them that everything is going to be okay. In fact, He’s going to tell them that more suffering is headed their way. It’s going to get worse before it gets better. He doesn’t promise them immediate relief or a miraculous deliverance. No, He tells them that some of them are going to end up in prison. Some might even face death. But even with that sobering reality staring them in the face, Jesus will tell them to remain faithful. But why? What’s their motivation? How in the world are they supposed to endure the continued suffering headed their way without losing heart and giving up all hope? The answer is found in what Jesus describes as the crown of life He will give them. In other words, Jesus wants them to focus on their reward to come, not their suffering to come. He wanted them to look further down the road, to the day when God restores all things, and glorifies His people. There was going to be a very happy ending to their personal nightmare. This story was going to turn out well. And Jesus encouraged them to remain faithful because their God was faithful.

Ep 484 – Revelation 2:1-7 Apr 14, 2018

If Jesus was to write a letter to your church, what do you think He would say? Would it be filled with words of commendation and congratulations for a job well done? Would He shower your local congregation with accolades for all their generous giving and selfless serving? Or do you think He might have a few words of criticism and critique? Well, you don’t have to wonder or conjecture, because Jesus has spoken to His church. And we find the content of His message in chapters two and three of the book of Revelation. In these two chapters, Jesus addressed seven different churches, expressing words of commendation and exposing acts deserving of condemnation. And lest we think these messages have nothing to do with us, Jesus makes it perfectly clear that His Words are timeless in nature and limitless in terms of their application. They are for all churches in all times. And in Revelation 2:1-7, we will find that His words for the church in Ephesus have an irrefutable and unmistakable ring to them. If we look closely and honestly, we will recognize our own church in this passage. What was happening in Ephesus was not unique to them. Their praise-worthy activities should be true of all churches. But while they had done a lot of things well, they had also dropped the ball in a few significant areas. And if we’re honest, so have we. Jesus isn’t out to demoralize them, but to motivate them to return to their former state of faithful obedience. And He wants the same thing for us. But to return to where we were, we have to do two things: Remember and then repent. We must recognize that we have strayed and express a willingness to be restored to our former state. Remember and repent. Even good churches can wander. We can all lose our focus and our way. But Jesus calls us to return.

Ep 483 – Revelation 1:9-20 Apr 13, 2018

John was exiled on the island of Patmos when he received his vision. One minute he was on this small, virtually uninhabitable island, and the next thing he knew he was transported into the very presence of God. And not only would he see God the Father face to face, he would be reunited with his friend and Savior, Jesus. But this would be a remarkably different Jesus than the one he remembered. His last glimpse of Jesus had been as He ascended back up to heaven. But standing before him in the heavenly throne room was a drastically different man than he once knew. And the shock left John flat on his face, worshiping His Lord and Savior. But Jesus calmed his fears and prepared him for the job for which he had been chosen: To write down all that Jesus had to say to the seven churches. John was to act as the Savior’s amanuensis or personal secretary. And one of the first things Jesus wanted to drive home to John was the reality of His resurrected state. He described Himself as the first and the last, the living one. He had died, but He was alive and He held the keys of Death and Hades. This speaks of Jesus’ authority and His dominion over death and the grave because of the sacrifice of His own life and His resurrection by the power of the Holy Spirit. Jesus, as the living Lord, has some sobering words to share with the seven churches. And we will soon see that what He has to say is for more than their ears alone. Repeatedly, Jesus will say, “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” His messages are global, yet specific. These seven churches needed to hear the commendations and condemnations of Jesus, but so do we. Revelation 1:9-20 sets the stage for what is to come. Jesus, the one who is worthy to open the seals is also the resurrected, all-powerful Shepherd of the church, the head of the Body of Christ, who is about to comfort and convict His bride, preparing them to finish what they have begun and to prepare for His eventual return for them before the end comes.

Ep 482 – Revelation 1:4-8 Apr 12, 2018

All those who call themselves Christians share a common belief in the eventual return of Jesus Christ. It is most often referred to as His second coming in order to distinguish it from His incarnation, when He came to earth the first time, in the form of a baby and born to a virgin named Mary. The four Gospels provide us with the details concerning Jesus’ first arrival on planet earth. But it is the book of Revelation that provides us with the still future aspects of His second coming. And in Revelation 1:4-8. John reveals to the seven churches to whom his letter was addressed, that Jesus was going to come again, on the clouds, and every eye will see Him, including those who pierced Him, a reference to the Jewish people who had demanded His crucifixion and death. While the book of Revelation will dedicate just a few chapters to the return of Jesus to earth, its entire contents is designed to preface its eventual occurrence. There will be much that must take place on the earth before Jesus can come back. But we are given repeated assurances throughout the book that He will indeed return. He promised to return. And it is His return that will bring about the end of the centuries-worth of sin’s deadly influence and Satan’s oppressive rule over this planet. There is going to be a vast difference between the way Jesus came the first time and how He will appear in the future. He will not return as a baby in a manger. He will not return as a meek and mild carpenter who heals the sick and preaches a message of salvation to the lost. No, when He returns, it will be as a conquering King who reasserts His right to rule and reign over the world He Himself created. The New Testament writers typically describe Jesus as seated at the right hand of God the Father. He is in heaven, occupying His rightful place at His Father’s side. But there is a day coming when Jesus will establish His Kingdom on earth, fulfilling the promise made by God to Jesus’ ancient ancestor, King David.

Ep 481 – Revelation 1:1-3 Apr 11, 2018

Today we begin a new study in the book of Revelation. Yes, for the next few months we are going to be working our way through this fascinating and often controversial book. There are those who avoid it like the plague, intimidated by all its strange visions and difficult-to-understand symbols. There are others who gravitate to it like it a puzzle book full of seemingly indecipherable clues and riddles they need to solve. But one of the things we have to keep in mind is that the book of Revelation is one of 66 books in the Bible. It is not intended to stand alone, and as we dig into it, we are going to discover that the answers to its many secrets are to be found in the pages of Scripture. Revelation is the last book in the Canon of Scripture and it provides us with a detailed vision of the things yet to come. There is much in the book that remains a mystery, even after centuries of study and debate. And while we may never know, this side of Christ’s return, what each and every sign, symbol, vision and message means, we can know that God has a plan for the world and there is a day when His Son will return to restore all things. Revelation is meant to be a book of encouragement. In spite of all the doom, gloom, destruction and judgment found on its pages, it is intended to show that God is in control and He has a well-thought-out and fool-proof plan for the world He created, including all those who have ever lived and those who will be living when the events outlined on the its pages occur. To say that we will be studying the book of Revelation is a bit of a misnomer, because in order to do so, we will have to spend time in a variety of other books, both in the Old and New Testament. This study, like no other, will reveal the incredible integrity and synergy nature of God’s Word. Virtually everything we are going to see on the pages of Revelation have been prophesied elsewhere in Scripture or find their meaning there. So, join me as we begin a study of the only book that comes with the promise of a blessing for those who read it and for all those who hear it.

Ep 480 – Ecclesiastes 12:9-14 Apr 10, 2018

We are at the end of Solomon’s book. And it leaves him near the end of his own life. But he has left us with much to think about and a great deal of wisdom to consider. And at the close of his book, he uses the phrase, “The end of the matter.” It’s his conclusion or summary to all he has written in his book. And what was the end of the matter according to Solomon: Fear God and keep his commandments for this is the whole duty of man. That’s it. After all he has shared, this is what it all boils down to. A healthy reverence for God and a willing obedience to His will for your life. But as we will see, Solomon was still thinking in terms of earthly rewards and temporal blessings. He was advocating fear of and obedience to God because those things were necessary if you wanted to experience the blessings of God – in this life. What we are going to see in Ecclesiastes 12:9-14 is that Solomon still had a rather limited understanding of how God works. He couldn’t help but think that this life was the one in which the rewards of God were most likely to be conveyed. It was only in this life that man could experience the joys that God made possible through the five senses. The afterlife was a mystery, and no one was assured what was going to happen beyond the grave. But we know better. Because we know that Christ came to give life, and life more abundantly. And not just for this lifetime. He came to give us eternal life and to make possible joy beyond our wildest imaginations. This life is a dim shadow of what is to come. Any blessings we experience in this life pale in comparison to what we will experience in eternity. Contrary to what Solomon thought, this life is not the end of the matter.

Ep 479 – Ecclesiastes 12:1-8 Apr 09, 2018

There is one irrefutable fact about life: It ends in death. And, in his old age, Solomon was keenly aware of that painful reality. The older he got, the closer he came to the end. And old age has a way of causing us to reminisce about the way things used to be or could have been. In Ecclesiastes 12:1-8, Solomon continues to address his words to young people. He wants them to know what he has learned from his years of life lived under the sun. He is a man who has accomplished much but is in the final stages of his life’s journey. And while he has little to look forward to, he has much to look back on and he wants those he leaves behind to learn from his mistakes. He wants them to understand that one day they will be where he is. They too will one day face death. They will be forced to experience the effects of the aging process, as their physical capacities and mental faculties slowly diminish. So, what advice does Solomon have to offer those whom will be leaving behind? Remember your Creator. And do it while you’re young. In other words, don’t live your life without an awareness that it is God who gave you life to begin with. He is the giver of life and, ultimately, He is the one who determines the length of our lives. It would seem that Solomon is once again expressing the sentiment, “Don’t do as I did.” He had forgotten his Creator in his youth. Somewhere along the way, he had made the focus of his life anything and everything but God. He had wasted his youth on the vain and futile pursuit of worldly pleasures and temporal gains. But if he had it all to over, he would put God in His proper place: At the center of his life.

Ep 478 – Ecclesiastes 11:7-10 Apr 08, 2018

There’s a popular saying among Christians that states, “Don’t be so heavenly minded that you’re no earthly good.” The basic gist behind what it means is that we can spend so much time thinking about and waiting for heaven, that we end up doing nothing of value and significance in this life. And while that saying has a grain of truth in it, I fear that far too many Christians have taken it to heart and made it their life’s mantra. And, as a result, they have become so earthly-minded that heaven has become an afterthought. But the apostle Paul warned the Colossian believers, “If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.” Being heavenly minded doesn’t require that we sit around dreaming about and waiting on eternity. It means that we live our lives with an understanding that this is not all there is. Our reward is waiting for us in the future. And in Ecclesiastes 11:7-10, we’re going to see that Solomon, like a lot of other Jews of his day, had a difficult time understanding just what was out there in the future. Eternity was a mystery to them. The Old Testament saints didn’t have a well-developed theology of the eternal state, so it left them to focus most of their attention on the here-and-now. But as New Testament believers, we know what tomorrow holds and we also know who holds tomorrow: God. But, once again, the apostle warns us that we live in a day when there are those who are “headed for destruction. Their god is their appetite, they brag about shameful things, and they think only about this life here on earth. But we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for him to return as our Savior” (Colossians 3:19-20).

Ep 477 – Ecclesiastes 11:1-16 Apr 07, 2018

Faith versus fear. That’s a choice all of us face in this life, on a daily basis. As Christians, it can be so easy to verbally express our faith in God, all the while living with doubts that He can or will come through for us in the end. And the end is a big question mark for many of us. And by end, I mean the end of life. Death looms like a dark cloud on the horizon, and we wonder what it holds in store for us. In spite of all the promises in Scripture and the assurances given to us by Jesus Himself, we can still find ourselves doubting the reality of heaven and struggling with understanding just what eternal life really means. So, as a result, we end up concentrating all our time and attention on this life. Which is something Solomon would highly recommend. In fact, in Ecclesiastes 11:1-16, he will go out of his way to encourage a live-for-the-moment kind of attitude. For Solomon, the one thing we can know for certain is that this life exists and it can be full of joy and sorrow, good and bad, blessings and curses. We know from experience that life on this planet can be tough at times. But we also know that it can come with some incredible blessings. But for Solomon, death was a veritable unknown. He knew it was coming, but beyond that, he wasn’t quite so sure of what came next. Which is what led him to seek fulfillment and satisfaction from this life. And while Solomon didn’t have the whole redemptive plan of God spread out in front of him, he should have known that his God was a good and gracious God, who keeps His promises. But somewhere along the way, Solomon’s faith in God had become just about the only thing in his life that had not increased in quantity or quality. Which left him fearing the future and living for the moment.

Ep 476 – Ecclesiastes 10:8-20 Apr 06, 2018

In the first seven verses of Ecclesiastes 10, Solomon addressed the inherent weaknesses with wisdom. But now, in verses 8-20, he provides us with ample proof of wisdom’s worthiness. It’s a good thing. And if anybody could speak as an authority in wisdom, it was Solomon, the wisest man who has ever lived. He had a lot of experience with wisdom. And over his long life, he had used and abused it. He had experienced its many benefits and suffered the consequences of relying on wisdom without relying on the one who gives it: God. In these verses, Solomon will change writing styles, delivering his message in the style we normally associate with his other book, Proverbs. He’ll deal with wisdom as it relates to work and then he’ll apply the proper association between wisdom and the tongue. Let’s face it, just about all of us have to work for a living, so a great deal of our life is spent in an arena where wisdom is desperately needed, but often in short supply. And every one of us knows what it’s like to struggle with trying to speak wise words. Far too often, we speak before we think, and end up saying things we regret. Wisdom could save us from a multitude of troubles, if we just learned to shut up before we speak up. As James wrote, “the tongue is a flame of fire. It is a whole world of wickedness, corrupting your entire body. It can set your whole life on fire, for it is set on fire by hell itself.” And Solomon would have wholeheartedly agreed. Finally, Solomon closes out this chapter with a primer on wisdom and leadership. Nobody wants to be led by a fool, but sometimes we fail to notice that we’re the ones at the head of the parade, and wisdom isn’t the tune to which we’re marching.

Ep 475 – Ecclesiastes 10:1-7 Apr 05, 2018

Solomon had a lot to say about wisdom. On the pages of his two books, Ecclesiastes and Proverbs, he promotes the positive attributes of wisdom repeatedly. But as a wise man himself, Solomon had learned the sobering lesson that wisdom alone was not enough. Even wise people suffer. They can even make dumb mistakes. Wisdom is not an anecdote to life’s problems or some kind of get-out-of-jail-free card that guarantees a success. And in Ecclesiastes 10, Solomon is going to sing wisdom’s praises, while exposing its weaknesses. In the first seven verses of the chapter, he uses some interesting comparisons in order to warn against the weakness of wisdom. By itself, it proves to be an insufficient resource for understanding life, let alone for navigating the ups and downs that life can throw at us. Underlying his thoughts in this chapter is the premise with which he opened this book. He stated, “I applied my heart to know wisdom and to know madness and folly. I perceived that this also is but a striving after wind.” In essence, Solomon concluded that as he grew wiser, he simply became sadder and more disenchanted with life lived under the sun. But what he had failed to remember was that wisdom began with a healthy reverence for God. It’s not a commodity God doles out like candy, but the result of a vibrant relationship with Him. He is wisdom, which makes Him its very source. Wisdom comes from God, but only as we get to know Him for who He really is and as we allow Him to reveal to us who we really are, especially without Him.

Ep 474 – Ecclesiastes 9:7-18 Apr 04, 2018

Time and chance. These were two commodities that Solomon believed drove the affairs of life. And both were in the hands of God. Time was something God doled out to the human race and, according to Solomon, it was in some kind of arbitrary and unexpected way. Nobody knew how much time they were allotted by God. It was impossible to know your death date. And to a certain degree, this made life seem like it was all up to chance. In Ecclesiastes 9:7-18, Solomon explores the futility found in a world dominated by time, which slips through your fingers like sand, and chance, which tends to leave your fate up in the air and the future, uncertain. As he has stated before, Solomon recommends a life focused on eating, drinking and merriment. In other words, a life of uninhibited pleasure-seeking, where you make the most of whatever time you have on this earth. And you should do it before chance steps in to rob you of the opportunity. Not exactly a glass-half-full kind of outlook on life. For Solomon, life was full of unexpected and undesirable outcomes. Which is why he tended to come across as so negative. His motto seemed to be “make the most of what you have” – whether that “what” referred to time, money, a good meal, your health or a relationship. But living life for the moment tends to rob life of its meaning and purpose. It causes you to put all your eggs in the basket you hold in your hands, while ignoring any future blessings God may have in store for you in the days ahead.

Ep 473 – Ecclesiastes 9:1-6 Apr 03, 2018

Back in chapter 3 of his book Solomon made the wise and perceptive pronouncement that God “has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God's work from beginning to end.” He was right. God has put a longing for eternity in the hearts of all men, but in our current fallen state, we have a difficult time comprehending what that might look like. We are stuck in the here-and-now, unable to see beyond the grave. What little we know about life after death, we find in the Word of God. But much of what we have heard is nothing more than the blind conjecture of men. No one knows. And so, Solomon, unable to see beyond the grave, puts all his emphasis on the present. But as usual, he misses the point. He fails to comprehend what God has placed in the hearts of all men: The reality that there is an eternity awaiting each and every one of us. Because God is the god of eternity. And we are eternal creatures whom He has made. Solomon had no problem discerning the divine power of God. He was fully aware that God was in control of all things, including life and death. But what he couldn’t understand is how the seeming injustices of this life would one day be worked out in the next life. He saw life as a struggle that ended in death, and nobody knew what lay beyond death’s door. So, Solomon recommended making this life your main point of emphasis. As he so aptly put it, “A living dog is better than a dead lion.” But what Solomon failed to recognize was the hope we have in an eternal God who has promised eternal life to whose faith is in Him and His promise of salvation.

Ep 472 – Ecclesiastes 8:9-17 Apr 02, 2018

Is it wrong to enjoy life? Does God frown on those who find pleasure in the things this life has to offer? The obvious answer is, “No.” And Solomon would fully concur. In Ecclesiastes 8:9-17, Solomon continues his discussion of life lived under the sun, giving his seasoned outlook on life. In fact, because he sometimes saw life as meaningless and full of injustice and inequities, he repeatedly advised that we should make the most out of what we have while we’re here. In his words, “Eat, drink and be joyful.” Life can be difficult, so Solomon concluded that finding pleasure in this life was a worthwhile endeavor. When you look around and see that the wicked seem to prosper, while the righteous suffer, you can lose your motivation. It all becomes a seeming effort in futility. Which is why Solomon advised that you look for those things that bring joy to your life and make them a high priority. For him, eating and drinking were symbolic of man’s basic needs. Food and wine were necessities. One provided nourishment, while the other could provide comfort in times of heartache or intense pressure. Food fills us. Wine calms us. These two basic commodities played a huge part in the lives of those living in Solomon’s day. The satisfaction of a good meal and the comfort of a glass of wine were seen as worthy objects of a man’s attention. The rich and poor alike could enjoy them. And with all that can go wrong in life, Solomon recommended these two things as reliable options worth pursuing.

Ep 471 – Ecclesiastes 8:1-8 Apr 01, 2018

Wisdom is a wonderful thing. And Solomon would be the first to agree with that statement. He admired wisdom. He depended upon wisdom in order to rule his kingdom. And he spent years trying to acquire more wisdom. He had an insatiable desire for it, just like he did for gold, silver, power, property, and pleasure. He had filled an entire book with simple, yet profound maxims regarding the need for wisdom in life. But as he drew closer to the end of his life, Solomon showed an increasing propensity to treat wisdom like just another possession. And what he seems to have forgotten was where his wisdom had come from in the first place: God. His wisdom was not self-made, but God-given. And while he had added to his wisdom over the years and increased his knowledge base, he had lost the one thing necessary to give wisdom its power and potential: The fear of God. He lost his reverence and respect for God. Unlike his father, David, Solomon tended to view God as a resource provider, rather than a relationship to be pursued. He knew wisdom had its benefits and even desired for his people to be wise. After all, what king wouldn’t want his subjects to display wisdom. And Solomon knew wisdom made him a better king. But the problem was that wisdom without God is folly. It’s useless. God scoffs at man-made wisdom, because it tends to leave Him out. And wisdom that leaves God out, tends to put man right where God belongs – at the center of everything. It becomes all about us and our worship of self.

Ep 470 – Ecclesiastes 7:15-29 Mar 31, 2018

Extremism. That’s a dirty word these days, because we’ve have been trained to fear extremists of all kinds, including religious and political extremists. They’re regularly portrayed as dangerous and potentially deadly. And Solomon would tend to agree. In Ecclesiastes 7:15-29, he’s going to warn against extremism, but not some external kind of radicalism and polarizing political posturing. No, he’s going to warn against going to personal extremes in the daily affairs of life. And, as usual, Solomon spoke as a seasoned expert on the topic. He starts out claiming that, in his long life, he had seen it all. In fact, he had tried it all. He had seen the religious zealot who spent his entire life pursuing righteousness, only to die at the end of his life – just like the wicked man who had made his pursuit of wickedness his full-time passion. And yet, the wicked man lived longer than the righteous one. In these verses, Solomon seems to be advocating a life of balance, rather than extremes. He warns against not being overly righteous and not trying to make yourself too wise. After all, as far as he could see, neither extreme was going to prevent trials and troubles, or hold off the inevitable outcome of death. Since nobody could be perfectly and completely righteous at all times, it made no sense to Solomon to waste time trying to be overly righteous. It was a waste of time. But so was the other extreme. A life of foolishness and wickedness may appear tempting, but a steady diet of it could be deadly. That’s why Solomon advocated a life that landed somewhere in the middle. But was he right? Is this sound advice or the resigned ramblings of a man who found everything to be nothing but vanity and a chasing after the wind?

Ep 469 – Ecclesiastes 7:1-14 Mar 30, 2018

Most of us think we know what makes life good. We have our own view of what is necessary to enjoy our days on this planet. For some of us, it’s the company of good friends. For others, it’s the pleasure of good food. Or the sense of accomplishment from a job well done. Or the thrill and excitement of a risk taken or a fear, overcome. There are some who never seem to find satisfaction in this life because they can’t ever get enough of whatever it is they think they need. So, they spend all their time pursuing and accruing, in the hopes of finding that magic amount that will bring them true satisfaction. Life can become a quest to find what is preferable and to avoid what is not. And in Ecclesiastes 7:1-14, Solomon is going to throw us a curve ball, surprising us with his assessment of what is really better in this life. He will take some fairly recognizable aspects of life and contrast them with one another, revealing that what we believe to be the better of two opposing alternatives is actually the one to be avoided. If given the choice between mourning or feasting, we would choose the latter over the former – hands down. But Solomon would say we made a mistake. There are few of us, if given the option, who would prefer to have a wise person point out our flaws, instead of having a fool sing our praises. It’s a no-brainer. But Solomon has learned that what we think will bring us joy and satisfaction is often the very thing that increases our sense of futility in life. Sometimes simpler is simply better. Birth may appear better than death, but there is more assurance of success at the end of life than at the beginning. Life begins with hope, but can end in disappointment. Yet death can reveal the proof of a life well-lived.

Ep 468 – Ecclesiastes 6:1-12 Mar 29, 2018

God is to be the source of all joy, contentment, satisfaction and meaning in life. But think about how seldom that seems to be the case on your own life. If we were honest, and Solomon was, we would have to admit that there are times when we think God owes us a comfortable, enjoyable life, filled with all the things we deem necessary for finding contentment. And when we don’t get them, we feel a bit cheated by God. When we observe others, who seem to have all that their hearts could want and all our hearts would ever envy, we get confused and even upset. We wonder why God is holding out on us. And without knowing it, we reveal that we suffer from the same problem Solomon had. He thought God was the giver of all good things, and he was right. But where he missed the mark was in thinking that the good things were the point. For Solomon, God was the giver, but he never seemed to recognize that God was actually the gift. God gives us life, so that we might enjoy Him. He provides us with food, so that we might have the strength to serve Him. He allows us to experience the joys of life, so we might express our gratitude to Him. God pours out His blessings and showers us with His gifts, not so we might worship the blessings and gifts, but so that we might understand and appreciate the graciousness and goodness of our God. Solomon had it all. But it all meant nothing. What he really needed was a healthy relationship with the one who had provided it all. Because, without that, it doesn’t matter what or how much you possess, you’ll never have enough to make you truly happy.

Ep 467 – Ecclesiastes 5:8-20 Mar 28, 2018

They say money can’t buy happiness. But Solomon would add that money can’t purchase contentment either. And nobody knew that fact better than Solomon. He was wealthy beyond belief and surrounded by every imaginable luxury and convenience that money could buy. He had slaves and servants, singers and musicians, palaces and vineyards, the latest chariot model and the finest food cooked by the world’s greatest chefs. But he was deficient in contentment. In Ecclesiastes 5:8-20, Solomon continues to share his time-tested proverbs, hoping to shed some light on the grievous evil he has seen under the sun. The gap between wealth and poverty was narrow and the potential for material goods to bring spiritual well-being was negligible. Solomon had first-hand experience with the failure of self-gratification to provide any hope of true satisfaction. It never worked. He had learned the hard way that the more you owned, the more it tended to own you. Wealth comes with baggage. Like golden handcuffs, materialism may look attractive, but it can end up holding you captive. We can easily find ourselves lying awake at night, grieving over what we don’t have, and worrying over losing what we do have. In Solomon’s words, it’s a grievous evil. So, about all you can do is make the most of it by enjoying what you have as long as you have it. For Solomon, life had boiled down to a moment-by-moment experience, where satisfaction was short-lived and contentment was a long shot. And while he recognized that the ability to enjoy what you owned came from God, he wasn’t overly enthusiastic in his expression of thanks.

Ep 466 – Ecclesiastes 5:1-7 Mar 27, 2018

Promises. We all make them. And the sad truth is, we all end up breaking them. In this section of his book, Solomon is going to go into proverb-mode, something with which he was very familiar. He was a collector of proverbs – wise sayings that provide deep truths in a simple, easy-to-understand format. He filled an entire book with them. And in Ecclesiastes 5:1-7, he is going to provide some timely truths learned along the way that had special meaning and significance to him. They all have to do with a man’s relationship with God. While, at this point in his life, Solomon had veered off course and abandoned his relationship with God, he still had a healthy fear of God. He knew better than to treat God with disrespect. Of course, he had placed idols to false gods all over the kingdom, but in his old age, he seems to realize that he had made a drastic error in judgment. He could look back over his long life and see the many times he had rushed into God’s presence, offering his sacrifice, while neglecting to offer his heart. He also knew what it was like to make promises to God and then fail to keep them. In a way, his entire reign had been one big broken promise to God. At the very beginning of his reign, God had told Solomon that if he remained faithful, God would establish his throne forever. But Solomon had failed. He had made a promise to God and had not kept it. And like so many other things he has to say in this book, Solomon’s words in these verses resound with regret.

Ep 465 – Ecclesiastes 4:1-16 Mar 26, 2018

Solomon knew what it was like to have fame and fortune. He was a powerful and wealthy king, ruling over a kingdom of adoring subjects and enjoying all the perks that came with his high position. Yet, in Ecclesiastes 4:1-16, Solomon opens up and shares some intimate insights into his life. All is not well. His power is matched by his overpowering loneliness. His great wealth is contrasted his poverty of true friends and close relationships. His renowned wisdom has not kept him from becoming a man who no longer knows how to take advice from others. He is at the top of the world, but isolated and alone. These verses provide us with an autobiographical sketch of Solomon the king, designed to teach us some valuable life lessons learned the hard way. Too often, we think the answer to all our problems is more power, possessions or popularity. We buy into the lie that more money will bring happiness. We take the bait that lures us into believing the more “likes” we have on Facebook, the more friends we have. We allow ourselves to think that accumulation is the key to satisfaction. But Solomon would warn us to watch out. He had learned the truth about the lies. They were all vanity and a striving after wind. So, what was missing from Solomon’s life? What did he need that he did not already have? The simple answer is peace with God. He was a man who had walked away from the very one who had placed him on the throne and had blessed him with wisdom and wealth. Somewhere along the way, Solomon had made it his life’s mission to focus on the gifts rather than the giver. He began to worship and adore the blessings, instead of the one behind them. And as he grew ever-wealthier and more powerful, he became increasingly more lonely.

Ep 464 – Ecclesiastes 3:16-22 Mar 25, 2018

In Ecclesiastes 3:16-22, Solomon continues his diatribe against the injustices of life, communicating his distress over the topsy-turvy nature of the world, where righteousness and justice get replaced by wickedness and oppression. From his perspective, man was no better off than the animals, because both end their lives in death. And as far as Solomon could tell, there was no guarantee that man ended up any place different after death than any other creature created by God. In fact, he flatly states that man has no advantage over the animals. He may get to enjoy the benefits of his manhood while on this planet, but once death comes calling, a dead man is no better off than a dead dog. But one of the things we have to keep reminding ourselves about is that Solomon was a man who had lost touch with his God. He had proven unfaithful to God. And while his life was filled with all kinds of material possessions and pleasures, he was missing the one thing he needed most: A healthy and vibrant relationship with God. Without God, he was operating in a vacuum, unable to see life through God’s eyes. His whole perspective was warped by his secular world view and his obsession with seeking satisfaction and meaning in this life. And the real eye-opener in all of this is the stark contrast between the views of Solomon and those of his father. How could a father and son end up so far apart in their understanding of and love for God. They both believed in Him, but while one saw Him as loving, gracious and kind, the other had come to view Him as distant and detached. And those opposing views of God dramatically influenced their view of the world.

Ep 463 – Ecclesiastes 3:1-15 Mar 24, 2018

We are temporal creatures. We live, bound by the restrictions of time and space, measuring our lives in terms of minutes, hours, years and decades. We know our date of birth and while we may not know the day of our death, we have no doubt it is coming. Our five sense dominate our perspective on life. What we can see, taste, smell, hear, and touch becomes the measurement of reality. The invisible becomes essentially unknowable and, therefore, little more than speculation and a waste of our time. And, as we will see in Ecclesiastes 3:1-5, that word time was important to Solomon. In his old age, he was well aware that he was running out of time. His days were numbered. And he had no idea what lay beyond death’s door, so he couldn’t help but reminisce about all the days he had wasted and the dwindling number of days that lie ahead. When you view life as nothing more than an existence that has a start date and an end date, it shouldn’t be a surprise if your outlook becomes a bit jaded over time. Solomon couldn’t help but notice that life was little more than a repetitive cycle filled with ups and downs, beginnings and ends, and joys and sorrows. From his perspective, so much of life was uncontrollable and seemingly futile. Your tear. You sow. You love. You hate. You make war. You make peace. And then you begin again. It’s all part of the cycle of life lived under the sun. But what Solomon fails to recognize is that time exists within the larger scope of eternity. God is not bound by time, and neither is man. Yes, at the moment we find ourselves restricted to this time and place, but God has eternity in store for each and every human being.

Ep 462 – Ecclesiastes 2:12-26 Mar 23, 2018

You’re born. You live. You die. That just about sums up Solomon’s philosophy of life. Oh, and one more thing: As long as you are alive, try and enjoy it, because that’s all you get. Sounds a tad pessimistic, doesn’t it? But remember, this is a man who is speaking from years of experience and a life-long commitment to finding meaning and significance in life. His life had been a quest, a persistent pursuit of that illusive and endangered species known as contentment. In Ecclesiastes 2:12-26, Solomon will delve into the frequently frustrating world of life lived on this planet. When all is said and done, the fool and the wise man end up in the same place at the end of life: Dead. It really doesn’t matter how much one accomplished as compared to another. In fact, the wise man may end leaving everything he worked so hard to gain, to the poor man. It’s a form of absurdity and incongruity that leaves one shaking their head in disbelief. Solomon knew that, ultimately, everything and everyone is under the divine direction of God. He is the one in control, not man. And since God determines the length of man’s days on this planet, and no one gets to take what they have with them to the next life, the acquisition and accumulation of worldly goods has a temporary payoff associated with it. So, Solomon suggests that you enjoy it all while you can. It’s all a vapor – here today, gone tomorrow. As long as you’re alive, take advantage of each and every moment. And never forget the sobering reality that you can’t take it with you.

Ep 461 – Ecclesiastes 2:1-11 Mar 22, 2018

What do you give the man who has everything? Great question. What do you give the man who has the ability to buy himself anything is heart desires? In the case of Solomon, the answer would be, “Absolutely nothing.” This guy was the consummate consumer, filling his home and his life with all the material things money could buy. He had palaces, vineyards and orchards, as well as musicians to entertain him and concubines to pleasure him. He had no shortage of friends and admirers. Other kings envied him. His people looked up to him. And on top of all his material possessions and royal closets filled with expensive robes and hand-crafted sandals, he had been blessed by God with unsurpassed wisdom. So, Solomon put his wisdom to use, trying to determine the true source of meaning in life. His life became one grand experiment, with him in the role of scientist, investigating and examining every possible source of significance and meaning. He explored the boundaries of physical pleasure. He tested the hypothesis that more is better. He researched the effects of wine on human emotions. He experimented with everything from personal improvement through education to legacy-building through construction. But nothing seemed to float his boat. And in Ecclesiastes 2:1-11, he’s going to chronicle all his exploits and deliver his less-than-satisfactory conclusion when all was said and done: All was vanity and a striving after wind, and there was nothing to be gained under the sun. Sad words that deliver a powerful message we all need to hear.

Ep 460 – Ecclesiastes 1:12-18 Mar 21, 2018

In today’s episode, we’re going to cover verses 12-18 of chapter one. In this passage, Solomon is going to address three primary topics: Wisdom, madness and folly. He’ll bring them up repeatedly throughout his book, describing his relentless pursuit of them and his frustrated experience with them. It is important to remember that Solomon is most likely writing this book at the end of his life, long after he has walked away from God, having succumbed to the influence of his many wives, and having erected idols to their false gods all over the nation of Israel. As he peers back over the decades, he sees some disturbing patterns and trends. He has made the pursuit of wisdom a life-long endeavor. Keep in mind, God had graciously given Solomon wisdom when he had asked, but it seems that Solomon wanted more. Greed and a tendency toward conspicuous consumption had left him with an insatiable hunger that left him constantly dissatisfied. He operated by the philosophy of more is better. More wisdom. More money. More power. More wives. More palaces. But it all proved futile and meaningless. The lie of “just a little bit more” was always followed by the sobering and disappointing reality of “enough is never enough.” So, the cycle continued, day after day, decade after decade, with Solomon concluding that it’s all so much chasing the wind – an exercise in futility. And yet, Solomon’s dissatisfaction stemmed, not so much from a lack of money, wisdom, power or pleasure, but from failure to find his satisfaction in God.

Ep 459 – Ecclesiastes 1:1-11 Mar 20, 2018

Today we begin a new series of podcasts on the book of Ecclesiastes, written by Solomon, the son of David and the King of Israel. Over the next weeks, we will be digging deep into the profound and sometimes pessimistic-sounding words of this man who was renowned for his wisdom and who had been blessed beyond belief by God. This is not a particularly upbeat book, but it contains some of the most practical life lessons to be found in the Scriptures. Solomon, nearing the end of his long life, is providing us with some sobering insights into what he has learned over the years. Some of it is hard to hear. But all of it is vital to our understanding the futility that can come when we live our lives without God at the center of our lives. Solomon was known for his great wisdom, but we will see that wisdom alone was not enough to keep Solomon from living like a fool at times. The wisdom provided by God, used apart from a daily dependence upon God, will not protect us from making unwise choices. And Solomon will provide us with more than a few examples from his own life. Not only that, Solomon will give us a view of the world seen through the eyes of one who has ceased to see God as the primary focus of life and the sole provider of purpose and meaning to life. Solomon had allowed the many gifts and blessings of God to take the place of God in his life. He sought to find meaning and significance from the things of this world, rather than from the One who created the world. And in Ecclesiastes 1:1-11, Solomon will set the tone for his entire book with the well-known words, “What has been done is what will be done.” In other words, he believed there was an inevitability to all things under the sun that robbed life of its meaning. But his perspective was skewed and his conclusion was wrong.

Ep 458 – Acts 28:23-31 Mar 19, 2018

This episode will bring Luke’s book to a close. He will wrap up his chronicle with Paul in prison in Rome and the fate of the gospel somewhat up in the air and unresolved. Luke does not tell us what happened to Paul. But according to the early church historian, Eusebius, Paul was eventually freed and allowed to continue his ministry, only to be sent back to Rome again where he was martyred. It is believed that, while in prison in Rome, Paul wrote four of his letters: Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon. After his release, he wrote what are typically referred to as his pastoral epistles. While Luke provides us no clear indication as to what happened to Paul, he does let us know that the two years Paul was held prisoner in Rome, he continued to proclaim the Kingdom of God and teach about the Lord Jesus Christ. Despite his imprisonment, he remained bold and fully committed to his commission. He did not shirk from the responsibilities given to him by Jesus. Captivity in Rome was not a detriment, but a blessing. Had he not been there, he might never have had time to write the letters he did. Paul was sidelined by God, destined to remain in one place for a lengthy period of time, providing him with ample opportunity to deal with the issues taking place in the many churches he had helped plant. Paul’s days were numbered. He would one day pass from the scene, but the gospel would continue unhindered. Jesus had promised Peter, “I will build my church, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it”, and we know from personal experience, that Jesus kept that promise. The church did not die with Paul’s imprisonment. It would not cease to exist when Paul breathed his last breath. The church continues to grow and prosper, against all odds.

Ep 457 – Acts 28:11-22 Mar 18, 2018

So, Paul finally made it to Rome and Luke records this auspicious and long-awaited even in Acts 28:11-22. The interesting thing is that on two separate occasions, after having landed on Roman soil, Paul and Luke encountered groups of Christ-followers. They were not alone. The gospel had spread as far as the capital of the Roman empire. This had to have encouraged Paul greatly and reminded him once again of the sovereign plan of God. Paul had been aware of the believers in Rome for some time, having already written to them. And he had a long-standing desire to visit them. Now, his wish had come true. He was going to get the opportunity to encourage them in the faith and to help them grow strong in the Lord (See Romans 1:11-12). But Paul also made an effort to visit the synagogue in Rome, just as he had every other place he had gone on his missionary journeys. Partly, his objective was to let the Jews know why he was there and bring them up to speed about all that had transpired back in Jerusalem. They were far enough away that it’s unlikely they would have known the details of all that had happened. And Paul wanted them to hear it from him first. But what Paul desired for them to know was that his chains were the direct result of his message regarding the hope of Israel. In other words, the Messiah. As he had done in so many other places when given the chance to speak with unbelieving Jews, he taught of Jesus being the Messiah. Which led him to speak of Jesus’ resurrection. And this time, as he spoke in the synagogue in Rome, Paul found an eager and receptive audience.

Ep 456 – Acts 27:39-28:10 Mar 17, 2018

Let’s face it. Bad things happen to good people. We may not understand why. We may not even like that it happens, but we can’t argue the fact that it’s a part of life. And when we read Luke’s account of Paul’s journey to Rome, we can’t help but notice that nothing seems to go right for this faithful servant of God. In fact, he had been warned in advance by God, that he would suffer. And God was true to His word. Everywhere Paul went, he faced opposition of all kinds, from verbal attacks to physical beatings. And even as he made his way to Rome on ship commandeered by the Romans, he still encountered trials that would make of us throw up our hands in despair and raise our voices in criticism of God. But Paul took it all in stride. In Acts 27:39-28:10, Luke provides a detailed account of Paul’s seemingly ill-fated voyage and eventual shipwreck. And even when he and all the other passengers of the ship washed up on the shores of Malta alive and well, he ended up getting bitten by a poisonous snake. Even the natives of Malta thought Paul was cursed. He had survived the shipwreck but would die from a snake bite. As far as they could tell, he must have been guilty of something pretty serious because the gods were angry. But little did they know that Paul’s God was anything but angry. He was simply going to use Paul as a means of revealing his power to the citizens of Malta. Even as a prisoner, Paul was still God’s messenger to the Gentiles.

Ep 455 – Acts 27:21-38 Mar 16, 2018

It’s easy to be courageous when no danger or threat is imminent. Being brave is a piece of cake if you aren’t staring down the proverbial barrel of a gun. But what about when things have gone south and you find yourself surrounded by circumstances that could prove disastrous, if not deadly? In Acts 27:21-38, Luke is going to provide us with just such a situation. It involves Paul, as well a host of other, unnamed characters who find themselves in a deadly predicament where loss of hope is accompanied by a real possibility of loss of life. They’re on a ship in the middle of a raging storm and, as far as the men on board can determine, all is lost. But in the midst of it all, Paul will stand up and urge his fellow passengers to take heart. Basically, he will tell them to be of good cheer. They’re being battered and beaten by the wind and waves, and yet Paul wants them to put on a happy face. Had he lost his mind? Was he delirious? No, he was trusting. He had received a message from an angel of God assuring him that not one single person on board the ship would die. They would have to endure a shipwreck, but they would survive, unscathed. And because Paul knew the message was from God, he knew the content of the message could be trusted. God was good for His word. And it was Paul’s confidence in his God that produced courage in his heart and impacted all those around him who had lost all hope.

Ep 454 – Acts 27:1-20 Mar 15, 2018

Have you ever felt like giving up? If we’re honest, all of us have had that experience. It comes with living in a fallen world. There are those times in life when we get the urge to throw in the towel, to quit. Sometimes it’s because we simply run out of steam. We get tired. Other times, we find ourselves running short on hope. Things get so tough that we don’t see any way out. Which drives us to abandon all hope of things getting better. In Acts 27:1-20, Luke recalls a story when Paul was being transported by ship from Caesarea to Rome. He was on his way to stand trial before the emperor. This was a God-ordained journey that was going to place Paul in the very heart of the Roman empire, providing him with a unique opportunity to share the gospel with the world’s most powerful man: Caesar. But this trip, while sanctioned by God, was not going to turn out to be a Disney cruise. This voyage was marked by lousy weather complete with typhoon-strength winds and timber-breaking waves. And even the leather-skinned sailors on board the ship reached the point where they abandoned all hope of survival. But Paul was given a word from God letting him know that, in spite of the dire circumstances, all would end well and not a soul would be lost. This trip had God’s hands all over it. Yes, they would still have to endure the winds and the waves. They would end up having to abandon ship. But each and every occupant of the ship, from the sailors and soldiers to the prisoners like Paul, were miraculously saved.

Ep 453 – Acts 26:19-32 Mar 14, 2018

When you look at the world, what do you see? More specifically, when you look at those who live in the world with you, what do you see? Do you see happy and sad people? Are some successful, while others struggle to make ends meet? Is your view of the people with whom you work, play and live restricted to external characteristics and visible attributes? If so, you’re not alone. But as followers of Christ, we are to see people through a different lens. We have been given a unique, Spirit-empowered perspective that allows us to look at people as either saved or lost, redeemed or under condemnation of death. On the outside, their lives may appear free from trouble and full of joy. But as God reminded the prophet, Samuel, “People judge by outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7 NLT). And yet, as believers, we are to use our spiritual sensibilities to look beneath the surface and into the hearts of those with whom we share this planet. In Acts 26:19-23, Luke continues his record of Paul’s hearing before Governor Festus and King Agrippa. And Paul will see these two men, not as powerful representatives of the Roman government, but as two lost souls in need of a Savior. He isn’t trying to get out of prison, but he is trying to tell Festus and Agrippa how to escape from their captivity to sin. Paul wanted them to become like him. He was free, even though he was in chains. They were unhindered by chains and free to go where they pleased, but in reality, they were captive to sin and condemned to death. When Paul looked at them, he didn’t see a governor and a king, but two men in desperate need of a relationship with Jesus Christ.

Ep 452 – Acts 26:2-18 Mar 13, 2018

The resurrection of Jesus Christ. For Paul, this was not a topic that came up one time a year, at Easter. It was the heart and soul of his entire ministry. Without the resurrection, he had no ministry. There was no good news. His whole salvation story was based upon his own personal encounter with the resurrected Jesus. So, when he shared the good news regarding Jesus, it included news of Jesus’ death and resurrection. As far as Paul saw it, one meant nothing without the other. If Jesus had died, but had not been raised back to life, He was nothing more than a martyr, not a Messiah. He was a rabbi who taught some powerful moral lessons and lived an exemplary life, but nothing more. And yet, Paul was convinced that Jesus was alive because he had met Him on the road to Damascus. He had spoken with Jesus. And he had received his commission from the lips of Jesus. So, when Paul got the opportunity to speak before Festus and Agrippa, guess what he talked about? That’s right, the resurrection. In Acts 26:2-18, Luke records the testimony Paul shared with these two powerful men. He told his conversion story and how he had met the resurrected Jesus. And he let them know that God had raised Jesus back to life in order that men might turn from darkness to light, from the power of Satan to God. Jesus died so that men might live. Jesus lived so that men might never die. And Paul wanted Festus and Agrippa to believe so that they might be saved.

Ep 451 – Acts 25:13=26:1 Mar 12, 2018

Have you ever had the experience of being tongue-tied or at a loss as to what to say? Perhaps you found yourself in the position of having to defend your faith or share your testimony, and the words just wouldn’t come out. It’s not an uncommon experience and, for most of us, it’s one we particularly dread. In today’s episode, we’re going to look at Luke’s description of a potential stress-inducing encounter between Paul and King Agrippa. Having been accused and arrested for committing crimes against the state and violating the Mosaic law, Paul has been in Roman custody for more than two years. Now, he is going to get the opportunity to present his case before King Agrippa. Yet again, Paul will find himself standing before a powerful representative of the Roman government who had the power to set him free or sentence him to death. These kinds of opportunities are rare for most of us. We don’t usually find ourselves standing before dignitaries and powerful people. But what if we did? How would we respond? Would we seize the moment and use it as a platform to share the good news regarding Jesus Christ? For Paul, his encounter with Agrippa would prove to be a no-brainer. He didn’t even have to think about it. He knew going in what he was going to say and what he was hoping to do. Paul was never at a loss for words, because he always had the gospel on his mind.

Ep 450 – Acts 25:1-12 Mar 11, 2018

We can’t see into the future. We have no way of determining the outcome of our present circumstances. And neither did Paul. He had been in Caesarea under the protective custody of the Romans for two solid years, waiting for someone to make a decision regarding his guilt or innocence. But the months came and went and, eventually, so did the Roman governor. Felix was replaced by Festus. But as we will see in Acts 25:1-12, not much else changed for Paul. The Jews were still around and their hated of Paul had not diminished with time. Paul would find himself facing yet another hearing, having to listen to the same old false accusations again. And, once again, he would defend himself, declaring his innocence. But this time, Paul would take matters to a whole new level, demanding that he be allowed to appear before Caesar in Rome. This was his right as a Roman citizen. He knew he would never receive a fair trial in Jerusalem, and his only hope of having this situation resolved was by making the long and arduous journey to Rome. It was something he had always wanted to do. And while making the trip as a prisoner of Rome was not his preferred method of seeing his dream come true, Paul knew that God was in control. He was fully content to trust God with the outcome. All of the events described by Luke in these verses provide additional proof that God was orchestrating the affairs of Paul’s life. There was a far grander plan taking place behind the scenes, to which even Paul was unaware. But he could sense the sovereign hand of God on his life.

Ep 449 – Acts 24:22-27 Mar 10, 2018

What do you talk about if you get the opportunity to sit down with one of the most powerful men in the land? And what if that person held the power of life or death over you. What topics do you bring up in that case? For most of us, it would seem normal and natural to avoid anything controversial or potentially offensive. We would keep the banter light and the conversation as non-inflammatory as possible. But in Acts 24:22-27, Luke records Paul’s ongoing appointments with King Agrippa and his wife, Drusilla. And what he had to say to them is a bit of a surprise. The king had the power to set Paul free or put him to death, but Paul didn’t let that stop him from discussing some highly delicate and difficult topics with him. Paul knew that Agrippa, just like any other human being on the planet, needed to hear what he had to say. And Paul discussed three essential topics that apply to every individual, regardless of their status or station in life: Sin, righteousness and judgment. Sin is a universal problem that impacts every single man and woman. And whether we want to admit it or not, there is a standard of righteousness, given to us by God, that dictates and determines our sinfulness. But most importantly, there is a judgment, a divine judgment, coming for all, including Agrippa and Drusilla. We can justify our actions, excuse our sins as nothing more than mistakes, and rationalize that we operate by a different set of standards, but in the end, it is God who will judge us according to His holy standards and mete out the just punishment we deserve.

Ep 448 – Acts 24:2-21 Mar 09, 2018

The Jewish leadership hated Paul and they weren’t exactly fond of what they called The Way either. They were determined to rid their world of any and all traces of Jesus and his followers. And at this point in Luke’s story, we find Paul bearing the full brunt of the Sanhedrin’s hatred for him. They fully believed they had him on the ropes. He had been shipped off to Caesarea where he would stand before the Roman governor, facing a litany of trumped up charges, that the Sanhedrin hoped would result in his death. And while the prosecuting attorney had what he believed to be a strong case against Paul, the real focus of the ire of the Jewish religious leaders had to do with Paul’s claim that Jesus was the resurrected Messiah of Israel. This was more than they could handle. They had seen Jesus crucified and any talk that he had been raised back to life and was orchestrating a movement was nonsense to them. Much to their chagrin, the rabbi from Nazareth who had caused them so much grief when he was alive, was causing them more trouble than ever. And for Paul, the real issue surrounding his arrest and trial had to do with one thing and one thing only: His claim that Jesus was alive. And that claim was based on his firm belief that Jesus had been raised back to life by God. Jesus, the dead rabbi from Nazareth, was the very much alive Messiah and Son of God. And while the Jews were convinced that “The Way” was the wrong way, Paul knew it was the only way.

Ep 447 – Acts 23:25-24:1 Mar 08, 2018

It was Jesus who referred to Paul as, “my chosen instrument.” He had called and commissioned Paul to take the message of the gospel to the Gentiles and to kings. And Paul had proven to be a faithful servant, carrying out that calling with fearless determination. He had been beaten, flogged, rejected, run out of town, and even stoned, but he never gave up. He refused to back down. And now, Luke begins to chronicle Paul’s divinely appointed journey to Rome. The Roman tribune in Jerusalem had no idea what to do with Paul. He could find no reason to keep Paul, let alone punish him. So, he determined to send Paul to Caesarea, where the Roman governor, Felix, could assess the situation and make a judgment. As we have stressed repeatedly, these encounters were divine appointments, orchestrated by God and in fulfillment of the words of Jesus. Paul had been chosen by Jesus to accomplish great things for the kingdom, and that was going to include standing before some of the most powerful men in the Roman empire. And there was nothing that was going to stand in the way of God’s will being accomplished. Paul had divine protection. That didn’t exempt him from difficulty, because Jesus had clearly predicted that Paul’s life would be marked by suffering. But it meant that his life and ministry were under divine protection until God decided Paul’s work on earth was done.

Ep 446 – Acts 23:12-27 Mar 07, 2018

aul was a dead man. At least, as far as the Jewish religious leadership were concerned. They believed it was just a matter of time before they convinced the Roman authorities to condemn Paul as a dangerous threat to the well-being of the empire. They had gone out of their way to portray Paul as a radical and revolutionary who stirring up trouble among the Jews and causing riots that could boil over and threaten the peace of Jerusalem. And then were another 40 Jews who had made a pact with one another not to eat or drink until they had assassinated Paul. It seems as if everyone was out to get him. But nobody could touch him without the express permission of God. Paul had made a habit of walking away from difficult situations, including his own stoning. He was like the Energizer Bunny of the 1st-Century. He just kept going and going and going. And Paul was going to survive this latest dilemma, because God was not done with him yet. He had unfinished plans for Paul, that included a trip to Caesarea and then on to Rome. And there was nothing the Sanhedrin or a zealous group of vigilantes were going to do to stop the sovereign plan of God. The amazing thing is how Paul was able to display such peace in the midst of all the turmoil swirling around him. He was hated and despised but didn’t let him it get to him. He seemed to have more enemies than friends, but he never felt alone or forgotten. He was content that he was living within the will of God and protected by the power of God. He lived his life believing the words of the author of Hebrews: “The LORD is my helper, so I will have no fear. What can mere people do to me?"

Ep 445 – Acts 23:1-11 Mar 06, 2018

Nobody likes it when their plans fail or their preconceived ideas of how things should turn out, turn out for the worse. But when living in the will of God, it’s not always possible to know when that turn for the worse is exactly what God had in mind. In studying the life of the apostle Paul, we are provided with a vicarious look into the up and down nature of his calling. Paul was living in obedience to the commission given to him by Christ, and yet he regularly suffered everything from rejection and ridicule to both verbal and physical abuse. If you measure his success based on the external circumstances surrounding his life, it would be easy to conclude that, at times, he was out of God’s will. Why else would God allow him to be beaten, flogged, arrested, and even stoned and left for dead? But one of the things we learn from Luke’s chronology of those early decades of the church, is that God’s ways are not our ways. His methodology doesn’t always make sense to us, but it gives us no right to question His means or His motives. In Acts 23:1-11, Luke continues his description of Paul’s less-than-friendly encounter with the Jewish religious leaders. He has been placed before them by the Roman tribune in hopes that some kind of resolution might be arrived at, pertaining to Paul’s guilt or innocence. But things didn’t go well. Along with a slap in the face, Paul found himself in the midst of another no-holds-barred blow-up, this time between the members of the Jewish religious council. And every single bit of it was according to the sovereign will of God. The members of the Sanhedrin were at each other’s throats. The Roman tribune was at a loss as to what to do. And Paul was at peace, knowing that God was in control.

Ep 444 – Acts 22:22-30 Mar 05, 2018

As followers of Jesus Christ, we live with a certain sense of duality. We are citizens of heaven, but we find ourselves having to live out our earthly existence in this world. And that can leave us facing a certain degree of conflict and tension, as we attempt to navigate a fallen world while maintaining the integrity of our heavenly citizenship. Paul was well acquainted with this ever-present reality for the believer because he faced it each and every day of his life. And Paul had learned how to straddle these two antithetical worlds with a certain sense of ease. That’s not to say it was easy. He faced rejection and ridicule. He was constantly misunderstood and misrepresented. He was hated and despised. And it was not uncommon for him to face both verbal and physical abuse for his beliefs. As we continue to look at Paul’s defense before the Jews who had accused him of desecrating the temple, we will see Paul effectively using his dual citizenship as a Jew and a Roman, in order to navigate the difficult circumstance in which he found himself. And the one thing we cannot afford to miss is how God had preordained every aspect of Paul’s life. His birth as a Jew had not been a case of blind fate. His Roman citizenship was not just a lucky coincidence. It had all been part of God’s divine plan for his life. Paul was a man divinely equipped for the role given to him by God. And in Acts 22:22-3, Luke will provide us with ample proof that Paul, a citizen of heaven, was ready, willing and able to live out his faith in the polarized world of the 1st-Century.

Ep 443 – Acts 22:6-21 Mar 04, 2018

By this time in the story of the Book of Acts, we have seen the effectiveness of Paul’s ministry, which provides ample proof of the reality of his calling. As we read Paul’s testimony found in Acts 22:6-21, he makes it clear that his commission had come from Jesus Christ Himself, and that his entire life since the time of his conversion on the road to Damascus had been the work of God. He was a chosen instrument of God, handpicked even before he was born and given a very specific assignment to take the good news of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles. And Paul had been faithful to that task. Which was the very reason he had been accosted and arrested in the temple courtyard that day in Jerusalem. A contingent of Jews from Asia had come to town and had seen Paul in the Courtyard of the Israelites and accused him of violating Mosaic law by bringing a Gentile into the restricted area, thus desecrating the temple. But Paul had been innocent. In fact, the whole point of his testimony was to assure those in his audience that he had simply been doing the will of God. Yes, he had been sharing the gospel with Gentiles, as he had been commanded but, ever since his conversion, he had never done anything to violate the will of God. He had been appointed by God and had lived his life trying to do exactly what he had been told to do. His days of living outside the will of God were long gone. And the very fact that he was suffering for the sake of the gospel was ample proof that he had been obedient to God’s will and his life was a fulfillment of Christ’s prediction.

Ep 442 – Acts 21:37-22:5 Mar 03, 2018

Enthusiasm can be a wonderful thing. It can produce some pretty incredible outcomes when applied in a positive way. But enthusiasm can also lead to wrong outcomes when it is motivated by misguided or mistaken conclusions. In today’s episode, based on Acts 21:37-22:5, we’re going to hear the apostle Paul use his own life as a testimony to that fact. Before coming to faith in Christ, Paul had been a devout Pharisee who had been on a personal mission to eradicate the world of Christians. And according to him, he thought he was doing it for God. In fact, he describes his enthusiasm as zealousness. He was a highly motivated, extremely dedicated persecutor of the Way. Nothing and no one was going to stand in his way or prevent him from accomplishing his mission of mayhem. If ever there was a case of misdirected zeal, it was this man-on-a-mission known at the time as Saul. But something happened that changed not only Saul’s mindset, but his entire life’s focus. He came to discover that he had been enthusiastically wrong. His mission to destroy the church was not from God and, therefore, his efforts did nothing to please or honor God. As we have seen in our day, religious zeal, however well-intentioned, can be used to accomplish atrocities of all kinds. Over the centuries, countless crimes have been perpetrated in the name of God and for the cause of religion. But Paul, formerly known as Saul, had come to discover the truth, in the form of the Son of God. He had learned that misdirected zeal for God can never replace obeying the will of God.

Ep 441 – Acts 21:27-36 Mar 02, 2018

Paul was back in Jerusalem, where he found himself taking part in a cleansing ceremony along with four other Jewish men. They were completing a vow they had made to God, and James had suggested that Paul join them, in order to convince the Jews that he was still a God-fearing, law-abiding Jew. In Acts 21:27-36, Luke provides us with an up-close-and-personal glimpse into the growing resentment that the Jews harbored against Paul. They saw him as a threat. Even believing Jews, who had placed their faith in Christ, found Paul to be a less-than-attractive character. To them, Paul was little more than a heretic who was out to destroy Judaism. After all, he had just returned from his latest missionary journey, where he had been, according to rumors, speaking out against Judaism. They had heard that Paul was trying to convince Jews to avoid the Mosaic Law and to stop circumcising their infant sons. None of it was true, but that didn’t seem to matter. What Paul was experiencing was the pushback that comes with the faithful proclamation of the gospel. Paul had broken no laws. In fact, he was in the process of trying to prove that He had an affinity for the law of God. But the Jews were not convinced or impressed. In fact, they were so angry at Paul, that they demanded his death. He was a radical whose teachings were heretical and whose message was unacceptable.

Ep 440 – Acts 21:17-26 Mar 01, 2018

Wherever there are people, there will be conflicts. And that reality was true of the body of Christ in the 1st-Century. As the church continued to grow, so did the potential for disagreement and disunity, because the church was being formed out of a disparate mix of people from all walks of life and every conceivable religious and racial background. There were Jews who had come to faith in Christ who were natives of Israel and Jews who had been converted to Judaism out of paganism and then had become Christians. There were Gentiles of every imaginable stripe, from Greece and Rome to Asia and Galatia. They spoke a variety of languages and brought a diverse blend of social, ecclesiological, and political baggage along with them. And one of the major point of conflict the church would face in the first centuries of its existence was the one that loomed large between the Jewish believers and their Gentile counterparts. God-fearing, law-keeping Jews who had come to faith in Christ were adamant that Christianity was a Jewish religion, requiring adherence to Jewish laws and customs. But Paul, as a Jew, would stand stubbornly opposed to this way of thinking, demanding that the gospel was based on grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone. It was Jesus plus nothing. And the leaders in the church in Jerusalem had agreed with him. But maintaining unity while protecting the gospel’s integrity was going to take diplomacy. And a willingness to sacrifice personal rights for the cause of Christ.

Acts 21:1-16 Feb 28, 2018

All of us want to know the will of God. But when His will doesn’t mirror ours, we can find ourselves in a quandary. Do we accept His will even though we don’t like it? Do we question whether it really is His will? And do we consider disobeying it if we decide it’s something we would prefer not to do? The apostle Paul faced this dilemma. Well, if the truth be told, it wasn’t so much him, as it was his well-meaning Christian friends who found the will of God for Paul’s life, as revealed by the Spirit of God, to be hard to comprehend and accept. But Paul would remain resolute and committed to the will of God for his life, even when it wasn’t exactly pleasant. In Acts 21:1-16, Luke begins his description of Paul’s journey to Jerusalem, where, according to a vision from the Holy Spirit, Paul will face suffering and persecution for the sake of the gospel. But rather than resist or recoil from such news, Paul accepted it as God’s will and set his mind to go exactly where the Spirit had told him to go. And as he made his way, the message from the Spirit was confirmed by others. But rather than encourage Paul, they attempted to get him to avoid Jerusalem altogether. In other words, they tried to get him to preserve his life by rejecting God’s will for his life. But that was not something Paul was willing to do.

Ep 438 – Acts 20:28-38 Feb 27, 2018

Every believer in Christ is only given so much time on this earth. And God is the one who knows the length of our days. In fact, in the midst of all his loss, suffering and sorrow, was well aware of that fact, stating, “You have decided the length of our lives. You know how many months we will live, and we are not given a minute longer” (Job 14:5 NLT). Paul understood the brevity of life and the sovereign control that God maintains over the lives of all men. Which is why he was determined to prepare leaders to take his place when his predetermined time on earth came to an end. Raising up and training new leadership was a constant focus for Paul. And in Acts 20:28-38, as Paul makes his way to Jerusalem, not knowing what awaits him there, he calls the elders from the church in Ephesus and imparts to them some last-minute counsel and encouragement. He wanted these men to take their role seriously and to live their lives soberly, fully embracing the cost of their calling and the vital importance of their position as shepherds of God’s flock. Godly spiritual leadership is essential to the well-being of the church. Discernment and wisdom are critical attributes of those who are called to shepherd. And it isn’t enough to lead well, these individual are to live well, modeling what it means to be a faithful follower of Christ, exhibiting integrity, selflessness, love, and an unwavering commitment to the cause of Christ, regardless any opposition they may face.

Ep 437 – Acts 20:13-27 Feb 26, 2018

The Christian life can be difficult at times. We can encounter situations and circumstances that make living out our faith more than a bit tricky and trying. And no one knew that better than Paul. Ever since his conversion on the road to Damascus, Paul had experienced a litany of faith-testing difficulties, all the way from verbal assault to stoning. He had been falsely accused, beaten with rods, flogged with a whip, and repeatedly forced to flee for his life. And in Acts 20:13-27, Luke will begin to chronicle Paul’s efforts to make his way to Jerusalem, where he knows suffering awaits him. He had been informed of his fate by the Spirit of God and warned by his friends not to go. But Paul was determined to do what he felt compelled by the Spirit of God to do – in spite of potential suffering and even with the distinct possibility of death looming on the horizon. Paul refused to shrink back from the difficulties of life. He would not run from the commission given to him by Jesus. If death was his lot, he trusted that God knew best. And he did everything in his power to pass on that sense of determination and dedication to obey the will of God, encouraging the elders from Ephesus to follow his example and shepherd those under their care with an eye to their future reward. Things in this life are going to be tough at times. But we are to not to shrink back in fear or give up hope. Like Paul, we are to remain committed to spreading the gospel message, regardless of the circumstances we may face in this life.

Ep 436 – Acts 20:7-12 Feb 25, 2018

When God works in or around your life, do you find yourself shocked or surprised? If something out-of-the-ordinary or totally inexplicable takes place, are you prone to write it off as strange or do you immediately give God the credit? We live in a day and age when the miraculous seems ludicrous. The supernatural is dismissed as impossible or, at best, improbable. But as we read through the Book of Acts, we see miracle after miracle take place. Blind people have their sight restored. Individuals who have been unable to walk their entire lives, suddenly discover they can walk and run. And the further we delve into Luke account of the growth of the church, we see a certain expectation being exhibited by those in the church. Their shock over the unexpected taking place in their midst clearly dissipates as the miraculous became more commonplace. And in today’s episode, based on acts 20:7-12, Luke provides us with a look into a truly remarkable story of the death of Eutychus. This young follower of Christ fell asleep while Peter was preaching and plunged to his death out of an open window. He was pronounced dead on the spot, a fact confirmed by Luke, who happened to be a physician. But Luke treats what happened next with a certain flippancy that is truly surprising. Peter brings the deceased young man back to life. In an instant. And Luke treats the whole affair as if it’s nothing more than business as usual. And it was. The people of God were growing accustomed to seeing miracles performed in the power of God. And as a result, they expected the unexpected.

Ep 435 – Acts 20:1-6 Feb 24, 2018

Do you have any spiritual progeny? Can you claim any sons and daughters in the faith whom you have helped to raise in the nurture and admonition of the Lord? Many of us have biological children, and we have a responsibility to point them toward Christ and to mirror the love of Christ in front of them. But we also have a God-given charge to make disciples. And that commission, given to us by Jesus Christ Himself, goes far beyond the initial point of conversion. We are to see to it that our children in the faith grow in their faith. We are to lovingly push them towards maturity and encourage them to take up their cross daily and follow Christ. One of the things we learn about the apostle Paul, as we examine his life in the Book of Acts, is that he had a passionate desire to see people come to faith, but an equally intense desire to see them grow spiritually. In Acts 20:1-6, Luke is going to introduce us to seven men whose lives had been influenced by Paul. They were his disciples, his sons in faith. We know little about most of them, but they were men who had placed their faith in Christ as a result of Paul’s dedication to sharing the gospel with Gentiles. But Paul had not been content to see them come to faith. He wanted to help them grow and watch them carry on the ministry of spreading the gospel to the four corners of the earth. Paul knew that his days on earth were numbered and that the future well-being of the church was dependent upon the spiritual leadership he and the other apostles would leave behind.

Ep 434 – Acts 19:21-41 Feb 23, 2018

When we talk about salvation, we tend to address it in terms of the impact it has had on the life of the individual for whom faith in Christ has become a reality. We discuss how it brings about life change and results in a new way of living marked by behavioral transformation. But it’s interesting how often Luke describes the end result of salvation in terms of its group impact and communal influence. As we open up Acts 19:21-41, we are going to see the apostle Paul preaching and teaching in the city of Ephesus. And his efforts would not go unrewarded. There would be many who came to faith in Christ and, as we will see, these new believers began to have a powerful impact on the rest of the community. So much so, that the local idol trade had been negatively impacted. People were placing their faith in Christ and recognizing the illogical and unhelpful role that pagan, lifeless gods played in their daily lives. People were discovering Christ and, at the same time, realizing that the hope they had placed in the saving power of their false gods had been highly misdirected. As a result, they were making significant changes in their lifestyles that were impacting others around them, including both the saved and the lost. While the majority of the citizens of Ephesus remained unsaved, they were seeing and feeling the influence of the gospel’s transformative power. Like yeast in a batch of dough, the new believers in Ephesus were slowly spreading their influence throughout the city, eliciting a range of reactions, from positive to negative, but rarely indifferent.

Ep 433 – Acts 19:2-20 Feb 22, 2018

Christianity is meant to be life-changing. It is not a religion to be practiced, but a radical new way of life, empowered by the Spirit of God, and intended to be lived out in the sight of a lost and dying world. In the early days of the church, as the gospel continued to spread, many people were coming to faith in Christ and experiencing the redemptive, transformative power of the Spirit of God as He regenerated their hearts and began the process of molding them into the likeness of Christ. In Acts 19:8-20, Luke provides us with a glimpse into the gospel’s life-changing capacity by revealing the impact it had on the people of Ephesus. This was a town with a reputation for witchcraft and sorcery, much of which was directly tied to demonic activity. So, when Paul began to proclaim the availability of new life in Christ made possible by His sacrificial death on the cross, people not only placed their faith in Christ, they underwent dramatic transformations, resulting in behavioral change that was visible and measurable. Ephesus was a spiritually charged city, where the remarkable and sometimes inexplicable were standard fare. But what began to happen when Paul arrived in town and the good news of Jesus Christ began to make its way around the city, was like nothing these people had ever seen before. They were seeing something new and many of them were becoming new creations, and experiencing the life-altering joy of new life in Christ.

Ep 432 – Acts 19:1-7 Feb 21, 2018

We know that Jesus Christ came in order that we might have new life, eternal life. But also, life marked by a radically new way of living. It is said that, upon salvation, we receive new natures. We are new creations. The old has gone and the new has come. But what makes all this possible? It’s the Spirit of God who comes to dwell within us as the point we place our faith in Christ. In Acts 19:1-7, Paul will encounter some disciples of John the Baptist who had not yet experienced the baptism of the Holy Spirit. In fact, they didn’t even know who the Holy Spirit was. They had believed in Jesus, but had not yet been filled with the Spirit. But all that was about to change. Not only would Paul baptize them in water in the name of Jesus, he would lay his hands upon them so that they could receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit. And at that point, they would receive the power they needed to live truly repentant lives. Rather than trying to live radically different lives in their own limited strength, they would receive the indwelling presence and power of the Spirit of God who would equip them to live like children of God. The coming of the Spirit made new life in Christ possible and a life lived like Christ achievable.

Ep 431 – Acts 18:18-28 Feb 20, 2018

With the growth of the church and the spread of the gospel around the world, the need for additional ministers and messengers increased exponentially. Paul, Barnabas, Silas, and the apostles could only be in so many places at one time. And there were many more places where the gospel had yet to be proclaimed. But God was not going to allow the gospel to be bogged down by limited numbers of missionaries. He would simply raise up new ones. And in Acts 18:18-28, we see him raise up a gifted young man named Apollos. He would prove to be a gifted communicator, but would need input and discipleship from Aquila and Priscilla. God calls, but God also equips. He raises up men and women to communicate the good news regarding His Son, but he surrounds them with competent individuals who can step in alongside them, providing much-needed training and, if necessary, reproof. There was going to come a day when Paul’s mission would be seemingly derailed by imprisonment. He would spend two years under Roman custody in Caesarea. Then, later on in his ministry, he would find himself a prisoner in Rome itself. But while Paul was under lock and key, God would continue to raise up new messengers to step in the gap and take the gospel to the ends of the earth.

Ep 430 – Acts 18:12-18 Feb 19, 2018

In Acts 18:12-19, Paul will attempt to give his defense to the Roman proconsul, Gallio, refuting the false accusations of the Jews. But before he can get a word out, Gallio will shut down the proceedings, refusing to hear what he deems to be the internal squabbles of the Jews. He has neither the time or interest to listen to what they have to say, instead, kicking them out of his court and allowing Paul to walk free and get back to his business of sharing the gospel. All Paul had been guilty of doing was attempting to persuade the people of Corinth to believe in God and His offer of salvation made possible through the death and resurrection of His Son, Jesus. The Jews were not interested. At least some of them. They saw Paul as a heretic and a nuisance. And they had hoped to persuade the Roman government to see him as a dangerous troublemaker and a potential threat to the Roman way of life. But Gallio actually found them to be more irritating than Paul. And what we need to see in all of this is the sovereign hand of God, working in unforeseen and unpredictable ways, to accomplish His divine will. Nothing escapes His notice. Nothing happens outside His divine purview. It’s interesting to note that the Jews accused Paul of persuading the people to worship God contrary to the law. In fact, he was. He was teaching a means to have a right relationship apart from the keeping of the law. But the Jews would have nothing to do with it. Yet, God won the day.

Ep 429 – Acts 18:1-11 Feb 18, 2018

When the pressure picked up, Paul seemed more compelled to speak up. He wasn’t some kind of shrinking violet who backed down at the slightest sign of opposition. He was a determined individual with a stubborn streak that had been redeemed by the Holy Spirit. No one was going to shut Paul up or keep him from doing what he had been called and commissioned to do. And in Acts 18:1-11 we are going to get a glimpse of Paul boldly proclaiming the gospel in the face of mounting opposition and increasing hostility on the part of the Jews and the Gentiles. While he was seeing many people come to faith in Christ, he was also experiencing intense resentment to those who opposed his message. And Paul was learning the invaluable lesson that there comes a time when sharing the gospel become nothing more than casting pearls before swine. There were those who were never going to listen and who would never embrace the free gift of God’s grace made available through His Son. While Paul had a deep desire to see his fellow Jews come to faith in Christ, he was becoming increasingly more convinced that his mission was to the Gentiles. They were receptive. Their hearts were soft and their ears quick to hear what he had to say. And yet, Paul was human. He must have become weary with all the resistance and rejection. So much so, that God had to encourage him to keep on keeping on. He wanted Paul to know that there were many more who needed to hear the good news of Jesus Christ. Now was not the time to give up or give in to pressure. But he was to go on speaking and not to be silent.

Ep 428 – Acts 17:22-34 Feb 17, 2018

Paul got his opportunity to share about the gospel in front of a sophisticated gathering of philosophers and great thinkers. These men had asked Paul to come and tell them more about this foreign deity of his. From their perspective, Paul was teaching something new, something they hadn’t heard before, which piqued their interest. They had described Paul’s message regarding Jesus and the gospel as a strange thing and they wanted to hear more. In Acts 17:22-34, we have Paul’s address to the council of the Areopagus. It could have been easy for him to be a bit intimidated by the sheer number of philosophers and great thinkers in the room. But Paul was at ease, a man in his element. He had received his theological education from one of the best: Gamaliel, considered a leading rabbi and teacher in Israel. He had also been trained as a Pharisee, and had a strong understanding of the Mosaic law. Paul was no slouch. He had the credentials and indwelling presence of the Spirit of God. So, he was not out of his element and never felt out of his league. He met these men right where they were, using one of their own gods as an jumping off place for his discussion. He was going to reveal to them the identity of the one god they worshiped but who they didn’t know. They simply called him the unknown god, but Paul was going to let them know that the only God they didn’t know was the one they desperately needed to know. The one whose Son had died on the cross for their sins.

Ep 427 – Acts 17:10-21 Feb 16, 2018

You may recall the 1939 movie, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, starring Jimmy Stewart in the title role. In the movie, Mr. Smith, a relatively naïve and recently appointed United States Senator finds himself emmersed in the corruption-filled context of Washington power politics. He is a fish out of water, an innocent lamb surrounded by vicious wolves. Mr. Smith is appointed because he is seen as an easy to manipulate stooge who won’t rock the proverbial boat or cause any waves. But he would prove them wrong. In a way, Acts 17:10-21 reveals Paul in a similar vain. But he is far from naïve and anything but a stooge. Paul is a powerful proponent of the gospel and a formidable adversary for any who would stand against it. Even when he finds himself alone in the big city of Athens, surrounded by false gods and pagan philosophers who spend their days debating and discussing, he is anything but overwhelmed. In fact, he is in his element, seizing the opportunity to discuss the truth of the gospel with those who had a penchant for new and strange things. Paul was alone, but not intimidated. He found himself in enemy territory, but was not afraid. He saw Athens as an opportunity to spread the gospel and to see God work. While the sheer number of false gods bothered him, it also inspired him to speak of the one true God. The presence of falsehood demanded that the truth be told. The worship of non-existent gods simply proved to Paul that the people of Athens were ready to hear about the God who brought all things into existence, including them.

Ep 426 – Acts 17:1-9 Feb 15, 2018

Radical. Revolutionary. Those are terms we rarely hear used in conjunction with Christianity. Perhaps there are certain third-world countries or places governed by dictatorial or communistic regimes where Christians are still viewed in such terms, but not here in the west. If anything, we’re seen as archaic and old-fashioned, throwbacks to an earlier, more repressive era when people were less educated and enlightened. But in the 1st-Century, when Christianity was still in its infancy, the followers of Jesus were seen as both radical and revolutionary. They were troublemakers who the Jews saw as threats to their way of life and the Romans viewed as disturbers of the peace. While Paul, Silas, Peter, and the other apostles were seeing God move in incredible ways, transforming the lives of countless individuals through the message of the gospel, the opposition was growing and intensifying. All because the light of the truth of God’s grace was shining into the dark recesses of a sin-filled world. In Acts 17:1-9, we will see Paul and Silas accused of turning the world upside-down. And their accusers were right. Lives were being radically changed. Entire communities were being revolutionized by the good news concerning Jesus Christ and His offer of salvation. But while many embraced their message with open arms and receptive hearts, many more refused to listen. They rejected the messengers and their message, choosing instead to listen to the lies of the enemy and remain in the darkness and hopelessness of sin.

Ep 425 – Acts 16:25-40 Feb 14, 2018

The Book of Acts is full of fantastic, almost unrealistic stories, and Acts 16:25-40 is no exception. In this passage, we have Luke retelling of Paul and Silas being miraculously released from prison by a huge earthquake. Actually, they don’t really get released. They simply have their chains fall off and the doors of their prison cells inexplicably unlocked. But what makes the story so incredible is that they weren’t the ones to get set free. That distinction goes to the keeper of the prison, who came to faith in Jesus Christ because of what happened that night. He was set free from his captivity to sin and released from the death sentence that hovered over his head like a sword. The captor became the freed man. Sometimes we wonder why God allows us to go through difficulties or experience circumstances that are less-than-ideal. But we never know what God has up His sleeve. We have no way of knowing what he may have planned and how He is going to use what appears to be a negative situation and use it to accomplish His divine will. Paul and Silas had been thrown in jail. But rather than whine and moan over their lot in life, they had spent the night praying and singing. They saw their situation as an opportunity to serve God and watch Him work. And when given a prime opportunity to escape their unfortunate surroundings, they chose instead to stay right where they were – seeing their circumstances as God-ordained and the jailer’s spiritual well-being as more important than their own physical welfare.

Ep 424 – Acts 16:11-24 Feb 13, 2018

You’re probably familiar with the term, “The devil is in the details.” It is an idiom used to refer to those seemingly small and, often overlooked, aspects of our plans that can end up causing us serious problems later on. It is those unseen or unnoticed elements that can come back to bite us. But in Acts 16:11-24, we are going to see how God is the deity in the details. He is intimately involved in many of those seemingly small and insignificant parts of our lives that appear to be nothing more than luck or chance. For Paul and Silas, God was constantly arranging the details of their days, placing them in situations where they could be used by Him and His power could be displayed through them. There were no chance encounters. Every situation had the divine fingerprints of God all over it. And while Paul and Silas may not have immediately seen God’s presence or sovereign hand in every instant, they were always able to look back and recognize His divine oversight and providential role. Far too often, we fail to see that God is in the details of our lives. We don’t see our interactions with others as part of His plan for our lives. The people we meet and the circumstances we face are never the products of blind chance. They are the well-orchestrated byproduct of God’s all-knowing and all-powerful redemptive plan. Like Paul and Silas, we need to learn to look for God’s unmistakable presence and rest in His unshakeable control over the world He has made and all who live in it.

Ep 423 – Acts 16:1-10 Feb 12, 2018

It’s so easy to see life as just some random collection of isolated and unrelated events. Even as believers, we can be lulled into a false sense that everything we encounter in life is nothing more than a byproduct of chance of fate. But as we read the account of Luke, recorded in the Book of Acts, we can’t help but see the underlying handiwork of God, orchestrating the lives of the characters and directing the affairs of their lives in such a way that His will is perfectly accomplished. In Acts 16:1-10, we have Luke’s account of Paul meeting Timothy for the first time. And, as usual, his retelling of the event tends to come across as just another chance encounter. When Paul arrived in Lystra, Timothy just happened to be there. And this young man, who had come to faith in Christ, in part because of the influence of his mother and grandmother, made an impression on Paul. So much so, that he would become his traveling companion and protégé. The encounter between these two men was anything but luck. It was the divine will of God, and it happened at just the right time. Paul and Barnabas were going to part ways and Paul would be forced to find himself a new traveling companion. Enter Timothy. At just the right time and with just the right credentials to meet the need. Paul was being led by the Spirit of God. His ministry needs were being divinely met and the direction for his ministry was being directed from above. He was operating within the will of God and being directed by the Spirit of God. All for the glory of God.

Ep 422– Acts 15:22-41 Feb 11, 2018

Getting along with others is not easy, even in the best of times. Families where love for one another is a high priority can still find themselves struggling with unity and battling over things like rights and personal preferences. In Acts 15:22-41, we are going to see that conflicts and disunity were a constant problem in the early church. The increasingly diverse makeup of the growing church was creating natural tensions and disagreements. Debates were becoming increasingly more common, even among the leadership. But through it all, there was a strong desire on the part of the apostles to maintain a spirit of unity in the midst of all the diversity. That is exactly what Jesus had prayed would happen. The members of the church in the first-century were under a great deal of pressure. They faced ongoing and increasing opposition from the Jews as well as the pagans. Their presence in the community was seen as a threat to existing religions and even to the social fabric of the society. Christianity was disruptive, turning entire cities upside-down and creating an unnecessary and unwanted stress on the status quo. And the fledgling congregations felt the tension. Many of the members of the local churches had been cut off from their families because of their faith. Others had lost their jobs. Those who had walked away from pagan religions were ostracized by their former friends. And all of them were having to learn the delicate task of getting along with those with whom their only source of commonality was their faith in Christ.

Ep 421 – Acts 15:12-21 Feb 10, 2018

Things were moving at a rapid pace for the early church. God was doing incredible things and the Spirit of God was moving mightily, not only in Jerusalem, but around the world. And all this change was causing consternation for many in the church, especially those Jews who felt that Christianity was an extension of their Jewish faith. They could not fathom a religion that was anything but Jewish at its core, with circumcision and the Mosaic law as central tenets and non-negotiable requirements. But in Acts 15:12-21, Luke records the testimonies of Paul and Barnabas as they reported their efforts among the Gentiles. But their real focus was on what God had been doing. What had taken place among the Gentiles had clearly been the work of God, and not the result of men’s efforts. And what they had to say was going to have a dramatic impact on those who heard them, because it became clear that God was doing a new and different thing among them. Who were they to dictate to God the rules by which He was going to redeem mankind. They were walking on thin ice if they thought they could tell God how to accomplish His divine redemptive plan. Paul and Barnabas had simply walked in unity and rhythm with God, obediently and submissively doing His will His way. And the results spoke for themselves. Peoples’ lives had been radically changed. The Spirit had come and the light of the gospel had begun to permeate the darkness in which the Gentiles nations were trapped.

Ep 420 – Acts 15:1-11 Feb 09, 2018

Internal conflict. It can happen in a marriage, a business, a home, or even in a church. And it seemed to be a regular presence in the growing body of Christ during the first century. As if all the external opposition wasn’t enough, the new church found itself dealing with an intense and potentially divisive debate over the heart and soul of the apostles’ ministry given to them by Jesus: The gospel. As the news regarding Jesus’ offer of salvation began to spread outside the borders of Judea and Judaism, it raised some critical concerns among those who had been the first to accept the gospel message: The Jews. If you recall, the 120 individuals who had been in the upper room on the day of Pentecost had all been Jews. They had also been believers in Jesus Christ. Jesus had restricted His ministry to the land of the Jews. He never ventured outside of Judea. And, for the most part, his audiences were made up primarily of Jews. He did have interactions with non-Jews such as the Samaritan woman, but they were rare. But with the coming of the Holy Spirit, the message of salvation by faith alone in Christ alone had begun to spread, with the result being the conversion of more and more Gentiles. And this is where the conflict arose. Some of the more hard-core Jewish Christians were of the strong opinion that the conversions of the Gentiles were incomplete or invalid unless they converted to Judaism first. But Paul would have nothing to do with it and he would do everything in his power to stand against it.

Ep 419 – Acts 14:19-28 Feb 08, 2018

One minute, Paul and Barnabas were being treated like gods. The next thing they knew, they were being treated like dangerous criminals, with Paul even having to experience being stoned nearly to death. But the ups and downs of ministry didn’t seem to faze Paul or Barnabas. They seemed to know that it came with the territory. It was part of their job descriptions as ambassadors for Christ. For these two men, the real issue was that they had been trusted with the task of bringing the good news of Jesus Christ to the Gentile world. And they knew that God had opened up a door of faith to these people, because they had watched as countless numbers of them were streaming through the narrow gate and walking the path that led to righteousness. The way of Christ. And Jesus had warned that His way was not going to be the easy or the popular way. “You can enter God’s Kingdom only through the narrow gate. The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose that way. But the gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult, and only a few ever find it” (Matthew 7:13-14 NLT). Paul knew the way well. And he had discovered that the road was indeed difficult and the journey fraught with dangers of all kinds. But he viewed any suffering he may have to endure along the way as well worth the effort and nothing compared with the value of the final destination.

Ep 418 – Acts 14:8-18 Feb 07, 2018

In Acts 14:8-18, Paul and Barnabas have a seemingly chance encounter with a man who was born with some kind of physical abnormality that had left him unable to walk. He was in the crowd who had gathered to hear Paul and Barnabas speak. Most likely, he had to have been carried there by friends or family members. Or perhaps he dragged himself along, using his arms as his only means of locomotion. This scene takes place in the Gentile city of Lystra, a pagan city where the Greek gods were worshiped and idolized. Upon seeing this man in the crowd, Paul saw an opportunity to perform a sign. But first, he saw that this man had faith, enough faith to be healed. We’re not sure exactly what Paul saw or how he saw it, but he was confident that this man’s faith was strong enough to result in his healing. What happened next left the man transformed and the crowd amazed. So much so, that they attributed the miracle they had just witnessed to the work of the gods – their gods. They explained what they had witnessed by declaring Paul and Barnabas to be the gods Zeus and Hermes in human form. But they didn’t stop there. They actually worshiped the two men, even preparing an animal sacrifice to offer up to them. But Paul didn’t take their adoration well. He flatly refused it and took the opportunity to contrast the one true God with the false gods of the Greeks.

Ep 417 – Acts 14:1-7 Feb 06, 2018

As we begin Acts 14, the first seven verses will reveal Paul and Barnabas ministering in the synagogue in Iconium. They would experience remarkable success in their efforts among the Jews and Greeks, seeing many come to faith in Christ. But they would also encounter more resistance, with some of the Jews doing everything in their power to turn the people against Paul and Barnabas. The end result was that the city became divided, with some siding with Paul and Barnabas, while others chose to join the Jews in their resistance of the gospel. But the real question is, why did some believe while others refused? What was it that caused some of the Jews and Gentiles to hear the message of Paul and Barnabas, accept it and receive Jesus Christ as their Savior? And yet, many others heard the very same message and ended up trying to stone the men who delivered it. It was the same message delivered by the same two individuals. So, what made the difference? What was the deciding factor that led to the conversion of some and not others? For Paul, the answer was simple. It was the sovereign grace of God. Anyone who came to faith, did so, not because of Paul’s powers of persuasion or their own intelligence, but because God had called them. Salvation was and is the work of God, from beginning to end. Paul knew it, because he had witnessed it. Paul was convinced of it, because he had experienced it.

Ep 416 – Acts 13:42-52 Feb 05, 2018

Over the centuries, millions upon millions of people have rejected the offer of salvation from sin offered through Jesus Christ. They heard the message, but deemed it untenable or unnecessary. People from all walks of life and from virtually every nation in the world have chosen to reject Jesus. They preferred the darkness over the light. They found more satisfaction and comfort in what they know, what was familiar to them, than in that which they couldn’t fully understand or explain. In Acts 13:42-52, we will see Paul and Barnabas running into just such a group of people. In this case, they were Jews who chose to reject and contradict the words of Paul and Barnabas, refusing to believe what they had to say. And as a result, Paul accused them of being unworthy of eternal life. Paul was not indicating that eternal life has to be earned or deserved in some way. He was simply indicating that their stubborn refusal to accept the message of salvation made possible through faith in Jesus Christ kept them in a state of perpetual spiritual darkness. They had always been unworthy. Their sin separated them from God and condemned them to His judgment. But had they chosen to accept the free gift of eternal life offered to them by God, they would have been made right with Him, deemed worthy not because of anything they had done, but because of what Jesus had done for them.

Ep 415 – Acts 13:13-41 Feb 04, 2018

What do you think Paul would have to say to a synagogue full of Jews living in a foreign country, far from the land of Israel? Well, thanks to Luke, we don’t have to guess. He provides us with the details of just such a sermon, delivered by Paul in the synagogue in Pisidian Antioch. And he takes a note from the apostle Peter’s play book, mirroring the content he used when he had spoken before the high priest and the Jewish Sanhedrin. Paul basically gives a history lecture, but with a very specific objective. He is trying to get them to understand that all of Jewish history pointed to Jesus as the Messiah or Christ. God had led them out of captivity in Egypt, back to the land of Canaan, the land promised to Abraham – but for a much greater reason than just their occupation of it and infatuation with it. God had given the people of Israel judges and then kings, including King David, but they were meant to hold the nation together, until such a time that God would send His Son. Paul’s whole objective was to get to Jesus. He is not only the consummation of Israelite history, but of the entire world. He is the focus of all human history. But these Jews, hung up on their heritage and religious rituals, ran the risk of missing the very one God had promised to Abraham: The seed who would bless all the nations of the world.

Ep 414 – Acts 13:1-12 Feb 03, 2018

What happens when godly leaders, compelled by the Spirit of God, send out godly men to do the work of God? Incredible things. That is what we see happen in Acts 13:1-12. Saul, better known to us as Paul, gets tag-teamed with his friend Barnabas, and sent out on the first of three missionary journeys that he will take. These two were called by God, but commissioned and sent out by the leadership of the local church in Antioch. There was a clear sense of calling on these two men’s lives and a unified consensus among the local leadership that they should be sent, even if it ended up negatively impacting the church in Antioch. And in this section of verses, we are going to see God continue to redirect the efforts of the church, driving them further and further away from the central hub of Judaism, the city of Jerusalem, and into the world dominated by Gentiles. The very first convert Paul and Barnabas will have the joy of seeing will be a Roman government official. And we will see this Gentile radically juxtaposed to a so-called Jewish prophet who saw the message of Paul and Barnabas as bad news, not good news. He would reject their offer of salvation through Jesus Christ, losing his sight as a result. But the Roman proconsul would have his eyes opened and his life changed forever.

Ep 413 – Acts 12:12-25 Feb 02, 2018

Many of the stories found in the Book of Acts are fantastic in nature. They involve supernatural events and the divine intervention of God in the everyday affairs of men. Then, there are stories that are somewhat humorous in nature. They provide us with reminders that all of these events were taking place among flesh-and-blood human beings, just like us. Sometimes the people involved failed to see the hand of God and ended up drawing some rather interesting conclusions. When the crowds had heard the disciples speaking in tongues on the day of Pentecost, they wrote it off as nothing more than a case of public intoxication – en masse. In today’s episode, found in Acts 12:12-25, we have yet another comedic take on the affairs of the disciples. It involves Peter, and immediately follows his miraculous release from prison by God. He ends up at the home of Mary, but is denied entrance, because the disciples gathered inside, ostensibly praying for his release, refuse to believe it’s really him. They leave poor Peter standing outside while they argue over the exact identity of the one waiting at the gate. Peter had been touched by an angel, but the rest of the disciples couldn’t seem to put their finger on what was going on outside the house in which they sat. In this passage, we are going to see God’s divine hand at work, freeing Paul and, ultimately, punishing Herod. One was doing the work of God, while the other was attempting to stop it. And only one would find success because the Lord was on his side.

Ep 412 – Acts 12:1-11 Feb 01, 2018

The Book of Acts is filled with stories of all kinds, from miraculous, never-before-seen events that boggle the mind and stretch the limits of our beliefs, to extremely dark and sinister scenes where the darkness of man’s heart becomes too readily apparent. We have seen Stephen martyred and the disciples flogged. We have heard of Saul’s pre-conversion efforts to eradicate the church by arresting and executing Christians. And now, in Acts 12:1-11, we read of Herod’s beheading of the apostle John, the brother of James. Too say that things were heating up would be a gross understatement. The church was coming under increasing attack as the enemy intensified his efforts to eradicate the followers of Jesus and put to an end any hopes of the gospel of ever reaching the ends of the earth. This was war, spiritual war, but the casualties were more than spiritual in nature. There were people dying for their faith. Peter would end up, once again, imprisoned for being a follower of Jesus and a messenger of the gospel. But as poorly as things seemed to be going for the church, Luke’s account provides us with a vivid and much-needed reminder that our God is always in control. In these verses, we will see Him thwart the plans of King Herod and restore to His church, not only their leader, but their confidence in their God. He was far from done. And the same could be said for Peter.

Ep 411 – Acts 11:19-30 Jan 31, 2018

So far, we’ve seen Peter and John get arrested and flogged, Ananias and Sapphira be struck dead, Stephen end up stoned to death, and the church get scattered because of intensified persecution. Now, we’re going to hear about a famine in the land. Not exactly a walk in the park. But through it all, we have also seen God’s hand at work, spreading the gospel and growing His church. It’s so easy to look at the less-than-pleasant circumstances of life and assume that God is nowhere to be seen. We can not only doubt His presence, but question His love and care for us. But if there is one consistent theme in the Book of Acts, it is that God is at work, all the time and in every situation, no matter how grim or unpleasant they may appear. In Acts 11:19-30, we are going to see the method to God’s seeming madness as He introduces His chosen instrument, Saul, to the city of Antioch. God had divinely orchestrated the friendship between Barnabas and Saul some years earlier and neither knew what He had in store for them in the days that lie ahead. But they would find out. These two men would become close friends and intimate partners in the mission of taking the gospel to the Gentiles. And we will see that God’s choice of Saul had been anything but a fluke. He was well equipped and had been powerfully prepared by God during the nine years since his conversion. God’s plan had been perfect and His timing, spot on.

Ep 410 – Acts 11:4-18 Jan 30, 2018

Have you ever purposefully made a decision to stand in God’s way? Probably not. Most people in their right mind and who have even a rudimentary idea of who God is, would think twice before standing up to Him. Or would they? The truth is, we all do it. Not in a shake-your-fist-in-the-face-of-God kind of way, but in our own subtle version of correcting God when we think He’s failed to do what we were expecting. In Acts 11:4-18, Paul is going to share his own personal version of all that had happened in Caesarea. He’s going to recount everything from his disturbing vision and the visit of the three men sent by Cornelius, to his sharing of the gospel and the coming of the Holy Spirit upon those who were in the house. And Peter makes it fairly clear that he had not been willing to oppose what God had been doing. He had no right to stand against what God had decided to do. After all, God was in charge, not Peter. Yet, the crowd to whom Peter was telling this story was made up of some Jewish Christians who were having a difficult time with what God had done in Caesarea. He had done the unthinkable. He had poured out His Spirit upon Gentiles and not even ones who had become adherents of the Jewish faith. These had not been proselytes to Judaism, but full-fledged, uncircumcised Gentile pagans. But for Peter, those facts no longer mattered. He knew better than to oppose what God had approved.

Ep 409 – Acts 10:44-11:3 Jan 29, 2018

If there’s one thing most of us as believers have learned, it’s that God doesn’t always do things the way we expect or want. He seems to have a mind of His own and a tendency to do things the way He thinks best, whether we approve or not. And in Acts 10:44-11:3, we are going to see God surprising Peter and the Jewish believers in the church with His treatment of the Gentiles who came to faith in the home of Cornelius. God poured out His Spirit. Upon their belief in the saving work of Jesus Christ, each of the Gentiles received the same anointing of the Spirit of God as the 120 disciples had received on the day of Pentecost. They even spoke in foreign languages. This had not been what Peter had expected and, as we will see, it was most certainly not what the Jewish believers back in Jerusalem had anticipated. God was not doing things according to their preconceived notions of protocol. These Gentiles were received the baptism of the Spirit, as well as water baptism, and they hadn’t even been required to be circumcised. This was unacceptable. It wasn’t kosher, so to speak. But God was doing things His way. He wasn’t taking input or seeking permission. He wasn’t operating according to their will, but in keeping with His divine, totally flawless, and completely just and sovereign will. They were amazed, but also appalled. They were shocked and stunned that God was operating outside the box in which they had placed Him. And this was just the beginning.

Ep 408 – Acts 10:17-43 Jan 28, 2018

Today, we’re covering a longer-than-normal section of Scripture: Acts 1017-43. It involves the sequence of events that followed Peter’s rather bizarre vision of the sheet filled with unclean animals. Now, God is going to provide Peter with a real-life application of what that vision had meant. Peter is invited to the home of Cornelius in Caesarea, where he will be given an opportunity to treat that which he had long held in disdain: Gentiles, with respect, and extend to them the gospel of Jesus Christ. God was opening the doors to the unclean and the unworthy. But those descriptions were not to be reserved for just Gentiles. The truth of the matter was that all men and women stand before God as unclean and unworthy. All our best deeds done with the best of intentions are nothing but filthy rags in God’s eyes. A right standing with God is not based on human effort or any form of earned merit. God had extended His grace to Peter and the rest of the apostles. Now He was going to extend it to Cornelius and his household. The gospel was good news to all people, not just to the Jews. Jesus was the Savior of all mankind, not just the people of Israel. Salvation was a free gift, offered by God to any who would accept it, not to those who had somehow earned or inherited it. Peter’s dream had initially been a nightmare to him, but now he was going to see that God’s vision for the redemption of mankind was all-encompassing and non-discriminatory.

Ep 407 – Acts 10:1-16 Jan 27, 2018

Everybody has an opinion. It’s human nature. Even when it comes to spiritual matters. And Peter was no different. In today episode, based on Acts 10:1-16, we have an interesting tale of two visions. One is given to a Roman names Cornelius. The other is given to Peter. And they both came from God Himself. The purpose of these two visions was to prepare Peter and the other apostles for a major shift in outreach that God was about to bring about. Until this point in the story, the furthest the gospel had spread outside the environs of Jerusalem and beyond the ethnic borders of Judaism, had been to Samaria. The people there were actually part-Jewish and worshipers of Yahweh. But other than Hellenistic or Greek-speaking Jews who had come to faith in Jesus, there were really no purely Gentile members of the newly founded church of Jesus Christ. But all that was about to change. God was preparing to open up the door to let the gospel out and the Gentiles in. But first he had to prepare one of the leading apostles in the church for what was about to happen. And God chose to do it through the means of a vision. A very strange and disturbing vision – at least, from Peter’s perspective. This feisty, opinionated fisherman was going to have his world rocked and his paradigm shifted in a major way. Any preconceived notion he had as to how things should be was about to get turned on its head. The unclean was going to become clean. The uncommon was about to be declared common by God. The outsiders were going to suddenly find themselves included. Much to Peter’s surprise.

Ep 406 – Acts 9:32-43 Jan 26, 2018

Rise and walk. Be healed. Take up your bed and walk. Over and over again in the Book of Acts, we encounter these scenes where spectacular things are taking place. Miracles are being performed. Blind people are receiving their eyesight back. People who’ve never been able to walk are suddenly given the capacity to walk, run, and dance. The blind receive their sight. The sick are made well. Those who are demon-possessed are set free. But as incredible as each and every one of these stories may be, they pale in comparison to the spiritual healing so many people received at the hands of the apostles. And it’s likely that Luke has not provided us with an exhaustive list of miraculous healings. There were probably others that we don’t know about. And there were most likely many people who never received healing. They went away unchanged, having never met the disciples face-to-face. The thing we have to realize is that the miracles of healing performed by the disciples were meant to validate their ministries. Their ability to heal was living proof that they had been sent by God and were operating in the power of the Holy Spirit. But the miracles had another purpose. They also provided a foreshadowing or representation of the moral, spiritual and ethical change taking place in the lives of the people. While only some were healed from physical lameness, everyone suffered from the spiritual version. They were also spiritually blind and deaf. They couldn’t see or hear the truth. The real mission of the apostles was not to bring physical healing to everyone, but to let the world know spiritual healing was available to all who would accept it.

Ep 405 – Acts 9:26-31 Jan 25, 2018

Luke appears to be a matter-of-fact, no-nonsense, cut-to-the-chase kind of a guy. In chronicling the history of the early church, he provides us with a tremendous amount of details, from its rather bizarre beginnings in that upper room in Jerusalem to its eventual spread to the ends of the earth. But Luke doesn’t include everything. At times, he seems to purposefully leave out some details that he deems unnecessary or superfluous. And today, we’re going to look at one such case. In Acts 9:26-31, Luke appears to have Saul going straight from Damascus to Jerusalem, where he would interface with the apostles. But we know from Saul’s own accounts of that period of his life, there was a significant time gap between his encounter with the risen Jesus on the road to Damascus and his eventual visit to Jerusalem. By pieicing together the timeline of events, we get a better understanding of what God was doing to prepare Saul for the task assigned to him by Jesus. There was a period of preparation necessary. While Saul was a zealous individual with a superb education and unprecedented knowledge of the Hebrew Scriptures, he was not yet ready to act as God’s hand-picked ambassador of the good news to the Gentiles. There were lessons to be learned. There was spiritual formation required. And there was the need for time, so that the church could adjust to the idea of their former persecutor becoming one of the greatest proponents of the gospel the world has ever known.

Ep 404 – Acts 9:19-25 Jan 24, 2018

We love stories of life change. As long as their positive. And there is no story quite like that of Saul of Tarsus, the persecutor of the Christian faith turned proclaimer of the good news of Jesus Christ. In Acts 9:19-25, Luke continues his account of Saul’s dramatic conversion story, providing Theophilus, the one to whom the Book of Acts was originally written, with a synopsis of this man’s incredible encounter with the risen Christ and all that happened afterwards. But we have to supplement Luke’s more abbreviated version of the story with input from Saul himself, provided many years later. It seems that Saul, better known to us as Paul, never tired of recalling and retelling his dramatic salvation story, because it was a constant reminder to him of the grace, mercy and sovereignty of God. Paul knew better than anyone else just how radical the transformation in his life had been. He knew he had been damaged goods and completely undeserving of God’s grace. In fact, he would say that, when it came to sinners, he was the worst of them all. While he would constantly defend the validity of his apostleship, he would also declare himself to be “the least of the apostles” and “unworthy to be called an apostle” – all because he had persecuted the church of God. He would also refer to himself as the least of all the saints. And yet, he knew that he had been given the grace of God to preach the gospel to the Gentiles. He was a changed man. And it was a change that only God could have brought about.

Ep 403 – Acts 9:10-19 Jan 23, 2018

The conversion of Saul of Tarsus. It’s a relatively well-known story among Christians. After all, it’s not every day that you hear about a man whose full-time job was that of a bounty hunter, rounding up Christians and sentencing them to either prison or death. And this man suddenly gets transformed into one of the greatest evangelists for the Christian faith the world has ever known. We love the story of Paul because it is an undeniable picture of God’s amazing grace and unquestionable sovereignty over everything and everyone. In Acts 9:10-19, Luke provides us with the details of what happened after Saul was struck blind by the resurrected Christ somewhere along the road to Damascus. God arranged for a disciple named Ananias to meet Saul in Damascus and not only restore his sight, but play a part in God’s commissioning of Saul as His servant. This is a fantastic story filled with incredible plot twists and plenty of head-scratching decisions made by God. It is difficult to hear of Saul’s conversion and not wonder, “Why him?” Weren’t there better qualified and less controversial men God could have chosen? But this is where we have to set aside our human logic and rationally thinking minds, and try to grasp the unimaginable, unfathomable ways of God. Even though we know how the story of Saul ends, we still find his salvation difficult to understand. Just imagine how Ananias felt.

Ep 402 – Acts 9:1-9 Jan 22, 2018

It seems that we’re going to have to continue our battle with the vocal chords today. I apologize in advance, but hope you’ll be able to weather the storm with me as we make our way through Acts 9:1-9. This passage contains the familiar story of Saul’s conversion. It’s often referred to as his Damascus road experience. It is a story that will be repeated over and over again in the Book of Acts, and, over the centuries, its retelling among believers, has made this man the poster boy for evangelism. But what’s fascinating about this account is that there were no witnesses, no apostles, or no other believers to share the good news of Jesus Christ with Saul. Unlike the Ethiopian eunuch, Saul had no Philip to who shared the gospel with him. No, in this case, Saul was met by Jesus Himself. He had a face-to-face, up-close-and-personal encounter with the resurrected Lord. So much about this story comes across as illogical, not just unusual. Here was Jesus, who had returned to His Father’s side in heaven, making a personal appearance back on earth, in order to transform the life of one man. And you have to ask, “Why this man?” After all, he was as anti-Christ as they came. He despised anyone and everything having to do with Jesus. His whole goal in life was to capture, persecute and put Christians to death. But God had other plans for Saul. He had always had other plans for Saul. And while we might not always understand God’s methods or fully perceive His motives, we can trust that He is doing what is best because He is accomplishing His sovereign will.

Ep 401 – Acts 8:26-40 Jan 21, 2018

Today’s passage, Acts 8:26-40, brings us to the well-known encounter between Philip and a man referred to as an Ethiopian eunuch. This quintessential evangelism story is one with which most of us are very familiar. It is often used as a model for sharing the gospel. It’s also set up as an example of a divine appointment, one of those seemingly chance encounters in life that are actually the handiwork of God. But there is far more to this story than simply one man sharing the good news of Jesus Christ to another. Luke, in recording his historical narrative, to an audience that is primarily Gentile in nature, is methodically and purposefully illustrating how God was orchestrating the spread of the gospel to the ends of the earth. This most certainly was a divine appointment. But it reveals far more, as we see that the details regarding this man’s identity speak of the all-inclusive nature of the good news. It was open to any and all, regardless of the color of their skin, their country of origin, their physical characteristics, or perceived worthiness or unworthiness. God was seeing to it that the gospel made it to the ends of the earth and to the ears of those whom He was calling from every tribe, nation and tongue.

Ep 400 – Acts 8:14-25 Jan 20, 2018

One of the greatest barriers the gospel faced in the early days of the church was the spirit of animosity that existed between the Jews and all those they considered Gentiles, or non-Jews. As the church began to grow and the gospel began to spread outside the confines of Jerusalem and Judea, more and more Gentiles were coming to faith in Christ. One of the first groups to be reached were the Samaritans, and this particular audience raised some critical concerns among the Jewish disciples. Samaritans were considered half-breeds by the Jews, because they were descendants of Jews who had intermarried with pagans hundreds of years earlier. They were still God-worshipers, but were viewed as damaged goods by the Jewish Christians. And yet, here was God opening up the door of the gospel to these very people, and they were going to respond in great numbers. This left the church having to deal with what appeared to be a conundrum. How would they treat these newfound brothers and sisters in Christ? Would they accept them or continue to view them as second-class citizens? One of the greatest miracles to happen in the early days of the church was not speaking tongues, but the unification of those who had long held each other in contempt. The Spirit of God was building the church, creating a new family out of those who had nothing more in common than their shared faith in Christ. And it would be their growing love for one another that truly set the church apart and gave proof that they were disciples of Jesus.

Ep 399 – Acts 8:4-13 Jan 19, 2018

In the aftermath of Stephen’s martyrdom, the church faced increased and intensified persecution, which resulted in the scattering or dispersion of many of those who had come to faith since Pentecost. Some of these people fled from Jerusalem and returned to their native lands, taking the seed of the gospel with them. And the term, “seed” will play an important role in this section of Luke’s record of the church. He tells us that those who were scattered “went about preaching the word.” They took what they had discovered about Jesus and the gospel and carried it wherever they went. And if Acts 8:4-13, we have the story of Philip heading to, of all places, Samaria, in order to tell them about salvation made possible by Jesus’ death and resurrection. What we have here is the first phase of a God-ordained and orchestrated dissemination of the gospel message beyond the walls of Jerusalem and borders of Judea. This is just the beginning of a growing movement of God to take the gospel to the nations, just as Jesus had commanded. And what we are going to see is God, like the divine sower in the sky, was the one who was scattering His children like seeds, allowing them to fall into the fertile soil He had already prepared beforehand. Watch closely for glimpses of God’s sovereign hand at work, prompting His people to go and tell while, at the same time, preparing hearts to hear.

Ep 398 – Acts 7:54-8:3 Jan 18, 2018

Stephen finally finished his little dissertation on Israelite history and, when he had said his last word, the Jewish religious leaders lost it. They had heard more than enough. And when Stephen claimed to be seeing a vision of the resurrected Christ sitting at the right hand of God in heaven, that’s when the high priest and the members of the Sanhedrin ganged up on Stephen, dragging him out of town, where they preceded to stone him to death. While they had listened for a long time, they had not heard a word Stephen had said. They had not been persuaded by his rhetoric or convicted by his words of accusation. As far as they were concerned, Stephen was the guilty party. He was a blasphemer and a traitor to the Jewish faith. They thoroughly believed that his execution was appropriate considering what they believed to be his crimes. But Luke’s portrayal of this entire event creates a dramatic juxtaposition between the faith of Stephen and that of the religious leaders. They had faith, but it was misplaced. Their faith was not so much in God, but in the religious trappings that they believed were representative of God. They worshiped the law, the Temple, and their own pedigree as children of Abraham. But they had long ago stopped believing that God was out to do something great among them. Most of the members of the Sanhedrin, who were Sadducees, didn’t even believe in a literal Messiah. They also rejected the whole idea of resurrection. So, their faith was firmly planted in what they could see. But they were too blind to see what God was doing in their midst.

Ep 397 – Acts 7:44-53 Jan 17, 2018

Stephen is on a roll. He is still letting the high priest and the Sanhedrin have it with both barrels, accusing them of being just like their ancestors, who had rejected Moses, the rescuer God had sent them. From Stephen’s point of view, the religious leaders of Israel we just as guilty, having rejected Jesus, even ensuring that He was put to death by the Romans. And now that His disciples were making noise and drawing crowds by preaching, teaching and healing in Jesus’ name, they were rejecting them as well. Acts 7:44-53 contains the portion of Stephen’s message where he lets his audience have it due to their inordinate love affair with the Temple, the city of Jerusalem and their special status as God’s chosen people. None of that was going to make any difference if they continued to reject God’s work being done in their midst. And it wasn’t helping their cause that, when all was said and done, they were actually resisting and rejecting the very Spirit of God – a dangerous game to play. What the Jewish religious leaders failed to recognize was that God was now dwelling in His people, not just among them. God’s presence wasn’t constrained to a cloud hovering over the Holy of Holies. He existed, in the form of the Holy Spirit, within each and every believer. As Paul will later write in his first letter to the Corinthians: “Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you?” (1 Corinthians 3:16 ESV).

Ep 396 – Acts 7:30-43 Jan 16, 2018

Stephen continues his little history lesson, attempting to provide his audience with some insights into their not-so-stellar past that reveal that their spirit of rejection and resistance was inherited. They were fruit that had not fallen far from the family tree. But Stephen’s goal in all of this was to get them to realize that they were worse off than their ancestors because they were resisting their Messiah, the very one promised to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and who alone, could make them acceptable before God. They had killed Him, but He had returned. He had risen from the dead and, upon returning to heaven, sent the Holy Spirit to indwell and empower His disciples. And in rejecting them, the high priest, the Sanhedrin and the Jewish nation, were really rejecting Jesus, their Messiah. Jesus had come to bring release to those held captive by sin and death. He had come to open the eyes of the spiritually blind and to provide a means for the spiritually lame to walk in the ways of God. He was active in their midst, in the form of the signs and wonders performed by the hands of the apostles. He was in the miraculous conversions of thousands of Jews who had come to believe the apostles’ message of redemption made possible through His death and resurrection. And Stephen is trying to get his jaded, highly prejudiced audience to understand that all their adherence to the law of Moses, their love for the Temple and their pride in their Hebrew heritage meant nothing if they continued to reject the Redeemer God had sent to them.

Ep 395 – Acts 7:17-29 Jan 15, 2018

In Acts 7:17-29, we have Stephen continuing his history lesson on the Jewish people and, his audience, made up of Jewish religious leaders, had to be scratching their heads as to what his point was in this little exercise. He wasn’t telling them anything they didn’t already know. Or was he? Upon closer inspection, we see that Stephen was retelling the story of Israel’s past, but in a way that highlighted some glaring flaws in their corporate character as a people. While the high priest and the members of the Jewish council would have bragged about their love for Moses and the law, Stephen was subtly exposing that they were just like their ancestors, who had been stubbornly resistant to the very one God had sent to deliver them. They had rejected Moses’ original offer to help free them from the oppression of the Egyptians, forcing him to flee to the Midian wilderness, where he would stay for 40 long years. Moses was God’s choice to be the deliverer of the people of Israel. God had arranged for him to be rescued by Pharaoh’s daughter and raised in the Pharaoh’s household, ending up as a powerful figure among the Egyptians. But God greater plans for Moses. He had a job for him to do. And yet, the very people God had chosen him to redeem and rescue were going to fight him every step of the way. And Stephen’s point in all of this? Jesus was God’s appointed redeemer and rescuer of the people of Israel in his day, and here they were rejecting their rescuer once again.

Ep 394 – Acts 7:2-16 Jan 14, 2018

Stephen is on trial. He has been accused of blasphemy against God and Moses. On top of that, he has been charged with what is no less than insurrection, declaring that Jesus had promised to destroy the Temple, the very house of God. And yet, as Stephen begins his defense, he will use the very history of the Israelites to prove to them that the God they revered sometimes works in ways that are difficult to understand. Throughout their history, God had made a habit of accomplishing His will for them and fulfilling His promises to them in very bizarre and sometimes, nonsensical ways. Acts 7:2-16 contains Stephen’s recounting of all God’s interactions with men like Abraham, Joseph, Moses, David and Solomon. Throughout Israelite history, there were countless examples of God speaking and acting in ways that would have appeared to be illogical. Why did He choose a man to begin a nation who was already old and who had a wife who was barren? What could have been the reason for God allowing Joseph, a descendant of Abraham, to be sold into slavery in Egypt? And why in world would God allow a famine to devastate the land of promise, forcing more of Abraham’s descendants to end up as slaves in the land of Egypt as well. The Jews were having a hard time seeing God’s hand in all that had taken place since the day of Pentecost. It made no sense to them. It appeared illogical and unacceptable to them. But Stephen was out to prove that Yahweh, their God, had always worked in wondrous ways.

Ep 393 – Acts 6:10-7:1 Jan 13, 2018

What happens when the gospel spread? The church grows. But so does the opposition against it. As we will see in Acts 6:10-7:1, Stephen found himself facing some pretty stiff resistance from some Hellenistic Jews who were members of the synagogue of the Freedmen. These Jews were unimpressed with Stephen’s message regarding Jesus and became so incensed that they concocted false charges against him and drug him before the Jewish council for interrogation. There, they paraded a line of false witnesses before the high priest and the Sanhedrin, who each level charges against Stephen, accusing him of blasphemy against God and Moses. They even claimed that Stephen had taught that the resurrected Jesus was going to destroy their revered Temple. Stephen had simply been doing the will of God. He had been performing great signs and wonders among the people, and he had done so under the indwelling influence of the Holy Spirit. But here he was on trial for doing exactly what God had commanded Him to do. And when the Freedmen tried to dispute Stephen’s claims, they found themselves powerless to stand against his wisdom and reasoning. He had the Spirit of God speaking on his behalf. In fact, Luke records that Stephen’s face was like that of an angel. And yet, the Spirit’s power and presence, and Stephen’s obedience to the Spirit’s leading was not going to prevent him from facing opposition and, eventually, death.

Ep 392 – Acts 6:1-9 Jan 12, 2018

No doubt you believe that God is at work in and around your life. But sometimes it may appear that He is either distant or distracted. The nature of your circumstances can leave the impression that God is nowhere to be found. And this usually happens when things don’t appear to be going particularly well or quite as we had expected them to. What we have in the first nine verses of Acts 6, is a scene where the newly found church of Jesus Christ runs into some unexpected conflict. And what makes this scenario especially surprising is that the conflict came from within. It was an internal struggle, between fellow believers. And it would be easy to assume that this was outside the will of God. After all, Jesus had prayed that His followers would be one, just as He and His Father are. But we must look closely when examining a text like this one. There is much going on that we don’t see at a cursory first-glance. There is little doubt that God was at work in those early days of the church. He was working behind the scenes, directing the paths of the disciples and orchestrating the timing of each and every event. He had a bigger plan in mind. He had future ramifications already predetermined for what appeared to be spur-of-the-moment, unplanned situations. And what appears to be unnecessary and unhelpful conflict in the camp is going to turn out to be the sovereign hand of God preparing the church for future growth.

Ep 391 – Acts 5:27-42 Jan 11, 2018

Nobody likes to suffer. No person in their right mind would seek it out. But in Acts 5:27-42, we are going to see Peter and his fellow apostles actually rejoice for having been given the opportunity to suffer on behalf of Christ. In fact, they would see it as a privilege, an undeserved right to suffer just like their Savior had. But even that sounds odd to us. It comes across as a less-than-normal way to view life. It’s unrealistic and unnatural. But for the apostles, it was business as usual. They were convinced that suffering was going to be a normal, everyday part of their lives as followers of Christ. Jesus had told them it would happen, and they took Him at His word. They had watched Him suffer and even die on their behalf. So, they saw no reason to think that they would not endure the same treatment at the hands of men. And they were glad to do so. Suffering was the least they could do for all that Christ had done for them. They had been given eternal life and had been justified before God, their sins having been fully and completely forgiven. They had been filled with the Spirit of God and had already seen the kind of power that was at their disposal as a result. Their lives had been radically changed and they had seen thousands of others come to faith in Christ and experience the Spirit’s filling. So, they were more than happy to speak up and stand up for the gospel, even if it meant they had to suffer for their efforts.

Ep 390 – Acts 5:19-26 Jan 10, 2018

Who in their right mind would stand opposed to God? You would think the answer would be, “No one.” But the truth is, over the centuries, millions upon millions have chosen to call God their enemy rather than submit to His will and acknowledge their need for the gracious gift of His Son’s offer of salvation. Today, in Acts 5:19-26, we find the high priest and the Sanhedrin choosing to stand against God by continuing to reject His Son as their Messiah and the apostles as His emissaries of the good news. It is one thing to decide you want nothing to do with God and His offer of salvation, but it is quite another to do everything in your power to stand opposed to them both. The members of the Sanhedrin, while claiming to be the spiritual leaders of the people of Israel, were doing everything in their power to put an end to all the talk about a resurrected Jesus and His offer of eternal life. They had killed Jesus. Now, they were doing everything they could to rid themselves of His troublesome disciples. But they were going to find their efforts unfruitful and non-productive. The Son of God was alive. The Spirit of God was active. The children of God were expanding in number. And there was nothing anyone could do to stop it.

Ep 389 – Acts 5:12-18 Jan 09, 2018

The church continued to grow. And as we will see in Acts 5:12-18, so did the opposition toward it. As the reputation of the disciples and their ability to perform miracles spread, their popularity increased, but so did the animosity of the Jewish religious leaders. The disciples were about to discover that the commission given to them by Jesus was going to be a battle of wills – theirs against the Sanhedrin. But it was also going to be a spiritual battle of epic proportions that pitted the Spirit of God against the powers of darkness. Soon, they would find themselves suffering arrest and interrogation, beatings and threats, all because of their faith in Christ and their determination to spread the gospel. But even as the opposition grew and the intensity of the enemy’s attack increased, God was blessing His church. He was growing the congregation with each passing day as more and more people came to faith in Jesus Christ. This portion of Luke’s account provides us with a transition, as the church begins to outgrow the confines of Jerusalem and, with the increase in persecution, the gospel begins to make its way outside the city walls and into the neighboring regions of Judea and Samaria. God was growing His church. And He was using persecution to make it happen. The attacks of the enemy never truly threatened the church, it only caused it to spread. Like trying to use gasoline in an attempt to put out a fire.

Ep 388 – Acts 5:3-11 Jan 08, 2018

Today’s passage, Acts 5:3-11, contains one of the most disturbing and potentially confusing stories in the New Testament. In the midst of all the wonderful things taking place within the context of the newly formed church, there appears a sudden and unexpected tale of two disciples whose lives end tragically in death. But, surprisingly, these two didn’t die for their faith. They died because they lied to the Spirit of God. Or was it because they sold some land and then claimed to be giving all the proceeds to the church, all the while holding back some of it for themselves? The text accuses them of both. But what’s really going on here? And why did these two have to die for their sin? Obviously, they can’t be the only ones who ever lied to the Spirit of God. And they can’t be the only two who ever tried to deceive others in the church in an attempt to make themselves look good. So, why does Luke include this story and why did the Holy Spirit inspire him to do so? What we have in this story is the description of the Spirit of God interfacing with the sin nature of man. The new believers who made up the church were saved, but they still had their own sinful natures to deal with. The church wasn’t made up of perfect people who did everything right and lived in complete obedience to the Holy Spirit’s direction. But God was going to make it perfectly clear from the get-go that He considered behavior just as important as belief in the lives of His people.

Ep 387 – Acts 4:32-5:2 Jan 07, 2018

Things had been going so well. The gospel was spreading and the church was growing. Thousands of new converts had been added and the Spirit of God was working mightily through the apostles. Yes, there had been a tense encounters with the high priest and the Jewish council, but they had come out of it relatively unscathed. But now, in Acts 4:32-5:2, we get a stark reminder that the early days of the church were not all rainbows and unicorns. In other words, the Spirit-filled and directed atmosphere in which the church was birthed, had another influence: The sin nature of man. While faith in Christ eliminates the penalty for sin, it does not eradicate its presence. Even those who know Christ as their Savior still wrestle with the indwelling presence of their old sin nature. The flesh, as Paul would later call it, is an ever-present reality for any and all believers. And that was true in those early days of the church. The story of Ananias and Sapphira provides us with a sobering reminder that the presence of the Spirit, the miraculous signs of God’s power, and the successful preaching of the gospel message do not remove the threat of sin from the midst of the body of Christ. As long as there are people involved, sin will be present. We can’t afford to let our guard down. We can’t become complacent or risk compromising our faith. Ananias and Sapphira provide us with a much-needed reminder that sin is, as God warned Cain, always crouching at the door.

Ep 386 – Acts 4:23-31 Jan 06, 2018

Peter and John had been arrested and forced to appear before the Sanhedrin. All because they had performed a sign, healing a man that had been lame since birth. The high priest and the Jewish council, not knowing what to do with these two men, commanded them to stop speaking in the name of Jesus, threatening them with further action, if they didn’t. Upon release, the two apostles made a beeline to their fellow disciples, informing them of all that had happened at Solomon’s Portico. And in Acts 4:23-31, Luke provides us with an insider’s view of what took place next. You would expect that the news of Peter and John being arrested and interrogated would have sent shockwaves of fear through the rest of the disciples. It would have been normal for these people to go into the early stages of a mild panic, questioning just exactly what was going on. You wouldn’t be surprised to read that they began to argue among themselves as to what they were going to do next. But what Luke points out is that they reacted to the news with prayer. They turned to God. And what they had to say to God is also a bit surprising and unexpected. They didn’t question Him. They didn’t express anger at Him. They didn’t demand action from Him. They simply appealed to His sovereignty and asked that He bestow on them the boldness to fulfill the commitment Peter and John had expressed to the Sanhedrin: “We cannot stop telling about everything we have seen and heard.”

Ep 385 – Acts 4:13-22 Jan 05, 2018

When God’s people are faithful to share the gospel as He has called them to do, it will always cause a reaction. It won’t always be a good one, but rarely is the gospel met with indifference. People either love it or hate it, receive or reject it. But they seldom simply ignore it. In the case of Peter and John, their preaching of the good news regarding Jesus was accepted by many. There were thousands who had come to faith in Christ as a result of their preaching. But there were others who found what they had to say not only unbelievable, but unacceptable. The Jewish religious leaders were having a case of déjà vu all over again. They had been through this same scenario before, with Jesus Himself. Now they were having to experience the frustration of a new rash of so-called “missionaries” for the Way. And they weren’t happy about it. Acts 4:13-22 continues Luke’s record of the interrogation of Peter and John by the Jewish council or Sanhedrin. What they had seen and heard regarding these two men and all that had happened since Pentecost, had left them at a loss for words. They couldn’t explain what had taken place. They couldn’t just write off the events of the last few days as just a flash in the pan. Lives were being changed. People were becoming ardent followers of Jesus – once again. And all the Sanhedrin could do was threaten Peter and John. Beyond that, they were helpless in the face of what God was doing in their midst.

Ep 384 – Acts 4:5-12 Jan 04, 2018

What if you found yourself standing before a governmental authority who had the power to throw you in jail, punish you severely, even put you to death, just for your religious beliefs? And what if they demanded you to vocalize what it is you believe, incriminating you and possibly resulting in a severe beating, if not death. What would you do? What would you say? Would you refuse to speak up or would you tell them what they wanted to hear, in an effort to save your own skin? For most of us, this scenario is pure conjecture. It will never happen. So, we have nothing to worry about. But for millions of Christians around the world, this kind of occurrence is not only possible, it’s a part of their daily lives. They live with the constant threat of persecution and even execution for their belief in Jesus. And, as we are beginning to see, that was the case for the apostles as they began to speak up regarding their belief in Jesus. Obedience to His command to make disciples was going to cost them. Proclaiming the name of Jesus was going to result in converts, but also conflict. And in Acts 4:5-12, Luke gives us a glimpse into not-so-friendly encounter Peter and John had with the religious authorities of their day. They had been arrested and were now being forced to explain by what authority they spoke and acted. The answer they gave was vital and potentially life-threatening. But they knew they had no choice but to speak the truth, regardless of the danger.

Ep 383 – Acts 4:1-4 Jan 03, 2018

In Acts 4:1-4, Luke provides us with the ramifications of Peter’s message that day. There were those who were enraged by what they heard, and there were those who believed. Two completely opposite responses to the very same message. And as Luke continues his recounting of the early days of the church, he will come back to these two disparate responses, showing that the gospel of Jesus Christ always got a reaction, but not always a positive one. Yet, there were always those who believed in the message of the gospel. The word concerning Jesus as Savior and the work of the Spirit through His disciples always elicited a response. Sometimes it resulted in the arrest of those who preached. Other times it resulted in the salvation of those who heard. What was the difference? Why did some respond positively while others responded negatively? The animosity against the church was mounting. The religious leaders were growing increasingly more hostile. And yet, there were many who were accepting Christ as their Savior. On this one occasion, more than 5,000 became believers in Jesus Christ as their Messiah. God was at work. And not only by equipping and anointing the apostles to share, but in preparing the hearts of those who would hear and later believe. This was all the work of God, from the Spirit-inspired proclamation of the good news, to His regeneration of the hearts of those who would ultimately believe. The growth of the early church was not the result of great preaching. It was not the byproduct of persuasive men. It was the sovereign work of a loving God.

Ep 382 – Acts 3:17-26 Jan 02, 2018

In Acts 3:17-26, Luke continues his record of Peter’s address to the crowds gathered in Solomon’s Portico. Peter has placed the responsibility for the death of Jesus on the shoulders of the Jews in his audience. They had rejected and been complicit in the murder of the Righteous One of God. But now he is going to give them some great news. First of all, he’ll let them know that they had acted in ignorance. Then, he’ll assure them that God is not done with them. And he’ll refer to a coming day which he calls the times of refreshing. In spite of their unfaithfulness, God will prove faithful, doing for the people of Israel what they never could have done for themselves, and providing for them a blessing they in no way deserved. Peter longs to see his fellow Jews come to faith in Christ. He wants them to recognize that Jesus was the fulfillment of all the Old Testament prophecies and that He was the Messiah for whom they had so long waited. Jesus was the fulfillment of the covenants made with Abraham and with David. He was the chosen seed, the descendant of both men, who would bless the nations. But the people of Israel were going to have to repent, or change their minds, regarding who Jesus was and what He came to do. They were going to have to accept Him as their Messiah. But remarkably, even if they failed to do so, the day was coming when God bless them by turning them from their wickedness.

Ep 381 – Acts 3:11-16 Jan 01, 2018

Peter and John have just healed a man born lame. The crowds are amazed and perplexed by what they have just witnessed. They had just seen a miracle and it must have brought back memories of the kinds of things Jesus had done when He was still alive. The people of Israel had been amazed at His capacity to heal the sick and lame, cast out demons, and even raise the dead. In fact, just weeks prior to Jesus triumphal entry into Jerusalem, news had spread regarding His raising of Lazarus from the dead. It had happened in the nearby town of Bethany, and when Jesus had arrived in Jerusalem, He had been accompanied by Lazarus. But Jesus had died. Lazarus had returned home. But here were the disciples of Jesus performing similar miracles and preaching in the name of Jesus, even claiming that He had risen from the dead. It was too much for the Jews to handle. They are at a loss as to how to explain what they have just witnessed. So, in Acts 3:11-16, Luke records Peter’s response to their questions and concerns. For Peter, this was nothing more than the continuation of the very same works Jesus had done when He was with them. And it should have been more than enough proof that Jesus was risen from the dead. This man walked because Jesus lived. The Spirit had come because Jesus had left. And the disciples were doing the works of God, because they were filled with the Spirit of God.

Ep 38- – Acts 3:1-10 Dec 31, 2017

In verses 1-10 of Acts 3, Luke provides us with a retelling of an encounter Peter and John had with a man who had been lame since birth. While Luke seems to present this as a chance encounter, it was anything but that. This was a God-ordained appointment, providing these two apostles with an opportunity to perform a miraculous sign and validate their role as ambassadors for Christ. What we have here is a continuation of the very same work Jesus had done when He was doing His earthly ministry. He had performed signs and wonders. He had healed. He had cast out demons. And He had told the disciples that they would do the same. “I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father. You can ask for anything in my name, and I will do it, so that the Son can bring glory to the Father. Yes, ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it!” (John 14:12-14 NLT). Peter and John were going to rock this man’s world. They were going to shock and astonish the crowds gathered in the Temple grounds that day. And the miracle they performed would going to shatter any and all expectations, including those of the lame man and of the crowd who had gathered at the Temple for prayer. None of them had showed up that day expecting anything spectacular to happen. They had come to the Temple to worship God, but never expected Him to show up.

Ep 379 – Acts 2:42-47 Dec 30, 2017

What should a true, New Testament church look like? For an answer to that question, many have turned to the book of Acts. They see in Luke’s account a detailed, God-ordained agenda for the church of Jesus Christ in any and all ages. But is that what Luke was really out to provide? Was he writing a manual on church polity and ecclesiastical methodology? In Acts 2:42-47, we have some very familiar verses that some would use as proof that Luke is out to describe and prescribe that proper manifestation of the church for not only the 1st-Century, but for the 21st. But while there are some aspects of the early church that we can find helpful, we must not lose sight of Luke’s primary objective in writing this book. He opened up with the words, “In the first book, O Theophilus”, referring to the gospel that bears his name. Then he stated that in his gospel he “dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach, until the day when he was taken up, after he had given commands through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen” (Acts 1:1-2 ESV). Now, in Acts, the second half of his treatise, he is dealing with all that happened after Jesus was taken up. He is chronicling the events surrounding the coming of the Holy Spirit and the spread of the gospel. And while we can learn a great deal about the church, Luke seems much more interested that we learn about the work of God among His people through the presence and power of the Spirit.

Ep 378 – Acts 2:29-41 Dec 29, 2017

What better way to address a crowd of Jews than to quote their revered patriarch and former king, David. Which is what we have recorded in Acts 2:29-41. In his ongoing address to the crowd that had gathered as a result of the Spirit’s indwelling and the disciples speaking in foreign languages, Peter uses the words of King David to prove that Jesus was the long-awaited Messiah and that what they had just witnessed was the work of God. Crucial to Peter’s explanation of what had just happened that day was his attempt to link the events to the resurrection of Jesus. While the Romans and the Jews had seen fit to put Jesus to death, God had chosen to raise Him back to life. And Peter uses David’s psalm to prove it. This was all part of God’s divine plan and, David, acting as a prophet, had predicted Jesus’ death and His subsequent resurrection. The one they had crucified, God had crowned Lord and Christ. He was the Messiah. And He had come, but had now returned to glory. Yet, He had sent His Holy Spirit to take His place and to provide His followers with power from on high. What the crowd had seen that day was not the work of men, but the handiwork of God. And when the people heard the words of Peter, they responded, “What shall we do?” And Peter was more than happy to provide them with an answer.

Eo 377 – Acts 2:22-28 Dec 28, 2017

In Acts 2:22-28, Luke records part of Peter’s address to the crowd of Jews who had gathered as a result of the Holy Spirit’s coming and the apostles’ miraculous display of the Spirit’s power as they spoke in foreign languages. Peter took the opportunity to speak to the very people who had been complicit in the death of Jesus. It had been the Jewish citizens of Jerusalem who had rejected Pilate’s offer to release Jesus, screaming instead, “Crucify Him!” They had demanded that Pilate release to them a known and notorious criminal, Barabbas, rather than seeing Jesus set free. But Peter wants them to know that all of this had been the will of God. He states that Jesus was “delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God.” In other words, it had been God’s decision that His Son die, not theirs. That doesn’t mean they were guiltless or unworthy of God’s judgment for the role they played. It simply means that Jesus wasn’t put to death, but as He Himself stated, He “willingly gave His life as a ransom for many.” The death of Jesus was not a setback or an unexpected glitch in God’s eternal plan, but the main point and the essential outcome that God had preordained. This was the way it had always been meant to be. Jesus had to be put to death for eternal life to become possible and forgiveness of sins to become available.

Ep 376 – Acts 2:14-21 Dec 27, 2017

God is always at work, but not everyone recognizes His efforts. Some refuse to acknowledge God’s presence and power, simply writing it off or attributing it to something or someone else. That is exactly what we see going on in Acts chapter 2, in the immediate aftermath of the Spirit’s coming. The disciples, filled with the Holy Spirit, had spoken in foreign languages and communicated verbally the mighty works of God. But some in the crowd had tried to discredit what had happened, saying that it was the result of the disciples having imbibed a bit too much wine a bit too early in the day. But in verses 14-21, Peter is going to address this accusation and use the Old Testament Scriptures as proof that what had taken place that day was the work of God. And it was just the beginning. The beginning of the end. With the Holy Spirit’s arrival, the end times had begun. God was doing something new and it would all culminate one day with His Son’s second coming and the final judgment of the world and all who live in it. The Jews in the audience that day could try and discredit what they had seen by blaming it on public intoxication, but Peter was going to make it perfectly clear that the last days had come and the last thing they should want to do is miss it.

Ep 375 – Acts 2:5-13 Dec 26, 2017

When God shows up, He always makes an impact and leaves an impression. In the Old Testament, His appearance typically left people face down in the dirt, quivering in fear. When His presence was announced with smoke, thunder and lightning on Mount Sinai, the people of Israel begged Moses to speak to God, so they wouldn’t have to. They were petrified. God’s presence is powerful and palpable. It’s impossible to ignore. So, when the Spirit of God showed up at Pentecost, it was spectacular and memorable. There were flames of fire. There were Galilean disciples speaking in foreign tongues. There was the ear-splitting sound of rushing wind. And those in attendance were left bewildered, amazed and perplexed. They weren’t sure what had happened, but there was no question that something incredible had just taken place. In verses 5-13 of Acts 2, Luke records the reactions of the people as they witnessed the supernatural display of the Spirit’s indwelling presence in the disciples. They were stunned. They were left scratching their heads in wonder. Some expressed their disbelief with questions. Others tried to write off what they had seen with human explanations. But there was no denying that something incredible had just taken place.

Ep 374 – Acts 2:1-4 Dec 25, 2017

God moves in a mysterious way His wonders to perform. Contrary to popular belief, those words are not from the Bible, but are the lyrics from a hymn penned by William Cowper in 1774. But while not Scripture, they do reflect the words of Paul found in Romans 11:33: “Oh, how great are God’s riches and wisdom and knowledge! How impossible it is for us to understand his decisions and his ways!” And they certainly illustrate the unexpected and inexplicable way in which God worked on the day of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit arrived on the scene. The events described by Luke in Acts 2:1-4, are extraordinary and certainly not what the disciples had been anticipating. In fact, they had been completely in the dark as to exactly what was going to happen when the promised Holy Spirit showed up. All they had known was that Jesus had commanded them to return to Jerusalem and wait. And so, they had. What was going to happen remained a mystery to them. And, if while they waited, they happened to think back on the words of God found in the book of Isaiah, they would have realized that what was going to happen was not going to be what they expected. “My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts," says the LORD. "And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine” (Isaiah 55:8 NLT).

Acts 1:12-14 Dec 24, 2017

Jesus had told His disciples to return to Jerusalem and wait. Sounds easy enough. But think about how difficult that assignment would have been. Jerusalem had been the scene of one of the darkest days of their lives. They had seen their friend and Messiah put to death. Yes, they had been eye-witnesses to His resurrection, but He was gone again, having returned to His Father’s side in heaven. Now, they were alone once again, and to obey the command to return to Jerusalem, the scene of the crime against God’s anointed Son, was far from easy. They knew there were those in Jerusalem who hated them and held them in contempt. They were not welcome in Jerusalem. But Jesus had told them to go back, and had instructed them to watch and pray. Watching requires waiting. They were having to await the arrival of the Holy Spirit, whom Jesus promised He would send in His absence. But waiting is difficult. It requires patience. And praying isn’t exactly easy either, because it demands that we trust. Jesus didn’t tell them what to pray, but only that they should. Watching and praying are two things that require us to put our hopes in someone or something else. We must watch, but have no control over when that which we are looking for will show up. We must pray, but we have no guarantee when our requests will be answered or whether they will be answered at all. But in Acts 1:12-14, we will find the disciples faithfully watching and praying, not knowing what was going to happen, but willing to wait nonetheless.

Ep 372 – Acts 1:6-11 Dec 23, 2017

In verses 6-11 of Acts 1, Peter is going to address the Kingdom of God. The disciples of Jesus had a strong desire to see it come about. They had followed Jesus, in part, because they had heard the testimony of John the Baptist, as he preached that the Kingdom of Heaven was at hand. They had even heard Jesus preach the very same message. And they had spent more than three years of their lives following Jesus, hoping that He was going to set up His kingdom on earth and assign each of them positions of power and authority. But with Jesus’ death, all those hopes had quickly faded. Then, when He rose from the dead and appeared to them, their hopes and dreams were restored. But once again, they were to see their Messiah and friend leave them. This time, not because of death, but because He was returning to heaven. What they were going to learn was that the kingdom Jesus came to set up was of a spiritual nature, and they were citizens of it. While He returned to heaven, they were going to remain behind and continue His ministry of calling others into His heavenly kingdom through acceptance of God’s gracious gift of salvation made possible through the death and resurrection of His Son. The King had come and, one day, He was going to return. But in the meantime, the citizens of His Kingdom had work to do.

Ep 370 – Acts Introduction Dec 22, 2017

What we find recorded in the pages of the book of Acts is nothing less than miraculous, a series of events that turned the world upside down as the gospel turned sinners into saints and the Holy Spirit empowered ordinary men and women to do extraordinary things for God. And the story continues. As always, let me encourage you to read along as we work our way through this incredible book. Take time to go over the Scripture reading for each day. It will make these sessions much more memorable and applicable.

Ep 371 – Acts 1:1-5 Dec 22, 2017

In the opening lines of his book, Luke reiterates the promise made by Jesus to His disciples. He had told them that He was leaving, but He had promised to send them another comforter, the Advocate or Holy Spirit, who would indwell and empower them. And He had instructed them to return to Jerusalem and to wait for the Spirit’s arrival. Unaware of just what they were getting themselves into, the disciples would end up doing just as Jesus said. And Luke is going to provide us with a blow-by-blow, detailed account of what happened after Jesus ascended back into heaven. This chronicle of those days following the ascension of Jesus, as the disciples sat waiting for His promise to be fulfilled, is a first-person glimpse into a once-in-a-lifetime event that was going to revolutionize not only the lives of the 11 disciples He had left behind, but the world itself. The pages of this book are filled with the record of actual, historical events, but also with unbelievable and theological insightful details regarding the early church. We are about to discover our rich heritage as followers of Christ and get a much-needed reminder of who we are and the nature of the promise we have received from Jesus in the form of the Holy Spirit. Read these pages carefully, eagerly and reverently. In them you will find a timely reminder that Jesus did not leave you as an orphan, but sent His Holy Spirit to comfort, guide and empower you to do mighty acts for God.

Ep 369 – 2 Peter 2:14-18 Dec 21, 2017

As we wrap up this Devotionary on 2 Peter, we will deal with a question with which each of us as believers should wrestle. How will Jesus find you when He returns? This last portion of Peter’s second letter has addressed an issue that had come up in the churches to whom he was was writing. There were false teachers who had been propagating the idea that there would be no second coming of Christ. But Peter strongly and vehemently disagrees. He assures them that Jesus will return, and only God knows when it will happen. The apparent delay of His return was not to cause any confusion or consternation. God had everything under complete control and His timeline for these events was perfect and unchanging. The greater question for Peter was whether or not the people of God would be ready when Jesus DID return. Would they be growing in Christ-likeness? Would they be fulfilling the great commission and sharing the gospel with anyone and everyone they met? Would Jesus see them as good and faithful servants? When it comes to the return of Christ, our only concern should be whether or not we will be ready when it happens, not whether it’s going to.

Ep 368 – 2 Peter 3:8-13 Dec 20, 2017

What kind of person should you be? These days, it seems like everybody has an opinion. And if you don’t meet their expectations, they are more than happy to let you know. They may express their disappointment and disapproval in anger, rejection, shame, humiliation, or outright hostility. But in 2 Peter 3:8-13, Peter is going to point us to God, and remind us to worry about what He thinks about us and what He expects of us. False teachers were having a negative influence on the believers to whom Peter was writing, by casting dispersions on their beliefs and tempting them to doubt the validity of Christ’s second coming. But Peter warns that God was far from done. Just because things seemed to be delayed and there was no real evidence that Christ’s return was eminent, did not mean it wasn’t going to happen. And rather than worrying about when Jesus was going to return, Peter wanted his readers to concern themselves with what they would look like when He did. Would they be holy and godly? Would they be ready? They needed to leave the timing up to God, focusing their attention on their own pursuit of Christ-likeness, and sharing the gospel with all those who needed to hear it.

Ep 367 – 2 Peter 3:1-7 Dec 19, 2017

Doubt. It is an ever-present reality for all believers. And we don’t need any help with it. It comes naturally. But the enemy has always taken advantage of our natural propensity to doubt God, by sending false teachers with faulty information that gets us to question what God has promised. That’s exactly what was happening in Peter’s day. The false teachers had entered the local fellowship to whom Peter was writing and had begun raising questions about the second coming of Christ. They raised doubts about its plausibility and caused the believers to begin wondering whether it was ever going to happen at all. Well, if you remove the possibility of Christ’s return, then you end up putting all the emphasis on this life and all it has to offer. There is no future life – no true eternal life. And that is what has Peter so riled up. He will not tolerate these false teachers casting dispersions on the promises of God by raising doubts about the future return of God’s Son. And so, he goes out of his way to remind his readers that God’s Word can be trusted. We don’t judge the veracity of God’s word based on what we see, but on what He has said.

Ep 366 – 2 Peter 2:17-22 Dec 18, 2017

In 2 Peter 2:17-22, Peter provides us with some less-than-flattering descriptions of false teachers and a warning against falling prey to their persuasive words. He sees them as dangerous and to be avoided at all costs. And he pulls no punches in his searing attack on their message and methods. In a way, Peter seems to express an equal portion of anger mixed with sorrow over their state. They are self-deceived, not knowing the full impact of their actions. Because of their close association with the church, they have been exposed to the gospel message, but have refused to believe it, preaching and teaching their own version of the truth. And it their exposure to the truth regarding Jesus Christ and their rejection of it, that makes their future so bleak and sad. Peter expresses his sincere belief that it would have been far better had they never heard the gospel at all, rather than to have heard and rejected it. But more than anything else, Peter wants us to recognize them as what they are and to recognize the danger inherent in their teaching, so that we might avoid them at all costs.

Ep 365 – 2 Peter 2:10-16 Dec 17, 2017

Peter’s not done dealing with the false teachers threatening the spiritual well-being of the churches to which he was writing. This was serious stuff to Peter and he gives it the topic the weight he believes it deserves, going out of his way to describe these individuals in terms that would persuade the believers in his audience to avoid them at all costs. In 2 Peter 2:10-16, Peter will describe them as blots and blemishes, like stains on the white garments of the church of Jesus Christ. And, once again, he will turn to the Old Testament Scriptures for an illustration of just how wicked these men were. These stories would have been well-known to the Jews reading Peter’s letter, but it is unlikely that they would have connected the dots and seen the parallels between the Old Testament character, Balaam, and the false teachers who were stirring up trouble. But Peter’s point seems to be that this methodology is nothing new. It has been around a long time and is the work of Satan himself. These men are nothing more than liars, with an agenda that is selfish, not selfless. They could care less for the church or those who belong to it. Their focus was on their own well-being and their false messages were designed to pad their own wallets and reputations.

Ep 364 – 2 Peter 2:4-10 Dec 16, 2017

The life of righteousness sometimes gets a bum rap. It gets written up as some kind of Puritanistic, pietistic, religious lifestyle that is high on holiness, but devoid of any happiness. Images of glum expressions and gloomy outlooks on life tend to come to mind. But Peter warns that the life of righteousness has its rewards. We may not get to experience them in this life, but that doesn’t negate their validity or value. Remember, Peter has been addressing the issue of false teachers and their ever-present threat on the people of God. These are people who sneak their way into the body of Christ, propagating clever-sounding insights that are nothing less than outright heresy. And the temptation every believer faces is confusing what these people say with the Word of God. They are subtle and dangerously deceptive in their tactics and tend to sprinkle their falsehood with just enough truth to make what they say plausible and acceptable. But in 2 Peter 2:4-10, Peter is going to remind us that it pays to obey. And he is going to give some Old Testament examples of what happens to those who buy into the lie and those who hold to the truth about God. The lies of the enemy make all the sense in the world. But that’s the point, they only make sense IN this world. They can’t hold up to the future judgement of God and the world to come. But God’s Word is everlasting. The righteous hold on to it, and place their faith in it.

Ep 363 – 2 Peter 2:1-3 Dec 15, 2017

False teachers. It almost sounds like an oxymoron. Those two words just don’t seem to go together. Teachers should be known for telling the truth. After all, their job is to educate and to disseminate information. Why would a teacher want to pass on falsehood? Well, the easy answer is: Because it fits their personal agenda. Teachers have been guilty of spreading lies for years. Not all teachers, but enough of them to make a difference. These kinds of teachers twist the truth and play with the facts in order to pass on their particular view of things. This is true in history, science, literature, and even religion. And it’s not a new phenomena. It’s been going on for generations. Even Peter had to deal with false teachers and the flawed content coming out of their mouths. In 2 Peter 2, verses 1-3, Peter is going to begin a diatribe against any and all who attempt to deceive the people of God with clever-sounding, ear-tickling truth claims that are nothing more than the lies of the enemy disguised with piety and religious rhetoric. These people are appealing, because what they have to say sounds so good. They tell people what they want to hear, rather than saying what God wants said. Truth becomes subjective and the words of men take precedence over the Word of God. But Peter warns that these people are dangerous and to be avoided at all costs. And they stand condemned before God.

Ep 362 – 2 Peter 1:16-21 Dec 14, 2017

Was Peter worth listening to? Was his message valid and the words he spoke worthy of his audiences’ attention? Peter is not above falling back on his credentials as a disciple of Jesus and supporting his credibility with proof of his one-of-a-kind relationship with the Messiah. In 2 Peter 1:16-21, he reminds those to whom he is writing that he was an intimate follower of Jesus, having spent more than three years in His presence as a disciple. Not only that, he had been privileged to be counted part of Jesus’ inner circle. And one day, he, James and John, had been invited by Jesus to join Him on a mountaintop where something incredible took place: The transfiguration of Jesus and the appearances of Moses and Elijah. Not only that, Peter and his companions had heard the audible voice of God, saying, “This is my dearly loved Son. Listen to Him.” Jesus had been transfigured right before their eyes and God had spoken to them – out loud. This once-in-a-lifetime experience had left the disciples stunned and convinced them that Jesus was exactly who He claimed to be – the Son of God and the Savior of the world. And God confirmed for Peter, James and John, that every word that came out of Jesus’ mouth was worth listening to. And Peter reminds his audience that what he and the disciples were sharing was nothing more than the teachings of Jesus. They said what they heard Him say. They taught what He had taught them. They spoke of the Kingdom, just as He had. And the Father still expected the words of His Son to be heard and heeded.

Ep 361 – 2 Peter 1:12-15 Dec 13, 2017

Nobody likes to be reminded. But sometimes, that’s exactly what we need. Which is why, in 2 Peter 1:12-15, we find Peter telling his audience that they can expect to hear him repeatedly remind them of their need to add to their faith the character qualities of Christ. Peter knew they would either forget or simply fail to do what he was calling them to do. Life would get busy. Difficulties would distract them. Paying the bills and trying to survive life in a fallen world would take precedence. And before they knew it, they would be adding everything but virtue, knowledge, self-control, steadfastness, godliness, brotherly affection, and love to their faith. Because the reality is, if we’re not adding these qualities, we’ll be substituting them with something else. So, Peter made it his life-long objective to remind his fellow believers of their God-given responsibility to grow in spiritual maturity by making every effort to add to their faith these essential qualities of Christ Himself. Peter knew his days were numbered. He would not live forever, but while he still had breath, he would be admonishing, encouraging and faithfully reminding.

Ep 360 – 2 Peter 1:8-11 Dec 12, 2017

In verses 8-11 of 2 Peter 1, Peter continues his discussion of the Christ-like qualities that should be a part of every believer’s life. But they don’t just happen. We have to make every effort, Peter says, that they are added to our faith. And they should be increasing each and every day that we live on this planet. For Peter, this is all about our effectiveness as believers. These character qualities or attributes are not just window-dressing to make our spiritual lives look better on the outside. They are essential ingredients to living lives of spiritual maturity and gospel integrity. In fact, Peter says that if we practice these qualities, we will never fail. That’s quite a promise. But it’s based on the Word of God and the presence of the Spirit of God in the life of each and every believer. We have what we need to see that these qualities are added to our faith and that they increase over time. So, in essence, we become increasingly more like Christ the longer we live on this planet, in spite of an enemy who hates us and is out to destroy us. For Peter, the bottom line was that our belief in Christ should be evident in the way our behavior mirrored that of Christ.

Ep 359 – 2 Peter 1:5-7 Dec 11, 2017

In verses 5-7 of 2 Peter 1, Peter is going to provide us with a list of seven characteristics that we are to add to our faith. Think of them as spiritual supplements or divine vitamins designed to improve our spiritual health and increase the stamina of our faith as we live in this world. They are all characteristics of Christ. And they are all non-negotiable. In other words, we don’t get to look at the list and pick the ones we find attractive or easy to emulate. Each is essential to our walk. They each have a different purpose and application for life. And we have a part to play in seeing that they added to our faith. As Peter puts it, we are to make every effort. It’s not that we produce these characteristics in our own strength, but that we see them as valuable and long to work alongside the Spirit in order that they become increasingly more a normal part of our lives. Expressing belief in Christ, but failing to live like Him is unacceptable for the believer. Claiming to be a son or daughter of God, but lacking the outward evidence that proves our new status as His children leaves the lost world confused and the integrity of the gospel suspect. So, we are to supplement our faith with the character of Christ.

Ep 358 – 2 Peter 1:1-4 Dec 10, 2017

Today, we transition into 2 Peter, yet another letter written by the apostle to various congregations located throughout the Roman Empire. As before, this is going to be a letter of encouragement, calling on the believers to whom he is writing, to live as who they are: Son and daughters of God. In these opening verses, Peter will let them know that they have all they need to live godly lives, because of what Jesus had done for them. They are fully capable of becoming “partakers of the divine nature”, as he puts it. Or, to put it another way, they have all that they need to become like Christ. And Peter, as he did in his first letter, is going to call them to live as who they are. He seems to know that his days are numbered and that he has a limited amount of time to poor into these believers scattered throughout Asia Minor. He is going to do all he can in the time that he has left, to encourage any and all believers to live in keeping with their calling as sons and daughters of God. They have been imputed the righteousness of Christ, placed into the body of Christ, indwelt with the Spirit of God, and assured by the unwavering promises of God. They had all they needed, and Peter expected them to live like it.

Ep 357 – 1 Peter 5:8-14 Dec 09, 2017

As Peter wraps up his first letter, he will stress our need to stand firm as we await the coming of the Lord. We must live on this earth, eagerly anticipating the return of Christ, but fully aware that the days will be difficult because we live in a world that hates us and face an enemy who is determined to destroy us. But we are not alone. And we have no reason to worry about the final outcome of our lives or that of the world. God is in control. He holds our future and that of the world securely in His powerful hands. So, in the meantime, Peter calls us to resist the enemy. Not in our own strength, but in the strength of the Lord. We are to remember who we are and who has called us to be His children. We belong to God. We are citizens of His Kingdom and heirs of all that belongs to Him as God. We know how the story ends, so there is no reason for us to worry or fret over the outcome. We know our eternity is secure, so we have no cause to panic in the face of opposition in this life. As Paul so aptly put it: “No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.” So, we should resist like it, because we have nothing to fear.

Ep 356 – 1 Peter 5:1-7 Dec 08, 2017

In chapter five of 1 Peter, we are going to find the apostle giving some serious words of direction to the elders within the churches to whom he is writing. He is not addressing those with grey hair or a significant number of years behind them. He is talking to the shepherds or overseers of the church. These were men who had been appointed to provide spiritual direction to the various local fellowships that made up the body of Christ in that day. These men were leaders, but they were to be a different kind of leader. They were not to see themselves as autocrats or dictators, demanding unquestioned allegiance from their congregations. No, they were to be servants. Their lives and ministries were to reflect the nature of Christ Himself, who came to serve, not be served. But godly leadership not only requires a heart of service, it demands humility. No one is truly qualified to lead. There is no one who deserves to be a leader over God’s people. His right to lead comes from God. His power to lead comes from the Spirit of God. His model for leadership comes from the Son of God. And with all that in mind, Peter calls on these men to shepherd like it.

Ep 355 – 1 Peter 4:12-19 Dec 07, 2017

Rejoice in suffering. We know it’s a command found in Scripture, but that doesn’t make it any less difficult to grasp or pull off. In 1 Peter 4:12-19, Peter is going to give us a fairly blunt command to “rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings. And James, the half-brother of Jesus, wrote virtually the same thing in the book that bears his name. “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds.” Both of these men sound like their elevators don’t go all the way to the top. How in the world are we supposed to find joy in the midst of trials and rejoice because we get to suffer for the sake of Christ? For both Peter and James, the issue is one of outcome. As Christians, our suffering has a divine purpose. It is intended by God to purify and perfect us, like extreme heat refines precious metals. Neither one of these men is telling us to like trials. But they want us to realize that trials are a normal and expected part of life as a believer. In the hands of God, they are tools He uses to make us increasingly more like His own Son. So, when we find ourselves facing trials and tests in this life, rather than whine and complain, Peter encourages us to see them as opportunities to have our lives purified and our dependence upon God intensified. We are being perfected by Him and, therefore, we should rejoice like it.

Ep 354 – 1 Peter 4:7-11 Dec 06, 2017

Good service. We all love it, when we’re the recipients of it. But in the Kingdom of God, service is to be other-oriented, not me-centered. As followers of Christ, it’s no longer about us. Our lives exist for God’s glory and for the good of those around us. In 1 Peter 4:7-11, Peter is going to provide us with a primer on service. First of all, he is going to instruct us to live with a short-term, goal-line mentality, fully expecting the return of the Lord at any time. And while we wait, we are to focus our attention on the needs of others. None of this what’s-in-it-for-me stuff. God has equipped us with gifts, not to lavish them on ourselves, but to build up the body of Christ. We are to steward what God has so graciously given us, so that we might serve as His Son did: selflessly and sacrificially. Life on this planet can be hard. There will be days of difficulty and moments of strife and turmoil. We will find ourselves the objects of persecution and facing rejection by this world. But while we’re here, we are to live with our eyes on the needs of others, recognizing that the days are short and the mandate we have been given by Christ to spread the gospel and share His love with a lost and dying world is our first and only priority. We are children of God, and we should serve like it.

Ep 353 – 1 Peter 4:1-6 Dec 05, 2017

Are you prepared to live the life Christ died to provide? Are you ready to follow in His footsteps and to emulate His example? In 1 Peter 4:1-6, Peter is going to provide us with some strong words of encouragement and incentive to live in a dramatically different manner than we did before we knew Christ. As Peter has pointed out repeatedly in this letter, part of our new life will entail suffering. But rather than seeing suffering as an unnecessary burden or an unexpected setback to our new life in Christ, we are to see it as part of the process of sanctification that God has planned for us. Part of the reason behind our suffering will be because our lost friends will not understand why we do the things we do, and they will attack us. Our new lives in Christ will convict them, because we are no longer willing to go along with their sinful lifestyles or to condone their actions with our mutual participation. When, with the help of the Spirit of God, we stop sinning like we did before, our friends will not understand us. In fact, they won’t like us or tolerate us. But we are to continue to live like Christ so that others might come to know Christ.

Ep 352 – 1 Peter 3:18-22 Dec 04, 2017

Peter is calling his readers to live out their newfound life in Christ in tangible, practical ways. They are to live godly lives, not to earn salvation, but as a result of the salvation provided for them by Jesus Christ. They are to live in the power of the Spirit, given to them by God and intended to transform their lives in radical ways. But while living for Christ, we are also to follow His example, and be willing to die as He did. The fact that Jesus came to earth and took on human flesh is important, but it is incomplete if we leave out His death and resurrection. So, in 1 Peter 3:18-22, Peter is going to remind us that Jesus came to die. That was His mission. It was not a detour or an unexpected ending to His original plan. It was the plan all along. And it is the death, burial and resurrection of Christ that gives the gospel its significance. The resurrection is the key. Without it, we are without hope, as Paul says. Without it, Jesus died in vain. But the resurrection of Christ is a resounding message of victory over sin and death. It proves that Jesus was who He claimed to be: The Son of God and the Savior of the world. And His resurrection is the basis of the hope of our future glorification. Because He lives, so shall we.

Ep 351 – 1 Peter 3:13-17 Dec 03, 2017

Hope. It seems to be in short supply these days. We live at a time when the darkness around us seems to be deepening and the light of the gospel of Jesus Christ appears to be diminishing in strength. But Peter would encourage us to have hope. In 1 Peter 3:13-17, he reminds us of the hope that we have within us as followers of Jesus Christ. We have been chosen by God and made members of His family. And that new relationship with Him comes with the guarantee of an eternity that has been secured for us in heaven. All because of what Jesus accomplished for us on the cross. We live in this world with hope, even in the midst of all the darkness. We live our lives in eager anticipation of Christ’s eminent return. We count on it. And it is the promise of His return and the hope of our eternal destiny that allow us to endure all this world has to throw at us. But when we do good and find ourselves suffering because of it, Peter tells us we need to be ready to share with all those around us just why we are willing to put up with trials and troubles in this life. It’s because we have hope of eternal life. Peter wants us to defend our actions; not with rhetoric, clever arguments, or well-reasoned polemics, but with an explanation of the hope of the gospel. Our willingness to suffer for doing good only makes sense when seen through the lens of the gospel.

Ep 350 – 1 Peter 3:8-12 Dec 02, 2017

In 1 Peter 3:8-12, Peter begins to wrap up his thoughts regarding the believer’s behavior toward the various relationships in their life. He has been specific, now he gets a bit more generic, calling all believers to bless one another. But what does that even mean? Is it as simple as saying, “Bless you” to someone else? Probably not. While there is certainly nothing wrong with those two words, Peter’s point seems to be focused on the heart behind the words. While we can use our tongues to say good things to or about others, we can also use them to curse. But just because we choose NOT to curse doesn’t make us godly. And neither does saying good things. The real issue Peter is dealing with is the condition of our heart. Do we really love others? When we express love for them, is it coming from within or are our words a sham, a righteous-sounding, reputation-building attempt to come across as Christ-like? If we have been chosen by God, adopted into His family, made heirs of His Kingdom, appointed as priests, and filled with His Spirit, do we live like it? If the answer is yes, then do we bless like it? Peter flatly states that we were called that we might bless and be a blessing. And one of the primary ways we do this is through the use of our words.

Ep 349 – 1 Peter 3:7 Dec 01, 2017

So, what about husbands? Peter has had quite a bit to say to wives, and now he takes on the married men in his audience, but he packs it into one short paragraph, found in 1 Peter 3:7. And while he won’t have anything to say about how husbands dress or what they do with their hair, he will demand that they treat their wives with honor. They are not to lord it over their wives, which was a common problem in that day and age. Women were not held in high esteem and, in most cases, a wife was expected to accept whatever religious faith her husband held. She didn’t get a choice. And as with his input to wives, Peter is going to address the God-ordained treatment Christian men were to show to their wives, whether they were believers or not. Just like what he had to say to slaves and wives, Peter is most interested in godly behavior, that kind of conduct that reflects a right relationship with God, made possible through faith in Christ. A Christian husband was to honor his wife. He was to view her as a gift from God, a fellow heir of the grace of life. Unlike the pagans within the culture, Christian men were to treat their wives with dignity and to make them a high priority in their lives. They were not to be seen as property or second-class citizens. If a man truly had a new nature, by virtue of his faith in Christ, Peter expected to honor like it.

Ep 348 – 1 Peter 3:1-6 Nov 30, 2017

There’s not a pastor alive, who is in his right mind, who wants to take on the topic of women’s clothing or how they dress. It is a mine field littered with devastatingly dangerous traps that could spell disaster for even the most well-meaning pastor. But in the opening verses of 1 Peter 3, Peter is going to voluntarily run right into mine-infested territory willingly giving advice on women’s hair, clothing and jewelry. And, as if that wasn’t enough, he’s going to call them to submit to their husbands – even if their husband is an unbeliever. Is Peter nuts? Has he lost his mind? Or is he some kind of chauvinistic, gender-biased bigot who has it out for women? We have to keep in mind that Peter has just finished talking to believing slaves, those who had come to faith in Christ, but still found themselves living in the same miserable conditions they were in before salvation. And the women to whom Peter was writing we in a similar situation, many of them having come to faith in Christ, apart from their husbands. This was a cultural taboo in Peter’s day. Women were expected to practice the faith of their husbands. They were not allowed to have their own opinion about religious matters. But Peter is calling these women, who had become believers, to live out their newfound faith in such a way that they would be visible, tangible witnesses to their unbelieving spouses. For Peter, it was about a change in behavior based on a change in their standing before God.

Ep 347 – 1 Peter 2:18-25 Nov 29, 2017

Nobody in their right mind likes to suffer. Normal people don’t wake up in the morning hoping that their day is full of pain, suffering and trials. But as Peter continues to elaborate on the Christian life, he is going to stress the undeniable and inescapable reality of suffering. In verses 18-25 of 1 Peter 2, he is going to drive home the point that all believers, no matter their station in life, can expect to suffer as Jesus did, because they have been made a part of His body, the church. And the church, then, as now, was made up of all kinds of people from all walks of life. And in these verses, Peter is going to address a particular group of individuals who knew first-hand what suffering was like because it was a regular part of their daily lives. Believe it or not, the early church had a good percentage of slaves or household servants who had come to faith. Some of them even attended the same churches as their masters. While these individuals had come to know freedom from sin because of their relationship with Christ, they still found themselves literal slaves to real masters, who still viewed them as little more than property. One of the things that will jump out at us as 21st-Century Christians living in the United States, is that Peter has no moral indictments to level against the institution of slavery. But he had much to say about slaves living out their newfound faith right where they were. He’s going to remind them that they were sons and daughters of God and, as a result, they should be willing to suffer like it.

Ep 346 – 1 Peter 2:13-17 Nov 28, 2017

What is the Christian’s relationship to earthly governments to look like? That is what Peter brings up in verses 13-17 of 1 Peter 2. And what he has to say may be a bit surprising to some of us. I’ve entitled this episode, “Submit Like It” because Peter is going to continue his call for believers to live out their newfound status as sons and daughters of God by living lives that are set apart from the rest of the world. Our behavior is to reflect our identity as the chosen people of God, royal priests, and as members of a holy nation. We are exiles here, but we still have to get along with the rest of the world and live according to the rules and regulations established by earthly rulers and governments. Peter is going to make it perfectly clear that, as Christians, we are not free to live as we choose or to use our citizenship in heaven to declare our independence from any form of earthly rule. No, he tells us to submit to every human institution, for the Lord’s sake. And it is important to note that the audience that received Peter’s original letter would have been living under extreme conditions, submitting to the Roman Empire with all its oppressive taxes and harsh regulatory practices. Just because they were free in Christ did not mean they were free to reject the government God had placed in authority over them. Their actions and attitudes were to be Christ-like and honoring at all times.

Ep 345 – 1 Peter 2:9-12 Nov 27, 2017

If we are children of God, shouldn’t we behave like it? Peter seems to think so. In 1 Peter 2:9-12, we will hear Peter reminding his readers that they have a remarkable new identity in Christ Because of their faith in Christ, they have been changed and given new responsibilities within the Kingdom of God. They have been hand-picked by God, made His priests, set apart as His people and given the responsibility of proclaiming the greatness of the One who called them out of darkness into his marvelous light. What Peter has in mind here is a change in behavior. Their status before God has changed, because they have been declared righteous by Him because of the sacrificial death of His own Son. Now, they were to live like who there were. But the danger they faced was one that is common to all believers: To fail to recognize their new identity and to fall back into the the familiar patterns of their life before Christ. So, Peter is going to go out of his way to ensure that they understand exactly who they are and how that should impact their daily lives. Living like a Christian won’t be easy. Not everyone will appreciate the change that has taken place in our lives. But when we live like who we are, the world can’t ignore it. And some will be attracted to Christ because of it.

Ep 344 – 1 Peter 2:4-8 Nov 26, 2017

In today’s episode, entitled, “Build Like It”, Peter is going to use a construction metaphor to get across his point that our lives are to exhibit a transformation. We are part of a master building plan designed by God Himself. We are not just individual works in process, we are parts of a greater whole, a spiritual house. And Jesus is to be the foundation upon which we rest and find our stability. As we dig into 1 Peter 2:4-8, we’ll see that Peter has a community concept in mind. The Christian life is not to be a solo-sport or an individualized pursuit. We are in this together and are being built up in conjunction with every other believer. And our common ground is our faith in Jesus Christ. He is the cornerstone, as Peter puts it. But for many, this stone that was to bring stability and structure, ends up being a stone of stumbling. Rather than resting on Him, they trip over Him. Instead of seeing Him as Savior, they view Him as someone or something to be avoided at all costs. But we are not to live like that. We are to see Jesus as foundational to our lives and essential to the health of the church. He is what holds us together and gives our lives meaning. Without Christ, we have no solid ground. We become like a house built on sand.

Ep 343 – 1 Peter 2:1-3 Nov 25, 2017

You’re probably familiar with the phrase, “Dress for success.” Well, in 1 Peter 2:1-3, we are going to learn Peter’s definition of what the successful Christian wears. But first, he’s going to tell us what is inappropriate attire for the believer. That’s why I’ve entitled this episode, “Dress Like It.” As children of God, we should appear as what we are. That means there are certain characteristics that are not acceptable and should be avoided at all costs. In essence, it’s like saying, “I wouldn’t get caught dead wearing something like that!” Just as there are certain kinds of clothing that are age-inappropriate or improper for certain situations, there are certain outward character qualities that are not faith-appropriate. They no longer go with who we are in Christ. You don’t wear heavy sweaters or a wool coat in summer. You don’t put on sandals to shovel snow in the middle of winter. And you don’t put on things like malice, deceit, slander and envy if you call yourself a Christ-follower. It is one thing to call yourself a Christ. It is another to live like one. And as Peter will emphasize throughout this letter, our behavior should be a true reflection of our beliefs. What we say we believe should show up in the way we act, think, speak, and live out our faith in this world.

Ep 342 – 1 Peter 1:22-25 Nov 24, 2017

If we are truly children of God, then we should not only live like it, we should love like it. Our lives should reflect the reality of our new nature and emulate the love that God has shown to us. That’s what Peter is going to address in 1 Peter 1:22-25. In this episode, called “Love Like It”, we’re going to see how Peter describes this selfless, sacrificial love for others. The love of God should not stop on us, but flow through us. We have been loved by God, so we should share that love with others. In essence, we become conduits of God’s love, allowing His mercy, grace, goodness and kindness to pour through us and overflow from us onto our brothers and sisters in Christ. The kind of love Peter describes in these verses isn’t of this world. It is supernatural and Spirit-produced. We can’t manufacture it or muster it up by sheer force of will. It is only as we recognize and learn to appreciate the degree of God’s love for us, that we even remotely begin to have the capacity to love others. Anyone who does not fully grasp God’s love will have a difficult time giving it away to others. But sincere brotherly love is to be a byproduct of having had our souls purified as a result of our salvation. We are new creations and, as a result, we have a new ability to love that wasn’t there before.

Ep 341 – 1 Peter 1:17-21 Nov 23, 2017

In today’s episode, based on 1 Peter 1:17-21, Peter begins to call his readers to a radically new lifestyle that measures up to their newfound status as God’s chosen ones. God had set them apart and called them to a life of holiness. This was not just some verbal designation, but was to be an everyday reality of their new life in Christ. They were now sons and daughters of Christ and they were expected to live like it. Gone were the old days of slavery to sin and lives marked by an inability to live righteous and upright lives. The life of holiness was not an option, but an expectation for any and all believers. Jesus died so that we might live. But He didn’t provide us with life so that we could do what we want to do or behave in whatever manner we like. Christ died so that we might see our old way of life put to death. It’s hold on us was broken by His sacrificial death on the cross. He atoned for our transgressions. He paid our debt. He settled our spiritual deficit and credited His righteousness to our account. As a result, we are to live differently. Our old way of life was crucified with Him on the cross. It no longer controls us. Our sin nature, while not completely dead, is no longer our master. Which is why Peter drives home the idea that our behavior should complement our belief. Our status as God’s children should be visible and readily believable, by the way we conduct ourselves in this life.

Ep 340 – 1 Pheter 1:13-16 Nov 22, 2017

Why am I here? That is a question every human has asked at some point in his or her life. It is a matter of identity and speaks to our innate desire for purpose and meaning in life. In 1 Peter 1:13-16, Peter is going to begin to address the answer to this question, at least when it comes to those who have placed their faith in Jesus. I have entitled this episode, “Therefore…” because that is the word Peter uses to begin this section. The first 12 verses of this chapter have been a set-up for what is to come. And what is to come is Peter’s strong encouragement for the believers in his audience to take their new life in Christ seriously. In fact, he is going to call them to a life of holiness, and not some brand of low-grade, man-defined kind of holiness either. Peter will challenge us be holy like God is holy. And that high standard, while intimidating, is not impossible. It’s going to take effort, but God has not left us alone. He is not expecting us to pull off holiness with nothing more than our sin-hampered humanity. He has not only called us, He has equipped us with all we will need to live godly lives. But it will still require effort on our part. We don’t get a free pass or a seat on the bench while the rest of the team scores all the points and wins the game. We’ve got a job to do, but the good news is that we don’t have to do it alone or in our own strength.

Ep 339 – 1 Peter 1:3-12 Nov 21, 2017

In today’s episode, we’ll in verses 3-12 of 1 Peter 1. In this section, Peter spends some significant time talking about God Himself, the very one who chose the ones to whom Peter is writing. He wants them understand the incredible worthiness of God. He is sovereign over everything and everyone, and it was He who had made possible their salvation. Peter owed his apostleship to God. They owed their salvation to God. But how easy it is for us to forget the unprecedented role that God has played in our salvation and the redemption of mankind. We can take God for granted and begin to think our salvation was somehow our decision. But Peter won’t let us go there. He refuses to allow us to treat God flippantly or to see His gift of grace through Jesus Christ as somehow our doing. No, Peter will go out of his way to make sure his readers understand that they did not deserve to be chosen by God. They had not earned His good graces or merited His favor. He had chosen them in spite of them, not because of them. And while they may be enduring some trials and tribulations in this life, they had no business turning their back on God just because it had gotten a little hot in the kitchen. Their having been chosen by God was a privilege, not a right. It was a blessing from God that should result in their grateful willingness to bless Him in return.

Ep 337 – 1 Peter Introduction Nov 20, 2017

Today begins a new series on 1 Peter. It's going to be an eye-opening and encouraging look at our status as God's children and the way our newfound relationship with God should impact the way we live our lives.

Ep 338 – 1 Peter 1:1-2 Nov 20, 2017

Today’s episode is entitled, Chosen By God, and covers 1 Peter 1, verses 1-2. This is basically Peter’s introduction to his letter. It contains his greeting to the believers in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia. He calls them elect exiles, which is a title he will spend much of his letter unpacking and applying to their lives. But in this episode, we want to take a closer look at Peter, one of the original disciples of Jesus and an early apostle of the Christian church. He was a type-A personality with a quick temper and a tongue that tended to engage before his brain did. He was always quick to speak and not so quick to listen. He was impulsive and reactionary. And yet, Jesus chose him and would use him in incredible ways. This seemingly unqualified and uneducated fisherman was going to be used by God to spread the good news of Jesus Christ around the world. And Peter was going to take his role as an ambassador for Christ seriously. Which is what led him to write this letter. He had a passion for helping other believers comprehend the radical nature of their newfound union with Christ and the unbelievable reality of their restored relationship with God. This letter is going to challenge his readers, and us, to live like who we are: Children of God, chosen by Him and placed within His family. We are to reflect His nature and rejoice in the wonder of our status as a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession.

Ep 336 – John 21 Nov 19, 2017

There’s nothing uglier than jealousy in ministry. When two individuals who claim to be serving and following Christ begin to question why the other seems to be getting an easier path to walk or more acclaim for their efforts, it is not a pretty picture. And in the final chapter of John, chapter 21, we get a not-so-pretty look at Peter and his response to some not-so-great news from Jesus regarding how his life was going to turn out. But upon hearing this news from Jesus, Peter immediately turns his attention to John. He wants to know how HIS life is going to turn out. Peter is feeling slighted, as if he has been selected for some kind of punishment for his past sins. But Jesus will give Peter a fairly blunt response and refuse to answer his questions. All Peter needed to know is what was in store for him. Nothing else mattered. This wasn’t a competition. Peter didn’t need to compare his life with John’s or anyone else’s for that matter. But that’s what we’re prone to do. We can’t seem to help comparing our circumstances with those around us. We look at other believers and wonder why they’re more blessed than we are. We question why they seem to get all the breaks. But Jesus would simply say, “What is that to you?” Our job is to follow Him, not question Him. Our task is to keep our eyes on Him, not on those around us.

Ep 335 – John 20 Nov 18, 2017

Darkness, disillusionment, despair. We’ve all found ourselves in those moments where doubt and deep disappointment set in. Things didn’t turn out like we expected. The circumstances of life turned out for the worse, not the better. And in those moments, we can find ourselves questioning God and wondering about His goodness. That’s what happened to the disciples of Jesus and its recorded in the 20th chapter of the gospel of John. They had been forced to watch their friend, rabbi and supposed Messiah, die an excruciating death on a Roman cross. It had been hideous to watch. It had been painful to face the reality that their hopes for the future had just died along with Jesus. He was gone. They were done. Now, it was back to their old lives and the sad reality that nothing was going to change. All their hopes had been dashed. All their plans for the future had been buried in a borrowed tomb along with the dead carpenter from Nazareth. But they were in for a big surprise. They were about to receive a shock to the system that would be like nothing they had ever experienced before. Jesus was not dead. The tomb was empty and the Messiah was alive and well. And they were about to meet Him face-to-face. He had told them this would happen, but they had failed to believe. Now, they were going to receive the proof they needed to turn them into the disciples He had always intended.

Ep 334 – John 18 Nov 17, 2017

As we near the end of John’s gospel, we arrive at the climax of the life of Jesus. This section of the gospel brings us to the primary reason for Jesus’ incarnation. It provides us with the purpose of His coming to earth in the first place: His death. Jesus came to offer His life a sacrifice for many. He was the substitute, chosen by God, to stand in the place of sinful men and women, bearing the brunt of God’s wrath against sin, in order that God might extend mercy, grace and forgiveness to those who could find it no other way. During His trial before Pilate, he was mocked, beaten and portrayed before the people as nothing more than a broken down, weak, and bloodied shell of a man. He was unrecognizable by those who knew Him. He was certainly no threat to the Roman Empire, so Pilate could not understand why the Jews would not agree with him and see Jesus as without fault. Pilate would have preferred to set Jesus free, but the people would have nothing to do with it. There were other forces at work that day, of which Pilate was oblivious. There were spiritual forces operating behind the scenes. This was a cosmic battle of epic proportions. Satan was the driving force behind the efforts of the Jewish leadership to have Jesus eliminated. They truly thought that with Jesus’ death, this whole thing would blow over. But what Satan and the Jews failed to recognize was that this was God’s divine plan. The crucifixion of Jesus was not an example of wickedness winning, but of God implementing His divinely ordained plan of redemption.

Ep 333 – John 18 Nov 16, 2017

As Americans, we don’t know a whole lot about kings. Most of what we know we, we got from books or the movies. The United States has never had a king. Prior to the American Revolution, when we were still part of the British Empire, we were ruled by a king, but it has been over 250 years since the American colonies were subject to the reign of a sovereign ruler with unparalleled power and authority. So, when we read about Jesus being King, it is a bit more difficult for us to relate to just exactly what that title designates. But for those in Jesus’ day, talk of kings and kingdoms was a part of everyday life. Kings were a normal part of the culture. And their kingdoms were a reflection of their power and the extent of their sovereign reach. The Jews in 1st-Century Judea, were looking for a king, and had been for some time. They had been told by their fathers and grandfathers that a Messiah or ruler was going to come. He would be a descendant of King David and would rule on David’s throne, reestablishing the Davidic dynasty and returning Israel to a place of power and prominence in the world. But Jesus, the descendant of David, came to be a different kind of King with a different kind of Kingdom. And while there is a day coming when Jesus will rule and reign from Jerusalem, His current kingdom is of a spiritual nature, and its citizens are those who have submitted to His lordship over their lives, and patiently await His return.

Ep 332 – John 17 Nov 15, 2017

Have you ever stopped to really consider what Jesus has done for you? I am sure there have been moments when you have taken time to reflect upon the amazing gift you have received because of His sacrificial death on the cross on your behalf. But if you are like me, sometimes we allow that gift to become common place and our attitude toward it a bit too pedestrian. We are so familiar with it, that we are no longer impressed by it. But we should be. And in John 17, we get to peak in on a very intimate moment between Jesus and His heavenly Father as He prays just hours before His arrest, trials and crucifixion. Yes, Jesus prays for Himself, asking that God might consider letting this terrible trial pass Him by. But He quickly submits to His Father’s will and places God’s plan for His life over His own. But Jesus spends far more time praying for us. That is the truly amazing thing about this prayer. And He prays for our spiritual well-being and future sanctification. He dedicates us to God. Even before we came to faith in Christ, Jesus was lifting us up and asking the Father to unify us with them and with one another. He knew that His death was going to satisfy the just demands of a holy righteous God, and that His sacrifice was going to make it possible for us to be made right with His Father. We have been set apart by Christ for God.

Ep 331 – John 16 Nov 14, 2017

Are you an overcomer? Do you see yourself as victorious over the enemy and as already being on the winning side of the spiritual battles of life? For Jesus, it was essential that His disciples understand that the coming days were going to get rough, but that they had no reason for concern. He was going to conquer sin and death by sacrificing His life on the cross. He was going to be raised from the dead through the life-giving power of the Holy Spirit. And He would ascend back to heaven and send that same Holy Spirit to indwell them. His victory would be their victory. His defeat of sin and death would be theirs to share. In John 16, Jesus provides His disciples, and that includes us, with reassuring words concerning His battle with the flesh, Satan and the world. He has overcome them all. He has fought the battle and won the victory. But that doesn’t mean there won’t be days of trouble and difficulty in this life. The enemy is defeated, but not dead. He is conquered, but not yet captive. He still walks the earth like a roaring lion, seeking new prey to devour. He is the most deadly kind of enemy, one that has been mortally wounded but has enough life remaining to inflict some serious wounds on the unprepared. So, we are to have peace because of Christ’s victory, but we should never be complacent.

Ep 33- – John 15 Nov 13, 2017

In John 15, we have one of those very familiar verses that seem to promise us no-questions-asked access to God’s divine storehouse of goods and services. Jesus says that we can ask whatever we wish and expect to get it. But is He talking about carte blanche access before God to get whatever it is we want from Him? Sadly, that is the way some people interpret this verse. But to get there, they have to take it out of its context. They choose to ignore the other verses surrounding it that provide a clearer understanding of what it is that Jesus is really saying. Let’s face it, we all have a lot of wishes. There are so many things we think we need or deserve to have. But is Jesus telling us we can take our wish list of hopes, desires, lusts and longings before the throne of God and expect Him to deliver the goods? I don’t think so. As we will see, there is more here than getting what we think we want. It is really about us getting what God wants and what He wants is the exact same thing we should desire or wish for. Jesus will talk a lot about abiding in this chapter, and part of abiding or remaining in Him will be that our lives produce what He desires. We become conduits of His grace and goodness. Our lives become dispensers of His love, grace, and mercy to others. It is not about getting, but giving.

Ep 329 – John 14 Nov 12, 2017

Do you consider yourself a loving person? Most of us do. Maybe, not all of the time, but overall, we would probably think of ourselves as loving. But we are about to discover that Jesus raised the bar on our definition of love. It was He who said, “There is no greater love than to lay down one's life for one's friends” (john 15:13 NLT). Now, let me ask you again, do you consider yourself a loving person? You see, Jesus has provided us with a criteria for true love that goes far beyond what this world considers the standard for love. And He didn’t just talk about it, He demonstrated it with His own life. Jesus showed love for the Father by laying down His life in obedience to the Father’s will. He also showed love for us by sacrificing His life so that we might be freed from slavery to sin and enjoy eternal life, and a restored relationship with God the Father. True love requires sacrifice. It is selfless, not self-serving. God gave up His own Son. Jesus gave up His own life. But for many of us, as soon as love starts costing us more than we bargained for, we begin to have second thoughts. We start to panic. And too often, we bail on the very ones we claim to love. But in John 14, we are going to see Jesus love to death. No running. No quitting. No attempts at self-preservation. Just selfless, sacrificial love.

Ep 328 – John 13 Nov 11, 2017

How do you bring glory to God? Is it through your worship on Sunday mornings or the time you spend in the Word during the week? The answer would certainly be, “Yes.” But are there other times and ways to give God glory? And are they always associated with those moments in time when we are doing well and our God appears to be nothing but good? The Bible would seem to indicate that God gets glory in the good times and the bad times. It all depends on how we view those moments and whether we see God’s hand in them. Today, as we look at John 13, we will hear Jesus declare that all that is about to happen to Him is going to bring glory to His Father. And He is not just speaking of His coming resurrection. There was a betrayal that had to happen first. There was the denial by Peter and the desertion of the other disciples. There would be a series of trials, accompanied by beatings, false accusations, ridicule and mockery. There would be a grueling and painful crucifixion where His body would suffer greatly and the pain would be unbearable. Then there would be death. And Jesus says that all of it, yes, all of it, will bring God glory. And yet, we have a hard time accepting the difficulties that head our way in life. We somehow believe they are anomalies that are to be avoided at all costs. But what if we saw them as a means of bringing God glory? Just like Jesus did.

Ep 327 – John 12 Nov 10, 2017

John chapter 12 has a somewhat interesting and perversely funny story regarding Lazarus. It is a great follow-up to Jesus’ miraculous raising of his once-dead friend from the grave. Just six days before the celebration of the Passover, when Jesus and His disciples would make their way to Jerusalem, He made a stop in Bethany, the town where He had brought Lazarus back to life. Obviously, Lazarus had become somewhat of a sensation, a first-century rock star. He had celebrity status. After all, it’s not everyone who can claim to have been dead and then brought back to life. And when Jesus joined a dinner with Lazarus and his sisters, it caused quite a stir, attracting the attention of the religious leaders. They now had a second target for their hatred, because Lazarus was literal living proof that Jesus was something special. His claims to be the Son of God had been given credibility with the people because of the raising of Lazarus. So, the high priest and his cohorts decided the next course of action was to get rid of Jesus and the evidence. In other words, Lazarus. But what they didn’t realize was that Jesus had no fear of death. In fact, death was why He came. For Him, death was not an end, but a means to God’s preferred end of salvation through the sacrificial death of His Son.

Ep 326 – John 11 Nov 09, 2017

John chapter 11 contains the shortest verse in the Bible: “Jesus wept.” But those two words are filled with significance and paint a vivid portrait of our Savior. He had just received news that His dear friend, Lazarus, had died. But this was not something that took Him by surprise. From the moment Mary and Martha had sent word for Jesus to come and heal their brother, He had chosen to delay his arrival for two days. In other words, He purposefully put off his trip for 48 hours, knowing full well that Lazarus was going to die. But his death would not last. That’s why Jesus told the disciples that “this illness does not lead to death.” And yet, when they arrived on the scene, Lazarus was dead, and had been for three days. In fact, he was already buried. But Jesus had told the disciples one other thing. He had told them that this illness was “for the glory of God.” And they were about to discover exactly what Jesus meant. He was going to raise Lazarus from the dead. So, why did Jesus cry when He walked up to the tomb that day? If He knew that He was going to restore life to Lazarus’ body, what was He crying about? I think the answer is simple. He saw the sadness in the eyes of Martha and Mary. He saw the devastating damage that had occurred as a result of the fall of man. Death reigned. It was everywhere. It touched everything and everyone. And it would soon touch Jesus Himself. But God can even use death to bring Himself glory. And Jesus would glorify the Father through His own death.

Ep 325 – John 10 Nov 08, 2017

Fullness of life. What does that really mean? We all want it. At least, as long as we get it based on our definition. But what does the Bible have to say about it? Better yet, what did Jesus mean when He offered it? That is where we’re going in today’s episode on John 10. Jesus is going to present Himself as the Good Shepherd. The shepherd/sheep analogy was well-understood by the typical audience to whom Jesus spoke. Theirs was an agrarian culture and they were well-acquainted with sheep and shepherds. But sometimes that comparison loses something in the translation for us as 21st-Century Americans. Few of us grew up on a farm, let alone around sheep. But the real point of Jesus’ use of this analogy is to help us understand His role in our lives. He is the “good” shepherd and we are His sheep, those for whom He gave His life. He cares deeply for us and wants God’s best for us. That’s why He was willing to die in our place. And because He died, we have new life. And not just any kind of life. As He described it, we are to be enjoying abundant life. That doesn’t mean a trouble-free, completely healthy, blue-skies-and-sunshine kind of life. So, what did He mean? And how are we supposed to know it when we see it? Let’s find out.

Ep 324 – John 9 Nov 07, 2017

Darkness can be intimidating. But there’s always the hope of light. The darkness of midnight is always followed by the dawn of day. That is, unless you’re actually blind. Then one day looks pretty much like another. One particular hour of the day is no different than any other, because your world is cloaked in darkness. And as we open up John 9, we’re going to see Jesus using the metaphor of blindness to explain the problem of spiritual blindness that plagued His generation, especially the religious leaders of His day. Using a timely opportunity to restore sight to a man born blind, Jesus will juxtapose this man’s physical blindness with the spiritual blindness of the Pharisees. They even ask Jesus, “are we also blind?” And His response reveals the sad reality of their situation and the hopelessness of their condition, brought on by their pride and spiritual arrogance. They claimed that Jesus broke the law by healing on the Sabbath, and claimed He was nothing more than a sinner. But the man whose sight had been restored had a different point of view. He simply stated, “I don’t know whether he is a sinner, but I know this: I was blind, and now I can see!” The blind man could see. The sighted men could not. The sinner had his sight restored. The self-proclaimed righteous remained in the dark. Blind to their sin and opposed to the Light of the World.

Ep 323 – John 8 Nov 06, 2017

The light of the world. That’s how Jesus chose to describe Himself in chapter eight of John. A fairly bold statement, especially when you take the time to dig into His meaning. He wasn’t merely claiming to be another source of light or intellectual illumination. He was claiming to be the sole source of light. And Jesus goes out of His way to differentiate between the light and the dark. The world into which He came was marked by moral darkness. The people living in the world were spiritually blind and hopelessly stumbling around the in the dark, unable to see and incapable of discerning truth. And the spiritual leaders of the day were no better. They were like the blind leading the blind. In fact, that was exactly how Jesus had described them. “They are blind guides leading the blind, and if one blind person guides another, they will both fall into a ditch” (Matthew 15:14 NLT). In the very next chapter of his gospel, John records Jesus’ explanation regarding His incarnation, the reason for His coming to earth. “I entered this world to render judgment--to give sight to the blind and to show those who think they see that they are blind” (John 9:39 NLT). Jesus is the light. He shines in the darkness. But He does more than that. He opens the eyes of the blind so that they might see all that the light makes available. He gives light so we can run the race, rather than stumble around in the darkness.

Ep 322 – John 7 Nov 05, 2017

Living water. What in the world is that? For some of us, our familiarity with these kinds of terms, found throughout the New Testament, makes us comfortable with them, but not necessarily aware of their meaning. They can become like so much white noise, spiritual-sounding words that have long lost their significance in our lives, if they ever had any to begin with. But when Jesus talked about living water, those who heard Him were taken aback at His choice of words. What was He talking about? What kind of water was He referring to? And Jesus’ choice of location and timing are critical to understanding the meaning behind His somewhat cryptic terminology. Chapter seven of John tells us that it was the annual Jewish festival called the Feast of Booths. Jesus had made His way into Jerusalem for this event and about halfway through the days set aside for its celebration, He appeared at the temple, and began to teach. He created quite a stir by claiming to be speaking on behalf God. His detractors accused Him of being demon-possessed. And the Jewish officials become so incensed, they sent soldiers to arrest Him. Then, on the last day of the feast, Jesus makes what we will see is a well-timed statement about living water. He dramatically offers Himself as the solution to mankind’s unrelenting thirst for spiritual meaning and significance. He presents Himself as a source of water that not only sustains physical life, but makes possible eternal life.

Ep 321 – John 6 Nov 04, 2017

In John chapter six, we have the feeding of the five thousand – a very familiar story to most of us. By this time in the timeline of Jesus’ ministry, He has become a very popular figure. He is attracting large crowds, due to His growing reputation as a worker of miracles. News has gotten out that He heals the sick and performs miraculous signs. The rumor mills are churning out all kinds of information regarding Jesus, both true and false. And before long, He finds Himself being pursued by everyone from the merely curious to the deathly ill. He is attracting thrill seekers as well as God seekers. And one day, surrounded by a growing crowd made up of all kinds of people, Jesus issues a challenge to His 12 disciples. He presents them with a seemingly impossible conundrum that tests not only the limits of their financial resources, but their faith. Within the crowd that day were all kinds of people, each hungry for something. Each had a need, including the 12 disciples. And Jesus is going to address the root problem behind their need. It was not physical in nature, but spiritual. The healings and miracles were attracting crowds, but that is not what Jesus came to do. He had not come to provide temporary relief from illness or a short-term solution to hunger. He was the bread of life. He was the sin-forgiving, eternal life-giving, righteousness-providing Son of God.

Ep 320 – John 5 Nov 03, 2017

I always find it interesting that there are those who refuse to accept that Jesus was the Son of God. They have always been around. They were there in Jesus’s day. And in each generation, these people always make the same claim: That Jesus never claimed to be the Son of God. Well, even if you want to refuse to believe that Jesus made that claim, you have to admit that the religious leaders of His day certainly thought He had. That’s the main reason they wanted Him dead. It’s the reason they accused Him of blasphemy. In fact, in today’s episode, based on John 5, we see the religious leaders seeking to kill Him, “because not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God” (John 5:18 ESV). But Jesus really wasn’t out to make a big deal of His deity. He was more concerned about His mission. He had no problem owning His divine nature, but He was far more interested in doing what He had been sent to do. He was out to do the will of the one who had sent Him: His own Father. Jesus wasn’t interested in accomplishing His own will. He wanted to obey the will of the Father, so He sought to know and accomplish that will on a daily basis.

Ep 319 – John 4 Nov 02, 2017

The woman at the well. You’re probably familiar with the story. After all, it’s a classic picture of Jesus going against cultural norms and rocking the proverbial world of His day. He shows up at a Samaritan village and strikes up a conversation with a woman who is there to gather water. This was not a chance encounter, but a divine appointment. When this woman had gotten up that morning she never dreamed that he typical ho-hum day was going to include a visit with the Son of God. This story reveals far more than Jesus’ propensity to reach out to the less fortunate and the less-than-accepted of His day. He wasn’t just ministering to this woman’s spiritual needs, He was exposing the society’s addiction to anything and everything but God to meet its needs. This woman was a case study in humanity’s obsessive search for satisfaction and meaning. John chapter four provides a glimpse into mankind’s Don Quixote-like quest for identity, hope, purpose and love. Jesus would reveal that He was greater than anything this woman could ever hope to find. He was life. He was living water. He was the One who could quench every thirst this woman had, physically, emotionally and spiritually.

Ep 318 – John 3 Nov 01, 2017

Some of us have heard the phrase, “born again” so often that we can hardly stand the sound of it anymore. But how could something that used to have a rich and dramatically important meaning become so pedestrian to most of us? In today’s episode on the third chapter of John, we are going to hear Jesus use those two powerful words to explain something exciting and life-changing to Nicodemus, a Pharisee who was searching for significance and risking his reputation by talking to this upstart rabbi from Nazareth. Nicodemus shows up at night, an indication that he wanted his encounter with Jesus to remain as incognito as possible. He started out his clandestine encounter with Jesus with flattery, telling him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for on one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.” But Jesus doesn’t even take time to thank him. He simply starts talking about being born again. And this unexpected turn in the topic of conversation leaves Nicodemus dazed and confused. It wasn’t what he came to hear, but he was about to find out that it was exactly what he desperately needed to hear. Jesus was sharing words of life, abundant life and eternal life. He was dropping a bombshell on that would rock Nicodemus’ comfortable world of righteousness earned through self-effort.

Ep 317 – John 2 Oct 31, 2017

Would you like to have a glimpse of Jesus’ glory? At the very early stages of His earthly ministry, Jesus performed a miracle at a wedding. Not everyone noticed, but the disciples and Mary, the mother of Jesus, were probably well aware of what had just taken place. Jesus had come to the rescue of the wedding host, who had run out of wine for the festivities. Jesus had the servants fill casks with water and the He miraculously turned the water into wine. Not exactly a simple parlor trick. And John describes it as the “first glimpse of his glory.” This was just the beginning. There would be much more to come. And isn’t that what we would like to see? Wouldn’t it be great if Jesus would do a little wine-into-water action in our lives? But when we read these stories we fail to remember that Jesus has done something far greater in our world. He has turned sinful men and women, condemned to death for their rebellion against God, into children of God. He has brought the spiritually dead back to life. He has restored those who were God’s enemies into friends of God. Jesus has restored sight to the blind, who had been living in spiritual darkness. What Jesus did that day was a glimpse of what was to come: Transformation. God-ordained, supernatural, Spirit-empowered transformation of something ordinary into something extraordinary.

Ep 315 – John Introduction Oct 30, 2017

Today, we begin a new study in the gospel of John. One of the things that sets the gospel of John apart from the other three gospels is its emphasis on Jesus’ deity. He gives the purpose statement behind his gospel in the last two verses of the final chapter: “Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.” He wanted his readers to believe in the deity of Jesus. He was the God/Man, God incarnate. He was not just another rabbi, teacher, moralist, or martyr. Jesus was God in human flesh, who was sent on a mission by His Father to redeem man from the condemnation of sin and the penalty of death. He was the long-awaited Messiah, the Christ, who came to pay the penalty for man’s sin and offer His life as a substitutionary atonement for all those who believed. Belief will be a key word throughout the gospel, with the more traditional Greek word for faith, pistis, never used once.

As we work our way through this phenomenal book, be sure to read along each day so that you get the full flavor of the text we will be covering. This podcast is meant to compensate your reading of God’s Word, not replace it. So, get out your Bible and let’s get started with the Gospel of John.

Ep 316 – John 1 Oct 30, 2017

Who was Jesus? There are a lot of opinions as to the answer to that question. Some say He was just another man, a good man, but a man nonetheless. Others say He was a great teacher and left us a wonderful example to follow, not unlike Gandhi or Mother Teresa. Still others claim He never existed at all. He is a myth, a figment of man’s fertile imagination. And yet, there are still those who believe Him to be who He claimed to be: The Son of God and the Savior of the world. The author of the book of John, also known as the Gospel of John, would fall into the latter category. And because the author of John was the disciple of Jesus who bore that name, He has some very strong and extremely personal opinions about who Jesus was and what He came to accomplish. John’s gospel is very intimate, providing us with an up-close and personal glimpse into the life of the Son of God. He will introduce Jesus as the Word of God, the co-creator of the universe, working alongside the Father and the Spirit to produce all that exists in the world. But Jesus is also the God-man, God in human flesh, come to earth to redeem sinful men from the self-imposed death sentence. In the very first chapter alone, John will use a wide range of names, titles, metaphors and designations to describe His teacher, friend, rabbi, and Savior.

Ep 314 – 2 Corinthians 13 Oct 29, 2017

With this episode, we’ll wrap up our study in 2 Corinthians. We’ll close it out by looking at the final chapter in the book, chapter 13. In it, Paul is going to demand that the Corinthian believers test themselves. He wants them to do some serious soul-searching to determine if they are really in the faith, or not. As we will see, Paul is not really questioning their salvation, as much as he is raising some serious doubts about the effectiveness of their sanctification. The problem as he saw it, was that their lifestyle wasn’t tracking with their profession of faith. Their behavior was not matching their belief. For Paul, life change was non-optional for the believer. True conversion brought about true life transformation. Spiritual maturity is to be characterized by increasing Christ-likeness. Transformation into the likeness of Christ is one of the primary byproducts of coming to faith in Christ. Paul was done having his authority as an apostle questioned. He was through letting the Corinthians raise doubts about his credentials and his right to speak for Christ. They needed to spend more time examining their own lives. They needed to concentrate on becoming who God had called them to be, rather than worrying if Paul was who he claimed to be.

Ep 313 – 2 Corinthians 12 Oct 28, 2017

Power in weakness. That is NOT a part of the American cultural mindset. Weakness is nothing more than what it is: weakness; and it is to be avoided at all costs. We are strength-addicted. We want strong bodies, strong portfolios, healthy and robust social lives, strong kids, strong marriages, and the protection of a strong military infrastructure, backed by a strong government that reflects our strongly held political beliefs. But, as we will see in 2 Corinthians 12, Paul is going to take a dramatically different approach to life, finding pleasure in weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions and troubles. It would be easy to write off Paul as a man with some serious issues. He wasn’t realistic about life. Or maybe he didn’t really know what it was like to suffer. But Paul will make it perfectly clear that he was well-acquainted with sufferings of all kinds. He was the poster-boy of suffering. But rather than loathe the trials and tribulations of life, Paul saw them as unique opportunities to watch God work. Because he had learned from experience that God’s power is made perfect in man’s weakness. So, in essence, his weakness was actually the key to discovering and experiencing true strength.

Ep 312 – 2 Corinthians 11:16-33 Oct 27, 2017

In this episode, you are going to hear me refer to some events from an earlier period of my life, when this particular blog was originally written. They offer a historical record of a time when the circumstances of life seemed to be giving me a run for my money. But it just so happened that my time in the Word at the time when all these things were going on had me in the book of 2 Corinthians, and in this particular passage. It was timely, to say the least. Here, in 2 Corinthians 11:16-33, I was given an opportunity to compare my sufferings with those of Paul. And it was not a fair fight. He won hands-down. But the amazing thing is that Paul was prone to brag about his sufferings, not whine about them. Instead of complaining about all that had happened to him in his ministry for Christ, he found reason to rejoice in the weaknesses his circumstances had revealed. Weakness is not something we tend to appreciate or even want to admit. Weakness is to be avoided at all costs, just like suffering. But for Paul, it was his sufferings that revealed his weakness, and it was his weakness that reminded him of his need for God. It was his lack of power that reminded him to rely on the power provided to him through the indwelling Spirit of God. And that was something worthy bragging about.

Ep 311 – 2 Corinthians 11:1-15 Oct 26, 2017

Is the truth really relative? Well, the truth is, many today believe that it is. They have listened to the enlightened ones of our day and bought into the notion that truth is subjective and the versions of the truth are as many as there are people on the planet. But that version of the truth is nothing more than a lie of the enemy. It stands against what God has claimed about Himself, that He is the God of all truth. It also stands against what Jesus claims about the Word of God, “Your word is truth.” But truth has always been under attack and it was no different in Paul’s day. So, in 2 Corinthians 11:1-15, we will take a look at Paul’s defense of the truth. He will expose the gullible, tolerant and undiscerning nature of the Corinthians believers, reprimanding them for their too-easy-acceptance of falsehood disguised as truth. It didn’t seem to matter if someone was teaching a different Jesus, a different gospel or a different Holy Spirit, they were more than willing to accept it as truth. And all to their own detriment. But Paul stood in the gap. He refused to give in. He refused to put up with falsehood. Because the truth of God matters.

Ep 310 – 2 Corinthians 10 Oct 25, 2017

Whether we want to admit it or not, we’re almost all pacifists. I’m not talking about your opinion as to whether a country should go to war or whether a Christian should take up arms. No, I am talking about our unwillingness to speak out against false teaching in the church and to stand up for the truth of the gospel. We’ve become increasingly more politically correct, unwilling and afraid to say what needs to be said. We’re inherently non-confrontational, even when it comes to defending the truth of God’s Word. Here in chapter ten of 2 Corinthians, Paul is going to go on the offensive and deal with what he sees as a real threat to his ministry and the overall health of the church. He wasn’t some kind of fading wall-flower, too scared to speak up or risk rejection. The gospel was everything and he was unwilling to tolerate anyone who threatened its integrity and clouded its message. In the very next chapter he will accuse the believers in Corinth: “You happily put up with whatever anyone tells you, even if they preach a different Jesus than the one we preach, or a different kind of Spirit than the one you received, or a different kind of gospel than the one you believed.” But not Paul.

Ep 309 – 2 Corinthians 9 Oct 24, 2017

In chapter 9 of 2 Corinthians, Paul continues to deal with the sometimes unpopular topic of giving. For Paul, giving was not a dirty word, it was simply an expression of gratitude for all that God has done for us. God has been gracious, so why shouldn’t we be? God has given to us freely and richly, so why would we not be willing to share with others? Selfishness has no place in the body of Christ. A me-centered attitude is antithetical to all that Christ taught and the life that He modeled. So, for Paul, giving was to be a normal and natural part of the believer’s life. And what was amazing about the kind of generosity Paul describes is that God is the one who gets the glory, not the giver. Just as misuse of financial assets within the church can damage the reputation of God, our generous giving brings glory and honor to Him. The lost world is given a first-hand glimpse into the goodness of God through the goodness expressed by His children through their overflow of generosity to those in need. Jesus had told His followers that the world would recognize them as His disciples by their love for one another. And loving generosity is a tangible expression of that love.

Ep 308 – 2 Corinthians 8:16-24 Oct 23, 2017

Integrity. It’s a long-lost art. And sadly to say, even within the church, in some instances. And nowhere does a lack of integrity show up more regularly or egregiously than when it comes to the handling of money. And the same was true in Paul’s day. That’s why he takes time to assure the believers in Corinth that he is a man of integrity, who can be trusted to care for their financial gifts for the needy believers in Jerusalem. He had gone out of his way to ensure that their donations to the cause were going to get where they belonged. No skimming of funds for personal gain. No mishandling or cooking of the books. For Paul, this was about the integrity of the gospel more than anything else. Any mismanagement of the funds given to aid the church in Jerusalem would end up harming the cause of Christ and bring shame to the name of God. So, in 2 Corinthians 8:16-24, we will see Paul assuring the Corinthians that he can be trusted. But, in a way, he is teaching them a valuable lesson on personal integrity. All that we do reflects either positively or negatively on the Kingdom of God. How we handle ourselves when it comes to the affairs of the church is vitally important to the reputation of the church.

Ep 307 – 2 Corinthians 8:1-15 Oct 22, 2017

Giving. It’s become a dirty word within the church today. We hate sermons that talk about giving. We can’t stand it when the church begins yet another giving campaign. It can almost seem like all the church is interested in is money. But in 2 Corinthians 8:1-15, we are going to see the apostle Paul unapologetically broach the subject of giving. He isn’t embarrassed by it and feels no remorse for asking the Corinthians to generously and sacrificially give to meet the needs of others within the body of Christ – even those living in another part of the world. For Paul, the ultimate model for giving was Jesus Christ Himself, who gave His own life in order that sinful, condemned men and women might be made right with God. Paul describes it this way: “he became poor, so that by his poverty he could make you rich.” So, why wouldn’t believers who have been richly blessed by Christ, be willing to sacrificially give of what they have in order to bless the lives of those in need? For Paul, giving was a privilege, not a burden. It was a right, not a requirement. Giving was another form or worship, passing on the love and grace of God to those who were in need. The degree to which we are generous to others is directly tied to our understanding of God’s generosity to us.

Ep 306 – 2 Corinthians 7 Oct 21, 2017

There is a kind of sorrow that is nothing more than feeling sorry for yourself. You regret what has happened because of something you have done. It has thrown a wrench into your life and made things difficult for you. It has resulted in alienation from others or even open hostility. You regret what you have done because you don’t like the ramifications. But then there is the feeling of sorrow over what you have done. That is something different altogether. That kind of sorrow is not tied to the ramifications of your actions, but to the action itself. In 2 Corinthians 7, Paul is going to deal with just how vastly different these two kinds of sorrow really are. He will refer to one as worldly sorrow and the other as godly sorrow. And for the believer, there is only one option, because worldly sorrow lacks repentance. It comes with only regret. And regret never results in life change. At least not for long. So, Paul is going to give the Corinthians a brief, but important lesson on what godly sorrow looks like and why it is so important in the life of the believer. At the end of the day, God is looking for true life change. He wants to produce in us a sorrow that will not only regret our sinful actions, but desire to repent of them once and for all. Because that kind of sorrow produces life, joy and peace with God.

Ep 305 – 2 Corinthians 6 Oct 20, 2017

What does spiritual transformation look like? Is it measurable or even identifiable? For Paul, the answer would be a simple, but resounding, “Yes.” His life was proof of the inner transformation that Christ was bringing about within him. Talking about spiritual change proves nothing. Claiming to have a vibrant walk with God is great, but it doesn’t amount to a hill of beans if that change doesn’t show up in real life. True spiritual transformation has physical and tangible manifestations. They’re visible and highly objective, not subjective. They will stand out among the crowd of posers and fakers. And Paul’s life was living proof. Even in the midst of trials and tribulation of all kinds, Paul was still sharing the gospel and giving his life to the cause of Christ. He faced rejection and ridicule with a stubborn resolve that was based on the belief that God’s power shows up best in the middle of our weakness. That’s why he could say, “I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me.” As we unpack 2 Corinthians 6, Paul is going to give us a much-needed reminder on living out our inner transformation so that all can see it and be blessed by it.

Ep 304 – 2 Corinthians 5:11-21 Oct 19, 2017

What’s your purpose in life? Why are you here and what is it you feel compelled to accomplish in the time God gives you on this planet? For Paul, the answers to those two questions were one and the same: To call people back to God. He was single-minded when it came to his life’s purpose, knowing beyond a shadow of a doubt that he had been commissioned by God to share the good news of Jesus Christ so that a lost and dying world might be reconciled to God. This wasn’t just Paul’s profession, it was his obsession. It drove his agenda. It motivated his every waking moment. He knew there was no more important task to perform in this life than presenting the message of new life in Christ to those who were dead in their trespasses and sins. It was job number one and he did it well. And as we look at 2 Corinthians 5:11-21, we will hear Paul express his deep-seated belief that this ministry of reconciliation was not his alone. It is the responsibility of each and every individual who calls themselves a child of God and a follower of Jesus Christ. Yes, there are certainly good deeds to be done and acts of mercy and compassion to be accomplished in the world. But if we fail to share the gospel, we may end up feeding their stomach, but fail to meet the needs of their soul.

Ep 303 – 2 Corinthians 5:1-10 Oct 18, 2017

Goals. Some people love them, while others hate them. Some avoid them like the plague. But for the apostle Paul, he had one simple goal: To please God. Gone were the days of ladder-climbing and resume-building. He had no one to impress. He had no earthly achievements to pursue or temporal objectives to reach. For him, it was all about living his life in order to please the one who had called him. That’s why he could say that, whether he was dead or alive, his sole ambition was to please God. Today, as we look at 2 Corinthians 5:1-10, we want to get a glimpse into this single-minded outlook of Paul. It isn’t that he was against achieving anything in this life. It was that he had a long-term perspective that focused on the hereafter far more than the here-and-now. Yes, he was busy sharing the gospel and traveling near and far to make it happen, but he wasn’t out to be the best evangelist on the planet. He could care less whether he made a name for himself or got a lot of credit for all he had done. He knew there was only one person’s opinion that mattered when it came to whether he had done a good job. And that was God. Paul saw life on this planet as temporary. He was headed somewhere much better. But he was going make the most of his days here on earth. All so he could one day stand before His maker and hear him say, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”

Ep 302 – 2 Corinthians 4:8-18 Oct 17, 2017

Suffering. Not exactly a topic most of us want to dwell on. But for Paul, suffering was an ever-present reality of his life. He had grown accustomed to it and had learned that it was part and parcel of his life as an apostle of Jesus Christ and a messenger of the good news. You see, Paul had an eternal perspective that allowed him to see present suffering with a future outlook. And in 2 Corinthians 4:8-18, Paul is going to provide the Corinthian believers with a glimpse into how he viewed the trials and tribulations of life. His perspective may sound a bit odd to us, but it is actually the same attitude that Christ had while He was on earth. He knew that His suffering was all a part of God’s divine plan. He was fully aware that His rejection by men was inevitable and His death at the hands of man, unavoidable. It had to happen. His death was God’s will and the only way in which the sins of man could be atoned for – once and for all. So, Paul had no problem accepting the struggles in his own life. Who was he to think he could escape trials when His sinless Savior had been willing to die a sinner’s death on behalf of sinful mankind? Paul didn’t like pain. He didn’t pursue suffering. But he was willing to accept it when it showed up because he knew how the story ends.

Ep 301 – 2 Corinthians 4:1-7 Oct 16, 2017

In today’s episode, based on 2 Corinthians 4:1-7, we will hear Paul describing himself as a jar of clay, a seemingly value-less vessel, made of the basest of materials, but containing the very glory of God in the form of the Holy Spirit. For Paul, the unbelievable reality of his position as a son of God and a spokesman for the gospel of Jesus Christ was never something he took for granted. He was not impressed with himself, and so, he really saw no reason to waste his time trying to impress others. It was enough to him that he was used by God. So, all the hub-bub about his credentials or qualifications to be an apostle meant nothing to him. He knew he was being used by God because he had seen the life change among the believers in Corinth. And he was content in knowing that the power of God dwelt within him, and shown out of him to all those around him. His resume was of no significance. His accomplishments were pointless and meaningless. It was all God. He was the one who was doing the work. Paul was simply an unworthy vessel, an instrument in the Redeemer’s hands, accomplishing His divine will, not because of Paul, but in spite of him. The power was all God’s. And the glory was His as well.

Ep 300 – 2 Corinthians 3:7-19 Oct 15, 2017

Ever since the fall, mankind has been attempt to restore their broken fellowship with God by trying to do things to please Him. Even as man eventually created false gods to replace the one true God, they still felt obligated to keep that god pleased by offering sacrifices and paying homage. Measuring up has been and continues to be a full-time job for men and women. It shows up in all kinds of way. We try to find success through everything from sports and work to relationships. We feel the constant pressure to do more and work harder to impress others, so that we might be accepted and achieve some measure of success in our lives. For Paul, the arrival of Jesus onto the stage of human history was a game-changer. Gone were the days of striving and attempting to earn favor with God through self-effort. For Paul, as a good Jew and former Pharisee, the old covenant of the Mosaic law had been the primary way in which men attempted to get back into and remain in God’s good graces. But it had failed miserably. All the law did was expose man’s sin. It couldn’t get rid of it. But the new covenant, based on Jesus’ death and the shedding of His blood, makes it possible for men to be set free from slavery to sin and provides them with the power to live in obedience to His will. Today’s episode is based on 2 Corinthians 3:7-18.

Ep 299 – 2 Corinthians 3:1-6 Oct 14, 2017

In today’s episode, based on 2 Corinthians 3:1-6, Paul is going to deal with the ongoing debate regarding his qualifications as an apostle. But rather than continue to defend himself and wax eloquent about his obvious gift sets and credentials, Paul is going to defer and give all credit to God. He knew that he was being used by God, and that anything he had accomplished had been as a result of God’s power, not his own. He knew full well that many lives had been changed in Corinth as a result of his ministry there, but he also knew that he had been nothing more than a messenger, spreading the good news of Jesus Christ. Any transformation that had taken place had been the work of the Spirit, and he deserved none of the credit. But Paul was firmly convinced that his calling was real and his position as an apostle of Jesus Christ had been proven. The changed lives of the Corinthians were more than enough proof. And he felt no need to continue to defend himself against those who wanted to disparage his motives and methods. He would simply keep doing what he had been called to do, against all odds and whether anyone fully recognized or appreciated the part he had played. God was working. And for Paul, it was enough to be used by God and have His good pleasure.

Ep 298 – 2 Corinthians 2:14-17 Oct 13, 2017

Fortunately for us, we don’t live in a culture that condones slavery. It is an embarrassing and indefensible part of our past that we would prefer to forget. But as we look at 2 Corinthians 2:14-17, we will hear Paul using slavery as a way to describe his relationship with Christ. This will probably be somewhat of an assault on our modern sensibilities. But for the average Corinthian, slavery was a normal and ubiquitous part of their daily lives. Slaves were everywhere. There were slaves of war. There were indentured servants. There were those who had been forced into slavery because they couldn’t pay their bills or settle their debts. While slavery in that day certainly had an ethnic and racial component to it, it was really more about economics and power. Those nations that were conquered by more powerful foes, often found their subjects turned into slaves and having to do the bidding of a foreign king. Their freedoms were lost and their rights to live as they pleased, taken from them. And that is the picture Paul describes concerning His relationship with God and His Son, Jesus Christ. But for Paul, this was positive, not negative. He was pleased to be the slave of Christ. He considered it an honor to do the will of God the Father as He submitted to the Lordship of Jesus in His life. He belonged to Christ and was more than willing to be His captive, and to live a captivating life that drew men to the saving work of Jesus and His gift of eternal life.

Ep 297 – 2 Corinthians 2:1-13 Oct 12, 2017

Welcome to Devotionary, where we make the Bible accessible and applicable.

In this episode, titled, “Tough Love”, we’ll learn about another letter Paul had sent to the church in Corinth that has long since been lost. But that letter evidently contained some harsh words from the apostle. He had stepped on some toes and offended some of the members of the local congregation. But his intent had been to bring healing, not hurt. He had been out to call the church to accountability and obedience. As a result, he had been forced to say some things that were, at face value, offensive and hard to receive, but which, in the long-run, had their intended impact on the Corinthians. As Christians, we can sometimes find it hard to say what truly needs to be said. We don’t want to offend anyone. We don’t want to be accused of being judgmental or holier-than-thou. So, even when we see fellow believers acting in ways that are not honoring to Christ, we tend to keep our mouths shut. Afraid of turning a friend into a potential enemy, we fail to speak up and say what needs to be said. And, as a result, the body of Christ suffers. 2 Corinthians 2:1-13 is all about tough love, a difficult thing to pull off, but a non-negotiable necessity if the church is going to be effective.

Ep 296 – 2 Corinthians 1:12-24 Oct 11, 2017

Are you a man or woman of your word? Can people trust what you say? As we look at verses 12-24 of 2 Corinthians 1, we’re going to see Paul defending his integrity against attacks from an undisclosed group of individuals within the church at Corinth. He was going to have to give them proof that he was trustworthy and as good as his word. They had no reason to doubt what he said or question what he taught. There were those who were basically accusing him of lying because he had promised to make another visit to Corinth, but had failed to do so. But rather than asking Paul what reason he might have had for the delay, they simply spread rumors about his veracity and reliability. But this kind of accusation wasn’t going to sit well with Paul, not because he cared that much about his personal reputation, but because he was an ambassador and representative of Jesus Christ. As an apostle, he couldn’t afford to have his word questioned, because he spoke on behalf of Jesus. Truth was paramount to Paul. False gospels and messages that twisted the facts about Jesus and His redemptive work on the cross were not to be tolerated. So, to be accused of being untrustworthy was unacceptable to Paul. The message he carried was too important to let anyone question his integrity or doubt the reliability of the words that came out of his mouth

Ep 294 – 2 Corinthians Introduction Oct 10, 2017

Today, we begin a new series on the book of 2 Corinthians. As we make our way through this letter, be sure to read each day’s passage in order to better follow what is going on.

Ep 295 – 2 Corinthians 1:1-11 Oct 10, 2017

As Paul opens his second letter to the church in Corinth, he does so with his normal salutation, offering them grace and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. But in verses 1-11 of 2 Corinthians, he gets right to the point of his letter. Much of what he is going to attempt to do with this letter is defend himself against those who have questioned his motives and raised doubts about his apostleship. After all, Paul wasn’t one of the original twelve. He had received his calling on the road to Damascus and had, since that time, claimed to be an apostle on an equal standing with Peter, James, John or any of the other disciples of Christ. He claimed to have been called and commissioned by Jesus Himself. So, his words carried divine weight. His admonitions and teachings were not his personal opinion, but the words of God. And Paul will begin his letter by conveying the suffering he has endured as an apostle of Jesus Christ. His life had been anything but easy. He had endured a great deal for the cause of Christ. And now, he wanted to pass on to the Corinthians believers all that he had learned in suffering for and being comforted by Christ. He wanted them to learn to lean on God.

Ep 293 – 1 Corinthians 16:10-24 Oct 09, 2017

ThIs it is. The final part of Paul’s letter. And he ends it with a bang, not a whimper. He has not run out of steam or things to say, but like all good things, they must come to an end. So, he wraps it all up with one last admonition to be wary, watchful, faithful, courageous and strong. Oh, and to love. That one was especially important to Paul. This final charge, found 1 Corinthians 16: 10-24 is simple, yet powerful. In it, Paul provides the Corinthians, and us, with a strong message to which anyone would be wise to listen. The overall theme of Paul’s letter has been one of community in the face of the constant temptations to live in disunity and isolation. The body of Christ is meant to be an organism, not an organization. The members of the body are gifted by the Spirit of God in order that they might encourage and serve one another. There is no place for competition or conflict. Pride, arrogance and self-centeredness are to be avoided at all costs, recognizing them as cancers that can destroy the body from within. The ongoing well-being of the body of Christ requires an attitude of unity, cooperation, selfless service and sacrificial love. The time is short and the need great. So, we are to stay focused and faithful.

Ep 292 – 1 Corinthians 16:1-9 Oct 08, 2017

The church, the body of Christ, is bigger than you think. It goes far beyond the walls of your local church building. It reaches into distant lands and encompasses people groups who speak languages you've never heard of and would not understand. In this final chapter of his letter, Paul begins to wrap things up by reminding the church in Corinth of his expectations that they participate in the collection of funds for the needy believers in Judah. He wants them to give and to do it gladly and generously. For a congregation that was struggling with issues of pride, self-centeredness and comparison, it was a great way to remind them that the church of Jesus Christ was far bigger than their local congregation. While they were bickering over who had the most important spiritual gift or who was baptized by the more important leader, the churches in Judah were suffering from persecution and a famine. They were struggling to survive. But the Corinthians were arguing over food at their love feasts and wasting money taking one another to court over matter that were of no eternal significance. Always spiritual, but also practical, Paul brings his letter to a close by providing his audience with a much-needed wake-up call to consider the more important matters of life: The well-being of the body of Christ and the continued spread of the gospel around the world.

Ep 291 – 1 Corinthians 15:35-58 Oct 07, 2017

In this episode, based on 1 Corinthians 15:35-58, Paul is nearing the end of his letter and begins to focus this reader’s attention on the end of life and the return of Christ. It is as if he is trying to refocus their attention on what really matters. Not only should they believe in and look forward to the resurrection of their bodies, they should understand that the bodies they will receive will be sin-free and death-resistant. This Greek idea that had permeated the church in Corinth that the human body was somehow evil and the soul good was unbiblical. And while our earthly bodies are dying and decaying, subject to acting out our sinful inclinations, and prone to resisting God’s will and the Spirit’s leading, they will be renewed one day. We will receive resurrected bodies. Spanking new, God-created bodies that will be free from sin, pain, suffering, disease, and death. And as Paul states earlier in this same chapter, that hope is based on the reality of Christ’s bodily resurrection. He too received a new body. He had been brutally beaten, crucified, pierced in His hands, feet and side, but had walked out of the tomb alive and well. Yes, He was still carrying the marks of the wounds on His body, but He was alive and would never die again. And we have the same remarkable fate in store for us. Our bodies, like His, will be new and improved.

Ep 290 – 1 Corinthians 15:12-34 Oct 06, 2017

Paul could be a patient pastor, but there were a couple of things he wasn’t going to put up with. One was anybody attempting to alter the message of the gospel in any way. He felt so strongly about that one that he issued a curse on anybody who tried. “…even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let them be under God's curse! (Galatians 1:8 NIV). The second thing Paul was unwilling to tolerate was the questioning of the validity or veracity of the resurrection of Jesus. And then, as now, there were many who had a difficult time getting their heads around the idea of someone bodily raising from the dead. And in Corinth, it was especially difficult because their Greek culture taught that the body of man was evil, while his soul was good. So, the idea of there being a resurrection of what was essentially evil, made no sense to them. They believed that when you died, your soul went to be with God, but your body was left behind. But Paul begged to differ – because that kind of thinking, as logical as it may have sounded – was in direct conflict with the promises of Scripture and the reality of Christ’s resurrection. So, as we unpack 1 Corinthians 15, verses 12-34, we will see Paul take on this false belief head-on.

Ep 289 – 1 Corinthians 15:1-11 Oct 05, 2017

In today’s episode, we’ll be in verses 1-11 of 1 Corinthians 15. I’ve entitled this episode “Back to the Basics”, because Paul is moving from his discussion about division within the body of Christ at Corinth, to a much more pressing and important issue: The resurrection. There was some unhealthy debate going on at Corinth regarding the issue of the resurrection. Some within the church were questioning the validity and veracity of Christ’s resurrection. Others were simply saying that there would be no bodily resurrection of the dead. We don’t know the source of these controversies, but it’s obvious that Paul is not happy about what is going on. For Paul, the resurrection was not up for debate. It was not a fable, the result of wishful thinking, or some pastoral ploy to get people to buy into becoming a Christian. It was the heart and soul of the gospel. Without the resurrection of Christ, every man, woman or child who has placed their faith in Christ remains in their sinful, condemned state. They are separated from God. A dead Jesus is not a saving Jesus. A martyred Messiah may inspire devotion and even emulation, but it is not His death alone that saves us. It is His death, resurrection and ascension. He sits at the right hand of the Father. He ministers on our behalf. And one day He is coming back for us. It is the resurrection that guarantees us eternal life and the possibility of abundant life right here, right now.

Ep 288 – 1 Corinthians 14:26-40 Oct 04, 2017

Order versus chaos. Peace rather than confusion. Paul wasn’t asking for much. After all, he was addressing the members of the local congregation in Corinth. So, why was he having to spend so much time dealing with all the disunity and unnecessary disputes going on with the fellowship? Because they were becoming a real problem. And in 1 Corinthians 14:26-40, Paul calls for order in the house – the house of God. Now, this is another one of those passages over which there has been more than a little debate and disagreement. And, as usual, we need to make sure we stick with the context. If not, we can get off into the high weeds and find ourselves reaching conclusions that Paul never intended or establishing precedents for the global church that he never meant to go beyond the particular circumstances taking place in Corinth. Yes, there will be principles we can apply, but we must be careful not to infer things that were not part of Paul’s original agenda. His intent, as always, was to build up the local body of Christ. He was calling the Corinthians to use their better judgment and not let their actions and attitudes be driven by pride, selfishness or behavior that he would deem foolish and harmful to the body of Christ.

Ep 287 – 1 Corinthians 14:1-25 Oct 03, 2017

What’s your purpose? Why are you here? For the believer, the answer to these two questions should be quite simple: To love and build up the body of Christ. As we begin 1 Corinthians 14, looking at verses 1-25, we’ll be looking on as Paul continues to admonish and encourage the believers at Corinth to get their spiritual act together. Pride was everywhere, but love was in short supply. Well, they had plenty of self-love, but that’s not what Paul was looking for. He was wanting to see each and every believer in the church there take their focus off themselves and begin to think about how they might strengthen the local body of Christ. To do that, they were going to have to let go of their own self-centered agendas and over-the-top concern for their own personal well-being. They were members of the body of Christ. They had been gifted by the Spirit of God in order to minister to the body of Christ. But they were too busy trying to impress one another with their particular spiritual gifts to actually worry about loving one another. Spirituality had become a competition. Personal status in the local congregation was more important to them than the overall health of the church in the community. So, once again, Paul is forced to take them to task.

Ep 286 – 1 Corinthians 13 Oct 02, 2017

The lasting legacy of love. That’s the title for this episode as we dig into 1 Corinthians chapter 13, a very well-known and often-quoted portion of Scripture, especially in wedding ceremonies. But for us to get the full impact of what Paul has to say in this chapter, we must keep in mind the context of all that has been going on in the church there in Corinth. Pride, arrogance, self-centeredness and a demand for individual rights, within the local church body, had resulted in an unhealthy atmosphere of disunity and division. They had spiritual gifts, given to them by the Holy Spirit for the building up of the body of Christ, but they were using them with selfish motives in mind. They had become badges of honor and points of dispute. So, in the midst of all the problems Paul is attempting to address, he writes this incredible treatise on love. For Paul, love was the glue that held the body of Christ together. Without love, the church is nothing more than just another man-made organization with little or no power to truly change lives. Even the use of the gifts of the Spirit, if done so without love, is wasted energy, amounting to nothing in the end. Selfless love for others is not an option for the believer, it is essence of what it means to be a believer. We love because He first loved us.

Ep 285 – 1 Corinthians 12:12-31 Oct 01, 2017

The church, the body of Christ, is NOT an organization. At least, not in a biblical sense. Sure, the local church has leadership, by-laws, terms of membership, a staff, a budget, operating procedures and a myriad of organizational attributes, but it is, first-and-foremost, an organism. The body of Christ, of which each local congregation is a part, is not an organization that people choose to join, but an organism which God has created and into which He has placed those whom He has called. For Paul, this distinction was essential. Within the local church at Corinth, the believers were losing sight of the true nature and function of the body of Christ. For them, it was no different than being a member of the local synagogue or attending a pagan temple. But for Paul, it was the mysterious and divinely ordained creation of an interdependent group of diverse individuals who shared a common belief in Jesus Christ as Savior, who each enjoyed the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit, and who, together, formed a totally and radically unique entity called the body of Christ. In this episode, called “Unity and Diversity”, we will be looking at what Paul has to say on this important topic as outlined in 1 Corinthians 12, verses 12-31.

Ep 284 – 1 Corinthians 12:1-11 Sep 30, 2017

Pride is a powerful and potentially destructive force. It rarely builds up or edifies anyone but the one who harbors pride. And pride within the body of Christ is especially dangerous, as it is antithetical to God’s expectation of unity and unanimity among His children. So, when Paul discovered yet another manifestation of pride among the Corinthians believers, he addressed it with his usual loving, but nevertheless in-your-face style. Today, we’ll be looking at 1 Corinthians chapter 12, verses 1-11. I’ve entitled this episode “All for One and One for All.” You probably recognize that as the slogan or mantra of the Three Musketeers. But it nicely applies to what Paul has to say to the Corinthian church. The issue he is having to deal with is that of the spiritual gifts and the Corinthian’s misunderstanding and misuse of them. They saw them as symbols of importance and tended to compare their gifts with one another in order to determine who had the more important of the spiritual gifts. It became a competition, which led to feelings of superiority or inferiority. Rather than using the gifts as they were intended, to build up the body of Christ, the Corinthians were busy building up themselves, and causing unnecessary division within the church.

Ep 283 – 1 Corinthians 11:17-34 Sep 29, 2017

You didn’t want to get on Paul’s bad side. He was a loving, patient man, but he also had a strong intolerance for anything or anyone who would dare disturb the unity of the local church. He was willing to go to the mat with anyone who felt they had the right to reach inside the body of Christ and wreak havoc on the love and unity that was supposed to be there. In this episode, we’ll be in 1 Corinthians, chapter 11, verses 17-34. I’ve called it, “Family Dysfunction” because Paul is going to deal with a situation within the local family of God that was resulting in some serious problems. And it all revolved around one of the most important ordinances of the church, given to us by Christ and designed to commemorate His sacrificial death on behalf of sinful men and women. The divisions and disunity that marked the church in Corinth had made their way into the celebration of the Lord’s Table or communion. Intended to be a unifying and community building experience, the taking of the bread and wine, symbols of Christ’s broken body and shed blood, had been turned by the Corinthians into into a time marked by divisiveness and disunity. And he was not going to put up with it. Christ died so that we might be made right with God and one with all those who share our faith in Christ. Disunity in any form is dysfunctional at best and destructive at worst.

Ep 282 – 1 Corinthians 11:2-16 Sep 28, 2017

Warning! The following content is potentially controversial and most certainly, difficult to understand. But hopefully, with a little thought and an eye to the context surrounding the passage and the historical setting in which the Corinthian church existed, we can gain some insight into what Paul was dealing with and how it applies to us today. This episode deals with 1 Corinthians 11, verses 2-16; a much-debated passage that has left more than one theologian stumped and a lot of believers confused. But at the end of the day, I think Paul is addressing the problem of order in the church. That is a constant issue within the body of Christ, and has been for centuries. The cultural contexts change, but the need for order and decorum never do. In the attempt to be relevant, churches are always running the risk of making compromises and concessions that can end up weakening the gospel message. In an effort to take advantage of their newfound freedoms in Christ, many believers end up losing sight of the more critical mission of making the gospel and the community of Christ attractive and appealing to those who are lost. Demanding our rights or flaunting our freedoms may seem appealing, but they can end up being a real turn-off to those outside the church.

Ep 281 – 1 Corinthians 10:14-11:1 Sep 27, 2017

I hate to tell you this, but it isn’t all about you. But don’t take my word for it. Listen to the apostle Paul. In today’s episode, based on 1 Corinthians, chapter 10, verse 14, through chapter 11, verse 1, we are going to hear what Paul has to say about the matter. And he will not mince words or pull any punches. He’s going to let the believers in Corinth have it with both barrels, admonishing them for their selfishness and self-centeredness. As members of the body of Christ, they had a responsibility to put the needs of others ahead of their own rights. Doing what is best for others takes precedence over what I may or may not think is best for me. And the model Paul provides is himself. He could boldly, but not braggingly, claim that he had been selfless in his service to the people in Corinth. He refused to accept any kind of financial help for the work he had done there, even though he had every right to it. He had ministered to them on his own dime, never asking for them to donate a single cent to his well-being. For Paul, the well-being of the body of Christ was of a far great priority than his own well-being or that of any other believer in Corinth.

Ep 280 – 1 Corinthians 10:1-13 Sep 26, 2017

In today’s episode, we will be looking at the first 13 verses of 1 Corinthians 10. I’ve titled it “No Place for Cockiness” because Paul is going to take head-on the problem of the Corinthians demanding their rights and the resulting evidence of pride in their lives. There were those in the church in Corinth who were demanding that they had certain rights and they were unwilling to give them up even though those rights were doing some serious spiritual damage to the less mature believers in the church. This unnecessary and ungodly division was not something Paul was willing to overlook. He was concerned that this cockiness on the part of the more mature believers in the church was actually a dangerous thing. They were becoming a bit too self-righteous and he knew that their over-confidence could easily lead to failure. Pride always goes before the fall. Which is why Paul warned them to be careful not to fall. Just when these people thought they were standing on firm ground, they would discover that their confidence was in self, not God. And for the believer, self-confidence is a dangerous companion on the walk of faith. Self-confidence will prove a lousy defense against temptation. It will get exposed as what it is: Unreliable and incapable of protecting us from the ways of this world and the attacks of the enemy.

Ep 279 – 1 Corinthians 9 Sep 25, 2017

The Law of Christ. It almost sounds like a contradiction in terms, doesn’t it? And yet, as we unpack 1 Corinthians chapter nine, we’re going to find that the law of Christ is exactly what Paul presents as the solution to a problem facing the believers in Corinth. They were obsessed with their rights and privileges as followers of Christ. They were demanding their own ways and defending their rights to do as they pleased. But in doing so, they were abusing one another and failing to exhibit the kind of love that Jesus modeled and that the gospel demands. Rather than loving one another, they were defending their rights. And Paul would use himself as an example of one who had determined to give up his rights for the sake of the gospel. He wasn’t going to let his freedoms in Christ shackle another believer with unnecessary guilt and shame. He wasn’t going to demand his own way and run the risk of tempting a brother or sister in Christ to wander from the way of Christ. The law of Christ is that of love. It is obedience to the command that we love one another as we have been loved by God through Christ. It is a law of sacrifice and selflessness. It is a law of otherness rather than self-centeredness. And yet, the law of Christ is not legalistic. It is not about demanding behavior that earns God’s favor. It is about living as Christ lived and loving as He loved. It is about the blessedness that comes with giving rather than receiving.

Ep 278 – 1 Corinthians 8 Sep 24, 2017

Loving to know versus knowing to love. That’s the title for today’s episode on 1 Corinthians, chapter 8. In this chapter, Paul continues to answer some of the questions that had been sent to him by the Corinthians in a letter. In this case, he addresses the topic of knowledge. Not academic or head-knowledge, but an awareness of right and wrong that allows a believer to do certain things that others might think are prohibited. Part of what Paul is having to deal with is an abuse on the part of some within the church in Corinth who were overstating their newfound freedom in Christ. They were demanding their rights to eat certain foods and to engage in particular practices that others felt were off limits. These more mature believers felt like they were having their rights stifled by those who were less spiritual. These baby Christians, who had come out of pagan backgrounds, were struggling with issues like eating meat that had been sacrificed to false gods. They saw the more mature Christians doing so and felt like it was wrong. For them, it was as if those who ate that meat were worshiping the false gods. They were appalled. They couldn’t understand why someone would do such a thing. And the more mature believers felt like they had every right to do what they were doing and not have to put up with undeserved judgment. But for Paul, it all went back to love. Knowing you’re right means nothing if you don’t know enough to love others.

Ep 277 – 1 Corinthians 7:25-40 Sep 23, 2017

This episode is based on the second half of 1 Corinthians, chapter seven, and covers verses 25-40. I’ve entitled it, “A Matter of Priorities” because Paul is going to challenge the Corinthian believers that their focus on the things of this world was out of whack. They were so earthly minded that they were finding it difficult to be of much good to the kingdom and its cause. Keep in mind that they had written Paul a letter to which he was responding. And their letter was filled with questions regarding whether to get married or to say single. If married, should a couple give up their sexual relationship so they could concentrate of spiritual growth? Should single people stay single or pursue a marriage partner. For Paul, the issue was one of priorities. He wanted them to keep their focus on Christ and their energies dedicated to accomplishing God’s kingdom purposes. The world in which they lived was temporary in nature. Those questions about marriage with which they were so consumed were off point. Jesus even said that at the resurrection of the dead, “they will neither marry nor be given in marriage” (Matthew 22:30 NLT). Marriage is an earthly institution that will have no reason for existence in heaven. And so many of the things about which we worry and fret in this life will mean nothing in the next. Rather than allow ourselves to become overly attached to this world, Paul would have us set our sights on the next.

Ep 276 – 1 Corinthians 7:1-24 Sep 22, 2017

In this episode, we’ll be in 1 Corinthians, chapter seven, verses 1-24. It’s entitled, “Right Where God Wants You” and has to do with a believer accepting the circumstances of his life even as he embraces his new-found relationship with Jesus. Salvation is intended to change our hearts, not necessarily our circumstances or surroundings. Of course, if we are living an immoral lifestyle prior to coming to Christ, God would want us to not only repent of it but walk away from it. But Paul’s emphasis in these verses has much more to do with the grey areas of life that accompany our salvation. If we’re married when we come to faith, we should stay married, even if our spouse is still an unbeliever. If we were single when married, there is no reason we cannot stay single. If we were pursuing a certain career path when we came to know Christ, we should keep on keeping on. Salvation is intended to change our lives from the inside out. But we can sometimes lose focus and start worrying about making external changes. It is easy to think that, since God has provided us new life in Christ, we should pursue a NEW LIFE in Christ. But pursuing a career change, an alteration to our marital status, or a radical departure from our normal way of life is not what God is looking for. Sometimes the greatest lesson we can learn from our conversion is that of contentment.

Ep 275 – 1 Corinthians 6:12-20 Sep 21, 2017

In today’s episode, we’re going to be digging into the second half of 1 Corinthians, chapter six, covering verses 12-20. I’ve entitled it, “A Change in Ownership” and it’s going to deal with our freedom in Christ. One of the things Paul found himself dealing with was the Corinthians’ tendency to abuse their newfound freedom in Christ. Sexual promiscuity was a huge problem in Corinth. Decadence and gluttony were also big problems. In fact, just about every one of the seven deadly sins was on the menu in Corinth, including pride, envy, gluttony, lust, anger, greed and sloth. And Paul was faced with the unenviable task of having to call the Corinthians to task on virtually every one of them. At the heart of each of these sins is the love of self. And the love of self was the antithesis of the love of Christ that all believers are to exhibit. Christ-like love is selfless and sacrificial. It is other-focused and self-denying. In fact, Jesus told His disciples, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow me” (Matthew 16:24 NLT). And Paul makes it clear that, as believers, we no longer belong to ourselves. We have been bought out of sin and self-worship by God and the price He paid was the death of His own Son.

Ep 274 – 1 Corinthians 6:1-11 Sep 20, 2017

In this episode, we’ll be looking at the first eleven verses 1 Corinthians, chapter six. I’ve entitled it, “Where’s the Proof?” and in it, we’ll take a look at Paul’s words concerning the life change that should have accompanied the salvation experience of the Corinthians. Rather than exhibiting the fruit of the Spirit, they were living like the rest of the world, having disputes and taking one another to court over them. There was no unity. There was no bond of love. And their actions gave evidence of worldliness rather than righteousness. Paul, as a minister of the gospel and a shepherd of the flock of God, was not willing to sit back and let the Corinthians destroy the reputation of Jesus Christ through their behavior. He was going to call them to accountability and remind them of their status as children of God. Because of their faith in Jesus Christ, their lives had been changed. They had been cleansed. They had been declared holy by God. They had been restored to a right relationship with God. So, why weren’t they living like it? Why weren’t their lives giving evidence of their new natures? True life change was not optional for Paul. It was a necessary and non-negotiable byproduct of salvation. And he would not be content until the believers in Corinth began to live as what they were: children of God.

Ep 273 – 1 Corinthians 5 Sep 19, 2017

In chapter five of 1 Corinthians, Paul addresses an interesting topic: Excessive tolerance. It seems that there was a man in the church there who was guilty of having an affair. Not only that, it was with his stepmother. But Paul’s real issue is not with the man or his adulterous affair, but with the over-accepting nature of the church’s reaction to it all. Rather than be appalled at the man’s sinful behavior, they were actually bragging about it. Instead of embarrassment, they were exhibiting a sense of approval. If you recall, in our very first episode, we talked about Paul’s use of the plural pronoun “you.” This letter was written to the body of Christ, not a single individual. And Paul addresses then corporate nature of this man’s sin. Sure, it was he who had committed adultery. And it was his own stepmother who participated in this unacceptable behavior. But the church was also corporately culpable, because they had done nothing about it. In essence, their failure to speak up was as good as an endorsement of the couple’s wicked behavior. And when sin goes unaddressed in the body of Christ, it spreads like a cancer. It infects and pollutes. It weakens the spiritual immune system of the church. And tolerance, while it may appear to be an act of love, is actually a form of hatred. By remaining silent and refusing to address the sin in our midst, we reveal a disregard for the well-being of the one whose sin we are overlooking and a deadly apathy to the health of the church.

Ep 272 – 1 Corinthians 4 Sep 18, 2017

Today’s episode deals with chapter four of 1 Corinthians, where Paul makes a seemingly boastful claim that the Corinthians should imitate his behavior. That’s why I’ve entitled this episode, “Do As I Say and Do.” Paul isn’t an arrogant ego-maniac with an inflated sense of self-worth. He is a follower of Christ who is honestly attempting to live his life in keeping with the precepts taught by Jesus Himself. He is a Christ-follower, so, he has no problem telling the Corinthians to get in line behind him. As long as he is walking after Christ, they can’t go wrong by following in his footsteps. And shouldn’t that be true of each and every one of us? But the problem is that we too easily find ourselves wandering off into the weeds of life and blazing our own trail, leaving the way of Jesus somewhere in our rearview mirror. Paul wasn’t claiming to BE Christ. He wasn’t inferring that his life was on the same par as that of Christ. But he had no qualms inviting other believers to not only do as he said, but do as he did. His was a life worth emulating. Not perfect, but in the process of being perfected, by the power of the Holy Spirit. Our world could stand a few more lives worth imitating. There are far too many vain, self-absorbed, immoral and ungodly examples out there. And while we can’t be Christ for anyone, we can certainly mirror His life and live out His teachings as we submit to the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit.

Ep 271 – 1 Corinthians 3 Sep 17, 2017

Today, we move into chapter three of 1 Corinthians. This episode is entitled “Worldly Wise” and deals with a problem facing the Corinthians that is common to all of us as believers. It has to do with the constant temptation to live as citizens of this world rather than as citizens of the Kingdom of God. Paul accused the Corinthians of living as if they belonged to the world. Their lifestyle and behavior was not in keeping with the ways outlined by Paul and modeled by Jesus Christ Himself. Worldliness rather than godliness. It’s a constant reality for the Christian. Why? Because we live in the world and are constantly pressured to fit in rather than stand out. We have been called to live lives that are set apart to God. But when we do, it makes the world uncomfortable. Our godliness makes those around us feel guilty about the way they live their lives. So, they attempt to get us to abandon God’s ways for the world’s ways. They pressure us to take a different path, the one Jesus said leads to destruction. “For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many” (Matthew 7:13 ESV). Being worldly wise too often leads to compromise. When we start listening to the world and choosing to take its advice, our distinctiveness as Christians gets lost. Our uniqueness becomes blurred. Instead of modeling spiritual maturity, our lives become characterized by infantile attempts to blend in rather than stand out. And the church suffers as a result.

Ep 270 – 1 Corinthians 2 Sep 16, 2017

In today’s episode, we’ll be taking a look at 1 Corinthians chapter 2. It’s entitled “The Mind of Christ” and will deal with the believer’s ability to comprehend the ways of God, including the offer of salvation made available through His Son and the wisdom of His Word made understandable by His Spirit. The entire life of the believer, from salvation to sanctification, is the work of God. Even our ultimate glorification, when we will be finally and completely transformed into the likeness of Christ is His doing. The Father, Son and the Holy Spirit, the three persons of the Trinity, each play a part in the life-transforming reality of the gospel. And Paul wants the Corinthians to understand that this divine re-creation, has nothing to do with the efforts or insights of men. While Paul, Apollos and Peter were used by God to spread the message of His grace and goodness expressed through the gift of His Son, their words did not save anyone. Their powers of persuasion convinced no one to believe. It was the Spirit of God, speaking through them on behalf of God, and empowering the lost to accept the free gift of the Son of God that did it all. Salvation is a spiritual process, from beginning to end. And we have no reason to boast about playing a part in it.

Ep 269 – 1 Corinthians 1:18-31 Sep 15, 2017

Today’s episode is based on 1 Corinthians 1:18-31 and is entitled “The Work of God.” In it, we’ll see Paul dealing with the division that arisen in the local church in Corinth. It seems that the people within the congregation were giving unnecessary and undeserved credit to Paul, Apollos and Peter for the roles they had played in their conversions. They were taking sides and arguing over which of these men were the most significant in terms of leadership. But Paul wasn’t going to put up with it. As far as he was concerned, the only one worthy of any credit for the salvation of the believers in Corinth was God Himself. It had all been His idea and totally the work of His power. Paul, Peter and Apollos didn’t save anybody. They had simply pointed people to the source of salvation: Jesus Christ, the Son of God and the God-appointed, grace-provided Savior. As soon as the people started arguing about men, they were getting their eyes off of Christ, “the founder and perfecter of our faith” as the author of Hebrews calls Him. The Corinthians had no business boasting in their role in their own salvation and they had right to make much of the part Peter, Paul or Apollos may have played. It was Jesus who made them pure and holy. It was Jesus who had freed them from sin. And no one else.

Ep 268 – 1 Corinthians 1:10-17 Sep 14, 2017

In today’s episode based on 1 Corinthians 1:10-17, we’ll be looking at a problem Paul was forced to deal with in the church at Corinth. It’s a common issue that every church body has had to wrestle with. The danger of division. Paul had gotten wind of an internal debate going on within the church that revolved around leadership. Some within the church were claiming Paul as their leader, while others were siding with Apollos. Still others took the side of Peter. And the result was infighting and a spirit of unrighteousness. For Paul, this was unacceptable and he dealt with it immediately in his letter. He wasn’t going to allow the Corinthians to destroy their unity over personal preferences and leadership styles. Disunity is deadly. Division is dangerous. Jesus said so Himself. One day, when he was accused by the Pharisees of casting out demons by the power of Satan, Jesus provided a response that revealed the absurdity of their accusation. “If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. And if a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand” (Mark 3:24-25 ESV). Unity is essential for stability and healthy spirituality.

Ep 266 – 1 Corirnthians Introduction Sep 13, 2017

This episode begins a new series on the book of 1 Corinthians. Written by the apostle Paul to the believers in the city of Corinth, this letter is one of the pastoral epistles, penned by Paul to an early first-century church whose congregation was struggling with a variety of issues. While a Greek city, Corinth was heavily influenced by the culture of its Roman overlords. It was a city of extremes, with people from all walks of life, nationalities, and every imaginable economic strata. Predominantly pagan, it had a strong Jewish contingent and, the relatively new sect known as The Way was beginning to grow in size and popularity among the city’s populace. Corinth was a bustling commercial crossroads, that had benefited greatly from trade between east and west. It was also a manufacturing hub, producing everything from pottery and lamps to roof tiles and sculptures. Idolatry was a major component of the religious life of Corinth. You could find shrines and temples dedicated to a plethora of gods, including Aphrodite, Isis, Dionysus, Zeus, Hermes, Athena, Apollo and even the mystery god. Paul had helped start the church in Corinth and this letter was written two years after his departure, with the intent of dealing with what appears to be their growing accommodation to the world. Rather than influencing the culture around them with their faith, they were being diluted and distracted by the things of the world. To put it bluntly, Paul was writing in order to address what he considered non-Christian behavior among the people of God. As a result, there is much in his letter that will resonate with the church in 21st-Century culture. I want to encourage you to read each day’s passage in order to get the most out of this study. Now, let’s dig into the book of 1 Corinthians.

Ep 267 – 1 Corinthians 1:1-9 Sep 13, 2017

This episode is called “The Beauty of the Body of Christ” and covers the first 9 verses of chapter one of 1st Corinthians. One of the first things Paul is going to tackle is an issue regarding spiritual gifts in the church located in Corinth. After a brief introduction and a few words of thanksgiving to God for the congregation there, Paul gets straight to his first point: The spiritual gifts found in the church and their proper use of them. There were already divisions popping up within the congregation and some them were directly tied to a misunderstanding about and misuse of spiritual gifts. What God had intended for the corporate good of the body of Christ had been used for selfish and self-centered means. And this was not going to cut it with the apostle. One of his key themes in virtually every one of his letters was the need for unity among the people of God. There was no room for a me-centered attitude or a pride-filled approach to life within the body. Humility was key. Love was essential. And ungodly behavior was unacceptable. But as we know today, thoughts about self come naturally to all of us. We are by nature, self-absorbed. But the body of Christ is about selflessness and togetherness. As the psalmist said, “How good and pleasant it is when God's people live together in unity!”

Ep 265 – Judges 20-21 Sep 12, 2017

This is it. The final episode in our study in the book of Judges. We’ll wrap up this series with a look at chapters 20-21 in a lesson I’ve entitled, “Doing What Is Right In Our Own Eyes”. As we will see, the book of Judges doesn’t end particularly well. In fact, it doesn’t end well at all. The cycle of sin that permeates the book ends in a spiral of moral decay and a deadly civil war. The people of God end up killing one another. There is no king. There is no moral standard. There is no sense of right or wrong. Right has become whatever anyone deems it to be – for themselves. Moral relativism rules the day. And the people of God have refused to allow God to rule their lives. They are self-obsessed. And in the long run, they are self-destructive. There are so many lessons we can learn from the book of Judges. It is anything but ancient history, because what we see the people of Israel doing, as described on its pages, we see the church doing today. We run the same risk of doing what is right in our own eyes. We can become autonomous and the kings of our own domains, just they had done. We can remove God from the throne of our lives and try and occupy the seat of power and authority. But just as we see with Israel, it will never end well.

Ep 264 – Judges 19 Sep 11, 2017

This is episode thirteen on the book of Judges and covers chapters 19. It’s entitled, “Without God as King, Sin Reigns”. Amazingly, things in Israel during the period of the judges, go from bad to worse. Their repeated deliverance by God from their well-deserved punishment never seems to get their attention. They sin. God sends a pagan nation to mete out His judgment. They call out to God. He sends a deliverer and rescues them. And the cycle repeats itself. Ad nauseam. And in chapter 19, we see yet another example of just how bad things had gotten in the land of Israel. And this particular story is graphic in nature and sickening in its portrayal of just how decadent and immoral the nation had become. It was a moral free-for-all. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes. Self-gratification was the code of the day. If it felt good, they did it. If it seemed like something they wanted to do, they pursued it. With no regard to God. With no remorse or sense of shame. There was no king in Israel. And that includes the sad fact that God Almighty was no longer recognized as the reigning sovereign over the nation of Israel. They had turned their back on Him long ago. And now, they were suffering the consequences.

Ep 263 – Judges 17-18 Sep 10, 2017

This is our twelfth episode on the book of Judges and covers chapters 17-18. It’s entitled, “A Spiritual free-for-all” and deals with yet another less-than-stellar story involving the people of Israel and their almost inconceivable propensity to sin against God. In chapter 17, we read these extremely insightful and disturbing words: “In those days there was no king in Israel. And everyone did what was right in his own eyes” (Judges 17:6 ESV). This was the period of the judges. The people had rejected God as their king and had yet to reach the point where they would demand a human king. The various tribes had spread throughout the land of Canaan, settling in their respective territories and trying to make the most of their situation. But everybody was doing their own thing, not God’s. Rather than seek the will of God, they were giving in to their own self-centered desires, seeking false gods and making forbidden alliances with the nations that occupied the land. And in the middle of all this we are introduced to a character named Micah, who will provide us with a real-life example of just how bad things had gotten in Israel. It was every man for himself. The 12 tribes of Israel were all living in varying degrees of disobedience to God. And Micah will provide us with an up-close-and-personal look into the spiritual free-for-all that was taking place in the land.

Ep 262 – Judges 16 Sep 09, 2017

This eleventh episode on the book of Judges takes us to chapter 16 and the less-than-stellar ending to the life of Samson. As has been the case in his life all along, Samson would go out in style. His would not be a simple, quiet passing. He lived life on the edge and his death would be no different. What we have here is a picture of a man who had been hand-picked and equipped by God to serve as His deliverer. But Samson would take the attributes and abilities given to him by God and waste them on serving himself. Yes, he would accomplish some incredible feats for God, but they almost all appear to be occasions where he was attempting to meet his own desires, not Gods. As we saw in yesterday’s episode, God tended to use Samson in spite of him, not because of him. And one of the saddest indictments on this somewhat questionable man of God was his inability to remain set apart to God. By God’s command, his parents had dedicated Samson to be a Nazirite. And that unique designation and lifestyle was not an easy one. There were some serious prohibitions and expectations that came taking with the Nazirite vow. But Samson never seemed to take seriously his calling by God to be set apart for His Service. And his roller-coaster lifestyle would end in victory, but also in defeat.

Ep 261 – Judges 14-15 Sep 08, 2017

In this, our tenth episode on the book of Judges, we’re going to continue our look at Samson, the long-haired, strong-armed, free-spirited Nazarite called by God to judge the people of God. Far from providing us with a poster-boy model of spiritual integrity to follow, Samson gives us far more negative lessons from which to learn. He was a loose-cannon who was always getting into trouble and who found himself accomplishing great feats for God in spite of himself. He wasn’t exactly an icon of virtue or a stellar example of godliness. He was impulsive, self-centered and suffered from a bit of an inflated sense of self-worth. He could be cocky and self-assured. His incredible strength gave him a dangerous sense of indestructibility. He was driven by his passions, and quick to demand what he wanted – from his parents and even from God. To Samson, life was all about Samson. His universe revolved around him. His thoughts were always about him. And everyone else on the planet existed to serve him. So, why did God use him? What would possess God to put up with someone like Samson? Perhaps his life is provided as a much-needed warning to each of us how easy it is to squander and abuse our calling by God. It isn’t so much that God needs us, as much as it is that God chooses to use us, in spite of us.

Ep 260 – Judges 13 Sep 07, 2017

This is episode nine on our study of the book of Judges and it covers chapter 13. At this point in the history of the judges, we meet one of the better-known characters whose exploits are almost super-hero like. Of course, we’re referring to Samson, that larger-than-life character who was renowned for his great strength and long hair. But he also had a reputation as a lady’s man and as a loose cannon, who marched to the beat of his own drummer and who was anything but the prototypical servant of God. But chapter 13 is going to provide us with some important insights into how Samson became a judge. This unlikely hero was actually the result of a miraculous intervention by God. In the midst of all the evil taking place in Israel, God would visit a woman who just happened to be barren. She was suffering with the disgrace of childlessness, a powerful social stigma in that day and age. But God was going to give her a child, a boy, whom she was commanded to raise as a Nazarite and whom God said would save the people of Israel from the Philistines. This wasn’t going to be just any boy. He was going to be a God-appointed deliverer. At the worst of times, God selected the least likely woman to bear the child who would become the surprising source of His deliverance for an unfaithful people.

Ep 259 – Judges 11-12 Sep 06, 2017

In this eighth episode on the book of Judges, we’ll be looking at chapters 11 and 12. I’ve entitled this episode, “A False View of the One True God.” In it, we are going to take a look at an all-too-common problem that the people of God have always faced: A false or incomplete understanding of who He is and how He works. Knowing God insufficiently or incompletely can lead to some serious miscalculations in terms of how we relate to Him. Some of us fear Him inordinately, seeing Him as little more than a vengeful judge who loves to punish wrong-doers. Others see Him as all-loving and completely tolerant of all our faults and foibles. He becomes little more than a doddering old grandfather in the sky who exists for no other reason than to make us happy. Misrepresentations of God are dangerous. Misunderstanding God can be deadly. And the story of Jephthah and his unnecessary vow to God provides a sobering example of what can happen when we fail to know God well. Jephthah was going to make a mistake he would live to regret. It was going to cost him greatly. But it had all been unnecessary. It was all due to his lack of knowledge of God. And we have been given the Word of God so that we might better understand the nature and character of God. The Bible is the revelation of God to man. He unveils Himself to us in His Word so that we might know how to relate with and respond to Him.

Ep 258 – Judges 10 Sep 05, 2017

This is episode seven on the book of Judges and deals with chapter nine. It’s called, “From Bad to Worse” and covers the next period in the life of the people of Israel. As bad as things had gotten with Abimelech, things were going to get worse before they got better. The Israelites were slow to learn life’s lessons, painfully repeating the same pattern of rebellion against God, followed by the rebuke of God. You would have thought that a few cycles into this repetitive pattern of unfaithfulness and God’s discipline, they would have woken up and realized what it was they were doing that was causing all their pain and suffering. But they were stubborn and remarkably rebellious. No sooner than God would deliver them, they would go straight back to their old ways of spiritual adultery. Pursuing false gods and turning their backs on the one true God. The one thing they had learned to do was call to God when they got into trouble. Isn’t it interesting to note that when all our false gods fail us, we always seem to turn back to God for help? But this time, when they feigned repentance and called out to Him, He was going to demand actions that backed up their words.

Ep 257 – Judges 9 Sep 04, 2017

Today’s episode is entitled, “The Dark Ages of Israel” and takes us into chapter nine of Judges. With the passing of Gideon, the people of Israel revert back to their evil ways, worshiping false gods and rejecting the one true God who had used Gideon to provide them with deliverance from the Midianites. Before Gideon’s body had had time to cool off, the people were once again revealing their true natures, rejecting the leadership of God over their lives. In fact, they would choose a far-from-desirable individual to be their king. A man who had murdered his way to the top and exhibited a less-than-righteous lifestyle all along the way. Abimelech was one of Gideon’s many sons and he would prove to be a thorn in the side of Israel. Yet, God would use him in spite of him. God would accomplish His will for Israel, even by using a man who had no business sitting on the throne. When all is said and done, chapter nine of the book of Judges provides us with a powerful lesson in the sovereignty and power of God. It really doesn’t matter who sits on the throne or wields the power, it is God who is in control. And whether we choose to trust God or not makes no difference in whether He is in charge. We can place our faith in someone or something else, but it is always God who will have the last say.

Ep 256 – Judges 7-8 Sep 03, 2017

In today’s episode we’ll be in chapters 7 and 8 of the book of Judges and I’ve entitled it “Little Is Much When God Is In It.” Those are actually the lyrics from a song made popular by the Gaither Vocal Band a number of years ago. They speak of God’s ability to use our weakness to accomplish great things for the kingdom. When God is the power behind our efforts, we can accomplish great things and enjoy remarkable victories. We live in a world where everything seems to be measured in numbers. We are convinced that more means better. In fact, we say things like “the more, the merrier” and “bigger is better”. But in God’s grand scheme of things, less is often more. That was to be the case in the story of Gideon and his battle against the Midianites. He was already outnumbered and grossly under-equipped to face the Midianite army, and then found himself receiving some less-than-logical directions from God to reduce his forces even further. What God was telling him to do made no sense. It seemed suicidal. But God was out to show Gideon and the people of Israel that they needed Him far more than He needed them. The victory they sought was going to be up to God, not the number of troops they could muster. Bad odds don’t scare God. And our weakness doesn’t cause God to worry one bit, because when all is said and done, it is He who brings the victory. Not us.

Ep 255 – Judges 5-6 Sep 02, 2017

This is episode four in our series on the book of Judges and covers chapters 5 and 6. This episode deals with an unlikely hero named Gideon. That’s why I’ve given this episode the title: “The Reluctant Rescuer.” We’re going to find out that Gideon was hand-picked by God, not because he had a lot to offer or had proven himself a well-qualified leader, but because God wanted to reveal His power through Gideon’s weakness and doubt. Gideon was a worrier. He was a fearful man who showed no signs of desiring to be a great leader for God. He would have preferred to have remained in the shadows, living his life in relative obscurity and letting the world go on without him. But that wasn’t going to be his lot in life. He got a call from God. But he didn’t exactly respond to God’s call with enthusiasm. He had his doubts. He even demanded that God give him proof. And God graciously did. But the issue Gideon was going to have to come to grips with was his own inadequacy and God’s power. God wasn’t choosing Gideon because of what he brought to the table, but because God wanted to reveal His power through Gideon’s weakness. God chose Gideon, not because He needed him, but because God uses the ordinary to do the extraordinary. He uses the weak so that He can display His power through them. As the apostle Paul so aptly reminds us: “God chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise. And he chose things that are powerless to shame those who are powerful. God chose things despised by the world, things counted as nothing at all, and used them to bring to nothing what the world considers important. As a result, no one can ever boast in the presence of God.” (1 Corinthians 1:27-29 NLT).

Ep 254 – Judges 4 Sep 01, 2017

This is episode three in our series on the book of Judges and I’ve titled this lesson, “Thank Heaven for Little Girls.” I know, that’s a bit of a strange title, but I think you’ll see that it actually fits what takes place in chapter four of Judges. Here we meet Deborah, a prophetess, who will play a significant role in the deliverance of the people of God from the oppression of Jabin, the king of Canaan. Barak, a valiant warrior, was charged with the task of leading the troops of Israel into battle against the Canaanites, but he was reluctant to do so unless Deborah, the prophetess, went with him. But there’s another woman whose name gets mentioned in this chapter. She is Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite. This relatively obscure individual will play a major role in Israel’s victory over the Canaanites. It will be by her hand that Sisera, the commander of the Canaanite army, meets his untimely end. She and Deborah, two women in a culture dominated by men, would be used by God to accomplish His will for His people. They would do what the men of Israel failed to do. Deborah would lead the people into battle. Jael would singlehandedly end the life of the Canaanite commander. Two women who served the one true God, would be used by God to accomplish His will and deliver His people. They would prove to be instruments in His hands, ready, willing and able to be used for His glory and the good of His people.

Ep 253 – Judges 2-3 Aug 31, 2017

This is episode two in our series on the book of Judges. It’s entitled “Our Standard Achievement Test” and covers chapters two and three. These two chapters serve as a kind of preface for the rest of the book, providing a backdrop against which to evaluate all that will take place in the subsequent chapters. In chapter two, God reminds the people of Israel that it was He who brought them out of captivity in Egypt and delivered them to the land of Canaan. But He also reminded them that they had been disobedient and had failed to follow His commands. Rather than rid the land of its pagan inhabitants, they had chosen to make alliances with them. And before long they found themselves worshiping the false gods of these very same nations. Chapter two also records the death of Joshua, their God-appointed leader. This led to the various tribes scattering to their own territories to live out their lives separately and independently from one another. There was no king or central government. And on top of that, we’re given the not-so-good news:

“And all that generation also were gathered to their fathers. And there arose another generation after them who did not know the Lord or the work he had done for Israel.” – Judges 2:10 ESV

And then chapter two tells us that the people of Israel did what was evil in the sight of the Lord. They worshiped false gods instead of the one true God. So, God was forced to discipline them and test them. But He wasn’t just punishing them. He was preparing them

Ep 252 – Judges 1 Aug 30, 2017

This is episode one in a new series on the Old Testament book of Judges. Over the next 20 weeks, we’ll be unpacking this remarkable book one chapter at a time and looking at any and all lessons to be learned from this historical account of the nation of Israel, the children of God. The book of Judges provides us with a unique glimpse into the lives of God’s people during a time when they were supposed to be experiencing God’s blessings, but instead, they were struggling with unfaithfulness and disobedience to the one who had delivered them from captivity in Egypt and given them the land of Canaan as their possession. During their years of wandering in the wilderness, they had been led by Moses, but when it came time to enter the land, they were under the leadership of Joshua. He got them into the land, but they had failed to obey God fully and remove the inhabitants of the land. This would lead to all kinds of problems, including idolatry and a rejection of God as their King. The book of Judges is a no-holds-barred, warts-and-all portrayal of God’s people, revealing their inconsistency as His followers and their ungratefulness for all He had done for them. I think you’ll find their story more than ancient history. At times, it will provide a much-needed and somewhat uncomfortable reminder of our own struggle as the children of God. We too can find ourselves wrestling with our status as citizens of God’s kingdom, and longing to fit into a world in which we don’t really belong. To get the most out of each episode, be sure and read the accompanying chapter.

Ep 251 – 1 John 5:13-21 PT 7 Aug 29, 2017

This is the seventh episode on 1 John, chapter five, verses 13-21 and the our very last session on the book of 1 John. I’ve entitled this lesson, “The Privilege of Knowing God” because when all is said and done and as John wraps up his letter, what John really wants his readers to know is God Himself. That is the whole point of His letter. Because of what Jesus Christ has accomplished on our behalf, we have the unique and totally remarkable privilege of coming to know God the Father intimately and personally. That is the essence of eternal life. It is all about knowing God. It is about relationship, not religion. We were created to have fellowship with God, but that fellowship was disrupted by sin. And there was nothing we could do to fix the problem because we were slaves to sin. Our very nature was sinful, separating us from the One who created us. So, God stepped in and did what only He could do. He sent His Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, as a man, to live a sinless life and die a sinner’s death on the cross. All as payment for the sin debt owed by mankind to a holy, righteous God. Because of Jesus, our sins have been forgiven and our broken relationship with God has been restored. And we can know Him, the one true God.

Ep 250 – 1 John 5:13-21 PT 6 Aug 28, 2017

This is the sixth episode on 1 John, chapter five, verses 13-21 and is entitled, “American Idols.” We live in a day when idols are everywhere. No, they’re not the kind of idols we see described in the Old Testament. Ours are much more sophisticated and less blatant in terms of their role as false gods in our lives. Our idols take the form of material goods, entertainment, popularity, pleasure, money, success and our own happiness. But they are false gods nonetheless. Why? Because we worship them. We shower these things with our attention, and place on them our hopes for the future and depend upon them for our needs for the present. But John warns us to be on the alert and to recognize the danger of these God-substitutes. They are everywhere and ever-present. They’re alluring and always subtle in their ability to distract us from the one true God. As Christians, we can even make idols out of worship, Bible study, doctrine, and our own spiritual accomplishments. We can easily find ourselves worshiping the wrong things, giving precedence to those things that were intended to draw us nearer to God, not to replace Him as God. So John warns us to keep ourselves from idols.

Ep 249 – 1 John 5:13-21 PT 5 Aug 27, 2017

This is episode five on 1 John, chapter five, verses 13-21 and is entitled, “Knowing God.” In our day and age, and most certainly within the church community, we hear a lot about coming to know Christ. And rightfully so, because that is the essence of the gospel. It is essential that those who are lost come to a saving knowledge of who Jesus Christ was and what He has done on their behalf by providing Himself as a substitute payment for their sin penalty. But one of the things that seems to get left out is why Jesus died. He didn’t just give His life so that we might have eternal life. He sacrificed Himself so that sinful men and women might be restored to a right relationship with God the Father. Sin had broken that relationship. Sin separated men and women from God. Their sinfulness and His holiness could not coexist. So, God sent His Son to pay the penalty for the sins of men, and to offer a means by which humanity could find themselves back in a right relationship with God. Knowing God is the key to our salvation. And Jesus made it possible. But how well do we know God? How intimate is our relationship with Him? Knowing God and His Son is what eternal life is all about.

Ep 248 – 1 John 5:13-21 PT 4 Aug 26, 2017

This is our fourth episode on 1 John, chapter five, verses 13-21 and is entitled, “Divine Protection.” One of the things John wants us to understand as he begins the wrap-up of his letter, is the reality of God’s loving protection over His children. While we remain in this world after conversion, and find ourselves surrounded by hostile forces and subject to the attacks of the enemy, we are not alone. In fact, John would have us remember that, because of our faith in Christ, Satan, the evil one, cannot touch us. He is held at bay by God Himself. And not only that, because of our relationship with Christ, we have a new capacity to say no to sin. We no longer have to sin. We now have a Spirit-empowered option to do what is right in the eyes of God and live righteously, no longer enslaved to our old sin nature. Oh, it’s still there and it will raise its ugly head and attempt to force its will on us, but because of Jesus, we do not have to keep on sinning like we once did. We are new creations. We have been born again. We are God’s children and enjoy His protection and access to His power to love godly lives. In this life and according to His will.

Ep 247 – 1 John 5:13-21 PT 3 Aug 25, 2017

This is episode three on 1 John, chapter five, verses 13-21. It’s entitled, “Practical Prayer” and deals with a matter that each of us as believers should take to heart: Our prayers on behalf of a sinning brother or sister in Christ. Not only are we to take sin seriously in our own lives, we are to care deeply about the sin that we see in one another’s lives. And John tells us we are to pray. We are to lift up our fellow believer to the throne of God, asking that God will give them life. In essence, we are to pray for their restoration to fellowship with God. Sin breaks that fellowship. It puts a barrier between God and the one who has unrepentant sin in their life. We are to ask God to open their eyes to the reality of their sin so that they might confess it and be forgiven by God and restored to a right relationship with Him. Sin in the body of Christ is dangerous. It can spread like a cancer, eventually infecting all those with whom it comes into contact. That is why we are to pray. Prayer is an expression of our love for the one in sin. This does not mean we are free from having to confront the sins in one another. We have an obligation to speak truth into one another’s lives, and that includes lovingly pointing out the sins that we see being committed by those we call our brothers and sisters in Christ.

Ep 246 – 1 John 5:13-21 PT 2 Aug 24, 2017

This is part two in our look at 1 John, chapter five, verses 13-21. This episode is entitled, “Whatever We Ask.” In today’s verses, John is going to deal with the subject of prayer, but specifically our prayers of petition, where we ask for things from God. It would seem that some of us believe that we can ask God for anything and He is obligated to give us whatever we want. This is not only a gross misunderstanding of prayer, it reveals a serious deficiency regarding the nature of God. God does not exist for our pleasure. He is not at our beck and call, somehow required to fulfill our every wish and make all our dreams come true. We exist for God. We serve Him. Not the other way around. And while we are fully free and even commanded to come to God with our prayers and petitions, we are to do so within His will. We are to pray according to His will and in keeping with His desires for us. But to do so requires that we know what God wants. We have to know His will in order to pray according to it. Prayer is a lot less about getting stuff from God than getting to know Him, so that we can pray to Him reverently and powerfully.

Ep 245 – 1 John 5:13-21 PT 1 Aug 23, 2017

This is episode one on 1 John, chapter five, verses 13-21 and I’ve entitled it, “Jesus=Life.” As John begins to wrap up his letter, he appears to be stressing the life made available to those who believe in Jesus Christ as their Savior. The eternal life to which he refers is far more than just a synonym for heaven. While heaven is a significant part of our future, it is not the end-all. A location or destination is not the point of our salvation, but a restored relationship with God the Father and God the Son. It is not so much where we are going to spend eternity, but who we will be spending it with. We will experience unbroken fellowship with Jesus Christ and His Father, free from sin and no longer plagued by the threat of death. But the truth is, we have that unbroken fellowship right now, on this earth. Nothing can separate us from the love of God. He will never leave us or forsake us. We are His adopted children, His heirs – and nothing will ever change that. We have life because we have Jesus. Our eternity is secured because we have accepted Jesus in the present. Our eternal life doesn’t start in heaven. It began when we placed our faith in Jesus.

Ep 244 – 1 John 5:6-12 PT 6 Aug 22, 2017

This is our sixth episode on 1 John, chapter five, verses 6-12 and I’ve entitled it simply, “Life.” Jesus spoke of eternal life and abundant life. He spoke of a future life to come and the present life in which we live. By accepting Jesus as our Savior, we receive life – not just at some, as-yet-to-be-revealed date, but right here, right now. We are provided with new life in Christ. As Jesus told Nicodemus, we are born again. And as Paul put it, “the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me” (Galatians 2:20 ESV). Before Christ, we were dead in our sins. But because of Christ and our faith in His sacrificial death on the cross, we have been made new – given new life and a new relationship with God the Father. Jesus said that He was the way, the truth, and the life. And a relationship with Him assures us of abundant life in the here and now, not just the hereafter. But abundant life does not mean wealth, health, a lack of troubles or a sin-free life on this planet. It is a guarantee of God’s presence, provision, mercy, and unfailing love until the day we die or His Son returns for us.

Ep 243 – 1 John 5:6-12 PT 5 Aug 21, 2017

This is our fifth episode on 1 John, chapter five, verses 6-12 and it’s entitled, “The Blood.” Sometimes, as modern believers, we see the sacrificial system ordained by God in the Old Testament as somewhat barbaric. We have a difficult time understanding why God would require the deaths of so many innocent animals. The very idea of blood atonement is hard for us to comprehend. And there are many today, who view the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross as the work of a bloodthirsty and vengeful God. They cannot comprehend how God the Father would willingly call for the death of His own Son. It seems to be anything but loving. And yet, the Scriptures tell us that Jesus Christ’s death was an expression of the love of God for mankind. Reconciling God’s wrath against sin and His love for man is not easy. Fully appreciating the grace and mercy as evidenced by His Son’s sacrificial death is made difficult by all the talk of God’s anger against sin and the need for a payment to satisfy His just and holy requirements. But the love and wrath of God meet at the cross.

Ep 242 – 1 John 5:6-12 PT 4 Aug 20, 2017

This fourth episode on 1 John, chapter five, verses 6-12 is an important one. It is called, “Present-Tense Belief” and deals with a problem I think most of us face as believers. The tendency to see our testimony as something in the past. We have been trained to think of our faith story as having taken place at a singular point in time. But John would seem to differ from that perspective. He would see our faith as ever-evolving and expanding, growing in depth and confidence. It is never stagnant or stationary. The faith to believe should become the faith to keep on believing. Saving faith should become sanctifying faith. If we find ourselves thinking that placing our faith in Christ was a one-time event that occurred sometime in the past, we are missing the point. There is no doubt that the moment we place our faith in Jesus as our Savior, we are immediately declared positionally righteous by God. But he is out to make us practically righteous – by transforming our thoughts and behavior – as we continue to place our faith in Him.

Ep 241 – 1 John 5:6-12 PT 3 Aug 19, 2017

This is the third episode on 1 John, chapter five, verses 6-12 and its’ called, “Internal Evidence”. As John continues to litigate Jesus’ claim to be the Son of God and the long-awaited Messiah, he will call the Holy Spirit as witness. And because each and every believer in Jesus Christ has the Spirit of God living within him, this testimony is internal, not external. We have living proof, living inside us. The indwelling Spirit of God provides us with daily, irrefutable evidence that Christ was exactly who He claimed to be. His Spirit within us testifies directly to us. As John says, “Whoever believes in the Son of God has the testimony in himself” (1 John 5:10). We don’t have to go far. We don’t even have to look outside of ourselves. We have the transformative power of God residing within us. And that could only mean one thing. Jesus was the Son of God and the Savior of the world. And when He promised to give us the Spirit to live within us, He had meant it and delivered on it.

Ep 240 – 1 John 5:6-12 PT 2 Aug 18, 2017

This is the second episode on 1 John, chapter five, verses 6-12 and its’ called, “God’s Testimony”. There are all kinds of opinions and testimonies concerning Jesus out there. And the truth is, there’s nothing new under the sun. The denials of Jesus’ deity and even the claims that He never even existed have been around since the days just after His death. Denying Jesus is one of the oldest sports known to mankind. But at the end of the day, it really doesn’t matter what men think. We should worry a lot more about what God has to say on the issue. And, according to John, God the Father has a lot to say about His Son. The naysayers, doubters, critics and postmodern deconstructionists can shout all they want. They can pontificate and posture, presenting the claims of the bible concerning Jesus as nothing more than fantasy, but God’s word supersedes theirs. His opinion is the only one that really matters. It was King David who said, “The fool says in his heart, “There is no God” (Psalm 14:1 ESV). And the same fool would say there is no Son of God. But John would side with David and have God as an expert witness.

Ep 239 – 1 John 5:6-12 PT 1 Aug 17, 2017

As has been our custom throughout the book of John, this will be the first of seven episodes on 1 John, chapter five, verses 6-12. I’ve entitled this first one, “Can I Get A Witness?” The fact is, John had more than enough witnesses to support His assertion that Jesus was the Son of God. And in these verses he is going to point out three of them. It really didn’t matter what others said or taught. They could deny the deity of Jesus, but it didn’t change anything. There was more than enough proof to support Jesus’ claim to be the Son of God and the Savior of the world. And John will begin with the Holy Spirit Himself. The very fact that He existed and had come to indwell each and every believer was more than enough proof that Jesus had been who He claimed to be. He had promised the Holy Spirit would come after He returned to have, and the Holy Spirit had come – in power, at Pentecost. But there were two other witnesses to Jesus deity. His baptism and crucifixion. At the first, God confirmed Jesus as His Son. At the second, God sacrificed Jesus as His sinless Son. The only sacrifice that would do.

Ep 238 – 1 John 5:1-5 PT 7 Aug 16, 2017

This is our final episode on 1 John, chapter five, verses 1-5, and it’s called, “New Birth = New Life.” You see, for John, our new birth was to result in a new way of life. As believers, we have been born of God and, as a result, we should reflect the very nature of our heavenly Father. We should bear His likeness is all that we do. We should be chips off the old block, so to speak. God has made it possible for us to emulate the character of His Son. But much more than this, He has made it possible for us to be transformed into His very likeness. We don’t just mimic Jesus, we become Christ-like in our speech and conduct because we are being made into His image from one degree of glory to another. While we live on this earth, we are going through a God-ordained transformation. And just like our salvation, it is the work of God. Left to our own devices, we could no more copy the character of Jesus than we could fly like a bird without the help of a plane, parachute, glider or some other outside aid. Our new life in Christ is made possible by God. But never forget. It IS possible.

Ep 237 – 1 John 5:1-5 PT 6 Aug 15, 2017

This is episode six on 1 John, chapter five, verses 1-5, and it’s simply called, “Faith.” You’re familiar with the word. And while faith is usually associated with, well, people of faith, it is something every living human being utilizes each and every day of their lives. So, what’s the difference between the faith of the average man on the street and that of a follower of Christ? The answer is the last word at the end of the previous sentence: Christ. It’s the object of our faith that makes the difference. It is who or what we are placing our faith, hope or trust in. Everyone has faith in something or someone. We all live by faith. But sometimes our faith ends up disappointed because the object of our faith fails to come through for us. But for those who place their faith in Christ, that’s never a possibility. Oh, we can still find ourselves worrying that He will come through for us, but it will prove to be a waste of our time. Because He is faithful. And it is because He is faithful that our faith in Him is always well-placed and never disappointed.

Ep 236 – 1 Johh 5:1-5 PT 5 Aug 14, 2017

This is our fifth episode on 1 John, chapter five, verses 1-5, and I’ve called it, “Nike.” Long before that word became a household name and a ubiquitous presence in virtually every household around the world, it was a common Greek word. One that John liked to use. And in our verse for today, he will use it to describe believers are overcomers. As we saw in the previous episode, we have been born from above and, as a result, we are intended to be victorious, those who overcome the world. But what does that really mean? And how are we supposed to pull it off. It all goes back to that little Greek word. But John isn’t going to tell us to strap on the latest pair of running shoes or trainers. He isn’t going to encourage us to hit the treadmill or the gym wearing the latest workout fashions made with dry-wick fabric. In fact, our victory has little to do with us. Instead, it has everything to do with what Christ has done for us. Our ultimate victory over this world is dependent upon the work of Christ and our faith in what He has accomplished for us.

Ep 235 – 1 John 5:1-5 PT 4 Aug 13, 2017

This is episode four on 1 John, chapter five, verses 1-5, and it’s entitled, “Unfinished Business.” You see, John is going to call us to remain obedient – until the end. God expects faithfulness from His people and He has provided everything they need to pull it off. He has placed His Spirit within us, placed us within the body of Christ, and provided us with the Word of God as a constant source of teaching, reproof, correction, and training in righteousness. We have all we need to be all we need to be. And God is at work, behind the scenes, working on our lives in ways that are oftentimes invisible to us. He is molding and perfecting us, out of love, into the likeness of His Son. And one of the main ways we show our love to God is by obeying His commands. By allowing His Spirit to lead and direct us. By not only reading His Word, but doing what it says and applying it to our lives. When Jesus gave the great commission to His disciples, He told them to go and make more disciples, but He added a line that we too often overlook: “teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.”

Ep 234 – 1 John 5:1-5 PT 3 Aug 12, 2017

In this, our third episode on 1 John, chapter five, verses 1-5, we’ll be taking a look at what John means when he says we have been born of God. He is not talking about creation or our status as human beings. In fact, John uses the term “born of God” to refer exclusively to believers. It is a term of differentiation, used to set us apart from the rest of humanity. We are born from above. In other words, it is the work of God. It is not a physical event, like the one we experienced at birth. It is spiritual in nature. And it is only possible through belief in Jesus Christ. Our new birth is made available to us by the grace of God and through faith in His Son. That faith not only results in our new birth, but our subsequent victory over sin and death. We move from living under the control and dominion of Satan into a relationship with God Himself. We become His sons and daughters, with all the rights and privileges that come with being His heirs. We become, as John puts it, overcomers. Victors in Christ because of what He has done for us.

Ep 233 – 1 John 5:1-5 PT 2 Aug 11, 2017

This is the second episode on 1 John, chapter five, verses 1-5 and it’s entitled, “Do We Really Love?”. Sometimes we can think we’re loving another individual, while, in fact, we are simply going through the motions. Externally, it may appear as if we are loving, but in reality, our actions are lacking in compassion and love. We look like we’re doing the right thing, but our hearts are not in it. And without love, Paul would say our best actions on our best day, backed by our best intentions, are nothing to brag about. We tend to see love as a list of actions to be taken or commands to be followed. But if our heart isn’t in it, our efforts become little more than legalism, or an attempt to win favor with God. I can give money to the poor, but if I don’t love them while I am doing it, my actions are hollow and empty. And when I love others the way God has loved me, I am actually showing love to Him. And to be able to love others even when I see their flaws and failings, is to love as I have been loved.

Ep 232 – 1 John 5:1-5 PT 1 Aug 10, 2017

This is the first of seven episodes on 1 John, chapter five, verses 1-5. This first one is called, “Proof Positive” and will deal with a topic that should be of concern for each and every Christ-follower: The assurance of our salvation. While that is not necessarily the primary thought John was trying to get across in these verses, it comes out loud and clear. The real issue is that of belief. Belief in Jesus Christ as the Savior, sent by God to die for the sins of men. It is our belief in Him that provides us with assurance of our salvation. Not only that, John writes in his gospel, “that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.” If we believe that Jesus Christ is our Savior, we can know, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that we are saved. And when we find ourselves loving our brothers and sisters in Christ, we are doubly assured, because that capacity to love comes from God. It is His Spirit living within us, made possible by Christ’s death on the cross, that allows us to love selflessly and sacrificially. And to know that we are sons and daughters of God.

Ep 231 – 1 John 4:7-21 PT 7 Aug 09, 2017

This is our seventh episode on 1 John, chapter four, verses 7-21. It’s called, “Love Like God Loves” and in it, we will attempt to differentiate what John means when he says we are to love as we have been loved. The standard for our love is heavenly, not earthly. It is not of this world. And we don’t get to determine what that love looks like or how we get to express it. God’s brand of love is different than ours. His love is eternal, not temporal. It doesn’t fade with time or fluctuate based on the actions of the one being loved. God’s love is transformative in nature. It is out to change the one being loved. To improve their life. To give them eternal life. God’s kind of love is redemptive and restorative. And ours should be as well. Our love, like His, should have the best interest of others in mind. We love them, not so they will love us in return, but so that they might know the love of God through us. We want them to know what it feels like to be loved by God as we have been loved by Him. Selflessly, sacrificially, and sanctifyingly.

Ep 230 – 1 John 4:7-21 PT 6 Aug 08, 2017

This is episode six on 1 John, chapter four, verses 7-21. I’ve entitled it, “Love Is of God” because, once again, John is going to stress love as an outflow of the very character of God. Love is not some arbitrary, subjective feeling we conjure up. We don’t even get to define the nature of love. Because as John has already told us, God is love. He is the ultimate definition or expression of love. And John makes it quite clear that we will never fully understand who God is until we come to grips with just how much God loved us – in spite of us. God’s love is directly tied to His holiness and justice. These qualities are not in conflict with one another within the nature of God. He can be loving and just at the same time. He can discipline in love. He can judge sin in love. And nowhere is this better expressed than at the cross. The crucifixion was the focal point on which the love and wrath of God met. He sent His Son to die for us, as an expression of His love. He crucified Christ as an expression of His hatred for sin. The love and wrath of God met at the cross. And had it not happened, we would all be lost.

Ep 229 – 1 John 4:7-21 PT 5 Aug 07, 2017

This is our fifth episode on 1 John, chapter four, verses 7-21 and is entitled, “God Loved.” The love of God is an oft misunderstood topic. Part of the problem is that we bring our own definitions of love to the equation, attempting to force on God our preconceived notions of what it means to show and receive love. But the Bible tells us that God is love. In other words, it is God who gets to define love and it is His very nature that provides the meaning. If God is love, then all that He does is done in love. Love is the permeating quality behind all His actions, whether we see it or not. So, when God tells us to love one another as He has loved us, we need to stop and think about what He is saying. How did He love us? What was the primary way in which He expressed His love to us? God sent His Son to die for us. And while that may appear to us to be a strange way of expressing love, it does not change the fact love is exactly what it was. As John wrote in His gospel, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son.” God loved. Sacrificially. Selflessly. And redemptively.

Ep 228 – 1 John 4:7-21 PT 4 Aug 06, 2017

This is episode four on 1 John, chapter four, verses 7-21 and is entitled, “Real Love.” There is a lot of confusion about love these days. So, it is essential that we listen closely to what the apostle John has to say about the topic. He is going to provide us with a vastly different definition of love than what we hear being proclaimed today. The three verses we are going to concentrate our attention on today will give the impression that true love is best expressed through actions. After all, John will remind us: “let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.” So, our love is to be tangible. Talk is cheap. Actions speak louder than words. But is meeting the physical needs of others the only legitimate expression of our love? Is there more that we should be doing? John will talk about Jesus laying down His life for us. And he will challenge us to do the same for others. This isn’t about writing a check, providing a handout, or meeting a temporal need. John is calling us to a greater kind of love, a love that the world cannot offer. It’s a real love that does far more than meet worldly needs or provide temporary relief from pain and suffering.

Ep 227 – 1 John 4:7-21 PT 3 Aug 05, 2017

In this, our third episode on 1 John, chapter four, verses 7-21, we’ll continue to explore John’s definition of love. And he will make it quite clear that God is love. He is the ultimate definition of love. We don’t get to define love on our terms. And we don’t get to decide whether God is loving us the way we want to be loved. One of the major problems in our society today is that we have turned love into a self-centered, all-about-me kind of sentiment that begins and ends on us. We decide how we want to be loved and demand that everyone, including God, love us the way we expect. But John will demand that we abide in love – in other words, that we find comfort in the love of God as expressed in the sacrificial death of His Son. If we want to know if God loves us, all we have to do is look at the cross. God’s love for us is not to be measured in the size of our checking account, the square footage of our home, the cost of our car, the absence of difficulties or any feelings of happiness we may enjoy. The love of God is to be found in the Son of God and His death on our behalf. God reconciled us to Himself by sending His Son to pay the penalty for our sins. And we are to remain in that love.

Ep 226 – 1 John 4:7-21 PT 2 Aug 04, 2017

This is episode two on 1 John, chapter four, verses 7-21. It’s entitled “God = Love.” In our day and age, it has become increasingly popular to envision God as love. So much so, that many have made His love the only characteristic of God that really matters. The kind of love they speak of is a tolerant, all-accepting kind of love that is devoid of any trace of judgmentalism or punishment for sins committed. The 21st-Century God is all-loving and nothing but loving. But John would have us understand that God’s love for us was best expressed in His own Son’s death for us. God sent Jesus to be the propitiation for our sins. With His substitutionary death on the cross, Jesus paid our sin debt and satisfied the just demands of a holy God. Our sin required a payment. Someone had to die because the penalty for sin is death. But God showed us how much He loved us by sending His Son to die for us. The modern-day version of God has removed His wrath and judgment. It has painted Him as a one-dimensional God who only loves. But the biblical reality is that God is holy and righteous. He loves, but He hates sin. And His justice requires that He deal with sin and the sinner.

Ep 225 – 1 Johyn 4:7-21 PT 1 Aug 03, 2017

This is the first of seven episodes on 1 John, chapter four, verses 7-21. I’ve entitled it “Perfect Love” because John is going to continue his discussion of the love we are to exhibit to all those around us. And it isn’t just any kind of love we are to show. It’s godly love. The perfect love of God as expressed through His Son’s sacrificial death on the cross. Godly love is selfless in nature. It isn’t based on the lovability of the one being loved. It isn’t earned or deserved. And the kind of love God has showered on us is the same kind of love we are to share with all those around us. His love gets perfected or completed through us. We end up loving others as we have been loved. We become conduits of His love. And it begins within the body of Christ, but flows out to the lost with whom we live and interact every day. As John puts it so clearly, “We love because He first loved us” (1 John 4:19 ESV). In other words, our love for others is motivated by God’s gracious love for us. We know what perfect love is. But God’s love was not meant to stop with us. It is to be shared.

Ep 224 – 1 John 4:1-6 PT 7 Aug 02, 2017

This is the final episode on 1 John, chapter four, verses 1-6 and it’s called, “Will the Real Jesus Please Stand Up?” We live in an age of growing skepticism when it comes to the claims of the Bible and, specifically, the message of the gospel. People have no problem believing that Jesus existed as an historical figure. But they have difficulty accepting His deity and the idea of His being the sacrifice for the sins of mankind. So, they invent a different Jesus. They come up with a way to explain away His divinity, by stressing His humanity. And they downplay His role as a Savior by denying the reality of sin. For so many in John’s day, Jesus was seen as a revolutionary who came to change the world, but they refused to see Him as the Savior of the world. And we face the same kind of resistance to the gospel message today. There are so many views about Jesus that it’s hard to keep up with them all. And the greatest problem is that these false views find their way into the thinking of self-proclaimed Christ-followers. Their belief in Jesus becomes tainted by a worldly view of who He was and a human perspective that attempts explain away the sacrificial nature of His death and the need for salvation from sin.

Ep 223 – 1 John 4:1-6 PT 6 Aug 01, 2017

This is episode six on 1 John, chapter four, verses 1-6 and it’s entitled, “Ears to Hear.” One of the things John stresses is the need for the people of God to be discerning. And there is no reason for us not to be. We have the Word of God available to us and the Spirit of God living within us. We have ample help in telling the difference between false teaching and the truth of God. But it requires that we listen carefully. We are not to accept what anyone says just because they claim to speak for God. We live in an age of tolerance and subjectivity. Everyone is free to have their own opinion. We are told not to judge others or to push our views on anyone else. But John would have us remember that there is truth and error, righteousness and unrighteousness. And we are to have nothing to do with those who would twist the truth of God or try to offer a different gospel. Listening to anyone and everything can be dangerous. As children of God, we are equipped to recognize and respond to the Word of God spoken by those who have been called by God.

Ep 222 – 1 John 4:1-6 PT 5 Jul 31, 2017

We are still looking at 1 John, chapter four, verses 1-6 and this is our fifth episode on this passage. I’ve entitled it, “True Confessions” because John is going to make a strong distinction between those who confess Jesus and those who confess Him as having come in the flesh. This was a real problem in his day. There were plenty of people who believed that Jesus had been a real-life human being. When John wrote his letter, which was most likely sometime around 67-68 A.D., it had only been three decades since Jesus’ death. There were still plenty of people alive who had seen and heard Jesus during His earthly ministry. There were still eyewitnesses to His resurrection around, such as John himself. So, there really wasn’t a problem with people saying Jesus never existed. The issue was that there were those who claimed He was not divine. They believed Jesus was just a man – a good man, but a man nonetheless. Their rejection of His deity was a dangerous and rapidly growing problem confronting the church. And John was going to address this problem head-on. Anyone who rejected the idea that Jesus was God, was not speaking on behalf of God.

Ep 221 – 1 John 4:1-6 PT 4 Jul 30, 2017

This is episode four on 1 John, chapter four, verses 1-6 and I’ve entitled it, “Listen Carefully”. John has been discussing the all-important role of the Holy Spirit in the life of the believer. But for us to take advantage of the “helper” as Jesus described Him, we are going to have to learn to listen to Him. And He primarily speaks to us through the Word of God, the Scriptures. In the writings of John, Matthew, Paul, Peter and the other authors of the New Testament, we have the will of God revealed to us. The Holy Spirit inspired these men to pen the words found in their letters and ultimately included in the canon of Scripture. The same is true of the Old Testament. In the writings of the prophets, the historical chronicles of Moses, and the psalms of David, we have the words of God. And while the Scriptures can sometimes be confusing and difficult to understand, the Holy Spirit makes them discernible and applicable to our lives – even in our modern-day context. We have the ability to hear and comprehend the truth of God as revealed in the Word of God because we have the Spirit of God.

Ep 220 – 1 John 4:1-6 PT 3 Jul 29, 2017

This is our third episode on 1 John, chapter four, verses 1-6. It’s called “Holy Help” and addresses the role of the Holy Spirit in the life of the believer. One of the things all followers of Christ will face in their lifetimes is the presence of false teachers who claim to be speaking on behalf of God. These posers and fakers will look the part, but will present information that is contrary to God’s will. Their messages will be subtly deceptive. They will mix falsehood with a little bit of truth. They will sound convincing and come across as loving and caring. So, what are we to do? John would have us rely upon the Holy Spirit, the helper provided to us by God Himself. The Spirit of God lives within each and every believer, providing them with wisdom and empowering them to live godly lives. And that power should not be taken for granted. His strength is what makes it possible for us to thrive in the midst of a sin-filled world. And He is the one who makes it possible for us to spot false teaching by helping us understand the truth of God’s Word. He is the holy help we need for living in a less-than-holy world.

Ep 219 – 1 John 4:1-6 PT 2 Jul 28, 2017

This is episode two on 1 John, chapter four, verses 1-6. It’s called “Spiritual White Noise” and deals with all the confusing and seemingly contradictory information we receive under the guise of spiritual teaching. The Church, the body of Christ, has always attracted charlatans and wanna-bes. Individuals who claim to speak on behalf of God and try to weasel their way into the good graces of the people of God. They tend to offer novel approaches to the Christian life, not easily supported by Scripture. They give interpretations of God’s Word that don’t gel with orthodox Christianity, but present a new, more up-to-date take on spiritual life. But John would have us be wary and watchful. He would warn us to test the spirits. Not everybody who claims to speak on behalf of God has been sent by God. And if we’re not careful, we can easily find ourselves led astray and captured by the attractive messages of these false teachers. There will always be posers and fakers, masquerading as pastors and teachers. But rather than teach the truth of God and present Jesus as the Son of God and the sole means of salvation, they will offer up alternative gospels. But John says, don’t believe them.

Ep 218 – 1 John 4:1-6 PT 1 Jul 27, 2017

This is episode one on 1 John, chapter four, verses 1-6. I’ve entitled it “That’s the Spirit” because John is going to repeatedly use the Greek word, pneuma, which can be translated as Spirit and oftentimes refers to the Spirit of God. But to just what kind of spirit is it that John refers? How are we to know that what we hear preached or taught is of God? How are we to tell the difference between God’s Spirit and what John refers to as the spirit of the antichrist? As with everything else John has said in the last three chapters, it all hinges on who we believe Jesus to be. Was He the Son of God and the Savior of the world? Had He been sent by God to sacrifice His life on behalf of sinful mankind and to die as a substitute for the penalty we deserved? If anyone preaches something other than Jesus as Lord and Savior, they are the wrong kind of spirit. They have the wrong kind of message. And they are to be avoided at all costs. The Spirit of God will always lift up the Son of God. And that’s the only Spirit worth listening to.

Ep 217 – 1 John 3:11-24 PT 7 Jul 26, 2017

This is the final episode on 1 John, chapter three, verses 11-24. I’ve entitled it “Kids In A Candy Store” because verses 21 and 22 seem to give the indication that, as God’s children, we have been given a no-holds-barred, get-whatever-you-want promise from God that guarantees us that all our prayers will be answered. But is that really what John is teaching? Is he telling us that God is somehow obligated to give us whatever we ask for, no matter what? As usual, the key to understanding these verses is based on context. We have to keep in mind all that John has said so far in his letter. And a big part of what he has been dealing with is the issue of abiding in Christ. Prayer is to be a byproduct of our abiding. And what we pray for should reflect that we are deeply reliant upon and in step with God’s will for us. This isn’t so much about us getting what we want from God, but about us learning to desire what God wants for us, then asking Him for it. Our willingness to abide in Christ will have a dramatic impact on our ability to pray dependently and receive successfully.

Ep 216 – 1 John 3:11-24 PT 6 Jul 25, 2017

This is episode six on 1 John, chapter three, verses 11-24. I’ve entitled it “God Knows, Don’t Panic” because John is going to give us some much-needed words of encouragement regarding our love for one another. By this point, John’s persistent call to love has probably left a few of us wondering whether we have it in us to love like he is describing. It seems impossible, especially if you take into account that our love is to be unconditional and impartial. But John seems to be sending us a message that any love we show for one another is of God. We didn’t pull it off on our own. God is revealing His love in us and through us. And as a result, that should cause us to have confidence is our salvation, not to question it. There will be times when we feel unloving. We will experience those moments when it seems as if our love has fallen short of God’s high standard. But John would have us remember that even if we feel guilty, God is greater than our feelings. He knows everything. He knows our hearts. And He knows when we are loving, not in our own strength, but as a result of His Spirit’s work within us.

Ep 215 – 1 John 3:11-24 PT 5 Jul 24, 2017

In this, our fifth episode on 1 John, chapter three, verses 11-24, we be digging further into John’s thoughts regarding love and hate. For John, love was an essential characteristic of the believer’s life that was non-negotiable. It came with the territory, because God Himself is love and we are the children of God. As His sons and daughters, we are to love as He has loved us. It is part of our new nature. Our new life in Christ provides us with a new capacity to love one another, no matter how unlovely or unlovable the other person might be. The love of God allows us to love those who don’t look like us, act like us, think like us, or even speak the same language as us. This new, Spirit-produced love, is non-judgmental and doesn’t show favoritism. It is selfless and gracious. It is forgiving, patient and kind. It knows no boundaries, refusing to let things like race, economic status or educational accomplishment determine its target. This kind of love is addictive and attractive to some, while repugnant to others. It is difficult to comprehend and impossible to replicate. Because it comes from God. It is not of this world. Which is why the world hates it and all those who exhibit it.

Ep 214 – 1 John 3:11-24 PT 4 Jul 23, 2017

This fourth episode on 1 John, chapter three, verses 11-24 deals with love and hate, life and death. For John, these things were real and provided a vivid contrast for what it means to live as a Christian in a disbelieving world. We have new life in Christ. And as a result, we are to love. We live in a world filled with hate, but we are to love. We live, surrounded by people condemned to death for their sins, but we have life – abundant life here and now and eternal life to come. We are to provide a stark contrast to the world around us. Unlike Cain, we are not to hate anymore. Hate leads to murder and death. It was Jesus who said, “You have heard that our ancestors were told, ‘You must not murder. If you commit murder, you are subject to judgment.’ But I say, if you are even angry with someone, you are subject to judgment!” (Matthew 5:21-22 NLT). As believers in Christ, we have been called to a new standard and a new life – one marked by love, not hatred. But our new lives in Christ will not be accepted by those with whom we live. They will despise and hate us. They will reject us. Because we represent the light and the light exposes sin.

Ep 213 – 1 John 3:11-24 PT 3 Jul 22, 2017

This is our third episode on 1 John, chapter three, verses 11-24 and we’ll be concentrating our attention on verse 12. Here, John brings up two Old Testament characters, two brothers, and uses them to describe what it means to love. I have called this episode “The Cain Mutiny” because it deals with the sin of Cain when he killed his brother in cold blood. This first murder in human history was motivated by hate. Cain hated Abel. But why? That is the important part of John’s message that we need to grasp. It would be easy to make the story of Cain and Abel about offerings, but it has far more to do with love. Cain lacked love for his brother, because he didn’t know what it meant to love God. He didn’t have faith in God. His offering didn’t measure up, because he didn’t measure up. His offering wasn’t given in love and out of faith. It was an attempt to placate God and keep Him happy. But when his offering was refused by God and his brother’s was accepted, the true nature of Cain was exposed. He hated. And his hatred led to murder. And it was all rebellion against God.

Ep 212 – 1 John 3:11-24 PT 2 Jul 21, 2017

In this second episode on 1 John, chapter three, verses 11-24 we’ll be looking at two commands we have been given by God: Believe and love. We know what it means to believe. Belief was necessary for us to receive the gift of salvation offered by God through His Son, Jesus Christ. Our belief in Jesus made our salvation possible. And we know that God expects us to love one another. But as well as we know these two things, we still struggle with doing them. Our belief in Christ can wax and wane. Our love for others can grow cold. But John would have us remember that these two commands: Believe and love others, are to be ongoing and forever increasing in our lives as followers of Christ. Over time, our belief in Him should grow stronger. Our confidence in who He is and what He has accomplished for us should expand the longer we serve Him. And our love for others should become an increasingly normal and natural part of our lives. These two things are commands, not suggestions. They are to be a non-negotiable part of who we are as followers of Christ. Belief is to be ongoing. Love for others is to be constantly increasing. Because we are sons and daughters of God.

Ep 210 – 1 John 2:28-3:10 PT 7 Jul 19, 2017

This is the final episode on 1 John, chapter two, verse 28 through chapter three, verse 10. It’s entitled, “We Shall Be Like Him” because John is going to discuss that great day when all those who have placed their faith in Jesus Christ will receive glorified bodies and enjoy a state of sinless perfection. That reality should be a huge motivating factor as we live on this planet, waiting for the future day. Our future glorification should inspire us to willingly cooperate with God’s present sanctification of our lives. He is slowly, but surely transforming us into the likeness of His Son, as Paul so aptly puts it, from one degree of glory to another. We are not yet glorified. We still have these earthly bodies and our old sin natures. We experience pain and suffering, find ourselves susceptible to temptation and prone to sin. But with the help of the Holy Spirit, the Word of God and the body of Christ, we are being altered, from the inside out. One day that process will be complete and we will have the incredible joy of discovering that we are like Him, Jesus Christ, the one who saved us.

Ep 211 – 1 John 3:11-24 PT 1 Jul 19, 2017

This is episode one looking at 1 John, chapter three, verses 11-24. It’s entitled, “Walk the Talk” and takes a look at John’s strong belief that who we are, as children of God, should impact all that we do. One of the outcomes of our faith in Christ that John has already stressed is brotherly love. We are to love one another. But it can’t be lip service. It’s not enough to SAY we love others. We must prove it by our actions. Our behavior should give evidence of our changed nature. Claiming to love others is not enough. We must actually live it out in real life with living, breathing human beings. Even those whom we find to be particularly unlovable. In fact, John goes so far as to say that our love should be sacrificial in nature, expressed in a willingness to die for a brother or sister in Christ, if necessary. Love is not optional for the believer. It comes with our new nature and is made possible by the empowering presence of the Holy Spirit. Love is something God produces in us. It is His very essence flowing to us and intended to flow from us. Love isn’t meant to be horded but shared. It isn’t meant to terminate on us, but to emanate from us to all those around us.

Ep 209 – 1 John 2:28-3:10 PT 6 Jul 18, 2017

This is the sixth episode on 1 John, chapter two, verse 28 through chapter three, verse 10. It’s called, “The Lure of Lawlessness” and will confront us with the ever-present danger we all face of giving in to a spirit of lawlessness or sin. For John, sin was more than just a singular act one commits in disobedience to God. It is a spirit of opposition to God. It is living your life in rebellion against the will of God. And, as far as John was concerned, those who made a practice of sinning, who lived in a habitual state of sin, were opposed to God. Their sin was lawlessness, living as if the laws of God did not even exist. And even believers can find themselves falling into the trap of lawlessness – if they do not abide in Christ. Without the power that comes from abiding in or remaining in Christ, we can fall prey to our own sin natures and become susceptible to the influences of the enemy. When we become unmoored or untethered from Christ, we find ourselves adrift in the current of life without any means of directing our course or navigating the dangers of life. That is why abiding is so important in the life of the believer.

Ep 208 – 1Joh n 2:28-3:10 PT 5 Jul 17, 2017

This is episode five on 1 John, chapter two, verse 28 through chapter three, verse 10. It’s entitled, “Abide and Accept” and deals with two things we must do if we are to experience the fullness of life that Jesus came to bring us. We must abide in Christ and accept who we are as children of God. Those two things, while simple sounding, are actually quite difficult for most of us as believers to pull off. In this life, there are so many other things in which we can abide or find rest. We can turn to materialism, affluence, pleasure and a host of things we think will sustain and satisfy us. But we are to abide in Christ. And in a world where personal identity seems to be confused and distorted by the lies of the enemy, God would have us find our identity in who we are as His children. He wants us to accept the reality of our designation as his son and daughters. Those two things will have a dramatic influence on our walk and keep us living in faithful submission to and dependence upon God all the days we live on this planet.

Ep 207 – 1 John 2:28-3:10 PT 4 Jul 16, 2017

This is our fourth episode on 1 John, chapter two, verse 28 through chapter three, verse 10. It’s entitled, “Seek and Destroy” and deals with our ongoing need to put to death the deeds of the flesh. For John, it’s all about practicing righteousness. In other words, living a life in keeping with our new standing as sons and daughters of God. The very fact that we can choose to do what God considers as righteous is proof that we have His Spirit living within us. And one of the Spirit’s primary roles in our lives is to expose the sin that remains so that we can confess it and receive full forgiveness for it. Paul would have us remember that we are engaged in an ongoing spiritual battle that pits us against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.” We have an enemy that hates us and is out to destroy us. But we have a heavenly Father who loves us and is out to seek and destroy those remaining vestiges of sin lingering within us. We no longer have to live like mindless slaves, giving in to the temptations of the enemy and the passions of our old sin natures. We can practice righteousness, because we are children of God.

Ep 206 – 1 John 2:28-3:10 PT 3 Jul 15, 2017

In this, our third episode on 1 John, chapter two, verse 28 through chapter three, verse 10, we’ll be looking at John’s words of encouragement related to a coming day when we will no longer have to struggle with sin any longer. I’ve called this episode, “The Best is Yet to Come” because John wants us to know that God’s promise of eternal life comes with a guarantee of sinlessness. Sin will be done away with altogether. And at that point, we will not only be seen as righteous before God because of what Christ has done for us, we will actually be righteous. In every way. Our old sin natures will be done away with once and for all. And the point of all this, is that we should live with the promise of future sinlessness in mind. The joy of that day should give us the motivation to live in this day with a sense of determination – to live righteous lives – saying no to sin and yes to God’s will for our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin, and we have new natures and the Holy Spirit’s presence to help us. We can and should live righteous lives even now, as we wait for our future inheritance.

Ep 205 – 1 John 2:28-3:10 PT 2 Jul 14, 2017

This is our second episode looking at 1 John, chapter two, verse 28 through chapter three, verse 10. It’s entitled “The Sinless Sin Less.” And more than just a clever play on words, this title reflects the reality of our new relationship with God made possible through faith in Jesus Christ. We have a newfound capacity to live righteous lives in a world filled with unrighteousness. We can live godly, even when we find ourselves living in the midst of a godless generation. Coming to faith in Christ is about far more than a guarantee of eternal life. That is the culmination of our faith journey. But it begins with the filling of the Holy Spirit and His empowering presence that makes it possible for us to live Christ-like lives right here, right now. But as John will point out, it is all based on our willingness to abide in Christ and allow His Spirit to work in us and through us. Sin is an ever-present possibility as long as we live in these earthly bodies. But we are no longer sinners by nature. We have been given a new nature and a new capacity to say yes to God and no to sin. As long as we abide.

Ep 204 – 1 John 2:28-3:10 PT 1 Jul 13, 2017

This is the first of seven episodes on 1 John, chapter two, verse 28 through chapter 3, verse 10. I’ve entitled this episode, “Practice Does NOT Make Perfect.” In this passage, John is going to drive home a very critical point that many of us as believers tend to overlook. It has to do with the source of our righteousness. For some reason, we tend to think righteousness is up to us. We know we are to live righteous lives. It’s an expectation God has of us. But where we get confused and wander from the truth is when we believe our righteousness is up to us. John is going to accentuate our need for righteousness, but he is also going to remind us that it is a byproduct of our relationship with Christ, not something we manufacture on our own. And that is a very important distinction. Self-righteousness is self-defeating. On our own, we can’t do the kinds of good works that God demands of us. And He has not asked us to pursue righteousness on our own. In fact, any righteousness we exhibit in our lives is simply proof of our relationship with Christ. It is Him working through us, not us working for Him.

EP 203 – 1 John 2:18-27 PT 7 Jul 12, 2017

This will be our final episode on 1 John, chapter two, verses 18-27 and it’s called, “When Love Gets Lost.” The truth is, the body of Christ, the church, can be a difficult place to show love. Why? Because it’s made up of people who, while saved, still happen to have sin natures that can cause disunity and dissension. As sinners, saved by grace, we can still hurt one another. We can sin against one another. But one of the things that should set us apart as those who have experienced the grace and mercy of God as expressed in the loving sacrifice of His Son, is our commitment to love one another. A failure to love is often a sign that we never truly experienced the love of God to begin with. If we claim to love Him, but refuse to love our brothers and sisters in Christ, John would say we don’t have the love of God within us. Our inability to love others could be a symptom of our unsaved state. Coming to faith in Christ should produce within us a supernatural capacity to love as we have been loved: Sacrificially and selflessly. Expecting nothing in return.

Ep 202 – 1 John 2:18-27 PT 6 Jul 11, 2017

This is episode six on 1 John, chapter two, verses 18-27. It’s entitled, “Staying Power” because that is exactly what John’s audience needed. They were struggling. They were under attack and suffering persecution for their faith. They had even had a split in their fellowship, with some of their so-called brothers and sisters leaving in a far-from-understanding manner. Questions were flying. Doubts were growing. Their new-found faith had started to hit some major road blocks and John worried that they would throw in the towel. Coming to faith is easy. Staying committed to the faith in the face of daily opposition is another thing. So, John is going to provide them with some very timely words of encouragement and exhortation. He wanted them to stay strong. He wanted them to rest in the assurance of their salvation and the truth of the gospel message they had received. They were not to give up or give in. Regardless of what happened to them or around them.

Ep 201 – 1 John 2:18-27 PT 5 Jul 10, 2017

In this fifth episode on 1 John, chapter two, verses 18-27, we’ll be looking at the role of the Holy Spirit in our lives. John wants us to know that we have a capacity to know truth and to live in the knowledge of that truth. And it’s all due to the indwelling presence of the Spirit of God. As Christians living in the midst of a fallen world, we are surrounded by lies and half-truths. Satan, under whose influence the majority of people in the world are held captive, wants to contradict and confuse the truth of God. He wants to dilute the message of the gospel and refute the promises of God. He offers us counterfeit gospels and feasible-sounding solutions to our problems. But they are all lies. And the only way we can spot the lies is with the help of the Spirit of God. That’s why I’ve called this episode, “Our Spiritual Lie Detector.” The Holy Spirit is an invaluable resource when it comes to knowing the truth of God and spotting the lies of the enemy. Between the Spirit of God and the Word of God, we can know the truth.

Ep 200 – 1 John 2:18-27 PT 4 Jul 09, 2017

This is our fourth episode on 1 John, chapter two, verses 18-27. I’ve entitled it “When Christians Become Anti-Christ.” That title may surprise you a bit. But John would have us know that it’s not only possible, it is probable, if and when we refuse to keep our hope focused on the gospel of Jesus and the all-sufficient sacrifice of Jesus Christ for not only our salvation, but our sanctification. It is far easier than we might realize to become anti-Christ. When we stand against His will for us or refuse to allow Him to work through us, we end up opposed to Him. When we begin to think that we can handle our lives without Him or achieve some level of holiness apart from Him, we end up standing in opposition to Him. When Satan attempted to get Adam and Eve to disobey God and eat from the forbidden tree, he simply said, “Surely God has not said.” He got them to doubt God’s word. He led them to question God’s motives. And as soon as they ate, they became anti-God. And it’s still a risk we all face today.

Ep 199 - 1 John 2:18-27 PT 3 Jul 08, 2017

This is episode three on 1 John, chapter two, verses 18-27. I’ve entitled it “The Last Hour.” In it, we will find John giving his best effort to warn his readers about the spirit of the antichrist. This term is one that most of us associate with the end times, a time period somewhere out in the distant future that we hope to avoid at all costs. But John was under the impression, the divinely-inspired impression, that he was living in the last times. And so are we. They began the day Jesus ascended into heaven and sent His Spirit to dwell among us and within us. So, for more than 2,000 years, we have been living within a period of time that is moving steadily closer to a point of culmination. John told his readers that they were living in the last hour. But Peter would have us remember, “A day is like a thousand years to the Lord, and a thousand years is like a day.” (2 Peter 3:8 NLT). We don’t know God’s schedule, but we do know that we are living in the last days because of the growing antipathy and animosity toward Christ.

Ep 198 – 1 John 2:18-27 PT 2 Jul 07, 2017

This is the second of seven episodes on 1 John, chapter two, verses 18-27. It’s entitled, “Truth Is Not Relative” and is going to deal with the common misconception that truth is highly subjective. In John’s day, just as in ours, there were a lot of people who rejected Jesus’ claim to be the truth, the only truth. There were more than enough people who were willing to admit that Jesus lived and died. They might even admit that He was sent by God. But as far as being the Messiah and the God-Man who died on the cross for the sins of mankind, that was another matter. Jesus’ claim to be the way, the truth and the life has always had its detractors and deniers. The exclusivity of that claim has always left some shaking their head in disbelief. It comes across to them as arrogant and intolerant. They can’t imagine a god who offer something so significant as eternal life and then be so unjust as to offer only one way of attaining it. But John wants us to know that anyone who claims a truth other than Christ is not only mistaken, they’re a liar.

Ep 197 – 1 John 2:18-27 PT 1 Jul 06, 2017

Today we start on a new section of 1 John. For the next seven episodes, we are going to spend our time in 1 John, chapter two, verses 18-27. And this first episode is entitled, “Who Do You Say That I Am?” This was a question Jesus asked His disciples and it is still the most important question any man or woman has to answer. And ultimately, everyone WILL have to give an answer. And John wants us to realize that there is only one right answer. Jesus is the Christ. But what does that even mean? That is what we hope to answer as we unpack these 10 verses over the next seven episodes. Believing that Jesus was a man who actually lived and was crucified on a Roman cross is not the same thing as believing He was the Christ. Respecting Jesus as a great example of moral living and ethical teaching is not the same thing as recognizing Him as your Savior. Even admitting that He was the Son of God is not the same thing as confessing Him as your Lord. Knowing about Jesus is not enough. But trusting in Him is.

Ep 196 – 1 John 2:12-17 PT 7 Jul 05, 2017

This is the seventh and final episode on 1 John chapter 2, verses 12-17. I’ve entitled it, “The Folly of What is Fading.” In this one verse, verse 17, John is going to remind us just how ridiculous it is to love this world and the things it offers, because it and everything on it, are on their way out. They are fading, rusting, and losing their value. But he would have us remember that we are eternal creatures, complete with souls that will last forever. When we become infatuated with this present reality, we tend to take our eyes off our future eternity. We begin to live as if this is all there is. We focus all our affections on this life. We attempt to enjoy all the pleasures of life while we can. It’s only natural. But John wants us to live with a heavenly mindset. This world is not our home. We are passing through on our way to some place better. The pleasures of this life are nothing to be compared with what is to come. There’s only one thing on this earth that is going to last and that’s people.

Ep 195 – 1 John 2:12-17 PT 6 Jul 04, 2017

This is our sixth episode on 1 John chapter 2, verses 12-17 and our final one on verse 16. I’ve entitled is, “Self-glorification.” So far, we’ve looked at the dangers of self-gratification and self-indulgence. They are both forms of self-love. And so is this third one: Self-glorification. When we love the world and the things it has to offer, it can often take the form of our worldly accomplishments and material possessions. These things make us feel special. They provide us with a sense of self-worth and a means by which to measure our status. They feed our ego and stroke our pride. Which is about as dangerous as feeding the bears in a national forest. It looks innocent enough, but it could turn out to bite you. John wants us to avoid all forms of self-glorification. It’s probably one of the most insidious forms of self-love, because we don’t even realize that we are making ourselves our own gods. We look at our resume or our checking accounts and begin to believe that we are self-made and self-sufficient. And rather than glorify God, we glory in ourselves.

Ep 194 – 1 John 2:12-17 PT 5 Jul 03, 2017

This episode is entitled, “Self-indulgence” and is our fifth on 1 John chapter 2, verses 12-17. We are still looking at verse 16 and the second phrase John uses to describe our love of the world. The New Living Translation calls it “a craving for everything we see.” It’s an insatiable desire for all the goodies the world offers us, from fame and recognition to the latest technological devices and trendy fashions. We see it and we have to have it. And while most of the things we crave are not evil or declared off-limits by God, they still pose a danger for us. It is far too easy for us to see these things as the source of our satisfaction and sense of self-worth. They become another means by which we practice self-love. We convince ourselves that we deserve them. We rationalize that they will make us happy. And in doing so, we turn them into little gods that we fully expect to meet our needs. But they almost always prove to be impotent and incapable of delivering what they promise. They can’t return our love.

Ep 193 – 1 John 2:12-17 PT 4 Jul 02, 2017

This is episode four on 1 John chapter 2, verses 12-17. It’s entitled, “Self-gratification” because that seems to be one of the main points John is trying to make. Love of the world is ultimately love of self. We don’t really love the world. We simply love what we believe the world can offer us. It holds out a host of tempting allurements that it offers in return for our time, attention and affections. It is the same tactic Satan used on Jesus during His time in the wilderness. Matthew records, “Next the devil took him to the peak of a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. ‘I will give it all to you,’ he said, ‘if you will kneel down and worship me’” (Matthew 4:8-9 NLT). Satan, the prince of this world is always seeking to get us to turn our love for God on to ourselves. He wants us to make it all about us. But self-love is ultimately self-destructive. And our love affair with the world is nothing more than a not-so-subtle ploy to make life all about us.

Ep 192 – 1 John 2:12-17 PT 3 Jul 01, 2017

In this, the third episode on at 1 John 2, verses 12-17, we’ll be discussing, “Misplaced Love.” John is going to contrast a love for God as illustrated in our love for others with a love for the world and the things it offers. These are not two available options for our love, they are opposites. You can’t love the world and love God at the same time. And it is hard to love others when we’re busy loving the things of this world and buying into their constant temptations to meet our every self-centered need. Love for the world is innately selfish. It is all about us. We love the world for what it can offer us in return. We give it our time, attention and affections, because it promises to make us happy, fulfilled, successful, popular, and satisfied. But love for God is other-oriented. It focuses on the needs of others. We love, not to get something in return, but simply because He first loved us. Loving the world makes it all about us. Loving God makes it all about others.

Ep 191 – 1 John 2:12-17 PT 2 Jun 30, 2017

This is our second episode looking at 1 John 2, verses 12-17, and is entitled, “A Timely Reminder”, because it contains some encouraging words we all need to hear. While John was writing to a particular group of believers, his words are inspired by the Holy Spirit and are timeless in nature. In these verses, he will remind us of some irrefutable facts about us due to our relationship with Jesus Christ. It is amazing how easy it is for us to forget these truths or simply become so complacent about them, that they no longer carry any weight in our lives. But John would have us reconsider the incredible nature of what God has done for us and to us as a result of His Son’s death on the cross. We have been made right with God. No more condemnation. No more fear of death. We have forgiveness of sins and the peace that comes with knowing that our eternity is secure. And if there was ever a time we needed to hear those words, it is now.

Ep 190 – 1 John 2:12-17 PT 1 Jun 29, 2017

For the next seven days, we will be looking at 1 John 2, verses 12-17. As we saw in the first 11 verses of this chapter, John has the ability to squeeze a lot of content into a very small space. These verses are packed with insight and encouragement, and in them, he will address the need for believers to stand firm in their faith, fully confident that Christ has accomplished a major victory for them. They are fully equipped to live the life they have been called to live. They need not fear failure or losing their salvation. While they will face confrontation from the world and the ongoing attacks of the enemy, the victory is assured because Jesus has taken care of it. John will give some strong words of warning about falling in love with the world. It is impossible to love God and share that affection with a fallen world that is diametrically opposed to Him. This world is temporal, not eternal. What it offers is of no value compared to the knowledge that we have new life in Christ now and eternal life waiting for us in the future.

Ep 189 – 1 John 2:3-11 PT 7 Jun 28, 2017

This is the final episode on 1 John 2:3-11 and it is entitled, “I Know That I Know.” John wanted his readers to know that they know. In other words, he was anxious that the believers to whom he was writing were confident in their knowledge of God. And the best way to assure them of their relationship with God was to be found in their obedience TO God. Those who have come to know Jesus Christ as their Savior, will live differently, because they have the Spirit of God living within them. They have a new capacity to live in obedience to God because they possess the power of God in the form of His Spirit. It is when we see that we are actually able to obey God that we begin to realize that our relationship with Him is real and our knowledge of Him has moved from head knowledge to actual heart knowledge. Anyone can claim to know God. But it is only those who have actually come into a relationship with Him through faith in His Son who can truly boast of knowing God. And the proof is in their obedience to Him.

Ep 188 – 1 John 2:3-11 PT 6 Jun 27, 2017

Anyone who has ever spent any time in the dark knows that stumbling comes with the territory. The inability to see clearly makes it almost impossible for us to walk safely and confidently. And in this, the sixth episode on 1 John 2, verses 3-11, we are going to hear what John has to say about the consequences of living in the dark. I’ve entitled this episode, “No Cause for Stumbling” because John is going to tell us that we should have no excuse if we stumble and fall or if we cause another to do the same. We are children of the light. We have the light of Christ living within us and the light of God’s Word available to us. So, seeing clearly and walking confidently should not be a problem for us. Unless of course, we choose to ignore the light. Darkness is nothing more than an absence of light. And when we refuse to spend time in the Word, deepening our relationship with God and growing in our knowledge of Jesus Christ, we end up stumbling around in the dark. And like the blind leading the blind, our lifestyle influences all those around us.

Ep 187 – 1 John 2:3-11 PT 5 Jun 26, 2017

As should be fairly obvious by now, these nine verses are jam-packed and that’s why we are doing our fifth episode on 1 John chapter two, verses 3-11. This one is called, “Something Old. Something New” and will take a look at John’s new take on an old commandment. As has been the case in the last four episodes, the subject matter is love, but this time, John will link our love of God with our love of others. And who did he get that idea from? Jesus Himself. Jesus was the one who described the love of God and others as the two greatest commandments. And John simply drives home the point that you can’t truly love God if you refuse to love your brother or sister in Christ. One of the things we tend to forget is that our love for others is actually an expression of our love for God. When we love those whom He has made, we are loving Him. His love for us is meant to flow through us, not come to a screeching halt on us. His love is intended to be shared. And while Jesus Christ was the ultimate expression of the love of God, as Christ-followers, we are to manifest that love to others on a daily basis.

Ep 186 – 1 John 2:3-11 PT 4 Jun 25, 2017

This is episode four on 1 John chapter two, verses 3-11 and we will continue to dig into John’s admonition that we love others. John describes what we are to do as a new commandment, one given to us by Jesus Himself. This is not an optional or discretionary suggestion, but a command. And our obedience to it is not left up to our own flesh, weakened as it is by sin. We have been given the Spirit of God, who provides us with the power of God, and makes it possible to love as we have been loved by God. In a world that is marred by hate and superficial forms of selfish, self-centered love, we are to model Christ-like love that is totally selfless and sacrificial. That is why Jesus said the world would know we are His disciples by the way we love one another. That kind of love is not of this world. It is supernatural and impossible to create on our own. The world doesn’t have a version of that kind of love. It is alien and other-worldly. Men can try to fake it, but they can’t make it. One of the reasons God left us here is so that we might be the means by which His love manifests itself in flesh and blood.

Ep 185 – 1 John 2:3-11 PT 3 Jun 24, 2017

In this third episode on 1 John chapter two, verse 3-11, we will be looking at what it means to walk like Jesus walked. John will point blank tell us that our walk or lifestyle is to emulate that of Jesus. And when we walk as He walked, we will know that we are in Him. In other words, we will have assurance of our salvation by virtue of our transformed behavior. But one of the things John will drive home is that a love for others is to be a hallmark of the one who has come to know Christ. Jesus loved, so we are to love. And we are to love as He has loved us. And to claim that you know Christ and have had the darkness of your life exposed and replaced with the light of Christ, all the while hating another brother or sister in Christ is a sign that something is desperately wrong. Love is a non-negotiable outcome of having your heart transformed by the grace, mercy and love of God. Failure to love is evidence that you have never fully experienced the love and forgiveness of God. It is to walk in the flesh, not like Jesus walked.

Ep 184 – 1 John 2:3-11 PT 2 Jun 23, 2017

This is part two in our look at 1 John chapter two, verse 3-11. This episode is entitled “The Fading Darkness” and will deal with John’s assessment of the state of things since the Light of the world entered the scene. It may surprise you. Because we live in a time when it seems like the darkness, or evil, is having a field day and the good guys are losing. But John would have us remember that the darkness is passing away, whether it looks like it or not. Jesus Christ has conquered death and sin. He has already won the victory and it only a matter of time before His light eliminates the darkness once and for all. But in the meantime, we are to be His lights in this world. We are to reflect the light of Christ in such a way that our lives not only expose the darkness around us, they help eliminate it. The church, the body of Christ, is to be an agent of change in the world, providing evidence of God’s miraculous and gracious transformative power, made possible through His Son. Like Him, we are to be lights in the world, shining strongly so that the darkness around us fades away.

Ep 183 – 1 John 2:3-11 PT 1 Jun 22, 2017

In today’s episode, we will be in 1 John chapter two, verse 3-11. I’ve entitled this episode “By This We Know”, which just happens to be the name of this entire series. John will use that phrase repeatedly throughout his letter, because he wants his readers to know for certain that they are saved and that they can live lives that express the reality of their salvation. He wants them to know that they have been transformed from darkness into light. But if that is the case, as he strongly believes it is, their lives should reflect their new nature. Their behavior should give evidence of the radical transformation that faith in Christ has brought about. One of the main evidences John gives of having been saved is a new-found ability to keep the commands of Christ. Obedience becomes not only possible, but a normal part of the believer’s life. We not only have Christ living in us, we have His life being expressed through us – in our words and actions. And that Spirit-produced ability to live Christ-like is proof of our salvation.

Ep 182 – 1 John 1:5-2:2 PT 6 Jun 21, 2017

This is the final episode on 1 John chapter one, verse 5 through chapter two, verse 2. It is called “Jesus Christ, the Righteous” and will take a look at John’s powerful description of Jesus as our advocate or intercessor in heaven. He not only died for us, He currently represents us in the throne room of God, His life a constant reminder to God the Father that our sins have been paid for in full. We no longer face any threat of judgment for our sins – past, present or future. In fact, Paul would have us remember, “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1 ESV). All because we have been given the righteousness of Christ. He took on our sins and their penalty. We took on His righteousness. It is what is often called The Great Exchange. And while we still harbor a sin nature and must crucify the flesh on a daily basis, we can do so in the power of the Spirit and with the assurance that any sins we commit are paid for and fully forgiven when confessed.

Ep 181 - 1 John 1:5-2:2 PT 5 Jun 20, 2017

This is our fifth episode on 1 John chapter one, verse five, through chapter two, verse two. This episode is entitled, “Godly Fellowship” and addresses John’s emphasis on our need for ongoing and uninterrupted fellowship with God and His Son. It is our fellowship with God and Jesus that makes possible godly fellowship with other believers. As we live in the light, we are able to reflect that light on to others. It was the apostle Paul who said, “For God, who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ” (2 Corinthians 4:6 ESV). It is impossible to spend time in the light of God’s presence and not have His glory reflect on to those around us. We end up being transformed into the likeness of Christ and bearing His characteristics in the form of the fruit of the Spirit. Fellowship with God the Father and Jesus Christ, His Son, is essential to our ability to live in unity with others.

Ep 180 – 1 John 1:5-2:2 PT 4 Jun 19, 2017

This is our fourth episode on 1 John chapter one, verse five, through chapter two, verse two. This episode is entitled, “The Danger of Deception” and deals with three very dangerous perceptions that lurked in the church to which John wrote. They each involve sin and our outlook regarding it. There are those who deny its very existence and, as a result, deny their need for salvation. They believe sin is simply a figment of man’s imagination or a throw-back to less enlightened times in man’s long history. Sin is nothing more than the natural outcome of a lack of education or opportunities. It’s merely a byproduct of man’s environment. Then there are those who acknowledge the reality of sin, but who deny their guilt when it gets exposed in their lives. They simply refuse to admit they did something wrong. But there is a third group John addresses. These individuals claimed to be walking in the light, but their behavior revealed something altogether different. Their lives were characterized by darkness, not light. And like the other two groups, they were living a lie and, in the end, only managing to deceive themselves.

Ep 179 – 1 John 1:5-2:2 PT 3 Jun 18, 2017

Today, we continue our look at 1 John chapter one, verse five, through chapter two, verse two. Today’s episode is entitled, “To Sin or Not to Sin” because in these verses John is going to address the ever-present reality of sin in the life of the believer. While we have been freed from the penalty for our sin, we have not had the presence of sin eradicated from our lives. We still harbor our sin nature and must daily battle with its presence and its desire to fulfill what Paul calls the desires of the flesh. But John is going to make it perfectly plain that, as believers, we no longer have to sin. We have an option. Because we now have the Holy Spirit of God residing within us, empowering us to resist the pervading influence of the flesh. We can say no to sin and yes to righteousness. It is a daily choice, a minute-by-minute decision. And John will remind us that when we do sin, because we will, we don’t have to despair, we simply need to confess our sin and receive God’s forgiveness – paid for by the death of Jesus Christ on the cross.

Ep 178 – 1 John 1:5-2:2 PT 2 Jun 17, 2017

This is our second episode on 1 John chapter one, verse five, through chapter two, verse two. Today’s episode is entitled, “If we say…” and in it we are going to take a close look at what John had to say to those who denied their need for a Savior. For some, it showed up in their unbelievable denial of even having a sin nature. Others simply said they were not guilty of sin. But in either case, John had strong words for them. They were liars and living in a fantasy world. We can say what we want about sin. We can deny its existence. We can refuse to admit we commit sin. We can try and diminish the gravity of the sins we do commit. But our opinion is not the one that matters. It’s not what we say. It’s what God has said. And He has made it quite clear that ALL have sinned. Not some. All. And the penalty for sin is death. But the good news is, there’s a way of escape. There’s a means by which we can have our sin debt wipe clean and our penalty taken care of. Once and for all.

Ep 177 – 1 John 1:5-2:2 Jun 16, 2017

With this episode, we move into the next section of John’s letter. For the next few weeks we will be camping in 1 John chapter one, verse five, through chapter two, verse two. Today’s episode is entitled, “Light in the Darkness” and will describe not only the coming of Christ as the light of the world, but the transformative power of that light to change the way we live our lives. John will use the contrasting images of light and dark to help us understand the dramatic nature of the change that Jesus’ coming into the world was meant to produce. There are no gray areas with Jesus. He’s not a dim light that barely makes a dent in the darkness. He is the all-powerful light of God that permeates and penetrates, not only illuminating, but eliminating the sin that darkens the lives of mankind. But as John will make painfully clear, there are still those who prefer living in the dark. They hate having their sins exposed and find comfort in the hiddenness that comes with living in darkness. And when we as believers choose the darkness over the light, John says we do not practice the truth.

Ep 176 – 1 John 1:1-4 PT 5 Jun 15, 2017

This is our final episode in the first four verses of 1 John chapter one. I’ve entitled this episode “God Made Visible” and it will continue our look at the divinity and humanity of Christ. John is adamant about establishing the veracity of Jesus’ claim to be the Son of God come in human flesh. There is no doubt that this claim is difficult to get your head around. It sounds unbelievable, if not preposterous. And, as in John’s day, there are still many who find it difficult to swallow the idea of God becoming a man and living among us. That God would use a human being as His spokesperson or as an example of righteous living is a whole lot more believable. But, according to John and the other apostles, that is not what God did. He sent His Son. Jesus, the second member of the Trinity, appeared as a man and made God visible. He walked among men. He knew what it was like to suffer from hunger, grow tired, be tempted, cry, face rejection, and eventually die. And He did it all without committing a single sin. Unbelievable? No doubt about it.

Ep 175 – 1 John 1:1-4 PT 4 Jun 14, 2017

For today’s episode we remain in 1 John chapter one, verses 1-4. I’ve entitled this episode “Christ, the Eternal Life” but it has to do with far more than just our future existence in heaven. Far too often, we equate eternal life with eternity. And while that is the ultimate outcome of our faith, Jesus came that we might have abundant life, here and now. Our eternal life does not begin at death or when the Lord returns. It began when we placed our faith in Christ as our Savior. And John wants to point out that Jesus is not just the way to eternal life, He is the eternal life. Jesus even said of Himself, I am the way, and the truth and the life” (John 14:6 ESV). Jesus is the very essence of life. It is only through Him that we can have life – including abundant life here and eternal life in the future. Eternal life is far more than a guarantee of heaven. It is about a relationship with God the Father through Jesus Christ, His Son. John wanted his readers to know that their eternal life began at salvation, because they came to know the one who is eternal life. And he wanted them to live in that reality.

Ep 174 – 1 John 1:1-4 PT 3 Jun 13, 2017

Today’s episode is entitled “The Incarnation” and is based on the first four verses of 1 John chapter 1. We have chosen to remain in these opening verses because there is a lot of rich content packed into what seems to be a short section of Paul’s letter. The incarnation, or Jesus’ taking on of human flesh, is an essential doctrine of the church. For Paul, it was non-negotiable and critical in terms of the entire gospel message. Had Jesus not become a man and lived a sinless life, He would not have been the proper sacrifice to pay for the sins of mankind. His divinity and humanity were both necessary. He was the God-Man, who was fully capable of living in complete dependence upon God, obeying all His commands and, therefore, accomplishing what no other human being had been able to do. It was His perfect obedience and sinless life that qualified Him to be the unblemished lamb, chosen by God to die in the place of sinful men and women. To refuse Christ’s deity is to deny the gospel. And Paul knew that salvation was impossible apart from the incarnation of Jesus.

Ep 173 – 1 John 1:1-4 PT 2 Jun 12, 2017

In today’s episode, we’ll remain in the first four verses of 1 John 1. This episode is entitled “Something Worth Proclaiming” because John is going to address that passion he shared with the other disciples for sharing the good news regarding Jesus Christ, the Word of Life. John’s desire was that others would come a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ as their Savior and enjoy not only fellowship with God the Father, but with the rest of the body of Christ. For John, the real heart of the matter was the non-negotiable nature of Christ’s incarnation. In other words, the gospel was completely dependent upon the reality that Jesus, the Son of God, had taken on human flesh and lived among us as a man – but without sin. Jesus wasn’t just another man. He wasn’t merely a good teacher with some powerful moral truths to share. He was the very Son of God and, therefore, God Himself. And not only that, Jesus was, by His own self-admission, the only means by which men could be restored to a right relationship with God. And that was a truth John found more than worth proclaiming.

Ep 171 – 1 John Introduction Jun 11, 2017

While the letter of First John is relatively short in length, it is anything but short on depth. Just five chapters long, it is one of the most theologically rich books in the entire New Testament. And for that reason, we are going to take our time working our way through it. While this is not intended to be a verse by verse study, you will find that we are going to spend a bit more time digging into each chapter, so that we can better understand all that John is trying to say.

Ep 172 – 1 John 2:1-4 Jun 11, 2017

In this opening episode, we are going to focus our attention on one particular subject: The Word of Life. John opens his letter by referring to “that which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life…”. And he will go on to talk about this word of life being made manifest or made known, and how he had been one of those who had been privileged to get a first-hand, up-close-and-personal glimpse of this “life”. Of course, we know John is referring to Jesus, but we sometimes lose sight of the fact that John calls Jesus the “eternal life.” He is not just the source of eternal life, He is, in fact, eternal life itself. It was His life that made eternal life possible. It was His willing, sacrificial death on the cross that made forgiveness of sins and a restored relationship with God the Father achievable. The Word of God became flesh and dwelt among us. And that event brought about a revolutionary change in mankind’s relationship with God. For the first time, it was possible for men and women to enjoy a right standing with God based on the righteousness of another – a perfect righteousness made possible by the Word of Life.

Ep 170 – 2 Timothy 4 Jun 10, 2017

With today’s episode, we’ll be wrapping up our study of Second Timothy. I’ve entitled this episode, “A Final Word of Warning” because, in it, we will see that Paul closes out his letter to Timothy with some strong words of encouragement and admonition. He wanted Timothy to run the race well and to finish strong. Paul knew that the days ahead would be difficult for his young protégé, and that he would need to remain committed to the cause of Christ, no matter how bumpy the road may become. The role Timothy had to play was multifaceted, requiring compassion as well as tough love. Timothy would need to preach the Word to those who would listen, but also rebuke those who refused to accept it. The temptation would be to sugar coat the truth and to alter the message to make it more acceptable. The lure of popularity is always a real threat to any pastor/teacher. But you don’t build a strong church by building a large following. You don’t grow believers by growing your reputation.

Ep 169 – 2 Timothy 3:10-17 Jun 09, 2017

In the second half of chapter three, Paul gives Timothy a lecture on the primacy of Scripture and provides an unapologetic testimony to his own faithfulness to the Word. For Paul, the Old Testament Scriptures were not just important, they were essential to understanding the incredible nature of Jesus Christ’s coming. As a former Pharisee, Paul was a student of the Hebrew Scriptures and was equipped to see in them the incredible fulfillments of prophecy brought about by Jesus’ coming, His death and resurrection. These were not the writings of men, but the words of God Himself. And as such, they were powerful and profitable. The Scriptures were key to living the godly life. Without them, men were left to their own devices. Even with them, men were prone to misinterpret them or provide God’s Word with meanings He never intended. Treating God’s Word as just that – His word, was a non-negotiable requirement if Timothy wanted to be complete, equipped for every good work.

Ep 168 – 2 Timothy 3:1-9 Jun 08, 2017

As Paul goes deeper into his letter to Timothy, the urgency of his message can be tangibly felt. He warns Timothy about a pseudo-godliness that will mark the last days – the days in which he lived and in which we still exist today. We live more than 2,000 years after these words were written, but they are as applicable now as they were the day Paul penned them. While the world has enjoyed much in the way of technological, medical and scientific advances, our moral trajectory has been anything but upward. Mankind’s love affair with sin is evident all around us. And while religion still plays a significant role in our day and age, it has done little to change the ethical and moral decline of society. In many cases, it has been a key contributor to the problem. Money, materialism, pleasure and self-determination are the gods of our age – just as they were in Timothy’s day. And while our goal remains godliness, it is no easier to achieve now than it was then.

Ep 167 – 2 Timothy 2:15-26 Jun 07, 2017

Today’s episode is entitled, “Ready, Willing and Faithful” because it deals with Paul’s continued charge to Timothy to stay committed to his calling and faithful to the gospel message. We’ll be looking at chapter two, verses 15-26. In these verses, Paul will challenge Timothy to live a fearless and faith-filled life that is focused on the pursuit of righteousness. He is to make sure he doesn’t repeat the mistakes of Hymenaeus and Philetus, two individuals whom Paul accused of swerving from the truth. Their false doctrines, preached as truth, were having a devastating impact on the local church. Disagreements, quarrels, false teaching, and all kinds of other problems were a reality in the church located in Ephesus. And as a leader, Timothy had the undeniable and sometimes unpleasant responsibility of dealing with these potentially deadly controversies. And through it all, Timothy needed to stay above the fray, not allowing himself to be contaminated or distracted from his role as a shepherd.

Ep 166 – 2 Timothy 2:1-14 Jun 06, 2017

In today’s episode we’ll be in chapter two, verses 1-14. In this section of his letter, Paul will attempt to pass the mantle of leadership to Timothy, encouraging his young protégé to stand firm in his faith and to serve the cause of Christ like a good soldier. He continues to prepare Timothy for the difficult days ahead by recalling his own suffering and that of Christ. Jesus was the God-man, the Son of God who took on human flesh and suffered an agonizing death at the hands of men. All so that the sins of men might be atoned for and that some might enjoy a restored relationship with God the Father by placing their faith in His Son’s sacrificial death on the cross. Paul wanted Timothy to never forget the reality of the resurrection, because it is in that fact all our hope is based. Jesus died, only to rise again. And we too, will one day rise again to new life, sinless and free from the effects of death – forever.

Ep 165 – 2 Timothy 1 Jun 05, 2017

In this opening episode on Paul’s second letter to Timothy, we’ll be looking at chapter one, in which Paul will emphasize the faithfulness of God. And he will call Timothy to remain faithful to his calling and committed to his job as a minister of the Word of God. Paul knew that Timothy was under a great deal of pressure, facing opponents to his ministry and spiritual forces that would want to destroy all that God was doing in Ephesus where Timothy was ministering. The temptation to give in or give up would be great. Suffering wasn’t just a possibility for Timothy, it was an inevitable reality – a fact that Paul knew all too well. So in this opening portion of his letter to Timothy, Paul will go out of his way to stress God’s incredible faithfulness and encourage Timothy to respond with a determination to remain faithful to his God and his commission as a minister of the gospel.

Ep 164 – 1 Timothy 6:11-21 Jun 04, 2017

Today marks the end of our study in the letter of First Timothy. We will wrap up with chapter six, verses 11-21. Paul closes out his letter with some last words of warning and encouragement to his young protégé. His overwhelming desire for Timothy is that he pursue godliness and righteousness at all costs. That he fight the good fight of faith and finish strong. He knows that Timothy is going to face difficult days ahead. It came with the role of pastor/teacher/shepherd. This young man was in for his fair share of headaches and heartaches, failures and setbacks. Temptations would come his way. He would have moments when he wanted to give up. He would face days when he felt like a failure. There would be deserters and detractors, false teachers and fake followers. But Timothy was to remain faithful to His charge and complete reliant upon the Spirit of God to accomplish will of God to which he had been called.

Ep 163 – 1 Timothy 6:1-10 Jun 03, 2017

Today, as we move into chapter six of 1 Timothy, we’ll be looking at verses 1-10, where Paul is going to address the idea of godly contentment and how it relates to true godliness. To make his point, Paul will address three specific groups within the local church, giving them insights into how they were to live their lives within the local context of the body of Christ. Each was radically different from the other, but they each shared a common power to influence the church in a negative way. The antidote to becoming a cancer within the local body of church was to pursue godliness, at all costs. Seeking a change in your less-than-ideal circumstances in the hopes that it produces more joy is misguided and will prove disappointing. Chasing after money and material things in order to find contentment and happiness will never produce the results you’re looking for. And teaching a form of truth other than that revealed by God through the life, death and resurrection of His Son, will always be revealed for exactly what it is: A lie.

Ep 162 – 1 Timothy 5:17-25 Jun 02, 2017

We’ll be covering First Timothy chapter five, verse 17-25 in today’s episode. It entitled, “Choose Wisely” because Paul is going to give Timothy some wise counsel regarding the selection of elders. He has already addressed their qualifications, now he’s going to deal with Timothy’s relationship with these men and how he was to lead them as they led the church. Paul knew from personal experience that leading the local church was a lot of work – more than enough for one man to accomplish. So, the selection of elders was of vital importance. And their ongoing spiritual well-being was not to be assumed or taken for granted. Leaders will inevitably have detractors and those who would undermine their authority. Criticism comes with the territory, but because these men are ultimately appointed by God, they were to be treated with dignity and respect. They were to be viewed as servants of God as much as Timothy and Paul were. Their qualifications were vitally important and not to be overlooked, but neither was their spiritual well-being and right to respect and honor.

Ep 161 – 1 Timothy 5:1-16 Jun 01, 2017

In today’s episode, based on 1 Timothy chapter five, verse 6-16, Paul is going to get very practical, providing Timothy with some specific insights into how to handle problems within the local church. As usual, it would be easy for us to search for prescriptive commands or black and white rules for us to follow in leading our own churches, but that is not what Paul is offering here. He is providing some principles that can apply to various circumstances, but not necessarily hard and fast rules for behavior or inter-relationships within the local church body. Timothy was a young man attempting to lead a church that was made up of older men and women, as well as young people his own age. It would seem that Timothy was single and yet he was responsible for the marriages within his local congregation. How was he to lead them? And what about the problem with widows that was unique to his local fellowship? Some of what Paul has to say was likely in response to questions Timothy had sent him. He was a young man with a huge responsibility for the family of God under his care.

Ep 160 – 1 Timothy 4:6-16 May 31, 2017

Today’s episode covers 1 Timothy chapter four, verse 6-16 and is entitled, “The Exemplary Life.” In this passage, Paul is going to give Timothy some invaluable advice on living the Christian life in the midst of the body of Christ, the church, but also the world. The life of a servant of Jesus Christ is not an easy one. And Timothy was discovering that following in the footsteps of Jesus was a sometimes difficult journey. Even Jesus had warned that “the gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult, and only a few ever find it” (Matthew 5:14 NLT). Paul wanted Timothy to know that his faith walk would be no cake walk or pleasant stroll in the park. And there were things Timothy was to be busy doing on the journey. He was not a tourist on a pleasure cruise, but a servant of Jesus Christ with an assignment from God Himself. He was to follow after Christ obediently and model Christ-likeness faithfully. There are to be no spectators in the household of faith. Like Timothy, we are to be busy about the work of God. We are to teach, train and typify the transformative power of the gospel.

Ep 159 – 1 Timothy 3:14-4:5 May 30, 2017

In today’s episode, we’ll be looking at 1 Timothy chapter three, verse 14 through chapter four, verse 5. In this section of his letter, Paul will discuss the foundational nature of the truth of the gospel. He will contrast the truth regarding God’s gracious gift concerning His Son with the lies of the enemy – that take a myriad of forms – from the subtle to the blatantly contradictory. The church, the body of Christ, was to be the keeper of the truth, as well as the main vehicle through which the truth was to be manifested. The reality of the gospel message should be best seen in those who share the designation of Christ-follower, and live out the power made possible through the gospel in their everyday lives. The church is designated with the responsibility of upholding and embodying the truth regarding man’s redemption and sanctification. We are to be agents of change and beacons of light in a dark and dying world.

Ep 158 – 1 Timothy 3:1-13 May 29, 2017

Today, we’ll be looking at 1 Timothy chapter three, verses 1-13, where Paul is going to outline the qualifications for elders and deacons in the local church. Paul is encouraging Timothy to surround himself with men who have qualities and characteristics that will make them invaluable to his leadership and indispensable to the church’s spiritual well-being. And Paul makes it clear that these two offices in the church are to be something to which men aspire. There should be no shortage of qualified and eager candidates. Timothy is not going to be able to lead the church in Ephesus on his own. He will need coworkers and co-laborers who will stand beside him, teaching the Word and protecting the flock. In his second letter to Timothy, Paul will instruct him to take “what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also” (2 Timothy 2:2). The health of the church is dependent upon godly men, who will model godly lives and supply godly leadership.

Ep 157 – 1 Timothy 2 May 28, 2017

In 1 Timothy chapter 2, Paul deals with the gospel and prayer and provides us with a primer on how these two things go together. Paul will admonition Timothy to make prayer a high priority in his life and ministry. Prayer is to be God-focused and expectant. We pray because we believe God answers our prayers. And our prayers are not to be limited in terms of their extent. We are to pray for all people, including those who are lost, and even those who serve us in government. The primary objective behind our prayers is not some selfish intent to get from God, but to lift up others so that they might receive the gift of Jesus Christ. Along with prayer, Paul will address the spiritual and moral demeanor of those within the body of Christ. Men are to be prayerful, but also holy in their outward behavior. Women are to be modest in their dress, and focused on inward piety more than outward beauty. Paul’s point seems to be that our behavior and appearance, like our prayers, are to be selfless and gospel-focused.

Ep 156 – 1 Timothy 1:12-20 May 27, 2017

In today’s episode, we’ll be in 1 Timothy chapter 1, verses 12-20. Paul is going to use himself as a prime example of God’s saving grace. There had a been a time when Paul was wrong – about a lot of things. Including His views of salvation, God, righteousness, the Messiah, and this new thing called The Way. At one time, Paul had been a blasphemer, persecutor and insolent opponent of Christ. And yet, in spite of his ignorance and unbelief, God had mercifully saved him. Timothy is going to meet his fair share of blasphemers, persecutors and opponents of Christ. And he will have to stay strong, standing firm on his faith in Christ. But Paul also wants him to realize that God has the capacity to transform anyone, no matter how vile and antagonistic to the gospel they may be. I’ve titled this episode, “I was wrong, but God made me right” to help remind each of us that our salvation as the work of God, not us. Read the passage when you get a chance to remind yourself that there was a time when you were wrong, but God made you right.

Ep 154 – 1 Timothy Introduction May 26, 2017

This is the introduction to a brand new series based on Paul's first letter to Timothy.

Ep 155 – 1 Timothy 1:1-11 May 26, 2017

Today, we’ll be covering 1 Timothy chapter 1:1-11. In these opening verses, it will become clear what Paul’s primary concern was in penning this letter to Timothy: False teachers. This was a real problem in the early church, and we will find out just how strongly Paul felt about these individuals. They seemed to be a constant threat to the young congregations that Paul had helped found, and they tended to show up immediately after Paul had gone on to the next region on his missionary journey. Paul was far from tolerant of these people. He knew the kind of damage they could do to a local congregation, because the content of their teaching was not only false, it was dangerous. I’ve entitled this episode, “Sound Teaching Needed” and it as true today as it was when Paul penned this letter. Let me encourage you to read the passage when you get the chance. And do so each day. It will go a long way in helping you understand what Paul is writing and how it might apply to our lives today.

Ep 153 – Matthew 7:24-29 May 25, 2017

Well, this is our final episode in our study on Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. We will be wrapping it up with Matthew chapter 7, verses 24-29. In these closing lines of His message, Jesus will deal with the wise and the foolish man. One built his house on a solid foundation of rock, while the other took short cuts and simply built his house on sand. In both cases, the storms of life came, battering their homes with wind and rain. One stood, while the other fell. But what is Jesus’ point with this story? Why did He choose to wrap up his entire message in this way? This ending, along with everything else Jesus said that day, left the people in His audience astounded. He spoke like no one else they had ever heard. He seemed to have a power and authority that none of their other religious leaders possessed. He spoke with confidence. And Jesus will close out His message by emphasizing that it is His very words that will provide the foundational base on which those who are approved by God will stand firm and find wisdom to model the kingdom life.

Ep 152 – Matthew 7:21-23 May 24, 2017

Jesus has talked about false prophets, now He is going to talk about false professors, those who claim to profess belief in Him, but whose lives lack the fruit to prove it. In Matthew 7, verses 21-23, Jesus addresses those who will claim to be His followers, but whose lives are really marked by lawlessness. They give Jesus lip-service, but all the while they live according to their own rules and standards. Rather than seeing Jesus as their sole source of salvation, they tend to view Him as nothing more than a model to follow – they use His life as a standard for their own behavior, but not as a means of being made right with God. According to Jesus, their professions regarding Him will be false. And the result will be His ultimate rejection of them. He will tell them, “I never knew you”. He will accuse them of doing works of lawlessness. All because they refused to do the will of God – to believe in Jesus Christ as their sin substitute and Savior. Knowing about Jesus is not the same thing as believing in Jesus. Doing good deeds in the name of Jesus is not the same as believing in the good news about Jesus.

Ep 151 – Matthew 7:15-20 May 23, 2017

In Matthew 7, verses 15-20, Jesus addresses the topic of false prophets. He describes them wolves in sheep’s clothing and warns that, even though they will disguise themselves, they will be recognizable because of their fruit. In other words, while their looks may be deceiving, their fruit won’t be. It will be painfully clear by their words and actions that they are not approved by God. They may appear to be on the same path, the narrow path, but their presence there is only to act as distractions and road blocks to those who are truly God’s children. This message is essential for us to hear, because we are surrounded by so many who claim to be Christ-followers, but whose lives lack any sign of fruitfulness. They appear to be fellow companions on the narrow path to the kingdom of God, but they are like diseased trees, incapable of producing life-giving fruit. Not everyone who claims to be a Christ-follower is one. Not everyone who sits in the pew on Sunday is a true worshiper of God. Jesus would have us live warily and wisely, knowing that the enemy is real and the threats against us are ever-present.

Ep 150 – Matthew 7:12-14 May 22, 2017

In today’s episode, based on Matthew 7, verses 12-14, we will be covering two critical topics: The Golden Rule and the Narrow Gate. While it may first appear that these two things have little or nothing to do with one another, we are going to see that Jesus is describing a way of life that follows a radically different path: The path of love. Those who are approved by God and blessed to be a part of His kingdom, are called to live dramatically different lives, marked by a completely different kind of love than that which characterizes the world. The path of love, Christ-like love, is not for the faint of heart. It is not for the selfish and self-centered. We are being called by Christ to love as He has loved us – sacrificially and selflessly. We are being called to walk a lonely, seldom travelled path, where our actions will be misunderstood and our companions will be few. The rest of the world will take a different path. They will pursue a different way. But rather than reject them, we are to love them. Rather than condemn them, we are to treat them as we have been treated by God: With grace, mercy, and forgiveness.

Ep 149 – Matthew 7:7-11 May 21, 2017

Today’s episode covers a very familiar passage of Scripture found in Matthew chapter seven, verses 7-11. And the title of this episode is based on the three words Jesus mentions in these verses: Ask. Seek, Knock. For many of us, we grew up hearing these verses used as part of an invitation to salvation. And while they certainly can apply, we have to decide whether that was Jesus’ original intention when He spoke these words. Was He inviting non-believers to salvation or encouraging those who would one day find themselves approved by God because of their faith in Jesus’ death, to take advantage of their intimate relationship with the Father? It makes a significant difference in how you apply this passage, because it changes who these three words apply to. We have to remember that Jesus was talking about the kingdom of heaven, and was juxtaposing it with the kingdom of this earth. He was letting His audience know that things were about to change in a dramatic way. He had come to bring new life and a new means by which men might be made right with God and, therefore, enjoy an intimate relationship like they never had before.

Ep 148 – Matthew 7:1-6 May 20, 2017

“Who am I to judge?” How many times have you heard someone say that? Perhaps you’ve said it yourself. But is it something we should say? Are we unqualified or not even responsible to judge someone else? That will be our topic today as we look at Matthew chapter seven, verses 1-6. I’ve entitled this episode “Just Judgment” because there are two kinds of judgment: One that is inappropriate and sinful, and the other that is not only necessary, but expected for those who are approved by God. In this passage, Jesus will deal primarily with unjust judgment. He knew He was dealing with a people who would hear His words, misunderstand and then misapply them. They would, as we so often do, hear what the Word of God says, and somehow think it applies to someone else in the audience, but not us. One of the things about so-called spiritual people, is that they tend to expect non-spiritual people to live up to their higher standards. They find someone who is less spiritual than themselves and then judge them for their lack of spirituality. They place unnecessary burdens on those who have no business carrying them, while actually giving themselves a free pass.

Ep 147 – Matthew 6:25-34 May 19, 2017

This episode covers Matthew chapter six, verses 25-34 and deals with a universal problem, common to all mankind: Anxiety. That’s why I’ve entitled this episode, “You of Little Faith.” It seems that worry is timeless in nature and no respecter of person, regardless of the century in which they lived or their income and social status. Both the rich and the poor worry. The powerful experience anxiety just like the weak, but usually over different issues. And Jesus brings up the topic on the heels of his discussion regarding laying up treasures on earth and the love of money. It seems that Jesus ties these things directly to the problem of anxiety. The more we put all our stock in the things of this earth, the more we will have to worry about. We will worry that we don’t have them. If we do have them, we will worry that we might lose them or have them taken away from us. The things of this earth bring us status and a sense of satisfaction. Even just the thought of getting more stuff can make us feel giddy with excitement. But Jesus breaks the news that our worry is directly linked to our love of earthly treasures and our lack of faith in God to provide for our needs.

Ep 146 – Matthew 6:19-24 May 18, 2017

Today’s episode is entitled, “Earthly Treasures and Pleasures” and is based on Matthew chapter six, verses 19-24. This section of Jesus’ message will probably be quite familiar, but its exact meaning may remain a bit obscure as to you. Jesus will go from talking about earthly treasures to bad eyesight. Then He will jump right into a brief discussion on money. But what is the point of all this? What is Jesus trying to tell us? It is important to remember that Jesus began His ministry by carrying on the very same message John the Baptist had begun: “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” From the earliest moments of His earthly ministry, Jesus stressed the kingdom of heaven. And during this message, delivered on that Galilean hillside, Jesus has continued to stress the kingdom life. He has been calling people to a completely different life lived according to a completely different set of standards, and as part of a kingdom that is not of this world. For a people whose focus had become earth-bound, Jesus was presenting a higher calling and a dramatic change in perspective.

Ep 145 – Matthew 6:16-18 May 17, 2017

Today, in Matthew six, verses 16-18, Jesus is going to address the topic of fasting. While not a common practice among most Christians today, fasting was a spiritual discipline that was very familiar to the average Hebrew. As we will see, there was at least one day a year when every Israelite was expected to fast or afflict themselves. It was tied to the annual event called the Day of Atonement. But whether or not we fast is not the main point of what Jesus has to say in these verses. He is more concerned about the motive behind fasting, or better yet, the heart of the individual who chooses to fast. As it was with prayer, fasting had become just another way for Israelites to advertise their spirituality and impress their friends with their superior piety. Fasting had been hijacked from its original God-decreed purpose and been forced to serve as a means of self-promotion. People fasted to get noticed, not by God, but by men. They fasted, believing it would score them brownie points with God, and make them look super-spiritual to their peers. But Jesus wanted them to know that God was not impressed.

Ep 144 – Matthew 6:9-15 May 16, 2017

Matthew six, verses 9-15 contain what has come to be known as the Lord’s Prayer. For some, this simple prayer has become the primary prayer they pray. They have it memorized and can recite it easily. But was this Jesus’ intent when He shared this prayer as part of His sermon on the mount? Was He providing us with a prayer to pray or a model to follow? If you look closely, He prefaces the prayer with the following words, “Pray then like this.” It would seem that He is giving us a model or simple outline for proper prayer. And it is important that we understand the context. Jesus has been talking about prayer, fasting and giving. He has been exposing false prophets and those with false professions. Prayer had become a means by which the Jewish people attempted to impress one another. They preferred public prayers and long-winded, wordy and repetitious prayers. But Jesus wanted them to understand the kind of prayers God preferred. And this short, but remarkably rich prayer provides them with a simple outline of the elements that should be a part of each and every prayer we pray.

Ep 143 – Matthew 6:5-8 May 15, 2017

Today, in Matthew six, verses 5-8, Jesus is going to take on the topic of prayer. I’ve entitled this episode, “Prayer for Praise” because Jesus is going to deal with another outward act that had been intended to reflect righteousness, but had become a twisted form of self-promotion. Prayer, intended to be a private conversation between God and His child, had taken on a distorted purpose, where the audience was no longer God, but other men. In other words, prayer had become an outward display of your righteousness designed to gain the recognition of men. And it seems that it had become common practice to pray long, wordy and sometimes repetitious prayers in order to impress others with the level of your godliness. But like everything else Jesus has said so far in His message, He is going to take his audience to task on their warped view on prayer. Prayer was not meant to gain the praise of men, but to offer praise and petitions to God.

Ep 142 – Matthew 6:1-4 May 14, 2017

Today, we move into chapter six of Matthew, and we’ll be looking at the first four verses. I’ve entitled this episode, “Godly Giving” because it deals with the kind of giving God desires. He is looking for giving that is motivated by righteousness, not done in order to somehow achieve a reputation of righteousness. Doing good deeds in order to make a good impression is not what God is looking for in His people. Righteous-looking acts that are motivated by a self-promoting agenda may get you recognized by men, but they won’t result in a reward from God. Once again, Jesus is presenting an alternative view of what it means to live a righteous life. It had less to do with external behavior than it did with a changed heart. Godly giving was to be selfless and sacrificial. It wasn’t to be done for show or in an effort to leave a favorable impression. That kind of giving was self-centered and far from righteous as far as God is concerned. So, Jesus warns His listeners, and us, that righteous-looking deeds done to impress others and promote self will never result in the only approval you really need: God’s.

Ep 141 – Matthew 5:48 May 13, 2017

In today’s episode, we’re going to look at a single verse, the final verse of Matthew, chapter five. While short in length, this verse packs a powerful punch, that is just as impactful today as it was when Jesus spoke it on the Galilean hillside. On top of all that Jesus has said to His audience, He now challenges them with a call to perfection. But not some kind of earthly form of perfection. He calls for godly perfection. Rather than emulating the righteousness of men, we are to use God as our standard of perfection. But that sounds impossible, doesn’t it? How can fallen, sinful men hope to match the sinless perfection of God? What chance do we stand in achieving this seemingly unattainable standard? None whatsoever. That is, if we are left to our own devices and remain dependent upon our sinful flesh to try and pull it off. But Jesus is pointing to something far more reliable than human achievement. He is trying to set the stage and prepare the hearts of the people for His offer of salvation. Redemption is right around the corner. Perfect righteousness that will provide a right standing with God is about to be available to all who place their faith in Jesus Christ as their Savior.

Ep 140 – Matthew 5:43-47 May 12, 2017

In Matthew 5, verses 43-47, Jesus will tell his audience to love their enemies. As Christians, we’ve grown accustomed to that phrase as Christians. We may not obey it, but we’re certainly more than familiar with it. But when Jesus dropped it on His audience that day on the hillside by the Sea of Galilee, it was a like He was speaking a foreign language. Once again, He was addressing a common misperception regarding the law and their obedience to it. This time, it had to do with something the law didn’t say, but that had become almost as binding as the law itself. For some reason, the Jews had gotten it into their heads that God’s command to love their neighbor also meant that they were free to hate their enemies. And since God didn’t seem to indicate who their enemies were, they took it upon themselves to decide. In essence, anybody who wasn’t a Jew was their enemy. But Jesus had other ideas. He wasn’t going to let them misinterpret and misapply God’s law. Because for those who would be approved by God, and end up a part of His kingdom, the law of love extended to any and all, including enemies. Because it had nothing to do with loveabilty or loveliness.

Ep 139 – Matthew 5:38-42 T May 11, 2017

We live in a world where getting even is seen as some kind of inalienable right. We somehow think that retaliation for a wrong done is guaranteed by the constitution. And the Jews of Jesus’ day had the same mentality. So, in today’s episode, based on Matthew 5, verses 38-42, we’ll see Jesus address the mistaken notion that retaliation was a God-given right, provided for in the law of Moses. Instead, He is going to present the life of self-sacrifice and love. He will encourage His listeners to give rather than choosing to get even. Like touching a live electrical wire, His message will jolt His audience, sending shockwaves of confusion and doubt into their brains. What He is asking them to do will sound illogical and impossible to their ears. What He recommends will come across as unprofitable as it is unappealing. But once again, Jesus was describing the life of those who are blessed or approved by God. He was revealing the radical new lifestyle that would mark those who place their faith in Him as their Savior and Lord. Their righteousness would surpass that of the scribes and Pharisees, allowing them to keep the law love as modeled in the life of Jesus Himself.

Ep 138 – Matthew 5:33-37 May 10, 2017

In today’s episode we’ll be looking at verses 33-37 of Matthew 5. I’ve entitled this episode, “Trustworthy Truthfulness”, because in these verses, Jesus is going to bring up the issue of oaths, but His real emphasis is going to be on speaking truth. For the Jewish people, oaths had become another misunderstood and misused tradition that provided them with an excuse to lie and get away with it. Originally, swearing an oath had been a serious thing. It was a way of guaranteeing your word. But, over time, the religious leaders had developed workarounds or loopholes that allowed someone to make an oath and then break it. It was like crossing your fingers. You made a promise, but with no intention of keeping it. And the worst part was, many were using God’s name or things associated with God, to back up their oaths. So, when the failed to live up to their word, they were dragging God’s name through the mud. Which is what led Jesus to take this on in the first place. In essence, Jesus is telling them to say what they mean and mean what they say.

Ep 137 – Matthew 5:31-32 May 09, 2017

Today’s episode covers Matthew 5, verses 31-32. In these two short verses, Jesus takes on what was an extremely hot topic at that time: Divorce. Then, as today, divorce was a problem among the people of God. And while the Mosaic law had restrictions regarding its use and strict regulations governing its accessibility for the Jewish people, they had begun to act as if divorce was not only a viable option, but in some cases, a preferable one to marriage. And as before, Jesus will deal with the perception regarding divorce and the reality that God intended when He gave the laws concerning it to begin with. For God, marriage was intended to reflect the covenant relationship between He and His people. So, it was all about faithfulness. And Jesus will make that point painfully clear to His audience as He stresses God’s unwavering view regarding the marriage covenant. For all practical purposes, Israel had bought into the idea of no-fault divorce. Men were putting away their wives for little or no reason, and thinking nothing of having done so. But Jesus was going to put that mindset to an abrupt halt.

Ep 136 – Matthew 5:27-30 May 08, 2017

In today’s episode, we’ll be looking at Matthew 5, verses 27-30. I’ve entitled this lesson, “Purity of Life” because in it, Jesus is going to deal with the issue of adultery. But, like each of the topics He has covered in His message up to this point, Jesus is going to give His audience a slightly different perspective than that to which they were accustomed. They knew that, according to the Mosaic Law, adultery was wrong. But was NOT committing adultery the goal God had in mind when He gave this law to Moses? Jesus will go out of His way to point out that there is far more behind this law than a prohibition against marital unfaithfulness. In fact, He’ll get to the literal heart of the matter – the heart of man. God was looking for purity of life, not some kind of performance-based, do-just-enough-to-keep-God-happy kind of lifestyle that focused on avoiding the major infractions, while failing to measure up to the inward transformation God was really interested in. Adultery was a symptom of something far more offensive to God: Unfaithfulness to Him.

Ep 135 – Matthew 5:21-26 May 07, 2017

Today’s episode is entitled, “The Capacity to Love” and covers Matthew 5, verses 21-26. In this section of His message, Jesus will deal with the need for love among God’s people. Those who are blessed or approved by God, will be marked by love, not hatred. The Jews took great pride in their adherence to God’s law concerning murder. For most of the people in the crowd that day, murder may have crossed their mind at some point, but they had refused to give in. And they believed that fact counted as a plus on the righteousness side of their ledger. Yet, Jesus was about to blow that false mindset out of the water. He was going to reveal that the God wasn’t as concerned about murder as He was about the condition of the heart that could eventually result in murder. Hate was the problem. Or to put it another way, the lack of love. It wasn’t enough to not kill someone. God wanted you to love them. To refrain from murder is not a sign of righteousness and would certainly not qualify as love. Once again, Jesus is rocking the boat and disrupting the status quo.

Ep 134 – Matthew 5:17-20 May 06, 2017

Today, we’re going to be in Matthew 5, verses 17-20. Jesus is going to assure His listeners that what He is teaching is not contrary to the Old Testament Scriptures. It may have sounded radical and revolutionary to their ears, but it was not a departure from God’s law and all that the prophets had written. Jesus wasn’t introducing something that was going to replace the law, it was going to fulfill it. He wasn’t contradicting the writings of the prophets, He was actually the one they had promised would come. The law was God’s revelation of what He expected in terms of right behavior from mankind. It was His brand of righteousness described in great detail. The writings of the prophets were predominantly the call of God for the people of Israel to return to Him. The prophets spoke on behalf of God, calling the disobedient Israelites back to a right relationship with God, through obedience to His law. They could return or face the consequences. They could repent or suffer God’s punishment in the form of captivity and enslavement. But they failed to return and the inevitable happened. But Jesus had come to call the people of God back to God, offering them a better righteousness they could have never produced on their own.

Ep 133 – Matthew 5:13-16 May 05, 2017

In this episode, we move into the next part of Jesus’ message, found in Matthew 5, verses 13-16. Here Jesus will begin to deal with the goal for those who have been blessed or approved by God. Their lives are to make a difference in the world around them. This episode is entitled, “Agents of Change,” because that is exactly what we are called to be. Jesus will use two simple metaphors to illustrate how those approved by God should live in the midst of the world around them. The nation of Israel had been set apart by God to be a living example of what it looks like for a people to have a relationship with God. But they had failed to remain faithful. God leveled this sobering accusation against them through the prophet, Ezekiel. “I placed her at the center of the nations, but she has rebelled against my regulations and decrees and has been even more wicked than the surrounding nations. She has refused to obey the regulations and decrees I gave her to follow.” (Ezekiel 5:5-6 NLT). Now, Jesus was offering a new opportunity for people to have a relationship with God and act as His agents of change in the world.

Ep 132 – Matthew 5:1-12 May 04, 2017

This episode, entitled, “The Benefit of God’s Approval”, will be our third and final look at The Beatitudes, found in Matthew 5, verses 1-12. Each of these nine statements contain powerful words of comfort for those of us who know Christ as our Savior. There are immediate benefits tied to each of them, but future-oriented, eternal benefits as well. Our goal in this episode is to concentrate our attention on the amazing list of benefits Jesus lines out for the those who have been or will be approved by God through faith in His Son. The main point in these first twelve verses is what it means to be blessed or approved by God. It is a state that every man and woman longs for in their hearts, whether they recognize it as such, or not. It was the 17th-Century scientist and mathematician, Blaise Pascal who said, “What else does this craving, and this helplessness, proclaim but that there was once in man a true happiness, of which all that now remains is the empty print and trace? This he tries in vain to fill with everything around him, seeking in things that are not there the help he cannot find in those that are, though none can help, since this infinite abyss can be filled only with an infinite and immutable object; in other words, by God himself.” Christ alone can fill the void. Only He can bring us God’s approval and blessing.

Ep 131 – Matthew 5:1-12 May 03, 2017

This will be our second week looking at the first 12 verses of Matthew chapter 5, the portion of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount that we call The Beatitudes. In this episode, called, “Not What They Expected”, we are going to start unpacking what these verses meant and what Jesus was trying to teach those in His audience. It wouldn’t take a stretch of the imagination to conclude that what Jesus had to say was not what they expected to hear. After all, they viewed Jesus as a rabbi or teacher. They assumed that all He would say would fall in line with everything else they had heard said or taught by other rabbis and religious leaders. But these opening lines of Jesus’ sermon were shocking and a bit disconcerting to His listeners. They were unexpected and, most likely, unpleasant to hear. But it is critical that we clearly understand what Jesus is saying in these opening verses, because they will set up much of what He has to say in the rest of this passage. As always, try to hear Jesus’ words from the perspective of His audience. Put your contemporary viewpoints aside and try not to hear what Jesus has to say through your Christian point of view. His words were shocking. His expectations would have come across as unrealistic. But Jesus is simply setting the table so that He can eventually serve them the bread of life and living water.

Ep 130 – Matthew 5:1-12 May 02, 2017

Over the next three weeks, we will be spending all our time on the first 12 verses of Matthew chapter 5. This is the section best known as The Beatitudes. These verses, while well-known and quite familiar to most of us, provide an interesting opening to Jesus’ message. What was Jesus trying to say to His audience? In fact, just exactly who in His audience were these statements aimed at? This opening salvo from Jesus was anything but simplistic and easy to understand. From the outset, He had His listeners scratching their heads and wondering just exactly who He was and what He was talking about. Nine times, Jesus will use the word “blessed.” What did He mean? And how in the world did blessing go hand-in-hand with poverty, mourning, hunger and persecution? And twice Jesus will refer to the kingdom of heaven. Was that the same thing as the kingdom of God? Where would this kingdom reside? Who would be its king? All of these questions, along with many others, would have been swirling in the minds of those sitting on the hillside that day. And the key to understanding all that Jesus will have to say in the rest of His sermon hinges on how we interpret His opening remarks.

Ep 128 – Sermon on the Mount – Introduction May 01, 2017

In this upcoming session of Devotionary, we’re going to take a slight departure and deal with a particular passage of Scripture, but not an entire book. That’s not normally how we operate, but I think you’ll see what I’ve chosen to give this passage special treatment. I am talking about Matthew, chapters five through seven. You’ll probably recognize it by its more familiar name: The Sermon on the Mount. Of course, what sets this passage apart is not its name, but its author. In it, we have the words of Jesus Himself, as recorded by Matthew. It was Augustine, the bishop of Hippo, who first coined the title, the Sermon on the Mount. That was all the way back in the middle of the first century, and it has stuck with us to this day.

While less a traditional sermon, and more a collection of teachings shared in a classroom like format, the words found in these three chapters in the gospel of Matthew are nevertheless significant because of what they say and who said them. So, over the next weeks, we are going to dig into this powerful passage and see what we can learn from words that came directly from the lips of Jesus. Hope you enjoy it.

Ep 129 – Matthew 5:1 May 01, 2017

This first episode is entitled, “Radical and Revolutionary” and is intended to serve as an introduction that looks at the setting and circumstances surrounding Jesus’ message. One of the problems we face as 21st-Century Christians is that we have a habit of reading the Bible with a post-cross, this-side-of-the-resurrection perspective. It’s only natural, because that’s our historical point of view. But when reading the Scriptures, we need to always keep in mind who is speaking or writing and the exact nature of the original audience. Who were they? What were their circumstances? How would they have received what was being said or stated? This is particularly important when it comes to the Sermon on the Mount, because the original audience was predominantly Jews and, because Jesus had not yet died and rose again, none of the people in His hearing were yet believers. According to the text, there were only four disciples in the crowd that day. Simon Peter, Andrew, James and John. And they had just begun to follow Jesus. At that time, early on in Jesus’ ministry, they had no idea who He was, other than a rabbi whom they had decided to follow. So when we read this account in Matthew, it is essential that we try to “get in the sandals” of those in Jesus’ audience that day. We need to listen to His words with their ears and from their perspective. And if we do, it will make this passage come alive. It truly contains Christ’s counter-culture call. It was radical and revolutionary. And still is.

Ep 127 – Glatians 6 Apr 30, 2017

Well, this is the final episode in our study of Galatians. We’ll be looking at chapter six where Paul wraps up his discussion of the law and our life of faith in Christ. Throughout this letter, Paul has made it powerfully clear that there is no other gospel than the one that preaches the grace of God alone, made possible through faith alone in Christ alone. And there is no other way for men to be made right by God than through faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ. He not only saves us, He sanctifies us. And He makes it possible for us to live according to a new law: The law of Christ. Loving as He loved. Sacrificing for others as He did for us. Extending grace just as we have received it from God the Father. We are now free. Free to live and love as Christ did.

Ep 126 – Galatians 5:16-26 Apr 29, 2017

In the second half of Galatians chapter five, verses 16-26, Paul is going to explain that we not only have the freedom to love, but the power to do so. It comes from the Spirit of God. But it requires a determination to live under the Spirit’s control, choosing to be led by Him and not by our old sin nature. It’s a choice we have to make each and every day. And when we choose to let the Holy Spirit have control of our lives, He produces His fruit through us. And that fruit is irreproducible any other way. Oh, don’t get me wrong, we can produce a lot of things with our life, but if we do it in the flesh, the byproduct of our efforts will look dramatically different. Like everything else in our lives as believers, fruitfulness is not based on our own efforts, but on our complete reliance upon God. The life of faith is a life lived according to God’s power, not ours.

Ep 125 – Galatians 5:1-15 Apr 28, 2017

As we move into chapter five of Galatians, the first 15 verses will introduce us to the concept of our freedom in Christ and what that should mean when it comes to our relationships with those around us. Paul will tell us that we are “free to love”, which is also the title of this episode. We enjoy freedom from the law. We are no longer required to try and keep the law in order to earn a right standing with God. We are free from the rites, rituals and religious rule-keeping that marked the law. But our freedom has a purpose. It is to have an ulterior motive. Rather than having to obsess about our own spiritual standing before God, we are free to love and serve those around us. Rather than focusing on law-keeping, we can concentrate all our attention on love-giving. Our salvation has been secured. So, we can spend all our time putting the needs of others first.

Ep 124 – Galatians 4:21-31 Apr 27, 2017

Today’s episode is called “Two Covenants,” and is based on Galatians chapter 4, verses 21-31. Paul is going to contrast the old and the new covenants, using two Old Testament characters: Hagar and Sarah, to illustrate their differences. This unique comparison, will provide us with a better understanding of how the original covenant was based on the Law, but the new covenant, which replaced it, is based on the finished work of Christ on the cross. But Hagar and Sarah, two women who both bore sons to the Jewish patriarch, Abraham, represent two dramatically different attempts to see God’s promise fulfilled. One was based on human effort and reasoning, while the other relied on the word of God. He would do what He promised in His time and according to His will. No help needed. No other options accepted.

Ep 123 – Galatians 4:1-20 Apr 26, 2017

Today’s episode is called “Re-enslaved” and is based on Galatians chapter 4, verses 1-20. Here Paul will confront the Galatian believers about their inexplicable desire to return to their old status as slaves, when they had been set free by Jesus Christ. For Paul freedom was a major benefit of having placed his faith in Christ. He was freed from the law. He was free from the demands of having to try to keep the law in order to be made right with God. In fact, he told the believers in Rome, “But now we have been released from the law, for we died to it and are no longer captive to its power. Now we can serve God, not in the old way of obeying the letter of the law, but in the new way of living in the Spirit” (Romans 7:6). And Paul wants to know why the Galatians would willingly choose a life of slavery over freedom in Christ.

Ep 122 – Galatians 3:23-29 Apr 25, 2017

I have titled today’s episode simply “Faith.” It’s based on verses 23-29 of Galatians chapter 3 and where Paul continues his discussion of faith versus works. But Paul is going to attempt to clear up what has become a somewhat confusing point regarding faith. Is faith just another form of works? In other words, is our salvation dependent upon our faith? Can we have too little faith? Is faith something we have to manufacture or muster up in order to be saved? All of these questions will be answered by what Paul has to say in these verses. And the bottom line will be that faith does not come from us, but from God. In fact, faith is a gift given to us from God in the form of His Son, Jesus Christ. Faith isn’t something we manufacture. It’s someone we receive.

Ep 121 – Galatians 3:15-22 Apr 24, 2017

In today’s episode, called the Promise and the Law, Paul will continue his juxtaposition of the obedience to the law and salvation by faith alone in Christ alone. In verses 15-22 of Galatians chapter 3, Paul will go out of his way to explain the purpose behind God’s giving of the law and how it relates to our faith in Jesus Christ. For generations, the Jews had understood the law of Moses to be the means by which they gained approval by God. Obedience brought blessing. Disobedience brought God’s curses. But they had failed to recognize that what God really wanted was a relationship with men. It was their sin that made that difficult. And no amount of law-keeping and rule-following seemed to help, because they always failed. But God’s solution for their problem came in the form of a promise: His own Son.

Ep 120 – Galatians 3:1-14 Apr 23, 2017

Today, in chapter 3 of Galatians, we’ll be covering verses 1-14. In these verses, Paul is going to dig deeper into the contrast between faith and works. He is going to hammer home his strong, unwavering assertion that salvation is by faith alone in Christ alone, with nothing else whatsoever required. In fact, even after salvation, works do not suddenly become the barometer by which God measures our degree of faith. His love for us doesn’t waver based on the quality or quantity of our works. According to Paul, the righteous are not only saved by faith, they are to live by faith, trusting that God’s love for them has only one condition: Their ongoing faith and dependence upon the death of Christ and His righteousness.

Ep 119 – Galatians 2:11-21 Apr 22, 2017

Today, we will be in the second half of Galatians 2, looking at verses 11-21. In these verses we are going to see Paul take on his fellow apostle, Peter, and give him a spiritual broadside regarding his treatment of the Gentile believers in Galatia. The problem Paul had was that Peter’s actions had given credence to the false teaching of the Judaizers. His reluctance to eat with uncircumcised Gentiles was sending not only a bad message, but a wrong one. And Paul would have nothing to do with it. He could care less that Peter was one of the original disciples and a member of Jesus’ inner circle. What he had done was wrong and had contradicted the message of salvation by faith alone in Christ alone that Paul had so faithfully preached.

Ep 118 – Galatians 2:1-10 Apr 21, 2017

This episode, based on Galatians 2, verses 1-10, in entitled, Preserving the Truth, and deals with Paul’s determination to protect and preserve the integrity of the Gospel message at all costs. Watering it down was not to be tolerated. Any attempt to add to it was not to be accepted. For Paul, the good news of Jesus Christ was not just one more way for men to be made right with God, it was the ONLY way. The truth regarding man’s sin and God solution for it are to be found only in Christ. Any other offer of salvation is false. Any other means of achieving a right standing with God is a lie. Jesus is not one of many options. He is the way, the truth and the life. And nobody comes to the Father except through Him.

Ep 117 – Galatians 1:11-24 Apr 20, 2017

In today’s episode, we will be in Galatians 1, verses 11-24. I’ve titled this episode, Chosen By God, because Paul is going to go out of his way to defend not only his apostleship, but his message of salvation by grace, through faith in Christ alone. One of the things he was facing was the growing threat of false gospel messages confusing the believers in Galatia and leaving them wondering about the reality of their faith. Paul had a vested interest in the people who made up the churches in Galatia and was not going to stand by and watch them led astray by those who were preaching another gospel. God had chosen him to take the message of Good News to the Gentiles and he was not about to allow anyone or anything stand in his way.

Ep 115 – Galatians: Introduction Apr 19, 2017

This is episode one hundred and fifteen and with it, we are starting a new series on Paul’s letter to the Galatians. It’s called No Other Gospel and for the next 12 episodes, we will be digging into this theologically rich and highly practical piece of correspondence from the apostle to the Gentiles.

Ep 116 – Galatians 1:1-10 Apr 19, 2017

In this episode, we will be in Galatians 1, verses 1-10. From the very outset, Paul is going to jump right into the topic of the gospel. He is going to express his shock at the news that the Galatians believers have been deserting the gospel for a different one. And he makes it quite clear that this “other” gospel is really no gospel at all. Because there is only one. Paul is not going to pull any punches. He isn’t going to negotiate, cooperate or tolerate anyone who preaches a gospel other than grace alone, through faith alone in Christ alone. He’s even willing to call down a curse on anyone, man or angel, who teaches a false gospel. For Paul, there was no such thing as pseudo good news.

Ep 114 – Romans 16:17-27 Apr 18, 2017

Like any letter, this one had to eventually come to a close. Paul had to wrap up what he was saying and draw his thoughts to a single conclusion. And for Paul, that was a warning against divisions and obstacles. His greatest fear was the influence that false teachers might have on the believers in Rome, especially during the time it took him to get there. He knew from experience that there would be those who attempted to sway the church away from the truth with offers of a variant form of the gospel. They would use smooth-sounding words and be motivated by purely selfish reasons. And Paul pulls no punches, calling these individuals evil and describing them as tools of Satan. They were to be considered dangerous and deadly, wicked men who preyed on the naïve and the immature. Their words were to be rejected and their fellowship denied. For the sake of the well-being of the church and the further spread of the gospel.

Ep 113 – Romans 16:1-16 Apr 17, 2017

Unity and diversity. These are two of the characteristics that mark the church, the body of Jesus Christ. And Paul is going to stress both qualities as he wraps up his letter to the Romans. In a world where social standing and ethnic elitism ran rampant, the church provided a refreshing glimpse into the way God intended His people to live. As Paul clearly stated in his letter to the Galatians: “For you are all children of God through faith in Christ Jesus. And all who have been united with Christ in baptism have put on Christ, like putting on new clothes. There is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male and female. For you are all one in Christ Jesus.” This does not mean we lose our ethnicity or gender, give up our social standing or cease to be who we are. It simply indicates that our diversity takes a back seat to our unity in Christ. We all share one thing in common: Our faith in Christ and union with Him in His death, burial and resurrection.

Ep 112 – Romans 15:23-33 Apr 16, 2017

Paul was a non-stop whirlwind of activity when it came to the gospel. He rarely took a break from his missionary travels and, even when he stopped in any city or town for very long, he was busy spreading the good news about Jesus Christ to anybody and everybody who would listen. Jews, Gentiles, rich, poor, slave, free, male, female. Paul was an equal-opportunity evangelist. There was no one too lost, too sinful, too uneducated or too far gone that didn’t hear the message of salvation and feel the compassion of Paul. But Paul required support, especially the prayers of the saints. He knew his time was limited and the opposition to what he was doing was great. So he begged his readers to pray for him. He was doing spiritual work and it required spiritual backing. Paul most likely knew the words of James well: The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.

Ep 111 – Romans 15:14-22 Apr 15, 2017

Sometimes it can feel as if living the Christian life is impossible. The standards feel too lofty, the expectations, too great. Many of us feel pressure to meet the expectations of those around us – well-meaning fellow believers, who give us a list of rules to keep or criteria to meet. We feel the need to compare, using everything from the length of our quiet times and the number of verses we have memorized, to the depth of our Bible knowledge and the regularity of our church attendance. But Paul would have us understand that our faith is not to be measured by our accomplishments as much as by our dependence upon the Holy Spirit. It is He who produces righteousness within us. It is He who gives us the capacity to live holy lives. Our growth in Christ-likeness is not to be accomplished in our own strength, any more than our salvation was accomplished by our own merit. We have what it takes to live holy lives, and He’s called the Holy Spirit.

Ep 110 – Romans 15:1-13 Apr 14, 2017

Most of us as Americans don’t like the idea of committees. We are inherently individualists who have each inherited a built-in independent streak. Few of us like to be told what to do and would prefer to do things our way, on our own timeline and all by ourselves. We are a pull-yourself-up-by-your-own-bootstraps kind of people. So, when we read the letters of Paul, we tend to read them with a what’s-in-it-for-me kind of attitude. We see all those personal pronouns in his letters and assume he is talking to us – as individuals. But as we look at chapter 15 of Romans, we are going to see that Paul put a high priority on the body of Christ. The whole metaphor of the body, of which Paul was quite fond, conjures up images of codependency and mutual cooperation. The body is a single unit in which all the parts work together for the common good. The same thing is true of the body of Christ. We are not in this alone.

Ep 109 – Romans 14:14-23 Apr 13, 2017

Disunity and dissension are dangerous things when it comes to the local body of Christ. And they can show up as a result of some of the silliest and pettiest of issues. In chapter 14 of Romans. Paul will address a seemingly ridiculous situation regarding food that was threatening the unity of that local fellowship. When all was said and done, the problem had little to do with food and a lot to do with rights, pride, and a sense of superiority infecting the body of Christ in Rome. That’s why Paul chose to deal with it so strongly. He knew the danger of disunity and the need for a spirit of humility and selflessness within the local body. None of us is greater than anyone else. Our rights do not take precedence over the spiritual well-being of another. We are to put the needs of others ahead of our own. We are to build up, not tear down. We are to be encouragers, not stumbling blocks. All for the good of the body and the glory of God.

Ep 108 – Romans 13:8-14 Apr 12, 2017

Opinions. Everybody has them. And most of us like to share them. But at times, we turn our opinions into what amount to be unwritten laws or codes of conduct, all based on little more than our own understanding of how things should be. We often assume that our opinions carry the weight of Scripture, but based on little evidence. And then we feel obligated to force our point of views on all those around us, policing their actions and judging their failure to live up to our standards. But Paul would have us stop judging one another. He is not saying that we should lack conviction or the courage to speak out against sin. As he tells us in verse 1 of Romans chapter 14, we are “not to quarrel over opinions.” We are not to force our personal views on one another. We are not to divide the body of Christ over petty, personal opinions that inflate our egos and feed our pride.

Ep 107 – Romans 13:8-14 Apr 11, 2017

We all know what the Bible has to say about love. But knowing what it says and actually doing it are two completely different matters. Loving others is difficult. Loving our enemies is impossible. Yet God clearly commands us to do both. As Paul continues to address the believer’s relationship with the world and all those who live in it, he takes us to all-too-familiar topic of love. In the second half of chapter 13, he will encourage us to live distinctively different lives by loving in a distinctively different manner. We are to love as Christ loved. We are to love others because we have been loved by God. And this kind of love is not optional. In fact, Paul will tell us that the kind of love to which we have been called fulfills all the requirements of the law. Loving is the consummate expression of our obedience to all of God’s commands. Our love is to be visible, tangible, practical and ultimately, sacrificial.

Ep 106 – Romans 13:1-7 Apr 10, 2017

It was Francis Schaefer who wrote the book entitled, How Should We Then Live? It was a call to believers to live distinctively different lives in the midst of the morally declining culture of the 20th Century. Paul issues a similar call to the believers living in Rome, the decadent and oppressive government that overshadowed all of life. And his words carry powerful weight for us today as we struggle to live out our faith in an ever-increasingly hostile atmosphere marked by secularism and moral relativism. Paul’s words will sound just as shocking today as they did the day he wrote them. We will instinctively resist his counsel just as his original audience did. We’ll want to insist that he doesn’t understand. He doesn’t know how bad things have gotten. But Paul is speaking for God. And God has placed us on this earth as agents of change and ministers of reconciliation.

Ep 105 - Romans 12:17-21 Apr 09, 2017

As Christians, we can sometimes feel that we are surrounded by evil. The world in which we live can be a harsh place at times, and it appears that our faith in Christ is resulting in our ever-increasing polarization from the rest of the humanity. And yet, Paul is calling us to live out our faith in such a way that the truth of the gospel stands in stark contrast to the wickedness that surrounds us. When hated, we are to love. When cursed, we are to bless. We are called to live in harmony and humility – with all men. And rather than responding in kind to the evil we may face in this life, we are to reflect the grace, mercy and love of Christ and rely upon our hope in the promises of God. It won’t be easy, but it will get the attention of the world. We are called to live radically different lives, and the more we become like Christ, the more we will stand in stark contrast to the world and as living evidence of the power of God.

Ep 104 – Romans 12:1-16 Apr 08, 2017

What difference should the gospel make in our lives? In what ways should the good news regarding Jesus Christ transform the way we live? In chapter 12, Paul will begin putting shoe leather to the doctrinal insights he has provided. He will now attempt to make the theological, practical, showing us how new life in Christ should show up in everyday life in real, tangible ways. But for Paul, it all starts with sacrifice. It begins with a dying to self in order that we might live for Christ. It starts with a realization that we are not our own, and that we belong to God. As His children, we have been called to live distinctively different lives, set apart from the world around us, and empowered by the Holy Spirit within us. Our salvation is to result in our sanctification, our ongoing transformation into the likeness of Christ. But it requires a daily surrender to God’s will instead of our own.

Ep 103 – Romans 11:25-36 Apr 07, 2017

For Paul, God was both unfathomable and amazingly approachable. He was majestic, holy, and worthy of honor, praise and glory. Yet, He could be incredibly loving, gracious, kind and understanding. Paul never minimized the greatness of God, but He took great comfort in the fact that it was God’s unchanging nature as a holy and righteous God that made Him consistently reliable, even when His ways were not fully understandable. There was much about God’s relationship with Israel that Paul didn’t understand. While he could not explain the ways of God, he didn’t believe that gave him the right to question the integrity of God. He was fully confident that God knew what He was doing and that His plans for Israel would be completely and faithfully fulfilled. God was and is reliable. His word stands. His will is always accomplished.

Ep 102 – Romans 11:1-24 T Apr 06, 2017

It would have been easy for the Gentile recipients of Paul’s letter to have concluded that the Jews had blown it. They had rejected Jesus as their Messiah and, therefore, God had chosen to take His message of salvation to non-Jews. But Paul, a Jew himself, wouldn’t allow them to draw this conclusion. In response to whether God had rejected His people, Paul responded, “By no means!” They may have rejected Him, but He had not rejected them. He had a plan for the people of Israel and had made binding promises regarding their future that He was going to keep. Their rejection of His Son had not caught God off guard. He hadn’t been forced to knee-jerk react and come up with a plan B. In fact, everything was going exactly as He had pre-ordained it to happen. No surprises. No setbacks. No cause for concern. Because God had always planned for all the nations to be blessed, including Israel, and so they were.

Ep 101 – Romans 10:16-21 Apr 05, 2017

As Paul closes out chapter 10, he stresses God’s unique relationship to the people of Israel. While they were God’s chosen people, and Jesus had come to them as their Messiah, the vast majority of them had refused to accept Him as such. The apostle John, in his gospel, described just what had happened. “He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God” (John 1:11-12 NLT). Paul, a Jew himself, had watched as his own people continued to reject Jesus as their Messiah and Savior, while the Gentiles gladly accepted His offer of salvation through grace alone, by faith alone in Christ alone. The Jews had heard, and so, they were without excuse. The light of God had shown among them, but they had chosen to remain in darkness. God had called, but they had refused to listen.

Ep 100 – Romans 10:1-15 Apr 04, 2017

Paul had an obsession with the gospel. It had radically redeemed and changed him. And he was eternally grateful. So much so, that he couldn’t stop talking about it. Everywhere he went, the good news of Jesus Christ was just about all Paul could talk about – to anybody who would listen. It was Paul’s gratitude for what Christ had done for him that fueled his evangelistic zeal. Of course, he had been commissioned by Jesus Himself, but Paul didn’t view his commission as a job, but as a privilege. It was his joy to share the grace that had been shown to him. It was his honor to tell others of the life-changing message of Christ’s death, burial and resurrection. And as we open up chapter ten of Romans, we are going to see Paul’s passion for the gospel and his compassion for the lost coming together in a powerful display of evangelistic zeal. Paul was willing to risk all so that some might come to know Jesus as their Savior.

Ep 99 – Romans 9:16-33 Apr 03, 2017

It is a dangerous thing to shake your fist in the face of a holy God and question His integrity or cast doubt regarding His justice. And yet, so often, that is exactly what we do. Our problem is one of perspective, as Paul will point out. We have a limited view of what God is doing, and a less-than-complete understanding of His will or His ways. We have a tendency to look at events from our earth-based vantage point and either question God’s methods or raise doubts as to His presence altogether. The Jews of Paul’s day couldn’t understand why God would offer His grace and mercy to the Gentiles. In their minds, that was unfair. Rich Gentiles who came to faith in Christ struggled with the idea of poor believers being their equals. The ways of God are sometimes difficult to comprehend. He can be mysterious and unconventional, but He is also gracious and merciful. All because He chooses to be. Not because we deserve Him to be.

Ep 98 – Romans 9:1-15 Apr 02, 2017

What was Paul, a good Jew, supposed to do with all the promises God had made to the people of Israel? Was the fact he had been commissioned to take the gospel to the Gentiles a sign that God was done with the Jews? Were they no longer His chosen people? Chapter nine of Romans opens up an important section of the letter that will deal with God’s seeming rejection of the Jews and His inclusion of the Gentiles. The Jews in Paul’s audience, who had placed their faith in Christ, were struggling over what appeared to be a falling from grace on the part of the Israelites. But Paul is going to emphasize God’s faithfulness to His chosen people and affirm that God’s word, His promises, have not failed regarding the descendants of Israel. God was going to choose from among them just as He had among the Gentiles. His blessings would fall on Jew and Gentile alike. Based on His grace, not merit.

Ep 97 – Romans 8:31-39 Apr 01, 2017

In the final verses of chapter eight, Paul stresses the irrepressible, unavoidable and unbelievable love of God for His children. This love, ultimately expressed in the selfless sacrifice of His own Son as payment for our sins, is like nothing we have ever seen before. It’s not based on our performance, so it’s completely undeserved and impossible to un-earn. In other words, there’s nothing we can ever do that will make God stop loving us. And there is nothing anyone else can do to separate us from God’s love. God loved us enough to send His Son to die for us. And His love will not be completely fulfilled until He sends His Son back to get us. And between those two events in our life, He continues to pour out His love on us as He patiently, graciously and mercifully transforms us into the likeness of His Son. His love for us came at a great cost, and will last forever.

Ep 96 – Romans 8:18-30 Mar 31, 2017

God saved us and one day He is going to glorify us. But what are we supposed to do in the meantime? That’s the topic of the next section of Romans chapter eight. In verses 18-30 Paul will deal with our future glory and our present suffering. He’ll juxtapose our eternal life to come with the life we are called to live in the meantime. During this phase of our journey, we will experience His sanctifying work in our lives, but it will take place along with the ever-present reality of sin and suffering. But once again, Paul will remind us that we have been given the Spirit of God to help us in our weaknesses and to intercede on our behalf with “groanings too deep for words.” And finally, Paul will leave us with those comforting, yet sometimes difficult to believe words, “all things work together for good for those who are called according to His purpose.”

Ep 95 – Romans 8:1-17 Mar 30, 2017

In the first 17 verses of Romans chapter eight, Paul provides us with important insight into how we are to live for Christ now that we have been set free from the law. He doesn’t tell us to avoid the law or to view it as unnecessary or no longer valid. No, he tells us to walk according to the Spirit. We are to live our lives according to a new power. The Holy Spirit was God’s gift to the church, providing believers with the power they need to live the life to which He has called them. No longer are we staring at a long list of holy requirements, equipped with nothing more than our sinful flesh to help us live obediently. That method has been proven ineffective in producing holy people. But now, we have the Spirit of God providing for us the power of God and making it possible for us to live as the people of God. It is the very presence of the Spirit of God within us that proves to us that we are sons and daughters of God, and heirs to His kingdom.

Ep 94 – Romans 7:14-25 Mar 29, 2017

The second half of Romans chapter seven contains an up close and personal glimpse into Paul’s own battle with sin. Here was a man who had had a face-to-face encounter with the resurrected Christ, and who had spent years sharing the goods new of faith in Christ with countless individuals all across the known world of that day. And yet, he struggled with sin. He knew what it was like to desire to do what was right and good, but to find himself unable to pull it off. He had discovered the reality of the daily battle we all face as believers: The internal war between our old sin nature and the indwelling presence of the Spirit of God. When God saved us, He didn’t eradicate our sin nature. It remains alive and well, and stands diametrically opposed to the plans the Holy Spirit has for us. But God didn’t just give us an alternative to sin, He gave us a means by which we can have victory over it. All through the power of the Spirit.

Ep 93 – Romans 7:1-13 Mar 28, 2017

As we open up chapter seven of Paul’s letter to the Romans, we will see him returning to his discussion of man’s new relationship with the law as a result of Christ’s death on the cross. In no way is Paul attempting to diminish the value of the law. In fact, he will defend it with his life. But he is trying to get believers to understand that they have been set from the law in terms of any need they may feel to keep it in order to made right with God. The law is holy, but it cannot transfer that holiness to anyone. Only Jesus can make the unholy, holy. Only He can replace our unrighteousness with His own righteousness. Because of what Jesus has done for us, we can do good deeds, not in our power, but in the power of the Holy Spirit. We are free to be fruitful. We are free to keep the righteous requirements of the law, not as a form of merit, but as an expression of our newfound righteousness provided for us by Christ.

Ep 92 – Romans 6:12-23 Mar 27, 2017

In chapter six of his letter to the Romans, Paul continues to unpack the good news regarding faith in Christ and its provision of a right relationship with God. And one of the most profound aspects of our salvation, made possible by God’s gracious gift of His Son, is the freedom we enjoy. We have been set free from slavery to sin and are now free to pursue a life of holiness. But not based on our human efforts or our ability to keep a set of rules. Our freedom to say no to sin and yes to holiness has been made possible by Christ’s death and the Spirit’s presence in our lives. Holiness, Paul will remind us, is not an issue of SELF-control, but of the Spirit’s control over us. It is based on a willing submission to God’s power made available to us through His indwelling Spirit. We can experience the transformation God has in store for us as we transfer the control of our lives to the Spirit of God He has made available to us.

Ep 91 - Romans 6:1-11 Mar 26, 2017

As we move into the first six verses of Romans chapter six, we see Paul beginning to stress our new life in Christ as believers. The good news of Jesus Christ is not just future-focused, promising the reality of eternal life and a glorified, sinless state some time out there in the distance. He is reminding us that we can and should experience new life here and now – even in this present age with all its sin, struggles and strife. One of the primary topics of Paul’s letter to the Romans is the ongoing, progressive sanctification of the believer. We are being transformed into the image of Christ, day after day, year after year. It is an ongoing reality for all those who have placed their faith in Christ and within whom God has placed His Spirit. And our transformation, like our salvation, is not up to us – it is the work of God. Which is what makes it not only possible, but unavoidable.

Ep 90 – Romans 5:12-21 Mar 25, 2017

What is the Christian’s relationship with the law? On the one hand, Paul will say that the law is holy, just and good. On the other hand, he’ll say that we are no longer under the law, but instead, under grace. In chapter seven he’ll tell us that we have died to the law, so therefore, we are released from it. But Paul’s issue with the law has nothing to do with its authority, just its efficacy. In other words, the law, while holy, was not designed to save. In fact, it can’t save. It can instruct. It can convict. It can condemn. But it will never make anyone right with God. Paul will make it quite clear that the law was given to reveal our sinfulness, not get rid of it. And what makes the law holy is that it is a tangible expression of God’s righteous requirements for mankind. And while any attempt to obey the law and gain favor with God will prove futile, the believer is able to obey out of love, not obligation, and in the power of the Spirit, not the flesh.

Ep 89 – Romans 5:1-11 Mar 24, 2017

Paul has been talking about justification by faith. Men are made right with God, not by works, but by belief in the finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross. The result of their faith is justification, an undeserved restoration into a right standing with God. But several times in the first eleven verses of chapter five, Paul will say, “not only that.” As if a right standing with a holy God was not enough, Paul says we also have peace with Him. We have gone from enemies to sons and daughters. We have moved from foes to family members. And not only that, we can rejoice even in suffering, because we know that God is going to use it to produce in us endurance, character and hope. And God did all of this for us when we were weak, undeserving, mired in our sins, and deserving of His wrath. Our justification has had unbelievable ramifications.

Ep 88 – Hebrews 4 Mar 23, 2017

Faith can be a fickle thing. Sometimes it shows up in ways that surprise even us. Other times, it can appear anemic and as if it’s on life support. So, how do we go from having a wavering, waffling kind of faith that’s as volatile as the stock market, to a steadily increasing, confidence-increasing kind of faith that can weather the storms of life? Paul would have us consider Abraham, whose faith in God was counted to him as righteousness. Chapter four of Romans is a tribute to this father of the Hebrew nation, who spent his life learning to keep his faith in the promises of God based on nothing more than the word of God. It doesn’t mean he never doubted. It simply means he never stopped believing. He wondered how God was going to fulfill His promises and even tried to give God a helping hand. But his faith never wavered.

Ep 87 – Romans 3 Mar 22, 2017

No one is righteous. Those are difficult words to hear and even harder to accept. And yet, Paul is going to drive home once again the fact that what makes the good news about Jesus Christ so great is the very bad news regarding man’s sin. There is no one who deserves salvation. And there is nothing anyone can do to earn it, either. No one is righteous. That’s bad news. But the good news is that we can be made righteous through faith in Christ. What we could never achieve on our own has been made possible for us through the death of Christ. Chapter 3 of Romans is a powerful statement regarding man’s hopeless sinful state and God’s gracious gift of salvation and justification through His Son. We are made right with God, not by human effort, but by simple faith in the sacrificial death of Jesus. The bad news is overcome by believing the good news about Jesus and His sacrifice on our behalf.

Ep 86 – Romans 2:17-29 Mar 21, 2017

God is looking for heart change, not behavioral modification. He knows that men cannot live up to His holy standards. The Jews, His chosen people, had proven that fact time and time again. And yet, Paul is forced to talk directly to the Jews in his audience, letting them know that their ethnicity was not enough to save them. The fact that they had been given the law made little difference in their standing with God because they had failed to keep God’s law. Being a Jew didn’t make anyone right with God. If anything, it placed them under greater condemnation because their inability to keep the law should have driven them to His Son as their sin substitute and Savior. Paul reveals that a true Jew is one whose heart is right with God. Not because of anything they have done, but because of what Christ has done for them.

Ep 85 – Romans 2:1-16 Mar 20, 2017

God is angry with mankind because of their sins against Him. But there are some, who, because they see themselves as religious and therefore righteous, believe they are exempt from God’s wrath. They assume that their good works somehow make them deserving of God’s good favor. But Paul has some powerful words of warning to the religious and smugly self-righteous. Don’t confuse God’s kindness and patience with your sin as a sign that He is happy with you. All men have sinned and fallen short of God’s holy standard. And all men, even the religious and self-righteous are deserving of death. Unless of course, they have placed their faith in Christ. Just because some people seem to get away with sin shouldn’t lead us to believe that God somehow approves of their sin. He is just patiently waiting for them to wake up to the reality of their need for a Savior and the forgiveness made possible through His Son.

Ep 84 – Romans 1:18-32 Mar 19, 2017

Today, we’ll be in Romans chapter 1, verses 18-32, where Paul will introduce us to the bad news. He is going to provide us with the dark reality of sin and how it stands in stark contrast to the Good News found in Jesus Christ. They say you’ll never fully appreciate the good news until you fully understand the bad news. So Paul is going to go out of his way to let us know just how bad things had gotten in the world that God had created. Man, made in God’s image, had chosen to turn his back on God and worship anything and everything but God. And his idolatry had led to increasing immorality and an abandonment by God to their own sinful desires. He gave them over. He left them to their own devices. And the consequences were deadly. Unwilling to give God the glory He deserves, mankind was left to seek after God-substitutes, poor imitations of the real thing that would leave them helpless, hopeless and godless.

Ep 82 – Romans: Introduction Mar 18, 2017

Join us as we begin a brand new study in the book of Romans called The Gospel of God.

Ep 83 – Romans 1:1-17 Mar 18, 2017

In today’s episode, we’ll be in Romans chapter 1, verses 1-17. Be sure to take time to read the passage sometime today. In it, Paul is going to introduce us to the Good News of Jesus Christ and emphasize his unwavering commitment to it. For Paul, the amazing thing about the good news, or the gospel, was its ability to make sinful men and women right with God. This is what set the gospel of Jesus Christ apart from all other religions. And it was all based on faith, not human effort or good works. Paul was anxious to visit his brothers and sisters in Rome, but had to be satisfied with writing them a letter. He would fill it with words of warning and encouragement, expressions of gratitude and exhortations to stay true to the gospel message they had received. But in these opening verses, Paul will remind his readers how the gospel, the good news of Jesus Christ, is able to make men right with God.

Ep 81 – Hebrews 13:20-25 Mar 17, 2017

Today, we’ll wrap up our study of the book of Hebrews. And in this closing passage, found in Hebrews chapter 13, verses 2-25, the author will provide us with a much-needed reminder of God’s peace, power and provision. God is equipping and transforming us. He is protecting and providing for us. We have been made right with Him through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. We have His power available to us and living within us in the form of the Holy Spirit. We have everything we need to live a godly life in this life, as we wait for the promise of eternal life.

Ep 80 – Hebrews 13:17-19 Mar 16, 2017

Today, we’ll be in Hebrews 13, verses 17-19 which deal with the topic of leaders and the believer’s relationship to them. Leadership is a misunderstood and sometimes, misused part of the Christian faith. Our concepts regarding leadership can be more worldly than godly. Our desire to be a leader can be motivated more by power and position than love and service. So how should we lead and how should we relate to those we have been called to follow? God has appointed leaders within the local church. And He will hold them responsible for how they shepherd those under their care. But it’s hard to lead stubborn sheep. So we all have a role to play.

Ep 79 – Hebrews 13:7-16 Mar 15, 2017

In today’s episode, we’ll be looking at Hebrews 13, verses 7-16. In this passage, the author is going to give us some invaluable advice for living the Christian life. As followers of Christ, our lives are to exhibit the distinctive and defining characteristics of consistency and faithfulness. We are to model our lives after those who have exhibited these same characteristics over time, having proven their faith over the long-haul. The pursuit of the new and the novel is not to be a hallmark of our lives. New isn’t always improved. Heresy oftentimes comes disguised as new teaching or new insights into old truths. But we are to be wary. And we are to prove the veracity of anyone’s teaching by the character and outcome of their lives.

Ep 78 – Hebrews 13:1-6 Mar 14, 2017

Today, we’re in Hebrews chapter 13, verses 1-6. In these verses, the author of Hebrews provides us with a practical expression of faith lived out in real life. Faith in God and a confident hope in the future He has in store for us should show up in tangible, visible forms that make a dramatic difference in the way we live our lives. He’s going to emphasize love, hospitality, and acts of kindness to the mistreated and imprisoned. He’s going to uphold the sanctity of marriage, the lure of materialism, and the need for contentment. Our faith is in a faithful, trustworthy God, who won’t forsake us or allow anyone to do anything to us that is outside His will for us.

Ep 77 – Hebrews 12:25-29 Mar 13, 2017

In today’s episode, we’ll be covering the last portion of Hebrews chapter 12, looking at verses 25-29. In this passage, the author makes yet another comparison between the events surrounding Mount Sinai and the as-yet-to-be events that are associated with the future Mount Zion or Christ’s earthly kingdom. There is a day coming when our faith will no longer be in the hoped for and unseen. There will be a tangible, lasting, and unshakeable kingdom in which we will live for eternity. The things of this earth are temporal and will one day be replaced with the perfect and permanent. This flawed, sin-ravaged creation will be renewed and redeemed by God. And it is for that day we are to confidently, expectantly hope.

Ep 76 – Hebrews 12:18-24 Mar 12, 2017

Today we’ll be in Hebrews chapter 12, verses 18-24 in a lesson entitled, “Our Heavenly Home.” As he begins to wrap up his letter, the author points us to the ultimate destination and focus of our faith: Our eternal home. He will contrast Mount Sinai with Mount Zion, comparing the past with the future, the law with grace, and human works with a resting in the finished work of Jesus Christ. Unlike Mount Sinai where the Israelites trembled in fear at the sound and light show accompanied God’s presence and illustrated His holiness, the day is coming when we will enter into God’s presence without fear of judgment and as holy righteous in His eyes.

Ep 75 – Hebrews 12:12-17 Mar 11, 2017

In today’s episode, we’ll look at verses 12-17 of Hebrews chapter 12. In these verses, the author of Hebrews will encourage us to strive after holiness and peace. And not in some isolated, Lone Ranger kind of way, but as part of the body of Christ. Our pursuit of holiness is to be a team effort, aimed at helping one another keep the goal of Christ-likeness our highest priority. The author is going to warn us against three very real threats to our faith: Gracelessness, bitterness and a lack of holiness. As long as we live on this earth, we must keep our eyes on the prize: Our future glorification and the guarantee of our holiness. That’s the objective.

Ep 74 – Hebrews 12:3-11 Mar 10, 2017

Today, we’ll cover Hebrews chapter 12, verses 3-11. In this passage, the author turns to Jesus as a model for our faith in the midst of difficulties and trials. Jesus lived on this earth as a man. He suffered temptations, yet without sin. He knew what it was like to be hungry and to go without sleep. He was well-acquainted with rejection and false accusations. And yet He was faithful to His Father and lived His life without sin. Jesus suffered. So will we. But like Jesus, we have a future reserved for us in heaven. While we live on this earth, God will lovingly discipline us. He will continue to patiently transform us into the likeness of His Son.

Ep 73 – Hebreww 12:1-2 Mar 09, 2017

In this episode, we move into chapter 12, verses 1-2. Having met all the Old Testament saints and heard their stories of faith, the author now challenges us to follow their examples. This is where it all gets practical and applicable. The characters found in chapter 11 aren’t there to make us feel small and inadequate. They were not provided as a means to make us question our faith, but to strengthen it. They were men and women just like us. They had doubts, concerns, weaknesses and moments of faithlessness. But they remained faithful to the end. And today, we’ll learn the key for us to do the same thing.

Ep 72 – Hebrews 11:39-40 Mar 08, 2017

In today’s episode we come to the end of chapter eleven of Hebrews. In these two closing verses, verses 39 and 40, the author sums up all the characters he has listed in his great hall of faith. They were all commended for their faith, but none of them ever received what had been promised – at least not in their lifetimes. God had something bigger, better and greater in store for all of them. Ultimately, their hope and faith had been in God and they had been willing to trust Him for whatever He had in store for them. The fulfillment of all their hopes and the focus of all their faith was the coming of the Messiah, the Savior sent by God to redeem a lost world and provide a means by which sinful men could be made right with a holy God.

While all of these individuals made it into the hall of faith, all those who have placed their faith in Jesus Christ also occupy that same space. And one day we will join them, having received something far better than we could ever imagine.

Ep 71 – Hebrews 11:32-38 Mar 07, 2017

Today’s episode contains a much lengthier list of individuals than we’ve covered so far. As if he is running out of time and space, the author provides with us with six additional names and throws in the prophets for good measure. But the one thing all of these people had in common was their faith. But their faith wasn’t always accompanied by ideal circumstances or perfect outcomes. Each has a different story of faith, but they all share a common focus for their faith: God. Some suffered for their faith. Others discovered the truth that, by faith, it is possible to grow strong even in weakness. Sometimes faith leads to victory. Other times it results in death. But faith in God never disappoints or fails to deliver.

Ep 70 – Hebrews 11:31 Mar 06, 2017

Today we’ll get introduced to an unlikely character in the great hall of faith found in Hebrews chapter eleven. Verse 31 presents us with Rahab, a woman the author and the book of Joshua both describe as a prostitute. And yet, this woman of ill repute is listed as having had faith in God. In fact, it was her faith in God that kept the spies safe and her family alive. Faith isn’t tied to our spirituality or superior morality. It’s based on the reliability and reality of God. Rahab’s sinful lifestyle had earned her a well-deserved death, but this unlikely source, a prostitute, placed her unwavering faith in God – and lived.

Ep 69 – Hebrews 11:29 Mar 05, 2017

In today’s episode, based on Hebrews chapter 11, verse 30, we’ll be looking at the faith demonstrated by the people of God when they followed His somewhat crazy-sounding counsel regarding the city of Jericho. It would be their first battle in the promised land and, rather than strapping on their swords and shields and going toe-to-toe with the enemy, there were instructed to spend a week hiking around the walls of the city – in silence. They would eventually defeat the city of Jericho, but without firing a single arrow or throwing a solitary spear.

Ep 68 – Hebrews 11:29 Mar 04, 2017

Today, we’ll be in verse 29 of Hebrews chapter 11, and this time, instead of Moses, we’ll be looking at the people he led – the newly-freed Israelites. This verse deals with the well-known and much-debated story of the miraculous parting of the Red Sea. Over the centuries, there have those who have written this story off as either myth or a case of literary license. But the author of Hebrews believed it was a real-life event that revealed the actual faith of flesh-and-blood people like you and me. As amazing as the parting of the Red Sea might have been, the real miracle was that the people of God had the faith to step out and walk the path between those two walls of water. And the author of Hebrews makes it clear that they did so “by faith.”

Ep 67 – Hebrews 11:28 Mar 03, 2017

In today’s episode, we take another look at the faith of Moses. This time, we’ll deal with his faith as related to the first Passover. The story is found in Exodus chapter 3 and it contains one of the most powerful illustrations of faith as belief in action. Moses would demonstrate that it is one thing to say you have faith in God, but a completely different thing to put shoe leather to that faith by stepping out and doing what God has called you to do – no matter how strange it may sound. Sometimes God asks us to do the impossible and improbable. But faith believes and acts on that belief, trusting God enough to obey Him.

Ep 66 – Hebrews 11:27 Mar 02, 2017

In today’s episode, called “Waiting on God in faith,” we get another glimpse into the faith of Moses. This time, we’ll be looking at verse 27 in Hebrews chapter 11. Moses is forced to leave Egypt because he had killed an Egyptian. But did he leave in a state of fear or faith? The Exodus account seems to paint a slightly different picture than that of Hebrews. But when we combine these two divinely-inspired passages, we get a much clearer picture of what was going on and how Moses left Egypt by faith, not motivated by fear.

Ep 65 – Hebrews 11:24-26 Mar 01, 2017

Today’s episode is based on Hebrews 11, verses 24-26 and deals with Moses. The great emancipator of God’s people. Moses, as we have already seen, was spared a death as decreed by Pharaoh. His parents, acting out of faith in God, placed their infant son in a papyrus basket and set him afloat on the Nile. Discovered by Pharaoh’s daughter, Moses would grow up the royal court. But the day would come when he would reject his royal pedigree and choose instead to suffer with the people of God. And according to the author of Hebrews, he did so by faith.

Ep 64 – Hebrews 11:23 Feb 28, 2017

In today's episode, based on Hebrews 11, verse 23, we're going to look at Jochebed and Amram. Not exactly household names. These were the parents of Moses and the author is going to use their actions concerning their newborn son as a further demonstration of biblical faith. Living in a day when the tide had turned against the people of Israel living in Egypt, they were forced to trust God with the life of their son. The Pharaoh was out to destroy him, along with all the other male Hebrew infants. And while the Pharaoh was considered a god by his own people, Jochebed and Amram were putting their faith and hope in the one true God.

Ep 63 – Hebrews 11:22 Feb 27, 2017

Today, we’re in Hebrews 11, verse 22. And this one deals with Joseph, one of the sons of Jacob and the young man whose life went from favorite son to hated sibling. Sold into slavery by his jealous brothers, Joseph would end up in Egypt, where his lot would include life as a slave, false imprisonment, and an unexpected, meteoric rise to the second-highest position in the land. But the main thing mentioned about Joseph in the book of Hebrews is his bones. While he fully expected God to fulfill His promise to return the people of Israel to the land of Canaan, he knew he wouldn’t live long enough to join them. But his bones would.

Ep 62 – Hebrews 11:21 Feb 26, 2017

Today’s episode is based on another one-verse story of faith, that of Jacob. And it involves another set of twin sons and their blessing by their grandfather. This time, it deals with Ephraim and Manasseh, the two sons of Joseph. Jacob and his family are living in Egypt, on land provided to them by the Pharaoh. At this point, Jacob has no idea when they will return to the land of Canaan. But being old and knowing his days are numbered, he chooses to pronounce a blessing on his two grandsons. And he does so – by faith – trusting God for the eventual outcome and fulfillment of his blessing.

Ep 61 – Hebrews 11:20 Feb 25, 2017

In today’s episode, we’ll be unpacking a single verse, verse 20 in Hebrews chapter 11. It’s a short verse, but is jam-packed with significance. It involves Isaac, the son of Abraham and Sarah, and speaks of the blessings he gave his two twin sons, Esau and Jacob. What makes this particular verse so interesting is that it claims that Isaac pronounced these future blessings on his sons … by faith. And yet, the story of the event, as recorded in Genesis, seems to paint a slightly different picture. Or does it?

Ep 60 – Hebrews 11:17-19 Feb 24, 2017

Today, we’re going to stay in Hebrews 11, verses 17-19 – the story of Abraham’s faith displayed as he prepared to sacrifice his son, Isaac. We’re revisiting this passage because there is a crucial lesson for us to learn from the test that God gives Abraham. What exactly was God testing? Was there something about Abraham He didn’t know and needed to find out? If God is all-knowing, then it would seem that He knew what the outcome would be before anything even happened. So, was the test for God’s benefit or Abraham’s? The way you answer this question will make a huge difference in how you understand God’s declaration of Abraham as righteous because of his faith.

Ep 59 – Hebrews 11:17-19 Feb 23, 2017

Today’s episode covers Hebrews 11, verses 17-19 and deals with one of the most controversial and difficult stories in the entire Bible: God’s command for Abraham to take the life of Isaac, his son. The author of Hebrews uses this real-life event to further illustrate the true nature of faith. Abraham was being commanded by God to do the unthinkable. To us, what God told Abraham to do wasn’t even logical. Was God really asking Abraham to take the life of very son He had miraculously given him? While much of this story may not make sense to us, God’s reasoning and motives can’t be questioned. He is holy, just and righteous in all He does. And He had a perfectly good purpose behind His seemingly unjust command.

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Ep 58 – Hebrews 11:13-16 Feb 22, 2017

In today’s episode based on Hebrews 11, verses 13-16, we’ll see that each of the Old Testaments saints to which the author has introduced us so far, all died in their faith. They died without having received what God had promised them. That sounds rather anticlimactic, doesn’t it? Kind of a let-down, a disappointment, until you consider what the author is trying to teach us about faith. He mentions a better country, a heavenly one, that contains a city that God has prepared for them. It was that future promise on which they placed their hope. Not the immediate, temporal blessings of this life.

Ep 56 – Hebrews 11:8-10 Feb 20, 2017

In today’s episode, we get to visit with Abraham. His faith story is told in Hebrews 11, verses 8-10. In these three short verses, the author provides us with a succinct synopsis of Abraham’s long life. It was characterized by faith. Abraham obeyed God. But he did so because he trusted God. Now, he didn’t always trust God fully and completely. Sometimes he had his doubts, not so much in God’s promises, but in how He was going to bring them about. Occasionally, he and his wife. Sarah, tried to help God out. But Abraham was going to learn that God’s will is best done God’s way. And Abraham would believe God, right up to the end.

Ep 57 – Hebrews 11:11-12 Feb 20, 2017

Today’s episode introduces us to Abraham’s wife, Sarah, and lets us know that Abraham was not the only one who had faith in God. But what is interesting is that Sarah seemed to struggle a bit believing that God was going to actually pull off what He had promised. It wasn’t so much that she didn’t trust His promise. It was that He seemed to have missed the fact that she was old and barren. So she just assumed God was going to fulfill His promise some other way. And she was not above giving suggestions. But in the end, she believed God. She was learning that faith is not a commodity, but a way of life.

Ep 55 – Hebrews 11:7 Feb 19, 2017

Today’s episode is called “Flood Assurance” because it deals with the faith of Noah, the famous ark-builder, who is described in verse 7 of Hebrews 11. Noah’s story is a powerful example of faith because it involved a salvation from death that would require some pretty significant steps of obedience in the face of overwhelmingly difficult and seemingly illogical demands by God. Noah’s salvation required faith. But it wasn’t his faith that saved him – it was God. Faith is the subject is the subject of this chapter, but God is the object. It was Noah’s faith in God, not the ark, that saved him. In the face of God’s looming judgment, Noah found mercy, grace, and refuge in the salvation provided by God.

Ep 54 - Hebrews 11:5-6 Feb 18, 2017

In today’s episode, based on Hebrews 11, verses 5-6, we get introduced to a little-known Old Testament character named Enoch. While the record of Enoch’s life and accomplishments is short, he does hold the somewhat unique distinction of being one of just a few men in the Bible who never died. That’s right. The book of Genesis says, he walked with God, and he was not, for God took him. And while that’s a fairly significant claim to fame, the real thing that sets Enoch apart is his faith. He was taken to be with God because he believed and trusted in God – all without having to experience death.

Ep 53 - Hebrews 11:4 Feb 17, 2017

Today, we’ll be looking at a single verse, verse 4, from Hebrews chapter 11. The author has provided us with a description of faith, now he’s going to demonstrate what that faith looks like in real life, using Abel, one of the sons of Adam and Eve. Long-dead, murdered by his own brother, Abel still provides us with a powerful example of the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. The story of Cain and Abel has puzzled Bible readers for millenniums. Why was Cain’s sacrifice rejected by God? Why was Abel’s accepted. How was Abel showing assurance in things hoped for and the conviction of things not seen? And how, even today, is his short-lived life a demonstration of faith?

Ep 52 - Hebrews 11:1-3 Feb 16, 2017

With today’s episode, we move into chapter 11, the great hall of faith. We’ll be concentrating our attention on verses 1-3 in a lesson I’ve entitled, “Faith Described and Demonstrated.” In verse 1, we have what is less a definition of faith than a description. And the author will spend the rest of the chapter demonstrating what true faith looks like in real life. Faith is based on hope. And our hope is based on those things we have been promised by God, but have not yet fully received. Faith is less a commodity than it is a way of life, a means by which we understand the world around us and all that happens to us as we wait for what has in store for us.

Ep 51 – Hebrews 10:26-39 Feb 15, 2017

In today’s episode we’ll be in Hebrews chapter ten verses 26-39. I’ve entitled this lesson, “No Shrinking Back” because it deals with the believer’s need for endurance in the face of all the pressures and problems of this life. The temptation will be to lose hope or to think that what Christ did on the cross was somehow insufficient. The presence of difficulties can lead to doubt, which can result in disbelief. But the author reminds us that we are not those who shrink back. We press forward in faith, trusting the promises of God based on the finished work of Jesus.

Ep 50 – Hebrews 10:19-25 Feb 14, 2017

This episode covers Hebrews chapter ten verses 19-25 and is called, “Hold Fast.” In these verses, the author of Hebrews is trying to encourage us to consider the incredible nature of Christ’s gift to us. It should create in us a confidence and assurance that shows up in the way we live our lives. He is faithful and true. What He has promised to provide for us: eternal life, He will deliver to us. But in the meantime, we must hold fast and have confidence that His death has provided us with unbridled access to God the Father – even now.

Ep 49 – Hebrews 10:11-18 Feb 13, 2017

Today, we’re in Hebrews chapter ten verses 11-18. This episode is entitled, “Fully Forgiven” and deals with the remarkable reality that, for those who have placed their trust in Jesus Christ as their Savior, their sins have been fully and completely forgiven – once for all. And not as a result of anything they have done, but because of what Christ has done for them. As a result, the author of Hebrews says, God will remember their sins and their lawless deeds no more.

Ep 48 - Hebrews 10:1-10 Feb 12, 2017

Today we move into chapter ten of Hebrews verses 1-10. This episode is entitled, “The Good Things To Come” and will reveal how the old covenant of the law was intended to be a shadow of something better to come: The new covenant made available by Jesus’ death on the cross. His selfless, sinless sacrifice was what the Mosaic law and sacrificial system pointed towards, but temporarily and imperfectly. He had to die, the righteous for the unrighteous, so that men might be made right with God.

Ep 47 – Hebrews 9:16-28 Feb 11, 2017

In today’s episode, we’ll be in Hebrews chapter nine, verses 16-28. It’s called “He Died. We Live” and continues the author’s treatment of the superiority of Christ’s sacrifice. He died so that might live. He gave His life in order that we might be imputed His righteousness and enjoy a right standing with God the Father based on His merit and not our own. And the best part of Christ’s sacrifice is that it not only included His resurrection and ascension back into heaven, it guarantees His return. He is coming back. Not to deal with sin, but to save those who are eagerly waiting for Him.

Ep 46 - Hebrews 9:11-15 Feb 10, 2017

Today, we’ll be in Hebrews chapter nine, verses 11-15. In this episode, entitled “Blood Bought,” we’ll see that Jesus’ death was effective because His innocent blood was shed. He paid the penalty for our sin with His own blood. Which is exactly what He foreshadowed to His disciples that night in the upper room when they celebrated the Passover meal together. He said, “this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins” (Matthew 26:28). With His death, Jesus bought us, redeemed us, out of slavery to sin and death so that we might be made righteous and enjoy a right relationship with God.

Ep 45 - Hebrews 9:1-10 Feb 09, 2017

Today’s episode brings us to chapter nine of Hebrews, verses 1-10. It’s called “The Time of Reformation.” With the coming of the new covenant, made possible by Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection, things underwent tremendous change, especially those things related to the old covenant. Whether you look at the tabernacle in the wilderness or the temple in Jerusalem, you see two structures that were filled with deep meaning and important symbolism. Dividing curtains that separated the Holy of Holies from the Most Holy Place. The mercy seat. The ark of the covenant containing Aaron’s rod and the jar filled with of manna. And then there was golden the altar itself. But Jesus did away with all these things. Along with redemption, He brought reform.

Ep 44 - Hebrews 8:8-13 Feb 08, 2017

Today’s episode, titled, “Better Promises” takes us into Hebrews chapter 8, verses 8-13. In them, the author of Hebrews relies on the Old Testament Scriptures to drive home his point that Jesus is the better high priest offering a better sacrifice as part of a better covenant based on better promises. He will elaborate, in detail, just what those promises entail, specifically for the people of Israel. The old covenant, with its rules, rituals and regulations had been done away with. With Christ’s death, burial and resurrection, it had been replaced with the new covenant. And now, our obedience to the will and law of God is not based on outward motivation, but the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit.

Ep 43 - Hebrews 8:1-7 Feb 07, 2017

This episode is called “Better In Every Way” and in it we’ll look at the overall superiority of Jesus based on the new covenant He established with His blood. As we have already seen, Jesus is the great high priest and with the sacrifice of His own life, He paid the price for the sins of mankind and satisfied God’s holy requirement that justice be done. The new covenant is better because it did what the old covenant could never do: Provide complete forgiveness for sin and a restored relationship with God based on a righteousness we could have never achieved – that of Jesus.

Ep 42 - Hebrews 7:23-28 Feb 06, 2017

Today’s episode finds us in Hebrews chapter 7, verses 23-28. I’ve entitled this episode “Once, For All” and in it, we will take a look at radical difference between the never-ending, incomplete nature of the sacrificial system and that of Jesus’ never-to-be-repeated, fully sufficient sacrifice of His own sinless life. And Jesus, unlike the priests who administered the sacrifices in the Temple, required no cleansing from His own sins before His sacrifice could be made. He was sinless and, therefore, the perfect priest to offer the perfect sacrifice.

Ep 41 - Hebrews 7:11-22 Feb 05, 2017

Today, we’ll be in Hebrews chapter 7, verses 11-22. The title for this episode is “A Better Hope” because the author of Hebrews is going to present Jesus as just that: A better hope. Jesus, as the new and improved high priest, provided a way for sinful men to be made right with and draw near to God. Jesus provided a better way, a better sacrifice, and a better guarantee of a having a right relationship with God that will last for eternity.

Ep 40 - Hebrews 7:1-10 Feb 04, 2017

Today, we’re covering Hebrews chapter 7, verses 1-10. In this passage, the author brings back the Old Testament character, Melchizedek. And once again, he will compare Jesus to this ancient priest-king, but clearly presenting Jesus as superior in nature and importance. The issue here is one of blessing, how Melchizedek blessed Abraham, even though Abraham had done nothing to deserve his blessing. In the same way, believers have been blessed by Jesus, our great high priest, and received the righteousness of God and peace with God – all according to God’s grace and mercy, not our merit.

Ep 39 – Hebrews 6:13-20 Feb 03, 2017

In today’s episode, called “An Anchor For the Soul,” we’ll be in Hebrews chapter 6, verses 13-20. In these verses, the author of Hebrews will talk about holding fast to the hope set before us. He wants to encourage us to endure by keeping our hope firmly placed in the One who endured the shame of the cross on our behalf. He has promised to return some day. And because God does not lie, we can have hope, like an anchor for our soul in the storms of life.

Ep 38 - Hebrews 6:1-12 Feb 02, 2017

The title for this episode is “Hope Until the End.” In it, we will be looking at the very real danger of apostasy or the believer’s falling away from the faith. Apostasy is the direct result of complacency – a spiritual apathy and insensitivity to the remarkable gift we have been given in Christ. Our faith is to be vibrant and growing, not stagnant or satisfied with the status quo. Our hope in Christ is to increase daily, resulting in our ongoing spiritual maturity. That’s why the author of Hebrews encourages us to hope until the end.

Ep 37 – Hebrews 5:11-14 Feb 01, 2017

In today’s episode we will cover the central issue the author of Hebrews seems to be addressing: The message of the gospel of Jesus Christ. The Message of Righteousness. In a sense, he wanted his readers to know that salvation without sanctification, or spiritual growth, was illogical. Babies are meant to grow. Children are intended to mature. So are believers. But there is always the temptation to settle for the status quo and to become comfortable with where you are, all the while missing out on what God has called you to become.

Ep 36 – Hebrews 5:1-10 Jan 31, 2017

In Hebrews chapter four, verses 1-10, the author discusses Jesus’ appointment by God as a high priest after the order of Melchizedek. This reference to a somewhat obscure character from the book of Genesis has far-reaching significance. Jesus was not from the priestly line of Aaron, yet He was designated a high priest by God Himself. And because He was sinless, He was able to offer the perfect sacrifice – Himself – becoming the source of eternal salvation.

Ep 35 – Hebrews 4:14-16 Jan 30, 2017

Today’s episode covers Hebrews chapter four, verses 14-16 and is called “Help In Time Of Need.” The author will present Jesus as our great high priest, a righteous representative who understands us because He was one of us. He was fully God, but fully human, and knew what it meant to be tempted. Yet, without sinning. And now, He makes it possible for us to find mercy and grace, straight from the throne room of God, when we encounter times of need.

Ep 34 – Hebrews 4:1-13 Jan 29, 2017

Today’s episode is called “No Rest For the Weary.” There is a sense in which the original readers of this letter were struggling with finding rest in the finished work of Christ and were being tempted to turn back to the rules and rituals of Judaism. They were being influenced to believe that faith in Christ alone was not going to be enough. There was more they needed to do. But they were being deceived and that deception was resulting in disbelief in the promises of God.

Ep 33 – Hebrews 3:7-19 Jan 28, 2017

Today, in Hebrews chapter three, verses 7-19, we’ll be taking a look at the ever-present danger of disbelief. The author of Hebrews is not addressing a lack of belief in Jesus as Savior, but a temptation on the part of Christians to doubt God and turn from trusting in Him. Belief is not just necessary for salvation, but is an instrumental and non-negotiable part of our life journey. According to the author of Hebrews, even a believer can suffer from an unbelieving heart.

Ep 32 - Hebrews 3:1-6 Jan 27, 2017

The title for this episode is, “Consider Jesus” because the author of Hebrews is challenging us to do just that, to take a long, hard look at Jesus as the founder and perfecter of our faith. Moses may have delivered the Israelites out of captivity in Egypt, but Jesus provided deliverance from sin and death. The sacrificial system could provide temporary remission of sin, but only Jesus could provide a permanent solution to the presence and power of sin. And that is truly something worthy of our consideration.

Ep 31 – Hebrews 2:10-18 Jan 26, 2017

Solidarity, suffering and salvation. According to the author of Hebrews, we have these three things in common with Christ. We are one with Him because of His death on the cross, and as a result, we share in His sufferings. But we also share in His salvation, having been freed from slavery to sin because of His payment of our debt with His own life.

Ep 30 – Hebrews 2:5-9 Jan 25, 2017

Today's episode deals not only with Jesus’ subjection and suffering on the cross for our sake, but also His future return when everything and everyone will be in subjection to Him. Jesus took on human flesh and subjected himself to a sinner’s death on the cross. But His death was so that we might have life – eternal life – and His resurrection assures us that one day He is coming back to finish what He started and establish His kingdom on earth.

Ep 29 - Hebrews 2:1-4 Jan 24, 2017

This episode deals with the very real danger every follower of Christ faces – that of drifting away from the truth and hope of the gospel. Each and every day we find ourselves facing circumstances that tempt us to doubt the veracity of God’s Word and lose hope in the promises found in His Word. The danger we face is not the loss of our salvation, but the ability to enjoy the more abundant life that Jesus promised us.

Ep 28 - Hebrews 1:8-14 Jan 23, 2017

The author of Hebrews continues his comparison between Jesus, the Son of God, and angels, the messengers and servants of God. Jesus is uncreated. He is a member of the Trinity, the Gohead. His humanity, as evidences by His incarnation, in no way diminished His deity. He remains the Son of God and sits at the right hand of God the Father, where He intercedes on our behalf until the God-appointed day of His second coming.

Ep 27 - Hebrews 1:5-7 Jan 22, 2017

In these three short verses, the author of Hebrews provides us with seven facts concerning Jesus and endeavors to show just how incomparable He truly is. Jesus is not only sufficient, He’s superior in every way. There’s nothing that compares with Him. There is no one who can equal Him in holiness, honor, importance, and power. He is the incomparable, inimitable God.

Ep 26 - Hebrews 1:1-4 Jan 21, 2017

In the opening verses of chapter one, the author is going to introduce us to a very special character, who he will leave unnamed until verse nine. But I think you’ll recognize Him without any problem

Ep 25 - Esther 10:1-3 Jan 20, 2017

The entire story of Esther takes place in a distant land ruled over by a pagan king. The people of Israel find themselves living in a foreign country, far from the homeland, but not far from their God. While they had seemingly forgotten Him, He would prove Himself faithful and loving, gracious and kind.

Ep 24 - Esther 9:16-32 Jan 19, 2017

After their miraculous deliverance from the threat of possible extinction, the Jews were in a celebratory mood. They instituted a yearly festival to commemorate their victory over their enemies, complete with gift giving and eating. But much like our annual celebration of Christmas, there was something missing in all the joy and festivities: Any mention of God.

Ep 23 - Esther 9:11-15 Jan 18, 2017

Whether reading the story about a young Jewish girl who lived many centuries ago or simply looking at the daily affairs of our own life, it is sometimes easy for us to miss God in all that is going on. We can even assume He is not there. But God never goes anywhere. He never leaves or abandons His people. And while things in Susa appeared to indicate just the opposite, Esther, Mordecai and the rest of the Jews discovered that their God wasn’t missing at all

Ep 22 - Esther 9:1-10 Jan 17, 2017

An amazing and God-ordained reversal of fortunes is about to take place for the Jews. Standing at the brink of annihilation, they will suddenly find themselves the unlikely victors over their more powerful enemies. Through a series of seemingly fortuitous events, they’ll be the undeserving recipients of God’s mercy and grace.

Ep 21 - Esther 8:9-17 Jan 16, 2017

Today's episode covers the issuing of a second edict in the king’s name and sealed with his royal signet ring. Since the first edict commanding the annihilation of the Jews could not be rescinded, a second edict was issued giving the Jews permission to defend themselves. The battle lines were being drawn and the enemies of God’s people were going to find themselves on the wrong side.

Ep 20 - Esther 8:3-8 Jan 15, 2017

This episode covers the days immediately following Haman’s death as Esther continues to deal with the looming impact of the king’s edict calling for the destruction of all the Jews in the kingdom of Persia. Only eight months remained until that fateful day. But that would be plenty of time for God to implement a plan that result in their redemption instead of their annihilation.

Ep 19 - Esther 8:1-2 Jan 14, 2017

Haman is gone. But the edict he helped write still looms large in the picture. The Jews still face annihilation. But God is not done. He is still at work, orchestrating His plan for their redemption. And as the final chapters unfold, we will see that His ways, while not always discernible or enjoyable, are always reliable.

Ep 18 - Esther 7:7-10 Jan 13, 2017

In this episode we’ll see the ignominious end of the once-powerful, prideful Haman. Unwittingly, he had pitted himself against the all-powerful God of Israel and lost. He had seen Mordecai as his enemy and had chosen to get back at him by attacking the people of God. But God’s people had something Haman would never have: God’s protection.

Ep 17 - Esther 7:2-6 Jan 12, 2017

Haman is about to discover just what God meant when He said, “Vengeance is mine.” Haman’s bad day was about to get a lot worse. His arrogant pride was going to be obliterated by God and his pompous plans for the destruction of the Jews was going to be turned against him. He would prove no match for the all-knowing, all-powerful God.

Ep 16 - Esther 6:12-7:1 Jan 11, 2017

The enemies of God’s people are many and their power is formidable, but the key to our survival is not to be found in our own strength, but in that of God. We must learn to lean on His everlasting arms and rely on His all-powerful strength.

Ep 15 - Esther 5:1-11 Jan 10, 2017

In today's episode, we’re going to see God work some remarkable wonders that turn the tables on Haman’s murderous plans to hang Mordecai on a stake. Instead, he’ll find himself hanging a royal robe on Mordecai’s back and leading a parade in his honor through the streets of Susa.

Ep 14 - Esther 5:9-14 Jan 09, 2017

In today's episode, we’ll see Haman’s arrogance on full display, as his pride drives him down a path that will ultimately lead to his own destruction. Haman was powerful, but he was no match for the all-powerful God of the universe.

Ep 13 - Esther 5:1-8 Jan 08, 2017

Esther has been given the unenviable task of approaching the king and begging that he spare the Jewish people by retracting the recent decree that had granted Haman’s wish to have them eliminated. But Esther is not alone. Whether we see Him or not, the God of Israel is by her side. He has given her a plan and the confidence to enact it. And whether she realizes it or not, Esther will be an instrument in His hands. Be sure to take a look at the passage when you get the chance.

Ep 12 - Esther 4:9-17 Jan 07, 2017

Esther has just been informed by Mordecai about the king’s decree authorizing the mass extermination of all the Jews in his kingdom. This had been the brainchild of Haman. Now Esther finds herself in a tenuous position of having to use her access to the king to beg for mercy for her people.

Ep 11 - Esther 4:1-9 Jan 06, 2017

In this episode we begin to explore the behind-the-scenes nature of God's involvement in the events recorded in the story. He is there and nothing that happens does so without His divine approval and providence.

Ep 10 - Esther 3:12-15 Jan 05, 2017

As the king's edict legitimizing the kingdom-wide extermination of the Jews makes its way around Persia, it would be easy to assume that God is silent and unseen. But it is always dangerous to rule God out just because it seems He has failed to show up.

Ep 9 - Esther 3:7-11 Jan 04, 2017

Haman plots the extermination of the Jewish people and receives the approval of the king. But these two powerful men are not the arbiters of their fates or those of the people of God. There is a greater Sovereign at work, even thought He appears to be silently absent.

Ep 8 - Esther 3:1-6 Jan 03, 2017

This lesson will introduce us to Haman the Agagite, a powerful man who will become a formidable enemy of Mordecai and the Jewish people. But we will also see the sovereignty of the king come face to face with the sovereignty of God Almighty.

Ep 7 – Esther 2:19-23 Jan 02, 2017

In this episode we begin to see how God is working behind the scenes, weaving together a series of seemingly disparate and disconnected events in order to accomplish His divine will.

Ep 6 - Esther 2:12-18 Jan 01, 2017

Esther, a young Jewish girl, finds herself part of a competition to audition for the role of queen of Persia. And the amazing thing is, she won. But was this just a case of good genes and good looks? Or is something bigger going on than even Esther could imagine?

Ep 5 - Esther 2:1-11 Dec 31, 2016

King Ahasuerus is having second thoughts about his decision to banish his queen, but with the help of his counselors, he comes with an ambitious plan to find her replacement. And what happens next is far more than a case of fate or coincidence.

Ep 4 - Esther 1:16-22 Dec 30, 2016

King Ahasuerus gets the royal snub when his queen refuses to put herself on displayh for the benefit of his drunken party guests. But this domestic dispute is going to have long-term and empire-wide ramifications that the king and his wise men could never have imagined.

Ep 3 - Esther 1:10-15 Dec 29, 2016

What happens when King Ahasuerus has his sovereignty challenged by his own queen? And now will this one woman's seemingly independent actions impact all that is to come?

Ep 2 - Esther 1:5-9 Dec 28, 2016

In this episode we get an up-close and personal look into the wealth and power of King Ahasuerus. It is meant to set up a confrontation that will come later in the book between the almighty king and God Almighty.

Ep 1 - Esther 1:1-4 Dec 27, 2016

The opening lines of the book of Esther set the stage for a showdown between the rich and powerful King Ahasuerus and the unseen, all-powerful God of the universe.

Welcome to Devotionary! Dec 27, 2016

Devotionary offers the inspiration of a daily devotional and the insights of a commentary to help make the Bible approachable and applicable. We will be working our way through entire books of the Bible, going verse-by-verse and attempting to get a greater understanding of how the entire Bible fits together as a whole.

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