July 13
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1 Chronicles 15:1-16:36
Romans 1:18-32
Psalm 10:1-15
Proverbs 19:6-7
After a considerable amount of greetings and warm affections for the Romans, Paul gets into some of the hard truths of the world. Paul talks about the basic inability for anyone to see God, though his works are all around us! The world is content to deny and forget the power and Lordship of God although there is everything written in nature and creation to show that he exists, made all and that all are accountable to him. In forgetting God, the human race must turn to all sorts of things to fill in that need to love and worship him, instead they love and bow down to their own desires and own paths. The end of this section is a pretty brutal list of ways of describing a world that has forgotten God. It would be pretty discouraging to stop here, but take heart, the gospel is GOOD NEWS!
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
July 12, 2009
July 12
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Having read through Acts, seeing the great boldness, action, and conviction of Paul we have to be on the edge of our seats to get into the deep matters of the gospel that he illustrates in the wonderful book of Romans. Many see Romans as the best summarization of the Christian life, justification, peace with God, new life in Christ, the coming return of Jesus, the judgment of the world, the righteousness revealed in Jesus. Paul starts things off by stating his authority as an apostle, called by God to bring good news to the church of Rome. As this is a letter to real people in a real place, Paul begins by speaking warmly to his friends, praising them for the reputation of their great faith. We should long to have the same reputation. He desires to see his friends so that they might encourage and build one another up in the faith. This shows us what the Christian life should be about, encouraging one another and building one another up. Is this an accurate picture of how we usually treat one another?
Before getting into the meat of the letter, Paul makes a wonderful claim about the gospel:
"I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes."
He will spend the rest of the letter explaining what this gospel is all about.
Monday, July 13, 2009
July 11
July 11
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Reading the last chapter of Acts is a really good experience as we move into the great book of Romans. The second half of Acts focuses heavily upon Paul and his work of bringing the good news of Jesus to all the world. He just keeps going on and on and on, knowing that the job of bringing the gospel to all peoples will be much bigger than something he can do alone, yet he is zealous to do all he can to establish churches in parts all across the area so that those churches can do the work in their own area. This is in so many ways just like our ministry here. Someone initially set up our church and centuries later we are still here to bring the gospel to this corner of the world. As we read Romans we get a closer look at Paul's theology as he writes letters to the church of Rome. We get to see even more clearly why he is so on fire to bring this good news to the world.
July 10
July 10
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This chapter is a great indication of what it means to show Godly leadership. Though Paul was a fellow prisoner on the boat, in tumultuous times we see that he is still God's appointed leader of those here. Paul uses the encouraging word that God gives him to tell the others on the boat that he will spare their lives. It is important in the church when someone has a strong conviction or a spiritual insight into where the church should be going that we listen to them. We should always test what people say to scripture, but if someone is excited about doing great things for God it's our job to support and get behind them.
Friday, July 10, 2009
July 9 (Thursday) -- Paul Does a Gilligan's Island
More begats: 1 Chronicles 7:1-8:40
Stormy sailing: Acts 27:1-20
God is a righteous judge: Psalm 7:1-17
Finding a honey is finding God’s favor: Proverbs 18:22
Have you noticed the person of Acts in these chapters? It was written by Dr. Luke, but these chapters are in 1st person. He uses words like “we” when talking about who sailed to Italy, boarded the ship, and lost hope of being saved by the storm.
The point is that Paul was not going through this alone. The Holy Spirit was guiding Paul to allow him to ultimately witness to the emperor of Rome, but it was not an easy road. And Paul had Christian friends along with him to support him, even when Paul was in chains like a criminal.
We need to further God’s kingdom with a no-matter-the-cost kind of philosophy, and encourage each other Christians who do the same.
Stormy sailing: Acts 27:1-20
God is a righteous judge: Psalm 7:1-17
Finding a honey is finding God’s favor: Proverbs 18:22
Have you noticed the person of Acts in these chapters? It was written by Dr. Luke, but these chapters are in 1st person. He uses words like “we” when talking about who sailed to Italy, boarded the ship, and lost hope of being saved by the storm.
The point is that Paul was not going through this alone. The Holy Spirit was guiding Paul to allow him to ultimately witness to the emperor of Rome, but it was not an easy road. And Paul had Christian friends along with him to support him, even when Paul was in chains like a criminal.
We need to further God’s kingdom with a no-matter-the-cost kind of philosophy, and encourage each other Christians who do the same.
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
July 8 (Wednesday) -- Griping at Agrippa
The battle was God’s: 1 Chronicles 5:18-6:81
In such a short time can you persuade me to become a Christian? Acts 26:1-32
Be merciful to me, O Lord: Psalm 6:1-10
The tongue has the power of life and death: Proverbs 18:20-21
Check out today’s passage from Acts. I love this stuff, because it’s not fiction. This really happened!
Paul was talking to King Agrippa, who had the authority to let the Jews execute Paul. Yet, when Paul told the king about Jesus appearing to him, he also talked about Jesus wanting Paul to tell everyone to repent & believe in God – including the Gentiles. By the way, the Gentles are all non-Jews, including the Romans. Instead of cowering in a little corner hoping King Agrippa would be nice to him, Paul took the gospel to the king knowing that it might offend the king. The king already had a religion.
Yet, it’s not over. In the last verse of today’s passage, King Agrippa said that Paul would have been set free had he not appealed to Caesar. The Holy Spirit gave Paul not only the words to say, but also the guts to say them with a no-matter-what, no-matter-who kind of attitude. This allowed Paul to eventually take the gospel to the highest authority in the Roman empire.
What goals does the Holy Spirit have for you?
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
July 7 (Tuesday) -- Their Throat Is an Open Grave
A bunch of begats: 1 Chronicles 4:5-5:17
More on Paul’s trail: Acts 25:1-27
Throat like a grave: Psalm 5:1-12
Offended like a barred gate: Proverbs 18:19
You know, David had to go through a lot of mess. A lot of folks wanted to kill him, at different times in his life.
And in today’s Psalm he pleaded with God to help him from his enemies’ attacks. Yet he wasn’t talking about the sword. He was talking about their words.
Verse 6 has “those who tell lies”. Verse 9 has “not a word from their mouth can be trusted”. That same verse has, “their throat is an open grave; with their tongue they speak deceit.”
We, as Christians, need to watch what we say about others. It’s not our place to stir up a bunch of mess toward people, even if they’ve done us wrong.
July 6, 2009
July 6
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Luke (the author of Acts) seems very interested in giving us a lot of details about Paul's trial here. I believe that one thing that is going on is his desire to show that, just like Jesus, Paul is very much falsely accused of breaking the Jewish law in following the way of Jesus. Following after Jesus in no way breaks with the Old Testament, breaks in no way with what it means to be an Israelite, to be of the people of God. As Paul talks with Felix during the trial, he speaks of the coming judgment, the judgment that will be righteous and completely true. This makes Felix nervous and he really mostly wants to have nothing to do with Paul, kind of like Pilate in Jesus' trial. He keeps Paul in prison as a favor to the Jews. He is working out of pleasing man and not pleasing God. As the Psalmist spoke of in a passage from last week, God is more to be trusted than earthly princes, earthly judges, who make bad choices and who will one day die and be no more. God's law remains forever and his people will be righteous before his throne.
July 5, 2009
July 5
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Jesus let his disciples know before he went to be with the Father, that they would themselves experience persecution as he himself had. A servant is not greater than a master. Paul is displaying this very persecution here. The Jewish leaders were adamant about holding back Paul, who was powerfully preaching the gospel all over the Mediterranean world. 40 of the Jewish leaders pledged to not eat or drink until they had killed Paul. As they were preparing an ambush, Paul learns of the plot and has the Roman guards who were holding him captive to take him somewhere safe. Though Paul is in danger, God is always with him, he is always in control of the situation.
July 4, 2009
July 4
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When reading Acts it is important to always keep in mind the great commission. The Great Commission is the speech Jesus gives to the disciples at the end of the gospel of Matthew to spread the good news of salvation to all the earth. He also says here that "I will be with you always". God is always with us and we need him especially when we are bringing his good news to the world. Sometimes this is challenging, as Paul here sees, there are many people who don't trust Paul because of his past or who outright don't like what he has to say, but in this section of Acts we see God constantly comforting, encouraging, reassuring Paul. With God's presence Paul is able to stand up to his accusers, pointing out their hypocrisy and blindness.
July 3, 2009
July 3
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After reading the final Psalm, a call for all to praise God in any way that we can we
rewind back to the first Psalm. Where that chapter summed up the entirety of Christian
living, this opening Psalm is like a jumping off point. That's a good way of thinking of
the Psalms, a guidebook for the Christian life as it is expressed in song. There may be
certain songs that mean a lot to you in your life, songs that say something special about
how you look at yourself, God, your family, your friends. This opening Psalm points us
to the pathway of Christ. This Psalms shows us that it is not blessed to sit in a council
of men who don't fear God, but it is blessed instead to meditate on God's word, to live
in the light of his salvation and revelation. This is like a tree planted next to a river,
a tree with a good source of life.
Thursday, July 2, 2009
July 2 -- Cymbals are cool!
Reversing the shadow: 2 Kings 20:1-22:2
Away with him! Acts 21:18-36
Praise him with cymbals: Psalm 150:1-6
Slackers are working for destroyers: Proverbs 18:9-10
Today I want to blog about the passage from 2nd Kings. If you recall, Hezekiah was a king of Judah who flat out loved the Lord. Hezekiah had no sons. For anybody living in that part of the world at that time, dying with no kids was the worst shame you could have. The idea was that you must be a really horrible person to be cursed with being childless. Add to that the fact that Hezekiah as a king and had no son to pass the throne too. This was no doubt part of Hezekiah’s desperation in his praying to God.
Then something kinda cool happened – God heard Hezekiah’s prayer & healed him! I say “kinda” because it may not have been the best thing. You see, because God healed Hezekiah, Hezekiah went on to have a son, who grew up to betray the Lord & even encourage others in his kingdom to do the same. Amon even sacrificed his own son, Hezekiah’s grandson, to the fire god. I bet if Hezekiah had forseen what God did, he would have prayed a prayer that was more of “Your will be done”, than “please, oh please save me.”
Martin Luther once said, “"Blessed is he who submits to the will of God; he can never be unhappy. Men may deal with him as they will...; he is without care; he knows that 'all things work together for good' for him"”
Away with him! Acts 21:18-36
Praise him with cymbals: Psalm 150:1-6
Slackers are working for destroyers: Proverbs 18:9-10
Today I want to blog about the passage from 2nd Kings. If you recall, Hezekiah was a king of Judah who flat out loved the Lord. Hezekiah had no sons. For anybody living in that part of the world at that time, dying with no kids was the worst shame you could have. The idea was that you must be a really horrible person to be cursed with being childless. Add to that the fact that Hezekiah as a king and had no son to pass the throne too. This was no doubt part of Hezekiah’s desperation in his praying to God.
Then something kinda cool happened – God heard Hezekiah’s prayer & healed him! I say “kinda” because it may not have been the best thing. You see, because God healed Hezekiah, Hezekiah went on to have a son, who grew up to betray the Lord & even encourage others in his kingdom to do the same. Amon even sacrificed his own son, Hezekiah’s grandson, to the fire god. I bet if Hezekiah had forseen what God did, he would have prayed a prayer that was more of “Your will be done”, than “please, oh please save me.”
Martin Luther once said, “"Blessed is he who submits to the will of God; he can never be unhappy. Men may deal with him as they will...; he is without care; he knows that 'all things work together for good' for him"”
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
July 1 -- hook in the nose
Hooked by the nose: 2 Kings 18:13-19:37
Ready to be bound or die for the Lord: Acts 21:1-17
Let the saints rejoice in his honor: Psalm 149:1-9
Gossip is like food: Proverbs 18:8
When I read stuff like in Acts 21, I can’t help but think about how cushy our lives are in America. We have no persecution for being a Christian, especially in Alabama. But Paul was willing to do whatever the Holy Spirit guided him to do for the Lord, even though it meant his life would be in danger.
I believe our country is slowly heading towards a day when Christians will be persecuted. If it happens in our lifetimes, I’d like to think we’d have enough spiritual mettle to stand up for the Lord with a no-matter-what, no-matter-who kind of ‘tude.
But the million dollar question is: why don’t we go ahead and stand up for the Lord now, when it doesn’t hurt us?
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