The Millennium

Just a warning at the outset, this will be a fairly long post. A smarter person would break it in two, but you should know me by now. Also, I WILL post tomorrow, January 1st as my wrap-up, so if you're so inclined, be sure to check that out.

Of the three topics I'll discuss, the first is the most challenging and confusing to Christians, although there is absolutely no reason why it has to be. Of course, I refer to the Millennial Kingdom as described in Revelation 20:1-6. There are four primary views of when the Millennium will occur, but the most common are split between two competing schools of thought (go to the Wikipedia page if you want to read some more--it is very interesting if you enjoy this subject):

1. Dispensational Millennialism--there are two subsets to this (pre- and post-), but I won't get mired down in that. In essence, this describes a chain of events that has to occur (the Rapture, the Great Tribulation, Christ's Second Coming, the 1,000-year reign, followed by the Last Judgment). This views the Millennium as a literal 1,000-year time period, and that the Last Days will be a 7-year period as described in that excellent reading in Daniel 9:24-27. It also suggests that Christians will be raptured from the Earth prior to the Great Tribulation, and puts its emphasis on being prepared to be raptured and not have to suffer through the agonies of the final seven years of Earth's history.

2. Amillennialism--this view says that all the events described will occur, but not in a literal 1,000-year period. This views suggests that everything since Christ's resurrection has been part of the Last Days, and that when Christ returns, we'll reign with him forever. If you look at timelines of events for dispenstational millennialism and amillennialism, the amillennialism is much cleaner, since we view the Last Days as EVERY DAY since Christ left. This view also makes clear that Christians WILL be around for the Last Days.

With that thumbnail sketch, I'll add the most important point--it doesn't matter which course of events will occur. If we take the warnings that Christ gave to his followers over and over to be prepared at any time for his return, it won't matter how it will occur, because we'll be prepared either way. Just for fun, here are some of the places where Christ and others warned all believers to be prepared at any time for his return:

Matthew 24:36-50--the day and hour unknown

Matthew 25:1-13--parable of the ten virgins

1 John 2:28

In what sequence Christ chooses to return to this Earth is his business, and his alone. The time spent on debating the finer points of millennial thinking is effort that could be spent on making sure that we and our loved ones are prepared for when the Lord returns. 

Because, when he does, it's going to be MAGNIFICENT, and completely beyond my abilities (or anyone else's, for that matter) to describe. As we read the last two chapters in the Bible, Revelation 21-22 give such a beautiful description of what heaven will be like that I find it impossible to not want to be there this very instant. Way back on January 1st, 2011, we read how God created a perfect world, and it stayed perfect for all of two chapters in the Bible, since Adam and Eve introduced sin to the world in Genesis 3. How anyone can read Revelation 21:4 and not get choked up is so beyond my comprehension that I won't even try:

He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.

This is the hope we have as Christians, and why we endeavor to keep our families and friends strong in their faith, because this is what we long for. The perfect world that God introduced in the first two chapters of the Bible is returned in the last two, a symmetry that illustrates that all of our sin that has occurred in the meantime will be nothing compared to the eternity spent in the presence of the Lord.

Marge Kimmel gave me a book some time ago that gives a yearly day-by-day reading from various works of C.S. Lewis. The book is titled "The Business of Heaven: Daily Readings from C.S. Lewis," and this is the entry for December 31st:

"Then Aslan turned to them and said:'...you are--as you used to call it in the Shadowlands--dead. The term is over: the holidays have begun. The dream is ended: this is the morning...'

And for us this is the end of all the stories, and we can most truly say that they all lived happily after. But for them it was only the beginning of the real story. All their life in this world and all their adventures in Narnia had only bee the cover and the title page: now at last they were beginning Chapter One of the Great Story which no one on earth has read: which goes on for ever: in which every chapter is better than the one before."

That is heaven, the place we yearn for with every fiber of our being, and it's ours not because of anything we ever did our could do, but because God's Only Begotten Son came down from heaven to be the ultimate sacrifice on our behalf. It's ours for the taking simply by acknowledging that Jesus is Lord. Believe me, it'll be worth it.

Scott

Babylon

Every time we read about Babylon in the Bible, it wasn't good:

1. The Tower of Babel (Genesis 11:1-9) was the initial Babylon

2. After the exile of Israel (the Northern Kingdom) in 722 BC, the Assyrian king Sargon resettled it from various parts of his kingdom, including Babylon (see 2 Kings 17:7-41)

3. Isaiah prophesied the exile of Judah to Babylon over 100 years in advance in 2 Kings 20

4. 2 Kings 25 describes the defeat of Judah by Nebuchadnezzar

So, any mention of Babylon would be pretty obvious in its reference--military power, vanity, lawlessness, sin and every other bad thing rolled into one. Which makes the proclamation of the angel in Revelation 18:2 even more important:

“Fallen! Fallen is Babylon the Great!  She has become a home for demons and a haunt for every evil spirit, a haunt for every unclean and detestable bird."

Indeed, all of Revelation 18 is a recitation of the heights from which Babylon will fall, from the highest of the high, the mightiest of the mighty, the greatest of the great, to total desolation--and there will be ABSOLUTELY NOTHING that its inhabitants can do about it. We know that their fate has been sealed since before the beginning of time, but when this point in history comes, it will still come as a complete shock to the proud and mighty. I've commented before on Philippians where it states that every knee will bow and every tongue confess. When this point in history is reached, every knee WILL bow, but the citizens in Babylon won't be kneeling and bowing in awe and wonder, but in total and complete fear and trepidation.

Everything we do as Christians, from making sure that we stay true to the Word, training our children to be good Christians and leading lives that serve as a witness is pointing to this Last Day. David's writing on today was something I was going to cover, but you've heard it enough from me already. Every facet of our lives needs to be focused on being prepared for this day. The fact that we don't know when it will happen won't forestall the fact that it WILL come, and we need to be on the right side.

Scott

New Heaven and New Earth (Dec 31)

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea.
                                  Revelation 21:1 NIV

Today we read of restoration to perfection.  We are promised this by God through faith in Jesus' shed blood, death and resurrection. 

One might ask, why no sea?  God has a plan and this plan includes no more seas.  Remember that John was on the island of Patmos in the Aegean Sea.  The sea isolated him from the land of Asia Minor, now Turkey, a land he dearly loved.  In addition, seas were places where storms occurred and lead to desolation and death.  One more reason is that seas were felt to be dwelling places for evil spirits.  Recollect the demon possessed man; the demon was driven into the pigs, and subsequently the pigs ran into the Sea of Galilee.

The statement of no seas does not imply no water.  Perhaps the water will be redistributed, like it was before the great flood in Genesis where Noah survived in the ark.

Pray that God encourages you to stay in the word daily.

Re-read the last few chapters of Revelation.

In Christ,

David P

Keep Your Clothes On (Dec 30)

Behold, I come like a thief!  Blessed is he who stays awake and keeps his clothes with him, so that he may not go naked and be shamefully exposed.
                                       Revelation 16:15 NIV

Today's verse brings to mind the parable of the maidens with their lamps.  Half of the maidens paid attention to their lamps and were able to accompany the bridegroom to the banquet.  The other half did not pay attention to their lamps and as a result were unable to accompany the bridegroom to the banquet.  We too, need to pay attention to our lamp.

Jesus is the light of the world.  He is our lamp.  We need to pay attention to Jesus, for He has told us that He will come like a thief in the night.  We will read about that promised, glorious, and powerful event tomorrow.  Today we are encouraged to stay awake and to keep our clothing on.  

To stay awake, we need to live an active Christian life.  A part of that life is to stay in the Word daily.  There is where truth, knowledge and wisdom dwell in abundance.  Ask for the Spirit to guide you in your application of the truth in God's Word to your life.

Our clothing is provided by Jesus' work on the cross.  He is the one who clothes us in righteousness, to make us sinful beings acceptable to God.  Stay focused on Jesus on a moment by moment basis, He is present even in this apocalyptic, and somewhat unclear (to our understanding)book of Revelation.

WWJD? *

What would Jesus do?

In Christ,


David P  

The Mark of the Beast

Revelation 13:18 states:

This calls for wisdom. If anyone has insight, let him calculate the number of the beast, for it is man’s number. His number is 666. 

This is NOT one of my favorite Bible verses. Go ahead and Google "Mark of the Beast" if you want some enjoyable reading filled with rampant speculation, and two things should come to mind:

1. Since John wrote this almost 2,000 years ago, any number of things have been speculated to be the mark. The hot favorite of the day (some type of implantable biochip) wasn't even a viable option until the past 10 years or so and isn't really ready for mass production yet. Countless people have speculated on numerous things (coinage, Social Security numbers, ANYTHING that is an ID number), and they've been wrong so far. With that kind of track record, I wouldn't put much stock into modern-day predictions.

2. I know I've commented on this before, but the most important thing we all need to remember is that as Christians, we won't be "tricked" into taking the mark. We won't do so and then realize, much to our (eternal) chagrin that we made the wrong choice. God won't be testing Christians to see if they "pass the test." When that time comes, everyone who claims to bear the name of Christ will know EXACTLY what is happening, and won't be able to use "Uh, I didn't know" as an excuse. Having said that, the fact we won't be fooled won't make it any easier to pretty much guarantee a life in the underground economy, since no commerce can occur without that mark. 

Enough on that. As many of you might know, Martin Luther wasn't a huge fan of Revelation (read the Wikipedia entry for more insight), but as we read through it, we notice passages that are key parts of our liturgy. We'll encounter parts of Revelation 4:11, 5:9-10 and 5:12-13 when we sing the Feast of Victory Hymn of Praise, and throughout Revelation, there are plenty of paeans of praise interspersed with the horrifying events.

The fact that we don't like thinking about what we're reading doesn't mean that they aren't going to occur. As always, be prepared, and make sure to keep those around you prepared as well--if you love them here on Earth, you might as well prepare them to spend eternity with you in heaven.

Scott

Overcame by Blood (Dec 29)

They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony, they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death.
                                       Revelation 12:11 NIV

Recently we read of blessings for those members of the seven churches who 'overcame.'  Today we read of the method to overcome.  It is by the blood of the Lamb, blood shed 2000 years ago for you, for me, and for us. 

That belief, faith, and acceptance of what Jesus did for us leads us to respond in a word of testimony.  Our word is not merely a spoken language, but rather includes action that shows God's love to others.  Our testimony is in part love in action.

Our faith that heaven is our final home gives us great comfort as we face challenges, uncertainties, and even earthly death.  In our lives, we know of many martyrs.  We even have read of martyrs. Stephen's death comes to mind today.  Recall how as Stephen was stoned, he kept focused on Jesus and noticed that Jesus was standing beside God to welcome him, a good and faithful servant home.

One final thought today.  I recall seeing the title of the book of Revelation in a Bible as a youth.  That Bible's title for Revelation conveyed the message that the book was a revelation of Jesus Christ to the apostle John.  That thought might help a reader focus on Jesus in the somewhat "difficult to understand" book of Revelation.

Pray to see Jesus.  Pray to stay focussed on Jesus.

In Christ,

David P

Seal and Trumpet Judgments

This is a synopsis of the Seven Seal and Trumpet Judgments:

	SEAL	TRUMPET
First	White horse--conquest	Hail and fire
Second	Red horse--war	Mountain thrown in the sea
Third	Black horse--famine	Water turned bitter
Fourth	Pale horse--death	Sun, moon and stars darkened
Fifth	Souls under the altar	Locusts
Sixth	Earthquake	1/3 of mankind killed
Seventh	Silence in heaven	Sealed up

The interesting part is that we witness these types of things every day. War, conquest and famine have been around since the beginning of time, earthquakes seem to be more common, and even many of the Trumpet Judgments can be replicated in modern-day equivalents. Well, maybe not the sun, moon and stars darkening by one-third, but believe it or not, I heard a report some time back that postulated that the Sun shone 15% brighter not so long ago (and I'm talking in the hundreds of years), and that's simply not possible from an astrophysical perspective, but that's neither here nor there. The people around at the End Times  (and I didn't do the math, but I'm guessing that about 75% of the world's population will be dead by this time), after witnessing this devastation  will react as recorded in Revelation 9:20-21:

²⁰ The rest of mankind that were not killed by these plagues still did not repent of the work of their hands; they did not stop worshiping demons, and idols of gold, silver, bronze, stone and wood—idols that cannot see or hear or walk. ²¹ Nor did they repent of their murders, their magic arts, their sexual immorality or their thefts. 

Imagine that--after seeing all this devastation, they don't change their minds, they don't mend their ways. I won't speak for anyone else, but that sure makes it look like we could very well be in the Last Days even as we speak. 

Be prepared, and do what you can to make sure that those around you are ready as well.

Scott

Words of Encouragement (Dec 28)

They were told not to harm the grass of the earth or any plant or tree, but only those people who did not have the seal of God on their foreheads.
                                        Revelation 9:4 NIV

Find encouragement in the apocalyptic words we are reading as the year ends.  The powerful locusts that were sent about the earth were instructed to not harm the people who had the seal of God on their forehead.

Think of our reading in Ephesians where we read that we are sealed by the Holy Spirit. 

In all of the challenges and conflicts that face us in the end times and in all of the challenges and trials that face us on a daily basis.  Our hope is built on nothing less than Jesus' blood and righteousness.  On Christ the solid rock I stand all other ground is sinking sand.

Pray to see and to show Christ in all you do.

The Seven Churches

I tried to find a decent map of the seven churches but couldn't, and most of your Bibles should have a map that shows them on the western part of modern-day Turkey. There are two basic points I will make today.

The first is an idea that we in the Lutheran church (and indeed, many other churches as well) don't put much stock in, but it does have some illustrative purpose. This idea is more prominent in premillenial thinking, which I will explain in greater depth on December 31st, and views the seven churches as markers of seven distinct eras in the Church:

Most of these are pretty easy to understand, so I'll explain them anyway. Obviously, the Apostolic Church had the physical presence of the apostles to lead and direct it, and since John was the last living apostle, the Apostolic Church era ended with his death. A strong argument could be made that the Persecuted Church should have begun in 70 AD with the destruction of the Temple, but that's quibbling. In 590, Pope Gregory I began his papal service and remade the church into the the medieval church, and most smart Lutherans can place the reason for the timing of the REFORMed Church. The last two are somewhat arbitrary, with the Missionary Church roughly coinciding with the Industrial Revolution and the Apostate Church tied to the idea that Church of today has lost its way. As you read the individual letters and see the commendations and shortcomings of each of the churches, keep these things in mind to help differentiate the messages to the churches.

Of course, the most important lesson of these lessons is in the letter to Laodicea, where it states in Revelation 3:15:

I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other!

That continues to be the admonition for the Church today--we're neither cold nor hot. Even if we've deserted the Lord, we don't have the courage to tell ourselves that, and God is telling us clearly to MAKE OUR CHOICE. Sitting on the fence and being wishy-washy with regard to the Lord is not an option.

My last point is one that any of you who have heard me speak on the Seven Churches and stayed awake while I did have heard before. I first heard it from Pastor Vokt in May 2004, when we were doing a morning of prayer at the church. Pastor Vokt said that while those seven churches had been amongst the best and brightest in the world at the time of John's writing, they all disappeared from Christianity within 500 years. While it's entirely possible that the fall of Rome and rise of Islam helped complete the downfall of these churches, Pastor Vokt suggested that apathy and a lack of focus could have been just as responsible. It follows directly from the admonition to be either hot or cold, since the biggest enemy of the church is thinking that things will go along just as they had been, and preferably with no action on our parts. A detached church with a distaste and disinterest for doctrine is often stuck in the doldrums and in a downward spiral of dullness (notice all those "d" words--I just looked up synonyms for "apathy"). When going to the church becomes a checkmark that we cross off our list, the first step toward an ex-church has been made. Don't get me wrong, churches close each and every day, for perfectly good reasons--missions changes, focuses changes, whatever. Nothing lasts forever, nor should we expect it to, but we should never allow apathy to be the reason that we lose a church.

Scott

He Who Overcomes (Dec 27)

He who overcomes:

                              I will give the right to eat from the tree
                                    of life, which is in the paradise of 
                                    God,

                             Will not be hurt at all by the
                                   second death,

                             I will give some of the hidden manna. I
                                   will also give a white stone with a
                                   new name written on it, known only
                                   to him who receives it,

                            I will give authority over the nations,

                            Will be dressed in white.  I will never blot
                                  out his name from the book of life,
                                  but will acknowledge his name before
                                  my Father and his angels.

                           I will make a pillar in the temple of my
                                  God

                           I will give the right to sit with me on my
                                 throne
                                           From Revelation 2-3 NIV

The above promises in reference to the seven churches in Asia Minor, were given by God, to John, during a captivity on the Greek island of Patmos.  John loved Asia Minor, now Turkey, for he served as a missionary there.  The Greek island of Patmos allowed John to clearly see Asia Minor, however while he was captive, there was no way for him to reach that land he loved.

The promises were given to those who were able to overcome.  Some definitions of the word 'overcome' include; to defeat in competition or conflict, to prevail over by mental or moral effort, and to overpower as with emotion.

In our daily walk, we have so much to overcome.  The only hope we have in our effort to overcome is to look at the cross, to realize what Jesus has done for us on a moment by moment basis and to be encouraged, strengthened, and comforted as we follow the Spirit's guidance.

The seven churches of Revelation had good and bad features.  Two churches; Sardis and Laodicea, had no commendation.  These cities are now only ruins.  Two churches; Smyrna and Philadelphia, had no condemnation.  These cities are now bustling cities with different modern names.  Four churches, had both commendation and condemnation.  The examples of history from these churches show how important it is to follow the Lord's guidance closely.

Pray to see and folllow the Lord's will on a moment by moment basis.

In Christ,

David P

Revelation--A 6-Day Crash Course

I trust all had a Merry Christmas--I know that I did. With that behind us, we truly enter the home stretch of our year-long excursion through the Bible and end with the easy part, the Book of Revelation. Since we only read the first chapter today, I'll begin this six-day mini-course with some explanations.

NAMES FOR CHRIST

As we read through, take the time to keep a piece of paper handy and jot down all the names for Christ that John uses. Even today, we have a few examples:

Him who is, and who was, and who is to come (v4)

Faithful witness (v4)

Firstborn from the dead (v4)

Ruler of the kings of the Earth (v4)

Alpha and the Omega (v8)

The Almighty (v8)

The First and the Last (v17)

The Living One (v18)

This list will grow, and I'll attempt to keep adding to it as we go along. These are names that we're familiar with from various songs and liturgies, and I think you'll be pleasantly surprised just how much of our liturgy is derived from Revelation.

WHAT'S UP WITH THOSE SEVENS?

Even today, we ran across numerous sevens, including one you probably didn't know about unless you read the introduction in a Study Bible. Today's sevens are (and I'll try to keep this running also):

Churches (v4)

Spirits (v4)

Golden lampstands (v12)

Stars (v16)

Different commentators have different interpretations of not only what the seven represents, but what the items are as well, but for today's purposes, we'll use a quote from a Navigators Study Guide I'll use whenever I get around to teaching a Bible class on Revelation:

"The number seven recurs fifty-two times in Revelation. Because of its association with the Sabbath and the seven days of creation, this number signifies completeness, perfection, and the essence of a thing. The universe revolves in a seven-day week; Old Testament sacrifices were done in sevens; seven is the root of the Hebrew word for swearing an oath. So, the seven individual, historical churches of Asia may represent for John the complete church of Asia or the complete Church of all generations that needs to hear this message."

Works for me.

The last seven we ran across today is in 1:3, which states:

Blessed is the one who reads the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near. 

We've seen writing using this structure before, in the Beatitudes Jesus gave in his Sermon on the Mount found in Matthew 5. Whereas Jesus had 9, John will have seven interspersed throughout the book, and I'll comment as we happen upon them.

If you find the idea of reading Revelation intimidating, don't. John's style of writing in this book is apocalyptic, which is highly vivid and full of lurid and potentially exaggerated imagery, intent on making a point and creating a lasting impression. The one thing you need to know if you don't already is that no matter what is being discussed in the book, from the Mark of the Beast to the rise of the Antichrist or whatever else, EVERY Christian will recognize these things when the time comes. It won't be some grand final exam where we will either pass or fail based on our knowledge--no Christian will be tossed into the lake of fire because they made a mistake. Depending on your point of view, if we're either lucky enough or unlucky enough to live through these days, we'll have plenty to be concerned about, but recognizing evil will NOT be one of them. Through the Holy Spirit, we will be equipped to tell the difference, just as John pointed out in 1 John 4:1-3. 

Scott

Spirits (Dec 26)

Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.  This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God.  This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is in the world.
                                         1 John 4:1-3 NIV


As we near completion of the Chronological Bible, we read  warnings of many false prophets. Today, in 1 John, we clearly are pointed to a method of discernment between Spirits of God and other false spirits.  We read that spirits that do not acknowledge Jesus are not from God.  

Our readings of God's Word, the Bible this year have included John 1:14, "The Word became flesh, and made his dwelling among us.  We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the father, full of grace and truth."  For excellent reading describing the Word becoming flesh, one can read John 1.

The Old Testament points ahead to God's plan of salvation through His Son Jesus.  The gospels give the account of Jesus.  The New Testament explains life now that Jesus has done his work.  The Bible is whole, complete, perfect, and points to itself to clarify, amplify and define examples and truths.

Hopefully, we have been encouraged to stay in the Word daily, even after we "complete" the one year study.

What suggestions do you have that you could share to encourage others to continue daily in the Word?

Pray that God gives you the time management skills to continue daily in the Word.

In Christ,

David P

How God Showed His Love (Dec 26)

This is how God showed his love among us:  He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him.
                              1 John 4:9 NIV

This passage leads one to consider the passage, John 3:16:  For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.  In considering John 3:16, certainly reflect on what the gift of Jesus meant for mankind, but also consider God's great role in this passage.  In view of 1John 4:9, consider the way God loved the world.

God gave us a gift that was in accord with His perfect, whole and complete plan of salvation.  A plan God created in response to the day Adam and Eve fell from full and intimate fellowship with God by disobedience.  I am certain, after mankind's fall, that God took less than a moment to author His necessary, prerequisite, full, whole and complete plan of salvation for mankind through the gift of His one and only Son on the cross.  A Son who shed his blood for our sin and arose from the dead to provide our eternal life

Consider God's attributes; love, creator, giver of life, author of our salvation, Holy Holy Holy, judge, infinite, wise, and others might come to mind.

It was the way that God showed His love that saved us from our sin.  We are not saved from our sin by something we do.  We sin because we are sinners.  It is only by the gift of faith from the Spirit that we can look to Christ's work for our salvation.  Thanks be to God.

How do you thankfully respond to what God has done?

Faith

The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel. Isaiah 7:14

Then suddenly the Lord you are seeking will come to his temple; the messenger of the covenant, whom you desire, will come. Malachi 3:1

The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned.Isaiah 9:2

Merry Christmas Eve to everyone, and I hope that you're so busy with friends and family that you don't read this post until February. Why, you ask, as we read Hebrews in our Chronological Bibles, am I quoting Scripture predicting Christ's birth? It's very simple, and can be found in Hebrews 11:1:

Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. 

When I speak of favorite Bible verses, this makes my top 5. I won't bore you with how I came to know this verse or how I can tell you the precise time (May 2002) when I first internalized it, but will focus instead on what it means. The first three verses I quoted at the beginning were made between 400-700 years prior to the birth of Christ, which required faith on the part of the people of Israel. They had been promised a Savior (quick note--the word "Messiah" does not appear in the Old Testament), and needed to have faith that the promise God had made would be carried out. They had to be sure of what they hoped for, and in the midst of constant turmoil, they needed to be certain of what they certainly couldn't see.

In the Age of Grace, we don't have to wait and hope for Christ, because he already came and gave the greatest gift in the history of the universe. No, what we wait and hope for is his Second Coming, when he returns in glory to make everything right again. I'll comment extensively on this point on December 31st, but we remain sure of what we hope for and certain of what we don't see. We have problems in this world that seem beyond our ability to overcome, but that's why we have faith--we wouldn't need it if all the answers were right in front of us.

Consider the words the writer of Hebrews uses--"sure" and "certain". These words are unambiguous and clear in their meaning, unwavering in the steadfast belief we're to have. Faith isn't being "pretty convinced" or "better than 50/50" of what we hope for or "reasonably confident" or "have a pretty good feeling" of what we do not see. For years, I've often confused this verse with Romans 8:24 (both these verses were referenced on the same evening by the same then-8th Grader), which asks a simple question--who hopes for what he already has? Our faith is rooted in confidence that the Lord will do what he promised to do, based on a solid foundation of acting for us in ages past. We will have doubts and questions as we go through life, and that's to be expected. When it comes to our faith, we need to be sure and certain. After all, God has been, is, and always will be:

Our God, Our Help in ages past, our hopes for years to come

Our shelter from the stormy blast, and our eternal home

Have the merriest of Christmases, and be sure to take a moment to thank God for his willingness to leave heaven and live among us for 33 years because of our own shortcomings.

Scott

Walk in the Light (Dec 25)

But if we walk in the light, as he is the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.
                                      1 John 1:7 NIV

Did you realize the word 'light' has 3 entries in the dictionary and as I count, 88 definitions.  Basically the entries revolve around luminous energy, application of force, and to come to rest (as in settling upon something).

Jesus stated that He is the light of the world.  Certainly Jesus lights our path and does provide guidance, direction and purpose to our lives.  His provision of direction is not by a great deal of force, for his yoke is light.  Finally by walking in the Light, by grace through faith in what Jesus has done, we will enter into, or in this case 'settle' in heaven.

Scott blogged recently about the end times.  How those times were a time of disorder.  When we walk in the light, we allow the Holy Spirit to work, to provide Spiritual Fruits.  In addition, walking in the light allows us to keep God in mind and, as a result, we avoid being, " turned over to a depraved mind to do what ought not be done," as stated in
Romans 1:23.

Remember, it is the blood of Christ that washes away our sin.

Give thanks for Jesus' birth today, for because of His work, we are made righteous.

Merry Christmas.

May you feel God's riches blessing today and in the New Year.

In Christ,

David P

Run the Race (Dec 24)

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.
                                 Hebrews 12:1 NIV

Running a race is a good metaphor for our life.  Here it is used in an uplifting manner.  When we refer to our life as a rat race, we are using a negative comparison.  Many things can happen in a race.  One can win the race.  On the other hand, injury can occur in a race.

Consider the 1992 Olympic games when Derek Redmond was running the 400 meter race for Britain.  In the last turn, he tore a leg muscle.  That tear caused pain that caused him to fall.  He did get back up and began to hobble to the finish line.  During that effort, his father came down from the stadium and helped his son to the finish line. 

You can only imagine the positive response that the crowd expressed by cheering.

In our life, there are times when we can relax from our vantage point, but there will be other times when we will be compelled to leave our comfort zone and help others who are having difficulties in the race.

Pray for the Spirit to guide you  to be effective in the cause for Christ as you help others.

In Christ,

David P

The Last Days

2 Timothy 3:1-9 lists many signs of the last days:

--lovers of themselves

--lovers of money

--boastful

--proud

--abusive

--disobedient to their parents

--ungrateful

--unholy

These are just what's listed in verse 2--Paul continues on for another five verses of similar behaviors.

Everyone since Adam and Eve has been convinced that the generation following them is more evil and depraved, indeed the worst in the history of the world. I'll leave it to God to make the final determination as to the most evil generation, but everything listed in these verses is not only occurring today, but has been happening since the beginning of time. The degree of our depravity may differ, but we're all shallow and worthless.

As such, if these are the signs of the last days, then I suggest we all live lives prepared for the imminent return of Christ. There is no sane reader of these verses that can't conclude that every single event that Paul lists is occurring in this world in abundance, which suggests that our preparations need to be up-to-date. There is no time to wait, to delay or procrastinate, and we need to be bold in our witness to others, because if these are the signs, the "birth pains" as described in Matthew 24, there is no time to waste.

If you didn't already know or couldn't tell by the placement, Paul's second letter to Timothy was written near the end of his life as he was being held in prison. Given that Nero had imprisoned him, Paul was pretty sure that he wasn't going to make it out of prison, and he ended up being correct. One of the last verses that Paul wrote was 2 Timothy 4:7:

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 

In these last days, these are words that we should all endeavor to live up to. Whether we do won't be for us to judge or determine, but we can do all we can to attempt to live a life that shows that we tried.

Scott

Jesus is Greater Than Angels (Dec 21)

Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?
                                    Hebrews 1:14 NIV

The book of Hebrews tends to be less often studied, for the book does contain several warnings about the dangers of apostasy.  Apostasy is the state of having rejected your religious beliefs.  In the mid-first century, there were Jews who were considering returning to Judaism and abandoning their Christianity.   Many readings in Hebrews focus on who Jesus Christ is, his relationship to angels, Moses, Melchizedek, and placing Jesus as the Great High Priest of the New Covenant.

Today's verse compares Jesus to Angels; and concludes by stating that Angels minister to those who are saved.  We read in Hebrews 1:6 that angels worship Jesus.  Again placing Jesus above angels.

In our society today, one might perceive an elevation of angels to places higher than God intended them to be.  Angels are messengers, servants, and not the provider of salvation that Jesus is. 

As a result, we again need to focus on Jesus, the name above all names.  Do not loose that focus despite other servants that God has provided.

Pray to focus on Christ.

In Christ,

David P

 

Qualities (Dec 20)

For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love.  For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
                               2 Peter 1:5-8 NIV

Were does all this effectiveness and growth begin?  We read in today's passage that we make efforts to add to our faith.  Faith is where it all begins.  Faith is the gift that allows us to do so much.  For excellent examples of what the gift of faith allowed ordinary people to do, turn to and read Hebrews 11.

To be effective for our Lord Jesus Christ, we read that goodness, knowledge, perseverance, godliness, kindness, and love are needed.  One measure of effectiveness is carrying out the great commission as explained in
Matthew 23.  Another measure of effectiveness is by inviting a guest to church on Sunday.  Clearly if we are not good, do not know the Word, quit, are unkind, and have not love; who would look to us for guidance in Christian Spiritual growth.

One method of increasing the measure of these qualities mentioned in today's verse is to spend daily time in God's Word, the Bible.

Pray for the Spirit to guide you in your quest for increasing measures of these qualities.

Ask someone to attend Church with you.

In Christ,

David P

Answer Everyone Who Asks (Dec 19)

But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.  But do this with gentleness and respect.
                                       1 Peter 3:15 NIV

Today's verse encourages us to know God's plan, His attributes and to tell the story with love, gentleness, and respect.

We have discussed being prepared previously in our journey through the Bible this year.  In order to explain the hope that we have with gentleness and respect, we must spend time in the Word in order to keep God's plan fresh on our minds and in our hearts.

We are encouraged to show gentleness when we give the reason for the hope we have.  Gentleness is a fruit of the Spirit.  When we explain why we hope, pray for the Spirit to give the words to us and also to prepare the mind and heart of the person(s) we are teaching.

Pray to be given the opportunity to effectively tell the story.

In Christ

David P

                                        

An Inheritance (Dec 18)

and an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade--kept in heaven for you,
                                      1 Peter 1:4 NIV

We have received an inheritance through the work of Jesus on the cross, his death, burial and resurrection.  Our inheritance in heaven is eternal life. 

Matthew 6: 20-21 also underscores where our treasure is.  But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.  For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

We do the best when our body, mind and heart are in God's will.  The best way to discern God's will is to stay in the Word, to attend worship and to fellowship with others to gain wisdom, courage, and understanding to get out and carry out the great commission by our life, our action and our word.  We do the best in our efforts again when all are in accord with God's will.

Pray to look to your to your inheritance in heaven on a moment by moment basis as you face life's challenges.

In Christ,

David P

Seen At My Daughter's College Graduation

This was taken in the gym at Concordia University Wisconsin:

Given what I wrote yesterday, I found this to be almost the exact opposite of what I wrote yesterday, which was that people tend to read Philippians 4:11-12 and ignore 13, whereas this is the go-to verse for almost any Christian athletic team. It just reinforces the main point that I made yesterday--Philippians 4:11-13 are a package and really can't be split apart, and when we do that, we run the risk of missing the big picture, which is simple--our lives will have highs and lows, but in the end, we'll always have God on our side.

Scott

Contentment

It's not unusual to see references to Philippians 4:11-12:

¹¹ I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. ¹² I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.

We have a tendency to think of these verses when things aren't going as well for us (or someone else) as they could and use them as encouragement. None of us like to be challenged or in need, but those times in our life are going to happen. Invariably (and inexplicably, I might add), I rarely see the proper conclusion to this point, which is 4:13:

I can do everything through him who gives me strength. 

Seriously, I been in Bible studies on more than one occasion that referenced verses 11-12 and skipped 13, and every time this happens, I make sure to make the point I'm about to make now--it's quite difficult to understand just how Paul overcame his obstacles without reading verse 13, where God is given the credit. As always, Paul is clear and unwavering in his description--Paul doesn't state that we can do "some things" or "a few things," but that we can do "EVERYTHING" through God. Yet another of my favorite verses, but this one makes the top 5 list easily (I might endeavor to compile that list, I might not, but it could be interesting).

Philippians is easily one of the most upbeat books in the Bible. If read in the proper spirit, we can't help but be uplifted and encouraged, content in the knowledge that when we need God, particularly when we need him the most, he will come through for us. We may not  recognize the help when it happens, it might not be in the manner that we expect or even what we want, but we should be content, and in the end, what more should we ask for?

Scott

Pray (Dec 16)

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
                        Philippians 4:6 NIV

The clear cut reason for no anxiety can be understood if we peek ahead to Revelation 19-22.  In those chapters,  we read of the wedding banquet of the Lamb, the New Jerusalem, and the river of life.  The chapters are very encouraging.

In one of Scott's recent teachings, we were taught to pray continually.  Here too we are encouraged to pray with petition in everything.  Our prayers are to be filled with thanksgiving, not grumbling and presented to God.

We can, through what the Lamb has done for us approach God's throne at any time.  We are not limited by the curtain and the one time a year by the high priest restriction under the Mosaic law.  God is concerned and is listening.

Are you praying?

Pray to be led by the Spirit to an effective prayer life.

In Christ,

David P

Without complaining

Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe.
                             Philippians 2:14-15 NIV

Yes, I know that Scott has already written on the above passage; however our takes are different enough that the Spirit leads me to blog on the same passage.  My thoughts on this passage lead me to consider how the Bible is complete, concise and points in and to itself.

When the topic of complaining or arguing comes up, my thoughts tend to consider how infectious and divisive the complaining was to the Israelites wandering in the wilderness. How the rabble among the Israelites, by discussing how 'good' it was in Egypt, led the Israelites to strongly consider returning to Egypt.  This is not what we are to do.  We are to be Spirit led and to forge on to proclaim the Good News to all by our lives, actions and words.

Considering a depraved status; The Bible reads in Romans 1:28 "Furthermore, since they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, he gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done.  We are to focus on God, on Christ, by the Spirit; to retain knowledge of God, to avoid a depraved status.

Considering shining like the stars in the universe; connects us as offspring of Abraham.  Remember the promise given to Abraham in Genesis 22?  God said, "I will surely bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as the sand on the seashore.

As we read today's passage; we can consider many major biblical events, the exodus, instructions to the Romans, and a promise to Abraham.

How do you reflect as you read a passage of scripture?

Pray that the Spirit allow your readings to be vivid and alive.

In Christ,


David P

Shining Like Stars

Philippians 2:14-15 states:

¹⁴ Do everything without complaining or arguing, ¹⁵ so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe 

These verses were best represented to me in a skit that my daughter Alison participated in when she was in 1st Grade (I could be wrong on this, but it's what I recall, and that would put the year at 1998-99). They did the skit in the chapel, and at the end, what was not in any way a quiet group of kids (and I speak from experience, having had ALL 17 girls in that class over for sleepovers at the house...twice), shouted at the top of their lungs "LET'S GET BUSY! LET'S SHINE LIKE STARS!"

Of course, it's Paul's exhortations as to what we should do that will allow us to shine like stars. As Christians, we should try to do everything without complaining or arguing--this doesn't  mean we won't have legitimate disagreements, but an honest difference of opinion is far removed from complaining, which is the act of moaning and groaning simply because we can. I'm a firm advocate that if we don't like something, take the time spent in complaining and channel it into effecting change--at least that has the possibility of achieving something. 

Since these verses speak for themselves, I'm going to comment on a verse I read yesterday but didn't have the opportunity to write on. The verse is Colossians 2:8:

See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ. 

As I've mentioned throughout the year, I participate in Bible Study Fellowship, and this year's study is the book of Acts, along with quite a few of Paul's epistles. We were reading Hebrews 11-13 last week, and one of the questions was:

Q: What are different ways people today think of "faith"?, to which my answer was:

A: I think faith is the same, but the difference comes from IN WHAT people place their faith

I don't think anyone in the world today is confused by what the word faith means, but I'll guarantee there's no shortage of confusion regarding what to put our faith in. Paul's words are simple--we need to place our faith in Christ, not in anything of this world, be it words, institutions or anything else.

For every instance where Paul is confusing in his writing, there are many more examples where his statements are crystal clear and easy to understand. In both of the verses today, Paul tells us what our response as Christians should be, since if we want to bear the name, we need to live up to all that the name requires. When we all meet the Lord, he won't be that interested in what we said or professed, but what we DID with those words.

Scott