Taking a principled stand

"Peter and Paul" by El Greco

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Galatians 1-2; Psalm 5

TO CHEW ON: "And I went up by revelation and communicated to them that gospel which I preach among the Gentiles." Galatians 2:2

In Galatians 1, Paul told the Galatians (a collection of churches in Galatia) that he had special revelation from Jesus (Galatians 1:12). In chapter 2 he goes on to explain how, after fourteen years of ministry, he went to see the leadership in Jerusalem to explain his position.

What was his position? That Christ's work on the cross alone was sufficient for salvation. The law-keeping work of circumcision was not needed to be saved (Galatians 5:1-6).

But in Jerusalem he got push-back.  Some "false brothers" insisted Titus (a Greek) be circumcised. He and Titus resisted this (Galatians 2:3-5).

The Jerusalem leadership did eventually accept his message and ministry to the Gentiles (Galatians 2:7-9), but not without reluctance from Peter, who had started avoiding fellowship with Gentile Christians. Paul pointed out the hypocrisy of this. Peter had earlier championed freedom from dietary laws so why was he now reverting back to separating himself in a "holier-than-thou" way (Galatians 2:11-14)?

What I admire about Paul here is his principled stand and how he stuck with it no matter what others said. He wasn't swayed by "false brethren." Nor did he change his message for "those who were of reputation"—the church leadership.

There's a lot of pressure on Christian leaders to change message of Christianity these days. That pressure is coming form outside the church and within it, to soften official positions especially in the realm of sexual ethics.

Though the Bible takes a clear position on things like adultery, fornication, homosexuality and gender identity, pressure is exerted from all sides (within and without the church) for churches to move from biblical positions of calling these things sin to accepting them as normal. Will our pastors and leaders have the courage to continue to uphold what the Bible says, even when it's unpopular? What about us in the pews?

PRAYER: Dear Father, help me to live first and foremost for Your approval. Help me especially to not be swayed by social pressure. Amen. 

PSALM TO PRAY:  Psalm 5

The Bible Project VIDEO: Galatians (Read Scripture Series)



 *********
Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Ezra's prayer of 'Here is how it is...'

Ezra in Prayer - Gustave Dore

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Ezra 8-10; Psalm 47

TO CHEW ON: "And I said, 'O my God, I am too ashamed and humiliated to lift up my face to You, my God; for our iniquities have risen higher than our heads, and our guilt has grown to the heavens.'" Ezra 9:6

Ezra was terribly distressed. His body language—torn clothes, pulled out hair, abject posture—tells us that, even before we read the first words that come out of his mouth.

The reason? It's because the Jewish citizens of Jerusalem, indeed even their leaders, had intermarried with the idol-worshiping women of the surrounding nations. And in general the people were arranging marriages for their sons and daughters with pagan neighbours.

There was a strong tradition of marital exclusivity among the Jews:

• Abraham insisted Isaac not marry a Canaanite women (Genesis 24:3,37).

• Rebekah insisted Jacob not take a wife from the Canaanites (Genesis 28:1) though Esau did, much to his parents' chagrin (Genesis 27:46).

• When the Israelites were about to enter Canaan, Moses spoke the ban clearly:

"When the Lord your God brings you into the land...you shall conquer them and utterly destroy them (the "many nations" that inhabit it) ....Nor shall you make marriages with them. You shall not give your daughter to their son, nor take their daughter for your son. For they will turn your sons away from Me to serve other gods so the anger of the Lord will be aroused against you and destroy you suddenly" (Deuteronomy 7:1-4).

But intermarrying with Gentiles had happened over and over already in Israel's history with predictable results. A notable example was Solomon (1 Kings 3:1; 11:1-11).

Now Ezra was witnessing the old compromise, and he was clearly terrified that God would make good on His threat to destroy them. His prayer isn't  a direct request at all, but an implied call for mercy. We could paraphrase the end of his prayer: 'Here we are God; this is how it is.'

I wonder what Ezra would think about the marriages of our time. I know it isn't our custom to arrange marriages for our kids and when they fall in love with non-believers we look on helplessly. Well, not exactly helplessly, because we pray that they won't make unwise choices and give them as much guidance as they'll take.

Oh, I know stories abound of how the Christian partner leads the non-Christian to God. But I have also heard too many stories of heartbreak when spouses don't have the same beliefs and values. There is disagreement about how to raise the kids, how to spend money, and on and on. Way too often the unbelieving spouse leads the believing one off the "straight and narrow." There is a reason for Paul's words to the Corinthians to "Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers..." - 2 Corinthians 6:14.

PRAYER: Dear God, Ezra's shock and grief at Israel's mixed marriages makes me look at our customs through a different lens. Please help us to raise our kids and grandkids by Your wise principles. Amen.

PSALM TO PRAY: Psalm 47


********************
Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

The help of enemies

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Ezra 4-7; Psalm 46

TO CHEW ON: "And they kept the feast of Unleavened Bread seven days with joy, for the Lord made them joyful and turned the heart of the king of Assyria toward them, to strengthen their hands in the work of the house of God, the God of Israel." Ezra 6:22


"When a man's ways please the Lord, He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him," says Proverbs 16:7.

Our reading today is an example of this. Through a decree of Darius king of Babylon, a search was made that turned up another decree issued by Cyrus years earlier. He had commanded that the Jerusalem temple be rebuilt. The cost of this rebuild was to be charged to his royal treasury and the gold and silver accessories (utensils and dishes) were to be restored and returned to the Jerusalem temple (Ezra 6:2-5).

In fact, an additional decree by Darius went on to command that certain provincial leaders "keep away" or "keep yourselves far from there" (Ezra 6:6) and refrain from hindering the project. Instead of causing problems they were to help by supplying tribute money and animals for the sacrifice. The penalty for altering Darius's decree was — well, barbaric (see Ezra 6:12).

When we are serving God, and life (circumstances, and people) comes against us in all kinds of opposition, we can take comfort from this example of God's sovereignty over even the highest rulers. I love the verse: "The king’s heart is like a stream of water directed by the Lord;
 he guides it wherever he pleases" - Proverbs 21:1 (NLT). There is no situation or person that God can't change or use to achieve His purposes.

PRAYER: Dear God, thank You for Your sovereignty over all mankind. Help me to be involved in Your purposes, living in sync with Your ways, and in a place where I can expect Your help. Amen.

PSALM TO PRAY: Psalm 46

MORE: The rebuilding of the temple
Gustave Doré's engraving "The Rebuilding of the Temple" gives us an idea of what a big, labor-intensive job this construction project must have been.

**************
Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Blessing

Image: Pixabay

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Deuteronomy 28-29; Psalm 62

TO CHEW ON: "And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, because you obey the voice of the LORD your God." Deuteronomy 28:2 

We cannot read Deuteronomy 28 and not be struck by the repetition of the word "bless" in its various forms in the first 14 verses. I count ten repetitions.

["Bless" here is the Hebrew word barak - "to bless, kneel." 
"Blessing" is berakah, derived from barak - "blessing, prosperity, praise of God, gift, present."

In English we define bless as "to consecrate, make holy; to honor, exalt; glorify; to invoke God's favour upon; to bestow happiness or prosperity; to guard and protect."

We define "blessing" as the act or words of a person who blesses; a special favor, mercy or benefit; a favor or gift bestowed by God bringing happiness."]

As we follow the idea of blessing through the Bible, here are some things we discover:

1. Blessing is within our creator God's power to bestow (Psalm 134:3).

2. It is involved with God's plan for the Jewish people (Genesis 26:24)

• Blessing is evidenced in the unusually large harvest of year six in a seven-year cycle, so that the people would have food when they let their land rest in year seven (Leviticus 25:21).
• It is visible in their large families (Deuteronomy 1:11).
• It results in them settling in Canaan — the land of promise (Deuteronomy 26:15).
• Israel's independence and self-sufficiency are an evidence of God's blessing (Deuteronomy 15:6).

3. It is connected to obedience. Fourteen verses of Deuteronomy 28 (our reading) are taken up with promises of personal, family and national blessings that will flow out of obedience (Deuteronomy 28:1-14).

4. It is closely connected with giving (2 Chronicles 31:10; Ezekiel 44:30).

5. It is an expression of God's love (Deuteronomy 23:5).

6. It is His presence (Psalm 21:6).

7. It comes when people live peacefully together (Psalm 133:1-3).

8. It makes rich (Proverbs 10:22).

9. It is part of the upside down Kingdom of God, where we inherit a blessing when we refuse to reciprocate evil with evil, but with blessing (1 Peter 3:9).

But, you say, these blessings were for Bible time people not for us now — right?

Wrong! The exciting thing is that the blessing pronounced on Abraham and his descendants is linked to us too. Look at Galatians 3:13-14:

^"Through Christ Jesus, God has blessed the Gentiles with the same blessing he promised to Abraham, so that we who are believers might receive the promised Holy Spirit through faith." - Galatians 3:14 NLT

So when we say, "God bless you," we are not mouthing empty words. Rather we are invoking a rich heritage of blessing that is ours because of Jesus — just another fulfillment of God's promise to Abraham and the way he would bless, made way back in Genesis ("And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed" Genesis 12:3)

PRAYER: Dear God, help me to live blessed and under Your blessing. May my life be a means of blessing to others today. Amen. 

PSALM TO PRAY: Psalm 62

MORE: "I Will Delight" - Fernando Ortega

*********
Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked NLT are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

A kingdom where nationality means nothing

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Matthew 21:33-46

TO CHEW ON: " 'Therefore I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a nation bearing the fruits of it.' " Matthew 21:43

In this parable, Jesus hearkens back to the Vineyard Song of Isaiah (Isaiah 5:1-7). I can just see the chief priests and elders—Jesus' audience—hanging on every word, growing more outraged with every unfairness of those wicked vinedressers. They are so into it, when Jesus asks," '…when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to these vinedressers?' " they jump right in with " 'He will destroy those wicked men miserably and lease his vineyard to other vinedressers who will render to him the fruits in their seasons.' " Matthew 21:40,41.

Snap! Caught in the trap of Jesus' illustration, they utter their own fate. For now Jesus makes it clear: " ' The kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a nation bearing the fruits of it.' "

He is saying their birth advantage as Jews has been squandered by rejecting Him as the cornerstone of God's plan to save all people. Now that privilege will be given to another "nation"

"…a term signifying a new people (Jew and Gentile) who will render to God the appropriate fruit" - J. Lyle Story, commentary on Matthew, New Spirit-Filled Life Bible, p. 1330.

Paul reiterates this when he confronts the envious Jews in Antioch: " ' It was necessary that the word of God should be spoken to you first; but since you reject it, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, beheld, we turn to the Gentiles' " Acts 13:46.

There is a warning for us in this. We may be a part of a believing family as far back as we can see on the family tree. But that legacy doesn't guarantee us citizenship in the "nation" of believers any more than being Jewish guaranteed it for the people of Jesus' day. Only one thing does: a personal decision to put our faith in Jesus for salvation.

"For as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name." - John 1:12

PRAYER: Dear God, thank You for including all nations in the Kingdom of God. Help me to do my part to spread the word that all are welcome in it. Amen.

 *********
Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

The Gentile's light

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Isaiah 49:1-13

TO CHEW ON: “Indeed, He says, ‘It is too small a thing that You should be My Servant
To raise up the tribes of Jacob,
And to restore the preserved ones of Israel;
I will also give You as a light to the Gentiles,

That You should be My salvation to the ends of the earth.’” Isaiah 49:6

Here, way back in Isaiah, God states His intention to make a way for all people on earth to be saved from the death penalty of their sin. It will be through His Servant—who we believe is Jesus.

The old saint Simeon recited some of Isaiah 49:6 when he took baby Jesus in His arms and blessed Him on the day of His presentation:

“‘For my eyes have seen Your salvation
Which You have prepared before the face of all peoples,
A light to bring revelation to the Gentiles,
And the glory of Your people Israel.’” - Luke 2:30-32.

Still, the realization that Gentiles were included in God’s plan made a lot of waves in the early church. When the Holy Spirit fell on those assembled at the house of Gentile Cornelius,

“… those of the circumcision who believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also” - Acts 10:45.

Paul and Barnabas also recited this Isaiah prophecy as proof of God’s plan when the Jews in Antioch became envious over the multitudes of Gentiles who heard the Gospel:

 “ ‘For so the Lord has commanded us:”I have set you as a light to the Gentiles,
That you should be for salvation to the ends of the earth.”’” -  Acts 13:47.

And Paul continued to boldly explain God’s plan to include all people till the end of the account of his ministry:

“Therefore let it be known to you that the salvation of God has been sent to the Gentiles, and they will hear it!”  - Acts 28:28.

As a Gentile, I am eternally grateful that God’s plan includes me—that verses like John 3:16 truly apply to “the world” and mean “whoever.”

“For God so greatly loved and dearly prized the world that He [even] gave up His only-begotten [unique] Son, so that whoever believes in (trusts, clings to, relies on) Him shall not perish—come to destruction, be lost—but have eternal (everlasting) life” - John 3:16 AMP (emphasis added).

PRAYER: Dear Father, thank You for sending Jesus to die for all mankind, that salvation is available for everyone, Jew and Gentile alike. Amen.

 *********
Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

 Scripture quotations marked AMP are taken from the Amplified® Bible,
Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation
Used by permission." (www.Lockman.org)

No barriers

Cornelius - Artist unknown

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Acts 10:30-48

TO CHEW ON: "And those of the circumcision who believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on Gentiles also." Acts 10:45.


Here Peter is at the house of Cornelius, a Roman centurion. Under ordinary circumstances that's the last place you'd expect to find him. But on this day, after seeing a vision and being summoned by Cornelius's servants because of his vision (Acts 10:9-16 & 3-7), he is convinced that this is a divine mission.

He has just finished explaining about Jesus and how "'… whoever believes in Him will receive remission of sins'" when it happens: "… the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard the word" - Acts 10:44.

How do they know? They hear them speak with tongues and magnify God, just as it had happened on the day of Pentecost for Peter and the believers in that upper room (Acts 10:46).

The incredible thing to these onlookers (the Jewish "brethren from Joppa" who went with him - Acts 10:23) is that God has bestowed Himself on Gentiles in this way. It blows their idea of God's plan all to pieces.

Even Peter who earlier linked Joel's prophecy ("I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh - Joel 2:28) with the initial out-pouring of the Spirit  (Acts 2:16-21) seems taken aback. But he is open to affirming this paradigm shift. For he suggests that there's no reason why these new believers can't be baptized (Acts 10:47).

In our day after a couple thousand years of living with the idea of the Gentiles included in God's plan, the incredulity of these early Jewish believers seems almost humorous. But I would submit we still have, in our minds, some Jew-Gentile-type barriers.  These aren't based on race but other things like intelligence, education, the lifestyle a person has lived or the sins he or she has committed.

Does God really call, forgive, save everyone? Can the Holy Spirit indwell and empower someone who is mentally challenged? Someone with minimal education (who, say, can't even read)? What about the person who comes to Jesus after having a sex change, or is a repentant thief, pornographer, or child serial killer?

Whatever barriers we have erected towards some of these groups, the Bible doesn't support them. It tells us over and over, God's grace is for everyone.

• "Look to Me and be saved, All you ends of the earth…" Isaiah 45:22.

•  "Ho! Everyone who thirsts, Come to the waters …" Isaiah 55:1.

• "… as many as you find, invite to the wedding" - Matthew 22:9.

• "'If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink'" - Jesus in John 7:37.

• "For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him" - Romans 10:12.

• "… who desires all men to be saved" - 1 Timothy 2:4.

• "Whoever desires let him take the water of life freely" - Revelation 22:17.

PRAYER: Dear God, thank You for Your invitation to ALL. Help me to demolish any barriers I might have toward people of any kind. May I see them all as candidates to receive Your saving grace and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

***********

 Unless otherwise indicated, all scripture quotes are taken from the New King James Version (NKJV) Used with permission. The Holy Bible, New King James Version Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.

Don't be a no-show

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Luke 14:15-35

TO CHEW ON: "'But they all, with one accord, began to make excuses…'" Luke 14:18

Have you ever made a meal for guests who never showed up? I have. I can understand the strong feelings of the man in Jesus' parable.

Apparently the custom at that time was to invite guests beforehand and then send notice that the meal was ready. So we can surmise that all these no-shows had previously said "Yes" to the host's invitation. But now that the meal was ready, it was inconvenient for each to come. One by one they gave their trivial excuses about why they wouldn't be there.

Of course the point of Jesus' parable wasn't to comment on social rudeness but to teach a spiritual lesson. My Bible commenter explains:

"Israel had accepted God's invitation to the kingdom given through the prophets. The arrival of Jesus signals the arrival of the kingdom, but in its rejection of Him, the nation is declining God's offer of grace. However, God's purpose will not be thwarted, so He will send His gracious invitation to the Gentiles" - J. Lyle Story, New Spirit-Filled Life Bible, p. 1417.

Paul writes about this inclusion of the Gentiles in Romans 9-11. He quotes Hosea as proof that the Gentiles are in on God's invitation:

"'I will call them My people who were not My people
and her beloved who was not beloved …
There they shall be called sons of the living God - Romans 9:25,26, quoting Hosea 2:3 & 1:10.

And he later makes this sweeping statement:

"For whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved" - Romans 10:13 quoting Joel 2:32.

So the invitation to God's salvation banquet is meant for all of us. In His parable Jesus makes a point of naming who will be invited to replace those excuse-makers: the rejects of the city—the poor, maimed, lame and blind—and when there is still more room, those non-citizens from the "highways and hedges," the Gentiles.

Jesus' invitation to come to Him is still open to all. If you haven't accepted it, do it today and be one of those who fill up His house, not one of whom the host says: "'None of those … shall taste my supper.'"


PRAYER: Dear God, thank You for this invitation to Your banquet of grace. May all of us find ourselves at that heavenly celebration. Amen. 


MORE: Bible Feasts:

• Wisdom's feast: Proverbs 9:2.

• God's international feast - Isaiah 25:6.

• Jesus' parable feasts - Matthew 22:4; Luke 14:16 (our reading).

• Jesus' last supper with His disciples - Mark 14:22.

• Marriage Supper of the Lamb - Revelation 19:9.

***********

The Holy Bible, New King James Version Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. - Used with permission.

"Doubting nothing"

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Acts 11:1-18

TO CHEW ON: “‘Then the Spirit told me to go with them doubting nothing.’” Acts 11:12

“In my lifetime I have had certain, if few, remarkable instances of the presence of God,” writes David Adams Richards in his book God Is: My Search for Faith in a Secular World. “From my very earliest days, I recognized this presence now and again…These instances most often came in ways I least expected from the time I was a child.” (God Is. David Adams Richards, Location 732 – Kindle Version)

Richards goes on to relate incident after incident where happenings from his life spoke to him of divine providence, with events dovetailing in amazing ways.

• As a youth he was in a high speed car crash but escaped without a scratch while a school buddy was killed in a freakish traffic mishap going a mere 30 miles per hour. 
• He came across a gift he had meant to give his dying mother 20 years to the day after her death. 
• A stray paper poking from between books on his shelf turned out to be a photograph. It was a picture of a little girl and her mother – the girl he and his wife helped look after when her immigrant mother discovered she had brain cancer. In the picture, the mother, whose cancer had just been discovered, was still beautiful. He found it years after the mother’s death, but only an hour before the girl, her father and grandmother were to arrive to visit (they had moved back to Europe).

In our reading today Peter, when called to task by the Jerusalem apostles over eating with an uncircumcised Gentile (Cornelius) had exactly such a miraculous “coincidence” to relate. His vivid vision, followed by Cornelius’s servants at the door, and the readiness of Cornelius and his family to hear what Peter had to say convinced the apostles that this new development was actually a God-thing: “When they heard these things they became silent; and they glorified God saying ‘then God has also granted to the Gentiles repentance to life’” Acts 1:18.

Have you had such evidences of God in your life? I have. For example, I often find that things I read or hear relate directly to something I am writing. I will find a quote that catches my eye in a book or internet article and the next day that very idea presents itself in the Bible reading for this devotional or some other piece I’m writing.

Let’s watch for the many ways God tells us, “I am here – right beside you, going with you through this day.” Let’s gratefully accept the signs of His presence “doubting nothing.”

PRAYER: Dear God, Thank you for these little assurances of Your presence. Help me to be alert to them, and acknowledge You in them today. Amen.

MORE: Looking for God
David Adams Richards is an award-winning Canadian writer. He is most known for his fiction. His writing, which has been compared to that of William Faulkner, has won many awards (Governor General’s, Giller Prize).

Links to articles about God Is.

"Canada's literary community gets religion all wrong" by David Adams Richards - excerpts from God Is.

"Author finds God is in the details" by Stuart Laidlaw

God Is by David Adams Richards (available from Amazon.com)

************************

Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Servant to the Gentiles

Flags of the world (Image: geralt/pixabay.com)

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Isaiah 49:1-13

TO CHEW ON: "Indeed He says,
'Is it too small a thing that You should be My Servant
To raise up the tribes of Jacob,
And to restore the preserved ones of Israel;
I will also give you as a light to the Gentiles,
That You should be My salvation to the ends of the earth.' " Isaiah 49:6

In this second servant Song we see another side of the Servant's mission.

Often in the Old Testament, God's servant is Israel. In fact, that's the "servant" this passage speaks about first - Isaiah 49:3. But then the speaker (God) shifts His attention to "My Servant"—capitalized in my NKJV Bible which puts the names and pronouns of deity in upper case. His mission is to not only "raise up the tribes of Jacob" and "restore the preserved ones of Israel" but also be a "light to the Gentiles" and "My salvation to the ends of the earth" - Isaiah 49:6.

As a bringer of salvation to all, this Servant will be (Isaiah 49:7-12):

• Given respect and worship by kings and princes.

• Preserved to realize His destiny.

• A covenant between God and people.

• Freedom for prisoners

• Light for those living in darkness.

• One who shepherds and protects his flock.

• A herald of good news.

I believe the fulfillment of this prophecy was Jesus. He believed that of Himself, for He read words from Isaiah 49 in Luke 4:18,19 and then said, "'Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing'" (Luke 4:21).

He spoke of the wine at the Last Supper as a symbol of the new covenant (Luke 22:20).

In other places He declared Himself the light of the world (John 8:12) and the Good Shepherd (John 10:1-30).

And like Isaiah's prophecy detailed, His first assignment was to the Jews (Matthew 15:21-28), but the charge He left with His disciples included bringing word of Him and salvation to the world (Acts 1:8).

If we are Gentiles (and I am one), the Servant's mission of bringing non-Jews into right relationship with God is a truth we hold dear. It means He accepts us. It clarifies our vision about the truth of Jesus as the way to God for all people in a culture that says all belief systems are equally valid and lead to a good end. And it spurs us on in missions giving and prayer for the world.

I'm sure you, like I, long to finally see the culmination of the Servant's mission to the Gentiles as envisioned by John in Revelation: "The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever" - Revelation 11:15.

PRAYER: Dear Jesus, thank You for taking sin's death sentence for everyone—Jew and Gentile alike. I anticipate the day when the nations of Earth give You worship. Amen.

 *********
Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

God's international building

Image: gerait / pixabay.com

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Zechariah 5:5-6:15

TO CHEW ON: "Even those from afar shall come and build the temple of the Lord…" Zechariah 6:15


After a series of more visions, the crowning of priest/king Joshua (obviously a type of Christ), the proclamation of the Branch's rule (we talked about that HERE), Zechariah comes again to the subject of the temple rebuild and an interesting detail: "Even those from afar shall come and build the temple."
Who are "those from afar"?

The author of my Bible's study notes understands these to be "… believing Gentiles who submit to the Messiah" - D. W. Shibley, New Spirit-Filled Life Bible, p. 1255.

Though God's plans and promises are obviously spoken to and over the Jews, especially in the Old Testament, there is a thread of promise to Gentile nations, flowing through the whole Bible. Some places we catch glimpses of it:

• God promised to bless all the families of the earth through Abraham - Genesis 12:3.

• "Strangers" join Jacob in the land to enjoy God's mercy - Isaiah 14:1.

• All "these (who) gather together and come to you…" are compared to Israel's bridal ornament - Isaiah 49:18.

• Jeremiah talks of a time that Gentiles, having found their belief systems "worthless and unprofitable," will come to You (Messiah) from all over the earth - Jeremiah 16:19.

• The prophet Zechariah refers in several other places of the Gentiles joining the LORD and becoming His people - Zechariah 2:11; 8:23.

• We remember, of course, the post-resurrection saga of Gentile acceptance of the early church. Some places it's talked about are Acts 10:43, 11:1; 13:48; 15:7; 28:28.

• Apostle Paul brings this blessing-on-the-Gentiles chain full circle when he hearkens back to Abraham and tells us plainly that the blessing comes through Jesus and the Holy Spirit, received through faith: "That the blessing of Abraham might come up on the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith… There is neither Jew nor Greek … for you are all one in Christ Jesus" - Galatians 3:14,28.

• And so the heavenly voices in Revelation can issue this triumphant cry of international unity:

"The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever" - Revelation 11:15.

So we see that whether we're Jews or Gentiles, we have a part in God's plan and are part of His building project!


PRAYER: Dear Jesus, thank You that Your salvation is for everyone and anyone in every race, nation and location. And thank You for the Jews, through whose family line You came. Amen.

 *********
Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Jesus is our peace

Image: Bessi / Pixabay.com

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Ephesians 2:11-22

TO CHEW ON: "For He Himself is our peace." Ephesians 2:14

If there is one Christmas wish I heard over and over during the season just past, it was the longing for peace. The current world situation with its lack of peace only makes that longing stronger.

Perhaps that's why Paul's simple statement, "He Himself is our peace" catches my attention. How is Jesus my peace? Your peace?

He is the peace between the Jews and Gentiles.
In the Jewish culture, the Jews were in with God, the Gentiles were out. This whole part of Ephesians is about Jesus obliterating that racial division and bringing peace between Jews and Gentiles: "His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace" - Ephesians 2:15 NIV.

He is the peace between God and all mankind through His blood.
"… and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross" - Colossians 1:20 NIV.

He is the embodiment and personification of peace.
That's one of His names: "Prince of peace" - Isaiah 9:6.

And how do we access the peace He represents to make it personal, our very own? Through communion with Him in prayer, petition and thanksgiving:
"Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus"- Philippians 4:6,7 (emphasis added).

"The result of prayer is God's gift of peace, namely the secure confidence that God is sovereign and loving" - NIV Study Bible, Kindle Location 275,793 (emphasis added).

Let's live today in the peace that Jesus gives—that peace that makes us friends with God, that transcends the divisions of culture and race, and that absorbs the problems of this world and the hassles of life.

PRAYER: Dear Jesus, when I'm troubled, please remind me of the peace that's available to me as I put my trust in Your sovereignty and love. Amen.

 *********
Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked NIV are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

One way God silences arguments

Illustration From Lyman Abbott's
Commentary on Acts

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Acts 11:1-18

TO CHEW ON: "When they heard these things they became silent; and they glorified God saying, 'Then God has also granted to the Gentiles repentance to life.'" - Acts 11:18

Contrast the reaction of the Judean apostles and brothers, above, with how they initially acted when Peter arrived: "... those of the circumcision contended with him" - Acts 11:1.

[To contend is a pretty strong activity. It means to strive in competition, to argue earnestly, to dispute, debate, struggle, fight (Funk & Wagnalls College Dictionary)]

Now they were silent, then began glorifying God. What made the difference?

It was:

• the miraculous meshing of Peter's vision (Acts 10:9-16, his retelling in Acts 11:5-10)

• with the request of the Gentile centurion Cornelius that was also sparked by a vision (Acts 10:1-8, Peter's retelling Acts 11:13,14),

• and the Holy Spirit falling on the Gentiles just as He had on the Jews (Acts 10:44-48, retold in Acts 11:15,16).

In other words, God broke through ordinary events in a miraculous way.

These sorts of miracles still happen today. My friend told the story of her Iranian relative who was attempting to gain entrance to another country on the grounds of her Christian faith. The night before her hearing she couldn't sleep but had the strong impression she was to read a certain passage of Scripture. The next day at the hearing the examiner questioned her on exactly what she had read.

Such occurrences, recounted in the Bible or experienced by us or our acquaintances can have the same effect on us as this miraculous chain of events had on Peter and his listeners. Our contentions, arguments and doubts—about God's existence, His character, His knowledge and acceptance of us—are silenced. Then we glorify God who is at work in our lives and the lives of those around us.


PRAYER: Dear God, thank You for being the same miracle-working God today as You were in Bible times. May such stories increase my faith even as I make them one more reason to glorify You. Amen.

***********

The Holy Bible, New King James Version Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. - Used with permission.

Grafted branch

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Romans 11:13-24


TO CHEW ON: "And if some of the branches were broken off, and you being a wild olive tree were grafted in among them, and with them became a partaker of the root and fatness of the olive tree, do not boast against the branches. But if you do boast, remember that you do not support the root, but the root supports you." - Romans 11:17,18.

I am a Gentile and eternally grateful that there is a place in God's olive tree for grafted-in branches.

In an article in my Bible, Shira Sorko-Ram says of Romans 11:

"One of the most remarkable passages in the Bible states that the Gentiles were made rich because of Israel's fall (Romans 11:11-12). Because they were cast away for a season the world is being touched with the message of salvation and reconciliation to God. ...The great revelation Paul enunciates in Romans 11 stands as a towering statement to God's sovereign workings in redemption. Through Israel's sin, God provided the whole world with a Savior! 'Oh, the depth of the riches, both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! ....His ways are past finding out!' (Romans 11:33)"

- Shira Sorko-Ram, "Understanding Messianic Jewish Ministry," New Spirit-Filled Life Bible, p. 1881-1882.

Paul calls God's plan "severity" and "goodness." He is severe in lopping off the unbelieving branches, but good in grafting in believing ones. It is not a matter of race with God, but a matter of belief, for He will again graft in those Jewish branches when they turn back to Him in belief (Romans 11:23).

We need to keep in mind that God's choice and acceptance of us is not due to our goodness, our race, or our heritage. We do not inherit a spot in His family because we come from a long line of believers and our parents believed in Him. Rather each person comes individually and is accepted because he or she has put personal faith in Christ for salvation. God is color blind when it comes to salvation and we should be too.


PRAYER: Dear God, thank You for Your sovereign, wise plan, in which I as a Gentile can have a part. Amen.

********
Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

********

Subscribe to my newsletter coming September 1st. 

Get book recommendations, Bible study tips, author news plus a full-colour 18-month Pathways Scripture text calendar when you sign up!  

Sign up below:

Subscribe to my quarterly newsletter

********

Send them away?

Canaanite woman and Jesus - Artist unknown

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Matthew 15:21-39

TO CHEW ON: "And His disciples came and urged Him, saying, 'Send her away, for she cries out after us.'" Matthew 15:23


How awkward, to be traveling around in a foreign country and have someone—a woman no less—begin following you around, shouting stuff. The disciples can only take so much of "'Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David! …'" until they urge Jesus to send this Canaanite woman away.

This isn't the only time we find the disciples suggesting Jesus dismiss someone. We've just encountered something similar when, after a long  day of preaching, the disciples tell Jesus to " 'Send the multitudes away…' " to get food (Matthew 14:15).

And a few chapters further on, the disciples rebuke parents who are bringing their children to Jesus for a blessing (Matthew 19:13).

But how does Jesus react to these potential irritants and interruptions?

He doesn't let the Canaanite woman's irritating cry get to Him. Instead, He starts up a conversation, probes her faith and then sends her home to a miracle (Matthew 15:24-28).

He doesn't ignore the need of the hungry crowd, but feeds them.

He doesn't send away those parents and their children, but blesses them and rebukes the disciples.

We too may be tempted to "send her away," "send the multitudes away" when people:

• embarrass us—the awkward, unusual, mentally challenged, people who dress differently, act inappropriately, those looked down on by society.

• have big needs we can't possibly meet.

• threaten to mess with our tidy plans and agendas—children, high-maintenance, woman-at-the-well types.

Let's be alert to times when our first impulse would be to "send them away." At such times, let's pause, send up a silent "What do you want me to do in this situation, Jesus?" listen for His answer, and then do it.

PRAYER: Dear Jesus, on my own I'm smart to send needy, hurting people away because I can't do anything for them. But I have You and You can. Help me to bring such people and situations to You. Amen.

 *********
Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

**********

Subscribe to my newsletter coming September 1st. 

Get book recommendations, Bible study tips, author news plus a full-colour 18-month Pathways Scripture text calendar when you sign up!  

Sign up below:

Subscribe to my quarterly newsletter

*********

Scruples

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Romans 15:1-13

TO CHEW ON: "We then who are strong ought to bear with the scruples of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Let each of us please his neighbour, for his good, leading to edification." Romans 15:1-2

Scruples is a word I heard my mom use from time to time. She had scruples about celebrating Halloween and wearing makeup. As a youngster I didn't like that word. It was all about things I wasn't allowed to do by reason of the fact that they violated someone else's conscience.

Here Paul is pleading with Christians in Rome to "bear with the scruples of the weak" because there were serious differences of conscience among church members. He talks about these earlier in Romans, naming specifics like what people ate and what days they celebrated (Romans 14:1-13).

At the root of these differences was the fact some of the Roman Christians were Gentiles. Their consciences had been trained by religious instruction that was different from Christ-followers brought up in Judaism. And so Paul pleads with them to all get along, adjusting themselves to each other wherever possible.

Why? Because Jesus came for everyone, the Jews (vs.8) and the Gentiles too. Paul goes to great pains to show this — quoting from four Old Testament scriptures to prove it:
verse 9: 2 Samuel 22:50 and Psalm 18:49
verse 10: Deuteronomy 32:43
verse 11: Psalm 117:1
verse 12 - Isaiah 11:1,1

I say, Praise God — for I am a Gentile.

So, does this Scripture have any application for us today, seeing our churches are mostly made up of Gentiles? I think it does, not in a Gentile versus Jew way but in the way people brought up in a Christian culture may need to consider the consciences and scruples of those brought up in other world religions or without any religious instruction at all. For as populations of our countries have come to include people from many nations and religious backgrounds, so have our churches.

This variety of backgrounds gives us all a chance to exercise flexibility and tolerance of each other in things that aren't commanded or forbidden in the Bible. And we should do it, not in the grudging way I honoured the scruples of my mother, but with the generosity, reasonableness, and love that Paul communicates in the gentle tone of his letter.

PRAYER: Dear God, please give me wisdom to sort out what scruples of mine are matters of real importance. Help me not to erect barriers between myself and others out of things that are non-essentials. Amen.

Do your 8-12-year-olds have daily devotions? Point them to Bible Drive-Thru.

Standing with leaders

Luke the Physician - Artist unknown

TODAY'S SPECIAL: 2 Timothy 4:9-22

TO CHEW ON: "But the Lord stood with me and strengthened me, so that the message might be preached fully through me, and that all the Gentiles might hear." 2 Timothy 4:17

As Paul mouldered in a Roman jail during what would be his last days, the Lord stood with Paul—as did Luke (2 Timothy 4:11). My Bible's Introduction to 2 Timothy describes the likely setting of its writing:

"The circumstances of his (Paul's) second Roman imprisonment were quite different from those of his first incarceration. Previously, he was in his own hired dwelling and was able to receive visitors freely, but now he was confined in a dungeon and friends could only see him with difficulty. Formerly he had expected to be released, but now he looked forward to death (2 Timothy 4:6-8). At the writing of this letter, only Like was with Paul (2 Timothy 4:11), all others having left for various reasons" - James Lee Beall, Introduction to 2 Timothy, New Spirit-Filled Life Bible, p. 1709.

But Paul remained clear-sighted about his purpose, i.e. to share the gospel fully so that the Gentiles might hear. Luke had a similar purpose. He addressed both Luke and Acts to Theophilus.

Who was Theophilus? Some suggest he may have been a well-known Roman figure (Titus Flavius Clemens, the Emperor Vespasian's nephew perhaps) and that Theophilus was a name used to conceal his real identity. Others think that Theophilus was his real name and that he was a representative of that class of Roman society Luke wished to influence for the gospel. At any rate, Theophilus was probably a Gentile (from the"Theophilus" entry in the New Bible Dictionary).

And so Luke and Paul were on the same mission (to spread the gospel to the Gentiles) and stuck together. Aren't we who are Gentiles glad they did!

Luke's loyalty to Paul at this time illustrates the importance of the friendships and encouragements our leaders need. In fact we might say that Paul's tribute to God's faithfulness ("But the Lord stood with me...") was directly linked to the presence of Luke in his life. Who are the leaders in our lives that we can encourage with our presence and loyalty?

PRAYER: Dear God, thank You for the example of faithful Paul and his loyal companion Luke. Help me to be a loyal friend, encourager and supporter. Amen.

MORE: The Feast of St. Luke.

Today the church celebrates Dr. Luke. The day's liturgy begins with this collect:

Almighty God, who inspired your servant Luke the physician to set forth in the Gospel the love and healing power of your Son: Graciously continue in your Church this love and power to heal, to the praise and glory of your Name; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

***********

New King James Version (NKJV) Used with permission. The Holy Bible, New King James Version Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.

Hypocrisy Exposé

"Paul turns to the Gentiles (Acts 13)" by F. Laporta - Bible Artwork Vol. 10

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Galatians 2:1-21

TO CHEW ON: "For before certain men came from James, he (Peter) would eat with the Gentiles; but when they came he withdrew and separated himself, fearing those who were of the circumcision. And the rest of the Jews also played the hypocrite with him, so that even Barnabas was carried away with their hypocrisy."  Galatians 2:12-13

Here it seems Peter let his actions be influenced by peer pressure In spite of his championing the cause of the Gentiles in front of the Jerusalem Council (Acts 15:6-11) he was again distancing himself from them. While before he had been happy to eat with them, the presence of "certain men … from James" caused him to withdraw. Peter had influence and so his actions were causing others, even the encourager Barnabas, to follow suit.

Paul named Peter's actions hypocrisy.

[Hypocrisy - hypokrisis was used of play-acting, role-playing, pretending and thus acting insincerely.]

I see a double warning in Paul's exposé of Peter's hypocrisy:


1. We too can be influenced by the legalists among us, letting our actions be governed by what these 'super-spirituals' will think and say rather than by what God has revealed in the Bible. Paul's foundation is rock-solid in this regard. This incident is the setting from which he wrote his inspirational living-by-faith-not-works manifesto:

"For I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which 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  (emphasis added).

2. We can be the legalists whose emphasis on outer things causes others to act hypocritically. Let's examine our pet standards. They may come from good sources: our upbringing, denominational emphases, life experience. Still we need to ask, does the Bible support them? Or are they the type of burden Paul accused the false brethren of imposing here?

PRAYER: Dear God, please give me the wisdom to spot hypocrisy in my attitudes and that of others. Help me to live in Your freedom and not in the shadow of human-made restrictions and rules of exclusivity that change according to which group I'm with. Amen.

***********

The Holy Bible, New King James Version Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. - Used with permission.

That breaking stone

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Matthew 21:33-46

TO CHEW ON: "And whoever falls on this stone will be broken; but on whomever it falls, it will grind him to powder." Matthew 21:44

Another vineyard story! This one Jesus tells to the chief priests and Pharisees during a temple teaching session. They soon suspect that when He refers to wicked vinedressers who kill the landowner's son, He is talking about them.

Jesus clears up any doubt by spelling it out:

"Have you never read the scriptures.
'The stone which the builders rejected
Has become the chief cornerstone.
This was the Lord's doing,
And it is marvelous in our eyes.'? (quoting Psalm 118:22-23).
Therefore I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a nation bearing fruits of it" (Matthew 21:42-43).

In this way He foretells the inclusion of non-Jews (Gentiles) in His kingdom of God plan. It is a plan, we discover in the very next verse, which involves a crucial life altering decision not only for groups of people (nations) but for every individual who encounters Jesus:

"Whoever falls on this stone will be broken, but on whomever it falls, it will grind him to powder" (Matthew 21:44).

How does encountering Jesus break us? One way is in its cost. It costs a true disciple everything to follow Jesus. Paul describes it as being crucified (put to death) with Him (Galatians 2:20).

But if we decide to ignore Him and go our own way, that decision too has breaking consequences. Paul spells them out with stark realism in 2 Thessalonians 1:6-10 (a passage that won't win any awards for subtlety or political correctness):

"... it is a righteous thing with God to repay with tribulation those who trouble you, and to give you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power, when He comes, in that Day, to be glorified in His saints and to be admired among all those who believe, because our testimony among you was believed."

PRAYER: Dear Jesus, thank You for coming as the obedient Son and giving Yourself to die for me. May all who read this be broken by you in the disciple, not the eternal destruction way. Amen.

MORE: Doubting Jesus' deity still flourishes today

The heart of the issue of Jesus for the chief priests and Pharisees was that they didn't believe He was who He said He was. Thus everything He said was controversial and sounded like heresy to them.

The refusal, in religious leaders, to believe that Jesus is God, indeed skepticism about the very existence of God, continues to this day. Albert Mohler discusses recent developments within a prominent Protestant denomination in Holland in the article "A Laboratory for Christianity's Destruction"

Bulldog faith

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Matthew 16:21-39

TO CHEW ON: "Then Jesus answered and said to her, 'O woman, great is your faith! Let it be to you as you desire.' And her daughter was healed from that very hour." Matthew 15:28

What I find curious about the little story of Jesus healing the Canaanite woman's daughter is that Jesus was in the woman's territory.  Though it seems His intention was to take a break from the crowds (Mark 7:24) it wasn't to be. When this Canaanite woman with a demon-possessed daughter heard about His presence she wouldn't let Him alone. She was loud ("...she cried out to Him..." - Matthew 15:22). She was persistent ("...she kept asking..." Mark 7:26).

Jesus demurred at her "Lord, help me" with "It is not good to take the children's bread and throw it to the little dogs." Yikes! A footnote in my Bible states:

"The Jews insultingly referred to Gentiles as dogs. Even though Jesus softens the barb by using the word for house pets instead of wild, unclean scavengers, His response to the woman still sounds harsh. Actually in assuming the appearance of traditional Jewish prejudice, Jesus was drawing from her a confession of triumphant faith" - New Spirit-Filled Life Bible, p. 1363.

If she was a dog, she was a bulldog with a faith that wouldn't let go. Her quick-witted response: "Yes Lord, yet even the little dogs eat the crumbs which fall from their masters' table," shows she held hope in an iron grip. Even Jesus was impressed, and His answer changed from "No" to "Yes" - Matthew 15:28.

We can learn things from this woman:
1. Her mother-love drove her to extraordinary lengths to see her daughter healed. Who has God put in our care of kids, grand-kids and friends for whom we plead to God? We might be the only prayer warriors in their lives. Let's let our love for them drive us to Jesus.

2. She went out of her way to find Jesus and was even willing to make a fool of herself to get His attention. Are we willing to go out of our way, disrupt our routine, even do something out of character in intercession for others?

3. She refused to take no for an answer. If Jesus' hesitation was a test, she got an A+ when she came up with a reason why He should grant her request instead of acquiescing to why He shouldn't. Do we give in to the reasons (of others or ourselves) as to why our prayers probably won't be, couldn't be, shouldn't be answered? Or do we keep asking?

Let's take this Canaanite woman as our example of persistent intercession for the people and circumstances that burden our hearts!


PRAYER: Dear God, thank You for this story of tough faith. Help me to emulate this woman's persistence. Amen.

MORE: Persevering prayer

"Whatever it takes for you to own the doctrine of God's omnipotence, do it. Until you own it, you will be a faint-hearted pray-er. You'll make a few wishes on your knees, but you won't be able to persevere in prayer until you know in your heart that God is able." - Bill Hybels