Jeremiah 6:14
They have healed the wound of my people lightly,
saying, ‘Peace, peace,’
when there is no peace.
Tag: False Teachers/False Philosophy
Jeremiah was the son of a priest who was called by God to give the message of doom and gloom to the nation that had rejected her God! /Five times in these six chapters, Israel and Judah are said to leave God and go whoring after another god. One of the reasons that Israel and Judah have forsaken God is the fact stated in the above verses. Although Jeremiah was a prophet and priest called by God to speak for Him, there were other prophets, priests and kings who also spoke. Whereas Jeremiah was giving a good and true message, the false teachers were prophesying peace, where there was no peace. Those false teachers would counter Jeremiah with their rosy colored stories and the people believed them. This lead them astray to seek other gods. Satan does this to us. We here a nice song and we are lead astray by the philosophy of the words and don't realize we were just serenaded to sleep doctrinally and spiritually. God sends His truth in His Word. He does not lead us astray, even if the words are harsh and difficult to swallow. False teachers like to say nice things, but they have no impact on the soul. Today's modern psychology will preach false doctrine and those who listen think they have peace. They have no peace. God will judge those teachers, but also those who don't actively discern their lies.
Friday, March 31, 2017
Thursday, March 30, 2017
Tag: The evilness of man - Job 25-26
Job 25:5-6
Behold, even the moon is not bright,
and the stars are not pure in his eyes;
how much less man, who is a maggot,
and the son of man, who is a worm!”
Tag: The evilness of man
Job is in much pain and in much internal conflict. He is trying to wrap his mind around his circumstances while, at the same time, scrap the scabs from his body. He wants answers, but more importantly he wants empathy and understanding and comfort. Bildad, one of his "friends" (who originally came to comfort him - Job 2:10) decides to add to his internal conflict by reminding him all men are "worms." Firs, it should be noted that Bildad is not wrong. However, his logic is off. How can he claim that all men are "maggots" and "worms," inferring that Job does not have any way to criticize God, while at the same time, being a man, criticize Job. Once again we have the "truth" being used to batter Job, rather than to comfort Job. Bildad, like many believers, uses the truth to condemn his fellow believer, rather than uplift and comfort him. It is true, man is nothing. However, David in the Psalms uses that thought to humble us and to see the majesty of God:
Psalms 8:4
what is man that you are mindful of him,
and the son of man that you care for him?
The writer of Hebrews echoes those same thoughts (Hebrews 2:6). Man is truly evil. But, that should magnify the grace of God in our hearts. The fact that we a maggots is not a surprise. The fact that God loves us, despite being like maggots, should surprise us. God's grace reaches down and lifts us up. Job need not claim his innocence in this struggle, but should claim the grace of God through this struggle. We are truly evil. Job is justifying himself, as we all would. Yet, man is truly evil and yet God is mindful of us? That is God's grace and His grace trumps that.
Behold, even the moon is not bright,
and the stars are not pure in his eyes;
how much less man, who is a maggot,
and the son of man, who is a worm!”
Tag: The evilness of man
Job is in much pain and in much internal conflict. He is trying to wrap his mind around his circumstances while, at the same time, scrap the scabs from his body. He wants answers, but more importantly he wants empathy and understanding and comfort. Bildad, one of his "friends" (who originally came to comfort him - Job 2:10) decides to add to his internal conflict by reminding him all men are "worms." Firs, it should be noted that Bildad is not wrong. However, his logic is off. How can he claim that all men are "maggots" and "worms," inferring that Job does not have any way to criticize God, while at the same time, being a man, criticize Job. Once again we have the "truth" being used to batter Job, rather than to comfort Job. Bildad, like many believers, uses the truth to condemn his fellow believer, rather than uplift and comfort him. It is true, man is nothing. However, David in the Psalms uses that thought to humble us and to see the majesty of God:
Psalms 8:4
what is man that you are mindful of him,
and the son of man that you care for him?
The writer of Hebrews echoes those same thoughts (Hebrews 2:6). Man is truly evil. But, that should magnify the grace of God in our hearts. The fact that we a maggots is not a surprise. The fact that God loves us, despite being like maggots, should surprise us. God's grace reaches down and lifts us up. Job need not claim his innocence in this struggle, but should claim the grace of God through this struggle. We are truly evil. Job is justifying himself, as we all would. Yet, man is truly evil and yet God is mindful of us? That is God's grace and His grace trumps that.
Wednesday, March 29, 2017
Tag: Contentment - Psalm 36-38
Psalms 37:16
Better is the little that the righteous has
than the abundance of many wicked.
Tag: Contentment
Note the other verses often associated with this verse:
1 Timothy 6:6
But godliness with contentment is great gain,
Proverbs 15:16
Better is a little with the fear of the Lord
than great treasure and trouble with it.
Proverbs 16:8
Better is a little with righteousness
than great revenues with injustice.
Contentment is a character quality that flows from a heart satisfied with God. We can't find contentment in life until we can find contentment in Him. Those who strive for popularity, or who need the pleasure of mankind, have not found pleasure in God. Those who have a hunger for material possessions have not been filled by the Spirit of God. Those who seek more have not come to understand that God is all in all. In Psalm 37 we read in several places where David was envious of the wicked (Psalm 37:1, 7). Like Aspah in Psalm 73, David is looking at the wicked and notes they some of them live in great prosperity. Yet, God's Word brings him, as it does with Aspah, back to reality. We are to find our comfort and contentment in the God of God and Lord of Lords. When we find our eyes wandering and hearts chasing those visions, we need to stop and take a look at our Savior. He is the one who satisfies our ever need.
Better is the little that the righteous has
than the abundance of many wicked.
Tag: Contentment
Note the other verses often associated with this verse:
1 Timothy 6:6
But godliness with contentment is great gain,
Proverbs 15:16
Better is a little with the fear of the Lord
than great treasure and trouble with it.
Proverbs 16:8
Better is a little with righteousness
than great revenues with injustice.
Contentment is a character quality that flows from a heart satisfied with God. We can't find contentment in life until we can find contentment in Him. Those who strive for popularity, or who need the pleasure of mankind, have not found pleasure in God. Those who have a hunger for material possessions have not been filled by the Spirit of God. Those who seek more have not come to understand that God is all in all. In Psalm 37 we read in several places where David was envious of the wicked (Psalm 37:1, 7). Like Aspah in Psalm 73, David is looking at the wicked and notes they some of them live in great prosperity. Yet, God's Word brings him, as it does with Aspah, back to reality. We are to find our comfort and contentment in the God of God and Lord of Lords. When we find our eyes wandering and hearts chasing those visions, we need to stop and take a look at our Savior. He is the one who satisfies our ever need.
Tuesday, March 28, 2017
Tag: Leadership and Follower-ship - 1 Samuel 11-15
1 Samuel 14:52
There was hard fighting against the Philistines all the days of Saul. And when Saul saw any strong man, or any valiant man, he attached him to himself.
Tag: Leadership and Follower-ship
Saul is turning out to be a terrible king. In the next chapter, specifically, he will actually see God remove him from the positional power of the king. He is becoming self-centered and self-indulging. Although he starts with the Spirit of God empowering him, he will end with the spirit of man controlling him. He starts out in faith, realizing that "God has done a great thing in Israel" ...
1 Samuel 11:13
But Saul said, “Not a man shall be put to death this day, for today the Lord has worked salvation in Israel.”
... but ends creating a monument to himself:
1 Samuel 15:12
And Samuel rose early to meet Saul in the morning. And it was told Samuel, “Saul came to Carmel, and behold, he set up a monument for himself and turned and passed on and went down to Gilgal.”
The above verse is a transition verse to see that Saul begins to trust in God less and less and begins to trust in his army more and more. Latter when we see God select young David to be king we will read that God looks on the inside, while man looks on the outside. In the above text we see that Saul was looking on the outside to build his army. He forgot to look on the inside. This is the death of Saul (spiritually and in regard to leadership). Saul's leadership falls when he starts to rely on follower-ship over the Lordship of God!.
There was hard fighting against the Philistines all the days of Saul. And when Saul saw any strong man, or any valiant man, he attached him to himself.
Tag: Leadership and Follower-ship
Saul is turning out to be a terrible king. In the next chapter, specifically, he will actually see God remove him from the positional power of the king. He is becoming self-centered and self-indulging. Although he starts with the Spirit of God empowering him, he will end with the spirit of man controlling him. He starts out in faith, realizing that "God has done a great thing in Israel" ...
1 Samuel 11:13
But Saul said, “Not a man shall be put to death this day, for today the Lord has worked salvation in Israel.”
... but ends creating a monument to himself:
1 Samuel 15:12
And Samuel rose early to meet Saul in the morning. And it was told Samuel, “Saul came to Carmel, and behold, he set up a monument for himself and turned and passed on and went down to Gilgal.”
The above verse is a transition verse to see that Saul begins to trust in God less and less and begins to trust in his army more and more. Latter when we see God select young David to be king we will read that God looks on the inside, while man looks on the outside. In the above text we see that Saul was looking on the outside to build his army. He forgot to look on the inside. This is the death of Saul (spiritually and in regard to leadership). Saul's leadership falls when he starts to rely on follower-ship over the Lordship of God!.
Monday, March 27, 2017
Tag: Faith in the Promises of God - Genesis 48-50
Genesis 50:25
Then Joseph made the sons of Israel swear, saying, “God will surely visit you, and you shall carry up my bones from here.”
Tag: Faith in the Promises of God
Joseph has had a hard, but rewarding life. He story starts out with him being especially loved by his father Jacob (Israel). He was the favorite of a father of 12 boys. That is a joyous position to have. God had put Joseph in a privileged position. To add to his favor, Joseph was given a set of dreams that indicated his brothers and father and mother would, some day, bow down to him. At the time they mocked, but, as we see, through hardship and evil, that is exactly what would happen. Despite the rough route to get there, Joseph was "over" his father, mother and brothers. Now he is about to die. He is 110 years old and was able to see his grandchildren to the third generation. In all this, he does not forget God and his promises. He knew through Israel's blessing of his two sons Manasseh and Ephraim, God was going to take the nation of Israel back to the "promised" land. With that in mind the above verse can be understood. Despite the struggle with his brothers, he makes them promise to take him back with them when God "visits" them. Joseph was well aware of the "exodus" that is about to take place and he wants to be buried in the land of his birth not the land of his death. Joseph held onto the promises of God throughout his entire life. Now he is expressing the same thing in face of his death. No matter the struggle and no matter the difficulty, we are to face life with the promises of God in view. God gives us His promises to allow us to serve Him faithfully, no matter the circumstances. Find a promise to hold onto today.
Then Joseph made the sons of Israel swear, saying, “God will surely visit you, and you shall carry up my bones from here.”
Tag: Faith in the Promises of God
Joseph has had a hard, but rewarding life. He story starts out with him being especially loved by his father Jacob (Israel). He was the favorite of a father of 12 boys. That is a joyous position to have. God had put Joseph in a privileged position. To add to his favor, Joseph was given a set of dreams that indicated his brothers and father and mother would, some day, bow down to him. At the time they mocked, but, as we see, through hardship and evil, that is exactly what would happen. Despite the rough route to get there, Joseph was "over" his father, mother and brothers. Now he is about to die. He is 110 years old and was able to see his grandchildren to the third generation. In all this, he does not forget God and his promises. He knew through Israel's blessing of his two sons Manasseh and Ephraim, God was going to take the nation of Israel back to the "promised" land. With that in mind the above verse can be understood. Despite the struggle with his brothers, he makes them promise to take him back with them when God "visits" them. Joseph was well aware of the "exodus" that is about to take place and he wants to be buried in the land of his birth not the land of his death. Joseph held onto the promises of God throughout his entire life. Now he is expressing the same thing in face of his death. No matter the struggle and no matter the difficulty, we are to face life with the promises of God in view. God gives us His promises to allow us to serve Him faithfully, no matter the circumstances. Find a promise to hold onto today.
Sunday, March 26, 2017
Tag: Knowledge vs Love - 1 Corinthians 7-8
1 Corinthians 8:7-9
However, not all possess this knowledge. But some, through former association with idols, eat food as really offered to an idol, and their conscience, being weak, is defiled. Food will not commend us to God. We are no worse off if we do not eat, and no better off if we do. But take care that this right of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak.
Tag: Knowledge vs Love
In the early Greek culture knowledge was to be pursued and was valued more than other virtues. This culture, during Paul's day, had infiltrated the church. The believers at Corinth were enamored by such knowledge. The "Gnostics" were a philosophical and religious sect that believed that participation with the Divine was through a "knowing." The more they "knew" the more they would become closer to godliness. This "knowing" would , hence, separate them from those who did not "know" at the same level. In the above text Paul is stating that it is true that some believers have more revelation than others (He would later attempt to prove that about himself ... see 1 Corinthians 12). Our current society boasts that, "knowledge is power." It is hard to argue such frameworks of life. But, Paul does. In the above text Paul is states that knowledge is not more powerful than love. He is telling us that "if we love others" we will be conscious of their level of knowledge. We will not put a stumbling block in front of them, but put them first and our preferences second. To Paul "Love is Power." Paul is not preaching a brand of ignorance for Christians, however. His entire life was dedicated in growing the church in knowledge. In chapter three, verse two, of this book he confronts this very church about their staying on "milk" and not ready for "solid food." Paul does not want us ignorant and unknowing. But, he does want us to put the love of others before our own rights, based upon our more perfect knowledge. Love trumps knowledge.
However, not all possess this knowledge. But some, through former association with idols, eat food as really offered to an idol, and their conscience, being weak, is defiled. Food will not commend us to God. We are no worse off if we do not eat, and no better off if we do. But take care that this right of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak.
Tag: Knowledge vs Love
In the early Greek culture knowledge was to be pursued and was valued more than other virtues. This culture, during Paul's day, had infiltrated the church. The believers at Corinth were enamored by such knowledge. The "Gnostics" were a philosophical and religious sect that believed that participation with the Divine was through a "knowing." The more they "knew" the more they would become closer to godliness. This "knowing" would , hence, separate them from those who did not "know" at the same level. In the above text Paul is stating that it is true that some believers have more revelation than others (He would later attempt to prove that about himself ... see 1 Corinthians 12). Our current society boasts that, "knowledge is power." It is hard to argue such frameworks of life. But, Paul does. In the above text Paul is states that knowledge is not more powerful than love. He is telling us that "if we love others" we will be conscious of their level of knowledge. We will not put a stumbling block in front of them, but put them first and our preferences second. To Paul "Love is Power." Paul is not preaching a brand of ignorance for Christians, however. His entire life was dedicated in growing the church in knowledge. In chapter three, verse two, of this book he confronts this very church about their staying on "milk" and not ready for "solid food." Paul does not want us ignorant and unknowing. But, he does want us to put the love of others before our own rights, based upon our more perfect knowledge. Love trumps knowledge.
Saturday, March 25, 2017
Tag: Fruitful LIves - Mark 3-4
Mark 4:20
But those that were sown on the good soil are the ones who hear the word and accept it and bear fruit, thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold.”
Tag: Fruitful Lives
In the above verse we have Jesus' explanation of the parable of the seeds. The parable states that the "sower went out to sow seeds." Some of the seeds feel on certain types of land and didn't produce, but some of the seeds (as in the above) feel on good soil and produced fruit. This parable is often spoken to encourage believers to produce fruit in their lives to demonstrate their belief. However, to understand the parable, it is important to understand that the "seed" is "God's Word." The fruit that is being produced is being produced by the "Word," not by us. When Jesus says that the seed is sown in "good soil" He doesn't mean in a "good" person, but rather in a life of "faith." When "faith" is mixed with "God's Word" we see fruit. Belief in the promises and faithful obedience to the precepts and principles of God's Word will produce fruit in our lives. We don't use our energy to produce fruit. We believe that reading God's Word and taking it for what it says will produce fruit in our lives. The fruit is the Fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). So, the Fruit of the Spirit is produced by Faith in the Word.
But those that were sown on the good soil are the ones who hear the word and accept it and bear fruit, thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold.”
Tag: Fruitful Lives
In the above verse we have Jesus' explanation of the parable of the seeds. The parable states that the "sower went out to sow seeds." Some of the seeds feel on certain types of land and didn't produce, but some of the seeds (as in the above) feel on good soil and produced fruit. This parable is often spoken to encourage believers to produce fruit in their lives to demonstrate their belief. However, to understand the parable, it is important to understand that the "seed" is "God's Word." The fruit that is being produced is being produced by the "Word," not by us. When Jesus says that the seed is sown in "good soil" He doesn't mean in a "good" person, but rather in a life of "faith." When "faith" is mixed with "God's Word" we see fruit. Belief in the promises and faithful obedience to the precepts and principles of God's Word will produce fruit in our lives. We don't use our energy to produce fruit. We believe that reading God's Word and taking it for what it says will produce fruit in our lives. The fruit is the Fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). So, the Fruit of the Spirit is produced by Faith in the Word.
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