Reading [Psalm 24] tonight, as one does, and I was struck by this verse.

Such is the generation of those who seek him,
who seek the face of the God of Jacob.

Psalm 24:6

I never made the connection before, but here’s Jesus speaking in [Matthew 24]:

Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place.

Matthew 24:34

What if Psalm 24 identifies the generation Jesus is talking about? I found some support for the idea (as a secondary meaning) in the Pulpit Commentary, which I am not familiar with. Psalm 24 is messianic, and Matthew 24 covers events from the abomination of desolation (perhaps the destruction of the temple?) to the return of Christ, “coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory”. There’s debate about the meaning of “this generation will not pass away”, and I think this is the best idea I’ve found.

This is a prayer for my children.

May the LORD answer you in the day of trouble!
May he send you help from the sanctuary and give you support from Zion!
…
May he grant you your heart’s desire and fulfill all your plans!
May we shout for joy over your salvation, and in the name of our God set up our banners!
…
O LORD, save the king! May he answer us when we call.

Bible.com Keep The Feast, day 29

Galatians

To the churches of Galatia:

Galatians 1:2(b)

I am constantly wondering about churches, plural. What does that mean? Galatia is pretty big, so I suppose I can cling to the idea that Paul is writing to all of the different gatherings of the church in many different cities of the region.

But when he who had set me apart before I was born, and who called me by his grace, was pleased to reveal his Son to me, in order that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately consult with anyone…

Bible.com Keep The Feast, day 26

Exodus 39-40 and I Peter

Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor.

I Peter 2:17

Yep, yeah, uh-huh, what? “Honor the emperor?” Paul, brother, you’ve clearly gone mad.

I don’t think Paul has gone mad. Even now, in America. There is no worldly reason to honor the emperor, but there are godly ones. We honor him in the understanding that we, too, are sinners. This honors God. We honor him as practice of righteous humility. This honors God. We honor him as a method of understanding our relationship to authority. This honors God. We honor him, solely and only, as a member of fallen humanity, made in God’s divine image. This honors God.

Bible.com Keep The Feast, day 24

Exodus 26-32

And Moses said to Aaron, “What did this people do to you that you have brought such a great sin upon them?”

Exodus 32:21

I have wondered the same thing. What is the difference in how Moses is looking at things and how Aaron is? A few verses earlier, God says to Moses (paraphrasing), “Get out of my way so I may destroy them. Then I’ll make a nation out of you!” Moses declines. He argues for the people, standing in the gap (Ezekiel 22:30) before the LORD. He thinks nothing of the fact that God might replace all of Israel with just the descendants of Moses, which would have elevated his own position considerably. (Weirdly, we have to assume this is God’s plan from the beginning — for Moses to prove his loyalty in this moment; for Moses to dissuade God from changing the whole course of history.)

Bible.com Keep The Feast, day 23

Exodus 22-25; Psalms 6 and 146

[A]nd they saw God of Israel. There was under his feet as it were a pavement of sapphire stones, like the very heaven for clearness.

Exodus 24:10

Somehow in all times I’ve read the book of Exodus, I never noticed this before. The elders of Israel see God. The best they can come up with to describe the experience is a paving of perfectly clear sapphires under His feet. And they don’t die (in fact it says they dine (sorry, I couldn’t resist)).

Bible.com Keep The Feast, day 22

Exodus 19-21 and Matthew 5-7

This was a really interesting juxtaposition which I didn’t even catch until I sat down to write tonight. The Ten Commandments and beginnings of the Law, and the Sermon on the Mount.

Wish I had something interesting to say about it but I don’t, other than bravo to the people who generated this reading plan!

Bible.com Keep The Feast, day 21

Deuteronomy 5:12-15

We often celebrate the Sabbath as a day of rest. I celebrated it this weekend by blowing leaves (and playing video games). I read this passage Saturday and I wondered what the Israelites thought of the Sabbath requirements. I think it must have seemed onerous to them because they needed to get things done. They needed to feed themselves (and their households, and their animals); they needed to keep the fires burning, they needed to draw water. So it is not merely a day of relaxation. It is a day set aside to honor God, specifically by trusting Him rather than worrying about what isn’t getting done. In time, Jewish tradition evolved (following the example of the manna) of getting everything prepared the day before so that as little as possible went undone. But still, there is the worry that I could be using this time to get ahead for the next day. Or, I could be doing that one project, or I could be investing this time for my own good elsewhere. The Sabbath is about honoring God.

Bible.com Keep The Feast, day 20

Exodus 14-18

Lift up your staff, and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it, that the people of Israel may go through the sea on dry ground.

Exodus 14:16

On dry ground. Not “on the seabed” or “through the mud”, but dry ground. God does not work miracles halfway. When we think of Moses parting the Red Sea, we think of water standing up, colossal towers of sea piling up on either side of the path. Maybe we don’t think enough about the LORD removing just enough of the water from the mud of the sea floor, about Him getting every last drop on every last rock so that not one Israelite got their feet wet (or at least so they didn’t need to). God thought not just about the spectacle, but about the details, the needs of His people. And he cared for them mightily.

Bible.com Keep The Feast, day 19

Exodus 7-13

The locusts came up over all the land of Egypt and settled on the whole country of Egypt, such a dense swarm of locusts as had never been seen before, no ever will be again.

Exodus 10:14

Even when God works using earthly means, He shows his supernatural power. The enormous clouds of locusts we see in BBC documentaries are scary, but they are nothing compared to the swarm God brought against Egypt. Our God is an awesome God.

Bible.com Keep The Feast, day 18

Exodus 1-6

God saw the people of Israel—and God knew.

Exodus 2:25

God knew the affliction of the Israelites.

We often talk about the Exodus as a metaphor for deliverance from sin. Something I think we don’t explore as often is the metaphor of the Israelites' bondage in Egypt as sin.

0. The people of Israel go into Egypt willingly, for their own good — God prepares the way.
1. They prosper.
2. History is forgotten, and the Egyptians hold the people of Israel and force them to act against their will.

The people of Israel could not have simply left. Despite their numbers being so great that the Egyptians feared them, they could not have taken over. They were human, and the great loss of life, the destruction, and the fear that would go with it were too great a challenge for the people to overcome. They did not want to be in the situation any longer, no matter how good it had been for them at the first. They could not save themselves.

Bible.com Keep The Feast, day 17

Galatians

For am I now seeking the approval of man, or God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.

Galatians 1:10

Passages like this always feel like a particular challenge to me. I want, oh so desperately, to be liked. To be admired. Even when I am acting seemingly contrary to the opinion of those around me, I feel in my heart I am doing it because it will result in someone’s opinion of me increasing. I cannot imagine a way to not want people to like me. I know that all things are possible with God; I also know that God works as He wills and not always in a way that makes sense to us in the moment.

Bible.com Keep The Feast, day 16

I Corinthians 10

“All things are lawful”, but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful”, but not all things build up. Let no one seek his own good, but the good of his neighbor.

I Corinthians 10:23-24

Acts 7

Jacob steals his brother’s birthright and blessing. The Israelite patriarchs sold their brother into slavery. Reuben defiles his father’s marriage bed; Judah neglects his daughter-in-law and consorts with prostitutes. Moses commits murder, and argues with God against his own calling. The Israelites of the Exodus forget God and go after idols. Aaron gives way to peer pressure and makes those idols. Solomon is seduced away from God by his many concubines. The Pharisees of Jesus’ day preferred their earthly prestige to Christ’s salvation. The crowds stone Stephen and Saul holds coats. What are we choosing instead of God today?

Bible.com Keep The Feast, day 15

Genesis 48

And Israel said to Joseph, “I never expected to see your face; and behold, God has let me see your offspring also.”

Genesis 48:11

Jacob (Israel) puts his hands on the “wrong” grandsons when blessing Ephraim and Manasseh. Joseph tries to correct him. I don’t know whether to be surprised by the great impacts that small change had many generations later, or to simply chalk that up to cultural truths in ancient Mesopotamia.

Bible.com Keep The Feast, day 14

Deuteronomy 5:12-15

Thank the LORD for our Sabbath rest!

Bible.com Keep The Feast, day 13

Genesis 42-47

I just heard a pastor preach on these passages last week. He said that Joseph plays games with his brothers to hide his own emotional pain. I can see that pain.

Joseph was ripped from family by his brothers’ disdain and anger (which was not undeserved). His brothers were hurt by their father Jacob’s obvious preference for Joseph (and Benjamin). In my own life, I am one part of a family that has been ripped apart, and often I am the only connection between two (or three) warring factions. I daydream of happy reunions and forgiveness….

Bible.com Keep The Feast, day 12

Genesis 37-41

And Judah replied, “Let her keep the things as her own, or we shall be laughed at. You see, I sent this young goat, and you did not find her.”

Genesis 38:23 (Emphasis added)

What a picture of the human (my own) response to sin! What a caricature of human-centered “repentance”. Judah does not even recognize his own sin in the matter of Tamar and his sons. Then he compounds it by going whoring. Then he tries to hide it, not because he is afraid of God’s justice (though hiding it would be futile then anyway). He hides it because he’s afraid for his own reputation, and he follows that up by blaming his servant for not finding “the woman”, and “the woman” for disappearing with his things.

Bible.com Keep The Feast, day 11

Genesis 33-36 and John 18-19

But they said, “Should he treat our sister like a prostitute?”

Genesis 34:31

It seems like Simeon and Levi deal pretty well with Shechem to me.

Bible.com Keep The Feast, day 10

Genesis 29-32

Reading Genesis forces you to understand humanity’s sin nature. Jacob coerces his brother Esau to gain the birthright. Rebekah deceives her husband to steal Esau’s blessing for Jacob. Laban deceives Jacob and withholds Rachel from him. And this is all just within the family.

I am so blessed to have the family that I do, even with all our struggles.

John 17

“I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do."

Bible.com Keep The Feast, day 9

Genesis 25-28 and John 14-16

Philip said to him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.”

John 14:8

Jesus rebukes Philip because having seen Jesus, Philip has already seen the Father. This is a clear claim of divinity. Jesus is God.

Judas (not Iscariot) said to him, “Lord, how is it that you will manifest yourself to us, and not to the world?”

Bible.com Keep The Feast, day 8

Genesis 21-24 and John 12-13

Abraham said to him, “See to it that you do not take my son back there.”

Genesis 24:6

LORD, see to it that I do not take my sons back into sin.

Other Thoughts

In John 11:39, Martha tells Jesus that Lazarus has been dead four days. Where is he during that time? We often make the assumption that Lazarus was saved; how could he not be? If he was in heaven while in the tomb, why does Jesus weep? Of course He weeps in sympathy with Martha and Mary, but would He not have said something?

YouVersion Reformation Reading Plan, day 312

Mark 13:1-31

I don’t think I understand this passage. Thankfully I think I understand enough: the end of time will not be pleasant, and I can only be saved by God’s choice. I pray, God, that you shorten the time of deception (verses 20-21), and that you add my name with my children and my wife and all those I love and many, many more to your book of life.

YouVersion Reformation Reading Plan, day 311

Mark 12

“But those tenants said to one another, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.’”

Mark 12:7

We know who Jesus is. That is why we despise Him. Not because we don’t understand that He is the Son, the creator of the universe, but because we do, and because we think we can overthrow Him.

“For when they rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven.”

YouVersion Reformation Reading Plan, day 310

Mark 11

Jesus has ordained the colt to be ready at the necessary time. He has ordained that the bystanders will question unknown men walking off with said colt. And He has ordained that the disciples obey his words to the letter in their answer. It never ceases to amaze me that God ordained us and our actions into His plan. What happens if the disciples dither, or answer in arrogance, or strike the rock instead of speaking to it (Numbers 20:11)? What happens if we don’t open our mouths, or we don’t bridle our tongues (James 1:26), or we don’t season our speech with salt (Colossians 4:6)? God’s will is not contingent on our obedience (water still comes from the rock), but our place in His work is (Numbers 20:12).

YouVersion Reformation Reading Plan, day 309

Mark 10:32-52

And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”

Mark 10:47

The kingdom of heaven is at hand. This is the day that the LORD has made. Cry out and say, “Have mercy on me, a sinner!”

Jeremiah 52

…

YouVersion Reformation Reading Plan, day 307

Proverbs 25

Figuring things out is the glory of kings (verse 1).

Don’t reveal other people’s secrets (verse 9).

It is not good to eat too much honey,
nor is it glorious to seek one’s own glory.
A man without self-control
is like a city broken into and left without walls.

Proverbs 25:27-28

Psalms 119:121-160

…

YouVersion Reformation Reading Plan, day 306

Mark 10:1-31

God relates to us in grace and provides for our hardness of heart (verse 5). Christ our ransom was required because of our hardness of heart.

Jesus loves us enough to say the hardest things to us (verse 21).

We will receive back a hundredfold anything we lose in pursuing the Gospel (verses 29-30).

Jeremiah 50

Being the last of your line is a disgrace (verse 12). We should be striving to bring the Gospel to new generations.

YouVersion Reformation Reading Plan, day 305

Mark 9:14-50

Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, “I believe; help my unbelief!”

Mark 9:24

I do not cry out often enough for God to help my unbelief. This man watched his child suffer from birth….

Don’t argue about your own greatness (verse 34). Give glory to God instead.

Sinned lately? Did you cut off your hand and gouge out your eyes? Have you resisted to the point of shedding blood (Hebrews 12:4)?

YouVersion Reformation Reading Plan, day 304

Mark 8:22-38

If you are setting your mind on the things of man (life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness), you may not be setting them on the things of God (which included death, imprisonment, and suffering for Jesus and many of his disciples) (verse 33).

Mark 9:1-13

I never noticed that right before the transfiguration, we find out that people thought Jesus was Elijah or one of the prophets (Mark 8:28). Then — at the transfiguration — we see Jesus with Elijah and Moses. The implication is that Jesus is not Elijah or Moses, and that He is greater than they are. Jesus is far more than we imagine.

YouVersion Reformation Reading Plan, day 303

Mark 8:1-21

And he said to them, “Do you not yet understand?"

Mark 8:21

Jeremiah 40

…

Jeremiah 41

People are violent people.

Jeremiah 42

…

Jeremiah 43

All that the people of Judah had to do was follow the LORD’s commands. And they didn’t do it. They refused to believe that God had something better for them than what they could see for themselves. They blew it.

YouVersion Reformation Reading Plan, day 301

Mark 7

What comes out of you defiles you. What’s come out of me lately?

As a side note, human evil comes from within us (verses 21-22). We don’t get to blame our circumstances or the adversary.

Jeremiah 37

Even if you think you have escaped the LORD’s plan (and his wrath), He will still bring it to pass (verse 10).

Jeremiah 38

…

Jeremiah 39

Can you imagine having your sons slaughtered before your eyes? Such is the wrath of God that He brings against Zedekiah and the people of Judah.

YouVersion Reformation Reading Plan, day 300

Proverbs 24:8-34

If you faint in the day of adversity,
your strength is small.

Proverbs 24:10

THS (Tiny Heart Syndrome), right there in Proverbs. Christ did not faint in the day of adversity. He did not come down off the cross and save Himself. He did not walk away from the love He shows toward us. While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. This proves God’s love for us.

YouVersion Reformation Reading Plan, day 299

Mark 6:30-56

Jesus orders the disciples away to a desolate place because they don’t have time to eat (verse 31). Take time to eat. But an amazing thing happens. They never make it away from the crowds, and eventually Jesus feeds not just the disciples but the crowds as well! Do you trust Christ to give you your food at the appointed hours? Do you not need to, because you are not laboring that much?

YouVersion Reformation Reading Plan, day 298

Mark 6:1-29

I don’t think I would do very well being rejected by my friends and family (verse 4). How painful that is, that no one listened and everyone thought You strange and arrogant.

Jesus tells his disciples to find a house to stay in, and not keep moving around within the same town/area/“there” (verse 10). Is this an indication that we’re meant to build a single congregation in any physical/geographic location? It might be a stretch to claim that the disciples were “starting churches”, but wouldn’t our churches be stronger if they were united?

YouVersion Reformation Reading Plan, day 297

Mark 5

There’s a legion of demons in this man. They are controlling him, and no one can subdue him. They ask Jesus’ permission to go into some pigs instead. That is weird. They are in control of an uncontrollable man, and yet they cannot overstep Christ’s authority enough to take over some pigs. Christ’s authority is absolute. Complete. Even over the demons.

And he went away and began to proclaim in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him, and everyone marveled.

YouVersion Reformation Reading Plan, day 296

Mark 4

“The sower sows the word."

Mark 4:14

Not, “the sower looks for good soil,” or “the sower carries a bag of seeds around in case he sees a perfectly tilled empty farm plot.” The sower sows the word. How have I sowed recently?

Good soil hears, accepts, and bears fruit. What parts of God’s word am I not accepting? Do I truly believe that serving God is better than my job (and the money I make from it)? Is it better than my family? Is it better than my church? How does serving God lead me into being a part of the church? Should I change the name of these posts from “Quiet Time” to “Question Time”?

YouVersion Reformation Reading Plan, day 295

Mark 3:20-35

“But no one can enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man. Then indeed he may plunder the house."

Mark 3:27

The parable speaks of the devil. Christ has bound him, and plunders his house, stealing us. Some horrifying implications here: without Christ, we are the devil’s. Some joyful implications here: the devil is bound, and now we are Christ’s.

YouVersion Reformation Reading Plan, day 293

Proverbs 23:17-35

Drunkards and gluttons have the same end (verses 20-21).

I feel like verses 27 and 28 perfectly describe pornography and the modern smartphone.

Proverbs 24:1-7

Twice (Proverbs 23:17 and verse 1) in this reading, we are warned not to envy sinners. In what ways am I guilty of that? Sometimes I look at my bank account and daydream about how much higher the numbers would be if I had not tithed for the last n years. I wonder what it would be like to not have a sexual conscience. I think about how much worldly good I could achieve if I had more focused time. None of those things are worth it. The less I envy those who lack Christ, the better off I will be — and the more likely I am to share the good news of His love with them.

YouVersion Reformation Reading Plan, day 292

Mark 2:18-28

Have you never read (verse 25)?

I find this passage relatively straightforward, and yet somehow I don’t understand it. What is the new wine? What is the old garment? Why was it OK for David and his men to violate God’s law, but not Uzzah (II Samuel 6:6-7)?

Mark 3:1-19

Jesus is grieved at our hardness of heart (verse 5).

Apostles are with Jesus, they preach, and they cast out demons (verses 14-15).

YouVersion Reformation Reading Plan, day 291

Mark 2:1-17

Jesus does not heal the paralytic because the man needs to be healed. He forgives the man’s sins, because the man needs forgiveness. Then, Jesus heals him. To make a point. What we need is not worldly healing (though that’s awesome). What we need is forgiveness; the blood of Christ, covering us and washing us clean. What we need is to be right with God the Father, at peace with the creator of the universe. Jesus is pointing us to that truth.

YouVersion Reformation Reading Plan, day 290

Mark 1

Where does John the Baptist get the idea of baptism?

…“The time is fulfilled; and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel."

Mark 1:15

And then:

…“Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men."

Mark 1:17

And more:

Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand and touched him and said to him, “I will; be clean."

YouVersion Reformation Reading Plan, day 289

Philemon 1

Paul writes this letter to Philemon, Apphia, Archippus, and the church in their house (verses 1-2). I wonder what their relationship is, that the three of them share a house? In any case, Philemon gets all the credit — I’ve never noticed the other names here before.

I also find it interesting that here again is a church “in [their] house,” again meaning a congregation that meets in their house. How does the early church decide who will meet where? Is it geographic? Is it based on relational networks? Is it professional? Some mix of the three?

YouVersion Reformation Reading Plan, day 288

Titus 2

Am I a member of “older men” (sober-minded, dignified, self-controlled, sound in faith, in love, and in steadfastness, verse 2)? Or younger men (self-controlled, verse 6)? Probably both. Certainly there appears to be some sort of process of sanctification at work here given the large disparity in expectations. If we are not moving forward in our love for God and for our neighbors, we are probably missing something. God’s grace is training us (verse 12) to become the people God expects us to be.

YouVersion Reformation Reading Plan, day 286

Proverbs 22:17-29

Do you see a man skillful in his work?
He will stand before kings; he will not stand before obscure men.

Proverbs 22:29

Want to impact the world from the very top? Do excellent work.

Proverbs 23:1-16

Do not withhold discipline from a child;
if you strike him with a rod, he will not die.
If you strike him with the rod,
you will save his soul from Sheol.

YouVersion Reformation Reading Plan, day 285

Titus 1

Paul instructs Titus to appoint elders in every town (verse 5); the set of qualifications (verses 6-9) he gives is pretty comparable to the set given in his letter to Timothy. I am particularly interested to know how the local churches were separated geographically; this seems to imply that each town had its own church with its own leadership. In America, each town has several “churches”, each with leadership — even the smallest town is likely to have at least two churches, because in America we just don’t get along with our neighbors. We think we have to have perfect theology coming from the pulpit (even when we don’t understand it). We think we need the best combination of musical style, cultural appeal, and childcare availability (even when we don’t volunteer to do any of those things). We want to be with “our people”, whatever that means.

YouVersion Reformation Reading Plan, day 284

II Timothy 3

I feel this way sometimes. Lover of self. Lover of money. Proud, arrogant, and abusive. Ungrateful, unholy, heartless, and unappeasable. Slanderous, without self-control, brutal. Reckless. Swollen with conceit. Loving pleasure rather than loving God.

LORD, please forgive me for I am an unclean man.

I do find it encouraging that Timothy was “from childhood … acquainted with the sacred writings,” (verse 15). Sometimes I feel like less of a Christian because I don’t have a dramatic conversion story. I grew up in the faith, and while it certainly becomes more real to me daily, there’s no “before” that I can remember. But Timothy is the same way. He grew up in the church. He became a laborer and a pastor. He served God well without some incredible origin story.

YouVersion Reformation Reading Plan, day 283

II Timothy 1

…for which I was appointed a preacher and apostle and teacher…

II Timothy 1:11

Paul claims three of the spiritual gifts listed in Ephesians 4:11. I tend to disagree with the idea that these “APEST” spiritual gifts are the “only” or “main” gifts. It seems to me that these are gifts for the leadership, “to equip the saints for the work of ministry,” (Ephesians 4:12), meaning that the saints doing the ministry are not (necessarily) expected to have these gifts. I do think it is interesting that Paul calls himself an apostle here; I was wondering about this tonight because I could not think of any passage where anyone other than Paul and the Twelve are named apostles. A cursory search of the ESV on BibleGateway brings up exactly one other apostle: Barnabas (Acts 14:14). In fact, most of the times that the word “apostles” is used in Acts, it’s paired with another word for the other saints: “except the Apostles” (8:1) “and the brothers” (11:1), “and the elders” (15:2, 4, 6, 22, 23; 16:4). In Romans 16:7, Paul notes that “the apostles … were in Christ before me.” So there are 14 Apostles, possibly (the Twelve minus Judas, plus Matthias, Paul, and Barnabas). Are there apostles today? I think it’s probably a little pretentious for anyone living in 2019 to claim to have seen the Lord, which is the qualification for apostleship that the eleven set out when selecting Matthias (Acts 1:22), and which Paul uses as part of his claim (Acts 22:14, I Corinthians 9:1).

YouVersion Reformation Reading Plan, day 282

I Timothy 6:3-21

I wonder sometimes if I stray into the “unhealthy craving for controversy” or “quarrels about words” territory (verse 4). What is the edge of wanting to be as particularly correct as possible, versus evil suspicions and constant friction (verse 5)?

But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content.

I Timothy 6:8

LORD, make me content with You and nothing more. That feels like a dangerous prayer to pray (especially after finishing Job not long ago), but truly we need nothing more than Christ.

YouVersion Reformation Reading Plan, day 281

I Timothy 5

But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.

I Timothy 5:8

I look ahead in my life and I wonder how I will handle my parents’ and in-laws’ needs as they advance in years. When is it acceptable, pleasing, or wise to consider “managed care,” “retirement communities,” or “nursing homes”? The specter of spending all day every day caring for them is exhausting, even only in imagination. How do we, the church, handle this, especially with parents who are not believers?

YouVersion Reformation Reading Plan, day 279

Proverbs 21:23-31

Whoever keeps his mouth and his tongue
keeps himself out of trouble.

Proverbs 21:23

Shut up, Stick.

Proverbs 22:1-16

…

Psalms 117

Praise the LORD!

Psalms 118

His steadfast love endures forever!

YouVersion Reformation Reading Plan, day 278

I Timothy 3

Qualifications for overseer:

• Aspires to the office
• Above reproach
• Husband of one wife
• Sober-minded
• Self-controlled
• Respectable
• Hospitable
• Able to teach
• Not a drunkard
• Not violent but gentle
• Not quarrelsome
• Not a lover of money
• Manage his own household well
• With dignity, keep his children submissive
• Not a recent convert
• Well thought of by outsiders

They must hold the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience.

YouVersion Reformation Reading Plan, day 277

I Timothy 1

…desiring to be teachers of the law, without understanding either what they are saying or the things about which they make confident assertions.

I Timothy 1:7

So, do not be too quick or too presumptuous that you may teach. First, understand. This is more or less impossible for me. My pride opens my mouth, instead of my love opening my ears (and my mind).

YouVersion Reformation Reading Plan, day 276

II Thessalonians 2

…who opposes and exalts himself against every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God.

II Thessalonians 2:4

This is what Paul terms, “the rebellion” (verse 3). Man proclaiming himself to be God. Adam’s sin included trying to become like God; this final sin is proclaiming ourselves to be God. Honestly, it seems like this is occurring constantly. Even in my own life, I proclaim myself God every time I act in my own will. Every time I justify a bad decision (or a bad attitude). God is God, and we are not. As individuals and as a species, we would do better to remember that.

YouVersion Reformation Reading Plan, day 275

II Thessalonians 1

Paul and his companions boast about the Thessalonians’ faith and works (verse 4). We ought to follow their example and boast about those who are working faithfully, as a means to “spur one another on to love and greater deeds” (Hebrews 10:24). We should boast for the martyrs, of the persecutions they are enduring for Christ, as we are supporting them in whatever way possible.

YouVersion Reformation Reading Plan, day 273

I Thessalonians 4

Now concerning brotherly love you have no need for anyone to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love one another, for that is indeed what you are doing to all the brothers throughout Macedonia. But we urge you, brothers, to do this more and more, and to aspire to live quietly, and to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands, as we instructed you, so that you may walk properly before outsiders and be dependent on no one.

YouVersion Reformation Reading Plan, day 272

Proverbs 21:1-22

Haughty eyes and a proud heart, the lamp of the wicked, are sin.

Proverbs 21:4

Elsewhere the Bible tells us that God’s word is a lamp for our feet. The proverb tells us that pride is a lamp for the wicked. When I am led by my pride, it is no wonder I am led into wickedness.

Psalms 114

We skip rocks. God skips mountains (verse 4).

YouVersion Reformation Reading Plan, day 271

I Thessalonians 2

Paul seems so …full of himself, to be honest, at least until the end of the chapter. I wish that all men (myself included!) could be so blameless as Paul in speaking the word and giving instruction.

…but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not to please man, but to please God who tests our hearts.

YouVersion Reformation Reading Plan, day 270

I Thessalonians 1

…remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.

I Thessalonians 1:3

What was the labor of love, the work of faith, (the evidence of) the Thessalonians’ steadfastness of hope? Paul tells us that they became imitators of the Lord (verse 6), receiving the Word in affliction and joy, to such an extent that they became an example to others (verse 7). They “sounded forth” the word (verse 8), so that knowledge of their faith spread throughout the region.

YouVersion Reformation Reading Plan, day 269

Colossians 3

But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth.

Colossians 3:8

Putting away anger is difficult in a house with toddlers. Imagine how God feels.

Colossians 4

How do we make the Gospel clear in our speech (verse 4)? Make the best use of your time (verse 5), and be gracious (verse 6).

… Remember my chains….

YouVersion Reformation Reading Plan, day 268

Colossians 1:15-29

For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him.

Colossians 1:16

My Jehovah’s Witness friends never liked this verse much. This whole passage might be one of the most direct evidences of Christ’s deity in the entire Bible, aside from John 1 and John 14-16 and a bunch of Psalms… pretty much just part of the whole thing.

YouVersion Reformation Reading Plan, day 267

Colossians 1:1-14

Paul is writing a love letter to a church of people he’s never visited. Unity across geographic and relational boundaries within the Church.

being strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy…

Colossians 1:11

The power of God is given to us for our endurance, patience, and joy.

Job 19

For I know that my Redeemer lives,
and at the last he will stand upon the earth.

YouVersion Reformation Reading Plan, day 265

Proverbs 20

It is an honor for a man to keep aloof from strife,
but every fool will be quarreling.

Proverbs 20:3

Let’s not argue about this, OK?

Psalm 110

The LORD says to my Lord:
“Sit at my right hand,
until I make your enemies your footstool.”

Psalms 110:1

It’s a little scary that this chapter is all about Christ and it talks about kings being shattered and nations being filled with corpses….

YouVersion Reformation Reading Plan, day 264

Philippians 3

that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.

Philippians 3:11

That is pretty strong language from a man who once refused (violently) to even believe Christ’s resurrection happened. Paul writes that he works to make Christ his own, because Christ made Paul His own (verse 12). The change in Paul’s heart came from Jesus and not from Paul. Paul achieves resurrection from the dead through Jesus, not his own works, yet he still strives so hard. This is the model we have in Paul.

YouVersion Reformation Reading Plan, day 263

Philippians 2

who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped,

Philippians 2:6

I think this is one of the most profound statements about Christ. He was in the form of God. He was God, the same that was in the beginning with God (John 1:1-2). Even though Christ is one and the same with God, He is still submissive to Himself the Father. Contrast that with Adam (and with you and I). We are created, in the image of God (Genesis 1:27), not the form. We are not God, and yet Adam and Eve’s first recorded act is to decide they wanted to be God. Or at least equal with Him. This verse in Philippians is a summation of Christ’s righteousness that will be imputed to us: He did not try to grasp equality with God; He did not even regard it as a thing to be grasped. We spend our whole lives attempting to find control, to create ourselves, to transcend creation. Here is a man who was God and yet laid that aside. What perfect righteousness is ours in Him!

YouVersion Reformation Reading Plan, day 262

Philippians 1

Paul’s imprisonment (like everything else that happened to Paul) is for the advancement of the Gospel (verse 12). Some of his detractors are preaching the Gospel under false pretenses, to somehow hurt Paul (verse 17), though I don’t understand what they hope to accomplish. However, I do think it is powerful that God uses their preaching, in earnest or not, for his glory (verse 18). I grew up in a church where (I have come to believe or understand) Christ was preached only in the context of a morality play. But I thank God that I learned so much of scripture and so many hymns during my time there. The LORD used that preaching to prepare me to worship Him more earnestly.

YouVersion Reformation Reading Plan, day 261

II Corinthians 12

Why does Paul go on boasting when he writes, “there is nothing to be gained from it” (verse 1)? I think he means that nothing is to be gained for him, because indeed Christ’s power rests on him in his weakness (verse 9). It’s difficult to view oneself as strongest in the midst of “weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities” (verse 10), but that’s what Paul writes.

YouVersion Reformation Reading Plan, day 260

II Corinthians 11

I don’t understand what Paul is writing here, beyond him warning against being deceived by men of sweet speech and false gospels.

Job 4

“Can mortal man be in the right before God?
Can a man be pure before his Maker?”

Job 4:17

No, no; he cannot, except by the blood of Christ.

Job 5

…

YouVersion Reformation Reading Plan, day 258

Proverbs 19

Desire without knowledge is not good,
and whoever makes haste wit his feet misses his way.

Proverbs 19:2

I am reliably informed that this verse isn’t a warning about running, but about buyer’s remorse.

Verse 3 tells us that when we rage against God, it might actually be because of our own foolish decisions.

Good sense makes one slow to anger,
and it is his glory to overlook an offense.

YouVersion Reformation Reading Plan, day 257

II Corinthians 10

The Lord gives authority to apostles (and others, I believe) for building up and not for tearing down (verse 8). And we should be careful not to compare ourselves (favorably) against others (verse 12). I am guilty of this constantly. It is more or less how I get through my day: “Oh, wow, such and such person is really good at X! But they probably don’t know anything about Y, or they probably never had to deal with Z.” God forgive me for my persistent selfish pride.

YouVersion Reformation Reading Plan, day 256

II Corinthians 8

Man, verse 8 rubs me the wrong way. “These other people really love God so they gave a lot of money, and that means you should too.” How do we deal with this? I understand — and agree — with everything else Paul writes in the passage, but I cannot find the good in measuring myself against others. Someone will always have given more charitably and freely than me, and from a position of greater poverty. Perhaps that is the point; that I should not consider my own circumstances or how much I have already given when I make my offerings, but instead simply give whatever I can. There is no point in making the comparisons; I will never have done enough.

YouVersion Reformation Reading Plan, day 255

II Corinthians 6:3-18

Paul has a serious definition of endurance (verse 4-5). How am I expressing my rights in a way that is an obstacle to others, instead of enduring as he did?

II Corinthians 7

As it is, I rejoice, not because you were grieved, but because you were grieved into repenting….

II Corinthians 7:9

LORD, do not spare me the grief that leads to repentance.

YouVersion Reformation Reading Plan, day 254

II Corinthians 4

I think it’s very interesting that Paul feels the need to explicitly deny tampering with God’s word (verse 2). What is it that people were accusing him of?

For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. … But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us.

YouVersion Reformation Reading Plan, day 252

II Corinthians 2:12-17

Even the apostle Paul misses his friends.

II Corinthians 3

The covenant of grace is so glorious that the covenant of the law, which made Moses’ face shine, has no glory at all (verse 10). When humans read the law, they see the glory of God through a veil. If we give our lives to Christ, the veil is removed, and we see the glory of God.

YouVersion Reformation Reading Plan, day 251

Proverbs 18

Got into a pretty interesting discussion of Matthew 18:20 today with someone who doesn’t think “two or three gathered together” has anything to do with the church. It is eating me up that someone could be so misinformed and so sure of themselves. I’m sure that’s the way a lot of people see me.

A fool takes no pleasure in understanding, but only in expressing his opinion.

YouVersion Reformation Reading Plan, day 250

II Corinthians 1

Suffering in Christ is our comfort (verse 6), because in our suffering we learn to rely wholly on Christ (verse 9). This is so wrong by earthly standards. There is nothing worse than human suffering, as far as humanity can tell. This is certainly the hardest teaching I can think of. Who can accept suffering as a good thing? Who can accept the crying of children as a way to draw us to the LORD? God, have mercy on us that our suffering not last. God, have mercy on me that I can accept this, even though I can only see this world.

YouVersion Reformation Reading Plan, day 249

I Corinthians 16

Paul expects that the church at Corinth (and in Galatia) will support the church at Jerusalem with an offering. It isn’t clear to me whether Paul himself expects to receive part of that offering. But he expects them to give it. More than that, he includes them in the work he is doing — they are “to put something aside” every week (verse 2).

YouVersion Reformation Reading Plan, day 248

I Corinthians 15:35-58

So it is with the resurrection of the dead. What is sown is perishable; what is raised is imperishable. It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness; it is raised in power.

I Corinthians 15:42-43

Paul tells us that we have no idea what our life, our bodies, will be in resurrection, but it won’t be what we are now! Our “flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God” (verse 50). It’s hard to take notes on this passage because I just feel like I should copy it all down. Perhaps I should just memorize it?

YouVersion Reformation Reading Plan, day 247

I Corinthians 15:1-34

What a weird passage.

Verses 3-8 sound like a pretty good defense (or at least retelling) of the passion and resurrection. Then Paul continues to insist that the dead must be raised, because Christ is raised.

If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied.

I Corinthians 15:19

I start to get confused at verse 29, baptizing people on behalf of the dead. What on earth is that about? I suppose it must have been some kind of early church thing for people who were looking ahead to Christ and living in faith but never had the chance to know that He had arrived?

YouVersion Reformation Reading Plan, day 246

I Corinthians 14

On the other hand, the one who prophesies speaks to people for their upbuilding and encouragement and consolation.

I Corinthians 14:3

Recently several people around me (some whom are very focused on the APEST spiritual gifts inventory idea) have remarked to me that I am a “prophet” (under the APEST framework). I think that this verse reminds us of the reason to prophesy (note that I mean prophesy in the “bring the Word of God to bear on a situation”, not “predict the future and win money in the stock market” sense). Prophecy is not about making ourselves feel better than others because we understand more scriptural truth than they do. It’s about giving them the true consolation of the Gospel. It’s about encouraging them in their relationship with the LORD. It’s about building them up into the body of Christ, the church, His perfect bride, equipped for every good work.

YouVersion Reformation Reading Plan, day 244

Proverbs 17

In the crucible and the furnace (verse 3), silver and gold lose their form and become the pure element of what they were meant to be. In the LORD, I lose my individual form and impurities, becoming the pure element of who I really am.

…and the glory of children is their fathers.

Proverbs 17:6

I know it warms me with joy when my children rejoice with me. I want to be their joy — and I want their joy to be Christ in me.

YouVersion Reformation Reading Plan, day 243

I Corinthians 12:12-31

This is a hard passage to understand in light of American christianity (small “c”). How can there be so many “bodies” in every small town, and yet we drive across town to get to the “right” one? I know we place less emphasis on unity than is right, but I don’t know how to fix it. Do we each simply go to the geographically closest house of (reasonably) Christian worship and join that congregation? How Christian (how “correct” theologically) does a body of believers need to be before we submit humbly to join them, whether they make us happy or not? In what ways is American or western individualism infecting my sense of which “body” I’m meant to be a part of?

YouVersion Reformation Reading Plan, day 242

I Corinthians 12:1-11

No one can say, “Jesus is Lord!” except in the Holy Spirit.

I Corinthians 12:3

Is this verse meant as reassurance? Paul reminds them that once they were led astray… does he mean that they must now be in the Holy Spirit because now they say “Jesus is Lord”?

II Chronicles 32

Hezekiah trusts in the LORD but still makes human preparations.

YouVersion Reformation Reading Plan, day 241

I Corinthians 10:23-33

… For why should my liberty be determined by someone else’s conscience?

I Corinthians 10:29

This sounds like exactly the opposite of what Paul said before — that I should refrain from things that, while not sinful in and of themselves, could cause others to be confused and then sin. But Paul is still talking about the same thing here. I think he is saying don’t worry about what you eat, unless someone else points it out to you… maybe?

YouVersion Reformation Reading Plan, day 240

I Corinthians 10:1-22

It is terrifying to think that the Israelites “drank from the spiritual Rock … Christ,” and yet God was not pleased with them (verses 4-5). With what will I please God, if not Christ? I have no merit of my own, and indeed great sin. I must subsist only on the security that Christ “lost not one,” (John 17:12). From that verse in John, though, we find that Christ “lost” the “son of perdition.” So if I am to have salvation, I must continue in Christ, bearing good fruit, instead of “thorns and thistles (Hebrews 6:8).

YouVersion Reformation Reading Plan, day 239

I Corinthians 8

If anyone imagines that he knows something, he does not yet know as he ought to know.

I Corinthians 8:2

Ouch! Paul really doubles down on setting the standard here; even if I’m not actually doing anything wrong, I need to be aware of how others perceive my actions. This is doubly true when I am living in the pride of my own knowledge. Where does this come into play? Alcohol? My speech patterns? Ouch.

YouVersion Reformation Reading Plan, day 237

Proverbs 16

How is it that “the answer of the tongue is from the LORD” (verse 1)? I know it is not from the LORD when anger, fear, resentment, impatience, and pride come out of my mouth. On the other hand, “Out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks” (Luke 6:45). God brings all things to light, even the depths of our hearts — possibly through our speech.

YouVersion Reformation Reading Plan, day 236

I Corinthians 7

Listen up, men. Title of the chapter (at least in ESV): Principles for Marriage.

…Likewise the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does.

I Corinthians 7:4

I do not own my body. God owns it. He has given it to my wife. Whatever I do with my body then should have my wife’s approval.

It is weird to think that marriage is not the default state in New Testament Christianity. The default state is celibacy, and marriage is only for those who lack self control (a.k.a. me). But in the next life, we will be like angels in heaven, who neither marry nor are given in marriage. And that will be wonderful. For now, being married is wonderful!

YouVersion Reformation Reading Plan, day 235

I Corinthians 6

To have lawsuits at all with one another is already a defeat for you. Why not rather suffer wrong? Why not rather be defrauded?

I Corinthians 6:7

It is hopeless for us to try such a thing in human strength. Who can ever say they would rather be wronged than avenged? Or rather be defrauded than …raise a storm? Yet Christ did not answer his accusers one word. How can I set aside my rights and wholeheartedly work for the good of the body, even when I am not recognized? When I am not treated fairly? What claim do I have to fair treatment anyway?

YouVersion Reformation Reading Plan, day 234

I Corinthians 4

This is how one should regard us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God.

I Corinthians 4:1

How do I steward the mysteries of God?

How often in my walk, especially in my judgment of myself or others, do I “go beyond what is written” (verse 6)?

Yesterday I noted that discipleship should be (at least in good measure) about making me dead. In this chapter Paul talks about all the ways that he has become lessor in his service:

YouVersion Reformation Reading Plan, day 233

I Corinthians 3

Paul chastises the church at Corinth for remaining infants in Christ, not because they have not learned about God and Jesus, but because they have “enmity and strife” (verse 3). When we disciple, are we worried about knowledge? Skills? Character? Whether they love God and love people? How much of my Christianity is focused on making me better, instead of making me dead (Galatians 6:14; Colossians 2:20; Romans 6:2, 7, 11, etc)? How much of me making myself better can really be called worship?

YouVersion Reformation Reading Plan, day 232

I Corinthians 1

To the church of God that is in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints together with all those who in every place call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both their Lord and ours:

I Corinthians 1:2

The church of God … those sanctified … together with all those who in every place call upon the name. Struggling for months with what is the church? What purpose and calling does the church serve? What form should the church pursue? This verse seems to point to the form simply being everyone who calls on the Name. What did the church in Corinth actually look like? We don’t see all their form and technique listed — is it because those things are secondary, and God will work in whatever way He desires to work? What is important is the people of the church: all those who worship God in every place.

YouVersion Reformation Reading Plan, day 230

Proverbs 15:25-33

This passage starts and ends with pride versus humility. I wonder about some of the verses in between:

The heart of the righteous ponders how to answer,
but the mouth of the wicked pours out evil things.

Proverbs 15:28

How does this manifest in pride? I think the teacher here is saying to me that my tendency to be brusque and impatient with people comes from my pride. And it’s sin. Certainly I say hateful or hurtful things more often when my pride is running ahead of me — when I am either impatient for someone to get to the point or when I want to show off my knowledge. Either way, I’m not pondering how to answer, and what comes out of it is wickedness.

YouVersion Reformation Reading Plan, day 229

Matthew 28

No one expected the resurrection. The disciples are hiding out, dejected and confused; the women go to the tomb to clean a dead body buried in haste. But the chief priests… how do you have this incredible thing happen, and not just deny it but pay others to keep it quiet? How did they think that would work? What did they think actually happened? How much is a “sufficient sum of money” for the soldiers to ignore what they had experienced?

YouVersion Reformation Reading Plan, day 228

Matthew 27:2727-66

The Roman soldiers mock Christ by saying, “Hail, King of the Jews” (verse 29). The literal lowest thing to them was to be one of God’s chosen people. They did not recognize His deity, of course, but in their minds the God of the Hebrews was disproven by the very fact that Rome (like many other nations before it) had conquered Israel/Palestine. People who worshipped this God were worthy of scorn. Nothing ever changes. Ever will the world proclaim victory over God. Ever will God’s victory over us come in the form of Christ and His grace.

YouVersion Reformation Reading Plan, day 227

Matthew 27:1-26

Isn’t it strange that the chief priests thought it wrong to put blood money into the treasury, but not to pay blood money out? Pilate was the only one who understood what was going on: “For he knew that it was out of envy that they had delivered Him up” (verse 18). But even Pilate could not wash his hands of Christ’s blood.

YouVersion Reformation Reading Plan, day 225

Matthew 26:1-35

What does it mean for Jesus to say, “For you will always have the poor with you, but you will not always have me.” (verse 11)? Is this as simple as His body dying, rising, and being taken up? Is He trying to tell us something about the poor, or about Himself, or both? I wonder about the way we see tithes and offerings used in the New Testament: the general rule seems to be that these are for the poor. Did the disciples think back to this episode when they decided how to use material gifts?

I Timothy 6:2 says, “Those who have believers as their masters must not be disrespectful to them because they are brethren, but must serve them all the more, because those who partake of the benefit are believers and beloved. Teach and preach these principles.”

I have been really uncomfortable lately because most of the men with whom I worship on Sundays and labor through the week outrank me, yet they don’t want to be called “sir” at church. Perhaps they should simply give God glory that I believe, and I should certainly continue to respect them in every way and give God glory that I have bosses who believe!

“You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has become tasteless, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled under foot by men." (Matthew 5:13)

What does Jesus mean by that? (Or in Mark 9:49-50, Luke 14:34, or Colossians 4:6?)

◦◦◦◦◦

From Wikipedia:

[S]alt has been the best-known food preservative, especially for meat, for many thousands of years…

Luke 7:28 says, in part,

I say to you, among those born of women there is no one greater than John…

Pretty impressive words from the Word Himself. Among those born of women

• meaning among men, or among humans - John is the best example. But what was it that made John such a great man? What was it about him that Jesus held up so highly? I can tell you what it wasn’t - a man clothed in finery and living in luxury (Luke 7:24) or a “reed shaken by the wind” (Luke 7:25). No, John was the fulfillment of the role of the prophet. His message was simple: “Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near” (Matthew 3:2). Guess what Jesus’ message was? “Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near” (Matthew 4:17).

So, if I really want to be a man, what’s the takeaway? Should I don a camel hair cloak and eat wild honey? (Well, I do enjoy wild honey, but that’s not the point.) I should preach the Gospel, “Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near!” It doesn’t matter how many pull-ups I can do, how well you’ve trained for defensive situations, or how good your hair looks on the soccer pitch (can you tell I’ve been stuck in Europe during the European Championships?). Let the rest of my life worry about itself (Matthew 6:25), and tell all those around me that the Kingdom of Heaven is near. One last thing John said that I should try to emulate (John 3:30)….

I found an article by Malcolm Gladwell this morning about Twitter, Facebook, and Social Activism. There are a lot of interesting points, but the best one is about the value of strong ties versus weak ones. Weak ties allow us to gain vast amounts of information very quickly - via Twitter, YouTube, or other means. What they do not lead to, Gladwell writes, is “high risk activism.”

Is following Christ high risk activism? I think that’s a fairly Biblical characterization. Mark 10:29-30 tells us that we will recieve many persecutions as a result of sacrificing our present lives for His glory. Sacrifice and suffering persecution sound like high-risk activities to me. And I’m not just talking about those who are practicing the Gospel in dark places; I’m talking about the difficulty of really living for Christ in the tolerance of the Western world.

Seth Godin posted an interesting thought the other day. A lot of the time, it’s impossible to persuade people of anything with just a bunch of evidence, no matter how concrete. Godin writes that in marketing, we should try a different tactic:

…Evidence isn’t the only marketing tactic that is effective. In fact, it’s often not the best tactic. What would change his mind, what would change the mind of many people resistant to evidence is a series of eager testimonials from other tribe members who have changed their minds.

Found this story about teens becoming “fake Christians” yesterday via Neatorama. I want to add a few comments to two quotes from the article:

No matter their background, Dean says committed Christian teens share four traits: They have a personal story about God they can share, a deep connection to a faith community, a sense of purpose and a sense of hope about their future.

Otherwise known as a testimony (I John 5:11-12), true Christian fellowship (Hebrews 10:24-25), commitment to the glory of God (I Corinthians 10:31), and hope that comes from a living and faithful Savior (Hebrews 3:6). If you’re a parent, are you working towards helping your children grow up with all four of the above? Whether you have children or not, do you have all of them?

I do believe; help my unbelief!

I think the sentiment in Mark 9:24 above is profound. It’s a plea for hope, when we’ve started to place limits on God. The exclamation comes from a father who brings his little boy to Jesus and asks, “If You can help him…”

And Jesus said to him, “‘If You can?’ All things are possible to him who believes.”

I think Christ is a little bit irritated (Mark 9:23)! Don’t you get a little annoyed when people question your abilities - especially about things that you do on a regular basis, as second nature? What is it about us that makes us do the same thing to God? I think sometimes we get a little uppity and ask for things outside His plan, and He says no, but I think sometimes we also get confused and think that things are outside the realm of possibility for Him. We keep our expectations low to prevent disappointment.

Are you a hungerer for God?

I heard a pastor talk Sunday morning - incidentally, a pastor who was once a Chinese law student and present at Tiananmen Square

• and he had some great things to say about how we should pray. His text was Matthew 6:11, which is pretty short, but his message was that we should pray as receivers of all good things from God, as hungerers for God and His grace, and as our brothers’ keepers.

Now, aside from the fact that “hungerer” is, in fact, in the dictionary, it’s a neat word for our relationship to God. The pastor this morning said he knew what hunger was, because he remembered a six-day hunger strike, and he remembered many months in a Chinese jail. I know what hunger is, because I remember missing breakfast Sunday morning and then sitting in the Mexican restaurant after church wondering if my poor tummy was going to implode. It’s an eternal human condition, a need for basic sustenance that everyone shares (except maybe this guy - I’m not really sure what’s going on there). According to the dictionary, that means that we are all hungerers.

I’ve got a truck just like the one pictured. It’s a 2001 Chevrolet Silverado 1500HD Crew Cab with a six liter V8 and a sprayed-in bedliner. It’s got 110,000 miles on it, a brand new set of Wildcat tires, and a window decal that reads, “Real Men Love Jesus.” It’s the only vehicle I’ve ever owned. That truck may as well be my identity.

But I’m going to have to sell it. My wife and I are moving to a large city where it won’t be possible for me to park, and with gas prices on the rise, 13 MPG just isn’t cutting it. I never thought it would be difficult, but man, that truck just feels right to drive. It’s perfect. In the Truck I Trust, you know?

The nineteenth chapter of the book of John starts with “Pilate then took Jesus and scourged Him,” and it ends with, “they laid Jesus there.” It’s a moving story of the crucifixion of an innocent teacher - remember, the people involved didn’t know about the resurrection yet.

In the middle of the chapter, Pilate asks the Jews, “Shall I crucify your King?” (John 19:15). I think their response is chilling.

John 13:34-35, probably one of the more often quoted passages of the Bible, centers on the commandment that we love each other as Christ loved us. Pretty straightforward, except Jesus starts it with this bit in John 13:33 about the disciples not being able to follow Him to the cross.

Peter doesn’t get it. “Lord, where are you going?” Then, “Lord, why can I not follow You right now? I will lay down my life for You.” (John 13:36-37)

I have a problem with authority. Specifically, I think I ought to have authority over my life. Which doesn’t sound ridiculous, but it is. Check out these examples.

Luke 14:18-20 - The Parable of the Feast

“But they all alike began to make excuses. The first one said to him, ‘I have bought a piece of land and I need to go out and look at it; please consider me excused.’
“Another one said, ‘I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I am going to try them out; please consider me excused.’
“Another one said, ‘I have married a wife, and for that reason I cannot come.’”

On Thursday, I wrote that there was something terribly wrong with my ministry: it was about me getting credit with people. But I knew something was missing. This video, from Chuck Wood, asks the fundamental question that I wasn’t asking myself.

Chuck says that we need to ask those we’re discipling, “How are you becoming more like Jesus?” If someone had asked me that two months ago, I might have said all kinds of things, but today I’d probably tell you that I hadn’t become any more like Jesus in a long time. I was doing all the stuff, because that’s just what you do. Because I was supposed to to it. I don’t even know why I was doing it. But it made other people think I was good, and that made me feel good about myself.

Reading my Bible made me angry this week. It doesn’t happen often, but some teachings are hard to accept. So here’s what I learned, from Luke 17:7-10.

“Which of you, having a slave plowing or tending sheep, will say to him when he has come in from the field, ‘Come immediately and sit down to eat’?
“But will he not say to him, ‘Prepare something for me to eat, and properly clothe yourself and serve me while I eat and drink; and afterward you may eat and drink’?
“He does not thank the slave because he did the things which were commanded, does he?
“So you too, when you do all the things which are commanded you, say, ‘We are unworthy slaves; we have done only that which we ought to have done.’”

Whose image are you made in?

“God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.” -Genesis 1:27

I’ve seen a lot of people lately making themselves in Peyton Manning and Reggie Bush’s images - or at least wearing their jerseys. There are also a bunch of people making themselves in the image of a “Tea Party,” aside from those making themselves into the image of President Obama or Rush Limbaugh. One of the guys at work chafes every day that he must make himself into the image of an office professional and wear khakis and a shirt, rather than being the image of Mark Martin, his favorite NASCAR driver. Personally, I just put on my boots and belt buckle and make myself into the image of a cowboy.

James 1:26 says that if anyone doesn’t bridle their tongue, their religion is worthless.

So do you bridle your tongue? Or do you fence it? Or does it roam free?

There are two reasons to build a fence. One is to keep things in; the other is to keep things out. When we’re talking about horses, fences keep them in the pasture and out of the dangers of the wild. So if James had written to “fence your tongue,” we’d be good if we just never said anything bad - if we kept ourselves from gossip, malice, deceit, and all unrighteousness (Romans 1:29). But he didn’t. He wrote that we must bridle our tongues.

My church is starting a sermon series (well, started last week) on the Sermon on the Mount, Matthew 5, 6, and 7. Today the pastor talked about why it’s important to study this passage of scripture: it’s basically God’s standard for our lives. I want to share a quick list that he put out, almost as a sidenote to the sermon. These are eight “new” concepts (well, they were new to the Jews in Jesus’ time) from the Sermon on the Mount. They are definitely not conformed to this world!

As I was driving back to work today after a stop at a computer parts shop, I was wondering if the shop owner I’d just spoken to was as much of a nerd as he seemed. Did he play Everquest?

And I had a thought. I sometimes treat Christianity like a role-playing game. Like I might not be a Christian at work. Or I might not be a Christian on Saturday. I’m a only Christian when I’m at Church or at praise band rehearsal. It’s like I waited all week to play ChristQuest on Sunday morning with my guild. I don’t want to be one of those weird guys who dresses up as their character or really gets into it, you know? Heck, I don’t even talk about the game except to other people who play. I’d never mention Christ to a non-Christian - he’d think I was a nerd!

I’ve struggled with this post (and it’s a couple of days late) because I really don’t know what to do for resolutions this year… 2009 was the first year I ever made resolutions, and putting them online turned out to be pretty good motivation, so I wanted to do it again. But I have no idea what to resolve for 2010. I could go the comedy way, but I want to actually accomplish something. So I’ve searched teh Interwebs and taken whatever I can find.

1. Read through my Bible this year before I get married May 23 this year; the entire thing, cover to cover, reading at least a chapter every single day.
   I did it.

2. Use my credit card whenever possible but never carry a balance.
   This worked great. I highly recommend it.

3. Contribute the maximum amount to my Roth IRA account.
   $5,000 in. Good to go.

4. Build a three-month emergency fund.
   Done.

5. Get my two mile run time under 15 minutes.
   14:33 on the treadmill last week, since it was too cold to go outside. That doesn’t really count, but in the end I took more than two minutes off my two-mile time this year. That’s pretty good.

This idea is not original - I’ve seen it presented at least twice, by two different people. However, I couldn’t (easily) find it on Google, so I wanted to put it here anyway. I wrote last week that I’d finished the Bible and that I was thinking that maybe reading the Bible straight through more than once would be less than productive. So here’s the method I intend to use.

Fantastic post from Stuff Christians Like today - if you haven’t visited that site, you should.

I finished the Bible last night.

Yeah, you read that right. Frontal assault style, Genesis 1:1 to Revelation 22:21, straight through, do not pass go, do not collect $200. It took me 347 days, but I did it. Do I recommend it? Yes, but just once. Because it’s definitely not the most efficient method of reading in terms of Christian growth*, but you gotta do it, if only so you can say to your friends, “Yes, I’ve read the Bible, the whole thing, straight through.” Because a direct answer is a lot more helpful than saying, “Well, yeah, I’ve read it all, I think, but never all at once or straight through, mostly just the parts I liked because the story moves or the characters are interesting….”

1. Read through my Bible this year before I get married May 23 this year; the entire thing, cover to cover, reading at least a chapter every single day.
   I have exactly ten pages of the Bible left to read in December. I’m in Revelation 5, when a bunch of seals start getting opened. Talk about some crazy stuff.

2. Use my credit card whenever possible but never carry a balance.
   Once again the budget saved us. Aside from having four people over for Thanksgiving (plus ourselves!) we upgraded our media center and paid almost $400 dollars to fix the truck again after the front part of the starter fell off and broke into a bunch of tiny pieces inside the flywheel housing. But it all got paid without touching our emergency savings. Hooray budgets!

Why The Prosperity Gospel Just Ain’t Right.

But I don’t even know what it means to serve money.

No, really, what on earth does that mean (Matthew 6:24)? Apparently I’m not the first to ask the question, and I think that this article gets at least this much right: it’s a warning,

against the kind of storing up that is a symptom of greed and acquisitiveness, of the love of money, and a love of the independence from God that it seems to allow.

I really wish I had a (better) picture for this post.

So this buddy of mine (whose name was Sunshine) had a great shirt. It was kind of an ugly yellow color, and it had three things on the front, which I’ve attempted to re-create below.

Now, of course upon seeing the Nike Swoosh, the first three words that pop into any American’s mind are “Just Do It.” These words are followed by a strong desire to go watch the Chicago Bulls play basketball until one remembers that Michael Jordan is now (for the last time) retired. That’s not important, though; what’s important is those three words. Just do it.

Hebrews 9:28 -

So that Christ also, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time for salvation without reference to sin, to those who eagerly await Him.

What does it mean to have salvation without reference to sin?

Hebrews 4:15 tells us that our High Priest, Jesus Christ, is without sin despite having suffered all the temptations of earthly man. He is the one and only perfect person - 100 percent.

1. Read through my Bible this year before I get married May 23 this year; the entire thing, cover to cover, reading at least a chapter every single day.
   In all of October, I’ve read just 14 pages (to page 916) but that’s included Thessalonians, Timothy, Titus, Philemon, and Hebrews 1-4. Partly it’s also a symptom of the fact that these books are so packed with knowledge and insight into our lives in Christ, but two verses came together this morning to make it clear: I need to consider Jesus (Hebrews 3:1) and pay much closer attention (Hebrews 2:1). Still very much on track to make my goal, but I want all my reading to be worthwhile - for it to bear fruit that remains (John 15:4-5).

Today our pastor likened Christian life to flying a helicopter.

It’s not much of a stretch, and it’s not all that amazing a metaphor - probably a couple hundred people have used it before. However, one thing that did seem really insightful to me was that the pastor correlated all the people in the back of that helicopter to my Christian life.

So here’s the basic metaphor: can you fly a helicopter? (For all you pilots out there, hush up.) So if you can’t fly a helicopter, would you climb up front, during a flight, and tell the pilot to scram, that you’re taking over? For the pilots, would you tolerate some passenger climbing up front (or even just getting on the intercom) and telling you to move aside, they can do a better job?

I tumblogged (is that a word?) James 4:17 yesterday with the tagline, “Ouch!”

Anyone here never not do the right thing? Yes, that’s an intentional double negative. I’m not asking if anyone’s never done anything wrong, but whether you’ve ever not done something that was right. Is it wrong by default for me to not do something that’s right? Or is there some point total, where as long as I don’t do anything wrong, the “right” things I do just add points and I might not get a gold medal like the overachievers who do all the right things but at least I could get bronze? Yeah, if you want conviction from a kid’s movie, the video previewed at the right slammed me with that verse from James last night.

Everyone wants to know what heaven will be like. You know, streets of gold and blind people acting like they just got LASIK and no wheelchairs. I saw something at an airport today and now I know what heaven is like. You’ll never guess what it was.

What does that sign have to do with heaven? Well, I Corinthians 6:9-10 and Galatians 5:19-21 are pretty clear that those who live in sin will be stopped short at the “Authorized Personnel Only” sign that’s hanging on the pearly gates. If you don’t think the regulations are all that serious, read Luke 16:19-31, specifically verse 6 - there is a great chasm fixed, so that no one may go back and forth.

I read I Timothy today. (Yes, the whole thing. It’s not that long.)

Among other things, I noted I Timothy 4:8. Paul writes, “bodily discipline is only of little profit.” Wait, what? What about I Corinthians 9:27? Paul wrote that too, right? “I discipline my body and make it my slave,” right?

Actually, the two passages say the same thing. They’re both contrasting our worldly ambitions with our spiritual ones. My wife and I went out running tonight, about two and a half miles. Not bad for us, about 20 minutes. I hate running. But I discipline myself to do it because I know if I don’t then my fondness for food will destroy my gut. But, that worldly discipline will be of little use to me in heaven - I’m pretty sure that my earthly waistline, whether 34 or 48 inches, won’t affect my new body when Christ comes in glory.

I recently rediscovered Carl Sagan’s Cosmos when the video below was posted to Slashdot. I had forgotten how awesome the Cosmos series was. One of the best lines in Cosmos, I think, is in the very beginning of this video….

If you wish to make an apple pie from scratch, you must first invent the universe.

It reminds me of God’s words to Job in Job 38:4-11.

Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth?
Tell Me, if you have understanding,
Who set its measurements? Since you know.
Or who stretched the line on it?
On what were its bases sunk?
Or who laid its cornerstone,
When the morning stars sang together
And all the sons of God shouted for joy?
Or who enclosed the sea with doors
When, bursting forth, it went out from the womb;
When I made a cloud its garment
And thick darkness its swaddling band,
And I placed boundaries on it
And set a bolt and doors,
And I said, ‘Thus far you shall come, but no farther;
And here shall your proud waves stop’?

Colossians 4:17 is an exhortation from Paul to Archippus, but it’s valid for each one of us:

Take heed of the ministry which you have received in the Lord, that you may fulfill it.

I wish it was rendered with an exclamation point! How painful it will be on judgment day if the Lord of Hosts says to me, “Stick! You wasted your ministry! You received it from Me and you didn’t fulfill it!”

1. Read through my Bible this year before I get married May 23 this year; the entire thing, cover to cover, reading at least a chapter every single day.
   I’ve just finished Colossians, page 902. 47 pages to go this year.

2. Use my credit card whenever possible but never carry a balance.
   The wife and I barely bought anything this month aside from groceries, so this was too easy.

3. Contribute the maximum amount to my Roth IRA account.
   Yep.

This is the fourth post in a series where I’m reviewing each of the Design for Discipleship Bible study books.

Now, I just reviewed DFD 5 a few weeks ago, so this is a little out of order, but I completed The Spirit-Filled Follower Of Jesus way back in January, before it was suggested to me that I run my mind back over each book at its conclusion. It’s probably a good idea for anyone working through the series to go back and review earlier material anyway, so whatever.

The following is an outline of a workshop that my wife and I presented last Saturday after hearing an extended and more in-depth version a few weeks ago. The theme of the talk was “Ministry While Deployed,” but it included a lot of things that are just as applicable to ministry wherever you are. The meat of the workshop was guerrilla tactics used by Che Guevara and Fidel Castro during the Cuban revolution… and on the model of Christ’s ministry during His time on earth. Keep in mind what’s below is just an outline… if you want, leave me your comments and I’ll answer any questions you might have.

This is the third post in a series where I’m reviewing each of the Design for Discipleship Bible study books.

Page five of Foundations for Faith begins

In this book you will explore these five areas:

• Who is God?
• The Authority of God’s Word
• The Holy Spirit
• Spiritual Warfare
• The Return of Christ

Those are some pretty weighty areas of study! Who is God? Pretty deep. The actual questions are deeper than those of the earlier books as well. Each chapter ends with a blank page for you to outline/summarize/paraphrase its most important points. Sometimes it takes a while - chapter one took me a month!

I heard that phrase today for the first time. It’s a new one for me, so I decided I’d explore it a bit and share some thoughts here. What does it mean to guard your testimony?

• John 17:16; John 18:36; Romans 12:2
  We are not of this World, just as Christ and the Kingdom are not of this world. If we let ourselves become conformed to the world, what’s the point of our testimony? Your witness is that you are different.
• I Peter 3:15
  Each one of us needs to know why we are who we are. What is the reason for the things that we do? Your testimony is pretty weak if you don’t really have any reason for anything, if you’re just a Christian because “that’s where my parents went to church,” or “all my friends in high school went to Bible study on Tuesdays.”
• II Timothy 2:15
  Know the Word of God, and through it know God Himself. You can be the most unconventional and moral person ever, but if you don’t know Christ, you won’t be able to make Him known to the world. That doesn’t mean just listening to the preacher on Sunday morning, or even just doing your homework for Sunday school. It means being in daily communication (at least) with Christ - having a personal relationship with Him.
• John 18:20; John 17:15
  We must be open with the world. Jesus’ prayer for us is that we are protected from evil, but not that we are taken out of this world. How can we witness and testify to the truth of Christ if we never interact with people who don’t know Him already, or if we only interact with them on a superficial level?
• Matthew 10:16
  Innocent as doves - if your testimony to Christ crucified, Lord and Savior, is paired with consistent sin and no spiritual growth, then you’re not doing much for the Gospel. No one will take you seriously. They also won’t take you seriously if you’re a bumbling fool, if you have no idea what’s going on, and if you aren’t awake and alert to the world around you - shrewd as serpents.

What do you think it means to guard your testimony? What specific things are you doing to protect your witness?

Men, this one is for us.

I Corinthians 4:1-2

Let a man regard us in this manner, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. In this case, moreover, it is required of stewards that one be found trustworthy.

Think about all that you are a steward of:

• Your own body (I Corinthians 6:19-20)
• Your wife (and children) (I Peter 3:7)
• The world around you (Genesis 1:26)
• The mysteries of God (II Timothy 2:15)

Here’s a quick refresher on the word steward: a person who manages another’s property or financial affairs; one who administers anything as the agent of another or others.

I want to share a quick note from Ephesians 5:21.

“And be subject to one another in the fear of Christ.”

Everyone gets all up in arms about this verse. I really don’t think it’s all that controversial. Here’s my take on being subject to one another:

1. Be a servant. Philippians 2:3 tells us to consider others more important than ourselves. Even better, Matthew 20:26 tells us that to be great, we must be servants. Be subject to one another in reverence for Christ, who is a servant to us.
2. Accept a rebuke. Proverbs 12:15 contrasts a wise man who listens with a fool who thinks his own way is best. II Timothy 2:4 and other verses tell us to grab our brothers and get them on the right track, if they need it… so we need to be humble enough to accept it when they do it to us!
3. Love each person as a member of Christ. Galatians 3:28 - there is no male, female, rich, poor, black, white… we are all made in the image of God (Genesis 1:26). How disrespectful to God if we fail to love His creation, and especially the very image of our Creator and Salvation!

Ok, so that’s a pretty crazy list… I’ve got to humbly accept it (and take action - II Chronicles 7:14) when dudes say, “Stick, you’re messin' up! Fix yourself!” I’ve got to love that one dude that just keeps talking and talking and talking about …what was he even saying? And I’ve got to work and work and work for the Kingdom, the Church, the body and bride of Christ, even if people give me no credit. Whoa. How do I do all this?

1. Read through my Bible this year before I get married May 23 this year; the entire thing, cover to cover, reading at least a chapter every single day.
   I’m now on page 863, Romans 8. I’ve read every chapter in Romans two or three times - I’d forgotten how long it’s been since I’ve read the New Testament. There is so much more to God and the Gospel that I’ve been missing! Romans 3:10, for example. 86 pages remaining, but a lot of meaty stuff (Hebrews 5:14). What are you reading? How do you divide up the Bible for reading? Why? What are you getting out of it?

As it is written, THERE IS NONE RIGHTEOUS, NOT EVEN ONE.

Just a short note today, things that have been stewing in my mind. Not sorry if it’s too corny for you.

Our lives without Christ’s cross: immor ality (Isaiah 64:6).

Our lives centered on that cross: immor†ality (John 3:16).

Want to share a thought…

People like to talk a lot about spiritual gifts, doing what you’re good at - what God has made you good at - for the good of His kingdom.

Filling pews is not a spiritual gift.

Romans 12:6-8, I Corinthians 12:8-10, I Corinthians 12:28-30, and Ephesians 4:11 make up a pretty decent laundry list of spiritual gifts. Here’s a gee-whiz table to show them off:

Say “God Bless” fifty times this week. And next week. And the week after….

Say it to the people who check your ID when you go into the security area at work. Say it to whoever is left in the office when you leave. Say it as a closing in your telephone conversations. Sign off from email and IM with those two words.

The only reference I have for this is Numbers 6:24-26, but I still think it’s a good idea.

This is the final post in a series on prayer.

To wrap up my examination of prayer, I’ve been mulling over what to pray. What does one say to God, the Creator, Master, and Redeemer of the Universe? What does one say to our Father, our Savior and intimate Friend? To start with, here’s the prayer I pray more than any other, it seems:

Dear God,
Help.
Amen

It’s a fantastic prayer, and I hold no copyright on it so you’re encouraged to use it, but that seems a lot like stiffing God for time, effort, and concentration that He deserves from us. Think about looking up at Jesus dying on the cross and praying that prayer right then. It just doesn’t seem right. There’s a lot more to it.

1. Read through my Bible this year before I get married May 23 this year; the entire thing, cover to cover, reading at least a chapter every single day.
   Another 50 pages down, still slow, but I’m pretty bogged down in everything right now. Consistency is the name of the game for me now.

2. Use my credit card whenever possible but never carry a balance.
   Still going strong with no balance on the card.

This is the sixth post in a series on prayer.

I’ve always prayed mostly for myself, my family, my church, my nation, and the world, and generally in that order. Last week a buddy of mine (Kit) gave a talk on prayer and he used the term, “praying in concentric circles.” I think it’s a fantastic way to structure requests in prayer. So here’s how I work prayer request subjects.
I tend to start in the center and work outwards. First, myself. This is generally either, “God, this is AWESOME. I can’t believe how much you love me to have given me a day like today,” or something more like Psalm 102 (Prayer of the Afflicted). It might seem selfish to start with me during prayer time, but getting my immediate worries out of the way (Philippians 4:6-7) helps me clear my mind for the other (some might say more important) things to talk to God about.

This is the fifth post in a series on prayer.

The whole idea of this post is that we are unlimited in our possibilities for communal prayer. We can pray alone, in ones and twos and threes, in groups (Acts 1:14), or in masses (try Psalm 135:1-3).

Christ prayed alone; in this series I’ve already alluded several times to Mark 1:35 and Matthew 14:23 as examples of Christ having a quiet time of prayer, alone and therefore unhindered by anyone else’s presence, but there are varying degrees of “aloneness” modeled in Christ’s prayer life. Take Mark 14:32-35 (and onward). Jesus takes along all eleven of His disciples - whom He just prayed with back in Mark 14:22-23 - to His evening prayer time. Then he leaves all but three behind. Then he leaves the three of them behind. I think it’s a pretty good model that He opens up to some degree with all His friends, then opens up more to His three closest men.

In the middle of this series on prayer, I want to share something that God showed me today during my study through DFD 5.

Luke 6:46 reads, “‘Why do you call Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?’”

Christ is really on to something here (imagine that). Matthew 21:22 tells us that if we believe, we will receive; if you believe, you will be obedient. James 5:16 says that the prayer of a righteous man will avail; righteousness is in obeying God. Why on earth would we cry out to God and believe, and yet not believe that we are to obey? Why would we believe in God’s power to save us, and not in the perfection of His will? If we don’t believe in Him enough to do as He commands, why would we waste our time trying to believe in Him enough that all our prayers will be answered?

This is the third post in a series on prayer.

As I mentioned in the first post of this series, my wife and I pray together every night before bed; we also pray before each meal and I generally try to make prayer a part of my quiet time, although I have not done as well as I would like. So in this post, I’m researching times that the Bible shows us we should pray.

This is the second post in a series on prayer.

So, what reasons do we have for our prayers?

If I look back at my (nasty, brutish, and short) life, I can easily find the main reason I’ve prayed: I was in trouble. E.M. Bounds writes in The Essentials of Prayer, “Trouble belongs to the present state of man on earth,” and “What an infinite variety there is in the troubles of life!” I’ve lived a pretty blessed life thus far - I mean, my main trouble is that I wish I had a new MacBook Pro instead of my six-month-old MacBook - but somehow I still find the need to cry out to God for earthly salvation on a weekly basis, and I probably should be doing it more often. Psalm 46 is a great prayer for these times; it’s a song for us to pray with others, remind each other that God is our strength and glorifying Him for our lives, our provision, and our protection. The video below is a great musical take on the psalmist’s words. (Much to my chagrin, as many times as I have sung this song, I cannot remember the composer’s name! If you know it, hit the comments!)

This is the first post in a series on prayer.

My lovely wife and I pray every night before bed, thanking the Lord for one more day together on this earth and asking Him to give us the next one. She told me recently that a lot of her friends envy this small gesture that I make in my relationship with God and my relationship with her. I started to examine my own prayer life to see how it is, and it’s not where I want it. So I’m going to examine prayer over the next few weeks and see what kind of improvement I can make!

1. Read through my Bible this year before I get married May 23 this year; the entire thing, cover to cover, reading at least a chapter every single day.
   I’ve moved from page 729 to page 777 and finished Matthew and Mark this month; I wish I could say that it’s because I’m spending so much time meditating on each passage but it’s actually just because I’m spending so little time reading. At fifty pages a month and a little under two hundred pages to go, I’ll certainly finish the whole thing this year, but I’d like to be able to focus more on what I’m reading. Now that I’m into the schedule for my work training, that should get easier, but life is pretty hectic. I’ve got to do a better job of setting aside time to read the Word.

What makes a man?

What makes a man a man?

What makes a great man a great man?

This website is partially my stream-of-conscious attempt to answer those questions. At the heart of many of the bits of answer I’ve posted is one principle: discipline.

There are a lot of articles about Walter Mischel’s Bing studies on self-control out there, and while not statistically perfect, the studies provide pretty good evidence that self-control is a good indicator of potential. I think that in large part that’s because self-control, applied with perseverance and intentionality, is what’s known as discipline. Discipline, I would submit, is among the most necessary characteristics of a man and, aside from providence, is the single determining factor between greatness and many merely good men. I don’t mean that the formula one part self-control, one part perseverance, and one part intentionality will automatically create a man that will change the world. I mean that a truly disciplined man is the one I’d like to watch, study under, and emulate.

I was reading Matthew on Thursday and I came to Matthew 25:14-30, the Parable of the Talents. I’ve read this scripture, or had the parable explained to me in sermons and Sunday school, probably a thousand times. But it never occured to me that there are four servants in the passage, not just three. First, there’s the guy who gets five talents to start with and ends up with five more - pretty good investing. He gets some pretty high praise. Next up, guy with two talents; he also doubles what’s been given to him and also gets praised. Now, the last guy brought back no decrease, but also no increase. He gets slammed.

A couple of days back, Seth Godin posted a thought-provoking question. He asks, “Where are you?” on a spectrum of “greed/joy/work/good” in your current job, and in your current spending. Where am I? He mentions a few extremes, and I think it’s interesting to see who his saints are. First one is, “[Y]ou donate all your belongings and income to the poorest and sickest in the slums and ghettos.” Then, “Would you take a 10% pay cut to market a product you truly love and believe in?”

1. Read through my Bible this year before I get married May 23 this year; the entire thing, cover to cover, reading at least a chapter every single day.
   This didn’t happen. In April, I wrote that I had only read 71 pages in an entire month; this month, I’ve gone from page 485 to page 729 - 244 pages. A major improvement, but not enough. I finished the Old Testament on May 21, and it’s pretty taxing to read the entire New Testament in two days when you’re trying to get married. So I’m back to the original goal, reading the entire Bible, at least one chapter per day, before the end of the year. I’m pretty sure I can finish the remaining 220 pages of my Bible this year. While I’m not happy that I missed this goal, I know I can’t change things now so the best thing to do is keep pressing on.

This quote popped up in the Quotes of the Day widget on my iGoogle start page… it goes very well with my post from yesterday .

“Eccentricity is not, as dull people would have us believe, a form of madness. It is often a kind of innocent pride, and the man of genius and the aristocrat are frequently regarded as eccentrics because genius and aristocrat are entirely unafraid of and uninfluenced by the opinions and vagaries of the crowd.” -Edith Sitwell

My roommate’s New Yorker from a couple of weeks back has a great article on using the full court press in basketball. It also mentions Lawrence of Arabia and King David’s younger years.

What do all these things have in common? Incredible success, due to incredibly unconventional tactics. While I’m inclined to dismiss claims that doing things differently from everyone else will always work out perfectly, I think it’s great to examine every single thing you do and ask if there’s really a good reason to do it the way you’re doing it, or even to do it at all! Romans 12:2 says 1) don’t be like everyone else just because they expect it, and 2) transform yourself through the renewing of your mind. So why are you doing what you’re doing? Why are you doing it the way you’re doing it?

When I’m reading my Bible, I often find it helpful to mark certain passages because they seem especially important, but I’ve never had any method for deciding which ones to mark. A friend showed me this technique several months ago and I couldn’t find any place where it’s explained online (if you know of one, please post it in the comments!), so here it is. This is the best method I’ve found for highlighting important verses to find them later. I highlight using five colors; other variations of the technique exist using four, or six, or seven. Here’s the list, with a few examples:

Ever wonder what your conscience is? Isaiah 30:21 says that our ears will hear God correcting us whenever we turn to the right or to the left. The whole passage, from Isaiah 30:18-23, is really interesting because it’s smack-dab in the middle of one of Isaiah’s prophecies about judgement, and yet these verses are an assurance of God’s love for us. “Burning is His anger… His tongue is like a consuming fire,” says Isaiah 30:27, and yet Isaiah 30:18 states that God waits on high, longing to be gracious to us! I don’t know about you, but when I’m angry enough that my tongue is a consuming fire - which it can be all too often - I’m certainly not longing to be gracious. I’m longing to destroy! How great is our God - even though vengeance is His (Hebrews 10:30, among other verses), He still loves us. He loves us enough to not destroy us. It makes me want to obey that still small voice. “How blessed are those who long for Him!” (Isaiah 30:18).

I can accomplish nothing; I can give nothing back to my Creator. What’s the point?

I’ve just finished reading through Ecclesiastes; can you tell? Ecclesiastes 1:2, right off the bat, tells us that everything on earth is useless. “All is vanity,” writes Solomon, and I know just what he means. Ever get that feeling like you can’t do anything right, or that even if you do, it won’t matter in the end? I’m sure Solomon felt the same way. He writes in Ecclesiastes 2:4-10 about all he has done, about all he has built and acquired. This is Solomon, King of the Jews, the richest and wisest man in the world. In Matthew 6:28-29, when Jesus wanted to point out the splendor of the lilies as beyond that of any man, he used Solomon as his example - Solomon, who had more glory and splendor than any man ever had. And yet what does Solomon write about all this? It is vanity (Ecclesiastes 2:11).

This is the second post in a series where I’m reviewing each of the Design for Discipleship Bible study books.

When I reviewed DFD 3: Walking With Christ last month, I wrote that each chapter built on its predecessors in a grand process of maturing in Christ. Design for Discipleship 4: The Character of a Follower of Jesus again points out that process, in chapters at either end of the book, and then covers three somewhat separate and very practical applications of Christ’s teaching to the life of a man.

1. Read through my Bible this year before I get married May 23; the entire thing, cover to cover, reading at least a chapter every single day.
   At the end of March, I was on page 414 of 949, starting Psalms. Today I finished Psalms, and I’m on page 485. Nothing near the 300 pages I had planned to read this month, so I’m way behind. No excuse. I have to make time for God in my life, and that means I have to make time to read, study, and meditate on His Word.

I read an article in the Birmingham Weekly a few weeks ago that really struck me, and I just found the page I’d clipped as I was wading through the deep piles of stuff on my desk. While the article is about other things, one paragraph near the end is worth noting for the on-the-money comments about real service in our culture.

“That’s where we’ve relegated service in our culture. We’ve made it something for the young to do instead of getting drunk … on a beach in Mexico,” writes the author. “But if you’ve reached that threshold tax bracket, don’t life a finger unless it’s tax deductible.”

Great article over at The Art Of Manliness on the men in the Battle of the Alamo. I think the three section headings say it all:

• Never compromise your values. (I Corinthians 16:13, Ephesians 6:11, 13-14)
• A great man keeps company with great men. (Psalm 111:1, I Corinthians 15:33)
• Great men are courageous in the face of adversity. (Deuteronomy 31:6, John 16:33)

1. Read through my Bible this year before I get married May 23; the entire thing, cover to cover, reading at least a chapter every single day.
   I’m on Psalm 1 today, and I haven’t done today’s reading yet; page 414 of 949. I’m slightly behind the curve for finishing before May 23, but it’s definitely still an achievable goal. Gotta hit the Book!

2. Use my credit card whenever possible but never carry a balance.
   Going well so far!

Well, actually, as far as God is concerned, I was.

John 1:1 says that God was here when time began… John 1:3 says that He made everything, and I firmly believe that everything includes time itself. I discovered an interesting passage in Job today, Job 8:8-10. “Bildad the Shuhite” is trying to comfort Job by telling him that God will bring good to Job’s life again, despite his terrible loss. He says that Job should consider history - God had never failed! - and reminds Job that “we are only of yesterday, and know nothing.”

It’s interesting to me how little the modern church points to the glorification of God as the point of our lives. Perhaps that’s a harsh statement, but this is a harsh reality - we’re all gonna die! (Romans 6:23)

II Chronicles 7:13-14 says that if we humble ourselves before the LORD, He will be gracious and merciful towards us. James 4:10 says the same. II Chronicles 7:19-21, on the other hand, says that if we forsake God, then our fate will become a byword to everyone.

This is the first post in a series where I’m reviewing each of the Design for Discipleship Bible study books.

Last week I finished the NavPress’ Design for Discipleship 3: Walking With Christ. I think the overall point of the study is summed up well in the first chapter, “We must remember… that there is no such thing as ‘instant maturity’ in following Jesus.” The book does what I think is a pretty decent job of setting up four crucial steps in that maturity in the later four chapters.

I’m three days behind again; maybe I’ll claim I thought it was February 31st?

1. Read through my Bible this year; the entire thing, cover to cover, reading at least a chapter every single day.
   I’m on page 310 (I Chronicles 1:1) of 949, or 32.6% finished, not including what I’ll read this afternoon. That puts my average at just over 5 pages per day, finishing on July 5. I’m upping the ante. I want to finish the entire Bible before May 23, my wedding day. I’ll need to average just under 8 pages per day to get there, but it’s doable. Way doable. And the reading I’ve done so far has given me a lot of insight, like I Kings 14:8. It says that David kept God’s commandments and followed Him with all his heart… so they’re two different things; not that you can follow Him and not keep His commandments, but it’s possible to keep His commandments halfheartedly. I want to be like David and do both!

Found a great picture on the internet today…

It’s funny because it’s halfway believable. We all know our government needs all the help it can get right now, but the A-Team isn’t going to help us. I heard a story on the radio this morning about dairy farmers laying off their cows, and the DJ ended by saying, “Let’s keep those farmers in our prayers.”

Sudden conviction moment.

Ezekiel 22:30, one of my favorite Bible verses, never ceases to convict me on this subject. The LORD looks through all the land for a man who will stand, and He finds none. If God looked out on the land right now, would He find me praying on behalf of the land? Unfortunately, probably not.

I’ve discovered that BibleGateway has a great Lent Reading Plan

• all four gospels and a few other passages during the 40 days of Lent. I know I’m a couple of days late, but I’m going to add it to my daily readings for the next 38 days! BibleGateway has a few other reading plans available, as well, that I may delve into once Easter arrives.

Psalms 23:6 finishes one of the best known Biblical passages with the words, “Surely goodness and lovingkindness shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever.”

The word lovingkindness is from a Hebrew word that’s rendered mercy in many translations. Mercy is not getting what we deserve; grace (or goodness) is getting something we don’t deserve. Seth Godin had a blurb yesterday that reminded me that God has indeed been good to me. He asks what will I do with this grace that I’ve found? I Corinthians 14:12 is a great place to start… build up the body of Christ! It feels almost MacGyver-ish: I’ve got a small apartment, some free time, moderate musical talent, interest and knowledge in computer science, and the love and grace of my Savior. How can I work so that others will see his glory?

Well, it’s already February 3, so I’m a few days behind, but here’s my monthly update on how things are going with my 2009 New Year’s Resolutions, point-by-point.

1. Read through my Bible this year; the entire thing, cover to cover, reading at least a chapter every single day.
   Well, I missed a few days here and there, but none in the last two weeks. I finished Numbers and started Deuteronomy this morning, and I’ve been struck by some of the things I never noticed before, like the fact that the Ark of the Covenant had a cover over it whenever Israel moved, so all those movies where you see the ark itself being carried are missing something. Anther verse I found particularly interesting was Deuteronomy 4:9; it points right towards one of my favorite sermons, that forgetfulness is like faith cancer. As soon as the nation of Israel began to forget the things God had done for them, they strayed from the path… In Deuteronomy 4:9, Moses implores them not to forget, but to tell their children and their grandchildren about the goodness of God!!!

I’ve never made New Year’s resolutions before, but I think this is a great year to start. Proverbs 12:15 says, “The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man is he who listens to counsel.” I know that there are a lot of things in my life that aren’t even right in my own eyes when I look back on them, and if even a fool thinks his way is right, what does that make me?

George Washington wrote that “it is the duty of all Nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey his will, to be grateful for his benefits, and humbly to implore his protection and favor.”

“I know I’m a lucky man; God’s given me a pretty fair hand.” -Montgomery Gentry

“I think we all sin by needlessly ignoring the apostolic injunction to ‘rejoice’ as much as by anything else.” -C.S. Lewis