pastorjohnb

Thoughts and musings on faith and our mighty God!

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A Disciplined Life

Reading: 2nd Thessalonians 1-3

2nd Thessalonians 3:3 – “The Lord is faithful and will give you strength and protect you from the evil one.”

Photo credit: Aaron Burden

Paul’s second letter to the Thessalonians continues to address the second coming of the Lord. They have become anxious because false teachers said the day has already come. Paul provides more details about the day’s approach. Satan will rise up as “the person who is lawless.” They will be in the temple and will deceive many people with fake signs and wonders. Then the Lord Jesus will come and will destroy the deceiver “with his breath.” Paul is telling the Thessalonians that the signs will be unmistakable. It will not be possible to miss the day or the events leading up to the day of the Lord.

Paul also offers prayers and thanksgiving for their faithful and holy living. He recognizes that they’ve been harassed and have suffered for their faith. Paul reminds them that on the day of the Lord, God will harshly judge those who refuse to obey the good news of Jesus Christ. The apostle is grateful that God chose the Thessalonians through this good news. He encourages them to “stand firm” and to hold onto what they were taught.

Offering and requesting prayer, Paul tells the Thessalonican church, “The Lord is faithful and will give you strength and protect you from the evil one.” He prays that they would be led to have hearts filled with “God’s love and Christ’s endurance.” Paul closes with a few more words on living a disciplined life, a holy and faithful life. He reminds them of his example of effort and hard work. He was not a burden to anyone. Some are idle and are meddling. He commands these to follow his example, earning a living, putting food on their own table. The letter closes with a blessing of peace and grace. May these words and this blessing guide our walk of faith too.

Prayer: Lord God, lead and guide us to walk faithfully each day. Strengthen and encourage us in those times of suffering. Grow our faith and trust in you as we experience your presence and power in our lives. Empower us to stand firm and to be sharers of the good news. Amen.


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A Life in Christ

Reading: Philippians 3-4

Philippians 4:13 – “I can endure all these things through the power of the one who gives me strength.”

Chapter 3 begins with a focus on pursuing Christ. Paul first warns the believers in Philippi to be wary of those who do evil and who try to force circumcision upon them. He encourages them not to put confidence in the outer self but to do as he did: write off all the worldly titles and accolades. Lose them all, like Paul, “so that I [like Paul] might gain Christ and be found in him.” In Christ, Paul receives a righteousness that is not his own. It comes through faith in Christ alone.

Paul connects knowing Christ to bring conformed to his suffering and death. In this way, Paul hopes that he “may perhaps” attain the goal of resurrection. Paul pursues this goal – not because he is perfect but because Christ “grabbed hold of me.” Leaving all else behind, this goal has become Paul’s focus.“The upward call” of God in and through Jesus Christ is the goal that Paul pursues. This pursuit involves living a holy and blameless life, a life, like Paul’s, that is worthy of imitation.

In chapter 4 Paul encourages those in the church in Philippi to “stand firm” in the Lord. He urges unity within and gentleness in their interactions with all people. Rather than worry, bring your prayers to God. Then the peace “that exceeds all understanding” will fill their hearts and minds. He invites them to focus their thoughts on all that is “true… holy… just… pure… lovely… and worthy of praise.” Living a life in Christ, Paul encourages, will bring contentment in any and all circumstances. This is because “I can endure all these things through the power of the one who gives me strength.” Walking daily in Jesus Christ’s strength, may we “give off a fragrant aroma, an acceptable sacrifice that pleases God.”

Prayer: Lord God, lead and guide us, strengthen and empower us today in our pursuit of you. Help us to lay aside the things that matter to this world so that we can focus on your will and way. Show us how to turn all our worries and fears and doubts over to you in prayer, receiving instead your peace and love. Amen.


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One in Christ

Reading: Philippians 1-2

Philippians 2:3 – “Don’t do anything for selfish purposes, but with humility think of others as better than yourselves.”

Photo credit: Clay Banks

As is his custom, Paul begins his letter to the Philippians with thanksgiving and prayer. He is “full of joy” because of the ministry in Philippi. Paul is sure that God will complete the work begun by these “partners in God’s grace.” Paul prays for their love and for their knowledge of Christ to grow. Then they will truly “filled with the fruit of righteousness.”

Paul then acknowledges that his hardships and imprisonment have actually advanced the gospel. Those in Rome are learning about Christ and others have become bolder in their proclamation of the gospel. Paul then expressed a longing to be with Christ. Yet, for their sake, he recognizes that it is more important for him to “stay in the world.” He can help them to joyfully grow in the faith. He challenges those in the church in Philippi to “live together in a manner worthy of Christ’s gospel.” This will require them to stand firm, both in the face of hardship and suffering.

In chapter 2 Paul invites the church to imitate Christ. He invites them to be unified with Christ and with one another. He encourages them, saying, “Don’t do anything for selfish purposes, but with humility think of others as better than yourselves.” Paul then unpacks what this all looks like. Jesus “emptied himself” and he humbled himself by “becoming obedient to death.” Because of Jesus’ living faith, at his name one day all will bow and confess Jesus Christ as Lord. Therefore, Paul says, be blameless and pure, trusting in God’s power to live out their own faith, shining “like stars” in this “crooked and corrupt” world. All of this is possible when they “hold onto the word of life,” Jesus Christ. May it be so for us this day and every day.

Prayer: Lord God, encourage our walk of faith and fill us with all joy. Lead and guide us to yield the fruit of righteousness as we share the good news of Jesus Christ through word and deed. Make us one in Christ, one body created to humbly serve in love. Amen.


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The Armor of Love

Reading: Ephesians 5-6

Ephesians 5:8 – “You were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord, so live your life as children of light.”

As we close out Ephesians today, Paul continues to explain how to live as followers of Jesus Christ. He begins by encouraging us to “imitate God” by “following the example of Christ.” Paul reminds us next of what this is not. It is not sexual immortality or greed or obscene language. These are not kingdom-worthy behaviors. Paul tells them, “You were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord, so live your life as children of light.” Here Paul uses darkness and light as states of being, not as adjectives that describe something that changes with the time of day. This sharp contrast is intentional. This is why Paul encouraged us to “test everything” to see if it is pleasing to God. More recently the idea to test everything was carried on WWJD bracelets…

Paul encourages us to be filled with the Spirit as we worship and praise God, as we offer our thanksgiving to God, as we submit to one another “out of respect for Christ.” Paul is continuing his “follow the example” thoughts here. He calls on us to love one another just as Christ loves us. In this way we will build up one another and the church, bringing each into a deeper holiness and into a stronger faith. Paul also applies these ideas to parents and children then to slaves and masters, a reality given up long ago. Today we could apply the latter to business owners and employees.

Ephesians closes with a well-known passage about the armor of God. He first acknowledges the spiritual battle that is always going on. He uses a Roman soldier’s armor as the analogy but underneath it all are the core tenants of our belief: truth, justice, the good news, faith, salvation, the Holy Spirit. These allow us to stand and to win the battle. With this “armor” may we too hang in there and pray for one another.

Prayer: Lord God, it comes down to love. To follow the example of Christ is to love you with all that we are and to love others as Christ loves us. To love, therefore, means to do no harm. To love means to give all of self to you and to others. To love means to do and be good. May it be so. Amen.


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For the Good of All

Reading: Galatians 5-6

Galatians 5:24 – “Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the self with its passions and its desires.”

Photo credit: Nathan Lemon

Chapter 5 begins with a call to “stand firm” in the freedom found in Christ. As the chapter unfolds, it is standing firm in the law of love, not in circumcision or in the Law of Moses. Paul declares that the last two do not matter. What matters is “faith working through love.” Later, in verse 13, Paul encourages the Galatians to “serve each other through love.”

In verses 16-26 Paul unpacks “two different ways of living.” The first is living for self. This is the opposite of loving and serving one another. Paul provides a very lengthy list of selfish behaviors – yet we could each add to the list. Paul follows this with a list of the “fruit of the Spirit” – what John Wesley called “the essence of embodied Christianity.” A life lived for God and for neighbor would evidence “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.” May this list typify us and our lives lived out in the world!

Chapter 6 opens with encouragement to hold one another accountable, to help one another, and to do a good job ourselves. Paul then reminds the church that we harvest what we plant. Plant selfishly, harvest devastation. Plant for the benefit of the Spirit, harvest eternal life. The body of the letter closes with the charge to “work for the good of all whenever we have the opportunity.” May it be so!

Prayer: Lord God, fill us with your presence and your love. Allow these to be what guides our thoughts, words, and actions. In this way, use us to reflect you into the world. Plant your words and your love in our hearts, using us to reap a harvest for your kingdom. Fill us, Lord, and lead us to be good in the world. Amen.


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Everything in Love

Reading: 1st Corinthians 13-16

1st Corinthians 16:13-14 – “Stay awake, stand firm in your faith, be brave, be strong. Everything should be done in love.”

Photo credit: Freestocks

In chapter 13 Paul reveals the “even better way.” It is the way of love. One can demonstrate gifts of the Spirit or one can have faith big enough to move a mountain or can give everything away – but if not done in love, all is worthless. Paul lists love’s attributes: patient, kind, truthful, understanding, trusting, hopeful, enduring. Prophecies, tongues, knowledge – all will cease. Love is what will reveal Christ face to face. Love is what makes us fully known. Faith and hope – they are of this world. Love is for this world and for the world to come. As John Wesley notes, “Love us the sum of perfection in heaven.”

In chapter 14 we read about Paul’s response to a question. But we don’t have the question! Paul is offering corrections to their way of worship. It was disorderly, with many people speaking at once with others shouting out questions all the time. All should be done to build up people’s faith. Speak on at a time; ask the questions at home. Worship should be done “with dignity and in proper order.”

Paul reviews the main points of his preaching in chapter 15: Christ died for our sins, was buried, rose on the third day, and appeared to lots of people. Some people are questioning the resurrection. Paul notes, in fact, Christ was raised – “the first crop of the harvest.” He then used a seed to illustrate. Just as a seed goes into the ground and something new emerges, so too will our “rotting bodies” emerge as new spiritual beings.

After encouraging an offering and speaking longingly of visiting again, Paul gives this final greeting: “Stay awake, stand firm in your faith, be brave, be strong. Everything should be done in love.” May it be so for you and for me.

Prayer: Lord God, lead and guide us to practice and walk in the way of love. May our walk mirror Jesus’ walk. May we hold fast to the hope that we find in you. May we stand firm in our faith, knowing that your Spirit stands with us. Amen.


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Stand on the Word

Reading: Luke 3-4:13

Luke 4:13 – “After finishing every temptation, the devil departed from him until the next opportunity.”

Photo credit: Aaron Burden

Luke begins the story of John the Baptist’s ministry by listing the political and religious leaders at the time John began to call people to a baptism of repentance. The baptism showed they were changing hearts and lives and wanted God to forgive their sins. This fulfills the words of Isaiah 40.

John’s ministry is not without confrontation. In addition to being arrested by Herod, John harshly addresses the crowd, declaring that they must produce fruit that reflects their changed hearts and lives. (In Matthew’s gospel these words are addressed to the Pharisees and Sadducees.) This fruit would be sharing one’s extra clothes and food with those in need. It would include being ethical and moral in how you do your job. John warns that being a child of Abraham won’t save them. The ax is already at the roots of that tree. This exchange makes me wonder, what hollow faith claims do we try to stand upon?

Because of John’s words, people begin to wonder if he is the Christ. He quickly dispels that, reminding them that he is preparing the way for the one who will baptize with “the Holy Spirit and fire.” John continues to proclaim the coming kingdom of God.

This is revealed as Jesus comes to be baptized. After praying, the Holy Spirit descends and God says, “You are my son, whom I dearly love; in you I find happiness.” Luke then gives Jesus’ genealogy, connecting Jesus back to Adam, the one who walked and talked with God. This is Luke’s way of showing that Jesus came to save all of humanity.

Our reading today closes with the temptation of Jesus. Led into the wilderness by the Holy Spirit, Jesus fasts and prays for forty days. Satan comes and tempts Jesus with food, power, and testing God. Each time Jesus stood upon the word of God. We closed with, “After finishing every temptation, the devil departed from him until the next opportunity.” Satan tests us in this way too, waiting until we are weak or tired or stressed or vulnerable… In those moments of temptation, may we too stand upon the word of God!

Prayer: Lord God, when we get too comfy, thinking church attendance and/or Bible study is sufficient, remind us that you expect us to produce fruit as a sign of a changed heart and life. Yet, may that church attendance and Bible study serve to protect us when Satan comes knocking. Amen.


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Worthy of the Kingdom

Reading: Matthew 9-10

Matthew 10:22 – “Everyone will hate you on account of my name. But whoever stands firm until the end will be saved.”

Photo credit: Shane Rounce

Chapter 9 is mostly about the healings that Jesus brought to people. There is the calling of Matthew too and the questioning of why Jesus ate with “tax collectors and sinners.” Chapter 10 shifts first to the calling and sending of the 12. The chapter ends with the realities of the cost of discipleship. This was and still is a reality for the followers of Jesus.

Chapter 9 begins with the healing of a paralyzed man. Jesus begins by forgiving his sins. This is just a means to draw in the “legal experts,” to prove that Jesus has the power to forgive sins and to heal sicknesses. Jesus then calls Matthew, saying, “Follow me.” Later, at dinner, the Pharisees question Jesus’ choice of table mates. He declares, “I didn’t come to call righteous people, but sinners.” As the chapter continues, Jesus heals five more people and Matthew closes with a summary of Jesus’ early ministry. Jesus taught and healed, announcing the good news of the kingdom. The chapter closes with a lament: the harvest is huge but the workers are few. Jesus encourages his disciples to “plead” with God for workers.

Chapter 10 begins with God’s response. The 12 are called and given authority to cast out demons and to heal diseases. They are then sent out to “the lost sheep… of Israel.” The disciples are to go without anything, relying on worthy people to take them in. They will bless these homes. If no one is found worthy in a place, the disciples will move on.

Starting in verse 16, Jesus begins to detail the cost of discipleship. The 12 go out as “sheep among wolves.” They will be arrested and beaten. But the Spirit will be with them and in their words. Jesus says, “Everyone will hate you on account of my name. But whoever stands firm until the end will be saved.” Families will come apart and turn on one another because Jesus did not “come to bring peace but sword.” The disciples are encouraged to “pick up their cross” as they follow Jesus. Doing so, they will be counted as worthy in the kingdom of God. May it be so for you and for me.

Prayer: Lord God, send us out as workers, fully cognizant of the cost of discipleship and fully aware of your Spirit’s presence with us. Lord, use us to bring healing and wholeness to others, encouraging them with the good news of your kingdom through us and our ministries. Strengthen and empower us as we too seek to follow in the footsteps of Jesus. Amen.


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Receive Your Reward

Daniel 12:1 – “At that time, every one of your people who is found written in the scroll will be rescued.”

Today we read Daniel’s visions. These difficult and challenging words carry both a historical meaning and they speak into future times as well. In the historical sense, these words deal largely with Antiochus IV, a Greek king who heavily persecuted the Israelites. His reign brought the first known attempt by a political ruler to wipe out a religion. The historical time frame is 176-164 BCE. These words come much later than Daniel 1-6, set around 400 BCE.

Daniel’s first vision is of four beasts. These kingdoms will rise and fall. All will impact God’s people. But in the end, “the holy ones of the Most High will receive the kingship.” In the end, God will triumph. The fourth, the most evil, represents Antiochus. The 3 1/2 years lines up with his actual reign, as do the wars fought with the “southern king” – Egypt.

Daniel’s second vision of the ram and he-goat are about Persia/Media and the Greeks/Alexander the Great. As strong and powerful and dominant as Alexander will be, his kingdom is divided into four smaller, weaker kingdoms. This vision is followed by Daniel’s prayer in chapter 9. His humble words of confession and repentance move heaven. Gabriel is sent. He affirms Daniel as “greatly treasured” but also confirms the persecution soon to come upon God’s faithful.

Chapter 10 offers insight into another battlefront – the heavenly conflict. Michael helped in the battle against Persia’s powers so that the messenger could get to Daniel. Chapter 11 is some review – the battles between Antiochus and Ptolemy III of Egypt. It is about the persecution the people of God will face too. They are assured that this too will end.

Chapter 12 closes the book of Daniel with words of hope, with words of resurrection and rescue. The messenger speaks of the faithful who “will shine like the stars forever and ever.” In the end, Daniel is also encouraged. He’s told that he “will rest and will stand to receive your reward.” He too will be a part of this glorious eternity. May we also persevere through the challenges, remaining humbly faithful, trusting in God’s power to rescue and redeem.

Prayer: Lord God, as we read these words that the people of God lived through, we too are reminded of the lasting nature of evil. Antiochus wasn’t the first or the last to persecute the faithful. More came. More are yet to come. Lord, lead us to walk in faith, humbling turning to you, the only one with the power to save and rescue. Amen.


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Trustworthy and True

Reading: Jeremiah 50-52

Jeremiah 51:11 – “The LORD is stirring up the spirit of kings from Media. He intends to destroy Babylon… a day of reckoning for his temple.”

The judgment oracles turn to Babylon today. Chapters 50 and 51 detail the fall of Babylon. Interwoven are words of hope for God’s people. God raises up an army from the north. This army will “decimate her land.” All living things will flee. The people of Israel and Judah will “come out together” as they seek God and “search for Zion.” They will return to the Promised Land and will “unite with the Lord in an everlasting covenant.”

Babylon – the one who gloated and plundered – will fall mightily. Her towers will collapse and her walls will come down. The “scattered sheep” of Israel will be restored to their pasture. Their sin and wrongdoing will be gone. The Lord will forgive them. But Babylon will fall! The arrogant one will stumble and be consumed by an army that is “cruel and shows no mercy.” In 51:11 we read, “The LORD is stirring up the spirit of kings from Media. He intends to destroy Babylon… a day of reckoning for his temple.” Babylon’s time has come. They will be repaid for the things they did to Zion and to the temple.

Chapter 52 is an “appendix.” Jeremiah’s words ended with chapter 51. Similar words can be found in 2nd Kings 24-25 and in Jeremiah 39. This repetition serves to reinforce Jeremiah’s role as a true prophet of God. What he spoke of about the time leading into exile came true. Therefore, all that he said about the exile and return from exile can be trusted as well. Those days are yet to come for his contemporary audience. The hope that he laid out for the exiles will help carry them through this challenging time. The same is true for us. God is trustworthy and true. We too can stand upon God’s word.

Prayer: Lord God, you bring down the proud and humble those who exalt themselves. You stand with the oppressed and the downtrodden. You redeem the wayward and cleanse the guilty. You called Israel and Judah back to covenant faithfulness and you call us to this life too. Fill us with your Holy Spirit as we seek to walk in the way of life. Amen.