So Jesus answered them, “My teaching is not mine, but his who sent me. If anyone’s will is to do God’s will, he will know whether the teaching is from God or whether I am speaking on my own authority. The one who speaks on his own authority seeks his own glory; but the one who seeks the glory of him who sent him is true, and in him there is no falsehood.

 John 7:14-24

So Jesus answered them, “My teaching is not mine, but his who sent me. If anyone’s will is to do God’s will, he will know whether the teaching is from God or whether I am speaking on my own authority. The one who speaks on his own authority seeks his own glory; but the one who seeks the glory of him who sent him is true, and in him there is no falsehood.  John 7:16-18

I continue my study of John and today I focus on John 7:14-24, where Jesus, now that He is in Jerusalem during the Feast of Booths, starts teaching in the temple.  Here are my observations using the Sword Bible Study Method. 

• What do we learn from the text about God?: Although initially hesitant to go into Judea from Galilee because "His time had not yet come" (vv6,8), once there Jesus goes straight to the temple to teach (v14).  RC Sproul identifies preaching of the Word is central to a church and Jesus squarely focuses on teaching as a priority with His ministry.  In response to the Jews who marveled at Jesus' "learning" without "stud[ying]," Jesus responds humbly and shares (vv16-18) that His learning and teaching is not His own but that of the Father who sent Him.  He then shares that anyone seeking to follow the Father's desires will "know" (with certainty or a promise implied) whether Jesus' teaching is from God or not.  This echoes words from Romans 12:2, where Paul writes that as we read God's Word (seek Him and His will for our lives), He renews our mind and gives us the ability to know the inerrancy of God's Word and His will for our lives.  Jesus then challenges the Jews (leadership) as He shares that they share falsehoods and act with hypocrisy because they seek their own authority/glory (v18) and not the will of the Father who authored the very Word they claim to follow.  Jesus' final statement (v24) in response to the Jews is quite pointed as He shares that they judge by appearances (external behaviors) vs understanding someone's heart and intent.   
• What do we learn from the text about people?: People often seek their own glory and emphasize their own authority vs that of God.  This drives pride, arrogance, envy, anger, etc.     
• Is there anything from the text God wants us to obey (SPEC: Sins to avoid, Promises to claim, Examples to follow, Commands to obey?): Avoid seeking your own glory and emphasizing your own authority.  Do not judge on appearances.  Claim the promise that if you seek His will, You will understand the authority of God and the inerrancy of His Word.  Follow Jesus' example in humility to know where our learning comes from - in fact - every good and perfect gift comes from above (James 1:17).  Understand and do God's will.  Study His Word to discern His will and allow for the renewing of your mind.     

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My Prayer: Father God, Your are an awesome God who loves and saves.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such blessings...my sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please continue to heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

You go up to the feast. I am not going up to this feast, for my time has not yet fully come.

 John 7:1-9

You go up to the feast. I am not going up to this feast, for my time has not yet fully come. John 7:8

I continue my study of John and today I focus on John 7:1-9, where Jesus continues to remain in Galilee - having just taught at the synagogue in Capernaum.  Here are my observations using the Sword Bible Study Method. 

• What do we learn from the text about God?: Once again we see Jesus focused squarely on His plan - He will not be deterred by the prompting of the disciples to go to Judea - vv3-5.  Jesus will not leave Galilee and go into Judea as He knows the "Jews were seeking to kill him" (v1).  In response to the prompting to go to Judea where the Jews were celebrating the Feast of Booths, Jesus shares that His "time has not come yet, but your time is always here" (v6).  He repeats that His time has not come yet once again in v8.  Jesus also shares in v7 that world hates Jesus because "[He] testif[ies] about it that its works are evil."      
• What do we learn from the text about people?: The disciples believe they have a better plan than that of Jesus - see vv3-5 where their argument to Him to go to Judea is that Jesus' works must be more visible for people to believe in Him.  Yet what the disciples don't know is that the greatest work of all time - the raising of Jesus from the grave - is on the way.  And....Jesus has more work to do both with the disciples and with His ministry.  
• Is there anything from the text God wants us to obey (SPEC: Sins to avoid, Promises to claim, Examples to follow, Commands to obey?): Avoid seeking not our own will but that of God.  Follow Jesus' example to focus on the Father’s will and not be deterred.   

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My Prayer: Jesus, what an awesome God You are that You followed the Father's will to be delivered to death only to be raised in three days....You stuck to this plan and would not be deterred to follow others' will for Your life.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of what You did...for me personally and for all of humanity.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please continue to heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

When the master of the feast tasted the water now become wine, and did not know where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew), the master of the feast called the bridegroom and said to him, “Everyone serves the good wine first, and when people have drunk freely, then the poor wine. But you have kept the good wine until now.”

John 2:1-12

When the master of the feast tasted the water now become wine, and did not know where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew), the master of the feast called the bridegroom and said to him, “Everyone serves the good wine first, and when people have drunk freely, then the poor wine. But you have kept the good wine until now.” John 2:9-10

I continue my study of John, and today, I take another pass at unpacking John 2:1-12 using the Sword Bible Study Method, and today I summarize my thoughts from both yesterday and today by providing an outline/divisions and main point for the text.  

Main point: Jesus responds to prayers but we must understand that His plan will not be thwarted.

1. Jesus acts with intent and a plan.
2. Jesus does respond to the cares and concerns of His people.
3. Jesus' response to our prayers and concerns does not conflict with nor deter His will.  

• What do we learn from the passage about God?: As I posted yesterday, Jesus does respond to our prayers while still sticking to His plan - in this case, you can see how Jesus made a point to His mother that His "hour [had] not yet come" - v4.  While the text is not clear, Jesus does accede to His mother's request and Jesus gives instructions to the servants and once the servants follow these instructions, water is turned into wine - v9. Because it was not Jesus' hour, He did not want His true identity to be more widely known, so His power was used in such a way that He revealed only a glimpse of His true identity to only a limited number of people.
• What do we learn from the passage about people?: While the servants did know that Jesus turned the water into wine - the text implies that this miracle was not well known among the wedding guests as even the master of the feast did not know - v9; those in the know included Jesus, the servants, Jesus' mother, and the disciples - v11.  
• Is there anything from the passage God wants us to obey (SPEC: Sins to avoid,Promises to claim, Examples to follow, Commands to obey?): Jesus responds to prayers but we must understand that His plan will not be thwarted (see also Job 42:2, Isaiah 14:27).      

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My Prayer: Father God, You are an awesome God who loves and saves.  You acted with intent and a plan to save me - thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of my salvation nor how You continue to work in me.  My sin is great and it continues.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please continue to heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

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!” And many rebuked him, telling him to be silent. But he cried out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”

Mark 10:46-52

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!” And many rebuked him, telling him to be silent. But he cried out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” Mark 10:47-48

I continue my study of Mark, leaning on the Christ-Centered Exposition commentary series volume for Mark.  Today, I focus on an unassisted review of Mark 10:46-52, which is the text for the next chapter of the commentary. Observations of the text based on the Sword Bible Study Method: 

• What do we learn from the passage about God?: True to His Word (v45) where Jesus shares how He came to serve, Jesus sought those who needed both a physical and spiritual healing.  While many sought to silence Bartimaeus, Jesus sought to see and speak to him.  See vv49.  Jesus goes even further, asking Bartimaeus what He can do for him.  Jesus gives Bartimaeus what He seeks - his sight.  Jesus attributes this miracle to Bartimaeus' faith that he could be healed - this is what God seeks from us - faith and belief that God can do anything, that we can bring any request to God we seek - not that He will grant it but that we have faith that He is able.   
• What do we learn from the passage about people?: We should not presume that we know Jesus'  intentions. See v48 where many rebuked Bartimaeus for calling out to Jesus - the assumption is that those rebuking Bartimaeus might not have felt Bartimaeus was worthy of an encounter with Jesus....or that they somehow knew that Jesus did not want such an encounter. People often claim to know God's will - without truly knowing God.  Also, Bartimaeus was desperate, hence he cried out to Jesus to have mercy on him - twice - see vv47-48.  Bartimaeus believed that he somehow deserved his blindness - as he asked for mercy, which is different than compassion.  We all need mercy because we should be reminded that we all sin and the wages of sin are death (Romans 3:23, 6:23).  
• Is there anything from the passage God wants us to obey (SPEC: Sins to avoid,Promises to claim, Examples to follow, Commands to obey?): We can only know God's will if we submit to Him, and allow Him to direct our steps and plans - see Proverbs 16:9, 19:21, 20:24. We can take comfort that our faith can make us well - v52 - whether it be during this life or in Heaven when all believers receive their Heavenly boy and are healed from all earthly infirmities. 

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My Prayer: Father God, You are an awesome God that serves and heals - You are able of all things and You are worthy of all praise, honor, and glory.  Thank You for my salvation and for the mercies and blessings You pour out every single day for me.  I am not deserving.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please continue to heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day. 

But it shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all.

Mark 10:32-45

But it shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all. Mark 10:43-44

I continue my study of Mark, leaning on the Christ-Centered Exposition commentary series volume for Mark.  Today, my focus is a commentary-assisted review of Mark 10:32-45.  Excerpts from the commentary's third (of four) division (vv41-44):

• The title of the third division per the commentary is "Consider the Conflict in Being a Servant." 
• The other disciples are angry at James and John, likely because at least some of them also want glory for themselves and certainly do not want James and John to experience more glory than themselves - jealousy is aroused.   
• Yet Jesus shares that more power in His Kingdom results in more service to others - more power from God brings great responsibility to a good steward of this power in service of His will, not one's own.  The commentary points us to Romans 12:2 where we must seek not conformation to the world but renewal of the mind to understand His will. 
• "You want to be great, do something great for God? You want to please and honor the Lord Jesus with your life? Then become a diakonos (servant; v43), a doulos (slave) of all (v44). Become a table waiter, a household servant. Become a slave. Such a person will have the mind of Christ, esteeming others better than himself, not giving attention to their own interests, but to those of others (Philippians 2:3-5)."

It's not about us - we exist to bring all praise, honor and glory to God.  It is through us that others may see God and be drawn to Him. 

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My Prayer: Father God, You are an awesome God who loves and who saves - as You laid down Your life for me so that I could live now with fullness, and forever in Heaven with You.  The greatest gift of all time - thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such blessings.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please continue to heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.   

But turning and seeing his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan! For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.”

Mark 8:27-38

But turning and seeing his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan! For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.” Mark 8:33

I continue my study of Mark, leaning on the Christ-Centered Exposition commentary series volume for Mark.  Today, my focus is a commentary-assisted review of Mark 8:27-38.  Excerpts from the commentary's second (of three) division (vv31-33):

• For the first division, the title is: "You Must Learn and Affirm the Ways of God and Not Man."
• "The first half of Mark focuses on who He is. The Gospel tells us the King has come! Our response is to repent and believe. The first confession comes from an insider when Peter says, “You are the Messiah!” (8:29). The second half focuses on what He came to do. The Gospel tells us the King must die! Our response is to take up our cross and follow Him." 
• "A King who dies is not what they expected or wanted. It is, however, what they desperately needed." 
• "Jesus begins a new chapter in the disciples’ education. It is time for them to graduate, even if they are not ready."  
• "God’s way will be different from what a world that exalts power would expect: He will suffer, be rejected, especially by the religious establishment, be killed, and rise three days later." 
• "All of this must happen. It is necessary. It is what the Scriptures promised. This is why He came. This is what sin’s payment demands and we cannot provide. This is where the law of God and the love of God will meet! This is where judgment and grace kiss! Rob the word “must” of its meaning, and you empty the gospel and the cross of its glory. God’s ways are often hard but clear."  
• "Peter offers Jesus the crown without the cross. He thinks he has a better plan than God does. Peter wants a Jesus who fits his agenda. He thinks he knows the kind of Messiah Jesus needs to be and attempts to reshape and redefine Him to fit his conception."  
• "No, you and I must learn and affirm the ways of God, not man. You may not fully understand it. It may not be easy or safe. It will, however, be best. In fact, it will be perfect (Romans 12:2)."

A full appreciation of who Jesus is, His ways and thoughts, can only be understood once we get face to face with Him.  Until such a time, we can lean on scripture and prayer to gain as much of an understanding that God wants to reveal to us.  We do know that God seeks humility....it's not about us...we must surrender our lives to Him and allow Him to work through us.  It's His will we seek, not ours.  

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My Prayer: Father God, Your ways are good, true, and perfect.  I know this as I have experienced this in my own life and have seen the work of Your hands.  Thank You Jesus for working in my heart and life.  I am not deserving of my salvation nor how all things work together for good through You.  My sin continues...and it is great.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please continue to heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day. 

For whoever does the will of God, he is my brother and sister and mother.

Mark 3:31-35

For whoever does the will of God, he is my brother and sister and mother. Mark 3:35

I continue my study of Mark, leaning on the Christ-Centered Exposition commentary series volume for Mark.  Today, I focus on a commentary-assisted review of Mark 3:35, which is the text for the third division for 3:31-35. Excerpts from the commentary for the third division: 

• Pointing to Kent Hughes' commentary on Mark and referencing Christ's emphasis on being part of the family of God vs earthly bloodlines, the commentary shares 'this new family relationship is far superior, far stronger, far more satisfying, far more demanding, and far more dear than any human family relationship (ibid.). It is an eternal relationship that is marked by unshakeable grace, and those who receive such grace are marked by humble obedience.'
• The commentary then points us to Tim Keller's commentary where Keller compares v35 to the Prodigal Son: 'Jesus . . . is the true elder brother. He willingly brings us into the Father’s family at his expense. He died for us, he was plundered for us. We sit at the Father’s table dressed in Jesus’ clothes, with his ring on our finger. All through him. We must celebrate and live out the fact that we are members of a kingdom family, and it is all at the expense of our big brother, Jesus Christ. Do you live every day as if you are a member of God’s family, accepted and loved? Remember, a child in a family obeys not in order to be loved and accepted, but because he already is loved and accepted.'
• The commentary then points to scripture that highlights text on the topic of the "will of God:" Acts 13:22, Romans 12:2, 2 Corinthians 1:1, Ephesians 6:6, 1 Thessalonians 4:3, 5:18, 1 Peter 4:2, and 1 John 2:17.  

The commentary then offers the following observations about the family of God and His will:

1. "We became children of God by spiritual birth, not by physical birth (John 3:1-8). 
2. No one is born a Christian. You become a Christian and a member of God’s family only by adoption (Romans 8:12-16; Galatians 4:4-7). 
3. Becoming part of the family of God begins when we receive and believe in Jesus, which is a sovereign work of His will, not ours (John 1:12-13).
4.  Doing the will of God gives evidence that we are part of God’s family (Mark 3:35). 
5. Those incapable of knowing and understanding the will of God are objects of God’s saving grace and mercy in Christ. People spend eternity in hell as a result of their conscious and willful acts of rebellion and disobedience against the revelation of God they have received, and those who are incapable of understanding God’s will cannot rebel in this way (see Deuteronomy 1:39; 2 Corinthians 5:10; Revelation 20:11-12). (For more on this, see commentary on Mark 10:13-16 and Akin and Mohler, “Why We Believe.”) 
6. Revelation brings responsibility. The more you know of God’s revealed will, the greater is your accountability. Punishment is not all the same in hell, and rewards are not all the same in heaven. 
7. In spite of sophisticated and even well-intended arguments, there is no biblical warrant or evidence that people will have an opportunity after death to believe in Jesus or that eventually all persons (and perhaps even demons) will be saved. Just as eternal life is forever, so is eternal death. 
8. If it were true that all will eventually be saved, evangelism would be unnecessary, and missions would be a waste of time, lives, and money.
9. Because the Bible promises that people from every tribe, tongue, people, and nation will be in heaven at the throne to worship the Lamb (Revelation 5; 7), we rejoice in knowing that the family of God will consist of the 16,600-plus people groups scattered around the world, 7,000-plus of which are still unreached. It is the will of God that they hear and believe and that we go and get them for His glory."  

Confess your sins, surrender your heart and life to Jesus as Your Savior, and be adopted into His family! 

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Father God, You are an awesome God who loves me and who saved me - while still an enemy and hostile to You.  Thank You God for saving me and for adopting me into Your family.  I am not deserving of such blessings.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please continue to heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day. 

Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit”— yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.” As it is, you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil. So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.

James 4:13-17

Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit”— yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.” As it is, you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil. So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin. James 4:13-17

I continue a pause of my study of Ecclesiastes to study James 4:13-4:17.  My focus this morning is a commentary-assisted review of this text using the Christ-Centered Exposition commentary series volume for this book. As posted yesterday, the commentary where James 4:13-5:20 is outlined in its own chapter of the commentary with a title Faith Lasts.  The commentary then further breaks down the text into two primary divisions each with subdivisions - as follows:

Faith That Perseveres 

1. Humble before the sovereignty of God (4:13-16) 
2. Obedient to the will of God (4:17)
3. Confident in the justice of God (5:1-7) 
1. He is coming to judge the sinful. 
2. He is coming to deliver the faithful. 
4. Patient in suffering (5:7-11) 
5. Trustworthy in speech (5:12) 
6. Prayerful in sorrow (5:13-18)
7. Loving toward sinners (5:19-20)

Faith That Works 

1. Only possible by the gracious gospel of Christ 
2. Played out in the context of the body of Christ 
3. Ultimately aimed toward great glory to Christ

The main idea shared by the introduction for the commentary's chapter: "[f]aith that perseveres to the end is humble before the sovereignty of God, obedient to the will of God, confident in the justice of God, patient in suffering, trustworthy in speech, prayerful in sorrow, and loving toward sinners."  The commentary's chapter introduction also describes how James challenges us.

The commentary for the first division (4:13-16) challenges us as it describes how when James was originally authored "[b]usiness travel in the first century was actually fairly common, and verse 13 pictures a businessman confidently planning to make a profit in the future."  Contemporary life is of course no different and such thoughts are even more pervasive not just here in the United States but elsewhere.  The commentary shares: James calls talking about your business affairs as if they are certainties “boasting” or bragging, that is, doing things in your own strength without admitting dependence on God. James is warning us that we can become so consumed with the material realm, thinking about our plans, plots, and strategies to work and make money, that we become blind to spiritual realities. The problem is not the planning in and of itself but planning in such a way that God has no place in the plans." We are urged to see how God is sovereign over every aspect of our lives, birth, death, and everything in between.  As such we should act humbly and in reverent fear as God is in control - we should recognize that we exist to glorify God and that we don't want to disappoint Him. The commentary also shares that "the intent here is not to create a passive fatalism in our minds that says, “Well, God has determined everything, so I’m just going to sit back and do nothing and see what He decides to do.” No, remember that James gives plenty of commands to obey and actions to take. James is talking about activity throughout this book, but he’s talking about activity that is humbly dependent on the sovereign God of the universe....James describes a radically different way to live in this world, particularly in the busyness and the business of our lives. This world tells us to live like we’re going to be here forever, urging us to make our plans, acquire our possessions, and work to build our portfolio. But James tells us to submit to God. Don’t live like you’re going to be here forever. Instead, live and plan and work like your life is short and like you don’t want to waste it on worldly things. Live like you want to spend your life humbly before the sovereignty of God and ultimately for the glory of God."  

The commentary for the second division (4:17) describes obedience as being either a sin of commission or omission: "We normally think of sin in terms of sins of commission: doing what God has said not to do. God says, “Do not lie,” and so you do not lie. God says, “Do not covet,” and so you do not covet. This is how we often think of sin—as not doing bad things. But James reminds us that just as serious as lying or coveting or doing anything else that God has said not to do are sins of omission: disregarding what God has said to do. This involves hearing the command of God to do something—such as the command to admit dependence on God when you make your business plans—and then choosing not to do it....At the end of Matthew 25 [vv31-46], people are cast into hell, not because of what they did but because of what they didn’t do. They didn’t feed the hungry or clothe the naked. They failed to do what God has commanded His people to do all along—to care for those in need (Moo, James, 208)."  Challenging indeed - God please renew my mind and direct my steps, and help me live boldly for You!

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God that is SO full of mercies that never ever cease.  You save me and continue to pour out these mercies daily and so much more - my cup overflows.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such blessings and for my salvation.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.”

James 4:13-17

Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.” James 4:15

This morning and over the next week, I pause my study of Ecclesiastes to study James 4:13-4:17 in preparation for my Sunday school class where I am leading our discussion on this text.  Before I jump specifically into this text, I think it is important and relevant to set some context for the book of James.  For this aspect, I lean on the John MacArthur Bible Commentary.  The commentary provides this useful context:

• "The recipients of this book were Jewish believers who had been dispersed (1: 1), possibly as a result of Stephen’s martyrdom (Acts 7, c. A.D. 31– 34), but more likely due to the persecution under Herod Agrippa I (Acts 12, c. A.D. 44)."
• "The author refers to his audience as “brethren” fifteen times (1:2, 16, 19; 2:1, 5, 14; 3:1, 10, 12; 4:11; 5:7, 9, 10, 12, 19), which was a common epithet among the first-century Jews. Not surprisingly then, James is Jewish in its content."
• "James, with its devotion to direct, pungent statements on wise living, is reminiscent of the Book of Proverbs. It has a practical emphasis, not emphasizing theoretical knowledge, but godly behavior. James wrote with a passionate desire for his readers to be uncompromisingly obedient to the Word of God."

The commentary outlines James as follows, sharing first:"[d]ue to its complexity, there are a number of ways to outline the book in order to grasp the arrangement of its content. One way is to order it around a series of tests by which the genuineness of a person’s faith may be measured."

1. The Test of Perseverance in Suffering (1:2–12) 
2. The Test of Blame in Temptation (1:13–18)
3. The Test of Response to the Word (1:19–27)
4. The Test of Impartial Love (2:1–13)
5. The Test of Righteous Works (2:14–26)
6. The Test of the Tongue (3:1–12)
7. The Test of Humble Wisdom (3:13–18)
8. The Test of Worldly Indulgence (4:1–12)
9. The Test of Dependence (4:13–17)
10. The Test of Patient Endurance (5:1–11)
11. The Test of Truthfulness (5:12) 
12. The Test of Prayerfulness (5:13–18)
13. The Test of True Faith (5:19, 20)

The Christ-Centered Exposition commentary series volume for this book, outlines James as follows: 

1. Faith Perseveres (1:1-18)
2. Faith Obeys (1:19-25)
3. Faith Loves (1:26-2:13)
4. Faith Acts (2:14-19)
5. Faith Sacrifices (2:20-24)
6. Faith Risks (2:25-26)
7. Faith Speaks (3:1-12)
8. Faith Submits (3:13-4:12)
9. Faith Lasts (4:13-5:20)

Despite the differences in how the commentaries outline James, both generally see James as a book where the author looks closely at how faith is measured, particularly with respect to the relationship between faith and works.  Both also see James as a book offering practical guidance for living as God intends - challenging us to be bold in our faith in how it shows up for others to see. The Christ-Centered Exposition commentary shares this: "[f]aith moves Christians to take steps of radical obedience to make the gospel known all around the world."

Now....onto an unassisted review of James 4:13-17.  Vv13-14 should be viewed as an admonishment for those who fail to both see and heed God in their future plans.  James shares that we do not know for sure what each day will bring - the implication here is while we do not know what tomorrow will bring but God does as He is in control.  He certainly has a plan for our lives and it is our role to understand what this is.  Romans 12:2 is instructive here.  We should be thanking God for each day He gives us and seeking transformation and renewal of our minds to more like God - to think like God so that He can guide our thoughts and steps - we become slaves to God (2 Corinthians 10:5) as His Word is a lamp unto our feet (Psalm 119:105).  Similar to Ecclesiastes where Solomon shares how life is meaningless and futile without God, v14 also shares our lives are a mist that comes and goes.  We should view our lives as a part of something bigger - as part of God's plan. V15 turns to a positive statement (vs don't do) where James urges us to seek God's will vs our own. V16-17 then turns back to negative where James admonishes those who do not seek God's will but arrogantly and sinfully follow their own desires.  Be transformed by the renewing of your mind (lean into God and study of His Word) and you are better able to know God's will for your life.  

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My Prayer: Jesus, You are indeed King of Kings and sovereign over all including all the details of my life.  Thank You for the breath of life today and of course my salvation.  I am not deserving of such blessings as my sin continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin.  Help me lean into You and be transformed by the renewing of my mind so that I can better know Your will for my life.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and energy.  Please continue to heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo. Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day. 

And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us.

1 John 5

And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. 1 John 5:14

I continue my study of 1,2,3 John using the Christ-Centered Exposition commentary series volume for these books.  Today, my focus is a commentary-assisted review of 1 John 5:13-21, focusing specifically on a review of the main idea for the entirety of the text, the commentary's introduction/overview for this text, and the second division - which is "We Can Know That God Answers Prayer (5:14-17)". John also addressed in 1 John 3:22 where he shared that "God answers our prayers when we are (1) keeping His commands and (2) doing those things that please Him. John now adds a third requirement: (3) we must ask “according to his will” (v14)." Of course, the commentary shares how a believer's will may often not align that of God.  However, the commentary also shares that God's will is always better than our own. We are referred to Romans 12:2 where God's will is described as "good, pleasing and perfect." In v16-17, John moves to prayer of intercession, for someone who is in sin.  V16 is described by the commentary as one of the most difficult verses to interpret in all of Scripture." The subject of the verse is "sin that leads to death."  The commentary puts forward three options to explain this type of sin as: (1) "A specific, deadly sin. This is high-handed sin. It is sin that is willful and deliberate; sin that is of a serious nature; (2) Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit.  This is a deliberate, knowledgeable, willful, verbal, and continual rejection of the truth to which the Spirit bears witness. It is a hardening of the heart to a degree that prayer will not help; or (3) Total rejection of the gospel and Christ. This is the sin of the false teachers who willfully and habitually oppose the witness of God concerning the person and work of His Son, Jesus Christ. This one is not called a brother. He is an apostate."  The commentary lands on option (3) as the preferred option. The text therefore shares how we can intercede in prayer for someone who is in sin that leads to death but this prayer will be futile.  V17 then describes sin that "does not lead to death," and we are called per the text to pray for those who are in sin that "does not lead to death."

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are a good, good Father, righteous, Holy and Your will is good, pleasing and perfect.  You hear all of my prayers and respond to all of them. I am not deserving of how You respond to my prayers - my sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Whoever keeps his commandments abides in God, and God in him. And by this we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit whom he has given us.

1 John 3

Whoever keeps his commandments abides in God, and God in him. And by this we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit whom he has given us. 1 John 3:24

I resume my study of 1,2,3 John using the Christ-Centered Exposition commentary series volume for these books.  Today, my focus is a commentary-assisted review of 1 John 3:18-24.  

Per the commentary for this text: 

Main idea: "God uses biblical truths and the gift of His Spirit to provide assurance and comfort to His beloved children."

Excerpts from the introduction:

• "The human heart is a tender, vulnerable, and complex component of every single person."
• "Our inclination is to embrace platitudes like “trust your heart” and “let your conscience be your guide,” but God tells us in Jeremiah 17:9, “The heart is more deceitful than anything else, and incurable—who can understand it?” Interestingly, the answer to this often quoted verse is found in the very next verse in Jeremiah: “I, Yahweh, examine the mind, I test the heart to give each according to his way.”
• "The apostle John recognized that those who have believed in Jesus (3:23) could still suffer from a hurting heart, a condemning conscience. He also knew there were some basic truths, all grounded in the good news of the gospel, that could provide healing, the exact cure that is needed. Some basic knowledge of what God has done and is doing in the lives of those who have trusted in Jesus provides the precise remedy for this all-too-common heart condition."  
  

Divisions:

1. Love for Others Reassures Our Hearts That We Belong to God (3:18-19): Love for others that is not motivated out of pride or selfishness, etc. demonstrates to God that "we are of the truth" as children of God. However, it is often difficult to love others in various circumstances.  We must love as a an act of service and "[s]ometimes this service is public, noble, and newsworthy. Sometimes it is private, humiliating, and unnoticed. It can be a challenge....love requires service. Service involves humility. And loving others in humble service gives us assurance that we belong to Jesus."
   
2. God Is the Perfect Judge Who Sees Everything (3:20): In those circumstances when we may feel condemned, we can rest in how God truly knows us and offers freedom from condemnation (Romans 8:1). See also 1 Corinthians 4:3-5.
   
3. Be Confident That God Answers Our Prayers (3:21-22): Not being condemned by God gives us confidence that we can approach God and be heard and given what we ask - if we are truly in God (and He in us) than our asks are in alignment with God's will. "Believers with clear consciences, confident access, and obedient lives that please Christ can be assured that God will hear and answer their prayers for their good and for His glory." 
   
4. Believe That Jesus Christ Is the Son of God, and Love One Another (3:23).
   
5. Abide in God and Know that God Abides in Us by the Gift of His Spirit (3:24): "John clearly wants us to understand that the Spirit—the true Spirit who stands in radical contrast to the false spirits of antichrist (cf. 4:1-6)—comes as a gift, not as something God was obliged to give us. He is given to us as a grace gift; He is not something we can earn or merit. In saying the Spirit has already been given to us, John looks to the past, to our conversion, the moment in time when we first believed the gospel. That is when we received the Spirit....if we would set our hearts at rest, when they accuse and condemn us, we must look for evidence of the Spirit’s working, and particularly whether he is enabling us to believe in Christ, to obey God’s commands and to love our brothers; for the condition of Christ dwelling in us and of our dwelling in him is this comprehensive obedience (24a), and the evidence of the indwelling is the gift of the Spirit (24b)."
   

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves us and who is full of grace and compassion for us - giving me Your Word, and the Holy Spirit to help me in my journey with You - towards greater maturity in Christ, obedience, etc.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of the compassion and grace You pour out for me. My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.

Philippians 2

Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure. Philippians 2:12-13

I continue my study looking at the life of Paul using John Piper's 30 Reasons Why I Love the Apostle Paul.  Today, I move to chapter sixteen - Reveling in God’s Power in and through Ours.  Here, John Piper highlights how Paul encourages us to see how God's sovereignty and believers' wills do not conflict and work against each other but instead in concert.  Piper first starts by presupposing God's sovereignty over all matters in earth and heaven, pointing to Ephesians 1:11 and Romans 8:28.  He then provides the following texts as examples that describe God's will and our will working together:

• 1 Corinthians 15:10
• Philippians 2:12-13
• 2 Corinthians 8:16-17 

Piper writes about these passages: "What is so striking about this way of seeing reality is that God’s decisive, sovereign rule in the world and in our lives is not a hindrance but a help in doing what he calls us to do. God’s sovereignty does not make us fatalists. It does not paralyze us and make us say, “What will be will be.” It does not disillusion us with the meaninglessness of an impersonal cosmos. Instead, it empowers us to exert all our will and all our energy because we know this is how God works in the world— through people. God’s pervasive rule in the world gives us hope that nothing is meaningless.*"

*John Piper. 30 Reasons Why I Love the Apostle Paul

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are so good and I have seen Your hand and will in my life and how Your will and my will together work for Your glory - amazing!  I am not deserving of how You do all of this and bless me.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me turn from and overcome such sin and turn towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

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

Proverbs 19

Desire without knowledge is not good, and whoever makes haste with his feet misses his way. Proverbs 19:2

As I continue my study of Proverbs, I move on to week 7 of my study workbook, which looks at Proverbs 17-22:16.  For today, my focus is how God directs our steps and guides us in our daily lives.  Through planning, prayer, a close relationship with the Lord, we can avoid impulsive actions and decisions that take us away from Him and also cause us and others harm.  My study encourages me to meditate on Psalm 73:25, Proverbs 8:11, 10:24, 18:1, 1 Corinthians 14:1, Philippians 1:23, 1 Timothy 6:9, James 1:14-15, 4:1-4, and 1 John 2:16-17.  Thank You Jesus for guiding me and keeping me on Your path!

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who is a lamp for my feet, You guide me, help me stay on the path and You pick me up when I stumble – thank You Jesus.  I am undeserving of the love and blessings You pour out for me. My sin continues and it is daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Who stirred up one from the east whom victory meets at every step? He gives up nations before him, so that he tramples kings underfoot; he makes them like dust with his sword, like driven stubble with his bow....I stirred up one from the north, and he has come, from the rising of the sun, and he shall call upon my name; he shall trample on rulers as on mortar, as the potter treads clay.

Isaiah 44-46

Who stirred up one from the east whom victory meets at every step? He gives up nations before him, so that he tramples kings underfoot; he makes them like dust with his sword, like driven stubble with his  bow....I stirred up one from the north, and he has come, from the rising of the sun, and he shall call upon my name; he shall trample on rulers as on mortar, as the potter treads clay. Isaiah 41:2, 25

I resumed my deep dive of Isaiah, based on the Precept Upon Precept study series. Today, I continue with Lesson 17, which examines Isaiah chapters 44-46.  My focus for today is Day 2(b), which completes a review of Isaiah 44:24-45 and how God raised up Cyrus to conquer Babylon, free Judah from exile and encourage and support Judah to rebuild Jerusalem and the temple.  The study looks closely at how Cyrus is the subject of prophecy from Isaiah 41:2 and 25 that God raised up from the east and north.  Clearly, Persia is from the East and several commentaries indicate that Mede is likely to be the land from the north referenced from Isaiah 41:25. These sources indicate that while Cyrus' father was Persian, his mother was Median.  Additionally such sources indicate that Cyrus was "directed" by an uncle from Media, Darius from Mede joined Cyrus on the attack of Babylonia, and how Cyrus attacked Babylonia from the north (from Mede). The key takeaway is how God is in control of all the details - big and small - of our lives and how He uses the circumstances of our lives to direct His will.  God raised up Cyrus, and He also created us, sustains us, and moves in our lives for His purpose.

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28

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My Prayer: Heavenly Father, Jesus, You are an awesome God and I KNOW You are moving in my heart and life - thank You Jesus.  I am not deserving of the blessings and compassion You pour out for me.  My sin is great and it continues.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  sHelp me love You with all of my heart, soul and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.