See to it, brothers and sisters, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called “Today,” so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.

Hebrews 3

See to it, brothers and sisters, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called “Today,” so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness. v12-13

Encouragement of one another is key to warding off sin and unbelief.  Encouragement that God is real, that He is great, that He loves you, and that you can trust and belief in Christ as your Lord and Savior. Our encouragement should be daily and the implication is that we are to seek encouragement from God daily, not just from one another.  See also Proverbs 8.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God full of love, compassion, gentleness, mercy, etc. for me...this is amazing because You know everything about me, including my sin and brokenness. Thank You Jesus!  I am not worth such love.  I am lazy and selfish.  Please forgive me Jesus!  Help me overcome and turn from such sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind and strength. Help me love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Please help me seek You out daily and encourage others in my life.  Give me strength.  Give Lisa strength, comfort and freedom from pain and discomfort.  Please heal and cure her of this cancer.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

...so that by two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us.

Hebrews 6

...so that by two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us. Hebrews 6:18

I continue my study of Hebrews, assisted by the commentary Christ Centered Exposition: Exalting Jesus in Hebrews. This morning, I maintain my focus on Hebrews 6:9-20, as I lean on my commentary, and how it unpacks the second division "The Oath-Giving, Promise-Keeping God," which refers to Hebrews 6:13-18. The commentary describes how the author looks at the Abrahamic Covenant, where God, when He promised Abraham to bless him and to make his descendants into a great nation, God did so by swearing an oath by Himself (see Genesis 22:16-17). It then describes how Abraham faithfully believed in God's promise and He persevered and waited patiently for the fulfillment of the promise.  The commentary then examines how the text for today includes "two unchangeable things" from v18 and the commentary defines these as "the irrevocable nature of God’s purpose and word, and the oath that he declared publicly." The commentary then wraps for the text by highlighting how believers should stand on these unchangeable things as an encouragement to "hold firmly" to faith.  It shares: "The church is the refugee who must flee to God for rescue and who needs strong encouragement to seize the hope set before her. Because God’s Word is true and it is impossible for him to lie, we have all the confidence in the world to take heart and trust God’s promises just as Abraham did. The faithfulness of God and the certainty of his promises are not theoretical propositions. They are unchangeable realities. Like Abraham, we can stake our lives on God’s promises because God is the One who has promised them. Our God is a promise-keeping God." 

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank You for providing refuge and hope for me and my brothers and sisters in Christ.  Thank You also for all of Your promises and the faithfulness of these promises.  I am not deserving of how You bless me in these ways.  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.

For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.

Romans 15

For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. Romans 15:4

This morning, I focus on John Piper's Solid Joys devotional, where Piper seeks for us to experience an "outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon our church and ourselves that fills us with indomitable joy and frees us, and empowers us, to love those around us in ways so authentic that they are won to Christ[.]" Piper writes how God's Word (authored by the Holy Spirit) and the promises contained in them are to be claimed and captured in our hearts as the basis for this joy and hope. We know that God is with us...until the end of the age (Matthew 28:20).  We also know that although in this life we will experience challenges, we can take heart because God overcame the world (John 16:33), and our experience in this life is not the end because God give us eternal life (John 3:16).  These are, of course, just a few of the many, many promises God gives in Scriptures so "we might have hope." One more that I have claimed and keep in my heart is how believers are "filled" through a "hunger and thirst for righteousness" (Matthew 5:6).

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are a great God who loves me and who has filled me with hope, joy, and encouragement.   I am blessed indeed with how You have given me Scriptures that are the basis for my hope - thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such blessings.  My sin of worry and other sins are 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 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.

He will not cry aloud or lift up his voice, or make it heard in the street; a bruised reed he will not break, and a faintly burning wick he will not quench[.]

Isaiah 42-44

He will not cry aloud or lift up his voice, or make it heard in the street; a bruised reed he will not break, and a faintly burning wick he will not quench[.] Isaiah 42:2-3

I continue my deep dive of Isaiah, based on the Precept Upon Precept study series. Today, I move on to Lesson 16, Day 3a, where the focus remains on Isaiah 42, largely on v1-9 where we examine the subject of these verses, and of course it is Jesus.  My study encourages me to see how Jesus is the fulfillment of prophecy, pointing to Matthew 12:15-21, where Jesus says as much pointing back to Isaiah 42:1-3. As I read this morning these verses, I struggled to fully understand the intent of how Jesus does not "cry aloud or lift up his voice, or make it heard in the street; a bruised reed he will not break, and a faintly burning wick he will not quench[.]"  I leaned on John Piper to deepen my understanding and here is Piper (in the broader context of a message on the Pleasures of God) on these verses as he describes (using Jonathan Edwards words): the "excellencies" of Jesus (emphasis added): 

"[T]his servant, in whom the Father so fully delights, is so gentle that if he finds your wick, the wick of your little candle of faith, just smoldering — it’s not even making any light; it’s just smoke — he extinguish you but gently blow on your to light the flame again. That’s tenderness. There’s a grass that grows in Georgia that could be six feet tall. You could break it at the bottom and make a spear. If you hit one of them in the middle, you know it’s just going to flop over. If Jesus finds you that way, he’s not going to but you down. He props you up. A bruised reed, he will not break.

On the one hand, we have a majesty that is breathtaking. He made the world. He upholds the world. On the other hand, you have the most intimate, tender, kind, gentle, patient, loving, sweet, warm, breathe-on-your-wick friend, and the Father delights in that. It really makes God happy when he sees that.

One of the most moving sermons I have ever read on the excellencies of Christ is by Jonathan Edwards. Edwards argues that for us and for God, what makes Christ so delightful, so satisfying is not just his majesty and not just his meekness. It’s the conjunction of many diverse excellencies. It’s that way with people isn’t it? If you meet a masculine man and he’s all man, he’s not a very impressive fellow. He must have some feminine traits. If you meet a woman and she’s all feminine, she’s not impressive either. She needs some masculine traits."

What a perfect and amazing God we have!

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an amazing God who loves me and who never leaves or forsakes me - You are a great encouragement - supernatural encouragement!  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of the encouragement and hope You provide.  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.

We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain, where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf, having become a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.

Hebrews 6

We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain, where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf, having become a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek. Hebrews 6:19-20

I continue my study of Hebrews, assisted by the commentary Christ Centered Exposition: Exalting Jesus in Hebrews. My focus this morning is Hebrews 6:9-20, and my initial unaided observations of this text. The author of Hebrews pivots from an admonishment to grow in spiritual maturity and an ominous warning to those who don't, to hope and encouragement.  V9-12 expresses the author's hope that the Jewish believers focus on the hope that comes from loving and serving God, as this hope will carry them through the ups and downs of life, prevent them from being "sluggish" in their faith, and help them finish the race of faith.  In v13-20, the author then pivots to "the certainty of God's Promise."  This promise, first made to Abraham by God, who in Genesis 12:1-3, then again in 22:17-18, is that Abraham's descendants will be blessed and become a great nation.  The author of Hebrew's describes how the promise itself is made by God, including an oath to Himself, is something in which we can have faith because when God promises something we can be assured that it will be done.  In v18, readers are encouraged, because of how God is faithful, to "have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us."  V19-20 then describe this hope and encouragement as "a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul[.]"  Thank You God for giving us this "anchor of the soul"!

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My Prayer: Heavenly Father - what a great God You are, that You are faithful and You give me and my brothers and sisters in Christ and anchor of the soul!  I am not deserving of such a blessing.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my faith 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.

So they shook the dust off their feet...

Acts 13

For those following my posts, you may find it odd that I have jumped from Psalms to Acts.  I do so because I have now started attending BSF here in Raleigh and find it a blessing for myself and a blessing for Zach with whom I go.  I am encouraged that through a shared experience of the bible that Zach's interest in reading and knowing God's word has grown.  We study together father and son.

BSF this year is studying Acts and this week the start of the study is from Acts 13.  This chapter is of course filled with many words that speak to me but probably the words the speak to me most prominently are:

So they shook the dust off their feet as a warning to them and went to Iconium. ⁵² And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit. 

I see encouragement here - encouragement in the sense that while Saul (Paul) and Barnabas are expelled from Antioch in Pisidia,  "they shook the dust off their feet as a warning to them and went to Iconium".  This language struck me as odd and I found the following.  While the reference I found talks about this as an act of separation from the Jews who rejected the good news, I see this as a sign of encouragement because Saul and Barnabas, despite the fact that the Jews in Antioch in Pisidia rejected the good news, Saul and Barnabas were strong enough in their faith to move on...and even more so it said the "disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit"!  They moved on flourished!


The question and challenge is clear: is my faith strong enough to be challenged (not just in my faith but in all areas of life)  to the point where Saul and Barnabas were challenged and can I go on and flourish as they did?

This is certainly my prayer.

My Prayer: Lord, You are an awesome God and the good news about You - the gospel of Christ and all that it offers - is so powerful that it cannot be contained nor cannot be stopped.  For You I am thankful.  I am also thankful for how Your power has transformed my life in ways too many to mention.  Yet at the same time, I am weak...I am weak in many areas of my walk, including prayer, evangelism and other ways.  Lord, please forgive me for my weakness and imbalance in these areas.  Help me submit to You to be developed in these areas and help me truly develop to be the disciple You desire me to be - despite whatever earthly discouragement I might encounter.

[R]endering service with a good will as to the Lord and not to man, knowing that whatever good anyone does, this he will receive back from the Lord, whether he is a bondservant or is free.

Ephesians 6

[R]endering service with a good will as to the Lord and not to man, knowing that whatever good anyone does, this he will receive back from the Lord, whether he is a bondservant or is free. Ephesians 6:7-8

This morning, until I start a new Bible study, I continue using devotionals from John Piper.  Today, the post encourages us to understand how, in our work, believers work for the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. Piper asks us to consider five things about our work:

1. A call to radically Lord-centered living: unlike most earthly career advice where we are the "masters of our own domain", believers must consider that we exist to glorify God, and this is a radical concept for non-believers.  
2. A call to be a good person: this extends beyond our professional life such that anything and everything we do be seen as good so that we are seen as a light in a world of darkness; we are referred to Matthew 5:16. 
3. Power to do a good job for inconsiderate earthly employers
4. Encouragement that nothing good is done in vain: "Every little thing you do that is good is seen and valued and rewarded by the Lord."
5. Encouragement that insignificant status on earth is no hindrance to great reward in Heaven

I often struggle with earthly status with regard to my work - great encouragement today indeed.

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are indeed amazing and You provide my income and my job - and You have provided through good times and bad times and You have never left or forsaken me.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such a God.  I sin...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.

[A] bruised reed he will not break, and a faintly burning wick he will not quench; he will faithfully bring forth justice.

Isaiah 42

[A] bruised reed he will not break, and a faintly burning wick he will not quench; he will faithfully bring forth justice. Isaiah 42:3

This morning, I focus on John Piper's Solid Joys devotional, where Piper seeks for us to be encouraged during periods when we feel our faith is a mere "spark" vs a "flame." Piper starts by stating that "[t]he Spirit of Christ is the Spirit of encouragement...he will not snuff out your spark."  He then provides just a few of the many scriptural examples, besides Isaiah 42:3, where we can gain encouragement during periods of weak faith:

• Luke 4:18
• Malachi 4:2
• Matthew 11:29
• Psalm 27:14
  

This morning, I need more encouragement than usual - thank You Jesus for fanning the flame of my faith!

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and and who has given me faith - thank You Jesus!  You also provide the Holy Spirit, the Word, the church, and my brothers and sisters in Christ all to strengthen and build me up in my faith.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of all this!  My sin is great and 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.

And have mercy on those who doubt; save others by snatching them out of the fire; to others show mercy with fear, hating even the garment stained by the flesh.

Romans 9

And have mercy on those who doubt; save others by snatching them out of the fire; to others show mercy with fear, hating even the garment stained by the flesh. Jude 1:22-23

This morning, I continued my study of Romans.  Using my commentary - Exalting Jesus in Romans (eBook) - I started chapter thirteen God's Word Has Not Failed, which covers Romans 9:1-29.  My focus today is Romans 9:1-5, which my commentary refers to under the heading Setting the State for the Argument: The Tragedy of Israel. Just as Paul shares the great encouragements from Romans 8 (see post yesterday and previous posts), he pivots to sadness as he explores how many of his fellow Jews failed to see Jesus as the promised Messiah.  Paul has "great sorrow and unceasing anguish" (v2) and even goes as far to say that he wishes to be "cut off from Christ for the sake of his brothers" (v3). All of the riches associated with Christ "belong" to them, including "adoption" by God, the covenants given to Abraham and David, the law, the "worship", and the "promises" (v4). From them came the great patriarchs, not only Abraham and David, but Moses, Joshua, and Christ who descended from Judah and His genealogy is carefully documented by Matthew (v5).

My commentary points to how Romans chapter 9-11 reflect a pause in Paul's letter as he moves from hope and the great news of the gospel to the "relationship between Jew and Gentile", God's sovereignty vs human responsibility, and we are encouraged to see these chapters are integral and challenging and should be read as a unit.  The commentary indicates that the big question posed in Romans 9-11 is "[h]as God's word failed?" Paul wrestles with this question as he explores how God's promises to Israel failed to be fully fulfilled in the faith of the Jews as the Gospel became known to them through Jesus. 

My study this morning reflects the start of a multi-day journey to unpack Paul's struggle as he writes Romans 9-11.  

With respect to Romans 9:1-5, the commentary wants to understand the depths of Paul's anguish as v4-5 describe incredible "privileges" available to Israel. V1-5 "set the stage" for the remainder of the chapter as well as chapters 10-11.  For today, we can share in Paul's anguish because while the entirety of humanity has not descended from Israel, we can grieve over unbelief and the resulting condemnation that results.  For ourselves we should find the encouragement we need with fellow believers and BE the encouragement for unbelievers. John Piper's post references Hebrews 3:12-14 and 10:19-25 as key scriptural bases for believers to surround themselves with other believers for encouragement.  Again we are to also "snatch" unbelievers from the fire as well (James 5:19, Jude 23). 

Comment and discuss this post here.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an amazing God and I am grateful for the many believers You have placed in my life to spur me on in my faith - thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of this blessing and for the many other blessings You pour out for me.  My sin of worry and anger, as well as other sins, continue. 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. 

And have mercy on those who doubt; save others by snatching them out of the fire[.]

Hebrews 12

And have mercy on those who doubt; save others by snatching them out of the fire[.] Jude 1:22-23a

I continue my study of Hebrews, and this morning my focus is Hebrews 12:12-17, and my unaided observations of the text. Here, the text starts (v12-13) with an encouragement to endure and persevere, particularly through suffering, pain, trials, difficulty, weakness, etc. It is God who never leaves or forsakes us (Matthew 28:20) and He provides and strengthens us in all of our circumstances (Philippians 4:12-13). V14 seeks for us to be at peace with everyone and to live holy lives.  V15-17 provide us with an encouragement to share the gospel with others that God may bring them to faith and salvation through Jesus Christ.  The author of Hebrews uses Esau as an example of someone who "despised His birthright" and failed to inherit the blessing of his father Isaac (Genesis 25, 27).  Esau's line ultimately led to the Edomites (Genesis 36) and Jacob's line of course ultimately led to Jesus (Matthew 1).  While God is sovereign and it is He that hardens hearts and softens them, bringing some to faith and others not, believers nonetheless share a responsibility to share the gospel and their own testimony with others.  

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who is full of grace and compassion - giving me faith and You sustain and strengthen me - particularly during difficult times.  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 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.

Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you.

 John 16:1-15

Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you. John 16:7

I continue my study of John and today I focus on John 16:1-15, where the text returns to the Holy Spirit as Jesus seeks to prepare the disciples for His pending crucifixion and their persecution as they follow in His footsteps to share the gospel.  This preparation is simultaneously unsettling and comforting.   Here are my observations using the Sword Bible Study Method. 

• What do we learn from the text about God?: V1 is a transitional statement as Jesus knows that while the disciples will face momentary lapses of faith (we all do), He knows the remaining ones (all but Judas) will remain faithful to the mission He lays out before them.  There will be persecution and difficult times ahead, but if they remain in Him, and Him in them (John 15:1-10), if they love one another and remain unified (John 15:12-13, 17), and if they know the Holy Spirit (the Helper) will be with them (John 15:26), they will not fall away.  V2-4, 12 lays the groundwork for Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross and how the disciples’ will share in His suffering.  The disciples are more equipped to hear some of this difficult message now at this point in the gospel.  Yet, even now, God does not fully reveal Himself, as He only reveals Himself to us in ways that are intentional – God has a plan, His own timing, and both are perfect. V5-11, 13-15 expands on the coming of the Holy Spirit (the Helper) and by describing it as an encouragement and equal to God and the Father.
  
• What do we learn from the text about people?: In v1, we must see how people fall away – this of course does not mean if you truly abide in Him and Him in you that you can lose your salvation.  However, it does mean that if you were never truly in Him and Him in you then you can fall away.  This is both a warning and encouragement to know God and to build a relationship with Him.  In vv5-7, Jesus states to the disciples that He is going back to the Father (the disciples don’t fully understand this, but they can grasp how He is leaving them), and then because He knows that this will be discouraging, and because He knows this will weaken their faith as they will be more prone to sinful behavior, He offers them the Helper as an “advantage” for them.  In vv8-11 we see how those who do not believe in Jesus will face eternal condemnation.  V12 emphasizes how God’s ways and thoughts are not like ours (Isaiah 55:8), so He only reveals to us based on His timing and how He seeks to equip us.
• 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 falling away – abide in Him, and Him in you. Claim the promise of the Holy Spirit as the Helper that He provides to guide us into all the truth (v13).  Follow the example of those who believe in Him and see the Helper as an equal person of the Triune God.  Remember the Word of God – v4 – so that when we face persecution we can take comfort knowing that Jesus told us we would and that He provides the Helper to reassure us that He is still with us. 

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My Prayer: Father God, You are an awesome God who loves and saves, and give us the Holy Spirit to withstand hate and persecution.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such love and blessing.  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.

I hope to see you in passing as I go to Spain, and to be helped on my journey there by you, once I have enjoyed your company for a while.

Romans 15

I hope to see you in passing as I go to Spain, and to be helped on my journey there by you, once I have enjoyed your company for a while. Romans 15:24

This morning, I continued my study of Romans.  Using my commentary - Exalting Jesus in Romans (eBook) - I continued with chapter nineteen Great Commission Christians, which covers Romans 15:14-15:33.  My focus today is v15:19-24, which my commentary refers to under the heading "Support the Work of Church Planting." Building on my post yesterday, where I described Paul's holy ambition, today I describe how Paul receives encouragement and support from the church in Rome. I have made major moves several times in my life and I know how challenging it can be when you go to a new place - and this is the life of a missionary in Paul's case.  For those supporting those who plant churches in far away (and close) places, there are many things you can do - you can provide financially, you can provide hospitality, you can provide encouragement, prayer, etc. - this is what is described by Paul here in these verses. 

Comment and discuss this post here.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who is full of love, grace and compassion for me - thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of Your love and grace as my sin is great and it continues - I know You hate sin but please forgive me Jesus!  Help me turn from my sin towards You and 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.

Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power. For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet.

1 Corinthians 15

Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power. For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. 1 Corinthians 15:24-25

I pause on both my studies of Isaiah and Proverbs to listen to DesiringGod.com's Solid Joys daily devotion - which today focuses on the extent to which God reigns, including a discussion of boundaries or limits, and a discussion of timing.  This devotion of course draws on John Piper's extensive thinking and writing on God's reign, particularly his book Providence. The reason Piper addresses these questions is to provide encouragement for believers in the daily battle against temptation and sin - Piper writes: "[t]here is no disease, no addiction, no demon, no bad habit, no fault, no vice, no weakness, no temper, no moodiness, no pride, no self-pity, no strife, no jealousy, no perversion, no greed, no laziness that Christ will not overcome as the enemy of his honor. And the encouragement in that promise is that when you set yourself to do battle with the enemies of your faith and your holiness, you will not fight alone."  Bottom line: God's reign of course does not start at the end - it is has been, is, and will be forever and ever.  Piper writes: "Jesus Christ is now, in this age, putting all his enemies under his feet."  Believers should be encouraged not just that God reigns, but also because we are never alone.  We have the Holy Spirit, God's Word, the church, our brothers and sisters in Christ, etc. 

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. Ephesians 6:10-18

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God and You are more powerful than any force of darkness that exists - thank You for giving me the strength of Your might to defeat sin and darkness and my life.  I am not deserving of such blessings.  My sin is great and I often fall down in my faith.  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.

Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying, “The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house; his hands shall also complete it. Then you will know that the LORD of hosts has sent me to you. For whoever has despised the day of small things shall rejoice, and shall see the plumb line in the hand of Zerubbabel. “These seven are the eyes of the LORD, which range through the whole earth.”

Zechariah 4:8-10

Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying, “The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house; his hands shall also complete it. Then you will know that the LORD of hosts has sent me to you. For whoever has despised the day of small things shall rejoice, and shall see the plumb line in the hand of Zerubbabel. “These seven are the eyes of the LORD, which range through the whole earth.” Zechariah 4:8-10

I continue my study of the last four books of the OT (complete: Zephaniah, Haggai; to complete: Zechariah, Malachi) - using the Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary volume for this book.  For today, my focus is an unassisted review of Zechariah 4:8-10, which the commentary outlines as the second of three divisions for the text 4:1-14 (4:1-7, 8-10, 11-14).  Here, God continues to deliver a message of encouragement to God's people to finish rebuilding the temple after its destruction by the invading forces of Babylonia, who also took God's people captive.  God saw Zerubbabel (governor of Judah) as a righteous (see also Haggai 2:20-23) leader and as such God sought for His people to follow this leader in the effort to rebuild the temple - Zerubbabel was ordained by God for his role and the mission to complete the rebuilding. The day of small things suggests that many would view Zerubbabel as merely a man, ordinary perhaps, but God wants us to see how He uses the ordinary to do the extraordinary - similar to how Jesus came as a baby in as humble circumstances as one could expect, but would nonetheless fulfill prophecy as the promised Messiah.  We should also look to Matthew 17:20 for scripture that describes how even small measures of faith "move mountains"  

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank You for the mercies and encouragement that arrive daily and never cease through a reading of Your Word!  I am encouraged and grateful at the same time.  I am not deserving as 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 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.

...I pray that the sharing of your faith may become effective for the full knowledge of every good thing that is in us for the sake of Christ.

Philemon 1:1-7

...I pray that the sharing of your faith may become effective for the full knowledge of every good thing that is in us for the sake of Christ. Philemon 1:6-7

I continue my study of Paul's prison epistles - Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon.  Today, I start Philemon, focusing on 1:1-7, where Paul sends greetings to an early church leader named Philemon, as well as greetings to those who attend his house church in Colosse.  Here are my observations using the Sword Bible Study Method.  

• What do we learn from the text about God?: V3: We are reminded that Christ is a God of grace and peace - He is full of grace in that we don't get what we do deserve (death and eternal damnation), but we do get what we don't deserve (salvation).  Plus, this grace continues to flow in an inexhaustible supply. See also this post on DesiringGod.com. Christ is a God peace in that He is not a conquering God but one that seeks to bind things together in love through faith - delivering peace that surpasses understanding (Philippians 4:6-7).  God should be the object of our gratitude, love, and prayers, and we should be faithful as He is always faithful - see vv4-5.  V6: God gives us amazingly good things and an eternal inheritance - James (James 1:17) even says that "[e]very good gift and every perfect gift is from above[.]"  
• What do we learn from the text about people?: Vv1-2: Paul makes it clear that he is a prisoner.  Fellow believers (Timothy, Philemon, Apphia, Archippus) are referred to lovingly as brothers and sisters in Christ and as fellow workers [in Christ.]  We must also share the same love and affection with our fellow believers in the local church. Paul goes even as far as referring to Archippus as a "fellow soldier," implying that believers are in spiritual warfare - which of course we are.  This points to Ephesians 6:10-20 where Paul expands on this spiritual warfare and how we are defend ourselves via the "whole armor of God."  Vv4-6: Paul prays for his fellow believers and he prays prayers that are pleasing to God - that the Gospel be advanced that the effort be "effective for the full knowledge of every good thing that is in us for the sake of Christ."  V7: We are to be encouraging to our fellow believers - use our words to build one another up - see also 1 Thessalonians 5:11. 
• Is there anything from the text God wants us to obey (SPEC: Sins to avoid, Promises to claim, Examples to follow, Commands to obey?): Claim the promise that God is full of an inexhaustible supply of grace and that He provides a peace that surpasses understanding. Follow the example of Philemon whom Paul praises for his love and faith and leadership in the church.  Be an encouragement to other believers.   

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My Prayer: Father God, thank You my fellow brothers and sisters in Christ and for the tremendous encouragement they offer me.  Thank You also for the inexhaustible supply of grace You provide, and for the peace that surpasses understanding. I am not deserving of my salvation nor any of the blessings You pour out for me daily.  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.

“Do not be afraid, Daniel. Since the first day that you set your mind to gain understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to them."

Daniel 10

“Do not be afraid, Daniel. Since the first day that you set your mind to gain understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to them." v12

Blessings await those who submit to God.  While the Israelites continue to live in exile due to their the sin and wickedness, Daniel experiences blessing - here through encouragement by an angel sent by God.

My Prayer: Lord, You have blessed me beyond what I deserve, with words and signs of encouragement and love, but also through people and provision in my life.  I know You love me, despite what I do - and despite the fact that I continue to fall short of being the Godly man you intend me to be.  Thank You Jesus for such love, grace, mercy, patience, and blessing.  Please forgive me for my selfishness, my lack of patience, and critical words for others.  Help rid me of these sins.  Help me be more like You.  Help me so that Your desires are my desires.

But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved[.]

Ephesians 1

But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved[.] Ephesians 2:4-5

I continue my pause of a deep dive of Isaiah, based on the Precept Upon Precept study series, as I alternate the Isaiah study with a study of Ephesians for 3 days per week as I participate in a Discipleship (D) Group that is part of my church. This morning, my focus is Ephesians 1 again, with a specific focus as well on v15-23. Building on my post yesterday, and leaning on this commentary from Chuck Swindoll, Paul seeks for the church  in Ephesus (and all believers who follow) to fully appreciate the spiritual blessings of the inheritance we gain as children of God (adopted by Him).  This morning the text Paul praises God for the faith of the church in Ephesus and prays for them (v16-17), and Paul, through prayer, seeks for the church in Ephesus to: fully appreciate and grasp the hope they should have and the riches of their inheritance, which he defines as the "immeasurable greatness of His power towards us who believe, according to the working of His great might" (v18-19). Paul then goes on to further elaborate on God's might "that He worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come" (v20-21).  Finally, Paul wraps the chapter by describing how God reigns over all, including the church, which is described as "his body, the fullness of him who fills in all."  Of course, again, these are words all believers should take to heart and in so doing be encouraged and act boldly (supernaturally with Christ working through us) in light this encouragement. All of this should be understood in the context of where Paul is when he writes this letter - he is in prison in Rome!  Encouragement indeed!

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who adopted me as a child of God and in so doing blesses me with an incredible inheritance that cannot be taken from me. Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such blessings.  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 heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead 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.

He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him. Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.

1 Thessalonians 5

He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him. Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing. v10-11

God desires us to live with and FOR each other.  

Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. 2 Timothy 4:2

On the above count, I need God's help.

My Prayer:  Lord, You are an awesome God full of love, patience, encouragement, etc.  I am not worth such patience and encouragement because I often fail to be patient and encouraging with others.  Thank You that You bless me and love me anyway Jesus but more than anything I need Your forgiveness!  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome such sin and turn towards You instead.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind and strength.  Help me love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Help me be encouraging to my family.  Help me NOT exasperate them.  Give me strength.  Give Lisa strength.  Please heal and cure her of this cancer.  Help me lead and serve Lisa, Zach and Dustin.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

So when God desired to show more convincingly to the heirs of the promise the unchangeable character of his purpose, he guaranteed it with an oath, so that by two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us.

Hebrews 6

So when God desired to show more convincingly to the heirs of the promise the unchangeable character of his purpose, he guaranteed it with an oath, so that by two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us. Hebrews 6:17-18

Today I pause both my study of 1 Corinthians and my study that accompanies participation in a men's discipleship group (d-group) at my church.  Instead, I lean on DesiringGod.com's Solid Joys daily devotion, which today looks at Hebrews 6:17-18 and why the author of Hebrews encourages us to "hold fast." Piper answers this question by sharing:

• "What Christ bought for us when he died was not the freedom from having to hold fast, but the enabling power to hold fast."
• "What he bought was not the nullification of our wills as though we didn’t have to hold fast, but the empowering transformation of our wills so that we want to hold fast."
• "What he bought was not the canceling of the commandment to hold fast, but the fulfillment of the commandment to hold fast."
• "What he bought was not the end of exhortation, but the triumph of exhortation."

Piper than points us to Philippians 3:12 where Paul describes how he is able to "press on" because Christ made him one of His own.  He is the source of our power to press on and hold fast!  Remain in Him, hold fast, and press on!

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are so faithful - I can rest in Your promises because You never lie and You give me everything I need to hold fast and press on.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such love and faithfulness.  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 accept 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. 

May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Romans 14-15

May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Romans 15:5-6

This morning, I continued my study of Romans.  Using my commentary - Exalting Jesus in Romans (eBook) - I continued with chapter eighteen Gospel Unity, which covers Romans 14:1-15:13.  My focus today is v15:1-13, which my commentary refers to under the heading "The Lord's Example." In these verses, Paul builds on my discussion yesterday to further the case for church unity. We are encouraged to see how we have "an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves" (v15:1).  I know I too often seek to please myself, whether that is out of being right or to just find comfort by lack of action - convicting indeed! We are again told to build others up (v15:2). We are reminded of Christ's example that He did not seek the easy path of pleasing himself but instead willingly submitted His life for us - see v15:3. Paul tells us that we should review our Old Testament to find hope to follow Christ's example and "to live in such harmony with with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ" (v15:5-6).  We exist to glorify God - remember this! OT is referenced that we should be clear about God's saving plan as it was written in the OT - therefore we should not stand in the way of God's great design and work - unite among believers, weak and strong - we are all brothers and sisters in Christ!  Paul wraps up today's verses by providing scripture from Psalm 18:49, 2 Samuel 22:50, Deuteronomy 32:43, Psalm 117:1-2, and Isaiah 11:10. 

My commentary stress humility - so that we may put the needs of others first.  

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, when I have been weak - You have placed other more mature believers in my path to build me up...to strengthen me in my faith - thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such blessing.  My sin continues...worry, etc. 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.