One Sabbath he was going through the grainfields, and as they made their way, his disciples began to pluck heads of grain. And the Pharisees were saying to him, “Look, why are they doing what is not lawful on the Sabbath?”

Mark 2:23-28

One Sabbath he was going through the grainfields, and as they made their way, his disciples began to pluck heads of grain. And the Pharisees were saying to him, “Look, why are they doing what is not lawful on the Sabbath?” Mark 2:23-24

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 2:23-28, looking at the first of three divisions, starting with vv23-24.  Excerpts from the commentary's introduction for vv23-28 and the first division: 

• Highlighting the Pharisees response to Jesus' disciples plucking grain on the Sabbath, the commentary shares: "[f]ew things are more destructive, seductive, and deceptive to a true and vital relationship with God than the deadly poison of legalism.  It is destructive because it breeds death rather than life. It is seductive because it has a natural allure for the flesh that causes us to look to ourselves rather than to Christ for our spiritual status before God. It is deceptive because it makes us think we are the spiritual elite when actually we are spiritual slaves."
• "This is the fourth of five controversies with the religious leaders. First, they complained that Jesus claimed to be God and to forgive sins (2:1-12). Next, they were offended because He consorted with sinners (2:13-17). Then He did not fast according to their religious traditions (2:18-22). Now they take issue because He does not honor the Sabbath the way they believe He should (2:23-28 and 3:1-6)."
• The intent of the Sabbath per the commentary: "[t]he general rule was, “Do no work that is not absolutely necessary.” It was understood that nothing was “absolutely necessary” except those tasks that could result in loss of life if left undone."  Additionally, work for good was always acceptable - such as serving others, etc.  
• "Perhaps with good intentions the Pharisees had constructed a mountain of rules that enslaved those who tried to follow them. In a reversal of Genesis 50:20, what God had meant for good they had turned to evil. In a sense the clash is not over the rules but over who makes the rules. Jesus will gladly honor the law when it conforms to God’s intentions."  

Arrogance and pride are indeed dangerous sins.  As believers grow in knowledge of God and His Word, we should not use it to belittle people or hinder people's own faith journey.  Peter, for example, defended his work sharing the Good News with the Gentiles even though they were not circumcised - see Acts 11:1-8.  Paul (see 1 Corinthians 9:19-23) recognized that people less mature in their faith must be met where they are - in their circumstances.  We must acknowledge and accept people where they are and encourage them to grow in their faith - not beat them up by comparing them to yourself.  

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Father God, You are an awesome God who loves me and who is full of incredible compassion and love for - sacrificing Your own life and pouring out mercies ceaselessly every morning.  I am not deserving as 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.

And the scribes of the Pharisees, when they saw that he was eating with sinners and tax collectors, said to his disciples, “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?” And when Jesus heard it, he said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”

Mark 2:13-17

And the scribes of the Pharisees, when they saw that he was eating with sinners and tax collectors, said to his disciples, “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?” And when Jesus heard it, he said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.” Mark 2:16-17

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 2:16-17, which is the third division (Jesus Calls the Spiritually Unhealthy to Fellowship with Him) of the text 2:13-17 per commentary.  Excerpts from the third division per commentary:

• "The Pharisees were the pious Jews who rigorously followed the law of Moses and opposed Greek and Roman influence. Josephus claims they numbered about six thousand in Jesus’ day. While the Sadducees were mostly upper-class aristocrats and priests, the Pharisees appear to have been primarily middle-class laypeople, perhaps craftsmen and merchants. The Sadducees had greater political power, but the Pharisees had broader support among the people."
• "The most distinctive characteristic of the Pharisees was their strict adherence to the law of Moses, the Torah. They carefully obeyed not only the written law but also the oral law, a body of extrabiblical traditions that expanded and elaborated on the Old Testament law (e.g., “the tradition of the elders” in Mark 7:3). The Pharisees’ goals were to apply the Torah’s mandates to everyday life, and to “build a fence” around the Torah to guard against any possible violation."
• "Jesus condemned the Pharisees for raising their traditions to the level of Scripture and for focusing on the outward requirements of the law while ignoring matters of the heart. For their part the Pharisees denounced Jesus’ association with tax collectors and sinners, and they deplored the way He placed Himself above Sabbath regulations."
• "Jesus was much closer theologically to the Pharisees than to the Sadducees, sharing similar beliefs in the authority of Scripture, the resurrection, and the coming of the Messiah. Conflicts arose because He challenged them on their own turf, and He was a threat to their leadership and influence over the people. Today the term Pharisee is often equated with hypocrisy and legalism but not so in first-century Israel. The Pharisees were held in high esteem for their piety and devotion to the law. Indeed, the Pharisees’ fundamental goal was noble: to maintain a life of purity and obedience to God’s law."
• "Jesus criticized the Pharisees not for their goals of purity and obedience but for saying one thing but doing another, for raising their interpretations (mere “tradition of men”) to the level of God’s commands (cf. 7:8), and for becoming obsessed with externals while neglecting justice, mercy, and faith."
• "Jesus was a friend of sinners. He called the seemingly unlikely, reached out to the socially undesirable, and healed the spiritually unhealthy. He cared for them, He spent time with them, and He loved them."

In the text today, Jesus focuses on heart condition - why it matters what is in our heart.  We must seek for God to transform our hearts and minds from the inside out as it is often our thoughts that drive sin.  We are no better than anyone else and if we feel we are more superior or more righteous than someone else - this is of course arrogant and prideful.  Hate is another example - hate of our brother (even without action) is sinful - see 1 John 3:15. We must be humble and approach our time with others in humility.  One of the core reasons why we read and study the Bible daily is so that we can understand our own sin as scripture reveals sin - see Romans 7:7c.  This article from DesiringGod.com on the sins of omission is a good one for us to understand the gravity of our sin as identified from scripture. The article uses the story of Reuben and Gad from the Old Testament as well as the Great Commission for two great examples of how God seeks for us to be active in demonstrating and sharing our faith with others. 

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Father God You are an awesome God that is full of amazing grace and mercy for me - mercy that never ceases and is new every morning.  Thank You Jesus - I need this mercy as my sin continues...daily.  Please forgive me 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 am gentle and lowly in heart[.]

Matthew 11:29

I am gentle and lowly in heart[.] Matthew 11:29b

I continue my study of The Character of Jesus.  For this morning, I focus on chapter 20: The Humility of Jesus where I highlighted in my Kindle version the following excerpts:

• "[Matthew 11:29] is unique in the Gospel.  There is nothing else at all like it....here for the first time [Jesus] calls attention to one of his characteristics....[and he uses this moment] to teach [his followers] humility."
•  "Possibly no other virtue in the catalogue of Christian virtues is so misunderstood as this one. No other one has been so often erroneously defined, no other grace has been so persistently counterfeited and caricatured. What do we mean by humility?...We know that Jesus was humble, we know also that he demands humility of us, we know that he took the ancient word and cleansed it and made it a lovely word, and yet when asked to define the meaning of it, how difficult it is to do."
• "Jesus gave his disciples three great lessons on the subject of humility" [from] Matthew 18:1-5, Matthew 20:25-28, and John 13:4-17.
• In Matthew 18:1-5, Jesus exhorts the disciples to become like little children.  "It is teachableness, docility, willingness to learn. A child is eager for knowledge, he is everlastingly asking questions, he is always bent on investigation, he pries into everything. He wants to go to the roots of everything....Not only is he free from self-sufficiency, but he is free from vanity. A little child is not vain of the belongings of its parents. It cares nothing for diamonds or silks, brown stone, or carriages. It plays with perfect contentment with a child in the street whose parents have [nothing]."
• "It was because the Pharisees did not have it that he criticized them and condemned them. They were not teachable, they knew everything. Nobody could tell them anything. They were vain, they blew trumpets and called attention to their decorations. They loved salutations. They were ambitious, they were always pushing themselves forward, taking the chief places at the feasts."
• "We get just a glimpse of him at the age of twelve, so hungry for knowledge that he will not go home, but lingers behind to ask the big teachers in the Temple just one more question. Always was he teachable. There is no trace of arrogance in him, no spirit of assumption. He is constantly talking to God, asking him questions, praying for new light. He cannot live without prayer. Prayer is the language of humility. Only the docile in heart ever pray. When we say that Jesus was a man of prayer, we say he was meek and lowly in heart."
• In Matthew 20:25-28, Jesus shares with His disciples that "humility is...a willingness to serve.  A humble man is a man who is ready to make himself useful....He did not underestimate his powers, or make himself small, or feel himself to be unworthy; he simply came down to where men were in order to do them good. That is Christian humility."
• In John 13:4-17 Jesus washes His disciples feet. "Knowing their dullness of understanding he goes on to explain the meaning of his action, telling them, just as he has been willing to do the work of a slave in order to serve them, so they also must be willing to serve one another. Here, again, we see what humility really is. It is laying aside one's dignity, it is making one's self of no reputation, it is a willingness to come down, it is a delight in rendering service...[I]t was because [Jesus] knew his divine origin and his divine destiny, and was conscious of his lofty position that he was willing to take the basin and the towel and do the work of a slave. This is the secret of humility everywhere and always."
• "It is because we do not know that we have come from God, and forget that we are going back to Him that we make such an ado about our dignity, and prize so highly our reputation, and are so lordly and so lofty minded, and take such delight in putting on airs. Only he who is sure of God possesses the secret of humility."
• "The humility which Jesus wants, and which he exemplified in his life, is a form of strength. Only the strong man can be really humble. It is willingness to lay aside one's rights, it is a refusal to use one's power, it is a readiness to come down and to make one's self of no reputation. Jesus was always giving up his rights, he was always refusing to use his power. Repeatedly he had the opportunity to wreak vengeance on his enemies, but he would not do it because he was so humble."
• "Notwithstanding his exalted position, Paul reminds his Philippian converts that Jesus "made himself of no reputation and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. And therefore hath 'God highly exalted him and given him a name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee shall bow, and every tongue confess that he is Lord indeed.'"

Great words from Charles Jefferson indeed.  The author's words and the Holy Spirit this morning remind me of words from John 3:30 where John the Baptist shares that he must decrease and Jesus must increase.  It is humanity's nature to find worth, value, and significance from the world - of course this hinders an expression of humility defined in scripture.  Yet believers must recognize that our identity, worth, value and significance comes from Jesus - who sees us as worthy of salvation and justified (free from the charge of condemnation as a result of our sin).  Once we recognize our identity as a new creation in Christ, where we see our worth, value, and significance in Jesus, it becomes increasingly clear that we exist not to bring glory to ourselves but instead to glorify God.  It is from our strong conviction of who we are and to whom we belong where we become humble in God's eyes. 

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Father God, You are an awesome God that sees me as worthy of salvation and I am justified in Your eyes.  And You continue to pour out mercies that are new every morning that never cease.  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. 

[F]or then I will remove from your midst your proudly exultant ones, and you shall no longer be haughty in my holy mountain. But I will leave in your midst a people humble and lowly. They shall seek refuge in the name of the LORD[.]

Zephaniah 3:9-20

[F]or then I will remove from your midst your proudly exultant ones, and you shall no longer be haughty in my holy mountain. But I will leave in your midst a people humble and lowly. They shall seek refuge in the name of the LORD[.] Zephaniah 3:11b-12

I continue my study of Zephaniah using the Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary volume for this book.  For this morning, my focus is a commentary-assisted review of Zephaniah 3:11b-12, which is the text for the third division for the commentary's chapter on 3:9-20 (six divisions in total).

Excerpts from the commentary relating to 3:11b-12:

• God has already passed judgement on how Judah (and all of humanity) suffers from arrogance and pride, relying on their own powers for all of their needs - trusting in self vs God. 
• As an act of grace towards Judah, God transforms his people and their heart by giving them humility.  This transformation is "simply acknowledging the truth about ourselves—namely that we are not good by nature, nor are we able to save ourselves. We are mortal, fallible, and in need of help, and because of God’s grace, that help is provided."
• As we do this, we can take refuge in God for all of our needs as the text describes in v12. We are referred to Psalm 91:1-2, 46:1-3. Psalm 46:1-3 in particular describes how, "[a]s a result of their position, under God’s refuge, they were able to face whatever might come with great confidence, peace, and resolve. In a very real sense this is one of the most prominent distinguishing characteristics of the children of God. Our ability to trust in God when the world crashes around us is radically different from the response of the world."
• We are encouraged to seek refuge in God in response to fear and anxiety. See also Psalm 56:3. 

Take refuge in the Lord and experience a peace that surpasses all understanding (Philippians 4:7)!

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who is full of grace and compassion for me - giving me a heart for You and for saving me!  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such blessings and grace.  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.

This is the exultant city that lived securely, that said in her heart, I am, and there is no one else.” What a desolation she has become, a lair for wild beasts! Everyone who passes by her hisses and shakes his fist.

Zephaniah 2:4-15

This is the exultant city that lived securely, that said in her heart, I am, and there is no one else.” What a desolation she has become, a lair for wild beasts! Everyone who passes by her hisses and shakes his fist. Zephaniah 2:15

I continue my study of Zephaniah using the Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary volume for this book.  For today, my focus is a commentary-assisted review of Zephaniah 2:4-15, which is the text for the first division for the next chapter of the commentary, which includes two divisions.  The first division covers 2:4-15 and the commentary further breaks this down into nine subdivisions - and I tackle the last four today.

• The Gentile gods will be proven powerless in the face of Yahweh (2:11): "This God whom they have treated as a false god or an impotent god will be known for who He is: the God of the universe. He will do so by exerting His authority and sovereignty over every other so-called god. Each god who is an object of worship will join with its worshippers and bow at the feet of the one true God. All of this points to a progression that plays out not just in the book of Zephaniah but over and over again throughout human history. Man bows to his pride. Man assumes a position of self-sufficiency. God reveals man for who he is: small, insignificant, and in need of a savior."
  
• The pride of the Gentiles will be their undoing (2:10): "Verse 10 points out that they were behaving as enemies of God because they had surrendered to their pride. Their taunting is rooted in their belief that they are the supreme object in the world. Not only are they filled with pride, but their pride has blinded them to truth. This is why Augustine and Bonhoeffer, among others, have claimed pride as the chief of every other sin...From Satan’s fall out of heaven to our contemporary sins, pride is pervasive and fundamental to every sin we engage in." See also Matthew 5:21-22 for Jesus' view on this sin. "It is hard to overstate the significance of pride in relationship to the rest of our spiritual condition. Fundamentally, what makes pride so damaging is its inherent blasphemy. It claims that God is not God and that we are. It denies what is the central reality of the universe and creates the justification for every other sin that proceeds from it."   
  
• The Gentile taunting of God’s people is an affront to God Himself (2:10): See Proverbs 16:5, 16:18, Obadiah 3-4, 1 Corinthians 10:12, 1 Timothy 6:4, and James 4:6 for scripture where God "vigorously confronts and condemns pride." 
  
• Self-confidence betrays a false security that will lead to shame and destruction (2:15): "When one is steeped in pride, the natural next step is to extrapolate from that our self-sufficiency. This is precisely why God condemns the enemies of Judah....This self-centered, self-confident perspective on life has become somewhat synonymous with our culture. As we have become increasingly self-focused, this ethos has grown louder and louder. Ultimately, self-sufficiency is self-worship. It is a grievous form of idolatry that exalts ourselves to the level of highest order in the universe...God loves humanity and has a plan to help humanity flourish. At the foundation of His plan is a call to faith in Him, resting on a denial of self."  See also Philippians 3:1-7. "Of course, in contemporary society we can learn from the sin of the enemies of God that Zephaniah was addressing. Because of Christ we can turn away from self-confidence and pride and reject the false hope that is contained within. We can take the risk of rejecting self because Christ’s life, death, burial, and resurrection have secured for us an alternative future, a far more hopeful future." See also Galatians 2:19-20.  "Finally, at the end of verse 15, we read that the judgment of God, in response to the pride and self-sufficiency of Judah’s enemies, will bring them to nothing, making them a laughingstock among those who pass by them. As we said earlier, this follows this pattern of pride, self-sufficiency, and then God’s work to bring humility and compel us to see our dependence."  See also Mark 10:21:22. "In Zephaniah 2 we have no indication that the enemies of God did anything other than oppose God, but that does not negate the good work of God in bringing justice, which also reveals our need and pushes us to trust in Him."
  

Regardless of what we all may think, we are all broken, fallen, and sinful, in need of a Savior.  Turn away from worship of self (pride) or other idols and worship Jesus, who offers life to the full now and for eternity!

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God like no other - offering amazing grace and salvation to all.  Thank You for making me one of Your elect.  I am not deserving of such a gift and blessing.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my 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 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.

The seacoast shall become the possession of the remnant of the house of Judah, on which they shall graze, and in the houses of Ashkelon they shall lie down at evening. For the LORD their God will be mindful of them and restore their fortunes.

Zephaniah 2:4-15

The seacoast shall become the possession of the remnant of the house of Judah, on which they shall graze, and in the houses of Ashkelon they shall lie down at evening.  For the LORD their God will be mindful of them and restore their fortunes. Zephaniah 2:7

I continue my study of Zephaniah using the Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary volume for this book.  For today, my focus is a commentary-assisted review of Zephaniah 2:4-15, which is the text for the first division for the next chapter of the commentary, which includes two divisions.  The first division covers 2:4-15 and the commentary further breaks this down into nine subdivisions - and I tackle the first five today.

Across both the two main divisions and all subdivisions - covering Zephaniah 2:4-3:8 - the commentary shares the following main idea: "[i]n light of God’s judgment, God’s people must seek the Lord in humility or face destruction."  The commentary heading for the first division - covering Zephaniah 2:4-15 - is entitled: The Enemies of God’s People Will Be Judged because of Their Pride.

• The land of the Gentiles will become the feed for the animals of God’s people (2:6): "The specific judgment is that [the enemies of God's people's] land would become pastureland for the people of God....Verses 7 and following explain the future possession of God’s people. This would have been most offensive to the enemies of God’s people. Perceiving themselves to be superior physically, not to mention wealthier, they would have found it absurd that the nation of Judah would overtake them. This is, however, what God decreed because of their insolence and arrogance. In fact, verse 7 gives a foretaste of what was coming for the people of Judah. Yes, they had turned their backs on God, and yes, they were defiantly disobedient, but God was offering them redemption, and it appears, in verse 7, that God believed they would return to Him. He tells us that He would, in fact, return to them." 
  
• The land of the Gentiles will be given to God’s people (2:7): "Verse 7 tells us that God will be doing just such a work here among His people, and part of that restoration will be the settling of the enemies of Judah under the authority of Judah. Out of the ashes will rise this restored people, dedicated to God and enjoying life as He intended it. The resurrecting work of God is intended to help humanity flourish."
  
• The Gentiles’ taunting of God’s people has incurred His wrath (2:8): "It is most likely evidence of the enemies of God’s people taunting them about their God. Their taunting is most likely a blow at the character of God and therefore is much, much worse than simple name-calling. The mocking of the people of Judah may have been much like the psalmist described: “My adversaries taunt me, as if crushing my bones, while all day long they say to me, ‘Where is your God?’” (Psalm 42:10)....While God gives much grace, at the end of the day those who disparage and attempt to challenge God’s character will fail. Not only have they taunted God’s people, but they have also “threatened their territory.” They not only have disregarded God, but they have attempted to usurp God’s authority by encroaching on the territory that God has given to His people." 
  
• All the people who have opposed God and His people will bow before Him (2:11): "Ultimately, inherent in this issue is the fundamental question of the gospel: what will you do with God? In the end, everyone will ultimately respond with the same declaration, “Jesus is Lord,” as Scripture reminds us. However, Scripture also affirms that most of those who will ever live will make their declaration through forced submission. Only those who voluntarily declare that Jesus is Lord, in this life, will enjoy the benefits afforded to the children of God.  Those who reject Him will not escape the declaration that Jesus is Lord; instead they will find it to be a sobering and terrifying moment as they declare it to be so, but they do so too late, having missed their opportunity to submit before God. Scripture teaches that their just recompense, then, will be eternal judgment. Verse 11 reflects that truth." 
  
• God will use His own people to destroy the Gentiles (2:9): "Verse 9 points out that these enemies would eventually be reminiscent of Sodom and Gomorrah. They would be a “perpetual wasteland,” according to the prophet. Their property and land would become the possession of the people of God." 
  

Be one of God's remnant that is saved from eternal damnation - confess your sin and declare Jesus as Your Lord and Savior!

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are SO full of grace and compassion - I am not unlike those in Judah who often stray from You.  I was an enemy of You and hostile to You, yet You loved me first and made me one of Your elect!  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.

 

For the LORD their God will be mindful of them and restore their fortunes.

Zephaniah 2:4-15

For the LORD their God will be mindful of them and restore their fortunes. Zephaniah 2:7b

I continue my study of Zephaniah using the Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary volume for this book.  For this morning, my focus is an unassisted review of Zephaniah 2:4-15, which is the text for the first division for the next chapter of the commentary, which includes two divisions.  The first division covers 2:4-15.  The text describes how God will pour out his wrath upon Judah's neighbors, but at the same time He will be mindful of a repentant Judah itself and "restore their fortunes" (v7b). God specifically calls out Judah's neighbors, including Gaza, the Cherethites, Canaan, land of the Philistines, the seacoast, Moab and and the Ammonites, the Cushites, and Assyria/Nineveh.  Zephaniah calls out these neighbors for how they "taunted [God's] people and made boasts against their territory (v8, 10)", and how they claimed that they were secure and did not need God (v15). Yet Judah does not get away with anything because as I posted previously on chapter 2 (see posts on vv1-3), Judah is only spared if it accepts God gracious offer of repentance and a return to the Lord (v3). We should all recognize our sin and how we desperately need salvation, and how God freely offers it!

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who is full of grace and compassion - You made me one of Your elect while I was still an enemy and hostile to You...thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such a gift.  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.

James 4:13-16

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. James 4:13-16

I continue a pause of my study of Ecclesiastes to study James 4:13-4:17 (primarily vv13-16).  Recognizing that the text focuses on pride, and that my posts this week on this text have explored pride in more detail, its important to explore and understand what to do about pride, so this morning I turn to what John Piper refers to in his DesiringGod.com post The Remedy for Pride. Piper starts by describing a slippery slope as he warns that "[w]hen you take three categories of temptation to self-reliance — wisdom, power, and riches — they form a powerful inducement toward the ultimate form of pride; namely, atheism."  Referencing Psalm 10:4, Piper bluntly states: "[u]ltimately, the proud must persuade themselves that there is no God." Prideful people get to this place because as Piper describes "[p]ride cannot tolerate the intimate involvement of God in running the universe, let alone the detailed, ordinary affairs of life."  Piper admonishes us for the little things that may lead to pride such as ending a social interaction with a friend or co-worker "see you tomorrow."  If we say these things without a humble posture that it is God alone who either wills this or not, this is when we get into trouble and start down the slippery slope.  Pointing back to the text in James, Piper then shares "James says that not believing in the sovereign rights of God to manage the details of your future is arrogance." 

Piper then moves to describe how to battle arrogance and pride.  

1. "yield to the sovereignty of God in all the details of life"
2.  "rest in his infallible promises to (a) show himself mighty on our behalf (2 Chronicles 16:9)", (b) "pursue us with goodness and mercy every day (Psalm 23:6)", (c) "work for those who wait for him (Isaiah 64:4), and to (e) equip us with all we need to live for his glory (Hebrews 13:21)."  

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who is in control of all things and You give me breath today and most importantly my salvation....thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of these blessings...no I am not...not by a long shot.  My sin continues every single day.  Please forgive me Jesus!  Help me overcome and turn from my sin and turn towards You to receive the mercies only You can pour out.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind and strength.  Help me grow in my faith and become more like You every day.  Take me I am Yours.  Please provide 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.

James 4:13-16

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. James 4:13-16

I continue a pause of my study of Ecclesiastes to study James 4:13-4:17.  This morning, I lean on DesiringGod.com's lab for 4:13-16 (Part 1) where John Piper takes a first pass at breaking down this text in detail. First, Piper broadly looks at the text, including the surrounding text (4:10-12, and 5:1-6), and shares how the key theme is pride. In vv13-14, Piper describes how James is urging us to see how our lives are short, fragile, and in God's hands (not in your control).  In v15, Piper describes how the verse is a statement emphasizing God's providence in our lives where it is His will whether we live (every day) and what outcomes we experience - we are completely owned by the Lord, including our "doings".  Piper describes this particular verse as one of the most powerful statements from scripture on God's sovereignty.  Another example in scripture of God's sovereignty is 1 John 2:16.  We are urged to heed James's words, including v16 where pursuits without seeking God's will are described as boasting and evil. Piper ends the lab by sharing how we should recognize our own brokenness and sin, thank God for every breath that we take, and seek God's will for all aspects of our lives.

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer:  Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who is full of grace and compassion for me - giving me breath, live, and my salvation.  Thank You God.  Of course I am undeserving of all of this, as well as all the other blessings You pour out for me. My sin continues daily 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 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. 

But when the archangel Michael, contending with the devil, was disputing about the body of Moses, he did not presume to pronounce a blasphemous judgment, but said, “The Lord rebuke you.”

Jude

But when the archangel Michael, contending with the devil, was disputing about the body of Moses, he did not presume to pronounce a blasphemous judgment, but said, “The Lord rebuke you.” Jude 9

I proceed with my study of Jude using the Christ-Centered Exposition commentary series volume for this book.  Today, my study consists of a review of Jude 8-10, with a focus on a commentary-assisted review of the second division per the commentary - v9.  The commentary first describes this text as "one of the most mysterious and difficult verses in the Bible to interpret. Its application is easier to grasp, but the exact meaning Jude intended is elusive and even troubling to some."  The commentary then gets to the actors in the text including Moses (leader of Israel) and Michael (see post yesterday).  Next, the commentary shares how this verse, according to most Biblical scholars, refers to a non canonical book The Assumption of Moses where it is hypothesized that Satan perhaps sought Moses body as a relic of idol worship, or perhaps for other reasons.  We are encouraged to lean on sources to understand scripture where-ever the sources may take us - this does not add or subtract from truth but gives us greater insight into truth.  Regardless of what Satan may have been doing here - we can all agree that Jude's writings - like all scripture - is divinely inspired and perfect.  Most important here for Bible readers and believers is the application and that is more clear and the commentary emphasizes how (like my post yesterday) believers are to understand our "place in God's economy."  The commentary shares: "As great as [Michael] is, he knows his proper place in God’s plan—something false teachers have failed to grasp. He is not his own authority, master, or lord. He does not set policy and make up the rules as he wishes. No arrogance, haughtiness, rebellion, or pride runs through his angelic veins.  Michael's words to rebuke Satan come from Zechariah 3:2 (where Satan is also rebuked). The commentary concludes by sharing that "[o]ur authority for spiritual warfare is in God, not in ourselves. In our own strength the devil will defeat us every time. Perhaps Michael could have taken on the devil, given who he is, but he did not because he knew the true source of his authority. In our case, to battle Satan without help is sheer folly." Help us have confidence in God and not in ourselves.

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are a great God who loves me and who helps me understand scripture and how it speaks to me - I seek to understand Truth and not add or subtract to truth so You give me my church, my brothers and sisters in Christ, and other blessings to sharpen my understanding of Truth. Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such love.  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.

Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding cities, which likewise indulged in sexual immorality and pursued unnatural desire, serve as an example by undergoing a punishment of eternal fire.

Jude

Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding cities, which likewise indulged in sexual immorality and pursued unnatural desire, serve as an example by undergoing a punishment of eternal fire. Jude 7

I proceed with my study of Jude using the Christ-Centered Exposition commentary series volume for this book.  Today, my study consists of a commentary-assisted review of Jude 5-7.  Per the commentary:

Main idea: "Learning from those who have rejected the Lord, Christians must continually run to and cling to the mercy of God available in Christ Jesus."

Excerpts from the introduction:

• RE: our culture, "unbelief, rebellion, and immorality (the three sins Jude highlights in vv. 5-7) characterize with greater intensity and influence our way of life....[it] has turned its back on God and his Word, shunned his standards, and mocked his character."
•  Unfortunately, "[u]nbelief, rebellion, and immorality run to and fro across the land and within the congregation of God’s people....So we must ask, What does God think about our current situation, and what will God do? Jude 5-7 provides the answer to these questions with three truths we ought never forget."

Divisions:

1. Remember the Danger of Unbelief (5): V5 "flows from" the preceding verses where we are warned of false teachers and v5 describes the judgement that awaits. We are encouraged not to forget the moments when God saved us just as He did Israel from the Egyptians.  We are prone to forget as Israel did but we should not - God interceded for us then and He still does.  Jude wants us to remember that these moments are every day. The commentary encourages us to not doubt the power of God today as it describes how Jude pointed us to Numbers 14, "when the twelve spies returned from their reconnaissance mission into the promised land." Although the other spies came back afraid both Joshua and Caleb were undeterred as God was on their side and they were confident they could overtake those possessing the land God promised them. [The others] missed the promised land. They missed God’s best. Forgetting God’s grace and greatness, they dug their graves in the wilderness within sight of the land God had promised[.]"  We are encouraged to avoid the mindset that God is not with us now and every moment. 
   
2. Remember the Dishonor of Rebellion (6): The commentary postulates that Jude 6 refers to Genesis 6 where "where fallen angels had sexual relations and cohabited with women and produced an evil race of men who brought God’s judgment on the world through the flood." In light of the ambiguity of this verse, the commentary highlights instead clear application where we must accept God's plan for our lives and instead let ambition and arrogance subvert God in our lives. We must rest in the goodness of God's providence and His plan.  Otherwise, if we reject God as these angels did then we face being slaves to sin now and eternal damnation.
   
3. Remember the Destiny of the Immoral (7): The commentary points to how Sodom and Gomorrah's destruction is referenced 20 times in the Bible, showing how powerful a sin sexual immorality is and how God deals with it harshly, along with other sins such as poor treatment of the weak. We are encouraged to think carefully and in awe about the reality of Hell avoid getting close to any sin that might drag us closer to this reality.
   

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My Prayer:  Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who provides for my all and all - You give me peace about my future.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of how You provide for all of my needs and how You are saving a place for me in Heaven.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving one bit...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.

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.

James 4

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. James 4:13-16

This morning, I pause my study of 1 Corinthians to use DesiringGod.com's Solid Joys daily devotion, which today looks at pride and arrogance, including how pride and arrogance manifests itself in the world and believers can battle such evil.  John Piper refers us to C.S. Lewis from Mere Christianity and how Lewis warns us against looking down on others because we won't be able to see "above" us where God reigns supreme in our all details of the universe and all of its inhabitants.  Similarly, Piper warns us from flippantly talking our plans with a view that God plays no role in such plans. Piper concludes the devotion by sharing that "James says that not believing in the sovereign rights of God to manage the details of your future is arrogance. The way to battle this arrogance is to yield to the sovereignty of God in all the details of life, and rest in his infallible promises to show himself mighty on our behalf (2 Chronicles 16:9), to pursue us with goodness and mercy every day (Psalm 23:6), to work for those who wait for him (Isaiah 64:4), and to equip us with all we need to live for his glory (Hebrews 13:21). In other words, the remedy for pride is unwavering faith in God’s sovereign future grace." 

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God that holds all the details of my life and the lives of my loved ones in Your hands - and You are so full of grace that You provide, Your mercies are new, and You never leave or forsake me.  You of course save!  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of any of these 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.

But I have made no use of any of these rights, nor am I writing these things to secure any such provision. For I would rather die than have anyone deprive me of my ground for boasting.

1 Corinthians 9

But I have made no use of any of these rights, nor am I writing these things to secure any such provision. For I would rather die than have anyone deprive me of my ground for boasting. 1 Corinthians 9:15

I continue my study of 1 Corinthians.  I am assisted in my study by the Christ-Centered Exposition Series commentary for this book.  Today my focus is a review - unaided by the commentary - of 1 Corinthians 9:1-18. Here, Paul starts the text for today by asking a number of rhetorical questions about his rights as an apostle.  Paul has certainly worked as hard as anyone as one of the greatest Christian mission leaders ever - perhaps the greatest.  Yet Paul does not use this to boast and "puff" himself up as this is contrary to what he just discussed in chapter 7 (see post yesterday). Paul knows - as all believers should - that we are not deserving of anything, and that God provides for all of our needs - out of grace alone.  Workers typically are allowed to lay claims or rights to the fruit of their labor as compensation - see v3-12a. But Paul shares how he does not make such a claim for himself lest it be an "obstacle in the way of the gospel of Christ" (v12b, 15).  Paul is willing to endure anything in his effort to spread the Good News (v12b). He would rather die than "be deprived of [the] ground for boasting" with this ground being the call and mission given to Him by Christ Himself to preach the gospel (v15-16).  Paul's reward is not bragging rights but that He shares in the gospel, and the blessings of seeing and experiencing God's harvest in calling people to Himself (v16-18). 

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who is full of grace and compassion for me, providing for all of my needs and giving me the blessing of seeing Your hand in my life and in the lives of others.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of how You provide and how You bless 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.  

We have become, and are still, like the scum of the world, the refuse of all things.

1 Corinthians 4

We have become, and are still, like the scum of the world, the refuse of all things. 1 Corinthians 4:13

I continue my study of 1 Corinthians.  I am assisted in my study by the Christ-Centered Exposition Series commentary for this book.  Today my focus is a review - aided by the commentary - of 1 Corinthians 4:6-13. As a starting point, the commentary* provides as it main idea for the text: "[b]ecause Christians have received every good thing from God, they should avoid superiority, expect opposition, and live humbly."  It* then, in the introduction, further outlines Paul's intent for the text: "[t]he Corinthians had both a pride and an unbelief problem. They were taking pride in particular spiritual leaders and were arrogant in terms of who they thought they were and what they had achieved. Paul knew how deadly these twin sins can be in the body of Christ, the local church. So he confronts them."

The commentary* then outlines and provides details for the following divisions:

1. Be Careful about Being Prideful about Whom You Follow (4:6-7): Paul first warns the church of Corinth, and by extension all believers, about misunderstanding the "nature" of the gospel, the "role of the Christian minister," and the "attitude of the Christian minister." He starts by sharing how the church leaders live life humbly so that they serve as a model for the church - he builds on text going back to 1 Corinthians 1:10 with analogies referring to the leaders as servants, co-workers, and managers/craftsmen sent and gifted by God. The leaders are mere vessels to advance God's kingdom and unworthy of worship - it is Jesus alone worthy of our worship.  The commentary* writes about the "cult of personality," arrogance/pride, etc. that consumed the church in Corinth: "[Paul] does not want the church to be arrogant, prideful, or puffed up, choosing favorites like worldly political parties do. We need to hear the same warning. Don’t be seduced by the ways of the world when it comes to your leaders."  Additionally, the message on boasting is reinforced as Paul reminds us that all we have is by grace not through our own efforts as "[e]very good gift and every perfect gift is from above" (James 1:17). As a result we are no better than anyone else.
   
2. Be Careful about Being Arrogant about Who You Are (4:8-13): Paul then moves, using sarcasm and self-effacing language about himself and the other church leaders, to admonish the church about their arrogance and focus on "cult of personality."  He provides a contrasting portrait of the church leaders (spectacle of shame, fools, weak, dishonored, hungry/thirsty, poorly clothed/homeless, roughly treated, mere manual laborers, reviled, persecuted, slandered, scum, and garbage) vs the church body in Corinth and how they felt about themselves (arrogant and prideful). We are referred to Lamentations 3:45 as scriptural support for Paul's reference to the faithful as scum and garbage. Focus on Christ for Your identity - not the world!

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus - You are an awesome God who humbled himself so that I could have forgiveness of sins and eternal life - simply incredible.  Thank You Jesus!  I am OF COURSE not deserving.  My sin persists...daily.  Please forgive me for my sins of both commission and omission.  Help me turn from such sin, overcome it 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.

*Akin, Dr. Daniel L.; Merritt, James. Exalting Jesus in 1 Corinthians (Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary). B&H Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.

So let no one boast in men. For all things are yours, whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future—all are yours, and you are Christ's, and Christ is God's.

1 Corinthians 3

So let no one boast in men. For all things are yours, whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future—all are yours, and you are Christ's, and Christ is God's. 1 Corinthians 3:21-23

I continue my study of 1 Corinthians.  I am assisted in my study by the Christ-Centered Exposition Series commentary for this book.  Today my focus is a review - aided by the commentary - of 1 Corinthians 3:18-23. The commentary* provides the following main idea for the text: "[w]orldly wisdom fuels competition in the church and causes Christians to forget they have everything in Christ." It then goes on to unpack the text via following three divisions:

1. Do Not Deceive Yourself; Know What True Wisdom Is (3:18): Paul warns the church in Corinth to be "on guard against self deception." Their lack of spiritual maturity lead them to focus not on Christ but on leaders and a "cult of personality." The commentary* writes about worldly wisdom: "The world delights in power and might. God works in weakness and suffering. The wisdom of this world mocks the cross. The wisdom of God glories in the cross. In terms of ministry, God works through servants, not superstars. He works through the nobodies, rarely the somebodies[.]" This is in direct opposition to what the world expects. 
   
2. Remember, God Sees Every Action and Knows Every Thought (3:19-20): The commentary* describes how God  peers into the hearts of all men and thwarts all thoughts and actions that are contrary to His will.  It shares how impure thoughts and motives undermine the church: "[t]he plans of the wise of the world are foolish, empty, and ineffective....God sees every action and knows every thought of every person. If we desire to be wise in the eyes of God, we must believe, live, think, and act in ways that this world sees as foolish. Run the other way from worldly fads and ideologies. They will only let you down. In the end you will have played the fool." 
   
3. Enjoy Every Blessing of God Because All Things Belong to You (3:21-23): The commentary* emphasizes "an amazing statement" in v22: "[w]hat an amazing statement of the blessings and wealth the believer has in Christ! God has made all unsinful things for our blessing, good, joy, and pleasure. For instance, God does not bless us with one teacher of the gospel but every teacher. He blesses us in life and death. He blesses us now and in the future. Everything is ours!" The commentary* then lists eight things from these verses that all believers should keep in mind: (a) Paul is ours (including the 13 letters he wrote in the Bible!).  (b) Apollos - noted as a gifted preacher, (c) Cephas (aka Peter) - upon which Christ built the church, (d) the entirety of creation, (e) life - and the abundance (not an earthly one) Christ promises, (f) death - the sting of death is overcome, (g) the present - sanctification, (h) the future - "[t]he future in Christ is not uncertain, scary, ominous, or nerve-racking. The one who holds my present also holds my future. We’ve read about the end, and we win! There is a rider who will arrive on a white horse." The commentary* for this division concludes by ensuring we understand all of these glorious realities belong to those who are in Christ.  We are referred to Matthew 3:17, John 1:1, Philippians 2:6, Colossians 1:15, and Hebrews 1:3.  
   

The commentary* wraps for the text by reinforcing how we are to avoid boasting in ourselves or relying on (in an ungodly manner) anything in the world.  "[B]oast only in Jesus."

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who gives me everything - thank You Jesus!  What an amazing promise and reality.  I am not deserving of how 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.

*Akin, Dr. Daniel L.; Merritt, James. Exalting Jesus in 1 Corinthians (Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary). B&H Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.

Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you thinks that he is wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise.

1 Corinthians 3

Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you thinks that he is wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise. 1 Corinthians 3:18

I continue my study of 1 Corinthians.  I am assisted in my study by the Christ-Centered Exposition Series commentary for this book.  Today my focus is a review - unaided by the commentary - of 1 Corinthians 3:18-23. As Paul wraps this chapter, he concludes by returning to wisdom and a contrast between Godly wisdom revealed by God alone to whom He chooses, and worldly wisdom, which is described as folly.  Using similar language in 1 John 1:8 where John warns us to avoid deceiving ourselves by claiming to be without sin, Paul also warns the church in Corinth to avoid being deceived by claiming to be wise (v18).  He shares the counter-intuitive but Godly thought that we should instead strive to become fools - emptying ourselves of worldly sin and influences and allowing ourselves to be filled by the Holy Spirit that takes captive our every thought (2 Corinthians 10:5).  God sees all of our thoughts, motives, plans, etc. and He knows our heart and "catches the wise" as they pursue wicked and ungodly pursuits - ultimately the paths of the wise are proven futile.  To illustrate his point, Paul refers us to Job 5:13 and Romans 1:21-22.  The text wraps by commanding us to avoid boasting in men or worldly wisdom - because we all belong to God and He is in control.  

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who is full of grace for me - revealing Yourself and wisdom to me.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of this and the many other blessings 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.

“Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.”

1 Corinthians 1

“Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.” 1 Corinthians 1:31

I continue my study of 1 Corinthians.  I am assisted in my study by the Christ-Centered Exposition Series commentary for this book.  Today my focus is a review - unaided by the commentary - of 1 Corinthians 1:26-31. As Paul closes this first chapter of 1 Corinthians, he builds on verses 18-25 where he contrasts worldly wisdom to God's wisdom, and shares how:

1. believers should remain humble as God called us not because of who we are (attributes, etc.) or what we have done (accomplishments) but out of His grace alone
2. God calls and uses the lowly, weak and foolish according to worldly standards so that what is done by God it will be clear to whom should get the glory - God alone
3. If any are to boast, boasting (praise!) should be about God

Paul concludes the chapter - verse 31 - by referring us to text originally found in Jeremiah 9:23-24. 

Avoid arrogance - remain humble.

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God and I have seen Your hand in my life to accomplish what I am unable to do on my own and You alone deserve the praise, honor and glory!  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of how You work in my heart and life - 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.

In Christ Jesus, then, I have reason to be proud of my work for God. For I will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me to bring the Gentiles to obedience—by word and deed[.]

Romans 15

In Christ Jesus, then, I have reason to be proud of my work for God. For I will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me to bring the Gentiles to obedience—by word and deed[.] Romans 15:17-18

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 twenty-eight - Unrivaled Success as a Missionary, with No Conceit.  Here, John Piper loves and admires Paul for how he demonstrated "one of the most courageous, sacrificial, effective missionary careers in the history of the Christian church,*" yet remained humble and gave all the glory to God vs taking credit for the fruit of his efforts. Piper first describes Paul's as a missionary to reach "not where Christ has already been named" (Romans 15:20).  He then shares how Paul was historically successful in establishing "churches from Jerusalem to northern Italy that would endure for centuries of empire-wide significance*."  Piper then shares how - despite this historic success - Paul remained humble and gave all the glory to God, pointing to numerous examples of scripture, including Romans 15:17-18, 1 Corinthians 1:31, 3:5-7, Galatians 6:14, Philippians 3:3, and Colossians 1:28-29. Piper closes the chapter by summarizing: "[t]herefore, a life of dependence on the power of Christ was the key to Paul’s beautiful combination of stunning missionary successes along with no boasting in himself.*" 

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

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are a great God and Your works are amazing and I have seen Your hand in my life - thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of what You have done in my life.  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.