Category Archives: Bible

Freedom in the Pursuit of God’s Word – Reflections on Proverbs 7

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Our sinful natural inclination always believes it can sin and get away with it. We often know that we are doing wrong, but somehow we believe we can escape the consequences. A small sin we think we can manage and control, grows. It will grow to the point that we are under its tyrannical rule. How can I say this with such certainty? I have sinned… I have been held captive by sins that I thought I could easily say no to when I decided I had had enough. I’ve also believed that I would not suffer the consequences of my wrong choices. This is another lie. What we do in our lives, right or wrong, will bear fruit.

Solomon warned his son about this reality. He warned that sin, specifically, the sin of adultery, is enticing and the end of it is death.

”With persuasive words she led him astray; she seduced him with her smooth talk… little knowing it will cost him his life.” Proverbs 7:21, 23 NIV
”Her house is a highway to the grave, leading down to the chambers of death.“ Proverbs 7:27 NIV

What are we to do in order to walk free? We must know the truth that sets us free — the Word. We are to keep the Word (to practice; to do or perform; and to obey). We are to “store up”. “Guard them,” “Bind them on your fingers; write them on the tablet of your heart.” (Proverbs 7:1-4)

We cannot afford to be.passive in our pursuit of God’s Word. The stakes are too high.

Sin seduces and entices then it destroys. God’s Word helps us to keep our way free of sin and it’s consequences. God’s Word is LIFE!

The Way to Life- Reflections on Proverbs 6

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Good instruction and good teaching are priceless. Solomon admonishes his son to keep his command, and to “not forsake his mother’s teaching.” He encouraged his son to put them prominently before him at all times. Because his commands will illuminate his way showing the pathway to life.

”My son, keep your father’s command and do not forsake your mother’s teaching. Bind them always on your heart; fasten them around your neck. When you walk, they will guide you; when you sleep, they will watch over you; when you awake, they will speak to you. For this command is a lamp, this teaching is a light, and correction and instruction are the way to life.”  Proverbs 6:20-23 NIV

This verse is very similar to a Psalm Solomon’s father, David wrote:

”Oh, how I love your law! I meditate on it all day long. Your commands are always with me and make me wiser than my enemies. Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.“ Psalms 119:97-98, 105 NIV

God’s Word is the BEST instruction! It is wholly and completely tried and true. In order to live a life of success, His Word needs to be ever before us. We cannot make it without God’s Word illuminating our way. The Word is “the way to life!”

Jesus the Wisdom of God: Reflections on Proverbs 3

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Proverbs is a book of Wisdom or applied truth. In scripture, wisdom is knowing God, seeing Him for who He is, loving Him, and obeying Him fully. Paul refers to Jesus as being the wisdom from God. (1 Corinthians 1:30) When we see Jesus for who He is, God, we love Him and desire to obey Him. We will experience Him as the one “in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.“ (Colossians 2:3 NIV)

Today’s Proverb describes the benefits of wisdom: long life, riches and honor, pleasant ways, peace, the tree of life to all who take hold of her, a blessed life… Solomon admonished his son to “not let wisdom and understanding out of your sight…” Proverbs 3:21. This admonition applies to us today. We come to God in need of wisdom. We need to know how to apply the truth in our lives. We apply the truth when we receive it and act upon what it says. The most practical way we can experience wisdom in our lives is to see Jesus for who He is, accept Him into our lives, and act upon what He says.

We are told in Proverbs 3:13 that we are “Blessed” when we find wisdom. To be blessed is to be happy and prosperous. Simply put the way to true happiness and true prosperity is to seek God’s Wisdom from above, Jesus! He promises to be found by us when we seek Him with all our hearts. (Jeremiah 29:13)

Once we experience God’s Wisdom from above, we must not let Him out of our sight. Our focus must be Jesus! As Solomon told His son, wisdom and understanding are life to us. (Verse 21). We cannot truly live happy and fulfilled (i.e. blessed) lives unless Jesus is the center!

Christmas — God’s Invitation to Experience Him — Luke 24

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There is something about a newborn baby being held upon your chest— the sweet smell, the warm cuddles, the tiny cries. The experience of holding your own is like none other.

At Christmas we celebrate the arrival of Jesus the newly born King and the experience of Him as He walked upon the earth 2000 — miraculous touch upon those He healed, the sound of His voice speaking the truth on a hillside, His laughter, His compassionate tears. Yes, Jesus was God’s invitation for us to experience Him!

Even in Jesus’s death we were invited to experience God — a voice crying it is finished, darkness, the earth shook, the temple veil torn. Then Jesus defeats death by His resurrection and once again the disciples were invited to experience Him. 

“While they were still talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” They were startled and frightened, thinking they saw a ghost. He said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds? Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have.”“ 
Luke 24:36-39 NIV

Look at me, touch me, and see! Experience Me as the Risen King!

Jesus is still inviting us to experience God! This is the very essence of the story of Jesus we read in the Bible. It is what we celebrate at Christmas, Jesus our Emmanuel — God with us!

His invitation has been sent to us — Come, see, feel my touch, experience and know Me!

What Matters Most- Reflections on Luke 10

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Busyness… This chapter gives accounts of the disciples going out proclaiming the Kingdom of God and healing the sick in all the towns and places Jesus was about to go. AND the account of Jesus spending time at Mary and Martha’s house. Martha was so busy cleaning and cooking as Mary sat at Jesus feet listening to Him.

In all the effort and work that went on in this chapter, two things were pointed out to be the MOST important:

1. Your names are written and Heaven.

2. Sitting at Jesus feet listening to what He says.

Those two things are still the most important for us.

To have our names written in Heaven is to belong to Jesus, to have our names written in the book of life. (Revelations 20:15).

To know Jesus is to be near to Him and listen to what He says — have an intimate relationship with Him. It is knowing Him, His word, and spending time in prayer.

We can accomplish much in this life that will only burn up and be gone. May we choose what will be eternal — Jesus Himself.

“Searching for You” – Reflections on Luke 2

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“When his parents saw him, they were astonished. His mother said to him, “Son, why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been anxiously searching for you.””

Luke 2:48 NIV

Searching for Jesus. So many have done it and still do…

At the time that Jesus was born, the Shepherds searched for Jesus. The Wisemen searched for Him too. (Matthew 2)

Even Mary and Joseph searched for Jesus, when they lost Him on a road trip at the age of twelve. (Verses 41-51).”

At some time in our lives, we all search for Jesus. We all look for something more than the existencial life that we see. Could there be more?

Christmas is God’s answer to that question. For a moment in time, Jesus stepped into our world to show us “Yes, there is something more!” All the miraculous encounters in this chapter of Luke: angels singing, stars shining, Simeon holding Baby Jesus in the temple praising God, the prophetess Anna speaking of Jesus as the long awaited redeemer. These all pointed to that “something more.”

However, we all at some time in our lives miss Jesus. We miss seeing Him for who He truly is and knowing Him as He longs to be known.

Mary and Joseph missed the 12 year old Jesus traveling home from Jerusalem. When they searched for Him for days, they found Him in the temple. He told them He was in His “Father’s house.” They didn’t understand what He was saying to them about His “Father’s house”. Jesus had become familiar to them- their kid.

Jesus can be familiar to us too, but He wants to be so much more to us. We’ve heard about Him for years and every December we have celebrated His birth. BUT He wants to be the One we long for, and search for, the one we KNOW- intimately. We are assured that we too will find Him when we search for Him. He desires to be found.

“You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.”

Jeremiah 29:13 NIV

The New Life is a Life of Faith.

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Jesus has offered us the New Life, His own life that is abundant. The New Life is more than we could ask, think or imagine. It is His life working in us!

“Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us,” Ephesians 3:20 NIV

This Life is a life of faith. Faith is defined by Andrew Murray as being, “Nothing other than the certainty that what God says is true.” It is believing the truth of the Word. It understands that each and every promise in the Bible is for the one who believes, as well as each and every command. If we want to live the New Life and experience it’s fullness we must receive the Word by listening, reading, studying, memorizing, etc. Faith comes by the Word of God. We must believe it is true through faith.

“So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.” Romans 10:17 ESV

When we truly receive the New Life in Jesus, we experience His intimacy and closeness, His power to break the chains of sin off of our lives, His freedom. When we are born again we have new desires. That desire is to no longer do things our old way following ourselves, but we desire to follow God. We want to please Him. We want to OBEY! This requires Faith. It requires seeking God in His Word.

“And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.” Hebrews 11:6 NIV

The New Life is a life that is a life of Faith that seeks God first. It is not a passive life. It is a pursuit! It grows as we seek God and believe what He says in His Word: The New Life of Faith!

The New Life Begins With a Seed.

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Life begins with a seed whether a plant in a garden or a baby in the womb. Life starts when the seed is placed in an environment where it can grow. The New Life of Jesus begins with a seed as well. The seed that begins the New Life is the Word of God and the environment it grows is within our hearts.

“Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.”James 1:21 NIV

Our role is to receive or “accept the word planted” in us. The Word is supposed to grow there just as an earthly seed grows in the environment it is implanted in and fills it up completely. The Word is supposed to fill up the entirety of our Heart.

When we say to a person, “I have you in my heart.” We are saying that we hold them dear to us. We think of them often. We want to spend time with them. When we receive Jesus, the Word, into our hearts, we hold Him dear to us. We think of Him often, we want to spend time with Him. This seed of God’s Word implanted in our hearts becomes the focus of our lives. The more God’s Word grows in us the more of the New Life becomes our entire life.

God’s desire is to plant the seed of the Word in our hearts so it may grow. He wants His Word to fill us! Because He knows this is the only life that will truly satisfy us giving us His love, peace, and joy. So He comes to us asking for us to let Him fill our hearts with His Word so His New Life grows abundantly in us. The question is will we allow Him to?

May our desire be as King David’s. 

“I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.” Psalms 119:11 NIV

(Based off of “The New Life” by Andrew Murray)

Bible Reading Fun Fact Day 12: Reading the Bible Daily Gives Us a Desired Closeness to God.

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When people are asked about the time they feel the closest to God, there are a variety of answers such as: “I feel the closest to God when I am in nature.” “… when I look at. A night sky.” “…when I hold a newborn baby.” etc…

We may feel a sense of God’s presence each of these times. Our hearts may long to know the one who created these things.

BUT there is a sure fire way to be close to God or to KNOW Him. That is to KNOW His word.

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” John 1:1 NIV

Jesus is the Word. The Word and God are one. They are inseparable. In order to know Jesus in a close and intimate relationship we must know His Word because He speaks to us through His Word.

I’ve been hitting pretty hard the past two weeks on the point that we all need to read, study, memorize, and take in God’s Word. That is because won’t really know God until we know His Word. God has made us for relationship with Him. He longs for us to know Him because He loves us!

If we want to experience the closeness of God, we must experience the life changing power of God’s Word.

“The law of the Lord is perfect, refreshing the soul. The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple. The precepts of the Lord are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the Lord are radiant, giving light to the eyes. The fear of the Lord is pure, enduring forever. The decrees of the Lord are firm, and all of them are righteous. They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the honeycomb. May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.” Psalms 19:7-10, 14 NIV

Bible Reading Fun Fact Day 11: The Truth in the Bible Answers Life’s Most Basic Question, “What is My Purpose?”

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(Written specifically to my Millennial and Gen Z friends)

The Millennial’s and Gen Z’s generations combined could easily be described as the next “Lost Generation.” This title is not a new one. It described the generation who came of age during World War 1. They were described as “intellectuals and creatives” who lost faith and traditional values and ideals after witnessing the carnage and death of WW1. They were described as “hedonistic, rebellious, and aimless—“lost.””
I believe we are here once again. In your lifetime you have either witnessed or felt the effects of 9/11, a drastic increase of mass shootings, a global pandemic, and what seems to be unprecedented corruption in political arenas, etc… Life seems to be pointless…
UNLESS you know the Author of Life- God! As Creator of All, He has the right to define us and give us the knowledge of the purpose for which we have been created. This knowledge is found in our Creator’s Book, The Bible! If we are ignorant of what Scripture defines as our purpose we will live believing we are nothing more than “The Lost Generation” and our lives will reflect that sad reality. Without knowledge of the purposes of God as defined by His Word, the Bible, we truly are “aimless and lost.”
One other characteristic of “The Lost Generation” of the 1920’s that “The Lost Generation Now” shares is you are “intellectuals and creatives.” You see what is going on and want what is real. You are sick of pretending. You want the Truth!
God has declared that Truth! It is in His Word!

“Your Word is truth.” John 17:17


But you will never experience a life living in Truth if you do not engage the Bible you likely have in your home or on your phone and become intimately aware of its content.
God has created you with a purpose. It is to know Him and to make Him known. Your life will be unfulfilled and aimless until you commit yourself to pursuing your purpose!
I am attaching a song that I would encourage you to listen to. I believe it is an anthem to your generation.
True Life, with purpose, only comes in knowing God and Jesus who He sent! We come to know Him through His Word!

“Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.”
‭‭John‬ ‭17‬:‭3‬ ‭NIV‬‬

(Information on the Lost Generation from the article “The Lost Generation: Who They Are and Where The Name Came From
By Sunny Jane Morton
April 7, 2020”)