Category: Good Life Journal

Journal Rev 12 (all references are from the ESV; changes in punctuation are mine)

Scripture:  “And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, “Now the salvation and the power and kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God.  And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony—for they loved not their lives even unto death.”  Rev 12:10-11

 

Observation:  Revelation gets more difficult for me.  As much as I can I want to integrate stuff like this into the Gospel narrative—and that process of organizing the storyline is harder and harder.

 

Analysis:  Today is a conversation with any readers as well as the face in the mirror.

 

One of my “hobbies” is the tale of the devil.  No, seriously, it really is.  Not the fictions that most of us have been exposed to but extracting this “tale” from the Biblical storyline—making the fictions all of us know about into the non-fiction data that the Bible provides SO THAT the devil is given the proper place as DATA in the Gospel.

 

I think that American Christianity (and maybe other places around the world) have an incorrect view of the devil, most of those views resulting in some sort of dualism—God vs. Satan; Jesus vs. Satan; Good vs. Evil; or something like that.

 

It falls out into the area of understanding the Gospel in this manner: Somehow Sin and the Devil are conflated equally in my person—that is, I can talk about my personal sin as being the fault of the devil.  Be careful, it may sound strange, and it may sound like I am splitting hairs if we were to talk seriously about it.

 

At the end, it is not the God vs. the devil battle that is generally expected, it is a war of rebellion and want of equality.

 

In Revelation Chapter 12, some of what I see is:

• The dragon stood against the Child.
• War in heaven between Michael and his troops and the dragon and his troops;
• Losing, the dragon and his troops were thrown out of heaven.

There is more detail, but this captures a lot.  There is a question of timing (when is this taking place?), but it could be before Eden (Genesis).

 

Why important? I think it is because this gives the background of why the devil is working a counter-intelligence process, providing accusations and disinformation to the Children of Men, i.e., If the devil can get the Children of Men to actively oppose the rule of God like he did, then the Purposes of the Most High can be thwarted—which happened in Genesis 3.

 

I can remember Job 1-3: Lucifer wanted to show God that he could get Job to renounce allegiance and love for God.  Wouldn’t that be the same ask about us?

 

Sin is about being traitorous, being a traitor, a rebel to His Will and Ways.  It seems to have started with what’s-his-name and getting Man to do the same.  And Man does.

 

The Gospel is the answer…

 

Prayer:  Father, this section of Scripture is opening and providing more clarity to the Tapestry that is the Gospel.  The more I understand the nature and background of Sin, the more I understand how much You abhor, fiercely abhor Sin.  Any word that I think of is woefully inadequate to describe your emotion of this.

Therefore, O God, work in me a fierce emotion to my own sin by instructing me in your Word, that I may walk in your ways all my days and serve your purposes.

Cause revival.

AMEN

Journal Micah 4 (all references are from the ESV; changes in punctuation are mine)

Scripture: “It shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the house of the Lord shall be established as the highest of the mountains, and it shall be lifted up above the hills.

 

And peoples shall flow to it and many nations shall come and say:

 

“Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord; to the house of the God of Jacob, that he may:

• Teach us His ways, and;
• That we may walk in his paths.””  Micah 4:1-2a

 

Observation:  I forget that the Great Commission has a preceding clause ahead of it.

 

Analysis:  Where do I get my enthusiasm of telling of the Lord’s goodness to me?  Where do I get the background of why He is good to me?  To the world?

 

Where do I get personal conviction and not stubbornness to complete a function like evangelism?

 

These are difficult subjects to put to public writing and may cause readers to be shocked.  My wife reminded me that these postings are my Journal; they are not primarily “teachings” (although if the Holy Spirit uses them, I am humbled).  These are the subjects I wrestle with.  Whatever, whomever reads them, I hope that they start a journey of seeking God with the hard questions of their heart, humbly laying the questions at the foot of the Cross and between the pages of His Word.

 

Putting the elephant to bed: Yes, I am for evangelism, and I address that daily.  But make no mistake: God wants, is plainly telling the readers of His Word, that as Micah prophecies, the people are to learn of His Ways so that they “walk in His paths.”

 

Paul referenced this frequently in his letters: “Walk worthy of the Gospel; Walk worthy of the calling in which you have been called.”  This is what Jesus said:

 

“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you and learn from me…”  Matt 11:28-29a

 

What to learn?  His Ways.

 

What does that mean to me?  That I should pay attention to what being a disciple is all about.

 

Here is what I think is the standard: Follow me, be imitators of me as I follow Christ. (c. 1 Cor 11:1)

 

This changes my perspective on how I am to live…

 

Prayer:  Lord, it is evident to me in this season that I am struggling with my emotions at war with my mind, with your Word.  It shows me how weakly planted are your ways in me.

I want to pull up my britches and resume being a man after God by repenting of my sinful thoughts and attitudes (including just plain being sad) and walking hard after you.

Make me, even if I am the only one that responds, to point to the Mountain of God and declare: “There!!  See?  The Savior of the Universe.  Come, let us go to worship Him and give our lives to Him who alone is Worthy to receive them.”

Cause revival.

AMEN.

Journal Rev 11 (all references are from the ESV; changes in punctuation are mine)

Scripture: “Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever.”

 

And the twenty-four elders who sit on their thrones before God fell on the faces and worshipped God, saying,

 

“We give thanks to you, Lord God Almighty; who is and who was, for you have taken your great power and begun to reign.”  Rev 11:15-17

 

Observation: Reading Revelation gets thicker and thicker and more difficult to understand.  It is as if I must keep reading it to form a tableau in my imagination to make sense of it.

 

Where is Tim LaHaye or Hal Lindsey when you need them?

 

Analysis: I have often wondered the biblical basis of when I resorted to the answer understood by children around the world, “Because I said so!”

 

No, I haven’t wondered, and I would be lying through my teeth if I asserted that.  Still, it seems an appropriate answer for most of what I am reading in Revelation now.

 

My wife and I are looking daily at these Chapters.  The further we get into the statements, the more mysterious they become, mostly because I must resort to applying my personal Point of View (POV) and/or my Imagination—I want to understand these things and they don’t lend well to understanding.

 

My wife either has an answer or asks me for an answer… “I don’t know, it is a mystery” is the correct theological/biblical analysis answer, but it is so unsatisfying.  I want to punch through and force an answer on the scripture, just to be able to have a framework of discussion established.  She does too.  Most times it doesn’t work like that.

 

Journaling is a practice at times of self-confession—like reminding myself of places in scripture where the obvious answer is “huh?”

 

I don’t know all the mysteries of the Trinity and His Creation.  Shucks, the stuff I do know about can fit on a pinhead comparatively.  What I do write down, though, can remind or prod me into more thorough study for the future.

 

I must remember, though, that “I don’t know, it is a mystery” is the correct answer and is not a slight on my character or maturity.

 

Prayer:  Father, You call me to search your Word and wrestle with it that your mysteries unfold…eventually.  It is that “eventually” that tries my patience and is the stumbling block to hearing you, Spirit.

Help me savor your Word, turning it over and over in my mind and heart, until You bring clarity of your intent and purposes.  Because this is your Word and not mine, and that you teach line upon line and precept upon precept, help me to hold your Word firmly where I know to hold it firmly and loosely where that is appropriate.

Bring revival…

AMEN

Revelation 10

 

Scripture

 

Vs 1 Then I saw another mighty angel … and his face was like the sun, and his legs like pillars of fire.

VS 3 and called out with a loud voice, like a lion roaring …

 

VS 4 … I was about to write, but I heard a voice from heaven saying, “… do not write it down.”

 

Vs 6 and (the angel) swore by him who lives forever and ever, who created heaven and what is in it …

Vs 7 … that the mystery of God would be fulfilled …

 

Vs 10 And I took the little scroll from the hand of the angel and ate it. It was sweet as honey in my mouth, but when I had eaten it my stomach was made bitter.

 

Observation

 

John sees another mighty and powerful angel.

The mighty angel has a small scroll, though, with words that remain secret to us.

John hears the words, but is told not to write them down for us.

 

The angel makes clear what is more important than the actual words.

The angel makes clear that there is something greater than him … God who created everything,

And His mysteries, God’s mysteries, will be fulfilled.

 

It is good to receive the Word of God (sweet), even though it reveals what may be bad for some (bitter).

 

Application

 

Mystery with Certainty … Good with Bad

To be a Christian, I must be content with paradox.

If you can’t handle paradox, then Christianity is not for you.

 

Two seemingly opposite things can both be true at the same time.

Am I made from dust or am I made in the image of God? … BOTH

Am I “wretched” or am I “perfected”? … BOTH

Is God one or is God three? … BOTH

Is Jesus human or God? … BOTH

Do I fear the wrath of God or love the whisper of God? … BOTH

And these are just a few …

 

Revelation 10 reminds me of yet another … the “already, and not yet” of the Kingdom of God.

The mighty angel stated that the end will come to pass … it “would be fulfilled” … CERTAINTY

Even if I can’t know the ways in which it will be fulfilled … MYSTERY

This is FAITH … I can know it well, without knowing it entirely.

I can trust the sovereignty of God … and be pleased with it!

 

The sovereignty of God is Good News … even if I know there will be bad times.

For many, the prophecy of God will be worse than “bad”, it will be mortal.

 

I can know that God is both all-loving and all-powerful.

And I can be eager to receive His good word … SWEET

Even if I know it will entail destruction before new creation … BITTER

 

In the meantime, I must be content in the paradox of a mature AND child-like faith.

 

Prayer

 

Thank you, God, for your Word and its certainty

Help me, Spirit, embrace and endure its mystery

Help me trust You

Help me love you

Help me share your good word

In Jesus name

Amen

Journal Rev 8 (all references are from the ESV; changes in punctuation are mine)

Scripture: “When the Lamb opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour.

 

Then I saw the seven angels (who stand before God), and seven trumpets were given to them.

 

And another angel came and stood at the altar with a golden censer, and he was given much incense to offer with the prayers of all the saints on the golden altar before the throne, and the smoke of the incense (with the prayers of the saints) rose before God from the hand of the angel.

 

Then the angel took the censer and filled it with fire from the altar and threw it on the earth, and there were peals of thunder, rumblings, flashes of lighting, and an earthquake.

 

Now the seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared to blow them…” Rev 8:1-6

 

Observation:  The Lamb.  Seven angels; seven trumpets; seven effects coming from blowing the trumpets.

 

What to make of this?

 

Analysis: John had an uncanny eye for detail.  Probably Holy Spirit boosted, but still….

 

For instance, the Lamb opened the seventh seal and silence dropped over heaven for about 30 minutes.  Silence… and 30 minutes.  No shuffling of feet, no whispers to the person next to me, no clearing of the throat, no rustling of pages to see if there was biblical precedent somewhere in the Bible to relate with, no wondering if I can sneak out for a quick bio-break before it starts up again… Silence.

 

I cannot be silent for that long unless I am asleep….and then my body makes noises I can’t control anyway.

 

I don’t think this is something about my lack of self-control I am to glean out of this.  Avoiding the numerology and trying to extrapolate the significance of the angels, trumpets, and whatever the effects of the trumpets are, that they are only affecting 33% of the earth (leaving 66% unaffected—is that important?  Generally speaking: would Man think it was OK if 2/3rds of the Earth were left alone?), what can I take from this Chapter?

 

A couple of things:

1. These folks are INTENSE!  They are rapt with attention towards the Lamb.  John’s detail about silence for 30 minutes insinuates the audience was not bored, fidgety, or the like—not like me.  Like Ancient Astronaut theorists, I must wonder why I am not similarly intense?  Is it because I have settled for comfort and ease with my Christianity and am not kindling my heart into flame for my first Love?
2. What portion of the censer are my prayers?  A pinch or a handful?  For me, a survey of my heart says…. Microscopic, if at all.  I could read that the angel had to put a healthy handful of incense to add to the prayers of the saints so there would be an aroma—prayers by themselves wasn’t enough.  (I am probably stretching here…)

 

I must be frank with myself: Reading Chapter 8, I can get pulled into all sorts of speculations of numbers, trumpets, angels (who was the 8^th angel?), and the like.  But that is not making me a better follower of Christ right now (that I am aware of, anyway).

 

All this year, I have been stricken with the thought of being ferocious for Jesus, to focus on Him more, walking worthy of the Gospel, to have His Word light up my heart so that it flows naturally and reflexively, etc.

 

It still captivates me….

 

Prayer:  Spirit, you nudge me o’ so gently and open up my eyes that I may see your sweet salvation where I was blind.  Thank you for the tap, tap, tap, of your hammer to form me into the image of the Son.  I couldn’t be more grateful for your intimate attention in my life.

Light me up, O God!  Cause revival.

AMEN

Scripture

Revelation 7:9-10 – After this I looked, and behold a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!”

Observation –  

John is describing a great number of God’s people too large to count will be saved from every nation, tribe, people group and language.  The will be in white robes cleansed by the blood of the Lamb.  The redeemed respond with loud praise to the Father and Jesus for their salvation.

Application –

I did not and cannot do anything to save myself from the eternal punishment I deserve for my sin.  We are saved by the grace of God when we place our faith and trust in Jesus that he died and rose again to overcome death for our sins.  God will save all His people who believed in his name and have the right to be called children of God.  How beautiful to know that brothers and sisters in Christ form every nation, tribe and language will be washed clean before the throne of God.  Our response should always be that of praise and worship to God for His saving grace.

 

Prayer –

Father,

Thank you for your love grace and mercy in sending Jesus so I can repent, be reconciled and have a relationship with you.  Let me praise and worship you for Salvation that is only through faith in Jesus and use this to point all people to you.

Journal Rev 6 (all references are from the ESV; changes in punctuation are mine)

Scripture: “Then the kings of the earth and the great ones and the generals and the rich and the powerful, and everyone, slave and free, hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains—calling to the mountains and rocks,

 

“Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who is seated on the throne, and from the Wrath of the Lamb—for the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?”  Rev 6:15-17

 

Observation: Every so often I must remember that the Lamb that I worship…. has teeth.

 

Analysis:  The Terrible Day of the Lamb is the Gospel as well as the Cross and the Resurrection.

 

The End of All Things is not usually equated with the Good News except for…never mind—it is not usually equated.  I think about John 3:16 rewritten with That Day in mind: “For God so LOVED the world that he gave his only son…that all of those who DID NOT believe in Him shall perish under the terrible, righteous, GOOD, wrath of the Most High.”

 

I tend to be binary about a lot of things.  The opposite of Good is Bad.  Under that reasoning, what God did with the Atonement (and me) is Good.  What I reason as Bad, I can’t quite attribute to God, so it must be the devil.  But that reasoning, besides being dualistic (heresy), don’t jibe with what is known about God.

 

God is Sovereign and Supreme in all of Eternity and what I perceive as Creation.  All creatures were created by Him and are subject to Him—even the devil.  The devil cannot operate independently from God (c. Job 1-3).   Fast forwarding in the theological explanation, because God is Good as an inalterable tenant of His Attributes and Character, all decisions—even subjecting unbelievers to His Wrath—is a function of His Goodness.

 

Therefore, in the scene represented by the above scripture quote, it is with sober understanding that the Wrath of the Lamb is integrated with the other of Jesus’ identifiable (communicable and incommunicable) Attributes as the Trinitarian God—His Goodness is equal with His Wrath as a function of His Character—sin cannot, will not be tolerated at the advent of the New Heavens and the New Earth.

 

It is conceivable then, in the light of His revealed character, that these folks somehow recognize that as far as His Goodness and Mercy is from the east to the west, so is His Wrath recognized at the End of Days.

 

Makes me wonder why that side of Jesus isn’t acknowledged today as well?

 

Prayer: Sobering today, O Lord.  I must deliberately orient my mind to be accurate about all your Attributes and Characteristics equaling each other in width, breadth, and intensity.  I am in error when exalt your Love and diminish your Wrath—not to mention favoring your Forgiveness and ignoring your Judgement against and Condemnation of Sin.

It is difficult—if not plainly hard—unless I immerse and embrace the whole Gospel, beginning to End—and that daily.

Make me into the image of the Son (Ro 8:29), O Lord of everlasting Holiness.

Bring revival.

AMEN.

Journal Rev 5 (all references are from the ESV; changes in punctuation are mine)

Scripture: “And they sang a new song, saying,

 

Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals,

For you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God

from every tribe and language and people and nation, and

You have made them a kingdom and priests to our God

and they shall reign on the earth.”

 

Then I looked and I heard around the throne and the living creatures and the elders the voice of many angels—numbering myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands—saying with a loud voice:

 

Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!

 

And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them saying:

 

To Him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!!”  Rev 5:9-13

 

Observation: So much to see in Revelation, makes me want to be a spectator in some places, investigator in others, and speculator in still more.  And then I come across a place where I should pay attention and use to evaluate my life right now…

 

Analysis: As much as I know better, I resist accepting that many things in Revelation are a mystery and that is on purpose.  I suppose that those places where there is blatant mystery, I would skip over and not read at all—kind of developing a “red letter” version of Revelation: Plain, plain, mystery, mystery, mystery, plain plain plain….—with all the “mystery” being written in red letters or some such.

 

I really want to know the significance of the numerology, the stars in the hand, the 7 lampstands, how a lamb can have 7 horns, 7 eyes, etc., etc. — and when I get distracted with this I can miss some other things that have importance to me right here, right now.

 

For instance, this section of scripture.  When I refer to anything involving worship, I can define all that I do as some expression of worship.  In this section, there is a specific, candid, and clear reporting of what worship is in Heaven.

 

There are 4 things to be taken out of this:

1)      Worship involves singing.  And loud singing at that.

2)      Worship involves directing my song to the One deserving of the song: Jesus.

3)      Worship involves invoking out loud the story of the Gospel: principles and doctrine.

4)      Worship involves being emphatic about why I worship—I sing, I talk, I state doctrine, I state the obvious—over and over again.

 

Why all of these?  Because I want to be as absorbed in the Lamb as these guys are before I step foot in front of Him.

 

I remember this from Luke: “…I tell you, if these (people) were silent, the very stones would cry out.”  (Luke 19:40)

 

I think I should be able to out shout a rock…

 

Prayer: Lord God—How majestic is your name in all the universe.

Songs are good to remind my pea-brain of your Works and Ways; that they are majestic, that they are eternal; that they are for Good purpose (a purpose that only You know the details of).  Even the clues set in your Word are, by your spoken purposes, incomplete to Man—maybe meant to make us curious enough to seek you all our days.  Beat’s me; sounds good though.

Bring revival, O God.  Hear the cry of your people.

AMEN

Journal Rev 4 (all references are from the ESV; changes in punctuation are mine)

Scripture:  “And whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to him who is seated on the throne (who lives forever and ever), the twenty-four elders fall down before him who is seated on the throne and worship him (who lives forever and ever).

 

They cast their crowns before the throne, saying,

 

Worthy are you, our Lord and God,

to receive glory and honor and power,

for you created all things, and,

by your will they existed and were created.”  (Rev 4:9-11)

 

Observation:  Revelation 4 portrays a bunch of beings worshiping God; verse 9 gathers all the descriptions up and lumps them into the category “living creatures.”  And then there are the Elders, 24 of them, reacting in a certain way that I take notice of…

 

Analysis:  In the past year or so, this section of Revelation has gripped me.

 

It has come in a time where I am wrestling with ego verses the Cross.  (I would say “was wrestling” but no one ever fully completes an issue being a disciple—it always pops back up sometimes in a life.)

 

Being a charismatically influenced Reformed Theology sort of guy, the question for me is always: “Am I a celebrating son in Christ”, or; “Am I a non-deserving creature of Grace?”  I think the answer is BOTH.

 

I am loved.  I am embraced by the Father of Heaven as a son.  I am welcomed into an intimate circle of being cared for by the Most High God.  Inconceivably, He rejoices over me with singing:

“The LORD your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing.” Zeph 3:17; cp Ps 105:43, Prov 8:31b

Angels are dumbfounded and puzzled on why such love was lavished upon Man (1 Pet 1:12).

 

That is one side.

 

I am not deserving of His love.  I am at heart a traitor to his ways.  All my ways are in opposition to His rule and reign.  My sin condemns me before His holiness.  I deserve His wrath.  I am redeemed by His Sovereign decision even though I have no value other than His choice to give me Grace and to show me Mercy.

 

That is the other side.

Both sides are equally true.  One does not trump the other.

 

That is why preaching the Gospel to myself is so important.  I want to understand the depth and height of what it cost to redeem me everyday so that I do not get full of myself.

 

Additionally, with that firmly in mind, I begin to really understand why these Elders, these important saints standing before God, cast (verb: throw, chuck, fling, toss, pitch, etc.) their crowns at His feet.   Whatever the crowns were awarded for from Jesus, these guys knew that, in comparison, they did not deserve it—only Jesus deserves any and all praise and glory.

 

This is clear from my side.  Probably makes Jesus nuts: “Here, take this with my blessing.”  “No, no, I don’t deserve this” and back and forth and back and forth.

 

I wonder if He ever has a thought: “Ok then, I will keep it.  That’ll show them…”

 

Probably not.  He is good that way.

 

Prayer: Lord God, thank you for providing a way of redemption through the blood of the Son, my Lord.  Holy Spirit, thank you for making me alive in You by causing me to be born again, not physically but by and in You O Spirit.

Keep me holding both of these understandings equally—not abandoning one in preference of the other because leaning primarily either way skews my view of You—and, boy, I really want to have You firmly in front of my eyes all my days.

Bring revival, AMEN.

Journal Rev 1 (all references are from the ESV; changes in punctuation are mine)

Scripture: “To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood and made us a kingdom—priests to his God and Father; to him be glory and dominion forever and ever.  AMEN.” Rev 1:5b-6

 

Observation:  What was I redeemed for?  Why reconciliation?  What purposes do I have?  Why do I need to think about this?

 

Analysis: Line by line; precept by precept; foundations stones and building blocks—I have been thinking hard about these things lately, trying to employ the idea of how I learned stuff as a child to my growth in being a disciple.

 

In doing this, thinking begets organizing my thoughts; writing stuff down (like I am doing in this Journal) and taking a step by step approach to what I have learned in the Bible.  Lastly, because if I can’t talk about it, it is kind of useless, I practice on a few folks and especially my number one disciple, my wife.  If I can’t make sense to her, it is unlikely I can make sense to anyone.

 

Take the above scripture as an example:  Using John’s statement, it would seem that I have a primary purpose being a redeemed guy—a Priest to God the Father.

 

Taking it down to the nitty gritty, what do priests do?  Stripping away all the rigamarole, all the hoity toity descriptions of stuff that are mere details, priests pay attention to God—specific and individual attention to God in a priestly like manner.

 

Even John’s partner in crime, Peter, picked up on this: “…you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, …” (1 Pet 2:5)

 

Do I pay lip service to this aspect of my Christianity?  Is it too difficult to imagine what this means?  Is it easier to define my discipleship in terms of works/tasks like: Study, Prayer, Good Works, Giving, Fellowship/Community, etc. because these are readily defined things to do?

 

I think about descriptions: Be a good soldier for Christ; be a good worker for Christ; be a good evangelist for Christ; be a good servant for Christ are just a few.  Where do I hear: Be a good priest for Christ?

 

Prayer:  Father, how do I be a priest to You?  The other stuff is hard—and I sort of know what those things are about.

Non Oh, well: more to discover.  Open my eyes, O Lord.  I want to see you.

Bring revival, AMEN.

Jude 20-22 – But you, beloved, building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, Keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life.  And have mercy on those who doubt

Observation – 

Jude is writing about the apostles foretelling of the end times.  During those days, the Church is to build ourselves up in the faith by praying in the Spirit.  Keep the love of Christ, look to an eternal life in heaven and patient wait the return of Jesus.  This is in contrast to those who are scoffers and doers of ungodly deeds.  We are to have compassion for the lost who doubt.

Application –

The passage above sounds a lot like the secular trend in our culture today that is changing at an alarming rate.  Verse 19 say that the ungodly people will cause divisions.  I can’t wade in the culture of ungodliness and be following Jesus.  We must build ourselves collectively up by praying in the power of the Holy Spirit and being in the word remaining firmly rooted in God’s truth.  Yes, there is much uncertainty with the virus and our country but there is certainty in an eternal life with Jesus when we place our faith and trust in Him.  I need to have a heavenly focus remembering his love and mercy.  We need to position ourselves as sojourners here as ambassadors for Christ.  As such, we must carry with us a sense of urgency and mercy for nonbelievers.

Prayer –

Father,

Thank you for your love, grace and mercy you give freely to me.  Let the power of the Spirit give me courage, guide me in prayer and have an eternal focus waiting for the return of Christ. Give me compassion/mercy for those who doubt and the right things to say and do to point them to you.

Journal Matt 28 (all references are from the ESV; changes in punctuation are mine)

Scripture: “Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them.

 

And when they saw him, they worshipped him—but some doubted.

 

And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.  Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.

 

And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”” Matt 28:16-20

 

Observation: This is a familiar set of verses.  I noticed a couple of things that caused me to scratch my head.

 

Analysis:  It is easy to skim over sections of scripture that are familiar.  In doing so, perhaps I miss some things I should be wondering about.  I don’t have to be a scholar to unpack a verse or 4.

Take this for instance: Out of eleven disciples, all of which saw Jesus appear to them privately (as a group at a meal) after the resurrection (c. Mark 16:14), went to the mountain, and some of them still doubted.

Doubted what?  That Jesus was really in bodily form and alive?  They touched and handled him for goodness sake.  Thomas was even invited to stick his fingers and hand into Jesus’ wounds.  What was there to doubt?

That is a question to seek an answer about.  If some of those pinheads had doubts, what would subsequent generations of pinhead converts (like me) have in similar fashion?  I can’t imagine what doubts any of the Eleven would have what would be parallel in me.  Something for me to consider…  I wonder if their doubts could be related to the Parable of the Soils…. how deep and rich is my dirt?

Here is something else: Jesus said that he has been given all authority about heaven and earth.  All.  All authority.  In heaven, ok, I can see that.  On earth.  Just a minute, what about the enemy (the prince of the power of the air, Eph 2:2): doesn’t that creature own earth stuff?  I don’t think so, and if I remember Job 1-3, I see who the boss is forever.

Lastly (for this section of scripture), what am I supposed to do: Evangelize or make Disciples?  Not the same thing.  Besides, I am a convert, a responder to an evangelistic message.  Am I learning to be a disciple?  Am I being taught to observe all that Jesus commanded me to observe?  Am I taking responsibility to press into holiness and godliness?

Does walking worthy of the calling in which I have been called; walking worthy of the Gospel, consume me?  Really consume me?

It is stuff like this that the daily Bible readings should be bubbling up in hearts.  Journaling should have these questions, observations, and sometimes answers—so I can go back and rekindle questions that have gone stale and, in another way, perhaps celebrate growth and illumination.

Stay persistent, my friends.

Prayer:  Lord God, you see my heart this morning.  I am struggling to put one foot in front of the other.  Perhaps it isn’t that bad, but it sure feels like it.  I am attempting to tamp down my feelings and let my mind rule my feelings.  Hard. Difficult.  My feelings want to run wild.

The discipline of reading and journaling helps so very much.  I orient my thoughts towards heaven and You, O God.

Help me to pray unceasingly today.

Bring revival.  AMEN.

Journal Matt 27:32-66 (all references are from the ESV; changes in punctuation are mine)

Scripture: “And Jesus cried out AGAIN with a loud voice and yielded up his spirit.

 

And behold:

• The curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom, and;
• The earth shook and;
• The rocks were split;
• The tombs were opened;
• And many of the saints who had fallen asleep (died) were raised, and;
• Coming (came) out of the tombs after his (Jesus’) resurrection they went into the city and appeared to many.” Matt 27:50-53

 

Observation:  During the Crucifixion story, this section doesn’t get talked about much.  I think most of the time, the story goes from: sour wine, yielded His Spirit, then to the Centurions saying, “He must have been the Son of God.”  There is just a bit more to consider…

 

Analysis:  Golgotha.  Desolate place.  Place of death.

When I think of the Cross, I usually think of a bare cross.  I have this mental aversion of thinking of Jesus hanging dead on the Cross.  I don’t know why…I suppose I think of the Victorious Jesus rather than the Suffering Jesus.

It doesn’t mean that I shouldn’t pay rapt attention to earthly details that led up to Golgotha.

Matthew noted several things that would make that Friday stand out in the area around Jerusalem: Earthquake; rocks splitting.  And then some supernatural things: Tombs opened (which could be a result of the earthquakes) and previously dead folks walking out of them.

I suppose “I see dead people” is too much of a pun to use here.

But I should think about this.  Jesus died and some dead were raised.  Maybe they stayed in the outskirts of the city for 3 days to get cleaned up and then on Easter morning walked into Jerusalem for a “howdy-do.”  I think this qualifies for “signs and wonders” quite nicely.

The real attention getter is the line about the curtain: torn, from top to bottom, sort of like a Man grabbed the top and ripped it open—the curtain was irrevocably opened—forever.  No longer was there a barrier between Man and God.  There was…and now there’s not.

This morning I am not at all on top of my game.  I am tired, fatigued.  I have argumentative feelings toward my wife.  I really want to be the boss of my household instead of a servant.   I feel like it wouldn’t take too much to set me totally off.

And so, I write about the Cross, the hill where Jesus died to be the Atonement for my sin, to provide me access to the Father, who has adopted me—someone who deserves his Wrath—to be a son.

It is for a day like today that the practice of “Preaching the Gospel to Myself” is valuable.  It is also a day like today where I find out how effective I am at it.  Today…. not very.

Prayer: Father, it is good to firmly remember that You are unchangeable in Your care for me.  From the highest mountain to the depth of the seas, is your love for me.  Why is it that my ears are periodically dull of hearing?  They are today.

Help me, O God.  Reveal to me my sin so I can confess and repent.  Help me to humble myself to my wife.

Bring revival.  AMEN

Matt 26:47-75

 

Scripture

 

Vs 47 … Judas came, one of the twelve, and with him a great crowd with swords and clubs …

VS 49 And he came up to Jesus at once and said, “Greetings, Rabbi!” And he kissed him.

Vs 50 Jesus said to him, “Friend, do what you came to do.”

 

Vs 56 But all this has taken place that the Scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled.” Then all the disciples left him and fled.

 

Observation

 

Jesus is betrayed by Judas, one of His apostles.

Judas comes close to Jesus, kisses Him, leads a crowd to Him, and even acknowledges who Jesus is.

It was all to pursue and accomplish his own deceitful plans, though.

 

Jesus is not surprised, however.

Jesus continues to display the fruit of the Spirit throughout this betrayal …

Kindness … Jesus calls his betrayer, “Friend”.

Gentleness … Jesus heals and eschews the violent reactions.

Self-Control … Jesus is largely silent and hardly presents a defense of Himself.

 

Jesus knew that Judas was “doing what he came to do”.

But Jesus also knew that He was doing what He came to do, as well.

“All this taking place” was part of a much bigger plan and picture … the fulfillment of Scripture.

 

Application

 

Are my days filled with my plans or God’s plans?

Do I tackle each day with “what I came to do” or what God wants me to do?

 

My plans can look good on the surface.

I can acknowledge who Jesus is … come close to Jesus … show affection for Him …

Maybe even lead some others along the way.

But my plans ultimately betray Jesus if my motives are not Jesus’ motives.

 

Are my motives the Kingdom of God or the kingdom of me?

Do I want to “do what I came to do”?

OR do I want to “fulfill the Scriptures”?

 

 

If I understand that there is a grand story of God unfolding,

then I can gladly accept that my self-motivated plans are inferior, or even worse, ulterior.

 

God’s kingdom will come, and His will will be done.

Do I want to play a role in it?

 

The Holy Spirit will grant me peace in this regardless of my life’s circumstances if I accept the unfolding of His plan.

Prayer

 

Thank you, God, for your grace when I am motivated by self.

Help me see your plans every day

Help me, Holy Spirit, accept whatever circumstances come my way

Help me live your plans and not my own

In Jesus name

Amen

Journal Matt 27:1-31 (all references are from the ESV; changes in punctuation are mine)

Scripture: “Now at the feast the governor was accustomed to release for the crowd any (single) prisoner whom they (the crowd) wanted.  And they (Pilate) had then a notorious prisoner called Barabbas.

 

So when (the crowd) had gathered, Pilate said to them, “Who do you want me to release for you: Barabbas, or Jesus who is called the Christ?”

 

(For (Pilate) knew it was out of envy that they had delivered (Jesus) up.)

 

Observation: Hate, I get.  Despise, I understand.  Hatred coming from shame being convicted with Truth, I am aligned with.  But—envy?  Is this the discernment Pilate read into the situation?

 

Analysis: I never noticed that word before in the Crucifixion story.  Envy.

When I read this passage in the past, why did I gloss over this word?  This is the same as in Mark 15:10: “For (Pilate) perceived that it was out of ENVY that the chief priests had delivered him up.”  But, in Luke and John this isn’t found.  (Note: I am so appreciative of ESV.ORG).  If I had to describe it, I would say that Matthew and Mark assigned motivation and Luke and John just observed actions.

But why would the Holy Spirit slide “envy” into this section of scripture?  What should I take from that?  Sometimes I must go straight to the scriptures for explanation.  Here is what Paul said about Men:

“And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought NOT to be done.  There were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice.  They are full of ENVY, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness.  They are gossips, slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless…” Ro 1:28-31

Wow!  This is a mouthful—and Paul was not done.  I see how ENVY is related to a bunch of other wicked descriptions—some that are not thought of as wicked, but God thinks of them that way.

James asked this, “What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you?  Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you?  (NOTE) You desire and do not have, so you murder.  You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel.” (Ja 4:1-2a) I want and do not get, so I pitch a fit and fight.  I mumble, grumble, and complain. I want and do not get, so I murder.

Now that I have framed all of this up, I start to get a sense of the priests and the crowd wanting the Righteous One to be put to death.  “How dare He show me my faults, my sin!!”

This is where I usually struggle with self-identification with the crowd.  I want to resist thinking “I am just like the crowd” and would rather tell myself “Of course I would recognize the King of the Universe—I would NOT be like those folks.”  Truth is, I certainly would be among that crowd.

I still wonder how specifically envy ties into this.  Best I can tell is that all of the descriptions from Paul and James are all of a lump—and I understand that the Holy One sees them all the same way: manifestations of rebellion deserving judgement and subsequent execution of God’s Wrath.

If not for the Grace of God, I would be right there.

Prayer: Father, if not for your grace…what a stupendous statement.  Help me be on the watch out for “envy” (in any of its iterations and expressions).  The review of the process leading up to the crucifixion is important and I don’t want to speed read right through it—I am prone to do just that.

I want to embrace knowing more of you, O Lord Jesus, in this historical record.

Cause revival.