The Journey Readings: Final Week... and... where do you dwell...?

The final stretch... the last two weeks...
of the three year journey through the Bible...
takes us to the final book... Revelation...

The revelation of Jesus to John...
a picture of His final return...
His coming to His full reign on earth...

There are several references to how His return...
will affect those who dwell on the earth...

"... Because you have kept my word about patient endurance,

I will keep you from the hour of trial that is coming on the whole world,

to try those who dwell on the earth. ..."

Revelation 3:10 ESV (emphasis added)

[Those who had been slain for the word of God] cried out with a loud voice,

"O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long before you judge and avenge

our blood on those who dwell on the earth?"

Revelation 6:10 ESV (emphasis added)

Then I looked, and I heard an eagle crying with a loud voice

as it flew directly overhead, "Woe, woe, woe to those who dwell on the earth,

at the blasts of the other trumpets that the three angels are about to blow!"

Revelation 8:13 ESV (emphasis added)

...and those who dwell on the earth will rejoice over them and make merry

and exchange presents, because these two prophets had been a torment 

to those who dwell on the earth.

Revelation 11:10 ESV (emphasis added)

Those who dwell on the earth...
embrace the ways of the world...
for them... His return will mean...
a time of trial...
vengeful judgement...
woes...
and torment by the message of God's witnesses...

But Believers... even if they are living on the earth... at the time of His return...
do not "dwell" on the earth... living the way of the world...

Believers... dwell in the Kingdom of God... now...!

The letters to the churches in chapters two and three...
make it clear... He is watching... He is among the gatherings of Believers...
and He knows... how we live now...
some do it well... with steadfast perseverance... even under persecution...
others not so well... lukewarm... spiritually dead... deceived by false teachers...

There is a way and not the way to live on earth...

Dwelling in the earth... fully embracing all it stands for...
is the way of destruction...

Only by living now... in His Kingdom... His Way...
will His return be a joy for us...!

So consider today...
Where do you dwell...?

Are you embracing all the world is about...?
Or do you earnestly pray... Your Kingdom come... on earth as it is in heaven...?
and live as if it's true...?

Salvation is not about waiting to get to heaven...
it's not about getting by till His return...
it's about living in His Kingdom now...
living His way in a hostile world...
making His Kingdom... our reality now...
on earth as it is in heaven...

So I ask again...
Where do you dwell...?
and what does His return mean to you...?

Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy,

and blessed are those who hear, and who keep what is written in it,

for the time is near.

Revelation 1:3 ESV

The final week's readings...
Monday                Revelation 12-13
Tuesday                Revelation 14-16
Wednesday           Revelation 17-18
Thursday              Revelation 19-20
Friday                   Revelation 21-22

The Journey Readings: Week 153... and questions...

Last week's readings... took us through the book of Zechariah...
a prophet given words of encouragement...
both the comfort kind... and a sharp stick in the side kind...
to move His people forward in obedience...

Zechariah received a series of visions... messages...
brought by the angel of the Lord...

Zechariah saw... but he didn't understand...

"I saw in the night, and behold, a man riding on a red horse!

He was standing among the myrtle trees in the glen,

and behind him were red, sorrel, and white horses.

Then I said, 'What are these, my lord?' The angel who talked

with me said to me, 'I will show you what they are.' ..."

Zechariah 1:8-9 ESV

And I lifted my eyes and saw, and behold, four horns!

And I said to the angel, "What are these?"

and he said to me, "These are the horns that have scattered

Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem."

Then the Lord showed me four craftsmen. And I said,

"What are these coming to do?" He said, "These are the four horns

that scattered Judah, so that no one raised his head.

And these have come to terrify them, to cast down

the horns of the nations who lifted up their horns

against the land of Judah to scatter it."

Zechariah 1:18-21 ESV

And I lifted my eyes and saw, and behold, a man with a measuring line

in his hand! Then I said, "Where are you going?"

And he said to me, "To measure Jerusalem..."

Zechariah 2:1-2 ESV

These are just a few of his questions in response to what he saw...

God revealed...

Zechariah questioned...

God answered... clarified...

I see a lesson to remember...

when He reveals... in Word or vision...

we will not always understand...

but we do have the responsibility of humbly asking...

What...? Why...? Who...?

embracing our... I don't understand...

By faith we hear... see... what He reveals...

and by faith we pursue with questions...

Too often we assume He doesn't speak in visions anymore...

He doesn't speak and share what He's doing with His people...

but He does...

He is the same... yesterday... today... forever...

Open your heart to embracing ignorance...

when it comes to the surrounding spiritual reality...

Open your heart to questions...

when you believe He's revealed...

but you don't understand...

ask...

He will answer...

This week's readings...

Monday                Revelation 1:1 - 2:11

Tuesday                Revelation 2:12 - 3:22

Wednesday           Revelation 4-6

Thursday              Revelation 7-9          

Friday                   Revelation 10-11

The Journey Readings: Week 152... and... contending...

Beloved, although I was very eager to write to you about

our common salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you

to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints.

For certain people have crept in unnoticed who long ago were designated

for this condemnation, ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God

into sensuality and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.

Jude 3-4 ESV

Jude challenges the church...

to contend for the faith...

as a combatant...

(according to the Dictionary of Biblical Languages...)

The battle... however... is not outside the walls of the church...

the unbelievers are within...

wearing the guise of Believers... teachers... prophets...

all false...

A timely issue... and one which always has been... and will be...

the enemy planting lies... deception... division... among the faithful...

But too often...

when false teachers are uncovered...

the faithful flee...

making judgments not their's to make...

taking themselves and their gifts...

out the door...

seeking a new place of worship...

one untainted...  

The problem is...

there is no place untainted...

we're broken people...

living in a broken world...

under the rule of darkness...

Jude doesn't counsel the faithful to flee...

he encourages them to fight for the faith...

without judging...

on guard...

prayerful...

in love with God...

and mercy-full...

But you must remember, beloved, the predictions of the apostles

of our Lord Jesus Christ. They said to you, "In the last time

there will be scoffers, following their own ungodly passions."

It is these who cause divisions, worldly people, devoid of the Spirit.

But you, beloved, building yourselves up in your most holy faith

and praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in love with God,

waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life.

And have mercy on those who doubt; save others by snatching them

out of the fire; to others show mercy with fear, hating even the garment

stained by the flesh.

Jude 17-22 ESV

James... the brother of Jude...

said something very similar...

Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

James 4:7 ESV

Darkness creeps in everywhere...

as ones who carry His Light...

we are to stand... contend... fight...

until the enemy flees...

and He turns darkness to light...

When deception seems to prevail...

don't give in to the temptation to get angry...

and stomp out mad... remember...

He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only

but also for the sins of the whole world.

1 John 2:2 ESV

The battle is not against flesh and blood...

it is spiritual...

Jesus died for all... and all our sins...

consider each false prophet... each false teacher...

as deceived... a casualty of war...

a potential brother or sister in Christ...

loved by God...

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son,

that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world,

but in order that the world might be saved through him. ..."

John 3:16-17 ESV

Battle with grace...

battle with mercy...

battle with truth...

battle with light...

but don't retreat...

giving the enemy ground which is not his to keep...

This week's readings...

Monday                 Zechariah 1-2

Tuesday                 Zechariah 3-5

Wednesday            Zechariah 6-7

Thursday               Zechariah 8-10

Friday                    Zechariah 11-14

The Journey Readings: Week 151... and... accurate knowledge...

May grace and peace be multiplied to you

in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.

2 Peter 1:2 ESV

Peter... writing to the church shortly before his death...

is concerned about the teaching going on in the church...

But false prophets also arose among the people,

just as there will be false teachers among you,

who will secretly bring in destructive heresies,

even denying the Master who bought them,

bringing upon themselves swift destruction.

And many will follow their sensuality, and because of them

the way of truth will be blasphemed. And in their greed

they will exploit you with false words.

2 Peter 2:1-3 ESV

Peter's second letter focuses on the importance of knowledge... 

Knowledge of God and of Jesus... as a means to increasing grace and peace...

The Greek used here is... epignosis... right and correct knowledge...

I had assumed it was experiential knowledge of Father God and Jesus...

but it is accurate knowledge Peter is talking about...

Which makes perfect sense...

because if your knowledge is inaccurate...

what you experience will be interpreted wrongly...

Peter points the church to the Word of God...

as the one source of accurate knowledge...

For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man,

but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.

2 Peter 1:21 ESV

This is now the second letter that I am writing to you, beloved.

In both of them I am stirring up your sincere mind by way of reminder,

that you should remember the predictions of the holy prophets

and the commandment of the Lord and Savior through your apostles...

2 Peter 3:1-2 ESV

Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth

for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart,

since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of

imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God; for

"All flesh is like grass and all its glory like the flower of grass.

The grass withers, and the flower falls, but the word of the Lord

remains forever." And this word is the good news

that was preached to you.

1 Peter 1:22-25 ESV

Through accurate knowledge of the Word of God...

faith engages... and we are born again...

and increasing knowledge leads us deeper into sanctification...

His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness,

through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence...

For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith

with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control,

and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness,

and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love.

For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being

ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

2 Peter 1:3-8 ESV

Accurate knowledge...

not just experiential...

is key to growing in grace and peace...

self-control and perseverance...

godliness and brotherly affection...

love and fruitfulness in Christ...

The only trustworthy... imperishable... everlasting source of accurate knowledge is His Word...

Know it... so you won't be deceived... or led astray...

This week's readings...

Monday            1 John 1:1 - 2:27

Tuesday            1 John 2:28 - 4:21

Wednesday       1 John 5, 2 John 

Thursday          3 John, Jude

Friday               Haggai 1-2

The Journey Readings: Week 150... and... approaching advent...

Approaching Advent... just two weeks away...
we're about to enter the season of Christmas...

Last week's readings gave us an opportunity to remember why He came...
what lay ahead for the Babe in the manger...

Two others, who were criminals, were led away

to be put to death with him. And when they came to the place

that is called The Skull, there they crucified him,

and the criminals, one on his right and one on his left.

And Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do."

Luke 22:32-34 ESV

Arrest...

Crucifixion...

Death...

Resurrection...

It's why He came... to make the Way... for forgiveness...

Will remembering the reason for His coming...?

change the way you approach the Season...?

Below is one of my favorite Christmas songs...

at its heart... is remembering why... He... came...

[email subscribers... click here to view on YouTube... or click post title to view on Jeremiah's Menu...]

This week's readings...

Monday                      Luke 24:19 - 21:9
Tuesday                      1 Peter 1-2
Wednesday                 1 Peter 3-5
Thursday                    2 Peter 1
Friday                         2 Peter 2-3

The Journey Readings: Week 149... and... the crowds on the outskirts of the gospel...

This week... reading through Luke... the crowds around Jesus... caught my attention...

He had His twelve... very close...
then there were the seventy-two...
and then there were the crowds...

On their return the apostles told him all that they had done.

And [Jesus] took them and withdrew apart to a town called Bethsaida.

When the crowds learned it, they followed him, and he welcomed them

and spoke to them of the kingdom of God and cured those who had need of healing.

Luke 9:10-11 ESV

The crowds reveal something about themselves along the road to Jerusalem...
Jesus's final walk to the city...

As [Jesus] drew near Jericho, a blind man was sitting

by the roadside begging. And hearing a crowd going by,

he inquired what this meant. They told him, "Jesus of Nazareth

is passing by." And he cried out, "Jesus, Son of David,

have mercy on me!" And those who were in front rebuked him,

telling him to be silent. But he cried all the more,

"Son of David, have mercy on me!"

Luke 18:35-39 ESV

Now Jesus had been healing people all throughout His ministry...

and I wonder...

Why did this crowd...? those on the outskirts...? discourage this blind beggar...?

It seems the blind beggar knew Jesus better than those crowded around...

he saw Him for who He was... Son of David... the Messiah...

and cried out for healing...

The crowds... those in the front... on the outskirts...

shushed him... told him to keep quiet...

Why...?

Maybe they had no real need... like the blind beggar...

maybe they missed the whole point of the good news...

Then in Jericho... Jesus invited Himself to dinner...

[Jesus] entered Jericho and was passing through.

And there was a man named Zacchaeus. He was a chief

tax collector and was rich. And he was seeking to see who 

Jesus was, but on account of the crowd he could not,

because he was small of stature. So he ran on ahead

and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him,

for he was about to pass that way. And when Jesus came

to the place, he looked up and said to him,

"Zacchaeus, hurry and come down, for I must stay

at your house today." So he hurried and came down

and received him joyfully. And when they saw it, they

all grumbled, "He has gone in to be the guest of a man

who is a sinner."

Luke 19:1-7 ESV

They... the crowd... who interfered with Zacchaeus getting to Jesus...

grumbled about Jesus eating with a sinner...

Now I'm thinking... if this crowd really knew Jesus...

they would have known He hangs out with sinners...

He came to seek out and save... those who are lost...

It seems to me... those on the outskirts of the gospel...

know of the miracles... the healings... 

the feeding of thousands with a little...

they know of the hype...

they crowd in...

but they don't know the heart...

They get in the way of those who truly long for Jesus...

the blind... the sinners...

those who desire healing... and redemption...

they shush and grumble...

And I wonder if there is still a crowd...

on the outskirts of the gospel...

those who come just because...

who think it's right... and seemly...

but who really know nothing of Jesus...

they've never gotten close...

they don't know of His compassion for the broken...

His mercy and grace for the lost...

and in their noise and activity...

they make it hard for those seeking...

to see Jesus...

I wonder...

are you part of the crowd...?

or a disciple... who is near...?

And I wonder...

what can be done...

to change the heart of the crowd...?

This week's readings...
Monday                   Luke 20:19 - 21:9
Tuesday                   Luke 21:10 - 22:6
Wednesday              Luke 22:7-46
Thursday                 Luke 22:47 - 23:35
Friday                      Luke 23:36 - 24:12

The Journey Readings: Week 148... and... Jesus is not worried about our feelings...

Jesus... He really wasn't the greatest dinner guest... at least not all the time...
He was invited into the homes of several Pharisees... religious leaders...
and He just didn't worry too much about their feelings...
or those of the other guests... as a matter of fact...

While Jesus was speaking, a Pharisee asked him to dine with him,

so he went in and reclined at table. The Pharisee was astonished

to see that he did not first wash before dinner. And the Lord said to him,

"Now you Pharisees cleanse the outside of the cup and of the dish,

but inside you are full of greed and wickedness. You fools!

Did not he who made the outside make the inside also?

But give as alms those things that are within, and behold,

everything is clean for you. 

"But woe to you Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue and

every herb, and neglect justice and the love of God.

These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others.

Woe to you Pharisees! For you love the best seat in the

synagogues and greetings in the marketplaces. Woe to you!

For you are like unmarked graves, and people walk

over them without knowing it."

One of the lawyers answered him, "Teacher, in saying

these things you insult us also." And he said,

"Woe to you lawyers also! ..."

Luke 11:37-46 ESV

Well... you get the idea...

Jesus was not concerned about offending His host... or the other guests...

what He was... and is... concerned about... is the heart...

He knew the Pharisees and lawyers had heard Him teach... seen His miracles...

but they just weren't getting it...

they were blind...

blinded by their hypocrisy...

So... Jesus spoke the truth in love...

He tried to shame them to repentance...

One Sabbath, when he went to dine at the house of a ruler

of the Pharisees, they were watching him carefully. And behold,

there was a man before him who had dropsy. And Jesus responded

to the lawyers and Pharisee, saying, "Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath,

or not?" But they remained silent. Then he took him and healed

him and sent him away. And he said to them, "Which of you,

having a son or an ox that has fallen into a well on a Sabbath

day, will not immediately pull him out?" 

And they could not replyto these things.

Luke 14:1-6 ESV

Not only did He try to teach truth with a long list of woes...

He told parables revealing truth...

humble yourself...

host those who could never repay you...

don't miss the Banquet on account of worldy pursuits...

Jesus... having failed to capture their hearts in the streets and synagogues... went into their homes... with bold... in your face... truth...

Desperate for their hearts...

desperate for our hearts...

He is not worried about our feelings...

"... Oh Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets

and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I

have gathered your children together as a hen gathers

her brood under her wings, and you would not! ..."

Luke 13:34 ESV

So the next time His Word offends you...

or the Spirit convicts you over self-righteousness...

don't be too quick to brush it off...

sit in it for a minute...

don't let Him offend you...

remember... He only speaks truth... in... love...

"... And blessed is the one who is not offended by me." ---Jesus

Luke 7:23 ESV

This week's readings...

Monday                 Luke 15:1 - 16:13

Tuesday                 Luke 16:14 - 17:19

Wednesday            Luke 17:20 - 18:30

Thursday               Luke 18:31 - 19:27

Friday                    Luke 19:28 - 20:18

The Journey Readings: Week 147... and... a picture of great faith...

Read Luke 7:1-10

Luke tells the story of a centurion with great faith...
faith which caused Jesus to marvel...
I tell you... I have not found such great faith... even in Israel...

This story makes me wonder...
Do those born and raised in church... lose the wonder... of faith...?

Israel... God's chosen people... were exposed to Him... the telling of His wonders all their lives... generation upon generation... yet among those church-people... Jesus found none of great faith...

The centurion... a Gentile... came to know God and His people later in life... for he would have been raised to believe pagan gods... the gods of Rome... Caesar...

Yet this Gentile centurion... had greater faith than God's people...

Somewhere in his life... the centurion saw the one true God through His people... they were the only ones talking about Him... serving Him... living life His Way... so among the Jews... the Gentile saw truth... he turned from paganism to Judaism...

The Jewish elders called the centurion worthy... he built their synagogue... their church house... the communal center for the Jews...

The centurion clearly loved God's people... and God...
in Jesus he saw Him too...

In humility... the centurion would not go directly to Jesus... he asked Jewish elders to speak to Him on his behalf...

In humility... he would not allow Jesus to come to his house... he was not worthy...

The centurion understood authority... he believed... trusted... Jesus's authority to heal disease... He didn't need to be present... He didn't need to lay on hands... all He had to do was speak... and He would be obeyed...

In humility... the centurion trusted... believed... saw Jesus's authority over illness and death...

The centurion's humble faith... belief... trust... in Jesus... caused Jesus to marvel... wonder... Not even in Israel... have I found such faith...

Sometimes... I think growing up in church... fetters faith... He becomes commonplace... instead of a wonder which humbles... bringing people to their knees...

Those who convert later... pagans who turn from worldly idols... to the true and living God... have powerful faith... often beyond those brought up in faith...

Paul saw it in the Thessalonians...

For we know, brothers, loved by God, that he has chosen you,

because our gospel came to you not only in word, but also in power

and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction. You know what kind

of men we proved to be among you for your sake. And you became

imitators of us and of the Lord, for you received the word

in much affliction, with the joy of the Holy Spirit, so that you

became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia.

For not only has the word of the Lord sounded forth from you

in Macedonia and Achaia, but your faith in God has gone forth

everywhere, so that we need not say anything.

1 Thessalonians 1:4-8 ESV

Jesus sees the commonplace faith too...

"And to the angel of the church in Laodicea write:

'The words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness,

the beginning of God's creation.

"'I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot.

Would that you were either cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm,

and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. ...'"

Revelation 3:14-16 ESV

Lukewarm faith... Jesus can't stand it... it makes Him sick... the original Greek literally means... vomit... not spit...

There is a danger in commonplace faith...

Jesus says He'd rather see cold faith than lukewarm...

There's no confusing cold with anything near hot...

what's lukewarm can be deceiving...

Hot faith... great faith... is what Jesus desires in His people...

Maybe we all need to go through a turning... a re-turning... at some point... maybe even over and over... to keep us in a place of wonder... to fuel the fire of humble faith... to serve... trust... believe... Him who Was... and Is... and Is To Come...

Is your faith great...? or lukewarm...?

Ask Him today... to stir afresh... a fire of faith...

No matter how long... since our conversion...

we need a returning to... a reminder of... the greatness of our God...

in order to maintain... great... faith...

This week's readings...

Monday              Luke10:21 - 11:23

Tuesday              Luke 11:24 - 12:12

Wednesday         Luke 12:13-59

Thursday            Luke 13

Friday                 Luke 14

[Just a note... only eight weeks left in The Journey of three years through the Bible...]

The Journey Readings: Week 146... and... the abundance of His heart...

The gospel of Luke... like the others... reveals Jesus...
Son of God...
Redeemer... Savior... Deliverer...
Good News of great joy...
Light to the Gentiles... Glory to the Jews...
fulfillment of Scripture...
Healer of spiritual and physical disease...

Recently... Sister Talk taught... Jesus--God Incarnate...
during the preparation... we received a revelation...
regarding the Word made flesh...

Jesus... in His sermon on the mount...
taught about good trees... bad trees... and the fruit they bear...
a metaphor for people... and their works...

"...The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good,

and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil,

for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks. ..."

Luke 6:45 ESV

Man created in His image...
speaks... produces... out of the abundance... overflow... of his heart...
therefore... God too... speaks... from the abundance of His heart...

He is love...
the Word He speaks is Love...
Light...
Purity...
Righteousness...
Justice...
Mercy...
Compassion...
Truth...

The Word He speaks... is Jesus...

Jesus... the overflow of God's love for His creation...
the gospels reveal this Word of love through Jesus's... healings... teachings... truth... sacrifice... forgiveness... mercy...

Have you let His heart... overflow into yours...?

Read along through Luke... just see... what abundance is found... in His heart... for you...

This week's readings...
Monday               Luke 7:1-35
Tuesday               Luke 7:35 - 8:18
Wednesday          Luke 8:19-56
Thursday             Luke 9:1-43
Friday                  Luke 9:44 - 10:20

The Journey Readings: Week 145... and our most common error...

Philippians... another of Paul's letters to the church... packed with instruction... insights... warnings... we would do well to return to it over... and... over... in order to prevent error...

In this short letter... I believe Paul points out our most common error... when it comes to living the Christian life... trusting in our own natural strengths and understanding...

Paul clearly warns...

...glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh...

Philippians 3:3 ESV

When it comes to putting confidence in the flesh... Paul had quite the resume...

A good family... 

proper education and credentials... 

a rule-follower...

Paul had it all down-pat... 

until Jesus crossed his path on the road to Damascus...

According to his own understanding... Paul was doing the work of God by persecuting the church... putting an end to those trying to destroy his religious affiliation... but Jesus showed up... and revealed his blindness... to the truth... (see Acts 9)

Paul learned... none of his strengths in the flesh were of any use when it came to righteousness...

Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth

of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered

the loss of all things and count them as rubbish in order that I may

gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own

that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ,

the righteousness from God that depends on faith...

Philippians 3:8-9 ESV

Paul learned... to be content in any circumstance... good or bad... abundance or want... not through his own willpower or humility... but through the strength of his Savior... Jesus...

...I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content.

I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound.

In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret

of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need.

I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

Philippians 4:11-13 ESV

We too need to learn... to count anything in our flesh as rubbish... 

our family...

our education...

our intellect...

our understanding...

our professional affiliations...

our religion...

our financial portfolios...

these are not strengths...

they are barriers to knowing and serving Jesus...

Do not continue in the most common error of man...

I can do it...

In humility... recognize your need for Him... in ALL circumstances...

I can't... but You can...

This week's readings...

Monday               Luke 2:22-52
Tuesday               Luke 3

Wednesday           Luke 4

Thursday              Luke 5

Friday                   Luke 6

The Journey Readings: Week 144... and... the power of hope...

Thinking I haven't had much lately...
I'm learning about hope...
several pieces coming together...
from several different places...

The word itself... hope...
catches my attention of late...
so I looked more closely...
when it appeared in Colossians...

In the first chapter of Colossians...
we see the power of hope...

We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,

when we pray for you, since we have heard of your faith

in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for the saints,

because of the hope laid up for you in heaven.

Colossians 1:3-5 ESV

Do you see it...?

The Colossians' faith in Jesus...

their love for the saints...

was because of the hope laid up in heaven for them...

So much was their faith and love evident...

Paul and his fellow workers thanked God for them...

always...

Hope fuels faith in Jesus and love for the saints...

Hope laid up in heaven...

the coming of His Kingdom...

the waiting we're doing in the here and now...

fuels our life of faith and love...

It's like I've been blind to the reality of what's been going on inside me...

but now the light is beginning to dawn...

I even asked a question recently...

wrote it on a sticky... a prayer of sorts...

regarding desire... and hope...

both of which I thought I'd lost...

Is my current lack or loss of strong desires in the flesh... and feeling loss of hope in this world... a transition to fully shifting my hope... onto Him...?

For years now... I've felt as if I've had no real desires...

not like I used to...

and hope... well... so many have not come to pass...

I prefer not to...

But at the same time... I've not been one who is hope-less...

despair... 

depression... 

despondency... 

do not define my countenance...

I have not felt hope-less... even though I might've told you I was...

In these last weeks of learning to lean on Him...

wait on Him...

I've found something I didn't know I had...

Something hidden from me...

either by my own preconceived ideas of what it means to hope...

or by the enemy...

I'm beginning to see... at least I hope...

that my desire has been coming in line with His...

my hope... moving fully toward Him...

Being blinded to the truth of hope has left me feeling I had none...

but now I'm seeing... I think... that it's already shifting...

and joy begins to rise...

The hope stored up for me in heaven...

has all these years... been fueling my faith...

and my love for others...

but I didn't recognize it...

until now...

Do you see it...?

Are you blind to what's been transforming you...?

Ask Him to open your eyes... to the power of hope...

the hope He's blessed you with through the good news of Jesus...

To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles

are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is

Christ in you, the hope of glory.

Colossians 1:27 ESV

This week's readings...

Monday          Philippians 2

Tuesday          Philippians 3-4

Wednesday     Luke 1:1-38

Thursday        Luke 1:39-66

Friday             Luke 1:67 - 2:21

The Journey Readings: Week 143... and... the purpose of church...

[The purpose is] that through the church the complicated,

many-sided wisdom of God in all its infinite variety and

innumerable aspects might now be made known to the

angelic rulers and authorities (principalities and powers)

in the heavenly sphere.

Ephesians 3:10 Amp

God... in all His infinite wisdom... apparently appears foolish to the heavenly powers and authorities... for creating a world... and people... who rejected Him... and then killed His own Son...

But His purpose... from the beginning... was to reveal His wisdom to the naysayers and skeptics... in the heavenlies...

He reveals His complicated many-sided wisdom... in all its infinite variety... through the church by...

• blessing us with every spiritual blessing... (Ephesians 1:3)
• redeeming us through Jesus's blood... forgiving our trespasses... (Ephesians 1:7)
• making known to us the mystery of His will... to unite all things in Him... (Ephesians 1:9)
• making Jesus the head of the church... which is His body... the fullness of Him who fills all in all... (Ephesians 1:22-23)
• making us alive together with Christ... even when we were dead in our trespass... (Ephesians 2:5)
• seating us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus... (Ephesians 2:6)
• saving us by grace through faith... and not through our own works... (Ephesians 2:8-9)
• sending Christ to break down the dividing wall of hostility between Jew and Gentile... which is the law... and making both one new man... (Ephesians 2:14-16)
• making us members of the household of God... (Ephesians 2:19)
• growing us into a holy temple in the Lord... a dwelling place for God... (Ephesians 2:20)

So... I wonder... How are we doing as a church... revealing His great... infinite... wisdom to those unseen powers...?

I'm not sure we've made much of an impact in the world... much less the spiritual realm... but we are still unfinished...

His power and promises are great...
and I have no doubt... the ultimate punchline will come...
when Jesus returns... and the church... the true church... is revealed in all its glory...

And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God,

prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice

from the throne saying, "Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man.

He will dwell with them, and they will be his people,

and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away

every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there

be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things

have passed away."

Revelation 21:2-4 ESV

But in the meantime...

walk in a manner worthy of Christ Jesus our Lord and Savior...

reveal God's infinite multi-faceted wisdom to those in heaven and on earth...

This week's readings...
Monday                 Ephesians 5-6
Tuesday                 Philemon
Wednesday            Colossians 1-2
Thursday               Colossians 3-4
Friday                    Philippians 1

The Journey Readings: Week 142... and gospel basics...

Romans... the book of gospel basics...

The Roman church was not founded by Paul...
he desperately wanted to visit...
but the time had not yet come...

Since he couldn't visit... he wrote a letter...
and I believe we see in this letter...
what Paul taught... regarding the gospel...
at every church he ever founded...

Because he didn't establish this church...
and couldn't visit them personally...
he wrote a detailed letter of gospel basics...
speaking to both Jews and Gentiles... who made up this congregation...

It's a book worth spending some time in...
Paul teaches on the power of the law... vs the power of the Spirit...
God's work in sending Jesus to fulfill the law... made the way for righteousness...
something we were wholly unable to do...

Paul teaches about the faith required to be saved...
it's not about the flesh... your birth lineage...
but about your faith... your spiritual lineage...
it's about God's grace... mercy...

In Christ we are set free from the law of sin and death...
to live by the law of the Spirit of life...
and Paul provides ample instruction for what that looks like...

But the fuel that is to fire us up is the Holy Spirit...
and the verse which caught my attention this week...
reading in the Amplified... is found in chapter 12...

Never lag in zeal and earnest endeavor;

be aglow and burning with the Spirit, serving the Lord.

Romans 12:11 Amp

Because we are free from the law... we no longer have a check list to follow... making sure we are walking the straight and narrow...

Instead... we have His Holy Spirit living in us... to direct us and guide us... a little trickier than a list of do's and don't's... but that is what we're called to do in Christ Jesus... follow Him...

And to do this we need to keep the Spirit burning in us... and serving the Lord...

My prayer for myself this week... 

Father God... keep me aglow and burning with the Spirit...

that I may serve my Lord Jesus wholeheartedly...

and with zeal...

Make it your prayer too...

This week's readings...

Monday            Romans 14:1 - 15:13

Tuesday            Romans 15:14 - 16:27

Wednesday       Ephesians 1

Thursday           Ephesians 2-3

Friday               Ephesians 4

The Journey Readings: Week 141... and... grace... a matter of the heart...

For no one is a Jew who is merely one outwardly,

nor is circumcision outward and physical. But a Jew

is one inwardly, and circumcision a matter of the heart,

by the Spirit, not the letter.

Romans 2:28-29 ESV

God's grace... the gift which saves...

unless it works its way to the heart...
it hasn't been received...

For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything,

but only faith working through love.

Galatians 5:6 ESV

Jesus made the Way... for the Holy Spirit to come... and circumcise our hearts...

without this grace in our hearts... our outward deeds... abilities... don't matter...

If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love,

I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers,

and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have faith,

so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.

If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned,

but have not love, I gain nothing.

1 Corinthians 13:1-3 ESV

God is Love...

the Spirit is God...

and without Love...

nothing matters...

Has grace worked its way into your heart...?

This week's readings...
Monday                   Romans 7    
Tuesday                   Romans 8
Wednesday              Romans 9:1 - 10:4
Thursday                 Romans 10:5 - 11:36
Friday                      Romans 12-13

The Journey Readings: Week 140... and His ambassadors...

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ he is a new creation.

The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.

All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself

and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ

God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their

trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message

of reconciliation. Therefore we are ambassadors for Christ,

God making his appeal through us. 

2 Corinthians 5:17-20 ESV

Ambassadors... Believers are His ambassadors... to the world...

An ambassador is an official envoy, especially a highest ranking diplomat who represents a state and is usually accredited to another sovereign state, or to an international organization as the resident representative of their own government or sovereign or appointed for a special and often temporary diplomatic assignment.

---Wikipedia 

An official envoy... high ranking diplomat...

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation,

a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the

excellencies of him who called you out of darkness

into his marvelous light.

1 Peter 2:9 ESV

representing a sovereign state... 

But our citizenship is in heaven...

Philippians 3:20 ESV

on a temporary basis...

For we know that if the tent that is our earthly home

is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house

not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.

2 Corinthians 5:1 ESV

God did the work through Christ Jesus to reconcile the world to Himself...

as His ambassadors... it is our role... duty... privilege... to be ministers of reconciliation...

We are the ones He has appointed to share this good news with those whom He intended...

and that would be everyone...

In Christ... we are here on a temporary basis...

foreigners of Light... in a dark land...

to impart understanding and knowledge...

of the redeeming work of God...

so others might know and see...

This is a weighty matter... important work...

and all Believers have the same responsibility and rank...

when it comes to being ambassadors...

How are you doing...? when it comes to the ministry of reconciliation...? introducing Jesus to those who are lost...?

In Him... we are new creations...

ambassadors of His Kingdom...

Find out more about who you are in Him... join The Journey...

This week's readings...
Monday             2 Corinthians 12-13
Tuesday             Romans 1
Wednesday        Romans 2:1 - 3:8
Thursday           Romans 3:9 - 4:25
Friday                Romans 5-6

The Journey Readings: Week 139... and nothing matters without His love...

We spend countless hours and resources in our culture rehabilitating... reaching out... to the lost... the broken...

We do this on a large scale... through programs...
individually... in the lives of loved ones...
all for the sake of helping people live better lives...

But the reality is... if the love of Christ... is not the sole motivation for transformation in an individual's life... it's all for nothing...

If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love,

I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers,

and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith,

so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.

If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned,

but have not love, I gain nothing.

1 Corinthians 13:1-3 ESV

Because apart from Christ...

His love planted in our heart's by the Holy Spirit...

there is no life...

Nothing matters without His love...

This week's readings...

Monday                  2 Corinthians 3-4

Tuesday                  2 Corinthians 5:1 - 6:13

Wednesday             2 Corinthians 6:14 - 8:24

Thursday                2 Corinthians 9-10

Friday                     2 Corinthians 11

The Journey Readings: Week 138... and... flesh vs spirit...

Living in the world but not of the world... keeping focused on the eternal in a world full of distractions... seems to be Paul's overarching message to the church in his letter to the Corinthians...

The Corinthian church reflects many of the ailments found in the western church today... division... jealousy... sexual immorality... factions... all signs of a spiritually immature church...

But I, brothers, could not address you as spiritual people,

but as people of the flesh, as infants in Christ. I fed you milk,

not solid food, for you were not ready for it. And even now

you are not ready, for you are still of the flesh. For while there is

jealousy and strife among you, are you not of the flesh

and behaving only in a human way?
1 Corinthians 3:1-3 ESV

An immature church becomes distracted by the things of the world... the flesh... and forgets to live by the heart of the gospel...

Paul encouraged the Corinthian Believers to live unentrenched in the world... hold onto things and positions loosely... pour out their lives for the gospel... because time is short...

This is what I mean brothers: the appointed time has grown very short.

From now on, let those who have wives live as though they had none,

and those who mourn as though they were not mourning,

and those who rejoice as though they were not rejoicing,

and those who buy as if they had no goods, and those who deal

with the world as though they had no dealings with it.

For the present form of this world is passing away.

1 Corinthians 7:29-31 ESV

We too need to live life in this world focused on the eternal...

poured out for the gospel... 

holding loosely to all in this earth...

To live married as if you had no spouse... is not to go out looking for another... or date... but to not allow a spouse to hinder you from the call God has placed on your life in sharing the gospel... because the marriage is not eternal... honor it yes... as God calls us to... but your spouse should not be the primary focus of your life...

The same with mourning... rejoicing... whatever causes either has simply come to pass...

The goods we buy... hold them loosely as if they weren't ours but God's to use as He will... and our dealings in the world are not the most important... it's how God wants you to use those dealings to advance the gospel... save souls...

For though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant to all,

that I might win more of them.

1 Corinthians 9:19 ESV

We miss the heart of the gospel and our role in it when we become distracted by the temptations of the world... not understanding what is to come... what is at stake...

Paul calls each Believer to be intent on sharing the gospel... comparing the preparation and the course of Christianity in our lifetime as a race... or athletic event...

Do you not know that in a race all the runners run,

but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it.

Every athlete exercises self-control in all things.

They do it for a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable.

So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air.

But I discipline my body and keep it under control,

lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.

1 Corinthians 9:24-27 ESV

Currently the 2016 Olympics are wrapping up in Brazil... the self-discipline and work put in by the athletes in each event is evident... what they have sacrificed in order to have a shot at winning a medal... a perishable medal... of gold... silver... bronze...

But we seem to forget... that we... as Believers... run a race for an imperishable treasure... something far greater than anything the world offers... and we easily become distracted by the desires of the flesh... tempted by power and pride... pleasure and sin... which is fleeting...

We just don't know... or don't believe... that there is something far better than what the world offers...

It brought to mind a quote... a teaching... from CS Lewis...

Indeed, if we consider the unblushing promises of reward and the staggering nature of the rewards promised in the Gospels, it would seem that Our Lord finds our desires not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased.

---CS Lewis, The Weight of Glory

Far too easily pleased... with the passing pleasures of the world... when there are treasures and pleasures unimaginable... if we stay focused on Him... and not get distracted...

Forgive us for we know not what we do...

Remember this week... with each choice you make... flesh vs spirit... you are moving toward a great reward far beyond your comprehension... one that will last forever... or pouring out your life... settling for... mud pies in the slums...

To help open your eyes to the eternal... join The Journey...

This week's readings...
Monday            1 Corinthians 12-13
Tuesday            1 Corinthians 14
Wednesday       1 Corinthians 15:1-34
Thursday          1 Corinthians 15:35 - 16:24
Friday               2 Corinthians 1-2