It’s getting near the end of January and just like fitness club memberships, many people’s Bible reading plans are abandoned within the first two months of the year. Those resolutions felt so good to make at the time, but the grinding daily discipline required to fulfill your commitment was a bit harder than you expected.
Continue reading…
Don’t be discouraged, and please don’t give up! Just because you stopped doesn’t mean you have to keep stopping – and that goes for Bible reading plans as well as fitness club memberships. 🙂
If you’ve given up or if you’re falling behind, I want you to print one of these sheets today. On this paper is one square for every chapter of the Bible. I want you to keep this in your Bible until you’ve checked off every square! When will that happen? Who knows, but eventually you will have checked off every square and you will have read the entire Bible. That will be exciting!
So if you started a plan on Jan. 1 and you only made it to Genesis 15 in the OT reading plan, check off the first 15 squares of Genesis, and then rejoin (or join) the group plan where it’s at. If you only made it to Matthew 10 in the NT reading plan – no worries! Check off the first 10 squares in Matthew and rejoin (or join).
I’m happy to have you join the reading journey at any point, and just because you didn’t start on January 1, 2022, doesn’t mean you have to wait until January 1, 2023, to start again. In this way, you’ll finish reading your Bible the way you finish a puzzle, piece by piece whenever you can.
Click here to join (or rejoin) the NT Reading plan.
Click here to join (or rejoin) the OT Reading plan.
Click here to join the new 1 Peter reading plan (Starts Feb. 1).
*By the way, as I read through scripture I also record my thoughts and observations about what I’m reading. If you’d like to read and interact with what I’m writing, just bookmark my site or use the form below to receive updates by email.
As Christians in 21st-century North America, we are generally materially rich but if we are spiritually poor we will end up in a poverty far worse than owning nothing. We must become desperate for the wisdom of God if we are to avoid this fate. Those who voluntarily live in spiritual poverty are unlikely to receive much in the way of eternal riches.
Continue reading…
“Yet among the mature we do impart wisdom, although it is not a wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are doomed to pass away. But we impart a secret and hidden wisdom of God, which God decreed before the ages for our glory.”
1 Corinthians 2:6-7
Over the last two years, one ideological movement after another has blown like a sandstorm across the landscape of society. The response of Christians to these movements often reveals a general shallowness in the knowledge of Scripture and the principles and commands found therein. As a result, we see that while many are eager to speak, few are equipped to hold an opinion worth its weight in breath.
The Bible sometimes seems like the last guest at a party that we seek to get to know. Of course, for Christians, the flow of our seeking should lead us to Scripture as the first source we look to, not the last place we eventually visit. Many seem to have reversed the flow and are using theories spawned by flawed human reasoning to evaluate the wisdom of God’s word. But to modify the ancient wisdom of Scripture in order to conform it to the whims of the present age is to welcome apostasy.
Wise Living or Constant Folly?
God has given each person the capacity to know him. What we do with that opportunity will determine whether we progress in wise living or devolve into constant folly. We have God’s word, but we know that relatively few of those claiming to be God’s people take the time to read, and fewer still who wrestle to understand. Despite their outward appearances, such people will eventually experience the consequences of their folly.
As Christians in 21st-century North America, we are generally materially rich but if we are spiritually poor we will end up in a poverty far worse than owning nothing. We must become desperate for the wisdom of God if we are to avoid this fate. Those who voluntarily live in spiritual poverty are unlikely to receive much in the way of eternal riches.
Reversing the Flow
In prayer, we plead for wisdom and in God’s word we find his wisdom, but we will not become wise unless we believe and apply what we find. Even as we believe and apply, we will not do so perfectly, but our imperfect applications themselves lead us on the road to greater wisdom.
Daily pleading and reading and application are the keys to gaining wisdom. God’s wisdom is found in his word but it will not manifest in our lives until it soaks into our hearts. The question is whether or not there is any space available in our over-busy hearts.
Which Side Are You On?
In this age of so much foolishness posing as wisdom, we must be diligent in evaluating what is presented to us against the standard of real wisdom found in God’s word. Are we among the mature to whom real wisdom can be imparted or are we still so weak in faith and knowledge that we are “like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind”? That person, James tells us, “must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord…”
Jesus’s take on the matter is found in Matthew 13:12: “For to the one who has, more will be given, and he will have an abundance, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.” Barnes comments: “A man who improves what light, grace, and opportunities he has, shall have them increased. From him that improves them not, it is proper that they should be taken away.”
On which side of that equation do you find yourself? Is your wisdom in a state of multiplication due to application, or is it currently wasting away for lack of use?
A church family should be a place where both afflictions and joys are openly shared. The cultivation of such an environment should be the normal impulse of any church leader, but too often it seems we are more interested in shaping a culture of positive motivational quotes while ignoring the more challenging aspects of life.
“The sins of some people are conspicuous, going before them to judgment, but the sins of others appear later.”
1 Tim. 5:24-25
Paul writes in 1 Tim. 5:24-25 of two types of unrepentant sinners. Of all the varieties of sin, some stand out as obvious and judgement for them follows close behind, while others remain hidden until a later date. We could call these two types “short-game” and “long-game” sin.
Short-Game and Long-Game Sin
Short-game sin and its outcomes happen in a sequence on a relatively short timeline. Considering all the damage that sin can do, we should thank God when sin is quickly revealed and dealt with. Some damage is always done by sin, but short-game sin has less opportunity to ensnare others. Some flame out quickly and take only a few down with them.
Long-game sin is quite different. It is deeply-hidden sin, usually in the life of someone who appears quite holy, who is often well-respected and even admired. We lament to think of the tragedy of all that was revealed after the death of someone like Ravi Zacharias. In the aftermath of these revelations, the faith of many was shaken – and in some cases destroyed – and the reputation of the gospel was stained.
How can we avoid destroying ourselves and the faith of others by way of our personal sin?
By regularly confessing our sins to God
God’s word assures us that “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous, so that He will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9 NASB)
It seems like a no-brainer but ask yourself: When was the last time you regularly and thoroughly examined yourself and confessed your sins to God?
By regularly confessing our sins to one another
“Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.” (James 5:16 NLT)
This instruction probably suffers even greater neglect. So many people believe they will face judgment and condemnation if they reveal their sins to other believers. That is, of course, a risk, but we may not ignore this command simply because it is risky.
By inviting accountability
This goes right along with confessing your sins to someone. We should follow up our confessions with an invitation to an external examination by other trustworthy believers. In Matthew 12:36-37, Jesus says, “I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak, for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”
We would be foolish to wait until the day of judgement to receive an assessment of the wisdom of the words we use. It is much better to ask for caring critique and loving rebuke from those who desire to see us live in a way that is pleasing to God.
By dwelling in a community of faith where we can be fully known
Many churches come by their reputations as bastions of shallowness honestly. But that will not do if 1 Cor. 2:26 is to hold true: “If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honoured, all rejoice together.”
A church family should be a place where both afflictions and joys are openly shared. The cultivation of such an environment should be the normal impulse of any church leader, but too often it seems we are more interested in shaping a culture of positive motivational quotes while ignoring the more challenging aspects of life.
If you are part of a Christian community where confessing sins to each other is not the norm, you might want to ask yourself if you are actually part of a real Christian community at all.
A Call to Repentance
Finally, if you have not been practicing the above and know you are engaging in unrepentant sin, whether it be short-game or long, be assured that what is presently in the dark will someday be brought into the light. It is far better to bring sin into the light yourself than to have it brought into the light by someone else.
A scathing assessment of the handling of COVID by Canada’s politicians:
“There are no risk-free paths forward. There is only one risk, or another. Pick your poison: that’s the choice life often offers. I am weary of living under the increasingly authoritarian dictates of a polity hyper-concerned with one risk, and oblivious to all others. And things are shaking around us.”
Deconstruction/deconversion has been an area of interest for me for many years. And I agree with the assessment made here:
“For many, it [deconstruction] simply means that we should ask hard questions about whether the version of Christianity we are following is consistent with the Scriptures, or with historic Christian beliefs through the centuries.”
I went through a process like this myself in my 20s and I’m glad that I did. It was long, hard, and sometimes scary work, but in the end I emerged with a stronger faith.
“Just as a supernova explodes a star into trillions of nebulous particles, a disenchanted world explodes the human mind into an endless, anxiety-inducing nebula of alternative selves. No one needed theoretical physicists to propose the multiverse. The modern mind was already living in one.”
If you are into quotes and quote graphics, check out my Instagram page (link below)
We all want to believe certain lies because these lies temporarily soothe the seemingly insatiable desires of our flesh. But if we give our itching ears what they want our souls will be damaged and quite possibly destroyed.
“Preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.”
2 Timothy 4:1-4
As a pastor, why should I reprove, rebuke, and exhort by way of preaching? Because we are in a time when people regularly ignore sound teaching in favour of false wisdom.
We’ve all had bug bites that demanded to be scratched. It feels so good to scratch, doesn’t it? Oh, the satisfaction! But afterward, the urge to scratch is not gone; in fact, the desire may even be more intense.
Scratching is satisfying and pleasurable while it’s happening, but the good feelings cease and the urge to itch returns the moment you stop. Continued scratching will mark up your skin and could leave you with permanent scars.
So what does it mean to have itching ears?
It means listening to that which we have some sense we shouldn’t.
It means giving our attention to what creates momentary enjoyment but does not satisfy true need.
It means chasing what feels good to our flesh at the expense of our spiritual health.
We all want to believe certain lies because these lies temporarily soothe the seemingly insatiable desires of our flesh. But if we give our itching ears what they want our souls will be damaged and quite possibly destroyed.
That affliction and joy can co-exist, that one can result in the other, is one of the beautiful paradoxical realities of the Christian life.
“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…”
1 Thessalonians 1:6-7
For people living in a culture of rampant ungodliness, following Jesus is more likely to bring affliction than applause. That much is as true in our own day as it was in Paul’s, as it has been for much of recorded history. But for the follower of Jesus, affliction is the seed of joy.
That affliction and joy can co-exist, that one can result in the other, is one of the beautiful paradoxical realities of the Christian life. So much effort is spent avoiding affliction, and yet the writers of scripture remind us repeatedly that affliction cannot be avoided. What’s more, we are told that affliction is an instrument of sanctification.
Suffering well is a sign of steadfast faith and serves as a vibrant witness to those looking on. If we believe that affliction is an instrument of sanctification, we will cease our efforts to always avoid it and begin instead to rejoice in it, believing the promise that God really does work all things for good.
We all know that we sometimes say less than we should in order to keep the peace and not make things awkward, but we should give that strategy a second thought the next time we are tempted to employ it. The stakes are much higher than we can imagine.
Among the most helpful chapters in Jordan Peterson’s 2018 book “12 Rules for Life: An Antidote to Chaos” is a chapter entitled “TELL THE TRUTH—OR, AT LEAST, DON’T LIE”. Peterson offers much that is helpful in understanding some of the bigger themes of scripture – in this case, the nature and importance of truth-telling.
In his first letter to the Thessalonian church, Paul writes: “But just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not to please man, but to please God who tests our hearts… Nor did we seek glory from people, whether from you or from others…” (1 Thes. 2:4,6) Paul’s primary concern is not to please people with words, but to speak the truth to them.
Proper Offences
Living in the presence of people whom you have offended with words is a taxing circumstance, and if we have given offence unnecessarily, we should repent. But if it is a situation in which the truth of the gospel is in conflict with the spirit of the age, we should not hesitate to speak the truth – even if it offends.
Pleasing people with our words and receiving glory from them is a temptation we all face. The lure of approval and acceptance is an enticement to compromise, to speak a little less than the truth, or to betray the truth altogether. The consequences of such actions are grave, as explained by Peterson: “When the lies get big enough, the whole world spoils. But if you look close enough, the biggest of lies is composed of smaller lies, and those are composed of still smaller lies—and the smallest of lies is where the big lie starts.” (Kindle Loc. 4353-4354)
If the Truth Sets Us Free…
If it is a fact that the truth sets free those who are in bondage to error – as Jesus clearly taught – it is no act of love to withhold the truth from anyone. Boldness, of course, must not crowd out compassion, but a faulty conception of compassion has too often murdered truthfulness.
And not only is this avoidance of truth detrimental to others but there is also a personal impact: “If you betray yourself, if you say untrue things, if you act out a lie, you weaken your character. If you have a weak character, then adversity will mow you down when it appears, as it will, inevitably. You will hide, but there will be no place left to hide. And then you will find yourself doing terrible things.”(Kindle Loc. 4072-4074)
The Solution?
The solution, again, in Peterson’s words is this: “If your life is not what it could be, try telling the truth. If you cling desperately to an ideology, or wallow in nihilism, try telling the truth. If you feel weak and rejected, and desperate, and confused, try telling the truth.”(Kindle Loc 4389-4391)
We might get sidetracked here on the question Pilate so succinctly uttered: “What is truth?” Although massively important, that is not the point at this moment. We all know that we sometimes say less than we should in order to keep the peace and not make things awkward, but we should give that strategy a second thought the next time we are tempted to employ it. The stakes are much higher than we can imagine.
Have your say! Join the conversation about this post on Facebook.
The motive behind many of the cruel critiques of political leaders does not seem to be the securing of a more peaceful and quiet life. It seems to run more along the lines of securing political power and then retaining that power going forward. This is a very wrong turn. To be involved in politics, of course, is no sin, but to trust in politics for salvation certainly is.
God is always at work in human affairs for the good of his people and the glory of his name. This should inspire our confidence when we face the tough circumstances of the present and those yet to come. It is up to us to trust him, seek him, and act according to what he has revealed to us about his will.
The wisdom contained in God’s word is sufficient; we need no new revelation. We need no new instructions, especially when so much of what has already been commanded is not obeyed. What is needed instead is for us to return again and again to the timeless wisdom of Scripture, which is as relevant to us today as it was to those to whom it was originally written.
Praying For Politicians
Here is something he reveals in 1 Tim. 2:1-2: “First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way.”
Subscribe to Blog via Email
It is difficult to pray without hypocrisy for those whom you curse outside of your prayer time. Love, the Apostle Paul tells us, is the supreme virtue. Yet over these last years, while much truth has been spoken, too rarely has it been spoken in love. This has been especially evident in the overheated responses to the actions of leaders in politics and religion. As we go forward, we must commit firmly to the biblical principle that critique is in bounds, but cruelty is not.
Disrespecting The Authorities
In Canada, it often seems we are a little bit proud of how disrespectful we are of our governing authorities. This is certainly not the example of God’s servants in scripture, and so I think our attitudes about our relationship with and behaviour towards those who govern us could use a few corrections.
I have been guilty of this disrespect on occasion as well, and I have had to reshape my thinking and behaviour. The help we need in this area of our lives is found in Scripture. The words of Scripture and the examples of the stories we find there clearly expose many of us who think we have a license to speak and act disrespectfully to those who govern us. (Especially if they belong to a party with the wrong colour election sign, right?)
God’s Ambassadors
In 2 Cor. 5:20 we are called God’s ambassadors. We should act in ways befitting an ambassador. This means that we represent the one in ultimate authority in front of those who wield his delegated authority. And when we find we must speak up against something the governing authorities are doing, we do so as God’s representatives and we do so out of concern for God’s glory and for their souls.
The motive behind many of the cruel critiques of political leaders does not seem to be the securing of a more peaceful and quiet life. It seems to run more along the lines of securing political power and then retaining that power going forward. This is a very wrong turn. To be involved in politics, of course, is no sin, but to trust in politics for salvation certainly is.
Today’s featured image is available as a photo or canvas print. Please visit my store on Facebook for details.
If you are in a season that feels barren and fruitless, take heart – over time, if we are persistent in our pursuit of God and obedient to his will and plan, we will bear fruit. Now might be a time when you are being pruned and watered and weathered so that your fruit will be both sweeter and more abundant when the appointed season comes.
“As for you, brothers and sisters, do not grow weary in doing good.”
2 Thessalonians 3:13
Seldom in the world’s history has the entirety of humankind been subjected to such mind-numbing and soul-crushing stress and chaos that has led to such persistent weariness. During this time, on days when I’m feeling down, it’s easy to look for the fruits of my efforts and wonder if I’ve accomplished anything at all. On those weary days, progress seems painfully slow and tangible “results” seem like a barren field on a foggy morning. This is quite opposite of what we desire, isn’t it?
We would all love for our efforts to result in immediate, visible, tangible fruit, but fruit is a fitting metaphor, and it is no accident that this metaphor is employed frequently in Scripture. As Psalm 1 points out, the blessed person is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season.
How the Wicked and the Righteous Grow
In Psalm 92 we see a clear contrast between the wicked and the righteous. In v7 we learn that “though the wicked sprout like grass and all evildoers flourish, they are doomed to destruction forever,” while in v12 we see that “the righteous flourish like the palm tree and grow like a cedar” that still bears fruit in old age and is ever full of sap and green (v14).
Subscribe to Blog via Email
The wicked have their day in the sun, their flash in the pan, their proverbial “15 minutes of fame.” They sprout like grass, which grows rapidly but provides little value and fades away just as quickly as it appeared. Although these people are often among the most prominent in the world and seem to be successful by worldly standards (we might even envy them sometimes), in the end, such people are doomed to destruction.
The righteous, however, are like palm or cedar trees. Palm trees take about five years to grow a trunk and another 15 years to produce coconuts, but they can live for hundreds of years. They represent slow growth and much fruit, just the opposite of grass.
Cedars are evergreen trees that can grow to over 150 ft and live up to 300 years. They are known for their alluring scent and have an ornamental quality because of their beauty. Cedar is also used for guitar tops and is known for its warm tone. Cedar trees represent beauty, warmth, and an inviting aroma. We might think of this aroma as “the fragrance of life” that is mentioned in 2 Cor. 2:16.
The Long Blessings of Slow Growth
In contrast to the wicked, the righteous grow slowly but they live long and fruitful lives. For such people, what often looks like a season of fruitlessness is actually a season of preparation. If we see a tree as only useful when there is ripe fruit to pick, we might see it as useless at all other times.
But trees are not useless during seasons when the fruit is not visibly emerging. During times of not bearing fruit, a tree is still being prepared to be fruitful: it is being pruned and watered and weathered, all of which will make the fruit sweeter and more abundant. Even the blessed person is not bearing fruit in all seasons but in the appointed season; there is a cyclical pattern to fruit-bearing.
If you are in a season that feels barren and fruitless, take heart – over time, if we are persistent in our pursuit of God and obedient to his will and plan, we will bear fruit. Now might be a time when you are being pruned and watered and weathered so that your fruit will be both sweeter and more abundant when the appointed season comes.
So, as for you, do not grow weary in doing good.
Today’s featured image is available as a photo or canvas print. Please visit my store on Facebook for details.
On any evidence of the fruit of the Spirit, sin takes notice and seeks to distort and destroy. This should cause us to live with greater awareness, not more fear. And this is why we must live in continual repentance and confess our sins often – to God but to each other as well, as we are commanded to do in scripture.
“Did that which is good, then, bring death to me? By no means! It was sin, producing death in me through what is good…”
Romans 7:13
Sin seeks to use what is good in order to deceive and to destroy all that it can in the process. We see this tactic first employed in the biblical account of the fall of mankind. In Genesis 3:1 the serpent asks Eve, “Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?” One of Satan’s main tactics is to parse the commands of God and present us with potential loopholes. We often accept his offer, forsaking the simplicity of God’s commands for convenient complications.
Where Compromise Leads
Through their compromise, Adam and Eve really did become more like God, but not in a desirable way. Consider this: up to that point they knew only good; now they would know evil as well. God already knew what evil was but mankind did not yet have knowledge of it. This knowledge of evil was obtained by participating in evil, which had both immediate and massive downstream consequences. Death was now a possibility and mankind was on track to experience that as well.
Participation in sin does expand our knowledge and awareness, but it makes us aware of realities we consequently wish we’d never known. Once we know these things, we cannot un-know them. And yet in the foolishness of our human pride, we still fall for the same gambit over and over. We compromise repeatedly as our flesh seizes the opportunity and our minds rationalize the sins we commit. Presented with a convenient mistruth, we are willingly led down a path of compromise.
Sin is Aggressive
In the next chapter of Genesis (4:7) it says that “sin is crouching at the door…” I find this insight into the nature of sin to be helpful. Sin is not only what we seek to do that is contrary to God’s commands, it is also what waits to surprise and tempt and attack us. Sin is an aggressor in addition to being a passive availability.
Sin sees that we are humble and tempts us to be proud of our humility.
Sin sees that we are compassionate and seeks to lead us to approve of the sins of others.
Sin sees that we are patient and encourages us to tolerate evil.
Sin sees that we are obedient and seeks to lead us into bondage to those who would do us harm.
On any evidence of the fruit of the Spirit, sin takes notice and seeks to distort and destroy.
This should cause us to live with greater awareness, not more fear. And this is why we must live in continual repentance and confess our sins often – to God but to each other as well, as we are commanded to do in scripture. The heart indeed is desperately wicked, and we will need far more than pep talks and self-help books to live lives that are pleasing to God.
Today’s featured image is available as a photo or canvas print. Please leave a comment below if you are interested in pricing details.
