July 17, 2012

“Let Us Eat and Drink, For Tomorrow We May Die” (7/17)

Thought from today’s Bible reading from Isaiah 18-22.

Judgment was coming against the people of God. Yet instead of this warning being met with careful self-examination and repentance, the people ignored it and acted as if nothing was wrong and nothing would happen.

“Therefore in that day the Lord God of hosts called you to weeping, to wailing, to shaving the head and to wearing sackcloth. Instead, there is gaiety and gladness, killing of cattle and slaughtering of sheep, eating of meat and drinking of wine: ‘Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we may die.’ But the Lord of hosts revealed Himself to me, ‘Surely this iniquity shall not be forgiven you until you die,’ says the Lord God of hosts” (Isaiah 22:12-14).

Interestingly, these people recognized the brevity and uncertainty of life. They knew that though they were here today, they could be gone tomorrow. Yet their response to this reality was feasting and revelry as if there was no more to look forward to past this life.
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June 5, 2012

Different Responses to Correction (6/5)

Thought from today’s Bible reading from Proverbs 7-9.

There will be times in which we need to correct someone who has fallen into sin. There will also be times in which we must be corrected for some sin we have committed. But unfortunately, not all correction is received as it ought to be. Consider the words of the wise man:

“He who corrects a scoffer gets dishonor for himself, and he who reproves a wicked men gets insults for himself. Do not reprove a scoffer, or he will hate you, reprove a wise man and he will love you. Give instruction to a wise man and he will be still wiser, teach a righteous man and he will increase his learning” (Proverbs 9:7-9).

Solomon mentions two ways in which correction might be received:
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February 22, 2012

Consequences of Obedience and Disobedience (2/22)

Thought from today’s Bible reading from Leviticus 26-27.

Leviticus 26 outlines certain blessings and curses the Israelites could receive from God. Whether they received the one or the other would be conditioned upon their actions.

“If you walk in My statutes and keep My commandments so as to carry them out…” (Leviticus 26:3).

If the Israelites obeyed God, He promised to bless them greatly with prosperity, peace, freedom, and fellowship with God (Leviticus 26:4-13).
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February 13, 2012

If Anyone Sins Unintentionally (2/13)

Thought from today’s Bible reading from Leviticus 1-4.

“Now if anyone of the common people sins unintentionally in doing any of the things which the Lord has commanded not to be done, and becomes guilty, if his sin which he has committed is made known to him, then he shall bring for his offering a goat, a female without defect, for his sin which he has committed. He shall lay his hand on the head of the sin offering and slay the sin offering at the place of the burnt offering” (Leviticus 4:27-29).

Prior to this, instructions were given regarding sacrifices for unintentional sins committed by the priests (Leviticus 4:3), the whole congregation (Leviticus 4:13), and a leader of the people (Leviticus 4:22). Here instructions were given for one of the common people sinning unintentionally.
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January 24, 2012

Preparing to Offer Sacrifices to God (1/24)

Thought from today’s Bible reading from Genesis 35-37.

“Then God said to Jacob, ‘Arise, go up to Bethel and live there, and make an altar there to God, who appeared to you when you fled from your brother Esau.’ So Jacob said to his household and to all who were with him, ‘Put away the foreign gods which are among you, and purify yourselves and change your garments; and let us arise and go up to Bethel, and I will make an altar there to God, who answered me in the day of my distress and has been with me wherever I have gone’” (Genesis 35:1-3).

Jacob was to build an altar to worship God. But three things had to be done first by those who would approach the Lord at Bethel. They had to put away any foreign gods, purify themselves, and change their garments.
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September 14, 2011

When Disaster Strikes

Tornado Damage

Whenever a disaster occurs – whether it is a terrorist attack, natural disaster, or some tragic accident – people often wonder if God was somehow involved. If so, they wonder if the event was an execution of divine judgment against the victims or the greater nation/society as a whole.

Questions like these are nothing new. Jesus commented on this concept when He discussed a couple of tragedies with which His audience was familiar.

“Now on the same occasion there were some present who reported to Him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices. And Jesus said to them, ‘Do you suppose that these Galileans were greater sinners than all other Galileans because they suffered this fate? I tell you, no, but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. Or do you suppose that those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them were worse culprits than all the men who live in Jerusalem? I tell you, no, but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish’” (Luke 13:1-5).

It is important that we know why these things happen. As Jesus made clear, we should not be quick to attribute these things to God’s direct operation. Yet even when an event occurs without direct, divine involvement, there are still lessons we can learn from these disasters.
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August 18, 2011

Someone Has His Father’s Wife

Disbelief

The church at Corinth had several problems that Paul needed to address in his first epistle. One notable problem was the case of the man who had taken his father’s wife and how the congregation had reacted to it. There are several lessons we should take from this. First, let us be reminded of the situation that existed there:

“It is actually reported that there is immorality among you, and immorality of such a kind as does not exist even among the Gentiles, that someone has his father’s wife. You have become arrogant and have not mourned instead, so that the one who had done this deed would be removed from your midst” (1 Corinthians 5:1-2).

Following this, Paul went on to describe the appropriate way to handle this situation. Let us notice some lessons from the brother in sin, the congregation, and what God wants us to understand about sin and His church.
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