Dear brethren,
Today's readings:
Jonah; Matthew 11
Mat 11:16 — Mat 11:17 (KJV)
But whereunto shall I liken this generation? It is like unto children sitting in the markets, and calling unto their fellows,
And saying, We have piped unto you, and ye have not danced; we have mourned unto you, and ye have not lamented.
Talk about being hard to please! And at times even we as adults succumb to tantrums like children.
Jesus went on to speaking specifically of what he was talking about in vv. 18,19.
So what then? Should we pander to the wants and bow down to the tantrums of people?
God forbid! Yet this was and is still happening in the denominational world at large.
Where people, as how Paul nails it in 2Ti 4:3, "after their own lusts, shall heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears". Don't like what the bible teaches? Find someone who will "interpret" it or even change it to our liking! Is it any wonder why there are thousands of denominations today?
At the end of the day, as Jesus said, "wisdom is justified of her children" - whatever that Jesus and John taught can be backed up by the Word, by miracles! And the standard of the Word remains today and will indeed be the final yardstick (Jhn 12:48).
But even as professed children of God, let us not be haughty and careless to lapse into childish behavior and reaction when the Word ruffles our feathers, but instead be childlike in the sense of being pure and ready to learn, without guile and prejudice, and bear fruit in the true wisdom of God.
PS: interestingly, perhaps by design of the originator of this Bible reading plan (!), we read of Jonah who is really one major baby when it comes to obeying God's Word! Let us not be like Jonah who thinks he knows better than God, but stay humble and teacheable, even when it goes against our grain.
Monday, July 29, 2019
Wednesday, July 24, 2019
Let the dead buy their dead
Dear brethren,
Today's readings:
2Chronicles 22,23; 2Kings 11; Psalm 131; Matthew 8
Matthew 8:22 (KJV)
But Jesus said unto him, Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead.
How could "the dead bury their dead"?
The original meaing in "Bury" alludes to the funeral rites. The first "dead" does not refer to physical death but those who are in need of spiritual revival. It is interesting that as much importance as we often attach to funeral rites, the Mosaical Law is pretty much silent on this.
This it appears more of an excuse to follow after traditions. Mourning periods can sometimes span a year.
Was Jesus telling the disciple to ignore "filial piety"? Of course not! Both the Old and New laws teach the importance of respecting and rendering obedience to our parents. In fact, one who curses his parents or is an unruly, recalcitrant child can be even be put to death (Ex 21:17; Deu 21:18-21)! But the important thing is to show piety when our parents are alive! Not when they are dead! No amount of respect/piety is of any use save as a show of it to others.
And that was Jesus' point. It is easy to render lip service, but when the time comes for us to put our shoulders to the wheel, all kinds of excuses come up (c.f. Luk 14:16-20).
It remains for us today to walk the talk. That we love not just in word but in deed (1Jo 3:18). That our faith is demonstrated by works (Jam 2:17,20,24,26). That we no longer serve as the old man but strive as new creatures (2Co 5:17). Let us not be partakers of "dead burial" but indeed engage in the life giving work of preaching the gospel (Luk 9:60).
Today's readings:
2Chronicles 22,23; 2Kings 11; Psalm 131; Matthew 8
Matthew 8:22 (KJV)
But Jesus said unto him, Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead.
How could "the dead bury their dead"?
The original meaing in "Bury" alludes to the funeral rites. The first "dead" does not refer to physical death but those who are in need of spiritual revival. It is interesting that as much importance as we often attach to funeral rites, the Mosaical Law is pretty much silent on this.
This it appears more of an excuse to follow after traditions. Mourning periods can sometimes span a year.
Was Jesus telling the disciple to ignore "filial piety"? Of course not! Both the Old and New laws teach the importance of respecting and rendering obedience to our parents. In fact, one who curses his parents or is an unruly, recalcitrant child can be even be put to death (Ex 21:17; Deu 21:18-21)! But the important thing is to show piety when our parents are alive! Not when they are dead! No amount of respect/piety is of any use save as a show of it to others.
And that was Jesus' point. It is easy to render lip service, but when the time comes for us to put our shoulders to the wheel, all kinds of excuses come up (c.f. Luk 14:16-20).
It remains for us today to walk the talk. That we love not just in word but in deed (1Jo 3:18). That our faith is demonstrated by works (Jam 2:17,20,24,26). That we no longer serve as the old man but strive as new creatures (2Co 5:17). Let us not be partakers of "dead burial" but indeed engage in the life giving work of preaching the gospel (Luk 9:60).
Monday, July 22, 2019
Light of the body
Dear brethren,
Today's readings:
2Kings 7,8; 2Chronicles 21; Matthew 6
Mat 6:22 — Mat 6:23 (KJV)
The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light. But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!
This is one of those verses that when you just glance at it sounds right but then when you dwell into it, just what does it mean?
The "light" here really refers to a type of oil lamp (which some modern versions more accurately translates). Now the "eye" is used metaphorically to refer to the mind (c.f. Eph 1:18). "single" is translated as "good" in most modern versions, which is clearer but the Greek word here specifically refers to not being complex, without undulations (and here is scientific foreknowlege of the bible describing astigmatism, which is caused by the uneven surface of the cornea, resulting in double vision!). "full of light" is actually one Greek word that refers to a luminous or bright object.
Whereas "full of darkness" is also one word alluding to wretchedness, being in a sad, pitiful state (c.f. 1Co 15:19).
Jesus exhorted us, earlier in this Sermon on the mount, for his disciples to be light of the world (5:14-16). Indeed, whether it be bright shining light or diffused and dark "light", it stems from our minds, our thoughts, our motivations. And that motivation will determine what permeates throughout our body or our actions and deeds. Jesus later taught about the contrast between the good and evil heart (Mat 12:35). Truly, having the right attitude and mindset, a pure and unadulterated heart, is the key to us being pleasing to God and being able to reflect God's light in His perfect glory. The flip side is a sobering and ominous warning - it is not just darkness but a great darkness - meaning to say, a much worse effect coming from one who professes to know God than from one who does not know God (c.f. 2Pe 2:20, 21)! Because it results in blind leading the blind and the ultimate destruction of both... (Mat 15:14).
Wherefore, let us take heed and be mindful and diligent to present "single eyes", which can only be achieved by diligent study and application of His Word, that we shine as true lights to guide the way for the lost to salvation, and not dark lamps that only cause others to stumble and ultimately reaping damnation to ourselves.
Today's readings:
2Kings 7,8; 2Chronicles 21; Matthew 6
Mat 6:22 — Mat 6:23 (KJV)
The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light. But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!
This is one of those verses that when you just glance at it sounds right but then when you dwell into it, just what does it mean?
The "light" here really refers to a type of oil lamp (which some modern versions more accurately translates). Now the "eye" is used metaphorically to refer to the mind (c.f. Eph 1:18). "single" is translated as "good" in most modern versions, which is clearer but the Greek word here specifically refers to not being complex, without undulations (and here is scientific foreknowlege of the bible describing astigmatism, which is caused by the uneven surface of the cornea, resulting in double vision!). "full of light" is actually one Greek word that refers to a luminous or bright object.
Whereas "full of darkness" is also one word alluding to wretchedness, being in a sad, pitiful state (c.f. 1Co 15:19).
Jesus exhorted us, earlier in this Sermon on the mount, for his disciples to be light of the world (5:14-16). Indeed, whether it be bright shining light or diffused and dark "light", it stems from our minds, our thoughts, our motivations. And that motivation will determine what permeates throughout our body or our actions and deeds. Jesus later taught about the contrast between the good and evil heart (Mat 12:35). Truly, having the right attitude and mindset, a pure and unadulterated heart, is the key to us being pleasing to God and being able to reflect God's light in His perfect glory. The flip side is a sobering and ominous warning - it is not just darkness but a great darkness - meaning to say, a much worse effect coming from one who professes to know God than from one who does not know God (c.f. 2Pe 2:20, 21)! Because it results in blind leading the blind and the ultimate destruction of both... (Mat 15:14).
Wherefore, let us take heed and be mindful and diligent to present "single eyes", which can only be achieved by diligent study and application of His Word, that we shine as true lights to guide the way for the lost to salvation, and not dark lamps that only cause others to stumble and ultimately reaping damnation to ourselves.
Friday, July 19, 2019
Naaman's Wrath
Dear brethren,
Today's readings:
2Kings 4-6; Matthew 5
2Ki 5:11 — 2Ki 5:12 (KJV)
But Naaman was wroth, and went away, and said, Behold, I thought, He will surely come out to me, and stand, and call on the name of the Lord his God, and strike his hand over the place, and recover the leper. Are not Abana and Pharpar, rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? may I not wash in them, and be clean? So he turned and went away in a rage.
It is interesting how oftentimes, our own preconcieved notions get in the way of us making a proper judgment.
Granted, it was a terrible disease that Naaman was aflicted with, and perhaps the relatively greater expectation of a spectacular method of healing.
The fact of the matter is, the "modus operandi" of God has always been about the obedience to the command and not the action itself. We think of Moses being told to strike and then later speak to the rock to obtain water, which he unfortunately took to be of no difference. We think of the fall of Jericho which totally made no sense in conventional warfare. We just read of Jehoshaphat's miraculous victory over the Syrians. And then fast forwarding to the NT era, where we read of the diverse manner of Jesus and the apostles carrying out miraculous works.
The word of God is simple. Nothing complicated! It is the bias in our minds that makes things complicated! But on the other hand, it is not simplistic. It cannot be frivolously substituted. Nope, the waters of Damascus will not work. And nope, dipping more times will not help, neither will fewer times.
Well did Paul write in 1 Corinthians 1:21 (KJV)
"For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe."
Oftentimes, man just would not take God's word AS IS. "It's not grand enough" "not spectacular enough" "too simple" "too foolish" or "God is not so picky" "a loving God will overlook" "all you have to do is believe" (the demons do too! Jam 2:19)
The moment we stop second guessing Him and just simply follow as He dictated, is when we can be pleasing to Him.
Thanks be to God, Naaman finally did humble himself to follow exactly what Elisha told him to and he was healed, and far more importantly, became a God fearing convert.
Let us not be haughty and high-minded but be contrite and meek, always seeking to obey God exactly as He commands and not allow our own prejudices to cloud our judgment and affect our actions.
Today's readings:
2Kings 4-6; Matthew 5
2Ki 5:11 — 2Ki 5:12 (KJV)
But Naaman was wroth, and went away, and said, Behold, I thought, He will surely come out to me, and stand, and call on the name of the Lord his God, and strike his hand over the place, and recover the leper. Are not Abana and Pharpar, rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? may I not wash in them, and be clean? So he turned and went away in a rage.
It is interesting how oftentimes, our own preconcieved notions get in the way of us making a proper judgment.
Granted, it was a terrible disease that Naaman was aflicted with, and perhaps the relatively greater expectation of a spectacular method of healing.
The fact of the matter is, the "modus operandi" of God has always been about the obedience to the command and not the action itself. We think of Moses being told to strike and then later speak to the rock to obtain water, which he unfortunately took to be of no difference. We think of the fall of Jericho which totally made no sense in conventional warfare. We just read of Jehoshaphat's miraculous victory over the Syrians. And then fast forwarding to the NT era, where we read of the diverse manner of Jesus and the apostles carrying out miraculous works.
The word of God is simple. Nothing complicated! It is the bias in our minds that makes things complicated! But on the other hand, it is not simplistic. It cannot be frivolously substituted. Nope, the waters of Damascus will not work. And nope, dipping more times will not help, neither will fewer times.
Well did Paul write in 1 Corinthians 1:21 (KJV)
"For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe."
Oftentimes, man just would not take God's word AS IS. "It's not grand enough" "not spectacular enough" "too simple" "too foolish" or "God is not so picky" "a loving God will overlook" "all you have to do is believe" (the demons do too! Jam 2:19)
The moment we stop second guessing Him and just simply follow as He dictated, is when we can be pleasing to Him.
Thanks be to God, Naaman finally did humble himself to follow exactly what Elisha told him to and he was healed, and far more importantly, became a God fearing convert.
Let us not be haughty and high-minded but be contrite and meek, always seeking to obey God exactly as He commands and not allow our own prejudices to cloud our judgment and affect our actions.
Thursday, July 18, 2019
Tempting God
Dear brethren,
Today's readings:
2Kings 2,3; Psalm 48, Matthew 4
Matthew 4:7 (KJV)
Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.
Jesus was alluding to the incident at Massah and Meribah (Ex 17:1-7, Deut 6:16), which names literally mean "testing" and "contention".
Overall, the idea of distrust and disbelief. Trying to prove something that has already been established.
Here in the tempting of Jesus, Satan ripped Scripture out of context (wow! Even the devil can quote Scripture!) to entice Jesus to discredit God. And yes, certainly God takes care of His Own, but that does not mean we can be deliberately careless and reckless in our behavior! What it does mean is that we should not be crippled by fear and become paranoid as if God is non-existent. In fact that will be another form of tempting God.
Other ways that we can temp God is not willing to submit to what He plainly teaches.
And we are not only talking about those outside of Christ but perhaps even more so those who claim to be believers. Many a time, when we try to reason with such individuals, it will come to the point where they will either say "you have your interpretation and I have mine" or "I agree with what you shared with me from the bible but I still prefer my church" and I have even come across people who say "oh you know, the bible is just a guide book suggesting what we may do"
Not taking God at His word is tempting Him!
And even as we further narrow down, even within the brotherhood, among us, what is our attitude towards souls of men, even our own souls? Do we trust God enough to be really sobered to this fact that, lukewarmness is unacceptable to Him? How are we showing His presence in our lives? Or are we just like any other regular guy, except maybe setting aside time on Sunday to worship, and maybe a midweek evening. Any of which can be easily displaced by a call at work or even for play? Are we trying our best to reach out to lost souls, knowing that great responsibility handed to us by Jesus? Have we done our part to reach out to fellow brethren especially in times of need, knowing that our love for brethren shows our love to God and professes our faith to the world? (1Jn 4:12,13; Jhn 13:34,35)
Don't forget that sinning is not just about not committing but also about omitting! (Jam 4:17).
Wherefore let us be wary and not weary! Wary of the fact that tempting God is not as far from us as we might think. And be not weary, lukewarm, even cold and numb, to do His Will.
Fire ourselves up! Sober up! God's promises goes both ways - we can be received up to eternal glory or cast down to eternal damnation. Far be it for us to tempt God, but on the very contrary, put our full trust and faith in Him and align our thoughts and deeds to that belief.
Today's readings:
2Kings 2,3; Psalm 48, Matthew 4
Matthew 4:7 (KJV)
Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.
Jesus was alluding to the incident at Massah and Meribah (Ex 17:1-7, Deut 6:16), which names literally mean "testing" and "contention".
Overall, the idea of distrust and disbelief. Trying to prove something that has already been established.
Here in the tempting of Jesus, Satan ripped Scripture out of context (wow! Even the devil can quote Scripture!) to entice Jesus to discredit God. And yes, certainly God takes care of His Own, but that does not mean we can be deliberately careless and reckless in our behavior! What it does mean is that we should not be crippled by fear and become paranoid as if God is non-existent. In fact that will be another form of tempting God.
Other ways that we can temp God is not willing to submit to what He plainly teaches.
And we are not only talking about those outside of Christ but perhaps even more so those who claim to be believers. Many a time, when we try to reason with such individuals, it will come to the point where they will either say "you have your interpretation and I have mine" or "I agree with what you shared with me from the bible but I still prefer my church" and I have even come across people who say "oh you know, the bible is just a guide book suggesting what we may do"
Not taking God at His word is tempting Him!
And even as we further narrow down, even within the brotherhood, among us, what is our attitude towards souls of men, even our own souls? Do we trust God enough to be really sobered to this fact that, lukewarmness is unacceptable to Him? How are we showing His presence in our lives? Or are we just like any other regular guy, except maybe setting aside time on Sunday to worship, and maybe a midweek evening. Any of which can be easily displaced by a call at work or even for play? Are we trying our best to reach out to lost souls, knowing that great responsibility handed to us by Jesus? Have we done our part to reach out to fellow brethren especially in times of need, knowing that our love for brethren shows our love to God and professes our faith to the world? (1Jn 4:12,13; Jhn 13:34,35)
Don't forget that sinning is not just about not committing but also about omitting! (Jam 4:17).
Wherefore let us be wary and not weary! Wary of the fact that tempting God is not as far from us as we might think. And be not weary, lukewarm, even cold and numb, to do His Will.
Fire ourselves up! Sober up! God's promises goes both ways - we can be received up to eternal glory or cast down to eternal damnation. Far be it for us to tempt God, but on the very contrary, put our full trust and faith in Him and align our thoughts and deeds to that belief.
Wednesday, July 17, 2019
Fear, Seek, Fast
Dear brethren,
Today's readings:
2Chronicles 19,20; 2Kings 1; Psalm 20; Matthew 3
2 Chronicles 20:3 (KJV)
And Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself to seek the Lord, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah.
In spite of his alliance with Israel, Jehoshaphat was largely a godly king. And is manifest here in particular in the manner he handled matters.
1) Fear
We can take it from 2 angles - fear of the challenges or fear of the Lord. It is no shame to be afraid at times. Because the correct type of fear is the emotionl aspect of humility and the opposite of haughtiness. Fear of the Lord really means complete reverence and obedience to Him. So from any angle, the important thing here is what that fear motivates us to do, as opposed to the crippling, mortal fear of hopelessness (c.f. 2Ti 1:7). Christians of all people should be full of hope! We are in fact beacons of the hope that God has given us through Christ. And our confidence is rooted in the promises given by God and the godly fear of not performing up to par even as God has given us individually the ability to be.
2) set himself to seek the Lord
It is a conscious, active and personal decision to continually render our obedience. No one can do it on our behalf! Neither can we blame anyone for our own failings. We need to set out minds and focus right and be diligent to search out His ways, instead of trying to do things our way.
3) Fast
Literally in the passage. Fasting done right, has been shown to sharpen the senses, improve mental acuity and physical performance. Perhaps it is in this state that the hungry hunter is best able to get his food! And it is also in this state that we get a better realisation and appreciation of the providence and goodness of God (c.f. 2Co 12:9-10).
But the whole idea is about putting things into action. No use thinking about it, preparing about it and not doing anything about it! Notice that even though in this particular instance, the Israelites physically did nothing to effect a complete victory, yet that didn't mean they didn't do anything at all! (v. 16,17) And of course we need to bear in mind this was a miraculous act of God to drive home the point of the importance of wholly depending on God.
And this is the precise analogy to our salvation - their is nothing that we do that directly creates the instrument of our salvation - it is the gift of God. But what we do will determine how we appropriate or get hold and hang on to that gift. And certainly, we can choose to reject or let slip that privilege.
Wherefore let us set our minds right, prepare oursleves wholly and serve God continually, to the best of our abilities, that we may finally claim the crown of victory.
Today's readings:
2Chronicles 19,20; 2Kings 1; Psalm 20; Matthew 3
2 Chronicles 20:3 (KJV)
And Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself to seek the Lord, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah.
In spite of his alliance with Israel, Jehoshaphat was largely a godly king. And is manifest here in particular in the manner he handled matters.
1) Fear
We can take it from 2 angles - fear of the challenges or fear of the Lord. It is no shame to be afraid at times. Because the correct type of fear is the emotionl aspect of humility and the opposite of haughtiness. Fear of the Lord really means complete reverence and obedience to Him. So from any angle, the important thing here is what that fear motivates us to do, as opposed to the crippling, mortal fear of hopelessness (c.f. 2Ti 1:7). Christians of all people should be full of hope! We are in fact beacons of the hope that God has given us through Christ. And our confidence is rooted in the promises given by God and the godly fear of not performing up to par even as God has given us individually the ability to be.
2) set himself to seek the Lord
It is a conscious, active and personal decision to continually render our obedience. No one can do it on our behalf! Neither can we blame anyone for our own failings. We need to set out minds and focus right and be diligent to search out His ways, instead of trying to do things our way.
3) Fast
Literally in the passage. Fasting done right, has been shown to sharpen the senses, improve mental acuity and physical performance. Perhaps it is in this state that the hungry hunter is best able to get his food! And it is also in this state that we get a better realisation and appreciation of the providence and goodness of God (c.f. 2Co 12:9-10).
But the whole idea is about putting things into action. No use thinking about it, preparing about it and not doing anything about it! Notice that even though in this particular instance, the Israelites physically did nothing to effect a complete victory, yet that didn't mean they didn't do anything at all! (v. 16,17) And of course we need to bear in mind this was a miraculous act of God to drive home the point of the importance of wholly depending on God.
And this is the precise analogy to our salvation - their is nothing that we do that directly creates the instrument of our salvation - it is the gift of God. But what we do will determine how we appropriate or get hold and hang on to that gift. And certainly, we can choose to reject or let slip that privilege.
Wherefore let us set our minds right, prepare oursleves wholly and serve God continually, to the best of our abilities, that we may finally claim the crown of victory.
Tuesday, July 2, 2019
Of Power, Love and Sound mind
Dear brethren,
Today's readings:
Ecclesiastes 1-3; Psalm 45; 2 Timothy 1
2 Timothy 1:7 (KJV)
For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
The original Greek word for "fear" is "Delia" which is always used in a bad sense, alluding to timidity, cowardice. This is contrasted to the more neutral "phobos" which can be bad (e.g. Mat 8:26) or good (e.g. Heb 4:1) or "eulebeia" which specifically "Godly fear" (e.g. Heb 12:28)
Thus as Christians, we need to avoid feeling that sense of doom and hopelessness, as if we have no hope of promise in our lives, but instead lean upon the triangle of power, love and sound mindedness.
Power is the doing. The action. Obedience is not lip service! Obedience is about taking action but not as we please but according to what God has commanded.
Love is the emotive aspect. The underlying motivation of it all. Without which, all action is but clanging brass! (1Co 13:1)
Sound mindedness is the logical cognitive aspect. Blind faith is an oxymoron! Faith is always evidence based. (Heb 11:1) God wants a thinking, reasoning, people,not programmed automatons! (Isa 1:18)
So study God's word! Think about it logically, apply it with love to God, to others, to self, put it to action and we can overcome all our anxieties and live this life in joyous preparation for the glory to come.
Today's readings:
Ecclesiastes 1-3; Psalm 45; 2 Timothy 1
2 Timothy 1:7 (KJV)
For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
The original Greek word for "fear" is "Delia" which is always used in a bad sense, alluding to timidity, cowardice. This is contrasted to the more neutral "phobos" which can be bad (e.g. Mat 8:26) or good (e.g. Heb 4:1) or "eulebeia" which specifically "Godly fear" (e.g. Heb 12:28)
Thus as Christians, we need to avoid feeling that sense of doom and hopelessness, as if we have no hope of promise in our lives, but instead lean upon the triangle of power, love and sound mindedness.
Power is the doing. The action. Obedience is not lip service! Obedience is about taking action but not as we please but according to what God has commanded.
Love is the emotive aspect. The underlying motivation of it all. Without which, all action is but clanging brass! (1Co 13:1)
Sound mindedness is the logical cognitive aspect. Blind faith is an oxymoron! Faith is always evidence based. (Heb 11:1) God wants a thinking, reasoning, people,not programmed automatons! (Isa 1:18)
So study God's word! Think about it logically, apply it with love to God, to others, to self, put it to action and we can overcome all our anxieties and live this life in joyous preparation for the glory to come.
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