6/16/24 – Dwindling Discipleship?

Question: “What is the cause of the decline in Christianity in America, and what are we to do about it?”   ——–While you might find this question to be a two-parter, it is actually a three-part question, as we must determine if there is actually a decline in ‘Christianity’ in America, or is it more a

6/17/23 – Love “Pressure”

Psalm 16:5 You, Lord, are all I have, and you give me all I need; my future is in your hands.———-Have you ever been ‘stuck’ wondering what your future is?  If you have followed me in these lectios, you know I am constantly fighting this focus.  I continue to have a very strong feeling that

2/9/23 – Arrogance Envy

Psalm 73:3 For I was envious of the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. ——– This psalm is a song of Asaph, David’s choirmaster.  It is firstly a confession, and then a reinforcement on why he knows better than to envy the wicked.  Asaph tells us of the good fortune that the

2/4/23 – Heading Home?

Psalm 53:2 God looks down from heaven on all mankind to see if there are any who understand, any who seek God. —— This psalm starts out telling a truth that we see more of now than possibly any other time of our existence – that people deny the existence of God.  The psalm calls

1/28/23 – Treasure Jars

2 Corinthians 4:7 But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. ——- This section of the letter from Paul to the Crointhians is about the treasure of the Life given from the sacrifice by Jesus.  Paul recounts the gift of salvation

1/27/23 – Preplanned Destination

1 Thessalonians 5:9 For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. ——- This section of the letter to the Thessalonians starts out talking about the Day of the Lord, which we know is often used to discuss the ‘day’ that the new heaven and the new

1/14/23 – Bypassing Judgment

John 5:24  Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life. ——— You may remember that one of the reasons the Jews wanted to kill Jesus was that He claimed to be

1/6/23 – Hell Consigner!

Luke 12:5 But I will warn you whom to fear: fear him who, after he has killed, has authority to cast into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him! ——— You might want to call the twelfth chapter of the book of Luke as the “Beware” chapter.  The beware points are made by none other

1/3/23 – Final Answer….!

Zechariah 1:3 Therefore say to them, Thus declares the Lord of hosts: Return to me, says the Lord of hosts, and I will return to you, says the Lord of hosts. ——- You might know by now that Zechariah had the duty to prophecy during the Exile, and in this first chapter the ‘problem’ is

1/2/23 – Beginning “Re-Newed” [Happy New Year!]

Colossians 3:10 and have put on the new self, you are being renewed in knowledge according to the image of your creator. ——— I know you know that Paul is talking about new life in this section of his letter.  It is wholly appropriate for the first day of a new year, and I am

12/25/22 – Birthing “Anti-Death”

Romans 5:2 Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. ——- Did you know that certain translations subtitle this section of Romans “Peace with God through Faith”?  It is about the whole of The Tapestry of Creation,

12/21/22 – Soulful Connection

Ezekiel 18:20 The soul who sins shall die. The son shall not suffer for the iniquity of the father, nor the father suffer for the iniquity of the son. The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon himself. ——– The entire chapter of Ezekiel is

12/11/22 – Gladness Unmourned

Psalm 30:11 You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; you have loosed my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness, ——- We have been in Psalm 30 before, it is subtitled Joy Comes with the Morning.  It was composed for the dedication of the Temple.  It starts out like most of David’s songs, with

12/10/22 – Meeting “Choice”

Psalm 59:10a My God in His steadfast love will meet me; ——– Point of personal privilege:  Never take a single verse, or a part of a verse to interpret God.  Now, notice that I am going to do just that here, but it is to make a point and not to interpret God. This psalm

12/9/22 – Purposeful Existence

John 18:37 Then Pilate said to him, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.” ——– John 18

12/5/22 – Suspended Extinguishment?

Psalm 40:15   But God will ransom my soul from the power of Sheol, for he will receive me.  ——– Ironically, this psalm is David talking down those who are rich and wealthy in all respects of a temporal life.  He says that none of that will give them escape from death.  The ironic part

12/3/22 – Graceful Faith?

Ephesians 2:8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, ——– There is no question that Paul is pushing the fact that our sin is a big deal – no, THE big deal.  Paul is pointing out that we are doomed

12/2/22 – Disconnected Consequences

Ecclesiastes 8:11 Because the sentence against an evil deed is not executed speedily, the heart of the children of man is fully set to do evil. —— I find the opening of this chapter of Ecclesiastes asking something I have been saying for some time – who knows how to interpret things from God?  Solomon

12/1/22 – Love Facet

James 1:2 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, ——- Did you know this letter is about steadfastness in faith?  James was very aware that carrying the Gospel at that time could force the carrier into precarious situations that might even result in death.  James knew that there was

11/22/22 – Timeless Understanding?

Revelation 10:6 And swore by him that lives for ever and ever, who created heaven, and the things that therein are, and the earth, and the things that therein are, and the sea, and the things which are therein, that there should be time no longer: ——-: The older the translation of this verse the

11/19/22 – Faithful Faithlessness

2 Timothy 2:13 if we are faithless, he remains faithful, for he cannot disown himself. ——- Are you aware this section of Paul’s letter to Timothy is about task focus?  Paul starts out talking about a soldier and his responsibility to the goal of his commander, and then about the process in which an athlete

11/18/22 – Intercessory Accodance

Romans 8:27 And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God. ——— He who searches our hearts here is assumed to be Christ as He separates the sheep from the goats.  We find this section of Paul’s letter

10/29/22 – “Goating” Home?

Matthew 25:46 “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.” ——– This verse ends the chapter of Matthew that speaks of that famous dividing of the good from the evil, the chosen from those not chosen.  Jesus tells of the more specific reasons that the winnowing of good from

10/28/22 – Just LOVE

So, in doing all things in love, don’t omit yourself.

10/27/22 – Duly “Noted”

1 Corinthians 14:7  If even lifeless instruments, such as the flute or the harp, do not give distinct notes, how will anyone know what is played? ——- First, a word of privilege… you know I have often spoken about these verses being randomly chosen.  For over four years, I have felt the need to let