Category: Theology

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The Last Supper and the Human Condition

Last month, Jen and I took a break from our daily routine and traveled to Italy to visit our son Joshua, who is an Army officer stationed there.

It was a great to visit him and see what his world is like. It was also fun to get a taste (literally) of Italy, though we only saw a small portion of the country.

Jen and I loved hanging out with our son Joshua in Italy, where he is serving as an officer in the U.S. Army.

In addition to spending a day in Venice and a few days in Florence, where we saw Michelangelo’s famous statue of David, Jen and I also took a day trip to Milan, where we experienced a very informative walking tour through parts of the city that included seeing the Duomo di Milano (Milan Cathedral) as well as the famous DaVinci masterpiece “The Last Supper”. 

Venice was exactly how I imagined it from watching movies like “The Italian Job”

I have to admit that the Last Supper was not exactly what I expected. It looked a little different than all the photos you see. It turns out that there’s a reason for that.

Our guide explained that when DaVinci was commissioned to make the painting, he decided against the tried and true traditional Fresco style of painting, which creates a permanent image because the painting is all done in wet plaster.

The downside of this technique is that you have to paint very quickly before the plaster dries. DaVinci wanted to take his time and create a painting with more intricate detail than the fresco technique would allow, so he developed a completely new technique that allowed him to take his time.

Joshua and Jen at dusk in Florence on a bridge overlooking the Arno river

The result was an undisputed masterpiece. However, it became more clear, over time, that DaVinci’s novel new technique was flawed, as parts of the painting literally began to flake away from the wall.

To fix this problem, other painters were often called in to fill in the gaps and “restore” those portions to match copies that demonstrated the original image.

Fast forward hundreds of years and the image on the wall has been painted over dozens of times. The original image is actually lost as many of the finer details, such as facial expressions, don’t look exactly as Leonardo had painted them.

Jen and me pose with the Duomo di Milano (Milan Cathedral) in the background

In 1977, it was decided that the painting would go through a restoration process whereby all the extra layers of paint would be removed so that the image that remained would be only what Leonardo had painted. It was risky because they weren’t sure if ANYTHING would be left when they removed all the layers.

Fortunately, there was still plenty of Leonardo’s original image still intact when all of the extraneous layers were removed. At that point, what was left underwent an extensive 25 year restoration process to ensure that the image would not experience further decay.

What remains is still amazing but it is not exactly the original. There are parts that have faded or flaked away. We have a good idea of what the original looked like based on copies that were created when it was more complete.

The Last Supper by Leonardo DaVinci

I think the Last Supper illustrates the human condition. The Bible tells us that we are God’s masterpiece, but it also says that we’re broken because of sin. 

Just as the Last Supper was in a constant state of decay, so too are we. Without outside intervention, the Last Supper was doomed to decay into, at best, a muted reflection of the original masterpiece and at worst, nothingness!

The same is true with us. Without God’s intervention, we have no hope of reflecting the true masterpiece that God says we are. And even in this life, the best we can hope for is a muted, partial reflection of God’s artistry. 

The Last Supper will never be restored to the original image that Leonardo painted. But we, as believers, have the hope and assurance that one day, we will experience the final restoration of our bodies and our souls. Sin will be eradicated and we will no longer experience death or decay!

THAT is good news and it’s amazing!

Thank you for your partnership with us, which allows us to help others realize that we are all “masterpieces” in need of restoration!

Arrivederci!

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Is the God of the Old Testament Petty?

Numbers 22

1Then the people of Israel traveled to the plains of Moab and camped east of the Jordan River, across from Jericho. 2Balak son of Zippor, the Moabite king, knew what the Israelites had done to the Amorites. 3And when they saw how many Israelites there were, he and his people were terrified. 4The king of Moab said to the leaders of Midian, “This mob will devour everything in sight, like an ox devours grass!”

So Balak, king of Moab, 5sent messengers to Balaam son of Beor, who was living in his native land of Pethor*[Or who was at Pethor in the land of the Amavites.] near the Euphrates River.*[Hebrew the river.] He sent this message to request that Balaam come to help him:

“A vast horde of people has arrived from Egypt. They cover the face of the earth and are threatening me. 6Please come and curse them for me because they are so numerous. Then perhaps I will be able to conquer them and drive them from the land. I know that blessings fall on the people you bless. I also know that the people you curse are doomed.”

7Balak’s messengers, officials of both Moab and Midian, set out and took money with them to pay Balaam to curse Israel. They went to Balaam and urgently explained to him what Balak wanted. 8“Stay here overnight,” Balaam said. “In the morning I will tell you whatever the LORD directs me to say.” So the officials from Moab stayed there with Balaam.

9That night God came to Balaam and asked him, “Who are these men with you?”

10So Balaam said to God, “Balak son of Zippor, king of Moab, has sent me this message: 11‘A vast horde of people has come from Egypt and has spread out over the whole land. Come at once to curse them. Perhaps then I will be able to conquer them and drive them from the land.’”

12“Do not go with them,” God told Balaam. “You are not to curse these people, for I have blessed them!”

13The next morning Balaam got up and told Balak’s officials, “Go on home! The LORD will not let me go with you.”

14So the Moabite officials returned to King Balak and reported, “Balaam refused to come with us.” 15Then Balak tried again. This time he sent a larger number of even more distinguished officials than those he had sent the first time. 16They went to Balaam and gave him this message:

“This is what Balak son of Zippor says: Please don’t let anything stop you from coming. 17I will pay you well and do anything you ask of me. Just come and curse these people for me!”

18But Balaam answered them, “Even if Balak were to give me a palace filled with silver and gold, I would be powerless to do anything against the will of the LORD my God. 19But stay here one more night to see if the LORD has anything else to say to me.”

20That night God came to Balaam and told him, “Since these men have come for you, get up and go with them. But be sure to do only what I tell you to do.”

21So the next morning Balaam saddled his donkey and started off with the Moabite officials. 22But God was furious that Balaam was going, so he sent the angel of the LORD to stand in the road to block his way. As Balaam and two servants were riding along,

23Balaam’s donkey suddenly saw the angel of the LORD standing in the road with a drawn sword in his hand. The donkey bolted off the road into a field, but Balaam beat it and turned it back onto the road. 24Then the angel of the LORD stood at a place where the road narrowed between two vineyard walls. 25When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD standing there, it tried to squeeze by and crushed Balaam’s foot against the wall. So Balaam beat the donkey again. 26Then the angel of the LORD moved farther down the road and stood in a place so narrow that the donkey could not get by at all. 27This time when the donkey saw the angel, it lay down under Balaam. In a fit of rage Balaam beat it again with his staff.

28Then the LORD caused the donkey to speak. “What have I done to you that deserves your beating me these three times?” it asked Balaam.

29“Because you have made me look like a fool!” Balaam shouted. “If I had a sword with me, I would kill you!”

30“But I am the same donkey you always ride on,” the donkey answered. “Have I ever done anything like this before?”

“No,” he admitted.

31Then the LORD opened Balaam’s eyes, and he saw the angel of the LORD standing in the roadway with a drawn sword in his hand. Balaam fell face down on the ground before him.

32“Why did you beat your donkey those three times?” the angel of the LORD demanded. “I have come to block your way because you are stubbornly resisting me. 33Three times the donkey saw me and shied away; otherwise, I would certainly have killed you by now and spared the donkey.”

(Numbers 22:1-33, NLT)

The Daily DAVEotional

Have you ever heard someone accuse the God of the Old Testament of being petty? Or genocidal? Or narcissistic?

It’s a common argument that people make, particularly if you want to discard portions of the Biblical text that don’t suit your moral preferences. After all, if we can discredit the God who is portrayed in the Bible, why should we be required to adhere to any of his commands or statutes?

This passage from Numbers may be cited by some as an example of the “pettiness” or fickle nature of the Old Testament God.

The argument may go something like this:

    1. Some men come and ask Balaam to go and curse the Israelites. He will be rewarded if he does.
    2. Balaam tells the men that he must inquire of the Lord and can only do what God tells him to do.
    3. God tells Balaam not to go.
    4. Balaam tells the people that he cannot go and sends them home.
    5. A bigger delegation comes a second time offering more riches
    6. Balaam tells them he is powerless to do anything against the will of the the Lord  but he invites them to wait and see if God might have more to say on the matter.
    7. This second time, God tells Balaam to go, which he does.
    8. God is then mad at Balaam for going.

On the surface, this story seems to show God as being a fickle, petty whiner. Balaam does EXACTLY what God asks him to do. He goes. So why in the world would God be mad? How in the world COULD God be mad? It doesn’t seem to make any sense.

But as ESPN College Football Analyst Lee Corso says, “Not so fast, my friend.”

There’s more going on than what we might notice on the surface. First of all, while it appears that Balaam is doing EXACTLY what God has asked, we cannot see what is going on under the surface, that is, in his heart.

For example, if Balaam is so committed to following the Lord’s command, why does he invite the delegation to stay another night so that he may inquire of the Lord further? He has already heard the Lord’s directive on the issue.

Verse 32 confirms this suspicion as the angel of the Lord says that Balaam is “stubbornly resisting me.” Balaam confesses his sin and agrees to “go back home if you are against my going.”

This indicates that while Balaam said the right things, in his heart, he really wanted to go, as indicated by his decision to inquire of the Lord AGAIN. God allows him to go but He realizes that Balaam is resisting Him internally.

God uses Balaam’s donkey to teach him a lesson, which is that we don’t always see what is happening around us. We see the obvious, surface level stuff, but we have no idea what is happening under the surface. But God does.

There is more to the story surrounding Balaam but the main idea here is that God is not petty, nor is He fickle. He judges our motives as well as our actions because He sees and is aware of EVERYTHING.

By contrast, we tend to evaluate God and judge His motives with limited information and understanding. We are like Balaam in the story. We are mad at the donkey, or the circumstances that we wrongly interpret as being unjust, unfair or immoral, all the while we’re completely oblivious to the unseen world and forces around us.

God’s message to us is “Open your eyes!”

Reflection

What has been your opinion or understanding of the God of the Old Testament?

What would you say to someone who claims that the God of the Old Testament is petty?

What is a situation when you rushed to judgment or jumped to a conclusion, only to realize later that you didn’t have all the information?

Balaam said the right things but internally he was resisting God. What does it look like for you when you are resisting God? What steps can you take to ensure your inner heart toward God matches your outer actions?

 

Photo by Alfredo Mora on Unsplash

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Haters Gonna Hate, Hate, Hate

John 15

18“When the world hates you, remember it hated me before it hated you. 19The world would love you if you belonged to it, but you don’t. I chose you to come out of the world, and so it hates you. 20Do you remember what I told you? ‘A servant is not greater than the master.’ Since they persecuted me, naturally they will persecute you. And if they had listened to me, they would listen to you! 21The people of the world will hate you because you belong to me, for they don’t know God who sent me. 22They would not be guilty if I had not come and spoken to them. But now they have no excuse for their sin. 23Anyone who hates me hates my Father, too. 24If I hadn’t done such miraculous signs among them that no one else could do, they would not be counted guilty. But as it is, they saw all that I did and yet hated both of us—me and my Father. 25This has fulfilled what the Scriptures said: ‘They hated me without cause.’ 26“But I will send you the Counselor—the Spirit of truth. He will come to you from the Father and will tell you all about me. 27And you must also tell others about me because you have been with me from the beginning.

(John 15:18-27, NLT)

The Daily DAVEotional

Have you noticed that there is a lot of hate in our culture today. A LOT.

What I find interesting is that our culture seems to have redefined what the word hate even means. If you disagree with someone, you are quickly labeled a “hater.”

This is very problematic for Christians because we believe that Jesus has given us moral guidelines to live by and to promote as good for our society at large.

But many of the moral guidelines Christians hold to are not accepted by our culture. So what is the response? Christians are labeled as haters.

There are lots of names that can be found in the hate bucket. Racist, Sexist, Misogynist. Homophobic. Transphobic. Judgmental. Hypocritical.

There is no doubt that there are those who identify as Christians who are racist, or sexist or judgmental, or any number of other labels. ALL have sinned. ALL do sin. We should be honest about that and appeal to Jesus to not only forgive but transform.

Still, no matter what you say or do, some are going to hate you. This should not surprise us as Jesus Himself warned that this would be the case.

And yet, I find that many Christians cannot stomach the fact that the world hates them. So what is the response? For many, the response is accommodation. I see quite a number of Christians, churches and denominations who are changing their theology, their moral stances and in some cases, their entire worldview – all so that they won’t be hated by others.

And while the culture has redefined what hate is, I think many believers have redefined what love is. In a desperate attempt to not be seen as any of the “hate” words listed above, I see long-standing, biblical beliefs and moral principles being accommodated and compromised, in the name of “love”. The thinking for many is that if others hate you, then you must not be “loving.”

Nothing could be further from the truth. Loving people has nothing to do with getting them to like you. This passage is a proof text for that. Jesus was and is the most loving person who ever lived and yet He was hated so much that He was crucified by His haters. His love for them was not enough to get them to “like” Him.

In this passage, Jesus implores His followers to recognize this same principle. Some people are so hard-hearted toward God that anyone who represents Him or reflects His moral guidance is a target for personal wrath and ire. We cannot avoid this. We simply must endure it.

Fortunately, Jesus sends us the Counselor, the Spirit of TRUTH, who gives us the courage to tell others about Jesus and empowers us with the strength to endure the hatred that may be directed toward us.

Reflection

As Christians, we are commanded to love others. What do you think that looks like? How do you love people who hate you and what you stand for?

When Jesus says that the world will hate His followers, what do you think that means?

How do you think Christians should respond to hate they experience from the world? 

Do you think it’s possible for Christians to be liked by the world? Why or why not? 

Jesus says that we are to tell others about Him. What exactly about Jesus do you think we are to communicate? What do you think are the best ways to communicate about Jesus to others?

 

Photo by Andre Hunter on Unsplash

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What About Those Who’ve Never Heard of Jesus?

Romans 2

1You may be saying, “What terrible people you have been talking about!” But you are just as bad, and you have no excuse! When you say they are wicked and should be punished, you are condemning yourself, for you do these very same things. 2And we know that God, in his justice, will punish anyone who does such things. 3Do you think that God will judge and condemn others for doing them and not judge you when you do them, too? 4Don’t you realize how kind, tolerant, and patient God is with you? Or don’t you care? Can’t you see how kind he has been in giving you time to turn from your sin?

5But no, you won’t listen. So you are storing up terrible punishment for yourself because of your stubbornness in refusing to turn from your sin. For there is going to come a day of judgment when God, the just judge of all the world, 6will judge all people according to what they have done. 7He will give eternal life to those who persist in doing what is good, seeking after the glory and honor and immortality that God offers. 8But he will pour out his anger and wrath on those who live for themselves, who refuse to obey the truth and practice evil deeds. 9There will be trouble and calamity for everyone who keeps on sinning—for the Jew first and also for the Gentile. 10But there will be glory and honor and peace from God for all who do good—for the Jew first and also for the Gentile. 11For God does not show favoritism.

12God will punish the Gentiles when they sin, even though they never had God’s written law. And he will punish the Jews when they sin, for they do have the law. 13For it is not merely knowing the law that brings God’s approval. Those who obey the law will be declared right in God’s sight. 14Even when Gentiles, who do not have God’s written law, instinctively follow what the law says, they show that in their hearts they know right from wrong. 15They demonstrate that God’s law is written within them, for their own consciences either accuse them or tell them they are doing what is right. 16The day will surely come when God, by Jesus Christ, will judge everyone’s secret life. This is my message.  (Romans 2:1-16, NLT)

The Daily DAVEotional

One of the biggest criticisms against Christianity is its exclusive claims. Christianity claims that it is only through Jesus Christ and His atoning sacrifice that people can be reconciled to God and experience eternity in heaven.

The response many people have is “what about those who’ve never heard of Jesus?”

The people making this claim almost certainly HAVE heard of Jesus, so the question is almost always a smokescreen. In other words, the people asking this question aren’t typically concerned with the distant jungle tribes who have had no contact with modern civilization and hence would not have ever had the opportunity to know about Jesus.

This question usually comes from a person who is using it as a way to defend their worldview and life choices. If it can be demonstrated that the Christian message and method of salvation is faulty, then one can dismiss it and effectively ignore it.

So what about the person who has never heard of Jesus? Does this argument negate the Christian message of salvation through Christ alone?

On its surface, it doesn’t seem fair that someone who has never been exposed to the person of Jesus and the sacrifice He’s made on our behalf would be penalized at the Pearly gates for not having responded to an invitation that they were completely unaware of.

And yet, Paul, in these first few chapters of Romans, addresses this very issue. In Romans 1, Paul says that people are without excuse because God’s presence and power are plainly visible through general revelation that is available to everyone just by looking at creation. I wrote about this in a blog post entitled “Where Did that Ball Come From?” , where I outline the lengths that people go to dismiss God and attempt to eliminate Him from their lives.

Paul continues his argument that people are without excuse regarding the existence of God here in Romans 2.

In this chapter, Paul says that nobody is without excuse because EVERYONE sins.

But how do we know we sin?

Paul says that Jews know they are sinning because they have the Law which is a moral code given to them by God Himself through Moses. Whenever these moral guidelines are violated, it is sin, and according to God’s justice, it deserves to be punished.

But what about Gentiles? They never had the Law.

Notice that this is the exact same argument that was posed at the outset – what about those who have never heard of Jesus (or had the law)?

It’s true that Gentiles were not given the Law. Paul stipulates to this. There is no argument regarding this fact.

But Paul continues in verses 14 and 15, saying

Even when Gentiles, who do not have God’s written law, instinctively follow what the law says, they show that in their hearts they know right from wrong. 15They demonstrate that God’s law is written within them, for their own consciences either accuse them or tell them they are doing what is right.

Everyone has a conscience which tells us, generally speaking, that some things are right and other things are wrong. Paul’s argument is that a person’s conscience functions as a written code. Have you ever violated your own standards? Of course you have. Everyone has done things that they KNEW to be wrong. Hence, even if you didn’t have the Law that the Israelites did, if you’ve ever violated your own standards of what you thought was right and wrong, then you have sinned.

EVEN IF YOUR STANDARDS OF RIGHT AND WRONG ARE DIFFERENT FROM WHAT THE LAW SAYS.

This last statement is crucial because it demonstrates that no matter what your moral values are, if you are incapable of upholding them 100% of the time (and nobody is) it demonstrates that you are a sinner. You are broken and you are in need of help.

The message of the Bible is that no one is without excuse. All have sinned. And all are in need of a savior.

Those who recognize this problem in their own lives can appeal to God to save them. God will either lead them to Jesus or, by His grace, He will apply the sacrifice of Jesus to those who appeal to Him by faith, even if they weren’t aware of Jesus’ sacrifice specifically.

But God is under no obligation to reveal more truth about Jesus to those who have rejected the truth about God that has already been revealed.

Reflection

Have you ever done something that violated your conscience? What was the situation? What feelings and emotions did it produce? How did you respond?

Do you think it’s fair that the only way a person can be saved is through Jesus? How would you respond to someone who asks you what happens to the people who’ve never heard of Jesus? 

What thoughts and feelings do you experience from Paul’s statement that “The day will surely come when God, by Jesus Christ, will judge everyone’s secret life.”? 

Paul says, “there is going to come a day of judgment when God, the just judge of all the world, will judge all people according to what they have done.” How do you reconcile God’s judgment with His divine attribute of love? Do you think it is a contradiction that God is love but also exercises judgment and punishment on people? Why or why not?

 

Photo by Dilara Albamya: https://www.pexels.com/photo/skull-with-dusk-on-tribal-hut-11239181/

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A Psalm that Doubles as a Responsive Reading

Psalm 136

1Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good!
His faithful love endures forever
2Give thanks to the God of gods.
His faithful love endures forever
3Give thanks to the Lord of lords.
His faithful love endures forever
4Give thanks to him who alone does mighty miracles.
His faithful love endures forever
5Give thanks to him who made the heavens so skillfully.
His faithful love endures forever
6Give thanks to him who placed the earth on the water.
His faithful love endures forever
7Give thanks to him who made the heavenly lights—
His faithful love endures forever
8the sun to rule the day,
His faithful love endures forever
9and the moon and stars to rule the night.
His faithful love endures forever
10Give thanks to him who killed the firstborn of Egypt.
His faithful love endures forever
11He brought Israel out of Egypt.
His faithful love endures forever
12He acted with a strong hand and powerful arm.
His faithful love endures forever
13Give thanks to him who parted the Red Sea
His faithful love endures forever
14He led Israel safely through,
His faithful love endures forever
15but he hurled Pharaoh and his army into the sea.
His faithful love endures forever
16Give thanks to him who led his people through the wilderness.
His faithful love endures forever
17Give thanks to him who struck down mighty kings.
His faithful love endures forever
18He killed powerful kings—
His faithful love endures forever
19Sihon king of the Amorites,
His faithful love endures forever
20and Og king of Bashan.
His faithful love endures forever
21God gave the land of these kings as an inheritance—
His faithful love endures forever
22a special possession to his servant Israel.
His faithful love endures forever
23He remembered our utter weakness.
His faithful love endures forever
24He saved us from our enemies.
His faithful love endures forever
25He gives food to every living thing.
His faithful love endures forever
26Give thanks to the God of heaven.
His faithful love endures forever

(Psa.lm 136: 1-26, NLT)

The Daily DAVEotional

I grew up attending a traditional Protestant church, complete with Sunday school for kids and adults, followed by a worship service for the whole family.

We didn’t have a worship band like you find in many churches today. Instead, we had a choir director who also led the congregation in singing. In those days, “praise and worship songs” were considered folk songs that were reserved for singing around a campfire. They were not appropriate for the Sunday morning worship service.

For the worship service, we sang hymns from a hymnal that you could grab from the pew rack in front of you.

One of the more interesting elements of those old Sunday morning worship services was the occasional “responsive reading”. These were usually found in the back of the hymnal and consisted of two parts – the part that was recited by the worship director (usually in normal type), followed by the part that the congregation recited in unison (often depicted in bold type).

I always enjoyed those responsive readings, even though we did them only occasionally. As a kid, I think I liked being able to show off my reading skills, but as I grew older, I liked the opportunity this element provided to participate in the service in a different way. It was engaging, in a unique sort of way.

In today’s modern worship services, I rarely encounter a responsive reading. Today’s worship services often place a higher emphasis on creating an encounter for the congregants through a highly produced worship event rather than helping the attender to encounter God through this more simplistic reflection device.

I don’t mean to denigrate current worship styles as I very much appreciate the atmosphere and aura that a worship team can create through the amazing talents of ordinary people. The Sunday morning worship experience has certainly come a long way over the last 50 years. But I do think that there is tremendous value in some of these “older” Scriptural reflection elements that have sadly fallen out of style and favor.

What’s interesting to me is that the responsive reading is actually a biblical invention, as seen clearly in this psalm of thankfulness.

Twelve times in these 26 verses the psalmist makes the statement to “Give thanks” followed by a reason to give thanks. The first 9 verses detail God’s power in creation. In verses 10 through 16, the psalmist gives thanks for God’s deliverance of His people from the Egyptians.

In verses 17 through 24, the psalmist gives thanks for God leading the Israelites to their promised land and allowing His people to conquer and destroy their enemies.

Finally, the psalmist gives thanks for God’s general provision and sovereignty.

Interlaced between each of these statements of thankfulness is the repeated phrase, “His faithful love endures forever”, which is repeated 26 times. I’m getting the impression that the psalmist wants to say something about God’s faithful love enduring forever!

Think for a moment about the statement, “His faithful love endures forever.”

What do you think it means? Why do you think the psalmist chose that statement to be repeated in each verse?

The Hebrew word that is translated as “love” in this verse is the word “hesed” which has been translated as “loyal love”, “lovingkindness”, “steadfast love” and “faithful love.” It has also been translated as mercy, as in Ephesians 2:4:

4But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so very much, 5that even while we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead.

The conclusion is that everything God has done, whether related to His miraculous work of creation or His mighty acts of deliverance, was ultimately rooted in and motivated by His great love.

God is love and He loved us so much that died for us. He is faithful, which means we can trust Him. His love and His faithfulness endure forever, which means the same God we read about in the Bible is the same God who lives today. He has not changed and His love and faithfulness will not run out. As a result, we can trust Him with our lives today just as the psalmist did 3000 years ago.

Reflection

What do you think it means that God’s faithful love endures forever? When you think and reflect on that statement about God, what comes to your mind?

What are some of the mighty acts God has accomplished in your life? Think about specific things that have happened in your life for which you are thankful.

What are some things you are thankful for related to your spiritual life and your new life as a believer?

Spiritual Exercise

Take a moment to write your own psalm of thanksgiving to God. Think about specific things in your past you are thankful to God for. Think also about the many spiritual blessings you have as a result of knowing Jesus.

Write out each of those statements on a lined sheet of paper, leaving a blank line between each written statement.

Now, after each statement, write the following in the blank line:

His faithful love endures forever.

After you have written your own personal psalm of thanksgiving, read it aloud, placing special emphasis on the phrase, “His faithful love endures forever.”

What thoughts, feelings and emotions did you experience while reading your personal psalm? 

What can you do to ensure that you don’t forget or ignore all of the good deeds and mighty miracles God has done in your own life?

Photo by Skyler Gerald on Unsplash

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Does Jesus Really Give us the Strength to do ANYTHING?

Philippians 4

10How grateful I am, and how I praise the Lord that you are concerned about me again. I know you have always been concerned for me, but for a while you didn’t have the chance to help me. 11Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to get along happily whether I have much or little. 12I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. 13For I can do everything with the help of Christ who gives me the strength I need. 14But even so, you have done well to share with me in my present difficulty. (Phillippians 4:10-14, NLT)

The Daily DAVEotional

When my sons were in high school, they ran Cross Country and Track. I was at the school for all their meets taking photos for the team and as a result, I made a number of observations about the high schoolers of today compared to when I was in high school.

One thing that hasn’t changed since I was in high school is the letterman’s jacket. Donned with a myriad of patches and inscriptions, many of the athletes I observed proudly wore their jackets, even in scorching temperatures, as a testament to their many accomplishments.

Some jackets had the name of the athlete stitched on the back. Occasionally, I would see a jacket that had a Bible verse reference stitched on the jacket somewhere. One of the most popular verses I saw referenced was Philippians 4:13, in which Paul says:

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. (World English Bible)

For many athletes, Philippians 4:13 has become somewhat of a personalized mantra, a slogan repeated and memorized to help realize their athletic performance goals.

Is it true? Does Jesus really give us the strength to accomplish ANYTHING we might put our minds to? If I want to run faster, become stronger or perform better, can I invoke this biblical axiom to help me achieve my desired potential?

Unfortunately, this is not what Paul was talking about when he penned these words.

A few months ago, Christian apologist and author Clay Jones tweeted the following screenshot on X, creating some discussion and debate around the meaning and understanding of this very verse:

According to this post on X from Dustin Benge, Paul’s words have nothing to do with sports or fulfilling personal dreams. Instead, Paul was speaking about endurance in the midst of suffering.

This post created quite a bit of discussion amongst people who were confused about how and when we might invoke these words that Paul penned for our own circumstances.

Is it out of bounds to talk about how Christ gives one strength for a sporting event? Or is one only allowed to refer to the strength of Christ if and when we are sitting in a prison, as Paul was? Since most of us probably won’t ever find ourselves in the exact situation Paul was in, it seems a bit narrow to say that one can only refer to or appeal to the strength of Christ for that specific situation.

So what is Paul saying? What is the meaning of this verse and how does it apply to us today?

I think the point of the original tweeter (@DustinBenge) and the re-tweeter (@ClayBJones) is that this verse is often taken out of context and appropriated by people for their own selfish goals and ambitions. To understand and know how I might apply this verse for myself, I must understand the context in which Paul was speaking. Once I know the context and the general spiritual principle, I can then apply that general principle to my own situations where appropriate.

So what is the context and what is the principle?

We’ve already noted that Paul was in prison. The broader context of the letter to the Philippians is that Paul was expressing joy and thankfulness to the Philippian church for a financial gift that they had sent.

In this passage, Paul says that he knows the secret of living in every situation. Paul is talking about his need. He learned to deal with situations where he had nothing to eat as well as situations where he had plenty.

Paul had learned from experience that no matter what situation he faced, particularly regarding his physical circumstances, Christ was the one who was ultimately sustaining him. Essentially, Paul is talking about contentment and experiencing joy despite the circumstances.

The question for us then, is how does this verse apply to us? In what situations might we appropriate these words without taking the verse out of context?

First of all, it should be obvious that this verse is not an axiom that one might invoke to achieve some personal goal or achievement.

Instead, these words are an acknowledgement that ultimately, Jesus is the one who sustains us, physically as well as spiritually. Hence, any situation we might find ourselves in where we are struggling or perhaps doubting, we can acknowledge Jesus as our source of strength and life.

No, Jesus does not strengthen us with super-human abilities or capacities to accomplish any selfish endeavor one might imagine. But Jesus does provide strength to enable us to deal with our struggles, whether they’re physical, emotional or spiritual. Jesus sustains us when we are lonely, anxious, weary, fearful, insecure, hungry, thirsty, angry, etc. Jesus also provides strength to enable us to resist temptation and walk in humility.

And yes, those feelings of inadequacy, helplessness and all the others mentioned can occur while competing in a sporting event, or engaging in some other personal endeavor. Hence, Jesus sustains us and can provide strength in endeavors of all kinds.

Reflection

What has been your understanding of Paul’s words that “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me”?

In what situations have you found yourself appealing to this verse? What kinds of situations might you feel compelled to acknowledge your need for Christ to strengthen you.

Do you agree with the original tweeter (Dustin Benge in the screenshot) who states that this verse has NOTHING to do with sports, personal dreams, being a champion, overcoming obstacles or building self-esteem? Why or why not?

What do you think it looks like for Christ to give you strength?

 

Photo by Dave Lowe

 

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The Holy Spirit as a Deposit

Ephesians 1

13And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, 14who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory. (Ephesians 1:13, 14, NIV)

The Daily DAVEotional

What do you know about the Holy Spirit? To many Christians, the Holy Spirit remains a mystery. We know He’s important because He’s mentioned along with the Father and the Son as a member of the Holy Trinity. But for many Christians, that’s the extent of their knowledge and understanding of the Holy Spirit.

I mentioned in a previous post how Francis Chan referred to the Holy Spirit as the “Forgotten God”, which was the title of a book he wrote on the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit’s role in the life of the believer is absolutely critical even though many Christians are blissfully unaware of who the Holy Spirit is or what role He plays in their lives.

So who IS the Holy Spirit and what is His role?

I wrote about the nature of the Holy Spirit in my blog post, “Is the Holy Spirit Like the Force in Star Wars?“, in which I demonstrated that the Holy Spirit is God.

I also wrote recently here about two verses in Ephesians that tell us ONE aspect of the Holy Spirit’s role in the life of those who follow Christ, namely that the Holy Spirit functions as a seal.

Closely related to His function as a seal, the Holy Spirit, according to Ephesians 1:14, functions as a deposit.

What exactly does Paul mean when he says that the Holy Spirit is a deposit?

To answer that question, I’ll ask you a different question.

Have you ever taken out a loan for a car or for a home?

If you have, it’s likely that you made a down payment or put down a deposit. Unless of course you paid cash in full for your purchase. If you did that, then Dave Ramsey would be very proud of you.

For most people, having enough cash on hand to buy a car might be possible, but it’s less likely that you are paying cash in full to buy a house. Especially in this market (have you seen the prices of homes lately?)

Anyhow, if you took out a loan for a house or a real nice car, you likely put down a deposit, or a down payment. Also if you’ve ever rented an apartment or a home, you likely put down a deposit to secure the lease.

The deposit has one function – skin in the game. The purpose of a deposit is for you to put a portion of your own hard-earned money into the loan. This gives the lender confidence that you are a responsible borrower and you are more likely to make the payments on the loan.

In the event that you as a borrower fail to make the payments on the loan, you forfeit your deposit. Most borrowers will not want to lose their deposit, especially if it represents a significant amount of money.

This verse says that the Holy Spirit functions like a deposit. The Holy Spirit is given to the believer as a down payment, guaranteeing that God will ultimately deliver on all future salvation promises.

When we make a down payment on a loan, we are promising the lender that we are “good for the balance”. We’re saying that we will make all the payments until the loan is fully paid.

However, even though we may have good intentions. a loan default is still possible. As humans, we don’t always keep our promises. But even though WE may not always fulfill our financial obligations, what are the chances that God will fail to keep His promises related to salvation? ZERO.  God cannot default on Himself. It is impossible for Him to be unfaithful.

So when the Bible says that the Holy Spirit is a deposit, it means that everything God has promised us related to our full and future redemption as believers WILL come to pass. You can take that to the bank!

Reflection

Have you ever made a down payment on a loan – for a house or car, or other item? If so, what was it?

Have you, or someone you know ever defaulted on a loan? What were the circumstances?

Have you ever been a renter and not received your full deposit back when you moved out? What were the reasons why you did not get all of your deposit back?

What do you think it means that the Holy Spirit is a deposit, guaranteeing our future redemption as believers?

What is the future redemption that the text speaks about? What exactly is the involved in the future redemption, which the Holy Spirit has secured for us as believer?

 

Photo by RDNE Stock project: https://www.pexels.com/photo/close-up-photo-of-an-agreement-on-a-paper-7841821/

 

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The Holy Spirit as a Seal

Ephesians 1

13And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, (Ephesians 1:13, NIV)

Ephesians 4

30And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. (Ephesians 4:30, NIV)

The Daily DAVEotional

In 2009, popular speaker and Christian author Francis Chan wrote and released his book “Forgotten God.” The book was an aptly titled treatise on the Holy Spirit, the often misunderstood and neglected third member of the Trinity.

Many Christians are confused about the role of the Holy Spirit. We understand God the Father. We imagine Moses talking to the Father as he encounters the burning bush. Or we think of the Old Testament prophets communicating with “The Father”.

We also understand Jesus because we read about Him in the gospels and the New Testament epistles. In our minds, we see the actions of Jesus and we hear His words as He teaches the crowds and interacts with His disciples.

But who is this Holy Spirit character? We know He’s a part of the Trinity but we often don’t know what He does or why He’s important.

I wrote about the nature of the Holy Spirit in my blog post “Is the Holy Spirit like the Force in Star Wars“, demonstrating that the Holy Spirit is God!

Beyond knowing that the Holy Spirit is a person and that He is God, what exactly is the role of the Holy Spirit in my life? What does He do? Does it even matter?

There’s a whole theology built around understanding the nature and the person of the Holy Spirit. It’s called Pneumatology, The Greek word “pneuma” (pronounced “nooma”) means “breath, wind, or spirit.” Hence, pneumatology is the study of the Holy Spirit.

To understand the Holy Spirit completely would take more time than just a brief blog post, but we do learn something specific about the role of the Holy Spirit in the life of believers from these two verses in Ephesians.

From these two verses, we learn that the Holy Spirit is a seal. What exactly does that mean?

A seal has many purposes.

For one, a seal was used to demonstrate ownership. In modern times, ranchers will brand their cattle and livestock with a branding iron, which is like a seal. This brand is a specific logo or emblem that represents that ranch and all livestock branded with that emblem are owned by that ranch.

Ephesians 1:13 says that we “were marked in Him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit.” One role of The Holy Spirit then is to act as a seal, essentially imprinting a God-tattoo on our soul, demonstrating that we now belong to God.

A second purpose of the seal is to demonstrate authority.

In ancient times, a seal was used to identify an individual. The seal authenticated a person via an emblem or a device that could be used to make an impression in wax or clay.

Genesis 38 tells the story of Tamar who disguises herself as a prostitute in order to sleep with her father-in-law, Judah. When Judah asks her what he can give her as security while she waits for payment for services rendered, she replies,

“I want your identification seal, your cord, and the walking stick you are carrying.” So Judah gave these items to her. She then let him sleep with her, and she became pregnant. (Genesis 38:18, NLT)

In today’s culture, a seal is often used by official entities (like the government) to demonstrate the authority and authenticity of a document. As I look at my driver’s license, for example, it is embossed with the “Great Seal of the State of California”, which demonstrates that the identification is authentic and legal.

So the Holy Spirit is given to us as believers to authenticate our relationship with God. It is real. It is authentic. It is officially from God.

A third purpose of a seal is one of security. A seal was often used in official communication to ensure the security of the message. A document would be folded and a piece of wax or clay would be used to “seal” the fold. The seal of the person (often a signet ring) was used to press into the wax and create an official image that represented that person. If the seal was broken before reaching the recipient, the recipient would know that the communication was perhaps compromised.

According to Ephesians 4:30, the Holy Spirit “seals” the believer for the day of redemption. What that means is that the Holy Spirit is given to believers to secure all of the promised elements related to our future salvation.

Of course there’s a lot more to know and understand about the role the Holy Spirit plays in our lives as believers. But one important role is that He is a seal, which shows that we now belong to God, we are authentic members of His family and that all of God’s future promises related to salvation are secure.

Reflection

At the outset, it was suggested that the Holy Spirit is the often over-looked, misunderstood third member of the Trinity (the Forgotten God). What has been your understanding and experience with the Holy Spirit as a believer? Before reading this post, what has been your relationship with the Holy Spirit in your daily Christian life?

What are some examples in your own experience of a seal?

One purpose of the seal is to show ownership, like a brand on livestock. When you think about being “owned” by God, how does this affect you as a follower of Christ? What impact, either positive or negative, does this have on you as you seek to live out the Christian life?

Another purpose of a seal is security. What do you think it means that the Holy Spirit secures all of the promises related to our future salvation? What exactly is He securing? What difference does this make in how you live out your faith?

 

Photo by Anna Tarazevich: https://www.pexels.com/photo/close-up-photo-of-a-stamp-on-a-paper-5425648/

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It’s Good Friday….what’s so good about it?

Christians around the world are celebrating Good Friday. But what’s so good about Good Friday?

I’ve written about this before, and you can read about it in my post “What Makes Good Friday “Good”?”

The truth is that while Easter Sunday is one of the most celebrated holidays in the Christian faith, what happened on Good Friday cannot be overstated. Understanding the significance of what Christ accomplished via His death on the cross might be the most important theological concept for Christians to understand.

Essentially, Jesus’s death pays for our sins (see my post mentioned above), the veil in the temple is torn (see my post “The Significance of the Torn Veil”) and access to God is finally granted (see my post “Access Granted!”)

Good Friday is a solemn day to reflect on the sacrifice Jesus made on our behalf. It’s important to recognize the brutal suffering Jesus endured as He was beaten, tortured and ultimately crucified, all on our behalf. What Jesus endured was on our behalf. It should be me on that cross, not Jesus.

Scripture is clear that the effects of Jesus’ death were immediate. Hence, we don’t have to wait until Sunday to celebrate what Jesus secured for all believers on Friday – namely, that sin has been fully atoned, we are completely forgiven and we have free, unobstructed and direct access to God Himself!

Reflection

Why do you think Good Friday is referred to as “Good Friday”?

What do you think Jesus accomplished via His death on the cross?

How do you typically observe Good Friday? What traditions do you practice that you’ve found to be helpful for reflecting on the importance of this day?

If you read the 3 different articles linked in this post, what did you find most helpful or challenging to your understanding?

 

Photo by Wim van ‘t Einde on Unsplash

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A Biblical Gospel Presentation in ONE Six-verse Passage

Titus 3

3Once we, too, were foolish and disobedient. We were misled by others and became slaves to many wicked desires and evil pleasures. Our lives were full of evil and envy. We hated others, and they hated us.

4But then God our Savior showed us his kindness and love. 5He saved us, not because of the good things we did, but because of his mercy. He washed away our sins and gave us a new life through the Holy Spirit. 6He generously poured out the Spirit upon us because of what Jesus Christ our Savior did. 7He declared us not guilty because of his great kindness. And now we know that we will inherit eternal life. 8These things I have told you are all true. I want you to insist on them so that everyone who trusts in God will be careful to do good deeds all the time. These things are good and beneficial for everyone. (Titus 3:3-8, NLT)

The Daily DAVEotional

Have you ever tried to share your faith with another person? What do you say? How do you go about it?

There are a number of great evangelism tools that have been created over the years to help Christians share the message of Christ to others. There’s the Roman’s Road, the Navigator’s “Bridge to Life” and of course, the old school “Four Spiritual Laws.”  (a tool I was trained in)

There are quite a number of newer resources as well, such as The Four Circles by James Chuong, or The Three Circles by Jimmy Scroggins, both of which emphasize sharing the message graphically over sharing a predominantly written narrative.

However, if you want ONE biblical passage from which you can share the gospel message, this passage from Titus 3 is a good choice. Just about every relevant point needed to share the gospel with another person is covered in these six verses. Here’s the summary of what Paul shares:

Our Problem – We were sinners

Many gospel presentations highlight our sinful condition, or in some cases, our brokenness. Paul too highlights our sinful state in verse 3:

Once we, too, were foolish and disobedient. We were misled by others and became slaves to many wicked desires and evil pleasures. Our lives were full of evil and envy. We hated others, and they hated us.

Notice the words and phrases Paul uses to describe us:

    • foolish and disobedeint
    • misled by others
    • slaves to many wicked desires and evil pleasures
    • lives that are full of evil and envy
    • hatred towards others

Paul could have just said we were sinful and alienated from God, but instead, he paints a robust picture of the depth and root of our alienation – it comes from our wicked desires and evil nature, which leads to disobedience and ultimately, enmity towards others. In other words, our rebellion is extensive. It doesn’t just affect our relationship with God; it affects our relationships with others as well!

God’s Solution – Jesus Saved Us

Paul spends 4 verses explaining that God saved us from our rebellious condition. These 4 verses are PACKED with information about the nature of God and what He’s done for us. He says:

4But then God our Savior showed us his kindness and love. 5He saved us, not because of the good things we did, but because of his mercy. He washed away our sins and gave us a new life through the Holy Spirit. 6He generously poured out the Spirit upon us because of what Jesus Christ our Savior did. 7He declared us not guilty because of his great kindness. And now we know that we will inherit eternal life.

First and foremost, salvation is rooted in the nature of God. Paul says that God showed us His kindness and love. Salvation is not based on our good works, but because of God’s mercy. Mercy is when something bad that we deserve is withheld. In this case, we deserve punishment, but because God is merciful, he saves us from judgment.

Second, Paul says that salvation involves forgiveness. Verse 5 says that our sins have been washed away, which is another way of saying that our sins have been paid for.

Salvation also involves new life through the Holy Spirit, who has been generously poured out on us.

Lastly, Paul says that salvation involves justification, which simply means that we are declared righteous, or “not guilty”. Because we are no longer under judgment for our sin, Paul says that we can KNOW that we will inherit eternal life.

Our Response

Verse 8 highlights our response. If we want to experience these benefits, Paul says we simply need to trust what Jesus has done for us.

These things I have told you are all true. I want you to insist on them so that everyone who trusts in God will be careful to do good deeds all the time. These things are good and beneficial for everyone.

Interestingly, Paul mentions trusting in God, not Jesus. But it’s clear from this passage (specifically verses 4 and 6) that Jesus IS God. I previously wrote about this in my blog post, “Further Evidence that Jesus is God.” Please read that post for a more detailed explanation of how we know that Jesus is God from this passage.

What I love about these 6 verses is that it hits all the main points you typically would want to share when presenting the gospel to another person:

    • We are sinful and alienated from God and others (verse 3)
    • We are slaves to our sinful desires – hence we cannot help ourselves (verse 3)
    • God is kind, loving and merciful (verses 4, 7)
    • Salvation is not based on our good works but based on God’s kindness, love and mercy (verse 5)
    • Our sins have been forgiven and we’ve been declared “not guilty” (verses 5, 7)
    • We’ve been given new life through the Holy Spirit (verse 5)
    • Salvation is based on what Jesus did for us (verse 6)
    • We can KNOW that we have eternal life (verse 7)

Of course there are shortcoming with using these 6 verses alone, just as almost any short evangelistic presentation is incomplete on its own. As much as these 6 verses outline the basic gospel message, we know that the fullest expression of the gospel includes the greater context of God’s original design, the nature and scope of the fall as well as God’s redemptive plan to restore His creation.

The Bible takes a full 66 books to outline the full redemptive narrative.

With that in mind, no five, ten or even thirty minute presentation can share everything that is written in the Bible regarding God’s redemptive plan. But these tools are useful in giving a person a basic framework for the Biblical story and introducing them to a relationship with God.

By highlighting these 6 verses in Titus, I don’t mean to imply that the evangelism tools mentioned at the outset are deficient or ineffective. All of them have actually proven to be helpful and beneficial to many Christians.

However, this passage from Titus is simply a different approach one might use. Instead of being based on a written or graphical presentation, it’s based on ONE six-verse BIBLICAL passage that can be easily shared with anyone.

Reflection

What has been your practice or habit in sharing the gospel with others? What tools or gospel outlines do you use? What do you like about that tool? 

What do you think are the relevant points that must be shared in any gospel presentation?

When you think of the main ideas that must be shared when presenting the gospel, which ones are covered by this passage in Titus? Which ones are missing?

What do you see as the main advantages of using this passage as a gospel presentation outline? What are some reasons why you might prefer not to use this passage?

Which of the statements that Paul uses to describe our condition (foolish, disobedient, slaves, etc.) resonate with you the most? Explain.

 

Photo by Jon Tyson on Unsplash