THE LORD SPOKE (May 27)

Daily Reflections from Scripture:

Old Testament: II Kings 3-4

"The Prophet's Chamber" (II Kings 4:10)

The Shunamite woman appears in the Elisha narratives only here in II Kings 4 but it is clear that the prophet had repeated contact with this family (vs. 8 - "whenever he came by, he stopped there to eat"). So much so, that the couple prepared a special room for him to stay whenever he passed through (vs. 10). This practice has led to what is frequently called a "prophet's chamber" which people set apart in their homes for traveling men of God (missionaries, evangelists, others in full-time Christian service). What are the essential elements?

Bed - a place to crash, a comfortable rest stop, a quiet spot to be refreshed and restore your energy for the road ahead

Table - a breakfast nook, a simple provision for a bite to eat and not another restaurant meal - OR - a workspace to catch up on desk work that has been neglected while traveling

Chair - for vertical comfort after horizontal rest on the bed, a place to read and pray (pay attention to what kind of chair you place in the prophet's chamber!)

Lamp - an opportunity to keep working in the evening or in the early morning hours, illumination to read God's Word during quiet times in the schedule

Notice what's not there. There's no mention of a TV, though that and a bowl of popcorn might be fun on occasion. There's no mention of an all-hours interview room, though I'm sure they talked often. Instead, the picture you get is of simple comforts, seclusion, and some time for solitude. That's what the traveling prophet needs. Okay, maybe you don't have a separate room to dedicate to this, but can you do something to provide a get-away for a man (or woman) of God you know?


New Testament: I Corinthians 14

If this chapter were obeyed, there would be no modern charismatic movement. Paul gives eight rules for the exercise of tongues in the Corinthian church.

1. The purpose must be for “the strengthening of the church” (I Cor. 14:26b). In the beginning of the chapter he talks about his private use of tongues (I Cor. 14:13-19).
2. Not more than two or three should speak in a service (I Cor. 14:27a).
3. Only one should speak at a time (I Cor. 14:27b,30). That’s a far cry from the universal babel heard in charismatic services.
4. There must always be an interpreter (I Cor. 14:27b-28).
5. “Others should weigh carefully what is said” (I Cor. 14:29). If they really believed it was a word from God, no effort should be spared to record it in writing, publish it widely, and compile it along with all other such messages, so that nothing will be lost.
6. Each should “prophesy in turn so that everyone may be instructed” (I Cor. 14:31). There ought to be some order and clear organization to the presentation for God is not the author of confusion (c.f. I Cor. 14:40).
7. The speaker (and other leaders must be in control of themselves and what is being said at all times (I Cor. 14:32).
8. Women are not to speak publicly in the church - in tongues or otherwise (I Cor. 14:34-35).
   

But someone may say, “Keep reading to the end of the chapter. It clearly says, ‘Do not forbid speaking in tongues’ (I Cor. 14:39).” True, it said that in the first century when tongues were still a biblical sign gift. But the last chapter (I Cor. 13:8) has already told us that “tongues will cease” and it told us when; “when that which is perfect has come”.

This is not a reference to Christ though He is, of course, absolute perfection. The context of I Corinthians 12-14 is spiritual gifts and the immediate context here are the sign gifts which are imperfect or incomplete in what they can tell us (see I Cor. 13:10-12). “That which is perfect” in I Corinthians 13:10 is the completed Scriptures. Once the canon of God’s Word was complete by the end of the first century, there was no longer any purpose for tongues, so they ceased. The same is said about the gift of prophecy and the gift of knowledge. All three had the purpose of giving new revelation from God but once He’d completed His written revelation to us, all three revelatory gifts ceased.

No, tongues are not for today. If you want a word from the Lord or what to know what He has to say on any given subject, get your Bible out and start reading!

THE LORD SPOKE (May 26)

Daily Reflections from Scripture:

Old Testament: II Kings 1-2

Elisha comes quietly onto the biblical page but what an impression he leaves. More times than any other individual in the Scriptures, he is known as "the man of God". Sometimes his real name isn't even given but when "the man of God" is mentioned, everyone knows exactly to whom it refers. What an epitaph! In today's passage he models for us the role of one who is being mentored by a great leader. What can we learn from Elisha's closing days with his mentor, Elijah?

1. Be prepared to let him go but stick by his side as long as you can to observe and learn from him (II Ki. 1:1-4).
2. Remember that others are watching closely and will learn by your example. What you do is as important as what you teach them (II Ki. 1:5-6).
3. Ask the Lord to give you a similar ministry and similar success in it. The "double portion" terminology comes from inheritance law. Elisha is not asking for a ministry twice as great (II Ki. 1:7-14).
4. When it's your time to "pick up the cloak", step out in faith and don't look back. Don't live in the past (II Ki. 1:15-18).
   

Do you have a mentor? Find one and latch on.

Are you mentoring? Find a handful and pour yourself into them. Look at Jesus' own example: of the seventy disciples, He had twelve who were always around Him, of which three formed an inner-circle. Of those, one was "the disciple whom He loved". Together, they turned the world upside down.


New Testament: I Corinthians 13

Insert your own name in the blanks, and try this application of I Corinthians 13.

I CORINTHIANS 13 FOR ____________

If ____________ speaks in the tongues of men and of angels, but does not have love, he is only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If ____________ has the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if he has a faith that can move mountains, but doesn’t have love, he is nothing. If he gives all he possesses to the poor and surrenders his body to the flames, but still doesn’t have love, he gains nothing.

Is ____________ patient?

Is ____________ kind?

Does ____________ envy?

Does ____________ boast?

Is ____________ proud?

Is ____________ rude?

Is ____________ self-seeking?

Is ____________ easily angered?

Does ____________ keep a record of wrongs?

Does ____________ delight in evil or rejoice with the truth?

Does ____________ always protect?

always trust?

always hope?

always persevere?

Does ____________ ever fail?

THE LORD SPOKE (May 25)

Daily Reflections from Scripture:

Old Testament: I Kings 22

I Kings 22:5 - "First seek the counsel of the Lord."

Jehoshaphat's requirement and personal example of seeking counsel from the Lord has a lot to teach us. It worked in the 9th century BC and it still does today. What principles can we draw from this passage?

1. Be sure of the source of the counsel you are getting (I Ki. 22:6-7). Just because someone says, "I have a word from the Lord", does not make it true. There are many false prophets today too and we must continually evaluate the quality of a person's counsel according to what the Scriptures say.
2. Be careful to not hear just what you want to hear (I Ki. 22:8). Surrounding yourself with "yes-men" will get you in trouble quick. You need honest counselors who will help you discern truth.
3. Do not pay attention to the flashy presentations (I Ki. 22:11-12). It's often the one with the most panache that gets a hearing. We must listen for God's "still small voice" and not let the thunder and lightening distract us.
4. Just because it appears as a majority opinion doesn't make it correct (I Ki. 22:13). When it comes to truth, you don't count noses - you count texts. In our day, spiritual counselors help us to see the correct interpretation and application of Scripture to our problem. Frequently, the "conventional wisdom" is unbiblical and it's wrong to take a vote on what the Bible means. It must be studied out carefully and the biblical arguments marshaled to determine truth.
5. Look for a preacher/counselor who is not afraid to proclaim God's Word, even when it's unpopular (I Ki. 22:14). Being positive or "pc" in our speech is not wrong but there are definite limits to how far it should go. Speaking the truth is even more important than personal relationships (I Ki. 22:20-23).
6. Look at the results: does this counsel bring the right conclusion? did it happen like he said? (See I Ki. 22:25; c.f. I Kings 20:30.) By the way, do you remember what is to be done to the false prophet who's word does not come to pass 100% as stated? See Deuteronomy 13:5! Some modern day "prophets" and unwise counselors should be glad that we live under the New Covenant.
7. A man who has suffered for the truth in the past is worth listening to (I Ki. 22:27-28).
   

By inspiration, Solomon told us several times that there is "safety in the multitude of counselors" (Prov. 11:14; 15:22; 24:6). Let us always listen to them through the grid of Scripture, but let us listen to them! In fact, follow Jehoshaphat's example and actively seek them out.


New Testament: I Corinthians 12

Multichotomy. Nobody uses the term but it’s an accurate description of the human make-up. Traditionally there have been dichotomists and trichotomists. Those who say man has basically two parts - the spiritual and the physical - are known as “dichotomists” (from Greek for “two” + “cutting”).

Others stress the biblical references to “body, soul, and spirit” (e.g. I Thes. 5:23) and say those are the three basic “parts” of man’s composition. They’re called “trichotomists”. But the problem with this position are the many other biblical references to “parts”, such as the heart, conscience, mind, flesh, and will. Just as the physical body has many parts but functions as a unity, so also the spiritual side of man has many parts, none of which operates individually. They’re all part of the whole.

So, maybe it’s okay to say man is a dichotomy - physical and spiritual. But better yet (because it uses biblical terminology) is the definition of man as “a bipartite unity”. That’s what we find here in Romans 12:12 - “the body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts, and though all its parts are many, they form one body.”

But Paul’s primary topic here is not the human body. Rather, he’s explaining the composition of the church under the figure of “the body of Christ”. Since he’s addressing a local church at Corinth, he’s applying this universal truth to a local situation (I Cor. 12:28). There is both a unity and a diversity of spiritual gifts exercised within the church. God has gifted each one to minister to the whole. None can function independently and the whole is impaired if an individual is missing, hurting, or not able to function as designed.

God didn’t make any mistakes. He has gifted His church with exactly the elements it needs. Diversity is healthy; unity is essential, interdependence is the key.

THE LORD SPOKE (May 24)

Daily Reflections from Scripture:

Old Testament: I Kings 20-21

I Kings 20:11 - "One who puts on his armor should not boast like one who takes it off." (English translation: “Don't count your chickens before the eggs are hatched.”)

Ben-Hadad had a big mouth. He also had a big army. God used wicked King Ahab of Samaria to finally destroy both. With 7,000 troops (I Ki. 20:16) he set out against a coalition of 32 kings assembled under Ben-Hadad the Syrian and sent them packing (I Ki. 20:21). But problems have a way of returning and the next spring (I Ki. 20:26) Ben-Hadad was back with even bigger numbers (I Ki. 20:27) and a new strategy (I Ki. 20:25,28). This time the Israelite victory was greater yet (I Ki. 20:29) and God himself was part of the mop-up campaign (I Ki. 20:30).

It left Ben-Hadad on the run, hiding out in dark places, humbling himself, and pleading for his very life (I Ki. 20:30b-32). When he does finally meet with Ahab he's as meek as a pussy-cat and offers all the concessions (I Ki. 20:34). Ahab's conciliatory handling of the affair was displeasing to the Lord who had determined to punish Ben-Hadad (I Ki. 20:41-42). In fact, nearly everything about Ahab was displeasing to the Lord (I Ki. 21:25-26) and a terrible judgment is pronounced upon him (I Ki. 20:20-24).

That would be the conclusion of the matter but for one detail. Ahab repented (I Ki. 20:27) and humbled himself before God and, again, amazing grace kicked in. We're left with a feeling of unsatisfied justice when God does not rain down fire and brimstone on Ahab. Instead, it seems like He lets Ahab off the hook.

But should we feel that way? Keep in mind, our details here are limited. We don't know all the various ways in which God was working on this occasion - in the life of Ahab himself, in the prophet who delivered God's message, in the soldiers in Ahab's army, in all the staff in the palace who watched developments with their boss, in the whole nation of Israelites who had suffered so much under Ahab's rule.... The tapestry was huge and Ahab's thread was just one element in what God was doing. And don't forget - if you were Ahab, wouldn't you want God to treat you this same way?

He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you?
To act justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God. (Micah 6:8)


New Testament: I Corinthians 11

The “Lord’s supper” is a church ordinance. That means it’s commanded. And that means it’s commanded for the church to practice when it “comes together”. It’s not appropriate for a group of young people to do their own thing at a beach party. It’s not right for a chaplain to “administer the sacrament” in a hospital room. And it’s not right for a Christian school to serve communion in a school assembly.

Communion is a church ordinance. But it certainly is that and ought to be taken very seriously, whether once a week, once a month, or once a year (the Scriptures are silent on that). It should be a significant time when the church comes together (stated four times in I Cor. 11:17-22). It should be a time of self-examination and confession - both individually and corporately. And it should be a time of remembering Christ’s great sacrifice and the promise of His return. Together, it involves:

1) A Backward Look - To Remember the Death of Christ

The simple elements of unleavened bread and wine, taken from the Jewish Passover seder, were endowed with tremendous meaning by the Lord Jesus at His last supper with the disciples. As symbols in an act of obedience, they demonstrate our recognition of Christ’s sacrifice and our utter dependancy upon Him.

2) An Inward Look - To Purify the Body of Christ

Being a periodic practice, communion provides us with a natural apparatus to (1) review our life and recent activities, (2) restore our spiritual energy and connection to the Savior, and (3) renew our commitment to the Master.

3) A Forward Look - To Anticipate the Coming of Christ

Lifting our heads, we look with joyful hope to that day when we will be united with Him forever. We long for that and find great strength for the present journey in it.

Even so, come Lord Jesus! (Rev. 22:20)

THE LORD SPOKE (May 23)

Daily Reflections from Scripture:

Old Testament: I Kings 18-19

It must have been a Monday. Elijah found himself in the valley after a mountain-top experience. It was definitely "the day after". Did you notice how God cared for Elijah in this situation? He gave him:

1. sleep (I Ki. 19:5)
2. food (I Ki. 19:5-6a = the first angle food cake)
3. more sleep (I Ki. 19:6b)
4. more food (I Ki. 19:7)
5. even more sleep (I Ki. 19:9)
   

Sometimes, being physical beings, our problems can be fixed by very physical solutions. It appears that Elijah was very close to physical burn-out. But there's more. He was in trouble because he was also:

1. afraid (I Ki. 19:3)
2. depressed to the point of death (I Ki. 19:4a)
3. comparing himself to others (I Ki. 19:4b)
4. feeling abandoned and all alone (I Ki. 19:10)
5. even after reflection, still feeling abandoned and all alone (I Ki. 19:14)
   

And now, look at what God does for Elijah. He:

1. speaks to him (I Ki. 19:9 = a rhetorical question much like Gen. 3:9)
2. listens to him blubber (I Ki. 19: 10)
3. demonstrates to him His very presence (I Ki. 19:11-12)
4. continues to ask questions to make him think more clearly (I Ki. 19:13b)
5. re-commissions him with a clear vision for future ministry (I Ki. 19:15-17)
6. assures him that he's not alone (I Ki. 19:18 = a gentle correction to Elijah's blubbering!)
7. gives him a project - a new disciple to pour himself into (I Ki. 19:19-21)
   

It reminds us of a grand old hymn... "It's just like Jesus to roll the clouds away...it's just like His great love."


New Testament: I Corinthians 10

Whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. (I Cor. 10:31)

And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him. (Col. 3:17)

If anyone serves, he should do it with all the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. (I Pet. 4:11)

Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might.... (Eccl. 9:10)

A case can be made for giving 100%. True enough, we need to live with margins. When it comes to emotional balance, financial balance, physical balance, or several other areas of our lives, we’ve proven again and again that you can’t run on empty. Keeping something in reserve helps absorb the extras and the unexpected things that come up and can so easily sap our resources. Like the proverbial camel, we find ourselves unable to bear the last straw. Many of us are running on fumes and the engine is sputtering. Power is lost and it doesn’t look like we’ll make it to the top of the next hill.

And yet the Bible is clear. We’re to give of our best to the Master. Give 100%. Don’t hold back in your service to Him.

How can we balance these two truths? The answer lies in our daily relationship with Him. If we maintain that daily connection - moment-by-moment even - He becomes our reserve. Who are we to determine how much is too much when it comes to serving the Lord? Is there such a thing? Yet, when we cast ourselves wholly upon Him, He sustains us and becomes our all-in-all. His strength is sufficient for our every need.

We mutter and sputter,
We fume and we spurt;
We mumble and grumble,
Our feelings get hurt.
We can’t understand things,
Our vision grows dim,
When all that we need
Is a moment with Him!

THE LORD SPOKE (May 22)

Daily Reflections from Scripture:

Old Testament: I Kings 16-17

When does God call upon us to give more of ourselves? Frequently He does so when we feel we have little left to give. He calls us to give when we've all but given up. He urges us to spend more when we feel spent out. He wants us to pay out some more line when we don't think there's anything left to strip off.

The widow of Zerephath probably thought she had little left to give but the Lord required more. She felt wrung out (I Ki. 17:12-13) but He put her through the wringer again. Was He mean? unfair? insensitive to her condition? After all, she was a widow (I Ki. 17:9), suffering the drought like everybody else, so poor she had to gather sticks outside the city wall to cook with (I Ki. 17:10), hungry, trying to care for an only son, and expecting to die soon (I Ki. 17:12).

It’s amazing that there's no record of hesitation on her part. She did exactly what the prophet told her to do. Everything we know about Elijah would seem to indicate that this was how he lived his life too. Maybe his example of sacrificial service and of experiencing the Lord's provision was all the encouragement the widow needed. In any case, she did as Elijah told her (I Ki. 17:15) and she saw God's miraculous provision too.

But then it got really bad. If often does. Just when we're feeling pretty proud of our self-sacrificing service, we get a wake-up call. The widow's words are probably the key to understanding God's action in this passage. She said, "Did you come...to remind me of my sin...?" (I Ki. 17:18). God has good ways of getting our attention when we take our eyes off Him. The widow was called back to spiritual reality and, once again, God gave her a miracle through the prophet Elijah. From this point on, he is frequently known simply as "the man of God".

Elijah was a man who was faithful in his private life, fruitful in his public life, and fervent in his prayer life. It showed! His was a ministry that was "powerful and effective" (Jas. 5:16b-18). Lord, help me to follow in the footsteps of Elijah and give me that same power to please You!


New Testament: I Corinthians 9

“Unmuzzle the Ox”. It used to be a special book sale offered by one of the large Christian book distributing companies. Once a year, they had a special discount for ordained ministers. Prices were slashed so pastors could acquire new books for their libraries.

Paul reaches back to an unexpected OT passage to establish his point (I Cor. 9:9; citing Deut. 25:4). But he also illustrates it by the example of a soldier, a viticulturist, a dairyman, and a plowman. It’s a biblical principle. What’s surprising (but shouldn’t be) is how he correlates the spiritual and material aspects:

If we have sown spiritual seed among you, is it too much if we reap a material harvest from you? ...The Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should receive their living from the gospel. (I Cor. 9:11,14)

So, while it may not be wrong for a minister of the Gospel to take on outside work to pay the bills (exactly what Paul was doing here - see I Cor. 9:4,12,15), it is wrong for a church to allow him to do so when it is within their power to pay him properly. The idea of an unpaid ministry is certainly contrary to Scripture.

It is not a matter of paying them for their services - who could ever buy or sell that? It’s a matter of paying them adequately so they’re free to serve. The definition of “adequate” is open to some interpretation but elsewhere Paul gives some indication of his answer to that question (see I Tim. 5:17-18).

Addendum: On another matter entirely, Paul gives a very close parallel to this in Romans 15:27. For if the Gentiles have shared in the Jews’ spiritual blessings, they owe it to the Jews to share with them their material blessings. It’s past time for us to support the people of Israel in tangible ways!

THE LORD SPOKE (May 21)

Daily Reflections from Scripture:

Old Testament: I Kings 14-15

I Kings 14:15-16

Because of her sin and rebellion, God said He would "strike Israel" and He used four verbs involving strong metaphors:

1. Strike so it will be "like a reed swaying in the water" = stuck in one spot and not moving forward, wishy-washy from side to side
2. Uproot = no anchor point, no more connection with sustenance, exposed to elements which will destroy
3. Scatter = spread thin, not planted, exposed and prey to birds
4. Give up = abandoned, no more loving care
   

Sadly, this characterized Israel's subsequent experience - except for the last item. God did judge Israel severely but He never abandoned Israel. He said many times over that even if a mother could forget her baby, He would never forget Israel (Is. 49:14-15; c.f. 44:21). So, even though Jeroboam and the kings who followed him caused Israel to sin, God did not abandon His covenant with David (see I Ki. 15:4-5) and with Israel.

Similar words are used in the New Testament for certain heinous sins (Rom. 1:24, 26, 28) but there too it is followed by the grace of God. We are reminded that even when we "show contempt for the riches of his kindness, tolerance and patience" it is nevertheless His "kindness that leads [us] to repentance" (Rom. 2:4). That's why they call it "Amazing Grace"!


New Testament: I Corinthians 8

There is much confusion in the definition of a “weaker brother”. Much of what passes today under this discussion is wrong-headed.

The weaker brother is not the one who is offended because you don’t use the KJV. The weaker brother is not the one who will stop attending your church because they used such-and-such a book for the adult Sunday-school class. The weaker brother is not the one who withholds his tithe because he doesn’t like having all the songs on PowerPoint instead of using hymnals.

Such foolish things we fight over! But it’s not a case of offending weaker brothers. A weaker brother is one who is weak. One who is easily led astray or influenced to do something against his own conscience. Rarely will it be a case of taking offense. It’s usually not a matter of hardening in a previously held conviction.

A weaker brother is one who is unsure or unsteady in his convictions. He feels something is sinful but when he sees Deacon So-and-So doing it he figures it must be okay. “After all. Deacon So-and-So has been a Christian for so long, he must know what’s right! If it’s okay for him to do it, it must be okay for me.”

So Paul says, “Be careful...that the exercise of your freedom does not become a stumbling block to the weak.” (I Cor. 8:9). If your example in doing something will cause another believer to sin by going against his conscience, then it becomes sin for you to do so in his presence or with his knowledge.

Maybe a good example would be in drinking wine. Many godly believers do not feel that it is a sin to do so. But many others do. Your drinking some wine probably won’t cause those who have such convictions to stumble. But suppose a new believer who’s had a drinking problem prior to his conversion and is now trying hard to avoid that temptation, sees you partaking freely. Or suppose a 14-year-old boy watches you and decides, it must not be so wrong and looks for an opportunity to try some too.

In such cases, the exercise of your freedom would result in a weaker brother making a wrong choice. And that is sin - both for him and for you. At this point, the question is not whether or not his convictions are correct. That change could and should come with further time and teaching. When he passes from being the weaker brother this whole discussion also changes.

You’ll need to find your own applications, but remember this: “when you sin against your brothers in this way and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ” (I Cor. 8:12).