THE LORD SPOKE (June 29)

Daily Reflections from Scripture:

Old Testament: II Chronicles 17-18

Going against the flow! Micaiah already had a reputation for not going along with the crowd (II Chron. 18:17). When all the other prophets, including some big names in Israel (II Chron. 18:9-11), were preaching a "positive" message, he wasn't afraid to pronounce an unpopular word of doom because he was certain it was from the Lord. The pressure was on him (II Chron. 18:12) to be "p.c." He even appeared at first to have learned his lesson to not rain on the king's parade (II Chron. 18:14-15). But King Ahab grew suspicious and then got everything he didn't bargain for.

The big wigs of the Prophets' Guild weren't happy when one of their members didn't follow the union guidelines (II Chron. 18:23). Crossing the line and upsetting the status quo could be detrimental to their comfortable positions in the king's court so they made sure it was detrimental to any young up-start who might think he could dare to do so (II Chron. 18:25-26). Micaiah didn't bend (II Chron. 18:27) so they tried to break him. When his word came true (II Chron. 18:34) at least one person was profoundly affected. King Jehoshaphat, for the remainder of his life (20:32), was quick to remind the people to "have faith in the Lord your God and you will be upheld; have faith in his prophets and you will be successful" (20:20b).

We like it when we can clearly discern something and say, "the Lord spoke". But there are some occasions where we can say with certainty, "the Lord has not spoken" (II Chron. 18:27). Micaiah could have just remained silent and thought, "they'll find out soon enough". But to remain silent when we have a clear statement from the Lord is no better than to invent a false statement in the interest of maintaining a positive approach. Gray is a convenient place to blend in or hide but the Bible more often paints in broad strokes of black and white.

How are you doing on that one? Are you willing to "tell it like it is" when you're convinced it's in Scripture? It's not enough to believe it but then to remain silent about it. We love to be loved and we hate to be hated, but God's passion for truth is a higher calling.


New Testament: Colossians 2

The Colossians were dabbling in what later became a full-blown heresy. Second-century Gnosticism was a dangerous philosophy of dualism - all matter is entirely evil and all spirit is good. Paul’s vocabulary indicates that he was already combating this wrong thinking in its various forms.

“fullness” (Col. 1:19) - The Gnostics used this term to refer to the sum of supernatural forces which controlled fate; Paul used “fullness” to speak of the power and attributes of God.

“knowledge” (Col. 2:3) - The Greek term for knowledge is gnosis (thus, “Gnosticism”) and for the Gnostics it constituted a special wisdom that allowed them to understand truths which others couldn’t see; Paul used “knowledge” to describe the believer’s understanding of and relationship to Christ.

“body” vs. “spirit” (Col. 2:9-15) - The Gnostics taught that all matter was evil and contrasted it with God who is wholly spirit and therefore good; Paul stressed the truth that God became man and took on a body in order to redeem us (“all the fullness of Deity lives in bodily form”).

“putting off the sinful nature” (Col. 2:11) - Since the body was considered evil, it was treated harshly and the Gnostics practiced strange forms of asceticism. On the other hand, this led to licentiousness. If matter is evil already, breaking God’s law with your body would have no additional moral consequences; Paul emphasized the circumcision of the heart. Rather than being “dead in our sins”, Christ “forgave all our sins” and made us alive in Him.

“shadow...reality” (Col. 2:16-17) - Observance of ceremonial laws and ritual was both insufficient and unnecessary; Paul taught that the written code was canceled when it was nailed to the cross.

“false humility” - (Col. 2:18) - One who had this inner track to wisdom would “go into great detail about what he has seen” but Paul says “his unspiritual mind puffs him up with idle notions”.

Most of the errors of Gnosticism are still with us today in one form or another. “Such regulations indeed have an appearance of wisdom, with their self-imposed worship, their false humility and their harsh treatment of the body, but they lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence” (Col. 2:23). The Devil is still using his old tricks - you’d think we’d learn! “Sensual indulgence” is the root of nearly every sin. We must “not lose connection with the Head”. Remembering that we “died with Christ”, let us press on.

THE LORD SPOKE (August 24)

Daily Reflections from Scripture:

Old Testament: Psalm 102-104

We know by experience that thinking God’s thoughts can be pleasing to us but did you ever realize that He’s interested in your thoughts (Ps. 104:34)? What goes through your head can be pleasing to Him? One thought that pleases Him every time is our delight in His creation. How easy is that! We marvel at the things He has made. Take a look as some of creation’s glories that the psalmist admired:

Ps. 104:2 - “light...stretch[ed] out [in] the heavens”

God’s magnificent handiwork observed in a sunset is a marvelous display that leads us to declare, “My Father is so fantastic - He painted that.”

Ps. 104:3-7 - “clouds...winds...thunder”

God’s awesome power exposed in a storm can be a frightening experience that leads us to whisper, “My Father is not afraid - He made that.”

Ps. 104:6-10 - “the deep...the waters”

God’s gracious provision of the earth’s water supply seen in the ocean’s depths can be a humbling thought that leads us to remember, “My Father is so wonderful - His love for me is deeper than that.”

Ps. 104:11-12, 17-21 - “beasts...donkeys...birds...the stork...goats...coneys...lions”

God’s infinite variety of creatures found in nature is a captivating thrill that leads us to proclaim, “My Father is so incredible - He invented all of them.”

Ps. 104:14 - “grass...wine...oil...bread”

Ps. 104:16-17 - “trees...cedars...pine trees”

Ps. 104:19-20 - “moon...sun...darkness”

Ps. 104:23 - “man”

(Have you ever considered the intricacies of the human hand - the muscles, joints, fingernails in the right place, protective and restorative skin? What a useful tool the Father has given us there! Imagine how much one would cost at Home Depot.)

If you dig, you’ll find much more in this psalm. In fact, if you pursue it in Creation, you’ll never exhaust the possibilities.

All things bright and beautiful,
All creatures great and small,
All things wise and wonderful,
The Lord God made them all.

Meditate on God’s creation and rejoice in the Lord today. In the process, your thoughts will put a smile on His face!


New Testament: II John

This is love; that we walk in obedience to his commands. (II Jn. 6)

John has been saying this “from the beginning” (see, for example, Jn. 14:15 and I Jn. 2:3,7). It is a mark of the believer to do the Father’s will. When we love someone, there is an immediate and long-lasting desire to do what pleases him or her. In fact, if our love for God doesn’t produce a changed life-style and a new set of activities, there’s good reason to doubt that love. How real can it be if it doesn’t produce the outward evidence of a changed life?

There are those who “run ahead” in these matters (II Jn. 9). In John’s day he was dealing with Gnostics who believed they had surpassed the teaching of the apostles. They had a “higher knowledge” but it amounted to a denial of Scripture. In our day, we have some who have added to the Scriptures in other ways, making unbiblical requirements of people. They have added personal preferences to the commands of the Bible and have saddled others with a legalistic code of obedience. But it’s no longer “obedience to His commands”.

Sometimes we tolerate such people but we should take care. In doing so, we might be guilty of just what John is warning us about. By accepting them, we become participants in their error (II Jn. 11). We’re told to not welcome them into our circles. We may and should be congenial but we must not aid and abet. Our foremost concern must always be that our lives and doctrine match up with Scripture perfectly.

Let us concern ourselves with knowing God’s Word thoroughly and let us be careful to distinguish our personal preferences from what the Bible teaches. Personal preferences are fine, so long as they are not contrary to Scripture, but let us recognize them as such - personal preferences.