THE LORD SPOKE (July 16)

Daily Reflections from Scripture:

Old Testament: Nehemiah 9-10

It does us good to review our past. That's why it's so valuable to write things down, to keep a journal, to maintain some record of God's blessings. Then, when those darker days of doubt come, when we're facing some difficulty that seems impossible, when we are tempted to give up, then we can remember what He's brought us through in the past.

In the tradition of several of the psalms (see Psalm 78, 105, 106), the author of Nehemiah - probably Ezra - reviews Israel's history as a reminder of God's never-failing grace in...

1. His Majestic Might in Creation (Neh. 9:6)
2. His Precious Promise to Abraham and His Descendants (Neh. 9:7-8)
3. His Remarkable Rescue from Egyptian Bondage (Neh. 9:9-12)
4. His Sustaining Supply in the Desert Years (Neh. 9:13-21)
5. His Gracious Gift of the Promised Land (Neh. 9:22-25)
6. His Repeated Restorations During the Days of the Judges (Neh. 9:26-28)
7. His Warning Wake-up Calls Through the Prophets (Neh. 9:29-31)
8. His Daily Deliverance Even Now (Neh. 9:32-37)

Can you recount those times in the past when the Lord provided in some miraculous way for you? That will be the encouragement you need to remember that He can do it again now. He delights to take care of His children and to give them good things. He's waiting for you to call upon Him in your present distress.


New Testament: II Timothy 1

God has “called us to a holy life”. This is Paul’s “Swan Song” and it’s noteworthy to see what he chooses to emphasize. Famous last words can be inspiring. Or, sometimes not...

• Pancho Villa (Mexican revolutionary, died 1923) - “Don't let it end like this. Tell them I said something.”
• Oscar Wilde (writer, died November 30, 1900) - “Either that wallpaper goes, or I do.”
• Paul Claudel (1868-1955) - "Doctor, do you think it could have been the sausage?"
• General John Sedgwick (Union Commander, killed in battle, 1864) - “They couldn't hit an elephant at this dist....”

From jail in his last letter to Timothy or, for all we know, to anyone, Paul’s focus is once again on godly living. Paul reminds Timothy of several examples that he, Timothy, has seen and that should help him understand the importance of what Paul has to say. Negatively, there are Phylegus and Hermogenes (II Tim. 1:15) and Demas (II Tim. 4:10) who had abandoned Paul in the work in Asia Minor. But Timothy, also from central Asia Minor, had seen a better example in his own grandmother, Lois, and his mother, Eunice (II Tim. 1:5).

More important, in his work in Ephesus, Timothy had seen the godly example of Onesiphorus. Paul was “refreshed” by him many times, right up to his last imprisonment in Rome (II Tim. 1:16-18). (Was he the one who carried this letter from Paul to Timothy?)

And don’t forget: Timothy had Paul’s own example to follow also. God had made him a herald, an apostle, and a teacher (II Tim. 1:11) and given him a spirit of power, of love, and of self-discipline (II Tim. 1:7). There’s arguably (see below) no greater example of one who was “called to a holy life” and responded best to that call.

Throughout the short letter there is a repeated emphasis on two sustaining factors that produce godliness. One is the Word of God which “is not chained” (II Tim. 2:9) and which is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness (II Tim. 3:16). It is Scripture that will thoroughly equip a man for holiness.

Second, is an emphasis on Jesus Christ. There really is no greater example to follow than His. After several references to His grace, mercy, peace, appearing, victory over death, and life-giving Gospel, Paul says very simply...

“Remember Jesus Christ...” (II Tim. 2:8).

THE LORD SPOKE (June 4)

Daily Reflections from Scripture:

Old Testament: II Kings 18-19

What a refreshing breeze comes in these chapters. After a long stagnation with putrid air, King Hezekiah lets us breathe again. "He held fast to the Lord and did not cease to follow him." ( II Kings 18:6). Take a look at what is said about Hezekiah's actions:

• "he did what was right" (18:3)
• he tore down the things that constituted an entrapment to sin (18:4)
• he "trusted in the Lord" (18:5)
• he didn't quit, even when the going got tough (18:6)
• he rebelled against those things that hurt the people of God (18:8)
• he pursued and defeated the enemy in every corner (18:8)

Note the results! "There was no one like him" (18:5) and "he was successful in whatever he undertook" (18:7). Then Hezekiah came up against a formidable enemy. The Assyrians had completely smashed the Northern Kingdom and every one else in the region (18:34). Now it was Judah's turn. Sennacherib did his homework before doing his evil:

• he studied well the battlefield and knew his enemy (18:20-22)
• he had a clear military strategy (18:17, 23-25)
• he learned Hebrew (18:26)
• he memorized some Bible verses to "support" his cause (18:31)
• he studied O.T. theology to find an argument for his case (18:22, 25; e.g. use of "Jehovah")
• he knew his Bible geography (18:32) but twisted it to fit his plan

What did Hezekiah do in response? He went straight to the Lord (19:1) and laid it out before Him. He humbled himself and led the leadership and the people to do the same (19:4-5). He sought advice from a spiritual leader (19:2, 5-7). And he prayed (19:15-19). And such a prayer it was! Then, he waited - the hardest part of all.

The Lord spoke! His word came mightily through Isaiah (19:21-34; c.f. Isa. 10:5-34). In a roaring rebuke of the Assyrian pride, God promises that Sennacherib would depart without firing a shot. It's as if He says, "just watch what I can do".

"And the might of the Gentile, unsmote by the sword hath melted like snow in a glance from the Lord!" (Lord Byron, The Destruction of Sennacherib - 1815). How would you like to write the postcards to 185,000 widows and mothers? "Whoops, I lost my whole army!" Sennacherib crept back to Assyria with his tail between his legs, but that's not all. A short while later his own sons assassinated him (19:37). And it all started with one man who "held fast to the Lord and did not cease to follow him".


New Testament: II Corinthians 6

Sometimes you wonder if it’s worth it. Paul had poured himself into the ministry at Corinth in every way (see I Cor. 6:4-10 and go back to 4:8-12 also). The response had been more than disappointing. It was downright depressing and would have crushed Paul had he not retained constant trust in the Lord as an anchor for his soul.

There were some external difficulties along the way (beatings, imprisonments, and riots) but the harder issues had been the people’s response to him (dishonor, bad reports, and doubting or questioning his motives). What Paul found harder yet was the lack of response! He could handle hard work, sleepless nights, and hunger but not a lack of affection and being ignored.

Summing it up, Paul’s analysis of the Corinthian problem was that they were “receiving God’s grace in vain” (I Cor. 6:1). How can that be? How can someone turn the grace of God into emptiness? By living for yourself! By so mixing with the world that your relationship with Christ is compromised (I Cor. 6:14-15). By so dirtying your temple that God refuses to walk there (I Cor. 6:16-18).

So what’s the answer? It spills over into the next chapter:

Let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God. (II Cor. 7:1)

How do you “perfect holiness”? Go back to chapter six:

• by not being yoked together with unbelievers
• by avoiding all forms of wickedness
• by walking in the light of God’s word and avoiding the darkness of sinful practices
• by avoiding any and every unclean thing
• by separating yourself from those who do such things

If you try to do that in your own strength, you’ll fail. That was the problem of the Corinthians - they were making up their own solutions rather than listening to Paul’s advice and following God’s Word.

The solution? “Open wide your heart to God’s grace” (II Cor. 6:13). Commit your way to Him. Trust and obey!

THE LORD SPOKE (February 17)

Daily Reflections from Scripture:

Old Testament: Leviticus 17-19

Ethics cannot be properly founded apart from an understanding of the holiness of God. This section of Leviticus contains the laws of holiness and they are forcefully punctuated with the reminder that “I am the LORD your God”. No less than forty-eight times before the end of the book! Twenty of those are right here in Leviticus 18 and 19. Chapter 18 speaks of holiness in sexual behavior and chapter 19 of holiness in social ethics.

S.H. Kellog has summarized it very well for us:

“...The Church needs to come back to the full recognition of the principles which underlie the Levitical code; especially of the fact that marriage and family life are not merely civil arrangements, but divine institutions; so that God has not left it to the caprice of a majority to settle what shall be lawful in these matters....

“God has declared not merely the material well-being of man, but holiness, is the moral end of government and of life; and He will find ways to enforce His will in this respect. “The nation that will not serve Him shall perish.” All this is not theology merely, or ethics, but history. All history witnesses that moral corruption and relaxed legislation, especially in matters affecting the relations of the sexes, brings in their train sure retribution, not in Hades, but here on earth. Let us not miss taking the lesson by imagining that this law was for Israel, but not for other peoples. The contrary is affirmed in this very chapter (vv. 23, 24), where we are reminded that God visited His heavy judgments upon the Canaanitish nations precisely for this very thing, their doing of these things which are in this law of holiness forbidden. Hence, the land spued them out! Our modern democracies, English, American, French, German, or whatever they be, would do well to pause in their progressive repudiation of the law of God in many social questions, and heed this solemn warning. For despite the unbelief of multitudes, the Holy One still governs the world, and it is certain that He will never abdicate His throne of righteousness to submit any of His laws to the sanction of a popular vote.”

(Kellog, The Book of Leviticus, pp. 430-431)


New Testament: Luke 4

Why did they get so mad at Him? They were mad enough to kill Him. The mob was stirred up to the point of murder and it was all brought about by mere words.

It started out okay. Jesus went to synagogue that Shabbat like any other. He was back in His home town of Nazareth where they were accustomed to seeing Him attend the services (Lk. 4:16). Since growing up there, He’d acquired quite a reputation so upon coming home they quite naturally invited Him to have a part in the Scripture reading that day.

The portion that He read was not random. Isaiah 61 is part of the assigned reading for the 51st week in the yearly cycle. On that day, which came shortly before Passover, the Jewish people read first from Deuteronomy 29-30 for the Torah portion and then Isaiah 61 for the Haftorah reading. Jesus was invited up to read after several others. What quickly caught their attention was the fact that He stopped right in the middle of the reading.

Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. They eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him.... (Lk. 4:20)

What followed was amazing. He declared, “Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.” The clear implication was that what He hadn’t read - the rest of Isaiah 61 - was not yet fulfilled. If you look at it carefully, the first part of the chapter, the part that He read, speaks of Messiah’s first advent. The remainder speaks of His second advent. In fact, He was making a claim to be the Messiah!

They didn’t get it at first. Their initial reaction was, “He’s such a nice boy. We always liked seeing him in Joseph’s shop - too bad he took off to Capernaum. Maybe he’ll do a nice miracle for us too.” So He turned up the temperature of His commentary a bit. When He got to the part about God choosing to show favor to the Gentiles (Lk. 4:25-27), that was too much. It’s okay for God to be sovereign as long as He doesn’t start condemning Israel and favoring the goyim. That was over the top.

So they tried to throw Jesus over the top of the cliff. Wow! To us His words just sound like a couple of the flannelgraph stories we heard as kids. To the Jewish men in Nazareth they were enough to make their blood boil. Who was he to call them hardened, insensitive sinners in need of a Savior? What made him think he could damn them with his words? Who did he think he was? God?

Verse 30 is going to be one of the most popular DVD’s checked out at the PLH (Public Library of Heaven). How was it that “He walked right through the crowd”? Did they freeze for an instant? Were their hands bound at their sides? One thing is sure - His Word will never be bound. Nothing can stop it.

THE LORD SPOKE (February 15)

Daily Reflections from Scripture:

Old Testament: Leviticus 14

The key thought in the book of Leviticus is holiness - both the holiness of God and the holiness of man. God’s holiness is innate; it’s one of His attributes. Some would say the most important, because it is one of His “essential” attributes, but does He have any non-essential attributes? It is sometimes called a “communicable” attribute, for He says to man, “Be ye holy for I am holy.” (Lev. 11:44). Thus, man’s holiness is also emphasized in the book but his holiness is a learned attribute, or one that he must pursue. Since the fall, it doesn’t just come naturally though God has made man in such a way that there is a cord that resonates with God’s holiness. It’s part of what distinguishes us from the animals. It’s a component of “the image of God” in man.

The word “holy” appears more often in Leviticus than in any other book of the Bible. Spiritual holiness is symbolized by physical perfection. That’s why only perfect animals were acceptable for sacrifice (chapters 1-7), a priest could not have any deformity (chapters 8-10), and various human blemishes had to be dealt with ceremonially (chapters 12-15).

All may be signs of blemish (a lack of perfection) and may symbolize man’s spiritual defects, which break his spiritual wholeness. The person with visible skin disease must be banished from the camp, the place of God’s special presence, just as Adam and Eve were banished from the Garden of Eden. Such a person can return to the camp (and therefore to God’s presence) when he is pronounced whole again by the examining priests. Before he can reenter the camp, however, he has to offer the prescribed, perfect sacrifices (symbolizing the perfect, whole sacrifice of Christ). (The NIV Study Bible, p. 145)

The way to “be holy” is to bathe yourself in the Word of God so that you will begin to think God’s thoughts after Him. Then you will begin to reflect His attributes in the way you think and live. Copying Him is the highest form of worship!


New Testament: Luke 2

Don’t you wish you could have been there? You can almost imagine the scene and the sounds in the Temple court as ol’ Simeon held the Baby and lifted his voice to heaven.

Now he’s ready to die. Unlike any other individual on earth, the Holy Spirit had revealed to him that he would not die before seeing the Messiah. He had received a promise and now he was beholding (and holding!) the Promise. This was a man who walked with God. Three times in quick succession (vs. 25, 26, and 27) we’re told he maintained an intimate relationship with the Holy Spirit. Of him you could say, he communed with God. We’re told he was “righteous and devout” (2:25). Be sure to read that in the context of a Jewish man standing in the Temple courts in Jerusalem.

His song of praise is known as the Nunc Dimittis from the opening phrase in Latin, “You now dismiss....” Yup, old Simeon was ready to die. His prophetic dream had been fulfilled and he was holding the Lord’s Salvation in his arms. The Hebrew term for “salvation” is yeshuah: Jesus’ name in Hebrew is Yeshua. Remember? The angel had said, “You shall call his name Jesus for he shall save his people from their sins” (Mat. 1:21). If you’re not Jewish, you should be especially glad for Simeon’s words for he emphasizes that this Savior is not just for Israel but is to be “a light for revelation to the Gentiles” (2:32). That is where we get in the door too!

No wonder “the child’s father and mother marveled at what was said” (2:33). They’d heard some pretty amazing things over the last few months. One of the next sentences must have given them even more to ponder: “This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel...” (2:34). Usually we speak of the “rise and fall” of someone. But this One is so different. He begins with the fallen so He can raise them.

How about you? Will you fall before this Savior in order that He might raise you up?

THE LORD SPOKE (November 1)

Daily Reflections from Scripture:

Jeremiah 51-52

Jeremiah 51:50 - Remember the Lord in a distant land, and think on Jerusalem.

Many still do! Jeremiah was speaking of an earlier day and his admonition was a sad reminder of the Babylonian captivity. But many Jewish people are still remembering Jerusalem from a distant land. Throughout the Jewish life-cycle there are many built in memories of Jerusalem. For example:

• at a wedding the groom smashes a glass (remember the scene in Fiddler on the Roof to recall the destruction of Jerusalem
• similarly, when a new home is built a small part on the front of the building is purposely left unfinished to remind us of the destruction of the city
• many of the daily and weekly prayers speak of the restoration of Jerusalem and beseech the Lord that it might be “speedily and in our days”
• every year at the Passover seder, the ceremony ends with the shout, Le’shanah haba’ah beyerushalayim! (Next year in Jerusalem!).

What does it mean to “think on Jerusalem”? It means to remember her history - all of it. Every step you take in Jerusalem you’re walking on 5000 years of history! Since it’s “the City of David”, it means to think of King David and the spiritual leadership he gave to the nation. The name of the city means “city of peace” but our memories are of its many destructions. Jerusalem reminds us of the Temple and God’s presence in the city.

But, take another look at that verse. Before thinking about Jerusalem, the reader is told to remember the Lord. How do you “remember the Lord”?

• read His Word so you can think His thoughts
• recall His past blessings, especially when the current situation is tough
• research His promises for the future
• relate all these things to others (especially to your children)
• reverence His holiness (“Be still and know that I am God.”)
• relish His presence - think about it often
• restore your relationship with Him
• realize that He wants to bless you if you’ll just let Him
• recognize His claims on your life
• radiate His presence to others
• respect His law
• risk great things for Him
• reconnect on a daily basis

You don’t have to be Jewish to learn something from that list!


Psalms 91-92

If you stop and think abut it, nobody fits Psalm 91:1-13. The thesis statement of vs. 1-2 is restated in vs. 9-10 as a conditional challenge: “If you make the Most High your dwelling...then no harm will befall you....”

But bad things do happen to God’s people. Open the Bible anywhere and you’ll find evidence for that. Look at the Old Testament prophets. Read Hebrews 11. Consider the example of Jesus Himself. He was led as a lamb to the slaughter though no guile was in Him.

Sometimes harm comes as punishment. It could be God’s way of correcting us for wrong choices. We really didn’t fulfill the “if” part of the contract. Or, evil could befall us because God allows it. Like Job, the Devil is permitted to attack us. Did you notice? The Devil even used the words of this psalm in his attack on Jesus (Ps. 91:11-12 in Mat. 4:6 and Lk. 4:10-11).

As you read the first thirteen verses of this psalm you realize it describes a perfect world. And we don’t live in a perfect world. So the closing verses of the psalm provide the genuine comfort and assurance. Eight wonderful verbs are used in verses 14-16 to describe how deep is the grace of God. In spite of our own weaknesses, many failures, and total inability to ultimately do right, yet He promises to...

• rescue us = the Hebrew term means “to help to slip out or escape” (see I Cor. 10:13)
• protect us = literally, “set on high” or “make inaccessible”
• answer us = “give heed to” or “pay attention” (aren’t you glad God does that?!)
• be with us = from the same preposition as “Immanuel”, God with us
• deliver us = means “to pull off” (as a shoe) in the sense of withdrawing or delivering
• honor us = from the Hebrew word kavod (weighty, heavy), often translated “glory” in relation to God
• satisfy us = to satiate, make full, fill to satisfaction
• show us = cause to see or perceive

God promises to do all of this and more for the man who loves Him. When He beckons and we take that faltering step toward Him, He comes running to us like the father of the Prodigal Son.

Almighty God, the great I am
Immovable rock, omnipotent, powerful, awesome Lord
Victorious warrior, commanding King of Kings
Mighty conqueror, and the only time
the only time I ever saw Him run

Was when He ran to me, He took me in His arms
Held my head to His chest, said “My son’s come home again”
Lifted my face, wiped the tears from my eyes
With forgiveness in His voice He said,
“Son do you know I still love you?”
He caught me by surprise when God ran

THE LORD SPOKE (August 11)

Daily Reflections from Scripture:

Old Testament: Psalms 38-42

Sometimes there’s no other way out. Sometimes all we can do is “cast our care upon the Lord” (I Peter 5:7) and hope for the best. The psalmist tells us he should have remembered to do that from the start. In such a case, our hope is well-founded for it is based upon the eternal, unchanging promises of God. Even when we are most downcast, He is there waiting for us to return.

These two psalms are actually one song with three stanzas, each followed by the “chorus”. It begins Book II in the five-fold division in the collection we know as the Book of Psalms. This song comes from the descendants of Kohath ben-Levi, who were in charge of the levitical choir since the time of David (I Chron. 6:31-38).

Stanza One (Ps. 42:1-4) - The Drought of My Soul (“my soul thirsts for God”)
Refrain (Ps. 42:5)
Stanza Two (Ps. 42:6-10) - The Drowning of My Soul (deep to deep, waterfalls, waves, breakers)
Refrain (Ps. 42:11)
Stanza Three (Ps. 43:1-4) - The Distress of My Soul (rejected, mourning, oppressed)
Refrain (Ps. 43:5)

Other things to notice:

• emphasis on “my soul” (Heb. nephesh)
• “my soul pants for you, O God” (Ps. 42:1)
• “my soul thirsts for God” (Ps. 42:2)
• “I pour out my soul” (Ps. 42:4)
• “my soul is downcast” (Ps. 43:5,6,11; Ps. 43:5)
• metaphors from nature (deer, streams of water, land, heights, deep to deep, waterfalls, waves, breakers, mountain)
• day and night cycle (Ps. 42:3,8)
• remember and forget (Ps. 42:4,6,9)

Take special note of Ps. 42:8 which stands as a pivotal point in the whole song. It comes exactly midway in the middle stanza. Henry March expressed it well:

Deep to deep incessant calling,
Tossed by furious tempests' roll,
Endless waves and billows falling,
Overwhelm my fainting soul.
Yet I see a Power presiding
Mid the tumult of the storm,
Ever ruling, ever guiding,
Love's intentions to perform.
Yes, mid sorrows most distressing,
Faith contemplates thy design,
Humbly bowing, and confessing
All the waves and billows Thine.


New Testament: I Peter 1

Most of us are addicted to happiness instead of committed to holiness. - Don Wyrtzen

If happiness is all you have, you won’t be able to stand up under the trials of life. Peter was strengthening his readers to face the growing persecution around them and his emphasis was on personal holiness. After a series of quick jabs, he delivers the final punch:

Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed. As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: "Be holy, because I am holy. (I Pet. 1:13-16)

Here’s what it takes:

1. prepare your minds - later he will say “be ready always to give an answer” (I Pet. 3:15)
2. be self-controlled - Peter, who often struggled with self-control, is the one telling us this!
3. set your hope on grace - he must really mean it, for he mentions this 9x in these two short epistles
4. do not conform to evil - Paul tells us, “Don’t let the world around you squeeze you into its own mold” (Rom. 12:2, Phillips)
5. BE HOLY - just as God is wholly set apart from sin and impurity

This is really just the beginning. Peter’s series of imperatives goes all the way through I Peter 5:11 but this is a note-worthy start.

Purify my heart,
Let me be as gold and precious silver.
Purify my heart,
Let me be as gold, pure gold.

Refiner's fire,
My heart's one desire
Is to be holy;
Set apart for You, Lord.
I choose to be holy;
Set apart for You, my Master,
Ready to do Your will.

Purify my heart,
Cleanse me from within
And make me holy.
Purify my heart,
Cleanse me from my sin, deep within.